Are we crazy? (1 Viewer)

[Michael Varacin]

OK...I'm new here. But an observation. I just mailed out a money order to forum member for his Star Wars SE laser disc's, and an RF Demodulator. I also purchased from someone else a Pioneer 704 player.

I made this descision after reading the ton's of posting on the subject. But as I mailed the second money order, it hit me...I jsut spent over $600 to watch three movies that I have already seen. But I'm not alone. So are we crazy???

I made these purchases on a whim...knowing little or nothing about LD's. So did I make a wise buy?

Also, I have one of Mitsubishi's first generation 73" widescreens. Does anyone know if the comb filiter in the LD player is better then the one in the TV? Any comments?

A HTF newbie, Mike.

 

[Scott Dill]

In a word....."Yes". To the crazy part I, mean.

 

[John_Berger]

I made this descision after reading the ton's of posting on the subject. But as I mailed the second money order, it hit me...I jsut spent over $600 to watch three movies that I have already seen. But I'm not alone. So are we crazy???

My reason to buy a laserdisc player was SOLELY to watch the widescreen, restored edition of "1776". In total I spent about $750 for a single movie -- $150 of it for the laserdisc itself. My wife really rolled her eyes and fought me for a while, but knowing how much I love the movie she knew that I would not just stand by while a laserdisc sat that had no player.
So, don't feel so badly. You spent $600 for three movies. I spent $750 for one.

 

[Lars Vermundsberget]

Maybe crazy by certain definitions of the word. But is that a problem? Some of us have certain interests and passions that cost money. I myself have got books that each cost more than the amount you mentioned.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Perhaps you're just "frugally challenged"...

 

[Patrick G]

I'd say paying $600 for the original trilogy is crazy, yes. The best part of getting anything you want is the anticipation, and there is a hell of a lot of time to anticipate the original trilogy on DVD in 2005 or 2006.

 

[John_Berger]

I'd say paying $600 for the original trilogy is crazy, yes. The best part of getting anything you want is the anticipation, and there is a hell of a lot of time to anticipate the original trilogy on DVD in 2005 or 2006.

Apparently you haven't heard Lucas say that it's not going to happen. Oh, well. But, yes, we do still have a few years to see if he changes his mind.
As to crazy, the whole argument is quite relative.
Personally, I think that buying a $45,000 BMW is insane and egomaniacal when for that money I could buy two "regular" cars (one for me, one for the wife) and still have money left over. But the person who buys that BMW doesn't consider himself crazy because that's the car he wants.
I thought that I was crazy when I realized how much I paid just to watch "1776" until I sat down and watched the whole thing on my 55" 16x9 TV, which would make others think that I'm egomaniacal. I looked at my wife after the movie finished and calmly said, "I have no regrets buying this!"
Owning a laserdisc player, I also ended up with fringe benefits like being able to buy movies and cartoons that, so far, have not been announced on DVD. I don't have a huge laserdisc collection, but I only have about three titles that have since been made available on DVD.
Look at it this way: you might be crazy if the money that you spent ends up being only for those movies. Do some searching and I think you'll find that you'll be able to get more use out of your laserdisc player than just the OT.
But when all is said and done, it comes down to this: If you think you're crazy, then you're crazy. If someone else disapproves, so what? It's your equipment and your money, not theirs, so you really shouldn't give a rat's ass as to whether people think you're crazy or not.

 

[JohnAD]

Michael:
Yes, that about sums it up
John:
The DVDs are coming but they just won't be out before 2005 or so. Lucas has been filming more 'Special Edition' content to be added to the original trilogy to tie them in with the prequel trilogy.
John.

 

[John_Berger]

The DVDs are coming but they just won't be out before 2005 or so. Lucas has been filming more 'Special Edition' content to be added to the original trilogy to tie them in with the prequel trilogy.

I took his "original trilogy" statement to be the non-SE edition. I still have battle scars from that thread.
Actually, being crazy is kind of fun. I look at it this way. If I don't spend my money on something "crazy" like a $150 laserdisc, I'll end up spending it on something nowhere near as practical -- like heating and cooling bills, food, and other non-essentials. Besides, it's okay to splurge every now and then. Life would be so freakin' boring if we only did what others expected of us.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

Hey you may be crazy but you aren't a world-class cheapskate like me: I got the THX LDs of the OT for $10 each and a nice refurbished Pioneer player for $70. DPL only from the PCM tracks but that isn't really too bad. The comb filter in my line doubler is first rate so the picture looks pretty good.

 

[John Berggren]

I think the only question you need to ask yourself is:

Will you be happy?

That's worth any $ figure.

 

[Michael Varacin]

I was curious as to what kind of answers I would get from this post. John - you hit it on the head. But I'll have to let you know when I get my new toys up and going. Hmm----I've waited a long time to see those yellow words fading into my televsion. A long long time ago.......

 

[Garrett Lundy]

I jsut spent over $600 to watch three movies that I have already seen. But I'm not alone. So are we crazy???

Of course not. I must consider the fact that I've spent far more money in NY-Times Square in less time than it will take to watch three movies, and I'll never regret any of it.

$600 for a LD-player and 3 movies is only insane if you had to sell your TV to buy them.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Of course we are. Collecting obsessive ammounts of movies we've already seen, and sometimes not even getting around to watching them (well, not me for the latter) is absolutely crazy.

But it's fun, too.

 

[Patrick G]

I spent $112 on DVDs today. Anyone spend more?
Harry Potter
Starship Troopers: SE
Traffic: CC
Rambo Trilogy

 

[StephenA]

People not in our shoes probably think we are. My grandmother complains that I spend most of my extra money on DVDs and going to the theater. She lived through the Depression, so I can see why she thinks the way she does, but it still gets aggrevating sometimes. Because of the Depression, my grandmother has become very frugal, so if she can avoid spending money, she will, and will try to get others to do the same. She sees no need in extra stuff. And of course you can't reason with an 84 year old, they've been long set in their ways.

 

[SvenS]

Remember this is a hobby and other hobbies have people willing to pay thousands of dollars for a doll, so in comparison I don't think it is crazy. Of course I have spent $20,000 on my HT as well as another whatever amount for 650 DVD's so manybe I'm not one to judge!

 

[Joseph S]

Of course we are.
I did the same thing you just did in the summer of '99. Sold my Tosh 3109 DVD player to pay part of a Elite DVL-91 DVD/LD combo. Then I then picked up 1 RF demodulator. (a second one arrived from the Sony Parts dept months later)
Added SW Trilogy ($7.99 a piece THX), Special Edition Trilogy ($200), Phantom Menace ($100), Song of the South ($180), Indy Trilogy, BTTF Trilogy, all Disney Platinum titles, ET, Toy Story Boxset, Beatles Anthology, and then came the DTS addiction.
Casper, Toy Story, Blade, Die Hard and then...
I found myself ordering DTS LDs from the Netherlands in bulk of 10.

 

[Yee-Ming]

not to nitpick, but

I've waited a long time to see those yellow words fading into my televsion. A long long time ago.......

I thought the words "A long long time ago, in a galaxy far far away..." were in blue lettering, and it's the later "crawl" that's in yellow?
but yeah, as long as you're happy, and not neglecting the bills necessary for daily life (rent, utilities, food) etc, what's the harm in spending -- provided you can afford it -- on a hobby or something that makes you happy?

 

[Al Smith]

If this means we are crazy, then i dont want to be sane!