The Day My Laser Disc Player Died or... The Chronological History of a Laser Disc Addict
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Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Arrrggghhh!!!!!!! The inevitable day has come. One of my toys finally died. I awoke this morning, all set to finish watching my Jurassic Park, Dolby Digital LD, in sick twist of fate what happens? Nothing. The power supply on my Pioneer Elite CLD-59 laser disc player seems to have gone out.
I've gotten a great four and a half years out of the machine, while this may not seem like a long time, one must consider how many hours of use I gotten out of it. I not you a-typical user. My player has been used for a minimum of four to six hours a week, almost constantly. At least it was until DVD arrived. It has earned it's rest, at least temporarily. This is the first time in over seventeen years I've been without an LD player, and to be honest... it sucks.
This was supposed to be an editorial, but after twelve hours or writing and editing, this has basically become a special report, chronicling the history of laser disc, as I've collected and enjoyed them.
Many of you reading this probably haven't owned an LD player. Those of you that have, or do, probably understand the attachment I have for laser discs. It's not just that it was, and still is, one of the best ways to watch films. Laser discs created my addiction for collecting and learning about films. LD's paved the way for DVD, especially the special editions many of you are fond off. I've designed this special report to highlight some of my significant LD purchases and what they have meant to me. I will also cover the major deveolpments in the laser disc industry, that I feel are significant.
Bare with the start of this report, since it is taken from my basic memories, before I was able to follow the industry's develpoments on a daily basis.
Early summer of 1982:
My mom and I stop by a small electronics chain called Videom, that had a special on some bulky video player that looked like it could play records. The machine, called a laser disc player, was manufactured by a Japanese company called Pioneer. The VP-1000 was an ugly, analog audio, top loading laser disc player, with a hard wired remote control. I believe it was on sale for about $400.
The sales counselor, or whatever they were called back then, showed us a demo disc called White Music. The program was skiing set to the music of a Japanese composer named Takanaka. Blown away by the picture and sound quality, my mom bought the unit. VHS has never corrupted my home to this day. What were our first lasers purchased? White Music, Tron and Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan. Each disc cost $24.95, sound familiar?
Late summer of 1982:
Star Wars is released on VHS and laser disc. Needless to say, being the typical 12 year old at the time, I needed this movie. My mom didn't hesitate. We went to Videom to pick it up, in the process (if my memory serves me right, hey it's seventeen years ago) we also picked up the musical The King and I. I protested watching this film, but lost, and actually liked it.
After watching Star Wars, I was fully content, but I knew something was odd about my favorite film of all time. My passion for films begins in earnest. It truly doesn't matter if they're good or bad, I watch almost anything.
For Christmas of 1982, I receive the typical 50 pounds of Star Wars toys, and Smokey and the Bandit on laser disc.
Sometime in 1983:
To much fanfare, Raiders of the Lost Ark released on VHS and Laser, the laser costs $24.98. Included on the disc was a cheesy Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom trailer. This is the only remaining pan and scan in my LD collection.
There is a long break until next major change of note...
September of 1989:
My mom discovers Laser Faire, in Alamo, California. We had finally found a place to rent laser discs, and in over 10 years, I rented a total of about 200 titles. Purchases are whole different matter. At the same time, enlightenment of what was wrong with Star Wars, and all other titles, occurs...
Star Wars is released in letter box format. There was no turning back for me. Unfortunately, since these were released by Fox, there was a price to be had... $69.98. To counter this move, I eventually join the Columbia House Laser Disc club and pick them up as introductory discs. Thank god, it wasn't like I'd be buying the Star Wars multiple times ;-)
Spring 1990:
Fox Video pulls the trigger on a major announcement. Die Hard will be released in LB format only for only $49.98. Hey, we are talking about Fox after all. While many companies had gotten into the habit of re-releasing titles in widescreen, Die Hard was the first major blockbuster not to offer a pan and scan version on LD. My mother gripes about the black bars, but gets over it after we purchase a new 27" Toshiba.
Summer 1991:
Our old, faithful VP-1000 begins to break down. When we go to Laser Faire, Al, my boss, has some b-stock units from Pioneer in stock. The unit my mom is eyeing is the CLD1080 model, but I don't care, I go to the new release wall and discover some exciting news, the Star Trek films will be released in widescreen for the first time. Pretty much oblivious to my enthusiasm, my mom buys the new player. Convincing her to buy the Star Trek set isn't hard, she grew up on the show.
Fall/Winter 1991:
The 25th Anniversary Star Trek set of the films arrives. Fortunately, I receive my copy, little did I know the lengths Al had to go to fill Laser Faire's customer orders. Only 7,000 copies are pressed, when the original goal was 10,000. Considering that, I'm ecstatic.
Christmas of 1991 was the first time I began to fear the holiday shopping season. I call it box set hell. It's not that I don't like box sets, it's just that they all seem to be released at the same time, within weeks of each other.
Aliens is released, in it's director's cut, after about two years of delays. I didn't realize Sharpline Arts even existed at this time. This is the first of many box sets I will purchase from Fox Video at $100 a pop. A week later, the first box of Looney Tunes are released from MGM, I'm hooked. Two more sets would be released in 1992. Approximately three weeks later, after the typical delays, the first Connery Collection of James Bond films are released as well. Universal also sneaks in the LB edition of Back To The Future... My wallet suffers from spontaneous combustion.
The saying of "The only difference between men and boys, is the price of their toys," become very clear to me at this point.
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Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Dan Linzmeier, FIT Production
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