We movie collectors can be an obsessive bunch who often feel compelled to rebuy new copies of films we already own in order to upgrade to a new format, benefit from a slightly-improved video transfer or obtain some new supplemental feature we hadn’t seen before. In this week’s Roundtable, it’s time to confess (or boast) about the movies we can’t stop ourselves from buying again and again.
Daniel Hirshleifer
For me, this is an easy one. I own multiple copies of ‘Scott Pilgrim vs. The World‘. I’ve purchased versions from different regions, SteelBooks, regular editions, etc. Why? Because I love ‘Scott Pilgrim’ beyond all reason and want as much of it as I can get my grubby hands on. I also have all the comics (two copies of the last volume, one signed by Bryan O’Malley), an original page of artwork from the comic (also signed by O’Malley), the videogame, merchandise, shirts, you name it. I had a keychain too, but the image wore off.
Shannon Nutt
Like many (I assume), the original ‘Star Wars‘ and its two sequels (‘The Empire Strikes Back’ and ‘Return of the Jedi’) are the movies I’ve bought the most times on home video. My first copies weren’t on VHS, but rather on CED, the old RCA-created format that was a precursor to Laserdisc. [Ed: Actually, CED didn’t debut until 1981, while Laserdisc goes back to 1978. -JZ] Laserdisc was the second format I bought the trilogy in, and I still own those letterboxed, unaltered versions. Next up for me were the VHS releases of the Special Editions, followed a few years down the road by DVD. I actually bought the re-released DVDs of the original trilogy too – since those contained (very poor) copies of the unaltered versions as extras on the discs. Finally, I picked up ‘Star Wars: The Complete Saga’ when it hit Blu-ray, marking the fifth time I’ve purchased some version of the original trilogy on home video. George Lucas may not have raped my childhood, but he’s certainly raped by wallet over the past few decades.
Mike Attebery
I’m sure that I’m not alone on this one. The movies I’ve bought the most are the ‘Star Wars‘ franchise. I own this series on VHS, the “Definitive Collection” on Laserdisc, the Special Editions on Laserdisc, multiple versions on DVD, and ‘Star Wars: The Complete Saga’ on Blu-ray. You win, George. You win.
Adam Tyner (DVDTalk)
If only I’d picked up ‘Predator‘ on VHS…! I’ve owned the movie on just about every other format out there. It was my most endlessly rewatched Laserdisc. I had the two-disc special edition DVD set, and I’m the not-so-proud owner of both of the Blu-ray discs that Fox has churned out so far. I guess I’ll have a third copy on Blu-ray once the shiny new 4K-sourced version comes out in a few months.
‘Army of Darkness‘ is right up there too. I’ve owned both the theatrical and “Bootleg” editions that Anchor Bay put out on DVD, I was first in line when Universal put it out on HD DVD, and now I have the theatrical cut on Blu-ray too.
Bryan Kluger
I have purchased every version of each of the ‘Evil Dead‘ movies from VHS through to their current Blu-rays. I even have several of them signed by Bruce “Man-God” Campbell. I have the infamous Bootleg copy of ‘Army of Darkness’, the double-disc Director’s Cut, and the Conan cover version. Not to mention the “Book of the Dead” versions with the rubber skin covers, the Ultimate Edition 3-disc DVD set, the two Blu-ray versions of part II, and of course the big tin box set of part II as well. Hell, I even owned the HD DVD version of ‘Army of Darkness’. I would say that, in total, I’ve owned these three films at least 17 times over, and I plan to buy future versions and re-releases whenever they come out. I just hope that Bruce adds another commentary. GROOVY!
Tom Landy
For me, it’s the original ‘Clash of the Titans‘. This was actually the very first movie my family owned on VHS. Then I bought it again when it eventually came out on DVD, and now my go-to copy is the Blu-ray Digibook. I’m just a sucker for this film, and would probably buy it again if a 4k release (or an Ultimate Collector’s Edition with live Kraken!) ever surfaced.
M. Enois Duarte
Next to ‘Blade Runner’, which I have various copies of, I think the movie I’ve probably collected the most is George A Romero’s original zombie classic ‘Dawn of the Dead‘. Starting with my two VHS copies — one with the theatrical cut and the other an anniversary director’s cut — I’ve owned this particular film in several variations because it has a history of being edited in various countries due to different censorship laws.
I also purchased two Laserdiscs – again, a Director’s Cut, followed a beautiful black box set with a copy of the original script, called the “Collector’s Edition.” On DVD, I have the Anniversary Edition, the Collector’s Edition and the Special DiviMax Edition.
My favorite edition is the attractive black box with three different versions of the movie, including the European cut made by Dario Argento, dubbed the “Ultimate Edition.” To top it all off, I also own the German “Red Edition” DVD with the Langfassung cut, which was reportedly edited slightly differently than Argento’s version. Finally, jumping into Blu-ray, I’ve purchased every release thus far, including a lovely edition from Arrow Video, which is a nice match to the previous “Ultimate Edition.” So, this is the one movie I’ve collected the most over the years, followed closely by ‘Blade Runner’, the ‘Evil Dead’ series and ‘Day of the Dead’. Ain’t this hobby grand!
Brian Hoss
Naturally, the answer would be ‘Blade Runner’, without contest. That said, the second most owned for me has to be ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail‘. That’s mainly because the movie is both a classic and the height of hilarity, but also because I triple-dipped the DVD versions. I think I got all three in in a two year period starting with the vanilla release. Of course, despite my efforts to obtain the Collector’s Edition with the film cell and paperback script, more versions followed. Thus, I realized that companies like Anchor Bay and Artisan (and even Sony) had some experience reboxing from the VHS days and had no problem putting out a new version every year just so long as suckers like me kept buying.
These days, with Laserdisc, VHS and even HD DVD in my rear view mirror, doing something like buying ‘The Hobbit’ on Blu-ray, and then buying the Extended version, and then buying the box set or 3D version, really isn’t in the cards. I’d much rather read-up on High-Def Digest and avoid such a mess.
Chris Boylan (Big Picture Big Sound)
Coming in only behind ‘Star Wars’ (VHS, Laserdisc, DVD and Blu-ray), my next most purchased title would be ‘Blade Runner‘, one of my all-time favorite films. After seeing it in the theater in 1982 (at least twice), I eagerly awaited its arrival on VHS tape and snapped that up when it came out. After just about wearing that out, I purchased it again on the Criterion Collection Laserdisc. I loved viewing the Syd Mead concept art photos that were each presented as still frames on the CAV copy. I also purchased the Director’s Cut on Laserdisc, but wasn’t as impressed with it. (I actually like the voiceover.)
I bought the Director’s Cut version again on DVD, but never even broke the shrink wrap. I even somehow got a VHS bootleg of a workprint of the film that had been making the art house cinema rounds for a while. Horrible quality, but it had its moments. When the movie came back to theaters in its Final Cut version, I was all over that, and happily plunked down the cash for the “Ultimate Collector’s Edition” boxed set on Blu-ray. I was so happy that this movie got the deluxe treatment it deserved. I use the intro scene with the eye and the smokestacks venting flame into the polluted night sky as a reference scene when I review TVs and projectors. This scene really tests a display’s ability to reproduce black levels, but also presents the starkly contrasting white text of the intro, as well as bright flames against that pitch black background.
Josh Zyber
It will come as no shock to regular readers of this blog that I’m obsessed with David Lynch’s misunderstood sci-fi epic ‘Dune‘. Yes, the banner image above this post is a small portion of my own personal collection. At present count, I own 35 unique copies of the film. That breaks down as: 2 VHS (one pan & scan, one letterboxed), 1 Betamax, 1 CED, 1 VHD (bet you never even heard of this format), 1 VCD, 6 Laserdiscs, 13 DVDs, 1 UMD, 1 HD DVD and 8 Blu-rays. (Germans apparently love this movie. It’s been reissued in that country more times than any other.) Of the Blu-rays, one contains a 3D conversion of the movie in crappy anaglyph format and another contains a slightly-less-crappy version in full 3D. I also have a copy of the movie’s trailer on 35mm film.
That’s to say nothing of the vast quantities of other merchandise and memorabilia from the film that occupy a shrine along one wall of my home theater.
I also have 8 Laserdisc copies of ‘Blade Runner‘ that I collected for their cover artwork, a couple DVDs, the HD DVD box set that came in a plastic briefcase and the Blu-ray in a Steelbook case. Strangely, I haven’t bought the Digibook Blu-ray yet. I probably need to do that.
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What movies have you found yourself buying multiple copies of? Tell us about your collections in the Comments below.
Paul Bohlmeijer
I own 4 copies of Das Boot.
The Dutch DVD
The UK Superbit
The UK TV movie/serie
The Bluray
Also own several copies of The Big lebowski
Dutch DVD (already given away)
US Special Edition
US Bowling ball edition
US HD-DVD
US Bluray
Then i own several copies of Blade Runner, Ten Commandents, Citizen kane, Nosferatu, Serenity, Battle Royale.
I own a number of movies on DVD, HD-DVD and Bluray.
Anyone interested can view my collection here…
http://www.invelos.com/dvdcollection.aspx/paulb_99
Paul
RollTide1017
I’ve bought the following movies or series of movies at least once on every format I’ve owned, some times more then once:
Star Wars saga
Star Trek movies
Terminator 2
Back to the Future
Indiana Jones
Jurassic Park
Wayne Marshall
In each new media introduction, I pick up Willy Wonka as soon as it is released on the format.
Dennis Lafontaine
Terminator 2 by far the most, then
Star Wars original trilogies,
Original Star Trek Movies
Peter Pan (Disney)
If Cameron keeps it up, Avatar will be meeting the same fate.
Sleeping Beauty is fast approaching as well.
Patrick A Crone
I’ve owned The Star Wars Trilogy, The Indiana Jones Trilogy, Alien, Aliens, Ghostbusters, RoboCop and Blade Runner on Betamax, VHS, Laserdisc DVD and finally Blu ray. Some of them multiple times depending on Special Editions, Director’s Cuts or Criterion Collections. I know having Betamax makes me sound older than I am. My parents refused to let go of the format until 1990 when they couldn’t repair their last player. I bought my own Laserdisc player while in High School so I could watch Terminator 2 at the highest quality possible. I never bought anything on video tape after that.
Michael
Probably Terminator 2: Judgement Day. I swear, they release a new edition of this every year. I’ve always gotten rid of my old versions for the new, but I think I’ve reached my limit unless I ever someday get Ultra HD as a format. I’ve owned the VHS, at least 3 or 4 separate editions of the DVD, and 2 versions of the blu-ray now. I love the movie, but the amount of new editions of it that the studio releases has almost become a running joke anymore.
Michael Prince
Following up on my previous comment, I forgot to include Jurassic Park. It’s my favorite movie and the only one that I don’t get rid of previous copies of. I have 6 VHS copies (2 of which are unopened from 1993), 1 edition of the laserdisc, 2 DVD editions, a digital copy on my computer, phone, and iPad, the regular blu-ray, and the 3D blu-ray.
Mario
Ditto. Blade runner.
Joseph Fadoir
The original Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I have the VHS, the original DVD release, the DVD where the package looks like hamburger shrink wrapped in a grocery store, the steelbook DVD, and the bluray. Princess Bride. I had the original DVD release, then I sold it as USED and got the “special edition.” Then I traded that version in for 2 copies of the movie because they had the “buttercup edition” and the dread pirate edition.” Then I got the 20th anniversary edition. Then I traded in that version and bought the bluray dvd combo.
Joseph Fadoir
Oh I forgot I still have my VHS copy of Princess Bride as well.
Claude
I can say that the first teilogy of Star Wars is the one I have bought the most copy. At first I bought yhen on VHS and in french at a time when I only spoke french. Later I bought them on VHS in english. Later on I bought the on laserdisc CLV (constant linear velocity). Much later I bought a CAV box set of 9 discs plus a hard cover copy of Lucas career. When they relased the special éditions in 98 I bought them as box set. Then the DVD. The Wide screen edition box set. Then individual releases with the original version. Finally the Blu-ray box set.
Chapz Kilud
By CAV Boxset I assume you meant the Definitive Boxset. I bought it too but not because the discs were CAV. My Pioneer CLD-97 and CLD-99 could freeze picture on CLV disc so I only bought the boxset for additional material.
Brendan
One movie I’ll probably keep upgrading is Lawrence of Arabia. From VHS to VHS Nicam to DVD, to BluRay. Watching a movie like this being restored to it’s full former glory is a joy.
Javier
Nightmare before Christmas lol
Ross Gauthier
Star Wars. The first set was the altered VHS set, then I stumbled upon the unaltered copies with the original covers (still have em). Then it was the DVD set. I never owned the last 3 until the Blu-ray set. I broke down and bought all 6. I tell myself that I will never repurchase another Star Wars movie again but I’m fairly certain Georgie boy embeded a microchip in my brain that stops any rational thinking when it comes to the franchise. Come to think of it, that new set looks ok, and I do own a 3D TV…
Chapz Kilud
Ok, how could it possibly not be Star Wars (4-6 trilogy)? There is not a movie that even comes close. Look what they did to get money out of me. They first release the film on LaserDisc in non Widescreen format. Then I had to buy the same movies again when WS came out. Then there is the Definitive collection which I bought. In 1995 THX version of the original theatrical film was released so I had to buy them. Finally in 1997 special edition Laserdisc boxset with THX plus the new CG material was released. For DVD I bought the boxset (with picture of saber clashing between vader and luke) which is now highly sought after. Finally I bought the Blu-ray complete 1-6 boxset.
Laserdisc:
Original non-WS edition
Special WS edition
Definitive Collection Boxset
THX WS Edition (no CG)
Special THX WS edition Boxset
DVD:
The trilogy that goes for over $100-150 on eBay.
Blu-ray:
Episode 1-6 boxset
Drew
Okay, let’s try this again …
‘The Dark Knight’: Walmart, Target, and Best Buy Exclusive editions, 2 – original 2-disc special editions, Joker case edition, six different SteelBooks — from various countries and distributors, 2 – Bat-Pod special collector editions, and a regular UK Edition.
Tom Holt
the most copies for me would be “The Wizard of oz” I up graded 4 times on Laser Disc. at least 3 times on DVD, and I have 3 on Blu-ray.
Drew
I think we have all bought way too many copies of ‘Star Wars’. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think that is what this particular post is about.
This post is dedicated to the movies that we have purchased impulsively and/or bought obsessively, because we simply can’t resist owning another copy — regardless of whether it brings us anything new or improved.
Drew
I also own six copies of ‘Batman Begins’.
I own quite a few (3-6), copies of the following films: ‘The Fifth Element’, ‘Blade Runner’, ‘Alien’, ‘Aliens’, ‘Goodfellas’, ‘The Departed’, ‘Taxi Driver’, ‘Memento’, ‘Tron: Legacy’, ‘Beauty and the Beast’, ‘Spider-Man’, ‘Spider-Man 2’, ‘Terminator 2: Judgement Day’, ‘Terminator’, ‘Django Unchained’, ‘Inglorious Basterds’, ‘E.T.: The Extraterrestrial’, ‘Jurassic Park’, ‘Top Gun’, and ‘Pride and Prejudice’ (Joe Wright’s divine 2005 version).
Mr Apollo
Josh I’m sorry for having so many copies of the Last Samurai! 😀 It’s weird that I have so many copies of that movie and they’re not even collector’s editions or anything like that but I love that movie for some odd reason. It’d be nice if they released a collector’s edition AND was cleaned up properly because then I’d get at least 2 more copies.
It’d be cool if you did a favorites poll of movies we own. Stuff that’s hard to get or a just plain awesome edition. Like the dark knight rises cowl edition, which I do own. 🙂
Josh Zyber
AuthorI’d add that to the list of potential future Roundtable topics. Thanks!
Jak Donark
For versions I still own, it would be the the Star Wars Trilogy (VHS: early 90s release, ’95 THX release, ’97 SE Widescreen: LD: Definitive Collection, ’95 THX, ’97 SE, DVD: 2004 box set, Blu-Ray: 2011 box set.
I’ve bought Smokey and the Bandit on VHS, LD, first DVD, franchise collection, SE DVD, HD DVD, and 100th anniversary Blu-ray. Still have the blu and HD.
Drew
This poll got me thinking … why don’t we just have a poll for FAVORITE MOVIE?
It’s actually something that a lot of people have a great deal of difficulty with. Most people know of a lot of films that they enjoy, but many people can’t just come out and tell you what their all time favorite movie is. Even more people can’t come up with a definitive top 5.
Julian
I have a definitive top 5 🙂 Of course, even ‘definitive’ isn’t set in stone. A new movie may blow you away like nothing before.
Scott H
The movie I have the most copies of is Terminator 2. As soon as It was announced that an ultimate edition DVD was coming out in August 2000 I preordered it before I even had a DVD player to play it on, as the ps2 was to be my first DVD player. I had the VHS copy before that. And then the extreme edition DVD came out, got that. And then when the remastered blu-ray was announced with special endoskeleton bust I preordered that, and was thrilled as can be when I set that endo skull on my mantle.
William Henley
After reading these posts, it seems to be pretty clear that there are four movies (or sets of movies) that seem to keep coming up.
The winner is obviously Star Wars. I’ll admit it is the movie set that I own the most copies of as well.
The second most listed movie seems to be Blade Runner
Third and fourth seem to go to the Alien movies and Jurassic Park.
That is basically an overview for those who do not want to read all of the posts.
Scott Hunvald
I forgot to add the HDDVD version of T2 which I imported since studio canal didn’t release it here.
Marc
I’ve bought “Highlander” the most. P&S VHS, letterbox VHS, matted 16X9 DVD, anamorphic DVD, and BD
gzhtub
Enter the Dragon: Super 8mm (extract & making of) – yes really, VHS, Laserdisc, DVD, Blu-ray, and they are STILL bringing out “new” editions!
gzhtub
Plus, of course, all the Disney classic animation movies: Snow White, Bambi, Sleeping Beauty, et al: VHS, Laserdisc (SE), DVD, Blu-ray, and in some cases 3D Blu-ray, and now they are talking about UHD for one more bite at the cherry (us collectors)…
Marcus
Star Wars (2 VHS, 1 Laserdisc, 1 DVD, 1 Blu-ray)
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (2 VHS, 1 Laserdisc, 2 DVD, 1 Blu-ray, 1 HD-DVD)
Terminator 2 (2 VHS, 1 Laserdisc, 2 DVD, 1 HD-DVD, 1 Blu-ray)
Mark Hurne
Josh Zyber, I’d like to say that your dedication to Dune is admirable, but I’ll just say it’s incredible. I also appreciate the film more than most people and have owned a few versions of the film. That image of the versions of Dune from your collection may be the single most impressive picture I have ever seen from a physical media film buyer’s collection.
Josh Zyber
AuthorI didn’t even get my Laserdiscs, the CED or the VHD in the photo. 🙂
Tim Tringle
Easy Answer – Star Wars Trilogy. Ironically I refused to buy the finally available BluRay because of Lucas’ treatment of his customer’s intelligence with the “The original versions don’t exist anymore.