In the age of streaming, a group of film enthusiasts are refusing to surrender their DVDs and Blu-rays. Despite the convenience and popularity of streaming services, these cinephiles are rallying to physical media, arguing that it offers benefits that digital platforms cannot match.
One such enthusiast, Amanda Bowman, finds the push towards streaming frustrating and isolating. She is part of a growing community of film fans who have spent years quietly buying thrift-store discs, discarded by many households that no longer have DVD or Blu-ray players. They believe that their time to rise again is coming.
The DVD and Blu-ray market has seen a significant decline, falling from $4.7bn in revenue in 2017 to barely $1.5bn in 2022. Major retailers like Best Buy have removed physical media from their brick-and-mortar stores, and others like Target and Walmart may follow. Despite this, a counterrevolution has been gathering.
Some film fans never gave up on physical media, while others, frustrated by streaming’s limitations, have recently rediscovered it. Independent and boutique film distributors that license classic and cult films and sell high-quality physical editions to eager fans support this movement.
One such fan, Christina, shared her experience during a hurricane in Florida in 2018. With no electricity, cell service, or internet for four weeks, her family’s library of physical films and books became a kind of currency. Neighbors offered bottled water or jars of peanut butter for access to her DVD collection. This experience solidified her belief in the value of physical media.
While physical media will never regain its heights, it may live to fight a little longer, supported by loyalists and a cottage industry of independent distributors. As the field of AI continues to boom, it’s important to remember that we’ve been here before.
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