Kate's LaserDiscs

[alec baker <alec@wessex.demon.co.uk>]

Thanks to uli@zoodle.robin.de, and BCBliz@aol.com, an expanded and 
improved LaserDisc list..... 

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Live at Hammersmith Odeon:

UK: Was released in the early 80s as a LaserVision analogue sound disc.
    The picture is colourful but not particularly detailed, probably
    due to the original recording not being too wonderful. The sound
    is also reasonable, but not up to the standard of the CD release.
    The recording has been spread over both sides of the disc, 
    although it would've fitted on one. The cover is superb, making 
    full use of the LP size sleeve by re-formatting and expanding the
    various photos. This disc has been deleted for some years and is 
    thus now quite rare.    	    

    Cat no info: EMI Music Video, distributed on LV by CBS-FOX Video.
                 Made in UK - cat no 6135-70   	
US: No

Japan: Has been released, but is now deleted and rare.
       Cat no: SM035-3419 
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The Single File:

UK: Released in the mid 80s as a LaserVision analogue sound disc. A 
    very sharp and clear picture and similarly excellent sound. The
    cover is very nice, with the 'blue leaf' effect spread all over.
    This is the rarest UK Kate disc, probably only one batch
    (500?) was ever produced. 
    Cat no info: Picture Music, PMI 90 1430 1. Made in UK 	

US: No

Japan: Released, deleted and again rare.
       Cat no: SM048-3292  
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The Hair of the Hound:

UK: No

US: No

Japan: Released as a CAV disc, and possibly still available.
       Cat no: SM048-3111
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The Whole Story:

UK: 1st edition: Released in the late 80s as a LaserVision analogue
    sound disc. A sharp picture, but the sound quality was dreadful
    - a continuous hissing from the right hand channel. The cover is
    also poor, with the VHS-shaped cover slapped at a jaunty angle 
    in the middle of the LP size sleeve. Now deleted.
    Cat no info: Pic Music Intl dist by Lightning Dist.
                 MLP 99 1143 1  Made in the UK 	

    2nd edition: Released a couple of years after the above as one 
    of the first UK digital sound LD's (then called CD video), as you
    would expect the sound is a great improvement on the above. The 
    cover is also improved, although the front cover is still VHS-
    shaped, the back has no less than five little colour photos!
    The disc itself is a snazzy gold colour, and the Wuthering 
    Heights video has the new vocal. Now deleted.
    Cat no info: Pic Music Intl dist by Polygram Music Video
                 080-504-1   Made in the UK

US: Relased, but now deleted.
    Cat no: PA91-374

Japan: Released, but possibly deleted.
       Cat no: either TOLW-3084 or L100-1076 (2 diff releases??)
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The Sensual World:

UK: Not released on disc.

US: A 20 minute version, released as a 20cm LD. Picture is reasonable,
    given that it's converted from PAL. The cover is nice, although 
    it would be better without having "THE MUSIC DISC" written all  
    over it. Now deleted.
    Cat no info: CMV enterprises, dist by Image Entertainment.
                 ID7291CB

Japan: The full 36 minute version, issued as a 30cm disc.
       Cat no: TOLW 3189
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The Whole Story 1993:

UK: Released in 1993 (stating the obvious?), the picture is excellent
    throughout. The cover is also very nice, breaking away 
    from the VHS-look of its two predecessors. Unfortunately the sound
    is VERY hissy, particularly in the right hand channel, which leads
    me to believe that it was produced from the same master copy as
    the original analogue TWS release, and not the (much improved) 
    remastered CD Video version. The sound for the three TSW videos is
    excellent however. Wuthering Heights has the original vocals.
    Still available.
    Cat no info: Pic Music Intl, dist by Pioneer LDCE; PLMPB 00871
	         Made in the USA.
US: No

Japan: No
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The Line, the Cross and the Curve:

UK: Recently released, superb sound, picture, and cover make it well
    worth owning.
    Cat no info: Pic Music Intl, dist by Pioneer LDCE; PLMPA 00901
	         Made in the USA.

US: Apparently available, although I have still to see it listed
    anywhere. It would be interesting to know whether it's a
    conversion from PAL or whether it has been produced from the
    original film. Anyone know the cat no?

Japan: Unknown 
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So that's the latest version. No fewer than 14 discs! My collection
is only half complete....

You may notice a slight difference between the review of TWS:1993 
in this posting and the one in my previous posting. I have to hang
my head in shame and admit that when I first posted this list I 
hadn't watched TWS:1993 properly, just looked at a few snippets, 
and had just assumed that the sound quality would at least be on a
par with the previous version. How wrong I was.....

Interestingly, the hiss runs all the way through side one, but at
the start of side two it is less noticable (although it seems
to have been reduced using filtering, rather than obtaining a
new master). I would guess that the LD engineers realised that the
sound was poor while cutting the master disc for side one, tried 
to improve things on side two, but could not justify the expense
of re-cutting side one. 

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alec; in havenpool, wessex
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"Time and toast wait for no man" said Dougal