Back of the Shelf

I buy lots of movies. Some movies I haven't seen yet, others I haven't seen and they are still in wrappers. I mention this fact frequently but never seem to get through more than 1 unseen film.

It's been bothering me and more, especially as I'm running out of or in fact have run out of space to put anything. I do get distracted with Netflix and TV shows as they are very entertaining and time consuming in the best possible way but it means that there is less time for films to be watched and devoured.

I will aim to watch an unseen film from my own collection each week, if not week, each month, just to get through the vast pile that just keep growing. This will also help to decide if I need to sell anything or I don't like the film question why I still keep it around. I did that with 'Happiness'. I watched it once, wanted to gut myself, then buried it until my sister borrowed it unwisely. It has since been sold and moved on to well, a happier place? Anyway, its gone and thats the important thing.

 Here is where I am boasting. I have over 600 DVDs. It's rather ridiculous collection but I'm appalled and proud of it at the same time. I have quite a good book collection going on too but this is about films. When I first started buying films and TV box sets, the collection used to sit in front of me in 4 rows of 10. This measely sum seemed too much for my parents who were always and in fact still are, reluctant to buy any films. If they wanted to see something again, they either waited for it on TV or just didn't watch it. Beacuse, by this point in time, the only places you could rent films near by had gone and no one could be bothered to check if the Blockbuster down Powder Mill Lane had what they wanted. I used to inform them, most likely not. Funnily enough, I ended up working at that store for a few months before it closed down. My collection continued to grow until I must have had about 100 DVDs. I was in the habit of buying things I had missed at the cinema, buying many things in the sales and just buying new films if I had liked it.

By the time I went to Uni and came back, my collection had swelled to a height I could not accommodate. Thankfully my Dad had thought ahead and on the journey home, my final one from Uni, we stopped off at IKEA and bought some metal shelves. We miscalculated though and didn't buy enough. Years later we went back looking for more but were unsuccessful and ended up getting Swedish metaballs instead. Who am I kidding? We always had meatballs no matter what.

Also since Uni, I got into the bad habit of buying films whenever they were released. But umemployment stopped me in my tracks. That's when I took to bargain hunting on Amazon. But during bouts of steady employment, I reigned myself in and tried to stop myself. Buying DVDs and watching films may seem like an addiction and at times it is. Its the realm of a shopping addiction except I do find myself stopping, holding the boxset and wondering first, 'can I buy this cheaper elsewhere?' then I think 'do I need this?'. Before Uni and during, when I bought DVDs, I watched them, most of the time, immediately. I was also encouraged to buy them because I was after all, doing a film degree. My friends and I can all boast vast, beautiful collections. We even rearrange in different orders from time to time. It relaxes me.

But as you can see from my spoils of late that there are times when I cannot resist. In my defence, most of these were bought very cheaply (thank you FOP!) or were a rare edition. I have also sold a few here and there but in no way does it balance out. I might have to start a one in, one out decision making. My challenge is to get this through this pile, preferably without buying anymore but I know thats a stretch. What I will aim for is to watch them all, but the end of the year. It may seem kind but I know the pile will only get bigger.

Some of the titles in this pile are from my Blind Spot list so they will definitely be watched before the year is done.