R.I.P. Video Rental stores.

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All good people are asleep and dreaming.
Luckily we have probably the best video store in the world here in Seattle, Scarecrow Video.



I always have a list going in there, it can be overwhelming.



I recently rented Exotica, Pixote, and Titicut Follies. I also bought The Criterion version of Ghost World.





R.I.P. Monster Video and video rental stores everywhere, you will be remembered well and missed greatly.
I hear your pain
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I know video rental stores have been out of business for a while but I just felt I should share my rant with everyone here. Feel free to comment.

Tonight's rant is about Netflix and movie rental stores.

R.I.P. Monster Video and video rental stores everywhere, you will be remembered well and missed greatly.
It's been so long since I used a video rental store. Last time I think was when I was still using a Beta machine (which I still have, BTW). I'm a firm believer in "owning/licensing" my content (as opposed to "renting"). That way, i can watch it and re-watch it (and sometimes "binge watch" it) whenever I want, as often as I want. So, I was more likely to purchase the VHS tapes, when it was something I wanted. At the time, I also didn't trust "used" tapes in my machines, so I avoided renting. Of course, when DVDs came out, I was in Hog Heaven. I have cabinets full of them, now. I also went immediately to either specialty DVD websites (and then just to Amazon) rather then purchase in a store. I actually prefer *not* to have those talks with the sales people. I just wanted what I wanted and not being subject to a sales pitch about anything else. Similarly, I don't like it when Netflix and the others "recommend" things for me. They fact that they are collecting/analyzing these data of what we even "browse" much less "purchase" is scary. But, it's here to stay, I guess, so may as well get used to it.

I have only used Amazon Instant Video (since I also have "Prime") for the rare title I can't purchase optically or via hard digital download (to my local machine). I don't use Netflix, Hulu or the other "pay" streaming services. And, more often than not, I'll only rent from Amazon and not "purchase," unless I absolutely can't find it optically. The reason I prefer optical (or hard digital download) is that once purchased, it's mine.... and can't be taken away. Things on a content streaming server can disappear from those servers for various/sundry reasons. Netflix doesn't always keep given titles on their servers when the agreement runs out with the source provider. Also, in extreme cases, content can be pulled off the servers when the production runs afoul of the law, or the server provider's standards (eg. when all the "Honey Boo Boo" content was pulled after one of the stars was caught seeing a child molester or something). I agree it should be pulled for those reasons, but I pity the poor person that purchased a license for those particular titles (no, not myself ). I hope they got their money back.

But yeah, I guess we took different approaches. I deplore interaction with "sales people" pretty much in general. I know what I want and how to research it, and I don't need anyone wasting my time trying to upsell me or sell me what they want or think I should have, or what will make them more $$$. It's about what I want, not what they want.



"Honor is not in the Weapon. It is in the Man"
Just read this...Alamo Drafthouse's upcoming theater in Raleigh, North Carolina will unveil Video Vortex, in which you can rent DVD, Blu-Rays...and rare VHS tapes (titles never released in digital formats) and you will also be able to rent a VCR.

http://variety.com/2017/film/news/al...re-1202643737/
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Just read this...Alamo Drafthouse's upcoming theater in Raleigh, North Carolina will unveil Video Vortex, in which you can rent DVD, Blu-Rays...and rare VHS tapes (titles never released in digital formats) and you will also be able to rent a VCR.

http://variety.com/2017/film/news/al...re-1202643737/
That's pretty awesome. Hopefully it does well so that they'll add it onto one of their theaters here in Texas.



I know video rental stores have been out of business for a while but I just felt I should share my rant with everyone here. Feel free to comment.

Tonight's rant is about Netflix and movie rental stores.

R.I.P. Monster Video and video rental stores everywhere, you will be remembered well and missed greatly.
It's been so long since I used a video rental store. Last time I think was when I was still using a Beta machine (which I still have, BTW). I'm a firm believer in "owning/licensing" my content (as opposed to "renting"). That way, i can watch it and re-watch it (and sometimes "binge watch" it) whenever I want, as often as I want. So, I was more likely to purchase the VHS tapes, when it was something I wanted. At the time, I also didn't trust "used" tapes in my machines, so I avoided renting. Of course, when DVDs came out, I was in Hog Heaven. I have cabinets full of them, now. I also went immediately to either specialty DVD websites (and then just to Amazon) rather then purchase in a store. I actually prefer *not* to have those talks with the sales people. I just wanted what I wanted and not being subject to a sales pitch about anything else. Similarly, I don't like it when Netflix and the others "recommend" things for me. They fact that they are collecting/analyzing these data of what we even "browse" much less "purchase" is scary. But, it's here to stay, I guess, so may as well get used to it.

I have only used Amazon Instant Video (since I also have "Prime") for the rare title I can't purchase optically or via hard digital download (to my local machine). I don't use Netflix, Hulu or the other "pay" streaming services. And, more often than not, I'll only rent from Amazon and not "purchase," unless I absolutely can't find it optically. The reason I prefer optical (or hard digital download) is that once purchased, it's mine.... and can't be taken away. Things on a content streaming server can disappear from those servers for various/sundry reasons. Netflix doesn't always keep given titles on their servers when the agreement runs out with the source provider. Also, in extreme cases, content can be pulled off the servers when the production runs afoul of the law, or the server provider's standards (eg. when all the "Honey Boo Boo" content was pulled after one of the stars was caught seeing a child molester or something). I agree it should be pulled for those reasons, but I pity the poor person that purchased a license for those particular titles (no, not myself ). I hope they got their money back.

But yeah, I guess we took different approaches. I deplore interaction with "sales people" pretty much in general. I know what I want and how to research it, and I don't need anyone wasting my time trying to upsell me or sell me what they want or think I should have, or what will make them more $$$. It's about what I want, not what they want.
Nicely said



Heck, I remember going to 7-11 as a kid and using the VHS Vending Machine they had there to rent all the Faces of Death movies. I was clearly a twisted child...
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The Alamo Drafthouse's Raleigh, North Carolina location dropped a bunch of new info today on its Video Vortex rental store that's going to be opening up soon.



http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2018/03/...e-video-vortex

https://videovortexbar.com/

This looks absolutely amazing, and I'm very jealous for those of you who live in Raleigh.



I was in the Austin area this past weekend, and finally made my pilgrimage to Vulcan Video! While I was bummed that they didn't allow out of state accounts, and the only T-shirts they had left were women's small, I really enjoyed my time there. With Stop Making Sense (1984) playing when I walked in, it was everything I thought it would be and more! I didn't want to leave empty handed, so I picked up the four bottom movies on VHS for $1.00!

[center]



















"Honor is not in the Weapon. It is in the Man"
There is only one Blockbuster Video store left in the United States. On Sunday, the two locations in Alaska closed (they will reopen just to sell off its inventory). Where is the final Blockbuster Video in the US. Bend, Oregon.




https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.610f6bb9b82c


https://www.cbsnews.com/news/visitin...e-bend-oregon/



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This just became a vacation more than 10 people in this world are going to take.



Well my watching 'modern' cinema is going to dwindle even further. Our last local video shop is shutting down in October. I'm sorry, I don't get it. I don't see how streaming has even worked round here, our internet speeds are s**t. Who the hell wants to watch a film that pauses to buffer every five minutes? It's bad enough with YT videos! And I don't see me blind buying, given even the most hyped modern movies tend to suck balls. So if something doesn't come to the cinema, it may as well not exist.
Either that or I'm going to be heading to Pirate Bay a lot...



We haven’t had a video store in town for years. I used to love visiting them, but can’t say I miss them that much. We do have 3 Red Box locations, but I never rent from them as returning the dvd the next day is very inconvenient. I do stream a lot as streaming is not a problem here, but, mostly, I buy DVDs for my collection. I never go to movie theaters.
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There is only one Blockbuster Video store left in the United States. On Sunday, the two locations in Alaska closed (they will reopen just to sell off its inventory). Where is the final Blockbuster Video in the US. Bend, Oregon.




https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.610f6bb9b82c


https://www.cbsnews.com/news/visitin...e-bend-oregon/
I would assume this be gone soon



We use to have a Blockbuster, but it's long been replaced by GoodWill. We have a place called "Family Video" in my area. I use to go there back when i was less fortunate financially. It was more to rent games than movies, but I had my fair share of movie rentals. But definitely with the wave of Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, even YouTube coming out with streaming movie services, places like those become obsolete...



We still have quite a few video rental store here. I don't visit them but I do drive by and they are fairly busy. We have a place here to buy or sell used items and they rent dvds and video games too.



All good people are asleep and dreaming.
I hate to say it, but in the three years since my last post, the variety of streaming movies has greatly improved. This means I won't be buying or renting much anymore. I've seen about forty films in a few months that I've been looking for, but not willing to rent. Also the quality of most of these films is much better than a physical rental.



I was just up in Atlanta visiting my buddy. Video rental store a few blocks up on his street. It was like peeking into a time machine haha. Videodrome.

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