any laserdisc titles still worth owning? (1 Viewer)

[Albert Noel]

like the title says, are there any out there still worth seeking out?
like are there any that were butchered/altered/edited when they hit dvd, where the originals are still on laser? besides star wars of course

 

[Jon Martin]

There are still plenty of Criterion laserdiscs that have yet to be released on DVD. Many probably never will.

THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS is probably the biggest title. Then, countless other titles have been released on DVD, but without the Criterion extras.

 

[Jesse Skeen]

Off the top of my head:

American Graffiti- opening shot doctored on DVD
THX-1138- Lucasized on DVD
Kingpin- DVD isn't theatrical version
Original Gangstas- DVD doesn't include 5.1 soundtrack, LD also has commentary with Fred Williamson
Close Encounters- DVD is "new" version; Criterion LD is original '77 version and Columbia LD is 1980 Special Edition reissue
The Idolmaker- LD is letterboxed with 5.1 track and commentary, DVD is pan & scan, 2-channel with no commentary
Manhunter- theatrical cut in proper aspect ratio, DVD only available as widescreen "director's cut" or pan & scan theatrical cut

All Dogs Go To Heaven 2, Fievel Goes West, It Takes Two, Getting Even With Dad, Grumpy/Grumpier Old Men, My Fellow Americans, Sudden Death, Death Becomes Her, Boiling Point, Made In America, Matilda, The Paper, Little Big League, Jury Duty, Mo Money, Goofy Movie, George Of The Jungle, Larger Than Life, Heavyweights, First Kid- only pan & scan on DVD but letterboxed on LD

Tons of titles with original matrix stereo or mono soundtracks where DVDs only have remixed 5.1 tracks

 

[jim.vaccaro]

The Shadow is in OAR on LD, and it's 1:33 on the DVD.

The Last of the Mohicans is theatrical on LD; you can only get the director's cut on DVD.

 

[David_B_K]

I second Ambersons and Last of the Mohicans, and The Shadow (which also is available with a stunning DTS soundtrack). You may even find Mohicans in Dolby Digital 5.1.

Also, the Criterion El Cid, with extras and DD 5.1.

Other titles I have only on LD: Abel Gance's Napoleon, The Alamo Director's Cut, The Lighthorsemen. Also from Criterion, Welles' Othello is a much better release than the commercial DVD. The laserdisc has better sound, and the orignal score, rather than the pointlessly re-recorded score, plus a great commentary track and other extras, including excerpts of the documentary Filming Othello.

 

[ChristopherDAC]

Depends on your viewpoint. For me, it's worthwhile owning a lot of stuff on LaserDisc — even things which have completely acceptable DVD releases, in some cases. Of course, most of mine are 4:3 ratio, and many of them are the original release [direct-to-video type of thing], plus there are various bonuses : books, posters, bits of 35mm film, and in one case a set of hand puppets!

 

[Jesse Skeen]

There's also many public-domain movies available only in dollar-store DVD editions that had much better transfers on laserdisc. Same for golden-age XXX flicks.

And of course only on Laserdisc can you get the timeless masterpiece that is "Smoking: How To Stop".

 

[lscd]

How about "The Compleat Tex Avery"? Have they all been released on DVD without cuts yet?

 

[RomanSohor]

CAV Roger Rabbt for the infamous baby herman bird, jessica's oopsie, and michael eisner's phone number written on a bathroom wall

 

[Mike Wadkins]

What about The Star Wars Trilogy Definitive Editions

 

[DAN NEIR]

Scream is uncut on laser.
Then there's all the dts lasers

 

[Mike Wadkins]

Natural Born Killers CAV

 

[Charlie O.]

Golden Age of Looney Toons sets.

 

[TonyD]

the phone number never made it to home video in any format.

one of my favorite weird scifi's is actually coming
the monolith monsters.

that was on a laser double feature i think

 

[Frank@N]

Don't forget the incredible gatefold packaging on many LD...

I parred through my collection and got rid of redundant titles with minimal packaging (Star Trek titles), but anything with foldouts or glossing covers I kept for display.

Some of the LD packaging was just incredible, now HD comes in a tiny fly-weight case.

 

[TonyD]

"the list of adrian messenger"

john huston
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057254/

 

[Mattias_ka]

Well, it depend on what you watch. Is it must newer big movies and some older classics, than most (not all) have been released on DVD. Some maybe have better audio or sometimes better image on LD.

But if you like old movies, camp, horror, b-action, odd, well everything that is not "big blockbuster" movies, there are still a LOT of LD's to get. I think I have 300-400 movies on LD that are not on DVD anywhere. Another 200-400 that have better image/sound on LD.

So, it really depends.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I don't have an LD player so I can't say for sure, but I remember reading that there's a commentary with Francis Ford Coppola on the LD for "Bram Stoker's Dracula" - if that's true, that's something I'd love to hear.

 

[James D S]

Is there a website resource with this kind of info consolidated? You guys are mentioning movies that have been changed, but I'd love to read more specifically about what those changes are. Example: Scream uncut? What's been cut?

And my version of Bram Stoker's Darcula LD does not have a Coppola commentary. :frowning:

 

[Joel Fontenot]

www.imdb.com

Every movie listed has a section for "alternate versions" if one exists.

Scream's listing is here.

Although it's user updated, it is fairly complete for most movies.