Sources for videos, DVDs and film clips, sales and rentals, on the Web.
The Classic Movies Videostore
Thousands of classic films on video, available for purchase on the Web at great prices, in a variety of categories, from individual actors and actresses to Animated Films and Westerns.
Movies Unlimited
Roger Ebert said they had "one of the biggest and most varied catalogs I've seen." Not to be outdone, Leonard Maltin said it was "the definitive source for practically every currently available video in print." Search the huge database by title, person, or category.
Amazon.com
The Web's #1 retailer has that distinction for a reason. They sell not only videos, DVDs, books, and music, but a lot of other products as well. Use this link, and be sure to tell them we sent you.
A&E!
Lots of stuff direct from A&E, the television network, including videos, DVDs, books, posters, toys, and more.
ClassicFlix
If you're tired of trying to find classic films by sorting through all the clutter at other DVD rental sites, try ClassicFlix, which carries only the classics (pre-1970). Their concentration is between 1930 and 1960, and their DVD collection is over five thousand strong and growing. All plans are unlimited and have no monthly restrictions. They also have thousands of DVDs for sale.
Digital Film Restoration
Prasad Group offers film/video restoration service at a competitive price.
J.M. Distribution, Inc.
If you are in a position to resell DVDs -- at a store, flea markets, garage sales, from your Web site, etc. -- this is a good way to get a large supply of them quickly and inexpensively. You can purchase a pre-selected batch of 250 at an excellent price, or specify which ones you want from their available selection for a slight premium.
Netflix.com
The cheapest and easiest way to rent DVDs online. You can even try it for free and see if you like it.
5minutestolive.com
5MTL specializes in providing films "lost" to the public, films they feel "should be seen by any fan of extraordinary cinema." Categories include strange documentaries, educational films, 70s splatter flicks, forgotten 60s classics, rare film noir, and international films, as well. (All DVD-Rs are reproductions/conversions from public domain sources rather than original releases.) Interviews, articles, and sneak previews are also included.
60 Years of German Classic Cinema
An extensive listing, part of the German Language Video Center, an American-based source for German language videos.
Archive Films
This professional source of historical stock footage and film clips is the international leader in the field, and has recently expanded its library and updated its Web site.
Best Video
Purchase or rent videos from what is purported to be (by the owner) the best damn video store in the world. 35,000 titles, plus selected reviews by Hank.
A Cinema Apart
A source of posters and videos for what were once referred to as "Race films," films that were created for African American audiences with African American casts, as a result of Hollywood's use of degrading stereotypes. Most of the films are out of print and unavailable elsewhere.
CinemaClassics
The Web site for the New York theater which shows classic films and sells videos, as well. Browse their catalog by movie title or star.
The CinemaTrade
An extensive source for original movie posters, lobby cards, press material, books and magazines, as well as hard-to-find DVDs. Also includes a "trading post" for messages, a want list, and links to related sites.
Colony Music
Web site for the New York City music store offers CDs, sheet music, karaoke tapes, posters, videos, and memorabilia. Plus chat, a weekly trivia quiz, and "artist finder."
Cool Stuff Toys and Video
A source for hard-to-find toys, videos, posters, and other stuff, some of which is fairly bizarre. Especially recommended for fans of sci-fi and classic cartoons.
Critics' Choice Video
- One of the best sources of videos is now online, with a big info database, an email search capability, and a "lounge" where you can post your comments and questions. They even allow you to search by "classic movies" as a genre (over 1400 titles).
The Danger and Despair Knitting Circle Video Club
Don't let the title fool you. This is a great resource for fans of classic film noir, focusing on trading, swaping, buying & selling Film Noir on video and 16 mm film on a non-profit, collector-to-collector basis. You'll also find a message board and links list.
Ebony Showcase Theatre Online
Offering over 3000 videos of vintage classic movies and television shows, plus movie tickets, memorabilia and posters, all to support the non-profit theatre organization founded by actor Nick Stewart (Brer Bear in Song of the South and Lightnin' on Amos 'n' Andy).
Facets
This non-profit media arts organization offers a number of services to film buffs, including Facets Video, a distributor of foreign, classic, cult, art, and hard-to-find videos, plus video rentals, film screenings, and children's programs.
Festival Films
An experienced source of 16mm films, videotapes, movie posters and DVDs, with a primary focus on public domain films.
FlixNMore.com
A source for new and used DVDs, CDs, VHS videos, and 8mm and 16mm films, plus electronics, books, and other collectibles. Located in Orlando, Florida, the company also offers tape and film transfers of all types.
ForeignFilms.com
A source for films made outside the U.S., plus reviews of current films, credits, award lists, biographies, and links to other sites. You can even submit your own reviews.
ForMovies.com
Find a local video store where you can rent or buy videos. The site also includes games, recommendations, and other features.
Glory Days Entertainment
Web site for a family owned retail and wholesale distributor of classic and rare movies on DVD based in Weatherford, Texas, near Dallas/Ft. Worth. The focus seems to be on Kung Fu movies, but they also have a lot of classics in stock.
Movie Classics
If you can't find an out-of-print film anywhere else, and you don't mind a less-than-perfect copy, this site might be able to help you with a copy.
Historic Video Archives
The collection of rare, obsolete, and unusual videotapes includes this selection of miscellaneous films with a scattering of trailers, promos, and other items of interest to classic fans. The total collection is very large, and includes many other categories of footage.
The Internet Archive
An online collection of 750 advertising, educational, industrial, and amateur movies digitized by the Prelinger Archives from their collection of 45,000 such films which focus on 20th century American life, culture, industry, and institutions.
Jim's Rare Serials and B-Westerns
This Pennsylvania video store specializes in Cliffhanger Serials, B-Westerns, Charlie Chan Movies, Ma & Pa Kettle, and Classic Television.
Kino Online
An excellent source of silent movies and related material on video; includes annotated feature articles related to new offerings.
Legend Films
A company specializing in restoring and re-colorizing classic films, using a proprietary technology that allows them to color films in high definition. Of note are cult classics such as Reefer Madness and Night of the Living Dead, both in outrageous color with Surround Sound audio. Not for purists.
Milestone Films
This New Jersey film and video distribution company founded in 1990 by Dennis Doros & Amy Heller distributes classics from silent films to the postwar foreign film renaissance, as well as brand-new American independent features, documentaries and foreign films.
Movie Vaudeville
Brian Barnes' business, he says, is an outgrowth of his life as a professional musician who liked putting on film and music shows in Minneapolis. A typical show might consist of a classic cartoon and an episode of Flash Gordon and Captain Kidd, or a music show with a French theme -- accordion swing, followed by José Ferrer's Cyrano. He is now making these shows available to community groups, and perhaps later private individuals. Visit his site to review what he has to offer, and contact him for more information.
MovieMail
A UK mail order service for classic and cult films. All titles are UK VHS PAL system, which is not always easy to find.
MPI Home Video
With over 2000 home video titles in its collection, including popular documentaries, movies and TV programs, MPI Home Video is part of the MPI Media Group, an independent producer and distributor of movies, home video and music headquartered in Chicago. MPI also owns the WPA Film Library, holding one of the largest collections of vintage and contemporary footage in the world.
Odeon Entertainment
This UK source of cult movies, documentaries and special interest DVDs promises to release eight new titles each month. (Look under Retro for classic items.) You'll also find special interest books and music CDS, as well. Some adult content.
Oldies.com
A consumer-direct Web site for Collectables Records and Alpha Video, the latter a manufacturer and marketer of budget-priced movies on VHS and DVD. You'll also enjoy the great selection of oldies music from Collectables Records, too.
Olive Films
Judging from the Web site for this distributor of independent, art house and out-of-print films from both the United States and abroad, they care a great deal about what they sell. You’ll find titles offered by indie distributors from Criterion to Zeitgeist.
OpenFlix
A directory of movies commonly thought to be in the public domain, plus works their owners are willing to let be distributed. As they say, however, "truly determining public domain status is fraught with all sorts of difficulties," and those who want to distribute such films proceed at their own risk!
Princeton Record Exchange
Web site for the New Jersey-based buyer and seller of new and used CDs, DVDs, LPs, and more. They’ll buy your items, as well, and list many of their prices on the site. However, due to the constantly changing nature of their stock (160,000+ items), they don’t list their inventory, so you’ll have to write, call, or go to New Jersey!
RBCMP3.com
The name may not mean anything to you, but this happens to be the largest Russian music & video store in America. Make this your first stop for classic, or current, Russian films.
Rhapsody Films Online
This is the home page for Bruce Ricker's two-decades-old company, once described by the Harvard Archive as "the most important collection of jazz films and videos in America." You'll also find classics of blues and world music here, as well.
Sendit.com
A UK video distributor that offers a large selection of films in PAL format as well as DVD. Seems to have a strong customer service orientation.
Shields Pictures Inc.
Shields Pictures owns and controls rights to three Paramount Pictures Theatrical Film Short Subjects Series originally produced during The Golden Age of Hollywood, which have received a total of eight (8) Best Short Oscar nominations with two Oscar wins. The Collection includes Popular Science, Unusual Occupations, and Speaking of Animals, latter combining live-action animals with animated special effects by Tex Avery.
Silent Film Sources
From David Pierce, here is a listing of silent films available in the United States for purchase on home video and laserdisc and for rental or sale in 16mm and 35mm. Not updated recently.
Sinister Cinema
A Web-based source for science fiction, horror, mystery, B westerns and other genres on video, plus trailers. Search the site or browse by genre, star, and director. Also includes a message board.
The SlapHappy Collection
A DVD series featuring clips from comedy's silent era, including Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Harold Lloyd, as well as forgotten clowns Charlie Chase, Lupino Lane, Lloyd Hamilton and others. Each 30-minute episode has a dozen clips or so. A 90 minute compilation feature is also available.
Things From Another World
A source of videos and DVDs, plus comic books, collectibles, action figures, manga & anime as well as Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Hellboy, etc. As the name implies, it's a site primarily for sci-fi/fantasy fans.
Thomas Video
Located in suburban Detroit, and claiming to be one of the first video stores in the country, this eclectic operation specializes in classics and indies, and boasts a collection of over 30,000 movies. Good news: If you can't make it to Clawson (like I can), you can purchase flicks online.
Timeline Films
Web site for the Los Angeles film company specializing in films about classic stars, including Mary Pickford, Clara Bow, Cecil De Mille Dynasty, Louise Brooks, and Buddy Rogers. Quality productions, highly recommended.
Trocadero Film Library
Web site for the California-based distributor of classic feature films, cartoons and serials, as well as documentaries and special interest titles includes a number of great scans of photos and posters. They are dedicated to the restoration of rare, out-of-print and obscure films. There's no way to order from the site, however; you'll need to write to them to join the mailing list for more information.
Unknown Video
Quality silent videos for sale or rent, with over 350 titles to choose from, at reasonable prices. The site also offers regularly updated news and gossip, photo and portrait galleries, and a forum
VCDgallery.com
Another source of reasonably priced video CDs, as well as DVDs, VHS tapes, audio CDs, and MP3s, with a special classics section.
VCI Entertainment
Online source of classics, cult films and old TV shows on VHS and DVD; reportedly the oldest independent home video movie producer/distributor in the United States.
The Video Collection
A source for hard-to-find videos, with reviews, interviews, fun and games, and a page for Special Orders.
Video ETA
Though they don't sell DVDs, they will let you know when new releases are due out. Also includes a News & Rumors section, a listing of current top boxoffice hits and rentals, and profiles of non-classic stars (Britney, Jennifer, Natalie, and the like).
Video Library
Can't find that film you're looking for at the video store? Consider renting it from this online source with over 17,000 titles. Seven-day rentals are $6.00 per title (for 2 or more), plus shipping.
Video Vault
The Foreign and Classic page from this online videostore. Lots of good stuff here, including a big collection of Hitchcock films, noir classics, musicals, serials, and silents.
Vintage Home Entertainment
Striking full color visuals set off this site for VHE, the New York City-based distribution and production company which consists of Blast Entertainment, Blue Laser Films and Vintage Home Entertainment. Between them they offer action, drama and adventure movies, independent films, and multi-film theme DVDs with a variety of TV shows and movies.
Vintage Video
A collection of original military films on videotape, covering military vehicles, aircraft, horse cavalry, etc., plus documentaries on the Civil War, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, space, antique trucks, railroads and others.
Back to the Classic Movie Collectibles main menu.
