Page 1 of Confessions of a DVD Addict - comments welcome!

Thought this would make an interesting article ... but need some input. Are you a DVD addict? Is obsessive collecting a `male` thing? Why buy when you can hire/rent? (I never do...). What do you collect - and why?!? Why do we feel we need to `complete` parts of our collections? :/

Comments aplenty please - and I promise to consolidate the best of these into an article. (Editor Willing...).We`ll get to the bottom of this together!!

Ah! And in case I forget - Happy new year! :D

I never seemed to feel the need to collect films on VHS. I had a half decent collection of about 80-90 films but never really got them just to collect them, I guess I always felt that the industry would bring us something better...and they did with DVD. My `collection` of DVD`s has blossomed into a 200+ DVD extravaganza of allsorts within 3 years and it just keeps on growing and growing. However, the only area I seem to be `obsessed` with is John Wayne Films (having amassed 17 in the last 6 months) :/ . Not sure why this is. My flatmate goes for Clint Eastwood films, I guess we are have turned into Western Nerds. If I was to buy only one more DVD in my lifetime it would be ROTK:EE when it comes out...only then will my life be complete :D

I am a self-confessed DVD addict, indeed. I don`t feel like renting discs as at the end of the day my local Blockbuster is so damn expensive - and I only rent what I enjoy, BTW - that I think, "Hell, might as well just buy the damn thing".

Also, with prices going ever lower on the Internet it reinforces my above point. It has got to the stage where it is something spontaneous, as well: even if my cash is low, I can be enticed into a DVD purchase by pretty packaging or good disc specs.

I feel compelled to collect DVDs, to make my shelves ever increase, and if I start collecting DVDs for a series I have to finish (film trilogies, TV series etc.) - otherwise in my mind it will be incomplete and not right. I also have to keep all my collection in pristine condition, no marks on cases or tears, and I tend to want to collect only R2 UK so they all look the same.

I own 180+ DVDs, plus numerous expensive boxsets, and also fairly recently invested in a home cinema setup. It includes 2 DVD players (plus a DVD-ROM drive on my laptop), a DD/DTS decoder, 5 speakers and a subwoofer.

My favourite discs would probably be thrillers or dramas, films that push the boundaries and defy Hollywood convention. My discs from TV shows include Friends, 24, Ally McBeal and The Simpsons.

I have reviewed for three separate DVD websites, this being my first, to announce my obsession to the world!

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Click here to e-mail Rik Booth
My DVD Collection ¦ My Trader Feedback ¦ For Sale DVDs

I too am a dvd addict (and i`m female). Though i admit my dvd addiction has been waning since i got into a game addiction instead.

I`m just a glutton for a bargain and it all started when i went to university.

When at Uni, it was CDs, then when i left Uni it was DVDs because i could rule whatwas on the big tv.

Currently i`m on games because console owning is fairly new to me.

Goodness only knows what purchases i will become addicted to next.

As for collecting, I am currently collecting a variety of things: Buffy and Angel DVDs (having bought the vhs); x-files dvds; farscape (completed last week); Alfred Hitchcock films, Disney classic animation films and the Disney treasures sets from the US. My fiancee is collecting babylon 5, frasier and star trek movies on dvd.

I`d quite like to collect all the basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes films and all the MArgaret Rutherford Miss Marple films; plus Mysterious cities of gold (should ANYONE ever deem fit to release it).

But at least I`m happy and can afford it (for the time being)

Yep, me too. Have a couple of storage cabinets full of the things. Try to get what my wife, daughter and self will enjoy together, e.g Pirates of the Caribbean. Trouble is our individual tastes vary a bit. I tend to go for SciFi e.g. "Armageddon", "Mission to Mars" and so on, whilst the aforesaid females tend to like things such as "The Hours" or "Erin Brockovich" etc.

JohnF

GW6UFO is QRT at the moment

tripodjw, did you know that farscape is coming back :D :D :D :D :D :D

This item was edited on Tuesday, 30th December 2003, 17:17

Mmmm. Interesting! Rik sounds closest to a true DVD Junky - though it`s clearly not just a male thing. Like Rik, once I have one or two parts of a set it can drive me to the edge to leave it incomplete. Interesting that others buy so much contemporary TV on DVD. I love the Simpsons, though it`s rarely off-air so I wouldn`t buy any. I tend to go for stuff that`s no longer airing & brings with it a wash of nostalgia...
Keep the comments coming - the more detail the better! THANKS ;)

This item was edited on Tuesday, 30th December 2003, 20:37

hello my fellow dvd addicts,my story starts about 1996,my first dvd player was a sony 315,and my first film was lethal weapon 3,on the very same day it was released,it`s amazing how fast the collection grows,up to date i have around 600+dvds including boxsets of course,i also have a 42`` plasma screen,5.1 surround sound system,and now have a sony dvd recorder,my wife go`s mad sometimes about my collection but i just can`t help myself,i`m also trying to get my 4 yr old son into it,bought him he`s first dvd player for this xmas,he already has 12 films,also got my brother/sister/even my mother /the inlaws into it for heavens sake,the day i`ll die i`ll almost likely have a bag with new released dvds in it,i was even late for the birth of our second boy,because i`d been watching dvds the night before,anyway keep collecting them dvds,all the best,and a happy new year.

I`ve always been a film fan, but I never had many VHS tapes, mainly because I knew they were crap and perishable. But as soon as DVDs came along I was hooked. All widescreen, 5.1 sound, commentaries, reasonable prices for the quality you receive... the list of advantages goes on. I have 200+ DVDs and it grows every week :D

In terms of completing the "collection"... I suppose it depends on the films/TV Show. I have all 4 Seasons of Futurama, as well as both Seasons of 24, I have both the Theatrical and Extended Editions of The Lord Of The Rings films. I strive to have the most complete version of each film, ie. uncut, the original version (or multiple versions if I have the desire ;) ) and in it`s original aspect ratio. So I have a mixture of R2, R4, R1 and R3 DVDs (but I prefer PAL, so mostly R2/R4).

It`s not an addiction though, more a passion. One of the reasons I have both versions of each LOTR film is to study the editing (and see how the EE of TTT is vastly superior to the TC). This can help me and be a good reference when it comes to making my own films or doing College work :)

i had to stop counting (if the wife finds out how many i have it`ll be the end) down to the point were i have 2 dvd players stored in the loft that i won`t sell + 5 set up and over 200 dvd`s that i have not yet had time to watch, mind you if i got divorced that would free some time up, hmmm i`ll have to think about that one :D

apart from the odd tv special (merlin) and the champions, i rarely buy tv related stuff

This item was edited on Tuesday, 30th December 2003, 21:14