What to Know
- Vidéothèque is located at 1020 Mission Street #J in South Pasadena
- The shop's 20th-anniversary party is on Saturday, March 25 from 5 to 10 p.m.
- Known for its deep catalog of international and independent films for rent, as well as film-inspired books and gifts, Vidéothèque is a nexus for movie mavens
Savoring an on-screen story, for some people, starts with the credits and concludes with the final fade-out.
But film fans know that living in the happy thrall of cinematic splendor can involve so much more: Debating plot with pals in a theater lobby, delving into commentaries and behind-the-scenes documentaries, and finding a real-world place where celebrating the magic of movies is a daily calling, even a mission.
Cinema-loving Southern Californians know such a place exists: It's Vidéothèque in South Pasadena, a movie rental shop that, like so many of the 45,000 films that fill its shelves, is so much more than its straightforward tagline.
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True, finding a brick-and-mortar place that offers DVDs and Blu-rays for rent in 2023 might be considered to be something of a throwback, or even a novelty if you didn't grow up in the era when movie-rental palaces reigned supreme.
Vidéothèque, however, isn't a quaint curiosity trapped in the long-gone past; while the independent shop celebrates classic gems, it also champions those upcoming and avant-garde works that even the streaming services haven't yet discovered.
Family favorites, vintage horror, foreign romance, gritty potboilers, and offbeat comedy also line the shelves, which boast a quirky cataloging system: You'll want to look for a film by the director, actor, or era, rather than simply depending on a traditional alphabetized line-up, which can lead to fresh discoveries along the way.
Founded by Mark Wright in March 2003, the picturesque shop is now a movie-rich mainstay for people looking to rent films and, just perhaps, to linger for a few minutes, talking about a favorite short or cartoon with the knowledgeable staff and other cinema-obsessed customers.
To honor those loyal customers, the shop's excellent staff, and the larger cinema community, Mr. Wright is throwing a party on Saturday night, March 25 to mark Vidéothèque's 20th anniversary.
"Wine, cheese, tunes" and more goodies will play a part in the fizzy five-hour gathering.
It's a gathering that will likely draw, in large part, many younger cinephiles, the people who didn't get a chance to know the joys of VHS rental "the first time around," says the shop's owner.
"Physically engaging with a well-presented cross-section of physical media is still a thing!" says Mr. Wright, who managed a video store while attending college in Claremont before deciding to take a crack at helming his own indie shop.
He notes that the "in" trend right now, 4K Ultra High Definition discs, is attracting many customers, though plenty of people still swing by rent Blu-rays, take a turn at the on-site pinball machine, enjoy the jukebox (it's packed with 45s), browse the well-curated selection of vinyl, and visit Jules, the friendly shop cat (the locally famous feline can be seen napping near the new releases every Friday).
Have a kid in the house that has gotten into '80s nostalgia in recent years but hasn't ever seen a movie rental store? Or perhaps you miss the excitement of departing a shop with a stack of movies in one hand and a few snacks in the other?
Physical media lives, in a real-world place, run by actual people who adore movies. Stop by and tell Vidéothèque "happy 20th" on March 25 or any day of the week you're ready to rent a fantastic flick.
