Movie rental stores...Do you miss them?

[ArmyOfDarknessAW]

I just got done watching a video from Chris Stuckmann about Blockbuster and it really got me thinking about my old local Blockbuster. There was really nothing like going to Blockbuster each day after school and looking through the movies for the 100th time to find that one gem I missed. That is something that Vudu and Netflix can never replace. Picking up that case and reading the back and maybe talking with the employees about movies. It was all just special and I do really miss it.

My house, school, and the Blockbuster were all within a couple square blocks so I was really there every single day after school. Even on Tuesday sometimes i would go to school late or skip completely to make sure I got my copy of the new big hit coming out. I had the pass that allowed me to keep swapping movies out that sometimes I'd be there three times in one day. It was just amazing for me as a movie fan.

I get the convenance of digital rentals because I do it too. However one thing I hate is when rentals go into that HBO period that the rights to rent are expired and you need to wait a couple months. That was something I never had to worry about at my local Blockbuster video. That movie would be there soon enough for me.

I know there are some rental store still around, but i have none near me and I'm sure it is the same for others. I miss that experience and I would love to have it back.

So do you miss rental stores? If so what kind of stories do you have and what do you miss most?

[Rodney-2187]

No.

[ArmyOfDarknessAW]

Originally Posted by rodneyfaile

No.

Well that was short and to the point haha.

[Michael24]

I do. It was so much easier to browse. You could just walk around, and any number of things could pop out and catch you attention. With something like Redbox, it's pretty much only new releases. At a video store I could browse and come across plenty of obscure older titles I'd never heard of before. Sure, you can still browse with a service like Netflix but there's plenty of stuff that's just not available for rent/streaming. A number of times I've searched for a particular movie on Netflix only to find they don't have it, even though I know the movie is available otherwise.

Frankly, I'd love to have them still around. I know there are mom and pop rental stores around but none here. I grew up in the '80s and '90s, so rental stores were like second homes to me. I loved the atmosphere and wealth of choices. And my first job right out of high school was working at my local Blockbuster. Lots of fun memories.

[ThatOneGuy]

Nope, I like not feeling the disappointment of them not having what I want to rent.

[baheidstu]

I sometimes miss rental stores sometimes but not Blockbuster. There were smaller stores and chains with better prices and selection especially on catalogue titles that went out of business thanks to Blockbuster. I did enjoy buying a crapload of blus dirt cheap at the liquidation sales when Blockbuster went under though.

[Groot]

Yea, because I got 3 for $20 or 5 for $30 films all the time when they'd sell off the copies. I used to get posters, figures, film cell artwork, etc. at Blockbuster. I miss browsing titles and getting deals like that immediately vs waiting for GoHastings.

[ArmyOfDarknessAW]

Originally Posted by John Klein

Nope, I like not feeling the disappointment of them not having what I want to rent.

And I have the exact same issue with digital. Some movies I want to see again are purchase only or not available. I sure would love to rent True Lies yet I can't. Both have/had their pros and cons for me personally.

Originally Posted by baheidstu

I sometimes miss rental stores sometimes but not Blockbuster. There were smaller stores and chains with better prices and selection especially on catalogue titles that went out of business thanks to Blockbuster. I did enjoy buying a crapload of blus dirt cheap at the liquidation sales when Blockbuster went under though.

I only had one small local store and their prices couldn't compete for me. That $30 unlimited rentals was unrivaled if you used it enough. However I know not all Blockbusters were equal. I loved my local one yet hated the one a few towns over.

[atlantajoseph]

I don't miss being nickled and dimed at the chain stores or the inconvenience of having to return things on time.

On the flip side I do feel bad for the indie stores that specialized in foreign and obscure flicks. There is actually still one of them open and doing business in Atlanta, which is pretty awesome considering.

[ThatOneGuy]

Originally Posted by ArmyOfDarknessAW

And I have the exact same issue with digital. Some movies I want to see again are purchase only or not available. I sure would love to rent True Lies yet I can't. Both have/had their pros and cons for me personally.

I just buy my stuff now. Blockbuster pissed me off so much as a child that I just generally don't like renting things, I either have it or I don't. I even have a hard time watching films on Netflix, I mainly use Netflix for TV shows.

[ArmyOfDarknessAW]

Originally Posted by John Klein

I just buy my stuff now. Blockbuster pissed me off so much as a child that I just generally don't like renting things, I either have it or I don't. I even have a hard time watching films on Netflix, I mainly use Netflix for TV shows.

After my local Blockbuster folded I just bought everything too. I bought way way too many crap movies. I try my absolute hardest to see a movie before I buy it. Loathe blind buying now...complete waste of money for me personally.

[ArmyOfDarknessAW]

Originally Posted by atlantajoseph

I don't miss being nickled and dimed at the chain stores or the inconvenience of having to return things on time.

On the flip side I do feel bad for the indie stores that specialized in foreign and obscure flicks. There is actually still one of them open and doing business in Atlanta, which is pretty awesome considering.

Yeah late fees were insane. I had some crazy late fees before they started that unlimited plan. Definitely agree on that.

[ThatOneGuy]

Originally Posted by ArmyOfDarknessAW

After my local Blockbuster folded I just bought everything too. I bought way way too many crap movies. I try my absolute hardest to see a movie before I buy it. Loathe blind buying now...complete waste of money for me personally.

It has been nothing but a gold mine for me, I'm very good at knowing films I'll like.

[Michael24]

Originally Posted by ArmyOfDarknessAW

After my local Blockbuster folded I just bought everything too. I bought way way too many crap movies. I try my absolute hardest to see a movie before I buy it. Loathe blind buying now...complete waste of money for me personally.

Same here. A blind buy for me is very rare and reserved for only the most extreme circumstances. I only buy what I've already seen and know I like. If there's something I'm interested in but haven't seen, I try to rent it or see it some other way first.

[ArmyOfDarknessAW]

Originally Posted by John Klein

It has been nothing but a gold mine for me, I'm very good at knowing films I'll like.

I have no clue what I like haha. There are movies like Jurassic Park 3 which I should like because I even like 2 and World yet I despise it and a movie like Room which I thought I would hate and I adore it. Trailers are way too little for me to honestly know if I will like a film or not.

[ArmyOfDarknessAW]

Originally Posted by Michael24

Same here. A blind buy for me is very rare and reserved for only the most extreme circumstances. I only buy what I've already seen and know I like. If there's something I'm interested in but haven't seen, I try to rent it or see it some other way first.

Yeah the only 2 blind buys I have in my collection right now are Gone Girl and 99 Homes. Both were a great price and not much more than a rental. I was almost sure j would like them and I did. Everything else is movies I've seen before. I've been bit too many times before. Not to mention it is nice not have crap movies in my collection like I used to.

[L.J.]

Yea miss them use to like going there and going thru their previewed stock. Finding good ones cheap. Can remember back in the day of getting them to order something that wouldn't be on the shelf some times. We use to have Pic a Flic, Tonights Feature, Blockbuster, Hollywood Video along with some independents and gas stations. Remember looking at the 80's b-movies boxes they always had some cool artwork. On Blockbuster that's the one don't miss much. The two here always seem to have rude employees they didn't pratice much customer service. Also remember the late fee's and the 50 cents they would charge at the stores for not rewinding. Be kind please rewind. One gas station I use to go to a lot always gave me a lot of their posters still got most of those. Right now we have one called Family Video and their great in town it has probably the best customer service of any store.

[ThatOneGuy]

Originally Posted by ArmyOfDarknessAW

I have no clue what I like haha. There are movies like Jurassic Park 3 which I should like because I even like 2 and World yet I despise it and a movie like Room which I thought I would hate and I adore it. Trailers are way too little for me to honestly know if I will like a film or not.

My taste is open so I'm lucky on that end but I mainly just blind buy unknown films like The Guest (which I f*cking love) and films that gets praise from all directions like Sicario (which I f*cking love).

Only blind buy that was not my taste and actually made me made at myself for spending $5 on it was Crash, the Oscar winner one about racism... that was such a boring and melodramatic film.

[Talleyrand]

A little, but not all that much. I still buy movies from independent brick-and-mortars, but the thought of spending money on something I won't keep forever is no anathemic to me.

[1blufan]

I do sometimes. Back in my hometown there's still a video rental store that I grew up going to. They carried everything from obscure titles, import titles, basically everything. They built up such a solid base of customers that they are still doing well to this day. I used to love going in there and talking films to the owner or the employee's. If there was a title I really wanted they would order it for me and put it on the shelf to rent, even import films.
I used to work at Tower Records/Video in Sacramento and really enjoyed it. I was in heaven while going to College because it was a fun job to have, plus I would get to watch all the screeners that came in. My friends would always want me to bring home a porn movie because we got free rentals. I never did, find it odd a bunch of dudes sitting around watching a porno film together