Has the thrill of steelbook collecting diminished?

[leburn98]

I remember when I first started collecting Blus and I was introduced to the steelbook, I loved the collector's aspect of it. Finding a rare steel was a treat and having a steelbook in the collection was a nice show piece. Now it seems like every film gets the steelbook treatment and due to the re-releasing of steelbooks, it has now lost that special something-something.

With that said, I still enjoy collecting them but I find myself not going out of my way for them.

Your thoughts?

[nefilim]

a bit yeah.

too many ... some too expensive ... and before any one starts flaming - i'm just answering a Q !

I'm kind of between ... so it's neither - sorry

[sxerunner]

Some thrill still exists through store exclusives and first run editions. Scalpers are being a pain in the rear, but otherwise I can't complain (but this is coming from a guy who's an avid slipcover collector).

[benzgrl]

I find I'm loving digibooks and digipaks a lot more. Hoping more movies will come this way.

[Moe Szyslak]

The more, the better. I like having the option to get a collectible edition for films I own. For me, it all comes down to artwork and affordability

[Bythepowerofgrayskul]

I think that due to the amount of people who are now collecting these the thrill has gone, It's the same with anything once people want something and it sells out then there will always be someone who buys 10 and cashes in on eBay just look at the ES stuff now they charge premium for Euro releases and then buyers get 25 of them and cash in on the collectors who must have them at 10 times the price

Scalpers ruin everything eventually and film companies now stick anything into a steelbook just to move numbers if a film dives at the cinema then bang it in a steelbook and watch that sucker fly come release day on Blu-Ray as collectors generally require every release as we are

Zavvi are flooding the market this year with them and yes that is a good thing if we get films we want but for those of us that need to have everything single UK issue it is getting a bit beyond a joke now

[Abdrewes]

Never caught the bug myself. With so many movies, I don't feel the need to display any.

[sheldo]

There should be a third option

3) I've never bought releases purely because they were steelbooks - you people are sick!

[Lacrymosa]

I won't buy a steelbook for the sake of the steelbook if I don't like the film (edit let me clarify further, I won't buy any movie I don't like, and a steelbook won't change my mind is what I meant). Sometimes I opt for the steel during a blind buy, but if I wasn't going to blind buy a film or buy a film at all a steel doesn't entice me. I really only buy the steel if I like the cover better than the regular bluray case and I planned on buying the film in the first place.

[KilloWertz]

I just got into it when Django Unchained came out and have been getting plenty of them since, so not at all for me of course.

[HD Goofnut]

Absolutely not. When I can get a steelbook for about the same price or slightly more than a standard case with slipcover then I can't complain about price. There's also the fact they usually have better artwork and hold most of their value if you ever want to sell them in the future.

[MrClarke]

Originally Posted by Lacrymosa

I won't buy a steelbook for the sake of the steelbook if I don't like the film.

Same goes for me. But with any movie regardless of it's packaging. I don't understand the idea of collecting steelbooks/digibooks (or again, just blu rays in general) of films you don't even like for the sake of having a bigger collection. I've blind bought movies of course, but even those, only if I was interested in them.

With that said, when it comes to purchasing a steelbook over amaray, if it comes as a steelbook option, I'd rather get it, just because I like them. I still don't display them on special stands or cases or anything else. They're in alphabetical order with the rest of my movies.

[Moe Szyslak]

It doesn't surprise me that people do this, but I find it odd that collectors will go out of their way to buy expensive premium/foreign editions of films they don't necessarily like since the art looks cool. What's worse is buying something simply because it is a steelbook (that is, if you don't find the art attractive but will pick it up anyway).

[JimDiGriz]

Originally Posted by Moe Szyslak

It doesn't surprise me that people do this, but I find it odd that collectors will go out of their way to buy expensive premium/foreign editions of films they don't necessarily like since the art looks cool. What's worse is buying something simply because it is a steelbook (that is, if you don't find the art attractive but will pick it up anyway).

I think its worse when people are buying steelbooks of films they dont actually like!

[TheHighRoller]

Originally Posted by benzgrl

I find I'm loving digibooks and digipaks a lot more. Hoping more movies will come this way.

I kind of agree about Digibooks. I honestly think its because there are less Digibooks than Steelbooks.

Steelbooks are fun if they're limited/first run, but common ones (like the Best Buy "exclusives" and the recent Universal/Warner Bros. releases) aren't that exciting. Especially since the Universal releases all look the same, spine and all. I do plan on getting the WB Batman Returns even though I already own the regular release. Although that's only because I love Burton's versions, and because the back art is cool. I have the Digibook for Batman, which is superior to Steelbooks in my opinion, so I won't be rebuying that.

For me, this is how I decide which version to get:
Regular Blu-ray < Slipcovered Blu-ray < Steelbook < Digibook < Criterion.



Another thing that annoys me about some Steelbooks (that makes them feel less fun to get) is a lack of inside artwork or a decent finish. To me, it's obvious that the studio only wanted to print them as fast as they could to make some money. The WB/Universal Steelbooks are a great example. That's why I'll only be getting Batman Returns.

[Moe Szyslak]

Originally Posted by TheHighRoller

For me, this is how I decide which version to get:
Regular Blu-ray < Slipcovered Blu-ray < Steelbook < Digibook < Criterion.

I use the same hierarchy. I don't adhere to it strictly, though. For example, I bought the Shawshank steelbook since I think the art is much better than the digibook. Also, the embossed Chinatown slipcover is much more slick than the new steelbook. Some other rules...

-No more than $30 for a steelbook. If it's not readily attainable for less than that, it ain't worth it.
-English-language digibooks only.
-Slipcovers only for Disney/Pixar animated releases. I like uniformity.

[SixSpeedSamurai]

I don't collect them so to speak, I just like the casing better. Generally they look better too. I only have them for movies I like and would of bought anyway. The only one I have unopened is Iron Man.

[richieb1971]

I voted yes.

It has diminished the charm of it, but not the desire. I still love the things, I just don't get excited anymore because like everyone is saying, its a never ending train of steelbooks.

It used to be like fishing, but now its like the fish jump out of the water into your bucket. If amazon, zavvi, best buy, target etc were bricks and mortars under one roof, I can imagine the sort of haul I would be taking home after each visit.

[Tony208]

yes cause there's too much low quality crap being released

no inside art, cheap quality control etc.

[jhan8185]

Originally Posted by Tony208

yes cause there's too much low quality crap being released

no inside art, cheap quality control etc.

I voted NO but but do agree with this at the same time. At least that's the situation in the US. Still have several I'm looking to import or buy from amazon sellers that have imported them.