Independent Video Store Day

As Amazon and Apple battle it out for world movie domination in the wake of Blockbuster and Hollywood Video’s collapse, and Netflix / Qwikster stumbles it’s way into the next era, it’s nice to remember that there are still independently-owned video stores run by human beings that really, really like movies.

Our sponsor, Scarecrow Video (5030 Roosevelt Way NE), is one such shop and this Saturday, October 15th, along with independent video stores across the country, they’ll be celebrating Independent Video Store Day:

On Saturday, October 15th, video stores across the US and Canada will unite to celebrate local and independently owned businesses staffed by real people with a genuine passion for film and their community. We at Scarecrow Video invite you to come and rediscover the benefits of our store.

The day’s festivities will include:

• 50% OFF our entire inventory of used Blu-rays, DVDs, VHS & Laserdiscs
• $3 OFF new DVDs & Blu-rays for sale (excludes sale priced items)
• A special rental section of movie recommendations from Seattleites such as Lynn Shelton, Jim Woodring, Lindy West & many others
• Enter-to-win drawings for fabulous prizes: 50 free rentals, a theater rental from Grand Illusion Cinema, prize packs from The Criterion Collection & more.
• Pre-paid rental SALE Get 10 rentals for $35 (a $10 savings).

In keeping with our commitment to supporting our greater film community, we’ll be donating a portion of the proceeds from the day to Reel Grrls, an organization that empowers young women from diverse communities to realize their power, talent and influence through media production with a variety of hands-on workshops for teenage girls in specific skills including animation, cinematography, script writing and more.

Scarecrow is also a long time supporter of the greater Seattle film community, sponsoring festivals like The Seattle International Film Festival and The Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, film series at theaters such as Northwest Film Forum and Grand Illusion Cinema, and film organizations like The Film School and Reel Grrls. They also regularly donate their time and resources to schools and other local nonprofit organizations, including KEXP and Northwest Harvest.

Scarecrow Video remains dedicated to sharing the love of cinema and uniting people with film, both in Seattle and around the world at www.scarecrow.com.

We would like to draw your attention to the third bullet above, regarding a special section populated with recommendations by Seattleites. Yes, dear reader, your truly is amongst the honored. Jen Koogler asked us if we would recommend a film that we felt was underseen and underappreciated, one that perhaps was inspiring or endlessly watchable.

Yes indeed, we’d be happy to.

We once went on a date with a girl who worked at a video store. This was in high school, so perhaps the movie wasn’t the focus of the evening, really. She worked in a video store, so she was able to check out the tape (yes, tape) without it hitting the books. Long story short, we never returned the movie.

If you’ve only heard the album, and of that, perhaps only the Top 40 hit Pinball Wizard, you’re missing an epic display of musical talent in Tommy. In addition to the bandmembers’ own performances, Tina Turner’s performance as the Gypsy Queen alone is worth the rental, forget about Elton John’s Pinball Wizard or Eric Clapton’s roaring rendition of Sonny Boy Williamson’s Eyesight to the Blind. Ann-Margret husky, full voice is perfect against Daltrey’s wail. Even Jack Nicholson takes a turn singing.

And then, there’s the story. Sure, it’s a bit campy, a little bit Godspell, a little bit teenage wish fulfillment fantasy, but it’s also textured bildungsroman and a story of and for its era (1969), and solid, end-to-end fun.

We haven’t seen it for twenty years at least, but still find ourselves humming bits of it during a day, or going over a sequence in our head. And somewhere in a closet, there’s a VHS tape gathering dust.

Don’t tell the video store, please.