Laserdisc

[samsong]

I can't imagine it would be better...otherwise the laserdisc would have hit off a little better than it did.

The reason they were so unpopular and unsuccessful was the cost.  I was told that laser discs, back in its day, costed about $50-$100 per movie.  The fact that you had to flip the disc, or weight a few seconds in between "autoflips" wasn't very appealing.  

My dad informed me of this when I asked why we never had a laserdisc player, because there's a wealth of cinematic treasures available on laser discs that aren't on DVD.  

If you can get all that crap cheap, I say definitely go for it.  I would.

[MacGuffin]

The reason they were so unpopular and unsuccessful was the cost.  I was told that laser discs, back in its day, costed about $50-$100 per movie.

Not entirely true. Only Criterion discs or Special Edition box sets were that much. The average laser was around $25 - $35.

[Weak2ndAct]

I still have my player, but was forced to sell off the discs b/c of haggard financial woes (I miss those criterions most of all).  The best part was the complete lack of copy-guard-- anything I wanted to keep, or any commentaries I wanted to save, they got booted to VHS.

[Chest Rockwell]

I still have my player

I have a spot right on top of my dusty VCR for that  

[billybrown]

Billy Brown, Jack White must be a Laserdisc fan and beat you up for your comments.

Indeed, I got von bondied, but good...  

[Ravi]

The media library at my university has some LDs.  Any recommendations for titles that are on LD but not on DVD, or have interesting extras on the LD?   I see they have Criterion Taxi Driver, which I hope has the Scorsese commentary.

[MacGuffin]

Any recommendations for titles that are on LD but not on DVD

Short Cuts
Magnificent Ambersons
Bad Day At Black Rock
Suspicion
Foreign Correspondent
Dial M For Murder
Lifeboat
I Confess
Cat People (1942)
After Hours
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
She's Gotta Have It
The Rapture

or have interesting extras on the LD?

The Game
Breaking The Waves
Crash
The Fisher King
Bram Stoker's Dracula
Trainspotting
Sling Blade
Shine
Menace II Society
Dead Presidents
Evita

[Duck Sauce]

I read that some LDs produce better image quality than poorly mastered DVDs because, although they output analog, they have far less compression.

[Rudie Obias]

you know what i got for xmas?  a big ass laserdisc player!!!  the remote for this thing is as big as my girlfriend's head!!!  i love it!  my gf's sister's bf is the head of AV club at OSU and he got me one.  now i need some laserdiscs...

[Pwaybloe]

Holla!

[grand theft sparrow]

you know what i got for xmas?  a big ass laserdisc player!!!

Had you wanted one?

[Rudie Obias]

yes for like a year now.  once i went to amoeba records and i saw a huge criterion laserdisc collection for sale, i wanted a laserdisc player....

[MacGuffin]

once i went to amoeba records and i saw a huge criterion laserdisc collection for sale

LaserBlazer in West LA has a pretty good selection too, Criterion and non.