UNIVERSAL'S SIGNATURE COLLECTION

Some newer collectors are keen to sort out the wheat from the chaff when buying laserdiscs, hence the interest here in Criterion and Pioneer Special Editions. One series worth looking at is the Signature Collection from Universal. Here's their blurb:

"In December 1994, Universal Studios Home Video launched a new series of deluxe LaserDisc releases. The Signature Collection is a series of specially selected titles, presented in the original theatrical aspect ratio. Each release includes supplemental materials, theatrical trailers, promotional materials, exclusive documentaries with video interviews and much more! Also included when possible are storyboards, screen tests, scripts, behind-the-scenes footage and other exciting supplemental materials designed to appeal to LaserDisc aficionados. Selected titles will also feature a running commentary from those associated with the making of the film. All releases are constructed with the cooperation of the film's director, who's signature identifies the edition." (from their website)

Available titles include:
12 MONKEYS
1941
AMERICAN GRAFFITI
ANIMAL HOUSE
APOLLO 13
THE APOSTLE
THE BLUES BROTHERS
BLUES BROTHERS 2000
THE BOXER
DANTE'S PEAK
DAYLIGHT
DRAGON: THE BRUCE LEE STORY
DRAGONHEART
E.T.
EDTv
FIELD OF DREAMS
FOR RICHER OR POORER
FRIED GREEN TOMATOES
THE FRIGHTENERS
THE JACKAL
JAWS (CAV Limited Ed.)
THE LAST STARFIGHTER
LIAR LIAR
THE MUMMY
OUT OF SIGHT
PATCH ADAMS
PSYCHO
PSYCHO (1998)
SCARFACE
STREETFIGHTER
THE THING
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
TREMORS
VERTIGO

Not of all of these titles are movie classics (!), but their treatment and presentation in these Signature editions makes them seem very special. I own several and I can recommend both TREMORS, THE APOSTLE and THE MUMMY. However, no amount of fancy presentation can stop STREETFIGHTER being anything other than a turkey!

I've heard a lot of praise about the Jaws Signature Edition, but I'm kinda tempted to get the original DiscoVision CAV version as it was the first released.

I've also been tempted by the Last Starfighter quite a few times. Great film : )

The Signature-edition of Jaws certainly is one of the better LD's released by Universal. It looks great and the sound is crisp and clear most of the time. The CAV-version is in stereo while the CLV-version is in mono (though the CLV-version was released one year later). One thing that makes the edition worth owning is that the Dvd-editions of the film has diffrent sound effects that sounds terrible to my ears, but there was also a documentary about Jaws included on Laserdisc that were way shorter on the Dvd. The CAV-version also includes the soundtrack on CD and the novel in pocket-format.

Other than Jaws, I have two LD's in the Signature Series and those are Scarface and 12 Monkeys. Scarface is a decent looking LD, nothing special for LD-standards but I've seen far worse. The sound is quite good. 12 Monkeys is an excellent looking and sounding Laserdisc, one of the other best LD's released by Universal. This is the only US-edition of the movie on Laserdisc that has Dolby Digital-sound.

nissling wrote:

there was also a documentary about Jaws included on Laserdisc that were way shorter on the Dvd.

The full length documentary has now been released on the 30th Anniversary DVD.

I'm mainly interested in getting hold of the DiscoVision version Jaws as its the earliest laserdisc and I'd be very interested to see how it compares to the later ones (earliest laserdisc I own is from 1988, the DiscoVision Jaws one is 1978).

12 Monkeys has been drawing my eye a lot as I lost my DVD of it a few years ago.

My Signature Collection so far consists of Liar, Liar, Street Fighter and Vertigo. All are excellent films and these releases are great. I was especially surprised with the picture and sound quality of Vertigo.

I have only two so far...

The Thing
Liar Liar!

Both are excellent quality.

Just taken delivery of the JAWS 4-disc CAV boxed set complete with book and (unopened) soundtrack CD. What a stunning set. Haven't had time to play it yet, but clearly time and care have been lavished on this release.

It's great to have the original musical score instead of the re-edited score used on the basic CLV release. I've noticed other discs from MCA-Universal that have had their music tracks altered or edited. Why do they do this? Is it for licensing reasons or something? Does anyone out there know more about this controversial subject?

I also note that this boxed set is a Limited Edition of 10,000. Is it just me, or does 10,000 seem not that limited? I would have thought that was rather a lot for the LD market, especially for a pricey boxed set. Most titles were produced in quantities far smaller than that without being described as 'limited'. More marketing hype perhaps?