I remember in 1998 hearing of this new format called DVD. At first, being a huge movie head, I got all excited and thought to myself, "I WANT ONE!". Then I remembered laserdisc. Those bulky record-size discs you pretty much needed a suitcase to carry. Then DVD started to gain steam; heck, people were even putting out stuff like Swamp Thing and Puppet Master on the format. I got more excited. Finally, the coupe. It was 2000, the format looked like it was going to stay. I could finally afford a player. Then I get let down with a gigantic thud as I find-out I’d need to buy a new televsion with r/c jacks on it. Colour me disappointed.

But here I am now, a DVD player owner for about 4 months with a lumbering movie collection and a huge, huge smile on my face. I am addicted. I own about 45 movies already, I put all my spare monies into buying new discs. Heck, about two hours before writing this I bought a new copy of Sleepy Hollow for fifteen dollars.

How deep is my addiction? Let’s see. Well at the moment I am mostly buying up titles from the mid-80’s; movies that were there as I was growing-up. I bought Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, I splurged on the Nightmare On Elm Street boxset (reviews coming, I promise). I went to town. And what was the first DVD I bought? Why, it was Phantasm. And it was a loaded disc. Being used to the grainy Embassy video release suffice it to say I was blown away even if there was film grain (not being so anal about the picture "hues" and "grains" as some DVD people seem to be, it was damn well great to me). DVD had its hold on me.

I must buy a new movie every paycheck, if I don’t I feel empty (okay, so I exagerrate a little). I have a long list of movies I want that are out and movies I want to come out (am I the only one wanting Yor to come out on disc - probably).

But the question is. Have I watched the movies I’ve bought. Ummm, not all the way. I’ve persued the features, check out bits of commentary tracks and scene selected my favourite moments. But I still have to get through both Jaws 1 & 2, Evil Dead 2, and a bunch of other gems. I even bought the Revenge Of The Nerds double pack, folks.

And I am now more nitpicky about movies as ever. I absolutely refuse to buy Paramount titles if I can help it (since most of their movies have the film and a trailer and cost over thirty dollars), I've learned to avoid any DVD title priced under seven dollars (especially if they are released by Front Row, who's version of Brandon Lee's obscure Laser Mission I swear looks better on video) and I've also learned to hold-off on my favourite titles if it's a bare-bones disc because a "special edition" can only be around the corner.

So I guess you could say that; yes, I am an addict. But if so, bring it on.