Walking around the Toronto International Film Festival this year, a unique attraction was drawing large crowds. For four consecutive days, a dusty white van filled with old DVDs formed a line stretching down the street, with fans waiting for hours to spend just a few minutes interacting with it.
The star of the show was not a famous actor like Timothée Chalamet or Scarlet Johansson, but the Criterion Mobile Closet, a van carrying a variety of films including Blu-rays and 4K UHD movies. The largest collection dates back to the 1960s, with titles ranging from classics like The Kid from 1921 to recent hits like Anora.
The van is a mobile version of the “Criterion Closet,” a cramped storage space in the Criterion Collection’s Manhattan office. The closet is known for its popular “Criterion Closet Picks” video series featuring stars like Michael Cera and Willem Dafoe selecting their favorite films.
This exposure has elevated Criterion to a prestigious cultural status, alongside boutique labels like Vinegar Syndrome and Arrow, which are contributing to the resurgence of physical media. These labels release high-end packages of older movies, attracting collectors willing to pay top dollar for unique editions.
According to David Marriott, co-founder of Canadian International Pictures, this trend has fueled a “second golden age for physical media,” driven by dedicated cinephiles and collectors. The personalized approach of boutique labels, offering exclusive artwork and extras, has created a niche market for film enthusiasts to explore lesser-known titles.
Despite the decline in DVD and Blu-ray revenue, there is optimism that boutique companies will fill the void left by tech giants exiting the market. Filmmakers like Jacob Medjuck emphasize the enduring appeal of physical media, noting the irreplaceable role DVDs played in independent film distribution before the rise of streaming services.
As the landscape of media consumption evolves, there remains a steadfast passion among movie lovers for physical media, exemplified by the success of boutique labels and the continued interest in collecting rare editions of beloved films.
