Dennis West recounts the importance of home videos in people interested in cinema, particularly in a rural area. He discusses his relationship with Howard Hughes Video Rental and how he would use clips from the store's videos in his classes. He also talks about his and his wife's time as part owners of the Micro movie house. He discusses the importance of film and the power of photography in film and film history. He also discusses working with Cuban filmmakers and Cuban films. He also talks about his work with the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre, and his hopes that the video rentals catalogue would be owned or housed by a public entity that would make it available to the community. He also discusses how he thought the inventory should have gone to a library or similar entity because the library could allow people to see the movies.

Monique Lillard: everything's alright.

Monique Lillard: Alright, we are recording.

Monique Lillard: My name is monique lillard and we are doing an audio recording.

Monique Lillard: For the University of Idaho library oral History project concerning the video rental store in Moscow Idaho it is August 16 2021 we are sitting outside.

Monique Lillard: For reasons of coven safety.

Monique Lillard: I am going to ask my interviewee if he has signed the waiver and release and asked him to state his name and what used to teach at the University of Idaho just leave this now go ahead answer I am josh to forest washed or, should I sign the waiver and the release that already.

Monique Lillard: And at university of Idaho from 1979 to 2009 I taught in the programs of foreign languages and literature theatre and film and Latin American studies.

Monique Lillard: So those are just my background at university of Idaho okay all right, and thank you for your time being through we've been wanting to speak with you so let's just go ahead and get started.

Monique Lillard: The how and when did you first find out about the video rental store in town and what are your early memories of the various video part various video stores and Howard Hughes in particular.

Monique Lillard: Well i'd have to do some sure thinking about to.

Monique Lillard: For about 10 years.

Monique Lillard: My spouse and I were part owners over small arch animal.

Monique Lillard: And shut brunch animal in Moscow Idaho called the micro movie house.

Monique Lillard: we're gonna have more questions for you go ahead.

Monique Lillard: So my wife john m wash tonight wondering part owners of that operation.

Monique Lillard: And when it closed then Moscow Idaho, of course, without without any kind of art house of any kind.

Monique Lillard: So starting a tech time home video formats became more important for a lot of folks I think interested ensuring send them to be able to see something.

Monique Lillard: So, although the image quality presumably was not nearly as good now the sound quality in most home video format, at least, it would be a chance to see something after the micro movie house.

Monique Lillard: closed, which, incidentally, when it closed.

Monique Lillard: I estimated that Moscow Idaho My guess was at that time was one of the most heavily screened communities in the world in terms of 35 millimeter screens.

Monique Lillard: Because it was probably a town of about 18,000 then and about when the micro closed.

Monique Lillard: It had I would estimate i'd have to add them up 11 to 1335 millimeter strange so then astonishing ratio per capita which.

Monique Lillard: would be amazed, if it were matched most anywhere else in the world, most communities have 18 times and at that time by that time hardly had 135 millimeter string.

Monique Lillard: Anyway, at that moment, then, as I shed to see serious cinema foreign film etc, etc, the home video format became more important, of course, originally That was a tape videotape.

Monique Lillard: And there had been another video store in a mall on the pullman highway.

Monique Lillard: Not to lose empire more but maybe it was on a more a little bit East it went out of business and maybe that's not sure about this, maybe that's about when Howard Hughes started.

Monique Lillard: My relationship, but Howard Hughes.

Monique Lillard: boys important early on, because I kind of had a deal with.

Monique Lillard: With today enterprise I would use clips from his videos in my classes and I would tell the classes, where I got these clips.

Monique Lillard: period.

Monique Lillard: Giving thanks also the University of Idaho did not have a significant film collection.

Monique Lillard: In China.

Monique Lillard: I got here in 1979 Peter haggard.

Monique Lillard: And kosher.

Monique Lillard: are a couple names that come to mind we try to get a 16 millimeter film collection going, of course, that's extremely expensive and.

Monique Lillard: We found early on that, in general, most administrators weren't very much interested in that, because of the extraordinary cost of acquiring 16 mil prints and then, of course, maintaining them.

Monique Lillard: So you know, we had a few films, maybe citizen kane maybe come along in 16 mil prints.

Monique Lillard: Which is far too expensive for university of Idaho.

Monique Lillard: So.

Monique Lillard: Any so home video formats became more important, there was a very important to.

Monique Lillard: court case guess you know went to the US Supreme Court can cite it off the top of my head, which allowed for the.

Monique Lillard: The use of.

Monique Lillard: home video for match in a strictly educational setting.

Monique Lillard: So it had to be in a classes or recall if you're using.

Monique Lillard: A work in a home video format only for the members of the clients were registered in the converse with them and members of the class no outside people.

Monique Lillard: etc, which, which is absolutely fundamental for the study you film in the United States.

Monique Lillard: Otherwise, so very few universities, apart from what in Los Angeles, maybe UCLA.

Monique Lillard: Of course, they have a film and television archives, maybe southern California with that kind of money relationship with the industry.

Monique Lillard: So maybe they could show say in their auditoriums 35 millimeter prints and something was meant to be shown let's say the wasn't shot 70 mil but most universities and colleges couldn't afford it.

Monique Lillard: So 16 mil came became important but.

Monique Lillard: So many colleges and universities like Idaho couldn't even afford the rent of administrators would get the upset wire.

Monique Lillard: talking to me well West who are you weren't here last year, asking for rental money for 16 mil films.

Monique Lillard: I said yes, yes, I was dirt administrator well you know what's Bam then i'd and over what that would cost, and so, then when the video formats became more prevalent and that really allowed for the explosion of film study and US universities and colleges.

Monique Lillard: So early on, I had a relationship as an instructor University of Idaho to borrow clips from Howard Hughes telling classes, where I got the clips and then use those to illustrate what I was talking about.

Monique Lillard: All right, thank you, you heard my squeal of joy over the micro I have somewhat on my own decided to add to the.

Monique Lillard: To the project here and spend some time remembering the micro because I have to say i'm doing this whole project as somewhat of a history of.

Monique Lillard: Moscow a history of entertainment in Moscow, so if we can, can we just speak from you and your wife Joan were part owners for a while no.

Monique Lillard: issue the micro okay just part of it right, if there was a time I was going to close yeah it was owned by George bone deep hole and Bob suited.

Monique Lillard: In it was going to close because business is not good and Joan and I had followed the micro sensor arrival in Moscow 1979 I was flabbergasted with the programming for a town of about 18,000 or whatever was in 79 so we bought into the.

Monique Lillard: Enterprise probably it's probably a modest maybe give it about another decade that's good.

Monique Lillard: Well yeah.

Monique Lillard: Too many screens in town and.

Monique Lillard: The distributors really that that they don't want to deal with on our channel or sherburne don't give the have a huge opening and big city charge a big project and then, what are the eventually go to video alright, so you viewed the demise of the micro as linked to the.

Monique Lillard: Production of the film studios basically the distributors, I guess the distributors right exhibitors we were at the end.

Monique Lillard: The end of the chain for the distributors.

Monique Lillard: So I saw Chinese go story, I must have been a 1980s over and go to a lot of film festivals around the world, so I talked to Bob pseudo program the micro hey Bob we gotta get Chinese go store.

Monique Lillard: So he calls the distributor up no problem and a minimum time of bucking three weeks.

Monique Lillard: So that's not going to work in a rural setting you can you can run Chinese your story for three weeks, you can run it for three days.

Monique Lillard: And you'll lose some money, but you can't run it for two, three and Chinese go story I forget i'm just kind of this off the top of my head the distributor maybe had to print.

Monique Lillard: Now i'm going to read you open up New York again on in two years it's just say couldn't care about it's just business in a sovereign and an art Center in a little world study where's the other end of the line.

Monique Lillard: it's too we had I forget what 140 some sheets, maybe with those church pews, which is totally off the reader.

Monique Lillard: And i'm sure at all, yes, yes and we've had people on the series of interviews describing what the micro looked like how you walk down the church pews i've tried i've reached out to Bob pseudo Facebook, but he did not get back to me.

Monique Lillard: I had been told by someone that he would tell me that home video was part of the cause of the demise of the mind was your degree uh huh.

Monique Lillard: yeah is no God yeah yeah.

Monique Lillard: well.

Monique Lillard: When I taught for decades, I told Sean to for for 10 years, and also at indiana university.

Monique Lillard: A lot of students.

Monique Lillard: and others don't.

Monique Lillard: appreciate, so much the importance of.

Monique Lillard: Trying to view a film let's say a film in which the cinematography is really important let's say Lawrence of Arabia.

Monique Lillard: So there are there are a lot of the students and others who don't appreciate that important so much or respect the notion that the format, it was originally filmed in.

Monique Lillard: Is the best format, in which to see the film so then i'd have students, say, well, Professor West I finally saw Lawrence of Arabia, you know, on my telephone doctor's office i'm telling them what's the deal about that Professor West, it seemed pretty slow to me.

Monique Lillard: But there was less unless appreciation for the importance of the cinematography in the original format.

Monique Lillard: Do you know trial for the will the Nazi problem, yes, I do know that yeah I saw it as a matter of fact, in college, so now that you I was thinking about that it must have been on.

Monique Lillard: Film yeah well, of course, it was on film, I mean yeah 35 millimeter yes, unless they owned it but yes yeah it's been estimated.

Monique Lillard: At the time of the rise of.

Monique Lillard: A vast majority of young German men teenage boys.

Monique Lillard: Had screened and it showed everywhere, so to speak, for free.

Monique Lillard: And 35 mil per inch.

Monique Lillard: would have been quite impactful because the Nazis put at her disposal vast technical resources you won't traveling chance, let us set all this up for you, you probably don't remember there's a vertical tracking shot going up, they built a tower specifically for her.

Monique Lillard: So you get up there as a camera rises, you see, oh there's more and more these people get to the top panel left on my.

Monique Lillard: Pan right well gee there's.

Monique Lillard: Thousands, maybe.

Monique Lillard: 10s of thousands, could it be hundreds of thousands.

Monique Lillard: So when you saw that in 35 millimeter.

Monique Lillard: With others with the song limited resources and the quality of the cinematography and the imagery it must have been quite powerful for a lot of the susceptible young men and teenage right.

Monique Lillard: This is this film was a relatively new medium, not new but yeah these were relative what's the name of that movie about 35 or is that.

Monique Lillard: Oh i'd have to i'd have to check that there were definite Nuremberg rounds it's one of the Nuremberg i'd have to double check it, but it was fundamental and in the United States, we had a version.

Monique Lillard: Excuse me.

Monique Lillard: We had a version with.

Monique Lillard: The racist film that.

Monique Lillard: Wilson showed in the birth of a nation, the White House.

Monique Lillard: birth of a nation audiences.

Monique Lillard: US audiences would have been amazed to see the track and chance.

Monique Lillard: To see the Cross cutting to see the clan ride a rescue.

Monique Lillard: And that film was used Sean 35 of course 35 mil used end of the 1950s as a recruiting tool for the client.

Monique Lillard: But the the power of the photography for both of those films isn't much of it, however, a retired in 2009 when I retired I think many.

Monique Lillard: students were not as attuned to that because you're Swanton imagery your family tree everyone.

Monique Lillard: Just advertisements are incredibly yeah yeah very interesting and there's another thing about trying for the will and i'd always wondered about hitler's and order, my German sound very good, but.

Monique Lillard: He also had access to an extraordinary microphone.

Monique Lillard: There would have been many people hearing him that have had never been able to hear political speeches with that clarity, if you think of our Lincoln Douglas debates.

Monique Lillard: How many people could ever hear okay and Hitler the microphones just before Hitler you had to be right close I forget carbon gets quite technical, but you couldn't move you had to be real but hipper had a new hot shot microphone and he could very his distance.

Monique Lillard: sideways laterally and back and forth Farinas gestural system more.

Monique Lillard: And do the end people probably never heard it most of them anything like that, from an order.

Monique Lillard: And of course that's in the film so that's a few thoughts on.

Monique Lillard: There became fewer and fewer people viewers worried about seeing something in its original format, the pound a pandemic, of course, will only have made this word, yes, yes fascinating.

Monique Lillard: Some other time i'd love to talk to you about microphones because it well i'll just say it here we are talking, but I do know that.

Monique Lillard: In fact, I met a man once named brownie that was his nickname his last name was Brown and there was a movie that came out that's entertainment and it was clips from a bunch of music.

Monique Lillard: And in it Judy Garland indiana Durban are both trying out for MGM and Judy Garland sounds beautiful and deanna Durban sounds.

Monique Lillard: awful Twitter he screechy just terrible she did have a strong vibrato but this man had seen that and he was at another studio and he said oh she's just not miked right.

Monique Lillard: And she went on to become a singing star now never Judy Garland but still, you know she she you've heard of deanna Durban i'm sure.

Monique Lillard: And then I remember when Howard Dean was running for President and appeared that he was screaming into a microphone and that was all just a bunch of playing with the microphone as I understood it, but the technique of how he was recorded.

Monique Lillard: Well, I don't know I just think it's fascinating I just think you can make or break someone with what kind of make your hand that's really what i'm getting at so that you know.

Monique Lillard: People appreciated.

Monique Lillard: seen a film in its original format less than less, yes, being a sovereign the micro you know we couldn't charge as much as say the kenworthy the time, one of the change let's say carmike.

Monique Lillard: So when we close our forget what our ticket was $1 $50 75 So if you got something like 140 sheet you got to be moving a lot of popcorn at that ticket price under $2.

Monique Lillard: And then there were other.

Monique Lillard: i'd be sitting there and back and the way Bob said, the fire Marshal you cannot lock the side or the building.

Monique Lillard: Because of the fire Marshal.

Monique Lillard: So you just said, and why should people come in with a.

Monique Lillard: Better going in the front door and downstairs and paying $1 50 you mentioned yeah i'm sorry yeah yeah.

Monique Lillard: Video became more and more important.

Monique Lillard: And that's what i've been doing, of course, i'm sure i'm on the editorial Board of this Journal in New York City is called seniors during the pan, I haven't been to a film festival sense so October 2019.

Monique Lillard: And I get from distributors exhibitors film festivals blah blah.

Monique Lillard: home video yep yep completely dependent on your home machine, yes, yes, so back to the video rental store did you go for your own fun, did you get movies that way just for yourself.

Monique Lillard: Sometimes, often would you say you went.

Monique Lillard: Too often, probably because.

Monique Lillard: Things I was writing about frequently filmmakers had given me when distributors, or even if you're writing about something got a c&c.

Monique Lillard: or some of those things I probably had access to other words.

Monique Lillard: So much of a personal patron little bit, but not a lot yeah so sure Yes, some but not not alone i've written a lot about my miracle Cuban I used to go to Cuba.

Monique Lillard: And wouldn't necessarily be and how musical some would be, but not necessarily.

Monique Lillard: Meanwhile, I knew the filmmaker personally he's given me a tape copy.

Monique Lillard: got it got it did you go to video stores, other than Howard Hughes all that one I mentioned, you could go to interesting, yes, just to see.

Monique Lillard: anywhere else in town, did you go there, there was Hastings there was one over in the Moscow ma is what we now call the East side marketplace remember going to one of these shows.

Monique Lillard: Like I did go to that one in the pullman hi yeah I think I wasn't tr video or video land or something remember.

Monique Lillard: yeah he went out of business yeah we're still using tubes okay mm hmm did you.

Monique Lillard: Okay well when you think of Howard Hughes video what look what location, do you think well both of them to show us both of them yeah but not use a lot of pictures yes.

Monique Lillard: yeah how did you like the story itself, how do you like, how it was screwed yeah was great dilemma was great easy to use any film more countries both layouts were easy to use.

Monique Lillard: I taught for years in a core curriculum for when we had a course called filming international culture, and it goes disclosures I should and Peter nygard with often to teach them with me and sometimes philo Brian.

Monique Lillard: For instance, later, I think, good job was to get into a song, and I would use quite a few clips for that.

Monique Lillard: For that course.

Monique Lillard: So instead of teaching trying for the world, I would use a clip.

Monique Lillard: And then, I just wanted to see the whole thing she or he could pay see it.

Monique Lillard: that's a good idea, you know.

Monique Lillard: Show me the university did an entire collection and work, yes, yes, yes.

Monique Lillard: Did you ever use the public library.

Monique Lillard: And are much I mean for film yeah well Sean Sean now for things but.

Monique Lillard: didn't have so much of what I needed for that, yes, yeah what Howard Hughes collection, you said they didn't have all the films, you would have wanted to see did you tell them to buy him or her that's multiple questions in one they're generally discussing.

Monique Lillard: Well, you know I write about a lot of films, you know I deal with people have no idea of films are made in Cuba yeah yeah maybe perhaps very greatest film.

Monique Lillard: In Latin America ever made in any genre is a film called memories of underdeveloped oh.

Monique Lillard: Well, I notice filmmaker.

Monique Lillard: Ben and his house and running to a university and I was involved in three efforts to bring him to the United States, of course.

Monique Lillard: You know, to the efforts failed third effort was already dying of cancer, when we brought in to Pacific Lutheran university gave a keynote trips well he's got a masterpiece called memories of under to Rome.

Monique Lillard: And, but songs from tubers in general, having.

Monique Lillard: traveled well outside of Cuba in general interest.

Monique Lillard: Amongst in launchers yeah well that that one's you better known so on, but I was also dealing with other Cuban filmmakers like a young woman.

Monique Lillard: filmmakers mixed race and making a film about issues in the revolution quite critical, but you know that's just a limited perception with that film and United States sure yeah yeah are you still in touch with her, oh no she passed away long ago ah.

: OK OK.

Monique Lillard: um.

Monique Lillard: I just ask a few of the questions i've asked everybody and then we'll move on just a little bit here, did you think the video store.

Monique Lillard: At Howard Hughes and then later called mainstreet video What did you think it was important to Moscow, as a community or nurses extraordinary research how so well the breadth of what they offer.

Monique Lillard: And then, a lot of people had access to the video format phone off the every Head laser disc that might be interesting for you to find out yeah I don't think so, although I do remember what those were I don't think they had those they had video tapes.

Monique Lillard: And DVDs and BLU Ray yeah yeah well, let me state of the art home videos DVD and BLU Ray yes, at this moment laser discs are no longer state of our.

Monique Lillard: And I don't know if you know there's a tape tape went through a long, long.

Monique Lillard: evolution to paint home video for lunch, what do you mean it, how did it evolve, how did it change your company's tried to keep it from being used amongst different countries oh I don't think I know, which is a nightmare for Scotland okay explain.

Monique Lillard: A well if you buy a.

Monique Lillard: If you bought a tape.

Monique Lillard: You know I don't know what kind of shoes, France and then.

Monique Lillard: Maybe it only plays in their region that won't play in the United States right, so we own a machine that will play the at least the British ones i'm not sure if Britain and Europe are different from each other that's all I don't remember it.

Monique Lillard: Was years ago tape, of course, is long gone i'm sorry DVD.

Monique Lillard: DVD with Bennett.

Monique Lillard: continue.

Monique Lillard: Well, there you kind of make interests are paramount, yes, yes, she shut them off for me it's an art Nash assignable sanderson it's also business in the United States, you want to know about a film work in The Wall Street Journal, she would have made.

Monique Lillard: So what their companies controlling the rights they would try to control where you could see it in home video format so for scholars, this is a nightmare i'd go to all these countries filmmakers given well that doesn't work.

Monique Lillard: Just from Tunisia will is that you know I gotta have region, whatever and then of course the company's eventually did make all region players on course also going to cost you a lot more.

Monique Lillard: The companies don't care about research or scholarship or no it's about getting the running of course of course course I did you did you ever try to influence.

Monique Lillard: What movies Howard Hughes bought.

Monique Lillard: Did you put that you know they had they had a list running or did you ever have major situations and formal or informal yes yo infrequently I didn't.

Monique Lillard: stretch, though, did you interact with the staff, I know both knew some of y'all know who you were and.

Monique Lillard: yeah but I didn't.

Monique Lillard: I didn't.

Monique Lillard: regularly shave with this is what y'all hear from.

Monique Lillard: One of my early age, and they didn't ask him to yeah I didn't volunteer and it was a private business and, of course, were you aware, when the.

Monique Lillard: Current the latest owners before the Co operative we're trying to sell it and there was a lot of discussion should individuals by it.

Monique Lillard: Up maybe much the way you and Joan did you know should some of us tried to save this thing we part of those discussions, the collaborative oh no Okay, then live in a big way when.

Monique Lillard: Can we right we're almost there we're almost there, let me just get us there so.

Monique Lillard: Then it became cooperatives, did we are you even aware of that switch the name change, but were you very aware of the switch to the cooperative ownership, for your.

Monique Lillard: fingers or hundred dollars to be a member of the call yeah it was actually 200 will be an owner and we called the Member I was on the board, I wanted.

Monique Lillard: But feel free to you can you know I just wondered if you noticed any anybody could rent but people who were Member owners got to know that they were part owners and there were special deals, so you did by N, as you recollect are.

Monique Lillard: Both of you so rick hello, yes yeah yeah well don't remember one global Okay, do you have any thoughts on the pluses or minuses of going cooperative or was it not that important to you.

Monique Lillard: know I hadn't investigated the.

Monique Lillard: Economics of it mm hmm demographic sure everything and finish rural setting.

Monique Lillard: I mean you know there's new stuff I mean Seattle, you know you know or New York or and then these film festivals, which is very hard to see things here in a timely way.

Monique Lillard: Yes, well, and then you know.

Monique Lillard: For example, this computer that i'm using doesn't even have a trade to play a DVD you know it's it's the students started saying oh i'd love to go rent DVDs but I don't know how to play them, you know.

Monique Lillard: yeah that's good lunch you a little bit each screen exactly exactly make absolutely sure we're still putting yes, we are okay all right um so then.

Monique Lillard: Obviously the video store closed Do you remember where you were when you learned it had closed.

Monique Lillard: No, I don't remember them any emotions that comes to your mind you were you.

Monique Lillard: I would close I just didn't know when because it and see how it could be sustainable, the demographics mobile I knew nothing about the payroll taxes or the leash or I don't know anything about it, at least in the case of the micro I knew a little bit more about.

Monique Lillard: Some of those issues, but I didn't have any of those connections with a Co op that would allow me to judge how much time it could get it got way more time than I would have guessed original yeah yeah well and it was a Co op system that.

Monique Lillard: And really the generosity of the woman who was.

Monique Lillard: Well, at all of the people who owned the store, you know, giving the Co operative more and more time to properly buy it, you know, but that was really what stretched it out or she so now, I think that we come to.

Monique Lillard: An area that you were more involved in because, so why don't you describe what the kenworthy is now and what your role has been with the camera roll it can where there's a nonprofit.

Monique Lillard: and Main Street in Moscow Idaho the show films and also run theatrical productions and allow for private events and.

Monique Lillard: so on.

Monique Lillard: Sure don the film committee, for I don't know, maybe last five or six years.

Monique Lillard: And I was on the film committee when the Co op closed.

Monique Lillard: kenworthy.

Monique Lillard: took over the stock.

Monique Lillard: So I had hoped that much of the stock of the.

Monique Lillard: Video co op.

Monique Lillard: would go into the public sphere.

Monique Lillard: For the.

Monique Lillard: citizens and residents nice girl Moscow airy.

Monique Lillard: I thought it'd be an extraordinary resource to have those available in the public sphere.

Monique Lillard: So I talked to a lot of people about this and I wrote a lot of them on someone.

Monique Lillard: To.

Monique Lillard: chicken, not so much greater.

Monique Lillard: and

Monique Lillard: At one point I received in an email what the list of the works that were being offered for sale, I think, maybe for $2 apiece and either DVD or BLU Ray.

Monique Lillard: And I counted just glancing at the lowest I didn't even look at it carefully, as I recall, I counted on for five will eating.

Monique Lillard: Living contemporary us on tour.

Monique Lillard: for sale by the Channel clothing Woody Allen Richard linklater the coen brothers and I forget who wants and, in my humble opinion, instead of selling for $2 each so uncle billy can see the one to the phone and ensures nice from she comes to visit, would you how long.

Monique Lillard: It would have been better on so in a public library for a university library.

Monique Lillard: available to all till it wears off.

Monique Lillard: I talked to the library I believe it's a Carnegie library, we have quite a discussion.

Monique Lillard: pull up the dean of the school.

Monique Lillard: We had quoting discussion.

Monique Lillard: Because I understood that the University of Idaho library had been informed.

Monique Lillard: informed about what about the Kim more than taking over the stock or co op.

Monique Lillard: And I understood the dean of the library, to tell me that actually we can move he had not been in touch with him at that time about.

Monique Lillard: You handle that caught my attention, and I did ask him to put those in rain.

Monique Lillard: which we did.

Monique Lillard: And then I wrote more mammals to can where the stamps and console Amir.

Monique Lillard: And shown.

Monique Lillard: I gave all in one mmm I gave a lot of ideas about where those could be stored if that's a big problem in university, I would like to hear what you say about where they could be stored Oh well, I just had some thoughts every person.

Monique Lillard: 30 years and the administration, building on was quite a bit space downstairs in the basement.

Monique Lillard: Nice and cool down there and sit down.

Monique Lillard: always a factor with film zone I don't recall suggesting addict.

Monique Lillard: I mentioned that old memorial Jim from the 1920s to handle, of course, that were built up there no longer being used, maybe some could be stored there on on maybe on a rotational basis and all kinds of other places in the university.

Monique Lillard: In case the dean of the library was going to suggest well Professor Western we'd like to have some of these but there's just nowhere to store.

Monique Lillard: Their sub basement of the library itself down in special collections on on them, in other words, I regarded these works in home video format.

Monique Lillard: The most important it's very important to artistic objects.

Monique Lillard: Now, much of the collection genre films that are.

Monique Lillard: pretty much just junk unless you're writing just about genres okay and get upset of on the classic films and I mentioned these over to rick I think i'd forgot a fifth one are these these should be for everyone and shouldn't be sold for $2 each.

Monique Lillard: seem to have a little influence.

Monique Lillard: So you, you mentioned to you already you will note on the kenworthy board, you were on a film committee as far as I know, the film Committee was never officially informed about this Okay, let alone and timely manner okay so surprised me now.

Monique Lillard: The video co op.

Monique Lillard: closed, I think, the very day that the governor said we're having our stay at home order.

Monique Lillard: and

Monique Lillard: Part of many people say when did a close and they think it was a long time ago it was march of 2020 so it was well we're going on a year and a half, I guess, but it seems longer ago I think too many of us.

Monique Lillard: And they they went to the can where they did you see them when they were all in boxes all around the cameraman okay I didn't I didn't think so because we were all at home and and then everybody was in mass right then came this idea of sort of selling them batch genre genre.

Monique Lillard: Somehow online, I never quite.

Monique Lillard: figured out how they were doing I was, I was a little late to the story, as were lots of people, people were involved.

Monique Lillard: Apparently we're very excited about about buying the science fiction, is one that really created a lot of individual individual consumers absolutely.

Monique Lillard: Well, they got all happy right i'm just trying to i'm just trying to sort of set this so that this need this district so to stand on its own here now you're saying you think it should have gone to a public entity to hold and then to.

Monique Lillard: lend out the way libraries do right most important elements of this color most important elements Okay, I would have preferred to see.

Monique Lillard: What the University of Idaho library, just as an example, energy, like that get first dibs.

Monique Lillard: On the collection and they could say oh my gosh what do y'all are you kidding me many believe he's the greatest living us fiction filmmaker today, we need, what do Richard linklater boom the coen brothers pick them off burst cherry pick the best.

Monique Lillard: library and make them available in the public sector.

Monique Lillard: Now genre films Kung fu TV series yeah some later to individual kind of show them.

Monique Lillard: But as soon as in canes.

Monique Lillard: get them in a library for everyone right right, so what this means when I wrote the the dean of the library, probably in these memos.

Monique Lillard: I don't know if you go to New York City a lot, my understanding is if you're a teenage kid in New York City.

Monique Lillard: When you get your so called library card, whatever that is now you have instant access to thousands and thousands of important DVDs and videos we've been talking to them for the will your team, you can check it out.

Monique Lillard: You can check it out that's a little different here in a rural setting.

Monique Lillard: So, in a rural setting to possess these DVDs and BLU rays in a place, like the university library sees justin.

Monique Lillard: And here we are, with what I call here the narrow band.

Monique Lillard: And i'm a Member of this library.

Monique Lillard: You know the old school library, you know, and of course the university library, so of course I use canopy.

Monique Lillard: ooh ooh ooh buffering.

Monique Lillard: they're still having buffering troubles.

Monique Lillard: i'm in a remote setting shutting the companies don't care anything about Idaho or so canopy.

Monique Lillard: complained a canopy it goes on and on, so if you process the DVDs and BLU rays you're not gonna have that buffer no problem.

Monique Lillard: Right yes yeah.

Monique Lillard: Are you ever told what did happen to the movies.

Monique Lillard: Are you still on the film committee for the for the kenworthy.

Monique Lillard: See, this is a very interesting thing in the process of doing this i've learned much more, and then, in fact, and it worried me because I think I made misstatements at the beginning of this.

Monique Lillard: i've learned that actually the University of Idaho has something like 15,000 of the move there were 35,000 are gone and i've heard that the kenworthy maintain it kept the entire criterion collection now they're not going to lend it out, but they kept it I heard they kept.

Monique Lillard: The French film section, which was pretty good considering it was Moscow Idaho you know they did not have a gym but but they had a lot of famous movies.

Monique Lillard: The University of Idaho and they're going to be listening to this within a few days and i'm hoping that this project spurs them to make clear what they've got they've got a ton of titles.

Monique Lillard: But it's in special collections, which means normally special collections doesn't circulate to every Tom Dick and Harry, and so I think they're working out something about well, are we going to let people see this aren't we you know how is this going to work.

Monique Lillard: I will just tell you that in the I remember reading your letters to the paper, or at least, there was an article in the paper.

Monique Lillard: I was right there with you cheering about holding the collection, all of us who were involved with the video co op felt that very strongly.

Monique Lillard: Having gone through this process and learning more I personally feel better I really wish and hope and think it will eventually come out to the community at large, what happened to those to those to those physical movies, you know the discs and.

Monique Lillard: I was going to say something I forgot what it was anyway reactions thoughts.

Monique Lillard: or a friend and.

Monique Lillard: colleague of mine is iver Nelson I did talk to him on the phone about to show.

Monique Lillard: You might be someone you might be interested in the interview he stretched me on the telephone with them, there was an extreme time element in the hallway this happened suddenly.

Monique Lillard: Things had to.

Monique Lillard: happen very fast or these might end up on the street, of course I knew nothing about.

Monique Lillard: That and I can't comment on that right, but understandable.

Monique Lillard: yeah an interview that I have not seen seen or heard that both newsome did as The interviewer he interviewed Jamie Hill, who was the was involved at the kenworthy with receiving all this.

Monique Lillard: And I interviewed someone else who helped just was helped her and unpack and repackage all these films.

Monique Lillard: There was a huge time constraint, because the store where the video store was had to be vacated, and so they just.

Monique Lillard: Really quickly, I was going to say flung but that's not literally, true, but they just jam everything into the aisles and everything at the kenworthy, but it was closed anyway.

Monique Lillard: i've also heard that those $2 sales went a long way to keeping the kenworthy floating financially.

Monique Lillard: But I think your point and I just want to stress this again your point is not they shouldn't have sold anything they had to keep all 35,000 your point was curators people who had who can kind of control the public sphere, should have gotten first dibs instead of potentially last.

Monique Lillard: One should an email or I don't know what percent maybe.

Monique Lillard: 70 80% of the collection.

Monique Lillard: Probably didn't have much aesthetic.

Monique Lillard: What the library, so I should have gone.

Monique Lillard: To get the all copies so citizen kane set of Solomon with somebody for $2 apiece.

Monique Lillard: Maybe turn 20% of the collection, instead of the scraps afterwards, yes, I understand I think we'll all understand more when we get a comprehensive list of.

Monique Lillard: What the University of Idaho does have a copy of and.

Monique Lillard: I guess I don't know for sure who got first dibs I could guess but i'd rather not guests on on the tape here.

Monique Lillard: will be correct, but I don't that's only my guests here so yeah.

Monique Lillard: Sure, are very, very, very sheepish email from.

Monique Lillard: Quite emotionally involved in all I really didn't even want to look at the list of things for sale if other motions and institutions had been consulted, but.

Monique Lillard: One day, I decided well i'll have a glance and I were shocked to see.

Monique Lillard: These tours for sale.

Monique Lillard: For $2.

Monique Lillard: that's just that's completely.

Monique Lillard: Up problematic, in my opinion yeah.

Monique Lillard: So those institutions such as university, I will library and show the garden first shot.

Monique Lillard: And they're experts, I would have been building hilltown going through their soul so doesn't thing gotta save that what do you own anything by what Dr Richard linklater coen brothers yeah what her early on the list for $2 a pop yeah yeah.

Monique Lillard: How would what was the University of idaho's circulating collection like did you ever interact with that, yes, yes, oh is quite modest for when I used it.

Monique Lillard: When I used yes quite honest, I honestly would have expected them to have citizen kane and possible they might have yeah yeah I mean that's just an example, I know you're making.

Monique Lillard: You can't have too many countries are citizen kane well there you go, let me know when the usual we're out in the fish oil fingers, I mean yes oh kind of the library he's got seven copies of citizen kane and good yeah I mean.

Monique Lillard: right here one of my Members, you can think of a library that doesn't have copies of moby Dick will the same thing we're citizen kane right now with the home video format so accessible so many people, yes, yes.

Monique Lillard: I was astounded how the Kimberley got showing off importantly the steady stuff from apparently as far as I get to the get go, yes, when I got him on the phone with the Nino library.

Monique Lillard: I know that various people reached out to various libraries, including the University of Idaho Eastern Washington Washington state.

Monique Lillard: and various other months, I know that the woman before it went co operative she had called a lot of those places, and I know somebody at the kenworthy said something but i'm not sure, but.

Monique Lillard: There are people i'm not going to be transcribing all this and putting it all together that's for the people at the at the university but i'll be interested, because I know there's a wonderful young woman who's.

Monique Lillard: A cross referencing everything and i'll be interested maybe we can piece together a better story of who contacted whom when about what what were the offers that were made, you know.

Monique Lillard: Going into that in a number of memos mm hmm yeah one one, yes, yes, of course, the first thing I had done which go to the director Kimberly.

Monique Lillard: I understood or say one thing.

: and

Monique Lillard: Then, when I talked to the dean of libraries and university of Idaho.

Monique Lillard: So.

Monique Lillard: When I mean there was no way whatsoever him.

Monique Lillard: Did you say you reached out to the Mayor, no.

Monique Lillard: Was he part of that kenworthy board or just as a matter of the public, the name of the community about the edge of challenges for North Asia township Moscow heart of the arch.

Monique Lillard: But they just want to solve each.

Monique Lillard: course I reached out to the mirror.

Monique Lillard: And had quite to exchange with the member of the city console.

Monique Lillard: I tie back what the library mentor me growing up in a small town in Ohio.

Monique Lillard: Where those school was free.

Monique Lillard: Public education was free I went through grades one through 12 in the same goal we call it to school.

Monique Lillard: they're graduating class there were over 200 people, you can imagine the overcrowding been overcrowded since the 1920s, the unbelievably underfunded.

Monique Lillard: And some of the quality of the instruction was extraordinarily poor, in my opinion, well across from the school about a black and a half away there's a thing called a library well they're restoring.

Monique Lillard: there's origin of species are read that, for I couldn't put it down origin of species right there boom, you want to see someone about the scientific method it's in the library.

Monique Lillard: Instead of being left with the coach Andy you're supposed to be telling you about what they might call watch sex education now given you know actual information of any kind whatsoever.

Monique Lillard: And I had so many teachers, I guess we're primarily coaches, they forced them to teach humping apparently didn't know much about, but there was a brewery Freud.

Monique Lillard: Was fried whoa whoa well I don't be day which enters seen marks, you name and for free well libraries can be important for.

Monique Lillard: You know, students, a model still means want to learn about some others.

Monique Lillard: So let's look first place I thought of or some of these.

Monique Lillard: Instead, understand completely interested in.

Monique Lillard: What i'm saying I can't comment if they were all going to be put out on Main Street, and the bulldozer I might have mentioned to them.

Monique Lillard: Somebody in a memo.

Monique Lillard: I understood that the kenworthy own they could do whatever they wanted and what I, my response to her or him up I said well you know they could they could put them in friendship Square and burn them if they get the permit.

Monique Lillard: Never contrasted that to kym worthy you know I didn't.

Monique Lillard: know you didn't contest their power to do things you just thought there was a more civic way to do it myself, I mean you up right yes.

Monique Lillard: Better in the civic shown to the public sphere.

Monique Lillard: Well, come on.

Monique Lillard: Well, this is, as I said, this is a story that we don't quite know the ending to this we don't quite know what happened to so many of those movies.

Monique Lillard: The alive the library is working on at the University of Idaho library is working on listing what they've got to get started and.

Monique Lillard: I don't know what the Ken where these ultimately going to do one thing that's emerged from these videos you are either my last or my second to last interview we so yeah.

Monique Lillard: Is a lot of people would like to know what happened to just some information would make a lot of people, I think a little easier in their minds, even if you disagree it's like well wait What did happen so yeah well you know.

Monique Lillard: I didn't know there were any public meetings about this, I know one other person on the film committee i'd show unless she was not consulted yeah I learned about this in the French yeah when I was already underway and they're going to sell things founder extremely upsetting.

: and

Monique Lillard: So.

Monique Lillard: Well, so should you be sure to talk to over an ocean, or maybe I will I.

Monique Lillard: Almost out of time, but I know I bar so yeah well your honor so he lives right now and he's also in the library that must be public library board or at least was recently young Oh, I talked to them to mention the storage.

Monique Lillard: Storage storage comes up even for the store itself that kept coming up as an issue so yeah because it keeps getting more and more, of course, but yeah having storage two to three times, unfortunately.

Monique Lillard: I know what I mean literal I mean literal tongue and.

Monique Lillard: I believe you and I know what I don't have that many, but I moved around 79 or higher than the show my truck and it's much cheaper, I mean i'm not kidding about the Tongue tied a big long fishing industry.

Monique Lillard: What go ahead i'm sure no I just I know I was changed what type what town in Ohio to grow within northeastern Ohio and your akron OK OK so little town 12 miles of China.

Monique Lillard: But you know i'm not kidding about their quality education, some of them I had some great teachers also and i'm very thankful my sense was that education was not being well supported.

Monique Lillard: So unknown time i'm in this auditorium have a sloping floor on the stage of basketball teams playing down in the orchestra pit the work history practicing over here is the women's.

Monique Lillard: Health just for loyal and after they've seen the film or here is the driving and they can go out because it's snowing many of the parts of the water tutorial or study hall.

Monique Lillard: And all this noise and always are these coming down these what would they be half pint empty bottles of milk cross two or three cents from a glass container and and machine chocolate, no, these are rolled on the whole time so that's that was your study at home.

Monique Lillard: With the orchestra the basketball than women over the you know the driving hello, and people eating his lunch for other all in this huge huge.

Monique Lillard: mean the lack of funding.

Monique Lillard: On other hand, my mother came from nebraska there was no one or school which eventually she co teaching I don't know what to do with these two columns.

Monique Lillard: And then she wanted university nebraska officers teeny little farm in the 20s.

Monique Lillard: I can tell that you like movies, because the visual that you created with your words about that auditorium it ought to be in a movie oh dovish extraordinary remember sitting there and you're supposed to be doing you're studying you're just unbelievable condition.

Monique Lillard: But some of these teachers, there were clueless I was just.

Monique Lillard: we'd be out in the field and here's his tree and I won't mention his name he's using a book to.

Monique Lillard: tear down, and I said well do you, Mr X.

Monique Lillard: So it can American beach to me.

Monique Lillard: They get some air cannon they just trying to flora plot yeah wow he was your air oh man, he cannot read.

Monique Lillard: When he came down with a book, I know what a glance I know how much.

Monique Lillard: Sugar maple, I was interested in this growing up before I discovered people I learned as much as I could about.

Monique Lillard: bugs and stuff you know before I hit people.

Monique Lillard: forget all that, of course, Mark Twain would say just stick with cats.

Monique Lillard: should be going yeah yeah tell me all right i'm gonna ask you two questions you can pick which one are answerable funniest happiest weirdest memory of the video store if that's one question.

Monique Lillard: Give us some favorite movies, is your other question.

Monique Lillard: Will you skipped a video store mm hmm yeah good I want I want your movie REX when they said no, no, you should see.

Monique Lillard: numbers have been rebuilt okay i've gotten that written down Okay, you know in this initial release.

Monique Lillard: Many mainstream American critics, like the New York Times created.

Monique Lillard: That were flabbergasted.

Monique Lillard: subtly.

Monique Lillard: Probably expecting socialist.

Monique Lillard: religion.

Monique Lillard: But it's an extraordinarily subtle portrait.

Monique Lillard: of a man when the Cuban revolution comes to power we can't know be sympathetic to many other goals.

Monique Lillard: and other hand, he comes actually from the bourgeoisie.

Monique Lillard: into the middle most of his friends and relatives go to the States he's.

Monique Lillard: But he doesn't fit in very world is sympathetic.

Monique Lillard: it's an extraordinary portrait i'd love to see that manager owner home, you should be yeah.

Monique Lillard: yeah see well there's an example where would you look for that if you were looking for stream I could look in the libraries, first of all, but sure probably if you were streaming Where would you Lord, oh no we don't know I have associate.

Monique Lillard: Oh hey have three or four things now just released it every every day I get probably eight to 13.

Monique Lillard: Things from distributors and they'll provide you with a private strainer and I can let other people see that is whether or not i'm going to be writing.

Monique Lillard: So I dont preach what you're right okay gotcha not but I will look for that movie I really appreciate your time, let me say Let me close this out and then Allah so we're going to stop this interview right now, and thank you so much for your time and your insights and we've been through.

Monique Lillard: I hope this work to me know if you want any follow OK, I will crush I sure hope, I think it did yeah i'm probably trying to leave town.

Monique Lillard: Okay health fitness.