I previously reviewed the Mary Poppins iTunes HD download, which was about as terrible as the DVD (harsh DVNR, edge enhancement). Will the brand new 50th Anniversary Edition be worth buying ?

I was surprised to see a 1080p trailer posted on YouTube, so I decided to have a closer look.

The short answer is: looking promising, with a few caveats.

Comparing the Trailer for the 50th Anniversary Blu-ray with the 45th Anniversary edition on iTunes.
Obviously not exactly the same frame – but look at the grain !

There is visible grain in the trailer, in particular in the pure live-action sequences. I’ve created a comparison that takes a slice of the 45th anniversary edition and compares it with the new edition.

The most obvious change is the grain is back ! The animated sequences appear to have had some clean-up, but it’s hard to tell across youTube.

Some colors appear a bit cooler, but I’m not calling ‘Orange-and-Teal’ just yet. The most troubling image I’ve seen is the nursery scene (‘Practically perfect in every way’). The curtains have definitely lurched towards teal, while the wall paper seems a bit orange, and contrast has been boosted somewhat.

50th Blu-ray on top. 45th iTunes underneath. Hints of orange and teal ?

I’m optimistic this will correct some of the earlier versions mistakes, but there could be an orange-and-teal sting in the tail. For the glass-half full crowd you can pre-order here. For the rest of us, we’ll have to wait until 10 December to see if our Disney wishes come true.