CED VideoDisc and Player Discussion

[Jesse Skeen]

I was just lucky enough to acquire this Vestron title Savage Streets from someone who worked for RCA in Indiana. I noticed it wasn't listed on the CED Magic CD-ROM, but was added to the list of titles on the website with an ER (Extremely Rare) rating in terms of rarity. The cover and disc content are 'normal' as far as consumer titles go, but apparently not too many of these were made. The cover has a 1985 copyright date on it, was this ready to go but perhaps Vestron decided to abandon the format at that point? How many copies of this were made? I've heard that a few other movies were test-pressed but never released for sale, I wonder how many actually had covers printed up and everything?

Also does anyone have the story on "The Story Of O"? That's one of only a few titles I still don't have, apparently they had this all ready to put out but decided not to release it at the last minute because of its content. However it did make it out on laserdisc and tape, and it was on the MGM/UA label so it wasn't like RCA was directly associated with it- I haven't seen the movie but it doesn't sound like it could be more 'naughty' than the Playboy discs or some of the titles Vestron put out. So what exactly happened (and how can I get one? )
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Videodisc and stereo sound- there's no better value around!

[CEDatum]

A comment on Jesse's note - Movies that were test pressed and not released. RCA made numerous short press runs of titles and test discs that were never released to the public. In May 1986 RCA VideoDisc issued a Company Private document "Final Listing ". This document tabulated all the pressing made at Rockville Road.
An example of movie titles that were never released is the BlackHawk Film series: 6 titles: Lowell Thomas remembers, Old Smokey/Pony Riders, Slapstick, Birth of a Nation ( 2disc set ), Phantom of the Opera and Nanook of the North. Caddy artwork was completed on Lowell, Old Smokey/Riders, Phantom and Nanook. Sample pressings were distributed internally to RCA Marketing and the Film Company. For some reason the contract with BlackHawk was never finalized. A few of the BlackHawk discs are in existance. - John.

[PaulC]

Very interesting. I purchased several boxes of ced's off a former engineer several years ago. I have a copy of the second disc of "Birth of a Nation" It's in a blank white caddy. Another unreleased title I have is Suspicion with Cary Grant. Tom Howe told me that RCA diddn't like the quality of their master film and was wating to find a better one before releasing. There are oddball movies in there including several test pressings of released movies. I haven't been in the market for discs for several years but I've purchased a few copy's of The Story of O off ebay pretty cheap. There were several that came up for auction, just had to keep an eye out and get lucky that nobody outbid. Just curious, what's the worth of that title today. I diddn't bid much more than twenty bucks. The story I read somewhere is RCA diddn't want to be associated with DELETED and cancelled it. Wholesome family and that sort. Diddn't prevent others from releasing some racy titles for the day.

[cedmagic]

In mid-1985 Vestron announced that their remaining CED titles would only be pressed in quantities equal to the number of discs pre-ordered. It appears the company stuck with this, as those final Vestron titles are usually very rare.

As for "Savage Streets," this title could be the epitome of a rental movie, as few people would want to have spent $29.98 in 1985 for a disc that would probably be watched just once. Since there were so few rental facilities left, the title may have been canceled.

I'm guessing RCA already had some empty caddies ready for this title, so they may have pressed a small quantity for internal distribution.

--Tom Howe