Alamo Drafthousehas always been about more than just the latest big-screen release — although they’re fully on top of their game in that department, too.The beloved theater chain, which offers a strict no-talking policy, themed drinks and snacks, and delightful cocktails and craft beers, also often gives cinephiles a chance to fully immerse themselves in the history of the craft. While every location has a different draw, those finding themselves catching the latest flick at the Lower Manhattan location will have the opportunity to peruse the aisles of the sprawling collection once housed in the indie rental store known as Kim’s Video.
In a fresh web series, Drafthouse is connecting audiences with some very familiar faces as they tour the shelves in search of the perfect rental in a project titled,Kim’s Video Collection. In the upcoming third episode,Griffin NewmanandDavid Simsof theBlank Checkpodcast will be your hosts with the most and Collider has your very first look at the hot-off-the-press episode.
No matter who’s standing in front of the camera, each of theKim’s Video Collectioninstallments has been delightfully ‘90s, paying homage to the primary years that the original store kept its doors open on Avenue A. Sharing a bit of its own history with the video rental stores that popped up across cities all over the United States back in the ‘90s, both Newman and Sims explain the importance that shops like Kim’s had on them as young cinema buffs. Pulling out favorites likeThis Is Spinal Tap(the four-hour version),A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child, andBrewster McCloud, theBlank Checkboys are hot on the trail of the treasure troves of gold that await those who pay Drafthouse’s Lower Manhattan location a visit.
For those not familiar, Newman and Sims are the co-hosts of theBlank Checkpodcast, a weekly journey about filmmakers — specifically those who were handed the mythological “blank check” to get cameras rolling on their first movies. Both hosts have backgrounds in the industry, withNewman known for his rolesin Prime Video’sThe Tickand Netflix’sMasters of the Universe: Revelation, and Sims as a critic.
‘Kim’s Video Collection’s Other Guests
So far, the first season ofKim’s Video Collectionhas shed light on the favorites ofChloë SevignyandPaul Dano. For the former, who also recounted the excitement of stepping into Kim’s Video during her younger years, she picked out titles likeThe Beaver Trilogy, while Dano reminisced on digging intoBoogie Nightsagainst the advice of his dad.
