LaserDisc Wolfpack Podcast: THE FIFTH ELEMENT (Episode 47 [S4 E03])

The LaserDisc Wolfpack is a collective composed of wild and woolly characters, skilled at hunting LDs and LD-related material. Occasionally, when the moon is full (or it’s a weekend night they have available), they’ll gather in the darkened forest to howl about new LaserDisc acquisitions and a plethora of hot LD topics.
For this episode, the ‘Pack is back with another supergreen intergalactic live broadcast. They'll be belting out inhuman opera runs and punching surly space dogs whilst revisiting the Luc Besson sci-fi classic The Fifth Element. Plus all the usual laserdisc and physical media pickups, hot topics, and general tomfoolery! Enjoy the show, but don't press the button on that Zorg ZF-1!
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Overture
3:40 Introduction
6:44 The Fifth Element LD Spotlight
58:30 LD Pickups
1:54:21 Hot Topics
2:24:31 Let's Get Physical
3:04:08 Recommendations
3:18:30 Special Vinnie Appearance
3:34:33 What's Spinning Next?

[@J.A.1969]

The last minute guest brought up The Swimmer. Great film. Very odd and kooky with lots of late 1960's bright colors and a wild performance by Burt Lancaster and worthy of a future discussion on your podcast. Not sure if its on LD tho but its available as a 3 disc set that includes the bluray/dvd/cd soundtrack. Some other films i hope you discuss in length on your podcast in the future are:
The Human Beast (Jean Renoir)
Starman (John Carpenter)
Gloria (John Casavettes)
Krull (Peter Yates)

[@fj103]

Great episode
I love that film
Have to see it again 🎉🎉🎉

[@arrowthruhead8117]

Milla is so perfect!

[@theshadowman1398]

The gang is back. Has been a while

[@whitneydevalroger7360]

Dogfish is in Delaware. It's all relative. Good beer though

[@angrybravo]

Can I ask you a question about ac3? I have my laserdisc player hooked up to a ultra short throw projector with my marantz receiver and I am able to watch/listen to DTS and analog laserdisc’s toggling with laserdisc remote from analog to optical, but does ac-3 need a separate connection or does the optical avenue work with ac-3 discs?

[@Culturedog]

AC-3's a complicated one. It won't pump out of the player through a regular digital output like PCM or DTS. You need a player with a specific AC-3 RF Out jack and then you need either an old receiver/processor with an AC-3 RF In or a standalone demodulator or demodulator/decoder. The demodulator extracts the Dolby Digital signal that any modern receiver can decode over optical or coaxial. The demodulator/decoder processors extract the signal but also internally decode it and pump it out over a 6 RCA multi output array. The latter units are usually easy to find for cheap, but the straight demodulators are usually pricy and sought after.

[@angrybravo]

@@Culturedog I just started watching alien ac-3 and it sounds amazing through optical route using a pioneer dvl-909

[@angrybravo]

Thanks for replying I love your videos

[@angrybravo]

Just wanted to add I have never had problems with listening to ac-3 laserdiscs, when I started purchasing dts laserdisc I found that there was static until I added optical option, thanks again for your response

[@Culturedog]

@@angrybravo thanks! Glad to help! Yeah, the cool thing about AC-3 discs is they also have a stereo PCM track (usually encoded for Dolby Surround), which is what you're hearing over optical on discs like that Alien one.
The DVL-909 does have an AC-3 RF output jack though, in case you decide to get a demodulator at some point.

[@shawnbowers4836]

I have a question for you, and if anybody in the comments wants to answer this question go ahead.
I only have the Japanese laserdisc of The Fifth Element, does the US version look any better as in picture quality? Or is it the same?

[@Culturedog]

The Japanese LD has the better packaging hands down, but the US version does have better picture quality. Especially if you can find a Pioneer pressing, since the Sony DADC USA ones are prone to rot. But it's a smokin' Super NTSC transfer!

[@shawnbowers4836]

@@Culturedog Thank you!! Love your channel! Hipsters are like "Oh VHS!!!"
I'm thinking "no, Laserdisc, bro"

[@shawnbowers4836]

@@Culturedog One more question, how can you tell if its a pioneer pressing vs sony?

[@Culturedog]

@@shawnbowers4836 haha thanks for watching the channel!
For Fifth Element US pressing differences, you can check the inner hub of the disc surface right outside of the label area. The Pioneers have a pair of stamped markings like this: "C0253990 / 59-546A1-025", while the Sonys start with a digital looking string of text beginning with the letters "LDAC".

[@shawnbowers4836]

@@Culturedog Thanks

[@ryancushing3791]

First!