# Should I go with netflix or blockbuster online **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 23, 2005, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-go-with-netflix-or-blockbuster-online/313751 "2005-07-23T02:20:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2005, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-go-with-netflix-or-blockbuster-online/313751/41 "2005-07-25T05:54:17Z")
I love Netflix too. I’ve had several discs not get back to them, and I’ve had no problems with their lost in mail system. They’ve moved the ship-to location for my discs 3 times recently, the original was a state away, the next was in state but a bit far, and now it’s even closer. I get most discs the day after they ship, and their website is constantly being improved. Netflix does DVDs via mail and nothing else, Blockbuster has their fingers in everything. If I heard that BBO was slightly better for slightly less, I still wouldn’t change. Netflix lowered their prices when customers complained, I just don’t see that happening with BBO. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2005, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-go-with-netflix-or-blockbuster-online/313751/42 "2005-07-25T16:42:56Z")
> [@KGS](#): > > Which movies, exactly, were cut? One of the reasons I hate Blockbuster is because of their heavy hand approach to cutting films. Remember that horrible turkey, turned camp hit, SHOWGIRLS…? Poor MGM lost their shirt on that film and when it came time to come out on video and DVD, Blockbuster refused to put it on their shelves unless MGM did some major editing. Desperate to get at least some coin back, MGM said, “fine” and cut the offending scenes. Granted, “Showgirls” was not exactly Citizen Kane, but it seems to me that if you wanted to see that piece of schlock in all its glory, you should at least have the right to see it in its uncut version. Sorry for the slight hijack, but perhaps this is something to take into consideration when dealing with the Blockbuster folks. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2005, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-go-with-netflix-or-blockbuster-online/313751/43 "2005-07-25T20:33:50Z")
I’ve had Netflix for about a month and I have no problems with it. It sure beats the heck out of driving to Blockbuster. I admit that I haven’t tried BB online, but I don’t see why I would need to. ---
**Author:** ![partlycloudy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/partlycloudy/32/3114_2.png) [@partlycloudy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/partlycloudy)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2005, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-go-with-netflix-or-blockbuster-online/313751/44 "2005-07-25T21:54:14Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > One of the reasons I hate Blockbuster is because of their heavy hand approach to cutting films. Remember that horrible turkey, turned camp hit, SHOWGIRLS…? Heavy handed? As I said, I worked there for over 3 years and never once did a Blockbuster-edited version of a movie pass through that store. I don’t know about Showgirls, and as far as whether they used to edit them or not, I don’t know. I’d be interested to see a cite for that. Netflix still rocks some Blockbuster ass though. And talk about a crappy company to work for! No raise for a year and then a whopping 20 cents! No thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2005, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-go-with-netflix-or-blockbuster-online/313751/45 "2005-07-25T22:09:30Z")
I’ve been with Netflix for almost a year now, and love it. I’ve had only a few minor problems, and they’ve all been quickly resolved. I admit I have no experience with BB online but I can’t imagine they’re any better. Also Blockbuster sucks on general principles and their waging a price war against Netflix enrages me. They’d have to be _way_ cheaper and way better for me to even consider switching. ---
**Author:** ![Geobabe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/geobabe/32/3908_2.png) [@Geobabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geobabe)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2005, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-go-with-netflix-or-blockbuster-online/313751/46 "2005-07-25T22:11:55Z")
Blockbuster [denies editing films](http://blockbuster.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/blockbuster.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=158&p_created=1086288846&p_sid=t7k8ymLh&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PWRmbHQmcF9ncmlkc29ydD0mcF9yb3dfY250PTcmcF9wcm9kcz0mcF9jYXRzPSZwX3B2PSZwX2N2PSZwX3NlYXJjaF90eXBlPXNlYXJjaF9leCZwX3BhZ2U9MSZwX3NlYXJjaF90ZXh0PWVkaXQ*&p_li=&p_topview=1). However, there are other sites that say that [what they actually do is order “Edited for content” versions whenever possible](http://www.lumpen.com/fatherland/groupo1.html) (I know that’s not a great cite but I’m looking for a better one, if it exists). Notice the careful wording of the BB FAQ item; they’re saying THEY don’t do any editing, but don’t address whether the versions of the movies they carry are edited by the studio. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2005, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-go-with-netflix-or-blockbuster-online/313751/47 "2005-07-25T22:37:03Z")
> [@Ellis Dee](#): > > I personally only know of one: **Bad Lieutenant**. After that, I stopped renting from Blockbuster, so I can’t give you any more examples. _Bad Lieutenant_ was released in both R and NC-17 versions. I couldn’t find an R-rated version of _Showgirls_, although it may have been edited on VHS…it’s not listed on Blockbuster’s website, in any case. While it’s definitely arguable that the studios “edit down” films only so they will be carried in Blockbuster, that’s a far cry from saying that they edit films on their own w/o studio knowledge or permission, which it seemed like you were implying. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-go-with-netflix-or-blockbuster-online/313751/48 "2005-07-26T02:22:48Z")
> [@KGS](#): > > _Bad Lieutenant_ was released in both R and NC-17 versions. I couldn’t find an R-rated version of _Showgirls_, although it may have been edited on VHS…it’s not listed on Blockbuster’s website, in any case. While it’s definitely arguable that the studios “edit down” films only so they will be carried in Blockbuster, that’s a far cry from saying that they edit films on their own w/o studio knowledge or permission, which it seemed like you were implying. Fair enough, I concede that I misrepresented with due apologies. I dislike Blockbuster because they stock “edited for content” versions of movies, and that practice offends me. I see no reason to believe that their online service would be any different. It appears I used more tactful wording in [my thread from last year on the topic](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=293925). ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-go-with-netflix-or-blockbuster-online/313751/49 "2005-07-26T16:49:31Z")
> [@Geobabe](#): > > Blockbuster [denies editing films](http://blockbuster.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/blockbuster.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=158&p_created=1086288846&p_sid=t7k8ymLh&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PWRmbHQmcF9ncmlkc29ydD0mcF9yb3dfY250PTcmcF9wcm9kcz0mcF9jYXRzPSZwX3B2PSZwX2N2PSZwX3NlYXJjaF90eXBlPXNlYXJjaF9leCZwX3BhZ2U9MSZwX3NlYXJjaF90ZXh0PWVkaXQ*&p_li=&p_topview=1). However, there are other sites that say that [what they actually do is order “Edited for content” versions whenever possible](http://www.lumpen.com/fatherland/groupo1.html) (I know that’s not a great cite but I’m looking for a better one, if it exists). Notice the careful wording of the BB FAQ item; they’re saying THEY don’t do any editing, but don’t address whether the versions of the movies they carry are edited by the studio. I didn’t say Blockbuster edited Showgirls, I said they strong-armed MGM into editing what Blockbuster didn’t like before they accept the film for rental. So no, Blockbuster didn’t slash the film to ribbons, they just held a gun to MGM’s head and let MGM do it themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Geobabe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/geobabe/32/3908_2.png) [@Geobabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geobabe)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2005, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-go-with-netflix-or-blockbuster-online/313751/50 "2005-07-26T21:52:16Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > I didn’t say Blockbuster edited Showgirls, I said they strong-armed MGM into editing what Blockbuster didn’t like before they accept the film for rental. So no, Blockbuster didn’t slash the film to ribbons, they just held a gun to MGM’s head and let MGM do it themselves. I wasn’t addressing your post, but the others that said, or seemed to say, that BB was doing the editing. ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2005, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-go-with-netflix-or-blockbuster-online/313751/51 "2005-07-27T01:32:55Z")
Another vote for Netflix. I despise Blockbuster because of the dominance of pan-and-scan crap versions, the pressure on studios to release “family friendly” versions, and the fact that they won’t carry NC-17 movies. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2005, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-go-with-netflix-or-blockbuster-online/313751/52 "2005-07-27T11:23:59Z")
I just subscribed with Netflix Saturday. I got my first two movies Tuesday morning and I’m sending them back today for more for the weekend. So far I’m very satisfied. I’ve already picked about fifty dvds for my queue, ranging from sappy romances for me to anime for my kid to foreign films for my guy. We’re all pretty happy with the selection. ---
**Author:** ![Ruckinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/977dab/32.png) [@Ruckinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruckinge)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2005, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-go-with-netflix-or-blockbuster-online/313751/53 "2005-07-27T12:52:21Z")
> [@KGS](#): > > BTW…I’ve never heard of Blockbuster editing their movies (perhaps you’re thinking of Wal-Mart?) They are, however, more likely to carry “R” rated movies as opposed to the “Unrated” versions, and they don’t carry NC-17 titles at all, period. This is anecdotal evidence but that’s been raised in other threads here and I remember hearing something about a big stink about it some years back. Some titles I’ve rented didn’t seem like they were edited much at all, so maybe it depends on the center and the movie. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-go-with-netflix-or-blockbuster-online/313751.md?page=2)