# If you worked at a video store, what would you watch? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 16, 2000, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-worked-at-a-video-store-what-would-you-watch/37157 "2000-10-16T19:17:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![oldscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ed655f/32.png) [@oldscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oldscratch)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2000, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-worked-at-a-video-store-what-would-you-watch/37157/41 "2000-10-19T20:41:34Z")
Bad stuff? Can’t beat **Meet the Feebles** well, you can, but would you want to? Also anything by David Cronenburg, or Dario Argento. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2000, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-worked-at-a-video-store-what-would-you-watch/37157/42 "2000-10-19T21:29:20Z")
I can see that it’s me versus the rest of the Teeming Millions here. Those who replied to my last post have not contradicted me. You’ll notice that before the first comments I made, of any kind, about _Airplane!,_ I added the phrase, “Pearls before swine.” The movies are the pearls and I am the swine. I did not criticize others–outside of “armchair serial killers,” granted a _very_ rash thing for me to say–but I made a point–I hope–that the movies made in the last 30 years have, with rare exceptions _(Amadeus,_ for instance), mixed as well with me as oil with water. Given this situation the wisest course I can take is not to watch movies at all–and I have not done so for thirteen years. And, FYI, the premise of the Road Runner vs. Wile E. Coyote cartoons wore thin with me after a while; nuff sed. Finally, I remember a squib on _Entertainment Tonight,_ concerning a couple in Iowa or thereabouts, who flatly refused to permit the movie company to shoot _Bridges of Madison County_ in and around their home. They own the house and are fully within their rights to refuse; given the same situation I would do just as they did. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2000, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-worked-at-a-video-store-what-would-you-watch/37157/43 "2000-10-19T22:14:53Z")
Doesn’t doing a “Superior Dance” get tiring after this long, dougie? ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2000, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-worked-at-a-video-store-what-would-you-watch/37157/44 "2000-10-19T22:40:29Z")
“Superior Dance,” eh? > [@](#): > > Those who replied to my last post have not contradicted me. You’ll notice that before the first comments I made, of any kind, about _Airplane!,_ I added the phrase, “Pearls before swine.” The movies are the pearls and I am the swine. Does _that_ sound like I am claiming to be “superior”? Or this statement, for that matter: > [@](#): > > I made a point–I hope–that the movies made in the last 30 years have, with rare exceptions _(Amadeus,_ for instance), mixed as well with me as oil with water. Obviously the point with these quotes is not “superiority,” but “incompatibility”–and you can take that as more an expression of how ill-suited I am for things like movies than that I am calling all movies trash, and I have never done that. > [@](#): > > Given this situation the wisest course I can take is not to watch movies at all–and I have not done so for thirteen years. > [@](#): > > I have harbored such a strong antipathy for movies for about 25 years now that I have sometimes said rashly that I would rather be deaf and blind than see one. When I walked out on _Back to the Future,_ I did so rather than stay and lose my temper to such an extent that I would risk being thrown out, or even arrested for causing a disturbance. As much as I detested the movie I did not consider that an excuse to spoil it for others. In any case, I would prefer that anyone who senses that I consider myself “superior” to movies compare the tenor of those movies made prior to, say, 1970, with those made in 1970 and since. Doesn’t it seem as if there is some thread of hostility and antagonism running through the latter kind? Perhaps I am the odd one out and least capable of all of perceiving this thread without it triggering hostile emotions of my own. Better I should avoid movies altogether than test my (quite short) temper. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2000, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-worked-at-a-video-store-what-would-you-watch/37157/45 "2000-10-19T23:21:42Z")
I’ve nothing to add for the kiddies, but for after 8:00, I heartily recommend the films of Emir Kustarica. The ones I’ve seen are Time Of The Gypsies, Underground, and Black Cat, White Cat. They’re subtitled, but even if you can’t focus on them, the visuals and music are so incredibly rich, everytime you do glance at the screen, you’re assured of encountering something exquisite, and you’ll likely end up with your customers staring slack-jawed at the monitors in fascination. Every single frame of these movies is just incredibly packed and well-done. Throw in interesting symbolism to suss out, and you’re in for a good time. ---
**Author:** ![little\_bit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@little\_bit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/little_bit)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-worked-at-a-video-store-what-would-you-watch/37157/46 "2000-10-20T00:17:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by oldscratch \* > \*\*Bad stuff? Can’t beat **Meet the Feebles** I can’t believe anyone would ever recommend this movie… Do you want people to know _exactly_ how demented you really are??? As for themes…How about movies that take place at work (in stores)? Clerks Empire Records Mannequin (so I got desperate. I couldn’t think of another one.) How about a Video store clerk theme… Be Kind, Please Rewind Video Violence … When Renting Is Not Enough! Remote Control Edtv ---
**Author:** ![oldscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ed655f/32.png) [@oldscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oldscratch)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-worked-at-a-video-store-what-would-you-watch/37157/47 "2000-10-20T00:23:10Z")
Actually, little\*bit, I don’t. That’s why I posted **Meet the Feebles** it’s actually one of the tamer movies. ---
**Author:** ![mrblue92](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@mrblue92](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrblue92)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-worked-at-a-video-store-what-would-you-watch/37157/48 "2000-10-20T02:55:30Z")
> [@](#): > > American Beauty. Fight Club. The aforementioned Three Kings. Good flicks. With all due respect Swiddles, if dougie got pissed watching _Airplane_ or _Back to the Future_, I doubt any of these would improve his impression of recent film. (I liked all three, and they would be good movie recommendations, but I don’t think dougie is your average movie-goer.) Honestly, dougie, I think Hollywood is simply less afraid now to explore reality and imagination than it was 30 years ago. What you see on the screen is as much as a reflection of society as it is storytelling. If you cringe or yell every time you read the newspaper headlines or hear Brokaw on the nightly news, it’s no surprise you’d react harshly to most of today’s movies. The rest of us have simply learned to accept that people do awful things sometimes, and from that acceptance, we learn to expect it. That doesn’t mean we accept horrific deeds, but merely that we recognize their existence and realize that fiction can include them in a realistic nature. Even so, I think you could still find films that would suit your tastes if you were so inclined to look. I would like to reiterate my three previous suggestions: _Remember the Titans_ (currently in theaters) _October Sky Apollo 13_ As a side note on this little hijack, the worst gore I ever saw was on TLC’s “The Operation” which is a documentary series on surgical procedures. I’ve seen quite a bit of gore in movies, but that shot of a real knee cut open is the only thing I can remember seeing on a screen that made me feel literally sick. Fake stuff just makes me go “ick” because I know it’s fake, but the emotional context is provided. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-worked-at-a-video-store-what-would-you-watch/37157/49 "2000-10-20T04:25:05Z")
All I’m saying, dougie, is that the OP asked for movie suggestions, which you did not provide. You seized the opportunity to rant about your disdain for all recent cinema. If you’re not gonna be helpful, I’m sure the original poster would appreciate your silence. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-worked-at-a-video-store-what-would-you-watch/37157/50 "2000-10-20T22:57:52Z")
As you wish. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-worked-at-a-video-store-what-would-you-watch/37157.md?page=2)