Thanks for watching and subscribing to the channel! If you missed the last video on my blu-ray collection, here it is - ua-cam.com/video/6YR2letehpc/v-deo.html
I think your decision make a good impact in your subscribers because I not always buy all recommendations (all are welcome). I choose what I like most, and you know what? I already passed 100 movies and I thought have a few. So I want to collect more but being more selective...some will be 4k and some 1080, the main idea is have fun. My point is keep giving recommendations even if u don't own it. See u on your next video.
Collecting isn’t a religion/cult with strict rules you have to abide by haha, it’s just a personal hobby so you just gotta pursue what makes you happiest cus thats the only reason you are doing it. It’s not a public collection or a broader thing you are subscribed to
I’ve been watching criterion and boutique videos from various collectors for over 10 years. I’m tired of people who buy tons of titles but then just file them and never have anything to say about them. I’ve stopped watching people unless they have substance to offer. I don’t need to see packaging , I need insight. Bravo to you. This in my eyes makes one a serious collector. It’s not about movies sitting on shelves it’s what has been evaluated.
Elliot. Please understand that these views you are objecting against are of the loud minority. Most followers of your channel will be supportive of you. This inspires many. Many have quite a few problems with thinking media will replace a hole in their life. Keep going.
Anyone can just go buy stuff to get their numbers up. A collection, especially a film collection, should be an extension of you. With my collection, I can point to any disc on the shelf and tell you a) when I first saw it, b) who I was with, c) how it made me feel when it ended. That’s a collection.
I think it would be better to say "I have seen every criterion movie" than to say "I am in massive debt and I own every criterion movie." I am incredibly interested in your new collection journey and I finally subscribed to your channel because of your last video.
1800 Blu-rays is a very high number and just keeping them because you own them shouldn't be a reason for everyone. I have about 300 Blu-rays and i am at the moment in the keep my blu-ray faction. But as my collection grows i have more and more problems of picking one movie to watch, because i can't decide which of the unseen movie i should watch next. And also sometimes i like to rewatch a movie, but then i have always that voice that is questioning this choice, because as i mentioned i have so many unseen ones. And if i think about having that high number of yours i would be happy at one point but also always be stressed about which one i should watch, rewatch or how i should display them and so on. When i started buying blu-ray i had only a couple, but i could easily decide which movie i should watch next and wasn't overwhealmed by the choice i have.
I appreciate the shout out pal! Can't wait to see what makes your forever collection as the year progresses! Nathan of course is a mutual friend and has a great channel, but it fantastic to see you highlight Craig's channel, his voice in the community is very refreshing and we need more of them within specific genres. Imagine for instance, someone out there with a collection like Craig's but film noir movies instead 😎 cheers 👍
the end goal in minimising something that is slowly taking over is *Quality over Quantity*. I went through a stage early in my collecting horror films that I would pick up literally anything that was deemed Horror, at 800 discs I hit the moment of why do I do this, so I decided to weed out the films I honestly do not care for and keep only the films that matter to me. Granted it turned out I dropped 26 discs xD but What matters is I am happier for it. So If you reducing your collection to the film/shows that matter to you is important to you then you are equally worthy of the label collector as someone who just wants to grab every disc known to man.
Nah dude, you're good. I used to just buy random shit all the time during the days of DVD, but after I upgraded to blu ray I only wanted to buy movies that I truly liked. After purging lots of old dvds or upgrading them I feel much more proud of my collection now that it is carefully curated set of all my top favorites. I hate buying movies just because I think I should like them/have them in my collection. I still occasionally blind buy some stuff, but its rare and usually only if its a director or writer I like. Just collect the films you love, its better that way than going for complete sets of everything, at least in my opinion.
You are definitely not a traitor. I really like what you are doing in kind of purging the things you don't really watch much and focus more on movies you really love. I am in the process of upgrading some of my favorite movies to 4k and I just can't really justify owning 3 copies of the movie. Can't wait to see what the year brings from you. Bought my first criterion collection movie this past week. Had to go with The Darjeeling Limited and followed that up with The Grand Budapest Hotel. Sure I am a Wes Anderson fanboy, but those movies are so good.
You are on the right track! Physical media is king in our house. My Blu Ray collection looks very different than years past. Slimming out the collection is what we call it. Thanks for your videos Elliot. You do you!
I absolutely understand all of your points. The only one I'd argue against is that life will change you and you may very well want to rewatch something that in this moment you THINK you will never watch again. And the titles may be next to impossible to get in the future.
Hey Elliot, I just wanted to say that your previous video on this subject inspired me a bit to look over my collection and see if I could weed anything out. I found quite a bit I could get rid of, and within the past weeks, I've been rethinking my motives and thought process behind owning A LOT of blu-rays. I've come to realize that I own a lot of stuff that I either A) don't like (or don't love) just because I may rewatch it some time, or it was put out by a certain label, and B) a lot of stuff I've never seen and I've owned forever. I started really thinking about my spending habits and whether or not buying this many blu-rays actually fulfils me or not. I've come to the conclusion that it doesn't really, lol. I think that I liked the idea of buying a lot, or placing a big order, than actually watching the movies. I really liked the act of putting things in my cart, looking up movies, checking the prices, etc. Y'know, the process of buying stuff for my collection. It was getting to the point that if I couldn't make a giant order, or get a big haul, that it didn't even feel worth it. But I look back on the blu-rays, or the editions of blu-rays, that I actually watch and care about - and they are all movies that I LOVE for some reason or other. So I've started trying to focus more on collecting stuff, as you have, that I actually care about. Not worrying about the label or the hype, and really sitting down and thinking it through: whether or not I NEED a certain release. I'm now in the process of selling off some blu-rays I know for sure that I won't want to watch again, and using that money to upgrade some of my favourites onto 4k, or even buying some of favorites that I never owned. A good rule that I'm trying to stick to as well, is that if I want to upgrade a blu-ray, I have to first sell my previous copy. For example: I owned the Special Mondo Vision Edition of Possession (1981) for years, and it's one of my favourite movies. I started recently thinking that I'd like the bigger Limited Edition of the film. And with this new mindset of cutting out the clutter on my shelves, and spending more wisely on things I love, I decided that I should treat myself and buy this nice edition of one of my favourites, but only after I sell my other copy. So I sold my copy of Possession, and I'm gonna put that money towards the bigger set, and hopefully buy it this week. Anyway, sorry for the ramblings ahah. My point is that your previous video inspired me to do some introspection on my collection habits, and really get to the bottom of whether or not my habits give me any sort of meaning or not. Turns out, I might be more fulfilled with less - and to focus on stuff that I love, with the occasional blind buy as well of course (but evaluating whether I want to keep it or not after I watch it, as you said - which I think is a great idea). I think I'll be staying away from spending huge amounts during sales for a while ahah.
I do think that doing this “new collection” in this careful, thought out way is a better idea rather than just getting rid of everything. I would still say it’s good to be careful, because down the road you might be reminded of a movie you enjoyed and think, “I want to watch that!” but then you find that you had gotten rid of it and now it is out of print or hard to find or unavailable and then you might not be able to watch it again, which would be very sad... :(
My worry with this, especially if the idea catches on, is that people stop buying from boutique labels. I imagine that the boutique Blu Ray market is already very small so I would hate to think that any of the smaller ones go out of business. I do understand that you’re not stopping buying Blu Rays though, and that you’re just not going to let the ones that you do buy gather dust if you don’t like them 😅 I’ve recently decided to focus what I buy. I used to buy films from almost every label, even ones that I was almost sure that I wasn’t going to like, just because it was from a label that I did like. For financial reasons, I’ve had to start being brutally honest with myself and focus what I buy a bit more. I’ll still trying to be ‘Indicator complete’ (as well as a couple of other labels), but it’s a bit more realistic than wanting to own everything from every label. If there’s a title from another label that I want or interests me, I will still, of course, buy it, but without the pressure of thinking that I need everything else from the company’s back catalogue.
Hey, Elliot. What will you be doing with the blu-rays you will be discarding? Are you putting them up for sale? I know a lot of us would bite your hand off for some of those titles.
Traitor? Never! A curated collection is always better than collecting just for the sake of it. Everyone’s collection is a very personal thing, so you’ve gotta do what’s best for you!
Pretty sad that people get upset about stuff like this. I think ultimately it probably just holds up a mirror to other people’s collecting habits. Keep up the good work and ignore the haters! What you are doing is super healthy
It is a shame how people are always concerned what other people are doing. U do what makes u happy. Love ur videos and ur reviews. Thanks again Elliot.
It's a very interesting topic that I'm sure plagues all us collectors at different points. I'm oder than most here and collected VHS, Laserdiscs and now Blu Ray and 4K. I know that many of the films I'll buy will only be seen once. I do get a pleasure out of simply looking at the cases and knowing that, for example, I can pick up Matchstick Men tonight and watch it knowing I'm seeing and hearing it at the best it can be. I personally don't think any approach is "wrong" as who am I to judge. If it makes someone happy, then that's a good thing. Thanks for what you do Elliot!
Personally, I have media that I don't care to see again anytime soon however, I do not know what tomorrow brings. New people come into my life and I could share these things with someone that never had the experience and I get the new experience also. Now I should add that my collection is much smaller than yours. I think what you are doing is great.
I fully agree with this mentality. I don’t see the value in owning so many movies or shows that number the thousands. You get to a point where you can’t rewatch this stuff enough to make it worthwhile, even if it you made it your full-time job for the rest of your life.
Hey Elliot, thanks for clarifying things up, was interesting to see a response to my video. I realised after making the video that maybe I shouldn't have taken the "clutter" word as literally as I did, but I guess it shows how much I care about art. I'm glad you are still going to buy more blu-rays, although getting from 1800 to 600 blu-rays still sounds way too big of a change to me, but each to his own. Hope this change works out for you and others!
People need to meet up in person and trade and sell their physical media with each other so you can get rid of things and maybe get something back they actually want. Watching movies only once and having the disc sit on the shelf for years is a waste. Especially if a streaming service has it.
You are a wonderful collector Elliot. Me too. Thank you for your videos. I always look forward to watching. Thank you always for watching mine as well. Keep doing what you love. I will as well.
Great update Elliot, and thank you very much for the shoutout. I think you hit the nail on the head with how I am beginning to identify why I'm "decluttering" (if you will) and trying to focus more on what I already have and slowly building from there. Once again, not everyone's approach, but certainly something that I will be trying to work on for the year and the years to come. Cheers, my friend!
You're very inspiring. I have such a difficult time with getting rid of movies from my collection. I love browsing my shelf. It's therapeutic and I look at my movies as memories of the times I've watched them in the past as well as the content of the film. Everybody's collection is unique to them.
I'm more of a book collector rather than a film collector, so "600" still sounds like a lot of movies to me. I would make one suggestion for anyone transitioning to curator from collector. I would go beyond simply asking, "would I watch this again?" I think it's a good idea to consider which films are the most important to you and that you treasure the most. There may be some films that you have seen plenty of times and may not plan to watch again that you'll find you still want to proudly display in your collection.
This is a hobby, in a way, so it's about having fun collecting what we all love...physical media!!! Just buy what you like, if it works keep it if not get rid of it. Too much angst, in the immortal words of the Joker, "why so serious?". This is about having fun, relax and enjoy collecting what works for you. No need for stress . I think we all love and support physical media. ....always.
I certainly do not consider you a "physical media traitor". I love what you and Sam are doing with your collections, curating them so that in a way they are reflections of yourselves and your tastes! Quality vs quantity. You've articulated very well my thoughts on the matter. Collecting should be a source of joy and pleasure one's life. However, if you end up with shelves and shelves of things (whether they be physical media or not) that you don't even like then it seems that you're more of a hoarder than a collector, at least in my opinion. And as you mentioned we are all at different stages in our lives. We may not have the financial security to own thousands of blu rays and so we have to be mindful of our limitations. It doesn't mean you love the medium any less. I'm very picky with what movies I purchase already but I do regular unhauls with my books, and personally its a refreshing process knowing that at the end of the day you have what you really love on the shelves. Keep doing what you're doing and what makes you happy is all I can say :D
The key thing here is 'value'. It is doesn't bring you joy, then it is clutter as it doesnt represent the direction of your life. De-cluttering helps you to recognise what is important to you and what isn't important to you. That goes for everything. Once this is recognised, de-cluttering is liberating. I am a film appreciator, not a physical film collector. You can be a combination of both. Do you think Mark Kermode has racks and rack of physical media?
I've always found collections that are carefully curated by their owner, regardless of size, are far more interesting than everything-under-the-sun collections.
It would bother me that I’d have loads of Blu rays that I just don’t have a connection with. Just have stuff that means something to you, that’s what I’m trying to do. I bought Kwaidan the other day and whilst it’s visually stunning I’m not sure I’ll be revisiting it anytime soon, but bought Bicycle Thieves from Arrow and absolutely loved it, so that will be staying. Love the channel by the way!
I never buy 'blind', so to say, unless it's a title from a very favorite director or with a favorite actor/actress, and except for literally a couple of times, I was never disappointed. I do need to cut down as well, but I don't believe in not keeping movies I wouldn't watch within a year or two, because there's too many, and I often come back to a film 10, 15 years later, and am glad to have it. On the other hand, usually it's already another edition on a newer format, because they're changing about once a decade. We've finally come to the last format, though, because even in so called 4k not everything is better, or a real 2160p transfer, so from now on, at least that is over.
Hello from Oregon, I just came across this video. I have been thinking about this subject for some time now. With that said, I watched your video on steelbooks. I decided to stopped collecting steelbooks. Stress, the expense, pre-orders etc. I even stopped purchasing 4k'S with slipcovers. That was such a headache, I will complete what I've started, example my DC collection with slipcovers. Thank you for the review.
Just recently bought a 4k telly and started getting back into buying and collecting movies again... however I don't have any problem with having a library of Apple TV movies too. Chuffed I found your channel.
Nothing wrong with trimming the collection a bit. Most of us don't have unlimited shelf space so it makes sense to get some off the shelves that have been gathering dust for ten years 😄 I do it too at times although I don't sell most but put them in boxes in storage. Once storage gets full I will have to think about selling some but I'm not at that point yet 😂 hope you can keep us up to date on which movies you'll decide to keep!
As a collector myself I get it. I own hundreds of movies and TV series but they are all things that I totally adore. I try not to buy movies or shows that I will never watch again just because it’s part of a collection. I find that aspect of collecting strange and a waste of money myself, but it’s each to their own I guess. We’re all also guilty of trimming our collections. Anyone that says they don’t is a liar. I’ve done it myself, not by the hundreds but the odd few every now and then. Problem is because I love my collection so much it’s extremely hard to part with anything. Maybe one day I’ll make a video showcasing my collection of movies. It’s the first thing I look at each day when I get downstairs and the first thing that greets me when I get home from work. Call me crazy but I think it makes me happy.
What happened to three films you were going to keep this week? I was hoping it would be a weekly thing... I think most people go through this stage with their film collection. I’ve sold off a heap of my films that I never intend to watch again.
I don't understand why you should own every single release by a label like Arrow, Criterion, et cetera. Of course, they'll release movies you like or even absolutely love. However, this won't be the case for every single movie they release. It's just impossible for them to only release movies this one guy on UA-cam likes, unless you're on their board of directors. So, what about those movies you don't like? With so many movies released by these boutique labels, there'll even be movies that you think suck or even hate. This brings me to the question: What's the point of owning those movies? Why would you want to own a movie that you don't like or even hate? I don't see the point of it. So, I'd say it's about time you got rid of them. Of course, there's this feeling of being a completionist. When I buy television series or movie series I also want the complete collection and I can't stand it when something is missing. However, in this case we're talking about complete series that I like and consist of just several seasons or films. With a Criterion or Arrow collection it's a completely different story. These are immense series that keep on going on and on, which is something completely different than owning all Alien movies or all seasons of Game of Thrones. In the case of a Criterion or Arrow collection we're talking about all kinds of different movies that are constantly being released. What I'm trying to say is, if you like the first three Harry Potter movies, you'll probably like the whole series and it's obvious you want to own the whole series, especially as it's a continuous story. This is not the case with hundreds of Criterion releases. If you like some of them, it doesn't mean you'll like all of them. So, what's the point of owning every single one of them?
I'm going to adopt a similar attitude about collecting this year myself. I think having a good collection of the films you really love is the perfect way to go.
I agree about collecting spine numbers. It's a special feeling seeing a long row of consecutive numbers lines up on your shelves, which is of course one of their selling points, but it just becomes too much, especially when several lables have the same movie. Several movies are available both as Ciretion and as Masters of Cinema, or as HMV Premium and Criterion or whatever and whatever, so what do I do? Do I double dip on everything released by two or more labels just to have the complete spine number series? Or do I live with holes in one labels numbering? and which one to choose. For a lot of movies Criterion is the best option, but living in Europe and native Criterion Blu-Rays coming here quite late means I would pretty much have to start over, while I already have a fair number of Masters of Cinema, and those are not bad releases either. And as they keep putting out new numbered it just becomes to many to keep track off. The solution is of course to learn not to care about the numbers. I do still, in a way, collect the numbered Disney "classics" as I buy all new Disney movies that release physically (no guarantees for that keeping happening with Disney+ taking over), and I do still buy the Mondo X Steelbook series, though their release pattern of late has been problematic and annoying for other reasons, going silent for a year or more, then dropping 5-10 steels within a very short time, then going silent again, and then dropping a new big batch.
I listened to this old film podcast, that no longer exists sadly, and one of the hosts had bought a blu ray of birth of a nation, he felt kind of bad about it and was wondering if the person at the store thought poorly of him or if others knew he bought it if they would think poorly of him. Now he didn’t agree with the politics of the people who made the film or what it’s about but he wanted to own it because of its place in film history. We all have reasons for why we have certain films, the movies I own I either love or know I will love and I take a long process to figure out what to buy. You have your own process. It seems like you enjoy this process and the state of your collection and I hope it keeps bringing you joy
No one should feel ashamed of such things. I own Birth of a Nation, Mein Kampf and Song of the South... Doesn't make me a neo Nazi or slaver advocate. It just means I think they are interesting and significant historical artifacts that reflect a point in time and that can be learnt from... Those who shun/forget history risk repeating it as the famous saying goes...
I like your channel because I want to be careful with what I buy. I have watched A Clockwork Orange, The Shining, and Eyes Wide Shut on repeat my entire life, but stayed away from Barry Lyndon. I just bought and watched it because of your recommendation. Thank you my friend!! Have you considered using a specific shelf for mabie keeper movies?
It's good to fine tune so that you have a collection that you feel best represents your own personal taste. I have personally had about 5 or 6 clear outs. There is the odd occasion where I get a pang of, I wish I still had that but then I look at the hundreds of films on my shelves that I haven't even seen yet. Many have been sat there patiently for years. I've still got DVDS from my visit to Hong Kong in 2006 that I haven't watched. Priorities change and viewing habits evolve. What really matters at the end of the day is, do I enjoy what I do? And buddy, you definitely have a passion for what you do!
That first point you made about not keeping everything after watching is some much needed clarification. Personally I think that’s great. I never like to keep movies that I own but don’t necessarily like, think it’s a good way to clear space
I’ve only got 60 films in my collection. I just started. But since the beginning I adopted the same philosophy of your challenge. I only collect films I love/really like. I never buy anything I feel is “important” or things I’m supposed to like.
If you feel like this is the right decision for you, then of course this is the right decision for you. Personally I have a hard time permanently getting rid of movies. I mainly collect Steelbooks or special editions, and if I have a regular jewel case and later get a steel I have no problem donating the jewel case edition to the salvation army or similar and movies I didn't like I often put away in a box for storage, but wouldn't completely throw anything out. This I think comes from my history with selling of video games once upon a time. About 15 years ago I sold off most of my video game collection to make the jump to next gen consoles more bearable. I did take a long look at my game shelf and decided that these 50-something games that I hadn't played in years, several of which I'd stopped playing before the end because I didn't like them, would never be played again and I sold them all. And I have since bought back 90% of them, and am looking for good condition versions of the rest to buy. At the time it did feel like the right decision, and for about 3 years I didn't miss any of the games I'd sold, but then I started longing to play them again, even the ones I didn't like that much. Probably the fact I couldn't had something to do with it, but it doesn't change the fact that I did buy them all back, and every single one I payed more to buy the second time than I sold for the first time, and a few I even payed 2-3 times more than what I paid the first time to get hold of them again, and I've enjoyed revisiting all of them, even the bad ones, even if just for one or two sit downs. In hindsight selling my game collection just to move to next gen a couple of months earlier was one of the worst decisions of my life, and that's why I am very careful about ever getting rid of games, movies, or books again.
Hi Elliott, I only recently started collecting (mainly 4k) and right at the beginning I decided I would only buy movies that I really love and will watch again and again (Close encounters, Jaws, Blade Runner, Groundhog day, anything by Chris Nolan etc). Anything else I will stream. I will probably find new favourites by streaming them first, then deciding to buy the disc to keep and add to my collection. This way keeps the cost, the storage requirements and the backlash from the missus down!
Keep up the great content, there is no way your a traitor to physical media as you well know. Your just focusing on what's truly needed and it's the film not the label or number. It's very inspiring
Traitor? Ha! Collectors who think like that are clinging far too much to both things AND to art. Art should be in service to life, not the other way around. I love that you're curating a more clear collection. You've helped to inspire me to do the same and it feels amazing. Big thanks!
Hey Elliot, just thought I’d leave you a message on what I think about all of this. (Btw the reason why I didn’t comment on your previous videos, isn’t because I disagree with you! Just forgot haha, I’m still an avid fan) I’d like to, at some point in my life, have a nice curated collection (like what your doing) and I think it was good how you brought up a counter argument, which I can understand. Good luck with your new collection Elliot, I fully support this!
I think this is great! You can love things without collecting all of them. I understand the impulse to collect, and I’m always glad to see someone deciding for themself what they want to collect, not what they feel they need to collect. Good job! That being said, if you kept them because you wanted to I would say “good job” as well.
I don’t think that you should get rid of any of your Criterions. You stated that you have around 500 Criterions just this week, so you probably kept those.
@@ElliotCoen excellent! I probably won’t get rid of any of my Criterions again, because I remember owning Monty Python’s Life Of Brian (spine# 61) and selling it after I bought it on a non-Criterion Blu Ray because it’s out of print and Criterion never released it on Blu Ray. It bothered me for several years and I had to repurchase it on DVD.
The internet is very much encouraging when seeing other people have massive collection and it only feeds the video maker. The thing is, collecting everything is absolutely crazy because you'll never get to a point where you 'll be satisfied. I've recently been able to make a fair bit of money but would definitely not buy everything. My philosophy for buying stuff is if i find it geniunely rewatchable and is highly rated, not a one and done type movie.
If I won the lottery I would buy one heavy duty boxes to store in a storage space built just below a home cinema room. So if a nuclear war occurred or Earth was hit by a space rock. There would be a chance for the collection to be saved and if I survived I would have something to enjoy after the power comes back on. Now what do I hope will happen with the biggest psychical media collections. I hope some are protected by a few wealthy collectors in vaults on both Earth and Mars for the good of future generations.
It's ridiculous that people would question your approach, who are they to decide what you want to do? I've always just collected films I like viewing repeatedly. When all is said and done, I'll probably have around 300 - 350 films in total. There is literally no point in owning films that just collect dust 😂
The last video you made was the first video from you that I saw. As someone that has re-evaluated their collection and done purges, I have found that it can bring peace of mind and regret. I applaud your method in re-evaluating your collection as I wish I would have done it similarly in the past. I in no way consider you a physical media traitor, and anyone that does collect and has to do it on a budget would more than likely agree.
There's a difference between 'accumulating' and 'collecting'. The former implies a vacuum cleaner approach (whenever I see the word 'hoard' in a video title, I shudder) the latter a thought-out process of putting together a selection of discs that reflect your interests and personality. I know which one is more interesting to me! But it's a free (ish) country and people can do what they like. Personally it baffles me that people should spend a fortune on steelbooks or should obsess about collecting a complete run of spine numbers. To me, that has nothing to do with enjoying films, it's about accumulating for the sake of it. But I'm glad that there are people out there who do that - it makes the world a more interesting place and I would never criticise someone for doing things their way. Anyway, great video, as ever.
I'm kinda shocked at people collecting movies because they're a new criterion release or something. I only buy the things that interest me, and that's already expensive enough.
I’ve done this regularly for the last couple of years. If I don’t watch and it’s just gathering dust, it gets sold. I’ve supported the labels over years and given a lot of money to them over time, however I don’t need every film to enjoy the content.
I think your new approach is fine. Doing it this way, you can still highlight great films in your videos and recommend stuff. You get to revisit favourites more often. There’s less of that sense of an infinite watch list.
Never once thought you meant you were "betraying" phsyical media haha. But yeah nah, honestly good on you for this. I know it'd be a challenge to get rid of bulk like this.. It'd be hard for me to part with anything from my collection - but I can see why you're doing it... See I have a pretty big collection now but even I admit it's not "focused" as you described that other UA-camrs collection. If I see something cheap I buy... So there is I admit: waste in there. The battle is always between quantity vs quality there haha. But yeah, I can see why you'd want to kind of "streamline" it, and keep it to being a good representation as compared to your own tastes. I respect it! I aim to focus on quality over quantity a bit more in the future too, but I admit there's something in it for me to get a lot of stuff cheap, and so I will often buy movies that I don't necessarily ABSOLUTELY LOVE but think is just ok to add to my collection and I don't really regret they. I like doing it, but as I get more into blurays and 4ks as I have in the past 6 months I am trying to focus a little more on movies I like, particularly when it comes to upgrades of stuff I already have on DVD. Anyway, I look forward to seeing more of your collecting journey mate 😉
There are no "traitors" just do what makes you happy. Personally I used to be obsessed with physical media but as the years went on I just ended up getting so sick of it, what I had on my shelves had had so much money put into it but didn't feel special. It was just plastic. So I ended up moving to a digital collection, ripping all of my movies to my PC for personal archival purposes and then selling the physical media. Done that ever since and I feel so much happier. My movies don't cost me much at all because I resell them, they're not filling up my physical space and stressing me out, they're simply on a hard drive, nicely organised. For me to only think about them when I want to, not have them glooming over my subconscious in real life. At the end of the day they're only movies.. Made to be watched and enjoyed. Nothing more and nothing less.
I think that what you are doing with your collection is in any case the opposite of what a physical media traitor would do...also everyone has their own personal way of enjoying the collecting journey. Cheers from Uruguay Elliot!
you did good. if thats what you feel thats what you gotta do. id do the same. buying everything that is released is never a good sign , never. for many many reasons.
Hey Elliot, have u ever played RPGs like final fantasy? Did u ever get to a point in the game where ur super strong and have collected every weapon and item to where u can just wipe every enemy off the map? AKA uve reached the pinnacle. Then one day u just start a new save from scratch and realize that the funnest part of the game is the struggle of having little to nothing to help u win. Not being the biggest baddest dude around, but the struggle of using every resource u can to just stay alive--that was always the funnest part of the game for me. So, do what u can to use that analogy towards movie collecting and ull see what i mean.
I have a question, Going forward will you continue to inform us about new deals on from these BluRay providers. New releases that are worth notice and stuff like that
Honestly, there is absolutely nothing wrong with using the digital format to find new films and to see which films you actually want to add to your collection.
To each his own. Keep what you like, get rid of what you won't miss watching for years or ever again. Media availability is in constant flux, goes out of print and then gets a new release. Twilight Time went out of business in June 2020; however, Screen Archives Entertainment bought their catalog and may be re-releasing many titles. Twilight Time issued 3,000 copies and their titles are selling at a premium. These limited titles will be produce by a different company once they obtain the rights.
I admire your resolve to rein in your expenses - this is really what you're attempting to do. I don't believe you've actually changed your mind about collecting in general. Once you're in, there's no getting out, like the Mafia lol. I, too, felt disappointed by your previous declaration that you were getting rid of movies but after watching this latest video I completely understand why you're undertaking such an overhaul. You feel "enslaved", in a way, by traditional collecting habits, namely acquiring titles based solely on a number to complete a collection. I'm a collector also, perhaps more deeply than you are, but I won't allow myself to get caught up in completionism (is that even a word?). Not only is it ruinous financially, but it's not even necessary. Why purchase films you don't, or won't, enjoy? That never made any sense to me. I see plenty of collection videos with people saying things like "I don't know why I own this. It's terrible" and all I can do is shrug my shoulders. Important to keep in mind that collecting films isn't a race to watch everything by a certain time. My Criterion collection is fairly large but I've only seen about a third of the films, and I acknowledge there are films I own I may NEVER watch but I would also never endeavor to eliminate them from my shelves, space be damned. Stop buying films altogether for a little while. Take a break. I bet you'll come back more passionate about the hobby than ever. Good luck. BTW, I have a small channel myself. It's poorly done but it's sincere. I invite you to check out my handful of videos - it's under my own name. Thanks
IReally cool concept, it would be fun if you actually filled an empty shelf with the new collection and we could track that over the year. Right now your shelves just look full again
Doing this now with my comics. Basically got rid of everything except fantagraphics, Terry Moore books, hellboy and some image. There was a point where buying and thinking about books was absolutely out of control and reached an obsessive level. I just looked at my collection and felt sick
You are not a traitor, you are only improving the way to collect. In my opinion, collecting physical media must give me a joy a not stress, therefore I don’t have to collect every title released each month by a boutique label which also implies to invest a lot of money!!Therefore, I collect mainly the films that I love and some other films with good reputation that I haven’t ever seen before.
Thanks for watching and subscribing to the channel! If you missed the last video on my blu-ray collection, here it is - ua-cam.com/video/6YR2letehpc/v-deo.html
I think your decision make a good impact in your subscribers because I not always buy all recommendations (all are welcome). I choose what I like most, and you know what? I already passed 100 movies and I thought have a few. So I want to collect more but being more selective...some will be 4k and some 1080, the main idea is have fun. My point is keep giving recommendations even if u don't own it. See u on your next video.
Collecting isn’t a religion/cult with strict rules you have to abide by haha, it’s just a personal hobby so you just gotta pursue what makes you happiest cus thats the only reason you are doing it. It’s not a public collection or a broader thing you are subscribed to
I’ve been watching criterion and boutique videos from various collectors for over 10 years. I’m tired of people who buy tons of titles but then just file them and never have anything to say about them. I’ve stopped watching people unless they have substance to offer. I don’t need to see packaging , I need insight. Bravo to you. This in my eyes makes one a serious collector. It’s not about movies sitting on shelves it’s what has been evaluated.
Elliot. Please understand that these views you are objecting against are of the loud minority. Most followers of your channel will be supportive of you. This inspires many. Many have quite a few problems with thinking media will replace a hole in their life. Keep going.
Anyone can just go buy stuff to get their numbers up. A collection, especially a film collection, should be an extension of you. With my collection, I can point to any disc on the shelf and tell you a) when I first saw it, b) who I was with, c) how it made me feel when it ended. That’s a collection.
Perfectly said. This is exactly how I feel about collecting
This is something I do every 12 months or so. I take a long hard look at the shelves and think long and hard if I’m gonna watch certain discs again.
I think it would be better to say "I have seen every criterion movie" than to say "I am in massive debt and I own every criterion movie."
I am incredibly interested in your new collection journey and I finally subscribed to your channel because of your last video.
1800 Blu-rays is a very high number and just keeping them because you own them shouldn't be a reason for everyone. I have about 300 Blu-rays and i am at the moment in the keep my blu-ray faction. But as my collection grows i have more and more problems of picking one movie to watch, because i can't decide which of the unseen movie i should watch next. And also sometimes i like to rewatch a movie, but then i have always that voice that is questioning this choice, because as i mentioned i have so many unseen ones. And if i think about having that high number of yours i would be happy at one point but also always be stressed about which one i should watch, rewatch or how i should display them and so on.
When i started buying blu-ray i had only a couple, but i could easily decide which movie i should watch next and wasn't overwhealmed by the choice i have.
I appreciate the shout out pal! Can't wait to see what makes your forever collection as the year progresses! Nathan of course is a mutual friend and has a great channel, but it fantastic to see you highlight Craig's channel, his voice in the community is very refreshing and we need more of them within specific genres. Imagine for instance, someone out there with a collection like Craig's but film noir movies instead 😎 cheers 👍
the end goal in minimising something that is slowly taking over is *Quality over Quantity*.
I went through a stage early in my collecting horror films that I would pick up literally anything that was deemed Horror, at 800 discs I hit the moment of why do I do this, so I decided to weed out the films I honestly do not care for and keep only the films that matter to me.
Granted it turned out I dropped 26 discs xD but What matters is I am happier for it.
So If you reducing your collection to the film/shows that matter to you is important to you then you are equally worthy of the label collector as someone who just wants to grab every disc known to man.
I’m all about collecting quality on my channel to review.
Nah dude, you're good. I used to just buy random shit all the time during the days of DVD, but after I upgraded to blu ray I only wanted to buy movies that I truly liked. After purging lots of old dvds or upgrading them I feel much more proud of my collection now that it is carefully curated set of all my top favorites. I hate buying movies just because I think I should like them/have them in my collection. I still occasionally blind buy some stuff, but its rare and usually only if its a director or writer I like. Just collect the films you love, its better that way than going for complete sets of everything, at least in my opinion.
You are definitely not a traitor. I really like what you are doing in kind of purging the things you don't really watch much and focus more on movies you really love. I am in the process of upgrading some of my favorite movies to 4k and I just can't really justify owning 3 copies of the movie. Can't wait to see what the year brings from you. Bought my first criterion collection movie this past week. Had to go with The Darjeeling Limited and followed that up with The Grand Budapest Hotel. Sure I am a Wes Anderson fanboy, but those movies are so good.
You are on the right track! Physical media is king in our house. My Blu Ray collection looks very different than years past. Slimming out the collection is what we call it. Thanks for your videos Elliot. You do you!
Thanks so much, Matt!
I absolutely understand all of your points. The only one I'd argue against is that life will change you and you may very well want to rewatch something that in this moment you THINK you will never watch again. And the titles may be next to impossible to get in the future.
Hey Elliot, I just wanted to say that your previous video on this subject inspired me a bit to look over my collection and see if I could weed anything out. I found quite a bit I could get rid of, and within the past weeks, I've been rethinking my motives and thought process behind owning A LOT of blu-rays. I've come to realize that I own a lot of stuff that I either A) don't like (or don't love) just because I may rewatch it some time, or it was put out by a certain label, and B) a lot of stuff I've never seen and I've owned forever.
I started really thinking about my spending habits and whether or not buying this many blu-rays actually fulfils me or not. I've come to the conclusion that it doesn't really, lol. I think that I liked the idea of buying a lot, or placing a big order, than actually watching the movies. I really liked the act of putting things in my cart, looking up movies, checking the prices, etc. Y'know, the process of buying stuff for my collection. It was getting to the point that if I couldn't make a giant order, or get a big haul, that it didn't even feel worth it.
But I look back on the blu-rays, or the editions of blu-rays, that I actually watch and care about - and they are all movies that I LOVE for some reason or other. So I've started trying to focus more on collecting stuff, as you have, that I actually care about. Not worrying about the label or the hype, and really sitting down and thinking it through: whether or not I NEED a certain release.
I'm now in the process of selling off some blu-rays I know for sure that I won't want to watch again, and using that money to upgrade some of my favourites onto 4k, or even buying some of favorites that I never owned. A good rule that I'm trying to stick to as well, is that if I want to upgrade a blu-ray, I have to first sell my previous copy. For example: I owned the Special Mondo Vision Edition of Possession (1981) for years, and it's one of my favourite movies. I started recently thinking that I'd like the bigger Limited Edition of the film. And with this new mindset of cutting out the clutter on my shelves, and spending more wisely on things I love, I decided that I should treat myself and buy this nice edition of one of my favourites, but only after I sell my other copy. So I sold my copy of Possession, and I'm gonna put that money towards the bigger set, and hopefully buy it this week.
Anyway, sorry for the ramblings ahah. My point is that your previous video inspired me to do some introspection on my collection habits, and really get to the bottom of whether or not my habits give me any sort of meaning or not. Turns out, I might be more fulfilled with less - and to focus on stuff that I love, with the occasional blind buy as well of course (but evaluating whether I want to keep it or not after I watch it, as you said - which I think is a great idea). I think I'll be staying away from spending huge amounts during sales for a while ahah.
I do think that doing this “new collection” in this careful, thought out way is a better idea rather than just getting rid of everything. I would still say it’s good to be careful, because down the road you might be reminded of a movie you enjoyed and think, “I want to watch that!” but then you find that you had gotten rid of it and now it is out of print or hard to find or unavailable and then you might not be able to watch it again, which would be very sad... :(
My worry with this, especially if the idea catches on, is that people stop buying from boutique labels. I imagine that the boutique Blu Ray market is already very small so I would hate to think that any of the smaller ones go out of business. I do understand that you’re not stopping buying Blu Rays though, and that you’re just not going to let the ones that you do buy gather dust if you don’t like them 😅
I’ve recently decided to focus what I buy. I used to buy films from almost every label, even ones that I was almost sure that I wasn’t going to like, just because it was from a label that I did like. For financial reasons, I’ve had to start being brutally honest with myself and focus what I buy a bit more. I’ll still trying to be ‘Indicator complete’ (as well as a couple of other labels), but it’s a bit more realistic than wanting to own everything from every label. If there’s a title from another label that I want or interests me, I will still, of course, buy it, but without the pressure of thinking that I need everything else from the company’s back catalogue.
Hey, Elliot. What will you be doing with the blu-rays you will be discarding? Are you putting them up for sale? I know a lot of us would bite your hand off for some of those titles.
You’re doing a great job with the channel Elliot!
Traitor? Never! A curated collection is always better than collecting just for the sake of it. Everyone’s collection is a very personal thing, so you’ve gotta do what’s best for you!
Pretty sad that people get upset about stuff like this. I think ultimately it probably just holds up a mirror to other people’s collecting habits. Keep up the good work and ignore the haters! What you are doing is super healthy
It is a shame how people are always concerned what other people are doing. U do what makes u happy. Love ur videos and ur reviews.
Thanks again Elliot.
It's a very interesting topic that I'm sure plagues all us collectors at different points. I'm oder than most here and collected VHS, Laserdiscs and now Blu Ray and 4K. I know that many of the films I'll buy will only be seen once. I do get a pleasure out of simply looking at the cases and knowing that, for example, I can pick up Matchstick Men tonight and watch it knowing I'm seeing and hearing it at the best it can be. I personally don't think any approach is "wrong" as who am I to judge. If it makes someone happy, then that's a good thing. Thanks for what you do Elliot!
Personally, I have media that I don't care to see again anytime soon however, I do not know what tomorrow brings. New people come into my life and I could share these things with someone that never had the experience and I get the new experience also. Now I should add that my collection is much smaller than yours. I think what you are doing is great.
I fully agree with this mentality. I don’t see the value in owning so many movies or shows that number the thousands. You get to a point where you can’t rewatch this stuff enough to make it worthwhile, even if it you made it your full-time job for the rest of your life.
Hey Elliot, thanks for clarifying things up, was interesting to see a response to my video. I realised after making the video that maybe I shouldn't have taken the "clutter" word as literally as I did, but I guess it shows how much I care about art. I'm glad you are still going to buy more blu-rays, although getting from 1800 to 600 blu-rays still sounds way too big of a change to me, but each to his own. Hope this change works out for you and others!
I only collect what I like and not every movie in the world.
People need to meet up in person and trade and sell their physical media with each other so you can get rid of things and maybe get something back they actually want. Watching movies only once and having the disc sit on the shelf for years is a waste. Especially if a streaming service has it.
You are a wonderful collector Elliot. Me too. Thank you for your videos. I always look forward to watching. Thank you always for watching mine as well. Keep doing what you love. I will as well.
Great update Elliot, and thank you very much for the shoutout. I think you hit the nail on the head with how I am beginning to identify why I'm "decluttering" (if you will) and trying to focus more on what I already have and slowly building from there. Once again, not everyone's approach, but certainly something that I will be trying to work on for the year and the years to come. Cheers, my friend!
You're very inspiring. I have such a difficult time with getting rid of movies from my collection. I love browsing my shelf. It's therapeutic and I look at my movies as memories of the times I've watched them in the past as well as the content of the film. Everybody's collection is unique to them.
Why on earth would anyone keep any movie that they’ll never watch again? It just doesn’t make any sense to keep it just to say you have it.
I try to only get the movies I know I will watch many times and that will be good to review on my channel.
I'm more of a book collector rather than a film collector, so "600" still sounds like a lot of movies to me.
I would make one suggestion for anyone transitioning to curator from collector. I would go beyond simply asking, "would I watch this again?" I think it's a good idea to consider which films are the most important to you and that you treasure the most.
There may be some films that you have seen plenty of times and may not plan to watch again that you'll find you still want to proudly display in your collection.
Any filmjunkie knows taste changes over time so you're gonna regret this.
This is a hobby, in a way, so it's about having fun collecting what we all love...physical media!!!
Just buy what you like, if it works keep it if not get rid of it.
Too much angst, in the immortal words of the Joker, "why so serious?".
This is about having fun, relax and enjoy collecting what works for you. No need for stress .
I think we all love and support physical media. ....always.
That’s how I do it for my movie review and collecting channel.
I certainly do not consider you a "physical media traitor". I love what you and Sam are doing with your collections, curating them so that in a way they are reflections of yourselves and your tastes! Quality vs quantity. You've articulated very well my thoughts on the matter. Collecting should be a source of joy and pleasure one's life. However, if you end up with shelves and shelves of things (whether they be physical media or not) that you don't even like then it seems that you're more of a hoarder than a collector, at least in my opinion. And as you mentioned we are all at different stages in our lives. We may not have the financial security to own thousands of blu rays and so we have to be mindful of our limitations. It doesn't mean you love the medium any less. I'm very picky with what movies I purchase already but I do regular unhauls with my books, and personally its a refreshing process knowing that at the end of the day you have what you really love on the shelves. Keep doing what you're doing and what makes you happy is all I can say :D
The key thing here is 'value'. It is doesn't bring you joy, then it is clutter as it doesnt represent the direction of your life. De-cluttering helps you to recognise what is important to you and what isn't important to you. That goes for everything. Once this is recognised, de-cluttering is liberating. I am a film appreciator, not a physical film collector. You can be a combination of both. Do you think Mark Kermode has racks and rack of physical media?
People should just do whatever works for them. I've never understood people who for some reason think that everyone else should play by their rules.
I've always found collections that are carefully curated by their owner, regardless of size, are far more interesting than everything-under-the-sun collections.
It would bother me that I’d have loads of Blu rays that I just don’t have a connection with. Just have stuff that means something to you, that’s what I’m trying to do. I bought Kwaidan the other day and whilst it’s visually stunning I’m not sure I’ll be revisiting it anytime soon, but bought Bicycle Thieves from Arrow and absolutely loved it, so that will be staying. Love the channel by the way!
I love what you are doing with the collection, a collection is something very personal and everyone gets to shape it however they want to.
I will never betray physical media: I review and collect lots of physical media on my channel!!
Love the idea of purging a collection dude
I never buy 'blind', so to say, unless it's a title from a very favorite director or with a favorite actor/actress, and except for literally a couple of times, I was never disappointed.
I do need to cut down as well, but I don't believe in not keeping movies I wouldn't watch within a year or two, because there's too many, and I often come back to a film 10, 15 years later, and am glad to have it. On the other hand, usually it's already another edition on a newer format, because they're changing about once a decade.
We've finally come to the last format, though, because even in so called 4k not everything is better, or a real 2160p transfer, so from now on, at least that is over.
Hello from Oregon, I just came across this video. I have been thinking about this subject for some time now. With that said, I watched your video on steelbooks. I decided to stopped collecting steelbooks. Stress, the expense, pre-orders etc. I even stopped purchasing 4k'S with slipcovers. That was such a headache, I will complete what I've started, example my DC collection with slipcovers. Thank you for the review.
Just recently bought a 4k telly and started getting back into buying and collecting movies again... however I don't have any problem with having a library of Apple TV movies too. Chuffed I found your channel.
Nothing wrong with trimming the collection a bit. Most of us don't have unlimited shelf space so it makes sense to get some off the shelves that have been gathering dust for ten years 😄 I do it too at times although I don't sell most but put them in boxes in storage. Once storage gets full I will have to think about selling some but I'm not at that point yet 😂 hope you can keep us up to date on which movies you'll decide to keep!
As a collector myself I get it. I own hundreds of movies and TV series but they are all things that I totally adore. I try not to buy movies or shows that I will never watch again just because it’s part of a collection. I find that aspect of collecting strange and a waste of money myself, but it’s each to their own I guess.
We’re all also guilty of trimming our collections. Anyone that says they don’t is a liar. I’ve done it myself, not by the hundreds but the odd few every now and then. Problem is because I love my collection so much it’s extremely hard to part with anything.
Maybe one day I’ll make a video showcasing my collection of movies. It’s the first thing I look at each day when I get downstairs and the first thing that greets me when I get home from work. Call me crazy but I think it makes me happy.
What happened to three films you were going to keep this week? I was hoping it would be a weekly thing...
I think most people go through this stage with their film collection. I’ve sold off a heap of my films that I never intend to watch again.
I don't understand why you should own every single release by a label like Arrow, Criterion, et cetera. Of course, they'll release movies you like or even absolutely love. However, this won't be the case for every single movie they release. It's just impossible for them to only release movies this one guy on UA-cam likes, unless you're on their board of directors.
So, what about those movies you don't like? With so many movies released by these boutique labels, there'll even be movies that you think suck or even hate. This brings me to the question: What's the point of owning those movies? Why would you want to own a movie that you don't like or even hate? I don't see the point of it. So, I'd say it's about time you got rid of them.
Of course, there's this feeling of being a completionist. When I buy television series or movie series I also want the complete collection and I can't stand it when something is missing. However, in this case we're talking about complete series that I like and consist of just several seasons or films.
With a Criterion or Arrow collection it's a completely different story. These are immense series that keep on going on and on, which is something completely different than owning all Alien movies or all seasons of Game of Thrones. In the case of a Criterion or Arrow collection we're talking about all kinds of different movies that are constantly being released.
What I'm trying to say is, if you like the first three Harry Potter movies, you'll probably like the whole series and it's obvious you want to own the whole series, especially as it's a continuous story. This is not the case with hundreds of Criterion releases. If you like some of them, it doesn't mean you'll like all of them. So, what's the point of owning every single one of them?
I'm going to adopt a similar attitude about collecting this year myself. I think having a good collection of the films you really love is the perfect way to go.
I agree about collecting spine numbers. It's a special feeling seeing a long row of consecutive numbers lines up on your shelves, which is of course one of their selling points, but it just becomes too much, especially when several lables have the same movie. Several movies are available both as Ciretion and as Masters of Cinema, or as HMV Premium and Criterion or whatever and whatever, so what do I do? Do I double dip on everything released by two or more labels just to have the complete spine number series? Or do I live with holes in one labels numbering? and which one to choose. For a lot of movies Criterion is the best option, but living in Europe and native Criterion Blu-Rays coming here quite late means I would pretty much have to start over, while I already have a fair number of Masters of Cinema, and those are not bad releases either. And as they keep putting out new numbered it just becomes to many to keep track off. The solution is of course to learn not to care about the numbers. I do still, in a way, collect the numbered Disney "classics" as I buy all new Disney movies that release physically (no guarantees for that keeping happening with Disney+ taking over), and I do still buy the Mondo X Steelbook series, though their release pattern of late has been problematic and annoying for other reasons, going silent for a year or more, then dropping 5-10 steels within a very short time, then going silent again, and then dropping a new big batch.
I listened to this old film podcast, that no longer exists sadly, and one of the hosts had bought a blu ray of birth of a nation, he felt kind of bad about it and was wondering if the person at the store thought poorly of him or if others knew he bought it if they would think poorly of him. Now he didn’t agree with the politics of the people who made the film or what it’s about but he wanted to own it because of its place in film history. We all have reasons for why we have certain films, the movies I own I either love or know I will love and I take a long process to figure out what to buy. You have your own process. It seems like you enjoy this process and the state of your collection and I hope it keeps bringing you joy
No one should feel ashamed of such things. I own Birth of a Nation, Mein Kampf and Song of the South... Doesn't make me a neo Nazi or slaver advocate. It just means I think they are interesting and significant historical artifacts that reflect a point in time and that can be learnt from... Those who shun/forget history risk repeating it as the famous saying goes...
I like your channel because I want to be careful with what I buy. I have watched A Clockwork Orange, The Shining, and Eyes Wide Shut on repeat my entire life, but stayed away from Barry Lyndon. I just bought and watched it because of your recommendation. Thank you my friend!! Have you considered using a specific shelf for mabie keeper movies?
I’m very careful on what I buy for my review and collecting channel.
It's good to fine tune so that you have a collection that you feel best represents your own personal taste. I have personally had about 5 or 6 clear outs. There is the odd occasion where I get a pang of, I wish I still had that but then I look at the hundreds of films on my shelves that I haven't even seen yet. Many have been sat there patiently for years. I've still got DVDS from my visit to Hong Kong in 2006 that I haven't watched. Priorities change and viewing habits evolve. What really matters at the end of the day is, do I enjoy what I do? And buddy, you definitely have a passion for what you do!
We are all done!
That first point you made about not keeping everything after watching is some much needed clarification. Personally I think that’s great. I never like to keep movies that I own but don’t necessarily like, think it’s a good way to clear space
I will trim my collection down once I’ve watched more of my collection. I don’t have unlimited space
My collecting style is very ' buy all the things'
I’ve only got 60 films in my collection. I just started. But since the beginning I adopted the same philosophy of your challenge. I only collect films I love/really like. I never buy anything I feel is “important” or things I’m supposed to like.
If you feel like this is the right decision for you, then of course this is the right decision for you. Personally I have a hard time permanently getting rid of movies. I mainly collect Steelbooks or special editions, and if I have a regular jewel case and later get a steel I have no problem donating the jewel case edition to the salvation army or similar and movies I didn't like I often put away in a box for storage, but wouldn't completely throw anything out. This I think comes from my history with selling of video games once upon a time. About 15 years ago I sold off most of my video game collection to make the jump to next gen consoles more bearable. I did take a long look at my game shelf and decided that these 50-something games that I hadn't played in years, several of which I'd stopped playing before the end because I didn't like them, would never be played again and I sold them all. And I have since bought back 90% of them, and am looking for good condition versions of the rest to buy. At the time it did feel like the right decision, and for about 3 years I didn't miss any of the games I'd sold, but then I started longing to play them again, even the ones I didn't like that much. Probably the fact I couldn't had something to do with it, but it doesn't change the fact that I did buy them all back, and every single one I payed more to buy the second time than I sold for the first time, and a few I even payed 2-3 times more than what I paid the first time to get hold of them again, and I've enjoyed revisiting all of them, even the bad ones, even if just for one or two sit downs. In hindsight selling my game collection just to move to next gen a couple of months earlier was one of the worst decisions of my life, and that's why I am very careful about ever getting rid of games, movies, or books again.
Hi Elliott, I only recently started collecting (mainly 4k) and right at the beginning I decided I would only buy movies that I really love and will watch again and again (Close encounters, Jaws, Blade Runner, Groundhog day, anything by Chris Nolan etc). Anything else I will stream. I will probably find new favourites by streaming them first, then deciding to buy the disc to keep and add to my collection. This way keeps the cost, the storage requirements and the backlash from the missus down!
Keep up the great content, there is no way your a traitor to physical media as you well know. Your just focusing on what's truly needed and it's the film not the label or number. It's very inspiring
I can't wait for you to talk about movies again ;-)
Traitor? Ha! Collectors who think like that are clinging far too much to both things AND to art. Art should be in service to life, not the other way around. I love that you're curating a more clear collection. You've helped to inspire me to do the same and it feels amazing. Big thanks!
Hey Elliot, just thought I’d leave you a message on what I think about all of this.
(Btw the reason why I didn’t comment on your previous videos, isn’t because I disagree with you! Just forgot haha, I’m still an avid fan)
I’d like to, at some point in my life, have a nice curated collection (like what your doing) and I think it was good how you brought up a counter argument, which I can understand. Good luck with your new collection Elliot, I fully support this!
This is a good idea, I'd love to have a curated collection
I think this is great! You can love things without collecting all of them. I understand the impulse to collect, and I’m always glad to see someone deciding for themself what they want to collect, not what they feel they need to collect. Good job! That being said, if you kept them because you wanted to I would say “good job” as well.
This is very inspiring. I totally get what you're doing. Can't wait for more videos in this series.
I don’t think that you should get rid of any of your Criterions. You stated that you have around 500 Criterions just this week, so you probably kept those.
Hey. You're right, I have kept all Criterions thus far, though I did sell a lot of other misc blu-rays :)
@@ElliotCoen excellent! I probably won’t get rid of any of my Criterions again, because I remember owning Monty Python’s Life Of Brian (spine# 61) and selling it after I bought it on a non-Criterion Blu Ray because it’s out of print and Criterion never released it on Blu Ray. It bothered me for several years and I had to repurchase it on DVD.
The internet is very much encouraging when seeing other people have massive collection and it only feeds the video maker. The thing is, collecting everything is absolutely crazy because you'll never get to a point where you 'll be satisfied. I've recently been able to make a fair bit of money but would definitely not buy everything. My philosophy for buying stuff is if i find it geniunely rewatchable and is highly rated, not a one and done type movie.
If I won the lottery I would buy one heavy duty boxes to store in a storage space built just below a home cinema room. So if a nuclear war occurred or Earth was hit by a space rock. There would be a chance for the collection to be saved and if I survived I would have something to enjoy after the power comes back on. Now what do I hope will happen with the biggest psychical media collections. I hope some are protected by a few wealthy collectors in vaults on both Earth and Mars for the good of future generations.
It's ridiculous that people would question your approach, who are they to decide what you want to do? I've always just collected films I like viewing repeatedly. When all is said and done, I'll probably have around 300 - 350 films in total. There is literally no point in owning films that just collect dust 😂
The last video you made was the first video from you that I saw. As someone that has re-evaluated their collection and done purges, I have found that it can bring peace of mind and regret. I applaud your method in re-evaluating your collection as I wish I would have done it similarly in the past. I in no way consider you a physical media traitor, and anyone that does collect and has to do it on a budget would more than likely agree.
I only buy 1 bluray a month of movies I know are rewatchable. I want to avoid the clutter too
There's a difference between 'accumulating' and 'collecting'. The former implies a vacuum cleaner approach (whenever I see the word 'hoard' in a video title, I shudder) the latter a thought-out process of putting together a selection of discs that reflect your interests and personality. I know which one is more interesting to me! But it's a free (ish) country and people can do what they like. Personally it baffles me that people should spend a fortune on steelbooks or should obsess about collecting a complete run of spine numbers. To me, that has nothing to do with enjoying films, it's about accumulating for the sake of it. But I'm glad that there are people out there who do that - it makes the world a more interesting place and I would never criticise someone for doing things their way. Anyway, great video, as ever.
I'm kinda shocked at people collecting movies because they're a new criterion release or something. I only buy the things that interest me, and that's already expensive enough.
I’ve done this regularly for the last couple of years. If I don’t watch and it’s just gathering dust, it gets sold. I’ve supported the labels over years and given a lot of money to them over time, however I don’t need every film to enjoy the content.
I think your new approach is fine. Doing it this way, you can still highlight great films in your videos and recommend stuff. You get to revisit favourites more often. There’s less of that sense of an infinite watch list.
This is unquestionably a positive move. Good for you👊
Never once thought you meant you were "betraying" phsyical media haha. But yeah nah, honestly good on you for this. I know it'd be a challenge to get rid of bulk like this.. It'd be hard for me to part with anything from my collection - but I can see why you're doing it... See I have a pretty big collection now but even I admit it's not "focused" as you described that other UA-camrs collection. If I see something cheap I buy... So there is I admit: waste in there.
The battle is always between quantity vs quality there haha. But yeah, I can see why you'd want to kind of "streamline" it, and keep it to being a good representation as compared to your own tastes. I respect it! I aim to focus on quality over quantity a bit more in the future too, but I admit there's something in it for me to get a lot of stuff cheap, and so I will often buy movies that I don't necessarily ABSOLUTELY LOVE but think is just ok to add to my collection and I don't really regret they. I like doing it, but as I get more into blurays and 4ks as I have in the past 6 months I am trying to focus a little more on movies I like, particularly when it comes to upgrades of stuff I already have on DVD.
Anyway, I look forward to seeing more of your collecting journey mate 😉
I rent Blu-ray & 4k Blu-ray movies, no collecting.
There are no "traitors" just do what makes you happy. Personally I used to be obsessed with physical media but as the years went on I just ended up getting so sick of it, what I had on my shelves had had so much money put into it but didn't feel special. It was just plastic. So I ended up moving to a digital collection, ripping all of my movies to my PC for personal archival purposes and then selling the physical media. Done that ever since and I feel so much happier. My movies don't cost me much at all because I resell them, they're not filling up my physical space and stressing me out, they're simply on a hard drive, nicely organised. For me to only think about them when I want to, not have them glooming over my subconscious in real life. At the end of the day they're only movies.. Made to be watched and enjoyed. Nothing more and nothing less.
I think that what you are doing with your collection is in any case the opposite of what a physical media traitor would do...also everyone has their own personal way of enjoying the collecting journey. Cheers from Uruguay Elliot!
you did good. if thats what you feel thats what you gotta do. id do the same. buying everything that is released is never a good sign , never. for many many reasons.
As soon as I saw the thumbnail, it reminded me of force awakens meme! TRAITOR 😂
let the man do whatever he wants!
Hey Elliot, have u ever played RPGs like final fantasy? Did u ever get to a point in the game where ur super strong and have collected every weapon and item to where u can just wipe every enemy off the map? AKA uve reached the pinnacle. Then one day u just start a new save from scratch and realize that the funnest part of the game is the struggle of having little to nothing to help u win. Not being the biggest baddest dude around, but the struggle of using every resource u can to just stay alive--that was always the funnest part of the game for me. So, do what u can to use that analogy towards movie collecting and ull see what i mean.
I’am not getting rid of my psychical media collection
I’am watching everything in my psychical media
I already watched 81 movies
When are you selecting your next 3? You actually got me to watch Poetic Justice. Waiting for your next 3
@@Tim._.. No I didn't, still picking them! I plan to do a video every month or 2 running down what I've added to my new collection.
@@Tim._.. I've already got my first 12 on the shelf :)
I have a question,
Going forward will you continue to inform us about new deals on from these BluRay providers. New releases that are worth notice and stuff like that
Well said Elliott.. You do what suits you and your family mate.. but keep up the good work tho.. cheers..
Keep doing your thing man! There’s nothing wrong with scaling down your collection.
Elliot, any chance you can grace us with your video setup? It's low key one of the best I've seen in the many channels I constantly watch.
Honestly, there is absolutely nothing wrong with using the digital format to find new films and to see which films you actually want to add to your collection.
To each his own. Keep what you like, get rid of what you won't miss watching for years or ever again. Media availability is in constant flux, goes out of print and then gets a new release. Twilight Time went out of business in June 2020; however, Screen Archives Entertainment bought their catalog and may be re-releasing many titles. Twilight Time issued 3,000 copies and their titles are selling at a premium. These limited titles will be produce by a different company once they obtain the rights.
I admire your resolve to rein in your expenses - this is really what you're attempting to do. I don't believe you've actually changed your mind about collecting in general. Once you're in, there's no getting out, like the Mafia lol. I, too, felt disappointed by your previous declaration that you were getting rid of movies but after watching this latest video I completely understand why you're undertaking such an overhaul. You feel "enslaved", in a way, by traditional collecting habits, namely acquiring titles based solely on a number to complete a collection. I'm a collector also, perhaps more deeply than you are, but I won't allow myself to get caught up in completionism (is that even a word?). Not only is it ruinous financially, but it's not even necessary. Why purchase films you don't, or won't, enjoy? That never made any sense to me. I see plenty of collection videos with people saying things like "I don't know why I own this. It's terrible" and all I can do is shrug my shoulders. Important to keep in mind that collecting films isn't a race to watch everything by a certain time. My Criterion collection is fairly large but I've only seen about a third of the films, and I acknowledge there are films I own I may NEVER watch but I would also never endeavor to eliminate them from my shelves, space be damned. Stop buying films altogether for a little while. Take a break. I bet you'll come back more passionate about the hobby than ever. Good luck. BTW, I have a small channel myself. It's poorly done but it's sincere. I invite you to check out my handful of videos - it's under my own name. Thanks
I don't understand how anyone can be offended about what your doing, it's your own business.
IReally cool concept, it would be fun if you actually filled an empty shelf with the new collection and we could track that over the year. Right now your shelves just look full again
Doing this now with my comics. Basically got rid of everything except fantagraphics, Terry Moore books, hellboy and some image. There was a point where buying and thinking about books was absolutely out of control and reached an obsessive level. I just looked at my collection and felt sick
You are not a traitor, you are only improving the way to collect. In my opinion, collecting physical media must give me a joy a not stress, therefore I don’t have to collect every title released each month by a boutique label which also implies to invest a lot of money!!Therefore, I collect mainly the films that I love and some other films with good reputation that I haven’t ever seen before.