I purchased my first DVD when I was about 14 years old. At that time I had recently come into possession of the much sought after PlayStation 2. A Christmas present I had eagerly anticipated for well over a year. Though my primary motivation was indulging in the huge back catalogue of games I’d already missed, the superlative appeal was gaining access to owning movies. Having accumulated an extensive collection of DVDS, with carefree weekends scouring every entertainment retailer for movies I liked, had interesting concepts or were adorned with striking, sometimes obscene artwork. I was never prejudicial towards genre, trusting instinct and a seemingly inexhaustible budget to provide me with my evening entertainment. As well as a supplementary remedy for the numerous hangovers I sustained.
But leaving home, moving in with a partner, having kids and paying mortgages, utilities and every expense conceivable, that once unlimited and disposable income I used to wield, had diminished and storage you assumed you had became limited. It’s hard to justify their necessity in modern society, when streaming boasts such a broad range of practical solutions to almost any singular preference. But it doesn’t satisfy an individual’s specific interests, does it? You want to watch “Back To The Future?” Tough break, it’s streaming on another service. “Silence Of The Lambs?”. Uh! That left Netflix a week ago. “A Weekend At Burnie’s?”. Ha ha! Good luck! We as a nation have become much too reliant on the convenience of subscription services to provide us with our entertainment needs. What are you going to do if a streaming service collapsed? Perhaps when it seizes being a sustainable business model or a potential looming nuclear holocaust ensues, rendering WIFI obsolete. And it’s this sudden realisation that has prompted my renewed fervour for retaining 4k movies I can watch at any time.
Now it isn’t necessarily for the expressed purpose of cinematic preservation. Or even that I feel some kind of personal obligation to conserve physical media. But more for the purpose of consolidation. Searching to find a specific movie, only to discover that it isn’t currently streaming on any of the major streaming services, bar some obscure American exclusive provider, has become an infuriating encumbrance. So to placate this constraint I have devised a comprehensive list, each satisfying certain stipulations to ensure I’m acquiring an efficient reserve of 4k Blu Rays. For instance, if I own a movie on DVD as opposed to Blu Ray, I will probably upgrade. Though movies I don’t own in any format take priority. Though it was “Who Framed Roger Rabbit”, a movie I already possessed on DVD, that was the first to reinvigorate my burgeoning collection. Not to mention a physical record that substantiates the theory that Robert Zemeckis was once a great director.
My initial “collection” prior to this renewed interest in assembling more physical media, consisted of only “Jaws”. It has now ballooned to 7, with additions both upgrades and as yet unseen, which presents its own element of risk. But in either case I’m excited to expand my catalogue of prestige entertainment. Especially when you consider that there are no regional limitations on 4K DVDS. Knowing that, at least for a select few instances, I won’t have to worry about availability on a streaming service anymore.
Game, Complain, Repeat 