Star Wars laser discs opinion needed (1 Viewer)

[William Ward]

No problems with my 1995 THX lasers....Except for red push on my Mitsubishi TV which I've recently fixed.
Now, if I could just find a DVD recorder....

 

[John Kwong]

I wanted to bring this thread up again because I'm in the same situation as Todd was. I've just located a copy of the Star Wars Definitive Collection but am worried about the possibility of laser rot. It's very difficult to find these discs, especially in Hong Kong

What I'd really like to know is how many of you has (or had) a copy of this box set and what is the condition of them and any other comments you might have.

 

[alan halvorson]

I've owned five copies of The Definitive Collection - all were rot-free (I watched each and every one).

 

[JJR512]

When asked if the films could be included as part of the supposedly massive DVD boxed set release of the original trilogy, Lucas said, "I don't think so. I think of the film as THE SPECIAL EDITION. I don't think of it as the early version, any more than I would put early rough cuts on.... I consider THE SPECIAL EDITION as being the final version at this point. I don't even worry about the other ones, because it went through a lot of incarnations to get to the final stage."
In other words, the Laserdisc editions of the original non-SPECIAL EDITIONS will most likely remain the only source for best quality of these films. We have taken a special look at these pictures - the original and the SPECIAL EDITIONS - and the result is very, very interesting, especially when it comes to sound.

This, to me, sounds pretty close to Lucas saying the original version will never be availablve on DVD.
(http://www.dvdscan.com/e-front.htm)

 

[Terrell]

I wanted to mention that I have a DEFINITIVE COLLECTION Boxset that has rotted on the original A NEW HOPE disc(side one and even more so on side two) so there is a possibility of rotting with this set.

The first pressings of the Definitive Collection were done by a pressing factory that was known for pressing discs that were prone to laser rot. All subsequent sets were pressed at a different plant.

 

[Michael Taylor]

I recently watched the films in my Definitive Collection Box with no problems whatsoever. If they haven't begun to rot by now, then I don't think I have to worry about it...I hope, since this set is the only reason I own an LD player.

 

[Lyle_JP]

The first pressings of the Definitive Collection were done by a pressing factory that was known for pressing discs that were prone to laser rot. All subsequent sets were pressed at a different plant.

My memory is a little different on that. If I'm not mistaken, all pressings of The Definitive Collection were done at Mitsubishi Japan, a plant which had a rot problem in the beginning but identified and corrected it as time went on.
I have owned (at one time or another) all 9 discs from the first pressing, disc 5 (the second disc on ESB) from the second pressing, and all 9 discs from the last pressing (which I still have) and they were all pressed at the Mitsubishi plant.
-Lyle J.P.

 

[Grant H]

Hey guys, this may be slightly off topic, but I think it's close enough: Which presentation of the original non-special edition trilogy do you think has better video quality. I have both the original Definitive Edition LD's CAV (with the missing seconds of Leia welding in ESB), and the newer THX CLV laserdiscs. I have read that both editions were the same video transfer, but I swear the definitives look better. The newer THX discs seem to have an added softness, especially noticeable on the ESB crawl where the letters look really bad with a lot of haze around the letters.

Anyone else?

It's upsetting if the Definitives are in fact better, what with all those disch changes.

 

[Tim Glover]

I've owned 2 sets of the '95 THX lasers and they were great. I have owned 2 sets of the SE's which are flawless still, and have one set of the Def. Collection THX CAV and it's flawless as well.

"Don't think, let the force guide you"

Get the ld player. I sold my player and all my ld software back in late '98 early '99 thinking we would get Star Wars on dvd....alas. I repurchased a better player in January and all the titles I cherished on laser. There are other threads about killer pcm tracks too which may help you make your decision.

It's kind of sad though that Episode II will be the first Star Wars movie that will not be available on laserdisc. I understand the financial reasons for this but sad for me nonetheless.

Grant, I did some comparisons and there are subtle differences. I prefer the Def. Coll. These are minor though. In fact I sold my '95 THX lasers since I had the CAV's.

 

[Lyle_JP]

Grant,

If you're seeing a large picture quality difference between the Definitive collection and the THX Faces discs, it could be that your player isn't as good with CLV as it is with CAV. It could also be that you have the Pioneer LDCA pressings of the Faces discs, which I've noticed have slightly more noise than the excellent Kuraray pressings of the same discs.

-Lyle J.P.

 

[Grant H]

My CLV "faces" are the Japanese pressings. I did my research when I bought them. What I see isn't video noise, just a slight softness in picture. I have the SE's as well, and yes, those transfers are BEAUTIFUL, rivaling many DVD's. The SE's are CLV as well, so I don't think it's the player, just the mastering.

Like Tim said the differnces are "slight". I thought it was my imagination when I first got my Definitve Editions and saw how they looked having already seen the "Faces" editions. Comparing one after another though there definitely was a minor difference. Like I said before though the "Faces" ESB crawl looks especially bad, not that its perfect on the Definitives though.

 

[Philip Hamm]

I read somewhere that the book that comes with the Definitive Collection can cause rot. Something about the chemicals in the paper or something. I read that on alt.video.laserdisc many years ago and took my book out of the box. I haven't had any problems with rot and have an early pressing with the shortened welding scene.

 

[Ed Vandeweerd]

Hi Todd

I have "Star Wars The Definitive Colletion" and have not experienced any problems with these laserdiscs. A Laserdisc player is indeed a must have for any collector particularly for any Serious Film buff. I have a few Treasures on Laser that haven't seen the light of day on DVD & I do not at all regret making the investment. Some of the titles I own include the following:

1. "Star Wars The Definitive Collection"

2. "It's a Wonderful Life" Criterion Box Set

3. "Jaws" The Signature Collection with complete making of documentary (2 hours)

4. "City Lights" Charlie Chaplin

5. Criterion "Monty Python and the Holy Grail"

6. Criterion "A Hard Days Night" - The Beatles

7. Criterion "The Player"

8 Barbara Streisand "One Voice"

9. Barbara Streisand "Live at Arrowhead Pond"

10. Hard Target DTS

11. Broken Arrow DTS

12> Crimson Tide DTS

13. Long Kiss Goodnight DTS

14. Jurrassic Park DTS

15. The Lost World DTS

16 Scream DTS

17 Casper DTS

18. The Fearless Vampire Killers

Nuff Said??

 

[Jim Tudor]

I don't know much about laser discs, as I've never owned a player. But I picked up a cheap LD of ANH over the weekend, just to have a non-VHS copy of the original version on hand. This LD obviously pre-dates the box sets that are being discussed here. I believe this LD is from '92 or '93.

Hopefully someone can let me know if this is a good version or not - the same store also had the similar LD of ROTJ, which I may try to go back and get.

Thanks,

JiM T

 

[IanS]

now don't everybody jump at me and ask me if I am crazy, but will there be Ep.2 AOTC Japanese LD on in Nov 2002 or ever ?

Ian

 

[Aaron Reynolds]

This LD obviously pre-dates the box sets that are being discussed here. I believe this LD is from '92 or '93.

Hopefully someone can let me know if this is a good version or not - the same store also had the similar LD of ROTJ, which I may try to go back and get.

It isn't great, but it is different from all the other widescreen LDs: it hasn't been through a video noise reduction process, and is therefore much grainier, but also closer to the original theatrical presentation of Star Wars.

I used to have this disc. I remember it being slightly overmatted. I am curious to compare it, soundwise, to the Faces/Definitive THX discs and to the THX SE disc (which is definitely superior to the Faces disc). The Faces/Definitive discs sound slightly muffled to my ears, and I'm wondering if it was due to some kind of noise reduction.

Anyhow, the upshot is that the disc you got (and the same versions of Empire and Jedi) are worth having to see how much effort went into the SE restorations. Also, if the softness from the video noise reduction on the Faces/Definitive discs drives you to distraction, these are your only widescreen non-SE alternative.

If they're cheap, I would buy them.

 

[Aaron Reynolds]

now don't everybody jump at me and ask me if I am crazy, but will there be Ep.2 AOTC Japanese LD on in Nov 2002 or ever ?

I wish.
I suggested before that us LD freaks should pool our financial resources and approach Lucasfilm about licensing the rights for a small LD run of Episode II before the last of the LD pressing plants are permanently shuttered.
Anybody with lots of money want to bankroll this goofy idea?