Why do we tend to collect more films than we can watch?

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Why do we tend to collect more films than we can watch? - 10/10/2012 3:51:56 PM

Bloke from Oz

Posts: 4816
Joined: 6/12/2006

Let's face it - many of us here have the habit of collecting more DVDs and Blu Rays than we have the time to keep up with our viewing; it's the film freak in all of us. We see this film, or that film, and we must have it. But pretty soon, there's a large collection on our shelves; films sitting there for ages on end, and for some reason or other, we never have the time to watch these films!!

I am definitely guilty of these activities, even though I'm trying to organise a film library accessible to family and friends (Films grouped according to categories, and alphabetised, and suitable viewing, age-friendly films bottom to top).

Has anyone successfully broken this cycle, and what advice would you give to someone like me wishing to follow suit?

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RE: Why do we tend to collect more films than we can wa... - 10/10/2012 4:56:12 PM

Shifty Bench

Posts: 14559
Joined: 30/9/2005

I just buy films I like and know I would watch again. I don't buy Blus or DVDs just to have a large collection. I used to do that but when you start to question yourself why a certain film sits on your shelf you know you're doing something wrong.

Shouldn't this be in the dvd forum?

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quote:

ORIGINAL: matty_b
You have a nice face, Shifty. A face I would have a cup of tea with.

quote:

ORIGINAL: porntrooper
Shifty said it best

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Post #: 2

RE: Why do we tend to collect more films than we can wa... - 10/10/2012 5:15:35 PM

OPEN YOUR EYES

Posts: 3463
Joined: 5/2/2012
From: Living on Lynch's quiff

quote:

ORIGINAL: Shifty Bench

I just buy films I like and know I would watch again. I don't buy Blus or DVDs just to have a large collection. I used to do that but when you start to question yourself why a certain film sits on your shelf you know you're doing something wrong.

Shouldn't this be in the dvd forum?

Yep.
I now question why I brought Tropic Thunder,Watchmen..AVP:Requiem

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RE: Why do we tend to collect more films than we can wa... - 10/10/2012 5:22:42 PM

Shifty Bench

Posts: 14559
Joined: 30/9/2005

Yeah, I wonder why I bought Tropic Thunder too

I think it was to listen to the commentary but I won't watch the film again so it just sits there.

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quote:

ORIGINAL: matty_b
You have a nice face, Shifty. A face I would have a cup of tea with.

quote:

ORIGINAL: porntrooper
Shifty said it best

(in reply to OPEN YOUR EYES)

Post #: 4

RE: Why do we tend to collect more films than we can wa... - 10/10/2012 5:36:07 PM

OPEN YOUR EYES

Posts: 3463
Joined: 5/2/2012
From: Living on Lynch's quiff

quote:

ORIGINAL: Shifty Bench

Yeah, I wonder why I bought Tropic Thunder too

I think it was to listen to the commentary but I won't watch the film again so it just sits there.

When I first saw Tropic Thunder I thought it was hilarious,especially the Stiller Parody film intros.
Now though,...well, I simply don't find if humorous and I'm thinking why I ever did (though R.Downey Jnr is good in it).
Certainly not the worst Film.
AVP:requiem on the other hand.

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RE: Why do we tend to collect more films than we can wa... - 10/10/2012 5:41:52 PM

Shifty Bench

Posts: 14559
Joined: 30/9/2005

I do like Tropic Thunder but I've seen it and have no desire to do so again

< Message edited by Shifty Bench -- 11/10/2012 1:14:18 AM >

_____________________________

quote:

ORIGINAL: matty_b
You have a nice face, Shifty. A face I would have a cup of tea with.

quote:

ORIGINAL: porntrooper
Shifty said it best

(in reply to OPEN YOUR EYES)

Post #: 6

RE: Why do we tend to collect more films than we can wa... - 10/10/2012 6:12:23 PM

Larry of Arabia

Posts: 7364
Joined: 28/2/2007
From: Turtle Island

quote:

ORIGINAL: Shifty Bench

have no desire to do do again

Just going hold it in?

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RE: Why do we tend to collect more films than we can wa... - 10/10/2012 6:53:56 PM

jackcarter

Posts: 1709
Joined: 12/1/2006

one reason for having these massive collections is the completist element. if you have say Matrix 1 then you HAVE to have the sequels (even though you hate them). so if you were strict on yourself youd only own the films you liked not loads of sequels/spinoffs/remakes because you gotta have them. years ago when vhs were like 14.99 each then maybe youd limit yourself to the ones you liked most but now its sometimes cheaper to buy the complete box set than seperate films anyway...

(in reply to Larry of Arabia)

Post #: 8

RE: Why do we tend to collect more films than we can wa... - 10/10/2012 7:32:04 PM

boaby

Posts: 2786
Joined: 29/12/2006
From: Aberdeenshire

Only DVDs I've got that I've not watched are: Papillon, The Alamo and Braveheart.

I bought Papillion because I've seen it on telly and liked it. Never got round to watching it.

The other two were "gifts" from my poor deluded brother. He knows I like history. I know Braveheart is bad through cinematic experience, I only know the the Alamo is bad by reputation.

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RE: Why do we tend to collect more films than we can wa... - 11/10/2012 1:10:58 AM

Whistler

Posts: 2274
Joined: 22/11/2006

I used to buy multiple DVDs at a time just because they were in a deal. If it was, say, 5 for �20, and there were only three I really wanted, I'd seek out two more films just to make up space. Subsequently I've built a massive collection of films that are mostly good, but some them are just filler that I never watch. (Although I have watched every film in my collection at some point). These days I only buy the ones I really love, and because I'm now buying blu ray, the price kind of forces me to be more wise with my spending.

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Post #: 10

RE: Why do we tend to collect more films than we can wa... - 11/10/2012 1:14:09 AM

Shifty Bench

Posts: 14559
Joined: 30/9/2005

quote:

ORIGINAL: Larry of Arabia

quote:

ORIGINAL: Shifty Bench

have no desire to do do again

Just going hold it in?

I hate it when people change my posts to make a poop joke......

_____________________________

quote:

ORIGINAL: matty_b
You have a nice face, Shifty. A face I would have a cup of tea with.

quote:

ORIGINAL: porntrooper
Shifty said it best

(in reply to Larry of Arabia)

Post #: 11

RE: Why do we tend to collect more films than we can wa... - 11/10/2012 3:01:12 AM

vad3r

Posts: 4229
Joined: 3/9/2010
From: Close to Mod HQ

If I see something that interests me at a good price, I'll buy it. Also, 100% of the films I buy are blind buys. I don't go to the cinema or watch films online.

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Single Virgin

Mod Candidate 2013

quote:

ORIGINAL: horribleives
To paraphrase the great man himself:

Vad3r won't go anywhere near this.

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Post #: 12

RE: Why do we tend to collect more films than we can wa... - 11/10/2012 3:08:31 AM

Bloke from Oz

Posts: 4816
Joined: 6/12/2006

quote:

ORIGINAL: jackcarter

one reason for having these massive collections is the completist element. if you have say Matrix 1 then you HAVE to have the sequels (even though you hate them). so if you were strict on yourself youd only own the films you liked not loads of sequels/spinoffs/remakes because you gotta have them. years ago when vhs were like 14.99 each then maybe youd limit yourself to the ones you liked most but now its sometimes cheaper to buy the complete box set than seperate films anyway...

Not really. Of all the 22 available James Bond films, I only get the ones I like the most (I would limit that to 10) as getting the whole set takes up space, not to mention I would have to spend a lot of money. I also only buy and keep the franchise installments which appeal to me the most (Die Hard 4.0, Fast Five, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Johnny English Reborn, Little Fockers, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, Ocean's Thirteen, POTC: At World's End, Superman Returns and Toy Story 3).

So in short, I have no completist thinking of franchises.

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RE: Why do we tend to collect more films than we can wa... - 11/10/2012 1:01:58 PM

great_badir

Posts: 4172
Joined: 6/10/2005
From: A breaking rope bridge in the middle of the jungle

quote:

ORIGINAL: boaby
I bought Papillion because I've seen it on telly and liked it. Never got round to watching it.

Papillon is amazing.

I broke the squirrel habit when we moved to our current house in 2005. Prior to that move, I had amassed a collection of around 4000 (yes, four thousand) pre-recorded VHS and betamax vids (albeit mostly from scouring car boot sales over the course of nearly 10 years and paying a couple of quid max for each one), as well as several hundred 4 and 5 hour tapes of stuff recorded off the TV (in long play) and, back in the days when R1 DVDs were not only cheap but were also available before the films had come out at the cinema over here, I was buying shit loads of stuff that I'd never heard of just cos it sounded quite good or had involvement from actors and directors I liked.

The house we moved to in '05 was a downsize (3 beds down to 2, semi down to end terrace, reason for it being the area we were living in was a bit dodgy and we got fed up and moved to a much nicer area), and there was simply not enough room to keep everything. So, one cold and sunny morning in January 2005, my entire collection of videotapes went down the local tip. It broke my heart. I also wanted to tear my face off literally two days later when Blockbuster first advertised their "bring in your old videos for cash or store credit" promo.

Anyways, no point crying over spilt milk. So now I only buy stuff I REALLY want and I'm much more ruthless with stuff recorded off the TV, whereas I used to keep probably 75% of stuff I taped. I'm also much better at getting rid of stuff - if I buy a blu ray replacement of a DVD I already have and the blu ray is either identical or better, then the DVD goes on eBay or is given to friends, whereas before I'd have kept the DVD as well.

It's just like kicking any habit, I guess - hard at first, but after a while you can't understand how you ever let it get that bad.

< Message edited by great_badir -- 11/10/2012 1:04:26 PM >

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RE: Why do we tend to collect more films than we can wa... - 11/10/2012 1:58:38 PM

Coyleone

Posts: 480
Joined: 13/10/2008

I recently got rid of a ton of DVD's that I knew I'd never watch again. I just love having a DVD collection for some reason, it used to be full of some rubbish but it's now just films I really like and that I'll watch again at some point or another. But then I've got a film like 300 (random pick) that I thought was a good film but I'll probably never watch again, but I'll keep it because I thought it was good.

< Message edited by Coyleone -- 11/10/2012 1:59:43 PM >

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Post #: 15

RE: Why do we tend to collect more films than we can wa... - 11/10/2012 7:22:04 PM

will1000

Posts: 1739
Joined: 8/10/2005

I used to but then I got married. Now I have neither the time nor money to collect films.

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RE: Why do we tend to collect more films than we can wa... - 11/10/2012 8:42:08 PM

chewbacasnapsak

Posts: 727
Joined: 6/7/2006
From: westbound on olympic

A friend of mine made his girlfriend a poster of a load of classic books on a bookshelf, he did it on Photoshop I think.
I fancied doing something similar for movies, thus saving me both the cost of buying a film I consequently would never watch and also having the fucking things cluttering up the place.

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RE: Why do we tend to collect more films than we can wa... - 12/10/2012 10:21:10 PM

steflon

Posts: 3317
Joined: 2/9/2008
From: London

'Not that we needed all that for the trip, but once you get locked into a serious drug collection, the tendency is to push it as far as you can.'

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RE: Why do we tend to collect more films than we can wa... - 12/10/2012 10:45:36 PM

adambatman82

Posts: 11156
Joined: 15/12/2005
From: Sheffield

quote:

ORIGINAL: chewbacasnapsak
A friend of mine made his girlfriend a poster of a load of classic books on a bookshelf, he did it on Photoshop I think.

That just sounds horribly depressing.

(in reply to chewbacasnapsak)

Post #: 19

RE: Why do we tend to collect more films than we can wa... - 13/10/2012 2:38:52 PM

chewbacasnapsak

Posts: 727
Joined: 6/7/2006
From: westbound on olympic

What? People with girlfriends? It happens.

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RE: Why do we tend to collect more films than we can wa... - 18/10/2012 10:12:49 AM

Timon

Posts: 14543
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: Bristol

I have a clear out every 6 months and sell any DVDs that I know I won't watch again or I feel were a mistake to buy in the first place. Perhaps you should do that.

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RE: Why do we tend to collect more films than we can wa... - 18/10/2012 10:35:21 AM

Hood_Man

Posts: 11271
Joined: 30/9/2005

quote:

ORIGINAL: adambatman82

quote:

ORIGINAL: chewbacasnapsak
A friend of mine made his girlfriend a poster of a load of classic books on a bookshelf, he did it on Photoshop I think.

That just sounds horribly depressing.

Reminds me of the romantic story my work colleague told me. Her ex (many many moons ago) had a small box delivered to her place of work one day, and after opening it in front of everyone she found one of these:

A ring box.

Getting excited, she opened it as quickly as she could, in front of all her colleagues, and found this:

Everyone around her went "Awwwwwww!

"

She didn't

(in reply to adambatman82)

Post #: 22

RE: Why do we tend to collect more films than we can wa... - 18/10/2012 8:50:33 PM

sandy666

Posts: 28
Joined: 29/4/2009

I got fed up dusting DVD cases of films I never watched.

Nowadays I use the cinema,rental services and downloading services as much as possible. I still buy the odd blu-ray/DVD but only those really special ones.

I have an annual cull. Films I haven't watched for a year are on the Oxfam list. Unless I can think of a decent reason why it should stay, it goes.

(in reply to Hood_Man)

Post #: 23

RE: Why do we tend to collect more films than we can wa... - 18/10/2012 9:32:09 PM

chewbacasnapsak

Posts: 727
Joined: 6/7/2006
From: westbound on olympic

quote:

ORIGINAL: Hood_Man

quote:

ORIGINAL: adambatman82

quote:

ORIGINAL: chewbacasnapsak
A friend of mine made his girlfriend a poster of a load of classic books on a bookshelf, he did it on Photoshop I think.

That just sounds horribly depressing.

Reminds me of the romantic story my work colleague told me. Her ex (many many moons ago) had a small box delivered to her place of work one day, and after opening it in front of everyone she found one of these:

A ring box.

Getting excited, she opened it as quickly as she could, in front of all her colleagues, and found this:

Everyone around her went "Awwwwwww! "

She didn't

Haha, excellent. What my mate did with the poster wasn't as awful as I'm making out. She decluttered a lot of her stuff getting rid of all her books onto Kindle, but she ended up missing them, but not the fact that they were piled all over the house, hence the poster, which started as a little joke, but she really liked it and which looked really good and is framed in an alcove in their porch.

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"who'd pay a million dollars to have me killed"
"jealous husbands, outraged chefs, humiliated tailors...the list is endless"

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Post #: 24

RE: Why do we tend to collect more films than we can wa... - 21/10/2012 3:19:43 AM

esmichaels

Posts: 1
Joined: 21/10/2012

when we are a movie addict, we wanna watch everything that tempts us

(in reply to Bloke from Oz)

Post #: 25