# Blockbuster online total access **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 6, 2006, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blockbuster-online-total-access/383000 "2006-12-06T00:12:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Keweenaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Keweenaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keweenaw)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blockbuster-online-total-access/383000/1 "2006-12-06T00:12:48Z")
I’m a long term Netflix user. I love getting movies in the mail, and I hated the Blockbuster Late fees. I guess they call them restocking fees now. I haven’t rented a movie there in a long time, but I do rent and return some gamecube games for the kids. The last time I was there while waiting for kids to pick out a new game, I read about the blockbuster service that they made to compete with netflix. $17.99 three movies out mail em back. Same as netflix, although their selection dosen’t seem as deep. In addition to that though is the ability to bring them back to the store instead of mailing. This is supposed to check in the movie instantly so the next one can be sent right away in the mail. Plus you can pick out a free in-store rental immediately for each “mailed movie” you return to the physical store. This seems way too good to be true. It seems would be cutting way into the actual cash input to the physical store. Anyone use this? ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blockbuster-online-total-access/383000/2 "2006-12-06T00:40:45Z")
I do. The Blockbuster store is only 6 blocks away, so even with Netflix, I was spending money each month on the ‘have to have it now’ movies and new releases. Also, for some reason, Netflix was taking 4 days on average. With kids, I don’t miss out on the kinds of movies netflix has that BB doesn’t. And I really like using the coupons. They also send out coupons for other stuff too, my wife buys used dvds often. She has a DVD collection that she keeps under her dust collection. Can you really return them at the store? I didn’t know that. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blockbuster-online-total-access/383000/3 "2006-12-06T02:39:16Z")
[QUOTE=Keweenaw] I’m a long term Netflix user. I love getting movies in the mail, and I hated the Blockbuster Late fees. I guess they call them restocking fees now. I haven’t rented a movie there in a long time, but I do rent and return some gamecube games for the kids. The last time I was there while waiting for kids to pick out a new game, I read about the blockbuster service that they made to compete with netflix. $17.99 three movies out mail em back. Same as netflix, although their selection dosen’t seem as deep. In addition to that though is the ability to bring them back to the store instead of mailing. This is supposed to check in the movie instantly so the next one can be sent right away in the mail. Plus you can pick out a free in-store rental immediately for each “mailed movie” you return to the physical store. This seems way too good to be true. It seems would be cutting way into the actual cash input to the physical store. Anyone use this? [/QUOTE] I’m doing it and we love it. We can do six movies in a week during the winter (and have for the last two weeks). I hate Blockbuster as a rule, because of the edited movies thing, but this system rocks. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blockbuster-online-total-access/383000/4 "2006-12-06T04:15:26Z")
[QUOTE=Kalhoun] I hate Blockbuster as a rule, because of the edited movies thing, but this system rocks. [/QUOTE] Edited movies thing? What, are they censoring movies now? Is it like CD’s where you have a choice between the uncensored and “radio edit” versions? ---
**Author:** ![kung\_fu\_lola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f4b2a3/32.png) [@kung\_fu\_lola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kung_fu_lola)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blockbuster-online-total-access/383000/5 "2006-12-06T05:04:08Z")
[QUOTE=Keweenaw] This seems way too good to be true. It seems would be cutting way into the actual cash input to the physical store. [/QUOTE] I don’t think this is a problem with Corporate-owned stores; doesn’t the money end up all in the same pool? ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blockbuster-online-total-access/383000/6 "2006-12-06T12:44:02Z")
[QUOTE=Rigamarole] Edited movies thing? What, are they censoring movies now? Is it like CD’s where you have a choice between the uncensored and “radio edit” versions? [/QUOTE] I’ll have to look for it, but yes…there’s some family-friendly-righteous group that is taking out “objectional” material so they can say they saw Pulp Fiction without actually seeing the pulp. I hope I remembered correctly that Blockbuster offers these movies. I think they have to tell you somewhere that it’s been altered, but it’s not what you’d call “readily apparent.” I’ll google around and see if I can find it. ---
**Author:** ![XJETGIRLX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9fc29f/32.png) [@XJETGIRLX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XJETGIRLX)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blockbuster-online-total-access/383000/7 "2006-12-06T13:00:00Z")
[QUOTE=Kalhoun] I’ll have to look for it, but yes…there’s some family-friendly-righteous group that is taking out “objectional” material so they can say they saw Pulp Fiction without actually seeing the pulp. I hope I remembered correctly that Blockbuster offers these movies. I think they have to tell you somewhere that it’s been altered, but it’s not what you’d call “readily apparent.” I’ll google around and see if I can find it. [/QUOTE] Blockbuster doesn’t edit movies, but many studios in the past have voluntarily offered chopped versions of films to make them more family-friendly and ensure they would be carried by larger, more family oriented chains (such as Blockbuster). As a family-friendly store, Blockbuster used to make a point of ordering these edited versions; however, I haven’t seen an edited version of a film in a blockbuster store in ages. I worked at both corporate and franchise locations for almost 5 years (and even that was years and years ago) and never came across an edited version of a film. Hell, we even carried ‘Girls Gone Wild’. But, for the record, Blockbuster never censored movies, never edited them, never forced anyone to edit them, etc. and I don’t know why this silly notion continues to persist. ---
**Author:** ![XJETGIRLX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9fc29f/32.png) [@XJETGIRLX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XJETGIRLX)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blockbuster-online-total-access/383000/8 "2006-12-06T13:07:23Z")
[QUOTE=kung fu lola] I don’t think this is a problem with Corporate-owned stores; doesn’t the money end up all in the same pool? [/QUOTE] Even in franchise locations, the store is part of a district, so total sales will be pooled. Also, the free rentals you will get are likely ‘library’ titles (e.g., Non-new releases, or films that are around a year older or less). Most of the movies you see out on the floor are older and have already made back their investment and can be used as a loss leader. If offering to return your movies in-store, and providing a free rental as incentive will get you in the door, chances are you’re much more likely to spend a little more money on _something_. Especially around the holidays, if they can get you in the door to ogle their wares, the majority of people will grab something to buy on their way out, whether it’s candy, soda, popcorn, a copy of ‘A Christmas Story’, etc. and they’re betting on that. It’s a decent bet, and doesn’t lose them too much money. Also, I’m not sure whether the store has to mail back the movie or gets to keep it for their inventory, but if it’s the latter that’s a great advantage for the store, as they are essentially getting a free movie. The largest obstacle for any video store is getting people to return product quickly so that it can be turned around and re-rented. You’ve only got so many weeks to get your return on any given product, so having unexpected inventory come in that you can turn around and rent is a boon. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blockbuster-online-total-access/383000/9 "2006-12-06T13:37:39Z")
[QUOTE=XJETGIRLX] Blockbuster doesn’t edit movies, but many studios in the past have voluntarily offered chopped versions of films to make them more family-friendly and ensure they would be carried by larger, more family oriented chains (such as Blockbuster). As a family-friendly store, Blockbuster used to make a point of ordering these edited versions; however, I haven’t seen an edited version of a film in a blockbuster store in ages. I worked at both corporate and franchise locations for almost 5 years (and even that was years and years ago) and never came across an edited version of a film. Hell, we even carried ‘Girls Gone Wild’. But, for the record, Blockbuster never censored movies, never edited them, never forced anyone to edit them, etc. and I don’t know why this silly notion continues to persist. [/QUOTE] No, I know BB doesn’t do the editing themselves. They’re guilty of _offering_ them without making it very clear that the movie has been edited. I thought I heard that they still did it in some areas. My understanding was that they practiced it based on location, and if I remember correctly, it occured more in religious-right-conservative areas of the US. I’ll have to ask my friend, who is a current employee, if they’ve given it up altogether. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blockbuster-online-total-access/383000/10 "2006-12-06T13:43:26Z")
From Wiki (not that this is by any means the last word on the subject): > [@](#): > > Controversial business practices > Blockbuster’s massive international permeation and domination of the video market has placed certain business practices under scrutiny. > > Claiming to serve a “family” audience, Blockbuster has always banned pornography, though carrying R-rated films, including a large number of “soft porn” titles and extremely violent action and horror films. Blockbuster claims to check ID and does not allow rental of titles with a rating over PG-13 to children under 17 unless their parents have specifically allowed it through a family account. In practice, some have found these rules inconsistently applied, if at all.[citation needed] > > On September 27, 1990, the MPAA introduced the NC-17 rating in order to distinguish nonpornographic adult material from pornographic ‘X-rated’ materials. Subsequently, under pressure from the Christian organization the American Family Association, headed by Rev. Donald Wildmon, Blockbuster decided not to stock NC-17 titles and also to ban certain “unrated” titles from its store shelves, regardless of whether or not these titles constituted “pornography”. Originally, the AFA also convinced Blockbuster to ban certain contentious films such as The Last Temptation of Christ, although Blockbuster’s online service and some of its stores currently carry that and other controversial films,[citation needed] as well as older NC-17-rated films such as Henry and June and Showgirls. > > Critics of the chain, including Naomi Klein in her anti-globalization book No Logo (1999), allege that Blockbuster is involved in “censorship,” because it not only bans certain titles, but often edits videos for release beyond the standard retail cut, or uses its significant market share to influence studios to do so. Blockbuster’s critics claim this editing to secure more “family-friendly” ratings is a necessity for studios if they want their products to reach a wider video market. > > Recent award-winning movies such as Darren Aronofsky’s Requiem for a Dream (2000), Michael Haneke’s The Piano Teacher (2000) and Pedro Almodovar’s Bad Education (2004) have been subject to such editing, and are typically unavailable for rental in their original form in most Blockbuster locations, even though the original uncut, unrated theatrical-version DVDs are widely available for purchase in other retail outlets. Instead, Blockbuster (if it carries such films at all) carries special R-rated versions, issued by the distributors but allegedly designed specifically for Blockbuster’s audience, much like the “clean” versions of Parental Advisory music releases found in Wal-Mart stores. Furthermore, Blockbuster does not mark these titles as edited versions so customers are unaware that they are not getting the original version. However, for highly commercial films such as Anchorman or the American Pie series, Blockbuster will often carry an “unrated” DVD release instead of or in addition to the theatrical PG-13 or R-rated cut. In this case, the “unrated” version has often been specifically designed to appeal to the larger older teen market available through Blockbuster stores, advertising enhanced sexual or other content that supposedly would have secured it an NC-17, had this version ever been submitted to the MPAA for a rating. In addition, Blockbuster also uses a “YRV” or “Youth Restricted Viewing” rating system to distinguish these racier, unrated DVDs. Any movie marked as YRV (usually on the same sticker with the barcode) is not recommended for or rented to any renter under the age of 17. With the addition of the YRV ratings, the once censored movies are gradually being re-released into the stores in their original conditions. > > Blockbuster has received criticism from filmmakers for these practices,[citation needed] which allegedly discriminate against films of greater artistic merit. Some have seen the policy as flaunting the chain’s claim to be “family friendly”, by in practice allowing only the sort of commercial unrated titles that immature patrons would actually seek out, while censoring notable “art films” with equal or lesser content, which would be unlikely to appeal to most underaged patrons. > > Blockbuster policy prohibits Adults Only-rated video games. Recently Blockbuster followed many other retail stores and pulled Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas from store shelves after the game’s rating was increased from Mature to Adults Only. Later, Blockbuster, again like its retail counterparts, began carrying a modified version of the game, from which “pornographic elements” had been removed. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blockbuster-online-total-access/383000/11 "2006-12-06T13:55:13Z")
We’ve had Blockbuster online for some time now. We left Netflix because of their slimy practice of sending out movies slower to people who order more often. When I got the email about Blockbuster Total Access, I thought “what’s the catch?” There isn’t one, really. I get a movie in the mail. I return it at the store (added bonus: you can see my local Blockbuster from my front porch), and pick out a new DVD right away. Plus, the returned movie is immediately credited, so the next movie in my queue will be sent right away. Now, DVDs picked out at the store still have to be returned on time, or you will incur late fees (or restocking fees; whatever). All I do to avoid this is, every time I get a movie from the store, I put a reminder in my Outlook calendar to return it on the sixth day. That way, it’s never late. New releases (which are only three-day rentals at the store) and animated movies I know my six-year-old will want to watch again and again, I still let them mail me. But yes, this system rocks big time! I don’t know what Netflix is going to do to try and compete, but I can see a lot of folks leaving Netflix and coming to Blockbuster over this. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blockbuster-online-total-access/383000/12 "2006-12-06T13:58:23Z")
[QUOTE=norinew] We’ve had Blockbuster online for some time now. We left Netflix because of their slimy practice of sending out movies slower to people who order more often. When I got the email about Blockbuster Total Access, I thought “what’s the catch?” There isn’t one, really. I get a movie in the mail. I return it at the store (added bonus: you can see my local Blockbuster from my front porch), and pick out a new DVD right away. Plus, the returned movie is immediately credited, so the next movie in my queue will be sent right away. Now, DVDs picked out at the store still have to be returned on time, or you will incur late fees (or restocking fees; whatever). All I do to avoid this is, every time I get a movie from the store, I put a reminder in my Outlook calendar to return it on the sixth day. That way, it’s never late. New releases (which are only three-day rentals at the store) and animated movies I know my six-year-old will want to watch again and again, I still let them mail me. But yes, this system rocks big time! I don’t know what Netflix is going to do to try and compete, but I can see a lot of folks leaving Netflix and coming to Blockbuster over this. [/QUOTE] I saw Netflix Dude on 60 Minutes and I think they’re looking at the download market for their future niche. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blockbuster-online-total-access/383000/13 "2006-12-06T14:48:11Z")
[QUOTE=Kalhoun] I saw Netflix Dude on 60 Minutes and I think they’re looking at the download market for their future niche. [/QUOTE] Ah. That might work.