4 ms·

I feel like this overstates the point a bit. The video store was always just a means to an end for me, the clerks always sullen, the process of agreeing on a mo

by rdiddly 2mo ago

I feel like this overstates the point a bit. The video store was always just a means to an end for me, the clerks always sullen, the process of agreeing on a movie always long & difficult. Maybe I missed out on the phenomenon he's talking about.

reaperducer 2mo ago
Maybe I missed out on the phenomenon he's talking about. You did. It was a fairly widespread thing. Although "The video store was always just a means to an end for me" indicates that you excluded yourself from this, rather than missing out on it.
- xp84 2mo ago
  I agree. Independent movie rental shops had a very long window of viability before Blockbuster expanded enough to threaten them, so there were a ton of places that had a better chance of having people who deliberately like working there, than your average corporate-owned retail store today. Plus, pre-smartphone, most people (note: not saying all people) loved talking to other people, so even a movie store employee who wasn't a major film buff would be someone you could build up a rapport with just based on the fact that you're a regular who talks with them. My dad was that way with most of the staff at dozens of the small businesses in town, and even the 'corporate' places like McDonald's, etc.
- singingtoday 2mo ago
  How did we exclude ourselves? I went to the store, I got cassettes, discussed it with the people I came with. We do the exact same thing now except use a phone or tablet.
buildsjets 2mo ago
Perhaps the clerk was not sullen, and just preferred to stay out of other people's affairs. You're not allowed to rent here anymore! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEEj6d3GTOU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEEj6d3GTOU I don't think any movie could better capture the atmosphere and culture of a 1980s video store better than "Clerks." For example, the various types of annoying video store customers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9khHJTztKk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9khHJTztKk Ordering obscene videos from the warehouse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwFjw798mPI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwFjw798mPI And some period-era fanfic filmed in an IRL video rental store. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiPC2pIJNzc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiPC2pIJNzc
- chrisco255 2mo ago
  It's a funny movie, it definitely captures the leisurely time spent shooting the shit with various store clerks. Although I never played hockey on the roof.

by rdiddly 2mo ago

reaperducer 2mo ago

Maybe I missed out on the phenomenon he's talking about. You did. It was a fairly widespread thing. Although "The video store was always just a means to an end for me" indicates that you excluded yourself from this, rather than missing out on it.

xp84 2mo ago
I agree. Independent movie rental shops had a very long window of viability before Blockbuster expanded enough to threaten them, so there were a ton of places that had a better chance of having people who deliberately like working there, than your average corporate-owned retail store today. Plus, pre-smartphone, most people (note: not saying all people) loved talking to other people, so even a movie store employee who wasn't a major film buff would be someone you could build up a rapport with just based on the fact that you're a regular who talks with them. My dad was that way with most of the staff at dozens of the small businesses in town, and even the 'corporate' places like McDonald's, etc.
singingtoday 2mo ago
How did we exclude ourselves? I went to the store, I got cassettes, discussed it with the people I came with. We do the exact same thing now except use a phone or tablet.

buildsjets 2mo ago

Perhaps the clerk was not sullen, and just preferred to stay out of other people's affairs. You're not allowed to rent here anymore! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEEj6d3GTOU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEEj6d3GTOU I don't think any movie could better capture the atmosphere and culture of a 1980s video store better than "Clerks." For example, the various types of annoying video store customers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9khHJTztKk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9khHJTztKk Ordering obscene videos from the warehouse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwFjw798mPI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwFjw798mPI And some period-era fanfic filmed in an IRL video rental store. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiPC2pIJNzc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiPC2pIJNzc

chrisco255 2mo ago
It's a funny movie, it definitely captures the leisurely time spent shooting the shit with various store clerks. Although I never played hockey on the roof.