So, I have spent the last couple days going around with myself about DVD collecting, and more importantly, grading…
I was wondering what the CHU community thinks about DVD collecting, grading, etc. Is it a waste of time, do you feel the niche market is there… I have to assume if you have in your possession a Rick and Morty season 1 DVD wrapped in plastic and CGC graded, it has to be valuable, right?
What are your thoughts? What would be your focus if you decided to collect DVDs? Japanese? Steelbook? What? Obviously a Blu Ray copy of Barbie is going to have no shortage…What do you think?
I collect DVD/Blu-rays. Not a big collection though. Store exclusive steelbooks, Criterion Collection stuff, foreign exclusives. Havent graded anything yet.
I look at cassette tapes and VHS. Some have value but it took a long time to get there. I’d think the same would be true for DVDs…so depends on how much time and space you have. Are you willing to wait 30 years to turn a profit?
There is something very nostalgic about DVDs. A tangible item that can bring forth a flood of memories. It’s not just the movie…but the look, size, case, inserts, etc.
Such a profound part of history for the couple of generations whose lives were impacted by them. VHS & Beta max as well.
Going to the “video store” and picking out movies was a very big deal not so long ago.
I can’t say I know anything about value, grading, or collecting them (outside of those I have in my own collection) but I absolutely think they will be of value and are something to pay attention to.
If the DVD includes material not included in streaming and there is not a VHS version it could heat up. An example is the My Name Is Earl episode that is based on the pilot but with Earl going bad instead of good, included with the DVD but never seen it on streaming.
I’ve been collecting movies for years and I’d be hesitant to grade anything unless it is readily streamable elsewhere. Some movies, or some cuts of movies, are just simply rare and people want to have them because they can’t watch them anywhere. Don’t grade those. Something like the out of print Tank Girl blu ray goes for good money on ebay right now, but again that’s the kind of thing that could see a boutique release at some point, so don’t get married to it. I don’t get the graded VHS thing because the slabs that go for money are sealed, but there is no way to know if the tape inside is broken or moldy. Graded movies feels like an invented hobby destined to crash and burn.
If you like it collect it. As far as them being worth money, well there was a time not long ago most people would give a funny look if you told them VHS tapes would become collectible with some being worth big bucks. No different for DVD’s. for right around twenty years or so they were a big part of most people everyday lives when it came to entertainment and many younger adults grew up with them. There’s definitely a market for them, that’s for sure.
The big secret is VHS has always been collectible, especially in the horror genre. In the early 2000’s, DVD’s and VHS that were out of print would go for big money. For example, around 2004 the VHS for Godzilla Raids Again was regularly going for $200-$400 for being out of print and not on DVD. The criterion DVD for Salo only had a brief run on DVD and that went for $400+ on the regular. One summer I was selling Flash Gordon DVD’s for $75 each because it went out of print. The caveat to movie collecting is once something get’s a rerelease, then the value plummets, unless it’s a rare horror release. The whole grading thing has changed that metric, but it feels so artificial.
I’ve only recently got back into it. So many great obscure films have been getting the VIP treatment on blu ray, with many not even having a streaming option.
I’ve just started buying duplicates of some steelbooks and special edition in the last couple years. Most everything I have is for me to watch. I have way too many movies, so now for me to buy a movie I must really like it and I must find it on steelbook. I have found out over the years that longboxes are good for storing DVD’s and Blurays.
I was in the process of ripping all my DVD/Blu-Ray discs to throw onto a Plex server and drop off all the media at Half Price for some lunch money. I need to get back on that project… Going minimal lifestyle means I can’t be bothered in buying and holding all these things, they’re just another hassle to manage around the house.
Our ears are analog and everything that is digital has to convert back so until we become robots, just makes sense to me to keep it analog.
Vinyl collector here too. I’ve been buying cassette tapes too of new albums if the bands are releasing them.
I finally landed one of my holy grail Vinyl recently, Lord Huron Mighty EP that was self released. Only ended up costing me around $475 but is so rare to find. The one I finally nabbed finally came up for sale on eBay after around 2 years since the last time I saw one sell for much more. So I was happy to nab it at a price the seller agreed when I threw them an offer.
I keep DVDs around just to have my favorite movies- so I can always watch. Plus when I’ve moved in the past it’s nice to have stuff to watch while you get cable/internet set up.
‘Dogma’ is one of my favorite movies and the DVD is out of print. I did go for decent $$ on eBay awhile ago; don’t know if it’s still the case. If I remember correctly—Harvey Weinstein owns the rights and would profit off anything released. Kevin Smith said he wanted to do anniversary editions of the movie but didn’t want to make Weinstein money. Same with a potential sequel he had in mind.
I mean, since we are on the topic of DVDs in here, I’m looking for a copy of the Transformers The Japanese Collection boxset. I’m just learning that it was ever released. Anyone around here happen to have a spare one?