some Criterion Blu-rays are starting to rot and no longer play, including some OOP titles

Thanks for the info.

 

when I get a chance I'll go through my TV DVDs and make a list of the ones that were plaques with the goo...

 

For the OOP titles, what stops Criterion from making replacement dvds just containing the bonus material and audio only commentary tracks? Criterion usually owns all that stuff or still has the license.

 

Another thread was started on Blu-ray.com yesterday >>>

"
Well Go USA BDs with Bronzing
Similar problem as some Criterions from 2009-2010.

Look for alphanumeric codes IFPI L606 (both) Mould IC0Z or 1C0Z.

Credit to Freeza: http://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.ph...&postcount=789

--------------------------------------------------

Ip Man (07/27/2010)
(This disc also freezes during the Main Menu on some BD players.)

Ip Man 2 (04/19/2011)

Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen (06/14/2011)

Web of Death (02/15/2011)"

Source:
http://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=249447

 

Will there be a price spike in those 2 OOP titles since the DVD versions will be the only way to get playable versions of the bonus features?

 

I played half of my Walkabout blu ray with no problems so far but the bottom is looking brown. Should I send it in anyways? I heard when they go bad, they just stop playing.....any help?

 

Well, I have five of the seven titles and they all look terrific, so far as I can tell. There's a couple I haven't watched yet though. Probably should do that this week.

Is there any matrix number or any other indication on the disc itself of whether a particular disc was part of the bad run?

 

If it looks brown, I think I would send it in. It'd be a bummer if a couple years from now it went bad and there was no opportunity for an exchange.

 

Me too. If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down!

 

I sent back 'Walkabout' for replacement a long time ago. Just played 'Pierrot Le Fou' last night and it was fine (though if it goes bad a few years from now and it's too late to get it replaced I'll be kicking myself)

 

The only one I have from the list is Days of Heaven.
It looks fine, will check it out tonight.

I only have a few BD's from them, hopefully they'll be OK
The Third Man
Blow Up
Black Narcissus
The Red Shoes

 

Criterion has indicated it will replace even the OOP titles *they* have identified as rotting discs. Apparently they are able to repress these discs as replacements even though their license agreements may have expired with those certain titles as long as they do not sell them.

 

I've found my first problem disc. Over the last week I watched through Walkabout, Ride With The Devil and Thin Red Line with no problems. But tonight my Videodrome disc froze up at the 1:14 mark. It played fine when I first got it a few years ago. I don't see any bronze color in the disc (or any of my discs), but it looks like I've got at least one that needs replacing. If anyone else has this disc, it would be interesting to know if the lockup occurs in the same place. If so, I guess we can determine that is precisely where the layer change occurs.

I just read the message from Criterion on page 3 of this thread with replacement procedures, but it only lists 7 titles. Are they not acknowledging problems with any other discs?

 

Try these threads :

http://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=249210&highlight=criterion

http://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=151489&highlight=videodrome

 

Glad I'm sticking with DVDs.

 

Older DVDs were affected too.

 

Everyone seems to be mentioning the Blu-rays only, not much (if any) mention of the DVDs.... is it the same titles that are experiencing the problem?

The thread title really should be changed to "some Criterion Blu-rays and DVDs...", or simply "some Criterion titles..."

 

THE problem I had is with the case leeching onto the DVD! check all your DVD collection in those thin clear cases...the gases they emit turns into cloudiness and a sticky goo on the play side of the DVD...I have many in those cases...rarely had any problems with the DVDs stored in the regular black plastic cases...

 

The phenomenon of DVD rot (or optical media generally) has been know about for a long time. Way back when CDs first came out, they were hailed as indestructible (compared to vinyl or tape) - you could manhandle them, throw them across the room even minor scratches weren't a problem, it was said.

But not long afterwards, it was discovered that they weren't impervious to age related rotting. It was just never much publicized outside of specialist circles. I wouldn't be surprised if the problem is much worse today as companies are cutting costs all over the place, looking to reduce the amount and quality of coating, lamination and materials used, etc.

And I just know someone will come along and say, well all my disks are perfectly fine, etc. Yes, that may be so, but don't be too surprised if one day you have a playback problem. The moral is, if you can't afford to lose it, back it up.

 

What dvds have problems?

 

"Perfect sound forever"

 

My 'Gate Of Flesh' DVD (in a standard case) is covered in goo (although it plays just fine, at least at the moment).

 

My Seventh Seal looks the same as Rosemary's Baby, but I will watch it again to make sure.

 

I watched the first 15 minutes of my Blu Ray Criterion copy of Videodrome, and so far so good. I'll watch the rest this weekend. I just don't want to go through the hassle of having to ship something back or whatever.

 

My Walkabout is bronzing and stops working at what I would assume would be where the layer change is so this is up for a replacement. The Seventh Seal that I own looks and works fine so must have been made at another facility. Thanks for the heads up! I did do a quick examination of my other Criterion discs just to be safe but nothing looked wrong. A good excuse to have a Criterion marathon the next few weeks though to check them more closely for issues.