Problem with Rosencrantz & Guildenstern DVD

KGS · 04-20-2005, 09:57 PM

A couple weeks ago, I bought the newly released 2-DVD set of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead at Best Buy. The movie won't play properly -- every few minutes the screen becomes completely pixelated and distorted (especially during fast action sequences), and it gets worse as the movie progresses. Same with the bonus interview disc. I returned the DVD for another copy, same problem. I rented a copy from Netflix, same problem.

Of course, Best Buy says they won't give me a refund or even store credit for an opened DVD, despite an obvious manufacturing defect...or is it? I've had NO problems at all with other discs on my regular standalone player (Toshiba SD-3950) but they claim nobody else has had a problem with this title. Of course, they could be lying...

So has anyone had trouble with this DVD?

Morticia · 04-20-2005, 10:17 PM

Moving to the Glitch Exhaust, and thank you for telling us your player make/model. Hopefully someone who has that disk will check in soon.

EDIT: And welcome to the Forum!

limacharliewhiskey · 04-21-2005, 04:18 PM

Don't have the disc or the player, but want to suggest you try the disc on another player, just to be able to rule out an incompatibility issue.

It is entirely possible that an entire run of discs could be faulty and bad. I ran across this with discs from the Die Hard 2 bonus disc in the box set. When my copy of the disc glitched and pixeled up, I examined the data side of the disc, and I could see wrinkles and bumps on the aluminum layer, underneath the clear plastic surface.

I bought my boxset at a Fry's Electronics store, as did my friend, only his store was about 400 miles away. We bought both our copies at about the same time, so I asked him to check his disc. Sure enough, his disc was faulty too. We were lucky to be able to exchange ours for new sets that was free from defects.

So if you can, check the data side of the disc to see if you can see any bumps or wrinkles. Discs can be glitchy even if the surfaces look perfectly smooth, but wrinkles and bumps show that there is an obvious manufacturer's defect.

KGS · 05-08-2005, 11:55 PM

Well, this is interesting. I rented two more DVDs with the exact same problem, "The Man Who Skied Down Everest" and "Emerson Lake & Palmer: Live at Royal Albert Hall". All of these, including Rosencrantz & Guildenstern, play just fine on my computer's DVD-ROM drive, but have major problems on the Toshiba.

The common link? All three discs are recent releases by the same company: Image Entertainment. Looks like we've got a hardware conflict here!

04-20-2005, 09:57 PM	#1 (permalink)
KGS Supporting Actor Join Date: Apr 2005	Problem with Rosencrantz & Guildenstern DVD A couple weeks ago, I bought the newly released 2-DVD set of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead at Best Buy. The movie won't play properly -- every few minutes the screen becomes completely pixelated and distorted (especially during fast action sequences), and it gets worse as the movie progresses. Same with the bonus interview disc. I returned the DVD for another copy, same problem. I rented a copy from Netflix, same problem. Of course, Best Buy says they won't give me a refund or even store credit for an opened DVD, despite an obvious manufacturing defect...or is it? I've had NO problems at all with other discs on my regular standalone player (Toshiba SD-3950) but they claim nobody else has had a problem with this title. Of course, they could be lying... So has anyone had trouble with this DVD?

04-20-2005, 10:17 PM	#2 (permalink)
Morticia Administrator Emeritus Film Class Goddess Part-Time PRN Princess Panty Thief Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Devil's Point. Burn baby burn!	Moving to the Glitch Exhaust, and thank you for telling us your player make/model. Hopefully someone who has that disk will check in soon. EDIT: And welcome to the Forum! __________________ Nope, you really haven't lived until you've fed a naked Fire Dancer a S'more...cooked from her own flaming baton. I reject your reality and substitute my own! "Freeze dried moles. Price as marked." -- Nixon, Suicide Girl

04-21-2005, 04:18 PM	#3 (permalink)
limacharliewhiskey FryMaster Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The O.C.	Don't have the disc or the player, but want to suggest you try the disc on another player, just to be able to rule out an incompatibility issue. It is entirely possible that an entire run of discs could be faulty and bad. I ran across this with discs from the Die Hard 2 bonus disc in the box set. When my copy of the disc glitched and pixeled up, I examined the data side of the disc, and I could see wrinkles and bumps on the aluminum layer, underneath the clear plastic surface. I bought my boxset at a Fry's Electronics store, as did my friend, only his store was about 400 miles away. We bought both our copies at about the same time, so I asked him to check his disc. Sure enough, his disc was faulty too. We were lucky to be able to exchange ours for new sets that was free from defects. So if you can, check the data side of the disc to see if you can see any bumps or wrinkles. Discs can be glitchy even if the surfaces look perfectly smooth, but wrinkles and bumps show that there is an obvious manufacturer's defect. __________________ "Believing oneself to be perfect is often a sign of a delusional mind." - Data in Star Trek: First Contact DVD Aficionado collection.

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05-08-2005, 11:55 PM	#4 (permalink)
KGS Supporting Actor Join Date: Apr 2005	Well, this is interesting. I rented two more DVDs with the exact same problem, "The Man Who Skied Down Everest" and "Emerson Lake & Palmer: Live at Royal Albert Hall". All of these, including Rosencrantz & Guildenstern, play just fine on my computer's DVD-ROM drive, but have major problems on the Toshiba. The common link? All three discs are recent releases by the same company: Image Entertainment. Looks like we've got a hardware conflict here!