Today, streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Disney Plus dominate home cinema. It wasn’t always like this, and the much better alternative was video rental stores, as MeinMMO author Christoph Waldboth points out.
I will never forget the smell in my favorite video rental store. Somewhat musty. It was accompanied by warm, dry air and quiet voices in the background. I fondly remember how I used to visit the video store near my parents’ house after school and take my time choosing a movie. It had a meditative quality and brought me great joy.
Today, those days are long gone. Video rental stores are now a rare occurrence, and most of us stream movies and series comfortably from home. Services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney Plus and similar options seem to make it easy for us to decide what plays on the screen right from the sofa.
While that may seem convenient, I still believe that something is missing in this way of watching movies. Video rental stores had a significant advantage that is hard to find in the digital age.
A famous director worked in a video store before his career: Quentin Tarantino:
Every film was a conscious decision
In a video store, I made a conscious choice for a movie. I patiently strolled through the aisles, was lured by the covers of the VHS and DVD cases, read titles and descriptions, and then made a choice.
Afterward, I carried the movie home, where it waited for its moment to be watched. Until that moment arrived, my anticipation grew, and my expectations increased.
And here I see a big difference compared to Netflix: With streaming services, I often find myself opening the page just before the deadline, scrolling aimlessly through the offerings, and after half an hour, frustrated – the evening is already progressing – deciding on something that ultimately appeals to me the LEAST.
Rarely does my choice fall on a film I truly wanted to see and that genuinely interests me. Anticipation cannot build because I immediately press the start button after the decision.
What is also missing in streaming: recommendations from knowledgeable staff that were often found in video rental stores. Sure, the Netflix algorithm BELIEVES it knows what I like, but most of the time I sit there shaking my head as I go through the recommendations.
All of this may seem unimportant to some of you, but as a big film lover, I love to make the movie experience a ritual. Including conscious selection, anticipation, screening, returning the film to the video store, and subsequent exchange of opinions.
There is a good alternative
Since I don’t want to end on this sour note, I have an alternative to video rental stores that you all know: libraries. Since they emerged thousands of years ago, they have developed significantly and today often house not only books but also other media such as films.
I can only advise you to visit a library with a well-stocked film collection. The experience that a video rental store provides can surprisingly be recreated well there. The selection is often broader and includes older titles that are not available on streaming services.
Moreover, libraries are often significantly cheaper, even compared to streaming services. In my case, I paid around 30 euros annually for membership in a German-speaking city. That is roughly equivalent to two months of Netflix in the standard subscription without ads (13.99 €).
To be honest: Sitting on the sofa is comfortable, but for a more rounded film experience, I am happy to take the trip to the library. But now I would like to hear your opinion. Have you experienced video rental stores and miss this way of choosing films? Feel free to write it in the comments. In any case, more and more people are streaming, which leads to lists like this: The 10 most-watched films of all time on Netflix in ranking
