Scott Tilden I don’t mind buying things because the artwork looks really good, that’s fine as long as you gain enjoyment out of it. The problem is some people buy a Blu Ray, watch it once, you either like it or hate it, and then never watch it again. And when you do that while having over a thousand Blu Rays, you’ve wasted thousands of dollars and space. But yet some collectors never get rid of the Blu Rays they don’t care about. They keep them just for the simple fact that they call themselves as “collectors”. That is a prime example of a hoarder, a flaunter and a waste of money.
Omg!! Probably not funny when it happened but now I bet it’s hilarious. Luckily for you, TDKR is like $5 at your local bookstore, considering you’re still wanting it (:
I think the key to making a collection is really just knowing your tastes. I have a good idea of the catalog of directors, cinematographers, and screen writers who I tend to like. I’ve blind bought over 20-30 Blu-ray’s and 4ks and not one single purchase have I regretted. Furthermore, I do agree rewatchability is important but sometimes it’s ok to buy something if you just want it for your collection. I see my collection as a history of my filmgoing experience; therefore, I own films such as 12 Years A Slave and Manchester By The Sea because they impacted me and I believe they earn a spot in my collection even if I don’t see myself rewatching them frequently. Also, Criterion sales are life.
I normally only buy movies that I know I’m going to watch multiple times, and try to never spend over $10-15 unless I know it’s not going to drop in price. I’ve bought a few films that I’ve never seen but heard good things about when they were less than $5
I call 'em "Keepsies" The movies I want to own, so I can watch them whenever I want, in the best quality possible. Also, I am collecting the movies I like, not for market value (couldn't care less about steel-books..) but for personal ownership value; I want "The Greats" so am slowly getting the movies on the BFI top 100 list that I want/like. Right now I'm plugging the "biggest" holes (IMO) and like you, I wait for prices to drop; just bought the 4k of ET, for under $10! In April I got Alphaville for $14; right now, I got two AWESOME movies on the Kino Lorber website Summer Sale; The Cabinet of Dr Caligari and Tarkovsky's The Sacrifice, both for around 11-12 dollars; they normally go for close to $30!!
Yea I’m the same boys. I can’t understand how blu ray collectors just buy anything they see cos like it’s fair expensive so I only buy the greats that I’ll definitely be rewatching
Sounds like smart buying and budgeting to me. I send my siblings movies we watched with each other and our parents and enjoy watching again. I did spend more for a few classic Disney titles for my nephew. Disney tends to be pricey, yet I have gotten a few Disney titles cheaper at Amazon.
@ANDRE1mang I'm mad at the Avengers Endgame copy I have. It's a clean disc, no scratches or smudges whatsoever but every time I get to the part where Cap and Stark head back in time to go the the military bunker for the tesseract, it skips every single time. It annoys the fuck out me. But it's a great movie though. I love watching it.
Literally just started yesterday. Took my mom to Salvation Army and came across a bin of Blue Ray movies and came out with over 20 movies for like 2 bucks a piece. On top of that moms is a senior citizen and they took off an extra 25%!!! Started out with Marvel and DC! Liked and subbed ! ✊🏾
To expand on that, I’ll buy about 5-7 at a time and wait to watch them all, and then I’ll buy 5-7 more, and repeat. That way I’m not only expanding my collection more and more, but also saving time between purchases, which allows for more money and prices to drop
The best advice is buy what you love and what brings you joy. I started to buy films again during this pandemic that I was putting off for good prices and I’m so happy to finally have them physically. Streaming is what you should always do before you buy. Never blind buy unless you really want since it will lead to getting something you will not love to watch. Great tips and if I was to add something extra I would say make sure you do your research and find out if you are buying the best version of the movie you want.
Blind buying isnt always a bad thing for some people. I love blind buying especially from boutique labels like Shout or Arrow. Nothing like grabbing a cheesey looking horror film youve never seen and having a fun little movie night and end up discovering some gems.
The best version, thats very important. I wanted to upgrade DUNE from david lynch from my perfect laser paradise DVD to blu-ray. It was a long search and a lot of forum research til i found the right one as there are dozens of releases. And now it will be released in 4k!
Justus Creel shout isn’t a boutique label and they are the worst label that releases popular movies just behind the major studios. Extremely lazy label but if you blind buy that’s fine. Just that most people it will cause disappointment and waisted money.
Joshua Fletcher well most films are available to stream and those that you can only get physically are extremely rare cases that account for around 5% or less; so if you won’t watch them unless it’s right in front of you then yes, I guess blind buying is the way for you.
I always would rather wait and get the best release of a movie, like I would rather spring for a Criterion release than a $5 copy of the same movie with no restoration or special features. My feeling with collections are quality over quantity.
Movies that have extreme re-watchabilty factors heavily into whether I purchase or not. Other movies might not be the greatest, but they transport me back to happier times or more meaningful times in my life. Movies are art. Believe it or not, I had never seen Jaws all the way through for whatever reason, and I own the standard Blu-ray. Watching your excitement over it and other reviewers talking about this 45th anniversary 4K additional got me superhype. Since there are no theaters open this summer, I felt like watching the original blockbuster and all the features. Wasn't aware it came out about a month after I was born. Just watching movies of that era and moving into the 80s...wished they made more movies like this.
I always try to be as frugal as possible when buying blu-rays for my collection. Buying used and frequenting local thrift stores & pawn shops has always reaped huge rewards. I also time all of my Criterion Collection blu-ray purchases when Barnes & Noble has their twice a year half off Criterion sale.
Highly recommend this video to collectors. You just named everything I've already been doing and you're right. It's life-saving. Especially the offer bit
When I first started collecting I was buying almost everything that was on release, after realising I had spent a small fortune I started clearing out and just keeping the ones I would watch again. Now I mainly collect classic movies . As you say thrift stores or as we say here in the U.K. charity stores are a great place to pick up some great titles. The hobby can get overwhelming but if you stick to what you like it becomes less daunting, just don’t buy to make your collection look bigger in the beginning 👍
I've noticed in some of my area Walmarts the 4K/Bluray combo packs are less than $13.00. Even though I don't have a 4K TV/ Player I will buy them for the blurays, because sometimes they are cheaper than the same movie in a bluray/dvd combo pack!! Then whenever I do upgrade to 4K I will already have a decent collection of 4K videos!! Great video!!
Yup! I did the same thing. I only have a blu ray player but I saw The Kingsmen 1&2 on 4K and blu rayfor $15! That’s a steal, considering Kingsmen 1 is about $15 alone on 4K (at my local Walmart at least)
@@speedracer1945 Many people don’t like 3D, but that certainly doesn’t make it obsolete. Plenty of amazing films were shot specifically for 3D viewing, and that will always be the optimal way to watch them. The great thing about physical media is that it’s never truly obsolete, as it’s usefulness is determined by the person enjoying it. If you have an interest in watching films in 3D, then don’t allow others to dissuade you from enjoying that form of art.
The budget tip is a great one! I've been taking notes of what I've been buying this year.... and the amount of money I already spent this year shocked me. I'll definetely embrace this directive.
Hey Matt I just wanted to reach out to you to say I am happy you are sharing your interest with physical media. It takes a special person to think of others before himself. That's what your channel is about. Sharing your love and interest in movies. Giving young newcomers to physical media info about how to get started buying blu rays and 4k's is terrific. I myself have been buying physical media for 2 decades and I have a vast movie collection. I still learn from your videos so that tells you right Thier how important what your doing. Keep up the great work. I look forward to more of your videos in the future.
Great video. I've collected DVD Blu-ray for years.You have re-inspired me......I almost gave in to the gloom and doom of "physical media is dying" .My particular passion is classic films from the 1930s to 1980s . With the popularity of streaming I find I buy less physical media and almost considered reducing my collection. I then remember my regret of selling off my vinyl collection when CD was promoted as the next big thing .....and now years later I almost exclusively use Spotify. Deep down I'm a collector and discovering your channel has reminded me of that....so thank you
I always go straight to the Blu Ray section of my local charity chop/Pawn shop to browse the Blu Ray's and have bought a majority of my movies that way for about $3.00 a title
Keeping a list is the best tip given. Getting movies from estate sales, garage sales, and thrift stores is the next best. Also, I fully agree on buying what you want to watch again. TV series collecting When you don’t catch every episode during airing is great also. At garage and estate shows you can sometimes get a whole series cheap. We got BluRay Babalon 5 series for $10 that way.
I wonder whether you could do a video comparing and doing the Pros and Cons of a 4k digital stream film vs a 1080p Blu Ray film, talking about HDR and picture compression, sound compression, the overall picture quality difference, and then whether you would prefer watching a 4k stream or a 1080p bluray. There are some films that i like but dont love and cant decide whether I should buy the 4k streaming version, or get the physical 1080p, because i dont want to pay for the 4k Bluray for these titles, I know that this may be more of you talking about your preference in the end, it would still be helpful.
Great video. I’m old enough to have started serious movie collecting during the VHS tape days. In the never ending search for better picture and sound, I bought a laser disc player and started collecting them. Fortunately dvds came out before I got too far down the laser disk rabbit hole. Then super bit dvds, then Blueray, now 4K. I have some of my very favorite movies in all formats. I too have bought movies I all ready owned. To prevent this I have used DVD Profiler. It’s an older ap but very robust. If you’re an Apple fan you can use it on you iPhone and iPad also. I update my collection on my desktop and download it to my phone and iPad so they are always up to date. It can be used just on a mobile devise if you want. This is a hobby (my wife says obsession) that I’ve had for over 40 years. I still love it!
Tip number 11. If you want to buy a lot of movies, but you do not have much space buy a few cd/dvd wallets, and put the discs in there. That's what I have done, and that's what my mom has done as well. It's very convenient in the long run.
I really appreciate this video because it's mainly making me think I am approaching things the right way! I've just started collecting some blu rays and 4ks and have done myself a list of films which I absolutely love and definitely want to get. There's been a part of me gnawing away at me saying 'if you're going to collect you should get more than that' but this has confirmed that there's nothing wrong (and it's probably smarter) especially when just starting out, with starting with films which are your personal staples and favourites. and you don't NEED a collection of 100s of films to be a 'collector' or to be satisfied! Have been enjoying quite a few of your videos, seems a good channel so please do keep it up :)
You should also mentioning waiting for Black Friday sales. Especially once you get to late summer. Amazon and Best Buy usually have a lot of $4-$5 titles.
When you are a movie fan you buy the one you like or a fan of a actor. I started young with collection and now i have arround 3000 movies ( blu-ray and DVD) . Some movies i buy new and some on eBay for a smal price. TV'S and blu-ray players i dont buy the new and the best of the best but also not bad ones . I dont have a budget but also dont buy as a grazy, think before you buy. Greetings from the Netherlands.
I specialize in collecting horror movies especially collector's & limited editions. I do have some non-horror, but that is not my focus. It helps me stay on my budget which is $500 a month. Great tips. Thanks!
I also have a thing for trilogy's or movie collection's as a whole. Yes some are bad but it's nice making a rainy day out of it. My most recent pick ups were all 5 ice ages for 15 on bluray and the mummy collection for 20 bucks. Definitely worth it to me
Awesome tips man, been a collector for years - what gets more intense is if you collect other formats such as vhs or laserdisc - space gets taken up even faster with those bulkier formats and since they’re more rare and obscure items, the prices are tougher to negotiate sometimes - but the tip on buying what you’ll rewatch/what you really like is something that is definitely key to any collection.
My tip: Go international. Especially if you're from a country where physical media are expensive, but even if physical media are quite cheap in your country it never hurts to have look across the border. It's not only price that matters, but also the quality. Are you from a country where movies are only released on DVD, while Blu-rays are hard to find, let alone 4k Blu-rays? Check internationally to find movies in a better quality than the ones sold locally. Just keep region codes in mind if your player isn't region-free and remember 4k Blu-rays are region-free anyway, so it doesn't matter at all where you're buying these from as you'll always be able to play them. I'll just give some examples: - In my country The Good Liar costs 13 Euro on DVD. That's just the DVD as the movie has never been released on Blu-ray over here. For orders that are less than 20 Euro there's 2 Euro shipping costs, so to buy this movie on DVD in my own country I'd have to spend 15 Euro. On eBay I found the movie on Blu-ray with slipcover from a US seller for 12 Dollar, including free shipping. That's 10.30 Euro for the movie on Blu-ray from the US, compared to 15 Euro on DVD from my own country. That's just insane. Why'd I ever want to buy the DVD over here if it costs 50% more than the Blu-ray from the US? Yes, this Blu-ray I bought was brand-new. I buy from this seller all the time and they only open up the package to take the paper out with the code for the digital copy. I don't use digital copies and they're not redeemable in Europe anyway, so I don't care. I'm only interested in the Blu-ray and 12 Dollar is an unbeatable price. - In my country Toy Story 4 costs 15 Euro on DVD and 17 Euro on Blu-ray. Buying the movie on 4k Blu-ray? That's not possible, as it's never been released on 4k Blu-ray over here. The only choices you've got are the regular DVD or the regular Blu-ray. I've bought the Target exclusive digipack of the movie on 4k Blu-ray for just 16 Dollar. That's not even the regular 4k Blu-ray, but the beautiful 3-disc Limited Edition including the collectible Filmmaker Gallery and Storybook. - Over here Jigsaw costs 9 Euro on DVD and 15 Euro on Blu-ray. I got it on 4k Blu-ray with slipcover from the US for 15 Dollar. - In my country Joker costs 15 Euro on DVD, 16 Euro on Blu-ray and 27 on 4k Blu-ray. So finally a movie that was actually released on 4k Blu-ray over here, but it's 27 Euro while I've bought it from the US for 23 Dollar and then it even comes with a slipcover which is something you don't see in my country. Over here it's just the case with the movie in it and that's it. Over here we don't do slipcovers. So, I almost never buy movies in my own country, as it's much cheaper for me to import them and then I even get them in a better quality than the ones sold over here. So, I always go to eBay and then go to Advanced Search and under Location I always choose Worldwide and under Sort By I choose Price + Shipping: Lowest First. This way I can always buy the movie from wherever it's the cheapest. For brand-new 4k Blu-ray that's usually the US, for older DVDs that might be the UK.
Great tip on the selling digital codes man. I’ve gotten so many of those codes from my blu-rays and I never use them cause I prefer watching them at home on a tv. Now I’ll try selling them, get some side money here and there instead of just letting them expire and then they’re worthless forever.
can you give me those codes to me i just started to collect movies digitally and looking for some free codes so if you could please help me if possible here is my ig id: ganeshkumarhero thank you
As a renewed physical movie media collector, before I buy any movie (all 4K), I make sure to rent it from the PSN store and then watch it. If I end up liking it, I go on to buy the 4K disc. Videos on the PS4 are only in HD so it's always great to see the better looking 4K picture later on.
For me, it's one TV Series level purchase about once a month, an Amazon cart about twice a month, killer online deal a few times a month, shot gun approach at places that sell a lot of movies at ridiculously low prices around twice a month. This is after all my bills and required expenses are already paid. and I never spend more than about a 1/4 of my discretionary funds in one go.
Great video Jeff, one of your best. I've been collecting for many years and thought I had all the tricks down for getting the deals through trial and error, but you definitely taught this old dog a few more tricks. It's been hard to stay on budget lately when it seems as soon as one great sale is over another begins elsewhere. One thing I do to cull the herd is every December I go through my collection and take out those movies I don't see myself watching again in the next few years and give them away as Christmas gifts in bundle packs. It works well for me because not only does it clear up some space but I can justify it as getting back a lot of my investment by not having to spend the time and money on buying gifts for everyone on my list. I've received nothing but compliments doing this, being told many times how much they enjoy and look forward to getting one of my mystery boxes of movies every year.
My big tip for myself was to narrow down some collecting goals to focus on. For example, I love lots of 80’s movies! so my current goal is collecting 80’s movies that I love and know I will rewatch and I also want to pick up all the 80’s films I have always been interested in watching but never had the chance.
You should look up 80's rewind on your computer.. Shows every movie made from the 80's. Will help you narrow down what you don't own or know that's out there.
Discovered your channel recently and I'm really loving it. These are great videos and appreciate your perspective. I'm definitely someone who buys movies I love and rewatch or have been wanting to see and found it cheap. Never understood when people buy movies they're not really interested in watching but they just want it.
Great video. Tip number 10 that you make starting at 18:02 is so huge. I used to make a lot of blind buys if they were priced the same as a rental or close. After a while, I ended up getting a bunch of movies that I either didn't care for a lot, or liked but could not see myself re-watching. Shelf space was becoming an issue. Two to three years ago, I must have purged a total of at least 75 movies from my collection completely and moved a whole bunch more into CD/DVD wallets (while keeping the slip covers) and got rid of most of the cases. Now I am much more selective about what I actually buy and try to stream most movies first before committing to a purchase, and even then, I only buy stuff that I could see myself watching again. The only area where I might be lenient now is horror movies.
Great video! I'm a bit eccentric and created a data base using MS Access to not only track my movie titles but also the film company, the director, screen writer, producers, dp, editor, musical composer, cast, genre, run time, aspect ratio, release date, film stock, film awards, audio format, audio & video quality, disc features, purchased price, retail price, personal comments, etc. ect... Yeah, it's somewhat extensive but I have a fairly extensive collection of DVDs, BDs, and 4K movies and when I'm no longer here someone will get a nice tidy library.
Nobody ever seems to mention it, but Netflix discs by mail is still a fantastic way to rent films to watch if you're curious to see it before buying the disc. They really do have most what I would call "normal" movies, although many are only on DVD, unfortunately. I get to watch about 70 films a year for $120 and it's spared me from buying a number of movies I hated.
jeff, generally my movie collecting habits are different from other movie collectors but i do agree with your advice but here is what my opinion on this: if it is genres that you care about, then pursue the films and tv that you want
I think you might like 'In Search of Physical Media'. This guy has some great movie content and I just found his channel. m.th-cam.com/video/gnAjz5Ncy1o/w-d-xo.html
My Tip is to make friends with people working at stores, they're more likely to help you find a movie or to contact you if that disk you want comes into stock . I often show my appreciation by paying a little extra for the movie or maybe bring my friend a Starbucks drink.
I have several hundred movies on disc. I used to keep them in boxes in a closet, but they got to be unwieldy and heavy to move. Ripped 'em all to a large hard drive, and got one of those soft sided dvd holders with sleeves that hold about 400 discs, and threw away the cases. Now, my collection is very compact and lightweight. Now, I never have to touch the disc again, unless the hard drive dies before I get a chance to copy to a new one.
Try to always shop sales, and only buy movies I want to revisit and which I will be proud and happy to have in my collection. I also shamelessly ask for bigger things (criterion box-sets, for instance) for birthdays and Christmas; I'm not made of money and have to be careful. many films I want to have watched, but have no interest in collecting, other than as entries on Letterboxd.
For me, the only movies I've ever really considered getting on blu ray are older movies pre dating about 2000. Most of my blu rays are movies from about 1930s to 1980s. It makes the most sense to me seeing older movies fully restored and brought to HD, over newer movies that are sort of in HD anyway.
My rules 1. Don't waste money on steelbooks. 2. No more than £20 on 4k 3. No more that £10 for normal Bluray 4. Unless its a film i'm really excited about, wait for price drop. 5. If i'm not going to watch a bluray again, i trade it in, sell it or give it away.
Great tips! Only 2 points I would add would be to consider buying thin 7 mm DVD cases for your Blu ray/ DVD collection to save 1/2 the shelf space. Buy decent quality cases if you decide to do that. Verbatim 50 or 100 pk./Memorex brand cases etc are good. Also I suggest only buying high rated/reviewed films overall in any collection. IMDb reviews#1 and rotten tomatoes #2 both give a good overall consensus of movies/TV series etc.
I have over 400 Blu-Ray movies and I got on the 4k train a while ago so it's starting to shape up in that department. I also keep a list because it's hard to remember all the movies you've bought over the years, I've bought doubles several times. The reason I collect is simply because I want a library of movies I enjoy to be available on demand and at the highest quality. The other big reason is the extra features, I enjoy seeing the process of making movies. Thanks for the video Jeff!
One aspect that helped me decide on a purchase is special features. I am a special features nut. I always feel as though I got more for my money if the disc has a good assortment of special features.
I've got 3 bookshelves I got from walmart 5 shelf's that I turned into 7s and they are almost full ,but I paid 13$ for one,30$ for the other 2. One is for dvds,the other 2 split my Blu-ray in faves,n not faves,all alphabetical order,my 4ks in a separate shelf under my LGC9 OLED. I keep all my digital on vudu,n movies anywhere. Stay safe every one, happy watching
I always make sure to check the cases before I buy at goodwill to make sure the disc(s) are even there. I rarely had a problem when started checking for disc to be in there, especially for combo packs. I think I’m going to buy combo packs brand new from now on.
I almost avoid apps and online stuff bcuz i dont want my phone stuck in my hand all day...so ive never tried bluray.com. but i gotta say: bcuz of jeff's recommend to use the app to keep tabs on what u own, ive begun to create the list and what a help. So Jeff, ur video and info has been used by a much appreciated fan/physical media lover. Keep up the good work.
Excellent review, I completely agree. I was going to restart a steelbook collection with the Avengers. But I thought to myself, have them on Blu-ray, there fine. I decided to just start new movies that I don't have yet. For example, Watchmen (DC) on 4K. Great purchase!
I'm just starting. I plan on picking up sure-bets and classics first. I am doing it to compliment my new OLED and want stuff that looks fantastic but that I also want to watch a lot. I'll have friends and family pick whatever they want to watch and know that I'll be cool with whatever they select.
Wow, great idea for a video, and some great tips. Some seem ridiculously self-evident ("only buy it if you like the movie/will watch it"), but you never know. One thing that has helped me cut back on purchases is realising that-99% of the time-double (or more) -dipping is NOT going to make the movie any better. I bought every single release of Alien (VHS, laserdisc, laserdisc special edition, DVD, DVD boxed set, blu-ray, etc.) until I realised that what I was REALLY trying to do was see the movie again for the first time, which no release, no matter how special, can ever let me do. I'm glad I got the blu-ray Anthology set, that really DID come close to watching it for the first time (the picture quality was so great, it made a (n at the time) 35-year-old film look like it was shot within the last year), but no matter how many bells and whistles the latest disc/video format adds, it's not going to make a crappy movie into a classic, and it's not going to make it like you're watching the movie for the first time. Really enjoy your videos, and quarantine has made me appreciate checking in on your latest uploads that much more! Keep up the good work, I learn so much from you!
Great Video Jeff! You Really Narrowed It Down! I’ve Been Collecting Physical Media For Years And I Have 1,151 Blurays In My Collection! I’m Like You I Buy Almost Everything But I Also Buy What I Want Or If I’ve Seen It And I Can Watch It Anytime I Want!
I’m in the uk I limited myself to £10 max and just go hunting through the thrift shops etc then sell what I don’t need to buy things I want . I look out for lenticular covers they are my passion
This was a helpful video, Jeff. I've been collecting for *years* (VHS to Laserdisc to DVD to Blu-ray to 4k!), but I still came away with some helpful tips 🙂. Keep up the great work, and stay safe back there!
P.S. I finally picked up the classic "Fail Safe" from Criterion, a film I caught on late-night TV years ago and one of the most intense films I've ever seen. If you get the chance to view it, I'd love to hear your take on the film.
Get on the email mailing lists for Arrow, Criterion, Shout, Kino Lorber, and other boutique printers and stay tuned for their infrequent sales announcements. Mid-summer and Thanksgiving being likely times for bargains.
My advice would be to actually sit down and watch/enjoy whatever you've picked up each month, sounds like a no-brainer I know, but it's easy to slip into the habit of collecting for the sake of retail therapy and 'shelf aesthetic'. Taking the time to watch what you pick up each month helps you enjoy the hobby so much more and usually helps curb your spending.
Excellent advise. To add to this: Most TVs these days have superb 4K upscalers - a well made 1080p Blu-ray like Air Force One still looks nice on a new 4K set.
I don't collect too many blu ray movies because of streaming services. But there are some that are out of print like the Speed Racer movie that you just have to have and it's so worth it to own it when not many people will.
In the UK new releases hold their store price for about 6 months, or permanently. A good way here is getting pre-owned, especially from the chain of CEX entertainment exchange stores. 2 year guarantee also. Prices here are for new disks are $US 20 for blu-ray and $US 35 for 4K. Very few blu-ray at charity stores (thrift stores) as they get sold on eBay or to CEX.
Good advice, especially against "keeping up with the Joneses." While I certainly appreciate the archivist mentality and mean no shade towards those who take that approach, I generally don't think materialistically consuming next product just to consume is good for the soul. I use streaming as a vetting system eo that I'm not wasting money on something I have no intention of seeing again or even on movies that I like but can stand to wait for their availability in streaming. My mindset behind my collection is a curator's mindset. I only want the movies I really love and enjoy that I want to be able to see whenever I want rather than whenever one of the streaners allow. I also like quality bonus features because I love exploring the craft of filmmaking and the art that goes into their creative process. The one thing I wish you covered was if or when to upgrade. My thinking is that I'll get 4K when it's a movie I love that I know is a good transfer and/or if the deal was too good not to get it in 4K. Otherwise, I've been getting Blu-ray. What I want to know is whether or not I ehould just go for the 4K if it's available (yes, I do have a current gen gaming console to play them on and a TV that can take advantage of the format) and upgrade everything I have on Blu-ray to 4K when availability and pricing allows, or if I should keep getting Blu-ray in spite of 4K availability and reserve 4K for my absolute favorites.
Coming from a fellow collector, great video! Wondering (if you haven't already) making a video discussing the various "special features" on DVD, Blu-Ray, etc. I find myself "upgrading" and then finding out special features are missing from the new copy and now I've got to keep two or three copies of one movie. Great channel and keep up the good work!
Keeping tack of your collection is important! I am sitting at about 1000 movies, not counting TV shows, and I have picked up doubles a few times now. That is even after I cataloged my collection. I'm guilty of updating 4 times a year, so sometimes I double up.
In Australia, I waited for the box sets of the animated series Battle of the Planets to come down/go on sale. They hit the right price and I got them all, rather than spending way more at retail.
These tips are straight money...🔥💵🔥 As a fellow hobbyist in this field, I concur with these tips one hundred percent...👌🏼💯✔ I even learned something new myself to furthermore help me in this hobby and with my collection...👍🏼
I'm trying to not get too hung up on finding the best possible transfer or only buying 4k releases. Lately I've been supporting my local independent stores that sell used movies. I often find Blu-Rays for $6 a piece. There still is an unfortunate amount of movies that never received anything past a DVD release.
I have around 3000 discs and box sets in my bedroom. My mother moans about the ceiling coming down and other people say I'm mean because I won't lend them out. I know people wouldn't look after them like I do.
Great video. I’d also add that you don’t need to double (or triple) dip every time a movie you own gets an upgrade. I've purchased some films so many times over the years that it's starting to feel wasteful. Consider how many times you've watched the copy in your collection before deciding to spend the money on an upgrade. I went a little overboard when I first got into 4K discs, rebuying many films I already owned on Blu-ray. Is the quality better? Sure! But after sampling the 4K, the discs went on my shelf right where the Blu-ray editions (which were sold for a fraction of what I paid for them) used to be. Now the first question I ask myself when trying to decide whether to buy a movie is, “Do I already have this movie?” If the answer is YES, then maybe I don’t need to buy the new collector's edition or 4K. The members on Blu-ray.com will get excited about buying a rerelease of a film if it corrects a minor flaw, or if it’s 4K (or sometimes just for the same old disc from 2006 in fancy packaging). But you’ll save a lot of money if you don’t feel the need to keep upgrading your collection.
I am about to start getting into the physical movies hobby... I’ll go for 4K Blu-ray and of movies I like watching or that I have a nostalgic connection with.
Outstanding video here! You really lay out a ton of good advice, and I appreciate that you keep an eye to practical things like economics and space. For anyone reading this, I'd also throw out there that everything he's saying about movies, applies just as equally to physical video games. (And your whole idea of "keeping a list" you can easily check is a great one -- something I just started doing myself this year using Google Sheets, and it has taken so much guesswork out of remembering which titles I do and don't already own.)
I only buy blu-rays of movies that I REALLY LOVE. I need to have them physically. (Also, the extras and deleted scenes, that's not available elsewhere but the blu-ray or DVD.)
Thanks for the video and the honest opinion. Especially looking at certain TH-camr, you think there is no budget to their collection. People see their collections or they are buying the latest and greatest. But how often we have movies still in the original wrapping for years? Thanks for bringing to attention the problems that comes with collecting.
I only buy movies I've seen prior. I buy movies I know will get multiple viewings. I also have a "no double-dipping" policy within technological generations(i.e. - if I owned a movie on DVD I generally didn't also buy that movie on blu-ray. Same goes for blu-ray to 4k uhd). I've made exceptions for my favorites(franchises, actors etc.). When streaming came along I would sometimes look at my collection and feel burned that I spent too much and uselessly because alot of my movies were somewhere on a streaming service I probably subscribe to . . . UNTIL I UPGRADED my home theater sound. Now I look at all my choices(including a number of my dvds) and I'm happy because you can't beat physical media for viewing movies at home(at least not yet). If it weren't for audio tracks I probably would have either sold or given away my collection and gone digital but ownership is a lot better than leasing a movie digitally 🤷🏽♂️
It's an excellent time to enter the hobby. I'm finding 3D Bluray releases with Lenticular slipcovers in pristine condition for 5 bucks. These things were 35 dollars retail at best buy in their release year. You can even get plenty of 4k releases for a 10 dollar bill.
I havent set a budget but i am making a list of all the movies i want first. Whether i have to have them in 4k or if im ok with it in just blu-ray. Then i will decide which ones i want first and make a budget. Of course my priority on movies can change when a great deal comes up. Today i used my best buy certificates to get The Mummy 4k trilogy for 5 bucks.
Very good points. I've got to admit, when it comes to triple packs like you say, I can only do it when the movies are from the same series. Makes my OCD go mad 😂 Also I use Google Sheets to keep track of my collection, all color coded by format plus hundreds I've got on the watchlist
These are great tips. I never buy on release date unless it’s a special edition and it will be more expensive down the line. I save most of my movie purchases for Black Friday. You can get a lot of movies for dirt cheap and you won’t feel like you’re spending a lot. eBay is iffy why selling codes. Sometimes they’ll take down your listens but sometimes they won’t.
I love collecting DVDs and Blu-rays, but being a starving artist, I’m only able to add 15 to 20 new titles a year. Of course, I’ve been collecting since I was a child, so I have nearly 500 titles in my collection. I used to get a lot of good deals at thrift stores, but the pandemic has prevented me from going to them.
This is a topic where I say, wish I knew now what I didnt know then. Check Dollar Trees, big lots, goodwills, walmart bins, thrift stores and pawn shops. Anywhere you can find them for $5 or less. I havent shopped for movies at a best buy in years and I don't do steelbooks. Dont buy new releases unless it's a must have. I've been collecting dvds and blurays since 2005 and this is the easiest piece of advice I can give.
Definitely ran into the space problem recently, after having gotten lucky with a Goodwill full of blurays and DVD's, but forgot we didn't have much space left. Had to wait a few days for a spinny-shelf thing to come in, but now the collection looks much prettier :D
I actually fairly recently made a text document on my computer keeping a list of all my DVDs, blurays and 4ks to go through the list and figure out what movie I want to see. That's the main purpose of my list although I need to update it and mark what format each movie is in so I don't rebuy the movie as you said. Another reason to mark format is so a person knows what movies they might want to upgrade to 4k. That's my additional advice for people. Also I forgot to mention, make sure you alphabetize your list and movie collection especially as your collection grows.
In addition to the 'buying used' tip, I would advise to invest in some new Amaray cases. They're very cheap to buy in bulk, and it means instead of spending £8 on a new blu ray, I can buy it from Music Magpie for £3 and just replace the case.
I use Amazon wishlist and keep an eye on titles i want for when there is a good used price. If you look at used prices a lot you will start to see some sellers like Declutter and Gopeachy over and over. Sometimes the stores have their own website apart from Amazon, such as Declutter that has better price when you go through them direct.
I only buy the movies that I watch the most!
Me too bro, I don’t collect Blu Rays just to flaunt my collection or waste thousands on movies that I barely rewatch.
Yeap! Yeap! Yeap!
Scott Tilden I don’t mind buying things because the artwork looks really good, that’s fine as long as you gain enjoyment out of it. The problem is some people buy a Blu Ray, watch it once, you either like it or hate it, and then never watch it again. And when you do that while having over a thousand Blu Rays, you’ve wasted thousands of dollars and space. But yet some collectors never get rid of the Blu Rays they don’t care about. They keep them just for the simple fact that they call themselves as “collectors”. That is a prime example of a hoarder, a flaunter and a waste of money.
I only buy blu rays of movies I’ve seen
Scott Tilden yeah I’m like that as well. And if I buy a movie and don’t like it I put on eBay and then you’ve lost no more than $1
I remember buying The Dark Knight Blu-ray at a swap meet and when I got home I opened the box it was Stuart Little dvd :/
Lmao hahahah they got you good
I’m sorry but that is hilarious imagining that 😂😂😂
You shoulda checked just saying
I'm sure that was a little frustrating.
Omg!! Probably not funny when it happened but now I bet it’s hilarious. Luckily for you, TDKR is like $5 at your local bookstore, considering you’re still wanting it (:
I bought batman the complete animated series for $35 and sold the digital code for $24! Best deal I've ever got!
That's amazing
Lollll
Where do you sell a digital code or was a it just a friend?
I think the key to making a collection is really just knowing your tastes. I have a good idea of the catalog of directors, cinematographers, and screen writers who I tend to like. I’ve blind bought over 20-30 Blu-ray’s and 4ks and not one single purchase have I regretted. Furthermore, I do agree rewatchability is important but sometimes it’s ok to buy something if you just want it for your collection. I see my collection as a history of my filmgoing experience; therefore, I own films such as 12 Years A Slave and Manchester By The Sea because they impacted me and I believe they earn a spot in my collection even if I don’t see myself rewatching them frequently. Also, Criterion sales are life.
I normally only buy movies that I know I’m going to watch multiple times, and try to never spend over $10-15 unless I know it’s not going to drop in price. I’ve bought a few films that I’ve never seen but heard good things about when they were less than $5
I call 'em "Keepsies" The movies I want to own, so I can watch them whenever I want, in the best quality possible. Also, I am collecting the movies I like, not for market value (couldn't care less about steel-books..) but for personal ownership value; I want "The Greats" so am slowly getting the movies on the BFI top 100 list that I want/like. Right now I'm plugging the "biggest" holes (IMO) and like you, I wait for prices to drop; just bought the 4k of ET, for under $10! In April I got Alphaville for $14; right now, I got two AWESOME movies on the Kino Lorber website Summer Sale; The Cabinet of Dr Caligari and Tarkovsky's The Sacrifice, both for around 11-12 dollars; they normally go for close to $30!!
Yea I’m the same boys. I can’t understand how blu ray collectors just buy anything they see cos like it’s fair expensive so I only buy the greats that I’ll definitely be rewatching
Sounds like smart buying and budgeting to me. I send my siblings movies we watched with each other and our parents and enjoy watching again. I did spend more for a few classic Disney titles for my nephew. Disney tends to be pricey, yet I have gotten a few Disney titles cheaper at Amazon.
@ANDRE1mang I'm mad at the Avengers Endgame copy I have. It's a clean disc, no scratches or smudges whatsoever but every time I get to the part where Cap and Stark head back in time to go the the military bunker for the tesseract, it skips every single time. It annoys the fuck out me. But it's a great movie though. I love watching it.
A good way to watch movies you've never seen is to check them out at your library. It's like renting from Netflix the old fashioned way but free
Literally just started yesterday. Took my mom to Salvation Army and came across a bin of Blue Ray movies and came out with over 20 movies for like 2 bucks a piece. On top of that moms is a senior citizen and they took off an extra 25%!!! Started out with Marvel and DC!
Liked and subbed !
✊🏾
Make a rule for yourself where you can't buy another one until you've watched the ones you previously bought.
Oooo I like this
To expand on that, I’ll buy about 5-7 at a time and wait to watch them all, and then I’ll buy 5-7 more, and repeat. That way I’m not only expanding my collection more and more, but also saving time between purchases, which allows for more money and prices to drop
The best advice is buy what you love and what brings you joy.
I started to buy films again during this pandemic that I was putting off for good prices and I’m so happy to finally have them physically.
Streaming is what you should always do before you buy. Never blind buy unless you really want since it will lead to getting something you will not love to watch.
Great tips and if I was to add something extra I would say make sure you do your research and find out if you are buying the best version of the movie you want.
Blind buying isnt always a bad thing for some people. I love blind buying especially from boutique labels like Shout or Arrow. Nothing like grabbing a cheesey looking horror film youve never seen and having a fun little movie night and end up discovering some gems.
Justus Creel exactly! I would have never seen some of my favorites without blind buying.
The best version, thats very important. I wanted to upgrade DUNE from david lynch from my perfect laser paradise DVD to blu-ray. It was a long search and a lot of forum research til i found the right one as there are dozens of releases. And now it will be released in 4k!
Justus Creel shout isn’t a boutique label and they are the worst label that releases popular movies just behind the major studios. Extremely lazy label but if you blind buy that’s fine. Just that most people it will cause disappointment and waisted money.
Joshua Fletcher well most films are available to stream and those that you can only get physically are extremely rare cases that account for around 5% or less; so if you won’t watch them unless it’s right in front of you then yes, I guess blind buying is the way for you.
I always would rather wait and get the best release of a movie, like I would rather spring for a Criterion release than a $5 copy of the same movie with no restoration or special features. My feeling with collections are quality over quantity.
I bought Knives Out recently thinking I'd watch it a couple times. I'm up to about 8 views now. Some movies just get better the more you revisit them.
its not even that good lol
@@brinthaavan Well, she likes it, and that's all that matters here.
@@brinthaavan umm...it's a pretty decent movie.
@@brinthaavan knives out is a fucking phenomenal film
great film! idk if i cd rewatch a murder mystery film that many times tho
Movies that have extreme re-watchabilty factors heavily into whether I purchase or not. Other movies might not be the greatest, but they transport me back to happier times or more meaningful times in my life. Movies are art. Believe it or not, I had never seen Jaws all the way through for whatever reason, and I own the standard Blu-ray. Watching your excitement over it and other reviewers talking about this 45th anniversary 4K additional got me superhype. Since there are no theaters open this summer, I felt like watching the original blockbuster and all the features. Wasn't aware it came out about a month after I was born. Just watching movies of that era and moving into the 80s...wished they made more movies like this.
I always try to be as frugal as possible when buying blu-rays for my collection. Buying used and frequenting local thrift stores & pawn shops has always reaped huge rewards. I also time all of my Criterion Collection blu-ray purchases when Barnes & Noble has their twice a year half off Criterion sale.
Highly recommend this video to collectors. You just named everything I've already been doing and you're right. It's life-saving. Especially the offer bit
I and my potential wife will enjoy collecting movies on DVD BluRay 3D BluRay and 4K UltraHD BluRay for fun
Its my wife and I
I hope you have tons of fun collecting like I do. Also, ignore the grammar nazi.
John Leone I know
@@karanvirkooner1993 You get anything good so far?
When I first started collecting I was buying almost everything that was on release, after realising I had spent a small fortune I started clearing out and just keeping the ones I would watch again. Now I mainly collect classic movies . As you say thrift stores or as we say here in the U.K. charity stores are a great place to pick up some great titles. The hobby can get overwhelming but if you stick to what you like it becomes less daunting, just don’t buy to make your collection look bigger in the beginning 👍
I've noticed in some of my area Walmarts the 4K/Bluray combo packs are less than $13.00. Even though I don't have a 4K TV/ Player I will buy them for the blurays, because sometimes they are cheaper than the same movie in a bluray/dvd combo pack!! Then whenever I do upgrade to 4K I will already have a decent collection of 4K videos!! Great video!!
That’s exactly what I did, and now that I have a 4K TV and player, I had a good collection of 4K Blu rays to watch instantly
Yup! I did the same thing. I only have a blu ray player but I saw The Kingsmen 1&2 on 4K and blu rayfor $15! That’s a steal, considering Kingsmen 1 is about $15 alone on 4K (at my local Walmart at least)
@@domphilbrick I bought a few that had 3D but then I read thats obsolete.
@@speedracer1945 Many people don’t like 3D, but that certainly doesn’t make it obsolete. Plenty of amazing films were shot specifically for 3D viewing, and that will always be the optimal way to watch them. The great thing about physical media is that it’s never truly obsolete, as it’s usefulness is determined by the person enjoying it. If you have an interest in watching films in 3D, then don’t allow others to dissuade you from enjoying that form of art.
I found friday the 13th 1-8 at my local Walmart for $12
The budget tip is a great one! I've been taking notes of what I've been buying this year.... and the amount of money I already spent this year shocked me. I'll definetely embrace this directive.
Hey Matt I just wanted to reach out to you to say I am happy you are sharing your interest with physical media. It takes a special person to think of others before himself. That's what your channel is about. Sharing your love and interest in movies. Giving young newcomers to physical media info about how to get started buying blu rays and 4k's is terrific. I myself have been buying physical media for 2 decades and I have a vast movie collection. I still learn from your videos so that tells you right Thier how important what your doing. Keep up the great work. I look forward to more of your videos in the future.
Great video. I've collected DVD Blu-ray for years.You have re-inspired me......I almost gave in to the gloom and doom of "physical media is dying" .My particular passion is classic films from the 1930s to
1980s . With the popularity of streaming I find I buy less physical media and almost considered reducing my collection. I then remember my regret of selling off my vinyl collection when CD was promoted as the next big thing .....and now years later I almost exclusively use Spotify. Deep down I'm a collector and discovering your channel has reminded me of that....so thank you
I always go straight to the Blu Ray section of my local charity chop/Pawn shop to browse the Blu Ray's and have bought a majority of my movies that way for about $3.00 a title
That was a very good wholesome message at the beginning. Thank you for that, I really needed a reality check right now
Keeping a list is the best tip given. Getting movies from estate sales, garage sales, and thrift stores is the next best. Also, I fully agree on buying what you want to watch again. TV series collecting When you don’t catch every episode during airing is great also. At garage and estate shows you can sometimes get a whole series cheap. We got BluRay Babalon 5 series for $10 that way.
I wonder whether you could do a video comparing and doing the Pros and Cons of a 4k digital stream film vs a 1080p Blu Ray film, talking about HDR and picture compression, sound compression, the overall picture quality difference, and then whether you would prefer watching a 4k stream or a 1080p bluray. There are some films that i like but dont love and cant decide whether I should buy the 4k streaming version, or get the physical 1080p, because i dont want to pay for the 4k Bluray for these titles, I know that this may be more of you talking about your preference in the end, it would still be helpful.
Bly ray every time. The sound on the blu ray is infinitely better than any streaming, regardless of picture resolution.
Thrift stores and second hand stores are awesome for blu ray purchases!
Great video. I’m old enough to have started serious movie collecting during the VHS tape days. In the never ending search for better picture and sound, I bought a laser disc player and started collecting them. Fortunately dvds came out before I got too far down the laser disk rabbit hole. Then super bit dvds, then Blueray, now 4K. I have some of my very favorite movies in all formats. I too have bought movies I all ready owned. To prevent this I have used DVD Profiler. It’s an older ap but very robust. If you’re an Apple fan you can use it on you iPhone and iPad also. I update my collection on my desktop and download it to my phone and iPad so they are always up to date. It can be used just on a mobile devise if you want. This is a hobby (my wife says obsession) that I’ve had for over 40 years. I still love it!
Glad to hear that I am not the only one still using Profiler.
nice!
Tip number 11. If you want to buy a lot of movies, but you do not have much space buy a few cd/dvd wallets, and put the discs in there. That's what I have done, and that's what my mom has done as well. It's very convenient in the long run.
You can't go wrong with this advice, especially buying used and buying films youll want to rewatch. Excellent video.
I really appreciate this video because it's mainly making me think I am approaching things the right way! I've just started collecting some blu rays and 4ks and have done myself a list of films which I absolutely love and definitely want to get. There's been a part of me gnawing away at me saying 'if you're going to collect you should get more than that' but this has confirmed that there's nothing wrong (and it's probably smarter) especially when just starting out, with starting with films which are your personal staples and favourites. and you don't NEED a collection of 100s of films to be a 'collector' or to be satisfied!
Have been enjoying quite a few of your videos, seems a good channel so please do keep it up :)
You should also mentioning waiting for Black Friday sales. Especially once you get to late summer. Amazon and Best Buy usually have a lot of $4-$5 titles.
When you are a movie fan you buy the one you like or a fan of a actor. I started young with collection and now i have arround 3000 movies ( blu-ray and DVD) . Some movies i buy new and some on eBay for a smal price. TV'S and blu-ray players i dont buy the new and the best of the best but also not bad ones . I dont have a budget but also dont buy as a grazy, think before you buy. Greetings from the Netherlands.
Zou jij misschien weten waar ik Ex Machina op 4k bluray kan kopen? Ik kan hem echt nergens vinden
@@Mike_v_E ik zal kijken voor je .... maar beloof niks 👍👍
@@Mike_v_E op EBay zijn er genoeg te vinden . Dus succes en veel kijk plezier.
Als men op EBay koopt kijk goed naar feedback en hoe lang iemand op EBay verkoopt. 🤘🤘
Mario Live Gaming goeie! Alleen ben ik bang dat er dan geen nederlandse ondertiteling op zit
I specialize in collecting horror movies especially collector's & limited editions. I do have some non-horror, but that is not my focus. It helps me stay on my budget which is $500 a month. Great tips. Thanks!
I also have a thing for trilogy's or movie collection's as a whole. Yes some are bad but it's nice making a rainy day out of it. My most recent pick ups were all 5 ice ages for 15 on bluray and the mummy collection for 20 bucks. Definitely worth it to me
You need 5 ice age movies? Hahhhahaha. Ugh
Awesome tips man, been a collector for years - what gets more intense is if you collect other formats such as vhs or laserdisc - space gets taken up even faster with those bulkier formats and since they’re more rare and obscure items, the prices are tougher to negotiate sometimes - but the tip on buying what you’ll rewatch/what you really like is something that is definitely key to any collection.
My tip: Go international.
Especially if you're from a country where physical media are expensive, but even if physical media are quite cheap in your country it never hurts to have look across the border. It's not only price that matters, but also the quality. Are you from a country where movies are only released on DVD, while Blu-rays are hard to find, let alone 4k Blu-rays? Check internationally to find movies in a better quality than the ones sold locally.
Just keep region codes in mind if your player isn't region-free and remember 4k Blu-rays are region-free anyway, so it doesn't matter at all where you're buying these from as you'll always be able to play them. I'll just give some examples:
- In my country The Good Liar costs 13 Euro on DVD. That's just the DVD as the movie has never been released on Blu-ray over here. For orders that are less than 20 Euro there's 2 Euro shipping costs, so to buy this movie on DVD in my own country I'd have to spend 15 Euro. On eBay I found the movie on Blu-ray with slipcover from a US seller for 12 Dollar, including free shipping. That's 10.30 Euro for the movie on Blu-ray from the US, compared to 15 Euro on DVD from my own country. That's just insane. Why'd I ever want to buy the DVD over here if it costs 50% more than the Blu-ray from the US? Yes, this Blu-ray I bought was brand-new. I buy from this seller all the time and they only open up the package to take the paper out with the code for the digital copy. I don't use digital copies and they're not redeemable in Europe anyway, so I don't care. I'm only interested in the Blu-ray and 12 Dollar is an unbeatable price.
- In my country Toy Story 4 costs 15 Euro on DVD and 17 Euro on Blu-ray. Buying the movie on 4k Blu-ray? That's not possible, as it's never been released on 4k Blu-ray over here. The only choices you've got are the regular DVD or the regular Blu-ray. I've bought the Target exclusive digipack of the movie on 4k Blu-ray for just 16 Dollar. That's not even the regular 4k Blu-ray, but the beautiful 3-disc Limited Edition including the collectible Filmmaker Gallery and Storybook.
- Over here Jigsaw costs 9 Euro on DVD and 15 Euro on Blu-ray. I got it on 4k Blu-ray with slipcover from the US for 15 Dollar.
- In my country Joker costs 15 Euro on DVD, 16 Euro on Blu-ray and 27 on 4k Blu-ray. So finally a movie that was actually released on 4k Blu-ray over here, but it's 27 Euro while I've bought it from the US for 23 Dollar and then it even comes with a slipcover which is something you don't see in my country. Over here it's just the case with the movie in it and that's it. Over here we don't do slipcovers.
So, I almost never buy movies in my own country, as it's much cheaper for me to import them and then I even get them in a better quality than the ones sold over here. So, I always go to eBay and then go to Advanced Search and under Location I always choose Worldwide and under Sort By I choose Price + Shipping: Lowest First. This way I can always buy the movie from wherever it's the cheapest. For brand-new 4k Blu-ray that's usually the US, for older DVDs that might be the UK.
Great tip on the selling digital codes man. I’ve gotten so many of those codes from my blu-rays and I never use them cause I prefer watching them at home on a tv. Now I’ll try selling them, get some side money here and there instead of just letting them expire and then they’re worthless forever.
can you give me those codes to me i just started to collect movies digitally and looking for some free codes so if you could please help me if possible here is my ig id: ganeshkumarhero thank you
As a renewed physical movie media collector, before I buy any movie (all 4K), I make sure to rent it from the PSN store and then watch it. If I end up liking it, I go on to buy the 4K disc. Videos on the PS4 are only in HD so it's always great to see the better looking 4K picture later on.
For me, it's one TV Series level purchase about once a month, an Amazon cart about twice a month, killer online deal a few times a month, shot gun approach at places that sell a lot of movies at ridiculously low prices around twice a month. This is after all my bills and required expenses are already paid. and I never spend more than about a 1/4 of my discretionary funds in one go.
Great video Jeff, one of your best. I've been collecting for many years and thought I had all the tricks down for getting the deals through trial and error, but you definitely taught this old dog a few more tricks. It's been hard to stay on budget lately when it seems as soon as one great sale is over another begins elsewhere. One thing I do to cull the herd is every December I go through my collection and take out those movies I don't see myself watching again in the next few years and give them away as Christmas gifts in bundle packs. It works well for me because not only does it clear up some space but I can justify it as getting back a lot of my investment by not having to spend the time and money on buying gifts for everyone on my list. I've received nothing but compliments doing this, being told many times how much they enjoy and look forward to getting one of my mystery boxes of movies every year.
My big tip for myself was to narrow down some collecting goals to focus on. For example, I love lots of 80’s movies! so my current goal is collecting 80’s movies that I love and know I will rewatch and I also want to pick up all the 80’s films I have always been interested in watching but never had the chance.
You should look up 80's rewind on your computer.. Shows every movie made from the 80's. Will help you narrow down what you don't own or know that's out there.
Chuck Stanway Thanks for letting me know! I haven’t heard of that site. I’ll definitely check that out 👍
Discovered your channel recently and I'm really loving it. These are great videos and appreciate your perspective. I'm definitely someone who buys movies I love and rewatch or have been wanting to see and found it cheap. Never understood when people buy movies they're not really interested in watching but they just want it.
Selling is my issue ... can't part with 'em!
I feel you It's even hard for me to let people borrow them
@@SoapNugget I've stopped lending people anything I care about; they will invariably care less than I do!
@@SoapNugget I would never let anyone borrow my Arrow video or Steelbooks haha
@@AWretchedMan I only let people borrow blu ray's, my steelbooks and 4K's I won't lend
I know I will never sell my collection, I don't even keep my cases cause disk wallets take up a miniscule amount of space compared to all those cases
Great video. Tip number 10 that you make starting at 18:02 is so huge. I used to make a lot of blind buys if they were priced the same as a rental or close. After a while, I ended up getting a bunch of movies that I either didn't care for a lot, or liked but could not see myself re-watching. Shelf space was becoming an issue. Two to three years ago, I must have purged a total of at least 75 movies from my collection completely and moved a whole bunch more into CD/DVD wallets (while keeping the slip covers) and got rid of most of the cases. Now I am much more selective about what I actually buy and try to stream most movies first before committing to a purchase, and even then, I only buy stuff that I could see myself watching again. The only area where I might be lenient now is horror movies.
Great video! I'm a bit eccentric and created a data base using MS Access to not only track my movie titles but also the film company, the director, screen writer, producers, dp, editor, musical composer, cast, genre, run time, aspect ratio, release date, film stock, film awards, audio format, audio & video quality, disc features, purchased price, retail price, personal comments, etc. ect... Yeah, it's somewhat extensive but I have a fairly extensive collection of DVDs, BDs, and 4K movies and when I'm no longer here someone will get a nice tidy library.
Nobody ever seems to mention it, but Netflix discs by mail is still a fantastic way to rent films to watch if you're curious to see it before buying the disc. They really do have most what I would call "normal" movies, although many are only on DVD, unfortunately. I get to watch about 70 films a year for $120 and it's spared me from buying a number of movies I hated.
jeff, generally my movie collecting habits are different from other movie collectors
but i do agree with your advice
but here is what my opinion on this:
if it is genres that you care about, then pursue the films and tv that you want
I recommend the app my movie pro and you don’t need the internet to look up movies on it
I think you might like 'In Search of Physical Media'. This guy has some great movie content and I just found his channel. m.th-cam.com/video/gnAjz5Ncy1o/w-d-xo.html
It’s nice to live near video shops. I live near places called sound exchange and grindhouse video. Super great for collectors
My Tip is to make friends with people working at stores, they're more likely to help you find a movie or to contact you if that disk you want comes into stock . I often show my appreciation by paying a little extra for the movie or maybe bring my friend a Starbucks drink.
Awesome job. You have a really healthy and well-balanced approach to collecting. Keep it up!
I have several hundred movies on disc. I used to keep them in boxes in a closet, but they got to be unwieldy and heavy to move. Ripped 'em all to a large hard drive, and got one of those soft sided dvd holders with sleeves that hold about 400 discs, and threw away the cases. Now, my collection is very compact and lightweight.
Now, I never have to touch the disc again, unless the hard drive dies before I get a chance to copy to a new one.
Me too, I use Jellyfin to watch my movies and shows on my TV and my PC
Try to always shop sales, and only buy movies I want to revisit and which I will be proud and happy to have in my collection. I also shamelessly ask for bigger things (criterion box-sets, for instance) for birthdays and Christmas; I'm not made of money and have to be careful. many films I want to have watched, but have no interest in collecting, other than as entries on Letterboxd.
For me, the only movies I've ever really considered getting on blu ray are older movies pre dating about 2000. Most of my blu rays are movies from about 1930s to 1980s. It makes the most sense to me seeing older movies fully restored and brought to HD, over newer movies that are sort of in HD anyway.
My rules
1. Don't waste money on steelbooks.
2. No more than £20 on 4k
3. No more that £10 for normal Bluray
4. Unless its a film i'm really excited about, wait for price drop.
5. If i'm not going to watch a bluray again, i trade it in, sell it or give it away.
Great tips!
Only 2 points I would add would be to consider buying thin 7 mm DVD cases for your Blu ray/ DVD collection to save 1/2 the shelf space. Buy decent quality cases if you decide to do that. Verbatim 50 or 100 pk./Memorex brand cases etc are good.
Also I suggest only buying high rated/reviewed films overall in any collection. IMDb reviews#1 and rotten tomatoes #2 both give a good overall consensus of movies/TV series etc.
I have over 400 Blu-Ray movies and I got on the 4k train a while ago so it's starting to shape up in that department. I also keep a list because it's hard to remember all the movies you've bought over the years, I've bought doubles several times. The reason I collect is simply because I want a library of movies I enjoy to be available on demand and at the highest quality. The other big reason is the extra features, I enjoy seeing the process of making movies.
Thanks for the video Jeff!
i just started to collect movies on digital do you have some digital that you can give me?
One aspect that helped me decide on a purchase is special features. I am a special features nut. I always feel as though I got more for my money if the disc has a good assortment of special features.
I've got 3 bookshelves I got from walmart 5 shelf's that I turned into 7s and they are almost full ,but I paid 13$ for one,30$ for the other 2. One is for dvds,the other 2 split my Blu-ray in faves,n not faves,all alphabetical order,my 4ks in a separate shelf under my LGC9 OLED. I keep all my digital on vudu,n movies anywhere. Stay safe every one, happy watching
Thanks for the video. My taste is horror films and having them in physical media is a new hobby of mine.
I always make sure to check the cases before I buy at goodwill to make sure the disc(s) are even there. I rarely had a problem when started checking for disc to be in there, especially for combo packs.
I think I’m going to buy combo packs brand new from now on.
I almost avoid apps and online stuff bcuz i dont want my phone stuck in my hand all day...so ive never tried bluray.com. but i gotta say: bcuz of jeff's recommend to use the app to keep tabs on what u own, ive begun to create the list and what a help. So Jeff, ur video and info has been used by a much appreciated fan/physical media lover. Keep up the good work.
Excellent review, I completely agree. I was going to restart a steelbook collection with the Avengers. But I thought to myself, have them on Blu-ray, there fine. I decided to just start new movies that I don't have yet. For example, Watchmen (DC) on 4K. Great purchase!
I've found quite a few really good deals on blu ray imports (just make sure its region free)
I'm just starting. I plan on picking up sure-bets and classics first. I am doing it to compliment my new OLED and want stuff that looks fantastic but that I also want to watch a lot. I'll have friends and family pick whatever they want to watch and know that I'll be cool with whatever they select.
Wow, great idea for a video, and some great tips. Some seem ridiculously self-evident ("only buy it if you like the movie/will watch it"), but you never know. One thing that has helped me cut back on purchases is realising that-99% of the time-double (or more) -dipping is NOT going to make the movie any better. I bought every single release of Alien (VHS, laserdisc, laserdisc special edition, DVD, DVD boxed set, blu-ray, etc.) until I realised that what I was REALLY trying to do was see the movie again for the first time, which no release, no matter how special, can ever let me do. I'm glad I got the blu-ray Anthology set, that really DID come close to watching it for the first time (the picture quality was so great, it made a (n at the time) 35-year-old film look like it was shot within the last year), but no matter how many bells and whistles the latest disc/video format adds, it's not going to make a crappy movie into a classic, and it's not going to make it like you're watching the movie for the first time. Really enjoy your videos, and quarantine has made me appreciate checking in on your latest uploads that much more! Keep up the good work, I learn so much from you!
Great Video Jeff! You Really Narrowed It Down! I’ve Been Collecting Physical Media For Years And I Have 1,151 Blurays In My Collection! I’m Like You I Buy Almost Everything But I Also Buy What I Want Or If I’ve Seen It And I Can Watch It Anytime I Want!
I’m in the uk I limited myself to £10 max and just go hunting through the thrift shops etc then sell what I don’t need to buy things I want . I look out for lenticular covers they are my passion
Tip #10 is golden. And Tip #9. Well said.
This was a helpful video, Jeff. I've been collecting for *years* (VHS to Laserdisc to DVD to Blu-ray to 4k!), but I still came away with some helpful tips 🙂.
Keep up the great work, and stay safe back there!
P.S. I finally picked up the classic "Fail Safe" from Criterion, a film I caught on late-night TV years ago and one of the most intense films I've ever seen. If you get the chance to view it, I'd love to hear your take on the film.
Did you manage to score the original STAR WARS trilogy when you had the chance?
Get on the email mailing lists for Arrow, Criterion, Shout, Kino Lorber, and other boutique printers and stay tuned for their infrequent sales announcements. Mid-summer and Thanksgiving being likely times for bargains.
My advice would be to actually sit down and watch/enjoy whatever you've picked up each month, sounds like a no-brainer I know, but it's easy to slip into the habit of collecting for the sake of retail therapy and 'shelf aesthetic'. Taking the time to watch what you pick up each month helps you enjoy the hobby so much more and usually helps curb your spending.
Excellent advise. To add to this: Most TVs these days have superb 4K upscalers - a well made 1080p Blu-ray like Air Force One still looks nice on a new 4K set.
I don't collect too many blu ray movies because of streaming services. But there are some that are out of print like the Speed Racer movie that you just have to have and it's so worth it to own it when not many people will.
In the UK new releases hold their store price for about 6 months, or permanently. A good way here is getting pre-owned, especially from the chain of CEX entertainment exchange stores. 2 year guarantee also. Prices here are for new disks are $US 20 for blu-ray and $US 35 for 4K. Very few blu-ray at charity stores (thrift stores) as they get sold on eBay or to CEX.
I used to buy a lot of movies on release day and by the time I sat down to watch them they were on sale!
Good advice, especially against "keeping up with the Joneses." While I certainly appreciate the archivist mentality and mean no shade towards those who take that approach, I generally don't think materialistically consuming next product just to consume is good for the soul. I use streaming as a vetting system eo that I'm not wasting money on something I have no intention of seeing again or even on movies that I like but can stand to wait for their availability in streaming. My mindset behind my collection is a curator's mindset. I only want the movies I really love and enjoy that I want to be able to see whenever I want rather than whenever one of the streaners allow. I also like quality bonus features because I love exploring the craft of filmmaking and the art that goes into their creative process.
The one thing I wish you covered was if or when to upgrade. My thinking is that I'll get 4K when it's a movie I love that I know is a good transfer and/or if the deal was too good not to get it in 4K. Otherwise, I've been getting Blu-ray. What I want to know is whether or not I ehould just go for the 4K if it's available (yes, I do have a current gen gaming console to play them on and a TV that can take advantage of the format) and upgrade everything I have on Blu-ray to 4K when availability and pricing allows, or if I should keep getting Blu-ray in spite of 4K availability and reserve 4K for my absolute favorites.
Coming from a fellow collector, great video! Wondering (if you haven't already) making a video discussing the various "special features" on DVD, Blu-Ray, etc. I find myself "upgrading" and then finding out special features are missing from the new copy and now I've got to keep two or three copies of one movie. Great channel and keep up the good work!
Just found this channel and watched the video today. Check out DVD compare. I think it will help you out.
Keeping tack of your collection is important! I am sitting at about 1000 movies, not counting TV shows, and I have picked up doubles a few times now. That is even after I cataloged my collection. I'm guilty of updating 4 times a year, so sometimes I double up.
In Australia, I waited for the box sets of the animated series Battle of the Planets to come down/go on sale. They hit the right price and I got them all, rather than spending way more at retail.
Very good advice, especially about budgeting and finding great deals. It makes collecting much more enjoyable.
These tips are straight money...🔥💵🔥 As a fellow hobbyist in this field, I concur with these tips one hundred percent...👌🏼💯✔ I even learned something new myself to furthermore help me in this hobby and with my collection...👍🏼
I'm trying to not get too hung up on finding the best possible transfer or only buying 4k releases. Lately I've been supporting my local independent stores that sell used movies. I often find Blu-Rays for $6 a piece. There still is an unfortunate amount of movies that never received anything past a DVD release.
I have around 3000 discs and box sets in my bedroom. My mother moans about the ceiling coming down and other people say I'm mean because I won't lend them out. I know people wouldn't look after them like I do.
Discs are one of the things people don't think they need to return if borrowed.....it's some kind of unwritten rule
Great video. I’d also add that you don’t need to double (or triple) dip every time a movie you own gets an upgrade. I've purchased some films so many times over the years that it's starting to feel wasteful. Consider how many times you've watched the copy in your collection before deciding to spend the money on an upgrade. I went a little overboard when I first got into 4K discs, rebuying many films I already owned on Blu-ray. Is the quality better? Sure! But after sampling the 4K, the discs went on my shelf right where the Blu-ray editions (which were sold for a fraction of what I paid for them) used to be. Now the first question I ask myself when trying to decide whether to buy a movie is, “Do I already have this movie?” If the answer is YES, then maybe I don’t need to buy the new collector's edition or 4K. The members on Blu-ray.com will get excited about buying a rerelease of a film if it corrects a minor flaw, or if it’s 4K (or sometimes just for the same old disc from 2006 in fancy packaging). But you’ll save a lot of money if you don’t feel the need to keep upgrading your collection.
I am about to start getting into the physical movies hobby... I’ll go for 4K Blu-ray and of movies I like watching or that I have a nostalgic connection with.
Outstanding video here! You really lay out a ton of good advice, and I appreciate that you keep an eye to practical things like economics and space. For anyone reading this, I'd also throw out there that everything he's saying about movies, applies just as equally to physical video games. (And your whole idea of "keeping a list" you can easily check is a great one -- something I just started doing myself this year using Google Sheets, and it has taken so much guesswork out of remembering which titles I do and don't already own.)
I only buy blu-rays of movies that I REALLY LOVE. I need to have them physically. (Also, the extras and deleted scenes, that's not available elsewhere but the blu-ray or DVD.)
Thanks for the video and the honest opinion. Especially looking at certain TH-camr, you think there is no budget to their collection. People see their collections or they are buying the latest and greatest. But how often we have movies still in the original wrapping for years? Thanks for bringing to attention the problems that comes with collecting.
I don’t know who you’re talking about but everyone approaches it differently. It’s all good in this community
I only buy movies I've seen prior. I buy movies I know will get multiple viewings. I also have a "no double-dipping" policy within technological generations(i.e. - if I owned a movie on DVD I generally didn't also buy that movie on blu-ray. Same goes for blu-ray to 4k uhd). I've made exceptions for my favorites(franchises, actors etc.). When streaming came along I would sometimes look at my collection and feel burned that I spent too much and uselessly because alot of my movies were somewhere on a streaming service I probably subscribe to . . . UNTIL I UPGRADED my home theater sound. Now I look at all my choices(including a number of my dvds) and I'm happy because you can't beat physical media for viewing movies at home(at least not yet). If it weren't for audio tracks I probably would have either sold or given away my collection and gone digital but ownership is a lot better than leasing a movie digitally 🤷🏽♂️
I'll tell you this
DVD is made for crtvs
2k bluray is made for hdtvs
4k bluray is made for 4k televisions.
It's an excellent time to enter the hobby. I'm finding 3D Bluray releases with Lenticular slipcovers in pristine condition for 5 bucks. These things were 35 dollars retail at best buy in their release year. You can even get plenty of 4k releases for a 10 dollar bill.
Yeah I've gotten great deals for 4K as well
I havent set a budget but i am making a list of all the movies i want first. Whether i have to have them in 4k or if im ok with it in just blu-ray. Then i will decide which ones i want first and make a budget. Of course my priority on movies can change when a great deal comes up. Today i used my best buy certificates to get The Mummy 4k trilogy for 5 bucks.
Very good points. I've got to admit, when it comes to triple packs like you say, I can only do it when the movies are from the same series. Makes my OCD go mad 😂
Also I use Google Sheets to keep track of my collection, all color coded by format plus hundreds I've got on the watchlist
you are so right at the way to collect step by step.
These are great tips. I never buy on release date unless it’s a special edition and it will be more expensive down the line. I save most of my movie purchases for Black Friday. You can get a lot of movies for dirt cheap and you won’t feel like you’re spending a lot. eBay is iffy why selling codes. Sometimes they’ll take down your listens but sometimes they won’t.
I love collecting DVDs and Blu-rays, but being a starving artist, I’m only able to add 15 to 20 new titles a year. Of course, I’ve been collecting since I was a child, so I have nearly 500 titles in my collection. I used to get a lot of good deals at thrift stores, but the pandemic has prevented me from going to them.
This is a topic where I say, wish I knew now what I didnt know then. Check Dollar Trees, big lots, goodwills, walmart bins, thrift stores and pawn shops. Anywhere you can find them for $5 or less. I havent shopped for movies at a best buy in years and I don't do steelbooks. Dont buy new releases unless it's a must have. I've been collecting dvds and blurays since 2005 and this is the easiest piece of advice I can give.
Definitely ran into the space problem recently, after having gotten lucky with a Goodwill full of blurays and DVD's, but forgot we didn't have much space left. Had to wait a few days for a spinny-shelf thing to come in, but now the collection looks much prettier :D
I actually fairly recently made a text document on my computer keeping a list of all my DVDs, blurays and 4ks to go through the list and figure out what movie I want to see. That's the main purpose of my list although I need to update it and mark what format each movie is in so I don't rebuy the movie as you said. Another reason to mark format is so a person knows what movies they might want to upgrade to 4k. That's my additional advice for people. Also I forgot to mention, make sure you alphabetize your list and movie collection especially as your collection grows.
Facebook market has been my best friend on blu ray finds.
In addition to the 'buying used' tip, I would advise to invest in some new Amaray cases. They're very cheap to buy in bulk, and it means instead of spending £8 on a new blu ray, I can buy it from Music Magpie for £3 and just replace the case.
I use Amazon wishlist and keep an eye on titles i want for when there is a good used price. If you look at used prices a lot you will start to see some sellers like Declutter and Gopeachy over and over. Sometimes the stores have their own website apart from Amazon, such as Declutter that has better price when you go through them direct.