LaserDisc – Why Bother?

Culturedog Sam Hatch is back and he’s ready to put on his philosopher’s cap for a few minutes and chat about the illogical trend of watching old standard definition discs when there are perfectly good Blu-Rays and UHDs at our fingertips that will handily outperform our beloved LaserDisc technology.

“Why bother watching LaserDisc?” is a question that gets asked so often within the LD collectors’ circle, that it demands its own response video. Is there an actual answer to this question? There are many, as we’ll find out. Do any of them make sense? Only time will tell…

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Intro music: "Anger Mgmt." by Sever the Drama.

Chapters:
0:00 Opening Titles
0:15 Introduction
1:37 Why Bother With LaserDisc?
2:46 Arguments Against the Format
4:35 Comparisons To Other Hobbies
5:37 Is LaserDisc More Than The Sum Of Its Parts
7:26 Rose Tinted Glasses
9:04 The Art of Film-to-Video Transfers
10:39 Justifications For Collecting LD
16:54 Why Suffer Through Watching LDs?
18:36 Time Traveling
21:44 Does Time Retroactively Diminish Old Formats?
23:29 Is It Nostalgia?
26:38 It's Perfect For Me

[tomservo]

When I was younger I saw laserdisc as an impossibility. I couldn’t afford it, but I did get a copy of laser magic 1998 at Barnes and Noble. I went through that book so many times. A couple years ago I finally got my first player and it’s fun to have something i never thought I would obtain.

It still takes me back regardless. This format was always special and whenever I find laserdiscs at a used media store I get excited.

Your channel helps keep laserdisc alive. Thanks!

[matthewgaudet]

I love the cover art and inserts of Japanese Laserdiscs. Reminds me of collecting Vinyl records. It is also great to be able to own the real Star Wars movies not the cartoon versions.

[woodydawg]

My first LD exploration began in 1996. A Panasonic player. It was glorious! I thought I’d gone to heaven as a life long movie freak. Since then I’ve had on and off again dealings. HDTV was not nice to LD. Audio: still holds up. But I couldn’t get past the video signal. But man do I look back with such warm feelings on this format. So cool to connect with this video!

[marvinsuarezstudios]

I grew up on laserdisc and spent my weekly allowance on discs..still have them and treasure them today..

[chrismyers]

I just started collecting LD's. I've got a player otw in the mail and a few discs ready to played. This is such a relatable video though, because it is hard to justify most things retro that I like to collect. When it comes down to it though, I really just do love retro things from a time when I wasn't around. I'm 26, about to be 27, so all this "old" stuff is new to me, cause I never grew up with it. Awesome video man and very well spoken.

[NotoriousCIB]

Dang, man. You’re a really smart dude. Whenever people question my laserdisc collection, I’m just going to send them to this video. A well reasoned and nuanced perspective on media, time, nostalgia, and values. My hat is off to you, brother. Btw, I just joined that laserdisc Facebook group you mentioned. I hope to see you on there. I have about 500 laserdiscs. Nothing compared to your collection, but it’s a start.

[targetrender]

I like listening to this dude talk. Good speaker, and he makes sense.

[rubysausages]

Prefer watching my Laserdisc collection than DVD or Blu-ray (already swapped out some of those for LD). The artwork, disc spin up, it's all magical <3

[theshadowman]

With the right equipment ( scaler, comb filter ) picture quality holds up very well. Sound is always great. And then adding up the presence of the format ( massive sleeve, 12 inch disc ) and there is the reason to hold on to it. And now also the retro value. I never sold an LD with a loss.

[RiderRated]

Great discussion man, I just started collecting these back in March and I’m not looking back. I just think their so unique and nobody else I know personally has them.

[reynaldolunajr.]

Two words Criterion Collection.
I wish they would push blurays and 4k bluray formats to their limits the way they did with laserdisc.
Blade runner, Robocop and Silence of the Lambs are all great examples of what could be done on LD.

[keithm]

I have close to 400 now, and got into LD well after I started collecting DVDs! But I get the time travel thing. The format has its own unique character & charm - it feels like a special event when I pick one out. And there is a kind of counter-culture vibe - we're constantly bombarded with buy more! upgrade more! the latest and greatest! commercialism!! I can say 'Oh yeah, well I'm going to play a giant, shiny, archaic disc that you said was state-of-the-art a quarter century ago!'. Something uniquely satisfying about that. . . .

[wintergardenfencingacademy]

Laserdisc > sum of its parts. Well, said.

[ajtstvandmusicarchivechann]

Wonderful video man.
As for the comment about the past, I completely agree with you. I was born in 1998 but I love experiencing technology from before my time. Whenever I pop in a movie on laserdisc and play it on my CRT, it's almost like i was there.
If something was good back then it's still good now. Honestly as a 22 year old there is something magical about "traveling through time" watching a laserdisc, listening to a vinyl, playing a snes or even watching a beta tape is the closest thing we can come to time traveling.

[RenePeraza]

Another reason, I love my box sets that are numbered limited edition collectbles: Star Wars Trilogy (untinkered with), Godfather Trilogy Saga - 1908 - 1980 (one long edit), Blade Runner (Criterion), Alien, Aliens and T2.

[smugglersrun]

Just bought my first Laserdisc player absolutely love it every thing about it is just plain fun . The size the Art work the large sliding tray love retro electronics great video.

[Numbstruck]

Great video. Every format has their bad and good quality, I like seeing movies on Film and LDs, VHS, and some older dvds make that possible.

[Lamtitude]

For me, I collect Laserdiscs because they look so damn cool in my movie room. Anytime someone see them for the first time it sparks up a 20 minute conversation on what they are. I picked up almost all 400 or so of my collection and a working player from one guy a few years ago for about $150 total. I have an extra Laserdisc player as well that I found for about $25 at a flea market. I’d much rather have my laserdiscs than a huge dvd or Blu-ray collection.

[GrimCellar]

Love your enthusiasm and what amounts to a great justification for watching and enjoying laserdisc, some lessons in there that I think most of us can learn from.

[SteveOwensRoswell]

Totally with you on the time travel aspect .... I think I have the exact same 'switch' and LD takes me right back to the early 90s.