I too have started buying DVDs and Blu-Rays of movies that I think are keepers. I gave away a lot of VHS tapes years ago and I guess I really don’t regret that. It’s not as durable a medium, and I was a lot younger when I got those and, looking back, there probably aren’t many that would interest me today.
Trust the streamers as curators of the film libraries? Nope. Not only are films pulled from circulation, but the editing is slowly ramping up. When Turner Classic Movies and the Criterion Collection got caught censoring classic films — without acknowledgement to viewers — trust is irretrievably gone.
When I returned to San Diego from Springfield, VA, I joined a Scout troop sponsored by the PTA at the elementary school I attended for 2nd and 4th grade. I had become very adept at setting up 16mm projectors in elementary/junior high. I was able to leverage the skill set to use the school cafeteria to put on popular films for the elementary school age kids. Popcorn and soft drinks were sold. It generated revenue for my Scout troop and the kids had a good time. Setup/cleanup done by the Scout troop. The advent of VHS tapes for viewing at home pretty much tanked movies in the cafeteria as a viable fundraiser.