Hey! My Blockbuster is carrying WS titles! (1 Viewer)

[Dave Poehlman]

I wandered in there the other day an noticed the more recent releases were available in WS as well as FS. It looks like they just started doing this a few months ago as only the most recent releases were like this.

So, for those of you that have been boycotting.. you might want to take a peek to see if your local Blockbuster is doing the same.

Good luck.

 

[Nick Graham]

Mine still is jacked......action/genre films tend usually to be widescreen, while blockbusters, comedies and lighter fare (Analyze That, Catch Me If You Can) are all fool screen.

Plus, they tried to charge me an extra rental for not turning in a DVD by noon (I turned it in at 4). I told them to forget it and informed them I was headed to the Hollywood 4 blocks down the street. Some admitted Viacom shill was here at HTF about a year ago extolling the virtues of Blockbuster and saying the noon thing was because customers wanted it instead of the former "due by midnight" policy. Hope he isn't still lurking around here.

I do about 99% of my rentals at Hollywood (who are ALWAYS OAR, no matter if it is a 'family' title or not), Hollywood also has a solid catalog section, and has it broken up into genres, as opposed to our Blockbuster, which has action, drama, family, and comedy as the only four sections of the store...never knew The Exorcist and slasher films qualified as "action" movies.

I decided to give Blockbuster another chance, as they had the new Jack Ryan re-releases while Hollywood did not...big mistake.

 

[Jimmy M]

Nick,

So what you're saying is that you didn't like being charged a late fee when you returned a movie late?

Jimmy!

 

[Lars_J]

All the blockbusters in my area seem to be stocking WS as much as possible - except for certain titles. (and they are in the minority, IMO)

 

[Jonny K]

Wow, I feel all warm and fuzzy. Most the movies at the Blockbusters I've been to here in Canada are all widescreen, with some copies in both full and wide. At least, all the movies I've looked at were wide.


Jonny K.

 

[Nick Graham]

Jimmy, had I returned it say the day after it was due back, I would gladly pay a late fee...I do that with Hollywood more than I would like to admit. However, asking me to pay four bucks when I returned it by 4:00 in the afternoon on the day it was due back is a little nuts to me.

 

[Shane Bos]

I stopped renting movies all together becasue of late charges. It really is cheaper for me to just buy it than rent it.

 

[Brian Kidd]

Yeah, I quit largely because of the Noon late fees as well. It wasn't done because people asked for it. It was done because telling folks that a film is a week rental and then having it due at noon on the eighth day leads to confusion and late fees. Also, most people are at work before noon. How many people are disciplined enough to get out of the house earlier to drive to the video store. I know I'm not. During the last MAR push, I just gave up and haven't been back since. The company isn't doing well. I hope they crash and burn.

 

[JohnAP]

That's great that they started doing that, but they still have higher prices and less selection than some of the other stores near me so I don't think I'll be converting any time soon.

 

[Eric Peterson]

I still have far too many issues with this company to let a few widescreen DVDs change my mind.

• Late Fees have always been a scam at BB
• Refusal to carry unrated & NC-17
• Severe lack of catalog & smaller films
• Business method of driving out small places & then jacking up prices.
• Prices in general have always been high in comparison.
• Business practices of trying to make special deals with the studios and refusing to carry certain films when the studios don't play along.
• BB caters primarily to the ignorant & in genral refuses to educate the consumer
• etc..etc..etc..etc...

The day that this chain goes bankrupt & disappears from the planet will truly be a day to celebrate.

 

[Raj_Thiara]

The Blockbuster in my area also has increased the number of widescreen DVDs. It used to be that many movies were available only in P&S, but now there appear to be both WS and P&S when both are available.

 

[Jonathan Dagmar]

Well Eric, Blockbuster is the Wal-Mart of video rentals. Not much you can do about that.

I refuse to shop at wal-mart, because as far as I am concerned they are an evil organization.

However, Blockbuster is the only store in town where I live. The only other store is owned by an absolute asshole who will never get my business. At least my local blockbuster has friendly staff and management. They are also one of the sotre that is carrying a good number of widescree DVDs, finally, but this isa recent development.

 

[Jason Kleeberg]

Are you kidding me, all of the releases at my Blockbuster are Fool screen (if given a choice). I went in there during their last PVD sale and there was nothing but Fool screen...I turned around and left.

Oh well, nothing beats NETFLIX!!!

 

[Dan Rudolph]

My local Blockbusters have a lot of full screen, btu seem to have wide for things that came out in the last few months.

 

[Martin G]

I don't think there is anything wrong with the due by noon policy. It actually gives you an extra half a day to return it.

I guess I am lucky because my local blockbuster has a great selection of foreign films and anime, many of which are unrated. They even have a large collection of criterion films for rent.

Now that they also carry WS titles on everything and not just action films it is worth it for me to rent there. I also remember how terrible the selection used to be at the old rental store in town. I don't miss it one bit.

 

[Greg*go]

With late fees mounting, I'm slowly running out of BB's I can go to. I already owe $8 at the 2 closest BB's. Fortunately they aren't linked together to see if I owe money elsewehre around my way.

I haven't been to any BBs in a while since they seemed to be on a crazy FS binge. Maybe they sobered up though, so I'll check it out. Thanks Dave.

 

[Steven Sims]

Actually, BB announced that they were going to start carrying widescreen about a month ago. The ones near me still don't though. They aren't corporate stores.

 

[Dave Poehlman]

This thread has hit a nerve with a few, and is turning into another Blockbuster bashing thread. Well, I don't have the luxury of having a Hollywood near me.. in fact..I have 2 Blockbusters. So, if I'm going to rent something, it's either from the grocery store (which I'm not sure they even rent movies anymore) or from Blockbuster.

And I agree with the buy rather than rent theory.. I'm usually bad about returning DVDs so I usually wind up paying a few bucks shy of actually owning the DVD anyway. It's partly their fault.. I'll rent a few movies and they're all due back on different days! Some in 2 days, some 5, some a week... I can't keep track!

But, I'm still glad to see at least some widescreen.

 

[Tony Whalen]

I always love to see people complain about the audacity of being charged late fees when they return a movie late. You knew when it was due back when you rented it. Yeesh. (Sorry... this is a peeve of mine. No, I don't work for a video store, nor have I ever... it's just that this line of reasoning has always bugged the hell outta me.)

With late fees mounting, I'm slowly running out of BB's I can go to. I already owe $8 at the 2 closest BB's. Fortunately they aren't linked together to see if I owe money elsewehre around my way.

Greg, be careful. Ignoring my thoughts on late-fees, BB's (at least in MY area) tend to be pretty anal. While they may not be connected, they WILL cancel your membership, and depending on the manager, may or may not send any late fees to an actual collection agent. I've seen it happen. Buddy of mine had 12 bucks sent to an agent. Unbelievable, but true. (Another reason I don't go to local BB's.)

 

[Scott Strang]

Forgiveness I believe not in.


Boycott forever shall be.