Podcast: Play in new window | Download
It’s difficult to even find estimates of how many movie review blogs and websites exist on the Internet. Perhaps no one has dared to attempt a head-count. But just to provide some context, as I write these show notes, there are presently more than 1 billion, 39 million live websites on the Internet. So, I would speculate that at least 39 million of those are movie review blogs. I’m kidding, of course.
The actual figure is probably much higher…
Despite the incalculable number of movie sites, there is one man whose movie-reviewing efforts truly stand out: This BONUS episode of Movie Podcast Weekly consists of an interview with the most prolific film reviewer that I know personally, Mr. Dave Becker (aka “Dr. Shock”) of Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania, just outside of Philadelphia. I found Dave and his remarkable blog at DVD Infatuation.com on Twitter in 2010, the year he endeavored to review one film a day — every single day — until he reached his goal of watching and reviewing 2,500 movies.
For those of you mathematicians out there, Dave Becker’s self-imposed “movie challenge” is just two months shy of being a 7-year commitment. And now, six years later, Dave only has one year to go until he completes his challenge.
This podcast episode has both celebrations and confessions of a real-life cinephile, Dave Becker, a man who clearly has an unmistakable compulsion that compels him to purchase and collect films on DVD and Blu-ray, amassing to date somewhere around 9,300 film titles! (Some are collections and some are Blu-rays, but if we assumed that all of those films were purchased individually from the $5 bin at Walmart or some gas station’s discount rack, you’re looking at an investment of at least $46,500 in movies that were bought over the past 15 years, an average expense of about $3,100 annually!)
And then there’s the investment of time… Dave Becker spends an average of about 3 hours every day watching a movie from his personal collection and then writing and posting his review at DVD Infatuation.com. If we crunched the numbers over the past six years, Dave has invested about 274 full, 24-hour days into his challenge!
So, what drives a man to spend so much time and money on what many would consider to be “a thankless job”? Where do Dave Becker’s determination and inspiration come from? That’s exactly what this BONUS episode of Movie Podcast Weekly attempts to explore. I ask Dave some very personal and pointed questions about regret and the kinds of sacrifices he’s had to make in order to complete his challenge (and it’s not over yet).
I also ask him a number of questions that other cinephiles might wonder about, such as how Dave chooses whether to review a director’s cut, extended cut or theatrical version of a film. We also have some time well spent discussing our nostalgia for the brick-and-mortar video stores, as well as outdated media like VHS tapes and laser discs.
We even talk about that alluring red curtain that many video stores had, and Dave even confesses his secret methods for stealing quick glimpses of the Playboy Channel as a curious youth.
Dave also describes a dark time in 2011 when he was hospitalized and had to suspend his blog-writing for 10 days. (The end of this episode yields an odd update of this nature, as well.)
Movie Podcast Weekly is a show where four hosts review new movies that are currently playing in theaters or streaming online. But this BONUS episode is an exploration of one man’s love and commitment to the cinema. It is simultaneously astounding, amusing, touching and horrifying. This show is a must-listen for anyone who loves movies or reviews films either for a living or for a hobby.
I’d like to thank Dave Becker for his time and his candor during this interview. I consider him a friend and an inspiration. You can follow Dave’s work at the following links:
Blog: DVD Infatuation.com
DVD Infatuation Facebook
DVD Infatuation on Twitter: @DVDinfatuation
Dave’s horror podcast: Horror Movie Podcast
Dave’s other horror podcast: Land of the Creeps
And I’d also like to thank Juan Esparza, listener and friend, who contributed his artistic talents to the artwork for this episode. Thank you, Juan! Follow Juan on Twitter @TheReaperOfSoul
Jason Pyles, host
Movie Podcast Weekly
E-mail us: MoviePodcastWeekly@gmail.com.
Leave us a voicemail: (801) 382-8789.
Follow MPW on Twitter: @MovieCastWeekly
Leave a comment in the show notes for this episode.
If you’re new to our show… Movie Podcast Weekly typically features four hosts — Jason, Andy, Karl and Ryan Elliott. In most episodes, we generally give you our verdicts on at least one new movie release from the current year that’s playing in theaters, as well as several mini reviews of whatever we’ve been watching lately. New episodes release every single week!
Great interview, Jay.
Get well, Doc. I’ll say one to the Boss upstairs for you.
Can’t wait to listen to this! So happy about the tribute. Thanks to Jay for thinking of it.
I’d like to see a similar one on The Sci Fi Podcast, Horror Movie Podcast, Geek Cast Live, Movie Stream Cast and Retro Movie Geek.
Awesome artwork, Juan. The above podcasts could use more like this as well.
Thanks, man. I’d be happy to help out. The skull artwork was actually my preferred choice, but I made that before Jay settled on what direction he wanted to go with (and no episode title), but Jay was kind enough to not let it go to waste (thanks Jay!). I created the main artwork very last minute and I’m actually not happy with it (but Jay is, so that means a lot to me). It literally looks like something I would’ve done back in school haha. It’s also very grungy, which was not my intention. That’s why I ended up adding a movie theater screen to tone it down a little, but that didn’t work out as well as I had hoped. Anyway, that’s what I get for trying to outdo my horror shorts graphic 😉
Love the skull too. But I also just like seeing Dave’s baby with some modern design elements. And, yes, there is a grungy element, but the overall quality is good enough that it looks intentional.
The skull with your title is the… well, you get the picture.
Nice work.
Thanks brah.
I am BLOWN AWAY by the 9,300 number, Dave. I have the most sizable movie collection of anyone that I know in real life–to the point where people assume I’m sexually attracted to movies–and mine is only in the 2-3,000 movie range. I will say, when Jay mentioned our interests ebbing and flowing, I could relate. I also started buying DVDs in 2001 and my peak years were from around 2003-2005 when I worked at a video store, but I have purchased increasingly less DVDs and BluRays each year since that time. 2015 and 2016 are my lowest ever. I’ve only bought 3-4 BluRays in 2016 so far (Star Wars, The Witch and a couple other horror films) as well as having pre-ordered 3 seasons of Survivor on DVD. My wife always says I’m a different person than the man she married and now I finally see what she means by it!
Even 1,000 movies sounds insane. I’m in the low hundreds and I already think it’s getting unmanageable. You guys are truly mad, but in a good way.
I have close to 2,000 and it was actually closer to 3,000 just last year but I unloaded a bunch that I had either bought Blu-rays or better editions of or just didn’t want anymore. I agree Juan, it gets hard to manage. A lot of them just end up a box stored away in your office or something. But I don’t buy nearly as many any more and the majority are children’s films for my 4 year old, but she’s got a pretty cool collection.
I’ve never been accused of being sexually attractive to movies but I believe many of my friends think I have a problem. But I’d rather collecting movies be my addiction than say, Heroin.
Juan, I agree.
Then again, I’ve actually gotten to the point where I’m a little annoyed when someone gives me a physical disc as a gift.
I estimated my movie collection and I am well over a thousand…I teared up a couple of times when you were talking about the video stores…I am the same age as Dave and I so miss those times…Dave you are such an inspiration to me…I look forward to many more years of your passion…
Hear, hear.
Or is it “here, here”? Probably the latter.
“Hear, hear” is correct, Josh.
JP
Great interview, guys… loved it!
And Juan? Good job on the art-work! 🙂
Thanks Peter!
Awesome interview, Jay. Like both of you, I too always seem to remember who I saw movies with or what theater, or the names of movies I saw in one day. I also find solace when other people talk about it as well; it seems like an odd thing to keep in your memory banks to most people I’m sure.
In college, me and some friends use to hit the theater on Friday and cram in as many movies as we could. The most I ever did in a day was 5 and it was in 1996. The films were: From Dusk till Dawn, Beautiful Girls, Broken Arrow, Dead Man Walking, and Leaving Las Vegas. Side Note, should have started with the last two films instead of ending on them but you live you learn. I have many 2 and 3 movie days but that was the big one for sure.
Wow, great work Jay and dave you are a movie monster
I think I asked the question over on HMP a few times (awhile ago) what the first DVD Doc and the other hosts ever bought. Glad to finally get the answer!
Doc, you’re in a truly elite league when it comes to sheer volume of movies watched and reviewed. You’re like the Cal Ripken of film critics. Sorry to hear that your latest long streak ended, but the end is near. Congratulations on all that you’ve accomplished, and for what is surely ahead (i.e. the books!).
And I second what Jason Dragon, Josh and others have said above. Jason, great job (as always) with the interview, and great idea to bring Dave over to the MPW crowd.
My favorite moment of this episode is when Jay and Dave start commiserating about falling asleep in their respective chairs while in the performance of blog- or podcast-related duties. That level of dedication is what makes the Movie Podcast Network special. 🙂
I have to agree with everyone here, this special episode is truly special. Literally. Like Jay always says, Doc is an invaluable asset and we’re lucky to have him here. Jay, you did a great job interviewing him. It was great getting a lot more insight into him as not only a fellow lover of film but also Dave Becker, the person. And Doc, great job guiding us through your madness. Now, let’s all hug it out.