The Video Underground
Categories: Videos and Video Game Rental, Music & DVD's [Edit]
Neighborhood: Jamaica Plain385 Centre St
(between Day St & Sheridan St)
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 (617) 522-4949
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 1:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun 11:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m. - Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
35 Reviews for The Video Underground
One of the few things I miss about working in JP. I love that it carries 60's Sexploitation movies and hard to find horror flicks. It is definitely NOT the neighborhood video store that carries the musical ANNIE or GHOST DAD, but more SLC PUNK and SHORT BUS.
Great place to find Old, New and In between movies!
I like the fact that I can go here and find movies you can NEVER find in a "regular" movie store!
Thursday film screenings. With free beer. Free. Beer. Be nice and supply the $5 donation because you will get (1) movie and more than (1) beer. A fair steal, that is.
Tuesdays are 2-for-1 movies. And they have ice cream from Christina's.
If I were a movie renter, I would rent here. Instead I visit. Instead, my gentleman rents. And if I didn't already have an archetypal independent video store love in Orlando, this would totally be 5 stars.
(They even have Takashi Miike's "Happiness of the Katakuris." Woo!)
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I can't believe how many 5-star reviews this place has. Actually I can, because this place truly rules. It is probably the best-reviewed place on yelp and it's not even a restaurant.
It is the best video rental emporium in the world. It has sections called "Smells like Teen Spirit" for high school movies, and "As Seen on TV" for TV show episodes. It has all the "great director" films categorized by director. It has all the horror films categorized by monster (vampire, zombie, etc). It has every movie and TV show ever.
This place rules. The staff are really nice, and recommend stuff to you without being all "I-know-movies-and-you-don't."
This place is the cure to the common video store.
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My favorite thing about the Video Underground is how it boosts my self-esteem. I love walking out the door with a new rental in my hand and feeling like I have great taste in movies. Video Underground accomplishes this by employing a hip staff who generally say things like, "Hey, great pick!" when I come up to the counter with my selection. While I don't actively seek their approval, it's always nice to know the VU clerk digs what you're digging. In this cynical day and age it's easy to assume they say that to everyone, regardless of what crap they're taking home to watch, but they generally throw in a couple details about the movie to let you know they mean business. "Man, this one is Chaplin's masterpiece, in my opinion." or "I love the Roman Polanski cameo in this one!" You know, that sort of thing. They know what they're talking about.
My one major caveat: Don't be surprised if you get the disc home and the damn thing skips or freezes or messes up at your favorite part. This is the one thing that drives me crazy about this place. An old roommate of mine thinks this is because they buff and polish the discs each time they're rented and that this negatively affects their performance. I dunno. Maybe people are just careless with the DVDs, using them as coasters and so forth. So consider yourself forewarned. And for the love of God, be careful that you're not the one scratching these discs up. Other people gotta watch 'em too, you know!
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Cancel your netflix account right now.
Before I moved to Boston, someone showed me the joy that is yelp. Through yelp, I found this place. After a month here, I trekked out to the store and did a dance of glee upon entering.
Spanish movies? Indie movies? Criterion collections abound? Zombie section? Equal Opportunity Exploitation!? Oh yeah - it goes there. My little small-town mind is blown.
One time fee for membership, and definitely pricier than netflix or others if you rent as much as I do, but the price point is so worth it. Places like this rock my world.
We may be acquaintances now, Video Underground, but I think we're going to get along just fine.
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yeah I do netflix, but I was witness to an emergency situation this week, and VU saved the day.
Nate was hosting a movie night for a movie so bad, even *I* made other plans. it was supposed to be streaming on netflix but it was not compatible with our tv. oh no! what to do?
where can we find a copy of "Heavy Metal" in the middle of Jackson Square on a Monday night?
where else? VIDEO UNDERGROUND!
nuff said.
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This place quite simply kicks ass. The selection, the decor, the service, and the vibe are all top-notch.
Hipsters and Yuppies alike can appreciate what this place has to offer, which is pretty much everything you can't get on Netflix and the only stuff you would want from Netflix. Moreover, the staff here are wicked knowledgeable and will take the time to help you find something you will enjoy not just something they like.
Take that Netflix and your silly recommendation algorithms!
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After the dearly departed Photographics (on the North Shore), I was convinced that rare, archaic and alternative movies would be displaced on eBay or Amazon until I was introduced to The Video Underground. They have early 20th century documentary films, a massive Indie file and cult classics. From the rapidly growing popularity of David Lynch to a chock-full of anonymous, brilliant avant-gard filmmakers, this place is a magnet for creative minds to expand their movie knowledge. Unlike most unique establishments (ie- Johnny Cupcakes) the staff aren't pretentious and will occasionally bend over backwards to suit your needs but won't let angry customers walk all over them.
Great Video store!
They take recommendation from others as well as have movie previewing every week, usually Thursdays! Great choices in movies. Everyone that works there is really nice and super helpful.
The owner once noticed I had been coming in to look for a specific movie, when in the end, I always settled on something else. When the movie finally came in... She called me! She also held it for me for TWO days, which by policy they only hold movies for one day. She was totally amazing and completely hooked it up. It showed me that they really care about their customers!
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What a great video store. I just moved here from the burbs. The selection here of foreign films, gay and just diverse films amaze me. Their rental policy of 4 days is great. Staff is extremely friendly.
A must.
Visiting Boston, acclaimed Brazilian photographer Roberto Blestiani discovered Video Underground on a misty morning in March, 2005 following an overnight snowstorm. After months of winter, eloquent video displays like golden leaves still clung to its shelves. A metaphor for courage and tenacity -- the kind that Video Underground so proudly displays.
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If you're a video store that isn't Blockbuster, you're already a hit in my mind.
But for such a small store, they have TONS of videos in their selection! From comedy to drama, zombies to TV series, they have everything. And for you conservative Christians, why not take a stroll through the curtain labeled "ADULT," I'm sure you'll find it interesting.
Each time I've gone in there, they've had some movie I love but haven't seen in ages playing on their TVs. This usually results in me standing in the middle of the store just watching TV instead of browsing what to rent. I also went in once and played with an adorable dog that a gay couple had brought inside with them. I love this place!
If you're a frequent renter like my friends who live in JP, you'll find their extended rentals and free movie incentives quite useful.
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They have every movie ever.
For example: The 1985 TV movie version of Alice in Wonderland that I thought i had imagined because I've never been able to find it any place else. What?! You haven't seen it?! Well I just returned it so run on down and snatch it up before someone else does!
The staff is also super helpful. I once tried to rent a documentary and when I got the the counter the employee told me that it was awful and not to waste my money and suggested another one (Inside Deep Throat) which was amazing. So my one piece of advice is: Always take recommendations from the staff!!!
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My roommate: We are having "Kevin Bacon Movie Night" - do you have footloose?
Staff: Why yes, it's under the "Fighting adversity through interpretive dance" section.
NO JOKE.
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My favorite video store in the whole world! I used to live around the corner from this place and loved having a well edited selection. Their friendly staff are movie buffs that offer just the right recommendations. Their choices always suited my tastes and quirky categories ("Smells like Teen Spirit", "As Seen on TV") are playful. They also sell pocky and have movie nights at the bar across the street, how cool is that?
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UPDATE:
Following the review below, I was contacted by the VU's owner and comped 2 rentals, in addition to having some late fees nixed. This move is awesome, classy and the way businesses should be run. You've won me back, Video Underground. I'm yours forever.
Alright, I gotta speak up about this.
But first, let's get one thing out of the way: The Video Underground is amazing. Fantastic collection, creatively arranged, and friendly staff that obviously loves movies in the purest, most unpretentious manner possible. Their selection rocks, and it rocks hard.
HOWEVER. I no longer rent from them. Because: an average of 4 out of 5 DVDs I've rented (amongst over 30, easily) are scratched and skip. And 1 out of these 4 have proven to be unwatchable, in that they skip to the point of loss of hefty portions of the movie. I've tried watching their discs on two different stand-alone players and two laptops, and the problem persists.
It sucks, because they're obviously mindful of this problem, and generally clean each disc as it's rented. But really, it's gotten to the point where it's no longer worth the cash to rent movies I won't actually be able to watch.
Anyone in the grant writing biz? Perhaps we can scrape together some funds and buy these kids some new movies. The world needs places like The Video Underground, but even more than that, it needs for their DVDs to function consistently.
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I have Netflix. I love it and I would never cancel it in lieu of a video store. But if one day I decided to, I would be a Video underground regular.
One day I was in between Netflix shipments and wanted something right away. So I walked over to VU to pick something out.
I have to say that I was a little put off by their prices ($4.50 per rental. $10 membership fee. $6 for a pint of Toscanini's.) But you know what? Fuck it. It costs a lot of money to keep such an immense inventory. Especially considering the number of Criterion DVDs they carry. And it's not just a bunch of art house and cult films either. They carry everything. Just think of the $10 membership fee as a donation to a film preservation society if it makes you feel better.
Besides, two for Tuesdays is a pretty good bargain.
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Netflix shmetflix. If you enjoy movies and social interaction, this is the place to be. They give suggestions not built on mathematical calculations by which titles youve rented but based on their personal subjective good or bad opinions. Not to mention that they can be real cool about late fees.
And hey, you can get pocky for after your foodwar dinner.
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"Well, this is not a boat accident! And it wasn't any propeller; and it wasn't any coral reef; and it wasn't Jack the Ripper! It was a shark"
Came here last night for just a tiny piece of their Summer Backyard Film Festival, a screening of JAWS! Co-sponsored by Harpoon and for a minimal donation of just five measely dollars, you can drink all the Harpoon UFO you want, and throw some skrimp on the barrrrbeee. No seriously, you can bring whatever you want and use their grill. I brought my date here, what a fun first date this was. A bunch of random drunken strangers uniting over a love of shark attack carnage, free beer, and obnoxious commentary.
The set up is compiled of a bunch of folding chairs laid out on some artifical turf in the back yard behind the storefront, and the movie is projected onto a screen. Mostly an artsy-scenester crowd, and while some of them were snarky, we made good friends with the couple next to us as we shared witty banter and jokes about tigah shahks. There's still a few more nights of the Summer Backyard Features, so I suggest you make it before it's too late.
The video selection was pretty VAST, covering a lot of different areas and the staff seems knowledgable and friendly. Definitely spent some time discussing Jarmusch films while my partner was in the bathroom while some sort of Scottish (?) version of Austin City Limits played in the background. Hope to make it back for the cheap red wine and erotica night, YOWZ!
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Yeah, I've fallen victim to netflix recently. Don't hate me...but this place is DA BOMB. The only thing is that they will, of course, be out of new movies pretty quickly, otherwise, no complaints:
-the best titles I've ever seen. and im talking foreign films, indies and zombie flicks!!
-fantastic categories/groups of movies throughout..they used to have a Parker Posey section!
-very cool atmosphere
-they sell cool snacks
-good prices, and they accept credit cards
-be sure to get the "rent xx movies, get one free" card
Best.video.store.ever.
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Be you an avant-novice looking to veg out with an entire season of bad TV comedy or film critic looking for a hard-to-find Criterion Collection copy of (insert esoteric film name here), Video Underground has what you're looking for. The staff hearts and knows film in ways your average disgruntled Blockbuster employee with an addiction to crappy movie munchies could never dream of and the membership program is positively dreamy for a local venue. Upon entering their membership ranks you will be equipped with 2 2 for 1 coupons at your disposal in addition to your frequent renter card that will get you a free video after renting 12. (Coolidge Corner Theater members also get 2 for 1 every Sunday and Wednesday night). In addition to short-term rentals, films are screened every Thursday night and they buy used dvds in good condition along with offering an extended rental service. To top it off, Video Underground also offers local filmmakers the unique chance to put their films on a shelf and rent 'em out. So pull up your Netflix queue, find your video-to-rent on Video Underground's online inventory list or brave the shelves sans a review, and mosey on over there.
Oh my god, there is no place in JP that makes me want to move to JP more than this video store. They have an amazing selection of everything. Television (seriously, what rental store carries 'Action'), Foreign, indie, and they even have a section divide up by director. My favorite is the "Customer Requests" because that actually means that customers can request things! You have no idea how long it took Hollywood video to carry The Office.
It is impossible to walk into this place and not find something to watch. It's incredible array of diverse titles and I want to spend hours rummaging through them.
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The people who work here are really nice. I suggested they get Little Britain and before I knew it it was on the shelf. Speaking of shelves, they just renovated and now the atmosphere is a den of wonderment. You can get a pint of Toscanini's gelato to go with a film from their always interesting selection. The experience here beats going to some boring chain video store any day.
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After having worked at a blockbuster video for a summer, I gotta say walking into this place was a breath of fresh air. All the best movies, great ice cream (i recommended nocciola), NetFlix is okay but if you get cravings for a certain movie in particular its nice to know you have a place withing walking distance (of my girlfriends place) that will have exactly what your looking for as well as great recommendations
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This is the perfect netflix supplement for my household. You can go to the Video Underground anytime and grab a new realease, an old favorite, or a cult-classic. They also have a section called "customer recommendations" where they stock movies that customers have requested. There are some obscure films in that section.
This is the antithesis of Blockbuster, in that it is geared toward the customers and the neighborhood, not just the lowest common denominator (i.e. 1000 copies of every new release, and nothing interesting). They also sell Toscanini's pints and have a porno section, which I haven't checked out, but it might be better porno than average, based on this being a better video store than average and the fact that the porno section is blocked off by a pirate curtain.
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Soso happy I went! This venue had been talked up to me for quite sometime by a variety of sources and I was pleased to finally have a chance to go. This little store brings a smile to my face as kind of the "Empire Records" of JP. Very local flavor, down to earth, full of life shop with lots of oldies but goodies as well as icecream. Movies and icecream go hand in hand really. The employees were all extremely friendly and helpful and made us feel welcome. What is really interesting about this store is the summer movie events they hold in the backyard. It's one of those things that isn't overtly advertised in the storewindow or anything and makes you feel like you're "in the know". You walk past the register, down a hallway, into a cute little yard full of folding chairs, Christmas lights, garbage can lid adornments and a projector playing some of your old school favorites. A $5 donation is welcomed, and you can have all the free booze you want. The night I went, they were playing Porky's and giving out UFO. The place was smattered with artsy types, and wasn't stuffed to the gills. Definitely a comfortable group that would welcome you with open arms even if you were flying solo.
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Video Underground is a wonderful, wonderful place. There is no reason to ever rent a movie in person anywhere but here, as they have everything you could possibly want, including ice cream and pornography. The best part about Video Underground is that you, the customer, actually matter in that if you request something, eventually it seems it will turn up there. Their John Waters section is exceptionally complete, they carry a lot of great Criterion Collection films, I am thrilled that they have a section for Martin Scorcese that includes his guide to Italian cinema, and even have things that you cannot find on Netflix!
In fact, Video Underground is so great, that it makes me feel guilty for having Netflix in the first place.
just to clarify on a comment above...the VU basic membership ONLY (and has always) COSTS $5 and includes 2 "rent one, get one free" coupons (that's $9 worth of free movies at retail cost), plus, as correctly mentioned by the same reviewer, we do have 2 for 1 rentals on EVERYTHING in the store (except adult section) on tuesdays and all rentals are for 5 days/4 nights (even new releases).
thanks again for supporting independent film and local businesses!
we really try to take all of our members ideas and suggestions into account in terms of how we organize and grow the store...all the kind words make it all worthwhile!!
for more info on our policies, please visit http://thevideoundergr...
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i don't care about anything else except their spanish/portugese section. it's mind boggling. i have seen a TON of spanish/latin films and they had all of those plus 70 more i've never even heard of. amazing. like dana i would move to jp solely to patronize this store.
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Once you go underground, you don't wanna come back to the flurescent lit commercial video blockbuster chains.
Located near the holy trifecta of Milky Way and Brendan Behan (at night) and Sorellas and June Bug Cafe (in the morning), I genuinely like this little business. New releases to the left of the entrance door with a funny little spinny rack of customer requests (who the hell requested Roundhouse?) and their end caps are not to be missed. 70s cinema, parker posey, woody allen, david lynch, the coen brothers are just some of the endcap categories. Other sections include cult, foreign, gay/lesbian, documentary, horror, the usual. They have a used DVD section I like checking out (bought a guilty pleasure of The Baxter here for less than 10).
They have a frequent renter stamp card, steep late fees (I think I owe some right now); 2-for-1 Tuesdays; and a cute lil booster seat for shorties to see over the counter. They take requests if they are out of a DVD you wanted and they called me up when it came in-it was so cute I almost like died! The staff is really laid back and easy to talk to.
Their website is well run: http://www.thevideound....
ALSO: A fun lil bonus-they participate with Brendan Behan for movie nights! Usually listed in the Weekly Dig.
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The only place to rent movies in the world. An amazing selection of documentaries, tv series, hard to find independent films, cult classics, etc. You want it I bet they got it. The owner is a cool and young and knows what's going on. They also have information about what's going on around Boston film-wise. The staff are very knowegable. The best video store ever. They are patient and will help you find everything.
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It seems all the video rental places around here are going out of business. Videosmith on Centre St in JP is closing (or is closed). I went to a Blockbuster in W. Roxbury, but that's gone too. Hopefully this one will be around for awhile. They just moved to a bigger store a couple doors down not too long ago. I think it's about 4 and change for a movie. They charge first timers a $5 membership fee.
They have new releases and indies.
What I like about this place besides the convenient location to me: you can get a pint of Toscanini's ice cream here for 5 bucks. What's better than a movie and ice cream?
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Video Underground is a cozy place with excellent movie choices including: the latest new releases, great independent and international flicks, and phenomenal documentaries. The staff is knowlegeable and friendly always greeting you with enthusiasm and a smile. You can add a movie to their Suggestion's notepad and you will probably see it in their collection shortly thereafter. Walk in with you puppy, bump into your neighbors and support a great local business.
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a trip to the video underground = a trip to awesome-town.
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