For decades, glossy movie magazines were one of the best sources of information for film. My local newsagent would be stacked full of them, and each month I would pop in and pick up various titles including Empire, Total Film, and SFX.

The magazines tended to cost around £3 to £4, and for less than a fiver I’d have a full-colour mag, filled with captivating content. I’d also have enough change left over to grab a cheeky fizzy drink or a bar of chocolate to enjoy while reading.

But then a number of things happened. The internet started to become the main source of information for movies; print started to make way for digital; and the cost of the magazines began to rise beyond a fiver.

Over time, the appeal of a printed magazine began to drop off. Buying something for a few pounds that was loaded with exclusive content was a great proposition, but buying something that tipped over my own personal price point seemed kind of redundant.

As far as I was concerned, I was done with movie magazines. I didn’t necessarily want to be done with them, but what could they offer in the digital age and with an ever-increasing price tag?

Well, as it turns out, they are still great value, and in recent months I have completely changed my stance on picking up movie magazines. I may not be a subscriber to any, nor do I pick up a magazine every month, but I have started to head back to the newsstand.

Why am I reading magazines again? Because I recently picked up a couple of titles to read on a flight, and I came to fall back in love with the printed page.

Sure, magazines are not what they once were, and they are never going to compete with the immediacy of the internet, but they still offer great value. In the case of the aforementioned Empire, Total Film, and SFX, these magazines are put together by passionate people who have an interest in their field, and this comes across on every page.

Perhaps more importantly, unlike many of the leading entertainment/movie news websites, magazines aren’t filled with endless clickbait nonsense. The editors and writers of magazines understand paying readers need decent material to sink their teeth into, so they work damn hard to get readers on board and keep them reading.

Following a bunch of entertainment websites via social media is fine for getting some quick news bites or watching trailers etc, but you won’t get the depth you get from a movie magazine staffed by film fans. Magazines have imaginative features and articles, and when you become a regular reader of a particular title you become part of a select group.

As noted above, in recent months I’ve found myself gravitating towards movie magazines, and Total Film has become my-go to title. I like to pick up Empire too, but I tend to opt for Total Film in the first instance.

At present I’m picking up Total Film most months, with Empire being a more sporadic purchase in between. I then dip in-and-out of each issue at various points throughout the month, usually when I have a spare few minutes here and there.

Copies sit on my shelf amongst my Blu-ray and DVD collection, where they are always within easy reach. I’m building up a physical media hub within my home, and it’s great to be able to include some movie magazines amongst this.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: How does anyone have room for endless copies of magazines? The whole world appears to be decluttering these days, so surely multiple magazines are a dust gatherer?

Well, the simple answer is, I don’t hold onto every issue. When I was a teenage magazine reader I would hoard every copy for future reference, but that’s not what adult me does.

I now adopt a fast and firm rule: There will only ever be eight magazines on the shelf.

Why eight? Why not – it’s as good a number as any!

When I add a copy to the shelf I remove a copy, which either gets passed on to a friend or it is recycled. It doesn’t have to be the oldest issue – simply one that I am happy to part with.

Since moving back towards movie magazines I feel better connected to my love of film and cinema. The internet and streaming (particularly Netflix) has changed the movie landscape considerably, and not always in a good way, and I needed a reminder of this.

The constant conveyor belt of mediocre movies on streaming (again, mostly Netflix) makes it appear as if cinema is on its arse and ready for the scrap heap, but it’s not. Movie magazines, and their extensive overview of cinema past and present, act as a great reminder there are so many wonderful films to enjoy, we just need fans and good writers to point us in the right direction each month.

__

Thank you for taking the time to read this post on HOME VIDEO HAVEN. For more posts, please check out the recommended reads below.