With Academy Awards upon us, we take a look at Toronto’s biggest two purveyors of Oscar-winning movies. Bay Street Video and Videoflicks are independents still thriving in a world dominated by iTunes and Netflix. But who comes out on top?
Michael ‘Apocalypse Now’ Bernick |
vs. |
Joe ‘Cabaret’ Carlino |
| Bay Street Video (172 Bay St.) Michael Bernick, 1993. |
Shop, owner(s) & year opened: |
Videoflicks (1701 Avenue Rd.) Joe Carlino and Steve Cohen, 1981. |
| 25,000 in rentals, plus 25,000 for sale. | Number of titles in stock: | 50,000 in rentals. |
| $4.95. | Cost to rent one new release: | $4.43. |
| It’s not a growing industry, but independent stores with good selections and knowledgeable and friendly staff are doing well. | In the Internet era of instant access to thousands of free movies, how’s the video rental biz? | I’m asked at every cocktail party: “How much longer do you think you have?” I don’t see a downward trend for at least five to eight years. |
| Apocalypse Now. | Favourite flick: | Cabaret. |
| If it were an action film — only because my wife likes them so much — Jason Statham or Bruce Willis. | What actor would play you in a movie? | Seth MacFarlane … somebody light and breezy and witty and fun. |
| Pistachios. | Preferred movie snack: | Popcorn. |
| I haven’t seen any of them because they haven’t come out on DVD yet! | What’s your pick for best picture at the Oscars? | I think Lincoln will probably win. It’s historical, it’s Spielberg, it’s King’s Speech–like in many ways. |
| Probably a short speech: “…I’d like to thank everybody I’ve ever met in my life.” |
What kind of an Oscar speech would you give? (Would you cry, have your mic cut off…?) | I would go a little Dustin Hoffman. (Thank everybody for considering me but say that I am by no means special.) |
