I believe in physical media. I apologize for starting this article like Bonasera from The Godfather, but I want to establish that right off the bat. Although I’m not enough of a DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K disc fanatic to justify ditching streaming services completely, I still believe discs generally offer the superior way to watch shows and movies.
I also understand the economic realities of building a physical media collection. While there are ways to save money buying discs, such as buying used copies or taking advantage of sales, I understand that purchasing a physical copy of every movie and show you want to watch is financially prohibitive.
That’s why it’s helpful to be able to identify gimmicks. If you can discern when a “unique” selling point of a given DVD, Bu-ray, or 4K disc is really just a ploy to get you to spend money, you can avoid wasting hard-earned cash when building your physical media collection.
A physical copy may come packed with ‘goodies’
These bonus items aren’t always worth your money
“Special” physical releases of movies and shows come in many forms. Often, a special edition will simply come with a substantial amount of supplemental content. Depending on your preferences, such a disc may be worth investing in. For example, I find that the supplemental content on my Criterion discs is often educational enough to almost serve as an informal replacement for film school.
However, supplemental content isn’t the only kind of extra that may be included with a special physical release of a given title. Sometimes, these special editions come in larger packages so that they can offer art, prop replicas, toys, and other such items. The inclusion of these items is meant to justify a much higher price than you would pay if you were just buying the film or show itself.
You have to evaluate whether these “goodies” are truly worth your money. For some fans, they are, and that’s absolutely fine. However, if you’re honest with yourself, you might determine that a lot of these items would ultimately end up in the trash. You can save money now by not paying for them in the first place.
Multi-disc sets aren’t always worth it
You need to determine whether the additional content adds much
Again, I thoroughly believe that supplemental content can be a good reason to buy a physical copy of a movie or series. In fact, this is one of the reasons I believe physical media is preferable to streaming and digital downloads, which typically don’t provide access to such content.
That’s not to say I believe supplemental content is always worth paying for. Consider how a studio or label may release a lage, multi-disc set of a picture or show. As with the above example, the goal is to convince fans to spend more money in exchange for more content and material.
Take the time to evaluate what you’d actually be getting to determine if that extra content is the type of content you’ll truly engage with on a regular basis. Do you really think you’ll watch an extended blooper reel that often? How many times will you check out the deleted scenes of a show you enjoy? Is that marketing featurette worth the high price tag of the disc?
You should also be aware that this type of extra content is sometimes available on YouTube and other such online platforms. You may thus be able to access it at essentially no cost already.
Special packaging isn’t always worth it
A gimmick is sometimes in the eye of the beholder
As a lover of physical media, I want to be clear that part of what makes embracing physical media so enjoyable is the fact that building your collection feels more personal than browsing a digital library. As such, you should always consider your tastes first and foremost when deciding whether a disc is worth buying.
However, you should also always apply logic before making a purchase. Doing so is key to guarding against buyer’s remorse.
For instance, although I’m a physical media advocate, I personally consider steelbooks to be a gimmick. If a steelbook offers access to exclusive content, fantastic, but otherwise, I’m paying a lot of extra money for fancy packaging. While boutique labels like Criterion at least transform a disc’s packaging into a piece of art, I find that a steelbook usually doesn’t offer the same aesthetic value.
Once more, that’s just me. Not everyone will feel the same way. The point is, though, a studio will absolutely try to get you to pay more for a disc by offering gimmicky packaging without actually providing more content or value. You should determine whether you think durable packaging is a good reason to buy a disc.
At the end of the day, growing a physical media collection ought to be an enjoyable experience. It’s more likely to be enjoyable if you don’t feel you wasted money because you fell for a cheap gimmick. These tips will help you avoid that unpleasant outcome.
