Beau Newsome: This is why I turned professional for recording now.

hello, my name is Bo news someone here with Dan Orozco code associate professor at the ui and we're here on behalf of the University of Idaho archives and special.

collections department and we're doing an oral History project on Howard Hughes video slash Main Street video co op so Dan if you'd like to introduce yourself and give you a little.

describe your relationship with the video store.

Daniel Orozco: Okay, my name is Daniel roscoe as both said, I am the associate professor in the department of English at the University of Idaho and my association with what was back then Howard Hughes video began about 18 and a half years ago.

Probably the.

By by the end of the first week.

of me moving to town, because I was looking for the video store.

Beau Newsome: So you know you soon as your came to Moscow you gotta you seek out a video star.

Daniel Orozco: yeah I mean I I moved here from the.

San Francisco Bay area and.

Any neighborhood I lived in had about four or five video stores and before I moved here, I did my research in Moscow had a let me think one.

In so I I I sought the place out.

Beau Newsome: Very it was a priority.

And the power to use video was better than anyone in the Bay area is that correct.

I don't want to put words in your mouth.

Daniel Orozco: well.

I mean it was surprisingly good for a small town.

Okay, I mean, I think that.

A couple of things.

made it ranked along with some of the best places that i've been at like say in Seattle or San Francisco one was of course the the knowledgeable staff you can't run a video store by having people working in it, who who don't want to work there, and you don't love movies.

So I think that was.

Pretty exceptional and the other thing was, and I remember you guys are doing this, or they were doing this, since i've been there is building up that criterion collection.

Beau Newsome: mm hmm.

Daniel Orozco: Which which I thought was a was a great source.

To have back then, this was way before I mean you can get criterion collection stuff online and and.

And stream them online, not everything I don't think they don't have it all up but.

Beau Newsome: I think it goes in waves right on their website.

Daniel Orozco: I think so yeah yeah it like ebbs and flows we're going to do these then we're going to do the.

Right um but I, I really liked.

The opportunity to see this classic stuff.

that's, what do you call it that's been.

chosen.

By criterion, and also the other thing I liked about Howard Hughes is is if I asked for something and they didn't have it, they would most likely get a copy of it.

yeah.

Beau Newsome: yeah we've talked about that list that we kept kind of by the counter of we just keep a list of writing recommendations down and.

Daniel Orozco: yeah yeah.

Beau Newsome: yeah get them.

Daniel Orozco: yeah and it would be, I mean it would be one copy, but it will be a copy that would that would be enough for for the people that went in for a town, you know I mean it most you'd have to wait like maybe a week.

Sometimes you'd have to wait, because one of the employees have it at home bow.

yeah and.

Beau Newsome: I think the recording cut that part out.

Or at least, it will cut that part out.

Daniel Orozco: yeah okay.

But I mean one of the moving from a not to belabor the the cliches or the stereotypes, but moving from a big city to a small town.

I thought would entail lots of.

sacrifices.

And one of the things that that I think was a relief was was having a video store like Howard Hughes, not just because I like to watch movies, but but because it's it felt like this.

This Community this place to go, you know what I mean.

yeah.

Beau Newsome: So you're not you would say that.

It was important to Moscow and was an important part of the Community.

Daniel Orozco: Oh yeah well, it was it was to me, I mean I I I I, I think it was a was an important part of my Community right.

Beau Newsome: As.

mine.

Daniel Orozco: As, which is the Community that matters for me yeah.

Beau Newsome: Right your your community.

yeah your Community matters to me too.

So you're kind of picturing a video store in a small town being like something like a gas station would have or something.

Daniel Orozco: yeah I was, I mean again, this was the first small time I move into and lots of cliches and in and.

stereotypes about it that were that were in my my mind, and that was certainly one of them, you know there'd be there'd be no no place to eat there be no one that i'd have a you know, an affinity with and in there, there would be a.

Video store that that didn't have anything I want it, I mean we have the criterion collection for god's sake that's pretty that's pretty amazing.

Beau Newsome: Like when you do you remember what year was that you got to Moscow.

Daniel Orozco: It was about.

It was about 2003.

Beau Newsome: Because i'm trying to think if that was most that the video store because we've talked about the four iterations of the video store there was.

There was a little corner store on the corner of fifth and Washington, and then the appliance store moved out to the highway so expanded all the whole block of fifth street.

Daniel Orozco: mm hmm.

And yeah.

I was when I got here, it was when it was across the street from what is now the Co op.

Right right yeah.

Beau Newsome: And, was it mostly vhs at that point, do you remember, are we trying to trickle in DVDs at that point.

Daniel Orozco: I think you had both.

At that point, I mean you would you I keep saying you because.

The bow you were.

You work there, and you were somebody I knew who work there, so when I say you I mean our US right, but you guys had lots of.

vhs and I realized in retro I was always haranguing you to get rid of them, nobody has vhs get out of here, you know, but I mean in in retrospect, it seems like a really great service to the community to keep those because you have people that rented them.

Beau Newsome: yeah.

I guess.

Daniel Orozco: We probably not a lot, but you but you still kept them.

Beau Newsome: know that was my next question was were you, because obviously you weren't hesitant to move on to DVD but.

Daniel Orozco: knew.

Beau Newsome: We had a lot of customers who were.

Daniel Orozco: yeah yeah and it, you know it, it, for whatever reason, you know I mean I mean I can understand the impulse to hang on to a technology that you're familiar with.

And it didn't diminish.

What you had in terms of the.

DVDs, though.

Daniel Orozco: I just I just didn't didn't like seeing the vhs tapes there I just come on the right Program.

Beau Newsome: They wouldn't get with the times people.

Daniel Orozco: yeah exactly exactly.

But I think it's.

I think it's I think it speaks, not only to.

I don't know to Howard Hughes video but but to this town as well that you didn't just make a wholesale decision based on on on money to just switch over and leave people behind.

Beau Newsome: Right yeah we it was a process, it was a, but it was a conscious decision to be like hey we, we have to start getting DVD you know we if we could we would have got every copy.

Every duplicate on DVD that we had on vhs but.

Daniel Orozco: yeah yeah I mean I remember, even when you move to two main street and became Main Street video you you you started selling your vhs tapes right.

Beau Newsome: Right yeah but we kept if we knew we could, if we knew we had the DVD or we could easily purchase the DVD.

mm hmm we would sell it.

Daniel Orozco: Okay.

Beau Newsome: But wait kept about 500 vhs tapes which, I think, do you have I.

may have gotten.

Daniel Orozco: Oh yeah.

Beau Newsome: That were rare.

hard to find and you can't get anywhere else, basically.

Daniel Orozco: yeah every everyone assumes that everything is on DVD but it's just not true, there are so many movies that aren't on DVD and that never ever ever stream.

Beau Newsome: Right now.

Daniel Orozco: Great yeah.

Beau Newsome: Just to just to bring one up is called a last of the dog men, it was with Tom berenger.

uh huh and people love that movie but you just keep that in barfly you just cannot find them anywhere like a DVD version a streaming version, and sometimes even a vhs copy like they're hard to hard to come by.

Daniel Orozco: yeah I mean it it's it's I mean that whole notion of.

preservation, I think, is is is really important, I mean that that just because.

People in charge decided not to make a DVD of something it's lost to everyone.

Beau Newsome: Right.

yeah.

I agree wholeheartedly.

As, as you may well know.

Daniel Orozco: Oh yeah.

Beau Newsome: i'm the.

So, like us, I remember you started coming in, and I think that's just how we got to know each other, was.

Like being just being a customer.

Daniel Orozco: yeah yeah.

Beau Newsome: And then I invited you to my 30th birthday party.

Daniel Orozco: Oh yeah and that's the first time I had read beer.

Beau Newsome: Right and I was late to my 30th birthday party.

Daniel Orozco: You were late and.

I ended up really liking red beer.

Beau Newsome: So.

hey nothing's changed.

Daniel Orozco: always a surprise.

When we do a small town.

Beau Newsome: And I you know i'd like to say, we became best friends after that right.

Daniel Orozco: yeah you know i'd like to say that, too, but maybe not yet.

Beau Newsome: Okay.

Daniel Orozco: Good I like to.

Beau Newsome: you'd like okay well give it some time.

Daniel Orozco: Another 18 years me.

Beau Newsome: um so you mentioned those so I guess, did you see the video store changing over the years.

Daniel Orozco: um I think it yeah I think it.

I wonder if it got did it get bigger when you were at that location.

Beau Newsome: On Main Street.

Daniel Orozco: No, not on Main Street.

before that.

Beau Newsome: yeah fifth street was a huge location for it.

Daniel Orozco: yeah.

Beau Newsome: Because we were able to front DVDs.

Daniel Orozco: uh huh.

Beau Newsome: Not just be able to read the spines of the DVD.

Daniel Orozco: uh huh.

Beau Newsome: And we have room for the DVD and the vhs.

Daniel Orozco: Oh yeah that's right.

Beau Newsome: So we have that whole director wall after wall kind of in the back of the store yeah and then the new releases and DVDs and the front.

yeah portion of the store.

Daniel Orozco: And then the size shrunk considerably when you move to the main street but.

You can also you kept all the movies.

Beau Newsome: kept them all yeah it was.

I think I cried when I first saw the new space on Main Street.

Daniel Orozco: You got them all in there, though.

What was the what was the reason for the name change i've always wondered about that.

Beau Newsome: For the the COP.

Daniel Orozco: Well yeah oh it wasn't Howard Hughes anymore, it became a Co op and that's why he changed the name.

Beau Newsome: yeah they probably could have we you know i've talked to monique lillard is also conducting these interviews with.

Daniel Orozco: me.

Beau Newsome: because she was more on the board of the co op and all that stuff.

And she's interviewed.

A handful of people that were on the board and and dealt with the Co op and stuff like that and.

They weren't quite sure they just thought, maybe you know they needed a new a new name and I, and I was talking with Howard Hughes, the actual Howard Hughes.

Oh wow and he he thought that was a bad a big mistake that they change the name.

Really yeah.

Daniel Orozco: yeah I, I wonder if if there'll be more information on that because that that's it's interesting that that it was decided to do that if if Howard Hughes didn't want it to change.

And who did want it.

Beau Newsome: Well, he I mean he was Howard was by the time it expanded Howard Hughes himself had actually sold out of the business.

Right and.

So he didn't really have anything to do with it, he just from afar.

He thought okay that maybe wasn't the best idea to change the name but.

Daniel Orozco: yeah.

I mean that's one thing.

yeah well that's like famous Amos you know I mean Amos hasn't own famous Amos for 20 years.

But they kept the name.

Beau Newsome: yeah you got it, I mean when we.

When the new owner bought the video sword and moved it to Main Street because.

You own that.

He owned that building.

He there was some thought about.

Making it a new name, but I think that would have ultimately killed us.

He but luckily the owners of the appliance store.

said yeah you go ahead and you can still use the Howard Hughes name.

Daniel Orozco: problem excellent so yeah.

Beau Newsome: Do you remember that transition from the fifth street to Main Street.

Daniel Orozco: I do, as I recall, you did a how did you did you do like a relay.

Basic looking for gate and.

Just.

Beau Newsome: yeah through display boxes in garbage bags and rolled carts down the street or the alleyway yeah.

Daniel Orozco: yeah I mean i'd love to say yeah I remember, I was a part of that it was a great day, but I I I I I don't do that so.

Beau Newsome: you're like call me when you're all set up and.

Daniel Orozco: I know I sound awful but basically that's that's what it was.

But it was you know what it was exciting, not just because it was about about 50 feet closer to where I live.

But because the place in its transformation now it it it kind of.

perseveres I mean it was the same store with the same.

People who work there and.

In the same people going there you know.

I mean, I really think it's it's it, especially for a small town, it is it a gathering place.

Right.

Beau Newsome: yeah I talked to one longtime customer to that I interviewed they were saying.

And we kept the same account numbers same account same rental history stuff.

Daniel Orozco: yeah so yeah yeah same software.

Beau Newsome: same software.

From 1984 yeah.

yeah maybe just kept on running.

Daniel Orozco: Like God.

Beau Newsome: Until it didn't.

But.

Beau Newsome: So, would you say what would you say your favorite section of the store was that criteria.

Daniel Orozco: Oh, my favorite section of the store is the checkout were all of you were.

Beau Newsome: Oh, thank you.

We don't have cameras on I can't tell if that was sarcasm, but.

Daniel Orozco: yeah that's good.

My.

My second favorite section was you know what I I wasn't so it wasn't so much new releases, for me it was.

I mean there was still a chance to explore and find things that I didn't know you had.

You know what I mean yeah I mean I mean I I watched stuff pretty regularly and.

It was still nice to go in there and find something and go oh I haven't.

I haven't seen this in a long term.

or.

i've never seen this, and that was still a that was still something that was very much in play.

When you move to Main Street.

Beau Newsome: Just a little more condensed.

Daniel Orozco: yeah just a little more condensed kind of got to get down on your hands and knees and stuff like that, but that's Okay, I mean I mean part of the.

I mean, with many other things, I just want to go in and out find it go in and out by it, but I didn't want to do that I wanted to kind of poke around and and browse just still doable.

Beau Newsome: Did you find that the way we had things set up to be confusing a lot of people said that.

Daniel Orozco: Yes, you had like what you had like a broke bromance section and a drama tea ceremony yeah yeah who just.

Beau Newsome: wasn't.

wasn't me I.

know I can assure you that.

Daniel Orozco: But I mean.

Beau Newsome: You know it wasn't me all we do is answer.

yeah.

Daniel Orozco: You know, but you did have some some some weird.

sections, there was something weird or than drama D and bromance one there.

Beau Newsome: There is a superhero section, there is our documentaries were kind of broken up into like sports nature.

Daniel Orozco: yeah but those are categories, they were still under documentary.

Right.

Yes, yeah so that was fine, but you had some some cyphy move Oh, you know, a cult classics.

Beau Newsome: Oh cult classics yes.

Daniel Orozco: yeah who decides what's a cult classic.

Beau Newsome: We do.

Daniel Orozco: Well, there you go there.

Beau Newsome: And we decided what's the critics choice as well, so.

Daniel Orozco: yeah yeah Oh, you know what I like to was the vm your employees choice.

Beau Newsome: Specifically bows correct.

yeah his we're okay.

Daniel Orozco: But you would you would feature somebody an employee's PICs.

And and that's always in I think when I want to quiz once you featured my PICs.

Beau Newsome: Yes.

Daniel Orozco: We are just want you to um.

Beau Newsome: yeah I just talked to another.

Customer that one and put her picks up.

Daniel Orozco: yeah I mean I thought that was really cool to kind of have like my my 10 favorite movies up there for everyone.

Beau Newsome: right for everyone to see.

And judge.

Everyone to judge.

Daniel Orozco: Yes, yes.

Beau Newsome: Welcome to our world, you know, we had our our PICs judged every day.

Daniel Orozco: Yes.

I bet you did.

Beau Newsome: You remember some of the movies, you picked for those 10 movies.

Daniel Orozco: Oh gosh, no, no, I don't I don't remember it all.

But i'm sure if you gave me a minute I could I could write down the list of 10.

For dan's PICs.

Beau Newsome: Well, I think, well.

Your rental history is out there for the world to see so.

No.

Daniel Orozco: it's bad yeah.

I believe that's against the law.

Beau Newsome: True, I think you might be right.

That portion will be edited out as well.

Okay.

Beau Newsome: yeah that was we were just talking about it almost forgot about that quiz.

And the customer picks That was a That was a neat idea.

Daniel Orozco: yeah yeah and I liked the quiz too.

um.

I I didn't always know the answer.

Beau Newsome: Did you is there, one that stands out that you remember a question.

Daniel Orozco: um.

No, there isn't some of them for were easy for me some of them were really kind of arcane and who would know that.

Right my my only my only worry is that people who, when it was just check their phone for the answer and then tell you.

yeah, so I think what you did is.

Correct me if i'm wrong but of all the right answers, there was like a raffle.

Beau Newsome: yeah yeah and then you we would pick a winner from the bucket.

Daniel Orozco: yeah I think yeah I think that was fair because I see a lot of people in their checking their phone looking at the answer and that's that's just wrong.

Beau Newsome: When we bad, I think we banned them from the store.

Good.

Beau Newsome: Actually, you ready for a pop quiz.

yeah i'll tell you my favorite my one of my favorite trivia questions was in point break.

Which presidential master keanu reeves where.

Daniel Orozco: See, I never saw point break.

Beau Newsome: darn it.

Daniel Orozco: which was probably like a cult classic or critics choice for you guys right.

Beau Newsome: Right yeah probably.

Daniel Orozco: yeah.

Beau Newsome: yeah okay well the answers none he didn't he didn't wear mass.

Daniel Orozco: He didn't.

Beau Newsome: The trick question.

Daniel Orozco: that's not a trick question that's it that's that's cheap isn't fair.

Beau Newsome: that's a misleading question.

Daniel Orozco: Yes, yeah.

Beau Newsome: Okay, how about you know the name of Quinn tarantino is fictional cigarettes and his movies.

Daniel Orozco: Oh yeah a red apple.

Beau Newsome: yeah there you go that was one of my favorite.

Daniel Orozco: yeah and the the burger place.

Beau Newsome: kahuna burger.

Daniel Orozco: goober luau Bob.

luau bob's kahuna burger.

Beau Newsome: I think so yeah.

Daniel Orozco: yeah yeah.

I wasn't sure that was real or not.

Beau Newsome: Obviously that was fake.

Daniel Orozco: yeah you know you know, he did that, because he didn't want to pay royalties for he didn't want to pay.

To use real real names.

Beau Newsome: Oh well, that makes perfect sense and.

Daniel Orozco: So he he'd make up names, because he didn't want to pay like Philip Morris to use like marlboros.

Beau Newsome: Did you was your so, you said that you weren't quite a new release guy you would kind of wait till they got to the five days seven day rental.

Daniel Orozco: yeah I wasn't or even even later I mean I wasn't really into once in a while i'd want to see something the minute it came out if it was somebody I liked, but I didn't necessarily have to see it right away.

Beau Newsome: The movie theater guy did you go.

Daniel Orozco: um I did go to the movie theater around here, but I stopped the last movie I saw.

Was Peter jackson's King Kong.

Oh, I saw the movie theater here.

Oh wow.

Beau Newsome: And that was I contest there is I just the way it worked out.

Daniel Orozco: um I just got I just got tired of sitting in a place with the room, full of people and watching commercials before the movie started and.

You know people yakking and stuff yeah I think a lot of people are into like the spectacle of the big screen and and I think the spectacles fine on my big screen.

Beau Newsome: yeah so I i'm right there with you, I don't really go to the theaters might I do like what the kenworthy in Moscow is doing.

At the movies, a show.

yeah.

But yeah.

Daniel Orozco: I do like that I like the fact that they got a new sound system.

Beau Newsome: mm hmm.

Daniel Orozco: which helps considerably, but but yeah I don't really I don't really engage the the movies communally like I used to write and just put on the headphones the sound systems great and.

I just want him in home just.

Beau Newsome: Watch your bromance this.

Daniel Orozco: In my drama at ease.

Beau Newsome: In your drama these.

Were you a Do you remember, we still renting there when the became the Co op the Main Street video co op.

Daniel Orozco: Oh yeah.

Beau Newsome: Okay, were you a member, did you do the.

Daniel Orozco: I think I did it, for I didn't do it when you first started, but I think a couple years later I joined.

Beau Newsome: Okay.

yeah Do you remember that changing much the video store from.

Howard Hughes to Main Street video call.

Daniel Orozco: I you know what except for the physical location, no I don't remember, I know that the prices went up a little bit, which is, of course, you know natural and understandable, you still had these deals.

You know, getting four movies for reduced price or something.

or even five I think one of the things I like to do was go in and pick my five for the next five days and i'd be in there for like an hour.

deciding which five I was going to watch on the one hand it felt like a complete waste of time for me doing that, on the other hand, it was really fun.

yeah.

Beau Newsome: yeah sometimes I would just find myself just wandering all over their.

own store just to.

check and see what we got because sometimes i'd even get surprised.

Daniel Orozco: Oh wow yeah yeah yeah it was great you had lots of you had a really good TV section to.

Beau Newsome: yeah we had a British TV section as well.

Daniel Orozco: yeah you did.

yeah yeah now, this was before all of the scandi scandi scandi TV took off.

Beau Newsome: Right.

Because I remember you kind of asking for a lot of that stuff we did yeah.

Daniel Orozco: yeah and in most of that stuff this is streaming now but.

But yeah this is before the the scandi TV went when kind of crazy, but you have you had a terrific.

TV section.

Beau Newsome: yeah yeah We actually had to get rid of our adult rated sex and just so we could expand TV.

Daniel Orozco: yeah well, thank Thank God for that.

Beau Newsome: shows you where the world was going at that point, oh yeah yeah.

Absolutely.

Daniel Orozco: But yeah I mean the the the time killer for me was that that deal of renting five movies for like I think it was five for five than it was five or seven.

Beau Newsome: There was five movie I was five movies $5 five days.

Daniel Orozco: Yes.

Beau Newsome: And then we changed it to five movies $7 seven days.

Daniel Orozco: yeah.

yeah which we still bargain.

Beau Newsome: Oh yeah we get that extra $2 but then you the customer get those extra two days, which I think helped as far as getting your movies back.

Daniel Orozco: yeah it'd be late anyway.

Beau Newsome: yeah.

Daniel Orozco: So why not just add the to the to lake days to the.

Right.

Beau Newsome: Well, you never you never got late fees right you had a clean record.

Daniel Orozco: I never got a late fee, because I was never late.

Beau Newsome: that's what I remember that's.

Daniel Orozco: Around yeah yeah.

yeah.

Beau Newsome: that's what we're going with.

We were you coming in they're kind of right up to the end of before it.

Daniel Orozco: You know, sadly um I I I wasn't this was in and I need to explain this was when there was a point where.

streaming was really kind of taking off.

You know I mean it wasn't just.

I mean it was Amazon prime and netflix and they were spending, like all of this money.

Getting getting stuff and putting it online and and I just I just got lazy not lazy in terms of you know walking a block and a half, but just it's just the new technology is really kind of insidious.

Beau Newsome: You know what I mean yeah and it's convenient it's convenient.

Daniel Orozco: yeah it is and it's now of course all the all there is, I mean one, why are going into every house that's that's the video store.

Beau Newsome: right but.

You don't have a I mean I we've talked about this you're streaming are now becoming segregated so it's like you got to choose which one, and then there goes your selection to so.

Daniel Orozco: What do you mean.

Beau Newsome: Like so you kind of used to be, it seemed like netflix or Amazon prime you could get a lot of stuff.

Daniel Orozco: Oh yeah.

Beau Newsome: i've been paramount plus comes out.

Daniel Orozco: yeah yeah.

Beau Newsome: Disney plus comes out and they.

Take your movies, to their streaming site.

Daniel Orozco: yeah yeah well you, you know what I I kind of like that fragmentation.

Because it means like I can go look for something and I could rent for a month and then cancel you know what I mean.

Beau Newsome: Oh yeah.

Daniel Orozco: I mean, it would be like it's kind of like video shopping at the video store I find what I want to watch.

And then pay for it and watch it and then I move on to another another venue and do that.

Beau Newsome: And I guess what Amazon prime even stuff you don't get for free, for having Amazon prime you can still rent basically anything.

Daniel Orozco: um yeah pretty pretty much they have channels that you can you can subscribe to.

Some of that run anywhere from $4 a month to $14 a month for HBO and you could subscribe to them for a month and then cancel and you have a month to watch stuff.

So I mean I kind of like that.

That.

That fragmentation that that that those tiny audience markets that they're going for with each specialized service right.

Beau Newsome: And I think, and I think.

That was just happening to a lot of people, but I think people, just like knowing the video store was still there, even though maybe they weren't partaking as much as they used to.

Daniel Orozco: Well yeah I mean because it speaks to something of the town, you know.

I mean I I don't go to the.

I don't.

How do I put this I don't go to the the the knitting shop in town.

I never went to the the music store.

In town right it's all kini kini brothers.

Beau Newsome: candy brothers yeah.

Daniel Orozco: I never went in there because i'm not a musician but it's still sad when it goes out of business.

Beau Newsome: Right yeah you're like to see it's still there, but.

Daniel Orozco: yeah I mean it's it's it's the kind of thing that keeps town varied environments, so if some place closes and I never went there it's still not a good thing.

Beau Newsome: Right.

Daniel Orozco: For the town.

Beau Newsome: For the town, I agree.

yeah.

Beau Newsome: We have talked about it's it's pretty neat that the video store lasted as long as it did.

Daniel Orozco: Oh yeah.

Beau Newsome: But so sad that it went away.

Daniel Orozco: yeah I mean it, I mean it's it's great that that.

That you found event another venue for it and it's great that.

It became a Co op and for a long while there was this Community interest in keeping it, I think that I think that's valuable, I think that speaks really well of things here, there were a lot of places where it just would have folded and nobody would have bothered to.

yeah.

Beau Newsome: Luckily, back in 2007 I think it was when the new owners bought it out from Howard Hughes appliance.

uh huh the only reason they did is to keep it alive, they didn't really have.

A lot of interest in the video store or.

yeah or running it or.

getting a job thinking they're going to get a huge profit.

yeah owning it, they just wanted to keep it alive.

yeah.

Beau Newsome: They did for geez what 15 more years or.

Daniel Orozco: yeah I mean they those are the kind of of what are we in in academia, we call them angels people who come in and say here's a bunch of money to keep this.

Or to do this, those are the kind of angels that.

Particularly in a in a smaller town that that are so important.

Beau Newsome: To the to the.

To the.

Daniel Orozco: To the variety of the communities, but.

Beau Newsome: Unfortunately, that those angels that moved into the mainstream video realize that Oh, this is starting to cost us money now for for owning this video store.

Daniel Orozco: yeah yeah yeah absolutely and then that just won't I mean unless you're a.com millionaire.

That can't stand, you know yeah well we're.

Beau Newsome: I was always hoping quentin tarantino or spike Lee or somebody would find out about us and just bias.

Daniel Orozco: yeah me too, I mean there are there are angels, who do stuff there's a there's a guy in Palo Alto who runs up their version of the kenworthy theater.

Beau Newsome: mm hmm.

Daniel Orozco: He he he renovated it and he he creates film festivals, and it doesn't run a profit but he's a billionaire.

Beau Newsome: So who doesn't matter in the red.

Daniel Orozco: He does yeah he does it because he loves he loves movies.

And he loves old movie theaters it's his hobby.

Beau Newsome: yeah.

Daniel Orozco: And and that's kind of what it took to keep that that theater and in in.

downtown Palo Alto and that's back before everything took off, you know.

But it's a shame that that that's probably what it would take again but but I mean, I think, video stores are gone though right, I mean.

Beau Newsome: For the most part.

yeah like there's.

I, it would be neat to find out what where we ranked on what video stores were left in the country.

Daniel Orozco: yeah i'm sure there's probably somebody who's who's done something on that or that would compile that but.

Beau Newsome: um one.

One person I like.

Have you heard of scarecrow video in Seattle.

Daniel Orozco: yeah I used to go there.

Beau Newsome: Oh, did you.

Daniel Orozco: yeah yeah.

I.

Beau Newsome: I called them and asked if one if because they have multiple managers there.

Daniel Orozco: uh huh.

Beau Newsome: And so i'm hoping to set up an interview with one of them, just to.

Just to talk about the video store that's doing well and I think it's because they maybe had some angel investors and now they're they're like a Co op nonprofit type.

Daniel Orozco: that's great yeah i'll bet that they were they were yeah I mean they had a lot of they've got a lot of Amazon money in town, so I bet there are people that you know just said no, this place has got to stay.

Right, but I wonder if if there's one left somewhere and what and what the rate is of them disappearing because it's all it's all streaming now unless you're a collector.

But yeah I used to go to scarecrow video when I lived in in in Seattle.

Beau Newsome: yeah I think they're up to about 140,000 titles, or something like.

Daniel Orozco: yeah place was huge yeah yeah.

Beau Newsome: Did you think that a web presence would have been necessary for the video store or helped you in any way.

No just for our title like browsing our library.

Daniel Orozco: Now I don't think so, I mean part of if I I would I would want to go in and look for them the.

Physical browsing.

was part of the experience you know.

Beau Newsome: Are you a.

DVD purchaser.

Daniel Orozco: You know.

Beau Newsome: I have your own library.

Daniel Orozco: Now, well, I have a library, but it's only about.

15

Gentlemen incredibly selective but i've got about 15 or 20 DVDs.

Okay, because I just wanted to, I just wanted to have them.

Beau Newsome: they'll post Oh, being one of them.

Daniel Orozco: yeah how'd you know.

Beau Newsome: I just remember you're talking about it.

Daniel Orozco: Oh yeah yeah.

Beau Newsome: You watch it every year, or something like that.

Daniel Orozco: yeah i've got a copy of your posts, though i've got the.

i've got the the what's the other one be remastered original godzilla.

Beau Newsome: Oh wow.

Daniel Orozco: The Japanese version and the American version that they cut from it.

So you own a.

Beau Newsome: copy of apu trilogy.

Daniel Orozco: yeah I do.

Beau Newsome: yeah I just I have cable.

Yes, I watch sports, but this this isn't about sports it's this whole thing.

Good.

Beau Newsome: Unless you wanted to.

Daniel Orozco: talk show no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

Beau Newsome: But I have.

The Turner classic movies SEC channel is is amazing.

Daniel Orozco: Oh that's great that they show that static.

Beau Newsome: But I just I recorded the apu trilogy all three hours and some minutes of it so.

Daniel Orozco: Oh that's great yeah I uh i've been looking I was looking for years for Carlos sorrows tango trilogy.

And I found them and I bought them last year.

So I have bits from the criterion eclipse series.

Oh yeah and so i've got all three of his tango movies.

Which is just great I mean it's fun to kind of track, I guess, I am a collector it's it's fun to track something down and find a price for it and to want to own it there aren't a lot of movies, where I need to own it.

Beau Newsome: Right.

Daniel Orozco: But there are a couple like double indemnity I own double indemnity.

Beau Newsome: Oh, I just watched that the other day, too.

Oh that's great so good.

And i've watched you told me a long time we go to watch what hitchcock I should watch.

Do you remember, oh yeah.

Daniel Orozco: yeah strangers on a train.

Beau Newsome: yeah that's the one I watched it and it's really, really good.

Daniel Orozco: Oh yeah yeah yeah it's just it's just it's just great stuff I mean to have a place where people sent not sat they walked you didn't have chairs, where people went and just you know.

Just did the movie thing you know I mean this is the this is, these are the origins of Tara tino.

You know the the movie nerd.

Beau Newsome: Right or you're telling me.

city on fire, I think, was had a lot of reservoir dogs had a lot of city on fire.

Daniel Orozco: Oh yeah.

Beau Newsome: Chinese movie.

Daniel Orozco: yeah yeah, so much so much of what i'm.

tearing tino does that's tearing tino so he he got from movies, that he loved.

Which is, which is fine, because I mean everything comes from someplace else in our you know.

Right yeah and I think I think it's really cool that that he defined his his His style in a sensibility as a filmmaker by by freely letting you know where he got it from.

I think that's great.

Beau Newsome: You you kind of ruin the movie departed for me.

Daniel Orozco: Oh well, good.

Because.

Beau Newsome: yeah, thank you for that know.

Daniel Orozco: How did I do man.

Beau Newsome: Because he told me to watch in fertile affairs first.

Daniel Orozco: Oh yeah.

Beau Newsome: which was the Japanese or Chinese was a Chinese or Japanese.

Daniel Orozco: I think it's it's Chinese.

Beau Newsome: Chinese and that movie was incredible and I just thought.

departing was just not a very good.

Daniel Orozco: remain yeah.

Well, one of the reasons infernal affairs is incredible is because it's 45 minutes shorter than the departed.

perfect.

Daniel Orozco: it's a 90 minute movie.

Beau Newsome: I remember my always looking on the if I was interested in a movie I always turn it around and look at the back at the runtime.

Yes, because that was always a I can't I can't dedicate two and a half hours.

Daniel Orozco: yeah I can't do that anymore, I try to I try to find movies, that are nobody makes 90 minute movies anymore.

You know everything so two and a half hour epic you know, and I think you're right, I think a lot of it is is I don't want to devote my time to this.

yeah.

Beau Newsome: Do you remember, is there a recommendation that stands out that you got from the video store that maybe you remember.

Daniel Orozco: i'm i'm trying to remember, if there was something in.

Critics PICs or or or cult movies.

Nothing is nothing is is coming to mind, but I mean when I went in I usually knew what I was looking for, but somebody there with eventually talked me into something I already had my hand.

Beau Newsome: All right.

Daniel Orozco: I mean generally you guys would do more talking into than talking out of.

Right, you know I mean it was one of the few stores, I remember going to the video stores in the city like when I lived in San Francisco and it's like I didn't want to check out a movie because i'd be embarrassed.

Right.

Beau Newsome: Judging like we all video store employees do is to.

Daniel Orozco: yeah yeah but I didn't feel like you guys were doing that, even though you were.

Beau Newsome: Oh, we were we were.

don't you worry soon as that door closed and you're outside we're like man oh man.

I didn't get I didn't believe how many romances he rented.

Daniel Orozco: yeah but it's against the law to tell people.

Any event.

Beau Newsome: that's right.

Daniel Orozco: I did get into I think I got it I didn't get it as much into Asian stuff until I got to Howard here until I got to your video store.

Beau Newsome: Okay that's funny you say that because in parent cook that worked for us.

yeah he said he remembers the recommendation that you gave him was a Korean film.

Maybe mother.

Daniel Orozco: yeah mother.

yeah yeah.

Beau Newsome: He because I asked him that question, if he remembers any recommendations of customers and he brought.

Daniel Orozco: yeah well I got and I rented it from you so.

You did a really good job on the on the international stuff.

yeah.

Beau Newsome: yeah we really tried to you know we've talked about this in the past and other interviews is, we have to straddle that line of getting.

You know more copies of new releases to appease the masses, but also getting the the art house and independent the international stuff like.

Daniel Orozco: yeah absolutely.

Beau Newsome: criterion which I joke, it was our most expensive section in the store in our least rented.

Section yeah.

Daniel Orozco: yeah yeah but you know that's what that's what that's what art that's what curating artists about um about making a profit.

it's about making sure it's available right.

Beau Newsome: And the eclipse series was just a sub genre of criterion which even rented less but.

boy was it a niche thing, no, it was really cool.

Daniel Orozco: Oh yeah well they are cheaper because they didn't there were no bells and whistles.

Beau Newsome: Right.

Daniel Orozco: It was just the movies, which, which was a great thing that to have you know I mean movies that wouldn't otherwise be on DVD run DVD because.

It costs them less to do it.

Beau Newsome: yeah remember kurosawa's post war movies, was one of the.

Daniel Orozco: yeah stray dog.

Beau Newsome: stray dog yeah.

That reminds me that you know once I stopped working in the video store I realized how much I missed just being around people and talking about movies, all the time.

their customers, and so I would have to fill that void with.

podcasts basically about film.

Daniel Orozco: yeah yeah that's what podcasts do they replace these communities that we that we lose.

These in will their their their communities, but they're really different but yeah I mean there's there's nobody that you can really do that with right.

Beau Newsome: But the sad thing is with Howard Hughes being gone is in regardless of what podcasts you were listening to they would say you know there's this movie but you can't get it anymore you can't find it anywhere.

yeah i'd be screaming, on the other, nba like.

it's here it's in Moscow it's in Howard.

You.

Daniel Orozco: have it.

Beau Newsome: We have it.

yeah.

Beau Newsome: But.

Daniel Orozco: That is sad, you know I mean I mean there's so much that's.

that's that's inaccessible to people, because they simply rely on on streaming.

Beau Newsome: yeah yeah were you do you remember the kenworthy.

Did you purchase any of the kenworthy of selling the videos.

Daniel Orozco: You know I tried to, but it was a really weird process of how to find out what they have and how to pay for them and minimum purchase.

So I I just kind of got I just kind of got tired of it, I just kind of know this is too much work yeah I mean if I can walk in and look at them that'd be great but but they would put out these lists once a week.

yeah in in so I just it was like buying something online so which I can do anyway so right.

Beau Newsome: yeah I remember them when I heard, they were selling off the cult classics section I.

That tore me to wear my harder when a little bit.

Daniel Orozco: yeah whether they taking taking it apart.

Beau Newsome: yeah well I had.

did an interview with Jamie hill she's the assistant manager there.

yeah and it was kind of a really quick thing that the video store closed and just dumped all 35,000 40,000 movies into the kenworthy.

yeah on we're not in the right boxes, they were just, and so it took the kenworthy a long time to get them back organized.

And then they gave people that have volunteered to help them out, they they donated some movies to them.

Daniel Orozco: Great.

Beau Newsome: They donated movies, where they could the ui library, maybe public library may have got some I heard there's a guy in town that runs a cult film movie festival.

Daniel Orozco: Oh wow.

Beau Newsome: Let me he may have gotten a lot of our cult classic movies.

yeah but so they did their best you know.

A lot of people thought they were just selling the movies, to make a profit.

Daniel Orozco: Well then, they got limited resources, you know they're not they're not curators they they run a theater and, and I mean, I understand that yeah what happened to the criterion.

Beau Newsome: Collection well they own it they kept all of it.

Excellent so they kept.

About 99% of the criterion collection.

Excellent they kept all the French films because of you have I and wsu do a French film festival.

right they kept a pretty good handful of critics choice.

Daniel Orozco: uh huh.

Beau Newsome: Which due to our employees that's what makes them critics choices, because we agreed on that.

Daniel Orozco: yeah well.

Beau Newsome: and a few other foreign movies international but not not as many I would have liked to have seen but, but they are going to keep them out think they're going to rent them out because they don't want.

You know just by they don't have the infrastructure for one to read them.

Daniel Orozco: Well, they should they should keep them.

yeah to preserve them.

Beau Newsome: Yes, that's what they want to do, and you can you can rent the kenworthy theater.

And you can watch any movie you want that they have.

Daniel Orozco: Right, so I think that's great I mean I don't think they should rent rent them out.

I know you should hang on to them, because that is an incredibly valuable resource and record.

I mean, how many people how many places have such a huge selection of criterion.

Right, that would be interesting to know.

Beau Newsome: That word yeah I That was one I was really worried about getting dismantled and.

You sold off, but it seems to be all intact now so.

Excellent.

Daniel Orozco: And there's a website, yes, good news.

Beau Newsome: yeah That was good that was really good news when I talked to Jamie about that.

Daniel Orozco: I mean.

Beau Newsome: it's really happy about that.

Daniel Orozco: that's great so.

Beau Newsome: we'll have to do not have to rent a kenworthy and do an opera trilogy.

Daniel Orozco: yeah we could do the trilogy we could do a.

I can bring my DVDs we can do a film or.

Beau Newsome: yeah.

We could just do it.

But Dan or roscoe film festival.

yeah.

Daniel Orozco: I would go.

I would, my name in it.

Beau Newsome: I would check the maybe box, maybe put me down for maybe.

But actually that I was just thinking that godzilla would be a great movie to watch on the big screen it's the kenworthy.

yeah the original godzilla.

Daniel Orozco: yeah yeah yeah.

They made that movie about about a creature, born of.

By radiation.

They made that movie nine years after Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Beau Newsome: Oh, oh okay.

Daniel Orozco: Which is pretty amazing.

Nine years after they had two cities destroyed they make a movie about a monster that's created from radiation.

Beau Newsome: That destroys the city.

Daniel Orozco: Yes, that's pretty intense.

Beau Newsome: that's pretty cool.

yeah.

Beau Newsome: Do you.

Have I you know, this is a question we've been asking, but a lot of people just can't remember.

Your.

A happy memory of the video store or like a weirdest thing you remember happening at the video.

store.

Daniel Orozco: Happy or weird can it be both at the same time i'm.

sure.

Daniel Orozco: You mean like that, like, I met my wife at the video store that kind of thing.

Beau Newsome: Sure, or.

Somebody got robbed at the video store or something I don't know.

Daniel Orozco: Oh no.

Beau Newsome: Nobody ever dad as far as I know, but.

Daniel Orozco: No i'm.

um.

Let me think now, there was a there was an interesting guy in town.

Sometimes, he was homeless, sometimes he wasn't.

And he would often browse in the store and.

In.

Beau Newsome: kind of causes seen.

Daniel Orozco: Well, not when I was there when I was there, he would talk a lot about about the College basketball.

But then he would just start talking to you about something he picked up and then he would just like bend your ear for about four or five minutes yeah and then you're off.

Beau Newsome: you're ultimately got banned from the store because you threatened another customers so.

Daniel Orozco: yeah well it's a it's a it's a it's an intense emotional place of video store.

Beau Newsome: it's funny you say that because it kind of was when people had to pay late fees.

yeah.

It could get contentious there.

Daniel Orozco: yeah well I didn't you know what I it's it bring them in on time and there are no late fees, I mean that's that's what I tell them but I nobody asked me to work there, so no.

Beau Newsome: I may have asked a couple times.

Daniel Orozco: yeah you may have.

Beau Newsome: Just as a greeter just to tell people.

But it's a good know.

get your movies back on time.

Daniel Orozco: A greeter have.

A leg breaker.

that's what it was the leg breaker greeter.

Beau Newsome: We call them greeters and our.

business.

Beau Newsome: Well cool like um so I guess kind of what i'm asking people to at the end of these interviews is always put them on the spot, but is there anything you have watched recently that you're excited about or could recommend.

Daniel Orozco: Oh gosh yeah hold on, let me, let me, let me think about does it have to be a movie can it be a TV thing.

Beau Newsome: yeah yeah sure.

Is you were always kind of big and like he said, the Scandinavian.

TV shows and Swedish type movies, and shows and stuff like that.

Daniel Orozco: yeah yeah I.

I tend to rewatch things.

there's something i'm watching now, though it's a it's a BBC series called the serpent.

Beau Newsome: Oh.

Daniel Orozco: it's it's with this Algerian French actor named to hire Rahim.

And it's really quite good it's it's about a.

it's about a guy who ran up a hostel in Bangkok, and he would.

rob people and kill them and he did it for like 15 years.

Beau Newsome: wow.

Daniel Orozco: And it's about this kind of this kind of effort.

From these people who work at these embassies to find out who he is and to catch him.

And it's really quite.

I mean it's set in Bangkok in Katmandu I mean it really is a the settings are remarkable and it's about him working the the it's in the 70s and it's about him working the the hippie circuit.

You know all the hippies who would who would travel in Southeast Asia that smoke cash.

Beau Newsome: Now we're hospitals, a thing back then or or.

Daniel Orozco: Like it has.

Beau Newsome: hostels been around for a long time or.

Daniel Orozco: It was they were fancier than hospitals.

But he owned one of these places in he would just rob you and poison you and then drown you or something.

And it really it sounds really grim it is, but it really is quite well done.

Okay.

Daniel Orozco: And so I I kind of enjoy the police procedurals and, and this is a really well done thriller I think.

Beau Newsome: And where do you access it where do you get it.

Daniel Orozco: Well, I I subscribe to netflix this month, just to watch this.

Beau Newsome: Oh OK.

Daniel Orozco: So once I once I watch it i'm done I cancel.

Beau Newsome: Okay, you know.

You do that a lot with other streaming sites.

Daniel Orozco: yeah I do if there's something I want to watch and i'll go like if it if it's a like an eight episode mini series, and it costs like eight bucks to for the month that's worth it.

Beau Newsome: yeah yeah that's cool.

Daniel Orozco: yeah so the serpent it's really good if you're in there that kind of thing.

Beau Newsome: I am now.

i'm sold.

Beau Newsome: If it's not on Turner classic movies, I send it back.

Daniel Orozco: Okay, fine fine.

Beau Newsome: But no, they do play a lot of criterion on that Turner classic movies, which is really neat.

Daniel Orozco: So that's great I really isetta.

What do you call it subscription channel.

Beau Newsome: Now well if it's just on basic cable.

Really yeah it so you could even probably get the lowest like package cable package.

Daniel Orozco: In here and.

Beau Newsome: It would probably be on there.

Daniel Orozco: Well that's great.

Beau Newsome: And the beautiful part about it is none of the movies, are edited for anything.

So language nudity time and there's no commercials within the movie it's just straight the movie on edited.

it's really just to check that out.

I don't know if they do a website tcm COM or something like that, and you can they.

Daniel Orozco: might have a channel they might have a channel on Amazon.

Beau Newsome: yeah oh yeah they might.

Daniel Orozco: Use em channel to check that out.

Beau Newsome: But it's it's really cool that they just did for the Oscars the whole month of April.

Was Oscar movies, and I just did them Alphabetically so.

Daniel Orozco: Oh, my God.

Beau Newsome: So you could just kind of pick and choose and be like all right i'm going to record this one and watch that later yeah.

yeah there and they give a little interviews before and after the movie kind of.

What it what Oscars at one and stuff like this, or what little trivia bits and pieces.

Daniel Orozco: that's great I had no idea that they were just devoting themselves that's that's news to me that's really cool.

Beau Newsome: yeah for sure yeah that's why I watched strangers on a train that's why I watched double identity, I watched guess who's coming to dinner.

Daniel Orozco: Oh wow.

Beau Newsome: yeah.

Daniel Orozco: Well, two out of three it's not bad.

Beau Newsome: Seven samurai watch that you know 2343 out of four not a fan of I guess who's coming today.

um.

Daniel Orozco: No.

No.

Beau Newsome: All right, well, I think we're done here.

Daniel Orozco: All right, she let me know when you turn off the recording yeah.

And then out.

When I said, let me know when you turn off the recording.

Beau Newsome: will do.

know so yeah I think.

Daniel Orozco: you're still recording.

Beau Newsome: we're still recording yes i'm i'm doing i'm wrapping up here.

that's okay i'm getting the wrap wrap up signal.

From the powers that be.

No i'm not kidding in town So is there anything that we.

didn't talk about that you would like to add or.

Daniel Orozco: um.

Let me think no I mean I it's been nice kind of it's something I don't usually do going down memory lane but it's actually been kind of Nice thinking about.

This place in town and you work in in it and me meeting you there and just kind of.

kind of.

Remember, remembering with Mundus.

yeah i'm just this this place this video store yeah it's been great.

Beau Newsome: yeah and we've got a lot of good reception so it's you know I think people feel.

Daniel Orozco: The same way.

Beau Newsome: You know.

Daniel Orozco: it's good yeah I think so, I think, so I think it it it, it has people recognize the value that it had and it still has even when it's gone it's still has value mm hmm yeah I think that's great yeah.

Beau Newsome: Well awesome thanks thanks Daniel for for participating in this.

Daniel Orozco: My pleasure.

i'm so glad.

Beau Newsome: And i'm sure we'll probably never talk again after I hit stop recording.

Daniel Orozco: So not too much now.

Beau Newsome: Okay well thanks again i'm gonna yeah so hang tight and i'll stop recording here and.

Okay, but thanks again I really appreciate it.

Daniel Orozco: yeah my pleasure it's been great.

Beau Newsome: All right, bye now.

bye.