DVDizzy Forum

A remember a time here when we used to talk about DVDs all the time, dissecting the covers of Disney DVDs, the special features, and most of all the AV quality. (Where are you Marky!?)

I think it would be fun to talk a bit more about physical media, even if it is now a niche, and what better way than to broadcast our OCDs? (Both clinical and self-diagnosed )

This is how I organise my DVD, Blu-ray and 4K UHD collection.

Animation and Live Action are two different sections.

Animation is split into two further sections. The first one contains those movies grouped together by animation studio. The second has its movies grouped by film-maker. The reason I've done this is because in some cases it makes sense to bundle studio films together (e.g. WDAS, DreamWorks, Studio Ghibli). In other cases, an animated canon seems to be united more by the film-maker rather than the production studio. The best example of this is Don Bluth. It makes a lot more sense to have his film all together, rather than all over the place categorised as "Aurora Productions," "Sullivan Bluth Studios," and "Fox Animation Studios."

Here goes!

Animation (Studio)

1. Aardman Animations [including the DreamWorks Animation and Sony Pictures Animation collaborations]
2. Animal Logic [In-house developed films only]
3. Bakshi Productions
4. Blue Sky Studios
5. Cartoon Saloon
6. Cinesite Animation [including films from former Nitrogen Studios]
7. Crest Animation Productions [formerly RichCrest Animation Studios, Rich Animation Studios]
8. DreamWorks Animation [excluding the Aardman co-productions]
9. Fleischer Studios
10. Famous Studios
11. Folimage
12. Halas & Batchelor
13. Illumination Entertainment
14. ImageMovers [including both the stand-alone features and ImageMovers Digital releases]
15. Imagi Studios
16. Iwerks Studio
17. Jam Filled Entertainment [formerly Arc Productions, Starz Animation]
18. Will Vinton Studios
19. Laika
20. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Cartoons
21. ON Animation Studios
22. Nickelodeon Animation Studio
23. Paramount Animation
24. Prima Linea Productions
25. Reel FX Animation [including both in-house developed films and productions undertaken as a service studio, provided the latter do not fit in any other category]
26. Richard Williams Animation [including productions not carried out at the Soho studio]
27. Plymptoons
28. Rankin/Bass Animated Entertainment
29. Sony Pictures Animation [including The Angry Birds Movie for convenience, despite the film not being a SPA production; excluding the Aardman co-productions]
30. Square Enix Image Studio Division [including affiliated projects]
31. Studio Ghibli
32. Studio Ponoc
33. Van Beuren Studio
34. Walt Disney Animation Studios
35. Pixar Animation Studios
36. Disney Television Animation
37. DisneyToon Studios [including the Disney MovieToons releases]
38. Walter Lantz Productions
39. Warner Bros. Cartoons [formerly Leon Schlesinger Productions]
40. Warner Bros. Feature Animation
41. Warner Animation Group

Animation (Filmmaker)

1. Wes Anderson
2. Don Bluth
3. Bruno Bozzetto
4. Tim Burton [including films were Burton holds only a producer credit]
5. Sylvain Chomet
6. Ari Folman
7. Keiichi Hara
8. Mamoru Hosoda
9. Sunao Katabuchi
10. Satoshi Kon
11. Hiroyuki Okiura
12. Mamoru Oshii
13. Katsuhiro Otomo [including films were Otomo holds only a producer credit]
14. Martin Rosen
15. Makoto Shinkai
16. Eiichi Yamamoto
17. Masaaki Yuasa

18. Other Animation

Live Action

1. Action & Adventure
2. Comic Book
3. Comedy
4. Romantic Comedy
5. Romance
6. Drama
7. Thriller
8. History
9. Musical
10. Dance
11. Fantasy
12. Science Fiction
13. Horror
14. War
15. Western
16. Epic
17. Other

18. Series

The movies within each category of the animation section are in chronological order. I have the theatrical shorts up first, then features, and finally TV projects (if any.)

The movies within each category of the live action section are ordered alphabetically.

So, what do you think?

Is Marky the one who bought every. single. Disney. DVD? I think he got on some people’s nerves but I was always very impressed and probably a little jealous haha. I hope his collection is still intact and up to date.

I was just thinking I should organize my collection similar to yours Jules, or at least by director. But I have always organized my collection alphabetically by title, which is probably for me the easiest way to keep track of things. I’m afraid I would forget who produced or directed what! But alphabetizing by title does create strange bedfellows… something like Citizen Kane might be next to Chicken Little, for example.

I really need to go systematically through my collection to see if any of my discs have succumbed to disc rot…

^Reyquila was the one who always bought everything I remember. My DVDs/Blus are organized chronologically from 1930s-late 2010s, when I stopped having space on my racks. Now I stuff new discs in their cases onto a bookshelf honestly. I had another set of racks that I used for shorts and DVDs I don't have the original cases anymore, kept in multi -disc cases, but hubby threw that out since it got dusty so those are stuck on a different bookcase.

Not necessarily the topic, but what are you guys storing your discs on? Bookcases, storage shelves, something else?

I have one cabinet for Disney (including Live Action because I don't own that many) - the order is Disney Animation, Pixar, Short Films sets, Live Action. And within those everything is sorted by order of release.

and another cabinet for everything else (including animated films like Prince of Egypt and The Iron Giant) - I put together big franchises box sets - LotR, Harry Potter, Hunger Games and Star Wars (and maybe Dune in the future) and then the rest of the films. Everything is sorted by the year of release.

I only own Disney/Pixar animation and they’re in chronological order from Snow White to Strange World ((pre-order). My Disney live action are chronological from Song of the South to Pete’s Dragon (1977). I don’t own any Disney live action beyond that.
My Walt Disney Treasures (I have the complete set) are arranged chronologically and they’re on the shelf above the animated films.

blackcauldron85 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 29, 2023 6:52 amNot necessarily the topic, but what are you guys storing your discs on? Bookcases, storage shelves, something else?

I have one of these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0058O8E ... asin_title. I really like it, it’s just cheap particleboard mounted to the wall but it takes up very little space. The next time I move, I’m going to buy a second tower which should hold my entire collection (everything that isn’t on the tower I have now is stored on 2 bookcases).

UmbrellaFish wrote: ↑Sun Jan 29, 2023 6:45 am Is Marky the one who bought every. single. Disney. DVD? I think he got on some people’s nerves but I was always very impressed and probably a little jealous haha. I hope his collection is still intact and up to date.

I really need to go systematically through my collection to see if any of my discs have succumbed to disc rot…

As Amy said, that was reyquila. I recall he was from Puerto Rico, and I think he was pretty unfazed by the occassional negative reaction he got here. I remember he used to purchase every edition of every Disney DVD to be commercially released. I expect he had deep pockets. (I think he said he was an auditor.)

Marky was from the Netherlands, and was well-known here for his harsh criticisms of the DVD and Blu-ray restorations of classic Disney animated films. I think he did get on people's nerves a little bit. I had mixed feelings about the guy. His complaints could be very unreasonable and it seems he did not have the clearest idea of how film restoration worked. However, some of his points were quite valid, and he has at least been partially vindicated in cases like the Cinderella DVD/Blu-ray.

I don't know where Marky is now, but while he was opinionated, I don't think anyone here doubted his passion for the preservation of the classic Disney films. He wasn't always correct, but his heart was in the right place.

Ugh ... So far I've lost my DVD copies of Ben-Hur and Doctor Zhivago to disc rot. (I have since replaced them with Blu-ray editions.) I also discovered that my Blu-ray copy of A Single Man was unreadable beyond the 40 minute mark about six months ago, and on inspecting the disc I realised it had a mild amber colouring seeping in through the edges.

I'm actually worried for my Walt Disney Treasures DVDs. I heard rumours online that some of the early waves are failing. I have no idea how I would replace my sets if I found them unplayable. In 2023, the cost would be prohibitive.

Amy wrote:Not necessarily the topic, but what are you guys storing your discs on? Bookcases, storage shelves, something else?

About three years ago I found a local woodworking company that can create custom furniture based on the user's designs. So, I fashioned all my DVD/Blu-ray shelving this way. It's not fine furniture, by any means - it's basically laminated chipboard. But it looks smart and I had it finished to look like wenge. I'm happy with it.

Well, the way I have my *Disney* stuff arranged is that any DVD releases are lined up by release order on one shelf (with DTV sequels beside the original, TV show sets like DuckTales after the films, etc.). I have another shelf with only the Disney Blu-rays where they're lined up in release order, too, with live-action films like Mary Poppins, POTC, and Bedknobs & Broomsticks after, then any TV series after that, then the few live-action remakes I might have after that, then the few PIXAR films I have last. I guess I prefer to keep brands together, Ghibli by itself, Don Bluth by itself, Laika, Dreamworks, etc. with those films I don't associate to a specific brand right off (things like The Last Unicorn, Song of the Sea, etc.) rather than putting all the animated films at random. Any animated TV series (non-Disney) together. Anime series sets are a whole other thing, I usually have them off by themselves, not by any film DVD/Blu-rays or Western animated series.

Non-Disney (well, I guess ABC TV series are "Disney," lol) live-action stuff, I'm less picky about. I tend to put TV series together in whatever way they look the best on the shelf, mostly. Sometimes I'll arrange them by a loose "theme" (romance over here, mini-series set in the 1700s-1800s over here, comedy sitcoms here, etc.).

blackcauldron85 wrote:Not necessarily the topic, but what are you guys storing your discs on? Bookcases, storage shelves, something else?

Wooden bookshelves or those plastic media cabinets built to hold as many cases or books as possible (usually they have around 8 shelves or more, depending on what you buy).

Jules wrote: ↑Sun Jan 29, 2023 11:42 am
Ugh ... So far I've lost my DVD copies of Ben-Hur and Doctor Zhivago to disc rot. (I have since replaced them with Blu-ray editions.) I also discovered that my Blu-ray copy of A Single Man was unreadable beyond the 40 minute mark about six months ago, and on inspecting the disc I realised it had a mild amber colouring seeping in through the edges.

. I haven't thought about disc rot in a while (for movies or CDs)...I've always been afraid of it. That sucks. And now Blu-rays aren't safe?!

Jules wrote:I'm actually worried for my Walt Disney Treasures DVDs.

I guess Disney should re-release them for this reason, or do some kind of similar series in Blu (if Blu will physically last). I guess no physical media is safe/will last forever.

UmbrellaFish wrote: ↑Sun Jan 29, 2023 10:10 am
I have one of these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0058O8E ... asin_title. I really like it, it’s just cheap particleboard mounted to the wall but it takes up very little space.

Thank you! I just added that to my wishlist. Not that we have space for it. And thanks for the other insights into your hardware, Jules and Divinity!

Jules wrote: ↑Sun Jan 29, 2023 4:54 amI think it would be fun to talk a bit more about physical media, even if it is now a niche, and what better way than to broadcast our OCDs? (Both clinical and self-diagnosed )

Since my loft is mostly dedicated to my movie collection, I've got a variety of shelving that houses all sorts of media: VHS, LaserDisc, DVD, Blu-Ray, and 4K HD.

Primarily, the bulk of my collection are housed on three wall-mounted shelving units from Best Buy that are not ideal but they do their job and will suit me fine until I re-do the loft again. These three units are where I keep my DVDs, Blu-Rays, and 4K Ultra HD Discs. A long time ago, I used to separate my movies by studio, and put those studios in alphabetical order, then put the films in chronological order by studio. But I've since settled for strictly chronological with all the studios mixed except for Disney and Criterion, since they're shelved separately. One day I'll probably re-do all of this and mix and match everything, but it would require me pulling everything off the shelves and re-organizing, and I don't have the sanity or patience to do so these days.

Each unit is divided into eight levels of shelves, so since they are literally in the corner of a room (one unit perpendicular to two units side by side), I decided to let the Blu-Rays and 4K discs reside on the top four shelves, whilst the DVDs are on the bottom four shelves. This presents some semblance of uniformity since DVD cases are taller by nature, and I don't want to see that zig-zag of height if a DVD was next to a Blu-Ray. I don't mind if it's, say, a Blu-Ray digibook next to a regular Blu-ray case. But the more extreme height difference does bother me, so I'd just as soon keep the uniformity of the DVD cases all in their section.

As these units are pretty high, but not reaching the ceiling, it gives me room at the top of each unit to put a fancy Blu-Ray box set. Right now, the ones on display on the top are Gone with the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, Singin' in the Rain, Essential Fellini, Ben-Hur, Lawrence of Arabia, The Sound of Music, "Star Trek": 50th Anniversary Collection, and Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga.

Using four Drawbridge shelf brackets (also from Best Buy), I've made a two-sided "Island" shelving unit that is across from the mounted shelves. On one side, I have all my Criterion DVD/Blu-Ray/4K sets (excluding Fellini which is on the wall-mounted shelf). On the other side, I've divided the unit in half: the left side is a curated collection of my favorite film from each year since 1920, the right side are my VHS tapes.

On top of this island, I've repurposed an old American Eagle scarf (Now that I live in Florida, I only use scarves for, like, three weeks out of the year.) into a table runner. And then on top of that, I've showcased some of the fancier DVD and Blu-Ray box sets that would look better standing out than just on a shelf. Primarily some of the more uniquely-packaged Warner Bros. "Ultimate Collector's Edition" DVD sets from the mid-2000s, like King Kong, The Searchers, How the West Was Won, Bonnie & Clyde, and Superman. And I use this spot for some of my favorite TV shows that exist in "Complete Series" packaging: "I Love Lucy," "Murder, She Wrote," "Star Trek: The Next Generation," "Friends," "The West Wing." One day I'll have to track down the 2010 box set of "The Golden Girls" simply for the aesthetic of it matching the rest on the shelf. The individual season sets (which I bought as they came out, then was gifted Seasons 6 and 7 for Christmas) are in one of my TV-on-DVD sections.

Next up, I've got two 2x4 IKEA Kallax bookcases (8 cubby holes each), one against the windows, the other against the wall (with my 4K television on top). The window Kallax houses my Disney Blu-Rays and VHS Clamshells on the lower shelves, while the upper shelves are for TV on DVD (this is where "The Golden Girls" resides). My orchids sit on top of this Kallax since it's by the window, along with some framed photos of family and friends. And the starship Enterprise. And a Klingon Bird-of-Prey. It's my loft in my house, I'll decorate it how I want to, Ma.

The Kallax by the wall is for additional TV on DVD/Blu-Ray (again on the upper shelf), while the lower shelves are strictly for LaserDiscs. I could probably just redo all these so all the TV material is on one Kallax, but I like how it's separated. Also, this is the Kallax with the 4K television on top, so I can't really do much else with it. I've toyed with the idea of mounting a floating shelf on the wall above the TV, but don't know what I'd put there. And if I ever get a bigger television, I'd have to remove that shelf anyway or move it higher.

Flanking the wall Kallax are two standard bookcases that help create a sense of columns for the television. On one bookcase, I have all my Doctor Who DVD & Blu-Ray releases: essentially every Doctor Who story released to DVD, along with all the Blu-Ray seasons as they come out. The other bookcase holds all my Disney DVDs. On top of the Disney bookcase is one of my favorite artifacts from childhood: my Magic Kingdom playset that I received for Christmas when I was three years old.

Finally, in my bedroom, I have another Kallax, which just has a regular HDTV on top of it and a Blu-ray player. The eight cubby holes on that Kallax are for my top eight favorite films of all time: The Ten Commandments (1956), Casablanca (1942), Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992), Somewhere in Time (1980), Ghost (1990), Sleeping Beauty (1959), and Luca (2021). Since I like to collect multiple editions of certain films, it made sense for me to showcase my absolute favorites in their own dedicated section. The Casablanca and Beauty and the Beast sections are quite crowded given how many editions of those films I own. Luca, being a new release, is simply the two store-exclusive 4K releases plus a bunch of other merchandise for the film to help fill it out (the "Art of..." book, a plush of Luca, some of the action figures, an ornament, and a custom-painted rubber duck a friend of mine made for me).

The one issue I have with all this is space, since I'm still collecting movies, and especially as I'm still collecting on various formats. I still pick up the occasional LaserDisc here and there, and I've been wanting to get more VHS for awhile now even though so many other formats are technologically superior. Heck, there have been some titles I've skipped entirely on various formats and are now getting for the first (and last?) time on 4K Ultra HD. So it's not just a matter of upgrading titles in my collection, but adding more. And new movies keep coming out, though I'm more selective of which ones I'll purchase.

Alby

I put my Disney movies (both animated and live action) and animated movies from other studios in one section and all other live action movies in others. I usually arrange them in a way that it looks nice, blending the colors on the spines. It may seem like a chaos to others, but I know where each movie is, when I want to look for one to watch.