The Impact of Streaming on Film Nostalgia

[Chris]

I’m not sure if it’s just me or if it’s due to streaming and having everything just a download away. When I was younger, I would have the urge to watch certain films. I would put in a VHS tape or later, a DVD. I own quite a lot of films, all of which were favourites of mine in some way or another. Sometimes, I think about a film I haven't seen in a long time and eventually, I can't resist the temptation to watch it. However, these days I don’t think much about films I have seen. I rarely watch DVDs any more since everything is available for streaming. What is your experience?

There was a period where I would watch something I previously enjoyed at least once or twice a week, but now it’s more like every 3–6 months. It’s a habit I really need to break. Halloween and Christmas are the only exceptions, as we enjoy watching Hocus Pocus and Home Alone 1 and 2.

Is it just me? Is it an age thing? Share your thoughts below.

[CliftonMagpie]

I don’t feel the urge to watch films; I tend to see something and wait to watch it. I don’t stream or watch much TV, but I do watch more YouTube - that’s just my generation. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a VHS tape in person.  

[heraldmagpie]

I just stick to what’s on the telly, unless one of my family members decides to put something on. I don’t bother with streaming videos, and I hardly ever watch DVDs these days.

[KB1862]

I'm the same, I'm very reluctant to buy DVDs. If I can get it on like Amazon, Netflix or Disney Plus then I won't get it on DVD. I will only get a DVDs if they're something I can't get on a streaming service. 

I'll get DVDs if they go with a collection I've already had from previous years like Fast and Furious for example, I enjoy them and found them in a charity shop where they're 50p each or 10 DVDs for a quid so couldn't pass it up. 

But also, streaming services don't always put all the films avaliable for free. Final Destination for example we managed to watch 2 and 3 on Amazon 4 on another platform but 1 couldn't get anywhere so we decided to get the DVD. 

DVDs come in handy when I'm ill as I'll be in bed and it gives me something to watch while I'm upstairs. Last time I was ill I binged watched Monty Python the holy grail and life of Brian aswell as giving a few other DVDs a go. 

Same as TV though, we very rarely watch live TV. We usually watch everything on demand. The only time we watch live TV really is when football is on or stuff like I'm a celeb, bgt etc are on. 

7 hours ago, Chris said:

Halloween and Christmas are the only exceptions, as we enjoy watching Hocus Pocus and Home Alone 1 and 2.

We do something similar, we watch specific films at certain times of the year but it's usually via streaming services. 

[MagpieLane]

Partly, I think it’s down to how things have changed. DVDs are largely redundant now and often end up being placed out of sight. You don’t see them or feel interested in looking for something you’ve previously seen. I haven’t been to the cinema for over 10 years, before that I would frequently go. Part of the reason I haven’t been is due to not seeing film trailers or adverts for them.

[Fan of Big Tone]

We tend to record things we want to watch on our V6 box via Virgin, I wouldn’t pay to watch a stream unless it was very good or as a special treat. We also watch a lot of free on demand, we prefer crime drama/thriller series to films, we record them then binge watch.

[NottsTastic]

I don’t often watch DVDs now either. At one point, my home had two large bookshelves filled with them, but my parents cut down on them when streaming and owning legal downloads became a thing. Amazon is good for that sort of thing, as you can keep the download in the cloud until you want it.

[AmericanPie]

I think it’s a case of not seeing the boxes or packaging of DVDs. Sometimes, seeing a film can jog your memory back to something else and make you want to watch that. If it’s something in a series, like the Harry Potter franchise, that can also make you re-watch to catch up for the latest release. I don’t think streaming helps jog anyone’s memory; it just makes it easy to find something, and that fills the need to think.

[liampie]

i want to actually build on my blueray collection, i think it looks nice when you have your cases nicely displayed and its a lot easier to choose something to watch i find. as i now go on a streaming service and spend like 30 minutes browsing what they have. the issue is most i have seen, because its there and on demand it just does not have the same effect as it would if i was browsing in real life.

personally i wished i had experienced what a video rental store was like, in films it looks like a great way to find something new.

amazon and netflix push their own exclusive content down your throat, and put the other stuff deeper to locate on purpose.

[allardyces tash]

I think the issue with online streaming is that everything is instant. When it comes to standard media, you don’t think so much about what you may want to watch as you are used to suggestions and prompts. I only watch the occasional film online; the rest is either on TV or in the form of a DVD.

[Joshua]

I have never used or seen a VHS tape either. I have some DVDs, but not many. With regards to watching content, I can think of things I have seen before and would like to watch again. But I don’t watch many films via streaming, so that could be part of the reason.

[cheeky~k8]

I don't watch many movies/films but if i do, most of the time they are either on the tv channels or from streaming. I remember using VHS and then dvds as i got to about my teenage years. I havent paid for streaming of films/movies as i would just wait to watch it for free or if i really wanted to see it i would go to the cinema(on the rare occasion) and even then we tend to wait for it to be when its been out for abit so its quieter.

I do however collect cds by some bands but stream most of my music using youtube music on my phone. My hifi system to play cds on hasnt been set up again for years. I struggled to listen to music for years due to my constant sinus headaches and migraines but with better pain killers, i am slowly able to listen to it again.

[TheSkipper]

I rarely stream films and usually decide beforehand what to watch. Occasionally, I watch DVDs from my family's collection and enjoy revisiting them.

[Nocturnal-Magpie]

I do not believe that streaming services have any impact on my ability to think of films. However, I do find them guilty of hoarding content and making it difficult to access the content I want without having to pay for each individual service, which I refuse to do.