Borrowing from public library - DVD vs blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[BobO'Link]

I think you're right. And ok, granted, maybe Robert Downey Jr., who is supposedly getting $50 million each time he plays Iron Man, doesn't need the money. But how do people not notice that these movies made today have ten minutes of credits at the end? All of those people need to be paid too, and they're not millionaires. They're blue and white collar employees, some working with their hands for incredibly long days, others working in offices and cubicles on equally long days either making all of the necessary preparations so there is a set that can be shot on, or working on effects that bring the movie together. The vast majority of people working in the entertainment industry are doing semi-anonymous jobs like that. If the studios believe less people are interested in their movies, either from losing money on sales or not seeing sales made and assuming people just weren't interested, they'll stop making the movies we like, or they'll cut the budgets on them, which won't impact people like Downey but will impact everyone in the end credits.

They think everyone involved in the creation of films/tv/music is making "big money." For over 20 years I was a TV Director. People thought I was raking in the cash and were astounded when I told them what (little) I made ("But you're a director!"). They thought everyone was paid like the news anchor people (the top ones made 5 times my salary) and didn't believe me when I told them some people in sales made more than the anchors (although there were sales people who made less than I made and I was at the top of the scale for my department). Maybe I'm more sensitive having been closer to the whole process. I know what it's like to be "that guy in the cubicle" working all day for "pennies" while someone else is "raking in the dough."

 

[Walter C]

I don't really get why books are always magically awesome and movies are always magically terrible, but that's the common wisdom I've run into my whole life.

I know, I hate hearing that myself. Reminding me too much, when growing up, hearing some old people nag at me that I should read a book more, and less on watching TV.

I often borrow DVDs from libraries, usually with no problem. But it does drive me crazy when I do have that problem of the DVD freezing, as you can't exactly return the DVD and get a replacement copy, as libraries is not Netflix. Or wait a while longer until a better copy comes along. Since I like hanging in the library, getting to and from the library is not a problem for me. And sometimes, I will watch the DVD on one of their computers.

I am just content on watching the film or TV episode itself, so I don't see a need to get a Blu-ray player. Besides, if I had a collection of either one, it will be accumulated junk, just like VHS tapes, CDs or cassettes had been for me.

 

[larryKR]

Reading this thread has given me the idea of donating a bunch of DVD's to my local library. The last time I was in the library was more than 40 years ago, and they have moved twice since then, I have about 300 to 400 DVD's I've upgraded to Blu-ray that I never use, as well as maybe a dozen BD's that have been upgraded to better BD's. Perhaps the library wouldn't want all these movies.

 

[Gromilini]

Reading this thread has given me the idea of donating a bunch of DVD's to my local library. The last time I was in the library was more than 40 years ago, and they have moved twice since then, I have about 300 to 400 DVD's I've upgraded to Blu-ray that I never use, as well as maybe a dozen BD's that have been upgraded to better BD's. Perhaps the library wouldn't want all these movies.

They might not want all of them for the collection, but the ones they don't want usually get sold (like unneeded book donations), and the proceeds in turn support the library.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Reading this thread has given me the idea of donating a bunch of DVD's to my local library.

I think that's a great idea! When I was growing up, my local library's VHS collection filled in a lot of the gaps in my cinema knowledge - I'd usually take out one each weekend.