And you broadened your horizon. The experience can’t have been so bad, as it seems you did repeat it often. Could’ve gone to a cinema just as easily if the film you sought was running at the time.
There’s still Redbox. I like it because it’s a lot cheaper than renting via streaming, and many of the discs have bonus features you won’t get via streaming.
That’s one element streaming services are yet to improve on – they’re really good at the “if you like that, maybe you’ll like this” but really bad at the “this is completely different, but I hired it because I liked the cover and now it’s one of my favourite films.” They can’t build serendipity into their algorithm.
I do that! I go out for a walk while browsing Netflix until I find something good to see. I’m down 37 pounds already!! And a thousand miles away from home… :D
My wife and I married in 1985, and bought our first VCR in 1988; we’d already bought our first VHS movie, The Grey Fox*, which we still have. I don’t know if it’s playable.
I remember two things about the earliest video rental stores: (1) Some of them were hole-in-the-wall setups. It seemed like anyone could rent a location in a strip mall, acquire the tapes, and set up a cash register (in the more sophisticated arrangements, one that accepted credit cards). (2) They originally charged one-time membership fees. They might have been as high as $99.95 at first, but there was so much competition that the fees quickly dropped, and ultimately disappeared completely.-—————————————————————————————————
*We’d seen that movie in a theater around 1983, when it first came out. Good movie — look it up.
kingdiamond69 almost 3 years ago
We would always go the day after the new releases would come out and linger around the return box to get first crack at the new movies.
C almost 3 years ago
Once credentialed as a critic the distributor would Fedex a (tape or) DVD to your doorstep a month before the release date.
unfair.de almost 3 years ago
And you broadened your horizon. The experience can’t have been so bad, as it seems you did repeat it often. Could’ve gone to a cinema just as easily if the film you sought was running at the time.
Pedmar Premium Member almost 3 years ago
There’s still Redbox. I like it because it’s a lot cheaper than renting via streaming, and many of the discs have bonus features you won’t get via streaming.
Doctor Toon almost 3 years ago
I remember when we rented a vcr when we rented video tapes
It wasn’t cheap, it was a treat for my first wife and I to rent a couple of movies
some idiot from R'lyeh Premium Member almost 3 years ago
That’s one element streaming services are yet to improve on – they’re really good at the “if you like that, maybe you’ll like this” but really bad at the “this is completely different, but I hired it because I liked the cover and now it’s one of my favourite films.” They can’t build serendipity into their algorithm.
James Wolfenstein almost 3 years ago
I do that! I go out for a walk while browsing Netflix until I find something good to see. I’m down 37 pounds already!! And a thousand miles away from home… :D
Yontrop almost 3 years ago
Remember when you wanted to see a movie, you had to go to a “movie theater”?
david_42 almost 3 years ago
I think my wife watches 10-20 movies for every one I watch.
Ubintold almost 3 years ago
Blockbuster is a thing of the past, once Netflix showed up. More choices to choose and you only have to go out to mail it back.
Bill The Nuke almost 3 years ago
And don’t forget the adult section that was partitioned off. ☺
paullp Premium Member almost 3 years ago
My wife and I married in 1985, and bought our first VCR in 1988; we’d already bought our first VHS movie, The Grey Fox*, which we still have. I don’t know if it’s playable.
I remember two things about the earliest video rental stores: (1) Some of them were hole-in-the-wall setups. It seemed like anyone could rent a location in a strip mall, acquire the tapes, and set up a cash register (in the more sophisticated arrangements, one that accepted credit cards). (2) They originally charged one-time membership fees. They might have been as high as $99.95 at first, but there was so much competition that the fees quickly dropped, and ultimately disappeared completely.-—————————————————————————————————
*We’d seen that movie in a theater around 1983, when it first came out. Good movie — look it up.