If you're a movie fan, you've heard it all before — physical media is on the way out. With the proliferation of streaming platforms (from market-leaders Netflix and Amazon Prime to more specialist providers such as Shudder and Arrow Player), the message – at least on the surface - appears clear: streaming is the future, so throw away your discs.
However, while sales figures for physical media have generally decreased in recent years, a counter-narrative is emerging for horror and genre titles. The growth of labels such as Second Sight, Severin, Vinegar Syndrome, Radiance, and others indicates that in many ways, horror appears to be bucking the trend, producing deluxe limited editions of beloved classics – and new cult titles - which become more than just films: they are must-have collectibles in and of themselves. As Chris Holden of Second Sight puts it, "Horror has always been the most collectible of genres."
It's something that scholar Dr. Eddie Falvey knows a fair bit about a lecturer at Arts University Plymouth; he's written an upcoming journal article on physical media and prestige horror releases. "If you are old enough to have grown up with some of these films on VHS," he reflects, "then your experience will have been watching them in that quite shoddy format. So there are these weird tensions — on one hand, we're nostalgic for films that people often associate with their formative years, but also forward-facing about bringing these films up to scratch."
Be Kind Rewind
This link back to the VHS culture of the '80s and '90s is important and something which Falvey calls the "hauntological" aspect of Blu-ray collecting: that is, returning an item that is old and making it into something new. Indeed, for many of us who first fell in love with horror during the video shop era, the physicality of those tapes – the big boxes, the vibrant artwork – was an intrinsic part of the charm. It's a quality that boutique Blu-ray labels replicate and do so well.
"I think that physicality is important," Falvey agrees. "And that actually links to other forms of media as well. One of the reasons people still stand by vinyl is that it's this object that you can unfold. It's larger. It's got that tactility."
It's a sentiment which Josh Johnson from Severin Films also identifies with. "Horror fans - and I include myself – are often avid collectors," he concurs. "We want something cool to hold in our hands and display on our shelves."
The appeal of this tactility is a fairly universal theme across fan communities. Scratch the surface of internet fan groups, and you'll quickly discover a sub-culture of ardent enthusiasts curating their own libraries, posting pics of their favorite films, or hunting down missing titles. With some labels – such as Second Sight – specializing in big box limited editions, the physical presence of many releases even resemble VHS tapes, with horror fans now recreating a video shop aesthetic in the privacy of their own homes.
Interestingly, this loyalty that fans frequently feel moves beyond the films themselves and extends to the labels releasing them.
Cult Leaders
It's something that Holden is well aware of. "As a brand's collection grows, there's the idea of wanting to be a completist," he acknowledges. "We've had inquiries from people asking if a particular limited edition will ever be in stock again as it's the only one they're missing. It's also amazing to see people posting that they've just received a new limited edition we've released, and it's a film they haven't yet seen. So there's also a trust in the curation process and blind buying."
That ability to see labels – not only as businesses selling a product but as friends recommending undiscovered titles - is something Francesco Simeoni (of Radiance Films and, before that, Arrow) agrees with. "I think fans see themselves in labels," he nods. "People will, perhaps unconsciously, ask themselves, 'Is this a label that represents my tastes and interests?'" He goes on: "I think in large part it's about trust. If someone buys a product, whether it's one they know well or don't at all, and they come away feeling delighted, surprised, inspired, then they're going to come back looking for more."
This sense of shared identity is not new to the horror community and is something that Justin LaLiberty from Vinegar Syndrome feels has existed for decades. "Collecting has never really gone away," he muses. "We have had rabid collectors since the VHS era, and many (including myself) have kept on through each format since." But with new editions boasting not only hi-def versions and extensive extras – including interviews, commentary tracks, academic essays, and alternative cuts – the result is a cornucopia of additional content, making it a golden era for film geeks.
Save the Day
There's another dimension to all this, though, one which goes deeper than the joy of simply celebrating – and discovering – beloved horror classics: something that speaks to the heart of film preservation itself. With streaming catalogs carrying surprisingly few titles (according to Surfshark, Netflix US currently has only around 4,035 films), and the availability of these being entirely dependent on changeable licensing agreements, online access is unstable. It risks some films slipping into obscurity for good. As Holden puts it, "Boutique labels are a very important part of film preservation now."
It's something that LaLiberty expands on. "Vinegar Syndrome is also a fully operational film archive and lab, with a dedication to preservation," he says. As well as employing full-time film archivists who conserve tens of thousands of film elements in a climate-controlled archive - "for films we have released and many that we have not" - he sees this kind of long-term preservation as "a big part of our mission.". The fact that films that might otherwise be lost can be saved for future generations is another check in the box for collectors enjoying "the advantages of having a physical media collection in a digital age."
The Future Is Blu
So, what's next for horror on home media? "I don't think we're going to see any format changes," says Simeoni. "4K UHD is the pinnacle of what can be achieved for home video. The eye literally cannot process any more information, you can't get more data out of a 35mm negative." But there's still new ground to be broken, perhaps in different ways.
"There's no shortage of films out there," suggests Johnson, "and you'd be surprised to learn that it's uncommon for Severin, Vinegar Syndrome, Mondo Macabro, or Indicator to be fighting over the same titles. In fact, many of us work together in some capacity. We all share a passion for outré film and a common goal to craft the best possible releases for fans and collectors. Is there any cause more noble, adventurous, and fun?"
With the future of film – from cult classics to undiscovered gems – hanging in the balance, we're inclined to agree. At any rate, it's a beautiful time to be a horror fan, and a collector.
