Blockbuster tells Hollywood studios it's preparing for mid-September bankruptcy

Los Angeles Times ^ | August 26, 2010 | Ben Fritz

[july4thfreedomfoundation]

At my local library’s semi-annual book sale last winter, they were selling videos of Hollywood movies for just 10 cents.

Other libraries in other towns here in Maine always offer a good selection of top movies and TV shows on both video and DVD, charging roughly 50 cents - $1.00 for a video and $1.00 to $2.00 for a DVD.

I found the entire second season of “24” on DVDs for about $1.00 at a Church Fair’s annual outdoor rummage sale in July. In the original slipcase and all.

Yard sales also yield some top run movies on video and DVD for bargain prices. So, who needs to pay Blockbuster $3.99 to rent a movie?

The only drawback....to find the most recent releases, such as “Avatar” or the “Star Trek” movie that was in theaters a year ago....you might have to wait a bit before they turn up at a sale.

[mazda77]

Good info but for those of us who are constantly on the “go” button, it is easier to buy it online and when I get home sometimes weeks later, voila! Popcorn and recliner.

[shorty_harris]

My wife has rented from Blockbuster for years. She really likes going into the store now and then to browse, mostly foreign and independent films.

I just signed up for Netflix. I only want old classics (just got Road to Morocco), and old tv shows (next up, F Troop!). The instant streaming is pretty slick too.

[dangerdoc]

That’s what happens when you build your business model on Hollywood product.

[SVTCobra03]

“I haven’t been excited about seeing any movie made in the last ten years”

Lord of the Rings
Master and Commander
Gran Torino
Open Range
Black Hawk Down
Team America: World Police
300
We Were Soldiers
Terminator Salvation
The Patriot
The Book of Eli

[dfwgator]

Stick a fork in ‘em.

[dangerdoc]

“Redbox and even Netflix by mail will eventually fall to digital delivery.”

I hope not. I live in the sticks without good highspeed internet and I do not want satellite. Even if I did have good access to digital delivery, they look inferior do to compression artifacts.

I prefer watching directly from DVD or BD disc.

[bill1952]

GR8 list!

That said, I never attend a theater but I do buy the DVDs -largely from Ebay :)

[ksen]

Good riddance to ‘em.

When we used to rent movies from BB it was always 50/50 whether the DVD was all scratched up and defective or would run properly.

[Global2010]

The Book of Eli is ringing a I really liked that movie bell for some reason.

Cable has all the movies Blockbuster puts out as new release.

Our local BlockB closed down and re-opened in a smaller store space across town.

I know some folks enjoy the act of going into a video store oops DVD store.

Us not so much, not that what we like matters.

Lifestyle has allot to do with it.

I can remember in my youth enjoying perusing through the library.

Life changes though.

I thought it was important to have a blackberry/cell phone. LOL Rarely used the dang thing. Terminated the service.

I enjoy a good movie now and then (esp. when it is storming out) but I am not one to sit still for long periods of time, unless I am sleeping and even then I wiggle.

Some sleep test Doc said they have a pill for people like me who wiggle allot/restless disorder.

LOL I have been fidgety all my life and it doesn’t bother me Doc and you don’t sleep in my bed so why would I need a pill?

/ramble

[SVTCobra03]

” I have been fidgety all my life and it does’t bother me Doc and you don’t sleep in my bed so why would I need a pill?”

You might want to be tested for ADD. I was diagnosed with ADD this year at age 62. Apparently I had it all my life and didn't know it. In elementary school, back when dinosaurs ruled the world, I was having trouble concentrating and my mother had my IQ tested. It was 131, so they thought I was just lazy. They didn't know what ADD was back then. I have been taking Adderall and it has changed my life. I can focus on projects and have no more issues with anxiety or depression.

[Global2010]

I figured as much.

My lifes work/passion has benifitted from my hyper/figitidy self so no desire to change that.

And being post meno (or going to be soon enough) has also had a remarkable effect (hormones depleated to a point).

Got glasses for the first time and that really slowed me down as there is so much too see. LOL

Life is good, don’t want to change what makes me like me.

But glad you found something to enhance your life.

I don’t have a thyroid gland so must take a daily hormone pill for that and it is so touchy I (and family doc agrees) don’t take any drug that is not a have to/have to.

If I get down or mentally confused it is a tell tell symptom that my thyroid med. needs adjusting or I am coming down with a bug so need to take precations, same with hyper anxiety thyroid is off.

[wideminded]

According to wikipedia: “As of April, 2007, kiosks had averaged 49.1 rentals per day and $37,457 a year in revenue.”

Since Redbox costs $1 per DVD per day and 49.1 x 365 = $17921.50, the "rentals" must be for multiple disks. Hard to believe that 49 people come to every machine every day.

[Born Conservative]

Some Sheetz stores have Blockbuster instant rental kiosks. Too little, too late.

[Moonman62]

The concept of getting in the car and going somewhere to rent a tape/disc and having to return it later or face a stiff fine should seem insane to everyone.

When the fines became Blockbuster's major source of earnings, their downfall began. That's what gave Netflix the idea for their business plan. Customers would pay a flat fee and keep their rental as long as they wanted. Thus, there were no fines.

[Toddsterpatriot]

Since Redbox costs $1 per DVD per day and 49.1 x 365 = $17921.50, the "rentals" must be for multiple disks.

If you don't return the disk on time, you get charged for a second day.....

[bolobaby]

I usually have to wait in line at the machine I rent from.