Is modern progress threatening the traditional Bond collector?

saunders

I've been a Bond aficionado for the past 28 years and I've seen great changes to how I feed my 007 addiction, for example in the old days if you wanted to communicate with other Bond fans you would write a letter to a fan publication, wait a couple of months/years to see if they printed it in the 'letters section' then wait another couple of months/years to see if someone responds. Obviously now with the internet and forums the world of being a Bond fan is much better, we don't have to scour every film magazine for a snippet of Bond gossip, it's there updated everyday on the MI6 HQ, but is progess all good for the Bond collector?
Maybe I'm just getting on a bit, but I sort of miss the old days, for the past 15 years I've religiously scanned the shelves of WH Smiths for any magazine articles regarding Bond. I buy them cut out the relevant pages and store them in A4 files along with any adverts or newspaper cuttings. My files made a nice journal of my personnel Bond journey, but I'm now at the point of giving it up, by the time the information is in the magazine I've already long since read it online, every snippet, photo and advert is there for posterity somewhere on the web, these files are just no longer relevant.
It's not just magazines, as a avid Bond book collector I worry about eBooks, we are starting to see Bond related eBooks published without the traditional printed versions, no good for someone who likes to admire his complete collection together on a bookshelf! What about the music? Now we all download stuff, how much longer will they manufacture Bond soundtrack CDs (let alone the collectible singles CDs), I'm a collector I need something solid, tangible that I can hold and admire!
Even the films, in the old days we had to video them after waiting patiently for a Christmas or Bank holiday Bond film, then they were available on pre recorded tapes, then DVDs and Blu-ray and they started showing them all the time on TV (don't get me wrong this is good progress), but are we getting to the stage when these too will only be available in downloaded form?
I'm sure it could be argued that easier access to Bond information is a good thing and the plethora of Bond related merchandise available online nowadays is all good...but is it? I remember the days of scouring charity shops and car boot fairs looking for any Bond related item and the sheer sense of joy when you eventually found something, now via Amazon, eBay etc. almost everything is available via a click of a key. My own collection, while not massive is still a fairly decent size, but does that make me a passionate hard-core Bond fan or just a good shopper?
What are your views? Are Bond fans losing something personnel and special with the onslaught of modern technology...or is @saunders just a grumpy old git?

4EverBonded

No, @Saunders, I agree with much of what you say. Either that, or we are two grumpy old gits. I heartily enjoy this forum and the speed of the internet for information, photo sharing, etc. I have enjoyed Bondathons on tv for years. Some progress is fantastic, yes.

But I, too, appreciate tangible items of quality to keep and re-admire/re-read, re-watch, etc. Especially books. I'm not going to download anything, not books, not music. In the first place, I cannot do that easily with my current computer set up (it is not mine, it is my friend's that I use daily); and second, I personally prefer not to download. Just my taste, my preference. So where does that leave me? In a small playground, apparently.

And didn't we just discover that - who was it now, let me think - two items, not just one being no longer available. Corgi Bond merchandise was one, I cannot remember the other example. When you get quality collector items just stop being produced - and this is after the phenomenal success of Skyfall, keep in mind - and nearly everything going to just being downloadable ... it is rather sad. I appreciate having the choice, for Pete's sake.

BeatlesSansEarmuffs

As a long-time collector (and one who sells "collectibles" to stores as a profession) I'm of several minds on this topic. Yes, I enjoy having tangible items to appreciate as the years go by. But I long ago stopped expecting I'd someday have a "complete" collection...so for me, the thrill of the hunt and discovery is the important thing. I don't look online for items that I want...that's like hunting a rabbit with a machine gun. Used stores & yard sales are my meat, and the thrill of finding a desired item in this fashion is by no means diminished by the awareness that the internet is out there, teaming with quick and easy game. I have never bought anything off of Amazon, and I never intend to. The internet is great for forums like this, and it's unsurpassed in facilitating quick communication among afficianados...but "collectibility" is another matter entirely. An item is only worth what you are willing to pay for it or sell it for. No more, no less.

Suivez_ce_parachute

I've got far more money than 25 years ago, and I collect far less. My last buy is the Taschen book, I also plan to buy some making of books, etc. No more memorabilia. And when I was young I even bought about 20 photos (A4-sized photos a few "dollars" each, that they put on walls of movie theaters to promote movies), something that must be hard to believe for the younger here. But there is one thing you overlook when you say the old way was more fun : nowadays, one can avoid to buy books that are plagiarism of other books out of print. We can have reviews even for the most obscure books, and be warned the content is actually nothing new...

saunders

Suivez_ce_parachute wrote:

I've got far more money than 25 years ago, and I collect far less. My last buy is the Taschen book, I also plan to buy some making of books, etc. No more memorabilia. And when I was young I even bought about 20 photos (A4-sized photos a few "dollars" each, that they put on walls of movie theaters to promote movies), something that must be hard to believe for the younger here. But there is one thing you overlook when you say the old way was more fun : nowadays, one can avoid to buy books that are plagiarism of other books out of print. We can have reviews even for the most obscure books, and be warned the content is actually nothing new...

I think that's fair point (though the obsessive collector in me still tends to want them regardless of originality of material), though I would suggest that the books available 25 years ago all contained material of at least some merit unlike the flood of lazy cash in books on Bond available today.

@BeatlesSansEarmuffs you talk a lot of sense, though I'm not sure I could have the willpower to avoid the online sites, the thirst for Bond knowledge overrides my desire to 'discover' finds in a more meaningful and satisfying manner. I completely agree with your view that a 'complete collection' is an impossibility, and let's face it what would be the fun of a complete collection if there was nothing more to want for?

@4EverBonded I could never consider you a grumpy git and as I also refuse to download we'll just have to share the small playground together.

Tracy

Old skool stuff will NEVER be beaten :D

M_Balje

The last time i have bigger collection of papers be in 2002 with DAD. Moost material be from Tomorrow Never Dies and Twine. CR nothing and QOS almoost nothing. With Skyfall i see a litle inprovement the movie whas on a better way promoted then DAD. Also i buy the soundtrack and there be option to but Adele single. With CR there whas no single. Both CR soundtracks are the only missing Soundtracks.

I don't own any of the DC movies on dvd or BD. QOS because of disapointed extra's. Skyfall i don't whant because i don't have first 2 and litle bit of disapointed extra's and movie. CR be difrent story, i have the movie for a whyle and in 2008 re-release whas/be dificult to get. DAD soundtrack be the last one in stores with normal count and Die Another Day post whas already on the edge of dificult. With poster of CR i have iam not 100% happy, it cost me more and smaller format and be poster5 with scene's who not be used in the movie.

It be more standard things be dificult to get. There be times to be over productions of cd's and dvd's with to much high prices and this already started before the money change. DVD's succes 4 years after i started with it. Whyle i have feeling i am late started with HD tv and BD i am also have the feeling the succes stil must come with stores rejected Bluray and sometimes have more dvd's or replace/prefer dvd. You expecting more stores with BD (or dvd's) but it be other way around. There is only 1 store where i have seen 1 or 2 from those JB BD set. Iam not intrest in it, but i said it give you idea how things moost of the time go. Release comes and fly as there be released. So over production who is more welcome if you aske me, but it be other way around.

CD's are almoost gone and then i mean new material. Why i think BD not be succes yet is that there be 2 problems before you can start with BD. Buying the BD player isn't so dificult but the audio of tv don't work if you not buy HD tv. So you must buy a new tv. Then BD disc, very expensive and avaible of the material as i said much les then with dvd and those are already ot easy to get. I started collection disc since i bought my BD player in 2012 and whyle i lucky own my old Proligic set from 1997 i feel very bad and only use it 1 or 2 times for test. So i don't play them til i bought a tv 10 months later. I whant my audio from my tv.

Because i must to more work to find things (What be pleasure, don't misunderstand me.) and there is mabey to much or to easy to get and you get faster bored and i whant pay les. Of course i can denie, iam sometimes more a buyer and take a whyle before i look to some movies.

DVd or BD and inspecialy 3D BD are sitl very expensive at the start and there asking prices from before 2004 and stil sometimes after a whyle. 3D disc what be in my opnion another cut of the movie who mabey not more worth then € 2,00-€ 5,00 based on the movie/what i payd for simalar disc or there be extra's on the disc.

Some part of my pleasure of Bond is gone, this is indeed also partly thanks that it not be possible to buy poster from Daniel Craig Bond movie in 100x70 or 70x100.

But i whas happy with those James Bond cars, but also that it end. But if there are plans to contuned over 1-2 years with pleasure and if there asking not more then last time.

For record:

* I prefer local buying/doing research. I don't use credit card or any other card in that style and i have no intrest in Internet Banking.

* I don't download/Don't have intrest in any thing that there try to get me in to that.

Biggest problem i have with this, also in situarion people buy things out side of The Netherlands, is that there is les respect for people who have difrent opnion about there don't whant to use somethings and the 2 options not exist together.

* I don't have mobile phone / I don't have car-driver licence / Not drink and not smoke
* Computer games cost me to much to get my intrest (2-4x times to much as BD). I have consider to buy PS3, but i whant 3D player after long thinking.
* I whant watching tv on my tv
* I don't whant internet connection on my BD player or tv

I have digital tv without C+ card (31 channels), but i don't whant pay extra for C+ card so that i also more channels like Fox on my tv. We already pay € 70,00!. But i expect soon i wil take the Digital box in my room and must wait for couple months to change the package and mabey then the price be a litle bit lower.