The convenience and the quality of DVDs have brought about a new alternative: instead of paying for expensive tickets and concession items, people can now wait a little while to enjoy latest movies on DVDs. On the opening weekend of “The Dark Knight,” records were made grossing in at $158.4 million. Such scenarios of more people lining up for a movie than there were seats don’t happen often. Could you imagine what it would be like to be a parent of three with ticket prices being as high as they are? Even if you bought tickets at Costco for $8.66 each or at De Anza for $7.50, you’re still looking at theatre concessions that can cost up to $12. You could have bought a newly released DVD with the money you just spent on the movie tickets and food. Plus it no longer takes as long to release a movie on DVD as it did in the past. For example, “What happens in Vegas” starring Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher was released in theaters on May 9 and came out on DVD on August 26. It took only a little over 3 months to get from the silver screen to DVD. With technology advancing, movies are being released faster and most of them now include additional bonus footage and features. So with this trend of DVDs releasing faster than ever, who are the key players? Let’s take a closer look.
Movie rentals have been made available in various places, allowing access to entertainment with lower costs and increasing convenience. 99-cent Longs Drugs Store Rentals was a place I would often go to in junior high. Nowadays there are more Hollywood Video Stores and even DVDPlay rental kiosks at your local Safeway. For just $1.49 and an additional 99-cents-per-day charge, you can enjoy the convenience of renting a DVD as you get your groceries. However, I prefer renting DVDs for a certain number of days at a flat rate. Keeping one of those kiosk-vended movies for more than a few days will cost you a lot with its additional charges, more than renting a newly released movie for 3 days at Blockbuster, one of the most popular movie rental chains.
Blockbuster has been providing rentals before the emergence of DVDs. Founded in 1985 in Texas, Blockbuster has become a global provider of in-home entertainment starting with VHS cassettes, now expanded to DVD’s and video games. Since 2004, Blockbuster started providing online rental services and now has over 2.2 million online subscribers. Online subscribers are exempt from due dates, late fees and postage for receiving and returning DVDs. Blockbuster’s launch of its online component has been accused by many as an imitation of Netflix, another successful online rental company, which has once filed a lawsuit against Blockbuster for patent of infringement.
Netflix, the first in the online DVD business, offers flat-rate rental by mail and online streaming for customers. They send DVDs your home according to the rental queue that you have decided upon picking a plan. They also offer a “Watch Instantly” service, which provides unlimited streaming of high quality movies and recorded shows. Established in 1997, Netflix now serves over 8.2 million customers and ships about 1.9 million DVDs to them per day.