When was the last time you watched a DVD? With streaming being so accessible, your collection of DVDs might have been gathering dust for the last decade or more.
However, now that there are more services than ever, many of which are seeing constant price-hikes and crackdowns on password sharing, it may be time to return to the plastic disc.
I’ve jumped ship myself. I’ve been collecting physical media in earnest for the last two years, acquiring over 150 movies, and have scrapped my Netflix subscription altogether.
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I’m not the only one though. The appetite for DVD, Blu-Ray and 4K Blu-Ray is stronger than ever in the UK. The British Association of Screen Entertainment, a group representing the UK’s home entertainment industry, stated that the UK physical media market was worth £209 million in 2022.
Additionally, HMV – the UK’s premiere physical retailer – has seen a resurgence since entering administration in 2019. The recent re-opening of their Oxford Street location in particular has served as a milestone for physical media in the UK. Meanwhile in Liverpool HMV re-opened a store in Williamson Square in 2021 after closing its Liverpool ONE location.
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Another example is Disney, who initially turned away from physical as streaming rose to prominence. Just four years after launching their own service, the company is re-affirming their support for home releases and are putting previously streaming-exclusive media such as The Mandalorian on 4K Blu-Ray. It’s increasingly clear there’s a demand for new titles on disc and supply to meet it.
The benefits are simple. The Blu-Ray and 4K formats offer a distinct audio/visual advantage over streaming, whilst DVD stands as an incredibly affordable alternative.
Many DVDs can be found for as little as £1 used. Compared to the £10.99 per month price tag for Netflix’s standard ad-free membership, movie fans could buy 11 separate DVDs to own. Add on more services and the value quickly becomes immense.
On the other end of the spectrum, premium Blu-Ray and 4K releases from “boutique” labels such as the Criterion Collection and Arrow Video offer lavish experiences for fans of specific films.
Many of these releases come with a variety of extras: posters, unique packaging, essay booklets and sometimes even physical goodies. Though a digital stream is easy and accessible, a special release in this vein can heighten the experience of watching a film and leave viewers with more to chew on.
Crucially, these are tangible items you own, and which cannot be delisted or altered. This is a sentiment recently echoed by director Christopher Nolan, who stated at a special screening of his hit film Oppenheimer that the film’s physical release was “a version you can buy and own at home and put on a shelf so no evil streaming service can come steal it from you.”
In the end, DVDs and Blu-Rays won’t be for everyone. Some don’t have the shelf space, some will want to catch streaming exclusives such as David Fincher’s The Killer. Some simply prefer the convenience of an all-digital lifestyle.
Yet for me, nothing can compare to physical. I’ll cherish my discs for decades to come, able to endlessly re-visit beloved stories and discover new favourites with abandon.
I implore you not to count the DVD out; you may be surprised by just how resilient physical media is.
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