23 replies to this topic

[bishmasterb]

Apparently the Blockbuster at the corner of Natoma and Blue Ravine decided to close up and move their accounts to the location near WalMart.

I liked having all those movies just a couple of minutes away. Oh well...

[billsfan]

Well it seemed that Blockbuster was never busy and not well stocked with videos. I was always surprised that they stayed open this long after they opened the new Blockbuster at Broadstone. Maybe a Hollywood Video will go into the new Raley's mall across from Ralph's? I read on the city's Web Site that the Raley's plan was reviewed recently and construction should begin soon. It will be good to have a gas station there rather than go into town to fill up...

[BodenMaddox]

Wow... you guys still rent videos from a store?? Since I found NetFlix, I've burned my Blockbuster card. There's just no comparison in my mind.

[Steve Heard]

Blockbuster just introduced a netflix-like service. You pay a monthly fee and rent by mail, returning videos in pre-paid mailers.

Bye bye, Netflix.

[billsfan]

Your right Stevethedad. Both Blockbuster and Hollywood Video are starting monthly fees for having a rotating 3-4 movies checked out at anytime with no late fees. This is definitely better for my lifestyle. If I want to see a certain movie tonight, Netflix doesn't cut it. If my little kids want to see a certain movie tonight. Netflix really really doesn't cut it...

[BodenMaddox]

QUOTE (stevethedad @ Aug 19 2004, 01:48 PM)

Blockbuster just introduced a netflix-like service. You pay a monthly fee and rent by mail, returning videos in pre-paid mailers. Bye bye, Netflix.

You'd prefer a company that requires movie makers to edit movies to their political and moral tastes over a company that innovated the service and offers the largest selection of Net-available rentals in the world and the best quality and speed of service?

I guess it does take all kinds...

[billsfan]

BodenMaddux - are you talking about Blockbuster or Hollywood Video. Can you provide more details? Either store is OK with me. Yeah, Netflix was a great innovator and good idea, it just doesn't meet my impulse and family movie watching needs. The monthly fees will allow me to avoid late charges and have more flexibilty if I want to keep a movie longer or switch to a different movie...

[Steve Heard]

To clarify, Blockbuster has several programs out there. You can do the standard rentals, pay a monthly fee and take 2 to 4 movies out at one time, and their new service, where you pay $19.99 per month, go online, click to rent, free shipping both ways, and get 2 in-store rentals per month.

I am not endorsing Blockbuster, just stating that I don't see how Netflix can compete.

I most often rent from Hollywood, but find most of the movies produced today to be crap.

Boden, Please eloborate on your statement. Blockbuster does carry R rated and un-rated movies, do they not?

[bishmasterb]

I've been on the Blockbuster movie pass for almost a year now; I cancelled my Netflix subscription right after I started Blockbuster.

Netflix is indeed cool, but I've got two kids, and there have been several instances on the weekends when we've traded in our movies at Blockbuster 3 or 4 times which would be impossible with Netflix.

Similarly, when you decide late one evening that you'd like to watch a movie, Netflix can have it to you in 1-2 days, or you can get it from Blockbuster in 15 minutes. And if the movie sucks, take it right back and get another.

Brick and mortar is a good thing sometimes.

[BodenMaddox]

QUOTE (stevethedad @ Aug 20 2004, 07:28 AM)

To clarify, Blockbuster has several programs out there. You can do the standard rentals, pay a monthly fee and take 2 to 4 movies out at one time, and their new service, where you pay $19.99 per month, go online, click to rent, free shipping both ways, and get 2 in-store rentals per month. I am not endorsing Blockbuster, just stating that I don't see how Netflix can compete. I most often rent from Hollywood, but find most of the movies produced today to be crap. Boden, Please eloborate on your statement. Blockbuster does carry R rated and un-rated movies, do they not?

They can compete because they do everything you just listed and they ship faster than anyone else out there. Plus they have the Net rental market locked down with techno-geeks and normal folks alike (my retired folks are now NetFlix customers).

Blockbuster is well known to have "special" versions of movies with extreme violence or, especially, sexual situations that the studios edit just for them. Now that was five or more years ago, so that may no longer be true, as Blockbuster is no longer the big dog on the block, so studios may be telling them to go for a walk if they ask for special cuts now.

[bishmasterb]

NetFlix can definitely compete. The service is a little cheaper ($20 versus $25 at Blockbuster) and has a better selection than the typically Blockbuster store.

NetFlix is the choice for you if you want a really large selection of movies and you don't mind waiting a few days to exchange them.

Blockbuster is the choice for you if you like exchanging movies immediately and are alright with the selection that a typical video store offers.

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As far as the censoring of movies is concerned, I couldn't find anything detailed on the web about this. They've definitely done it in the past, it's unclear to me whether they are still doing it or not. It's certainly troubling if they are. And if they are, I would move my monthly subscription to another brick and mortar store if a competitor started offering it. But it doesn't outweigh the convenience that they offer unfortunately, and probably doesn't effect the majority of movies I watch as they aren't big hits from major studios that would be effected by censoring efforts.

But, if you choose not to shop at Blockbuster for this reason alone, censorship; I totally understand.

[BodenMaddox]

No, I dropped Blockbuster for convenience. To me, convenience is using my desktop to order films and using my mailbox to send/receive them. Driving to a storefront isn't convenience to me... it's a hassle.

[bishmasterb]

Cool! It looks like the market has provided differing solutions to meet our different needs.

[BodenMaddox]

It's the American Way, baby... (and, I might add, the FREE MARKET way,just to piss off our socialist-leaning buddies...)

[bishmasterb]

QUOTE (BodenMaddox @ Aug 23 2004, 02:10 PM)

It's the American Way, baby... (and, I might add, the FREE MARKET way,just to piss off our socialist-leaning buddies...)

What, are you saying a state-run socialist video store that only stocked Ishtar and Yentl wouldn't be good enough for the people?!

"The People's Video Store"...I like that, it's got a good ring to it. We can all drive (by drive, I mean push) our East German cars down to it and check out movies. Of course they're only open from 1-5 on Tuesdays...and the only format they support is Betamax...