VHS rentals

[msjay.livejournal.com]

This may seem like an odd question, but does anyone know of any local video rental places?

What I am looking for is one with an old/fantastic horror section. I am aware of Hollywood Express, but their collection is small and their rental fees are a little high for VHS. I used to go to Palmer Video on Broadway but it shutdown a few months ago. They had the most extensive horror section to date. I don't like going by Netflix because it just isn't the same. I'm willing to travel several towns away if anyone knows of a place or has suggestions. I'm interested in late 70's/80's/early 90's, not the new stuff. Thanks!!

Comments

[vanguardcdk.livejournal.com]

The store you want is Video Oasis. They're at 625 Cambridge St. in Cambridge. Lots of funky horror and scifi films. Last time I was there they had quite a few videotapes (and even Laser-disc).

Hope this helps. :)

[hrafn.livejournal.com]

That's the one next to Live Poultry Fresh Killed, isn't it? That's a very special smelling place, but it does add to the ambience.

[vanguardcdk.livejournal.com]

Yup, that's the place. It's an interesting neighborhood..there's also a tiny store that deals in collectable toys across the street.

[hrafn.livejournal.com]

I haven't explored the neighborhood there much, but I went there on a date once, and we admired the incredible collection of sci fi, horror, and porn; the smell made it all the more memorable. But at this point, I can't remember how much was VHS.

[msjay.livejournal.com]

Thank you!!! I saw something about that place online but was wondering if it still existed. They're hard to find now :(,at least in the city.

[vanguardcdk.livejournal.com]

Yup. That's where I was able to find a copy of Night of the Creeps. Very important y'know... ;)

[msjay.livejournal.com]

Just wanted to update... I went there last night and there was a sign up saying that there was a wake for someone named Roger in Somerville on Sunday. I'm guessing this was one of the owners. It didn't note whether they were staying open or not :(

[treacle-well.livejournal.com]

I was going to suggest Palmer Video on Broadway. How odd that I walk by there regularly but didn't notice they had closed.

[pushupstairs.livejournal.com]

yeah, they closed about... month and a half, two months ago.

[treacle-well.livejournal.com]

And um, while it doesn't address the "small collection" issue, did you know that Hollywood Express does 2 for 1 on just about every weeknight? I think New Releases are excluded on Thursdays, but since you're looking for older stuff that should mean you'd still be able to get a couple of tapes for enough days to see you through a weekend. And they'll transfer stuff from their other locations if you ask.

[msjay.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the suggestion, they do have a nice collection. At that price I may watch them all, haha.

[rainbow-spork.livejournal.com]

Also, I don't know what the collection is like at the Davis Square location of Hollywood Express (which is what I assume you're talking about), but I've always thought the Porter Square location had a fairly *large* collection. Granted, I'm not much of a Horror watcher, but the Porter one is the video store I usually go to when I can't find things elsewhere.

[ellf.livejournal.com]

It isn't in Davis, but Video Underground has an amazing selection, and also is quite savvy about horror - they have hosted a number of screenings from www.cinescare.com, and are both literate and cool about the genre.

[msjay.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I will check that place out sometime in the near future!

[braingeyser.livejournal.com]

If you're looking for something in particular, stop by the library and see if they either have it or can get it. (I don't know the Davis Square branch's horror collection, but I expect they'd have to get it through one of their inter-library loan connections.) While it's not as instant-gratification as a video store, you can't beat the price, and you won't have to leave Davis.

[ron_newman]

At one point last year, the Minuteman library network had stopped doing interlibrary loans of video and other non-books. Have they restarted it?

[joylewis.livejournal.com]

They restarted this past fall.

VHS

[lizzyclean.livejournal.com]

While it's across the river, Cinemasmith in Coolidge Corner, Brookline, also rents VHS. It's in the basement of Brookline Booksmith. I don't know how large their horror section is, but I know they like to stock old, cult and generally hard-to-find movies. It's worth calling them to see if they have what you're looking for.
http://www.cinemasmith.net/
617.232.6637

[adaptively.livejournal.com]

Not quite Davis Square, but not far either, the Hollywood Video on Mass Ave. has a surprisingly large selection of classic horror and sci-fi, as well as many international horror flicks (tons of Asian splatter films!) and animation.

Talk to the male manager with the long hair if you want to get geeky about horror. :)