Digital Joe #3

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I don´t know how ya´ll do it, but I maintain a list of movies I want to buy as they´re announced. Some weeks are just incredible packed (look at February 14 with "He-Man," "The Golden Girls," and "Saw 2" on the docket) and others are just empty (nothing for the whole of January). I admit it´s one of my little pleasures: perusing all my usual websites for release news on the things that interest me. As much fun as the whole process it, I also enjoy the "off weeks".

Well, I used to.

In those of weeks I could actually watch something I didn´t have a chance to spin yet. More importantly, they allow me to sock some money away. After all this stuff (being money) doesn´t grow on trees. I never really paid attention to sale prices in Sunday fliers because I buy what I want when I want it (usually release day). So trying to find a good bargain on something that has been out for a couple months never really factored into my weekly routine.

That philosophy went out the window for a lot of 2005, so now I´m playing catch up. For instance, I want to get the new edition of "Titanic". Always on the hunt for a deal, I know stores have the set for about $20. Not bad, all things considered, right? Sure, but I want it for as cheap as possible. (Yes, online is probably my best bet for this, but I´ve been bitten one too many times…plus the whole instant gratification thing is another of my…eccentricities.)

One of the fliers in the paper had "Titanic" on sale for $14.99 a couple weeks ago, during an off week. My dilemma was simply this: buy or don´t buy. Buy because of the incredible deal. Don´t buy because it´s not on the list. (Psst: I´m big on lists too; just go to the bottom to see my "buy" list.) So I was sitting in the library that Sunday weighing what to do. My heart-not to mention everyone around me-knows I´m going to go to the store for "Titanic". It´s just the way I work. Now, this isn´t going to make me go hungry or cold for a week; it´s more of what happens when I walk into the store.

Inevitably, I´ll look around and see something else I "want" (or more precisely "don´t have and looks good"). Ya know, none of us really need these little video discs; it´s all a want. I´m not about to rail against consumerism, materialism or any other –ism, but we are incredibly weak willed when it comes to DVD´s.

To prove this, here is what my DVD Spot collection shows as being bought or received since we talked last Thursday: "Good Night, and Good Luck"; "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire"; "Sports Night: The Complete Series"; "Jaws 3"; "Garden State"; "Brother Bear"; "All the President´s Men"; "Batman and Mr. Freeze: SubZero"; "Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker"; "Batman: Mask of the Phantasm"; and "Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman". I also ordered "Sleeping Beauty". And my March list consisted of three titles…and I do Netflix!

Put out a "favorite" show or movie…something with a "good" actor or lots of extras and we jump all over it like a gym bunny on a weight machine. Have we ever stepped back to look at ourselves? Again, I´m as much a proponent of OAR, features, 16:9 enhancement and keep cases as the next DVD geek is, but sometimes we just get ridiculous. My collection stands at over 200 titles; how many more do I actually need? I´ve got some movies I´ve yet to watch and others I´ve only seen once. Others I picked up on a whim; some I´ve seen in the theater. And then there´s the group I get just to finish a collection (damn Fox and their Studio Classics and Film Noir sets).

I get my movie fix when I can unwrap the shrink-wrap, pop open the package and just simply look and touch the disc. Then the whole process of putting it with the others is a ritual…but that´s another story. I undoubtedly will continue to add to the collection, even after HD comes on the scene.

Getting the deal is half the fun, for me anyway.

Even on those pesky off weeks when I should be saving money and space.

And, oh yeah, I did get "Titanic". Surprised? (Also got "The Wizard of Oz"...but we won't mention that, now will we?)

And now, as promised, the ominous (and unbelievably short) List.

April
4-"Brokeback Mountain" (still unannounced)
11-"Farscape Starburst Edition 3.3"
18-"The American President"

May
9-"The Golden Girls Season 5"
23-"Transamerica"

June
6-"Dumbo: Big Top Edition"
6-"He-Man and the Masters of the Universe 2.1"
20-"Superman: The Animated Series Volume 3"
20-"Justice League Season 2"
20-"Superman: Brainiac Attacks"

September
19-"Teen Titans: Season 2"
19-"The Batman Season 2"

October
3-"The Little Mermaid: Platinum Edition"

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