Blockbuster Video's "No Late Fees" policy

Post by **mr. squarepants** » January 14th, 2005, 3:16 pm

Is Blockbuster Video's "No Late Fees" policy really as good as it seems? Let me tell you a story, and then you be the judge. Today, I was going to rent a copy of The Village, being the huge Shyamalan fan that I am. True, it hasn't had the greatest buzz, but many critics agree that the film is worth at least a rental. Therefore, I called Blockbuster Video to see if they had any copies of the film. As it turns out, they had several shelves' worth of copies- but they were all rented out. I then asked the woman when they would be getting a copy back in. Her reply? Something to the extent of, "Well, I don't know. Whenever they decide to bring them back." Add to that the fact there is only one other somewhat-major rental place in my town, as far as I know, and you will see that this supposedly great policy that Blockbuster now has, may not be all that it appears to be. So if you have all the time in the world allowing you to stand in front of Blockbuster when the store opens on Tuesday, then congratulations, you will likely get to rent the movie you want. If you have to work or go to school, then oh well. Maybe you'll get to rent the movie in a few weeks.

Post by **James** » January 14th, 2005, 6:42 pm

I actually think the new policy is worse for another reason. Read the fine print. If you don't bring the movie in by the due date, they give you a seven day extra grace period. After seven days they charge your account for the price of the movie and you now own it!

I switched to Netflix last year and could not be happier with it!

Post by **Ben** » January 15th, 2005, 10:14 am

The whole Blockbuster thing sounds stoopid.

How can they ever say when they'll have a movie in?

Mind you, and despite you being a "Sharlatan" fan, I think they did you a favor this time, Mr SP.

Catch it on TV for free in a few months.

Post by **Macaluso** » January 15th, 2005, 10:27 am

From what someone told me about that movie, I think you should be praising Blockbuster.

Post by **mr. squarepants** » January 15th, 2005, 3:25 pm

Oh... I should have figure this thread would turn into a Shymalan-bashing one.

I saw The Village and thought that it was brilliant. You see, here's the problems:

1) Disney marketed the film as a horror. Despite a few trick camera angles and sound effects, this movie is not scary AT ALL!!! Shame on Disney for the misleading advertisements. However, just because the film isn't scary, does not mean that it is not good either.

2) The "disappointing" ending...

I have never seen a film with as much of a "love it or hate it" response as The Village. But I want to ask you guys something: have you seen it, or are you simply going by what your friends told you about it? If the latter is your answer, then please don't bash the film. Keep in mind that beauty and brilliance are in the eye of the beholder. Maybe I am crazy. Maybe The Village is a piece of trash. Or maybe I am brilliant.

It's just in the eye of the beholder...

GeorgeC · Post by **GeorgeC** » January 15th, 2005, 8:28 pm

It's a dumb policy, but since when have Blockbuster management EVER done anything that's GOOD for movie fans whose tastes aren't completely mainstream?!?!?

I've rarely rented from Blockbuster because they just don't cater to my tastes. Except for an occasional Hollywood film -- I go more towards classics and films with GOOD acting --, I generally buy classic American animation (anything made by Disney Feature Animation or before 1960) or anime on DVD. I just don't have any use for the Ben Afflecks, Julia Roberts, George Clooneys, and Jean Claude Van-Dammes of this world. It's Joe Six-Pack that Blockbuster is catering to, and they're paying a price for it now!

Good-riddance to bad rubbish, I say!

(I really, really miss the Tower Records I rented videos from while I lived in Chicago. Now that was the best videostore I ever rented from!)

Post by **mr. squarepants** » January 15th, 2005, 10:43 pm

Movie Gallery is a good rental store. I rented The Village there, and get to keep it for five days. That's fantastic, considering that 1) The Village is a very new release; and 2) since it has a certain due date, another viewer will get to see the film at a scheduled, specific date, instead of waiting "whenever" to see it.

Post by **Ben** » January 16th, 2005, 5:07 pm

Of course, it was the way Disney marketed it that was wrong!

M Night didn't have a single word in how they put it out, did he? He didn't come up with the whole "Buried Secret" idea and appear and promote The Village with that, did he?

He didn't suggest the poster image (apparently taken by him personally) and go with the whole "mysterious secret" approach (like his last few films), did he?

In short, he didn't simply make a bad film that didn't deliver, did he?

Best things he ever did: co-write Stuart Little and the whole first 100 minutes of Unbreakable.

Post by **mr. squarepants** » January 16th, 2005, 10:27 pm

Okay, whoever did the marketing for The Village did a bad job. The film wasn't scary at all. That's my point.

Worst things Shyamalan ever did: The Sixth Sense and Signs. The nerve of that guy, making an Oscar-nominated movie that made a fortune.

Post by **AniMan** » January 24th, 2005, 12:24 pm

I've been using Netflix now for almost a year and let me tell you, I swear by them! I don't have a complaint in the world about them, they are definitely the way to go for the movie lover. And there is not catch: there really is no due date or late fee (no fine print!)