Friends and colleagues never tire of asking me: “Why do you
still buy DVDs when you can go the way of streaming - especially ‘cos you’re so
anti-hoarding and anti-clutter?” My answer: “for the same reason I still buy
physical books and don’t own a Kindle. It FEELS right.”
In the same way there is weight, heft and texture in a book
– the feel and smell of paper is delightful to the senses – there is weight in
a disc box set or even the slim box of a single film. The substance of the
content - ideas expressed in words, images, sounds – is reflected in the
physical packaging and the physical entity of a shiny disc. Good cover art-work
and packaging is often more than clever marketing – it’s something to admire.
Just think of the various examples of Mad Men DVD packaging (the Mencken shirt
box is very cute!).
I don’t own a Kindle or subscribe to Netflix/Stan/Presto
‘cos they have the feel of fast-food-style efficiency – quick and easy, but are
you getting more calories than you need? Don’t get me wrong – anyone who knows
me knows I value efficiency and nurse my Punctuality and Attendance Complex
(PaAC) with a demented ferocity – but sometimes you just want to linger over
the spines of DVDs lined up on a shelf. Sometimes you want to let your eyes and
fingers trail over your collection and go, “oh, I forgot I had this”. Sometimes
you want to tip it towards you with your index finger, open it up, read the
notes and decide, “Ooh, I think I’ll watch this” - on a proper television with
good vision and sound (not a Fartphone or a computer/laptop/tablet), sitting on
a couch with a cup of tea and something tasty on a plate and company by your
side (the latter is optional).
I also love the anticipation of waiting for something to be
released on disc – it’s like counting down to Christmas or your birthday – and
then splurging at places like JB HiFi or the more ‘boutique’ Play store (off
Bourke Street). When all those discs in their packaging weigh down my shopping
bag, it feels like I’m holding a proper entertainment ‘investment’.
As for clutter building or clogging up your life? Just
because you don’t see it piling up on your shelves, doesn’t mean streaming
services aren’t full of useless shit you don’t want and will never watch.
Just like my books, every TV show or film that sits on my shelf is a tangible
and happy reminder of a great entertainment experience.
‘Streaming’? That’s something snot and piss do.
