The Pickiness of Fans

[Wes]

Great thread... I started collecting films in the late 80's on VHS and I still can't believe how far we have come - I could never have conceived of such a thing as DVD with all it's bells and whistles (lasers never caught on in Ireland), and I remember getting the Pioneer DVD of Texas Chainsaw Massacre from the US (when it was still an outlaw title in the UK and Ireland), and being awestruck that the film came with a running commentary by the film makers - can you imagine such a thing ? John Peel once said the best year for music releases was the current year, and I feel the same way about DVD/BR. This is truely a Golden Age for film collecting.

[pedromonkey]

I don't really care about everything being HD as long as a film is available on some format and has a relatively good Transfer, i don't mind ripped from VHS as long as it's not an old worn out VHS. Some films i upgrade to because i feel these are the films that need to be seen in the best possible way such as Close Encounters, Jaws, North By NorthWest and The Road Warrior to name just a few.

[Baseball Fury]

You're kind of misguided comparing vinyl to VHS though. the vinyl revival is due to the fact that people want the best possible quality for their money, and 180g vinyl sounds better than any CD or digital file will. it's quality, not nostalgia, driving those sales.

[Scyther]

Great topic! I don't consider myself very picky, to be honest. I'd say the only dealbreaker for me is when a film is cut for content. As far as picture quality goes, of course I like it when a film print actually looks nice and watchable, but I totally agree that burns, specs and grit can enhance the atmosphere of a film, particularly if its a former Nasty or a rare flick.

That's why I rarely pick up Blu Rays. While there have been exceptions in the past (the Di Leo Crime Collection, for example; I simply NEEDED to see these films in high def, because I worshiped them so, hence double dipping), I almost always go for DVDs, because they're cheaper for my wallet, and I can, as a result, buy more movies!

So I guess I see both ends of the argument, but in the end I'm more on the 'atmosphere' tip than needing a film to look as pristine as possible in 1080p digital transfer.

[Delirium]

We're spoilt with BD, but .. IMO .. we're still spoilt with DVD. I suppose it depends on your generation, as NOTHING can compare to the heyday of VHS trading/tracking. That's not just to do with the quality upgrade of DVD, but the accessibility of getting films (thanks, internet) you once had to jump through hoops to get hold of - but wasn't it worth it?

So a lot of love for VHS is nostalgia, yes. But I still miss my tapes and consider DVD a blessing. The fact blu came along just enhanced that and made home cinema more cinematic! But I still buy DVDs and I'm no AV snob. If something is only available in a 4:3 VHS print, I'm happy watching it (a HD TV just makes it look shitter than my trusty old CRT).

I tend to buy blus on offer or special upgrades (like my Xth copy of The Exorcist, but boy does it look lovely in HD). No way would I upgrade everything - couldn't afford to, nor wish to!

I should mention the whole laserdisc thing passed me by.. I went from VHS to DVD.

[Wes]

Well said Delirium... And worth a mention too are these very pages - film fan commnunities like this establishment which truely took wing in the DVD age, transforming film collecting culture with the distribution of information, recommendations, ideas and opinions among like minded fans, so much more faster and better than irregularly published fanzines (trailblazing as they were) during the VHS era. Who could say that these are not great days !

[Robert W]

Chiming in a little late in the game, but I think the "pickiness" of fans the OP mentions might have to do with the fact that perhaps they're sick of having to repurchase all their favorite films every time a new medium replaces an older one. I can say for myself that I've purchased films on VHS, laserdisc, dvd, and blu-ray, and I'm tired of it. It's gotten to the point now that unless a new edition of film is a significant restoration, as in the case of Universal Classics, or contains some exceptions extras, as in the case of the SE of Cat In The Brain, I'm simply not interesting in triple or quadruple dipping again.

[Beyond72]

I guess I'm somewhere in the middle, as I don't own a blu-ray player yet (As I only collect 90% horror, and old ones at that.) and can understand the point about some films having a certain quality to them on worn out prints, esp when it comes to SFX.

But since I got a HD TV and when some of my DVDs have half decent prints as it is, I love watching them "upscaled" through my XBOX/HDMI. While I wouldn't go as far as "Like watching them for the first time" it is fun seeing them in a new light. (The Xbox/HDMI seems to pick up more texture than my standard player.)

I will upgrade to Blu-Ray at some point, but at the moment I'm loving picking up DVDs for next to nothing.

[PaulD]

Interesting points. To me saying "I don't want to see my favourite films on bluray" is as good as saying "I wouldn't want to see them in a 35mm print at the cinema". Obviously there's still a difference in quality but its still about seeing them in as good a format as possible. Film directors rarely, if ever, make a film with the intention of it being viewed as a poorly damaged scratchy print.

[James Morton]

Originally Posted by PaulD

Interesting points. Film directors rarely, if ever, make a film with the intention of it being viewed as a poorly damaged scratchy print.

unless its DEATH PROOF or PLANET TERROR etc!