Physical & Digital EST: The Future of Home Video Discussion Thread

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Vilya

I have been retired for over 16 years. I have more free time than most. Still, the longest life is short at last.



I did not start off with that many titles, obviously. I have been collecting movies for over 30 years. I have been amassing DVDs for 25 years, blu-rays for 15 years, and 4K discs for 5 years. I have watched a significant number of titles more than once.

Also, some of my titles are actually duplicates as one format evolved into the next. For example, I have bought the original Star Wars trilogy on five different formats over the years.




Not as many as you might think have gone unwatched and never seen. Some of the discs in my collection might be unopened, but that does not mean that I have not seen the movie. I may have seen it at the theater or on an older format.

Some of the titles in my collection were purchased with other people's interests in mind, too.

I hope to see everything in my collection at least once before I expire, but that seems increasingly unrealistic. No regrets, though. I love this hobby and I have immeasurably enjoyed watching movies and introducing family and friends to titles they otherwise would have likely never seen.

I was meaning one title specifically but I’m even boring myself with this running joke, I will stop!

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by CV19

The closest I can come to matching that is with the Alien set:

1: VHS - Alien, Aliens, Alien 3 (pan-and-scan);
2: VHS - The same 3 films in Widescreen editions which came out just before Alien Resurrection was released in 1997;
3: DVD - 20th Anniversary set featuring all 4 films (released in 1999).....my very first DVD purchase;
4: DVD - Alien Quadrilogy - all four films featuring alternate cuts and bonus disc for each film (released around 2003);
5: BLU-RAY - Again my very first blu-ray purchase of all 4 movies.

As you can probably tell, I adore the Alien franchise.

Snap, although my top movies below are a giveaway.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Lee A Stewart

Most of those hobbies - you are investing - not buying. You are trying to make money. That won't happen with physical media. You'll be lucky to get 20 cents on the dollar for your collection.

All I hear is your attempt at the justification of obsessive behavior - buying movies you don't watch. That makes no financial sense at all.

I think I can speak for most of us when I say it’s got absolutely nothing to do with investment and everything to do with the love of film/movies. We also want to watch in the best possible format and that is disc and always will be.

[CV19]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Snap, although my top movies below are a giveaway.

We both have good taste in movies.

I didn't mind Braveheart when I first saw it, but I much prefer Rob Roy which came out in the same year. Great cast too.

[bhampton]

Originally Posted by Lee A Stewart

Please explain to us buying something whose purpose is to be used - but never using it.

That's not a hobby. That's an obsession.

You buy it because you want to use it. Like Tesla Full Self Driving, It's an aspirational goal.

For me, I bought just about every Blu Ray under $1 when the video stores went out of business because at the time movies were about $24 each. It took me a long time to be "in the mood" to try many of them and there are very few I haven't watched.

2012 was an example of one that was roughly $0.47. I think it was priced this way as a kind of dig at how good a it's supposed to be. I don't know if I'll ever revisit it but it wasn't as bad as lots of things I've tried to watch.

If I don't just like a movie I may keep it because some one else might like it eventually. If it's truly offensive (AntiChrist or Nymphomaniac) I may give it away or throw it away.

I never intend to sell any ... and that eventually could be a bit wasteful but I don't really like the hustle of selling stuff.

I used to give away Digital Copy codes to a friend until he balked at one because it wasn't something he would like or be proud to have. I just figured it's free and just put it in the collection. He thinks he has to justify everything he has or it's embarrassing or something. I share my online movies with others and the collection only somewhat represents me in particular and I don't get to crazy about if there's a dud in there. Maybe I would watch it again for some reason.

You lease an online library and don't feel the need to watch every content item surely. It's wasteful from a point of view but at the end of the day it's still night.

[Boccaccio]

When will streaming become profitable ?


https://variety.com/vip/streamers-fo...q4-1235447338/

[PenguinInfinity]

Originally Posted by Lee A Stewart

Please explain to us buying something whose purpose is to be used - but never using it.

That's not a hobby. That's an obsession.

I don't think you understand the concept. There aren't any movies in my collection that I can definitively say I will never watch. There are lots of movies that I bought when they were a good price that I may or may not watch.

I am interested in all of them but there will undoubtedly be many of them that I never get around to watching because I don't happen to think of them (or they don't come up in my randomizer) at the time when I would be in the mood to watch them.

I will never make a list of movies I haven't watched or make a queue of things I "should" watch because that would turn my hobby into a chore. I have a huge variety of movies in my collection that are watched and unwatched so I always have something that fits my mood.

[bhampton]

Originally Posted by CV19

As you can probably tell, I adore the Alien franchise.

My wife has taken to crossword puzzles and asked me what's a Sci Fi horror movie from 1979.

I said Alien to which she said "Is that Horror?" and I about died laughing.

(And only yesterday someone mentioned Neil A spelled backwords was no coincidence. )

[bhampton]

Originally Posted by Lee A Stewart

Most of those hobbies - you are investing - not buying. You are trying to make money.

Not what I call hobby. My hobbies are for fun not work.

I'm not always trying to make money.

(Do people buy iTunes content to resell it later ? Not a lot of ROI in that department. )

[Boccaccio]

Originally Posted by bhampton

Not what I call hobby. My hobbies are for fun not work.

You have to understand that with Lee it's all about money.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Boccaccio

When will streaming become profitable ?


https://variety.com/vip/streamers-fo...q4-1235447338/

It’s always just around the corner. In 2024 it will be 2025.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by CV19

We both have good taste in movies.

I didn't mind Braveheart when I first saw it, but I much prefer Rob Roy which came out in the same year. Great cast too.

Yeah, it was a good film.

On the subject of Scottish clans, have you seen Culloden? It’s included with BFI’s The War Game and is shot in the style of a documentary about the 1746 battle of Culloden.

[Lee A Stewart]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

I think I can speak for most of us when I say it’s got absolutely nothing to do with investment and everything to do with the love of film/movies. We also want to watch in the best possible format and that is disc and always will be.

But buying movies you will never watch? That makes sense to you?

[Lee A Stewart]

Originally Posted by Boccaccio

You have to understand that with Lee it's all about money.

No. There is a difference between buying something you intend to use or investing money you expect to get a ROI on. But spending money just for the sake of spending money - that's called obsessive behaviour.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Lee A Stewart

But buying movies you will never watch? That makes sense to you?

Well, as a film fanatic, I am always chasing the impossible target of seeing every film that intrigues me. I do have films I haven’t watched but I don’t have the mindset that I will never watch it. It’s just that even more compelling films become available to buy and I watch them first. The aim is to get there eventually.

I don’t specifically buy a film knowing I will never watch it. I always intend to watch every film I buy.

[bhampton]

Originally Posted by Lee A Stewart

No. There is a difference between buying something you intend to use or investing money you expect to get a ROI on. But spending money just for the sake of spending money - that's called obsessive behaviour.

Intend to use. <- there it is

Remember being at Blockbuster with others debating which movie for a half hour? So many good movies but everyone isn't in the mood for this or that today. You don't know when you may want to watch something but it may be nice to have the option.

Why does anyone care what others buy unless it's a shared bank account?

[PenguinInfinity]

Originally Posted by Lee A Stewart

No. There is a difference between buying something you intend to use or investing money you expect to get a ROI on. But spending money just for the sake of spending money - that's called obsessive behaviour.

I intend to watch every single one of the movies I've bought. But realistically I know that I won't end up watching all of them.

I'll refer you back to my previous post that already covered all of this:

Originally Posted by PenguinInfinity

I don't think you understand the concept. There aren't any movies in my collection that I can definitively say I will never watch. There are lots of movies that I bought when they were a good price that I may or may not watch.

I am interested in all of them but there will undoubtedly be many of them that I never get around to watching because I don't happen to think of them (or they don't come up in my randomizer) at the time when I would be in the mood to watch them.

I will never make a list of movies I haven't watched or make a queue of things I "should" watch because that would turn my hobby into a chore. I have a huge variety of movies in my collection that are watched and unwatched so I always have something that fits my mood.

[CV19]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

On the subject of Scottish clans, have you seen Culloden? It’s included with BFI’s The War Game and is shot in the style of a documentary about the 1746 battle of Culloden.

Sorry for the delay (had to see to my dad). Yes, it was many years ago when I saw it mate, but I do remember watching it. Actually I wouldn't mind seeing it again one day, so thanks for the BFI heads-up.

[russweiss1]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

I don’t specifically buy a film knowing I will never watch it. I always intend to watch every film I buy.

I would think this is true of the vast majority of people that buy movies. They purchase it with the idea that they will watch it at some point.

My original post was about what Vilya said. He mentioned that he had only seen Avatar's standard version and extended versions one time each. He has about 10,000 movies in his collection so my comment was, with a collection that large there won't be a large percentage of films that he watches more than that. Many jumped in and responded with things that had nothing to do with what I said (you were not one of them). Look at it from a time perspective. If you owned 10,000 discs how often would you be able to watch them? That was my point which has since jumped all over the place.

[PenguinInfinity]

Originally Posted by russweiss1

I would think this is true of the vast majority of people that buy movies. They purchase it with the idea that they will watch it at some point.

My original post was about what Vilya said. He mentioned that he had only seen Avatar's standard version and extended versions one time each. He has about 10,000 movies in his collection so my comment was, with a collection that large there won't be a large percentage of films that he watches more than that. Many jumped in and responded with things that had nothing to do with what I said (you were not one of them). Look at it from a time perspective. If you owned 10,000 discs how often would you be able to watch them? That was my point which has since jumped all over the place.

Is there something wrong with that? You started the conversation and other people took it in new directions.