Customer Loyalty

I am loyal to my local video bootlegger.


I discovered his store (a cave is a more apt description) back in
August when I first arrived. It's a 10 by 20 foot store with a wall
of DVD cases on one side, the new release titles scribbled in
chalk-drawn broken english on the other, and the counter on the third
side. That's where the magic happens.


My first purchase was going to be Garden State, the
movie that finally arrived to Portland the day after I left. It was
the movie I had been wanting to see since last year at this time.
Bootlegging DVD's is wrong, I said to myself in properly judgmental
tones. But, if I could just watch Garden State...


Garden State didn't arrive for some time. Each week,
I'd ask the Korean man if it arrived. "No, try again next week." One
time, he even scribbled it out on a post-it note next to the counter.
I imagined him calling his people after I left the building. "Mr.
Kim," he'd say in hushed tones, "I need a copy of Gradin Slate from
the United States. Some American is eager for it and he will pay good
money for it." The guy on the other end will simply say, "Consider it
done."


I remember that episode of Seinfeld (episode 138: "The Little Kicks")
in which Jerry is recruited to bootleg movies in a theater. I thought
it was far fetched, but now I know that it happens. Over the past six
months, I have seen a fair share of filmed-in-a-theater movies,
complete with coughing, that guy in front whose head is too big, and
those folks who leave to early. It's the complete moviegoing
experience without Junior Mints or popcorn.


Many of the copies are distorted due to a poor filming angle or the
sound is muffled and echoey. But once in a while, one hits the bootleg
motherlode: a screener. A screener is one of those DVDs of new movies
sent to Academy Award voting members to see the movie in order to vote
on it. I guess that members are too low on the ducats to go down the
street to pay to see one of the highly discussed movies. Instead,
they get these copies somewhere to watch and vote. Somewhere along
the way (and I want to keep my blind eyes closed to it so don't offer
me any possibilities) a copy of that ends up in the dingy shop in
Songtan, South Korea.


Recently, my bootlegger has competition. A street vendor opened up a
stand about 30 yards from the store. He has the same selection, but
offers a twist in the pricing. $10 each, or, if you buy two, you get
one for free. An awfully convoluted way to say three for $20.
Especially in korean-english. It's something that Barnes & Noble does
with its bargain book inventory. Not to be outdone, my place cut
prices to $5 per disc, but took away the free preview of the disc
before you buy. It's the classic Nordstrom vs. Costco, you only pay
for services provided. Pay more and preview, or less and risk a
shoddy copy?


I must admit that I went to the street vendor to buy
Sideways and Million Dollar Baby,
but only because my place was closed. I drove home, and felt a little
guilty about it. I hope that my guy doesn't find out about it. I'd
hate to hurt his feelings.