DVD's You Own Just Because They're RARE (1 Viewer)

Was wondering how many people own certain discs just because they're rare or out-of-print.

I know the only reason I picked up "Swamp Thing" (a title I didn't have that much interest in) only after it was recalled by MGM for containing the longer european cut with extra nudity. It was on shelves for over a year and I never wanted it, but as soon as it was "recalled", I ran out and got one.

Same goes for the just-released euro-trash epic "2019 After the Fall Of New York" which was just recalled (only about a week after it's streetdate) because of it's controversial commentary track and will soon be reissued in a version without the commentary. This was already on my "to buy" list anyway, but quickly moved up to #1 priority when I heard the news. But I'm sure others who've never even heard of the movie will now want to seek it out.

Then there's always Criterion. I know a lot of collectors want them all. Why? Because they have a number on the spine? How many people here have "Salo", but can't stand the film? I used to own the official Criterion disc of "Salo", but I bought it when it came out because I actually wanted the film. But even though it was a movie I actually wanted and it's "collectible value" sure looks nice in any DVD collection, my wallet eventually called and I sold it for $350 on ebay in the hopes a better version of it comes along some day for $14.99 (the Criterion version wasn't that great, anyway).

But I still own "Swamp Thing" and wonder why. What is wrong with this picture? Why would ANYONE want "Swamp Thing" except for it being "unavailable"??? Hmmmm. Any other people out there with this horrible malady?

JeffMc

I've never bought a disc simply because it was rare, but the sudden rarity of discs has caused me to buy them at an earlier date than I would otherwise.

Why would ANYONE want "Swamp Thing" except for it being "unavailable"??? Hmmmm.

Because they like the movie? Or Wes Craven? Or Adrienne Barbeau? Or the Swamp Thing character?

I like Swamp Thing for a number of reasons, and I was lucky enough to receive it as a Christmas gift from my girlfriend prior to the recall.

DJ

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I have the Classic Monster Collection, which I bought right before it went out of print. It's a wonderful box set...even though I kind of bought on impulse. Hey, it has 9 of the greatest horror films.

I also bought the Charlie Chaplin Box Set from Image on impulse...but it was with a gift cert.

Lethal Weapon 4

I bought Swamp Thing well before it went OOP because I have a thing for Adrienne Barbeau. The movie is okay. I had a chance to pick up Gettysburg recently but I decided not to buy it even though it's OPP. In general if there is nothing I like about a movie I will not buy it no matter what the circumstances. Of course, if I knew Salo was going to be worth so much...... Actually, I did buy the 2 disc Patton months after it was discontinued even though I have never seen the movie. I wouldn't have bought it if I hadn't know it was OPP. I do like George C. Scott and I know it is a highly regarded movie.

A question to the group that still pertains to this thread:

By a strange quirk, I ended up with two copies of the "T2" Ultimate Edition DVD. One is a DVD-18, and the other is the two disc DVD-9 formated version. ..So which one had the most pressings?

I'm with Rain. If I don't think I'm ever going to watch a DVD again, I'll sell it regardless of its perceived rarity. (Which means that yes, I'm expecting to someday watch Salò again. Eeek.)

And all my "rare" DVDs -- Salò, Little Shop of Horrors with the original ending, the Director's Premium edition of Koyaanisqatsi, the all-region first pressing of Criterion's Seven Samurai, etc. -- were purchased because I was interested in the films. I don't buy anything purely as a rarity.

OK, I'll bite: I bought Midnight Run and Prince of Darkness just because I heard they were going out of print. Other stuff I was already planning on getting but bought after hearing they were going OOP include the Golden Age of Rock N Roll set, Big Trouble In Little China 2-disc, Criterion Spinal Tap and Sid & Nancy, Help and Magical Mystery Tour. I bought the Mickey Mouse and Silly Symphonies Disney Treasures the week they came out, but just grabbed one of the last Disneyland USA's last week as I finally decided I wanted it! I snagged the Little Shop of Horrors when it showed up briefly at Borders since it was a 'rare' disc, though I like the movie too and would've bought the regular edition otherwise!
I only buy stuff that I'm actually going to watch, but admittedly I do have a 'collector scum' mentality

Oh, sure: Academy screeners of "A Beautiful Mind" and "A.I." -- both were already out on DVD, but I thought it would be cool to have the screeners. My Emmy screeners of "Everybody Loves Raymond," "King of Queens," and "The Guardian." The "Raymond" DVDs (I have the screeners from the past two years) are lovely -- all 16x9 presentations. I suppose the TV shows I bought mostly because I like them and they're not on DVD yet.

And the old Spanish full frame Region 2 import of "Sleeping Beauty" I just bought last week. Found it used locally. Now THAT I have to admit I bought as a novelty item, simply because it was out of print.

I picked up the Silence of the Lambs and Robocop from Suncoast (payed full list price) because I knew they had gone out of print just a few months prior. These were the second and third dvds I bought, and I didn't yet have a dvd player. (got one two weeks later though as I'd planned). But I happened in on their triple points weekend, and because of that signed up for a yearly membership, I got so many points from 80 dollars of dvds that I ended up with about two dvds free with the giftcertificates I got, (though I didn't shop there again for most of the year).


I grabbed a used copy of unbearable lightness of being because I knew it was out of print, 20 bucks sight unseen and I've only so far watched the first 30 or so minutes.

I got disneyland usa because i had the other three and wanted a complete treasures collection.

I finally bought DVD discoveries because in one year people will be whining about how hard it is to get on ebay. (worthwhile purchase though the limited edition is what sold me).

Got the men in black LE because its now rare and has much cooler packaging

Snow White, Peter Pan, Tarzan because they went back in the vault (and I got atlantis collectors because I figured it would do so as well

Independence Day 5* and From Hell LE because I found out they were being discontinued

Dances with wolves dts because I love the movie and because its very rare

bought the Charlie Chaplin set blind because robert harris told us they were going out of print (only to find warners was doing a huge set of two discs )

Adam

While I have several "rare" discs, all of them I got because I wanted them. I bought Swamp Thing on release date because it's a favorite of mine. You really shouldn't question other people's tastes! To each their own.

The only one I've bought strictly due to it's supposed rarity was "Jingle All The Way". It was an impulse buy: we had read here on HTF that it was being yanked. We were in line at Best Buy - and it was a long line - and saw it on an impulse-buy endcap at the register. We had never decided if we wanted it or not, but the OOP-ness was hanging over our heads like the Sword of Damocles. It was the holidays, of course (less than a week before Christmas!), so we didn't want to have to come back and stand in line again if we changed our minds later. So we bought it, and haven't even opened it yet. $11.99 is what we paid. Maybe it will have turned into a good investment after a while, who knows? Or maybe next Christmas we'll just watch the darn thing when it's "in season". We rarely think of DVDs as investments here. Just stuff to watch.

I've owned many of the most wanted OOP DVDs and am always on the lookout for more. The reason being that I fund my regular DVD and HT purchases through the sale of these OOP finds. I do the same thing with rare books and the extra cash is what enables me to participate in this rather costly hobby. Even if it's a disc I love I have no qualms about selling it as another edition is almost always on the horizon.

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To be fair to Mr. Harris, the Chaplin Estate had publicly stated that they were going to only release the re-cut versions and the original restored Chaplin films would not be available. So the advice was very good at the time. However, the Chaplin family seem to have changed their minds since then--whether on their own or whether that was a requirement of the deal with Warners is unknown. Things change.

lethal weapon 4 is not rare or out of print.

it just wasn't very good.

i try to find rare or oop dvd's when i can.

i have a collector's mindset that goes back to the late 70's when i started buying lp's.

when i knew of an alt version of one i always tried to get that before the standard version.
for example the lynyrd skynyrd lp released around the time of the death of several members from, i think a plane crash.

the first printing had a pick of the band standing in large flames. it was reprinted without the flames.

it continued with comics and action figures and now dvd's.

i get mostly movies only because i want to watch them but on occasion i come across someting oop so i buy it.

Lethal Weapon 4 was a joke, by the way.

I'll be buying "Good Burger"...Not because it's OOP, but because it's RARE!
please don't trip over my pun.


Seriously, I bought Amelie. I've been hemming and hawing over this purchase, but recently I heard (I'm not sure how true it is) that it may be going OOP? so I bought it just to be safe (in case I finally decided to buy and and it wasn't available)