Artist: MICHAEL JACKSON
Title: GHOSTS
This hard to find item was made by Sony Asia. It is called a "VCD" which means it is a CD that plays video. This will play in most (but not all) US DVD players and on your computer. 100% guaranteed authentic. (This item was never released on DVD.)
UPC #5099720078821. Catalog #MVCD 200788.2
Tracks:
- GHOSTS (a 38 minute video)
This was not the biggest hit in the US when it first came out, and I'm convinced it was underrated and underappreciated at the time. The first thing that struck me was that he was a really good actor. I'd forgotten that. Then you are treated to original music, dance routines - when Michael is confronted by an angry mob, he single-handedly conjures up some ghoulish back-up dancers and shows them what's what. (Understatement!) You also see a bit of behind-the-scenes footage (make-up, etc.) during the fairly long closing credits sequence.
There was one part that is now pretty poignant in light of his death - I'm sure you'll know just what I mean when you see it, but I don't want to give it away. As an MJ fan who didn't follow him quite so closely after the mid-90's, this was a real treat for me, and something I had missed back when it came out. Rest in peace, Michael. You were brilliant.
Brand new, still sealed in standard jewel case as shown. No cutouts.
What is a VCD?
A lot of people have asked this. VCD means "Video CD." These never gained popularity in the US. They were more popular in Asia. They actually had "VCD players." The discs could also be played on computers.
"Ghosts" was first released in 1997, just before DVD's came out. VHS tapes dominated the US market, so when "Ghosts" came out, they made it only on VHS in the USA, and they made it on VCD for the Asian markets. The picture quality of a VCD is more comparable to a VHS than to a modern DVD. It is not "digital" or "hi-def," which is one of the main differences between a VCD and a DVD.
As it happens, almost all modern DVD players are able to read and play VCD's. (Yay!) But not 100% of them can do it, so you should know that before you buy (no matter from whom you buy it - if they are "the real thing" then they are all the same. They are only made by one company, so anyone selling the real thing is selling the same thing.) As a backup, if it doesn't work on your DVD player, you can almost certainly play it on your computer.
If it does not play on your DVD player, that does not mean it is defective. That means you just happen to have the kind of DVD player that can't read a VCD. Try it on every DVD player in your home (and maybe your neighbor's!) or on your computer just to see this great movie, and you can always get a new DVD player down the road - some of them cost less than this VCD.
For example: we have two super-cheap DVD players in our home. Each cost us under $30. On our "Protron PD007" which we got from Sears for about $25 three years ago, it plays perfectly. On the other hand, our even newer Magnavox DP100MW8B (which was about $29 at Walmart) can't read it. It also plays perfectly on all of our computers and laptops. For perspective, once again, we have sold hundreds, and fewer than 5 people could not play it on their DVD players. Most folks kept them, played them at a family member's house (make an event out of it!) or plan to get a new or extra DVD player.
If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to ask. Thanks!
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