DVD snobbery

I have a vast collection of DVD’s.

It’s probably pushing about 400 (I’m aware that depending on the type of person you are this may seem like a ridiculous amount or hardly a ‘vast’ collection at all, but to me, it’s pretty freaking big). But despite having a lot of them, I’m astoundingly snobby when it comes to my collection.

For example, today I was browsing in a shop selling a lot of DVD’s. I had an interest in some of them, seeing as they were 2 for £10. However, there was a problem. These particular DVD’s were discontinued stock from a rental store that had gone out of business. And as such most of the DVD’s had the words RENTAL COPY on both the front and the spine of the case.

And therefore, I would never, ever buy it.

I know that the disc is probably fine and that there would probably not be any problems with the actual movie, but because of those two little words it will never grace my collection. It’s the same reason that back in the day where some bloke down the market had cheap knock off DVD’s that I was loathe to buy them.

To my eyes, it makes it look cheap. I take pride in my DVD collection. It’s nerdy, I know, but I can’t help it. The movies I own and the condition they’re in are a reflection on me. Of the 400 odd I own, all (or at the very least, 99% of them) are in perfect condition, just as they were the day they were bought. Beautiful, pristine, and official. I think ‘official’ is the most important word. Maybe it’s just me being a proper snob, but I can’t stand anything I own being less than perfect, or cheap looking. And for that reason I could never have a rental copy or a copied DVD adorning my beautiful shelf. Anyone else this particular about the collections? Or am I just that sad?

On a similar DVD shelf related note, I saw something else today that I’m surprised hasn’t been done before. It was a boxset for all the Saw movies that have been released on DVD so far, which is you’ve been following the series is 6 movies (not that many are following it; while the first Saw was truly brilliant, the sequels have become a convoluted mess, solely existing to find disgusting ways to kill people, although I do commend it’s committal to weaving an intricate back story that does actually adhere to rigorous continuity). But this boxset was different, and what drew my eye to it was the fact that on the front it had a sticker saying that this boxset had a space for the as yet unreleased (supposed) final chapter in the Saw franchise; Saw 3D.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Saw-1-6-Box-Set-DVD/dp/B003YUBZ84/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1297436794&sr=8-1

Such a simple idea, but one that I have not seen before in my years of DVD buying. And I think more franchises should adopt this new packaging revolution, as it would rid us of the horrible decision of whether to put a new addition (usually a fourth movie in a series) next to the already released boxset, or in the with the normal alphabetically organised single DVD’s. It’s a dilemma we all face. However, as I tried to come up with an example of my own for this, the only one I could come up with was Indiana Jones. But it gets a pass as the fourth one was made like 20 years after Last Crusade. And also, I try and bury Crystal Skull in with the others so as to try and wipe it from my memory. I’m sure there are more examples; I just can’t think of any right now.

So, if you’re in charge of a movie and think there may be sequels down the line, release your DVD with some extra space for a possible trilogy. And if you trilogy never happens, at least you’ve given us an extra place to hide our dirty movies.

Ta
JC