DeputyDave

So I have this good friend (and co-worker) who buys 5-10 DVDs a week. Now I know I’m preaching to the choir here at DVDTalk, but it is what he buys that amazes me. He buys EVERYTHING and ANYTHING. If it is in the New Release section at BestBuy or Wal-Mart he buys it.

Now this is a guy who likes movies. He goes to the theater 2-3 times a week and watches every DVD he buys (he has no unopened/unwatched DVDs, even the crap, while I have many dozens of unopened truly great movies). He never seems to be discouraged if he dislikes 2/3 of the DVDs he buys, he just tosses them into the many boxes in his spare room.

I guess what really irks me (besides the fact that he can afford to buy this many DVDs and I can’t) is that he doesn’t display or even organize his collection. 99% of his DVDs just get tossed in a box. Regardless if he likes them or not, Once a year he “organizes” by putting the discs into giant CD wallets in no particular order, then throws out the cases.

When I mean everything, I’m not talking about one of us splurging on our wish list. As an example here is what he bought in the last two weeks:

The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Doom
Waiting
Elizabethtown
Wallace and Gromit
Just Like Heaven
Supercross
Bubble
Corpse Bride
In Her Shoes
The Legend of Zorro

And that’s with him bitching about nothing “good” coming out. He sometimes buys twice that much. I don’t think I can convey the total eclectic randomness of his purchases.

I’m not sure why I’m posting this. I guess I’m just trying to understand what goes on in his head. The good that comes out of it is that I can usually borrow anything that catches my eye. You know the movies that you don’t even want to waste a Netflix queue spot on but still would check out if you had absolutely nothing else to do (Doom, I’m talking to you)

TomOpus

Dave, not sure what to say. Some people just have a wide-interest in movies. One man's crap is another man's hidden gem.

I'd be irked with how he treats his movies too but he owns 'em so if he wants to pile 'em on top of his roof, more power to him.



btw, what's his name so if I ever get pulled over by him I can get on his good side by saying "Hey, officer, buy any good DVDs lately?"

dvd-4-life

Is he buying the SE of Anything or the barebones edition?

DeputyDave

I suppose I'm having trouble articulating exactly what bothers me about his buying habits. It's not just that he has wide interests, its that he will buy any DVD regardless of whether he is interested in it at all. He has bought movies that he told me were crap when he first saw them in the theater. When I point this out to him he just shrugs and says he'll give them another shot. It's not that I have a problem with his tastes because we actually have very similar tastes in what we say we like and dislike (we go to the movies together at least once a month). It's just that even though I know he doesn't like it he will still buy it.

BTW no names but if you get pulled over in Lemon Grove and see a portable DVD player on the seat next to the computer... that might be him.

Eric D.

He throws out the cases!!! I knew somebody like that. But this guy would throw out the whole dvd, case and everything if the artwork was slightly ripped on the box. Some people I just don't get.

DeputyDave

OK. I thought about my feelings and I may have figured it out. I care deeply about my collection. I am proud of it and display it thusly. My collection tells everyone who sees it, who I am and what I like. Maybe I'm at fault because owning the collection is almost as important as watching the movies.

nemein

A "friend" uh? yeah ok we believe you

rasalas

I throw out the cases--these days, anyway. With thousands of DVDs (maybe 7?), there's simply nowhere to store them all on shelves and still have room for a normal household with a wife and two daughters.

I "process" my DVDs regularly: The discs go in Univenture's Safety Sleeves, which vary by type depending on if the disc is double-sided, part of a set or a single. The cases and "artwork," including chapter-listing inserts, get pitched. Substantive booklets, usually just Criterion these days, are filed separately for future reference, although I rarely go back to them.

The discs are filed alphabetically in sharp-looking black "shoe boxes" from Univenture, four of which are placed in each drawer of lateral file cabinets. I have 48 boxes, each of which holds about 80 discs, in six two-drawer cabinets. I have two more cabinets for incoming titles and others that I'm "holding," although those cabinets will soon be used for expansion of the boxes.

I have less than half my collection in the boxes. In addition, boxed sets get filed on shelves. But using the boxes for even 3,000 of my discs saves a ton of space.

I don't get all of the fascination and complaints about artwork and inserts. I watch what's on the discs, not what's on the covers.

As far as the original subject:

Substitute "he will buy" with "he will write about," and that's the life of a DVD journalist. I know, big complaint, coming from someone who gets review copies. But I rarely get to see DVDs I *want* to watch; it's usually DVDs I *have* to watch.

gutwrencher

So he's 5-O? Same thing if he was a firefighter. He can do whatever he wants to do and if people don't like it....tough. Sure....his everything theory would not work for me and no organization of a library is crazy, but if a guy risks his life everyday to serve the public....he can have whatever the fuck he wants. More power to him.

Egon's Ghost

Why has this become an issue of whether he can or can't or should or shouldn't? It's just a discussion. That being said, it sounds similar to comics collectors I used to know. They'd buy every piece of crap that came out, just to have it. It's a collecting bug.

I mean, why buy Doom? But that's just me.

Drexl

Does he do this with other things? I'm wondering if he's one of those people who just like to buy things they see advertised or prominently displayed, regardless of whether they really want them or not. Then again, I don't think TULOB would have been in one of those big displays.

As long as he doesn't have porn playing on the portable player when he's out, I guess he can do what he wants.

Eric D.

To each his own I guess. My line of work is film so it is safe to say that it is also my life. So I have no problem devoting a lot of space to my collection, which is close to three thousand now. I like walking into the rooms I have them set up in and seeing them all on display, as do all my film freak friends. But that's just me. Whatever makes you happy is all that matters, and your method seems perfectly logical too.

dsa_shea

As you said yourself your friend does watch everything that he gets. At least he is not a collector like some people that simply buys to buy and not to watch. Try joining CH to add to that collection with minimal expense (if you haven't) and not worry so much about how he does his thing. Maybe one day he'll take notice to how you maintain your collection and follow suit.

dvd_luver

DeputyDave, it's sounds like your friend loves movies on DVD and collects them all and watches them, but does it in his own little way or fashion, like not putting any thought into his purchases and kind of does it because he simply can and enjoys to, and that is what has you scratching your head since you collect them as well and are probably more thoughtful about it and your collecting habits.

As long as it isn't a problem for him, he can buy as many DVD's as he wants to and whatever he wants to, and watch them all whenever he wants to.

I bet you just wish he would be more thoughtful in his DVD purchases. Instead of just buying whatever he sees.

animatedude

awww i hope this friend you are talkin' about marries me...

DeputyDave

No, that's the weird thing. he's pretty minimalistic about the rest of his life. In fact if you go to his apt. it's pretty spartan. As far as I can tell he doesn't "collect" anything else (and I find it hard to call him a collector of DVDs).

Another odd thing is that he watches his movies at home on a 20" standard TV. I've heard him say a couple of times over the years that he wanted to get a bigger/better TV (I've even offered to go with him to pick it out) but he never seriously considers it.

NatrlBornThrllr

Yep, same here but I'm not complaining. It's an opportunity to be exposed to numerous films that I wouldn't otherwise give the time of day. Plus, it's a way to build my library for free.

-JP

PopcornTreeCt

There used to be a guy on here that would buy like 8-9 releases every week.

TomOpus

That is odd that he would buy so many DVDs but not a bigger TV. Obviously he has the money and a semi-decent 32" TV isn't very expensive anymore.

toddly6666

DeputyDave

I know, especially since he sold his crappy little 2 bedroom condo for $400 K last year. Money is not an issue for him.

emhello

$400K doesn't go very far anymore, especially if you live in a major city.

DeputyDave

Yeah, but if I had 400K in the bank and loved movies as much as he does I would buy a better TV and some sort of sound system

Breakfast with Girls

I was thinking he might be obsessive-compulsive, but it sounds like he watches everything he buys and doesn't really buy much anything else. It does sound like some sort of mental illness, though. I mean, seriously, Netflix?

I sometimes think my DVD collection is getting out of hand at 500 (and I sell the crap I don't like).

Vision of Love

It's his own right to buy whatever DVDs he pleases, but I get worried about people who spend their money like that.

He buys DVDs of movies he hated in the theatre? Wow... Talk about wasting your money and storage space.