Criterion Taxi Driver Cover Two Versions?

[Michael]

Archived from groups: alt.video.laserdisc (More info?)

Hello,

I have two copies of the Criterion Taxi Driver. They have the same spine
number, 109A, but different cover designs. One design is a closeup of
Robert DeNiro pointing a gun while the other design is a full length picture
of DeNiro walking the streets but it's all in shades of red. Does anyone
know why they are different jacket designs? Is one worth more than the
other? Are the movies the same inside?

Thanks,

Mike

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.laserdisc (More info?)

"Michael" <mikeandjackie73@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:SN8Xc.2682$MR2.13803@news1.mts.net...
> I have two copies of the Criterion Taxi Driver. They have the same
spine
> number, 109A, but different cover designs. One design is a closeup of
> Robert DeNiro pointing a gun while the other design is a full length
picture
> of DeNiro walking the streets but it's all in shades of red. Does
anyone
> know why they are different jacket designs? Is one worth more than
the
> other? Are the movies the same inside?

Assuming these aren't the different CLV and CAV editions, Criterion
occasionally would change their cover art to distinguish between
different disc pressing runs.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.laserdisc (More info?)

On Wed, 25 Aug 2004 23:16:30 GMT, "Joshua Zyber"
<jzyber@SPAMMERS-DROP-DEAD.mindspring.com> wrote:

>"Michael" <mikeandjackie73@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>news:SN8Xc.2682$MR2.13803@news1.mts.net...
>> I have two copies of the Criterion Taxi Driver. They have the same
>spine
>> number, 109A, but different cover designs. One design is a closeup of
>> Robert DeNiro pointing a gun while the other design is a full length
>picture
>> of DeNiro walking the streets but it's all in shades of red. Does
>anyone
>> know why they are different jacket designs? Is one worth more than
>the
>> other? Are the movies the same inside?
>
>Assuming these aren't the different CLV and CAV editions, Criterion
>occasionally would change their cover art to distinguish between
>different disc pressing runs.
>

There's no difference in content between the two CAV sets with
different covers Joshua is right that slight differences in the cover
can denote different pressing runs, but the covers don't seem to
correspond with pressing plant in this case. I think the DeNiro
walking the streets cover is the less common. Also I remeber that the
DeNiro with gun cover had two variations in the layout.

.. Steve .
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.laserdisc (More info?)

"Steve(JazzHunter)" <jazzhunterNotHere@internet.com> wrote:

> "Joshua Zyber" <jzyber@SPAMMERS-DROP-DEAD.mindspring.com> wrote:
>
>>"Michael" <mikeandjackie73@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> I have two copies of the Criterion Taxi Driver. They have
>>> the same spine number, 109A, but different cover designs.
>>> One design is a closeup of Robert DeNiro pointing a gun
>>> while the other design is a full length picture of DeNiro
>>> walking the streets but it's all in shades of red. Does
>>> anyone know why they are different jacket designs? Is
>>> one worth more than the other? Are the movies the same
>>> inside?
>>
>> Assuming these aren't the different CLV and CAV editions,

They aren't. The CAV edition (spine #109) has the "gun" cover.
The CLV edition (spine #109A) has either the "gun" cover or
the "street" cover.

>> Criterion occasionally would change their cover art to
>> distinguish between different disc pressing runs.

Actually, this instance is, as far as I know, unique. While
it's true that Criterion sometimes makes changes to the
packaging between press runs, this is the only time (that
I'm aware of) that there is a variant with a completely
different photo for the cover. All other variations are
cosmetic in nature -- package color, banners, gatefold
vs. box, the addition of a "Digital Sound" logo, and so on.

(I'm disregarding any cover changes between CAV and CLV
editions, or between reissues like the CITIZEN KANE 50th
Anniversary Edition.)

> There's no difference in content between the two CAV sets
> with different covers

CLV, not CAV.

> Joshua is right that slight differences in the cover can
> denote different pressing runs, but the covers don't seem
> to correspond with pressing plant in this case. I think
> the DeNiro walking the streets cover is the less common.
> Also I remeber that the DeNiro with gun cover had two
> variations in the layout.

All copies of the "street" cover I've seen have been Pioneer
pressings. For the "gun" cover, one copy I've seen was a
Pioneer, while the copy I have is from Kuraray.

Based on that modicum of information, I would guess that the
"street" cover was the original release, and it was later
changed to the "gun" cover while still being pressed at
Pioneer. The Kuraray is undoubtedly a later pressing.

-- jayembee

 

[Michael]

Archived from groups: alt.video.laserdisc (More info?)

Just to confirm with others reading this thread, both discs are CLV as
jayembee mentioned. Which is the better pressing? How do I tell if it is
the Kuraray or Pioneer? From what you are saying the "gun" cover is more
valuable because it is less common and potentially a newer pressing.




"jayembee" <jayembeeNoSpam@snurcher.com> wrote in message
news:d3aeee5b.0408261206.276db26f@posting.google.com...
> "Steve(JazzHunter)" <jazzhunterNotHere@internet.com> wrote:
>
> > "Joshua Zyber" <jzyber@SPAMMERS-DROP-DEAD.mindspring.com> wrote:
> >
> >>"Michael" <mikeandjackie73@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >>> I have two copies of the Criterion Taxi Driver. They have
> >>> the same spine number, 109A, but different cover designs.
> >>> One design is a closeup of Robert DeNiro pointing a gun
> >>> while the other design is a full length picture of DeNiro
> >>> walking the streets but it's all in shades of red. Does
> >>> anyone know why they are different jacket designs? Is
> >>> one worth more than the other? Are the movies the same
> >>> inside?
> >>
> >> Assuming these aren't the different CLV and CAV editions,
>
> They aren't. The CAV edition (spine #109) has the "gun" cover.
> The CLV edition (spine #109A) has either the "gun" cover or
> the "street" cover.
>
> >> Criterion occasionally would change their cover art to
> >> distinguish between different disc pressing runs.
>
> Actually, this instance is, as far as I know, unique. While
> it's true that Criterion sometimes makes changes to the
> packaging between press runs, this is the only time (that
> I'm aware of) that there is a variant with a completely
> different photo for the cover. All other variations are
> cosmetic in nature -- package color, banners, gatefold
> vs. box, the addition of a "Digital Sound" logo, and so on.
>
> (I'm disregarding any cover changes between CAV and CLV
> editions, or between reissues like the CITIZEN KANE 50th
> Anniversary Edition.)
>
> > There's no difference in content between the two CAV sets
> > with different covers
>
> CLV, not CAV.
>
> > Joshua is right that slight differences in the cover can
> > denote different pressing runs, but the covers don't seem
> > to correspond with pressing plant in this case. I think
> > the DeNiro walking the streets cover is the less common.
> > Also I remeber that the DeNiro with gun cover had two
> > variations in the layout.
>
> All copies of the "street" cover I've seen have been Pioneer
> pressings. For the "gun" cover, one copy I've seen was a
> Pioneer, while the copy I have is from Kuraray.
>
> Based on that modicum of information, I would guess that the
> "street" cover was the original release, and it was later
> changed to the "gun" cover while still being pressed at
> Pioneer. The Kuraray is undoubtedly a later pressing.
>
> -- jayembee

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.laserdisc (More info?)

On Thu, 26 Aug 2004 17:29:39 -0500, "Michael"
<mikeandjackie73@hotmail.com> wrote:

>Just to confirm with others reading this thread, both discs are CLV as
>jayembee mentioned. Which is the better pressing? How do I tell if it is
>the Kuraray or Pioneer? From what you are saying the "gun" cover is more
>valuable because it is less common and potentially a newer pressing.

I think "The Street" is less common, at least I saw that much less
frequently in the racks and I went to the laserdisc store twice a week
throughout the 80's and 90's.

My CAV "Taxi Driver" is with the Gun cover and pressed by Pioneer
(unfortunately.)
>

.. Steve .
>
>
>
>"jayembee" <jayembeeNoSpam@snurcher.com> wrote in message
>news:d3aeee5b.0408261206.276db26f@posting.google.com...
>> "Steve(JazzHunter)" <jazzhunterNotHere@internet.com> wrote:
>>
>> > "Joshua Zyber" <jzyber@SPAMMERS-DROP-DEAD.mindspring.com> wrote:
>> >
>> >>"Michael" <mikeandjackie73@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> >>
>> >>> I have two copies of the Criterion Taxi Driver. They have
>> >>> the same spine number, 109A, but different cover designs.
>> >>> One design is a closeup of Robert DeNiro pointing a gun
>> >>> while the other design is a full length picture of DeNiro
>> >>> walking the streets but it's all in shades of red. Does
>> >>> anyone know why they are different jacket designs? Is
>> >>> one worth more than the other? Are the movies the same
>> >>> inside?
>> >>
>> >> Assuming these aren't the different CLV and CAV editions,
>>
>> They aren't. The CAV edition (spine #109) has the "gun" cover.
>> The CLV edition (spine #109A) has either the "gun" cover or
>> the "street" cover.
>>
>> >> Criterion occasionally would change their cover art to
>> >> distinguish between different disc pressing runs.
>>
>> Actually, this instance is, as far as I know, unique. While
>> it's true that Criterion sometimes makes changes to the
>> packaging between press runs, this is the only time (that
>> I'm aware of) that there is a variant with a completely
>> different photo for the cover. All other variations are
>> cosmetic in nature -- package color, banners, gatefold
>> vs. box, the addition of a "Digital Sound" logo, and so on.
>>
>> (I'm disregarding any cover changes between CAV and CLV
>> editions, or between reissues like the CITIZEN KANE 50th
>> Anniversary Edition.)
>>
>> > There's no difference in content between the two CAV sets
>> > with different covers
>>
>> CLV, not CAV.
>>
>> > Joshua is right that slight differences in the cover can
>> > denote different pressing runs, but the covers don't seem
>> > to correspond with pressing plant in this case. I think
>> > the DeNiro walking the streets cover is the less common.
>> > Also I remeber that the DeNiro with gun cover had two
>> > variations in the layout.
>>
>> All copies of the "street" cover I've seen have been Pioneer
>> pressings. For the "gun" cover, one copy I've seen was a
>> Pioneer, while the copy I have is from Kuraray.
>>
>> Based on that modicum of information, I would guess that the
>> "street" cover was the original release, and it was later
>> changed to the "gun" cover while still being pressed at
>> Pioneer. The Kuraray is undoubtedly a later pressing.
>>
>> -- jayembee
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.laserdisc (More info?)

"Michael" <mikeandjackie73@hotmail.com> wrote:

> Just to confirm with others reading this thread, both
> discs are CLV as jayembee mentioned. Which is the better
> pressing?

There's generally nothing wrong with Pioneer pressings,
though one of my few genuine cases of laser rot was from
a Pioneer pressing of a Criterion title (SMILES OF A SUMMER
NIGHT).

Kuraray, however, is considered by many to be the best of
the various LD pressing plants.

> How do I tell if it is the Kuraray or Pioneer?

Well, back when TAXI DRIVER was first released, Criterion
(as well as a number of other companies) usually identified
the manufacturer on the bottom of the back cover. The Pioneer
pressings will undoubtedly say something to the effect of
"Manufactured in the USA by Pioneer". By the time Criterion
was using Kuraray, both for newer releases and re-pressings
of older ones, they tended to be more vague, and would say
something like "Manufactured in Japan".

Jackets sometimes lie, though. The original CAV pressings of
Criterion's SEVEN SAMURAI were done by Phillips-Dupont Optical.
Later pressings (which can be easily identified because they
added digital soundtracks to it) were from Sony DADC USA. But
Criterion didn't make any changes to the jacket copy, so it
still says that it's manufactured by PDO.

The best way to tell is to look at the mint marks on the
inner ring of the disk. You can find out how to identify
pressing plants from the mint marks by going to Blaine Young's
site. The specific page for mint mark section is:

http/www.oz.net/blam/LaserDisc/Manufacturers.htm


> From what you are saying the "gun" cover is more valuable
> because it is less common and potentially a newer pressing.

Actually, no, it's the other way around. Steve said:

>>> I think the DeNiro walking the streets cover is the less
>>> common.

And I added:

>> Based on that modicum of information, I would guess that the
>> "street" cover was the original release, and it was later
>> changed to the "gun" cover while still being pressed at
>> Pioneer. The Kuraray is undoubtedly a later pressing.

In other words:

Earlier Pioneer pressing: street cover
Later Pioneer pressing: gun cover (to match the CAV jacket)
Even later Kuraray pressing: gun cover

As far as I can tell, there's no difference in value between
the two covers. Back when Sight & Sound was still in business,
for example, they had any number of copies of both covers
appear in their used bins, and they always charged the same
price regardless of which cover it was.

(In fact, the only reason I found out about the variant cover
was because S&S happened on at least one occasion to have one
copy of each in their bins at the same time.)

-- jayembee

 

[Michael]

Archived from groups: alt.video.laserdisc (More info?)

Hello,

I checked the mint markings on the discs. They both appear to be pressed by
the same plant. Here's the information from the discs:

GUN COVER:
Side A -
11A10921
51-019B1-02
Side B -
09A10872
51-019A1-01
The label says manufactured by Pioneer Video Inc. Made in the USA. 1990 -
Voyager Company


STREET COVER:
Side A -
31H82142
51-019B1-02
Side B -
27H80440
51-019A1-01
The label says manufactured by Pioneer Video Inc. Made in the USA. 1990 -
Voyager Company

Mike


"jayembee" <jayembeeNoSpam@snurcher.com> wrote in message
news:d3aeee5b.0408270525.1da1ebc1@posting.google.com...
> "Michael" <mikeandjackie73@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Just to confirm with others reading this thread, both
> > discs are CLV as jayembee mentioned. Which is the better
> > pressing?
>
> There's generally nothing wrong with Pioneer pressings,
> though one of my few genuine cases of laser rot was from
> a Pioneer pressing of a Criterion title (SMILES OF A SUMMER
> NIGHT).
>
> Kuraray, however, is considered by many to be the best of
> the various LD pressing plants.
>
> > How do I tell if it is the Kuraray or Pioneer?
>
> Well, back when TAXI DRIVER was first released, Criterion
> (as well as a number of other companies) usually identified
> the manufacturer on the bottom of the back cover. The Pioneer
> pressings will undoubtedly say something to the effect of
> "Manufactured in the USA by Pioneer". By the time Criterion
> was using Kuraray, both for newer releases and re-pressings
> of older ones, they tended to be more vague, and would say
> something like "Manufactured in Japan".
>
> Jackets sometimes lie, though. The original CAV pressings of
> Criterion's SEVEN SAMURAI were done by Phillips-Dupont Optical.
> Later pressings (which can be easily identified because they
> added digital soundtracks to it) were from Sony DADC USA. But
> Criterion didn't make any changes to the jacket copy, so it
> still says that it's manufactured by PDO.
>
> The best way to tell is to look at the mint marks on the
> inner ring of the disk. You can find out how to identify
> pressing plants from the mint marks by going to Blaine Young's
> site. The specific page for mint mark section is:
>
> http/www.oz.net/blam/LaserDisc/Manufacturers.htm
>
>
> > From what you are saying the "gun" cover is more valuable
> > because it is less common and potentially a newer pressing.
>
> Actually, no, it's the other way around. Steve said:
>
> >>> I think the DeNiro walking the streets cover is the less
> >>> common.
>
> And I added:
>
> >> Based on that modicum of information, I would guess that the
> >> "street" cover was the original release, and it was later
> >> changed to the "gun" cover while still being pressed at
> >> Pioneer. The Kuraray is undoubtedly a later pressing.
>
> In other words:
>
> Earlier Pioneer pressing: street cover
> Later Pioneer pressing: gun cover (to match the CAV jacket)
> Even later Kuraray pressing: gun cover
>
> As far as I can tell, there's no difference in value between
> the two covers. Back when Sight & Sound was still in business,
> for example, they had any number of copies of both covers
> appear in their used bins, and they always charged the same
> price regardless of which cover it was.
>
> (In fact, the only reason I found out about the variant cover
> was because S&S happened on at least one occasion to have one
> copy of each in their bins at the same time.)
>
> -- jayembee