Still standing strong

The movie shop in Roscrea is still open. In the face of a Netflix/Amazon onslaught it has somehow survived. I'm so proud of it.

I've so many memories tied to the film rental shops at home. The places that gave me an education I've actually enjoyed and not had forced on me.

Hard Boiled. The first ever subtitled film I rented out after reading about it in Impact magazine. A film that opened up a whole world of foreign cinema to me.

Cape Fear. The first 18 certificate film I rented myself. I remember the fear, walking to the counter, holding this new film in my hand, fully expecting to be told to fuck off, only to find my cousin Nicola behind the counter who instantly rented it out to me. From then on there were no similar issues.

That time we made sure she wasn't there so we could rent out Basic Instinct.... Man, that was a disappointing one. I mean, very entertaining film and all but we were 15 and expecting FILTH

Giving the fella behind the counter the "nod" so he'd let you rent out the banned films. Remember that glorious time, watching 3rd generation VHS copies of The Exorcist and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and feeling like an absolute villain.

Renting out Romper Stomper and being ostracized from my friends house because his granny walked in during a rather graphic sex scene. From that moment she assumed the film was pornographic and had no problem telling my father I wasn't welcome there anymore. The wagon.

Discovering classics like The Night Of The Hunter, The Conversation and Dawn Of The Dead. Films that never ever showed up on TV and when you rented one out it felt like finding buried treasure.

Being pointed away from Seagal and Van Damme films by knowledgable staff and pointed towards Jackie Chan, John Woo & Jet Li instead.

The time we rented out Man Bites Dog and were left traumatised. 25 years later I still remember the nausea. Haven't been able to watch it since.

Getting a Halliwell's film guide and using it to work my way through the classics available in Roscrea's shops.

Cheering along with with the boys during the entire length of The Last Boy Scout.

Watching films with my parents and not being able to enjoy them in case a sex scene kicked off. And when it inevitably did hearing my mother saying "the lads are way too young for this." Generally they were lenient when it came to movies though thank god.

The time I mitched off transition year work experience so I could watch Out For Justice.

Browsing the Xtravision ex-rental shelf to build my movie collection. It was always a buzz when you found something good.

It's a pity these shops are almost all gone. Netflix and streaming is easy and all but kids growing up now will never feel that buzz of discovery again. It's a pity.