B u s t B l o c k b u s t e r!
Been to the video store lately? Remember back in the day, say around 10 years ago, when you went to "Sun Video" or "Mega Video"? Well, those days don't exist anymore, due to a corporate devil known as Blockbuster Video.
Around five or so years ago, Blockbuster moved into the Southern California area and pretty much bankrupted every independent video store in the area. In my neighborhood, four different video stores went out of business when Blockbuster came into town. This conglomerate, preaching its gospel of late hours and unlimited new releases, hit home with the lazy, apathetic American consumer. As a result, Blockbuster is essentially the only video store left.
Before you die-hard capitalists defend this company, let me inform you of their fucked up policy regarding other video stores. When they "expand" into a new area, they give the local Mom & Pop stores three choices. a. They can move somewhere else b. They can operate under the name "Blockbuster" c. They can compete with Blockbuster and go out of business This is wrong. I know a moral argument against Blockbuster probably won't stop you from supporting them - so I will inform you how supporting Bllockbuster hurts you.
Firstly, their prices are ridiculous. I'm sorry, but 4 dollars for a movie is bullshit. This is robbery. Oh yeah, don't forget they raised the prices of old movies (sugar coated as "Blockbuster Favorites) from 2 dollars to 3 dollars. Do we see a parallel with Blockbuster and the Standard Oil Company, both raising prices after cornering the market?
Second, Blockbuster censors whatever they have so they don't antagonize their holier than thou, moralistic consumer base. I rented the Harvey Keitel film "Bad Lieutenant" which was rated NC-17. The right-wing knights in Blockbuster only carried the R version, packaged as NC-17. Thanks to their censorship, the movie was cut in half - it basically consisted of various clips of Harvey Keitel doing drugs - the plot was totally gone. If you really want some Southern baptist to dictate what and what not to watch, then patronize Blockbuster.
Third, their movie selection is terrible. Who really wants 100 copies of the new Steven Segal movie anyway? They don't have old kung fu flicks or anything remotely non-mainstream. They are pathetic. They didn't even have "The Usual Suspects." Bankrupting local businesses and raising the prices of pre-censored movies. That is Blockbuster in a nutshell. Now I will inform you how to punish this irresponsible corporation.
1. Take your business somewhere else. Go to the local Mom & Pop and get your movie before 9 PM if you have to. Remember, if that local store goes out of business, you'll be paying 3 bucks for an old movie.
B. If Mom & Pop is gone already, take advantage of Blockbuster and get free rentals. Rent only old movies, and then complain about them on return. Their policy is to give you a free rental. Sure, they'll give you dirty look after the 10th time, but don't be intimidated! I've had 13 rentals on the same 3 dollars, and I"ll keep going! I've even got free rentals on new releases! They can't revoke your membership! Don't be afraid. I've used every excuse from "the tracking was bad" to "the sound was terrible" to "the popcorn was burnt". Fuck them!!! They are corporate pigs! They only want your money anyway! KILL BLOCKBUSTER UNTIL THEY ARE DEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!