any laserdisc titles still worth owning? (1 Viewer)

[Peter Neski]

ManyMusic tiltes from Japan,which about 10percent are released on dvd
because of high music rights,and they aren't big money makers
The Criteron Last Tango in paris isn't better,but some scenes do look better
less faded

 

[Jeffrey Nelson]

The laserdisc of BAD LIEUTENANT contains the unchanged original music mix. The DVD was changed because the Stones objected to Schooly D.'s use of one of their riffs during a key scene.

 

[Albert Noel]

wow, lots of great films i havent seen in a long time.
i've started a "wish" list of all the titles everyone has mentioned so far.

 

[Member 323668]

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) The 188 min Roadshow Version is only available on LaserDisc. I love this movie and my LD box.

 

[Tino]

That is NOT the Roadshow version, as that doesn't currently exist in any format, unfortunately. The LD is a mishmash of the two versions.

 

[Chris Dugger]

Also.... although P&S laser is the only place that the original theatrical cut of BLADE RUNNER was released...

I have quite a few laser's that still keep...

ELECTRIC DREAMS
LET IT BE
TWIN PEAKS

The list goes on...

Dugger

 

[Rod J]

In addition to those already mentioned..

Hollywood: A Celebration of the American Silent Film (r2 dvd just cancelled)
The Lubitsch Touch
If I Had A Million

 

[Thomas T]

From Chris Dugger:

"Also .... although P&S laser is the only place that the original theatrical cut of BLADE RUNNER was released"

Actually the Criterion Blade Runner of the original theatrical cut is letterboxed, one of the very first laser discs to adopt the wide screen format rather than P&S.

 

[Mattias_ka]

Add to the list, I Walked With a Zombie: http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/...&postcount=158

 

[jim_falconer]

'Jet Pilot' - In it's original 1.33:1 ratio...not the matted widescreen DVD.

'1776' - Pioneer Special Edition has about 17 more minutes of the film, which includes Entrance, Intermission, and Exit music.

 

[Mattias_ka]

Yes, the US LD is unrated and longer than the DVD.

 

[Aaron Reynolds]

Nope -- the Criterion is the European theatrical cut. Chris is talking about the US domestic theatrical cut, which is a handful of seconds shorter, having been shorn of a number of violent bits (the same violent bits that were re-removed for the "Director's Cut").

 

[Robert Hutchison]

My main reason for keeping my LD player is my SONG OF THE SOUTH laserdic from Japan. Also I have the first three James Bond films from Criterion that have the banned commentaries (the film producers didn't like the commentaries) that won't make it to DVD.

Also I have a number of speciality LD's that I don'y think will make it to DVD. Such as the 6 volume SPACE ARCHIVES and the LD's from the National Air & Space Museum (each disc contains 100,000 still photos from the NASM collection)

My LD collection includes 28 serials, many of them that have not yet made it to DVD. The HOLLYWOOD boxed set mentioned in previous messages is a great set showcasing the silent films that deserves a wider release on DVD.

 

[David_B_K]

There is a site called DVD LASER that reviews releases in either laser or DVD format, and sometimes points out the features of the laser releases (the DVD reviews are not terribly current).

Someone mentioned "better image" on some laserdiscs. I have yet to see a widescreen LD with better image than an anamorphic DVD (unless the DVD is oublic domain or simply a botched job). The sound is sometimes better, particularly the full-bitrate DTS laserdiscs.

 

[Keith Paynter]

A few off the top of my head...

Magical Mystery Tour - great picture, and not visually altered
Metropolis - the controversial Moroder cut
Hearts Of Darkness
Stop Making Sense - Japanese only - has bonus songs edited into film
Rockshow - McCartney & Wings live
Pink Floyd: The Wall - Alan Parker commentary on AC-3 edition
Bugs Bunny, Superstar - noteworthy for interviews with Bob Clampett, Friz Freleng and Tex Avery (and voiceover by Orson Welles)
Hollywood: A Celebration Of The American Silent Film - excellent (and rare on LD) 13 part Kevin Brownlow documentary hosted by James Mason

and lest we forget:

Song Of The South

 

[David_B_K]

That must've cost a fortune on laserdisc. I love that series. I only have VHS taped off the local PBS channel

 

[Keith Paynter]

David, that box set (when offered) typically goes for between $400-600 on ebay.

 

[Jon Martin]

Part of the great thing about laserdisc, which is why DVD will never be the same to many collectors, there was a whole sense of discovery about finding different laserdiscs.

For the most part, laserdiscs were popular before the internet really took off. So, instead of just going to Ebay, or Amazon and ordering a title, you had to sort of work at it. You either had to drive to the nearest laserdisc store (and unless you lived in a big city, your local Wal Mart and corner video store didn't carry them) or order over the phone (did anyone else call Ken Crane's laserdisc on a weekly basis to listen to the automated list of new releases).

Or, you waited patiently for the new issue of Doug Pratt's Laserdisc newsletter, one of the few newsletters that you got FOR the ads. I remember the 4 page, center ads for Laser Craze every month. I would go through to see what lasers were on sale, what used discs were being offered.

Maybe a couple times a year, I would get to drive out to Boston to their store, walk around in awe (both floors), and walk out with a major credit card bill.

DVDs are a lot less stressful, and I guess that is good. But, there is a lot of nostalgia for the old laser days.

 

[David_B_K]

Jon, I definitely spent lots of time doing that. That recorded phone message really started getting longer when releases were coming out in standard, Dolby Digital, and DTS versions at the same time.

Another drawback was that laserdiscs were seldom discounted like DVDs at most retailers. We had one store here in Houston: Audio-Video Plus which carried a lot of titles. If a lasrdisc had a MSRP of $39.99, they sold it for $39.99. With DVDs, no one ever pays list price. Ironically, prices of $29.99-$39.99 were actually reasonable back when a new VHS release (priced for rental) would go for $89.99 or thereabouts.

 

[Patrick McCart]

They're including this on the fourth Looney Tunes 4-disc set.