kitkat

I rent classics! Since July I've rented Winter Light, The Trouble With Harry, Naked City: Portrait of a Painter (classic TV), The Lady Eve, Unfaithfully Yours, and Leave Her to Heaven. All were first time viewings.

Michael T Hudson

Video Confusion Customer: So, do you have any new releases in?
[zoom out to see a huge sign that says "NEW RELEASES" directly above her]
Low I.Q. Video Customer: Do you have that one with that guy who was in the movie that was out last year?
Randal Graves: They never rent quality flicks. They always pick the most intellectually devoid movies on the rack.
Low I.Q. Video Customer: OOOOH! NAVY SEALS!
Randal Graves: It's like in order to join, they have to have an I.Q. that's less than their shoe size.

RockStrongo

Yeah, I think its naive for people to think that NOONE wants to rent classics....there are plenty of new filmwatchers who havent seen them. Our kids should have these films at their disposal without having to purchase them outright.

They shouldnt have to wait til they come on tv to watch them too. They should be able to rent them, but of course, BBV has cut alot of classics out of their library.

I watched 'Dial M for Murder' this weekend for the first time. It was GREAT! I loved it. Not really a buy for me, but I was glad that BBV at least had it on their online site.

Pointyskull

Go to your neighborhood library. You (theoretically) pay local taxes - it's there for you to use, and in my opinion is a generally underused resource. If they don't have a certain title, odds are they can get it.

My local library has an excellent DVD selection, with classics, Criterions and foreign titles (and pretty much all the films on your list of examples). Free for a week, too.

RockStrongo

Yeah, ill definately do that....there is a branch near me....I didnt realize that libraries had DVDs....guess libraries will be next on BBV hitlist.

Pointyskull

You profile location says Dallas, so here you go:

Dallas Library
http://dallaslibrary.org/home.htm

Search By Branch
http://catalog.dallaslibrary.org/

dvdmovie1

Rented a game a few weeks ago. Had a week, plus the "no late fee" period of another week before the game was charged.

Returned the game approximately 8-9 days after renting, no later. Go in on the day before it was totally due (I'd be charged) and they told me that I had nothing checked out. The next day - the day the game was due - they checked in the game and charged me $46 (!!) dollars for it, and charged me right after checking it in. I finally got a very disinterested looking manager to credit me, if only to get me out of the store (and I wasn't making a scene or anything, just very "slow boil"). I didn't even get the "restocking fee" back.

I know that Blockbuster employees have to do a "Found On Shelf" search during the week, and obviously no one did it (or does it) here.

The store's game rental fee is outrageous to begin with, at nearly $8. The store is $4.50 for new and old movie rentals, as well.

Needless to say, it's going to be a very long time before I rent at Blockbuster again.

RockStrongo

Yeah, I think ive stepped foot into BBV for the last time. I just cancelled my online membership and went with Netflix....ill use the library (like others have suggested) or even drive to the nearest Hollywood video for my more immediate movie needs.

My banned businesses list is now up to 2...

Wal-Mart (even more evil than Microsoft)
Blockbuster

RockStrongo

Im actually closer to Fort Worth (Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex), so ill look for their list.

Thanks though.

calhoun07

BBV employees are probably getting lazy about their FOS lists now that there is the "end of late fees." And they will not waive that restocking fee. Hell, that's the only extra income they got coming in now!

Abob Teff

Yes, libraries seem to have a great selection of foreign/classic stuff. Criterion must have some program for libraries, as they seem to have lots of Criterions. I refer people there all the time.

Yes, I work at Blockbuster. DVDMovie, your story has too many inconsistancies. The charge does not appear on the account when the item is checked in. It appears when it is charged off. As for the employees and the FOS, yes, they probably are incompetant. But your story isn't accurate either. The game was due by noon of the eighth day. You returned it late. It wasn't due another week later, or totally due another day after that. Fess up and say "I returned it late." Does that justify bad execution of policies by the employees? No. But is damn frustrating to deal with people like you. To quote one of the few TV shows that I have watched, "Everybody lies." Whether they realize it or not, everybody lies. Why are the games $8 now? Because of people like you who go ahead and intentionally keep them past the due date to milk every last bit out of it. That said, I do it too. But understand that that is the reason that the price went up.

Now, back to the whole classics thing . . . it is called "Blockbuster." Not "Classic Video," not "Good Film Video." Blockbuster . . . and that is what they carry. Any long time readers here know that I want to open my own video store, and I would go after that severely under served niche market. I think it is a great idea. Blockbuster does not and is not ever going to.

fujishig

Wait... why did he have to pay a restocking fee? The rental period is one week, and you get one week after that to return it without any fees. after that period is over, then they automatically charge you full price, though you can get it all back without the restocking fee if you eventually return it. This encourages people to think of it as a two-week rental, doesn't it? Or did I get their policy mixed up?

Of course, if not for the free rentals I get from BBOnline, I wouldn't rent games from there... between "no late fees" and the gamepass, they have jack squat to rent.

On a different note... Sure, it's naive of me to think that NOBODY wants to rent classics, but it's also naive of us to believe that enough people want to to justify BB stocking it. BB is not a public service, so that your kids can have classic movies at their disposal. They're a business (apparently a poorly run one, but a business nonetheless). The library, on the other hand, is a great source.

tonyc3742

The restocking fee is charged if you return a rental after you're 'bought' it, IIRC.

And yes, Blockbuster. "Blockbuster". implies typical, big, mindless Hollywood stuff that does 4100 million weekends. Of course, so does "Hollywood Video". And since they have limited shelf space, they need to try to carry titles that will be the most attractive to the widest audience, in order to make money. Like many other stores/retailers.

I have had a good experience with Blockbuster Online. Their selection is much much much better than the B&M's, and the in-store free rental coupons help as well [although yes, their videogame section, which is what I use them for, is not by any means superb. Very few new releases, and most are out of stock.]

I remember the BBV in my hometown actually had a section [small, but separate] for 'Troma' and 'Cult' films. Now, there's "new" "drama" "comedy" and that's about it.

RockStrongo

Oh come on, I dont think just because their name is "Blockbuster" that they choose to carry only recent hits. The fact is, they USED to carry a large selection of classics. They advertise that they are the one shop stop for dvd rentals. Do they not?

But, since they have virtually put other video stores out of business, they have since scaled them back to what makes the most money for them (new releases and games).

Again, Blockbuster is evil. I hate them. Their demise has already begun.

BTW- good luck on the video store. I hope you help put them out of business.

atlantamoi

I did the MVP program for two months to catch up on older titles and just about all of the movies RockStrongo mentions in his first post were at Hollywood.

MahatmaPetey

believe me, people complained about the MVP pass. granted most of the complaints were utterly idiotic, but there were still some valid gripes. but a good deal nonetheless, considering its $15 a month and you're basically under the same rental plan as employees.

whotony

bbv no more late fee policy...

the movie or game is still due back either in 2.5 or 7.5 days. depending on the title.
the day you take it home is the first day.

after that IT IS LATE.

starting the next day, you have a 7 day grace period to return it.
starting the 8th day, you have bought the item.
but you still have 30 days to return it.
if you do that, you have to pay a $1.25 restocking fee.
as they say the item has to be put back into the system.

it cannot be returned if you go past 30 days.
the computer will not alow it to be checked in.

so we have to put it aside and call the customer to tell them they own it.
now they have another 30 days to come in and pick it up or it will be destroyed.

Moezilla

Blockbuster put all the real video stores out of business, all the mom-n-pop stores that had those fun and obscure movies as well as classics. Now Netflix is hurting them and they are continuing to raise their fees in stores and for what increased value? I have no pity on anything that hurts BB, they are pathetic as a video store.