Walt Disney Classics (also known as The Classics from Walt Disney Home Video and Disney's Black Diamond edition) was a video line launched by WDTNT to release Disney animated features on home video. The first title in the "Classics" line was Robin Hood which was released towards the end of 1984. This was followed by 19 other titles until early 1994, with The Fox and the Hound. Disney followed up on the "Classics" series by porting over the released titles (except Pinocchio, Fantasia, The Fox and the Hound, The Great Mouse Detective, The Rescuers Down Under, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin) to the "Masterpiece Collection" line, while continuing to use the "Classics" moniker in countries outside North America until 2007. Starting in the 2010s these videocassettes also dubbed "Black Diamond" became highly sought-after due to a public misconception about their rarity and actual value.

Background

In 1980, Disney established its own video distribution operation as part of Walt Disney Telecommunications and Non-Theatrical Company (WDTNT) with Jim Jimirro as its first president. Home video was not considered to be a major market by Disney at the time. WDTNT Co. also handled marketing of other miscellaneous ancillary items such as short 8 mm films for home movies. Disney's first releases on videotape were 13 titles that were licensed for rental to Fotomat on March 4, 1980. This first group of titles on VHS marketed under the Walt Disney Home Video brand included 10 live action movies and 3 compilations of short cartoons: Pete's Dragon, The Black Hole, The Love Bug, Escape to Witch Mountain, Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, The North Avenue Irregulars, The Apple Dumpling Gang, Hot Lead and Cold Feet, On Vacation with Mickey Mouse and Friends, Kids is Kids starring Donald Duck, Adventures of Chip 'n' Dale. Numerous other titles and re-releases were released at later dates throughout the early 1980s. These all came in a while clam-shell case which gave a distinctive appearance.

History

The Walt Disney classics include 15 animated feature films – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Bambi, Cinderella, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, 101 Dalmatians, The Sword in the Stone, The Jungle Book, The Aristocats, Robin Hood, The Rescuers and The Fox and the Hound – which had only been shown at theaters, not television or any other format (except for The Sword in the Stone, which aired on television in 1985 for the first time). These 15 movies laid the foundation upon which the Disney company was built. During each re-release to theaters (on a roughly seven-year cycle), they earned money comparable to new releases; it was thought the company would lose this revenue if they released the feature films on video or television. By the time the Masterpiece Collection replaced the Classics collection in the domestic market, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and The Aristocats were the only two of the original 15 classics (and in fact, the sole two pre-1985 single-narrative animated features) that had not yet been released to video or shown on television. All of the single-story animated features made by Disney were included in the list of 15 classics except for two. The exceptions were Dumbo and Alice in Wonderland, both of which had been shown on television at the earliest opportunity. The Disneyland TV series began with The Disneyland Story, but the very next thing to be aired was Alice in Wonderland (broadcast November 3, 1954), which was edited to fit into the one-hour TV time slot. The following season began on September 14, 1955, with a one-hour version of Dumbo. Both of these movies were released on video within the first two years of the creation of Walt Disney Home Video; the videos were only briefly available for rental before they became available for sale. Despite always being available, Dumbo and Alice in Wonderland have made millions of dollars in subsequent home video releases.

North American releases

Rarity

Decades after their release there has been a public misconception that every "Black Diamond Edition" title from the Walt Disney Classics VHS line are rare and valuable. According to Kodak, "Tapes don't last for long due to remanence decay of the magnetic charge, causing blacked-out scenes, discoloration and eventually, entire loss of footage." They also gave a time frame by saying that tapes "degrade 10% to 20% throughout 10 to 25 years". Kristy Ambrose from "The Gamer" called the phenomenon a "craze" which might be driven by nostalgia, and also stated that "Consumers have been learning some hard lessons about market manipulation and the power of trends". Rain Blanken from WDW magazine called the ebay listings "bogus" and "hyped up" warning people that "Every outlet is saying these are listed for high prices… not sold." This is also mentioned by Snopes which call the claim "Are 'Black Diamond' Disney VHS Tapes Worth Thousands of Dollars?" mostly false. They state that no buyers are bidding anywhere close to those asking prices for the tapes. Those that did sell for thousands of dollars are described by Snopes as a "rarity/fluke". In terms of consignment, Heritage Auctions has placed in their "Vintage VHS Tapes Value Guide" that the most desirable VHS tapes released between 1979 and 1990 are still in their original factory shrink wrap. Further value is added if studio watermarks are present on the wrap. In regard to Disney "Black Diamond Editions", Heritage states that aside from a couple of titles, Disney animated films released on VHS after 1990 are not worth anything significant, and "Only the earliest of Disney VHS produced prior to 1985 hold any value to most collectors." Things to look for on their guide include a sealed tape, a studio logo on the shrink-wrap, and if the latest year listed on the back of the cover is prior to 1986.