Vidiots
Message from Vidiots
Vidiots opened in 1985 with more square feet than titles (1000 sq. feet 800 videos). Patty and Cathy sought out rare foreign and independent titles as well as performance and video artists' videos. Within two years Vidiots grabbed a reputation among cinema enthusiasts, film students and moviemakers as one of the most important alternative video stores in the country. The staff has always been made up of creative people attracted by their love of film. At any given time you will find visual and performance artists, writers, directors, critics, teachers, stand-up comedians and DJ's working behind the counter. The support and loyalty of great customers allowed Patty and Cathy to triple the size of the space with over 40,000 titles. With a rapidly growing DVD section (over 12,000) and a treasure trove of straight-to-DVD videos, Vidiots is the alternative for people who love movies.
Editorial by Citysearch
In ShortVidiots is one of the few Westside video rental stores that specializes in independent film. It carries over 26,000 titles (2,500 are DVDs), and the weekend rental crowd rivals the two nearby Blockbusters. It stocks films from a mix of major and independent studios, as well as a wide range of foreign titles. Vidiots also offers a decent selection of fiction and non-fiction books for sale.
Key Points
- Foreign and Independent
- Documentary
- Videos and DVDs
The Inside Scoop
- The Extras - While waiting in the checkout line, admire the dozens of autographed video cases that line the walls.
- Save Money - On Mondays, members are allowed to keep rentals for two days instead of one. Wednesdays are rent one get one free for both members and non-members.
Insider Pages Reviews for Vidiots
vidiots is great
by Anonymous
You don't have to send away for obscure films, they are here at vidiots. The staff are all film fans, and know the collection. Great for foreign and independent films.
Posted 05/01/08 | Report Abuse
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This is THE video rental store on the west side! Go here before anywhere else because they usually have what you want. Great for art films and foreign films and those good old oldies!
Posted 04/30/08 | Report Abuse
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Vidiots has the best selection I've seen in a video store, and I went there to rent a movie I couldn't find at any of the local Blockbusters. Their initial rental price is decent, but the length of the rental can be a real issue--you only get one or two days before the late fees start piling up, and since I needed to keep my movies for about four days, it ended up costing me about $40 for two DVDs. It's the price you pay for obscure, hard-to-find stuff, so I didn't mind, but I wouldn't visit there to rent movies I could find regularly at the nearby stores.
PROS: Excellent selection, very nice and helpful staff.
CONS: Rental period is very short and late fees are killer.
Posted 11/24/05 | Report Abuse
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No, seriously...I have yet to look for something that they don't have. Whether it's obscure 1950s science fiction films or documentaries that I need to present in my classes, if it's come out on VHS or DVD, it's probably lurking somewhere in here. The staff are quite knowledgable and take their jobs really seriously, which is a nice change from the Blockbuster drones. Los Angeles may not have a wealth of bookstores or coffeeshops, but its wealth of good video rental places makes you notice less.
Buy a membership here. It's well worth it.
Posted 07/29/05 | Report Abuse
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This is the place to go if you're looking for a hard-to-find title. They have an enormous selection and a very cool alternative vibe. There is a fee for membership, but its well worth it. The staff is very knowledgeable. Careful, they can be a bit snobbish because of that. Still the place has a cool vibe that's more like a comic book store than a stuffy video rental chain.
PROS: Incredible selection
CONS: Parking can be hard to find
Posted 06/22/05 | Report Abuse
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Great local video store. The alternative to Blockbuster. They have a great selection of rare and hard to find videos. They have movies catagorized by director and genre. Their prices are cheaper than most stores and they offer prepaid cards for an even bigger discount.
SOme times hard to find new releases on Friday Saturday nights and the store is difficult to navigate if you're in a hurry.
Posted 03/28/05 | Report Abuse
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This is the best video store in LA and in the country. They have something for everyone. Think of it like video on demand in a video store. If you are tired of going to Blockbuster and looking for something a bit different you can find it at Vidiots. If you want to see every James Bond film ever made they've got it or an interesting movie from the 50s or 60s they've got it. A true place for movie lovers.
Posted 03/28/05 | Report Abuse
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A video rental store clearly run by humans, Vidiots is peppered with quirky signs and suggestions that would never be allowed at a large chain. For example, they have at least one movie that is free with any rental (I guess one of the employees really wants people to see it) and at the front counter they have signs indicating that they will not serve you if you are talking on your cell phone.
They also have sections of movies organized by director, and a much appreciated selection of movies for the film junkie. Also, the store kind of smells like old books, which I enjoy.
Rental prices are reasonable, and there are discounts if you become a member. There are also discounts on membership if you are a member of KCRW and bring your Fringe Benefits card.
Posted 03/28/05 | Report Abuse
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Most unique and interesting selection of video rentals in LA -- stuff you'd never find at blockbuster!
Posted 03/28/05 | Report Abuse
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As with any video store on the weekends unless you are there early it's hard to find the latest releases. BUT, if you're searching for hard to find titles or looking to spend the weekend watching a marathon of your favorite actor/actress's body of work than Vidiots is the perfect place for you. The well informed staff can help you find those hard to find movies and really know their movie history.
Posted 03/28/05 | Report Abuse
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This is the best video / dvd rental store I've been able to find in Socal. Imagine -- not a single decent video store in the Pasadena area. Sheesh. Anyway, Vidiots has the nerdiest staff of all time, that probably knows that movie you can't quite remember. Long lines, and the nerds can be surly -- but if you gotta go all the way to Venice from La Canada to get a decent foreign film, you're looking for knowledge, not charm.
Posted 03/28/05 | Report Abuse
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this is an AMAZING place to go if your looking for that "hard to find" cult movie...jammed packed with hundreds (if not thousands) of selections you can find almost anything. It's also very reasonably priced and very knowledgable staff. I great find!
Posted 01/03/05 | Report Abuse
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Latest reviews from Citysearch.
vidiots is great
by Citysearch User
You don't have to send away for obscure films, they are here at vidiots. The staff are all film fans, and know the collection. Great for foreign and independent films.
Posted 04/30/08
Lots of old school
by dylawat
great place, lots of Classics and rare finds. Bit out of the way, but worth the trip. The staff is knowledgable and friendly.
Pros: rare movie
Cons: bit far
Posted 09/26/06
The best video rental place...
by alipoo2002
They have pretty much any movie ever made plus the finest selection of rare and obsure titles, documentaries, sci-fi, genre defying, art films, etc. The people that work there are all helpful and really conneseurs of film.
They also have really great, unique holiday cards when christmas comes around...very california-centric or goofy-beachy themes. Fun.
Posted 03/11/06
The Most Comprehensive Video Store
by tychovski
Vidiots has the greatest selection of Videos & DVD's I have ever seen. All genres and mediums are represented. The staff are not only very knowledgeable, but friendly and helpful as well. Street parking is available, but not reliable. Rental rates are quite reasonable, considering few other stores have half the selection they do. If you've been trying to find something you'd seen years ago, and no-one knows what you're talking about, Vidiots has two copies of it waiting.
Pros: Selection, Knowledgeable
Cons: Parking
Posted 03/23/05
How Could You Rent Anywhere Else?
by hexerei
Vidiots has it all, from extremely knowlegable staff to cheap rental fees to UNLIMITED obscure titles! I've loved this place for years and cut up my Blockbuster card after my first visit to Vidiots. Support these folks - they rock!
Pros: Affordable Rates, Intelligent Staff, Cool Atmosphere
Posted 03/07/05
vidiots addict
by veramtt
every time i rent a movie, i pass two blockbusters on my way to vidiots. they have every title you could possibly imagine and the people who work there really know their stuff. which is good, cuz the shelving system can get tricky, but they'll navigate you through it. the only thing is that video rentals are only 2 days. also know that in order to get the 3 dollar rental rate (as opposed to 4.25 or whatever) you have to get either an annual or lifetime membership. but either way, it pays itself off with the free movie rental card they give you when you sign up, so it's better to get the annual membership just in case.
Posted 08/23/02