Saturday, September 11, 2010

Do you have that one with that guy who was in that movie that was out last year?


I just started an animation project today, and I needed to reference some Buster Keaton movies... So I went to Borders, thought for sure they'd have some DVD's..   Nope.    Three Stooges, W.C. Fields....I was impressed....but no Keaton.   Drove across the street to Barnes and Noble...  Only thing I found there was Miss Congeniality and it's sequel.  I walked out.   I thought I'd have to go home and order some on Amazon and wait a few days...    Then I remembered my favorite video store from back in the day when I was a student at Ringling...  Hadn't been there since like 1991....was it still there?   Yep.   Sure was.    Video Renaissance.  2243 Bee Ridge Rd, just a couple blocks off 41....  Unassuming little joint in a strip mall next to a laundromat...   When I tell you this place has everything....I mean they have EV-ER-Y-THING...   F Netflix.    I needed Buster Keaton today, not in a red envelope in 2 days...   Went in, and the same guy from 1991 was still working there...   Behind the counter, like a living breathing Imdb.com full of knowledge...  The man knows just about everything about film....if you've got something you're trying to find, but can't remember exactly what or where or how....he will know it.   I swear he's better than Google.   And when you rent, there's no long process of providing credit cards, passports, DNA samples...  He just writes down your name once on a yellow notepad, then remembers your name forever.  Old school.  So much more satisfying than the sterile point and click of online renting.    He immediately hooked me up with "The General" and a Keaton Compilation as well.  I walked out a happy man.   I love this joint.   Go there.  Give them your money.  You will love this place too.

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