Warner DVD's not working thread - watch to make sure they still play (3 Viewers)

[Mark B]

NEPTUNE'S DAUGHTER
From the original 5 disc Esther Williams Volume 1
Rot
Toast
Fin-ee

 

[Arthur Powell]

I'm going to be reviewing the new Blu-ray of 8mm in a few days, and while I wait for the review copy to arrive, I took out my DVD to listen ahead of time to the audio commentary by the director.

This is one of those DVDs with the widescreen version on one side and the open matte version on the other, and the widescreen side was corrupted: it would not play in either player I tried it in. Thankfully, the open matte side played fine, and I was able to get the commentary track listened to.

The disc isn't Warners, BTW, but was a co-production between Universal/Sony, but I thought I'd mention it here in case others who have the DVD want to check out their copies.

Was the disc a DVD-18 (double-sided, dual-layered)? Universal was using them quite a bit about a decade ago, and their quality control can be dodgy. I'm glad that Universal has opted to re-release many of those titles with single-sided discs (Ma and Pa Kettle, The Munsters, Northern Exposure, etc.).

 

[Matt Hough]

I had several early Universal DVDs go bad: the non-anamorphic first releases of Vertigo and Spartacus come immediately to mind.

 

[Aunt Peg]

Makes me wonder just how long term discs, be they DVD or Blu Ray are.

We were told basically that they would 'outlive' us. All these discs failing are only going to discourage people from physical media further.

 

[TheSteig]

Ive had two Blu ray that went defective on me since I've been collecting
Sin City and Criterions Le Cercle Rouge

 

[Mark B]

I had several early Universal DVDs go bad: the non-anamorphic first releases of Vertigo and Spartacus come immediately to mind.

These were the first i ever had go kaput - over 10 years ago.

 

[Aunt Peg]

Ive had two Blu ray that went defective on me since I've been collecting
Sin City and Criterions Le Cercle Rouge

I understand there was a problem with a few older Criterion Blu Rays. Days of Heaven is one of the titles I recall reading about that had failed for some people. No doubt an internet search would bring up the (small) list of effected discs.

 

[TheSteig]

Yeah I saw that list .. luckily none of them on that list are ones that I either have or have and not gone bad on me. Its a bad feeling when a Criterion disc goes defective considering how much those cost

 

[Mark-P]

I pulled out my That’s Dancing DVD to check out a clip and found that it no longer will play all the way through. Oh well, it needs an HD upgrade anyway. I could do Vudu’s disc-to-digital $5 upgrade, but since the title is not part of Movies Anywhere, it won’t port over to iTunes. I guess I’ll just wait until iTunes puts it on sale, or maybe WAC will put it out on Blu-ray in the near future!

 

[Aunt Peg]

After having a good run with Warners discs I have another dud to report: The Man Who Came to Dinner.

Before watching any Warner DVDs I know do a chapter search. I check them first on a very only DVD player in my bedroom. It stopped at about the 40 minute mark. I then checked the Blu Ray player in my bedroom and it skipped chapter to chapter without any problems.

We watched the film downstairs in our lounge room first on the oldest Blu Ray player (because it has a timer display). It stopped playing at 42 minutes.

Moved the disc to the newest Blu Ray player and was able to watch another 30 or so minutes within any problem, then the disc started to stop and start.

Then moved the disc an a third player and it was also stopping and starting.

My The Man Who Came To Dinner is basically dying or really already dead as its simply not watchable for the whole running time. I remember purchasing it as part of a Bette Davis box set which I broke up. Anyway, I've added to my list that I will forward to Warners once I have checked everything.

 

[Matt Hough]

Hmmm...I watched mine within the last year with no problems, but we know that's no indication they won't go bad with more time to deteriorate. I'll check it out soon. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Aunt Peg]

I watched Smart Money (1931) this afternoon and it played fine.

 

[Aunt Peg]

Just watched The Shop Around the Corner and it played fine.

This wasn't a 'single' disc but part of a TCM 4 movie pack with 2 flip discs. The other films are Christmas in in Connecticut, A Christmas Carol & It Happened on 5th Avenue.

I have a single disc of It Happened on 5th Avenue which is the one I intend to watch. I have no intention of watching any of the other films on the TCM 4 disc set as I purchased it solely for The Shop Around the Corner.

 

[TheSteig]

I have The Shop Around the Corner too with The Spirit of St. Louis, The FBI Story and The Stratton Story.. so far everything has played fine

 

[Matt Hough]

I have The Shop Around the Corner too with The Spirit of St. Louis, The FBI Story and The Stratton Story.. so far everything has played fine

I have that set, too, and they all played fine the first time I watched each of them. The test will come in a year or two when I go in for another look. I hope they STILL play then.

 

[TheSteig]

or WAC announces one or more on blu ray - but at the rate WAC releases their catalog it might be 100 years from now

 

[Harold Chasen]

I understand there was a problem with a few older Criterion Blu Rays. Days of Heaven is one of the titles I recall reading about that had failed for some people. No doubt an internet search would bring up the (small) list of effected discs.

Here's the thread about the Criterion problem discs, so as not to derail this thread about Warners problem discs: https://www.hometheaterforum.com/community/threads/problem-with-criterion-blu-rays.334902/

(I remembered the Criterion thread because it made me look at my Summer Hours disc in time to discover that it was ruined, so I was able to get a replacement).

 

[Likecats]

Bad news. My Yogi Bear set is going bad and I got it in 2015. It's the original set.

 

[Aunt Peg]

I watched Anna Christie early today. Its a flip disc and was part of a Greta Garbo box set that I broke up. I only watched one side which played the 'English language' version of the film and it was fine (can't see this coming to Blu Ray anytime soon - restoration is much needed). I didn't and won't bother playing the other side of the flip disc which is the 'German language' version of Anna Christie.

 

[Aunt Peg]

Just finished watching Larceny Inc. with I think was part of an Edward G. Robinson boxset and it played fine.