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

[PGW]

Originally Posted by Dubliner1

...exactly why have WellGo been added to this discussion?...there are many other studios with dodgy early gen discs like 'Total Recall' (Lionsgate) etc etc...

Presumably because they're bronzing, like the Criterions.

[GeorgeP12]

If Criterion would exchange the defective discs for international customers then sending the discs back to Criterion could be, IMHO, replaced by a denotation to Criterion (equal the cost of shipping) plus, of course, a proof of purchase. Just a thought.

[captveg]

Originally Posted by neo_reloaded

The burning question I have is whether non-Sonopress copies of Pierrot le fou exist.

The title was released in September 2009 and is clearly in the affected range, and a few people have bronzed copies (though thankfully it's not as common as, say, Summer Hours or M). It was then announced as going out of print in February 2010 - well before the end of the Sonopress period, which lasted until May 2010.

That, to me, says that no copies of Pierrot le fou were ever pressed at the Sony plant. Then we have the Criterion blog post saying that all titles mentioned (which included Pierrot le fou among the 7) have been re-pressed at another plant since, plus the ambiguous language that makes it seem like the two OOP titles are eligible for replacement (which is contrary to what they've reportedly told people over the phone).

Very confusing all around.

With the rumors that the StudioCanal titles will be coming back into print next year (due to Lionsgate apparently going with streaming rights ony going forward) it wouldn't surprise me if Criterion has issued a new run of these already (and other OOP SC titles).

Like I said, just a rumor at this point, but many signs are pointing to it.

[jw007]

I'm wondering if its better to email or phone Criterion about returning the out of print titles (Pierrot le Fou and Howards End) for exchange? I just sent Jon and Claire an email about the defective OOP discs but maybe I should call too? I'll wait 3 or 4 days first to hear back from them.

[Brian81]

Originally Posted by Dubliner1

...exactly why have WellGo been added to this discussion?...there are many other studios with dodgy early gen discs like 'Total Recall' (Lionsgate) etc etc...

LOL, might as well make it a Criterion/WellGo/Lionsgate bad disc thread!!!

Better yet, we can add some of those Warner titles people have been having problems with, like the original 'Enter the Dragon'!!!


BTW, I don't even think "M" is OOP....

[Brian81]

Originally Posted by Joe Fisher

Looked through my Criterion Collection BD's and found 3 with the bronzing.

M--Loads, but movie won't play.

Sanjuro- Discs loads and movies plays. Will call Criterion to see if they will exchange disc.

Monsoon Wedding--Disc loads and movie plays.

If they have the discs available and yours is bronzing, you would be well advised to replace your disc even if it is currently working. Oxidation on discs is like a disease...it will progress. Think of rust on a car...only you can't cut off complete sections.

[AKORIS]

so the question is "if my Howards End, Seventh Seal, etc show no sign at all of bronzing do I leave well enough alone?"

[captveg]

Originally Posted by AKORIS

so the question is "if my Howards End, Seventh Seal, etc show no sign at all of bronzing do I leave well enough alone?"

I would. This issue doesn't effect every copy, and if it has no discolorization and plays back fine by now it's unlikely to go bad, IMO.

[johnny]

Originally Posted by AKORIS

so the question is "if my Howards End, Seventh Seal, etc show no sign at all of bronzing do I leave well enough alone?"

I also wouldn't worry, both of mine show no bronzing and I just watched "The Seventh Seal" a night ago and it played fine.
Like someone said not every copy is affected, I own all the copies that are said to have possible issues (Except for M and Summer Hours) and none show signs of Bronzing.

These Titles were purchased 2009-2010, I'm going to slowly watch the listed problem ones over the next few months or more.
If I find a problem then I'll deal with it, I'd prefer to miss this Mass of People claiming replacements this early.

If I had obvious Bronzing on any, I'd probably send for replacements now.

Also, just out of curiosity I played everyone to see if they would at least load, they all did (Whatever was on the List).

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by AKORIS

so the question is "if my Howards End, Seventh Seal, etc show no sign at all of bronzing do I leave well enough alone?"

My copies of five of the problematic titles are not bronzing, passed scan checks, and seem to play fine -- I've watched Howards End and Pierrot le fou from beginning to end, supplements included, with no problems. I'm not planning to send anything in for replacement.

It would never occur to me that Criterion's replacement scheme has any time limit on it, so if any of my discs develop problems in the future, I'll deal with it then. But I agree with captveg that if they haven't shown any symptoms by now, they probably won't going forward.

[grim_tales]

I hate it sometimes when a disc doesnt load, it makes me think its dirty so I keep cleaning it (eg the Bruce Lee Legacy discs) so I get paranoid

[CMoney]

I just finished checking the films I own that were reported to have issues. The codes that are in bold, are the ones I'm most concerned about. I have NOT tested any of these discs.

Criterion:
CHE PART 1: IFPI LB42 (Small writing) - Disc appears to look normal.
CHE PART 2: IFPI L021 (Very small writing) - Disc appears to look normal.
8 1/2: IFPI L323 & L324 (It has both) - Disc appears to look normal.
KAGEMUSHA: L021 (Very small writing) - Disc appears to look normal.
YOJIMBO: IFPI LB42 (Small writing) - Disc appears to look normal.
SANJURO: IFPI LB42 (Small writing) - Disc appears to look normal.

WellGo:
HELLDRIVER: 10370-0017 F2 (Couldn't find IFPI code) - Disc appears to look normal.
LET THE BULLETS FLY: IFPI LW84 - Disc appears to look normal.

I'm hopeful to test them, sometime within the next week. If I find any issues, or see any issues on the disc, I will report them here.

Edit - These disc were checked using the sunlight.

[Dr. Forrester]

Going through my collection related to the Criterion bronzing issue, I noticed this problem with several of my disks, including many of the Criterion problem discs:

Sanjuro:


Sanjuro, Walkabout, and Wages of Fear:


A few other discs have the same issue - some seem to play with no issue while other have playback issues.

Anyone have any idea what this is? Bronzing? Something due to the fact I store my discs in paper sleeves? (Tiny apartment overseas - cases aren't an option). I've ordered some binders for a safer (?) storage solution but now I'm just freaked. I've got bunches of other discs ordered at the same time, but the majority don't show any problem.

[jscoggins]

Welcome to BD.com! We were just talking about you a few pages back.

[kstebor]

My copies of Stagecoach, Monterey Pop, Yojimbo, and Sanjuro all have the potentially bad codes on them. Stagecoach is definitely a different color than the rest, though the main and bonus films both seem to play fine. Stagecoach has very ragged edges that almost seem to be in the beginning stages of splitting apart, while the other titles have unusually smooth, almost rounded edges.

[jscoggins]

Originally Posted by kstebor

My copies of Stagecoach, Monterey Pop, Yojimbo, and Sanjuro all have the potentially bad codes on them. Stagecoach is definitely a different color than the rest, though the main and bonus films both seem to play fine. Stagecoach has very ragged edges that almost seem to be in the beginning stages of splitting apart, while the other titles have unusually smooth, almost rounded edges.

Yeah, if you look at the OP, some people have BDs that have peeled.

[timothy ramzyk]

Originally Posted by kstebor

My copies of Stagecoach, Monterey Pop, Yojimbo, and Sanjuro all have the potentially bad codes on them. Stagecoach is definitely a different color than the rest, though the main and bonus films both seem to play fine. Stagecoach has very ragged edges that almost seem to be in the beginning stages of splitting apart, while the other titles have unusually smooth, almost rounded edges.

M (which I just sent back with SEVENTH SEAL) had a very ragged, one might even say goobery edge.

This again reminds me of laserdiscs, and again makes me think faulty gluing is the culprit.

[BTTF_]

It's hard to follow this thread since the merge. But I'll stop complaining now.


The bubbly looking edges around my Seventh Seal...are those early signs of peeling? The mould number is 10K6. No bronzing, plays alright. Just a bit curious because my Pierrot has no bronzing and it used to play...but now it's peeling.

[jscoggins]

Originally Posted by BTTF_

It's hard to follow this thread since the merge. But I'll stop complaining now.


The bubbly looking edges around my Seventh Seal...are those early signs of peeling? The mould number is 10K6. No bronzing, plays alright. Just a bit curious because my Pierrot has no bronzing and it used to play...but now it's peeling.

Both peeling and oxidization probably result from the same problem, poor layer bonding.

With that 10K6 number, you've won the lottery.

[The Great Owl]

I checked my copies of M, Pierrot Le Fou, Stagecoach, Days of Heaven, Yojimbo/Sanjuro, Bigger Than Life, The Seventh Seal, Vivre Sa Vie, Last Year at Marienbad, 8½, and Paris, Texas.

Pierrot Le Fou, Vivre Sa Vie, Last Year at Marienbad, 8½, and Paris, Texas have the 10K6 code, but there's no sign of disrepair on either disc. None of the other discs have the bad codes. I did not see the L021 or LB42 on any of my discs.

Pierrot Le Fou played fine when I watched it last year. I've watched Paris, Texas three or four times since I bought the Blu-ray last year, and I've noticed not problems. There was also no sign of trouble when I played Vivre Sa Vie, Last Year at Marienbad, and 8½ last year, and none of the discs show any signs of disrepair right now. Hopefully, things will stay that way.

I'd be irate if anything happened with Last Year at Marienbad and Pierrot Le Fou. So far, so good, though.