I was never in a Blockbuster Video Store if that's what you mean. I never rented a movie on DVD or tape, I got my movie collection off of Showtime and HBO. If you're talking about a blockbuster movie, several dozen when I actually was willing to go to a movie theater, usually Christmas Day. Before Chinese food.
The last Blockbuster (it was in Texas) just closed last year.
Huge part of a certain period of my life. Shame generations won't ever know the pain of showing up at Blockbuster hoping to score a "new release", only to find that everything is rented, and you've got to watch "Blame it On Rio" for the 52nd straight week.
We oldtimers spent a great deal of time at Blockbuster. I found my card a couple years ago when I cleaned out the junk drawer. Those were the days arguing over which movies we wanted to rent.
Moose there's still one Blockbuster left in Bend, Oregon. There were a ton of stories in the news about it about 3 months ago. And he isn't planning on shutting it down.
Back in the VCR days I loved small independent video stores. Blockbuster sucked because they were so corporate and slick. I also worked briefly part time at a Blockbuster and it was hell. Rewinding the damn tapes nonstop and having to stay late to vacuum the wall to wall sucked. I thought it would be fun to work there and it was the pits. Stuffed my denim button down in the night return box with a note saying "mail me by paycheck and I quit". That was the last time I was at a Blockbuster in 1991.
+1 Snuggz, They came in and wiped out most of the independent video stores. They basically had a monopoly in many areas. Once I caught them charging me a false late fee, it was so obvious even the clerk couldn't understand what was wrong with their computer.
O I used to love blockbuster! I’d rent Mary Kate and Ashley tapes, sega games, PlayStation 1 games.... I wonder if I (well, my parents) still owe late fees haha
I'd been to a Blockbuster but used it rarely as we have and still might have an independent video store that had way more stuff and a coupon in the Onion nearly every week for two-for-one offer, something like that.
The advantage Blockbuster did have was more locations.
On a different note - Isaac Kappy jumped off a bridge in AZ - literally. he ded https://azdailysun.com/news/dps-releases-name-of-man-who-died-after-jumping-from/article_90566c46-f81f-524e-8602-2daf555f719d.html
Saw my favourite film ever thanks to blockbuster. Gangster #1. Me and the ex used to go every weekend in our teens. Was our treat to ourselves with our part time wages. Now I have to scroll through streaming websites I never watch a film. Too much choice!!!
For some reason every time i went into a blockbuster i always got really bad Gas attacks.I would cruise the aisles dropping silent but violents.watching people walk into the land mines was almost as entertaining as renting a movie
The video store near me was Erols before Blockbuster bought them out. And yes, it was a huge summer treat to hit blockbuster to get a movie or two. The last indie video rental place near me was called Video Vault and closed about 6 or so years ago.
We had a local video store, back before the internet, that was totally cool. The staff would pay attention to what customers were renting and make recommendations accordingly. We were into foreign films and eclectic movies at the time, so they gave us lots of great suggestions. We were really lucky.
People who didn't live before the internet have no idea how hard information was to come by at the time. Now most have the combined whole of human knowledge at their finger-tips, and everyone seems to be busy trying to censor everything.
Short summary of every Jewish holiday: They tried to kill us. We won. Let's eat.
ReplyDeleteHaven't been to a Blockbuster since Netflix began.
ReplyDeleteI was never in a Blockbuster Video Store if that's what you mean. I never rented a movie on DVD or tape, I got my movie collection off of Showtime and HBO. If you're talking about a blockbuster movie, several dozen when I actually was willing to go to a movie theater, usually Christmas Day. Before Chinese food.
ReplyDeleteThe last Blockbuster (it was in Texas) just closed last year.
ReplyDeleteHuge part of a certain period of my life. Shame generations won't ever know the pain of showing up at Blockbuster hoping to score a "new release", only to find that everything is rented, and you've got to watch "Blame it On Rio" for the 52nd straight week.
Nope. Didn't have them around here.
ReplyDeleteJesus take the wheel Enty. Isn't there another way to word this?
ReplyDeleteIf "Blockbuster" is slang for a Ska/Regaeton street dance party, then yes!
ReplyDeleteWe oldtimers spent a great deal of time at Blockbuster. I found my card a couple years ago when I cleaned out the junk drawer. Those were the days arguing over which movies we wanted to rent.
ReplyDeleteMoose there's still one Blockbuster left in Bend, Oregon. There were a ton of stories in the news about it about 3 months ago. And he isn't planning on shutting it down.
ReplyDeleteBack in the VCR days I loved small independent video stores. Blockbuster sucked because they were so corporate and slick. I also worked briefly part time at a Blockbuster and it was hell. Rewinding the damn tapes nonstop and having to stay late to vacuum the wall to wall sucked. I thought it would be fun to work there and it was the pits. Stuffed my denim button down in the night return box with a note saying "mail me by paycheck and I quit". That was the last time I was at a Blockbuster in 1991.
ReplyDelete+1 Snuggz, They came in and wiped out most of the independent video stores. They basically had a monopoly in many areas. Once I caught them charging me a false late fee, it was so obvious even the clerk couldn't understand what was wrong with their computer.
ReplyDelete@Sandybrook - interesting - I thought I remembered reading a story about the last one closing in Texas. Nice to see someone carry on the brand.
ReplyDeleteWayne Huizenga (sp?) certainly made his money off the operation. He knew the threats to the model were coming when they sold to Viacom.
O I used to love blockbuster! I’d rent Mary Kate and Ashley tapes, sega games, PlayStation 1 games.... I wonder if I (well, my parents) still owe late fees haha
ReplyDeleteNever I don’t go to the movies—-
ReplyDeleteI wish they would do Blockbusters with DVDs.
ReplyDeleteI'd been to a Blockbuster but used it rarely as we have and still might have an independent video store that had way more stuff and a coupon in the Onion nearly every week for two-for-one offer, something like that.
ReplyDeleteThe advantage Blockbuster did have was more locations.
It was a real treat to go to my local Blockbusters. I do miss those days sometimes. I still have my Blockbusters card somewhere.
ReplyDeleteOn a different note -
ReplyDeleteIsaac Kappy jumped off a bridge in AZ - literally.
he ded
https://azdailysun.com/news/dps-releases-name-of-man-who-died-after-jumping-from/article_90566c46-f81f-524e-8602-2daf555f719d.html
Saw my favourite film ever thanks to blockbuster. Gangster #1. Me and the ex used to go every weekend in our teens. Was our treat to ourselves with our part time wages. Now I have to scroll through streaming websites I never watch a film. Too much choice!!!
ReplyDeleteFor some reason every time i went into a blockbuster i always got really bad Gas attacks.I would cruise the aisles dropping silent but violents.watching people walk into the land mines was almost as entertaining as renting a movie
ReplyDeleteWe used to go every weekend. The last time was a decade ago, when the one near us closed.
ReplyDeleteThe video store near me was Erols before Blockbuster bought them out. And yes, it was a huge summer treat to hit blockbuster to get a movie or two. The last indie video rental place near me was called Video Vault and closed about 6 or so years ago.
ReplyDeleteWe had a local video store, back before the internet, that was totally cool. The staff would pay attention to what customers were renting and make recommendations accordingly. We were into foreign films and eclectic movies at the time, so they gave us lots of great suggestions. We were really lucky.
ReplyDeletePeople who didn't live before the internet have no idea how hard information was to come by at the time. Now most have the combined whole of human knowledge at their finger-tips, and everyone seems to be busy trying to censor everything.
MeliticusBee said... "On a different note - Isaac Kappy jumped off a bridge in AZ."
ReplyDeletein:b4 enty: "Jumped or thrown..?"
Reportedly: "Before jumping off the bridge ... several bystanders tried physically restraining Kappy from jumping but failed to hold him."
ReplyDeleteUnless there's video, those are the people that threw him off the bridge.
Of course those people murdered him ...crazy people never commit suicide after basically posting a goodbye letter on the internet..
DeleteLoved the foreign movie section. Oh wait, that was an independent. Never mind.
ReplyDeleteMe too @rabbit and at Tower records, the foreign music. So sad
Deletehttps://youtu.be/OF4mlPxVWUk 📼
ReplyDeleteEnty I can’t go cold turkey on you. I need to clean my room~ 🥓