I would keep what I have. But, then, my tastes have only broadened since childhood. However, your problem is very different from the one which started this thread.

Interestingly, in the average persons psychology, the tendency is to "build up" a purchase in your mind. It is actually more natural to feel good about a decision, and reinforce that good feeling, than to regreat it.

Of course this is all based on my college Psychology class, so take it for what it's worth . . .

LOL! Well, I guess i'm just an impatient guy. I reeeaaally dont see myself staring at my DVD's a few yrs from now thinking "Boy I wish I still had Godzilla or Armageddon..."

No, I am saying that people who dump hundreds of their DVD's were never collectors to begin with. They don't have to be collectors, but they should not claim that they are. I can like a bad movie. For example, I love Pieces, but it is a one star film. It is also unintentionally hilarious. I might also want to own a bad film for research or archival reasons. Sometimes it is educational to watch bad films, especially if they have audio commentaries. By the way, I was not offended by your misquote. I merely wanted you to frame your questions in the proper context.

normal for those who may be weak...sure. maybe buying a car thats too expensive, buying a house and finding out it's not the right "area", buying a shirt that looks great at the store but crap at home or even getting a girlfriend only later to find out shes a ho. but speaking for myself...I dont buy films on impulse. even if I've never seen the film...it does not have to be a blind-buy. do enough research and your eyes will be wide open, no seeing eye dog needed. of course the bottom line here is...EVERYONE is different and very seldom are 2 collections the same. similar maybe...but not identical. this is what makes sharing our collections through links so cool. I'd say about 50 or more discs in my library are there because of other member's collection or something as simple as a post in a thread.

If it wasn't "normal" there wouldn't be a highly active DVD exchange forum here. 'Nuff said.

It's normal because many people just blind buy movies, rather than going to the theater or renting.

I don't think the guys saying people buy films they know they don't want to own, but rather people just end up with DVDs of films they don't want to own after watching them, or when their tastes change, etc.

If I ever need something new to check out (horror in particular) your list is a good place to get some ideas.

There are several members here whose lists have come in handy.

How often do your tastes change? If they do change, how often is this likely to narrow your interests as opposed to broadening them?

I had GODZILLA briefly (it was included in a lot I bought), but the film is so horrible (not the effects, mind you: those are quite good; but the story / writing / performances) that I quickly sold it off on eBay. My feeling at the time was that it diminished my library.

Ironically, I'm now regretting having gotten rid of it, as I'd like to write a paper on GODZILLA's aggressively internationalist political worldview -- evidenced by its rather heavy-handed depiction of both the environmental movement (and NGOs in general) and foreign operatives as intellectualist and heroic (personified in the characters played by Matthew Broderick and Jean Reno, respectively) -- compared with its cartoonish depiction of nationalism, represented by a US military revealed as a collection of hapless, aggressive buffoons with more firepower than smarts.

But alas, now I can't write that paper, because I no longer have the film for reference.

And the world of cultural studies is poorer for it.

I'd say my taste has grown...but not changed. I grew up watching horror, thanks to my mom...god rest her soul. I've only loved horror more and more over the years. I still love the films I watched as a 10 year-old...and appreciate them even more, now. I cant think of one film, not one...that I liked years ago but hate now. now I just love the same old stuff but I'm discovering new stuff all the time. no...my tastes have not changed at all. wider? guilty.

what he said.....

Since that would be a great blow to academia, you shall simply have to buy Godzilla again.

I haven't had it happen personally, but from these people cutting down their collections, it must happen some.

I could see it more as going through a phase. Maybe you go on a "zombie movie phase" and buy a bunch of zombie movies, pretty much all you can find.

Then you snap out of it and have some DVDs you probably will never watch again.

since I, myself, could never guarantee that I'd never watch a film/dvd again...I refuse to dump it. I mean if I knew for sure I didnt like it..then fine. this just gets back to why is it there in the first place. it's all an individual judgement call...nothing more or less.

btw, I prefer "flesh-eater flicks".

I don't really collect DVDs as much as I collect the *movies.*

It's just that DVD is the first convenient and high-quality format to view the film. And I admit to loving special features - all of the documentaries, commentaries, etc. If VHS tapes had these features years ago and were priced as cheaply as DVD I probably would have bought more of them, but VHS wasn't really suited to the types of features that DVD offers.

I would personally like to have a copy on hand of every movie ever made. It would be nice if I could carry them all around with me in a smallish package that also had a screen that I could watch anywhere. I don't know what kind of storage capacity that would require, technologically, but it would be quite a lot.

That way I could watch any movie I wanted at any time I wanted.

People's DVD collections (for those who *collect* movies rather than just watch them once in awhile) are empowering - they give you choices to watch what you want rather than rely on television programming.

I've never sold a disc that wasn't replaced with a better version, but there are a couple of blind buys I would get rid of if I could get any decent money back for them. But most used DVD places around here only pay $4-5 a disc, maybe less for some of these titles, and for that little amount, it's worth it just to keep it in case I ever wanted to see it again, or just give it away to someone who expresses interest in it at some point.

...Nanotech. Coming soon to a virtual shopping center near you....

Compared to many on the boards it is small.

So far as selling them. I don't see it happening anytime soon.

I base my judgments on personal experience when other data is lacking. I don't think that tastes change radically and suddenly.

Exactly. My tastes have grown broader. I have not narrowed my viewing experience.

And what basis do you have for making statements about "most collectors"?

DJ

I am a collector. I have associated with collectors of all sorts for over 30 years. Most collectors know exactly what they are collecting and why. Perhaps you have no idea about what you collect and why you do so, but, I can assure you that that is not normal.

Ah. So, in other words, as you told someone else before you edited it away, you have absolutely no basis for thinking that you represent the majority. Just because you have associated with collectors for over 30 years, it does not mean you are able to make factual statements about how many collectors in the world feel a certain way. The collectors with which you have associated are not necessarily a scientifically representative sampling of the entire community of collectors as a whole. You have no basis for thinking that you represent the majority.

DJ

As a collector myself and having known innumerable collectors I can corroborate EPKJ's story: nearly every single collector has also been a student of the subject that interests them (fancy that) and has known a great deal about the things which they collect. It does, after all, stand to reason.

Generally those who pay too much for something that isn't as valuable as a collectable is mocked by the other collectors. "What? You paid $180 for the 'Evil Dead: Book of the Dead' edition on eBay? Why didn't you just go to Best Buy and get it for $30? Heck, if you need it that badly buy two or three when you're there."

I don't know how many of these forums you read, djtoell, but the DVD Talk membership, collectively, holds a staggering amount of knowledge on all aspects of DVD collecting, info about DVDs, upcoming DVDs, DVD features, editions, etc.

That you do not doesn't necessarily make you an object of derision - it just means that you cannot speak for the majority.

Since this is my thread ( ), I'll jump back in, only because I think EPKJ's thoughts on the subject are so far from my own.

I've "collected" lots of things in my life: sports cards, comics, action figures, shot glass, dvds, etc. I have 26 years of "collecting experience", so I think I'm on par with the arbitrary 30 year association requirement you state.

Collectors lose interest in things. I have friends who collected Magic (oh dear lord why) for years before stopping. This doesn't make them "false collectors", they just wanted to do something else.

Frankly, I think that my approach is the epitome of collection: I looked at what I had, decided it wasn't my "vision" any longer and decided to take a new direction. All that a collection is essentially (and is defined as) an accumulation. I'll take that one step further and say it is an accumlation of personal interests. *I* was no longer interested in collecting every movie I ever enjoyed on DVD, and I also did not see, personally, a huge amount of replay value for me. My interests shifted and along with it, my collection.

So basically, you and I fundamentally disagree with what a collection is, who a collector is, and what collecting is. And that's fine. But to say you know what's "normal" because you've been around like-minded people for a number of years is pretentious. I'm certain that if you met someone with a dissenting opinion (like me) you'd dismiss them as a lunatic, as you've done here.

All I'm saying is that just because your interests shift does not mean you are any less of a collector. As I stated, I think that shifting interests is, to me at least, the essense of collecting. You collected before DVDs, and you'll collect after DVDs and you'll be no less of a collector in my eyes.

I just want to leave you with this: there is perhaps nothing more personal to a person than his or her collection (and the reasons for keeping it). As such, you are in no position to say what is and what is not "normal".

(As a P.S., since message boards do not convey tone well, I say all of the above with courtesy in the spirt of friendly debate and haven't taken your comments otherwise).

Sorry, but I don't know what you're talking about. I never made any statements about my level of knowledge. You seem to be making some pretty wild assumptions. I only commented on EPKJ's hypocritical attack (since removed via editing) on wfujosh's ability to comment on his perception of majority opinion. My personal experience as a collector is irrelavant, although both EPJK and you have inexplicably tried to personalize it to me.

DJ