AIBU to miss Blockbuster shops?

[Cladder]

Anyone else? I used to like popping in and just browsing the DVDs and choosing what to watch. I miss the weird smell of the place. A mixture of popcorn and sweaty carpet. Sometimes our local branch was staffed by 'film & media' graduates who would recommend various films they had watched or slag off ones you were thinking of watching.

We tried Love Film etc but I always seemed to fall behind with the admin of it all.

I know I need to propel myself into this century and get with internet based TV and all that it has to offer on the film front but I don't seem to have the energy for it.

Oh well, there is always the local library DVD 'collection' and their "All Creatures Great and Small" box set I guess....

[familysizepack]

YANBU
☺

Lovefilm is effort. I kinda like Amazon video though so you might get on with it.

[Juanbablo]

I loved going to Blockbuster, perusing the shelves and choosing a film. It was part of the experience and felt a bit special.

[MimiLeBonk]

I remember how exciting it was to go and get our first videos in the 80s. YADNBU

[Cladder]

OK Familysizepack will check out Amazon video. Thank you

Bloody Amazon though eh? Taking over the world.... (will save that for another modern life rant thread)

[Cladder]

Yes Mimi the 80s Blockbuster! I remember getting Crocodile Dundee out!

[BettyOBarley]

Yes! I was just thinking about this a few days ago actually. DHs friends used to laugh at us for still going to Blockbusters.

[hotdiggedy]

Totally agree. I miss video shops a lot. Choosing them online just isn't the same. the only good thing is not having to make sue you have watched and returned the video in a really short timescale.

[arethereanyleftatall]

Yanbu.
It made watching a movie an event, the fun of choosing the movie and the popcorn, rather than lying on your sofa choosing between the football, a quiz show or a movie.

[SavoyCabbage]

I walked down the DVD aisle in the supermarket yesterday and I could hardly believe it still existed.

[Baconyum]

I remember the first video rental shop in my home town. Dd remembers blockbuster from when she was little she's only 15. Streaming ain't the same

[IRegretNothing]

YANBU It was a rare treat for us when we were kids and Amazon video and Netflix lacks the 'event'ness of it iyswim. We'd all clamber into the car, drive to the industrial estate and go to pick a film together. Lots of bickering between us kids about which film to pick, but happy arguments like at Christmas. And popcorn wasn't as ubiquitous as it is now, so it was rare to get popcorn-if you were well behaved it was butterkist toffee popcorn and maybe some pop to wash it down with.

And you're right about the smell-very specific to Blockbusters and evocative. I used to like looking for the random, weird horror films or bizarre dubbed/subtitled foreign movies. And as a teen there was always the slightly pathetic, admittedly buzz of renting a movie you were too young for.

It wasn't like unenthusiastically flicking through endless pages of films recommended to you by Netflix or Amazon "because you watched..."

I'm feeling a bit nostalgic today.

[Cladder]

Exactly usual! Ours was next to a curry house and Thresher. Job done.

One of my ex colleagues went out with a bloke she met in a Blockbuster for a while. They got chatting over their film choices!

[littledrummergirl]

I used to work in one. may out myself but I used to rollerskate my commute. It was great.

[Voteforpedr0]

Blockbusters/any video shop was so exciting, getting to look around an physically pick out what film you were going to take home for the weekend. A huge part of my childhood, looking at the huge cardboard cut outs of the new releases like terminator and the bodyguard. Not forgetting returning the films into the post hole in the wall days later, Man I miss those days

[Justfivemoreminutesplease]

Ah yes, and the excitement of seeing the film that you wanted was in stock (as it had the video plastic box behind it) compared to the disappointment of just seeing the front box with then nothing behind it

[Cladder]

There was always the latest action film booming out of their speakers!! My mum once asked them to turn it down a bit because she couldn't 'think'

I am now that person who can't think with loud noise...

[StealthPolarBear]

Yes you're right. I'd never go back because it was, let's face it, a huge hassle, but the actualrenting of the film was good.
Just to reverse what a pp has said - the disappointment of seeing the one you wanted wasnt there. I don't think anyone under the age of 20 would understand that - it's an image, how can it 'not be available'? Justshows the success of separating the media from th disk it's physically on. Which is how it should be really.

[StealthPolarBear]

Although I used to work in a club and had to pass it on my walk to work, so I could always be relied on to return it.

[Crispbutty]

I agree, there is never much new on Netflix, Sky is way too expensive, and it was always a good planned night in getting a few dvds, a takeaway and some beers..

[CrotchetQuaverMinim]

Yes, I miss just being able to go out and choose the film I fancy right at the time, instead of having to have lists and order in advance etc. (I don't have any sort of smart TV, so don't think I could do it online). Bored tonight, but no way of getting a film! In the old days, I could have gone to Blockbusters.

[TheWeeBabySeamus1]

I used to love going to Blockbusters to get a film. We'd be in there for ages trying to decide (poor mum ) and then we'd be pestering for sweets/popcorn. I agree with PP that it seemed to make it more of a treat than just streaming a film whenever you feel like.

The BB we used to go to is still empty after years - all the fittings are still there though. It makes me a bit nostalgic when I walk past and peer inside.

[StealthPolarBear]

I went out with a big group of old friends the other day (20 years) and it struck me no one really used their phone unless they needed to get in touch with one of the group. Most are on fb bur barely use it. When we were all close it was pay phones all the way. Made me so nostalgic but it genuinely seems like a couple of years ago.
(Yes I do get the irony)

[KayTee87]

I miss it too. My parents didn't buy videos as I think they thought it was a waste of money so it was a treat for us to go down to blockbusters as a family to choose a video each and some sweeties for a family film night / weekend. It was so annoying when the person before hadn't rewound the film.

[TheWeeBabySeamus1]

Wow, just googled it and Blockbusters only shut in 2013 - seems like much longer.