Buy or rent? (2 Viewers)

[John Garcia]

This may have been discussed before, but I am just curious to see how many DVDs others
1) buy vs rent?
2)What is your criteria for a purchase vs a rental?
3)Do you rent first, then decide to buy, particularly if you haven't seen the movie?
4) Of those you own, how many see regular viewing vs how many have been watched only once? (or not at all)
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1) I don't buy too many (relatively), I have maybe 150-175 titles total, but most are not spur of the moment buys, but movies that I want to watch more than once or that I really liked already.
2) My criteria - besides enjoying the movie - I like to have some worthwhile features, must have a good soundtrack/score, video is not usually a deciding factor for me unless it is just horrible or P&S (I REFUSE to watch/buy P&S!!)
3) If I haven't seen it, I usually rent it first.
4) I'd say there is a large percentage that I have purchased and watched only once, however there are some that I watch quite often and never get tired of. I have a few that I purchased because I like the movie, but never actually got around to watching the whole thing (Episode One would be one...demo the good scenes often, but I still have not sat and watched the whole damn thing yet :b ).
Thanks

 

[Jason Seaver]

(1) Buy vs. rent - buy. I can't remember the last time I rented a movie.

(2) I purchase based on the idea of wanting the movie accessible at any time.

(3) It's a common joke between my friends and I that when I say "I'll wait for video", I mean "I will never see this movie".

(4) Of the ~200 on my shelf, only a few get pulled out on any sort of regular basis, and many haven't been watched at all. But that's okay... As I said in #2, I may want to watch them on a second's notice.

 

[StephenA]

1. I usually buy. Rental discs are almost always scratched to hell, skip, are dirty, IE are generally messed up, and not worth spending the money to rent them just to leave whatever's on them in your player to screw up other discs.

2. I will buy a title because I know I like, or have a feeling I'll like it due to liking similar movies, liking the actor or director, liking the previews, or from a reccomendation. Also I'll buy certain movies just to have, in case I wanna ever watch them and I know I'll have them and can just pop them in at any ole time.

3. Like I said, I usually don't rent. If I do rent, and like the movie, I'll buy it.

4. Most I have seen at least twice, but some I have yet to see. I've had Ben Hur for like a year now, and haven't watched it yet.

 

[StephanieC]

1) buy vs rent? Buy!

2)What is your criteria for a purchase vs a rental? I rent movies that I'm interested in seeign but don't think I'll get much re-watchability out of

3)Do you rent first, then decide to buy, particularly if you haven't seen the movie? Not really, I usually know what I want to own

4) Of those you own, how many see regular viewing vs how many have been watched only once? (or not at all) About 80% have been watched more than once

 

[Eric Thrall]

1) I usually buy. I own ~250 DVDs.

2) There are three scenarios that convince me to buy a movie. First, if I really like the movie, then I buy it. Second, if I've never seen the movie but suspect I'll like it, I'll buy it and sell it on eBay if I don't care for it (Figuring in $3 it would have cost to rent, I've never lost money doing this). Third, if the movie is "important" or if it's part of a set, I may buy it even if it doesn't do all that much for me. As an example, I bought Some Like It Hot even though I don't personally like it all that much... it's considered a classic and I wanted to have it in my library. Generally, the only other factor here would be if I suspect there will be a SE I might pass, or if it isn't in OAR I will definitely pass.

3) I answered this in #2 already. Of I rent a movie, it's probably because my wife wanted to see it.

4) Most of my movies have only been watched once, but most will be watched again. I don't have time to always watch them when I get them, so there's always a "waiting to be seen" pile, and I rarely watch something I've already watched when I have unwatched titles.

 

[David James]

1) buy vs rent? I rent more than I buy.
2)What is your criteria for a purchase vs a rental? I will buy only if I know I like the movie "a lot" and intend on viewing multiple times.
3)Do you rent first, then decide to buy, particularly if you haven't seen the movie? The only DVD's I buy w/o seeing first are concerts. I will not buy a DVD movie I haven't seen.
4) Of those you own, how many see regular viewing vs how many have been watched only once? (or not at all). I don't have any movies on my shelf I haven't watched.
Thanks for asking

 

[Jarrod_L]

I both buy and rent..., but I rarely rent. Typically I rent movies that I want to see, but would probably never buy.
I like to buy movies that I have already seen (theater or elsewhere), instead of buying a flick just to be making a purchase. I've only bought two DVD's that I'd never seen before, and those were Shrek (mainly for my wife, who wanted it) and The Others (because it looked like something I'd enjoy.)
I believe I have watched all of my movies more than once...of course, I only own something like 70 DVDs, as opposed to a friend of mine who owns 500+ and still has bunches of new DVDs still in their wrappings---He's still just sitting around waiting for the right mood to strike before he fires up "Ferngully: The Last Rainforest" or the widescreen version of "Cats & Dogs".

 

[Garrett Lundy]

1. Mostly I rent/view theatrically before I buy the DVD. There are exceptions however (Blockbuster doesn't carry Nekromantik).
2. If I like a movie, and feel it bears repeated viewings, I buy it.
3. Mostly I rent/view theatrically before I buy the DVD. There are exceptions however (Blockbuster doesn't carry Nekromantik).
4. All my DVD's have been watched multiple times. Some get watched more than others of course.

 

[Bill J]

I only buy DVDs after I have seen the film and think very highly of it. I usually rent the DVDs for films that I have not seen, then I decide if they are worth purchasing. I buy DVDs for the film and not for the picture quality, video quality, extras etc.

 

[Carl Johnson]

1) buy vs rent?
I've never rented a DVD

2)What is your criteria for a purchase vs a rental?
My criteria for buying is a title that will get multiple viewings. Since I already have 100+ discs to choose from that narrows the field considerably.

3)Do you rent first, then decide to buy, particularly if you haven't seen the movie?
I see the vast majority of my films for the first time after buying the DVD. I never rent and only go to the movies a couple of times per year.

4) Of those you own, how many see regular viewing vs how many have been watched only once? (or not at all)
I've seen all of my movies at least once but no more than 20% have been used in the past six months. Rather than spending money at a cineplex or video store on a weekly basis like some people I just put that money into buying DVDs.

 

[Bob-N]

1. Rent or buy? Both, however, ratio is about 3 rents to 1 own.

2. Criteria? To have it accessible 100% of the time and if I think I would want to watch it two or more times.

3. Rent first, then buy? No, the movies I want to watch at the theater tend to be the ones that have the potential to buy. I've never bought a movie that I haven't seen on the "big screen" yet. Those that I rent have always been a one-watch thing. Oops, just remembered. The Usual Suspects was the only exception. Rented it by recommendation (after it's run in theaters), bought the SE edition recently.

4. Watched once? I bought the Toy Story 1/2 pack and the wrapper has not been removed yet (bought for my 4 yr old, we have the VHS too). It was too good to pass up at $10. All of my other titles have all been watched at least twice except for my latest acquisition, Harry Potter which also still has the wrapper on it.:b

 

[Steven L]

1. Depends. I buy those I want to collect or think I'll watch more than once; I rent movies I'm interested in seeing but don't think I'll want to watch more than once. I buy about 5 DVDs for every 1 I rent.

2. See answer to Q 1.

3. Very rarely do I rent a movie and like it so much more than I thought I would that I end up buying it.

4. I have several that I haven't had time to watch yet - but do intend to. I own about a dozen or so DVDs that I've watched only once and that I probably never watch again. (Guess this means I should quit buying so much and rent more.)

 

[RobertCharlotte]

4) Of those you own, how many see regular viewing vs how many have been watched only once? (or not at all)

I have a very small library of DVDs, in part because I'm very selective about what I am willing to purchase, in part because I don't have the budget to be less selective. With the exception of two brand-new discs I just got and haven't had time to watch yet, all of my DVDs have been watched. Of those, 3 or 4 get regular viewings (on the order of every other month or so).
When I have a DVD player in the bedroom, the number of regular viewings will go up, as I will be able to put something in at bedtime and watch it, then fall asleep while the credits run.

 

[Jeff Pryor]

I rent, and if I like it I buy. I don't really want to waste my money buying DVDs I haven't seen before because there's just so many movies out there that are pure shit. Last time I bought without previously viewing was with 'Blow'. That was an exceptionally good purchase and well worth the risk.

 

[Andrew_Sch]

1) If I've seen and like a movie, whether it be in theater or rental, I'll buy it if the DVD is adequate and can be found at a good price.

2) Rental: movies I didn't catch in theaters, older stuff I haven't seen

Buy: Movies I've seen and really liked. Or movies I like adequately, but purchase because of technical merit (main example: Fast and the Furious; I liked the movie OK, but probably wouldn't have bought it if it wasn't THE reference disc of the year so far.)

3) I don't recall ever buying a DVD site unseen (although I've received a couple site unseen as gifts). In fact, the only movies I've ever bought that way are the Star Wars OT, about an hour ago.

4)Out of about 45 DVD's, I'd say about 15 are in "heavy rotation," with the rest being viewed now and again. Right now, my hot disc is the recently-purchased TPM (can anybody tell I'm on a bit of a Star Wars kick?)

 

[Jeremiah]

1) buy vs rent?
Both. Rent if I haven't seen it and buy if I have seen it. Mulholland Dr., The Others, and Open Your Eyes(only 10 bucks) are the only blind buys I have made. If a movie is $10 and I want to see it, I would just buy it b/c I will spend $4 renting it.

2)What is your criteria for a purchase vs a rental?
Buy, if I will watch it more than once and rent if I haven't seen it and am not sure if I will like it.

3)Do you rent first, then decide to buy, particularly if you haven't seen the movie?
Yes. Blockbuster will give a coupon for a new release if it isn't in stock so that right there will save $4.

4) Of those you own, how many see regular viewing vs how many have been watched only once? (or not at all)
Most of the ones I buy I will watch more than once but a lot of my buys have been recent so only a few I have seen twice. I only have about 5 out of maybe 75 that I haven't seen yet and 2 are long ones and haven't had the time, and a couple others I just saw on cable and are still fresh in my mind.

 

[Jack Briggs]

• Buy (only).

• No criteria are entered into the equation other than a title's desirability. Renting is out of the question.

• Does not apply.

• Hard to say. Library is somewhere past the 400 mark now. More than half of them haven't even seen the shrinkwrap removed. One of the reasons for that is there are so many "evergreen" films in the library--i.e., titles that get screened repeatedly.

 

[Patrick McCart]

I'll rent first for something I'm not very sure of...

Titles in this category include Moulin Rouge, Shadow of the Vampire, Osmosis Jones, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, and The Man Who Wasn't There.

I'll buy if it's something I know I'll probably like (vintage movies and good word about movies).

Moulin Rouge and Shadow of the Vampire were surprise treats...

 

[Kaima]

4) Of those you own, how many see regular viewing vs how many have been watched only once? (or not at all)

I watch every one of my DVDs more than 5 times but I only have 50 or so DVDs. Some DVDs I only watch certin senses in them such as Saving Private Ryan (Omaha opening and Bridge ending sense) and Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon (fight senses) because I saw those movies at least 10 times.

 

[Tom Oh]

I have started to rent more and have started to curve my buying. At the hight of crazy coupons and internet bargains, I was buying left and right. Now that I'm in HK where parallel imports can be expensive, I'm much more selective in my buying. Of 300+ DVDs that I own, I would say that about 1/5 has never been viewed. Only about 30% have been viewed from start to finish. On most titles, I just watch selected scenes (MATRIX, MI:2...). Most of the titles are of films that I have seen already. Some of the titles on my to see list are:

Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, Lawrence of Arabia, Cleopatra, Bird
Rear Window, This Is Spinal Tap, Bridge Over River Kwai, Rocky Horror Picture Show, A.I., Harry Potter, many in 007 series, and so on.