Apollo 13 - 1995 Tom Hanks DVD's OOP...Why?? (1 Viewer)

[Ross M]

I noticed that most online retailers do not show either Apollo 13 CE or DTS available for purchase. Has anyone heard if there is perhaps a 10th Anniversary Edition in the works for 2005? This would be the only explanation I could think of for discontinuing a major release such as this.

 

[Jon Martin]

Universal has let quite a few titles go out of print recently (FLETCH being another I can think of). Maybe new editions are in the works, but it isn't just APOLLO 13.

 

[Darrell Bratz]

Simply on moratorium, perhaps, ala the Bond films much of the time? Putting films on moratorium was a very common part of VHS sell-through models that we've seen very little of in the DVD market (somewhat to my surprise, and much to my pleasure).

 

[Bradley-E]

Add THE DEER HUNTER, THE STING and BACKDRAFT To the Unavailable Univer$al titles.

 

[Craig S]

Hopefully this bodes well for new SE versions of The Deer Hunter & The Sting, both of which are SORELY needed.

 

[Elijah Sullivan]

I'm guessing it's because of the upcoming special edition. Scan the Rumor Mill at The Digital Bits for more information.

 

[Graham Perks]

I recently pulled out my Apollo 13 DVD... bought when it first came out.

It now doesn't play in any of three DVD players! No scratches. Been sat in the case for the last couple of years. No player will even load the DVD.

Not very happy :-( I wonder how many other of my DVDs are the same?

DVD rot? Something else?

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I scanned but saw nothing about Apollo 13. Did I miss it?

 

[Sean A]

I recently pulled out my Apollo 13 DVD... bought when it first came out.

It now doesn't play in any of three DVD players! No scratches. Been sat in the case for the last couple of years. No player will even load the DVD.

Not very happy :-( I wonder how many other of my DVDs are the same?

DVD rot? Something else?


There seems to be some sort of problem with older DVDs from Universal . I had problems with Vertigo and Psycho , which I bought in 1998. I tried playing them a few months ago, and the discs simply would not play . My machine wouldn't even read them . I found an e-mail address for Universal Home Video, contacted them, and they asked me to send the discs back to them . That was a few weeks ago; haven't heard back from them yet. Several people on this board had similar issues was some Universal DVDs .

 

[Thomas T]

My Apollo 13 wouldn't play either and my Psycho kept on breaking up. Both 1998 Universal discs. I've since replaced them with repressings.

My local Circuit City had a bunch of Apollo 13s a few months back.

 

[Lee Bombard]

My Apollo 13 is also dead. So is Dragonheart. Another Universal disc from about the same time.

 

[Antony James]

Cripes, that worries me. Now I'm gonna have to go checking all my older discs. The only one that ever died without reason on me was Contact. (Warners)

If I have to go replacing a bunch of old Universal titles too, I won't be happy.

 

[Elijah Sullivan]

No, I just scanned it myself and saw no traces. Sorry, I should have double-checked myself. I'm 100% sure I saw it announced somewhere on the internet, in addition to getting some tentative word from distributors. I have an advertisement at work that says to expect a SE Apollo 13 release very soon (probably Q1 2005). Sorry I can't find you anything more concrete besides a very vague "I think I heard something about it..."

 

[Joseph Bolus]

Believe me when I tell you that you *don't want* that original Apollo 13 disc. The transfer included on that disc was "shot through" with extremely excessive and intrusive EE. It's all but unwatchable on any display larger than 40".

About DVD "rot" in general: It's sad, but quite a few of the very early RSDL discs (manufactured between July 1998 - mid-December 1998) were prone to "rot" due to inadequate bonding at the DVD pressing facilities. Fortunately, the largest majority of the discs released during that time frame were single layer and were therefore immune to the problem.

The bottom line is that I haven't heard of any verified instances of DVD "rot" for any RSDL discs that were manufactured from about the third week of December 1998 on.

 

[KyleC]

I bought the DTS version a few months back, would there be any reason to upgrade to a SE if I don't care much for features?

 

[Ross M]

I also noticed that the original Blues Brothers and Casino (1995) are other Universal titles currently OOP.

 

[Bradley-E]

Great. I guess I should check my copies of Apollo 13, Psycho, Vertigo and anything else UNIVER$AL from that time period. UNIVER$AL is really getting on my nerves lately!

 

[Rick CHO]

Checked my Apollo 13 last night. It played OK, thank god. Now, on to check on the bazillion of other Universal titles.
(sigh)
:frowning:

 

[ChadMcCallum]

The DTS version has a different and by that I mean worse transfer than the DD version. So if you value picture over sound then I guess you should pick up the DD version of an SE if one ever comes out.

 

[WillG]

Even if you don't generally care for for special features, the ones on the DD 5.1 version are really quite good. If you love the film, you will certainly enjoy the special features as well. There are 2 commentaries, one from Ron Howard and one from Jim and Marylin Lovell which really is fascinating. There is also a very good, about an hour long making of documentary as well.