I lent Picnic at Hanging rock to a relative, the disk is now completely unplayable. I mean it looks like it was ground with sandpaper or on the concrete and the disk is cracked from one edge to the middle. It's completely unplayable and can't be repaired.

By any chance, does Criterion take DVDs back for trade, for the cost of shipping or maybe a little more, or is there anything else I can do with it?

I guess it has a little value since the case / liner notes are in good shape.

First, I'd say cry. Then get your relative to buy you a new Picnic at Hanging Rock. The only time Criterion ever offered a trade was when they upgraded one of their titles from non-anamorphic to anamorphic (I can't remember which one). They stopped doing it after that title.

Do you really think that Criterion or any store for that matter, will trade you of a completely used, damaged dvd because you have the case and liner notes? The damage was caused by negligence of the user, in this case, your relative. There is no store that will give you another copy of the film because of this.

My recommendation: Wait for the rumored re-release, tell your relative to pay for the DVD or buy a new one yourself.

Personally I hate lending out any dvds to any friends or relatives. Everyone who knows me knows I take immaculate care of my dvds and if I do lend one out they better return it the same way as it was. I even want the disk facing the correct way in the case. Don't F**K with a man's dvd collection....

If you are interested in selling it email me and maybe we can work something out. I have paypal. As for a replacement, I think your out of luck.

Offer to give your relative the information on where they can get the best deal on the replacement, or tell them that if they prefer, they can give you the money and you will buy it yourself.

If they don't reposnd favorably, break their kneecaps.

Yep, I agree. This is completely your relative's responsibility to replace. I can't believe he/she would even have the balls to give the disc back to you in that condiditon. If I damaged someone's else's property I'd replace it without even being asked first.

Pretty much everything I wanted to say on the subject.

If you have kids, do NOT let this relative babysit them.

Doesn't Disney have a disc replacement program?
FWIW, I just taught my 20-month old the proper way to hold a DVD (good thing she has big hands), so what's your relative's excuse?

Seriously, how did they end up completely destroying a DVD?

Pull!

I disagree. If Walmart carried the title (no idea if they have it in their system, prolly not), they would take it back. They take pretty much anything, but usually it's for an exchange.

I'm not saying it's right, but there will be several stores that will go for an exchange.

The average person never takes care of a DVD the way a collector would. I don't think it's intentional; it just doesn't occur to them that a tear in the packaging or a scratch on the disc will be a problem. I once lent a TV series box set to a coworker, and when she returned it, the slipcover had a large tear in it. She didn't seem to even notice. Some people just don't apply the same value to videos as we do. For them, a DVD exists to be watched, and once it's been watched, it's usefulness has ended.

Must have made a nice drink coaster, floor mat and frisbee for the dog! Though I was cleaning a DVD once and it broke apart in my bare hands and I was holding it by the edges with my thumbs, so it could be worse.

I've never known any Wal Mart to be willing to trade out a scratched, broken DVD in an opened package for a new disc.

Perhaps they would if the DVD was in pristine shape and unopened; but never in the condition the original poster described.

Believe me, this DVD is messed up. I've never seen a DVD in worse condition.

Anyway, thanks for the advice and ideas. I was hoping that there was a trade-in program, guess not. I dropped an email to Criterion but haven't heard back yet, when I do I'll let you know but I'm sure it'll be "hell no". OK, maybe a little politer, but that'll be the jist of it.

And while I normally would bring this up with my brother-in-law, due to extenuating circumstances I won't be. The guy really treats his sister, myself, and our kids very well when we are at his house, it's not worth bringing this up.

I'll be listing it on ebay next monday. If anybody is interested, free shipping if you mention this thread. Don't even think for a moment that you can clean up this disk and make it work though, it's cracked, gouged, and extremely badly scraped. But the case / liner notes are in good shape, it could sit on your shelf and people could think you have the movie.

That's the problem with the music / movie / software industry. They are selling music / movies / programs - the cost of the actual blank CD / DVD is extremely minimal (maybe $0.50 for them?). I've paid $30 for this movie - I've paid the royalties to the movie makers - I should have the movie to watch at will. But I can't watch it just because the $0.50 DVD got ruined. I understand that this is just the way it is and I accept it, but I'm not happy with it.

In an ideal world one would be able to send in a ruined disk like this, pay a minimal fee (a few bucks at the most) and get a new product back. Oh well.

Why in the hell would you try to sell an unplayable DVD --- one that's cracked from the edge to the center --- on eBay? Have people lost their minds? Just suck up the loss, throw it in the trash and be done with it.

Maybe he was hoping Criterion had the same program that Disney has. You can get a replacement disc from them (for $10) if you have it logged in their system. DVD Insurance in a way.

Not to mention the completely unfounded belief that dvds are indestructible. The very first dvd I ever bought (Lifeforce) way back before the turn of the century, I used to demonstrate to friends how "sturdy" this newfangled device was by tossing it like a frisbee and then slipping it into my player to reveal it's amazing durablity. Today, I'd kill someone who handled one of my dvds that way. I really would.

Don't put a defective disc on Ebay, some poor schmuck will buy it and you'll be the bad guy. It's broken, throw it away. That's how the world works.

I want to buy it for the cover and booklet. I am a member of a dvd trading site that only trades the disc, so this would be awesome to pick up.There is a market out there as long as you mark it clearly as broken.

If there is a market for covers and booklets, just advertise that you're selling the cover/booklet. Don't make the disc part of the sale. Plus, since you can mail the cover/booklet in a flat envelope, postage should be a lot less.

Put the dvd in the microwave for about forty five seconds. Cool blue flashes of electricity will shoot through it, like a brief laser show.

Try boiling it!

I kind of have to agree with this. I have had quite a few MGM discs that went kaboom from DVD rot. Why should I have to repurchase it? They should replace it for free due to poor manufacturing.