The Loves of Pharaoh (Ernst Lubitsch, 1922)

[kishiro]

I got my replacment today. I'm sad to say it's bad... Unlike the other discs I have which will not play at all, the new disc will play, but is full of errors. The menu will not load, parts of the movie is unreadable, the video skips and the audio drops out. My diagnostic software kicks the bucket after approx 3000 errors on the first 0.1 percent of the disc read. This is just sad. I hope they sue the replication facility. Maybe I'm just unlucky. Let me know if you get 100% working replacements. So far I have had 3 out of 3 bad. That's a 100% failure rate for me. Damn....

[John_Drake]

A curious update.

Today I received the replacement disc (pressed, not burned) and, expecting the worst, ran it twice--first with Japanese intertitles, then with English. Both times it played through without any errors or technical glitches. The menu loaded and all content including the bonus material was accessible without issue.

Btb, there was a note in the case that stated: "Checked OK 15. Jan 2020--with kind regards from Alpha-Omega digital GmbH."

I don't know whether I was simply lucky or whether this is from a different batch. FYI, I watched it on my PC via PowerDVD.

[Eddiedane]

I got my replacement with a similar note and it loaded just fine. Haven't had a chance to rewatch the entire thing, but so far, so good.

[Aclea]

Got my replacement copy at last and watched everything but the concert, with no problems.

Looking at it this time I was struck by just how like Frank Thring, both in look and performance, Emil Jannings was in this.

[bigshot]

I ordered this three months ago. Never received it. Contacted the seller through PayPal. No response. Started the PayPal refund process.

[John_Drake]

Hadn't noticed until you mentioned that--now I don't think I can un-see it.

Was also impressed anew at that original composition.

Originally Posted by Aclea

Got my replacement copy at last and watched everything but the concert, with no problems.

Looking at it this time I was struck by just how like Frank Thring, both in look and performance, Emil Jannings was in this.

[bigshot]

I just received my copy. The menu screen jumps like a jitterbug, but if I quickly select one of the menu items, it stops jumping and works fine. I checked everything and it is all playable. It took me an eject and restart to get it switched to English, but now that is in my player's memory so it starts up fine. The score on this is one of the best I've ever heard on a silent film. First class orchestral playing and a drop dead gorgeous surround sound. I watched a bit of the concert version. Excellent idea to include extras like this. I'll probably watch the film twice to see the concert version as well. I dropped my PayPal complaint. It would have been nice of them to send me an email to let me know it had been shipped and when I could expect it. But from the day I bought it months ago, I've heard nothing from Alpha Omega.

[Aclea]

Originally Posted by John_Drake

Hadn't noticed until you mentioned that--now I don't think I can un-see it.

And I keep on hearing his voice sneering Pharaoh's dialogue...

[Aclea]

Originally Posted by bigshot

It would have been nice of them to send me an email to let me know it had been shipped and when I could expect it. But from the day I bought it months ago, I've heard nothing from Alpha Omega.

They are terrible at communication, which is unfortunate. Even though they're not a regular Bluray label the worst thing you can do is keep your customers in the dark: if people know whats happening and don't feel ignored, they're often remarkably patient with unforeseen problems like this. Especially when it's such a great restoration.

And yes, that recording of the original score is terrific.

[Professor Echo]

I received my replacement copy the other day and it plays just fine. I wrote them a letter of thanks and they responded, saying that even the replacements are experiencing issues. They said they are in the process of pressing whole new copies, but that it might take awhile to complete. They want me to stay in touch and report back any problems I might have with the replacement copy.

At least in my experience, I would say that’s pretty stellar customer service.

[kishiro]

The replacement I got i in februrary is now completely unreadable...

As mentioned previously, it was allready compromised when I got it. The menu and several of the m2ts files were error-filled. But it has now deteriorated to the point that the disc is completely unreadable, I can't even see the file-structure and file-names. It's completely fubar..

I now have three coasters. I never even got to watch the movie. Damn...

[deckard82]

Turns out, 2020 doesn't entirely suck hairy, sweaty donkey balls after all. Alpha-Omega have just sent me the 2nd (and hopefully final) replacement disc....aaaaaaand it works perfectly. These replacement discs are new and they were indeed pressed (brighter label and different codes on the disc) so they kept their promise. Just took a while. So you guys should get yours soon too. If you got a replacement disc months ago, make sure it still works since those were still old discs.

And so this saga finally ends!

[Paul Tilburgs]

Originally Posted by deckard82

Turns out, 2020 doesn't entirely suck hairy, sweaty donkey balls after all. Alpha-Omega have just sent me the 2nd (and hopefully final) replacement disc....aaaaaaand it works perfectly. These replacement discs are new and they were indeed pressed (brighter label and different codes on the disc) so they kept their promise. Just took a while. So you guys should get yours soon too. If you got a replacement disc months ago, make sure it still works since those were still old discs.

And so this saga finally ends!

I received a newly pressed disc today as well without me asking for it. I was very pleasantly surprised. Excellent follow-up on their part.

[-shadow-]

So all is well finally? If so, will finally order this one!

[beantherio]

I never knew about the problems with this release until I received my copy early this week and decided to look up the topic on it on this forum.

I ordered it in early august so I lucked out I suppose. Lovely release btw. Nice packaging and excellent pq (for a film of this age) and audio. Haven't really looked into the extra's yet.

[kishiro]

I got mine today.
Plays flawlessly! yay. The new disc can be differentiated/identified by the word '2020' pressed on the disc-label just below the german FSK-rating. The contents and disc-id is the same as expected.

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by Paul Tilburgs

I received a newly pressed disc today as well without me asking for it. I was very pleasantly surprised. Excellent follow-up on their part.

They contacted me out of the blue and informed me they would be sending the brand new pressing. I was surprised as I figured once word got out about the definitively corrected, hopefully final reissue that it would be incumbent upon me to get in touch with them again. So the fact that they still had me and my contact info regarding this proves their customer service, at least in my case, has been very professional and considerate.

[Subgeniusguy]

Decided to go ahead and order this since people are reporting they are getting good pressings of this. Placed an order on 10/13 but haven’t received shipping notice or other communication. Is that typical for ordering this?