Forgotten Formats

HD-DVD, Blueray are among the latest forms of cinematic media available to the public. These discs offer crystal clear video resolution & audio quality to those willing to break their piggy banks for the opportunity to purchase them. The wallet pilfering doesn't stop with the legal acquisition of individual titles by any means though. One must also invest in the proper disc players and TV sets in order to make viewing of these movies a reality. Initial investments easily amounting to a few months wages for the average household.

I mourn the ever-fading lives of: 8mm & 16mm reels of film, Betamax & VHS video cassettes, and Laserdiscs. More and more I hear others saying to discard these treasures and "upgrade" ( an all too popular and oh-so-vile word) to the newest, fanciest, trendiest counterparts. To this I cry, "RAWG!"

Irritation, nausea, perturbia, bogglement. These are emotions which well up within me whenever I hear a spoiled child complaining of having to watch a black & white cartoon or a snobby adult forced to watch a popular classic "with lines in it". In the World's quest for perfection the appreciation of the very ability to enjoy the magic of a moving picture seems to have all but disappeared.

Everyone critiques the movies they watch. This is only human and its product is the shaping and molding of future feature films. One's tastes in genres may vary greatly from others. Criticism & Preference cannot be avoided. But to deny one's chance to enjoy a movie simply because it isn't being viewed in the highest quality possible is preposterous!

The shelves of thousands of flea markets, garage sales, thrift stores and public libraries lie in wait to be relieved of millions of titles. A working color television set, used VCR and dozen video tapes can easily be bought for less than the price of a new Poo-ray disc alone. Lose your snobbishness, take a stroll down memory lane and save the big bucks for that Build-It-Yourself-Submarine/Helicopter Kit you've always wanted.