23/12/2019
Ever wondered if there's still a place for DVDs and Blu-Rays in today's era of streaming services for Movies, TV shows etc?
This article makes a fantastic argument for why there is still a very important place (and perhaps growing need) for physical copies of your favourite films and shows.
Netflix seduced a generation into streaming with the allure of having entire archives of everything on demand. The truth is, that archive is rarely available and we are now being spoon-fed things we (for the most part) never actually wanted on all digital services as they each evolve into producers of their own content more-so than archivists of classic or historical titles.
Digital downloads of archive material can often be tweaked, retrospectively toyed-with (see: Disney and Star Wars) or not be fully compatible with today's tech (ever-expanding aspect ratios and so-forth) or, just locked behind a paywall until the powers that be deem it prudent to make it available.
So if you want it, a physical copy (be it Blu-Ray, DVD or even VHS) will at least be there when you want it, how you remember it, and how it was originally intended to be enjoyed by its maker.
Food for thought for film-makers amongst the festive frivolities and inevitable film-fest marathons. :)
Streaming services have stolen our favourite films and locked them away in their own digital vaults. Whether we like it or not, physical ownership is now more important than ever.