Videomatica is closing!

Mon, 2011-05-09 01:53

Ripple

Doesn't compare, in my opinion, CMOT.

They must be selling off their stock, I guess? I'd like to pick up Battle of Algiers, for one.

Mon, 2011-05-09 02:32

Freedom 55

That's a shame. I remember browsing that place for hours, in jealous awe of Vancouverites, on my first visit to the city.

Perhaps not all is lost:

Quote:
Mr. Bosworth hopes to keep the collection intact and publicly accessible. He’s been talking to philanthropist Yosef Wosk about it.

“It’s a formidable collection, a record of film history,” said film critic and Vancity Theatre programmer Tom Charity. “People have the perhaps naive assumption that everything’s available online, and it’s just not true.”

[url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/end-of-an-... of an era with closing of Videomatica[/url]

Mon, 2011-05-09 11:46

#4

Catchfire

I'm in your boat, CMOT--I just got here too, and already...

Like the book store, the video rental joint is going through a nasty cull period. No bother, though. Netflix has the entire Fast and Furious franchise for rent anytime I want it.

Tue, 2011-05-10 16:26

#5

CMOT Dibbler

Well, since I'm not looking for lesbian porn from the 1920s, or a little known nature documentary by Frederico Fellini, I think black dog will suit my purposes quite nicely.

Hey Catch! where are you living in the greater Vancouver regional District?

Wed, 2011-05-11 11:47

#6

Catchfire

I live in Fraser-Kingsway area, near, I think, a few other babblers as well. I credit Don Davies' healthy re-election to my moving to his neighbourhood.

Fri, 2011-05-13 19:16

#7

CMOT Dibbler

I was going to send this via private message, but babble Will not let me. So…

Hey Catchfire! Do you think we could go for coffee at some point? We could sit and discuss the decline of civilization as we know it, As well as other interesting subjects, such as your pets, and your quest to purchase flea free furniture. No pressure though. I've got time.
I live in False Creek.

Fri, 2011-05-13 19:53

#8

Catchfire

Coffee would be grand, CMOT. I've sent you a PM.

Tue, 2011-05-17 15:08

#9

Catchfire

Is Netflix killing the video store? ... And are you helping them?

Quote:
This takes me to the actual physical realm. Few things are more communal than a visit to your local neighbourhood video hut. I talked to Toronto's 7/24 Video Ryan Bureyko about it.

"We're a gathering place. Relationships have been made and destroyed here. [laughs] Couples meet over a movie and they come back five years later and they're still together. If there's a freak rainstorm people come in and look around. They're not going to do that at Tim Horton's."

Physically visiting the video shop also gives you the opportunity to converse with the staff. No algorithm that says "If you like that, then you'll love this" can match a well versed video store clerk, and I know what of I speak. I worked that gig through university and all you do is watch, talk, eat and dream movies. I would put a video store clerk up against a computer any day of the week, Jeopardy be damned.

Wed, 2011-05-18 00:32

#10

melovesproles

For me it was the late fees. I continued to rent movies long after most of my friends started torrenting everything but eventually it wasn't so much the money, it was feeling like such a meathead having fines constantly turn up on my account A good video store is great though. When I was in Van I really liked the little one just a block down from Broadway station, I can't remember the name, they had an aisle where everything was arranged by director.

Wed, 2011-05-18 00:41

#11

milo204

for me i look at the late fees as supporting my local video store. And at most independent stores it's pretty cheap.

That netflix article was really good, it's like record stores: they are a vital part of the community and i think we're worse off without them. The problem is when the only place to get films is from some big cable giant or internet company, you're just gonna get whatever a huge corporation deems worthy, which is gonna leave most things outside the mainstream out of reach for people.

And films will be made and funded only if there's achance it can get on netflix or some other company and the films will suffer.

Wed, 2011-05-18 14:22

#12

Catchfire

While independent record stores are enjoying a resurgence, I don't see the same thing happening to video stores. The saving grace for record stores were vinyl LPs: they offered a sound digital couldn't offer, and they provide the same tactile pleasure a book does; I don't see the equivalent for video stores. Of course the primary service indpendent book, record and video stores offer that can't be matched is the curatorship. Unfortunately, however, this service often isn't enough to keep a store alive--the appeal of "convenience" and "choice" (both highly constructed and contestable terms) proves too strong.

Wed, 2011-05-18 14:40

#13

Caissa

I buy most of my music and books in physical stores. For me the greatest charm is "finding" new things to listen to or read.

Fri, 2011-05-20 15:10

#14

Sky Captain Sky Captain's picture

Catchfire wrote:

While independent record stores are enjoying a resurgence, I don't see the same thing happening to video stores. The saving grace for record stores were vinyl LPs: they offered a sound digital couldn't offer, and they provide the same tactile pleasure a book does; I don't see the equivalent for video stores. Of course the primary service indpendent book, record and video stores offer that can't be matched is the curatorship. Unfortunately, however, this service often isn't enough to keep a store alive--the appeal of "convenience" and "choice" (both highly constructed and contestable terms) proves too strong.

The only 'tactile' thing about LP's will be the sensation of you throwing them out after you've played them too much-the very reason the medium fell out of favor in the late 80's/early 90's, and the very same reason they will die off again. Honestly, I don't see classical music buffs getting rid of their CD's for vinyl LP's, since its the only way to hear classical music without pops and hisses. I would think that not hearing pops and hises would be the best thing for somebody who likes to listen to music; I know that it is for me. I would also think that being able to see movies/documantaries/TV shows/weddings/birthday parties/what have you in clear resolution with perfect sound would be the best reason to still have DVD and to buy them (tapes don't offer that, with the expception of S-VHS amd D-VHS, neither of which caught on with the public.)

As for the subject of the place at hand-the owners need to figure out how to stay in business. That's all there is to it. Queen Video and Suspect Video in Toronto are still in business, mostly because they have a good head for it; this store in Vancouver needs to figure out how to do that.

Sat, 2011-05-21 12:47

#15

CMOT Dibbler

Videomatica is closing because the stores' rent is too high, not because the owners are stupid. Give them a little credit please.

Sat, 2011-05-21 13:22

#16

Catchfire

No kidding. The fact that you think Classical music fans will "keep their CDs" show how little you understand the digital challenges facing music store owners. As if there is a "smart" way to deal with tripling your rent. Ask Pages in Toronto how they dealt with that challenge. Perhaps they also didn't have a "good head" for business after 30 years of it.

Mon, 2011-10-24 17:19

#17

Catchfire

Good news!

Videomatica to move into Zulu Records

Quote:
Believe it or not, there is life after Netflix.

As DVD rental stores across the city shuttered this past summer, the announcement of the forthcoming closure of Videomatica was one that particularly affected the local cinephile community. On May 5, Videomatica owner Graham X Peatannounced that he would be closing his 28-year-old Kitsilano video rental store.

But that's not the end of the story.

Efforts are currently being made to raise funds to save the rental collection and have a university acquire it for posterity.

What's more is that Peat has announced plans for Videomatica Sales to stay open—in a new location.

Yes, true believers, Videomatica co-owner Graham X Peat will be moving Videomatica Sales across the street to fellow indie store Zulu Records (1976 West 4th Avenue).

Peat told the Straight by phone that there's still demand for Blu-ray and DVD sales. Because they weren't able to open up at a new location on their own, they regard this option, moving their store within the Zulu store, as a "good compromise".

Mon, 2011-10-24 18:03

#18

6079_Smith_W

How is your library stocked for DVDs?

I never did much vid borrowing when I lived in Vancouver, but here in Saskatoon the public library's collection is fabulous.

That and Turning the Tide Bookstore covers all the bases for me.

And Fraser and Kingsway? That's not two blocks from our old house.

(edit)

And vinyl.... not only did it never really go away, Go into any record store around here and it is the only thing not on life support, CD being a shitty, fragile and soon-to-be-obsolete medium.

Fri, 2011-10-28 17:47

#19

milo204

i agree that vinyl is a great medium for listening to music. First, most records don't have much in the way of pops and hissing unless you treat them like crap. Second, the wear on a record only affects the spot that's damaged, whereas cd's or digital when it's toast, the whole thing is toast for the most part. skipping, freezing, corrupt files, etc.

not to mention, you don't have to lose your entire music collection because your computer gets damaged or your hard drive fails.

then there's the joy of vinyl being a larger format. the art is bigger and more interesting.

downsides: moving. It took me seven car trips to move my collection last time. records weigh a ton.