Vidiots (store)

Video store in Los Angeles

The Vidiots Foundation

"Vidiots"

Address| 4884 Eagle Rock Blvd
Los Angeles

Type| Video Rental Store, Indoor Movie Theater
Opened| Est. 1985
Website
www.vidiotsfoundation.org

Vidiots is an independent video rental store in Los Angeles, California.[1]

## History

[edit]

Vidiots was founded by Cathy Tauber and Patricia Polinger in 1985.[2] The original Vidiots location was based in Santa Monica and featured a library consisting of 800 titles.[3]

Throughout the 90s and early 2000s, Vidiots distinguished themselves from larger video rental store chains, such as Blockbuster, by featuring obscure and niche titles, including several VHS that were never made into DVDs, and movies which were out of print entirely.[2][4]

While experiencing a steady increase in cinephile customers, Vidiots expanded their programming to include a series of film-related events, including screenings, small festivals for local filmmakers, speaker spotlights, etc.[3] Vidiots' video library increased to 50,000 titles by the 2010s.[5][6]

At the encouragement and assistance of filmmaker David O. Russell, Vidiots became a non-profit organization in 2012, Vidiots Foundation. Their stated mission was to "preserve, protect and educate," about the history of film and the various kinds of filmmaking.[7][8]

In 2016, Vidiots recognized Harry Dean Stanton with their inaugural Harry Dean Stanton Award. The award recognizes a member of the film community whose body of work has helped define or impact American cinema.[9][10]

In 2017, Vidiots closed after struggling to maintain itself with the increase in streaming platforms and viewership.[11][12]

## Re-opening

[edit]

During its interim years without a physical location, the Vidiots Foundation partnered with other existing independent theaters to maintain its organization. The foundation collaborated on programming with Bootleg Theater, Alamo Drafthouse, UCLA Film & Television Archive, Rooftop Cinema Club and the Theatre at the Ace Hotel.[13][14][15]

In 2020, Vidiots began a fundraising campaign to raise money for its storefront reopening.[16]

In 2021, Play-PerView staged a presentation of Bill Corbett's play, The Medievalists, starring Jason Ritter, Paget Brewster, James Urbaniak, and Rhea Seehorn, proceeds for which went to Vidiots.[17] The Vidiots foundation received the 2021-2022 Hollywood Foreign Press Association Grant for promoting "cultural exchange through film."[18] The foundation also received a National Association of Theatre Owners grant in 2022[19] and partnered with A24 in auctions,[20] benefits for which went to the Vidiots' campaign.[21][22]

Vidiots re-opened its doors in 2022 at a new location, the former Eagle Theater in Eagle Rock, Los Angeles.[23][24] Vidiots resumed its full program of screenings of repertory titles and cult favorites. The Vidiots storefront operates in the space, where the original collection of rental videos is maintained.[25][26]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Welcome". Vidiots Foundation. Retrieved 2022-09-02.
2. ^ a b "Rewind: The Story of Vidiots Foundation" - via www.youtube.com.
3. ^ a b Herbst, Julia (November 4, 2015). "Party Like It's 1985 at the First Annual Vidiotsfest Los Angeles Magazine".
4. ^ Wood, Jennifer M. "Not Dead Yet: How Some Video Stores Are Thriving in the Age of Netflix". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2022-09-06.
5. ^ "Benicio Del Toro in person at Vidiots for a screening of ‚ÄúEscobar: Paradise Lost‚Äù – Santa Monica Daily Press". www.smdp.com. Retrieved 2022-09-06.
6. ^ "Lucky movie: the perfect swan song for cult star Harry Dean Stanton". Radio Times. Retrieved 2022-09-06.
7. ^ "Why Vidiots Coming Back to LA Is a Big Deal for Filmmakers". No Film School. October 16, 2019.
8. ^ "Inside VisArt Video's Evolution to Nonprofit". Charlotte Magazine. 2020-04-09. Retrieved 2022-09-06.
9. ^ Collis, Clark (August 23, 2016). "Harry Dean Stanton to receive inaugural Harry Dean Stanton Award: Exclusive details". EW.com. Retrieved 2022-09-06.
10. ^ Weekly, L. A. (2016-10-13). "Harry Dean Stanton Will Receive the First-Ever Harry Dean Stanton Award". LA Weekly. Retrieved 2022-09-06.
11. ^ "After 30 Years, Beloved Video Store Vidiots Is Saying Goodbye". LAist. January 26, 2015.
12. ^ Hayden, Erik (2017-01-24). "Vidiots, Video Store Saved by Megan Ellison, to Move From Santa Monica". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2022-09-06.
13. ^ "Cult classic 'Heathers' to celebrate 30th anniversary with LA screening". Daily Bruin. Retrieved 2022-09-02.
14. ^ Cristi, A. A. "Rooftop Cinema Club Announces July Lineup & The Return Of Downtown LA Venue". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2022-09-02.
15. ^ Schindel, Dan (2019-03-20). "A Rare Opportunity to See a Movie Written by Jean-Paul Sartre". Hyperallergic. Retrieved 2022-09-06.
16. ^ "VIDIOTS FOUNDATION LAUNCHES RENOVATION OF EAGLE THEATRE IN NORTHEAST LOS ANGELES FOR SPRING 2022 OPENING ANNOUNCES MAJOR GIFT AND MATCHING CAMPAIGN". Vidiots Foundation.
17. ^ Harms, Talaura (September 1, 2021). ""In the News: Darren Criss and Miss Piggy Will Reunite for Muppets Haunted Mansion, Little Women Will Play London's Park Theatre, More"". Playbill.com.
18. ^ "Hollywood Foreign Press Association announces winners of 79th Annual Golden Globe Awards". Niagara Frontier Publications. Retrieved 2022-09-06.
19. ^ "Theatre Owners of California & Nevada Select 2022 Community Grant Recipients". www.newswire.com. Retrieved 2022-09-02.
20. ^ June, Sophia. "A24 Releases 'For Promotional Use Only,' A Big Book of Absurd Movie Merch Artifacts". Nylon. Retrieved 2022-09-06.
21. ^ "Vintage Eagle Rock theater plans to reopen with fresh look and new video store". ABC7 Los Angeles. 2021-02-05. Retrieved 2022-09-02.
22. ^ McClintock, Pamela (2022-08-05). "California-Nevada Theater Owners Announce Grant Recipients". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2022-09-02.
23. ^ "Video Stores Didn't Die With Blockbuster — Vidiots Is Proof". www.refinery29.com.
24. ^ Saperstein, Pat (2020-12-07). "Vidiots Still Planning Eagle Rock Theater Opening as City Hearing Looms". Variety. Retrieved 2022-09-06.
25. ^ Ramos, Dino-Ray (September 30, 2019). "Vidiots Sets L.A. Relaunch With Storefront And Independent Theater".
26. ^ "Beloved video store Vidiots is set to reopen. How Rian Johnson and others are helping". Los Angeles Times. July 19, 2021.

34°08′06″N 118°12′55″W﻿ / ﻿34.1351°N 118.2152°W﻿ / 34.1351; -118.2152