Collection Trimming (1 Viewer)

[Kevin Hewell]

Here's a slightly OT question. Do the people who have box sets or TV on DVD sets count each set as one DVD or do you count each disc as one? Just curious.

 

[TravisR]

Personally, I count every set as one DVD (just like how I would count Fight Club two disc as one DVD).

 

[Jeff D Han]

I count my collection like this-

Each film and each season of a TV series- 1 entry.

Collections of multiple films (Indiana Jones, Robocop,
Back To The Future, The Godfather films)- each film in
the collection is a seperate entry. The bonus discs
I also count as a seperate entry.

Films with 2 or more disc special editions- 1 entry.

 

[Graham Greenlee]

Here's my story:

At one point, I had close to 500 DVDs from someone who had nearly 400 VHS tapes before that. I used to purchase a lot of blind buys, along with "Important" films that had good extras and replacements for my VHS tapes. The trouble was that as I was nearing 500, I just found that I had neither the space to keep nor the time to watch all of them, so I started selling them off.

I started with films I'd had no intension in seeing again or films that may have been "important" to collect but that I just didn't need to revisit them. This included everything from "Lost in Space" (group one) to "Schindler's List" (group two). I dropped nearly 200 in one run to Amoeba Records.

But like cutting hair or making a film, there is just one more thing that could be a little tighter, one more adjustment. So I started analyzing every DVD I own to see if I "really needed it," or if the extras were worth it. Finally, I signed up for Netflix which has pretty much curbed my blind buy spending and has insured that if I want to see a movie that I like but don't need to own that I'd be able to see it in a few days. So, I trimmed some more.

A year ago, I had 492 titles.... Now, I'm down to 151. Not only is my apartment a lot roomier, but I have all the titles on hand that I might want to watch at any given moment. I rent most new DVDs, I'm interested in. Buying only films or releases that I've seen or that I know I'll like (Like the upcoming first season of Scrubs... I missed the show then, I watch it now). Maybe I don't have quite as impressive a collection, but I have the ones that I "need" and A LOT of store credit.

 

[Lars Vermundsberget]

One title/set/release counts as one - that's my general rule. But sometimes I count individual titles if a box set is just a collection of DVD that are available individually, such as Warner's Film Noir box set.

 

[StephanieC]

I'm actually going through one right now, either selling them on Amazon or sending them to DigitalEyes for store credit to fund more DVDs (the madness never ends!) depending on the better deal. Besides that I've become a lot better at picking out films that I want to keep and don't have to worry out "trimming" too often.
A few years ago I was so addicted to DVDs I was a little too indulgent in buying "blind buys" of new films and used deals at Hollywood Video or Blockbuster. But as I get older and watch more films I like to think my tastes are getting better and I can control myself more.

 

[Jason Hennigan]

For ease of counting, I count by UPC. If it has a UPC, it equals 1. This way I can just look at DVD Profiler and see how many DVDs I own.

When it comes to big sets (9 disks, 12 disks, etc), this can seem like lowballing, but eventually it doesn't matter.

 

[MikeEckman]

I like to count by title, not DVD. Each TV season boxed set counts as one title. If there is a boxed set that contains more than one title, each title gets counted. So the Star Wars Trilogy counts as 3 titles. I do not count supplemental discs as titles.

 

[Jonathan_Clarke]

I trim less these days since I buy less these days. I use Netflix as a test if I'm on the fence and I'm basically done with rebuying special editions (unless the original was not anamorphic like Planet of the Apes! )

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

I usually trim the fat off my collection about twice a year. It's getting almost time to do it again, however I just past the 410 mark and I won't trim until i'm sure my collection will stay above the 400 mark, no way am I going back down into the 300's again.

Looking back, if I still had every dvd that I ever got rid of, I would have at least over 600 by now.

 

[Matthew Cook]

I to date have never sold a single DVD from my collection ever. I have just hit the 600 DVD mark. I think I have OCD because no matter how bad the movie was (catwoman) I just don't feel right if I don't go and buy DVDs on Tuesday. I have been buying them since I bought my DVD player 8 years ago man they really sucked.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

I know presicly what you mean, Matthew. It is a sickness, I have it also.

But hey, the way I look at it is if your going to be addicted to something, let it be this rather than crack or heroin, at least our addiction won't physically hurt us or worse kill us.

As long as the bills get paid and everyone in the house is fed, have a ball.

 

[Ryan Tsang]

I just don't get it.....I have had DVDs since the beginning and I don't think I have over 150. Can you possibly like that many movies? Can you not rent them, if you're in a metro area?
It costs us here $5 to rent, or $23-28 to buy new. What are the chances that you like the title enough to keep it? I'm running thru my mind the aisles in my local video store and I'm thinking...why would you impulse buy AVP? Catwoman? Little Black Book? Vanity Fair? The Cookout? Wicker Park? Paparazzi? Raise Your Voice? Door in the Floor? The Grudge? Also, virtually every video store here is selling PV titles for about $15. I guess I don't blame studios for double dipping large titles (see recent Fox 2disc thread) if they know they sell. Blows my mind when people are dropping $30 (taxes in) for Exorcist:The beginning.

Maybe the big collectors can share with me why they buy titles they didn't even like watching once. Demystify me.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Well, Ryan, i'll do my best to break this DVD buying phenominon down as best I can for you, it may not be accurate for everyone, but it applies to me.

There is one aspect of my DVD buying that is becoming increasingly problematic, and that is buying a film on DVD blind.

It's a bad habit I know, and I usually get burned doing this ('The Village' comes to mind, terrible film). I am trying to stop this.

But as for the rest, it's just impulse buying. I'll see a film in the theater or on tv and say "I really liked that movie, i'm going to pick it up on dvd." almost as a reflex, then I proceed and buy it, watch it one time, stick it in my collection and then it gets ignored for very long periods of time. Not to say i'll never watch it ever again, but I don't watch it as often as I say to myself I will when I buy it.

But, their are those films that I do watch a lot when I pick up the DVD, the remake of Dawn of the Dead comes to mind, loved it in theaters and watched it at least 4 times that first week of it's DVD release and still find myself sampling it from time to time because it's got a great 5.1 mix on it. Which brings me to my next point...

Demo-discs.

Some films are bad films, but the DVD has extremely good audio and or special effects, Godzilla comes to mind here. The only reason to own that film is to show off your audio capabilities, the rest of the time though, it's shelved and forgotten because you have no desire to actually watch the film itself. So theirs that facet of "collection padding".

Yet another aspect to consider here, is the fact that some films are so great, so outstanding that you don't want to watch them too much for fear of diluting the experience. For me their are really two films in my collection that fall into this very rare category Titanic and ET, these films are very special to me, and so I try not to watch them too much because I fear i'll tire of them and never watch them again.

And finally, yes, their are DVD's that I buy but don't get around to actually watching for awhile. But the important thing to remember here is, they WILL be watched.

Bottom line here, there's lots of reasons people's collections grow so large and are filled with padding, the lucky one's have large collections filled with DVD's that they watch often, but i've found that more times than not, that is not the case. If I case my collection right now, i'll most likely come accross at least 7 or 8 DVD's that I can easily lose without regret, that's not a bad number in a collection of 400 +.

This is the way I look at it, having an extensive DVD collection gives me choices, if I buy a film on DVD and it falls into any one of the categories I mentioned above, I know that I have it, its in my collection waiting to be watched. When i'm in the mood for it...it's there.

 

[Ryan Tsang]

John:

If you've seen it in the theater, it's no longer an impulse buy. I define those as movies you've never seen before.

Demo discs I can understand...but there's so many nowadays! Virtually every action/sci-fi is done well now. I listen for the "demoes of the demoes", if you will. I can see if you're new to DVD or 5.1. But like you said, if you've heard great 5.1 mixes at least 2x a week for the past 8years, the experience gets a little diluted.


BTW, I love Titanic, too. Now, if Paramount can do a 4-disc special edition.....hmm...I'm flying!

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Ryan,
when I say "impulse", I suppose I was referring to the act of automatically saying without thinking that i'll buy a film on dvd when I just exited the theater, in addition to the traditional type of impulse buying that you described above.

But, in retrospect, I guess that would be considered an impulse verbal and concious decision rather than an actual impulse purchase. My head hurts.

Also, I can't speak for everyone, but I never tire of a really great multi-channel sound mix. I still get as jazzed and floored as I did 10 years ago when I hear one.

As for Titanic, I believe that Paramount has plans for a 2 disc SE followed by a 4 disc Ultimate Edition for later this year, you probably already know that though. I'm all over both!

Ya see, I just did it again, it never stops!

 

[george kaplan]

Are you demystified now?

 

[Jim_K]

Not really. My collection is rather moderate (600/700 - no TV shows) compared to others on HTF. Most of what I buy are older catalog/classic/cult/genre titles. As for new films I'm averaging 5/10 titles per year, which is about all that I deem rewatchable. I'm rather picky when I choose to buy a title as it has to be something that I'd have a very strong desire to rewatch in the future. If I didn't do this and just bought every film that I thought was decent/good+ I'd probably have an obese 2000+ titles (no disrespect intended for those with gigantic collections).

It's also very rare when I "blind-buy" but on the occasion that I do get something that doesn't grab me, it'll go up on Ebay right away. The only time I really cull my collection is when I'm upgrading certain titles for a better version.

 

[Ryan Tsang]

George: You brought up an excellent point...I am not familiar with older films, or foreign titles, or cult classics. That's easily hundreds that I'm missing. You seem like you pick up gems only and that's cool. It's the ones who drop $20 on something that have neer seen and ends up being a coaster that gets me scratching my head.

John: I was kidding about the 4disc Titanic. I didn't know something was in the works. That is good news!

 

[MikeEckman]

One aspect some people are looking over that I think is worth mentioning is price.

There are many movies in my collection that I wouldnt have normally bought, but when Best Buy or Circuit City has them on sale 2 for $15 or 3 for $20, I pick up titles, I wouldnt have normally bought. These can be titles I have seen before and although I didnt love them, I wouldnt mind checking out again, or a title that Ive never seen but always watned to check out but never wanted to pay full price for.

I just picked up Ed Harris in The Third Miracle for $5.50 at Target. I also recently picked up The Missing, and Shanghai Knights for $7.50 at Circuit City. I would have never paid $20 or even $15 for any of those, but at that price, its already cheaper than had I seen it in the theater.

As others have mentioned, I hate renting, and the fact that I have it right there on my shelf for a repeat viewing makes it worth the money for me.