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Saw the comments by Rico on laserdisc in the thread below and thought it was time to start a thread on those obsolete silver frisbees... so LD fanatics, if you still spin those big shiny discs, stand up and be counted!FWIW, I've got 400+ LDs in my collection... I much prefer anamorphic DVD on a big screen but still get a LOT of enjoyment out of LDs on my 32" Hitachi Ultravision (an excellent monitor btw, it uses variable resistors instead of software for color temperature; I'm ISF certified and have the monitor tuned and color-corrected to a fare-thee-well). Anyway on a smaller screen LD can provide a wonderfully-satisfying experience that gives DVD a run for its money; and of course you can access the analog soundtrack (superior to digital in most instances) and enjoy movies and music concerts not out on DVD (see list below). But then again I'm weird, I just got back into vinyl after an 18 year hiatus so what do I know? : )
Top 10 Favorite LD titles not available on DVD:
(note, titles in no particular order)1. The Rapture (Mimi Rogers, not available on dvd)
2. The New Age (Peter Weller, Judy Davis, not available on dvd)
3. Caldeonia Dreams (Pioneer special pressing, HD footage with jazz score, not available on dvd)
4. Pink Floyd Pulse (unreal concert footage of PF's pension tour, not available on dvd)
5. Tears for Fears (music videos, not available on dvd)
6. Paramount Movie Sampler (never sold commercially, it is a terrifically clever montage of 100's of movie clips)
7. The Shadow (Alec Baldwin, widescreen version not available on dvd)
8. Nemesis (Oliver Grunier, excellent cyber-punk sci-fi, widescreen version not available on dvd)
9. War of the Worlds (stereo soundtrack not available on dvd; isolated music and FX soundtracks also)
10. Star Wars Trilogy (the original version, not the hacked-up, revised mess on DVD)
Follow Ups:
s
I dont have a player, but came across some Dario Argento Discs...
Just so happens it is the ones I HAVE NOT SEEN YET. Now I'll be looking for a player.Also, Deerhunter was one of the finds.
Jodorowski's El Topo (1970). Though it is cut (I lived in NYC and saw the original numbers of times at the old Elgin Theater {now the Joyce}). The LD is the only decent copy available.Anything with DTS which uses twice the bandwidth as DTS on DVD. Especially "big badda boom movies like Golden Eye . Rico and I had an exchange recently, but the pertinant data were summed up beautifully by Joe Murphy, Jr. in an exchange I had with him some time ago on the Videl Asylum.
They (lasers) sound better because the laserdisc was transferred at 1.4Mbs, as opposed to the majority of DTS DVDs that have a bitrate of 768 kbs (half the full DTS rate). The original DTS DVDs from Universal (about 10 DVDs) have a bitrate of 1.5Mbs. Because the studios wanted more room for the worthless extra features and languages, DTS "downgraded" its codec to give them room. Today, DVD manufacturing capability now allows for 1.5Mbs DTS bitrates on DVDs along with the Dolby Digital 448kbs 5.1 soundtrack, but half-rate DTS has become the accepted standard. SadLaser Disc is actually better than DVD in certain video respects as well but requires CRT projection to show off what it does well. A direct comparison of the opening of English Patient shows the difference well. On DVD the picture is nominally clearer, but slow movements still bedevil the medium and the paper/papyrus looks flat and undifferentiated compared to the Laser. When I still had a CRT rear projector I usually prefered the LD. With my digital projector things are much closer and I usually play the DVD when I have a choice. Even so, I watched a high quality LD the other night and I noticed a distinct lack of the "viewer fatigue" that often nails me when watching DVD, clearer picture notwithstanding.
Not on DVD...hell, not even on CD.
Larry Carlton-Live in San Francisco (DVD?)A Dandy in Aspic
Paul McCartney-Flowers in the Dirt
Stevie wears a red velvet suit with matching hat throughout. Perhaps one of the first guys to take the pimp look to Asia :-)And as I recall, SRV seems to be quite drunk during this performance.
I have three LD players and 900 laserdiscs. As you point out, many lD titles have not yet been issued on DVD and some won't ever be. Although I have traded in most of my classic films on LD for their DVD counterparts I still watch "King Kong" (Image LD better than Criterion) and "Greed" on LD because neither has been issued on DVD.
And I have many conerts on LD like "Miles in Montreal", John Scofield Live Three Ways", Michel Petrucianni Power of Three", etc.
I agree with your comments on LD analog sound. And now that we have Dolby Pro Logic II (or DTS Neo 6 if you prefer)they have a whole new life. As you know, most later LD players play two sides. And I have always felt that CD sound from LD players, particularly those that disconnect the video,is equal to any high end stand alone CD player. And finally, I have A/B'd a few Dolby Digital 5.1 LD soundtracks with their DVD counterparts and the LD is always superior. Toward the end there were even a few anamorphic LD's.
...of NYA (not yet available) titles of interest. Note: Some of these are on LD (in one form or another; some not)Greed (Von Stroheim dir.; TCM/Brownlow branched restoration) NYA
Napoleon (Gance dir.; Brownlow restor.; NOT Coppola/Zoetrope edit) NYA
King Kong (orig. & remastered) NYA
Shanghei Express (Von Sternburg dir.) NYA
Flesh and the Devil (Clarence Brown dir. Gilbert/Garbo) NYA
Free Live/Tribute to Paul Kossoff (only released as Jap. imp. LD) NYA
Jimi Hendrix/Atlanta Pop Festival (only released as Jap. imp. LD) NYA
Harold Lloyd silents (ALL restored; never released on LD) NYA
Traffic Live in Santa Monica (only released on LD) NYA
Val Lewton Collection (only released on LD) NYAI'm also inclined to second your comments on The Shadow & Pink Floyd/Pulse and to a lesser degree on the Star Wars Trilogy (I think that The Empire Strikes Back is fine, but I still have problems with the DVD releases of Return of the Jedi and to a lesser degree Star Wars AKA "A New Hope"). BTW, the current DVD issue of War of the Worlds ('53) is one I eventually intend to purchase, however, I'm not convinced as to how enhancing the original mono film track for stereo will heighten or improve the experience of the original release.
Cheers,
AuPh
My understanding is that the stereo on the LD is true stereo as the main title of the 1953 film was in stereo.
(nt)
I'm pretty sure the original was in mono.All the original reviews of the Paramount CAV LD mentioned that the soundtrack was remixed for stereo.
http://www.dvdlaser.com/search/detail.cfm?ID=26134
I'm afraid I don't share the same rosey fondness for this film.
Sure it was a better film than When World's Collide but the CAV LD (I bought both back in '97/98 at the now-horrendous price of $45ea.)release of that film eclipses the rather poor presentation of WOTW.
The remastered Paramount CAV LD is sharper than the previous issue but is also blemished with many scratches and other markings on the source print, plus the
(Techni)colour palette had degraded so much that nearly every SFX shot showed up discrepancies wherein the color mattes had faded at a different rate to the main film stock.As for the stereo sound, it was distinctly nondescript and offered no real advantage over mono. The WWC mono track was far superior with better overall smoothness and a more solid, extended bottom end.
Someone mentioned The Shadow earlier on ?
It was released in a very good looking anamorphic widescreen Region 4 edition and possibly Region 2. Dolby Digital only, no DTS unlike the LD.
I'll be on the look-out for the Shadow (Region 2 or 4) in anamorphic WS for my nifty multi-region player! I was very disappointed that the Shadow DVD wasn't released in it's proper anamorphic aspect ratio here. As for War of The Worlds, it looks like the DVD may be the closest to the original release sound-wise; now I'm curious as to whether the technicolor negative has been sufficiently cleaned up and color balance restored through video remastering for the DVD to be a significant improvement over the LD.Cheers,
AuPh
Hi,There's no color difference between the WOW laserdisc and dvd; they appear to be the same source elements, although why the dvd was released in mono (very low-bit rate mono no less) escapes me.
The technicolor transfer runs to the browns (very common) but is excellent nonetheless. For EYE-POPPING Technicolor check out DR. CYCLOPS on LD. It's a 50's sci-fi cheeze-fest about a shrink ray, but it has the most intense technicolor I've ever seen (and I specialize in collecting technicolor movies).
The WOW was indeed released in TRUE STEREO for the roadshow prints; this was done to help compete against the threat of television by the movie studio; if you listen carefully to the WOW soundtrack you can hear a lot of out-of-phase material that gives a nice surround effect in stereo.
Watch for the authentic remake of WOW by Pendragon films coming soon; it's done in Victorian times and is true to Welles' novel.
BTW, Dr. Cyclops is an early 40's SF film (1940, specifically), which makes the survival and quality of it's 3 strip Technicolor elements seem even more impressive. I never owned the LD (wish I had, now); is it out or due out on DVD?Thanks for the updates, yo mama!
AuPh
x
;^)
Quite a few of those movies will probably be never released on DVD.When they finally release Jeux interdits, Professione: reporter, and Waterloo on DVD I will retire my several VCR's.
Read: most likely never.
I presume there were many more movies on VHS than on LD.
Jeux is on DVD.
Strange... doesn't show on imdb. Could be just in Europe?
imdb is a great resource but it is riddled with errors. They may have just missed it.
NOW we are getting someplace!
Victor!-----
The direct link will not open so....
...I've still got my LD player, and I still buy the discs occassionally. I've found some really good deals on laserdiscs, and the only thing I don't like about them is "the flip-over." Thanks for the list, and I agree, these discs do give most dvds a run for their money.
I use a 32" screen also (Sony), and the big discs look good to me as well. What's the deal on these things with really big screens (re: Patrick's post)? I know that laserdiscs have a lower resolution than dvd, but is it THAT obvious on larger screens? I also have a huge collection of vhs, and I know that LD and dvd are both much higher resolution than that format, so if big screens/plasma/hd televisions result in these "obsolete" formats being unwatchable, I'll stay with my "obsolete" television.
FWIW, I just bought a "twofer" laserdisc set of film noir classics CRISS CROSS and THE KILLERS...two of the best, imo (for five bucks!), and found both films to look and sound amazing. The liner notes alone were worth the price.
Thanks!
Gary
Is my favorite laserdisc of all time, one that is STILL not available on DVD...The Compleat Tex Avery (MGM)
Every cartoon Avery directed at MGM in a terrific 5-disc package. I spin it for my nephew or stepdaughter and their friends occassionally and they love it. I do too!
Is after I saw the picture on my Plasma I had no but no choice to sell my player and my LD, but I stll feel sorry about it...This big covers had class and smelled......
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