9 Rare Blu-Rays And DVDs Worth More Than You Think

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It has not been that long since DVDs and Blu-rays were popular, but they are now a somewhat dead technology. We get our movies and shows from OTT platforms these days, with most laptops not even coming with DVD players anymore. Blu-ray has suffered a similar fate: while it may be more recent than DVD and offers a higher capacity, the decline of the need for physical media as a whole has relegated it to the ranks of outdated technology as well.

Unlike the ancient VHS, however, DVDs and Blu-rays are not actually obsolete. There are many good reasons to stop buying digital movies and get a DVD or Blu-ray instead. Moreover, these are still the only formats for physical releases of any visual media, and thus always get some production, no matter how limited in quantity. This may seem like an irrelevant distinction, but it matters, because the only genuine way to actually own a copy of a movie or a TV show is to buy the DVD or the Blu-ray.

That's right. For movie buffs and avid collectors, DVDs and Blu-rays are still very much in vogue. Unfortunately though, as very few discs get printed these days, the demand often outstrips the supply. Not for every run-of-the-mill show, mind you. Cult classics, old horror flicks, or even special limited releases of niche foreign movies — these are the kinds of DVDs and Blu-ray discs that collectors shell out hundreds of dollars for. Let's look at some examples.

There is no better movie to start this list with than "The Flim-Flam Man". It is a movie you have probably never heard of, and for good reason — it was a flop. The movie failed to break even on its release, barely making half of its investment. And yet, "The Flim-Flam Man" is one of the priciest DVDs you can buy today.

One reason for this is that despite the original release not doing well, the movie ended up being appreciated by home audiences in the years that followed. "The Flim-Flam Man" featured many well-known actors of the '60s, such as George C. Scott and Jack Albertson. It was also directed by industry legend Irvin Kershner, who would go on to direct big-budget movies like "The Empire Strikes Back" and "RoboCop 2", earning wide renown.

The "Flim-Flam Man" is now judged as a well-written and directed film, with a stellar cast of characters and undeniable charm. However, as the movie wasn't out on DVD or Blu-Ray, when "The Flim-Flam Man" Twilight Time Limited Edition DVD was released in 2011, with only 3,000 copies available, they were in high demand. A single DVD sold for $167.

Anime has become quite mainstream now, but things were different in the early days of the genre. While Japanese live-action movies were being adapted for Western audiences, anime usually remained limited to the domestic market. "Alakazam the Great", originally "Saiyuki", was one of the first anime movies to try and bridge the gap, with a proper U.S. release including English narration and heavy marketing. Unfortunately, it flopped quite badly. Maybe the market wasn't ready, or maybe the story of an animated monkey based on the Chinese tale "Record of a Journey to the West" wasn't compelling enough for Western audiences.

In the years to come however, as interest in anime and Japanese media grew, movie buffs started looking for DVDs of the film, only to realize there were none. "Alakazam the Great" got a DVD release only in Japan, where it was a great hit, and the only versions you could watch stateside were imports. 

As one of the first few anime movies to be released in the U.S., there was significant interest in the film by collectors, but only a scarce few DVDs available. This resulted in a DVD of "Alakazam the Great" selling for $300.

DVDs are not as old as some of the nostalgic physical video formats you might have forgotten about, and many of the movies that came out on DVD are now on streaming services, which limits their value. Unless we're talking about a big name, like Disney. The time of the hand-drawn Disney animated film created a genre of cinema that no other studio could replicate. Over the years though, the arrival of 3D and the shift toward more realistic visuals did mean that even Disney changed things up, with the 2D animation pipeline lost to time.

And that's exactly why DVD or Blu-ray sets of these old animated classics can sell really well. "Aladdin", "Beauty and the Beast", "Mulan" — each of these iconic movies are sought after in their own right but the complete Disney Classics set with all 55 of the 2D animated releases is very valuable. If you own these discs, in Blu-ray or DVD you can expect to make a profit selling them. Excellent condition collections are currently open to offers on Ebay, upwards of $700.

The 2D classics aren't the only Disney money spinner either. The Disney Pixar movies were CGI, but boasted a liveliness and storytelling quality still held up as an example. The complete Disney Pixar Ultimate Movie Collection, including eight movies, can fetch about $450.

We just talked about how large movie collections can sell well, and that's not just limited to the U.S. Certain collections from around the world can be goldmines, especially when they are highly regarded works by legendary creators. AK 100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa is a perfect example of this. 

"Seven Samurai", "Rashomon", "Ikiru" — are all included in this set of 25 DVDs. For one director to have made so many incredible one-of-a-kind movies is unheard of. But that's how Kurosawa was. In a career spanning more than half a century, Akira Kurosawa defined Japanese cinema with a legacy that endures today. He was also one of the first Japanese filmmakers to breach the Western market, with his movies winning awards in foreign film festivals.

As a result, his movies are still highly sought out by cinephiles and collectors. As the set, AK 100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa is out of print, the original $400 asking price became $899 in a private sale online. Movie lovers will tell you it's certainly worth it.

Another genre that does well in resales is horror. Horror is risky as movies often flop badly, although they can be cherished by the hardcore community over time. When DVD or Blu-ray prints of a flopped horror movie are produced in small quantities, reflecting the tepid initial audience response, we get the kind of demand and supply mismatch that elevates the prices of these discs.

The "Hellraiser" franchise needs no introduction if you are into horror. Starting with the seminal 1987 classic, the "Hellraiser" series ended up establishing itself in the horror niche with its interesting premise and macabre visuals. While we've said that there is simply no need for disk drives anymore, the "Hellraiser" DVDs are always in high demand by collectors.

"Hellraiser Deader" is not the most successful "Hellraiser" movie, receiving neither critical accolades nor great audience response, but the very limited release schedule could be why a copy sold for $250 on Ebay. "Hellraiser" fans and horror aficionados are clearly willing to shell out to add a rare disc to their collection.

This is an odd one. The movie itself is famous, of course, but hard copies are also not a rare find. "Terminator" is pretty mainstream, but this particular print of "Terminator 2" is in high demand because of the collectible it came with.

You see, sometimes these DVDs and Blu-rays come with bonus content, and a physical collectible, produced in very limited runs. A well-preserved example of this limited edition collectible can fetch a high price when reselling. For "Terminator 2", this collectible is a very cool-looking T-800 Endoskull bust — an iconic image for any fan of the classic movie.

An intact copy of the "Terminator 2": T-800 Endoskull Bust Edition sold for $350 online. Similar sales include the "I, Robot" DVD set, for $200 with the robot bust, and the "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" DVD, fetching $220 with a leather replica of the titular book.

"Ghostbusters" is a perfect example of a mainstream classic that remains in demand. The movie performed really well at the box office, and was consistently available in VHS, and DVD. However, the enduring fandom of this franchise means that any kind of special edition ends up reselling at quite the markup. That includes the Ultimate Collection box set — a series of Blu-ray discs with all three movies: "Ghostbusters I", "Ghostbusters II", and "Ghostbusters: Afterlife". 

What sets this collection apart is the bonus content. Two discs include extras from the first two classic movies, plus the complete, unedited, first cuts. This footage, though lacking the post-processing music and effects, is a goldmine for any "Ghostbusters" fan. It's another reason why every cinephile should own a 4K Blu-ray player.

Unfortunately, this prized collection of "Ghostbusters" got a very limited print and sold out quickly on release. The only way to get it now is to buy it secondhand. That could cost you a whopping $350.

The '90s were a period when anime was just starting to trickle into the mainstream, with franchises like "Detective Conan" and "Pokémon". Noticing the potential of importing Japanese trends into the Western market, Saban Entertainment created "Power Rangers", adapting the flashy and action-packed "Super Sentai" to create a new genre of colorful superheroes. And it was an immediate hit. The initial television series was extended multiple times and later got innumerable spin-offs, marking a distinct cultural phenomenon.

It fell out of popularity in the ensuing decades, with the over-the-top "Power Rangers" formula no longer effective. However, the kids had grown up now, and had money to spend on nostalgia — with Gen Z ditching streaming for physical media, there is a high demand for certain DVDs.

The complete set of the "Power Rangers" Collection Seasons 1-7 With Extras can go for $400. Even smaller "Power Rangers" DVD sets sell very well, with seasons four to seven going for $215.

"Power Rangers" brought the flashy "Tokusatsu" genre to Western audiences, but there were many Japanese franchises that were not adapted like this, and instead became sought after through their limited international prints in circulation. These franchises often became unexpected cult classics, spawning global obsessions that continue even today. There is no better example of this than "Godzilla". The most famous "kaiju" franchise in existence, "Godzilla" is known for its monster vs monster action, achieved through suits and practical effects.

Though Hollywood remakes of "Godzilla" would eventually be made with CGI, the original Japanese "Godzilla" movies were made entirely differently using a technique called suitmation and thus, are sought out by movie buffs and collectors. These discs of "Godzilla" movies can go out of print quickly, particularly for specific, limited edition releases — raising their value on the resale market. 

A "Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah" and "Godzilla vs. Mothra" double-feature Blu-ray can sell for $200 or higher. The "Godzilla vs Biollante" Blu-ray that was stuck in a rights limbo for a long time has in the past sold for around $350.