Why Hollywood Video isn't that bad

[Evil Matt]

I understand that large chain video rental stores suck, and they're killing the market for the mom and pop places where you could rent bootleg copies of "Heavy Metal" or actually find a copy of "Evil Dead", but I was at a Hollywood Video this evening, and they seemed a lot more B-movie friendly than Blockbuster.  It seems like Blockbuster is determined to get rid of anything over five years old on their shelves, but Hollywood still had a ton of movies that I'd consider renting for a buck.  Hell, they even had "Flash Gordon" and "They Live" on DVD.  And back in a small, dark corner of the Horror videotape section, I came upon a dusty copy of "Stanley", which I consider to be the godawfulest movie ever (not counting that one with Sarah Michelle Gellar as the cook with a magic crab..."Simply Irresistable" I think it was called).  Anyway, I can't get down on a place that would let me rent a movie about a Vietnam veteran who lives in the Everglades with his best friend (and pet rattlesnake) who decides to go on a snake-filled killing spree (for what I'm pretty sure was no reason whatsoever...most good killing sprees are spur-of-the-moment type things).  As it is, I rented "Sleepy Hollow" for my kids, "A Mighty Wind" for the wife and I to enjoy, and "They Live" for Saturday morning when everyone but me is too busy to be bothered to sit around and watch television.  And since I can't think of any other way to end this post...God bless America.

[Fearless Freep]

I've rented a lot of stuff from Hollywood Video.  One of them near me had a very large sci-fi section and also horror.  Even when they started pushing the DVD's they just tightened up the shelves rather than dump the old stuff, like Blockbuster did

[Brother Ragnarok]

When the first Hollywood Video opened up near me, they started mailing out coupons that got you three movies per coupon, new or old, for $.99 per movie.  And, as previously stated, even for a relatively small movie shop they had a slayeriffic selection.

Brother R

[Will]

When I was in college, I worked at Hollywood Video for a couple of years.....they had a cult section (even had titles like Troma's Preacherman, the widescreen VHS of Maniac, Assault of the Killer Bimbos, and they carried all of Fangoria's movies, like I, Zombie)

definitely the best product selection of any of the chains. Still, I had to wear a stupid uniform and got promoted to manager without getting a raise. So I stole all the goddamn Mike and Ike's, by golly.  That showed 'em.

[Scott]

Hollywood video is the greatest for rentals. I've been renting from them for about 2 years now and rarely go to Blockbuster which is alot closer. All those Westerns that I rent I get them from Hollywood Video. I still have about 15 films to rent from them.

[Mofo Rising]

I used to work for Hollywood Video.  Fine enough video store, dumb ass managers.  Don't get me started on the Area Managers.

Anyway, they did have an alright selection.  Yes, they even had HAMBURGER. . . THE MOTION PICTURE.

They did have a fairly good selection of weird movies.  I don't think they chose it that way, they just got a shipment of movies to start up their store, be damned what they were!  For instance, and this is the scariest video in the store, we had a video called VIDEO DATE.  What it was, was this video where you went on a "date" with some woman.  You took her out to a dinner and whatnot.  The camera was "you" and you actually had a "date" with this woman.  She would say something at the dinner and the narrator would say "Now's your chance.  Go get her, tiger!"  It is seriously one of the funniest, creepiest things I've ever seen.  I've always wished I could find a copy.

Another instance, some woman was in with her kid's slumber party or something.  She let them run wild and pick whatever video they wanted.  Of course, they came to the counter with MEET THE FEEBLES.  I had to tell the lady that her kids had picked what may have been the most depraved video in the store.  Sorry kids, I had to put a stop to it.  On my behalf, I did once stop some thirteen year old kid from renting our copy of DEAD ALIVE because it was the R-rated version and, therefore, sucked.

I don't go in Hollywood Video anymore because, after I quit, the new manager had a problem with me continuing to check out free movies to my account and had me officially trespassed from the store.  No big deal, but they do have the only copy of PHANTASM II in my immediate area.

[ErikJ]

Our Hollywood video carries all 3 season of Starblazers. Both on DVD and video. How cool is that?
Matter of fact our HV forced Blockbuster out of the city. The only other one we have is Movie Gallery (formally Box Office Video) and they have a very very wide slection of videos as well. First place I ever saw Komodo on the shelf. Great FX in an otherwise forgetable film.

[mr. henry]

something that bothered me while i was having a blast buying old VHS tapes at schlockbuster and hollow-wood video for a buck each wast that i knew almost none of these flicks were ever going to be replaced on dvd. and that was one of the best things about going to a video store, finding the old faded box that you've never heard of.

bad thing is that hollow-wood and schockbuster still carry edited versions of movies. even of versions that appeared in the theaters.

guess they're watching out for america.

[Scott]

Hollywood Video seems to have stocked it's shelves with some really old VHS from as far back as the early 80's. They must have bought whole collections from the dying independent owners of the last 10-15 years or bought them from someone else who stock piled old VHS tapes in the same way. Resulting in some hard to find films at Hollywood Video