Do people still care about artwork and boxes

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

I tend to find when i watch Arrow discs i spend half the film reading the booklet and gazing at the poster/ back catalogue artworks instead, all in a dimly lit room so it takes ages.

I just want the best presentation of the actual movie, like the last few posters here, i watch the film then back on the shelf it goes. For example i haven't seen the Almost Human lenticular sleeve since i watched the film the week of its release.

[Rassilon]

I used to have shelfs with rows of horror dvds on them, and horror cds books etc...however since me and my wife have had children, all these dvds have either been put in cd folders, or out of sight.

I wouldn't put my arrow video dvds in cds wallets, that would be to traumtic.

[The Reaper Man@Cult Labs]

**** the downloads!

Give me artwork and boxes anyday!

[Daemonia]

Absolutely, Reaps. Don't think that just because artwork might not be as important to me as others, this in no way means that I would prefer downloads. Absolutely not. No way. I'm pathologically averse to the idea of downloading movies instead of having the genuine article, a physical product.

[Wes]

Yeah, I do love good artwork and I have been guilty of buying DVDs for the artwork - films I probably would have passed on had they been issued in different sleeves.

Originally Posted by Daemonia

I'm pathologically averse to the idea of downloading movies instead of having the genuine article, a physical product.

Daemonia, I agree with you when it comes to downloading something I can get off Amazon etc - I like having the physical product sitting on my shelf and I'm proud of my collection etc... but I must say, I would never have seen Jodorowsky's Tusk, the ultra rare Rolling Stones film Cocksucker Blues, or the weirdo-hardcore epic Thundercrack! if someone hadn't uploaded them, so downloading can be a great thing as well...

[Daemonia]

Originally Posted by Wes

Daemonia, I agree with you when it comes to downloading something I can get off Amazon etc - I like having the physical product sitting on my shelf and I'm proud of my collection etc... but I must say, I would never have seen Jodorowsky's Tusk, the ultra rare Rolling Stones film Cocksucker Blues, or the weirdo-hardcore epic Thundercrack! if someone hadn't uploaded them, so downloading can be a great thing as well...

I hear what you're saying, but also consider this: if a rare film that a distributor was considering was discovered to have already been downloaded multiple times, then they might drop the title as they've already seen the loss of potential sales. I know of a few instances where a DVD distributor lost interest in a title because it had already been distributed across the internet via torrent sites. So your argument can work for and against the fan. Do you really want to scupper the chances of a legit release because of impatience? And that's all it is, impatience. There's literally 1000's of legit cult movies on DVD. Have you seen them all? Why are you so interested in what isn't available?

This isn't a personal attack on you, Wes. Just throwing some thoughts out there and playing Devil's Advocate to stir up some discussion.

[Wes]

No, you're totally right... And both arguments are valid. Usually, the stuff I grab does then to languish in the unreleasable camp, if such a thing exists today... anyway, I'll be the first to admit that I'm a hypocrite because I would rather people buy, say, Code Red titles as opposed to dl'ing them, so morally speaking this whole downloading business is decidedly tricky...

[Sarah@Cult Labs]

I personally am 100% against illegal downloading via torrent sites and so on.

It can kill small companies like Shameless and Arrow when their releases get ripped off, but, as Daemonia says, also prevents companies from wanting to release films if its widely available as a download. To echo Deamonia, there are 1000s of cult films out there on DVD, BD and even VHS if you know where to look, so until I've seen them all I'm not really interested in what I can't get hold of.

That said, I don't even really like legal downloading via iTunes, Amazon and the like. I hate e-books with a firey passion (I like owning proper books) and I don't like watching films on my computer, plus I like owning shelves full of shiny DVD and BD boxes.

The only thing I download with any regularity is music (legally via iTunes) and that's simply because I have no room in my flat for CDs on top of all my films, and I use my iPod all the time so it's just easier to download.

[Wes]

Gulp, I feel like I'm gonna get rained on with rotton eggs after my last post... I'll just get my coat...

[Gojirosan]

Nice artwork is a pleasant bonus, but hardly make or break. As with extras it just added icing on the main element of the cake. It's all about the film.

Bad artwork or lacking extras would not be a consideration to me at all when it comes to getting the best version of a film.

I am perfectly happy with Vipco Screamtime style packaging - plain with just the title. Artwork and packaging is just not that important. But if it's there and looks nice then fine.