Original Coverage & Source Attribution: www.pocket-lint.com
Knowing I truly own the movies and TV shows I love when I buy them on DVD, Blu-ray, or 4K disc is among the reasons myself and many others have begun to re-embrace the strengths of physical media. If I love a movie or show, I don’t want to have to worry about a streaming platform removing it. Similarly, even digital downloads aren’t necessarily part of a user’s permanent collection. For various reasons, sometimes companies remove even the titles users have technically purchased.
Buying physical media guards against this. However, I don’t just buy discs of movies and series I’ve seen. On occasion, I buy DVDs and Blu-rays of films I’ve never even watched before.
This might seem like a waste of money. However, there are actually some genuinely good reasons for this approach.
A sale or discount can make a title appealing
When a disc costs less than going to the movies, it may be worth it
Let’s address a critical point right off the bat: The idea of spending money to own a movie you’ve never even seen isn’t actually that strange when you consider the cost of going to the movies. Few would shake their head at a cinephile (or even a casual film fan) spending close to $50 (or more!) on tickets and concessions at a movie theater. This is true despite the fact that most people go to the movies to see pictures they’ve never had the chance to see before. In addition, the experience is over once the credits roll. They dropped a significant chunk of change to watch something they haven’t seen, and they don’t even get to own the film after the last fade to black.
To be clear, I am by no means criticizing the theatrical experience. I regularly treat myself to seeing movies on the big screen.
That said, buying a disc of a movie I haven’t seen is no less sensible than going to the movies to see a new release. As with going to the movies, I can evaluate factors like reviews, word-of-mouth, the creative talent involved, and other such factors to determine if I think I’ll be happy spending money on a given title. More importantly, if I do enjoy it, I own the disc from that point on.
Many DVDs and Blu-rays already cost less than the price of a movie ticket. When sales or discounts apply, even releases from boutique labels like Criterion can cost less than going to the movies.
If a movie isn’t available to stream or download, I have to buy it to see it
There are instances when buying DVDs and Blu-rays of movies I haven’t seen serves a uniquely practical purpose. For example, not every movie is available to stream. Some titles also aren’t even available in the form of digital downloads or rentals.
In these circumstances, if I want to see the movie (and obey the law), the only option I have is to purchase a physical copy. This once again highlights one of the benefits of physical media: It can provide a means of experiencing content that might not be available on other services.
Even if a title is technically available to steam somewhere, it’s possible I don’t currently subscribe to the relevant streaming service. Perhaps a physical copy of the movie costs about as much as (or even less than) the price of subscribing to the relevant platform. In that case, buying a DVD or Blu-ray that’s likely to deliver stronger audio and video quality than a streamer can is an option that makes complete sense to me.
Sometimes I just get recommendations
Physical media allows for human recommendations instead of algorithm-based recommendations
I’ve pointed out in the past that one of the overlooked benefits of physical media is the way it allows a movie and TV fan to receive recommendations from actual people instead of algorithms. If you have a video shop or record shop selling DVDs and Blu-rays nearby, you can do your shopping there.
This already addresses the lack of third spaces that many complain about in our isolating digital age. It also gives you the chance to discuss movies, TV, and related topics with both your fellow shoppers and the proprietors of these stores. They may recommend titles based on a unique understanding of your tastes that an algorithm simply can’t compete with. If someone’s recommendation is convincing enough, I may just buy the film or show they insist I’ll love.
Yes, building a physical media collection can cost some money. That’s why it’s wise to explore ways to purchase physical media on a budget. That said, while spending cash on a disc of a movie or show that’s new to me might seem wasteful, there are circumstances when making these types of purchases is sensible. After all, if you’re paying for a streaming service, you’re already paying for access to a lot of content you’re unlikely to watch. Might as well spend money on content you’ll actually own.
