1.6K views Oct 2008
A satirical news report visits a recreated Blockbuster Video in Auburn Hills, where actors guide tourists through the hardships of renting movies before the internet.
0:05 A new tourist destination in Auburn Hills, Michigan is showing visitors the difficulties life held for Americans in the past. 0:13 Blockbuster Video aims to transport visitors to a time before the internet. 0:17 It's an historically authentic recreation of a video store, a specialty shop where customers exchanged money for the short-term use of videos in an archaic system called renting. 0:28 The tour is amazing. It's like stepping into a time machine. 0:32 It's hard to believe that people live this way. 0:34 A historical research team spent 3 years making sure every last detail was accurate, from the signs used to promote the store's merchandise to the costumes worn by the store's employees, 0:46 historical performers who make history come alive for tour groups twice an hour. 0:51 My character is based on an actual Blockbuster employee named Jerome, who worked there from May of 1999 to June 2000. 0:58 My main responsibilities are to man the cash register and to put the movies from the return slot back onto the shelves. 1:05 I am a Blockbuster customer named Kathy. 2 times a week, I travel 6 miles to rent and return videos. 1:14 Oh look, we're in the comedy section. What's so poignant about this time is the uncertainty when you get to the Blockbuster, are they going to have your video? 1:22 Did someone else rent it? Is there going to be a line? Are the alarms going to sound when you walk out the front door? 1:27 It was very difficult for the people that, that lived during this era. 1:30 Actors say their job is to create a historically authentic experience. 1:34 Yes, we have it, but our only copy is currently checked out. 1:38 After the organized tour, visitors are allowed to move around the store, exploring the so-called living museum. 1:44 It's really amazing that people had to go through so much just to get a movie. 1:49 Blockbuster joins a growing number of historical tourism sites, including Buffalo, New York's recreation of Virgin Records music store and Iowa City's Borders Bookstore Museum. 
