We have a fair sized collection of DVDs, but until just recently, I had no idea of the hoop-la that surrounded those DVDs sold in the cardboard “snap case” packaging. These are the DVD cases that have the plastic disc holder and cardboard front cover.
From what I’ve discovered, they were despised by many DVD collectors when they were on the market. But now, however, because they stopped producing them in 2005 (or so), they’ve become quite collectible and sought after by video/movie buffs.
We have about thirty movies in our collection with the snap cases and, to be honest with you, I’ve always liked that style of DVD case. But, I really never paid much attention to the fact that they stopped producing them, for fourteen years now.
You’ll find that most snap case DVDs are from Time Warner and some of their subsidiaries. This is because WB owned the patent rights to the box design, as well as the manufacturer; that being Ivy Hill Packaging. But, in 2003, they sold the manufacturing company off and production of the snap case was phased out, due to lack of interest.
I liked them, and I guess that’s because of my history with collecting LPs and LaserDiscs. I guess I just liked the high colour, matte finish of the artwork, which closely resembles the covers of LPs and LDs. I also like the fact that the cardboard cover allows for the printing of extra artwork on the inside of the cover. And some discs, like the Matrix here, had a fold-out cover; much like the gate-fold covers that you sometimes got with LPs and LaserDiscs.
From what I’ve heard from other DVD collectors is that, the reason why they didn’t like the snap cases was because they didn’t provide as much protection as the standard “keeper cases” (those being the hard plastic cases). I never had a problem with that, as I always try to handle my DVDs with care and store them properly.
But I tell ya, these days they’re making those “keeper cases” awfully cheap; the cardboard snap cases are much better at protecting the DVDs inside. And the matte finish of the covers have kept their colours and luster well over the years. They still look great!
So what, now that streaming services are starting to dump content, “collectors” are now scrambling to find the physical media they used to own, even though they originally didn’t care for it? As the years go on, I think people are starting to realize the many flaws of today’s “modern” technologies and that it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.
[tag]movies, collection[/tag]