Video Store Podcast

Hey, welcome to the store! My name is Mark, but my name tag says Colonel Gavdet. No, I wasn’t in the military. It’s an old video gamer tag. It’s almost November, and I’m not ready to give up on the amusement park season. If you want one more trip before the rides shut down, listen close. I’ve got four movies for you. THE DEATH OF OCEAN VIEW PARK (1979) Starring Mike Connors, Martin Landau, Diana C...

We’re going all the way back to the earliest days of feature film to uncover some forgotten gems. The Sentimental Bloke (1919) A silent comedy from 1919, this film is generally considered the greatest Australian silent film, and one of the best Australian movies of all time. Based on the 1915 verse novel The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke by C. J. Dennis, it follows the exploits of Bill, a Woolloomo...

Grab your Geiger counter and join us after closing time as we travel back to the 1950s, when radiation could turn almost anything into a monster, visitors from outer space were rarely friendly, and the Army was always just a phone call away. We’re revisiting four classics from the golden age of science-fiction cinema. Them! (1954) Atomic testing in the New Mexico desert has produced a terrifying n...

Happy Spooky Month, Kids! It’s that time of year again, when the leaves are golden, the air is crisp, the cider is fresh, and the vibe of the season is all things chilly, dark and spooky. I’m proud to present to you some gems of fright and terror to haunt your Halloween festivities. These films are cult classics of obscurity both old and new, so if you’re looking for something to go with your annu...

Welcome to the Video Store Podcast. Let’s kick off the Spooky Season! It’s been a little quiet around the Video Store lately. The lights have been off, the OPEN sign has been dark, and the new releases haven’t moved in about a month. But the lights are back on, the popcorn machine is running, and the Video Store is officially back in business. And you picked a good time to stop in. Halloween is ge...

It’s a tough time for fans of cinema. You’re welcome to hang out with the video store crew tonight after we lock the doors, grab a soda from the vending machine, and share films featuring one of our favorite actors, the indomitable Tim Curry, who sadly recently passed away. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) Ken shares his memories of this film, the one that put Tim Curry on the map. His perform...

Welcome back to another edition of the Video Store Podcast . I’m back today with some lesser known film and TV appearances from the late, great Dolly Parton, Queen of Country Music, Patron Saint of the Smokies, and “the greatest hick whoever lived,” handpicked by someone who grew up in Dolly’s neck of the woods. Dolly Parton embodies the best qualities of all the best people I grew up around at th...

Welcome to my sophomore episode, all about animation! If all you know about animated features is big studio blockbusters like Toy Story or Into the Spider-Verse , let me expand your mind into some vintage treasures from the fringes of animation history. These films will give you a new appreciation for the art form, and a throwback to the days when everything was drawn and painted by hand. Digital...

Hello! My name is Marc Allie. I’m a teacher, blogger, author, and pretty much the biggest nerd you’ll ever meet. As a longtime Video Store Podcast listener, I am thrilled to be a member of the staff. For our staff picks this week, I’ve got four recommendations from the varied career of Kurt Russell. Escape from New York (1981) Escape from New York is the film that cemented Kurt Russell’s transitio...

Hello, and welcome to my debut episode! My name is Ken, a writer, illustrator & animator from Vancouver — and I’m excited to join the Video Store Podcast staff. If you have kids in your life looking for a great film to watch this summer, or to enjoy as a family with mass quantities of popcorn, listen close! I’ve got some you may have never heard of, but will definitely want to see. ZATHURA: A Spac...

Summer is here and we’re staying indoors instead of sweating it out. We’re keeping it cool in the A/C and with some chilling horror anthology TV to help us get through the long summer days. Here are 4 horror anthology series I’ve picked for our staff picks will this week. Tales from the Darkside (1983) What could’ve been Creepshow: The Series became Tales from the Darkside . Created by Night of th...

Hey gang, We’re hiring here at the Video Store! If you’ve got a passion for film, some podcasting experience, and a good quality microphone, the Video Store might just be the place for you. If you’re interested, please drop us a line in our direct chat box. We’re looking forward to hearing from you! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to...

Welcome to the Video Store Podcast. Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday at the Video Store The red, white, and blue decorations are up at the Video Store as America celebrates its 250th birthday. Across the country, families are gathering for fireworks, cookouts, and long holiday weekends, and there’s no better way to mark the occasion than with a great movie. For this special Fourth of July epis...

I love a good ensemble film, one where a bunch of characters some together and pool their collective talens in order to achieve a common goal. In this week’s episode I’ll be recommending a few films in which multiple characters team up and head out! Smokey and the Bandit (1977) Big Enos and his son have a taste for Coors beer, which back in the 1970s was illegal to ship east of the Mississippi. Th...

Welcome to another episode of The Video Store Podcast. This week I am recommending four movies about undercover work. That can mean a lot of things in movies. Sometimes it is a young cop trying to prove himself. Sometimes it is a guy returning to a place where everyone already knows him. Sometimes it is a job that starts out dangerous and then gets worse because the people doing it begin to lose t...

Welcome to the Video Store Podcast. The balloons are up. The popcorn machine is running full blast. The sno-cone machine is free today. Here at the Video Store Podcast, we’re celebrating 100 episodes! For this special anniversary, we wanted to do something worthy of the occasion. No clip-show flashbacks. No “greatest hits” countdown. Instead, we headed behind the counter and pulled out four of the...

Happy Memorial Day weekend! If you’ve got a 3-Day Weekend, we’ve got a trilogy that will fit the bill for you. Make a plate and join us for a great weekend of movie trilogies. Guardians of the Galaxy This hilarious trilogy in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has something for everyone. Comedy, action, great stunts and effects, and a killer soundtrack for every single film. This film trilogy is a cong...

I love a good heist film. These films always feature a group of criminals coming together to pull off a crime none of them could do on their own. I always enjoy the interaction and banter between the members of the gang, and despite trying to figure out what the group is about to do, like the police chasing them, I’m usually one step behind. There are many classic films including the Oceans 11 fra...

On this episode of The Video Store Podcast, I am recommending four movies about the people who get called when somebody has made a mess, crossed the wrong person, or needs a situation to go away quietly. The movies this week are Sweet Smell of Success (1957), Wise Guys (1986), La Femme Nikita (1990), and Pulp Fiction (1994) . They all deal with that idea in different ways, from a press agent tryin...

Welcome to the Video Store Podcast. As the 1960s rolled into the 1970s, something changed in Hollywood. Movies got bigger. Louder. More chaotic. And sometimes… they were a total disaster, in the best way possible. These were practical, physical, dangerous productions, massive sets, real stunts, and ensemble casts packed with stars who weren’t guaranteed to make it to the end. The disaster movie wa...

We’re having fun with more strange and familiar things this week on the Video Store Podcast , looking at four films that the Duffer Brothers took inspiration from for the second season of Stranger Things . If you missed the first installment of this series, go check out the first part, “Things to Watch After Stranger Things I.” Ghostbusters (1984) We’re keeping it light and breezy to start this we...

Welcome back to the Video Store Podcast. It is a complete coincidence that today, on 4/20, I am taking a look at some of the best “stoner comedies” of all time. While I personally “just say no,” I like celebrating 4/20 my own way — by revisiting films that are “high”ly recommended. In Up in Smoke (1978), Cheech and Chong’s first film, Pedro (Cheech Marin) picks up a hitchhiking “Man” (Tommy Chong)...

This week on The Video Store Podcast, I am recommending four movies built around one of the simplest and most reliable science fiction ideas there is, shrinking people down. It is a strong trope because every one of these films understands that once a character gets small, nothing has to be exotic to feel dangerous. A bloodstream can look like deep space. A shopping cart can feel absurd and threat...

Welcome to the Video Store Podcast. The 1990s were a golden age for legal dramas and comedies. we’re stepping into the courtroom with four unforgettable films that deliver everything from shocking twists to laugh-out-loud moments. Whether you’re here for high-stakes drama or sharp-witted comedy, consider this your jury duty… and trust me, you won’t want to skip out on this one. Primal Fear (1996)...

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.videostorepodcast.com