OOP titles...wait or pay? (1 Viewer)

[Steve Lumbert]

All of the OOP DVDs I overpaid for were later re-released with the exception of a couple Criterion titles. I guess the Little Shop of Horrors may be an exception due to the alternate ending.

2 of the ones I should have waited on were The Terminator, and ReAnimator which were later re-released with much better sound 5.1 mixes. I have since learned to be patient. If there is a market for an OOP DVD, supply will eventually meet the demand.

 

[Jonathan Dagmar]

Except for Disney titles. I really hate Disney's "vault" system. There are several Dinsey titles, indluding snow white that I would love to have had, but went out of print before I even had a dvd player.

 

[Keith Paynter]

Even though it's a marketing tactic, be thankful they do it at all - no one else really tells you (although their disc will eventually re-appear for about half later, and the 'special edition' comes out).

 

[Jonathan Dagmar]

O'm sorry, but I have absolutly no clue what you just said.

 

[Chuck West]

Both of my sealed copies have no security stickers. They're just wrapped in plastic.

 

[andrew markworthy]

I think the best thing to do with OOP titles is this.

(1) The cardinal rule of collecting is never to buy anything, no matter how much of a bargain it may appear, unless you can live with it regardless of its true worth.

(2) If you really *truly* want the title, then you wouldn't be asking, you'd be buying it.

(3) OOP titles have a habit of coming back if you are patient (e.g. the Jacques Tati titles on Criterion are just coming back after an absence of a year or more).

(4) A lot of the 'legendary' OOP titles are okay, but not *that* special. Sure, they'd be nice to have, but you're generally not missing out on much if you're stuck with the vanilla version that's replaced it. So it's highly unlikely that paying way over the odds will give you that much of a thrill. And if it's ever re-released, you can watch the value of your purchase plummet.

(5) I think a much more satisfying deal is to make a list of your wants and keep looking in sales, etc (though I'd forget ebay - too many people with a good deal of knowledge are watching it). I do this not just for DVDs, but other manner of things, and generally pick up a few bargains a year. E.g. in November I picked up a first edition of the first Jeeves book by P.G. Wodehouse for 3 pounds. Go look up in a catalogue how much that's worth.

 

[Jonathan Dagmar]

excellent suggestions, andrew.

That is really the attitude I have to all of my purchases. Unlike so many here, my DVD collection is quite small. I only have my absolutle favourites on DVD, and never buy anything unless I know I will continue to watch it again and again. I still make inpulse buys, but usually only for titles that were on my list anyway.

Nothing drives me crazy more than owning something I dislike or don't use, be it book, dvd, video game...

 

[Chad Gregory]

Both of mine are wrapped the same way. The only difference I see is that the plastic wrap has about four white 'WB's along the snapper.

-Chad

 

[Jonathan Dagmar]

What's with all these people hoarding Little Shop DVDs??

Sahre the love people!!

 

[Chad Gregory]

Waiting for the right time and place to get rid of my extra.

I always hoped that it would be a trade that somehow had the Criterion Spinal Tap coming into my possession.

-Chad

 

[Josh Steinberg]

That's cause everyone wants to see it in theaters at midnight, not on TV Last time I saw Rocky Horror at midnight was around when the DVD came out, and the "cast" of the show was even telling people not to buy it, but to come see it live. Honestly, I'm not surprised it wasn't a big seller. It's a popular cult film, sure, but most people are either content to see it once or twice at home, or they like it enough to experience it live - the people who are only casual viewers probably don't watch it enough to justify its purchase, and the people who go to see it live every week or every month could probably care less about a DVD since the whole point is to be out seeing it with a crowd.