DVD Consumers file petition with Disney over Princess Monokoke

Online Consumers Petition Disney Over Upcoming DVD Release

Frustrated Consumers Urge Disney to Add Back the Original Japanese Language Track to the DVD Release of Princess Mononoke

Online DVD consumers have banded together to petition The Walt Disney Corporation to change a decision made regarding the upcoming DVD release of the Japanese Animated Film Princess Mononoke.

Last week Disney announced that the August 29th DVD release of Princess Mononoke would only include the English and French dubbed language tracks to the film and not the original Japanese language track.

Disney's decision outraged many DVD consumers, who decided to work together to petition the studio to reconsider their decision. One DVD Talk Forum member referred to Disney's decision as "robbing the film of its cultural origins."

Princess Mononoke, named one of the top 10 films of 1999 by many notable critics including Roger Ebert, has been hailed by many as a modern classic of Japanese Anime.

"It's an issue of choice," explained Geoffrey Kleinman, Founder of DVDTalk.com. "DVD provides the ability for a studio to release a film with many language tracks and it's a huge mistake for Disney to omit the original language track for Princess Mononoke."

The online petition, located at: http://www.DVDTalk.com/mononoke.html, was launched on July 3rd and received over 2500 digital signatures within the first 48 hours.

- Posted July 6, 2000

Source: DVDTalk.com Press Release