When I was young, my mom, sister and I would celebrate any little accomplishment either of us had with a movie night. These nights would include buckets of popcorn, candies and fizzy drinks. Although, before any movie night could begin, we had to make a pitstop at one specific store, Blockbuster. Once we entered the store, any DVD we could possibly want would be in our hands within minutes after a few trips up and down the isles. Blockbuster was known for its vast array of movie selections from any genre you could think of. Although, in the past 15 years, physical media has been dying off and has been replaced by a plethora of streaming services. The evolution of the streaming service couldn’t have been created without the idea that Blockbuster first created.
Having any movie you could want at your disposal within minutes, which has since turned to seconds, began in the mid to late 1980s and has continued to progress. Blockbuster was at its peak throughout the ‘90s and the early 2000s. According to the Los Angeles Times, the company originally started off with VHS tapes and began its transition to DVDs in 2001. The company had many successful years in business until 2010 when the chain officially closed due to bankruptcy. (There is, however, one Blockbuster still left standing in Oregon). Their company couldn’t compete with new opponents in the at-home video world.
One of these competitors included Redbox, which is still in business today. Redbox is known for its bright red kiosks located at well-known businesses like Walgreens and, in the past, McDonalds (which I have just been informed is no longer home to the giant crimson rectangles that used to stand near the front doors of the fast-food chain). These kiosks showcase a touch screen that displays a large movie selection that, once selected and paid for via debit or credit card, will eject the movie you have decided to rent. The movies rented from Redbox would have to be returned the following day but could be returned to any Redbox location in the entire country, which is very convenient for road trippers.
Another major competitor for Blockbuster, which unfortunately led to the company’s demise, is Netflix. The streaming platform originally started out as a rent-by-mail DVD service that could be paid for on their website. The website was set up to allow subscribers to pay a monthly fee and have unlimited access to movies that would arrive at their homes within days. This was the business model that originally brought Blockbuster down. Netflix continued to evolve and in the late 2000s started its transformation into the first successful streaming service.
While Netflix may have been the first successful streaming service, today there are a multitude of similar platforms. Almost every major television network has its own version including ABC, CBS, HBO and Disney. Other well-known streaming services include Hulu and Paramount. Each of these companies requires monthly payments in order to have access to all the shows and films they have to offer. Redbox, our friend known for the bright red kiosks, is even breaking into the streaming world by launching on-demand movies.
Streaming services have officially replaced any other form of at-home movie service and continue to multiply each year.
Streaming services don’t just stop at movies and television shows either. There are also platforms for streaming music and podcasts as well like Spotify and Apple Music. Some platforms, like Amazon, have even figured out a way to incorporate both music and video streaming into their repertoire.
The digital age has brought on many new inventions and ideas so it’s impossible to know where the future of cinema will take us next. It makes me wonder, what will I do with my future children to celebrate their accomplishments? Will our movie experience be in the form of virtual reality? Who knows? But whether it’s virtual reality or not, one thing is certain. The next at-home cinema creation will be big!