These is a general guide about shopping for movies, including the issue of bootlegs and fair charges for shipping and handling.

I see several guides on ebay on how to avoid bootlegs. They always list several titles that have "never" been released on DVD. One has to remember two things when looking at these lists: (1) new titles are released constantly. What is not on DVD one day is out the next. I recently paid a premium for an Australian copy of "A Fistful of Dynamite" (aka "Duck, You Sucker") because it was not available in the U.S. About a month after I had my PAL copy from down under, it was released on DVD in America -- in a 2 disc set, no less! Which brings me to my second point -- many titles not available in the U.S. are available from foreign countries. Titles from Asia are not bootlegs. Technically, they might not be "legal" in the U.S. but usually they are studio-made copies, often of excellent quality. For example, the copy of "A Fistful of Dynamite" was produced by MGM and came in original studio packaging; it was produced for the Australian market so it was Region 4 (my computer player could handle it, though).

As to all the other so-called bootlegs, it is confusing to figure out what is legal and what is not. Many obscure movies may never be released on DVD; often, their copyright status is in question. There are hundreds of films in the public domain, which can be reproduced by anyone -- legally. This has been true for years. Most of the $1 DVDs sold at Wal-Mart are p.d. films, mostly titles out of copyright because someone forgot to renew them. The studios that made these films receive no profits from their sale. A film doesn't have to be old to be p.d. either. Sometimes, improper copyright registration makes a newer film's status questionable. This is especially true of early TV shows and even some TV movies. A copy of such a film is not a bootleg.

The true bootlegs -- the ones the studios are really worried about -- are the DVDs unscrupulous people make of films that are currently in theaters. I'm sure ebay makes sure these are not sold in its pages; they are commonly sold by street vendors and especially available in foreign countries.

Going back to the foreign market, one must remember that films made in Asia for example, may be available on DVD legally way before they are released here. For example, Jet Li's "Hero" was on DVD in Asia almost 2 years before it was released theatrically in America. DVD copies of it for sale from Hong Kong (or Korea, Thailand, etc.) were not bootlegs; it had already had its theatrical run in the Asian markets.

There is also the question, which has never been throroughly resolved, as to whether a film that has never been released on video is fair game. People with the right equipment can transfer a film to DVD from 16mm (or 35mm); if the studios have not cared enough to release the film they apparently don't care if some basement bootlegger does -- unless it's a current release. Some of these films are from the 1930s -- titles that are of interest to buffs but otherwise have a limited audience. So they might be called bootlegs in the strictest sense of the word; or maybe they should be called "collectibles." In any case, the buyers usually are well-aware these are not truly legitimate copies. Maybe they should be petitioning the studios to release the films -- though traditionally that has done little good. Or maybe the studios should make more obscure titles (such as a Jack Benny feature, for example) available as inexpensive downloads. That would solve the problem of bootlegging and make the film buff happy as well.

One other aspect of buying movies that has become a point of contention is shipping and handling. A DVD is lightweight. A single one in its standard case can be shipped just about anywhere for about $2.00. If you don't recycle envelopes you get and buy  new padded mailers, these can be bought in bulk very cheaply. As for the "handling" some dealers justify their outrageous S&H by stating it includes their time. Should that so-called handling and their time be covered by the profit from the sale? If you went in to a B&M store and they charged you handling, you'd hit the roof.

In any case, charging $6 (or more) to ship a DVD within the U.S. is just plain outrageous. A fair price is maybe $3. Many major retailers ship DVDs for free; they can also be shipped via Media Mail if it is a set, for example, at a reduced prcie. As for myself, I will not buy a DVD from someone who is trying to get all his profits out of the shipping and handling. Most DVDs are common; everyone has them for sale. I can pick and choose who I buy from. I am not going to pay $10 for a DVD and $8 for shipping. That's just plain ridiculous. Nor will I pay an additional $8 (or whatever it is) for another DVD in the same order.

I expect sellers to make a fair profit; after all, that's what selling is about. But competition is what makes it fair for the consumer. Fortunately, I can usually find what I want at a decent price with a fair S&H charge; if not, I'll wait.

And there's always Half.com!