Thanks for sharing your story of why you started collecting physical media. You’re right about opening up a package and it feeling like Christmas. It amazing to be able to hold a copy of a movie you love. Hopefully physical media never dies. We’re in a golden age at the moment so let’s enjoy it.
I used to manage a video store, so I built a decent VHS collection from my years there. Bought movies used as we transferred them from the New Release shelves to the general library. Got rid of most of them. Only have a few VHS, DVDs, and Blu-rays today. The only media I still collect are video games. Tons of nostalgia there for me. Becoming much more difficult to find new games in physical form. Many games are digital only these days. And in most instances when you get a physical disc of a game there's nothing on them. Just the license to be able to download them. The disc itself is barely anything more than a coaster. Sad time for collectors.
I'm gonna be real with you, I enjoyed hearing somebody just speak passionately about something they love. I don't even collect movies or anything but I watched the whole thing 🙏
Collector here. I didn't start buying movies and music because I wanted to be a collector, I was simply getting the things I loved. 2014 I was watching RUclips and they were talking about being a physical media collector. I'd never heard the term but as I was watching, I glanced up and panned the room and I had just as much as this collector so from that point forth I really started to purchase. Almost 10 years in and no regrets. I love my collection.
Back in 2013 when I got my first job. I started collecting my favorites on dvd and got up to 300 titles...most I bought were cheap like $1-$3 a title. I slowed down quite a lot because of streaming. I ended up selling my collection in 2019, & started upgrading my movies to 4k, but regretted it during the pandemic as the tv shows I had went out of print & after seeing things being taken down off of streaming & services like vudu. I am now rebuying those same tv shows had at a huge cost. This year I made a commitment to go back to physical and staying that way.
I feel ya! My first DVD was "Charlie's Angels" (2000) which I bought when I was living in Japan and- yes- I still have it. I now have maybe 4,000 blurays/DVDs and keep buying 'em (I very rarely buy 4Ks though). I call it "my library." People think I'm nuts... meanwhile their favourite titles are disappearing from streaming sites or being censored.
Japan 🇯🇵 is number 1 for physical media the cds 💿 are really popular over there and Dobt like streaming and have a lot of music stores 🏬 even tower records exist over there
I collect it as well, but I only live in an RV, so I'm literally swimming in em. Lol. Glad to see I'm not the only one. My family calls me 'The Living Blockbuster Store' 🔥🤘🔥
BECAUSE THE DVD IS YOURS! | I am always surprised when people TRUST corporations to care about them as clients, and then are surprised when the corporation deletes their favourite, special films. because "few people watch" those special films.
The funny thing I do. Whenever I get a new blu-Ray or a new Omnibus, once I get home I actually hold it up to the sky and make a “ding” sound. Sort of like in Lion King when the cub is held up to the sky. Yeah…I know I’m crazy, but I always do it. 😂🤷
That basement flooding story, man I feel for ya. Also, I'm scared that the days of in store movie browsing are nearly over😔. My best buy doesn't carry movies, I don't bother with Walmart or Target because they never have anything good, so B&N is my last remaining physical media in person shopping option during the Criterion sale. I fear my B&N will soon get rid of their Criterion section. I miss the old days. Great video!
That is why I am glad to have an amazing buy-sell-trade store near me. Most of their stuff looks like it was only watched once or twice. It's almost brand new, at less than half the price.
That story about the flooding ruining part of your collection is why if I want to preserve something I prefer trying to get a source file like an mp4 for movies or roms for games, then make sure I have those backed up in a couple different places. Unfortunately, in order to get those the easiest way is through piracy :(
My Father just passed a week ago. He was a movie buff since he was a little boy. I kept his favorite movie on DVD to add to my collection. BTW, it is The Last Samurai. I just watched it this weekend. I miss you Dad.
I did that to from about 10 years old I was recording movies we rented vhs to vhs, at first we had a betamax lol, anyway I like physical copies of media for the same reasons Vudu already stole a movie I bought from them, I was scrolling through my library one day and noticed the movie the weight of water was missing and I looked in my purchase history and they even somehow removed it from there as well to cover their tracks for stealing it from me then they're asking me for a receipt or proof, I told them I bought it months ago and don't save old emails for months on end, I explained to them the movie is still on thir site but the purchase button is gone and you can only stare at the page or put the movie on your "list" isn't that strange i adked, I said you must have somthin showing I bought it in your records but they just put it back on me with trying to prove it, so at anytime all these streaming services with all the movies we buy can just disappear in the blink of an eye, they'll eventually do somthin to screw us totally over you watch!! So I'm all about physical copies, alot of people are putting their eggs in one basket going all streaming thinkin their cool but when the internet is down or they just steal all your movies back you'll be sorry lol on Vudu you can dl the movie you own so I was doing that then guess what, if your not online the movie won't play and it'll say you have no internet access, that's rich I tell ya.
Since the debacle with “The French Connection” it’s not only the quality of the movies on physical media that’s superior, it’s the fact they haven’t been butchered by the streaming services! This could be the beginning of not being sure if this is the movie you first watched when streaming. I’m looking forward this week to watching my Blu-Ray collectors edition (with poster and cards and badges )Of John wick 4. Another win for physical media (Collectable tat :-) 👍
I am a ebay reseller for 20+ years. Last year I started listing a lot of DVDs (500+ listings now). It's amazing the value some have - all because of true-hearted collectors.
Thats crazy, Deep Blue Sea was my first DVD also, came bundled with the player. To this day I have yet to purchase a digital stand alone movie. I sometimes looked at Netflix as my 'digital movie shelf', then i learned that movies get removed... So that was out😂
I am 50 years old and have been collecting physical media since I was a teenager. Early on I always appreciated the feeling of ownership where anything I want to watch is right there at my fingertips. Now with streaming and everything I appreciate my collection even more. I never have to worry about streaming platforms not carrying something I want to watch or when they do have to deal with commercials and censorship.
I think it’s genuinely the best option if your lifestyle can afford it. A lot of people travel too often so streaming is the go to. What I fear is disc rot, VHS also experience entropy just like anything in this model of the universe. Enjoy them while you have them, don’t wait for a “perfect” time to watch em all! It’s also worth it to buy a 2 TB USB thumb stick and digitize your collection before entropy or flood/fire makes it not an option!!
I thoroughly enjoyed this video sir. Just hearing about movies and owning them physically is a treat. I had to start my collection over just last year since my place was burglarized. It’s sad too that Best Buy is ending their physical run. It’s heartbreaking.
I agree totally with your reasoning. I still collect, DVDs, Blurays, and even VHS. I still buy a VUDU title occasionally when on sale. Goodwill is where I find a lot of great deals. I've bought several 3D bluray titles for almost nothing.
I was trying to find a cd and could get what I wanted… I from the time if you like an album I’ll buy the cd for my collection… now everything is digital download… Movies… I miss buying dvds.. you could watch it when you want. I see old movies that are 20 years old and they want you to rent it.. We use to be able to watch old movies for free. Plus at anytime they could decide not to have content on certain platforms and then you can’t see it. I’m glad I still have my old cds and dvds.. I still enjoy going through it.. I just said I got rid of my vhs tapes
Flooded basement is my biggest future fear. If I ever inherit a family home you bet the money will be spent to seal that underground tighter than a crab's buttocks... then Flex Seal over it! For the past decade my biggest issue to keep under control was/is excessive humidity which is a silent (and gradually smelly) assassin by itself.
That's exactly how I started collecting! Going to the video store and wanting to have the movie at all times!! That sucks about your collection! Voodoo 😳 Weekend at Johnny's 2 😂 You're totally right, were not hurting anyone! 🙄 Special editions!! Special packaging!! I love it!! Keep on, collecting on!!
started buying Blu-ray and DVD's when Netflix released cutties. been buying multiple titles a week since. think I have a problem, A space problem, where to keep them all. I will always buy physical now, no steaming what-so-ever. All my disc's get ripped to my pc for easy watching.
I collected vhs tapes and recording off the tv. Then bought dvds Then blu rays. I had so many movies i threw my cases away and bought cd cases for my movies. I love movies and old tv shows.
I relate heavily to this story so much, to owning a Ps2, everything... and I feel that way about my first dvd purchase from a little over 20 years ago..and it was a Bruce Li movie, not Bruce Lee, Bruce Li lol.. it was Exit the Dragon Enter the Tiger and I'll always keep that.
After 2021 Family Video close down for good in my area. So I started buying physical media because I didn't trust the streaming services or the government. Also, it definitely brings back that nostalgia when you're opening it up or going to the store.
There are many of us like you and it's growing. With Best Buy's current position, it means we got to get even more creative. That and not to mention majority of new stuff is crap. There are some new gems but as a whole modern entertainment is crap.
You are right, Target is a lost cause, you and I know why too. There is talk about them modifying books and "fixing" them when they reprint them or of you get a digital copy. So, not sure if you ever read 1984 but you should.
I have a similar story and I took advantage of Blockbuster as they had bulk rental deals. Every week I was renting 10-20 movies as there was a Blockbuster right beside where I worked. I amassed a very large collection of duplicated movies: I had the entire store inventory! I switched to DVD's as well. Now I am a digital collector storing on my server(s). I still have all of my DVDs and Bluerays though
I considered storing my digital “collection” on servers, but, alas, my childhood wouldn’t allow me. 😂😂😂Gotta have it in my hands. 😅. But, yeah, nothing beats going into Blockbuster and coming home with 2+ bags of rentals. 😂😂
Nice video about your collecting journey. I'm sorry you lost so many titles from a flood. That sounds awful! I'm glad you decided to get back into collection physical copies, though. It's interesting that you mentioned supporting HD DVD over Blu-ray in the beginning. I also picked up a HD DVD player before I purchased a Blu-ray disc player (it wasn't because I preferred HD DVD, I was rooting for Blu-ray - but the entry price-point was much lower on the HD DVD player I bought and I wanted access to high-definition movies sooner rather than later at the time). I always thought Blu-ray was a better format (higher bit-rates, bigger disc storage sizes - BD50 etc, scratch resistant coating). I feel like I dodged numerous "bullets" (so to speak) by not being alive during the laserdisc era and for never developing a huge VHS collection. I only ever owned 20 or so VHS tapes personally (my family had a bit more but my collection was pretty small). I only started collecting on DVD and it wasn't until Blu-ray that my collection became significantly bigger (though I had a bunch of DVD's too). Personally, beyond ownership/access, I always feel one of the best reasons to own Blu-ray releases is to support film preservation. Most of these classics films being restored in 2K/4K and presented in nice quality Blu-ray editions are the result of boutique labels restoring classics for home media. Not for streaming services. Even if said restoration ever shows up on a streaming service, the work being done was prepared for Blu-ray/4K UHD and these classics wouldn't be properly preserved without the home media ecosystem. All the popular streaming services are catering to people seeking new content predominately and not to classic film fans.
I have never bought a movie on digital and never will as you don't own it and can lose it anytime I will always buy the physical version of movies i love because the quality of compressed streaming picture and sound cannot match the disc
Awesome video My family was never really big into the drive-in theater. We had this really really cheap. Rundown cinema by my house that was literally $2 per person. It was one of the most disgusting but fun movie theaters because it was just vintage. And that is the very first movie theater my father took me to to go see teenage mutant Ninja turtles. Plus my daddy used to do the same thing. We would rent movies from Blockbuster or Hollywood video and we would record them on one of those 6-hour or 8-hour blank tapes. We would have three to four movies per tape. And then when our basement got flooded it all went away😢 unfortunately after that my dad stopped collecting and I started.
I hate to say it but they keep going back and changing so much about old movies that it's almost a duty to preserve the old physical media so that you can be a custodian of actual real history in the film industry vs. Whatever they watered-down version we're going to get from the local or as some place down the road
still have my 6/7 year old blu ray player and a multi regional player dvd player around 20 years later and 2600 plus films and tv shows on dvd plus blu ray not everything is on streaming yet if you want free or low cost films try your local recycling centre my pas husbands a manger there and for £2 i can get any film in the world some have in this case 9000 titles many factory sealed i can go in the back and see the tiles not out in the centre as i know him and his wife
I was always a fan of physical media I've been collecting video games and movies for years put the thing that made me you know go more crazy into it I was one of the lucky few that had that internet adapter for Sega Genesis don't let you download games to your system I think it was like two games Max you were allowed download after a year they turn off the service what's the first time I felt betrayed of digital media then it happened again on the Dreamcast on game DLC same with the PS2, gamecube, xbox what's the services gone you lost everything after that I went pretty much physical media only
Hey just found your channel. My story is almost the same as yours. My older brother took me to see Star Wars in 78 . Going to the movies was big in my family. Being we live in NYC I saw movies either in those old majestic theaters and the 42nd street grindhouse theaters . Bought a used vhs of Return of the Jedi in 87 and have been a collector ever since. Now I’m going to check out your past videos. You got a new subscriber
Since you mentioned not being interested in Laserdisc, I was interested in Laserdisc throughout the 1990s but I couldn't afford to buy a Laserdisc player until 1997, when I went on a bit of a Laserdisc buying spree. I think it was roughly between March or April 1997, when I first got the player, and the Christmas season of 1997 when I could walk into any music or video sales store and buy any recent Hollywood movie I wanted on Laserdisc. Just after Christmas 1997/New Year's 1998 was when stores in Montreal all started liquidating their Laserdisc selections and it was pretty much all gone by September 1998, when one local Montreal video store got precisely one new movie on Laserdisc, that being Titanic, and that was only since James Cameron was still skeptical about DVD. I think Titanic was the last new Laserdisc I ever saw for sale anywhere locally. I knew about DVD at the time I got my Laserdisc player, I just didn't think it would kill off Laserdisc so quickly. In defence of Laserdisc, a lot of Japanese anime, which I was already into in the 1990s, looked much better on Laserdisc than it did on DVD since the video compression on most early anime DVDs left a lot to be desired. Alas, a good number of my anime Laserdiscs succumbed to glue rot so I eventually had to replace them with DVDs anyway.
Couldn’t have said it better the idea of it being yours and internet or no you can watch it. Don’t have to worry about if it’s streaming or not and the ability to borrow it to your friends
Genuinely sorry to hear about the loss of your collection. That really spikes the OCD side of our reptile dna. Having a barter system with some relatives / friends is a nice way to really expand access to grow your collection. We all are restricted to the amount of space we have, so we have to consider that aspect. But if you have friends or family with different tastes, and you barter or share your collections, this allows you to have access to a larger selection than what a single person can usually store.
Steaming services are now censoring older movies. Physical Media is literally our only hope. I would say the sailing the high seas is, but some of the censored streaming versions are now the only available high seas options...
@@whatsjohnnywatching Yeah.. It also sucks HD-DVD lost the media race. Myself as well was backing HD-DVD. Blu-Ray was such a catastrophe of HD physical media. As sony owns the format and require license fee for printing on the format. It's a major reason we wont see a HD version of a lot of titles is because its not financially worth it to print those for some companies. Only major titles and cult following ones will see blu-ray releases. Such a shame, I wish people resurrected HD-DVD purely for freedom of press on releasing titles like DVD was. Because the technology is not lost to time or anything. In fact with so many titles that people want but cant get a HD version, it almost seems easy to just start it up again and allow anyone to print on that format.
One of the greatest collector origin stories I heard, you came to it honestly, I like your stories and your reason for collecting is legit, I had a rather large music collection when Rhapsody got sold to Napster, songs I had bought was gone, probably several thousand dollars worth since I had a habbit of buying full Album catalogs for artists I liked. I dont have space for a huge collection since we do not have basements here in Florida.
Damn, I never knew Floridians don’t have basements. I never really liked “cherry-picking” music. Buy the whole album because you might find a song on there that maybe people don’t like, but it strikes a chord with you on a deeper level.
Florida is too close to sea level. For the majority of homes, a basement would flood near constantly. There are some homes with basements, but those are in the few elevated areas of the state or on a rare hill. They are the exception.
Looking at my collection is like watching a movie 🎥😎✨ Always keep the movies where you live - basements, attics, & garages are a no go unless fully furnished It's only a problem when you collect things you don't truly love
Great video Johnny! We had some similar experiences it seems growing up. That sucks about the flood! So glad you came back to physical media side as well!
this video is treasure! 😄subs! also, even though movies may still up in those streaming platforms, we've seen more and more tampering with movies. changing some parts, censoring stuff, changing music, etc...
I definitely understand where you’re coming from!!! In answer to your question if it makes you happy definitely keep buying them life is short be happy. I love to have physical media for movies because I’m like you if I wanna watch something I wanna watch it. I’ve been building my movie collection since DVD first came out so I’m basically done with anything I like growing up now I only buy new releases. I think it’s streaming as a waste of money it would cost a fortune to pay for all the streaming services like Netflix HBO Disney+ Apple TV for a whole year (that adds up) compared to buying one or two movies a month I thought I do now. I only pay for Netflix in one month out of the year just to watch the new seasons of things like stranger things and cobra Kai
Yeah. I do keep some streaming because of the wife and to watch stuff before picking out what I might buy (I’ve been burned before when I would “blind buy” titles. 😂😂).
Thanks for sharing good sir. I have that 2nd Sight Dawn of the Dead as well, and it is awesome! I also have the OG Ultimate Edition of Dawn on dvd that has the same cuts from Anchor Bay.
there are many, many titles that I prefer both physical and digital copies while some I prefer digital and some I don't mind physical only. for music media, it almos the same.
I remember seeing Robin Williams in Popeye at the drive-in when i was a kid. I remember different things from the handful of movie theaters around my town. I remember the final movie i saw at the twin screen theater by the mall, Braveheart. I remember the first dvd i bought, Caddyshack. I still have a bunch of physical media for movies. I also still have binders full of my cd collection.
I was just telling someone the other day about getting the physical copies is actually you owning it. Rather than paying to stream a movie over the internet.
Exactly. If I own a physical copy of something, I can watch it whenever I feel like it. Don't have to worry about checking to see which streaming platform currently has it available.
Really liked your story!! I am mostly into Blu-ray 3D :) I am a digital collector of a different sort lol, I back up all of my discs to the computer in case they get scratched or destroyed.
Thanks for sharing Johnny! I love hearing people's stories about how their collection got started and why it stuck with them. Look forward to seeing more content on your channel.
I have been collecting pyhsical horror and games since I was just a young boy....I share your passion and have a better selection then any place I know!
...what I HAVEN'T acquired yet; is a fallback/spare Blu-ray PLAYER! I never thought about what I would do with all my discs, and NO player! I wish I was better versed in the equipment; to know what the best economical player is. My current one is a rather, (for me); expensive Panasonic, that has been reworked to play all regions DVD AND Blu-ray. It set me into debt to the tune of four hundred dollars. Can someone in the community guide me to a sub hundred dollar reliable player?
Ya know; I always thought that you couldn't go wrong with Sony. So I bought one a long time ago; and it died in less than a month. That experience left me cold towards Sony.
We pretty much have the same story as far as how we got started collecting. I've been doing so since the days of VHS, working at Blockbuster for years throughout my teens and 20s.
Were there any specific titles you remember being particularly upset about after the flood? Glad to hear it was just 1/4 of your collection. Thanks for sharimg.. I too have had ups amd downs on this collecting jounrey.
Oh yes. 🤣. I lost the Blu-Ray’s of “Airheads”, both 28 Days and Weeks Later (found Days while I thrifting one day and added it back to the collection), “O”- the film directed by Tim Blake Nelson. My entire “season” collections of Breaking Bad (the one in the oil drum), The Wire, and Oz.
@@whatsjohnnywatching ...the fact that you brought up 'Airheads' solidifies my decision to blind buy it. It was recently mentioned to me amd I haven't seen it. Brendan Frasier is always a good time. Glad you were able to bounce back from all that.
I think it's important to have both, not just for collection but preservation. I had the foresight to know that space will always be a factor and compressed audio will always be a hinderance. I waited. fighting fomo for many years until 4k media came out. I now have adult money and a budget that allows me to build up my 4k collection. I know it wont be better than Zappi or Kaleidescape for a technical reasons but at least it's physical.
@@whatsjohnnywatching So I was looking at my amazon orders from last year. I spent 423$ on 4k movies and box sets. All had digital codes with them. And a few were movies that I had already owned but loved them more in 4k. This year I spent up to 130$ and still waiting for the newer releases like John wick, evil dead and Mario. I'm a DINK. (double income no kids)
@@AzraelIgnis I keep my digital codes and use them on Vudu for my parents to be able to watch what I have. If not for that, I’d probably just give them away. Lol
Yeah, Bought 'Apocalypse Now' on VHS in the 80's, got the laserdisc. Got the DVD, then got 'redux' on DVD, Got the bluray, then got the 2 versions on bluray. That's 6 times I bought the film! Coppola owes me a beer!
I’m very similar to you mate. Collected on and off from a young age and now getting back into it. Got my first 4K player a year ago and really enjoying the experience. Watched Ghoulies (1984) on 4k recently and loved the movie and the bonus features - long live physical media 👍🏻👍🏻
You’re not alone. I’ve been collecting physical for 30 years now. The sound and video is way batter than streaming. Especially on a OLED TV. You don’t own the digital copies. Studios can take it away from us for any reason. Watching mission impossible dead reckoning this weekend.
I feel the same way had a similar childhood and always collected physical media, but when everyone started pushing Netflix I dug my heels in and bought more movies every month.
I also duped vhs back in the day, usually 3-4 movies per tape. Favourites included Elm St 1-3, F13th 1-4, The Thing, The Blob and The Fly on one tape. Good times. Then DVD happened and it became easier to get banned movies (I'm in the UK) on disc as they got through customs easier! Now I have a massive dvd and bluray collection which will be taken from my cold dead hands!😂
Physical media is something special it should never go away that feeling of ownership of entertainment
I absolutely agree
you vill own notzing unt be happy
Thanks for sharing your story of why you started collecting physical media. You’re right about opening up a package and it feeling like Christmas. It amazing to be able to hold a copy of a movie you love. Hopefully physical media never dies. We’re in a golden age at the moment so let’s enjoy it.
Thanks for checking it out. It really does feel great holding a copy of your favorite movie.
I used to manage a video store, so I built a decent VHS collection from my years there. Bought movies used as we transferred them from the New Release shelves to the general library. Got rid of most of them. Only have a few VHS, DVDs, and Blu-rays today. The only media I still collect are video games. Tons of nostalgia there for me. Becoming much more difficult to find new games in physical form. Many games are digital only these days. And in most instances when you get a physical disc of a game there's nothing on them. Just the license to be able to download them. The disc itself is barely anything more than a coaster. Sad time for collectors.
As long as the boutique labels hang around, collectors should be ok.
I'm gonna be real with you, I enjoyed hearing somebody just speak passionately about something they love. I don't even collect movies or anything but I watched the whole thing 🙏
Thanks. I really appreciate that.
I like physical media, and collect 3 different types: movies, books, and video games.
I WILL NEVER GET RID OF MY PHYSICAL MEDIA 📀
Same here!!!
Collector here. I didn't start buying movies and music because I wanted to be a collector, I was simply getting the things I loved. 2014 I was watching RUclips and they were talking about being a physical media collector. I'd never heard the term but as I was watching, I glanced up and panned the room and I had just as much as this collector so from that point forth I really started to purchase. Almost 10 years in and no regrets. I love my collection.
Same here. I just wanted to be able to watch the movies that I love and the best way to do that is to own a physical copy.
Back in 2013 when I got my first job. I started collecting my favorites on dvd and got up to 300 titles...most I bought were cheap like $1-$3 a title. I slowed down quite a lot because of streaming. I ended up selling my collection in 2019, & started upgrading my movies to 4k, but regretted it during the pandemic as the tv shows I had went out of print & after seeing things being taken down off of streaming & services like vudu. I am now rebuying those same tv shows had at a huge cost.
This year I made a commitment to go back to physical and staying that way.
I feel ya! My first DVD was "Charlie's Angels" (2000) which I bought when I was living in Japan and- yes- I still have it. I now have maybe 4,000 blurays/DVDs and keep buying 'em (I very rarely buy 4Ks though). I call it "my library." People think I'm nuts... meanwhile their favourite titles are disappearing from streaming sites or being censored.
Exactly. Especially when the WiFi goes out......I always have something to watch! Lol
Meh🥱😴Yeah general consumer market doesn’t care. Streaming for the 🏅 🏆 win.
@@tafb94force29streaming garbage 👇
Japan 🇯🇵 is number 1 for physical media the cds 💿 are really popular over there and Dobt like streaming and have a lot of music stores 🏬 even tower records exist over there
I collect it as well, but I only live in an RV, so I'm literally swimming in em. Lol.
Glad to see I'm not the only one. My family calls me 'The Living Blockbuster Store' 🔥🤘🔥
BECAUSE THE DVD IS YOURS! | I am always surprised when people TRUST corporations to care about them as clients, and then are surprised when the corporation deletes their favourite, special films. because "few people watch" those special films.
The funny thing I do. Whenever I get a new blu-Ray or a new Omnibus, once I get home I actually hold it up to the sky and make a “ding” sound. Sort of like in Lion King when the cub is held up to the sky. Yeah…I know I’m crazy, but I always do it. 😂🤷
Yep. Only us collectors can fully understand a feeling like that.
Finding Joy in life is an Art. Collecting physical media is an art. To imagine we can have our movies when I was a little kid was mind boggling.
Excellent story i did the similar. I still buy physical and always will. Still have my vhs.
I wish I still had some of my VHS tapes.
That basement flooding story, man I feel for ya. Also, I'm scared that the days of in store movie browsing are nearly over😔. My best buy doesn't carry movies, I don't bother with Walmart or Target because they never have anything good, so B&N is my last remaining physical media in person shopping option during the Criterion sale. I fear my B&N will soon get rid of their Criterion section. I miss the old days. Great video!
Thanks for checking it out, Vin. It’s sad that we may have to rely on Amazon to get our stuff
That is why I am glad to have an amazing buy-sell-trade store near me.
Most of their stuff looks like it was only watched once or twice. It's almost brand new, at less than half the price.
Thanks for sharing, brother! Long live physical media.
Thanks. It was no problem
ET was my first experience at the drive in. I was 5 at the time. I also remember seeing gremlins goonies and ghostbusters too.
That story about the flooding ruining part of your collection is why if I want to preserve something I prefer trying to get a source file like an mp4 for movies or roms for games, then make sure I have those backed up in a couple different places. Unfortunately, in order to get those the easiest way is through piracy :(
My Father just passed a week ago. He was a movie buff since he was a little boy. I kept his favorite movie on DVD to add to my collection. BTW, it is The Last Samurai. I just watched it this weekend. I miss you Dad.
Also same as you happy I found a community of people like myself on here who love movies and collecting them as much as I do
I did that to from about 10 years old I was recording movies we rented vhs to vhs, at first we had a betamax lol, anyway I like physical copies of media for the same reasons Vudu already stole a movie I bought from them, I was scrolling through my library one day and noticed the movie the weight of water was missing and I looked in my purchase history and they even somehow removed it from there as well to cover their tracks for stealing it from me then they're asking me for a receipt or proof, I told them I bought it months ago and don't save old emails for months on end, I explained to them the movie is still on thir site but the purchase button is gone and you can only stare at the page or put the movie on your "list" isn't that strange i adked, I said you must have somthin showing I bought it in your records but they just put it back on me with trying to prove it, so at anytime all these streaming services with all the movies we buy can just disappear in the blink of an eye, they'll eventually do somthin to screw us totally over you watch!! So I'm all about physical copies, alot of people are putting their eggs in one basket going all streaming thinkin their cool but when the internet is down or they just steal all your movies back you'll be sorry lol on Vudu you can dl the movie you own so I was doing that then guess what, if your not online the movie won't play and it'll say you have no internet access, that's rich I tell ya.
Since the debacle with “The French Connection” it’s not only the quality of the movies on physical media that’s superior, it’s the fact they haven’t been butchered by the streaming services! This could be the beginning of not being sure if this is the movie you first watched when streaming. I’m looking forward this week to watching my Blu-Ray collectors edition (with poster and cards and badges )Of John wick 4. Another win for physical media (Collectable tat :-) 👍
I am a ebay reseller for 20+ years. Last year I started listing a lot of DVDs (500+ listings now). It's amazing the value some have - all because of true-hearted collectors.
All sounds good to me! I am in the same boat. Let the sheep have their streaming.
Like you said, if it's a problem to collect movie, I have this problem and I'm happy! 😃
Yep
I remember getting that HD-DVD of Transformers for Christmas in 2007! I only had a DVD Player, so I had to buy the Regular Version.
Great video 📸, love collecting. Ghostbusters Frozen Empire 👻.
Thats crazy, Deep Blue Sea was my first DVD also, came bundled with the player. To this day I have yet to purchase a digital stand alone movie. I sometimes looked at Netflix as my 'digital movie shelf', then i learned that movies get removed... So that was out😂
I am 50 years old and have been collecting physical media since I was a teenager. Early on I always appreciated the feeling of ownership where anything I want to watch is right there at my fingertips. Now with streaming and everything I appreciate my collection even more. I never have to worry about streaming platforms not carrying something I want to watch or when they do have to deal with commercials and censorship.
One of the best videos on the subject thanks for this. I was addicted to buying sitcom boxsets like full house and roseanne.
I loved this story of how you started collecting physical media. I started my collection with ex-rental VHS from video stores too.
Those are some of my best memories. Thanks for checking it out.
Love being able to watch what I want when I want where I want. That's what physical media is for me.
I think it’s genuinely the best option if your lifestyle can afford it. A lot of people travel too often so streaming is the go to. What I fear is disc rot, VHS also experience entropy just like anything in this model of the universe.
Enjoy them while you have them, don’t wait for a “perfect” time to watch em all! It’s also worth it to buy a 2 TB USB thumb stick and digitize your collection before entropy or flood/fire makes it not an option!!
I thoroughly enjoyed this video sir. Just hearing about movies and owning them physically is a treat. I had to start my collection over just last year since my place was burglarized. It’s sad too that Best Buy is ending their physical run. It’s heartbreaking.
I agree totally with your reasoning. I still collect, DVDs, Blurays, and even VHS. I still buy a VUDU title occasionally when on sale. Goodwill is where I find a lot of great deals. I've bought several 3D bluray titles for almost nothing.
Goodwill, Dollar Tree, and Big Lots are where I find some gems.
@@whatsjohnnywatchinggoodwill sells movies used Big lots and dollar trees sell them brand new 🆕
I was trying to find a cd and could get what I wanted… I from the time if you like an album I’ll buy the cd for my collection… now everything is digital download…
Movies… I miss buying dvds.. you could watch it when you want. I see old movies that are 20 years old and they want you to rent it.. We use to be able to watch old movies for free.
Plus at anytime they could decide not to have content on certain platforms and then you can’t see it.
I’m glad I still have my old cds and dvds.. I still enjoy going through it.. I just said I got rid of my vhs tapes
I love collecting physical media too! Keep going Johnny, I have DVDs, Blurays & 4Ks. I was watching The Exorcist today! Great video!
That’s awesome. Make videos of your collection. Would love to see them
Flooded basement is my biggest future fear. If I ever inherit a family home you bet the money will be spent to seal that underground tighter than a crab's buttocks... then Flex Seal over it! For the past decade my biggest issue to keep under control was/is excessive humidity which is a silent (and gradually smelly) assassin by itself.
That's exactly how I started collecting! Going to the video store and wanting to have the movie at all times!! That sucks about your collection!
Voodoo 😳
Weekend at Johnny's 2 😂
You're totally right, were not hurting anyone! 🙄
Special editions!! Special packaging!! I love it!! Keep on, collecting on!!
Fish…….you may have just given me a new series title!!!!!!!😂😂
started buying Blu-ray and DVD's when Netflix released cutties. been buying multiple titles a week since. think I have a problem, A space problem, where to keep them all. I will always buy physical now, no steaming what-so-ever.
All my disc's get ripped to my pc for easy watching.
I collected vhs tapes and recording off the tv. Then bought dvds
Then blu rays. I had so many movies i threw my cases away and bought cd cases for my movies. I love movies and old tv shows.
I relate heavily to this story so much, to owning a Ps2, everything... and I feel that way about my first dvd purchase from a little over 20 years ago..and it was a Bruce Li movie, not Bruce Lee, Bruce Li lol.. it was Exit the Dragon Enter the Tiger and I'll always keep that.
Steam is good if u buy it and digital download.they could take it out then u have to buy it somewhere else digital.physical is better my friend.
I love having forgotten media that will most likely never be on streaming. And the streaming services can just censor what they please.
After 2021 Family Video close down for good in my area. So I started buying physical media because I didn't trust the streaming services or the government. Also, it definitely brings back that nostalgia when you're opening it up or going to the store.
There are many of us like you and it's growing. With Best Buy's current position, it means we got to get even more creative. That and not to mention majority of new stuff is crap. There are some new gems but as a whole modern entertainment is crap.
You are right, Target is a lost cause, you and I know why too. There is talk about them modifying books and "fixing" them when they reprint them or of you get a digital copy. So, not sure if you ever read 1984 but you should.
I have a similar story and I took advantage of Blockbuster as they had bulk rental deals. Every week I was renting 10-20 movies as there was a Blockbuster right beside where I worked. I amassed a very large collection of duplicated movies: I had the entire store inventory! I switched to DVD's as well. Now I am a digital collector storing on my server(s). I still have all of my DVDs and Bluerays though
I considered storing my digital “collection” on servers, but, alas, my childhood wouldn’t allow me. 😂😂😂Gotta have it in my hands. 😅. But, yeah, nothing beats going into Blockbuster and coming home with 2+ bags of rentals. 😂😂
i agree man it's all about physical media cheers!
It certainly is
Nice video about your collecting journey. I'm sorry you lost so many titles from a flood. That sounds awful! I'm glad you decided to get back into collection physical copies, though.
It's interesting that you mentioned supporting HD DVD over Blu-ray in the beginning. I also picked up a HD DVD player before I purchased a Blu-ray disc player (it wasn't because I preferred HD DVD, I was rooting for Blu-ray - but the entry price-point was much lower on the HD DVD player I bought and I wanted access to high-definition movies sooner rather than later at the time). I always thought Blu-ray was a better format (higher bit-rates, bigger disc storage sizes - BD50 etc, scratch resistant coating).
I feel like I dodged numerous "bullets" (so to speak) by not being alive during the laserdisc era and for never developing a huge VHS collection. I only ever owned 20 or so VHS tapes personally (my family had a bit more but my collection was pretty small). I only started collecting on DVD and it wasn't until Blu-ray that my collection became significantly bigger (though I had a bunch of DVD's too).
Personally, beyond ownership/access, I always feel one of the best reasons to own Blu-ray releases is to support film preservation. Most of these classics films being restored in 2K/4K and presented in nice quality Blu-ray editions are the result of boutique labels restoring classics for home media. Not for streaming services. Even if said restoration ever shows up on a streaming service, the work being done was prepared for Blu-ray/4K UHD and these classics wouldn't be properly preserved without the home media ecosystem. All the popular streaming services are catering to people seeking new content predominately and not to classic film fans.
You’re exactly right.
Man, your story sounds just like mine.😂
I have never bought a movie on digital and never will as you don't own it and can lose it anytime
I will always buy the physical version of movies i love because the quality of compressed streaming picture and sound cannot match the disc
Johnny I love this 🍿💕 amazing video 😀 I started when I was very little 😊 my dad is my movie inspiration, he showed me so many movies when I was little
Yeah. It’s a shame now. I’ve gotten older and still love movies and they don’t really pay any attention to them. It’s all about my nephews now. 😂😂😂😂
Awesome video My family was never really big into the drive-in theater. We had this really really cheap. Rundown cinema by my house that was literally $2 per person. It was one of the most disgusting but fun movie theaters because it was just vintage. And that is the very first movie theater my father took me to to go see teenage mutant Ninja turtles. Plus my daddy used to do the same thing. We would rent movies from Blockbuster or Hollywood video and we would record them on one of those 6-hour or 8-hour blank tapes. We would have three to four movies per tape. And then when our basement got flooded it all went away😢 unfortunately after that my dad stopped collecting and I started.
My dad never really understood having a “collection” until the cable went out and came knocking on my door for movies. 😂😂
I always try to collect the top 10 or 15 movies each year to have them on DVDs.
I hate to say it but they keep going back and changing so much about old movies that it's almost a duty to preserve the old physical media so that you can be a custodian of actual real history in the film industry vs. Whatever they watered-down version we're going to get from the local or as some place down the road
still have my 6/7 year old blu ray player and a multi regional player dvd player around 20 years later and 2600 plus films and tv shows on dvd plus blu ray not everything is on streaming yet if you want free or low cost films try your local recycling centre my pas husbands a manger there and for £2 i can get any film in the world some have in this case 9000 titles many factory sealed i can go in the back and see the tiles not out in the centre as i know him and his wife
I was always a fan of physical media I've been collecting video games and movies for years put the thing that made me you know go more crazy into it I was one of the lucky few that had that internet adapter for Sega Genesis don't let you download games to your system I think it was like two games Max you were allowed download after a year they turn off the service what's the first time I felt betrayed of digital media then it happened again on the Dreamcast on game DLC same with the PS2, gamecube, xbox what's the services gone you lost everything after that I went pretty much physical media only
Hey just found your channel. My story is almost the same as yours. My older brother took me to see Star Wars in 78 . Going to the movies was big in my family. Being we live in NYC I saw movies either in those old majestic theaters and the 42nd street grindhouse theaters . Bought a used vhs of Return of the Jedi in 87 and have been a collector ever since. Now I’m going to check out your past videos. You got a new subscriber
Thanks!! I really appreciate it. It’s funny…..all it takes is 1 copy of something to turn it into such an amazing hobby
i sometimes prefer blu ray on an old plasma tv than 4k disc on UHD tvs
Nothing wrong with that. It's what you love and I can dig it.
Since you mentioned not being interested in Laserdisc, I was interested in Laserdisc throughout the 1990s but I couldn't afford to buy a Laserdisc player until 1997, when I went on a bit of a Laserdisc buying spree. I think it was roughly between March or April 1997, when I first got the player, and the Christmas season of 1997 when I could walk into any music or video sales store and buy any recent Hollywood movie I wanted on Laserdisc. Just after Christmas 1997/New Year's 1998 was when stores in Montreal all started liquidating their Laserdisc selections and it was pretty much all gone by September 1998, when one local Montreal video store got precisely one new movie on Laserdisc, that being Titanic, and that was only since James Cameron was still skeptical about DVD. I think Titanic was the last new Laserdisc I ever saw for sale anywhere locally.
I knew about DVD at the time I got my Laserdisc player, I just didn't think it would kill off Laserdisc so quickly. In defence of Laserdisc, a lot of Japanese anime, which I was already into in the 1990s, looked much better on Laserdisc than it did on DVD since the video compression on most early anime DVDs left a lot to be desired. Alas, a good number of my anime Laserdiscs succumbed to glue rot so I eventually had to replace them with DVDs anyway.
Yeah, I feel you bro I am a diehard movie fan physical media forever I subscribe to your channel besides us you tubers have to help one another 🙃
Well, thank you. We have an amazing community.
I'm on a fixed income; so I can't always afford a Blu-ray. But I usually CAN squeeze in a DVD.
Whether it’s a 4K, Blu-Ray, or DVD….it’s helping keep the movies we love in our possession.
Couldn’t have said it better the idea of it being yours and internet or no you can watch it. Don’t have to worry about if it’s streaming or not and the ability to borrow it to your friends
Genuinely sorry to hear about the loss of your collection. That really spikes the OCD side of our reptile dna. Having a barter system with some relatives / friends is a nice way to really expand access to grow your collection. We all are restricted to the amount of space we have, so we have to consider that aspect. But if you have friends or family with different tastes, and you barter or share your collections, this allows you to have access to a larger selection than what a single person can usually store.
Steaming services are now censoring older movies. Physical Media is literally our only hope. I would say the sailing the high seas is, but some of the censored streaming versions are now the only available high seas options...
Sad, but true
@@whatsjohnnywatching Yeah.. It also sucks HD-DVD lost the media race. Myself as well was backing HD-DVD. Blu-Ray was such a catastrophe of HD physical media. As sony owns the format and require license fee for printing on the format. It's a major reason we wont see a HD version of a lot of titles is because its not financially worth it to print those for some companies. Only major titles and cult following ones will see blu-ray releases. Such a shame, I wish people resurrected HD-DVD purely for freedom of press on releasing titles like DVD was. Because the technology is not lost to time or anything. In fact with so many titles that people want but cant get a HD version, it almost seems easy to just start it up again and allow anyone to print on that format.
Great Video made a similar one on my channel, I prefer to own physical if I can
I’ll check it out. Thanks for checking mine out.
One of the greatest collector origin stories I heard, you came to it honestly, I like your stories and your reason for collecting is legit, I had a rather large music collection when Rhapsody got sold to Napster, songs I had bought was gone, probably several thousand dollars worth since I had a habbit of buying full Album catalogs for artists I liked. I dont have space for a huge collection since we do not have basements here in Florida.
Damn, I never knew Floridians don’t have basements. I never really liked “cherry-picking” music. Buy the whole album because you might find a song on there that maybe people don’t like, but it strikes a chord with you on a deeper level.
No basements?? Are they illegal in your state or something? That's whack dude
Florida is too close to sea level. For the majority of homes, a basement would flood near constantly. There are some homes with basements, but those are in the few elevated areas of the state or on a rare hill. They are the exception.
Love the video man! Great story! - from a fellow Titans fan, TITAN UP!
Thanks. TITAN UP!!!!
Looking at my collection is like watching a movie 🎥😎✨
Always keep the movies where you live - basements, attics, & garages are a no go unless fully furnished
It's only a problem when you collect things you don't truly love
Great video Johnny! We had some similar experiences it seems growing up. That sucks about the flood! So glad you came back to physical media side as well!
Thanks. I’m glad I did. 😂
this video is treasure! 😄subs!
also, even though movies may still up in those streaming platforms, we've seen more and more tampering with movies. changing some parts, censoring stuff, changing music, etc...
Thanks. I agree. Altering films and especially removing them from streaming really irritates me
I definitely understand where you’re coming from!!! In answer to your question if it makes you happy definitely keep buying them life is short be happy. I love to have physical media for movies because I’m like you if I wanna watch something I wanna watch it. I’ve been building my movie collection since DVD first came out so I’m basically done with anything I like growing up now I only buy new releases. I think it’s streaming as a waste of money it would cost a fortune to pay for all the streaming services like Netflix HBO Disney+ Apple TV for a whole year (that adds up) compared to buying one or two movies a month I thought I do now. I only pay for Netflix in one month out of the year just to watch the new seasons of things like stranger things and cobra Kai
Yeah. I do keep some streaming because of the wife and to watch stuff before picking out what I might buy (I’ve been burned before when I would “blind buy” titles. 😂😂).
Thanks for sharing good sir. I have that 2nd Sight Dawn of the Dead as well, and it is awesome! I also have the OG Ultimate Edition of Dawn on dvd that has the same cuts from Anchor Bay.
It is a great transfer.
there are many, many titles that I prefer both physical and digital copies while some I prefer digital and some I don't mind physical only.
for music media, it almos the same.
I can understand. I still keep my digital copies for when I go on vacation or for my parents to use. It serves a purpose
I remember seeing Robin Williams in Popeye at the drive-in when i was a kid. I remember different things from the handful of movie theaters around my town. I remember the final movie i saw at the twin screen theater by the mall, Braveheart. I remember the first dvd i bought, Caddyshack. I still have a bunch of physical media for movies. I also still have binders full of my cd collection.
That’s awesome. We’re keeping physical media alive
I hoped they bring back blockbusters
That’s everyone’s wish.
Do what you love
I was just telling someone the other day about getting the physical copies is actually you owning it. Rather than paying to stream a movie over the internet.
Exactly. If I own a physical copy of something, I can watch it whenever I feel like it. Don't have to worry about checking to see which streaming platform currently has it available.
I love physical media. I own that copy of Dawn of the Dead you showed.
It’s one of my treasures.
Really liked your story!! I am mostly into Blu-ray 3D :) I am a digital collector of a different sort lol, I back up all of my discs to the computer in case they get scratched or destroyed.
Thanks for sharing Johnny! I love hearing people's stories about how their collection got started and why it stuck with them. Look forward to seeing more content on your channel.
Thanks, Nate. It’s a HUGE part of my childhood and what shaped me into the “cool kid” (not my term. I begrudgingly accepted it. 😂😂) that I am today.
Im collecting dvds at the moment. It costs money, but its worth it
Absolutely. It doesn’t matter the format. 4K, Blu-Ray, or DVD. As long as you can own the titles you love, that’s all that matters
I have been collecting pyhsical horror and games since I was just a young boy....I share your passion and have a better selection then any place I know!
Thanks for watching. It’s great seeing other collectors like myself.
...what I HAVEN'T acquired yet; is a fallback/spare Blu-ray PLAYER!
I never thought about what I would do with all my discs, and NO player!
I wish I was better versed in the equipment; to know what the best economical player is.
My current one is a rather, (for me); expensive Panasonic, that has been reworked to play all regions DVD AND Blu-ray. It set me into debt to the tune of four hundred dollars.
Can someone in the community guide me to a sub hundred dollar reliable player?
“Sub $100”? That might be tricky. I can only speak on what I own. My 4K player is a Sony and both extra Blu-Ray players are Sony.
Ya know; I always thought that you couldn't go wrong with Sony. So I bought one a long time ago; and it died in less than a month.
That experience left me cold towards Sony.
We pretty much have the same story as far as how we got started collecting. I've been doing so since the days of VHS, working at Blockbuster for years throughout my teens and 20s.
“Movie Gallery” veteran here. 😂
@@whatsjohnnywatching HA! I worked there, too! Briefly tho.
Life is about touching, feeling and smelling, these senses are amazing and THAT IS WHAT physical brings!
Were there any specific titles you remember being particularly upset about after the flood? Glad to hear it was just 1/4 of your collection. Thanks for sharimg.. I too have had ups amd downs on this collecting jounrey.
Oh yes. 🤣. I lost the Blu-Ray’s of “Airheads”, both 28 Days and Weeks Later (found Days while I thrifting one day and added it back to the collection), “O”- the film directed by Tim Blake Nelson. My entire “season” collections of Breaking Bad (the one in the oil drum), The Wire, and Oz.
@@whatsjohnnywatching ...the fact that you brought up 'Airheads' solidifies my decision to blind buy it. It was recently mentioned to me amd I haven't seen it. Brendan Frasier is always a good time. Glad you were able to bounce back from all that.
Do you ever go and buy second hand movies at all?
Sometimes. It depends on the film itself
I think it's important to have both, not just for collection but preservation. I had the foresight to know that space will always be a factor and compressed audio will always be a hinderance.
I waited. fighting fomo for many years until 4k media came out. I now have adult money and a budget that allows me to build up my 4k collection. I know it wont be better than Zappi or Kaleidescape for a technical reasons but at least it's physical.
Precisely. When I started out, I just wanted a collection. But as time wore on, it became more about preserving the films that I love.
@@whatsjohnnywatching So I was looking at my amazon orders from last year. I spent 423$ on 4k movies and box sets. All had digital codes with them. And a few were movies that I had already owned but loved them more in 4k. This year I spent up to 130$ and still waiting for the newer releases like John wick, evil dead and Mario. I'm a DINK. (double income no kids)
@@AzraelIgnis I keep my digital codes and use them on Vudu for my parents to be able to watch what I have. If not for that, I’d probably just give them away. Lol
Yeah, Bought 'Apocalypse Now' on VHS in the 80's, got the laserdisc. Got the DVD, then got 'redux' on DVD, Got the bluray, then got the 2 versions on bluray. That's 6 times I bought the film! Coppola owes me a beer!
I’m very similar to you mate. Collected on and off from a young age and now getting back into it. Got my first 4K player a year ago and really enjoying the experience.
Watched Ghoulies (1984) on 4k recently and loved the movie and the bonus features - long live physical media 👍🏻👍🏻
"It's on streaming" they say 😂
How do they know? Did they do a search? A lot of my stuff isn't on streaming and many items will NEVER be streamed.
Cool to hear you talk about your physical media journey, Johnny! Sorry I haven't commented here before, dude. Congrats on 100 subs!!!!!
Thanks. I had no idea I crossed it. 😂😂. Thank you for checking out the video. 🔥🔥
idk why these 10guys hit the dislike button , why i dont understand
You’re not alone. I’ve been collecting physical for 30 years now. The sound and video is way batter than streaming. Especially on a OLED TV. You don’t own the digital copies. Studios can take it away from us for any reason. Watching mission impossible dead reckoning this weekend.
Great Video Johnny! Love hearing why people watch and collect physical media. Great Story.
Thanks, man. I’m glad you liked it.
I feel the same way had a similar childhood and always collected physical media, but when everyone started pushing Netflix I dug my heels in and bought more movies every month.
Yeah. Netflix, for me, was good because I could watch something and then decide if I wanted to buy a physical copy.
Just got yourself another subscriber! Totally agree with you, Something bout physical media that digital or streaming will never be able to replace
I also duped vhs back in the day, usually 3-4 movies per tape.
Favourites included Elm St 1-3, F13th 1-4, The Thing, The Blob and The Fly on one tape. Good times.
Then DVD happened and it became easier to get banned movies (I'm in the UK) on disc as they got through customs easier!
Now I have a massive dvd and bluray collection which will be taken from my cold dead hands!😂
I feel like physical media will not go away but the sales from un-officail physical media will sky rocket.