Oh noes teh sky is falling!

[cakefactory]

Originally Posted by LeeFanatic007

As others have posted the current younger generation, the millennials in particular, want convenience over anything. A lot of them are just down right lazy because everything is available to them at a few taps of their fingers on their phones or tablets or whatever, if it's not on Netflix or other streaming services then they don't need to see it, or they don't want to see it. My brother-in-law won't watch movies from before he was born as they are too old.

A lot of these younger people are also not going to the movies either, sure they show up for the big super hero films (which I like as well) but they aren't going to the other stuff, even potentially big blockbuster films tanked this year because people aren't going, they are spoiled by streaming despite the fact that a large percentage of popular movies aren't available to view on those sites.

I also suspect pirating is at a high, lots of people downloading movies and TV shows from torrent sites and watching that way. Had a friend that did it all the time until his computer was hit with virus multiple times, eventually he quit because of the costs to get his computer cleaned up, but I worked with people who would buy pirated copies of films before they were in theaters in the US, they can do this for cheap and stay at home. The younger people don't have social skills, so they want to stay home.

It's very frustrating that a lot of people just don't really get interested in the film world, but I suppose it's always been that way, I'm just noticing more the past few years. But without a doubt people aren't flocking to the theaters like they did 20 years ago. You get the big superhero films, animated kid flicks and major franchise releases are what pulls in the money, nothing else right now.

I'll support physical media until they do away with it or I just can't afford to any more.

Typical pirating is not at a high, I deal with a ton of college students and often talk to them about this stuff (and have to fix their computers when they get viruses or have to have their files backed up, so it's clear what they are doing!!) Most of them are of the opinion "netflix, youtube [basically all of which are illegal], some random illegal streaming site, or not worth watching." If you can't find a movie via google, then they just don't watch it. The concept of buying DVDs is no more laughable to most than the concept of buying a digital copy, which is to say paying for a specific movie is ridiculous to them. The ones with xboxes or PS4s occasionally use Redbox, but no one else even has a disc drive cause they've been taken off of most laptops for the last few years. Only super gaming nerds have desktops.

Out of all the computers I deal with, I'd say about 10% of them have any torrented movies on them. Since Kazaa died, non-streaming piracy seems to have declined.

This is all anecdotal, of course, it's just what I've observed from hundreds of students. I've only actually talked to some of them about it.

[tylerc904]

Originally Posted by balthazar_bee

Do they hold their phones up for the duration, thinking they have to "get this" in order to truly experience the concert? Cuz I've never understood that.

HELL no! I choose my friends wisely I guess because one time a friend of mine nearly got into a fight because the girl in front of her had an IPAD out. We usually do House of Blues type acts, i.e. mostly hardcore fans showing up. The teens and snapchatters don't really go see acts like Garbage and Robyn, but when I went to Lana Del Rey.... PURE misery. Almost wanted to leave the crowd was that bad. The Tumblr fans are a mess.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Mr. Mojo

Then don't...and leave the people who do to their own preferences.

Well, if we were talking fine dining, or how people spend their evening I would agree. But this is something that could Affect my future enjoyment so damn right I am going to comment.

[Mr. Mojo]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Well, if we were talking fine dining, or how people spend their evening I would agree. But this is something that could Affect my future enjoyment so damn right I am going to comment.

Except it doesn't, but continue to be angry about things you can not change. That will surely serve you well...

[happydood]

There's talk of younger generations being lazy and entitled, but we as a collective have gone in the direction of streaming. To me it does no good to sit back on a pile of movies and cast stones at everybody for things not going the way you want them to. Sure, I think the movie industry is in a bad place right now- I think I'll be happier when the super hero wave runs it's course- but the light at the end of the tunnel to me is how when things got too bloated and commercial, we had course corrections in the 70s and 90s.

As the cycle will reset for the types of movies being made, we don't yet know what kind of benefits await home media presentation from all of this. Buying discs is smart because no matter what you'll likely have the highest quality of a film, but that doesn't mean streaming is the death of high quality.

And to blame it all on millenials wanting convenience over quality? Well, my grandpa would call all of us lazy and entitled for wanting to go to the bathroom indoors.

[baheidstu]

Originally Posted by LeeFanatic007

As others have posted the current younger generation, the millennials in particular, want convenience over anything. A lot of them are just down right lazy because everything is available to them at a few taps of their fingers on their phones or tablets or whatever, if it's not on Netflix or other streaming services then they don't need to see it, or they don't want to see it. My brother-in-law won't watch movies from before he was born as they are too old.

A lot of these younger people are also not going to the movies either, sure they show up for the big super hero films (which I like as well) but they aren't going to the other stuff, even potentially big blockbuster films tanked this year because people aren't going, they are spoiled by streaming despite the fact that a large percentage of popular movies aren't available to view on those sites.

I also suspect pirating is at a high, lots of people downloading movies and TV shows from torrent sites and watching that way. Had a friend that did it all the time until his computer was hit with virus multiple times, eventually he quit because of the costs to get his computer cleaned up, but I worked with people who would buy pirated copies of films before they were in theaters in the US, they can do this for cheap and stay at home. The younger people don't have social skills, so they want to stay home.

It's very frustrating that a lot of people just don't really get interested in the film world, but I suppose it's always been that way, I'm just noticing more the past few years. But without a doubt people aren't flocking to the theaters like they did 20 years ago. You get the big superhero films, animated kid flicks and major franchise releases are what pulls in the money, nothing else right now.

I'll support physical media until they do away with it or I just can't afford to any more.

This is the same old nonsense people keep spouting. I know 40 and 50 year olds who pirate movies, stream movies, etc. and don't buy discs. It has nothing to do with generation. You, and most people weighing in here, are looking at it from the perspective of being film geeks and physical media collectors. When I started buying DVD in the 90s, most people I knew were still renting VHS tapes. When I started buying blu-ray, most people I knew were still renting DVDs. Now that video rental stores are dead, most people watch their movies in whatever quick and cheap and easy method they can. Because apart from an occasion divergence, MOVIES AIN'T THEIR THING. That's not their passion, that's not their concern. Just like how I watch the odd NBA game every once in a while but I don't really follow basketball and thus have no interest in any issues with regards to scheduling, TV coverage, etc. that someone who actually cares about that sort of thing would have. There are plenty of millennials on this very website weighing constantly with their opinions on film and blu-ray purchasing.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Mr. Mojo

Except it doesn't, but continue to be angry about things you can not change. That will surely serve you well...

How does it not?

[gates70]

Problem is that movies are too accessible so no one wants to actually spend a penny on owning anything. One of my employees just came to me a few minutes ago with a drive full of downloaded movies and asked if I wanted anything on it to watch. Told him to get the **** out of here with that shit. People don't want to bother paying for something when they can get it for free. There's also so many movies coming out now a days that they can't be bothered to watch it more than once until they move on to the next thing.

[Kreepy X]

Originally Posted by LeeFanatic007

I'll support physical media until they do away with it or I just can't afford to any more.

Same here buddy, plus alot of movies come with extra cool packaging these days which is another reason why collecting physical media is so fun. I havent downloaded a movie in many years, I used to do it all the time but it just didn't do it for me so I went back to physical.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

This generation more than any other in history IMO, are self obsessed brats.

But as a whole, it's all about me, me me.

Originally Posted by Steedeel

But this is something that could Affect my future enjoyment so damn right I am going to comment.

Don't you just hate when somebody else's self-obsession gets in the way of the things you, you, you want?

[octagon]

Originally Posted by AgentOrange

Perhaps, but I view the streaming services are potentially to movies as "channel surfing" is to TV. I.e. just browsing to find something random to watch - something to fill your "free time", rather than truly loving or appreciating movies. It's far less likely such viewers are getting into a specific director, or watching a particular set of older movies with some motivation.

Two things...

The so-called channel surfing mentality hasn't seemed to hurt TV too terribly much over the decades. People have been treating TV as just another entertainment option for as long we've had TV but every single generation (including - no, make that especially this one) has also produced some truly exceptional art.

As for people becoming or not becoming film lovers, I dunno, I think you might be overlooking the benefits of tech in general and streaming in particular.

We have never had a wider variety of films from all eras and from around the world so easily and readily available.

Sure, you still can't make all the horses drink but leading them to water has never been easier.

Originally Posted by happydood

And to blame it all on millenials wanting convenience over quality? Well, my grandpa would call all of us lazy and entitled for wanting to go to the bathroom indoors.

Weird, my sisters call me lazy when I don't go indoors

[Jonny Powers]

I haven't popped in here yet, but with all this "generational" talk I thought I might give my two cents. Being a fairly young guy, in what's referred to as the "Millennial" generation, I have to mostly agree with the usual comments that:
a) Streaming media has taken over where physical media used to be
b) Only film fans and collectors buy physical media, thus the resulting output is increasingly made up of collectors editions (and the newest releases)
c) in-store product quantities have dropped significantly in the last 5-10 years

But as for the apocalyptic dialogue about this being the end of it all? Like a lot of responders, I'd have to say perhaps, but not for a while. It's not dead in my house, in fact I might have converted my brother to "the cause," all thanks to cool genre cinema! He tends to go through my collection and tell me about the films he's pulled from my shelf to watch, amazed at all the cool things I've found.
On the same token, however, he and I will also point each other to things found on streaming services: Daredevil for him and Miami Vice for me. MV might actually be the first series I buy the physical release of because it's so entertaining, but I'd be hard pressed to pick up anything else. Same for many Criterion titles I don't absolutely need: I can probably find it on Hulu. My Roku has been one of the best investments I've ever made! I've got access to a plethora of material I can't justify buying right away but would like to check out, along with some live streaming channels like B Movie TV where I can be pleasantly surprised by something I might have never found before.
And with torrenting, well I try to avoid it as much as possible, but if I can't find a readily available English friendly release that's the path I gotta go.

[LeeFanatic007]

Originally Posted by baheidstu

This is the same old nonsense people keep spouting. I know 40 and 50 year olds who pirate movies, stream movies, etc. and don't buy discs. It has nothing to do with generation. You, and most people weighing in here, are looking at it from the perspective of being film geeks and physical media collectors. When I started buying DVD in the 90s, most people I knew were still renting VHS tapes. When I started buying blu-ray, most people I knew were still renting DVDs. Now that video rental stores are dead, most people watch their movies in whatever quick and cheap and easy method they can. Because apart from an occasion divergence, MOVIES AIN'T THEIR THING. That's not their passion, that's not their concern. Just like how I watch the odd NBA game every once in a while but I don't really follow basketball and thus have no interest in any issues with regards to scheduling, TV coverage, etc. that someone who actually cares about that sort of thing would have. There are plenty of millennials on this very website weighing constantly with their opinions on film and blu-ray purchasing.

Regardless of age it really does boil down to a lot of people who just want to watch a movie for a couple hours, so they do this as cheaply as possible. Netflix, pirating, whatever. They aren't interested in owning a film for the rest of their life and after that film is over generally they just don't care about it anymore. It's hard for me to accept that, but it's the truth.

I am so invested in film, that I can't imagine not owning all of these movies I have in my collection. And couldn't fathom just forgetting about it after I watch it, film has really become essential to my life and without it I wouldn't be the same person.

Sorry if I've offended anyone about the millennial bashing (I'm 27 myself but have grown up with friends and family who want nothing to do with physical media, I guess it has made me biased.)

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by octagon

Don't you just hate when somebody else's self-obsession gets in the way of the things you, you, you want?

no, I hate it when forum members post arrogant comments trying to belittle me. Easy sitting behind a keyboard isn't it?

[motorheadache95]

The way some people are going on about owning huge libraries of movies on discs makes it seem like some ancient tradition going back to our forefathers.

Almost nobody owned that many movies until DVD became popular about 15 years ago. You had to either buy expensive Laserdisc sets and players or VHS tapes that would degrade over time. And even when DVD collecting was so popular, most of us enthusiasts ended up getting rid of most of our DVDs because they weren't good enough anymore in the age of HD. So ownership essentially meant very little during the DVD days anyway.

I don't think physical media is going bye bye anytime soon, its just going to go back to the niche days of laserdisc. And I know people are concerned because of some TV shows not getting disc releases anymore, but I never understood what the hell somebody would need 50 seasons of The Simpsons for.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Jonny Powers

I haven't popped in here yet, but with all this "generational" talk I thought I might give my two cents. Being a fairly young guy, in what's referred to as the "Millennial" generation, I have to mostly agree with the usual comments that:
a) Streaming media has taken over where physical media used to be
b) Only film fans and collectors buy physical media, thus the resulting output is increasingly made up of collectors editions (and the newest releases)
c) in-store product quantities have dropped significantly in the last 5-10 years

But as for the apocalyptic dialogue about this being the end of it all? Like a lot of responders, I'd have to say perhaps, but not for a while. It's not dead in my house, in fact I might have converted my brother to "the cause," all thanks to cool genre cinema! He tends to go through my collection and tell me about the films he's pulled from my shelf to watch, amazed at all the cool things I've found.
On the same token, however, he and I will also point each other to things found on streaming services: Daredevil for him and Miami Vice for me. MV might actually be the first series I buy the physical release of because it's so entertaining, but I'd be hard pressed to pick up anything else. Same for many Criterion titles I don't absolutely need: I can probably find it on Hulu. My Roku has been one of the best investments I've ever made! I've got access to a plethora of material I can't justify buying right away but would like to check out, along with some live streaming channels like B Movie TV where I can be pleasantly surprised by something I might have never found before.
And with torrenting, well I try to avoid it as much as possible, but if I can't find a readily available English friendly release that's the path I gotta go.

You are ignoring the fact that many collectors get their discs online now. I certainly do.

Also Bluray is up nearly double figures over last year.

Digital HD growth is slowing this year. Something like 6% growth I understand.

[eiknarf]

Everything will coexist for the next decade. After that, who knows

[Strapped4Cash]

Originally Posted by motorheadache95

The way some people are going on about owning huge libraries of movies on discs makes it seem like some ancient tradition going back to our forefathers.

Almost nobody owned that many movies until DVD became popular about 15 years ago. You had to either buy expensive Laserdisc sets and players or VHS tapes that would degrade over time. And even when DVD collecting was so popular, most of us enthusiasts ended up getting rid of most of our DVDs because they weren't good enough anymore in the age of HD. So ownership essentially meant very little during the DVD days anyway.

I don't think physical media is going bye bye anytime soon, its just going to go back to the niche days of laserdisc. And I know people are concerned because of some TV shows not getting disc releases anymore, but I never understood what the hell somebody would need 50 seasons of The Simpsons for.

I worked in video stores for over 5 years in the early to mid 90's, a TON of people bought huge collections of VHS. Most didn't even imagine that the tapes might ever degrade, or that another technology would come along. I can't tell you how many times I heard people talk about their pride in their collections. People spending hundreds of dollars at a time. Women talking about how that Disney tape would join all the others and be a cherished heirloom handed down for generations. "My great granddaughter is going to watch this, I might not be around, but it'll be there for her" said one woman, with the glimmer of tears in her eyes.

"Enthusiasts" are happy to have bought Beta, then VHS, then LD, then DVD, then HD DVD, then Blu-ray, then 3D, then 4K and will jump on 8K if it ever gets here. If some people only bought a couple/few of those steps and so are also happy to keep buying then great, I want physical media to stick around. But I don't see how misremembering the past benefits any of us.

[StingingVelvet]

Funny to see old grumps hating on the kids. The world changes and attitudes about media are going to change with them. When I was a kid everyone rented VHS tapes and that was fun, then in my 20s suddenly we were all buying DVD. Now people are slowly moving to watching everything on subscription services. It's all trends based on technology and it just is what it is. The vast majority of consumers (in any age group) don't give it much thought and just follow trends.

The key thing is that during all these areas there were outliers. In the VHS rental days some were buying laserdiscs or collecting VHS tapes. In the DVD boom some were still renting. In the current climate many are still collecting discs. BD sales for new movies are still very lucrative and UHD is off to a good start. We're going to be a niche market but THAT'S OKAY. People just need to accept it and embrace the benefits of it like cool Shout and Arrow special editions and neat limited edition sets.

The only thing I am actually concerned about is how many kids today (which I interact with a lot as a teacher) barely watch movies at ALL. All they ever talk about are TV shows and watching shows on streaming services or youtube. When they rarely mention movies it is always the biggest blockbusters only. Even my wife, 28 years old, only watches TV and complains every time I ask her to watch a film. Hollywood types talk about how hard it is to get a smaller movie project funded now. THAT is what scares me.

[TravisTylerBlack]

It's true, I once met a woman at the video store I used to frequent back home who said she and her husband owned over 2000 VHS tapes. I still think about her from time to time and wonder how she reacted to the advent of DVD.

The largest VHS collection in history was/may still be owned by Hugh Hefner of Playboy fame. I remember watching a tour of his home several years ago on TV where they went into his movie archives filled with thousands and thousands of VHS tapes. Each one was uniformly catalogued with a custome sleeve. Very nice.

The thing about the blu-ray, in my mind at least, is that we finally have a format that is basically archive quality. Everyone here knows that the difference between an excellent 1080p blu-ray and a 2K DCP projection of that same master will only have neglible difference when projected onto a large screen.

In most cases blu-ray looks far better than any distribution print I ever saw in the 90s or early 2000s. These are the copies to own. Yes, 4K is here and we may see a slew of popular sellers get a disc release, but for the majority of catalogue titles it's probably the end of the line. How strange, looking at my Twilight Time copy of Sleepless In Seattle and knowing that it's one of only 3000 copies of its final disc release. Gives me a sense of urgency.