Knowing that I can actually own the movies and TV shows I love when I buy them on DVD, Blu-ray or 4K disc is one of the reasons myself and many others have begun to embrace the strengths of physical media. If I like a movie or a show, I don’t want to worry about a streaming platform taking it away. Similarly, digital downloads are not necessarily part of a user’s permanent collection. For various reasons, sometimes companies even delete the titles that users have technically purchased.
Buy physical media guards against this. But I don’t just buy discs of movies and series I’ve seen. Sometimes I buy DVDs and Blu-rays of movies I’ve never seen.
This might seem like a waste of money. However, there are actually some really good reasons for this approach.
A sale or discount can make a title attractive
If a disc costs less than going to the cinema, it might be worth it
Let’s address a critical point right off the bat: The idea of spending money to own a movie you’ve never seen isn’t actually that strange when you consider the cost of going to the theater. Few would shake their heads at a cinephile (or even a casual movie fan) spending close to $50 (or more!) on tickets and concessions at a movie theater. This is true despite the fact that most people go to the cinema to see pictures they have never had the chance to see before. Additionally, the experience ends when the credits roll. They dropped a significant chunk of change to watch something they haven’t seen, and they don’t even get to own the movie after the final fade to black.
To be clear, I am in no way criticizing the theater experience. I regularly treat myself to seeing movies on the big screen.
As I said, buying a disc of a movie I haven’t seen is no less sensible than going to the cinema to see a new release. As with the movies, I can evaluate factors such as reviews, word-of-mouth, the creative talent involved, and other such factors to determine if I think I will be happy to spend money on a particular title. More importantly, if I enjoy it, I have the disc from that point on.
Many DVDs and Blu-rays already cost less than the price of a movie ticket. When sales or discounts apply, even releases from boutique labels like Criterion can cost less than going to the cinema.
If a movie isn’t available to stream or download, I have to buy it to watch it
There are cases when you buy DVDs and Blu-rays of movies that I have not seen a unique practical purpose. For example, not every movie is available for streaming. Some titles are not even available as digital downloads or rentals.
In these circumstances, if I want to see the movie (and obey the law), the only option I have is to buy a physical copy. This again highlights one of the benefits of physical media: It can provide a means to experience content that may not be available on other services.
Even if a title is technically available to stream somewhere, it’s possible that I’m not currently subscribed to the relevant streaming service. Perhaps a physical copy of the film costs about as much as (or even less than) the price of the subscription to the relevant platform. In that case, buying a DVD or Blu-ray, which probably delivers stronger audio and video quality than a streamer can, is an option that makes complete sense to me.
Sometimes I just get recommendations
Physical media allows for human recommendations rather than algorithm-based recommendations
I’ve pointed out in the past that one of the overlooked benefits of physical media is the way it allows a movie and TV fan to get recommendations from actual people rather than algorithms. If you have a video store or record store that sells DVDs and Blu-rays nearby, you can make your purchases there.
This already addresses the lack of third spaces that many complain about in our isolating digital age. It also gives you the chance to discuss movies, TV, and related topics with your fellow shoppers and the owners of these stores. They can recommend titles based on a unique understanding of your tastes that an algorithm simply cannot compete with. If someone’s recommendation is convincing enough, I might just buy the movie or show they insist I like.
Yes, building a physical media collection can cost some money. Therefore, it is wise to explore ways to buy physical media on a budget. That said, while spending cash on a disc of a movie or show that’s new to me might seem wasteful, there are circumstances when these types of purchases make sense. After all, if you pay for a streaming service, you’re already paying for access to a lot of content you’re unlikely to watch. Might as well spend money on content you actually own.