Leonardo DiCaprio portrayed Howard Hughes in the film, "The Aviator" in 2004. In the film, Howard got stuck repeating certain phrases as part of his severely eccentric nature. I still joke with my wife about his continual chanting of "It's the wave of the future, -it's the wave of the future, -its the wave of the future, -it's the wave of the future." Howard was chanting about the the future of aviation with the introduction of the commercial Seaplane airliner. Today, I am chanting about the future of movie rentals.
Growing up, we went to "Video Gold" to rent our movies. This was one of only two movie rental stores in Humboldt, Tn. (population - 8,500). With each rental, you were permitted to remove a key hanging on a nail underneath the movie that you were renting in hopes of unlocking a box of cash on the counter. Naturally, the key I took NEVER opened the box of cash. I would ask my parents if we could rent a movie at Video Gold just so we could have another attempt at liberating the boxed cash. -What a gimmick!
Today, I think that other gimmicks still persist when it comes to renting movies. The gimmick in existence now is: the rental store. That's right, I don't believe that you need a physical store to rent a movie any more. When you rent a movie, you shouldn't pay exorbitant rental fees in order to fund the excessive operating overhead that places like Blockbuster & Movie Gallery incur.
The reason is simple: media can be accessed from a broad spectrum of devices; internet, cable, etc. After all, it's only data, -data that could be transferred through any of those mediums. Unfortunately, movie production companies severely limit the end customer in terms of accessing movies. In other words, if I'm not willing to go to the theater or be limited by pay-per-view choices, I have only a couple of options for film-watching. My principles dictate that I won't shell out for a ticket at the theater unless I know it's going to be a flick I shouldn't miss. The result: I'm bound to renting movies frequently. I believe that movie renting should be easy - I should be able access it from the comfort of my home through an access medium of my choosing and pay a straightforward price. Too bad! It's not that easy. I'm required to venture out and go to a physical store to access media! Obviously, this is not a problem concerning my trips to get milk or bread. I realize that there isn't a magical "beam-me-up" machine that transports groceries to my home. (-Frankly, I'm happy such a machine doesn't exist, otherwise people would transport themselves that way and the world wouldn't need pilots anymore.)
Tragically, there has been a disproportionate increase in rental costs @ places like Blockbuster in recent years. During my college years (2000 - 2004), a new-release rental cost 2.99 and other movies cost 1.99. Presently, new release movies are running upwards of 6.00. What has caused a 100% increase in rental costs? Luckily, things are beginning to move in the right direction.
Notably, the creation of three entities: NetFlix, RedBox, & iTunes Movies are causing a paradigm shift on how we access movies. Here is a brief overview on how they are changing the rental industry:
1.) NetFlix allows you to rent movies for as long as you want for a set price. No late fees, and No going to the store. You simply create a queue of movies that you want to watch and they arrive in your mailbox.
2.) Redbox has also established an easy, flat fare way to rent movies. While you still have to leave the house, you can locate a nearby Redbox kiosk (found @ gas stations, walgreen's, wal mart, etc.) and select a movie for $1 a night, even it's a new release.
3.) Apple's iTunes Movies is forging new paths by offering 24 hr rentals for a set fee of 3.99 or 2.99 for new releases and older movies, respectively. iTunes will allow you to play a movie on your laptop or directly to your TV if you have Apple TV firmware. My hat is off to them for setting realistic and straightforward pricing.
You can easily see the pros of each of these, however what are the cons? While NetFlix allows you to access an extensive selection of movies, it takes time and planning before the movie is in your hand and there is an absence of spontaneity with movie selection. Redbox allows spontaneity for a good price, but the selection is limited to a choice few. Ultimately, iTunes Movies would be the best choice provided that they continue to digitize movie content and increase their selection. Imagine being able to watch any movie made in the past 80 years with the touch of a button!
I recommend that you consider your options next time you are planning on watching a movie. If you go to Blockbuster or the like, expect to pay 6.00 to walk in a store to rent a movie that they know will probably result in possible late fees or aptly-named "re-shelving fees" You might as well buy a ticket on RyanAir (a low-fare European airline) and be slapped with a 2 - 3 Euro charge for any thing extra, including getting a drink of water or using the lavatory. Otherwise, ride the wave of the future.
Good post! I lost all faith in Blockbuster when they made a big deal about removing late fees. It was everywhere - in commercials, on store windows, etc.. Then, they decided to quietly reverse their decision and re-implement the fees. Good one, Blockbuster. You're the one that's going bust.
ReplyDeleteI think Apple's pricing is $3.99 for new releases and $2.99 for library titles. Add a dollar to each if you want the movie in HD.
Surfs up! I'm riding the wave!
noted & revised!
ReplyDeleteI do not remember anything about unlocking a box of cash at Video Gold! That's really interesting! I guess when your "in the trenches" - so to speak - raising children - your mind is kind of mush and you forget alot! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteYou know a video rental store is full of gimmicks when it not only offers movie rentals, but also tanning.
ReplyDelete