Early Blu-rays that may have playback issues (Criterion, Well Go USA, etc.)

[Arkadin]

that information is classified and might cause people to start calling and demanding answers.

[Simon_LDT]

Anybody else have the following codes on their copies of Howards End?

L0D25 and L1D026.

My disc looks fine, thankfully so would assume it's a 2nd press. I actually can't remember where I got it from, it was definitely 2nd hand though, most likely from ebay.

[jscoggins]

Originally Posted by Deep

Wow! This thread has really taken a life of its own Criterion would be ignoring this issue at their own peril. I had started the thread about Summer Hours a month ago (my original post about this in the main Criterion thread got buried after a response or two) never realizing that that particular title was just the tip of the iceberg. Thanks jscoggins for creating this more general thread. I do have almost all the titles from this time period and am scared to check them all. I am even more scared about what it means for Criterion - hopefully they can hold the disc replication companies responsible because replacing all the bad discs out there could end up being an expensive proposition for them.

-D

Yeah, once I noticed that people were mentioning other titles, I figured it'd make sense to call attention to Criterion in general.

Originally Posted by Dan8700

Finished checking The Seventh Seal L323-L321: 100% OK.
So far, the discs printed at that Sony facility seem to work allright.
Just a brief recap about the problematic titles:

[Show spoiler]Most of the time reported faulty:
Summer Hours
Walkabout
M
Days of Heaven
Stegecoach

Sometimes:
Howard's End
Pierrot Le Fou
Paris, Texas
8 1/2

Isolated (1 or 2 reports):
Gomorra
Ride with The Devil
Monsoon Wedding
Monterey
The Seventh Seal

Thanks, I'll incorporate this into the OP.

[ABaglivi]

My Howard's End is L0D25 and plays fine.

[Crimson King]

Looks like Shout Factory just got the rights to Winchester Films, which includes Stagecoach, this could mean another in the future OOP title in the affected batch

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by Arkadin

that information is classified and might cause people to start calling and demanding answers.

Maybe I'll call it later when I'm on lunch. None of my discs have been affected but I'd be happy to call them to get the information.

[jscoggins]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

Maybe I'll call it later when I'm on lunch. None of my discs have been affected but I'd be happy to call them to get the information.

Watch, they'll hang up as soon as you mention any of the titles in the OP.

[balthazar_bee]

My Days of Heaven, Stagecoach and M all play just fine.

I did notice a wee bit of bronze discolouration on Stagecoach, and a tiny bit more on M.

I bought all three of them in bricks and mortar stores in Ontario.

[jscoggins]

Originally Posted by balthazar_bee

My Days of Heaven, Stagecoach and M all play just fine.

I did notice a wee bit of bronze discolouration on Stagecoach, and a tiny bit more on M.

I bought all three of them in bricks and mortar stores in Ontario.

Did you check Bucking Broadway on Stagecoach?

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by jscoggins

Watch, they'll hang up as soon as you mention any of the titles in the OP.

Not sure why they'd hang up. Any time I've dealt with them they've been great. The turn around time on the Carlos and White replacements was within a week (I sent them in on Saturday and had a replacement by mid-week). Another time someone stole my USPS delivery of Seven Samurai and they replaced it with no trouble.

[Dr. Humbert]

I can confirm that only my L0... discs are affected, which includes Pierrot, sadly... I fully expect Criterion to offer a free BD to replace any OOP titles.

[rdandura]

Originally Posted by jscoggins

Watch, they'll hang up as soon as you mention any of the titles in the OP.

This is Browngate. They all deserve to be bothered until they fix this issue, because ignoring it for so long is just bad customer service.
It really sucks that I will never buy from Criterion again, since I have no real problems with playing any of my discs so far, and see no browning on titles beyond mid-2010. Seriously, I doubt any BDs after this date would go bad.

[Brian81]

Originally Posted by ABaglivi

My Howard's End is L0D25 and plays fine.

My disc states this (L0D25) also but if you look after those numbers, there may be a microscopic L021 in addition to those numbers after those. I didn't notice the first time looking at the matrix. I couldn't see them unless I had the disc literally right below a light bulb and started tilting the disc under it. They are microscopic and in a different font as well....separate from the string of characters that include the L0D25 part.

Originally Posted by Simon_LDT

Anybody else have the following codes on their copies of Howards End?

L0D25 and L1D026.

My disc looks fine, thankfully so would assume it's a 2nd press. I actually can't remember where I got it from, it was definitely 2nd hand though, most likely from ebay.

That is what I saw, but unlike newer pressings like the L321 where it is larger and visible on the ring, these particular discs (the L021 and LB42) both have it really tiny...next to those numbers. They really are tiny, microscopic. Like said, had to hold under light and tilt to even notice that they were there.

[Freeza]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

The Criterion Collection

212-756-8850

Rings once then goes to what sounds like a fax/modem screech for a minute, then silence and a disconnect.

[rdandura]

Originally Posted by Freeza

Rings once then goes to what sounds like a fax/modem screech for a minute, then silence and a disconnect.

This means either the phone line no longer works, or this is so serious that Criterion is actually ashamed of this scandal and is devoting no time to address this issue.

This was in a post that was deleted earlier, but we need to start legal action against them soon in a class action suit for selling defective products.

[MifuneFan]

[rdandura]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Look I'm not trying to troll post on this forum; I'm generally concerned about Criterion's mishandling of the bronzing issue.

[ShellOilJunior]

This is the other number listed:

(212) 756-8822

[Brent L.]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

This is the other number listed:

(212) 756-8822

This number works fine, the other one is the fax number.

I'm calling now...

[Freeza]

Originally Posted by rdandura

This means either the phone line no longer works, or this is so serious that Criterion is actually ashamed of this scandal and is devoting no time to address this issue.

This was in a post that was deleted earlier, but we need to start legal action against them soon in a class action suit for selling defective products.

Actually, what we need is for you to settle down. You're helping no one with your chicken little impressions, and in my opinion are trolling.

I found a secondary number and called that. What I was told was that they are aware of the 'bronzing' issue and that new Summer Hours discs are in manufacture. As to any other titles that may be affected, they aren't aware of any outside of a select few, but if there were more those would be addressed on a case by case basis. What more could you want? Seems good to me. Do you really think they're in the business of scoffing a bit of $$$ from you just to sacrifice your patronage throughout the rest of time? Calm down, please.