Blind Buys

[ono]

Here's something I was wondering about, and am hoping to get some good thoughts on.  How often do you think it's a good decision to blind buy a DVD?.  How much does price play into this?

Case in point: recently, I blind bought Donnie Darko and The Ice Storm because Amazon.com offered this $2 off an already low price for each, and I had heard such great things about both movies.  Now, Donnie Darko is one of my all-time favorite movies.  I haven't had a chance to watch The Ice Storm yet, but I've heard great things about it, so I think it's worth it in that case.

I've also blind bought stuff like Sydney/Hard Eight, Boogie Nights (the pretty New Line Platinum edition), The Three Colors Trilogy, and Reservoir Dogs.  I wasn't disappointed, per se, with any of these.  But some I'll definitely watch more than others.  Boogie Nights is just so colorful and unique, which is what I enjoy about it.  I've watched it twice: once straight up, once with the commentary on.  The others I've only watched once, and don't know when I'm going to watch them again, because while I enjoyed them, there are too many other movies to watch, too.

Usually it's worth it if you know what to expect.  But this means reading up on the films, reading reviews, and potentially spoiling the film for yourself.  With so many movied to see, it's hard to decide what to rent, and what to just take the plunge and hope it's a good investment.  So how do you approach it?  Any films you've been disappointed in as a result?  This is all pretty much subjective, so I doubt there are any hard and fast rules, but still, I thought it'd be interesting.

[Cecil]

ive done it many times, usually with criterions, or films by directors i allready admire. or films with that "cult status" that even if they end up not being that good, you wouldnt be ashamed of owning them.

[modage]

hmm...thats too rich for my blood.  if you're poor you must be selective about what you REALLY want in your collection.  how about blind rents?

[Cecil]

how about blind rents?

oh i never do that. i always rent movies that ive allready seen.

[xerxes]

how about blind rents?

oh i never do that. i always rent movies that ive allready seen.

yeah me too, who wants to rent something they haven't seen yet???

[dufresne]

i bought Rififi - Criterion based on the cover alone.

[Ghostboy]

I've bought quite a few blind DVDs -- mostly Criterion. The best one would have to be Last Temptation Of Christ. One of the most consistently satisfying films I've owned.

[Redlum]

I do it all the time, best way to buy a movie.
25th Hour
Adaptation
Dancer In the Dark
Waking Life

Usually this is because I can import these films from America before they reach cinemas here...if they do.

[Gold Trumpet]

Criterion is the most reliable for blind buys and I've done it a lot there, so much so I kinda feel like a half completist of the entire set and if the film sounds interesting, I may pick it up. Proof? I plan to buy every Criterion released in June and that is around 5 to 7 movies.

~rougerum

[godardian]

I also do the blind Criterion thing, unless I know I hate the movie (The Rock and Armageddon will both enjoy permanent abscences in my collection). I've seen very few Criterion editions before I've purchased them, but I've never felt bad about putting out the money.

Other blind buys have been films with indelible reputations. Nashville. Blow Out. The Conversation. Saturday Night and Sunday Morning. There has to be some sort of predetermined personal appeal before I'll buy it, though.

Renting DVDs has its own special problems and hassles. DVD is not a really rent-friendly medium, it doesn't seem to me, because:

-First and foremost, scuffing. You rent a DVD and you can't make it through the whole movie because the prior renters have scuffed and fingerprinted it. That's incredibly annoying.

-Availability. Most video stores haven't yet made the full transition to DVD. The only video store I knew of where I could count on a decent DVD selection most of the time was Movie Madness in Portland. In my Seattle neighborhood, there's nothing to compare; the "legendary" Scarecrow video has a shockingly scant DVD selection. I think they're video-holdout snobs of some sort... that's never gonna work for me.

Every once in a while I'll venture out to rent something, but if there's even a chance I'll want to buy it, I usually just make the leap.

[modage]

you guys are crazy.  i WISH i had the kind of money where i had bought EVERY SINGLE MOVIE that i want to own and STILL had money to take these gambles on shit id never seen. unless its the only way you can get the movie.  

btw: blind rents=sarcasm.  perhaps youve heard of it?

[cowboykurtis]

i made a blind buy of criterion's SISTERS:  i wanted to kill myself after the credits began to role -- thats my only bad experience. i blind bought picnic at hanging rock -- i was happy -- i usually do it with criterion -- im thinking of a blind buy for GEORGE WASHINGTON -- do you any of you suggest this? i cant find it to to rent anywhere -- every one seems to rave about it -- im a bit skeptical -- teh story doesn't sounds liek something that i'm interested in really...any thought, comments, suggestions?

[Pas]

Blind buying is often the only way to see the Greats. The only time I really regretted was when I took a chance with Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Being a Cameron Crowe book, I tought it would be cool. Not half as funny as I tought it would be.

[Cecil]

btw: blind rents=sarcasm.  perhaps youve heard of it?

actually i skipped over the whole "s" chapter of the dictionary

nah, we were just playing along. and its true, sometimes the only way to see a movie is to buy it. sometimes i prefer buying a movie ive never seen (cause then i get to see it) rather than a barebones edition of a movie ive allready seen a dozen times and love

[modage]

yeah, well i imagine it would really suck to live somewhere without a decent video store nearby.  luckily Philadelphia has TLA Video which is pretty great.  they have every criterion release and buy everything that gets put out on dvd (unlike blockbuster who doesnt feel the need to carry Metropolis.  unless you want the anime one?!!)