Cinderella - 70th Anniversary

"Cinderella" is a classic of animation, and one of the Walt Disney Company's flagship pieces of intellectual property. "Cinderella" was Disney's 12th animated release and an exceedingly important one, as the House of Mouse had endured a string of box office bombs and was staring down possible bankruptcy. As Disney now owns basically everything, it should come as no surprise that "Cinderella" was a massive success and saved the company. So here, on the film's 70th anniversary, little could be more appropriate than the re-re-re-re-release of "Cinderella" on home video. After all, Disney has to pay the bills somehow.

Originally released in the winter of 1950, "Cinderella" is Disney's take on the French fairy tale of the same name by Charles Perrault. The story of a young girl who lost her parents and was forced to live under the authoritarian rule of her evil stepmother, only to be rescued by a fairy godmother that gave her the means to find love, "Cinderella" now known to children and adults alike. Leaving out some of the more troubling bits of the original fairy tale (because selling parents on a children's story that involves cutting off pieces of your feet and being blinded by birds is kind of tough), Disney reshaped "Cinderella" into a modern classic.

Having grown up in a strongly pro-Disney house, there was a special kind of excitement when Disney would choose to open the vault and re-gift us one of their classic animated movies. So it is with that kind of childlike enthusiasm that I must convey deep exhaustion with Disney's relentless cash-grabbing antics. This release of "Cinderella" is the second Blu-ray release of the movie, which has also seen two Laserdisc releases, three VHS releases, and one DVD release. At least before, Disney would make some kind of attempt to give fans something extra, but now it seems like true laziness has settled in.

The "Cinderella" Anniversary Edition/Signature Collection bears little difference from the Diamond Edition that was released in 2012. The picture and audio remain unchanged, and the majority of the special features are simply carried over from the last release. A notable addition is a kind of enhanced commentary titled "In Walt's Words: The Envisioning of Cinderella." This feature aims to make the viewer feel like they are in the Disney production offices when "Cinderella" is being shaped. It is a fantastic feature and is, honestly, far more interesting than a lot of standard commentaries. The only issue is that this (and a borderline annoying trivia featurette) is the only thing that has been added. It makes the latest release of "Cinderella," while admittedly beautiful, feel wholly unnecessary.

"Cinderella - Anniversary Edition"
The Signature Collection / Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD
$24.96
https://movies.disney.com/cinderella-1950