Remembering the PHANTASM Laserdisc
The year was 1995 and VHS had reigned supreme across all video formats for the last decade. But there was a new kid in town called Laserdiscs and one of the coolest PHANTASM releases ever made would be cherished by fans and collectors.
As website Gizmohighway explains
In 1978, Philips and Sony brought video discs on to the market. Called the Laserdisc, it recorded images and sound as tiny pits on the surface of the disc. Pioneer made use of the format as a form of karaoke entertainment which made the format popular in commercial circles of Asia. Laserdiscs were never really widely accepted as the discs could not be used to record and viewers were restricted to pre-recorded films. In addition, the hardware was expensive and only the very serious video buff were purchasing the home laserdisc format. The average user was very happy with videotape due to its recording capabilities. Betamax had been released in 1975 by Sony and VHS by JVC in 1976, so when it come to choosing a video format consumers were spoilt for choice.
The various VHS releases of PHANTASM became a staple of horror fans collections. However, the sound and picture quality left lots to be desired.
Enter Image Entertainment:
Founded in 1981 as a public company known as Image Entertainment, Image began as a distributor of LaserDiscs, whose sound and picture quality surpassed that of VHS and Beta, the dominant tape formats of the time. Image successfully secured exclusive output deals with major studios such as Universal Studios, 20th Century Fox, Orion Pictures, and The Walt Disney Company, and grew to become the dominant distributor of the format.
Around 1995 Image Entertainment set about to create the ultimate Phantasm Phan’s dream. The Signature Series PHANTASM Special Edition Laserdisc.
Check out these stats from IDDB:
2500 copies released, personally signed by director Don Coscarelli and star Angus Scrimm, this Limited Collectors Edition contains the following special features:
Exclusive widescreen transfer supervised by the director
Newly mixed stereo surround track
Running commentary
Original theatrical trailer and television spots
A 30-minute video interview with Don Coscarelli and Angus Scrimm aired at the time of the film's release
Extensive still-frame file, including production photos posters, lobby cards, fan art, props and more
A 24K Gold CD of Fred Myrow & Malcolm Seagrave's music score and more....
The set quickly sold out and continues to be a very hot collectable on the re-sale market. Laserdiscs never quite caught on with the general public and soon after were replaced by DVDs as the disc of choice for movie fans. There is still a niche audience of collectors who treasure them.
Fun fact: Only 2200 copies of the signed 2500 limited edition box made it to the marketplace. 300 copies were lost, and never recovered, on their way back to Image after Don Coscarelli & Angus Scrimm finished signing them.
Do you miss laserdics?
