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DVDs: Should We Ditch The Discs?

By Skinner Bachs
Published on: 05:20 PST, Apr 19, 2016

DVDs are often cited as one of the first things to jettison when scaling down a household. Minimalists (including The Minimalists) couch their arguments for losing the DVD collection in terms of the space they occupy, the function or lack thereof as a form of entertainment, and the supposition that they’re quickly becoming obsolete.

As evidenced by Moviefone’s new releases page, many studios are still releasing new titles on DVD either as a standalone product or in piggybacked packages with Blu-ray discs and codes for digital copies. Sales of new and used DVDs are still healthy, and the collectors market for out-of-print DVDs and special editions is still strong.

So which is it? Go minimalist and lose the video library in the name of letting go of the past, or stockpile titles because they might be worth something? Let’s get real. There’s no one-size-fits-all way to live. One person’s comfy room full of books can be another soul’s room full of angst at the thought of dusting all of those spines.

If the thought of going through two dozen to two hundred DVDs seems overwhelming, here are some things to take into consideration as you decide whether to keep that movie or consign it to the closest used media store for cash or something you like better.

Do I have this DVD because I think I should own it or because I actually like it and I’ll watch it again?

Do you have bookmarks or tabs open to various “best” lists? Chuck them first. You might very well discover you love the works of Kurosawa or Bergman. Then again, you might find yourself hitting the order button for DVDs you think you should own to make up for the cinéaste’s sin of owning, much less loving your copies of Chicken Run and The Craft.

Try before you buy is a great slogan to keep in mind when contemplating whether to purchase a title or not. Some local libraries have large collections available for checkout or onsite viewing. Streaming services are another great resource. Hulu Plus subscribers have access to the Criterion Collection. Netflix members can enjoy a rotating list of titles from Disney each month.

Speaking of Disney, devotees to the Mouse are often the most likely DVD buyers to fall prey to the completist syndrome. Charlie Jane Anders described the completist collector impulse in her 2013 essay on the subject at io9.

“At its root, the completist impulse is about feeling as though there’s no point in collecting something unless you have every single item. Whether it’s records, books, comics, toys, memorabilia or something else, the collection isn’t worth having unless you have every item that belongs in the set. A set of N-1 is as worthless as an empty set.”

There are people who think The Incredibles are dandy and periodically break out their copies of Lilo & Stitch and Beauty and the Beast for the stories and the great music. What the people at Disney don’t want you to understand is that it’s okay to own a copy of Up without also having the multi-disc Toy Story set and every other Pixar film. They might have fantods at the thought you’re happy with the jazzy, impressionistic art direction and soundtracks of The Aristocats and 101 Dalmatians without owning copies of Cinderella, Peter Pan, and Bambi.

The same applies to directors, actors, and franchises. If you have a movie on your shelf just because it’s part of a set and not because you love it, maybe it’s time to let it go to someone who will watch it and adore it.

When was the last time I watched this movie? Will I watch it again?

Is that DVD still in the shrink wrap? Toss it in the go-away box. Are you a recovering Disney collector who bought three copies of every movie? (For the uninitiated, that was one to watch, one to replace the viewing copy when it wore out, and one that was kept pristine in its plastic wrapper.) Sometimes we thought we wanted that DVD when we bought it. Sometimes our tastes change. If that flick doesn’t feed your life, time to let it go.

But I love my copy of Tropic Thunder!

Then keep it! There are some compelling reasons for owning DVD copies of movies and series.

  • Availability – Some titles float between streaming service providers based on licensing agreements and even occasionally disappear altogether. Having them on your shelf means you’re not paying a monthly fee for access.
  • Data Charges – If your ISP has a data cap, this is a good way to avoid paying for those extra gigabytes.
  • The Extras – If you love a movie or TV show enough to own it, you are most likely one of those people who enjoys the extra features included with many DVD releases.
  • Privacy – Is it really anybody’s business if you want to watch all the fun scenes from Beetlejuice again or feel in the mood for a binge watch of the first season of Star Trek? Streaming services have their advantages, but they also keep track of that sort of thing.

To keep or not to keep? If something fits in the way you live and it feels right for you, you’ll know the DVD you’re holding is trash or treasure.

[Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images]

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