2008 Woodie Awards
So you wanna be in movies
Nicholas Kelly - The Daily Iowan
Issue date: 10/3/07 Section: Metro
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Ross Meyer stands behind the counter at That's Rentertainment, the video store he owns and operates in Iowa City.
The 27-year-old looks more like a rocker than a boss. Bearded, shaggy-haired, and sporting a Fugazi T-shirt, he makes tags for a stack of new releases.
Occasionally he looks at the TV to his left. A bizarre, late-60s children's show called "H.R. Pufnstuf" is playing. The screen awash in psychedelic colors and giant anthropomorphic creatures, Meyer explains the show's plot. It's about a boy stuck on the "Talking Island," where apparently everything from dragons to flutes to trees, well, talks to him.
Meyer looks at the screen for a second, "It's popular with the druggie culture."
The vibrant colors on the screen are matched by the décor of Meyer's store. Alternating panels of orange and blue line the walls. Filled from top to bottom with movies, they evoke a vibe that is equal parts '80s neon nostalgia and video wonderland. The titles run the gamut from the top of the A list to what seem to be refugees from the island of misfit cinema.
For Meyer though, sometimes the B list is his favorite.
"I love legitimately good films," he said. "But when I was in school, I ran the Bijou for like three years, so that sort of filled my quota for really artsy, good films. Now, I kind of like the bad stuff."
Perhaps to prove his point Meyer puts a new title in DVD player: Komodo vs. Cobra, The Ultimate Battle.
As giant lizards go about squashing people on some deserted tropical island, Meyer chats about monster movies. It seems that regardless of how popular or obscure a title may be, there's little that escapes Meyer's knowledge of all things flick. A question on a random sci-fi title can lead to a history of giant monster movies or the friendship between the director of Godzilla and samurai film legend Akira Kurosawa.
Max Radl, an long-haired and bespectacled employee of Meyer's, comes into the store. He and Meyer make small talk: movies, the day, and the new comic book Meyer picked up. Meyer offers a synopsis.
The 27-year-old looks more like a rocker than a boss. Bearded, shaggy-haired, and sporting a Fugazi T-shirt, he makes tags for a stack of new releases.
Occasionally he looks at the TV to his left. A bizarre, late-60s children's show called "H.R. Pufnstuf" is playing. The screen awash in psychedelic colors and giant anthropomorphic creatures, Meyer explains the show's plot. It's about a boy stuck on the "Talking Island," where apparently everything from dragons to flutes to trees, well, talks to him.
Meyer looks at the screen for a second, "It's popular with the druggie culture."
The vibrant colors on the screen are matched by the décor of Meyer's store. Alternating panels of orange and blue line the walls. Filled from top to bottom with movies, they evoke a vibe that is equal parts '80s neon nostalgia and video wonderland. The titles run the gamut from the top of the A list to what seem to be refugees from the island of misfit cinema.
For Meyer though, sometimes the B list is his favorite.
"I love legitimately good films," he said. "But when I was in school, I ran the Bijou for like three years, so that sort of filled my quota for really artsy, good films. Now, I kind of like the bad stuff."
Perhaps to prove his point Meyer puts a new title in DVD player: Komodo vs. Cobra, The Ultimate Battle.
As giant lizards go about squashing people on some deserted tropical island, Meyer chats about monster movies. It seems that regardless of how popular or obscure a title may be, there's little that escapes Meyer's knowledge of all things flick. A question on a random sci-fi title can lead to a history of giant monster movies or the friendship between the director of Godzilla and samurai film legend Akira Kurosawa.
Max Radl, an long-haired and bespectacled employee of Meyer's, comes into the store. He and Meyer make small talk: movies, the day, and the new comic book Meyer picked up. Meyer offers a synopsis.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
VSolursh
posted 10/03/07 @ 9:23 PM CST
That's Rentertainment is a terrific store! We should all support it because it has a great selection of titles and also because it is a local store with real employees who care about movies and customers and listen to those of us who have suggestions for purchases. (Continued…)
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