Page lOB/The Battalion/Monday, August 27, 1984 Movie rentals creating competition VCR, C By CARL BECKER Reporter Video cassette recorders are chan ging the way people watch movies. Watching movies has long been a popular, though somewhat limited, leisure activity. In the past, when a person wanted to go to a movie, his choices were limited to what was showing at the local theaters or scheduled on television. Today, VCRs give movie-viewers the alter native of buying or renting a movie from the thousands available and watching it in the privacy of their own homes. One appeal of VCRs is that they allow people to watch almost any thing they want, when they want to, without leaving their living room. The popularity of these recorders is reflected in a statistic from F. Ebers- tadt & Co. which shows the number of television households owning a VCR doubled in the past two years to 9 million, or 11 percent. For the remaining 89 percent who don’t own a recorder, about 10,000 video stores across the nation rent them out for an average price of $ 10 per day. That $10 price, combined with an average $2 per day rental charge for each movie, makes it pos sible for people to enjoy the benefits of a VCR for a low cost, one reason why video rental is so popular. In Bryan College-Station, several video stores are located throughout the area. They range from small pri vately owned stores such as Just Vi deo to members of nationwide chains such as VideoConcepts. Both these stores are located in Post Oak Mall. The competition for customers is intense. John Coldeway, owner of Just Video, said his business has a personal touch, while Melanie House, manager of Video Concepts, said her store has a reputation as an organization dedicated to family en tertainment. Both offer competitive prices. cassette recorders, movie theater business has gone up,” he said. “VCRs create movie interest in peo ple by exposing them to more mov ies than they would normally see.” Morris Schulman, general man ager of Schulman Theaters, agreed. “I think video cassette recorders have made people more aware of the movies,” he said. “People are watch ing more movies than ever before because there are more ways to see ture and sound, Schulman says.. “In the past, there has been no competition for movies, and exhibi- , n£ “I think video cassette recorders have made people more aware of the movies/’ he said. “People are watch ing more movies than ever before because there are more ways to see them and that helps the industry,” says Morris Schulman, general manager of Schulman Theaters. “In the past, there has been no competition for movies, and exhibitors have gotten lazy about the quality of their equipment. ” To complicate matters, many gro cery stores have begun renting mov ies at equally competitive prices. The overall effect of this competi tion is to drive prices down while, at the same time, offering customers a greater variety of movies to choose from. Another effect of the large number of video rental outlets is that it makes people in the B-CS area more aware of movies by increasing the number of ways to view them. “Since the introduction of video them and that helps the industry.” Schulman added that he doesn’t think VCRs will hurt the movie in dustry by taking away customers. “A movie has to become popular before there is interest in it and mov ies gain this popularity in the movie theaters,” he said. Instead of hurting the theater business, VCRs will help by causing the movie industry to improve the quality of its equipment in order to compete with the quality of VCR pic- tors have gotten lazy about the qual ity of their equipment,” Schulman said. “Now, VCRs will force them to improve their equipment through research and development.” He mentioned a current project aimed at eliminating the flicker (slight movement in the picture) in movies as one example of attempted im provement. In addition to the movie industry, VCRs are also affecting social activ ities such as dating and partying. David Lockridge, a senior civil en gineering major from Tyler, said dating has changed a lot since he was in high school. “When I was 16, a typical date consisted of going to a movie and af terwards going for a Coke,” he said. “Today, there is so much more to do than there was then, like going danc ing or roller skating, not to mention going to formals and ot to football games. Video cassette recorders of fer the added alternative of renting a movie and watching it in the pri vacy of my own home for a lot less than I would spend at a movie thea ter.” Dawson Clark, a senior journalism major from Hereford, agreed about the difference in costs. Julie Owen, a junior accounting major from Hurst, pointed out addi tional benefits of renting a movie. , “If you have to leave during the movie for some reason, you can’t just yell up at the projectionist and ask him to stop the movie for a few min utes,” Owen said. “With a video cas sette recorder, you just stop the movie if you need to leave and start it again whenever you’re ready - you don’t have to miss any of the movie. And, if there is a particular part of the movie you want to see again, you can rewind it and watch it as many times as you like. Of course, it works the other way, too. If there’s some thing you don’t want to see, you can fast forward the movie until that scene is finished. That’s really handy when you’re on a date.” Lockridge said that besides using the VCR for dates, he and his room mates have thrown VCR parties. Terzis said people rent movies from Mariel’s for many different reasons. “People check out our films for a variety of uses,” Terzis said. “In ad dition to renting films for dates, par ties and family entertainment, we also rent them to day-care centers, church groups and college stu dents.” Renting a movie or VCR is a sim ple task. Some stores, such as Video- Concepts and Mariel’s, require a membership or deposit, or both, while others like Just Video and Movies to Go (Manor East Mall) re- a uire only information from a Texas rivers license. All the stores require the customer to sign a form placing the responsibility for the rentals on the person renting them. Often, the most difficult problem encountered in renting a movie is deciding which movie to pick. movies at MSC By SUZANNA YBARRA Reporter How about seeing Toni Cruiscrt H As a enact his version of Bob Segtr'i I lowed “Old-Time Rock ’n’ Roll” in movie “Risky Business”again?Oi seeing Harrison Ford lowered into the snake-filled pit in‘Raid, ers of the Lost Ark" again? Ot maybe seeing Richard Gere sweep Debra Winger off her fe« at the end of “An Officer andi Gentleman” again? That’s where By LINDA SANTINOCETO Reporter A showing of Guatemalan weav ing in mid-October will be the major exhibit of the fall in the Memorial Student Center Gallery. Theresa Chiang, MSC Arts Com mittee Program Adviser, has just re turned from previewing the exhibit in Guatemala City, and she is excited about it. receptions, newspaper ads and hanging of the exhibit.” Some exhibits are borrowed from other galleries, and the MSC pays “We try to see the exhibits when possible,” Chiang said. “We get an nouncements from several galleries and students travel to Houston and Dallas when they hear of a showing.” “Shipping costs (for an ex hibit alone) are about $12,000 along,” Theresa Chiang, MSC Arts Com mittee programs advisor said. then students would not gain, so we offer a selection of things,” she said. The American Abstract Express ionist Collection of the Sarah Camp bell Blaffer Foundation will be shown in the University Exhibit Hall this fall. Todd Stansbury, MSC Gallery Coordinator said the colorful exhibit is funded by former Texas A&M student Harwood Smith.“It is the major exhibit this year because it is from another country,” he said. Chiang said shows such as this one are expensive. “Shipping costs are about $12,000 along,” she said. “Then there is pro duction costs for brochures, opening only transportation and production costs, Chiang said. Stansbury saidthe 20- member Arts Committee is open to all stu dents. “Visual arts is an important part of our culture and history, and gives students an extra facet to explore,” he said. Chiang said we use the gallery as an educational tool. “If we show all cows and horses “Most people do not understand expressionists, said Joe Arredondo Jr. coordinator of Univversity Art Exhibits. “T hey have a difficult time with unrecognizable images,” he said. Arrendondo said the Blaffer foundation exists for the purpose of educating and getting the media in volved, so the cost of the expression ist exhibit is low. However, the Uni versity pays about $5000 to $8000 for security.” A comparable exhibit may cost about $25,000 to $50,000, Arre dondo said. Other exhibits planned are Crea tive Encounters by the MSC Craft Shop in August and Chinese Brush Art in April.Times and dates will be announced later in the summer. The Henri Matisse “Jazz” exhibit is one of several impressive exhibits brought to Texas A&M in recent years by the Arts Committee and University Art Exhibits. WASH FREE* & Look us Over! YOUR LOCAL FULL SERVICE tionlS LAUNDRY Fully Air Conditioned! Wash-Dry 8c Fold/7 Days/Wk Attendants on Duty 8:OOAM-10:00PM Dry Cleaning Pick-up 7 Days/Wk, 8AM-9PM 55 Washers 8c 27 Big Double Load Dryers Double Load Washers Huge 35 lb. Washers (Good for blankets, sleeping bags, etc) Two Convenient Locations: 3702 S. College Ave. 846-2872 3529 Old Hearne Rd. 823-5330 500 FREE DRY V T'* LAUNDRY 500 FREE DRY “NOTHING TO BUY... JUST PRESENT THIS COUPON TO ATTENDANT WHEN READY TO WASH The Gallery of Donee Arts 696-3639 Valerie Taylor The Brozos Volley Gymnastic Center 779-8263 Ed Landry DANCE 6 GYMNASTICS NOW OFFERING JAZZ CLASSES FOR 6 YR. OLDS THRU ADULT Gymnastics Jazz Top Daller Modern Dance Dreok Dancing Rhythmic Aerobics Daron Twirling OUR STAFF Ed Landry: Gymnastics Vol Peterson: Aerobics Valerie Taylor Jazz & Tap Paul Licce: Modern Dance Ana Ludmila Gee : Daller East City Breakers: Break Dancing Children (3 years), Teens and Adults Day 6 Evening Gosses With Child Care Available Registration 5-8 PM: August 21-23/28-00 1702E Ponderosa C.S Good only 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Limit one washer per customer per day Offer expires Sept. 16, 1984 Go For The GOLD 50 % Everything* ♦Except previously marked sale items OST Post Oak Mall Jewelry 764-1004 clothnij Fleitas I iica. Sh friends ith he ct he i Tod; taut vo< ocal music ; MSC r video cassette recorders comeu handy. T he Texas A&M Bookstoreiil A&M L now offering movie rentals, VQ tor of i rentals and movie camera rentals to students, faculty and staff ai Texas A&M. Howard L. DeHart, manager of Texas AHl Bookstore, said this project was planned about a year ago, Optimistic about the service, DeHart says it is another way to "take care of he needs of our own students.” Students often don’t have transportation to get to video rental stores to rent the VCRs, | Bringing art exhibits to A&M is costly task equesl l and the DeHart said and it’s not unuswl to find the VCR’s are already rented out once a student doev make it there, and he said heurr derstands and sympathizes will this. Response to the 173 moviet now in stock at the bookstoretia been good, he says, andthereare plans to expand the numberofti tieos to 1,000. The rental, whid was supposed to begin with tilt start of the fall semester, begat this summer because of demand “We do not try to competewitf, others in town,” DeHart said “We are concerned only with the welfare of our own customers,’ Movies rent for $2.50 a dan VCRs for $7.50 a day, andean eras for $10 a day. Renters who turn their equipment in late art charged an extra day’s rent. The bookstore’s movie camera rental also is expected tobesuc cessful. “The stuff you can get on film is just priceless,” DeHartsays Ht suggested possible uses for tht cameras such as filming gradua tions and weddings. Greg Cohan, a civil engi neering major, said he wasn't aware the bookstore offered mov ies and VCR units. “1 usually rent at Skagg’s," he hie coor said, “but if the movies at thtfjjsts of bookstore are cheaper I’ll go there. I don’t mind saving a bud or two.” The bookstore will try to be re ady for business when the fall se mester begins, DeHartsatid. J( nentali shows e ions, c veral Forn A&M hristn spring Jin Vak be love, I The unique said. I “The arrangi people could be Ue'' Over 30,000 reading your ad in this space! Battalion Advertising- let it work for your business, Call 845-2611 Today. , f n It