Movies on demand, indeed. For me that means stacks of movies by my bed, 24/7/365.
Times they are a changin', once again, with the home movie market technology. For some it's a liberating time. Digital devices and internet services mean for many a reason not not have movies cluttering their dens and books. Because folks have this tendancy to be excited about all things new I am preparing myself for a rather large bumper crop of new film titles to come into my life. It's a very deja vu kind of experience. I felt and understood, all too late, what the the roaring and cracking under my feet meant back in the day when I was a born again record collector . For awhile there I went crazy with the new kid in town, compact discs, to the point where I felt that in order to truly embrace the new sound I had to unload years of accumulated vinyl recordings. The problem was I ended up missing the warmth of analog sound and coolness of those big cardboard jackets, so I jumped back into to record hunting once again, but this time rubbing elbows with sweaty browed vinyl freaks, seeking out titles that I once owned all over again.
That was then, this is now. Because I have space in my life and my house for more films I will go forth into this new gleaning period with keen anticipation but with a less fevered brow. I don't mind the bulkage. I've already been through that special stage of adulthood where I unloaded collections for the sake of the woman in life. These days I sweep away the excess only because I want to, or because of duplication, or because I wanted to make a bit of cash. Face it, you can't keep it all. And since I'm not going at movie collecting with the manic eye of the rare record collector, finding new movies to own has been more of a of hunting and gathering experience, and a hell of lot more fun. For instance, take vhs tape. The last few months have been incredible as far as collecting old school tape has been concerned. Blu-ray has changed everything. Once that new format hit the streets everyone got starried eyed for it and began to unload all their old movies as if they didn't work anymore. Happy days for me.
So right now I have this incredible option going for me as far as film collecting is concerned: hold out and collect, unload and borrow, download onto digital storage devices, hit up the local cinemas and forego collecting of any kind or buy an LCD set and hook up my computer to it and watch flicks "checked out" over the 'net. Each one of these options sounds nice, but you know, being the film nut that I am I think I'll go the Chinese restaurant angle and take one from column A and two or three from column B.
Face it, for those films I've never seen or heard about or maybe was curious about but never seem catching them for fifty cents in full screen format via VHS is not a bad deal. If I liked them I could always upgrade later on. I can't even come close to that price break with Netflix so I'll continue to go the analog route so long as the pawn shops and second hands continue to carry them. As for DVDs, well, the format is still going strong even while big box rental outfits are closing stores and reducing inventories right and left. If they continue to unload, I'll buy, especially classics, foreign and hard to find cult films. Due to box office price watching a movie out in town has to be a special occasion all the way around. Going t the flicks with a date or with pals or to catch a must see ("Avatar") still has it's place. The computer connection to the tv screen may happen in a year or two once I secure a nice Samsung for myself like the one I picked up for the kids this last holiday season.
So, movies come into the house and keep on coming. What kills me is the time problem. I keep gathering titles and know, betwix cooking and working and sleeping and all the other good things in life that I will probably never catch up on all the films I want to see, let alone want to watch again. But then again a man can only hope and strive to watch what he can!
Action!
Seattle Times story about indie video stores and the demise of the big box renters:
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