All Things Must Pass – Jerry’s Video Reruns

Written by Joe D on September 2nd, 2007

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What a bummer! My favorite video store is closing down! I just found out that they will close their doors for good on Tuesday after 20 years of operation.

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Now What was it I was going to rent?

This is a place where you could find really obscure stuff, a lot of things only available on VHS. Tapes with stickers that said “$400 if lost or damaged”. Jerry and his wife are being forced out, victims of escalating rent and other expenses.

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Jerry & Mary

Some corporate crap house will no doubt take over his space. Yuck! Many’s the night a small crowd would be gathered by the counter talking film, watching a bizarre clip Jerry would be playing on a monitor by the door. “Hey Jerry can you show my friend the opening of Cemetary Without Crosses?”

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Wait a minute, I reserved Showgirls! Give it back!

I would recommend movies to people if they showed an interest. When an actor died news people would call Jerry for a clip. Writers and directors would rent reference films , researching projects, ripping off, I mean getting inspired by old films. Jerry was interviewed about William Castle, Ed Wood, his favorite movie-King Kong, Wah Chang, etc., etc. He always knew the name of every obscure character actor, he was always talking about particular episodes of long forgotten TV shows. He’s a great source of Hollywood history.

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Filmed in Percepto! You are the clerk!

I’d see lots of Celebrities in there. One Time Leonardo DiCaprio was shining a laser pointer at passing cars from the parking lot!

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Hey Mister! Are you a Celebrity?

Maybe Jerry will offer a phone in information service. ” Hello, Jerry’s video info!” ” Yeah, umm, who was the guy that played Gort in The Day The Earth Stood Still?” I guess running a video store can get to be a grind, when I asked Jerry “What are you going to do now?” he replied” As little as possible!” So lift up a stein of Belgian Beer and toast the passing of a movie oasis, an island of cool films that’s sinking beneath the waves of corporate media.

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So Long Old Friend

5 Comments so far ↓

  1. Sep
    10
    10:15
    AM
    Duke

    There never was, and never will be, a store quite like Jerry’s Video Reruns.

    I already miss it badly.

  2. Sep
    10
    12:46
    PM
    Caz

    Man, this breaks my heart. Combined with the loss of Mondo Video and (I fear) the likely eventual demise of the New Beverly, 2007 is a tragic year for cinema in Los Angeles.

    Also, I hate like hell to sound like a vulture, but anyone know what they’re doing with the videos? There were some real treasures there, and I still have a list of things I never got around to renting.

  3. Sep
    10
    3:30
    PM
    admin

    Jerry will be selling his stock on ebay if there’s something specific you had in mind I can ask him about it although he did sell a lot of videos in his last few days of operation. I bought a few myself.

  4. Sep
    16
    2:42
    PM
    Richard Harland Smith

    I only rented from there once but I walked out the door with a stack of videos heavy enough to crush a vole.

  5. Jun
    29
    1:12
    PM
    EA Press

    Now 2010 and a hole in the heart, still. We love you Mary & Jerry!

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