Do you ever wish that Video Tapes , Laserdiscs , DVDs ,Blu-Rays , Cable TV , Downloads , Satellite TV , Freeview , Multi - Movie Channels , etc had
never happened ? I do almost everyday. The reasons for that wish should be all to obvious to REEL FILM collectors.

Now I do, but can not hide that I collected most of the formats. My biggest hate is digital cinema and streaming/downloads. Those I could live without. Streaming is what kills the fun for a collector. How fun is it to have and own 0 & 1 in a non physical format. It need to stand in my shelf. If you buy on Netflix, it is gone when (I hope when and not if) they give up delivering. My films is still in the shelf

I do, except to say without the masses wanting and affording Disney VHS full Movies to own for the first time, Derann would never have gotten the rights to produce any of their wonderful films David.

A cheap viewing does come in handy sometimes!

There's the pride in ownership with a physical copy of your favorite film or music. It was always a BIG thrill for me to make the rare trip to a record store (I lived in a rural area) as a teen and hunt through all of the music and movies. Then there was the dilemma of choosing what I was going to purchase from all of the choices that there were. I've recaptured some of that excitement with hunting down and locating films ('reel' films, that is) on the Internet for purchase. It is incredibly fun to own a format that very few people in the U.S. have access to anymore. Unfortunately, film has been obsolete here since the VHS revolution in the 1980's. As far as DVDs go, I don't particularly enjoy collecting those anymore. They are too prone to damage and becoming useless. One bad scratch, and that's it. And the packaging is cheap. A piece of paper inserted into a flimsy plastic case made from recycled materials. Anyways, I do not foresee a DVD holding up 40 years from now. Geez, I hope that I haven't offended anyone!

Here Timothy, that kind of talk is positively commended! You won't ever offend anyone here by dissing the DVD format.

Andrew I accept your point about cheap viewing. However I still think the other means of watching "movies" have ruined everything in the
long term for good for the REEL film collector.
Movies on TV are a crap way of seeing them. Video Projection is not much better I speak from experience as I am guilty of doing so.
I prefer the days when the only way you could see or own them was via film only.
Even watching movies on TV is no longer something of "an event" or "novelty".
Do you remember the days when a film had to be at least 7 years old before it could be given a transmission in the UK ?
Also the sense of anticipation of seeing that Epic or Bond movie for the first time over the Xmas season on TV. Do you remember " Disney Time ". ?
Sadly those days have gone for good as the stuff they show is on most of the time on some TV channel or DVD/Blu-Ray.
TV has become an outlet for "run of the mill " fodder for me.
I still get more of a buzz showing myself a 200 foot extract from a feature film to this day.

Timothy I could not agree more. The physical ownership of FILM on a reel far outweighs the ownership of oh so ordinary everyday
Tapes or Silver shiny discs be they DVDs / Blu-Ray or Laserdiscs.
I get more of a thrill if I track down that elusive Standard / Super 8mm / Silent/ Sound package film in its original box than any other format.
Collecting shiny discs can really bore me and I can live without them.

Timothy... you could never offend any one on this forum. You are speaking to the perverted.
WE FILM COLLECTORS !

From my own growing days in the 70's David, the whole ambiance of life has changed.

In this media frenzied fast paced way of life, nigh on 20 yrs after the internet became accessible to almost every human being in the western world, what chance does any new film, song or theatre production have of being special or treasured by millions?

It's just a very different way of life and world now to the one all us "oldies" grew up in. Some say better, we will all say for the worse.

One good thing, at least we all can get to know one another and share our passions in life nowadays through social media outlets such as this. Something reserved for science fiction comics back in our day!

Yes Andrew ... If I could just turn the clock back to my childhood 8mm film collecting days of the 1960s when the world was a simpler and
very different place to what it is now. For me " Modern Life is Rubbish". To much entertainment distractions available. Now just where did
I put those 78rpm records ?

As I return to the world of film collecting I've realized how much joy these reels of celluloid give me. When I was in my youth I remember the thrill of thumbing through film catalogs daydreaming about which films I would love to own. Making lists of titles that no collection should be without. Even though my dreams remained just that at that time, years later I was able to make them a reality once I became employed.The secondary market allowed affordability for most titles I looked for (this was in the mid 1980's.) Along with the fun of enjoying the films themselves,the hobby connects me to a period of my youth and memories I wouldn't trade for anything in the world. David,thank you for starting this thread as I have very much enjoyed reading all the replies.

You're so right there Douglas! A lot of this hobby now for people of a certain age, is the attraction of finding and owning some of the things we could only dream of having as kids or as young fathers etc.
I love playing catch up now!

Andrew,
I'm playing catch-up too. Or maybe I'm trying to transport myself back in time.

Doug,
I know all about making lists and combing through catalogs as I have done the same!

I am thankful for the Internet for one reason...it has enabled me to locate items that could take years to locate the old fashioned way (going from shop to shop). If it wasn't for eBay, I don't know where in the world I would find vintage projector bulbs...or films! It's also great to converse with you guys across the globe...something that wouldn't have been possible in pre-Internet days. Aside of that, I'm not a fan of modern technology. All I use my cell phone for is to make calls!

The internet, has without any shadow of doubt, enabled us all to continue enjoying this hobby to a level far beyond we could ever possibly achieve had it never come about. To that end, there is much to embrace regarding modern technology.

As with nearly all people beyond 30 years of age who remember a more simpler way of living, much to detest also!

Douglas ... I am glad you are happy I started this thread.
Its a shame there has not been more input so far as I am really interested in hearing what others views are.
Still never mind what little response there has been so far has been ...G-R-E-A-T.

Most don't post.

That's a motto I keep in mind at all times here sadly and on ALL the forums it is very evidently the case unfortunately.
If more post, things stay varied and interesting, this helps keep the forums buzzing and attracts more and more people to them.

I fully agree Andrew as sadly it seems to be true on most kinds of forums. My other hobby is scale modeling and I find the same thing with the modelling forums as well. Seems like a small pool of hardcore regulars keep the threads flowing.