Are people still blind buying physical media ? (1 Viewer)

[BobNewport]

I saw a post about a movie that bombed at the box and reviews were terrible but the poster actually bought the disc to see if the movie was any good. I was kind of shock that in this age of cheap digital rentals and other streaming options, folks still prefer spending, sometimes $20+ on a disc as a gamble that a it's a movie they may or may not like.

What is your preferred method of blind buying for movies and tv shows?

 

[JohnRice]

There are a lot of people who are resistant to streaming, or just might not have the facility, for various reasons, to stream well. Plus, there is the attitude that $20 is still cheaper than seeing a movie in the theater, especially for more than one person.

 

[Andrew Budgell]

In most cases I'll rent a film I haven't seen before through iTunes. However, if it's an important restoration, especially something released through the Warner Archive, I'm more inclined to purchase the disc in hopes that my support will help other older films get a similar treatment and find their way to Blu-ray.

 

[YANG]

for movies, the challenge that physical media face is the rising price due to lower production volume and market availability, that would prompt home video "collecting" folks to look into other channels... hence, the popularity of streaming contents which as suggested and pointed out by TS... is more cheaper to own. but is it really so, that once purchase the content stays into your account permanently?

in HongKong Forum, there is one who purchased TOP GUN Maverick, thought that he can permanently own... but shock to find that the content comes with limited period usage/playback times. could there be somekind of bug? or an overlook on the sales condition that that buyer had missed?

anyway, in comparison to streaming media, the strength of optical media is about stability.
stability of audio that would only be delivered, if the disc player and the secondary device, aka final audio stage of processing and amplification capability is met.
stability of video that would only be delivered, if the disc player and the secondary device, aka final display stage of processing and calibration capability is met.
both fields would not be interrupted by network stability, but rather hardware's power supply stability.

in streaming, the benefit is certainly on affordability... undeniably. but what if network connection turns weak? will network streaming be still stable?

 

[Tino]

Every theater going experience is a “blind buy” so why not physical and digital purchases too?

I blind buy occasionally for the same reasons I see a movie in a theater. It looks interesting.

 

[bmasters9]

Every theater going experience is a “blind buy” so why not physical and digital purchases too?

I blind buy occasionally for the same reasons I see a movie in a theater. It looks interesting.

That's why I've made many of the complete-series DVD purchases I did-- the shows looked interesting on the surface (of course, for quite a few, the appearance has belied the reality).

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I rarely blind buy a film on disc anymore. It's too expensive for something I may watch only once, and there are less expensive options available. Instead, since we almost never go to the movie theater anymore, my blind viewings are usually via either a streaming subscription service or a cheap $5 digital purchase on iTunes. If I really like the film, I may buy the disc later on.

 

[smithbrad]

I currently watch a lot of movies from the 30's through 50's. They aren't always available streaming, and when they are, it isn't always the best quality. Also, I'm way behind watching what I already own, so you could say my purchases are one's I have a good feeling about, but I may not watch for some time, so I want them available when the mood strikes. Who knows if they would still be available from a source that I have access to for streaming (i.e., I typically only stream current shows). Lastly, if it turns out to be a purchase I don't desire to watch again, I can recoup some of the cost by selling/trading it in vs. the extra cost to rent and then deciding to buy. In the end, I've been doing this a long time and it works for me, which is all that matters.

 

[Ross Gowland]

Here’s my wants list for the next three months. Those in bold will be blind buys.

AUGUST

Ruben Östlund box set (Curzon) (with the exception of Force Majeure)
Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan (EiV)
Brannigan (BFI)
Buster Keaton: Three Ages (Eureka)
Andrzej Zulawski: Three Films (Eureka)
L’Oeil de Monocle (Pathé)
Une si Jolie Petite Plage (Pathé)

SEPTEMBER

Partie de Campagne (BFI)
Gothic (BFI)
A Night at the Opera (Warner Archive)
Children of the Damned (Warner Archive)
Scream and Scream Again (Radiance)
Paris Secret (Gaumont)
Targets (BFI)
The Flesh and Blood Show: Horror Films of Pete Walker (88 Films) (a couple of new ones to me, but the majority I’ve seen)
Asterix et Obelix contre Cesar (Pathé)

OCTOBER

Un Homme est Mort (Gaumont)
Rififi à Tokyo (Gaumont)
Vie Privée (Gaumont)
Pandora’s Box (Eureka)

 

[ahollis]

I am.

 

[bujaki]

So am I.

 

[Walter Kittel]

I don't see much theatrically these days, so most media purchases are blind buys; but there are differing degrees of "blind buying" for films and television which I have not previously viewed...

There are certain directors and stars that make some film titles automatic purchases (Nolan, Tarantino, Villeneuve, etc.)
There are "franchise" titles that I am usually confident in purchasing assuming I enjoyed the earlier films in the series.
Films with generally positive reviews about subjects that hold my interest are usually safe purchases.
While not 100% I usually try to collect most of the films with Academy Award nominations for Best Picture. Perhaps not as much as I used to, these days.

I do rely upon streaming and premium cable more these days for truly unknown features. If they have a strong A/V presence or really engage me I will sometimes purchase them should they become available on BD.

- Walter.

 

[Jason Goodmanson]

I feel like most of my physical media purchases are blind buys. It's cheaper for me to buy the movie than it is to go to the theater with my wife to see the movie. While home will not compare to a real theater, at least the film is in focus at home, the speakers all work right, the floor isn't sticky, and there's no annoying people. Plus I can pause it because I'm getting older, and those drinks go through me faster than before.

Plus I still prefer physical media over streaming every day of the week.

And this may seem like an obvious thing, but honestly, I forget that you can rent digitally - I've never done it before, so I'll have to remember that if there's something I'd like to watch.

 

[Indy Guy]

I'm careless about memorizing passwords and such, so every time I open iTunes there is something needed that I can't remember how to gain access to take care of. The hassles led me to only download films that I love and want on device hard drives. I resist dealing with cloud storage except for registering free digital disc codes. Sometimes I download a few of those titles on my iPad before going on long trips.
I still blind buy on all 3 disc formats (reluctantly DVD, but I just got a terrific BBC DVD of Nicholas Nickleby only out on that format). Blind buying discs, especially foreign titles is really the only way to discover films so obscure as to have no other options. The Russian film "The Tale of the Czar Sultan" was just released on BR. If you want to see it you have to blind buy. I did the same for a series follow-up to Downton Abbey called "Doctor Thorne" It's only available on German BR. It was charming and intriguing with lavish production values...why no availability in the US or UK? Probably because it was produced in 2016 by Harvey Weinstein! We thoroughly enjoyed it and I'm glad to have this BR in my collection.
I regularly drive 40 miles to see event films like Avatar, Guardians and Indy 5 at the Chinese Theater in Hollywood, while Spiderverse was fine as a "blind buy" at a local theater. Heavier films like Oppenheimer will end up as a 4K disc blind buy because beIng overwhelmed by its serious content in a theater isn't appealing enough. Oppenheimer is the type of film that when viewed at home on good equipment will reveal if it's a keeper or not. For me, a black and white blind buy of "Logan" was a revelation. The 4K b&w disc turned out to be much more enjoyable than the theatrical color version. Chances may be only 50/50 that a blind buy film ends up with potential for rewatching, but either way I'm only out the price of a movie with popcorn. If it is a worthy keeper, it's because it can make magic on a home screen rather than requiring theatrical IMAX & Dolby Atmos to mask unengaging content.

 

[Traveling Matt]

Depends on how you interpret "blind buy." My primary interest is in catalog titles, and so if a title I don't know has a solid A/V review and I'm interested, I may blind buy. But I stopped blind buying "off the shelf" when opened media became non-refundable some twenty years ago. So I never blind buy A/V.

 

[RolandL]

There are a lot of people who are resistant to streaming, or just might not have the facility, for various reasons, to stream well. Plus, there is the attitude that $20 is still cheaper than seeing a movie in the theater, especially for more than one person.

$20 is cheaper for one person when seeing a movie at a premium screen like the TCL Chinese Imax Theatre.

 

[BobO'Link]

I still blind buy movies and TV series - always on physical. I dislike the theater "experience" and purchasing is, more often than not, less than a matinee ticket (now ~$10 here). I have better sound (no overly loud surround junk), no disruptive patrons, cheaper concessions, more control over the "experience," and can watch on *my* schedule.

I used to say "If I don't like it I can sell it and get a few $$ back." but I never did. I keep them in case one of the grandkids wants to give one a viewing.

 

[Jeffrey D]

I still do blind buys (always in BluRay or UHD now), but not at the rate I used to- not as much stuff coming out that I might be interested in.

 

[Alan Tully]

I don't blind buy catalogue films (all the older films I'm interested in, I've seen), but I do blind buy some new films, as I've gotten out of the habit of going to the cinema (not many, there's not a lot that I fancy). As far as I can see, streaming a new movie costs as much as buying the Blu-ray.

 

[RICK BOND]

I buy Bluray and 4K titles from WBArchive, ClassicFlix, and KL when they release some movies I want. I also have many 4K and HD Digital movies from Apple, Vudu, Movies Anywhere, and Prime Video.