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

[I KEEL YOU]

I've mentioned this before, but I know that many Warner DVDs and HDDVDs from around 2006-08 were prone to disc rot. I don't know if the same is the case for their early blu rays.

[mikey ra]

I've posted some of these titles before but my running total of "rotted" (or if that term offends "Failed") discs that played fine previously but cannot get to play all the way to the end on multiple Blu-ray players of various brands has grown:

Stargate (original version - Lions Gate);
Ninth Gate (Lions Gate);
Total Recall (original release of original version - Lions Gate).
Rambo III from the original Rambo set (Lions Gate);
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (Fox);
Speed (Fox);
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (Disney)

[flyry]

Do you think it's ok to buy IP man 1 now or might there still be some defective discs out there?

[MassiveMovieBuff]

These are movies that have stopped working for me that I had to rebuy.
1. American Psycho (Lionsgate)
2. Basic Instinct (Lionsgate)
3. Reservoir Dogs (Lionsgate)
4. Cloverfield (Paramount)
5. Face Off (Paramount)
6. Speed (Fox)-Fox sent me a replacement due to the issue. I guess it was common at the time. Not sure if it still is.

So far all of the rebuys have been working just fine. On a side note I'm so glad that Criterion fixed the initial defective Walkabout release. Can't imagine not having the stunningly gorgeous Jenny Agutter nude on blu ray as much as she is in this film.

[Eny-]

I just had a disc turned bad - yellowed and non playable in 3 different players, including a PC BD drive.

The special features disc of the original release of THE ZODIAC.

[javy]

I just bought Criterion Wings of Desire and it appears to be a first printing. It doesn't have the bronzing issue or playback issues. It's it safe to say that since it hasn't had these issues yet that it won't? Thanks in advance

[fdm]

"First Printing" doesn't mean anything, they all are. If you just bought it (new), then you're probably fine. If you bought it a while ago, much closer to when it first came out, then that's another story.

[javy]

It has the ifpi lo21 numbers on the back is why i referred to at as first print

[kuro_sawa]

Is there a replacement for The Big Lebowski digibook disc? I've had a couple bronzed Criterions, but this is the first of my other blus to do this. It's the worst of them all, too - starting to look like a big penny.

[neo_reloaded]

Originally Posted by kuro_sawa

Is there a replacement for The Big Lebowski digibook disc? I've had a couple bronzed Criterions, but this is the first of my other blus to do this. It's the worst of them all, too - starting to look like a big penny.

Contact Universal for a replacement, or buy a newer edition. A movie as popular as The Big Lebowski has had multiple pressings for sure.

[fdm]

Originally Posted by javy

It has the ifpi lo21 numbers on the back is why i referred to at as first print

Mine's a 10K8, pre-ordered just before initial release. Most all of the bad ones are 10K6 or 10K7 or 10K8, no?

(Procrastination, but perhaps I'll finally watch it tonight.)

(Also, since wife isn't using her PC any more, think I'll just run through the ones I haven't swapped out this week (VSO Inspector) and see if any of them have issues.)

[javy]

Mine has 10K7. But it has no problems. Like said, hoping that since it hasn't by now, it won't

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by javy

Mine has 10K7. But it has no problems. Like said, hoping that since it hasn't by now, it won't

Same with mine. I think it's fair to assume that if one's disc hasn't bronzed or hasn't had problems playing after seven years, it's not likely to do so going forward.

With two of the stated problem titles, Howards End and Pierrot le fou, my copies still play like champs and don't have a hint of bronzing, even though both have the dreaded 10K6/L021 marks.

The only Criterion title from that period that I've had a problem with was Kagemusha (10K7/L021). I still need to send it in to Criterion to get a replacement. I've just been too busy.

[I KEEL YOU]

Pretty weird that The Big Lebowski is the only Universal disc with a known bronzing issue. I'm guessing that it's probably because it's the only Universal blu ray with a digibook release and they must've pressed the disc in the same facility where they printed the digibook, or one close to it.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by I KEEL YOU

Pretty weird that The Big Lebowski is the only Universal disc with a known bronzing issue. I'm guessing that it's probably because it's the only Universal blu ray with a digibook release and they must've pressed the disc in the same facility where they printed the digibook, or one close to it.

There have been 10 Universal DigiBooks:

The Big Lebowski
To Kill a Mockingbird
All Quiet on the Western Front
Out of Africa
Buck Privates
Pillow Talk
The Sting
Jaws
E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial
Despicable Me 2 (Target exclusive)

I have all of them except E.T. (don't want it) and Pillow Talk. None of them have bronzed, and all of them play fine. Including The Big Lebowski.

[schlock]

Recently bought a new copy of "THX 1138" (Warner) from Best Buy and after the Warner logo screen comes up, the disc just freezes with a swirling circle and will never load the menu screen. Returned it for a replacement and the replacement does the same thing (tried on multiple players).

Then contacted an ebay seller who was selling a used one and asked him to check his copy before I bought it. He got back to me saying his copy did the same thing.

Does anyone have a working copy of THX 1138?

[Joe Fisher]

Originally Posted by schlock

Recently bought a new copy of "THX 1138" (Warner) from Best Buy and after the Warner logo screen comes up, the disc just freezes with a swirling circle and will never load the menu screen. Returned it for a replacement and the replacement does the same thing (tried on multiple players).

Then contacted an ebay seller who was selling a used one and asked him to check his copy before I bought it. He got back to me saying his copy did the same thing.

Does anyone have a working copy of THX 1138?

Mine plays fine. Using an Oppo 203 & 103 plus a PS4, I played the first 5 minutes each time with no problems.

[schlock]

Originally Posted by Joe Fisher

Mine plays fine. Using an Oppo 203 & 103 plus a PS4, I played the first 5 minutes each time with no problems.

Thank you.

I also found this old thread where people were having issues some years back. Some players apparently need a USB drive inserted into the player for the complex menu and data on this particular title to load.

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=151708

Edit:

I was able to retrieve my second return from the UPS Store that I dropped off a couple of hours ago, and just retried the disc with a memory stick inserted into the player's USB, and now it loads!

[mhp68]

Originally Posted by schlock

Thank you.

I also found this old thread where people were having issues some years back. Some players apparently need a USB drive inserted into the player for the complex menu and data on this particular title to load.

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=151708

Edit:

I was able to retrieve my second return from the UPS Store that I dropped off a couple of hours ago, and just retried the disc with a memory stick inserted into the player's USB, and now it loads!

My disc won't play on my Samsung UHD player, guess I'll have to get a USB as well, thanks for the heads up!

[neo_reloaded]

There were initially reports of one NSM Records title, Swamp Thing, showing defects (specifically, peeling - separation of the layers of the disc, starting at the outer edge). But in the process of investigating that, a few other discs have surfaced - Death Wish 2 and The Raven.

So I'm wondering if people have had troubles with these or any other NSM Records discs? It might just be a few bad discs, but peeling is a rare problem to begin with, so multiple reports of peeling from one label is worrisome. Might be a good idea to start checking NSM discs?