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The Matrix on LD... is it really as rare as prices suggest?
https://forum.lddb.com/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=9690		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  mikechambers [ 10 Mar 2021, 02:02 ]
Post subject:  The Matrix on LD... is it really as rare as prices suggest?
Obviously, it's not nearly as common as Independence Day or Forrest Gump, but it's apparently not uncommon either.

173 people have put it in their LDDB collections. That's still 24% of the amount of people who've put Apollo 13 in their collections, which is one of the most common discs around.

Despite that, I often see asking prices of $200-300 USD or even more. Is it just a case of it being a really loved movie, and people will pay these prices just because of that? Or is it truly that rare? Because I feel like it just isn't. I've personally never been able to find production run numbers for this one.

I've read of people who say they've seen multiple copies together in one shop at the same time before. You can usually find one or two on eBay, though that seems to be getting less true lately. That could be chalked up to people just not wanting to sell it because they love the movie, or maybe they think it'll appreciate in value if they wait.

I thankfully managed to snag one up at a great price (but still stupid expensive for a single LD movie) last year, but whenever I see it on the shelf I can't help but wonder just how many are really out there.

As for the LD quality itself, it's pretty good. Above average for sure. The picture is detailed, the color timing is accurate, the sound is excellent, although parts of it have a bit of noise in the picture. Overall, a really good release. A gatefold sleeve would have been nice, but whatever...
Author:  darthmaul26 [ 10 Mar 2021, 03:05 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Matrix on LD... is it really as rare as prices sugge
It's definitely not common with how late it is, but yeah it's certainly not End of Days or Sleepy Hollow rare. The prices probably are a case of the film's reputation and fanbase. As much as I want a copy, yeah I ain't paying the prices it usually goes for. $50 or so would be pretty reasonable.

A common misconception is that only the LD and VHS preserve the original color timing, when the 1999 snapper case DVD is actually near identical to the LD (video wise, the audio on the LD is probably superior). And you can get that version for a dollar lol.
Author:  takeshi666 [ 10 Mar 2021, 03:38 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Matrix on LD... is it really as rare as prices sugge
darthmaul26 wrote:
A common misconception is that only the LD and VHS preserve the original color timing, when the 1999 snapper case DVD is actually near identical to the LD (video wise, the audio on the LD is probably superior). And you can get that version for a dollar lol.

I have not seen the old DVD in ages but I definitely don't remember it looking as green as the later releases, and it never made any sense to me re-grade the colors completely just for the DVD. I've bugged people about posting screencap comparisons but nobody seems to want to do it :?
Author:  9954tony [ 10 Mar 2021, 03:55 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Matrix on LD... is it really as rare as prices sugge
I own the LD, and at one point, had the original DVD. Now i have some box set of DVDs that came with a bust, and the HDDVD. Kind of wish i hadn't given away that original DVD, but didn't know at the time that the later ones were greenified.

Wasn't that impressed with the LD, really. I have LDs that look better, that were released earlier.

I don't think the color timing is different, but it is a bit washed out. I think what happened, is someone compared them without calibrating first, and noticed a color difference. That color difference, was probably just the difference in the output of LD vs DVD, and could be corrected with calibration.
Author:  darthmaul26 [ 10 Mar 2021, 04:05 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Matrix on LD... is it really as rare as prices sugge
Somebody did do an informative screenshot comparison some time ago. Near identical but the DVD seems to be sharper.
https://originaltrilogy.com/topic/The-M ... d/id/76146

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[Reveal] Spoiler:
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[Reveal] Spoiler:
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[Reveal] Spoiler:
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Author:  gypsy [ 10 Mar 2021, 04:22 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Matrix on LD... is it really as rare as prices sugge
They also fixed the color with the most recent release. The 4K release is incredible and while I haven't seen the LD I've seen enough LD vs good BD or 4K to know it's no contest.
Author:  mikechambers [ 10 Mar 2021, 04:36 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Matrix on LD... is it really as rare as prices sugge
I've also heard the original DVD has the correct color timing, and from those screenshots, it looks a bit sharper. I just like owning cool Laserdiscs though, so I the bullet last year at $140. It's been top of my list since I got into LD. I called it a birthday present to myself. :lol:

I hadn't heard the new 4K/BD fixed the color timing. I'll probably pick that up too! I wonder if the latest and greatest formats have finally caught up with LD's awesome audio. I think they like to mix modern movie releases to not be awful on TV speakers or cheap sound bars though.

Back in the LD days, if you had spent the money to even be able to watch LD's, much less decode an AC3 soundtrack, I think it was basically assumed that you'd also spent the money on a real audio system and therefore it wasn't dumbed it down to be suitable for a 3 inch TV speaker.
Author:  cplusplus [ 10 Mar 2021, 04:44 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Matrix on LD... is it really as rare as prices sugge
For production numbers, about the best you can do is roughly guess based off mint marks.
Author:  signofzeta [ 10 Mar 2021, 16:31 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Matrix on LD... is it really as rare as prices sugge
Nope, not rare at all. There are just a lot of mouth breathers out there.
Author:  takeshi666 [ 10 Mar 2021, 21:16 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Matrix on LD... is it really as rare as prices sugge
Personally, I just like the cover. But I wouldn't pay more than $30 for it!
Author:  signofzeta [ 10 Mar 2021, 21:23 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Matrix on LD... is it really as rare as prices sugge
I probably would too, just to check out the AC-3.
Author:  cosmoza [ 11 Mar 2021, 08:33 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Matrix on LD... is it really as rare as prices sugge
Oh those days, i do think, i remember seing those in local film shop, Filmifriikki, so they were around here too.
Author:  takeshi666 [ 11 Mar 2021, 23:20 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Matrix on LD... is it really as rare as prices sugge
cosmoza wrote:
Oh those days, i do think, i remember seing those in local film shop, Filmifriikki, so they were around here too.

Must've been a long time ago. First time I ever went there was probably around 2002-2003.
Author:  substance [ 12 Mar 2021, 07:44 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Matrix on LD... is it really as rare as prices sugge
I bought mine for $80 a few years ago. It’s probably one of the most expensive LDs I have bought. I think I will keep it although I have the Blu-ray and the 4K disc also.
Author:  rick_dangerous [ 06 Apr 2021, 21:22 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Matrix on LD... is it really as rare as prices sugge
Would like to snag a copy of this someday as well; but as mentioned the prices simply do not make sense. At like $30-$60 i'd be a taker.

I actually have the 1997 snap case DVD, one of the first i bought. But yeah....LD....do want.
Author:  tombstone13 [ 09 Apr 2024, 06:18 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Matrix on LD... is it really as rare as prices sugge
I have officially given up trying to get this movie. I saw The Matrix collection on DVD in the store for five bucks so I bought it. I took it to my friend's house as she has a bluray machine that will also play DVDs. Well, I gotta say, it's an okay movie and I would still like to own it but there is no way I would ever pay the ridiculous prices people are asking for the laserdisc.

Actually, I liked The Matrix Reloaded better than the first movie. Neither story is really all that but I enjoyed a lot of the fight scenes. Reloaded had a cool motorcycle chase and the one against many fight which were pretty cool. I could not even finish the third movie or the animated stuff, too boring.

I left the DVD collection there. I do not have room to start collecting those, too. :mrgreen:
Author:  spyrogyro [ 09 Apr 2024, 07:41 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Matrix on LD... is it really as rare as prices sugge
Got mine locally for R100, back in 2020. About $5.

A collector had sold the entirety of his collection to a reseller. Apart from a few choice boxsets, the reseller had then struggled to sell most of the rest on our local BoB Shop (at the time it was called "bidorbuy" ) auction site. So I picked that up for 100ZAR.

For whatever reason, the discs had no inner sleeves. They were just grinding away against each other whilst in transit (Durban to Johannesburg). As a result, they were badly scratched. Playability not affected. Can't complain too much though, not for the equivalent of $5. :P
Author:  signofzeta [ 12 Apr 2024, 15:16 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Matrix on LD... is it really as rare as prices sugge
tombstone13 wrote:
I have officially given up trying to get this movie. I saw The Matrix collection on DVD in the store for five bucks so I bought it. I took it to my friend's house as she has a bluray machine that will also play DVDs. Well, I gotta say, it's an okay movie and I would still like to own it but there is no way I would ever pay the ridiculous prices people are asking for the laserdisc.

Actually, I liked The Matrix Reloaded better than the first movie. Neither story is really all that but I enjoyed a lot of the fight scenes. Reloaded had a cool motorcycle chase and the one against many fight which were pretty cool. I could not even finish the third movie or the animated stuff, too boring.

I left the DVD collection there. I do not have room to start collecting those, too. :mrgreen:


Why was this movie even on your radar in the first place? Most people buying this disc aren’t doing so to see the movie for the first time.
Author:  tombstone13 [ 14 Apr 2024, 00:26 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Matrix on LD... is it really as rare as prices sugge
signofzeta wrote:
Why was this movie even on your radar in the first place? Most people buying this disc aren’t doing so to see the movie for the first time.


I dunno, I just never got around to seeing it before. And it's not like they show it on broadcast television. I don't have cable. The last big movie I saw on broadcast television was Spider-man Homecoming on ABC and I liked it.
Author:  signofzeta [ 14 Apr 2024, 15:06 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Matrix on LD... is it really as rare as prices sugge
No matter what cave you live in there is always an easier way to watch The Matrix than buying the LD. It’s one of the best selling DVDs ever. Walk into literally any used comic book or game store and buy it for $5.
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