DISAPPEARING DISCS?

It seems like every other week I’m reading online about the demise of the DVD disc. As streaming services like Hulu and Netflix begin offering more and more movies and TV series and things like Vudu offer a place to store your movies digitally the theory is that the hard copy disc will go the way of the vinyl LP. Take a look around folks, the vinyl LP is beginning to make a comeback.

First off let’s look at these services. Both Hulu and Netflix offer you access to thousands of movie and TV series at the press of a button. Both require that you have a connection to the internet to use them. If you watch via you cell phone this could get costly with a data plan and if you have unlimited data the next issue is watching on a 3 inch screen.

But there are two more problems I see with these services. Lately it seems that fewer and fewer top movies are being offered. Instead both are now creating their own movies and series to watch. In some cases (like DAREDEVIL on Netflix) this makes for great viewing. But still, no mega-budgeted blockbusters. Secondly you can’t watch what you want when you want. If you’re in the mood to watch a movie you love, like say GREASE, and it isn’t available at that time then you’re out of luck. You watch what they have to offer which changes monthly.

In the case of Vudu you can watch what you want when you want. Vudu is a service that allows you to purchase movies in a digital format. This means they store it online for you to watch where ever and whenever you access your account. In other words you can go to grandma’s, open up Vudu and watch whatever movie you purchased in digital format to add to your account. The problem here goes back to the whole needing an internet connection to watch these items.

Which brings us back to DVD discs. According to sources in the industry the sale of DVDs has dramatically reduced in the past few years. Movie studios are looking at the revenues they make from these sales and thinking that it means there is less interest in them. I, along with countless others who have made their voices heard online, tend to disagree.

For one they fail to notice the fact that older titles have already been purchased with no reason to buy them again. Sure, studios continue to try and release the same movie in umpteen different versions with tons of new extras. But if you already own a copy of GREASE do you really need to buy another that comes in a miniature leather jacket? Or that has new commentary tracks from Travolta and Newton-John?  Diehard fans maybe, but don’t expect mega sales on items like this.

Then there is the conversion from straight DVD to blu-ray. Not every movie needs to be upgraded from DVD to blu-ray so again, don’t expect that just releasing them this way will result in major new sales. Yes, the quality difference can be noticeable and on some movies, say the STAR WARS films, this upgrade makes purchasing the blu-ray format worthwhile. But the original HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL? Not quite worth it.

In addition to that the industry continues to try and upgrade everything that they release. As if blu-ray wasn’t good enough we now have 4K releases making an appearance. So you now need to invest not only in a 4K player, an upgraded new TV that shows 4K resolution AND repurchase all of those old movies you had on DVD and then blu-ray and now 4K…that can be far too expensive for the average household. But rather than consider that the studios claim their losing money on the old DVD discs.

And yet I still see people buying DVDs right and left. Amazon still lists them at fairly decent prices. Used DVD stores (like locally owned Mega Replay in Ft. Wayne) are packed to the gills with both DVD and blu-ray titles at great prices. Garage sales often find movies sold out among the first items for sale. Facebook groups have people selling their used movies at great prices. Ebay does the same.

Having these physical formats on hand is great for movie lovers. It means when you’re in the mood to binge watch James Bond and own all of the movies you can take a weekend and do so. The same with favorite series on hand. And if you aren’t connected to the internet or reach a point where you can’t afford it any longer, you still have your disc collection to watch. Having the option to watch what you want when you want is a big plus for discs.

There are pluses and minuses to every format around. Streaming services and digital services are a good thing, don’t get me wrong. But so are the physical formats that are out there like blu-ray and DVD. Certain companies like Arrow, Kino-Lorber and Twilight Time are making good money offering older titles in blu-ray format with new extras, new packaging and in limited quantities. So before the industry rings the death knell on the old format they may want to reconsider. And those of us who collect and love movies will continue to buy those movies that we’ve come to love and watch time and time again. What do you think?