The Last Blockbuster film set for December release
1091 Pictures has acquired worldwide digital and broadcast rights to The Last Blockbuster, the story of how one small town video store managed to survive the collapse of its corporate parent.
For millions, Saturday nights in the 1990s and 2000s meant popping to their local Blockbuster and renting a film or three. Then streaming happened and, yada yada yada, the company filed for bankruptcy in the US in 2010. Today, there is just one store left on the planet
The Last Blockbuster, which will be available for purchase or rent on demand in December, follows Sandi Harding, the manager of said store, which is situated in Oregon. She reflects on its heyday and the challenge of keeping it alive in the era of Netflix et al.
Viewers also get interviews with various comedians and celebrities as well as a lesson on why Blockbuster went out of business, and an explanation on the role it played in shaping popular culture in the 1990s.
“The Last Blockbuster brings the world together over our shared memory of Friday night pizza and renting movies,” director Taylor Morden and writer/producer Zeke Kamm said in a statement. “For us the perfect next step was getting together with 1091 Pictures to release it just in time for the holidays.”
Check out the trailer below.
Back in the game (sort of)
Just when you thought 2020 couldn’t get any weirder, Blockbuster’s Twitter account sprang back to life earlier this month.
“Just checking in” was followed by “OK, we’ve seen enough. Checking out”.
This got people wondering, was Blockbuster about to return to action? Alas, the answer was no. It turned out the tweets were promoting a competition where movie buffs will have the chance to be given the keys to the aforementioned last remaining store for a night from 18th to 20th September.
Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’re gonna dust off our DVD copies of Gremlins 2 and Total Recall, grab an overpriced popcorn and soft drink and sit back and remember those glory days when Blockbuster ruled the home entertainment world.