What makes a DVD worth owning?

[donald gregory]

what's everyones criteria for making a dvd worth owning?

For me, it has to be a movie with rewatchability (like Office Space, Billy Madison for two comedy examples)

Or it has to have some really good special features that I enjoy. 'Once Upon a Time in Mexco' is a good example, as I didn't particularly care for the movie.

Your opinion?

[Abranut]

Originally posted by donald gregory
For me, it has to be a movie with rewatchability (like Office Space, Billy Madison for two comedy examples)



That's the main factor for me, followed by cost to purchase versus cost to rent (sometimes factoring in potential late fees), and finally availability (having a region free dvd player, owning is the only option on some of my international titles).

[Josh H]

Movie with rewatchability with a good transfer and sound mix.

I don't care about anything else. I'm not going to buy a movie I won't rewatch multiple times just because it has good extras and I'm not going to pass on a movie I love because it's bare bones (as long as the audio and video are up to par).

[eisenreich]

1. Rewatchability
2. Sound/Picture Transfer
3. Extra Features (Commentary, Featurettes, etc.)

I buy most of my DVDs used, so price usually isn't much of a concern.

[asianxcore]

I have to like the movie and it has to be rewatchable. Definately the 2 most important things. I am not going to spend a bunch of money on a movie that I don't see myself watching more than once.

[gutwrencher]

I'm building a library...not just a collection. therefore....my reasons are confusing to most, so I'll end it there.:D

[Mole177]

i like to see them in the masses.

[Canadian Bacon]

1. taste
2. the movie itself
3 a/v quality
4 price
5 extras

[sexymama]

As long as I know I'll want to watch it again and again and again, I'll buy it...

Originally posted by Josh Hinkle
I don't care about anything else. I'm not going to buy a movie I won't rewatch multiple times just because it has good extras and I'm not going to pass on a movie I love because it's bare bones (as long as the audio and video are up to par).

My sentiments exactly... what can I say, great minds think alike? :)

[Dabaomb]

well obviously the ones with the coolest covers ;)

[wendersfan]

1. Rewatchability
2. A good transfer
3. Potential future avaliability

An explanation for #3: I don't mean collectability, what I mean is, how readily will I be able to rent this movie in the future? For example, I don't own FOTR, not because I don't like it or wouldn't want to watch it in the future, but because a) I can rent it anywhere, and b) if I ever decide to buy it, I probably will be able to find a copy in most stores for the forseeable future.

[duy37]

i like to buy any mainstream dvds mostly recent releases, occasionally i'll get indies or old catalog titles

money is no object.

but if it was then I'll have to have seen it first before buying, then if i feel as if i could truly rewatch over and over then i would buy it

[SideShow]

Is there a cute shirtless guy in it? If so, I'm buying it!

Besides that, the ones I own would be a movie I enjoy (or think I'll enjoy) and am pretty sure I will rewatch. However, if it's a movie I like but am not 100% on owning, sometimes extras like commentary or a documentary will decide if I purchase or rent it.

But I'll buy a barebones disc if I love a movie, extras are great but I collect DVDs because I love movies (and some TV shows)

[bjh_18]

For me, the main factor is if I like the movie or not. Even if I don't think I'll rewatch a dvd over and over again, if I liked the film, I'll pick up the dvd to have it. 21 Grams is a good example. Great movie (and I think the best film of last year), but it's not the kind of movie you pop in multiple times a year like Office Space.

But I'm also a collector, and so sometimes I'll pick up dvds just for the sake of having them. Take the Lord of the Rings movies for example. I really have a strong dislike for all three of the films, but I have the first two Extended Editions. Now granted, they were bought for me (because I wouldn't give up my own money for them), but I kept them because they are great examples of what dvds can be.

So rewatchability isn't really a factor for me. Even if I know I won't watch a movie much, if I like it, I'll pick it up.

[Cocopugg]

rewatchability

[DVD-ho78(DTS)]

I won't own a DVD just because of extras or the sound mix.

I will own a DVD if I enjoy the movie and it is rewatchable. I then check to see if the DVD has an anamorphic transfer if WS, a good sound mix, & a decent amount of extras.

I'm always tweaking my collection since I don't really care to own more than 130 movies at this point. The 130 isn't set in stone but I find it to be a good number to keep me inline so I don't go overboard. It's hard enough finding time to watch new movies much less those I already own.

[pdjennings]

1) If I've seen the movie: Did I like it?

- If yes, buy it.
- If no, don't buy it.

2) If I've not seen the movie: Does it look interesting?

- If yes, buy it.
- If no, don't buy it. Perhaps look it up, read about it, see if interest grows. If it does, buy it. If not, don't buy it.

Easy as that.

[Numanoid]

Originally posted by pdjennings
1) If I've seen the movie: Did I like it?

- If yes, buy it.
- If no, don't buy it.

2) If I've not seen the movie: Does it look interesting?

- If yes, buy it.
- If no, don't buy it. Perhaps look it up, read about it, see if interest grows. If it does, buy it. If not, don't buy it.

Easy as that. :up: Same here.

I'm amazed at people who go to the movies once a week or more, then wonder how I can spend $15 on a movie I may only watch once.

[Dabaomb]

Originally posted by pdjennings
1) If I've seen the movie: Did I like it?

- If yes, buy it.
- If no, don't buy it.

2) If I've not seen the movie: Does it look interesting?

- If yes, buy it.
- If no, don't buy it. Perhaps look it up, read about it, see if interest grows. If it does, buy it. If not, don't buy it.

Easy as that.

:jawdrop:

PDJennings is BACK!!!!! C'mon, you're sooooo close to 3000. You can do it!!!!!!

[nodeerforamonth]

extras

[scott1598]

good...movie...period!

[drjay]

I'm with pdjennings. [Un]fortunately I don't have a collection even near his size. I also agree with gut..I'm going for a library here...like a 'rest of my life' kind of deal. I certainly won't be dumping DVDs when the next media format comes out, that's for sure. So buying a movie like Once Upon a Time in America, which I will only have time to sit down and watch once or twice a year (I refuse to watch half then postpone till the next day) is okay, since I've got 50 or 60 years to watch it plenty of times. Now DVD rot... -ohbfrank-

[JimRochester]

I won't keep any movie I know I have no interest in seeing again. I buy most of mine used for <$10. Trade in value is $6. So I'll buy anything that seems intersting then sell what I don't want to watch again. The net cost was a rental with no return date and I'm sure someone else borrowed it because family borrows just about everything I own.

[matome]

Originally posted by pdjennings
1) If I've seen the movie: Did I like it?

- If yes, buy it.
- If no, don't buy it.

2) If I've not seen the movie: Does it look interesting?

- If yes, buy it.
- If no, don't buy it. Perhaps look it up, read about it, see if interest grows. If it does, buy it. If not, don't buy it.

Easy as that.

Yes.

[fumanstan]

Originally posted by Canadian Bacon
1. taste
2. the movie itself
3 a/v quality
4 price
5 extras

What do they have to taste like? Chicken? :)

[Brian Shannon]

Whether I liked the film and whether I will rewatch the film.

[Tandem]

It has to have a great insert. No DVD is worth owning without a proper insert. LOL

Originally posted by fumanstan
What do they have to taste like? Chicken? :)
I've never tasted one myself, but occasionally I'll find a case that smells real yummy.

[DrMcKittrick]

If I like the movie I'll buy it. Period.

[nemein]

The movie
The features
The price

[Lee Harvey Oswald]

I ask myself one question:
Does it have Steve Guttenberg in it?

If its something I'll watch over and over I'll buy it. Thats it. It doesn't matter if its bare bones or loaded with extras (I prefer extras of course).

Money is not an issue because I only spend maybe $200-300 on DVDs a year if that. I usually just get TV Sets and about half of those are gifts. I haven't bought a movie on DVD since UHF and Memento Limited Edition came out.

[BlackBeauty92]

1. the movie itself
2. cost (a whole lot cheaper than LD)
3. transfer quality (sound & picture)
4. Original Aspect Ratio
5. extra features
6. reason to quite drugs... :D

[The Ferret]

Did you "quite" school also?
Sorry i couldn't resist :D

For me it's purely the movie and rewatchability, and of course i go for the best quality version of the dvd.

Ferret

[BlackBeauty92]

oops, mah bad :D

me no english.... hot dog yes yes hamburger no no... :D

[Al Padrino]

Originally posted by gutwrencher
I'm building a library...not just a collection. therefore....my reasons are confusing to most, so I'll end it there.:D

No, man, don't. I can't be the only one around here who enjoys reading Gut's posts about building the perfect library and all that. And I'm being sincere when I say that, odd as it may sound.

As for myself, it's all about the main feature for me. I'm not real picky about the picture or sound, as long as the visual element doesn't look like a bootleg tape or the audio part doesn't sound like it's being done under water.

The extras are great and when I see a semi-big title out there with little or no extras, I'm hesistant to buy it, since there's a good chance it'll get a better release soon. So, I guess, while extras aren't all that important to me, their inclusion on DVDs can affect my purchases, since I will hold off if it means getting a superior version later down the road.

[nightmaster]

The movie is why I buy, barebones, all the trimmings, whatever. Like others I'm building a library. In spite of alot of DVDers saying doomsday is coming and our DVDs will soon be obsolete/replaced, I'm buying with intentions on watching them over and over for years to come. Like tons of other people I'm switching my VHS collection over and after 4 years am pretty much done, expect for the few titles I love that have yet to make it to disc. I have NO desire or intention to make another switch anytime in the near future; some of the stuff I've switched over I had bought on VHS a decade ago and more. That said, I want to own all these great movies I have loved since childhood as well as new ones that come out in the present and future. I'm not looking at the sound options or whether or not it's anamorphic in order to make my decision. I'm looking at do I love the movie in order to make my decision. If I'm a huge fan of the movie I'm buying it. If I have little interest in it as a film I'm not going to spend my money on it no matter how many great extras, attributes, deleted scenes, commentaries or what have you are included. I prefer widescreen and will always buy widescreen if available, but if it's not available I take what I can get, which is still ten times better than what I had slapping a videotape in the player to watch. Ugh. I know lots of people disagree with that stance, but are you going to pass up one of maybe your five favorite movies of all time because they decided to release it in fullscreen instead of widescreen, knowing that they may never re-release that movie on disc again? The movie is the thing. The purists will say that it's not the movie as it was intended for me to see because its not in its theatrical format.....but they aren't going to be showing it in the theatres anymore so watching it at home is my only option to watch it again and again, regardless of the format the distributors deign to release it in.

[custom001]

It has to have a spine number. ;)




Seriously, of the movies I know: another vote for rewatchability, transfer & extras (esp. outtakes would be nice:))

For blind buys, also the price (for example "GQ" for 9.99)

[toobsock]

What makes a DVD worth owning? For me, the film itself is usually the deciding factor, unless the transfer/audio is bad enough to be a deal-breaker.

[InnocentBlood]

if the the movie/ actor/ director appeals to me, then i'd buy it for keeps & even upgrade whenever i can.