Integrity vs. Quantity?

Why is Netflix better than Blockbuster?

First, I suggest you read (or, glance over) this article by Jim Emerson, where he explains much more eloquently than I could what Blockbuster does to their DVD releases.

Basically, Blockbuster refuses to rent out DVDs that are NC-17 rated (I know this first-hand because I wanted to rent the 1997 'Crash' a while back). But the worst part is not that, but that they have some films cut and edited down to an R rating, but do not tell their customers they did so -- resulting in sometimes a very different movie. This is for in-store as well as online -- rentals.

Netflix does not do this, never will do this, and honestly has a much, much wider selection anyway. Plus, Netflix gives their viewers a "Watch Now" option (streamed instantly to your computer), which I don't think Blockbuster has (correct me if I'm wrong).

So why is Netflix not the clear winner here?

There is a loop-hole with the Blockbuster system that two of my friends have confirmed works. If I recall correctly, it works something like this:

Say you have a 2-at-a-time unlimited policy with Blockbuster. That means you mail one back, they receive it, and mail you another movie; however, you can also return the movie to a store yourself, physically, and get a new rental for free. The trick is, once you return the movie in person, you get the rental instantly as well as the next movie in your online queue mailed the next day. So if you had two movies, you could watch them both, go to the store, return them and get two new ones, and have two more at your house over one mail day -- the result being four movies at a time (for your 2-at-a-time plan). Pretty sweet, right?

The thing is that this only benefits people like me, who watch at least one movie a day, almost every day -- but even then it's still tough to burn through four movies fast enough to justify this. I had 3-at-a-time Netflix and barely ever had none at home. Now I'm on 2 and it's perfect.

But, what kind of movie kid would I be if I watched edited, cleansed versions of movies? Cuts that aren't a 'Director's Cut,' but a hack 'Blockbuster Cut?' I'm sorry, but no. I value artistic integrity in film, regardless of how good or bad the movie may be.

And just a bit of information: I worked it out last night and I've had Netflix for just under two years. For the price I pay, it's worked out to $2.50 a movie. Not bad at all, especially since I probably couldn't have found half of those in regular video stores (Blockbuster, or otherwise). I think it's $5 to rent a movie in-store at Blockbuster.