The sad/spoiled world of films we live in...

[DC Fan]

Every now I then I think of this.

While it´s amazing the amount and quality of content we get to enjoy it has also come with the price of not valuing it.

When I was a kid (and growing up) I wouldn´t go to the theaters but there was the Video Club. And I remember what was like to go there, choosing 3 movies and having them to entertain me and my family. When I was a little older I remember that my stepfather made an event of it. On the weekends (mostly Friday night or Saturday) we´d take the TV out of the llving room to the balcony and watch the movies there while eating something special (aside of popcorn we´d eat burgers or something similar).

Also, because back then we didn´t have everything we´d enjoy every new release and go back to watch what was already available.

And, while owning the movies/being able to watch whatever we can share the experience with our loved ones as they did with us, I feel it´s not the same. Again, because we have access to everything...that lead to excess.

Plus, similarly to what I said before, how many of us make an experience of whatching a movie anymore? Including me. We just watch whatever whenever and wherever.

Then the DVD era came. And to that lesser extent was the last time of the enjoying the movie experience. Sure, we´d all collect now and that was fine. It took a while for almost every movie to become available on the format. And even then there were so many different editions to choose from. The video/audio quality was more than enough and we´d spend time watching all the Extras.

Now I feel like it´s done. All those experiences are lost. And while its amazing to have the movies on quality level of a BD/4K we take it for granted. Not to mention that many companies don´t even bother including Extras.

...Disney BDs. Most of them lack Extras. Yet Disney knows it has a huge fan base that would want to own the movies. So, instead of making them feel like nothing to think about they should, more so because of Disney +. They should make these incredible editions filled with Extras that will make their fans and movie collectors want to own them.

What do you think?

[thedisneyspirit]

I'm grateful for Netflix because now I can finally watch and understand great movies that before passed me by like The Thing, Indiana Jones, The Godfather, etc etc.

And Duster, Oreo milkshakes sound awesome.

[Disney Duster]

That's cool that your family watched the television on the balcony DC Fan! My family occasionally put the TV on our deck, which is similar!

I sometimes make an event of movies. I will wait till my family goes to sleep and watch a new or old movie with something good to eat and drink. I just last Sunday watched the 1968 Romeo and Juliet with my mom, aunt, cousin, and best friend, and we all had pizza, soda, and home-made Oreo milk shakes. It was a really good time!

I know Avaitor has movie nights where he and his friends watch a movie from a list of movies people should see from Rotten Tomatoes!

We can still make the experiences. They are not gone.

Bonus features on the other hand...Oh, Disney....

[DC Fan]

So glad people still make an experience of it.

As for BD, wish (particularly Disney) would have taken the route of vinyl discs. Why have this media made a resurgence? Yes it is niche (DVDs and BDs aren't) but people buy them (aside from quality) because now they are made better than ever with incredible designs and features.

[Disney Duster]

Yes, they could do it in a way similar to vinyl today.

[JeanGreyForever]

Now I feel like it´s done. All those experiences are lost. And while its amazing to have the movies on quality level of a BD/4K we take it for granted. Not to mention that many companies don´t even bother including Extras.

...Disney BDs. Most of them lack Extras. Yet Disney knows it has a huge fan base that would want to own the movies. So, instead of making them feel like nothing to think about they should, more so because of Disney +. They should make these incredible editions filled with Extras that will make their fans and movie collectors want to own them.

What do you think?

I agree, I hate how Blu-Rays barely feature extras anymore, especially Disney ones. It's clear they have so much material in their vaults, even for their forgotten films from the 70s-80s or 2000s, but they just don't care anymore. With Disney+ around now, Disney should consider that their best chances of keeping home video around is by appealing to collectors. The same with how they still made an effort with laserdisc even while VHS was more steadily reliable and cheaper in the 90s.

[Avaitor]

I remember when I first getting into film over a decade ago, and being disappointed with my Blockbuster's movie selection. I had found most of the classics worth discovering from there, and was hankering for a wider option to rent from. That's when Netflix was primarily a rental company. They may have started streaming at that point, but it was still in its infancy, and physical media was still the name of the game. My mom wouldn't agree to sign up with Blockbuster right across the street, until they closed in 09/10, and we eventually made an account.

We still have Netflix rental alongside the streaming option, which I use to pick up a wide range of films, plenty of which haven't been picked up to stream anywhere. Some may not even be able to be bought digitally. I'm grateful for this world of opportunity, but at the same time, I do miss the ritual of going to a rental store and picking up a movie or two. Maybe it'd be something you were dying to finally see, a title that looked interesting enough, or an old favorite that you're in the mood for. Streaming has its advantages, but it almost spoils us in a way, and can't compare sometimes, either.

As for making movies a big deal, still having movie nights with my friends helps to bring that communal experience around. Going to the theaters also helps, but obviously I understand why less people are going. It's expensive to go to the movies, and often more convenient to stay at home. But man, nothing compares to seeing a film on the big screen as intended. Obviously there are still event movies that come and require being seen ASAP, many of which are from Disney, but I try to see as many films in theaters as I can beyond those. For the past three years, I go out of my way to catch every Best Picture nominee, and try to catch as many as I can in theaters. It's usually worth it, even if I only like half of them. This year, I think Marriage Story was the only nominee I had to settle for at home.

As for bonus features, yes, I miss them too. Some of my most cherished DVDs are actually from Disney's older live-action films. Their Vault Disney collection titles were incredible, and featured hours of worthwhile bonuses. For the few of those films they bothered to put on Blu-Ray from the Disney Movie Club, they got barebones releases. Apparently some have terrific restorations. But I haven't double-dipped due to my disappointment. It's disheartening to see Disney stop caring.

[JeanGreyForever]

I remember the Blockbuster days and I liked having a selection of movies in front of me to browse like a bookshop or a library. My uncle had Netflix when it first came out and was only physical discs. I think I used it once or twice back then but Redbox was a lot more convenient even if it was mostly only contemporary films.

Some films are definitely only meant for theaters but some I think are fine if they are limited to streaming only. Such as Marriage Story, a film I personally loved but I'm not sure how inclined I would have been to see it in theaters. I think it had a lot higher viewership because it was readily available on Netflix compared to most other Oscar nominated films, most of which I don't really see until after they become available on Redbox or some streaming service. La La Land is one of the few that I made the effort to watch in theaters because of all the hype and also because of the A-list stars.

I have a couple of Vault Collection titles, but it was a pretty brief line. The only real titles were The Parent Trap, Old Yeller, Swiss Family Robinson, and Pollyanna. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Escape to Witch Mountain weren't technically part of the line, for whatever reason, but they essentially were created in the same mold so they had the same surplus of extras. I think The Love Bug was a similar case. It always bothers me that Disney's first-ever purely live-action title, Treasure Island, was a barebones release. That deserved the Vault treatment. And as bad as Disney has been with the live-action releases on Blu-Ray, they weren't much better with their films on DVD outside of the aforementioned titles. On DVD most of them had little to no extras and the transfers were often lacking in picture quality or the wrong aspect ratio.

[DC Fan]

For most of my life I would go to just regular movie clubs. Because they were small they wouldn´t carry quantities of new releases but they made up for that with tons of old released movies. My favorite genres were animation, horror, comedies-families and adventure so those were the ones I would search for. Also they rented them for $2 each (sometimes $1.50) in contrast of the $4 for Blockbuster.

...By the way, the reason why I didn´t watch Sleeping Beauty back then was because the VHS case was so different from the rest (animation style) that somehow I didn´t think it was Disney´s.

Still, with Blockbuster my experience was different as I was in my teens/adulthood. It was a different time that I enjoyed in a new way. And I agree that, while it was expensive and difficult to find new releases (even with the amount of them) to get one filled you with joy.

As for going to theaters now I go more than I ever did. But that´s because now there´s much more to watch and, because of Internet, you´ll get your movie spoiled. Also, becuase in Spain. it´s fairly inexpensive $8 and owning a movie pass it´s $5. And I agree there´s so much enjoyment for the whole experience that, for me, goes through stages:

-The anticipation of the release of the movie.
-The excitement of getting to the theater, getting your ticket and knowing you will finally watch it.
-The communal experience, being able to watch it the best way possible.
-After watching it the relief/sense of accomplishment-
-Been able to talk about it with someone after.
-Finally be able to go watch reviews and being part of the conversation.


Also, for me, if I´m going to watch a sequel to a movie or part of a series, I wouldn´t watch the prior ones before watching the new one. I´ll watch it/them the day after. And the same goes when I get it on BD. I´ll watch the movie once I get it. Later the Extras (and may watch it a second time later on). Then I´ll go back and watch the series/prior movies until I reach the newest and watch it again. That way I feel I made the most out of my purchase.