Internet versus videostores
In a conversation with director Robert-Jan Vos last week, I admitted I usually watch movies online. If you're a prisoner of the laptop for 2 years during the Miami Ad School, there's no time (not to mention no money) to rent a movie at a videostore. And why should you, when all the movies can be seen online?
But recently I've changed my mind about that. Yesterday I wanted to see a particular movie (The Wrestler by Darren Aranofsky). I didn't want to see it in low resolution, I didn't want to search for a streaming video slot that's actually working and I didn't want to see it with Chinese subtitles. And because I once accidently trashed my harddisk with malware, I also gave up on downloading.
So I went to a videostore. There's one right around my corner. A small one. With a lot of cult movies. In the two years that I've lived there, this is the first time I actually rent a movie there (!). When I entered the store and passed the wall with the latest DVD's, I immediately remembered what's so good about old fashioned videostores. You can flip through all the movies. You can touch them. Read about them. Be surprised at a movie that you've never seen or that you forgot. And there's somebody at the counter who is clearly a bigger movie freak than you are and you can ask them about good movies.
In the 80's the videostores got big problems because people watched the movies on pirate TV channels. Until people realized that changing your antenna to watch a movie with static isn't the most pleasant movie night. With internet it's the same. As downloading is getting more difficult and time consuming, going to a videostore is suddenly more attractive again. It's easier, safer and let's not forget... more honest.
But recently I've changed my mind about that. Yesterday I wanted to see a particular movie (The Wrestler by Darren Aranofsky). I didn't want to see it in low resolution, I didn't want to search for a streaming video slot that's actually working and I didn't want to see it with Chinese subtitles. And because I once accidently trashed my harddisk with malware, I also gave up on downloading.
So I went to a videostore. There's one right around my corner. A small one. With a lot of cult movies. In the two years that I've lived there, this is the first time I actually rent a movie there (!). When I entered the store and passed the wall with the latest DVD's, I immediately remembered what's so good about old fashioned videostores. You can flip through all the movies. You can touch them. Read about them. Be surprised at a movie that you've never seen or that you forgot. And there's somebody at the counter who is clearly a bigger movie freak than you are and you can ask them about good movies.
In the 80's the videostores got big problems because people watched the movies on pirate TV channels. Until people realized that changing your antenna to watch a movie with static isn't the most pleasant movie night. With internet it's the same. As downloading is getting more difficult and time consuming, going to a videostore is suddenly more attractive again. It's easier, safer and let's not forget... more honest.
posted by Robin Stam at 11:03 pm
3 Comments:
hi? haven't you tried online video stores? cheaper, you can check trailers, read about movies, comments, etc. I do miss the old-fashioned videotheque-feeling, but to be honest, it's much more convenient to click on an item and then just view it in high-def.
Hi Fjoord,
You have a good point. Online videostores and on-demand movies are becoming more and more popular. Nevertheless, I realized this week how I missed going to a videostore. It's the difference between drinking a beer at home and drinking the same beer in a pub full of people.
Although having to bring back the DVD the next day still sucks ;-)
ever heard of netflix.com ?????
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