Netflix in the U.S.A and LoveFilm in the U.K. have been doing it for many years. With the Netflix customer base currently at 6.7 million, shipping 1.9 million DVDs per day, bricks and mortar rental stores are hard to find overseas.
So, why is it so popular?
It’s simple, convenient, fun and very economical.
Now following suit is movies4africa, bringing South Africa’s home entertainment into the 21st century. If you have a DVD player and a computer with an internet connection at home or work, movies4africa is the movie and game rental solution for you. For less than the cost of a slab of chocolate, you can see the latest hot release or classic whilst avoiding traffic jams, taxis, hawkers, parking attendants, saving fuel and doing your bit for the environment.
Movies4africa isoptimised to suit South African entertainment trends and lifestyle needs. The result;a world class Online Rental Library with thousands of titles spanning 85 years of film history. What’s more our library is constantly expanding with new stock arriving weekly.
Read about movies4africa, from a customer's view point at The Mantality.co.za blog.
JUST A BUNCH OF EVERYDAY GUYS
Meet movies4africa management - your normal, everyday bunch of guys and gals, out to make a rand among the bits and bytes of e-commerce.
In dispatch we have Jolly John, a man's man of indeterminate age whose interests include sociology, psychology, ideology and reflexology, along with any re-runs of Ugly Betty.
He joins us with a vast knowledge of the movie industry through undercover assignments at Videos Spotty, Blockbusted and Vee W's Videos.
Jolly John is usually armed with the latest series of Desperate Housewives for the missus and always dangerous at the bar.
A religious man, he believes God is always on our side and not necessarily aligned with the good.
His favourite movie, The House Bunny.
Then there's Silent Sam - The Bike Rider.
Blessed with the body of a Greek God, this tall, bronzed hunk of a man is the James Dean of the video rental business in Johannesburg.
With abs like corrugations and the presence of Thor, he joined movies4africa to be a film star.
Ag, Shame...
In private, we conclude either his voice never broke or his leathers are too tight. Either way, it's best he's mute. (Pssst.... Those who've heard say he has the voice of a girl.)
When he's not pumping iron (or Jenny), this twenty something hottie is usually to be found dressed in black leather and draped over a delivery bike.
When psychologically primed by Jolly John, Silent Sam can be lured back into the dispatch area where he spends hours stacking reserve copies of Grease.
Of course, Silent Sam no longer delivers movies. Management issued a recall after 100s of complaints from husbands. So, bad for business and fairly stupid, his sole role today is that of mascot.
And then there's Lovely Linda, a voluptuous vamp programmed to tease and for whom there must be sooo many uses.
You need to wear shades just to glance her way.
Some say she works at a place called The Ranchero at night which might explain her unkempt appearance in the mornings. Other says she stars in movies, but won't reveal what type.
All we know is that she's available to meet the bankers and distracting as hell.
We have a big budget.
Management has wondered for a while who hired her and what exactly she was hired to do, but no one is saying and the men, strangely, don't seem to care.
Meantime, she's one of the many delicious delights of movies4africa and we're lucky to have her.
Pity you'll never meet her.
Last but certainly not least, there's the Marvellous Mandy. A former ringmaster of the Moscow State Circus, she was recruited by movies4africa for her splendid costume and her abilities with a whip.
Another worshipper of black leather, the Marvellous Mandy has never been seen wearing it in public, though stories abound about... Well, never mind.
This fabulous import, with looks to die for, comes with a pet boa constrictor called Huggy and a 16SV age restriction. The circus also threw in a warranty.
Now, management allows Huggy to watch over the stock and have restricted fraternisation with Jolly John. Who knows where it will lead.
The Marvellous Mandy cracks the whip in staff relations and remains in charge of everything with or without a heartbeat.
Her favourite movie - Anaconda.
And finally... We must remember old friends.
Dour Dave - The Accountant.
He wore a suit and spent a lot of time staring into a computer. Sometimes it was switched on. A perfectly capable, unassuming and thoroughly decent chap, he was fired abruptly by management.
They said he didn't fit in.
Visit us at B & B Market HILLFOX on Sat - Sun 9 am - 5 pm
