After hitting the film festival circuit and getting an online release late last year, the documentary
The Last Blockbuster is making one more stop that couldn’t be more ironic. In just a few days, Netflix will be streaming the film about the last standing Blockbuster Video store in Bend, Oregon. Why is this ironic? Because Blockbuster had a chance to buy Netflix before the DVD mailing company and eventual streaming service ended up burying them.
In case you haven’t seen it, here’s the trailer and synopsis for
The Last Blockbuster:
Filmmakers Taylor Morden & Zeke Kamm follow the manager of the world’s sole remaining Blockbuster in Bend, OR, Sandi Harding, as she reflects on the store’s vibrant past and navigates the difficult task of keeping a video rental store open in the era of streaming. Taking us through the history and subsequent rise and fall of the franchise, the documentary reveals the real reason why Blockbuster went out of business (hint – it wasn’t Netflix), while celebrating the unique and defining culture it created in the ‘90s, honoring a simpler times and the sense of community that could once be found in Blockbuster locations across the world.