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Is it still worth owning DVD's? (1 Viewer)

MarkHastings

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Jan 27, 2003
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People always think I'm insane for buying more movies when I have almost 100 unwatched DVD's, but my rationale is, I'm going to keep buying them while I can afford to....when it comes time to stop, I'll have plenty of unwatched movies to keep me entertained for YEARS to come.
 

Stan Rozenfeld

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
May 27, 2000
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Up to couple of years ago, I was buying dvds almost indiscriminately. The result was an unwieldy collection that didn't really reflect my tastes or personality. Then I switched to netflix and my viewing experience improved dramatically. I was focused more on watching and enjoying movies, rather than collecting them. However, as some people have mentioned, netflix has its own drawbacks: being under pressure to watch and return, not having immediate access to what I want to watch. For instance, I was all ready to watch another episode of LOST this Friday, but had to wait till Monday for them to ship it to me.

I recently came to conclusion that I will approach my dvd and hd dvd viewing the way I approach my book and graphic novel collection. I will buy what interests me for a good price and then if it no longer interests me, I will sell on ebay. I do this for comic books and books already, so dvds is not that much of a problem. Any difference in price, I regard as a rental fee.

But I do think the key is not to overbuy, but to buy either something that is truly a personal favorite that I will rewatch over and over, or something that I am interested in watching in the immediate future. I want my book, comic book and dvd/hd dvd collections to be highly selective, reflective my inner personality and things that are important to me.

Right now I collect only hd dvds for the long term. I'll buy a regular dvd only if I really can't wait to watch it now, particularly a tv series of interest.
 

John H Ross

Screenwriter
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Oct 16, 2000
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1,044
I just picked up rather amazing looking (rare!) anamorphic DVD transfers of LAST ACTION HERO (Superbit), JUDGE DREDD and DEEP RISING from various outlets around the world. Yep, I'd say that regular DVD is pretty cool!!

John
 

Bill>Moore

Second Unit
Joined
Mar 28, 2003
Messages
366
We have around 800 or so DVDs these days. There are only a couple that I haven't watched yet. I do still have quite a few that I've only watched once, but I cycle through them all the time and get at least a second or third viewing in all the time now. I travel a lot for work, so I watch more on the road than I might if I was at home.

I've traded or sold a few DVDs, but my girlfriend doesn't like me to do that much. If it's something she has even the remotest interest in watching sometime, she'll ask why I'm getting rid of it.

I probably enjoy watching my TV on DVD more these days, but I still get the bug to watch something in my collection all the time. With so many, I don't have to worry about repeating them over and over. It's usually been at least a year or two (or more sometimes) before I get around to watching something again, so they don't get too stale.
 

Joe Karlosi

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Nov 5, 2003
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I don't do this anymore, but I used to have all my movies listed on individual index cards which I kept in alphabetical order in a box. As I watched a film I would take the title card and put it in the back of the box. My goal was to reach for an un-watched movie from the front each time I wanted to see something. I wanted to see how many years it would take to wipe out all the index cards and then rotate them all over again. But I had gotten up to 4 years with this routine before I gave up. This was a few years ago, and my whole collection is still largely un-used!
 

JonZ

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Dec 28, 1998
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Im not sure how many DVDs I have, its gotta be around 600.

About 50% of that collection is "must have" and I rotate through the collection every few years.The catalogue titles I love Ive always owned - on VHS then LD.
I do buy some DVDs unseen if they come with very good reviews (James B and some on recommendatin of here) but Im still pretty picky about what I watch.Right now the only releases on my to buy list into Sept are-Lucky Number Slevin,Notorious Betty Page(both unseen)along with Simpson S8 and Gojira

I go through periods when I dont watch many movies at all and other times when I get a jones for quite a few in a short period of time and its nice to have them there whe I want them.I dont rent becuase Ive seen the way others keep their DVDs(and VHS) and I dont want to put something that might have been treated so badly into my player. I havent rented since the mid 90s really.
As for HD - Im still not investing until the whole multiple players thing is worked out. I have a Pioneer region free player(mostly for Shaw Bros R3 DVDs) and Im not gonna use 3 players.
I was still watching VHS copies of movies not available on yet DVD when most on this forum had already considered VHS dead. If I like a movie, the movie is whats important. Sure I like to watch it with the best V&A possible but I wont let that interferre with enjoying a movie I love.

So I dont have a problem with Standard DVD.

As for eventually going HD I think that will be for all time favorites and such. For most others standard will work just fine for me.

BTW,with prices so low lately I have bought quite a few DVDs that I wouldnt have awhile back. In the past few months or so Ive picked up Devil in A Blue Dress, Brannahs Dead Again, The Whole Wide World,28Days Later,Man On The Moon,Zero Effect,Say Anything and some other titles - all for under $10 each at Borders and Circuit City.Lower prices have significantly expanded my collection the past year or so.
 

Dave Scarpa

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 8, 1999
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David Scarpa
Prices may be what keeps HD DVD out of the mainstream for awhile, you're right in saying the DVD Prices are bottoming out. I'm seen even recent releases at well under $10, at these prices it's gonna be hard to get people to spend $30 on a Movie again.
 

Todd H

Go Dawgs!
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Now that I've bought all of my favorites, I just don't see the need to buy something that I'd probably never watch more than once. I still buy the occasional newer release that I enjoyed in the theater, but for the most part I only buy about three DVDs a year now.
 

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