Legal Movies, Alternatives to Illegal Downloading

 

Free is an enticing but often illegal endeavor. All art is produced at a cost, whether it is hours of toil and paint or hours of union labor on a blockbuster film. On your end of it, how much is your joy, laughter, thrill, excitement and anticipation worth?

Instead of putting yourself and your computer at risk by downloading questionable files, consider the value of your entertainment. Before you are tempted to swap files with a stranger, consider these alternatives:

Video Store

Video rental franchises such as Blockbuster and Hollywood Video are stepping up to the plate and are trying to give customers what they want?no late fees. Increasingly, because of low sell through prices, people are choosing to purchase movies over renting. In order to compete, many rental stores are offering inexpensive memberships and extended rental periods or no late fees.

Legal Online Downloads

This industry is expanding daily. Movie studios recognize the demand for electronic sell through purchases, rental downloads and streaming video. Many online movie download services offer membership prices similar to video store memberships or rentals and unlimited downloads. However, at this time, in order to get the newest releases you still have to go with a DVD option. Usually, movies are not provided for download until they have been on the DVD market for a while.

Online DVD Rentals

This is also a growing business. Through a DVD rental service, you can order movies online and receive them in the mail for a very low monthly price. Most of these services do not charge late fees and offer an extensive collection.

Purchase

Why not buy your favorite films? Sell through prices are low right now, even the newest releases can often be found for under $20. Rental stores often sell used copies for under $10. Additionally, if you purchase a DVD you can make a personal backup copy for your own use, its legal. A backup copy is a good idea for your portable DVD players or for your kid?s movies.

Theatre

Get out of the house; some movies are best viewed on the silver screen. Movies with advanced special effects and high tech visuals are meant for the big screen and digital surround sound.

Go to film festivals or special releases. Often you can purchase package deals for festivals and they may include additional activities, such as dinners or parties, live interviews with the directors or cast, advanced previews, contests or other incentives.

Artists Supported Free Downloads

Often independent film directors or emerging bands actually allow free downloads. Artists new to the market may offer free samples or complete copies of their work in an attempt to find a supportive audience for their future endeavors. Film shorts, indie films and Sundance films are often available through online download services.

Try Before You Buy

In court, using the excuse that you just wanted to try a movie or album before you buy it, will not fly.

The only way to legally try before you buy is to rent it or go see it in the theater. Often rental stores and online movie download companies offer low priced memberships so you can rent a movie at a minimal cost before you decide to purchase it. In terms of music, many major media stores such as Virgin Records have listening stations that will let you listen to a CD before you buy it.

So, before you are tempted to swap files with a less than perfect stranger, get a legal copy through an autorized distributer, then sit back and enjoy - virus and copywrite infringement free.

Pamela Stevens

Pamela Stevens writes for TopTenREVIEWS.com, an online review service that publishes unbasied software, online service and hardware reviews. TopTenReviews also publishes movie reviews and entertainment pages. Please see http//www.toptenreviews.com for reviews and articles on a wide variety of topics.