I tweeted this from my local Twitter account on Saturday evening:
And got no responses. I wasn’t sure if people are just ridiculously self-absorbed and unhelpful; or…. if most on social media thought to themselves… “What the fuck is a video?”
Or perhaps they just have lives and better things to do on a Saturday night!
Sigh.
I have to admit I didn’t even know what to call it in my tweet… video / DVD library? Oh god?! … am I not the hip & happenin’ young ‘thang’ I think I am? Maybe I’m more like an old out-of-touch grannie!
I felt even more archaic when I saw a movie advertised on TV this past weekend.
“Escape from New York” I read. The name immediately jumped out at me.
During my last couple of years at school – in the mid 1980s – I worked at the local Chandlers (an electronics and music store for anyone under 30!). Although I helped out in the music section selling records and cassettes, my primary job was to man the video counter. Of course in those days, rather than DVD vs Blu-Ray we had VHS vs Betamax and I always had to check people selected the right option when they came to pay for their choice. From memory the videos were all kept in a drawer which I had to match to the empty case from the shelf. (Gah! The responsibility!!!)
As a result I was ridiculously familiar with the limited supply of videos on offer. Like Escape from New York, The Postman Always Rings Twice, Eyes of Laura Mars, The Deer Hunter and the like. See, the titles are burned into my brain – 30 years later?!
Of course the biggest perk of the job (which earned me about $12-13 each Saturday morning!) was that I was allowed to take something home (for free) at the end of each Saturday shift – but only the stuff left on the shelf. As a result I *may* have sometimes hidden a case under the counter if there was something I really wanted to watch so it meant it was magically still available at the end of my shift.
Rest assured however, even I’ve moved on from video cassettes. I’ve often wondered if I should have progressed to Blu-Ray but of course now it seems that DVDs are even kinda redundant when everyone streams online stuff from Netflix or whatever.
I’ve mentioned before that I’m in a complex where I have no choice but to pay a huge amount (well, $60/mth) for a Foxtel subscription which gives us a total of 10 stations. They’re mostly news and sport (lots of males are involved in the body corporate decision making!) with two movie channels. And it’s analogue so the movie stations are so snowy it’s almost impossible to watch / hear. As as result I’ve not watched any pay TV in my two years here despite having to bloody well pay for it! So… I’m loath to pay more for any additional services. It does however KILL me to miss out on a heap of TV shows which don’t appear on free-to-air TV.
In Brisbane I belonged to a Blockbuster video library which had a dearth of TV on DVD options and I’d regularly spend my weekends binge-watching an entire series of… whatever. Indeed I discovered my love of Pushing Daisies, Deadwood and Entourage via that store.
I’ve mentioned before that I LOVE TV on DVD. There’s no ads, no waiting for the next episode. It’s perfect for someone like yours truly who is heavily into instant gratification.
So as we drift into non-ratings period here in Australia and free-to-air TV becomes crappy… my search continues.
My own extensive research (ie. Google) has unearthed two (2) video/DVD (#whatevs) rental stores here in Hervey Bay so my cunning plan is to visit each and check out their TV on DVD supply and then join the one which has the most to offer.
- I have to admit I’ve never watched Escape from New York but I find it interesting it’s set in futuristic 1997. I wonder how many of its predictions came to pass?!
- How do you watch television? Pay TV? Streamed from something? On DVD?
PS. While writing this it did occur to me that I could join both video libraries – though for some reason in my little mind it feels traitorous. Somehow.
Joining the LaughLink gang again today!
November 30, 2014
Scotto has just installed the American Netflix so we get all the US advertisements. They’re so much shorter than ours. We used to (years ago) be regulars at the Video Ezy but they’ve all closed down now. I remember Chandlers. We had one here 🙂
November 30, 2014
Yes, I joined something nearby when I moved but it closed. I think there are still two here though! I’d love Netflix! But like I said… Hate the idea of paying more when we already pay so much. (And I know that doesn’t entirely make sense!)
November 30, 2014
We “tape” a lot on free to air via Foxtel’s IQ- although hubby especially watches lots on Foxtel. I couldn’t tell you when I last sat through an ad. I catch up on ABC TV through iview on my computer, and I also download from iTunes & watch these via apple TV. I don’t yet stream through netflix or the equivalent, but probably will…at some point.
November 30, 2014
I record most shows to watch (and fast-forward ads) as well. I should look into the Apple TV option but not sure I want to buy shows via iTunes, unless their prices are commensurate with hiring DVDs of course!
November 30, 2014
You know I’m a big fan of Netflix which at $9 a month is great valueIf your video stores don’t have much of a selection, you can also try your library, ours has some tv shows on DVD
November 30, 2014
Oh I hadn’t realised Netflix was so inexpensive. Does it make your internet usage very high?
November 30, 2014
We have an unlimited plan anyway given we are heavy users in general. You can learn more about Netflix here http://www.netflixaustralianow.com.au but you should also know they are launching in Australia in March so it might be worth the wait. You could also look into Quickflix.com.au which is an Australian streaming/DVD company and has a $14.95 a month streaming plan plus the option to also get DVDs and just stream the occasional rentals.
December 1, 2014
Ah yes, I’ve seen some of the stuff re Netflix’s arrival. Thanks for that!!!
December 1, 2014
I watch quite a lot of TV and have recently had Foxtel put on. I just set up the box to tape whatever I want and magically it’s all there when I want to watch it. But I get what you mean by the expense. It’s not cheap. And I’d be pretty pissed if the picture was a poor quality.
December 1, 2014
Yes Char, it’s one of the (many) things which annoys me about my exorbitant body corporate fees!
December 1, 2014
I get the sh!ts with watching new episodes of TV shows on TV – ad breaks, they run late from the damn reality shows, the station skips around when they play the new episodes (presumably to “make” you watch it every time it’s on in case it’s a new episode). So I wait until the DVD comes out and buy the season. Done, with no stress. Apart from the need to stay spoiler-free, which is why I now don’t talk about TV shows I watch online…
December 1, 2014
I stupidly ‘like’ a lot of TV shows on Facebook so get these updates often telling me what happened that night in the US. It kills me!!! I have this fave show ‘Person of Interest’ and months before the episode showed here I knew one of the major characters was killed off!
December 1, 2014
I, like you, enjoy the instant gratification of having the next episode available at your fingertips and NO ADS (or at least the ability to fast-forward them). We don’t have the bandwidth to download so I rely on Foxtel for my TV show fix – and the new Box Sets channel is a GODSEND. It’s going to save my sanity over the non-ratings period I bet!
December 1, 2014
Oh, a Box Sets channel?! That sounds like heaven!
December 1, 2014
Like you I hate adverts and would prefer to watch at my leisure without interruptions etc. I usually just watch ABC and the husband erm, um, erm, gets movies – but not from the DVD shop – nuff said! Thanks for linking and you are NOT an old grannie!!
December 1, 2014
I like to think not….
December 2, 2014
I watch TV mostly on Netflix but also have lots of shows on DVDs that I watch too. I love not having to watch commercials.
December 2, 2014
Netfix seems increasingly popular!