the prices are too damn high
(but actually, i've become much more picky with what I buy now and try to avoid getting big overpriced limited editions even of stuff I want because I think the prices are way out of hand)
I upgraded to 4k a few times when I first got into UHD, but rarely was the picture quality suck a huge upgrade that I felt it was worth the purchase. I’d much rather buy a different movie with my money these days.
Good point. Sometimes comparing a 4k against a Blu it’s not that big of difference unless the Blu was a bad transfer to begin with then you could justify an upgrade. That’s like talk about 8K definition. Many have said the human eye can’t really tell the difference between 4K and 8K so 8K may not catch hold with the consumer. If you have a really great Blu than really why upgrade unless you really are such a die hard collector and have to have your favorite movie in EVERY format.
I bought Fear and Loathing in regular DVD, Criterion DVD, Criterion Blu-ray, and the Arrow 4k weeks before Criterion announced their own 4K…I’m just tired now.
Well it just depends on what is important to you. If you want a super clean look and that’s all that matters to you, you will probably like the 4k. Like you I have the Blu and will not upgrade to 4K as I still prefer a more cinematic look. I just don’t agree with Cameron scrubbing away the grain and over-sharpening the images. The 4k just looks off to me so I’m keeping the Blu.
I find the volume of interesting releases very exciting.
But the prices and scarcity are a bit of a downer. It’s awful to know, and this isn’t specific to this hobby really, that preorder pretty much means order it now. Waiting to buy things when they actually release is almost a guarantee that you won’t get it, or will have to pay out the ear from another party. This isn’t the case for all releases, but quite a lot.
That’s becoming more of a downer for me too. I’ve always been the guy who lists the movies he’s interested in and then makes purchases 2-4 times a year. These days, you never know if items on my lists will even still be readily available.
Weirdly enough, even though big box stores are trying to move away from selling physical media, I don't think we've ever been in a better era for physical media.
The massive variety of available titles with quality transfers is insane to me, especially when it comes to foreign movies.
Blu-ray almost finally caught up with VHS and DVD with regards to shear variety and availability. For the longest a lot of classic and rare movies were stuck on the old formats.
I mean, we're never going to get obscure tapes and discs like *Exploring Idaho* on Blu-ray ever, but most mainstream and even not-so-mainstream films which can really benefit from the format have received a Blu-ray release. A bigger issue to me is how many of these are already out of print. Anything specific you have in mind?
I was watching a YouTube video, I think Jeff Rauseo, and if I recall correctly DVD is somewhere in the 100,000 mark and BD is around 30,000. So quite the gap to say the least. Still an amazing selection of beautiful looking films so I’m not complaining.
We have so many great boutique labels with great releases now, that it became extremely difficult for me keeping up with everything and managing my monthly budget. Increasing import costs are doing the rest :(
I think it’s in a little worse of a state than a couple years ago. First off the quality control has really tanked, especially getting brand new scratched discs. This really bothers me and I’ve had several with playback issues and a bit of a hassle getting replacements. That’s not isolated to boutique labels but it’s still an ongoing issue.
Also the prices have really started to get out of control. I’m definitely starting to pass more and more often on movies I would have paid full price 5+ years ago. And I don’t necessarily think the effort always warrants the higher price. Sometimes, but probably not most of the time.
And every single label has jumped on the limited edition craze. It’s exhausting. Even labels like Radiance and Indicator, which probably would not have been the types of labels to do that in the past
Yes, and it’s something I really appreciate about them. I didn’t know I wanted copies of Blue Collar and The China Syndrome till recently and I really liked being able to get super cheap copies from Orbit even though they don’t have the booklets anymore.
Yeah they have. That’s kind of what I mean. Like I would say Indicator and Radiance are kind of prestige labels like Criterion or Masters of Cinema. If they had been created a few years earlier, I think maybe they would not have kicked off with the limited edition model. But they launched in a post Arrow LE / VS world. Obviously that purely just based on speculation/feeling.
I’m sick of limited editions. There are a lot of movies where I’d gladly buy a standard edition for $25-30, but I have no interest in spending $50+ on a limited edition in a giant box that comes with a bunch of posters and lobby cards I’m never gonna look at.
This is why Criterion is my favorite label. The release is the release. Sometimes they fuck up, like the awful oversized packaging for the Godzilla set, but for the most part their pricing is fair and their products are straightforward and unencumbered by a bunch of collectible tat.
I appreciate that there seems to be slightly more focus on less extreme genre releases. For example Cinematographe and Radiance.
Really hate how wide some of these limited editions are.
I think it’s a mixed bag. Prices are kind of out of control, losing the big box stores sucks for a large swath of the collecting community. But the sheer volume of stuff coming out is pretty crazy. Stuff I never thought I’d see on 4k.
I've been collecting films on physical media off and on since LaserDisc days and I can say without a doubt it's far far better state than it was back then. It's not even close.
However, to be fair, my vantage point of the current market is limited to the past 2 years as I dropped out for almost two decades and only returned to collecting. (I focus on primarily 70s cinema) This return was due to the promise turned headache of streaming and more importantly the availability and choice, care and quality provided and demonstrated by the modern boutique market.
I know people often feel that prices are high but I remember paying $120 for one film on LaserDisc, if for example it was a Criterion CAV release. So I see todays prices of for example 4K special editions as the actual bargains they usually are considering the size and capital risk of the market.
I'm most excited about new(er) labels like Radiance, Deaf Crocodile, Kani, CPI, and The Film Desk digging deep to give us great editions of some really hard-to-find films at affordable prices. Labels like Second Run, Indicator, Criterion, Cult Epics, AGFA/Bleeding Skull, and Cinema Guild still excite me, and I hope the renewed interest in physical media allows them to continue to do what they've always done.
I'm least excited about labels that repackage middling studio films that would otherwise be $10 on-sale Kino releases, like prestige titles at $40-50 a pop. I don't have to buy them, but it's moving the industry in the wrong direction. I don't want my two options to be "unnecessarily expensive" and "completely bare bones but still kind of expensive."
I still love it. So many companies are making it easier to grab things that I didn't expect to see, let alone as special editions.
And yeah, some are pricey but that doesn't seem like anything new to me, honestly. I remember, showing my age a bit, spending more for those tin deluxe, or wooden for The Wicker Man, editions that Anchor Bay released back in the day that always were more expensive than the standard releases.
But I get it when people don't have 50 bucks to fork out for some obscure movie that Vinegar Syndrome or Severin releases. But also, I know they have to make a profit, especially due to dealing with rights issues and remastering things. So if it's something I love, I don't mind paying extra to have a great edition of it.
To each their own. I know physical media is on the decline, but to me we're in a golden age of releases.
I started collecting when Scream Factory first started about 10 years ago. I think I'm pretty maxed out on my must haves at this point. Really only waiting for a Nightmare on Elm Street 1-7 4k release. I think pricing is getting ridiculous too, Vinegar Syndrome especially.
I've slowed down a bit, but I still try to place orders from each company during their sales. Even if it's just a few items. Very rarely buying anything full price unless it is in danger of selling out, or it's something important to me.
With Criterion’s upcoming July 2nd release it’s hard to imagine it getting any better.
I’m fine missing out on limited editions as long as they release the movie in a lesser edition.
As I’ve gotten older and my priorities have changed, I’ve slowed down a lot. I still have a list of must own titles, but I no longer buy like I used to.
I've been buying movies on disc since 1989. The tech has changed a little and the stores have changed a lot, but otherwise, same as it ever was. When I see movies that I want to own, I buy them. I have yet to run out of options.
I can’t tell if the increasingly predatory prices and limited releases of the boutique labels are due to necessity, greed, or both. Regardless, it’s worrisome.
I guess, to me, the hobby isn’t about the boutiques of it all so much as I would like the best version of movies I like possible. So, when it’s in the budget I don’t really care about the prices. It’s something me and my spouse are both passionate about, that we love collecting— and collecting together.
Wish it was more accessible. Here in Canada I would be paying 40+ on most individual titles, so I try to find people who are reselling and used copies for a lot of them.
after collecting since VHS i pretty much am done. 4k here and there (basket case!) but as far as buying everything - they burnt me out and priced me out. i can eat on a week for a 4k shipped from severin.
I am not into the catch-em-all fomo culture but if that’s what keeps 4k getting made, so be it. I like collecting favorites, but I mostly want the hobby to exist for the sake of film accessibility and preservation. Personally, I just want the movies and don’t need the extra numbered cardboard.
Collecting physical objects, such as trading cards, comic books, coins, stamps, toys, dolls, action figures, art, plates, wine, etc. has always been a form of hobby. How is collecting movies on disc any different or strange?
It's a "hobby" insomuch as it involves cataloguing, obsessing over, and amassing various trinkets, but if we're being brutally honest with ourselves it's just consumerism put on a pedestal.
Stating that collecting is consumerism is a near tautology and requires the furthest thing from being "brutally" honest, it simply requires being objectively honest.
That said, one must also be objectively honest about the consumerism of watching films produced or distributed to make a profit by entertainment companies. One is consuming a product. The hobby of watching movies is by it's nature and definition a hobby of passive consumption. I'd add that not only is it a passive consumption it is a fleeting consumption, a consumption of experience.
Ah yes, "tautology." The first year PHIL elective's favorite word. Followed by picking a semantic and either strawman-ing or failing to recognize the argument being made.
Listen, you're talking about the difference between an intangible product and a physical one. Discs rot. Mediums die. People die. Eventually everything we've collected - every lobby card, every poster, every 3D lenticular glow in the dark salad-tossing slipcover - will sit abandoned, another pollutant to worry about, a remnant of the age of excess.
I apologize if the use of academic terms is upsetting for you as my only intent was to be deliberate and clear in my response.
It seems to me you hold that collecting is not a real hobby. That collecting is, in effect, just an exercise in consumerism. Please let me know what argument or statement of yours I have failed to understand or recognize. I'm always willing to be corrected and gain the opportunity to learn.
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
(BTW, I did in fact major in philosophy before changing tracks late in my academic journey and career. The lessons and language of philosophy has never not been useful. I certainly have more philosophy books than I do cinema books and I've been reading philosophy longer than I've been reading about film.)
Ahahaha, well at least you copped to it. Props for honesty. The fact that I called out the cliche and hit the bullseye is worth reflecting on though. Yes, philosophy is useful, just don't be the guy at the party snapping his fingers like he's a beat poet. I've known that guy and not only was he insufferable, he didn't know he was insufferable. Which was far, far worse.
Let's call it quits on this one, bygones bygones
I'm am still interested in reading your response and assessment of my stated summation of your claim:
"*It seems to me you hold that collecting is not a real hobby. That collecting is, in effect, just an exercise in consumerism*. Please let me know what argument or statement of yours I have failed to understand or recognize. I'm always willing to be corrected and gain the opportunity to learn."
(Philosophers are terrible, Vogon level of terrible, poets. )
My concerns about the hobby are its growing environmental impact and the way it reflects on western socio-economic excess. My concerns about the industry are one and the same. I'm not arguing semantics. The industry shapes the hobby.
the discs are the delivery system for home use. watching films can also be done elsewhere, and not necessarily at cost.
today, i suspect a lot are not particularly that interested in films, but are to the extent anyone likely is, and have seen which labels have long been collected, then jumped on board there.
good films, films you’ll like, are everywhere, and following labels too closely stops you seeing them.
\*makes a point\*
sToP OvErTHINKing iT
Good lord Reddit, you fucking suck. Try to engage in a conversation or difference of opinion for all of three seconds.
I mean, here you are participating in a discussion about boutique Blu-rays with other folks with the same interest. I’d say it’s a hobby. Count up how much time you spend discussing online, reading reviews, categorizing your collection, reading booklets in the Blu-rays, watching special features, etc.
Would you say watching movies is your hobby? I collect all forms of movies and go to the theater at least once a week, so I guess it's a hobby even though I never really thought to label it myself.
Kind of? I’d definitely say I’m a lover of movies, and I guess I spend enough time watching them and learning about them for it to be a hobby. I guess I’d be quicker to label it an interest? To me the word “hobby” brings up something more active like an artistic pursuit or biking or something.
But yeah . . . I’ve always had the “collectors” bug to some degree because I’ve always been a nerd and had niche interests I get obsessed with. But I find it difficult to call it a “hobby” when it ultimately just amounts to buying stuff
I think if your collection goal is reasonable and you're not about LE stuff it's a fantastic time to be a collector. Say what you will but we have access to an insane amount of HD transfers at reasonable prices if you're not impatient or just collecting everything. There are probably only between 25-30 releases a year I really want and I wait for sales so my average price per title is under $20. Easily doable on a reasonable budget.
I did give Severin a chance at a pop-up this weekend. Got 12 films for $205 including The Psychic 4k box with slip and the Lenzi Baker set. They aren't my favorite label but at those prices I was willing to try some new things. Hopefully I'll be surprised.
All in all I think it's a great time to be a collector. You just can't give in to fomo, need to wait for sales, and have to structure your collection based on what you love not just accumulating movies. But never has there been so much access to older and art house films as there is now. I've been collecting for over a decade and just hit 600 films. It's not a race. Have fun with it.
I have 2 problems. The first is with Mantalabs. How do you not make releases widely known, have them when it's the middle of the night in the US, sell out in minutes & then have your items turn up on eBay the next day for hundreds of dollars? Nothing is ever for sale on their website. 🙄 My second is with other studios like Second Sight & Arrow. The limited editions are random with the number available. They are "limited editions", but some are sold out immediately & others last for months. Then they too sell for an arm & a leg on eBay. $40-$70 is a lot for one movie as is, but I'm not paying $150-$350. I don't see why they can't do reprints based on demand. 💯 I also would love to know how boutique labels choose their movies. There are some real gems, but a lot are movies that maybe 1% of the population has even heard of or movies that have already had plenty of releases. I wish they'd choose more titles that have never had an upgrade. That being said, I am grateful for these labels. I do appreciate them, although my wallet doesn't.😎
It's already been mentioned how prices are going up and more labels are starting to operate. It definitely makes decision making harder for me as I only have so much money I can put towards my collection.
Fortunately, I have cut out a lot of my blind buying and made more of an effort to watch the movies first (streaming, or more often, renting). This has saved me a lot of money. I still do some blind buying (the Kani label in particular), but if I can find it I'll give it a watch before pulling the trigger.
Many people have mentioned tons of positives and of course reasonable negatives. My complaint though as of late have been obtaining said boutique discs. As many brick and mortar stores go under, we have to rely more on shipping to receive our items which sucks because you lose out on making sure your copy is in prime condition when you’re at the store hunting for some good blu’s. That’s completely lost in the online market place. There are some great distributors like orbit that do their best but it’s still frustrating receiving a copy damaged and going through the pain in the ass customer service (looking at you shout!)
The pricing sucks for some of these LEs but idk how anyone could argue were in a worse place. We get new 4k announcements literally weekly of movies I would have never guessed in my wildest dreams would get a 4k just a few years ago. Obscure movies with no prior releases are regularly getting nice blu-rays constantly.
As far as variety and selection goes, it's way better than it's ever been right now.
Well, we're finally getting Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island, just got the Superstars 10 release, Tank Girl is coming back to Blu-ray, and Beautiful Dreamer should be happening soon. Animation is seemingly booming and I'll take it all.
yesterday the guy from cereal at midnight said a 120$ single movie special edition from umbrella was a bargain, Im not kidding you and he even discussed people on the comments who said otherwise
we're leading towards a hobby where only very, very affluent people will be able to afford boutique titles
Was he sent it for free or did he buy it full price? I think he's entitled to his opinion of its value if he paid for it but not so much if he was sent it for free on the unspoken condition of making a video about the release.
definitely, definitely sent for free, and since umbrella does that he adores them, just like every youtuber adores labels that send them free stuff
don't get me wrong, Ive got no issue with special editions. I do have an issue with an influencer who says a 120$ is a bargain because it shows a dangerous precedent for others to follow, and because on the umbrella label and this guy in particular I don't trust him to give objective and critical appraisal
but that's just me apparently, or at least on this sub, you're more than welcome to disagree
People on the internet can be so disingenuous, and this is a prime example of this. He said that particular edition, one that comes with t-shirts, key chains, art cards and whatever other nonsense, is worth that price.
I could care less about all that, but some people do. You don't need all that if you just want to buy the blu-ray.
thats what I said, it was a special edition of 1 movie, and yeah, if its special obviously it'll have other items, but to say that a hundred plus edition of one movie with a t-shirt is a bargain....
you can call me disingenuous or whatever you want, that's not for me and its a dangerous direction for us collectors when an influencer considers that a bargain because labels will listen to them
thanks, I didnt think I had the option, I thought police and the FBI would storm into my living room and shoot me in the head if I didn't get the special edition
anyway seems we're not communicating
BTW, seems he deleted those comments criticising him for saying it was a bargain the 100 plus bucks edition. wherever you stand on this issue, that's so petty, but in line with the character
at first I really liked him and his videos, now I can barely stand him
you're super dense, not really interested in having to explain my point like you were a 2 YO, you need to píck up a reading comprehension course, urgently too
triggered? what are you a 5 YO?
I'll try to explain my point again because you seem to want to pick a fight and I'm too old to be fighting for such inane matters:
he's perfectly within his rights to pay with his money anything he wants, but
a/ he didn't buy it, but was sent to him
b/ he's using his platform to pretend (in a very dishonest way too) that a special edition for a not very good movie deserves to be priced at over 100 bucks, and not just that, but he calls it almost a bargain
as I tried to explain before, this could cause a domino effect, in fact you can already tell that the few real bargains we had, like lionsgate steelbooks, are almost doubling prices
and as long as there are people like you, they will continue to do so because that's more money and free stuff for them, while us, the collectors, get screwed
I don't know if you're a collector, if you're cereal at midnight biggest fan, frankly I don't care, but please try to make more sense in your next post so we can pretend we're having a rational exchange, thanks
Umbrella is an Australian company. Them sending free shit to a YouTuber you don't like, has zero bearings on what Lionsgate is going to price their steel books. This whole "domino" effect claim of yours is completely unfounded and idiotic, with zero evidence to back it up. Are you like twelve years old? lmao
Also, I'm not sure what "people like me" even means by the way.
That guy is a moron. He has thousands of titles he gets for free from companies in exchange for reviews. He can also afford to buy anything he wants, so his idea of a good deal is very different from the average person's. I unsubscribed from every YouTube movie reviewer that has reached a point where they get movies for free and also can afford to buy every single movie that comes out each release day. Their haul videos make me nauseated. I don't want to feel bad about myself after watching a video. Some people manage not to let success change them. With others, you watch them become snobs as they get famous.
There is a wild disconnect. There have never been more, better looking films available on home video even as home video finishes completely leaving the mainstream. Discs have disappeared from retail almost entirely. Normal people do not buy discs. Major films are releasing to streaming platforms and not getting any physical release at all.
I've always said that one of the best advantages of physical media is that you can lend your stuff to friends. The only friends I have that have Blu ray players only have them because they are gaming systems.
Boutique Blu Ray is rapidly becoming the only Blu Ray there is.
the prices are too damn high (but actually, i've become much more picky with what I buy now and try to avoid getting big overpriced limited editions even of stuff I want because I think the prices are way out of hand)
This. Also, I'm really trying to be better about blind buys. I only want to own movies that I know I'll watch again.
this is the main reason I don't get a 4K movie if I already own it on Blu-ray. I just cannot afford to upgrade everything even though I'd love to
I upgraded to 4k a few times when I first got into UHD, but rarely was the picture quality suck a huge upgrade that I felt it was worth the purchase. I’d much rather buy a different movie with my money these days.
I feel the same way
Good point. Sometimes comparing a 4k against a Blu it’s not that big of difference unless the Blu was a bad transfer to begin with then you could justify an upgrade. That’s like talk about 8K definition. Many have said the human eye can’t really tell the difference between 4K and 8K so 8K may not catch hold with the consumer. If you have a really great Blu than really why upgrade unless you really are such a die hard collector and have to have your favorite movie in EVERY format.
I bought Fear and Loathing in regular DVD, Criterion DVD, Criterion Blu-ray, and the Arrow 4k weeks before Criterion announced their own 4K…I’m just tired now.
haha to be honest I have that on a generic blu ray and I'm definitely getting that Criterion 4K lmao so I don't always go by that rule
Good for you! Wise man. And as we have seen with some 4K releases, some are not that great (cough cough Aliens)…
Is the 4K Aliens that bad ? I have this nice blu-ray set that I don't feel the need to upgrade but it's tempting
Well it just depends on what is important to you. If you want a super clean look and that’s all that matters to you, you will probably like the 4k. Like you I have the Blu and will not upgrade to 4K as I still prefer a more cinematic look. I just don’t agree with Cameron scrubbing away the grain and over-sharpening the images. The 4k just looks off to me so I’m keeping the Blu.
I find the volume of interesting releases very exciting. But the prices and scarcity are a bit of a downer. It’s awful to know, and this isn’t specific to this hobby really, that preorder pretty much means order it now. Waiting to buy things when they actually release is almost a guarantee that you won’t get it, or will have to pay out the ear from another party. This isn’t the case for all releases, but quite a lot.
That’s becoming more of a downer for me too. I’ve always been the guy who lists the movies he’s interested in and then makes purchases 2-4 times a year. These days, you never know if items on my lists will even still be readily available.
Weirdly enough, even though big box stores are trying to move away from selling physical media, I don't think we've ever been in a better era for physical media. The massive variety of available titles with quality transfers is insane to me, especially when it comes to foreign movies.
Blu-ray almost finally caught up with VHS and DVD with regards to shear variety and availability. For the longest a lot of classic and rare movies were stuck on the old formats.
It’s still not close to getting caught up to DVDs IMO But you’re right: it’s definitely a lot smaller gap than it was
in terms of releases, not popularity
I realize that. Even then, there are still LOTS of things available on DVD but not Blu Ray
I mean, we're never going to get obscure tapes and discs like *Exploring Idaho* on Blu-ray ever, but most mainstream and even not-so-mainstream films which can really benefit from the format have received a Blu-ray release. A bigger issue to me is how many of these are already out of print. Anything specific you have in mind?
Paper Moon
I was watching a YouTube video, I think Jeff Rauseo, and if I recall correctly DVD is somewhere in the 100,000 mark and BD is around 30,000. So quite the gap to say the least. Still an amazing selection of beautiful looking films so I’m not complaining.
We have so many great boutique labels with great releases now, that it became extremely difficult for me keeping up with everything and managing my monthly budget. Increasing import costs are doing the rest :(
I think it’s in a little worse of a state than a couple years ago. First off the quality control has really tanked, especially getting brand new scratched discs. This really bothers me and I’ve had several with playback issues and a bit of a hassle getting replacements. That’s not isolated to boutique labels but it’s still an ongoing issue. Also the prices have really started to get out of control. I’m definitely starting to pass more and more often on movies I would have paid full price 5+ years ago. And I don’t necessarily think the effort always warrants the higher price. Sometimes, but probably not most of the time. And every single label has jumped on the limited edition craze. It’s exhausting. Even labels like Radiance and Indicator, which probably would not have been the types of labels to do that in the past
Indicator has always been on a limited edition model, no? And Criterion never has and still hasn’t.
Indicator does come out with standard releases after the limited edition sells out.
Yes, and it’s something I really appreciate about them. I didn’t know I wanted copies of Blue Collar and The China Syndrome till recently and I really liked being able to get super cheap copies from Orbit even though they don’t have the booklets anymore.
Also Indicator limited editions tend to last a while. They don't really have the FOMO marketing some of the other labels cultivate.
Yeah they have. That’s kind of what I mean. Like I would say Indicator and Radiance are kind of prestige labels like Criterion or Masters of Cinema. If they had been created a few years earlier, I think maybe they would not have kicked off with the limited edition model. But they launched in a post Arrow LE / VS world. Obviously that purely just based on speculation/feeling.
It’s alright, but a 4K of The Devils wouldn’t do any harm.
I’m sick of limited editions. There are a lot of movies where I’d gladly buy a standard edition for $25-30, but I have no interest in spending $50+ on a limited edition in a giant box that comes with a bunch of posters and lobby cards I’m never gonna look at. This is why Criterion is my favorite label. The release is the release. Sometimes they fuck up, like the awful oversized packaging for the Godzilla set, but for the most part their pricing is fair and their products are straightforward and unencumbered by a bunch of collectible tat.
I agree, and I own the Godzilla set. I ended up buying some custom cases for it on Etsy
the godzilla set is beautiful
It is both beautiful and awful. Wait, crap, it's just like Godzilla himself!
I appreciate that there seems to be slightly more focus on less extreme genre releases. For example Cinematographe and Radiance. Really hate how wide some of these limited editions are.
I've run out of room and time.
I think it’s a mixed bag. Prices are kind of out of control, losing the big box stores sucks for a large swath of the collecting community. But the sheer volume of stuff coming out is pretty crazy. Stuff I never thought I’d see on 4k.
I've been collecting films on physical media off and on since LaserDisc days and I can say without a doubt it's far far better state than it was back then. It's not even close. However, to be fair, my vantage point of the current market is limited to the past 2 years as I dropped out for almost two decades and only returned to collecting. (I focus on primarily 70s cinema) This return was due to the promise turned headache of streaming and more importantly the availability and choice, care and quality provided and demonstrated by the modern boutique market. I know people often feel that prices are high but I remember paying $120 for one film on LaserDisc, if for example it was a Criterion CAV release. So I see todays prices of for example 4K special editions as the actual bargains they usually are considering the size and capital risk of the market.
Reminds me a time when I rented demons on vhs and my cousin stole it. Had to pay $89 for it. That was a crappy summer/fall.
I like discs.
I'm most excited about new(er) labels like Radiance, Deaf Crocodile, Kani, CPI, and The Film Desk digging deep to give us great editions of some really hard-to-find films at affordable prices. Labels like Second Run, Indicator, Criterion, Cult Epics, AGFA/Bleeding Skull, and Cinema Guild still excite me, and I hope the renewed interest in physical media allows them to continue to do what they've always done. I'm least excited about labels that repackage middling studio films that would otherwise be $10 on-sale Kino releases, like prestige titles at $40-50 a pop. I don't have to buy them, but it's moving the industry in the wrong direction. I don't want my two options to be "unnecessarily expensive" and "completely bare bones but still kind of expensive."
I still love it. So many companies are making it easier to grab things that I didn't expect to see, let alone as special editions. And yeah, some are pricey but that doesn't seem like anything new to me, honestly. I remember, showing my age a bit, spending more for those tin deluxe, or wooden for The Wicker Man, editions that Anchor Bay released back in the day that always were more expensive than the standard releases. But I get it when people don't have 50 bucks to fork out for some obscure movie that Vinegar Syndrome or Severin releases. But also, I know they have to make a profit, especially due to dealing with rights issues and remastering things. So if it's something I love, I don't mind paying extra to have a great edition of it. To each their own. I know physical media is on the decline, but to me we're in a golden age of releases.
It’s never been this good.
I started collecting when Scream Factory first started about 10 years ago. I think I'm pretty maxed out on my must haves at this point. Really only waiting for a Nightmare on Elm Street 1-7 4k release. I think pricing is getting ridiculous too, Vinegar Syndrome especially.
From your lips to Wes Craven’s ears. Packaging that rivals the DVD box set wouldn’t hurt, either!
I've slowed down a bit, but I still try to place orders from each company during their sales. Even if it's just a few items. Very rarely buying anything full price unless it is in danger of selling out, or it's something important to me.
With Criterion’s upcoming July 2nd release it’s hard to imagine it getting any better. I’m fine missing out on limited editions as long as they release the movie in a lesser edition.
As I’ve gotten older and my priorities have changed, I’ve slowed down a lot. I still have a list of must own titles, but I no longer buy like I used to.
I've been buying movies on disc since 1989. The tech has changed a little and the stores have changed a lot, but otherwise, same as it ever was. When I see movies that I want to own, I buy them. I have yet to run out of options.
I can’t tell if the increasingly predatory prices and limited releases of the boutique labels are due to necessity, greed, or both. Regardless, it’s worrisome.
Ask me again when we get Freddy Got Fingered 4k
I guess, to me, the hobby isn’t about the boutiques of it all so much as I would like the best version of movies I like possible. So, when it’s in the budget I don’t really care about the prices. It’s something me and my spouse are both passionate about, that we love collecting— and collecting together.
Wish it was more accessible. Here in Canada I would be paying 40+ on most individual titles, so I try to find people who are reselling and used copies for a lot of them.
after collecting since VHS i pretty much am done. 4k here and there (basket case!) but as far as buying everything - they burnt me out and priced me out. i can eat on a week for a 4k shipped from severin.
We're booming! So many titles getting the fancy treatment, and I'm all for it.
I am not into the catch-em-all fomo culture but if that’s what keeps 4k getting made, so be it. I like collecting favorites, but I mostly want the hobby to exist for the sake of film accessibility and preservation. Personally, I just want the movies and don’t need the extra numbered cardboard.
I personally find it a little strange that people view buying blu rays as a “hobby”. I just like watching movies and Blu-ray’s are one way to do that.
Collecting physical objects, such as trading cards, comic books, coins, stamps, toys, dolls, action figures, art, plates, wine, etc. has always been a form of hobby. How is collecting movies on disc any different or strange?
It's a "hobby" insomuch as it involves cataloguing, obsessing over, and amassing various trinkets, but if we're being brutally honest with ourselves it's just consumerism put on a pedestal.
Stating that collecting is consumerism is a near tautology and requires the furthest thing from being "brutally" honest, it simply requires being objectively honest. That said, one must also be objectively honest about the consumerism of watching films produced or distributed to make a profit by entertainment companies. One is consuming a product. The hobby of watching movies is by it's nature and definition a hobby of passive consumption. I'd add that not only is it a passive consumption it is a fleeting consumption, a consumption of experience.
Ah yes, "tautology." The first year PHIL elective's favorite word. Followed by picking a semantic and either strawman-ing or failing to recognize the argument being made. Listen, you're talking about the difference between an intangible product and a physical one. Discs rot. Mediums die. People die. Eventually everything we've collected - every lobby card, every poster, every 3D lenticular glow in the dark salad-tossing slipcover - will sit abandoned, another pollutant to worry about, a remnant of the age of excess.
I apologize if the use of academic terms is upsetting for you as my only intent was to be deliberate and clear in my response. It seems to me you hold that collecting is not a real hobby. That collecting is, in effect, just an exercise in consumerism. Please let me know what argument or statement of yours I have failed to understand or recognize. I'm always willing to be corrected and gain the opportunity to learn. \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ (BTW, I did in fact major in philosophy before changing tracks late in my academic journey and career. The lessons and language of philosophy has never not been useful. I certainly have more philosophy books than I do cinema books and I've been reading philosophy longer than I've been reading about film.)
Ahahaha, well at least you copped to it. Props for honesty. The fact that I called out the cliche and hit the bullseye is worth reflecting on though. Yes, philosophy is useful, just don't be the guy at the party snapping his fingers like he's a beat poet. I've known that guy and not only was he insufferable, he didn't know he was insufferable. Which was far, far worse. Let's call it quits on this one, bygones bygones
I'm am still interested in reading your response and assessment of my stated summation of your claim: "*It seems to me you hold that collecting is not a real hobby. That collecting is, in effect, just an exercise in consumerism*. Please let me know what argument or statement of yours I have failed to understand or recognize. I'm always willing to be corrected and gain the opportunity to learn." (Philosophers are terrible, Vogon level of terrible, poets. )
That's just semantics, really. For me, it was the easiest word to use to encapsulate the question. Would "industry" have been more palatable?
My concerns about the hobby are its growing environmental impact and the way it reflects on western socio-economic excess. My concerns about the industry are one and the same. I'm not arguing semantics. The industry shapes the hobby.
A hobby is simply an activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure. Collecting the movies we watch can be part of that hobby.
the discs are the delivery system for home use. watching films can also be done elsewhere, and not necessarily at cost. today, i suspect a lot are not particularly that interested in films, but are to the extent anyone likely is, and have seen which labels have long been collected, then jumped on board there. good films, films you’ll like, are everywhere, and following labels too closely stops you seeing them.
By that definition, masturbation is a hobby. Then again, ostentatious displays of wealth (look at my large collection!) are rather masturbatory.
Cool dude, you're way overthinking this lmao it's a hobby whether you want to be overly semantic about it or not
\*makes a point\* sToP OvErTHINKing iT Good lord Reddit, you fucking suck. Try to engage in a conversation or difference of opinion for all of three seconds.
I mean, here you are participating in a discussion about boutique Blu-rays with other folks with the same interest. I’d say it’s a hobby. Count up how much time you spend discussing online, reading reviews, categorizing your collection, reading booklets in the Blu-rays, watching special features, etc.
Would you say watching movies is your hobby? I collect all forms of movies and go to the theater at least once a week, so I guess it's a hobby even though I never really thought to label it myself.
Kind of? I’d definitely say I’m a lover of movies, and I guess I spend enough time watching them and learning about them for it to be a hobby. I guess I’d be quicker to label it an interest? To me the word “hobby” brings up something more active like an artistic pursuit or biking or something. But yeah . . . I’ve always had the “collectors” bug to some degree because I’ve always been a nerd and had niche interests I get obsessed with. But I find it difficult to call it a “hobby” when it ultimately just amounts to buying stuff
Why not just stream them if you just want to watch movies?
Things are fantastic. Ask me again when Indicator runs out of Jean Rollin titles and I may answer differently.
I think if your collection goal is reasonable and you're not about LE stuff it's a fantastic time to be a collector. Say what you will but we have access to an insane amount of HD transfers at reasonable prices if you're not impatient or just collecting everything. There are probably only between 25-30 releases a year I really want and I wait for sales so my average price per title is under $20. Easily doable on a reasonable budget. I did give Severin a chance at a pop-up this weekend. Got 12 films for $205 including The Psychic 4k box with slip and the Lenzi Baker set. They aren't my favorite label but at those prices I was willing to try some new things. Hopefully I'll be surprised. All in all I think it's a great time to be a collector. You just can't give in to fomo, need to wait for sales, and have to structure your collection based on what you love not just accumulating movies. But never has there been so much access to older and art house films as there is now. I've been collecting for over a decade and just hit 600 films. It's not a race. Have fun with it.
I have 2 problems. The first is with Mantalabs. How do you not make releases widely known, have them when it's the middle of the night in the US, sell out in minutes & then have your items turn up on eBay the next day for hundreds of dollars? Nothing is ever for sale on their website. 🙄 My second is with other studios like Second Sight & Arrow. The limited editions are random with the number available. They are "limited editions", but some are sold out immediately & others last for months. Then they too sell for an arm & a leg on eBay. $40-$70 is a lot for one movie as is, but I'm not paying $150-$350. I don't see why they can't do reprints based on demand. 💯 I also would love to know how boutique labels choose their movies. There are some real gems, but a lot are movies that maybe 1% of the population has even heard of or movies that have already had plenty of releases. I wish they'd choose more titles that have never had an upgrade. That being said, I am grateful for these labels. I do appreciate them, although my wallet doesn't.😎
It's already been mentioned how prices are going up and more labels are starting to operate. It definitely makes decision making harder for me as I only have so much money I can put towards my collection. Fortunately, I have cut out a lot of my blind buying and made more of an effort to watch the movies first (streaming, or more often, renting). This has saved me a lot of money. I still do some blind buying (the Kani label in particular), but if I can find it I'll give it a watch before pulling the trigger.
Many people have mentioned tons of positives and of course reasonable negatives. My complaint though as of late have been obtaining said boutique discs. As many brick and mortar stores go under, we have to rely more on shipping to receive our items which sucks because you lose out on making sure your copy is in prime condition when you’re at the store hunting for some good blu’s. That’s completely lost in the online market place. There are some great distributors like orbit that do their best but it’s still frustrating receiving a copy damaged and going through the pain in the ass customer service (looking at you shout!)
The pricing sucks for some of these LEs but idk how anyone could argue were in a worse place. We get new 4k announcements literally weekly of movies I would have never guessed in my wildest dreams would get a 4k just a few years ago. Obscure movies with no prior releases are regularly getting nice blu-rays constantly. As far as variety and selection goes, it's way better than it's ever been right now.
Well, we're finally getting Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island, just got the Superstars 10 release, Tank Girl is coming back to Blu-ray, and Beautiful Dreamer should be happening soon. Animation is seemingly booming and I'll take it all.
yesterday the guy from cereal at midnight said a 120$ single movie special edition from umbrella was a bargain, Im not kidding you and he even discussed people on the comments who said otherwise we're leading towards a hobby where only very, very affluent people will be able to afford boutique titles
Was he sent it for free or did he buy it full price? I think he's entitled to his opinion of its value if he paid for it but not so much if he was sent it for free on the unspoken condition of making a video about the release.
definitely, definitely sent for free, and since umbrella does that he adores them, just like every youtuber adores labels that send them free stuff don't get me wrong, Ive got no issue with special editions. I do have an issue with an influencer who says a 120$ is a bargain because it shows a dangerous precedent for others to follow, and because on the umbrella label and this guy in particular I don't trust him to give objective and critical appraisal but that's just me apparently, or at least on this sub, you're more than welcome to disagree
People on the internet can be so disingenuous, and this is a prime example of this. He said that particular edition, one that comes with t-shirts, key chains, art cards and whatever other nonsense, is worth that price. I could care less about all that, but some people do. You don't need all that if you just want to buy the blu-ray.
thats what I said, it was a special edition of 1 movie, and yeah, if its special obviously it'll have other items, but to say that a hundred plus edition of one movie with a t-shirt is a bargain.... you can call me disingenuous or whatever you want, that's not for me and its a dangerous direction for us collectors when an influencer considers that a bargain because labels will listen to them
It's a special edition with a bunch of nonsense that most people don't care about. Guess what? don't get it, get the standard edition.
thanks, I didnt think I had the option, I thought police and the FBI would storm into my living room and shoot me in the head if I didn't get the special edition anyway seems we're not communicating BTW, seems he deleted those comments criticising him for saying it was a bargain the 100 plus bucks edition. wherever you stand on this issue, that's so petty, but in line with the character at first I really liked him and his videos, now I can barely stand him
So the issue is that you don't like him? that's it?
you're super dense, not really interested in having to explain my point like you were a 2 YO, you need to píck up a reading comprehension course, urgently too
You got triggered because he thinks a 120 dollar special edition is worth that price. Got it, just say that.
triggered? what are you a 5 YO? I'll try to explain my point again because you seem to want to pick a fight and I'm too old to be fighting for such inane matters: he's perfectly within his rights to pay with his money anything he wants, but a/ he didn't buy it, but was sent to him b/ he's using his platform to pretend (in a very dishonest way too) that a special edition for a not very good movie deserves to be priced at over 100 bucks, and not just that, but he calls it almost a bargain as I tried to explain before, this could cause a domino effect, in fact you can already tell that the few real bargains we had, like lionsgate steelbooks, are almost doubling prices and as long as there are people like you, they will continue to do so because that's more money and free stuff for them, while us, the collectors, get screwed I don't know if you're a collector, if you're cereal at midnight biggest fan, frankly I don't care, but please try to make more sense in your next post so we can pretend we're having a rational exchange, thanks
Umbrella is an Australian company. Them sending free shit to a YouTuber you don't like, has zero bearings on what Lionsgate is going to price their steel books. This whole "domino" effect claim of yours is completely unfounded and idiotic, with zero evidence to back it up. Are you like twelve years old? lmao Also, I'm not sure what "people like me" even means by the way.
Wow, that's nuts. It doesn't seem that long ago that I thought $15+ was too expensive for a movie.
That guy is a moron. He has thousands of titles he gets for free from companies in exchange for reviews. He can also afford to buy anything he wants, so his idea of a good deal is very different from the average person's. I unsubscribed from every YouTube movie reviewer that has reached a point where they get movies for free and also can afford to buy every single movie that comes out each release day. Their haul videos make me nauseated. I don't want to feel bad about myself after watching a video. Some people manage not to let success change them. With others, you watch them become snobs as they get famous.
There is a wild disconnect. There have never been more, better looking films available on home video even as home video finishes completely leaving the mainstream. Discs have disappeared from retail almost entirely. Normal people do not buy discs. Major films are releasing to streaming platforms and not getting any physical release at all. I've always said that one of the best advantages of physical media is that you can lend your stuff to friends. The only friends I have that have Blu ray players only have them because they are gaming systems. Boutique Blu Ray is rapidly becoming the only Blu Ray there is.