This Video Charting The Rise & Fall Of Blockbuster Is Sad To Me
The expression of somebody blowing a 3-1 lead has lost its luster, but I don't know how to put it any better than that when it comes to Blockbuster. Just rapid expansion for 20 years to then getting absolutely decimated on the back nine of the career.
If you're anything like me and the people who are around my age you probably found that video kinda sad because Blockbuster was the shit back in the day. The excitement of going in as a kid to only be bullied out of the movie you wanted by your older sibling helped build character. Smelling whatever the hell the store smelled like was also kind of a right of passage as well.
But, most of all the rush of them being out of your movie on the main floor and then having them check the drop box and finding it in there at the last second was as great of a win as you'll ever feel.
Many people say that they wish they can go back to a world without social media or smart phones. I agree with those people, but to me if we're going to go back to that era I'd ask that we get back to movie stores as well. Fuck the convenience of not leaving your couch. The press of a button and seeing a movie on a guide does not and never will bring the same thrill of that massive blue & yellow VCR/DVD case.
And that's just a fact.
(shoutout to V1Analytics who I believe actually made this chart on Reddit)