FOPP The Greatest Movie Store In Britain, Covent Garden
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- Опубликовано: 25 июл 2024
- A tour of Fopp in the West End of London. This just may be the greatest music and video shop still in existence in the UK today and anyone visiting central London really should put it on their 'To Do' list. The address is 1 Earlham Street, London, WC2H 9LL but in reality you'll find them on Shaftesbury Avenue just a five minute walk along from Piccadilly Circus and just the far side of Cambridge Circus. Three floors are laid out with music on top, a variety of video, music and books on the ground and then the most extensive video selection you could wish for on the lower ground. In this video we take a walk around the whole caboodle!
To follow FOPP Covent Garden sign up to their Twitter feed here: FoppCovent/status... 
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FOPP is my favourite store for films in London. Great video. I can concur that the staff are very helpful indeed. Can I just add something, information wise, that might prove useful for my fellow disabled film buffs. The Convent Garden FOPP has step free disability access and also via a lift, situated to the left of the ground floor payment desk. It is a true accessible lift, designed with disabled people in mind, and is made to accommodate a wheelchair and is dampened and gentle as it descends or ascends. If you have any issues I have always found the staff eager to help. So don't be wary of asking them.
And Eva H asked me about wheelchair access earlier Christopher. I should have mentioned something in the narrative but my staff let me down this time. Maybe I'll see you in there next time we're up. Now given the information in your post I need to see how to pin that to the top.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Sounds good. Thank you John. I am always keen to promote disabled friendly shops. Thank you for pinning it.
Thanks for that information most useful for me CHEERS 😎👍
Another informative and well-made video, thanks.
Long may such physical media shops continue to excite and entertain us with their offerings.
Well said Boss!
John.
John, I am breathless, what an Aladdin's cave of cinematic treasures. Thank you for sharing this extraordinary super store with those of us outside the UK who will never experience anything like it.... Wow. Michael -SA
I don't suppose there's anywhere else quite like it in the Western world Michael but I think we have five Fopp's in major cities. This London store is the most successful though as you would expect because it's in the West End of London. I hadn't really thought about the situation with music and movie stores much until I started this channel but I certainly appreciate the FOPP/HMV chain so much more now than I did. This branch of FOPP is like going back to the days of the megastores but in a smaller scale and we're so lucky to still have it.
John.
You’ve never been to a movie store? Lmao seriously?? FYE, Fry’s, Barns & Noble, Zia Records, Blockbuster, Hollywood Video??
@@Petersonmgee I live in South Africa. We did have very fine stores a few years ago but none on the scale of what John showed in his video. Now there are none, the only place to buy Blu Ray or DVD is online.. so hence my wonderment.... Michael - South Africa.
@@Petersonmgee Michael's in South Africa Peter. They're all gone over there. There are still minor outlets in the USA but nothing like there used to be. FYE are part of the same group as HMV over here now so there's hope you could see the return of something more substantial one day but it depends on how well the existing stores are supported and it appears their sales of discs are not great any longer HMV and FOPP are doing well over here again now so that's got to be a good sign for the UK. The pandemic seems to have helped which is one good side effect of all that has happened. John.
@@Petersonmgee I do not live in the UK or USA, I live in South Africa please read my answer in the replies in my initial comment...
Seeing this makes my soul feel good..... Memories of days gone by flipping through the CD's, looking at album art, perusing the new releases...... Kids these days will never have that. The tactile joy of physical media....
That's a good point Rich. Youngsters today have missed out on so much that we took for granted. Mobile phones just don't hold the same appeal!
John.
We should all support these high street shops. Cannot beat the feeling of plucking a classic film off the shelves and walking out with it. Going for a coffee and opening up the booklet inside before taking it home to watch. Beats Amazon all day
Well said ComicCollex. John.
I have been to FOPP on my first trip to London last year. What an amazing store, I spent way too much money (hundreds of pounds) there. We dont got stores like this in germany, sadly. Anyway, nice channel, keep up the great work.
Well done Crustytheone. We need more visitors spending plenty of money in these great stores. It seems that we're the last country in the western world that has them.
John.
Wonderful shop, great staff . I was there on Thursday again and was impressed with the variety of Films on display . It seems to be getting better every-time I visit. Great video !
I need to spend more time in there Hunter... but hopefully not spend too much more money! John.
Before I moved to the USA, used to visit this store once a month. Loved browsing the various racks and always picked up a few gems. Thanks for the great video - brought back some great memories.
Thanks Andrew. Next time you fly back into Blighty don't forget to give FOPP another visit. John.
Thanks for the video John. Love these different videos to change things up a bit. I would have left full handed with all those soundtrack records!
Yes, it's dangerous to be presented with a rack full of movie soundtracks on vinyl records. The funny thing is that if the Blade Runner soundtrack had have been a CD for three or four pounds I wouldn't have been interested but that beautiful big gatefold record for £28 proved to be irresistible second time around.
John.
Thanks for making and posting this video. I visited the shop at Christmas time and it was just overwhelming. So many videos, and so many people. I must go back when there is time - and room - to browse.
Incidentally I lived in Los Angeles for several years and there is a store there called 'Amoeba Records' which is very similar to Fopp, even has the same sort of layout. They sell LPs, T shirts and other merchandise and DVDs and Blu-Rays. I managed to pick up a DVD of the original E.T. when all that was available was the 20th Anniversary upgrade').
If I manage to get back to L.A. after Covid-19 is defeated (any day now by the looks of it thanks to Omicron) I will see if Amoeba Records is still around. FOPP is still a video and music store of old. There are HMVs around and they're growing in number but FOPP is HMV stacked to the rafters with video and records. There are five FOPP stores in Britain I believe but this one in London is the most successful as you discovered just before Christmas. Sometimes you simply can't move in there so I picked a time that meant I could get the camera around without annoying too many shoppers.
John.
The shop is amazing John, I've been it twice and blew so much loot!! Can't wait to go to the Glasgow branch next month mate 🤩🤩 I'm watching this on my phone at the moment, I'll watch it again on my TV so I can get a better look at the titles 👀👀👀👍👍👍 wish Fopp was in more areas John 🤔🤩👍great video John and for the staff to give you the Last night In Soho poster was so generous 🤩🤩🤩👍👍👍
Well if you're going to the Glasgow branch John then we need you to shoot a video in there. You'll need permission to do it properly but I'll call you to give you advice on that if you fancy giving it a go.
We've just watched your latest video. Last Night In Soho might have been built up too much for you so sorry about that. It's not a horror film and I don't really know how we'd categorize it. A murder, mystery, supernatural, psychological thriller perhaps? But if you love the West End of London as much as someone like me then that makes it all the more special. Bring back the old London neon lights!
John.
I remember the first time I was in FOPP in Edinburgh about 25 years ago and being pleased when I discovered them in London a few years later. I moved away from London about nine years ago but I am pleased to see they are still there. I will certainly pop in the next time I am in town.
They seem to be doing well Ian so as long as we all keep supporting shops in the UK then we'll hopefully have FOPP and HMV for many years to come.
John.
Very generous of the manager to give you the poster 👍, I'm down in London in two weeks so will probably pop into Fopp and have a look, thanks for sharing 👍
We just hit it off because we both love that film Matt. We used to be able to buy these posters on the high street but those days seem to have gone. It's nice to get one for a modern film that's as good as anything that was penned in the heyday of movie poster art. It probably helps that the film is a stone-cold classic too.
Don't spend too much in Fopp. It's a dangerous place for us movie enthusiasts to visit.
John.
So glad you were able to get the poster, it really is beautiful.
I want to get a light box frame to display it Bob. Could take a while though as they're not cheap but I think it would be a lovely exhibit in the cinema... when a film isn't running of course!
John.
I'd get lost in there for hours! Amazing place. Thanks for the tour, John.
I know my way around this branch of FOPP Andrew but I always have to re-orient myself during each visit before I settle down and start to pull my purchases off the shelves... and then realize that I've spent far too much just as I'm leaving! John.
@@moviecollector5920 I'm the same way, John. Can't ever go into a place like this without spending hundreds on a stack of media. Narrowing it down at the ends is always so hard! Best - Andrew.
This is paradise on earth!!! Nice vídeo!!!
Thank you Tony. John.
Wonderful memories this brings back. If I ever win the lottery, I'm getting on a plane and flying to London.
Well I'll see you there next week then Charles!
John.
Wow! Thanks for this and here we also miss HMV which is gone along with best buy etc. The days of browsing titles like this are slowly leaving us. Really miss this. As a boy it was a big deal to pruse through the Sam the record Man and A@A record shops on young St Toronto. The latest here being BB to downsize their physical media sales. This tour was a joy and can also get that London feel so many thanks. Rewatching some of your reviews and work while we wait for a new release from you John. No rush and many regards. Ps tonight it's gonna be Rear Window from my Hitchcock 4k set for my daughter and I. Cheers to you and all your subscribers D in BC
Well Dave, Rear Window was VistaVision so I know you're going to love watching that. I have nearly purchased that same Hitchcock set several times but it's so expensive over here and I keep just missing out when it's on sale. FOPP and HMV appear to have done well here during the pandemic so the future looks bright at the moment. I think having over 70 million of us crowded into a tiny land mass is the reason the HMV and FOPP stores have survived and thrived over the past two years as people have returned to their home entertainment systems and rediscovered home movies.
Have a great time with Rear Window. We just watched the Blu-ray of Jack Reacher which we hadn't watched since we bought it some years ago so just the second viewing and what a great evening we had with it.
John.
Went into their Glasgow shop earlier today and forgot how much I loved the London one. Need to go back soon.
I was only in the London store on Friday Joam. The staff did tell me they missed you!!! John.
We have a Fobb in Rose street here in Edinburgh...the staff are friendly and knowledgeable..I briefly described a old musical I had been searching for and he knew it straight away from the bare bones details and now I'm a proud owner of Meet me in St. Louis on Blu-ray 😁 keep up the great videos as I really appreciate your knowledge and input on movie related past and present 👍
John at Mondo Chelloveck Movies has shown your Edinburgh store on a couple of occasions so I'm going to speak to him to give him guidance on how to get permission to do a thorough video tour for us next time he's up there.
John.
I was there yesterday; brilliant selection
I wonder if there is anywhere else in the world quite like that little store on Shaftesbury Avenue? I hope you didn't spend too much Padraic but then again, you can't really ever spend enough in FOPP! John.
I stumbled upon this shop by accident during my last London visit. It was like discovering heaven on earth.
There's usually a doorman by the name of Peter at the front entrance!
Okay, I made that up but I'm sure you'll get the joke.
John.
Great tour of a great store - thanks for the video. I'm from the UK but have lived in New Zealand for the last 20 years, so it's nice to be reminded of what these places are like. We have a great store in Auckland called Real Groovy, and they used to have a vast premises that you could spend hours in - much smaller now but thankfully, still open. On a visit to the UK a few years ago, I remember being shocked to find the flagship HMV on Oxford Street had gone - that was an incredible place. Glad Fopp is still there - hope to visit again some day.
Real Groovy sounds like it should be on the bucket list Mark. There aren't many shops left that stock music and video so those we do still have need to be supported. Judging by some of the messages I've had on here FOPP has had quite a few movie enthusiasts who have seen this video go in and spend a load of money. The original HMV store had a squatters pop-up shop in it when we were last in London but I wouldn't be surprised if HMV reappeared in there one day as no one else seems to want to take it. Shops are not what they once were largely owing to Amazon but HMV have been expanding this year so there is hope yet.
John.
Let's indeed hope HMV have an Oxford Street reopening in their plans! I got my Dirty Harry score there - the genius of Lalo Schifrin...
@@markbassett642 Given the parlous state of the high streets you'd think the landlords for that famous store would make HMV an irresistible offer to take it back. Perhaps they have and we'll see the result of that soon. Well, we can hope.
Yes, that Lalo Schifrin bloke was pretty good!
John.
Looks like the highlight of any shopping trip John.
There's another great store just a couple of hundred yards further up Shaftesbury Avenue called 'Forbidden Planet' which is all movie and comic book memorabilia and collectables. I was going to include the exterior of Forbidden Planet on the end of this video but it upset the flow so I've left it for another time. Two of the only specialist shops that have survived all the turmoil of the last 20 years in London and they're almost next door to each other.
John.
I kept thinking, 'a kid in a candy shop'. The extensive selection of LPs reminded me of my youth. Going into a record store and seeing all the records available and then some. This day and age the only place you see a selection like that is online. I do miss being able to just peruse the store and finding gems that you never thought you would see. I loved doing that. I live between two cities, one North and the other South, each 140 km away and they don't have anything extensive like what you just showed. Another reason to take a trip back to London. One day...
I haven't seen London so vibrant in about 20 years Derek. I got out because of the way things were going there but however well it seems to have recovered now, it's still almost impossible to drive in. Probably just as well otherwise I'd have spent even more! There is another fairly comprehensive record store in Soho that we hadn't seen before. And Forbidden Planet still seems to be thriving just a little way further up Shaftesbury Avenue from FOPP.
John.
Hi John, This is exactly the type of shop that I would go into, spend hours in and come out with absolutely nothing! Because I'd be spoilt for choice and can't decide what to get. I also agree on Last night in soho.
It does take some time to make decisions when presented with so much choice Clive. We had to go back the following day because my wife had spotted a few things I fancied but I was concentrating on shooting the video.
I spend a lot of money in that basement (specifically the 4k and Arrow sections) but It feels good to support such a great store. Delighted to hear you got the LNIS poster. And similarly I love the Blade Runner soundtrack! Thanks again
I hadn't been in for a few years Rich so it was good to get back to some sort of normality. I've spent a lot of money in there over the years and quite right too because in the centre of London now it's all that's left.
John.
Between Fopp and CEX I always come back from a trip to London loaded down with films.
I had to take a second job just to pay it off after this latest trip Philip! John.
Wow what a great store. If I ever go to London I’d love to visit this store.
There aren't many branches of Fopp left David but this one is the most successful of the lot. John.
Great experience looking at the variety lifted my spirits lost my brother thanks for the view
You lost your brother Steffy? I'm so sorry. Make sure you look after yourself despite it being such an awful time.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 yes
yes you finally gave in and got the blade runner soundtrack!! i was thinking in the start of the video when you pull it up and said "oh no" i thought hmm this time he will probably get it and you did haha. anyway i'm very happy for you it's a timeless soundtrack and great pick ups over all! cheers
That Blade Runner record has something special about it Funk; the gatefold presentation, the heavy disc itself and the quality of the sound along with the impressive music itself. It was worth every penny... and it gave me the chance to have a bit of a laugh on the video too.
John.
Great store and a great review
Thank you Darth. John.
Some very snappy editing to the soundtrack here sir, well done!
Both tracks are in the RUclips library otherwise if I use something outside of there to which I have a legal contract then I have to fight with someone or some company who tries to steal the rights to my videos. It's all a bit frustrating really but a few hours searching through the RUclips music library turned up the first track for this one.
John.
Definitely on my list for next time I visit London!
I'll see you there cburg!
John.
That store i used to go into every time i go to London but haven't been to London since the first lockdown in march 2020 but hope to venture there again soon.
I hadn't been to London either David. The pandemic is all but ignored there now so given how infectious Omicron is (far more infectious than the measles!) it's a good place to head to to ensure you get it! We both did.
John.
They used to have a Fopp in Bristol and I made a trip a couple of times a year. Probably my favorite shop ever, so it was a shame to see the Bristol branch closed. I am glad to see it still exists in London!
I think there are five left nationwide Lee. The FOPP/HMV group seems to have done well during the pandemic years so you never know what may appear in a high street near you soon.
John.
Thanks for this tour - wish we still had a store like this in Toronto. A few years ago, the flagship HMV store closed down in downtown Toronto. It had I believe 4 floors similar to this store. It was my favorite store to visit on payday Fridays after work!!!
You're just going to have to fly into London for a day or two Mandeep. A multi-zone Blu-ray might be advisable first though.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Haha..i do have lots of family there, so a visit might be on the cards.
@@TheBanwait8 I'll see you there then Mandeep. After a 12 hour session in FOPP a visit to the BFI IMAX might be the best idea for the evening. John.
Nice video coverage!
Thank you Chris.
John.
cool store! that br soundtrack is too great!
Thank you Todd. I can't believe how good the Blade Runner LP sounds. It wasn't cheap but who cares when it gives quality and enjoyment like that? That disc is heavy! John.
Great tour John :) FOPP looks amazing. Unfortunately we don't have any movie stores left where I live. We used to have a great store called Movieline but it closed in 2018.
The web has killed pretty much every specialist shop by now. We're lucky to still have some of them but we do need to support them even if it means spending a few pounds more on occasion.
John.
Definitely going to go visit next time I am in the area.
Me too Mobey so I'll see you there! John.
Did you ever go to the Cinema Store nearby? That was pretty special. In the early 00s I saw Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish joyfully flipping through DVDs in the basement. They pretty much stocked every DVD available on the planet.
I spent a lot of time and money in there Jeff. Used to get LaserDiscs from them before DVD was even invented. Actually, that's where my UK Quad Alien poster came from. I think it was £45 which seemed like a bargain even then.
John.
Kid in a sweet shop springs to mind. I think a visit to London is required.
Good analogy Stephen. Unfortunately the sweets in here cost more than I remember as a boy!
John.
Thanks John. It's great to see physical media doing well.
I remember that Blade Runner soundtrack taking many years to become available. Something to do with who owned the rights I guess.
I think this Blade Runner LP is listed as a 1991 copyright Matt but I doubt a heavy duty record quite like this would have been issued in 1991 so it's got to be a recent re-release on a serious chunk of vinyl. It's possibly the best sound on a record I've ever heard. Even 45rpm 12 inch singles never sounded this good.
John.
The Bridge is too brutal 🤣🤣 Thank you for the thorough walk around. Can't believe places like this still exist, in our online obsessed society. Cabin in the Woods is a personal favourite of mine, best twist in a horror film!
Ho ho. I haven't seen Oldboy but I get the inference of what you mean. And thank you for letting me know about Cabin in the Woods because I've only seen the trailer and it didn't exactly enthuse me to purchase it so you've given me more enthusiasm for the film now.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 oh, I don't want to spoil Cabin, but if you're a horror fan there is quite the pay off...just avoid spoilers.
Oldboy is a little sadistic for my sensibilities. Its one of those films that stays with you longer than it should. I don't like it at all.
@@MonkeyspankO Guess I'll give Oldboy a miss for a while then as I don't like anything too nasty... well, not very often anyway but there are occasional films that come along and surprise me.
John.
We used to have fopp here in bristol not sure if it's still going though, as I shop mostly online and I import also. Next time I go to London I will def go here and head straight to the 4k section, brillaint video
I think the Bristol branch was closed a few years ago Dave. There are five left across the UK now and the London store is the most successful which makes it the most successful music and video retailer in the country. It's easy to spend a lot of money in there... particularly if you look at the soundtracks section!
John.
Another great “out and about” video. I was in Fopp Glasgow about 6 weeks ago but sadly didn’t have enough time for a good look as I had a train to catch.
I’ll seek out the Covent Garden store if I’m around there for work.
I think there are five of these FOPP stores remaining and we are so lucky to still have them. Maybe I'll see you in the London store sometime as once I'm in there I tend to be in there for quite a while!
John.
@@moviecollector5920 If I spot you in there, I'll take you for a pint...even at those London prices! Dave
@@loftlegacy Actually there's a Wetherspoon just up Charing Cross Road and another next to the Odeon Leicester Square so not only could we have a pint for a few pounds but a good meal too for about and extra six or seven pounds. John.
@@moviecollector5920 You can't beat the 'Spoons!
Back in the day I loved tower records in convent garden. They seemed to have almost every current vhs release in existence
I expect that was the Tower Records on Piccadilly Circus that you mean because I can't remember a branch in Covent Garden. Towards the end of that era there was a Virgin Megastore adjacent to Tower Records and an HMV in the Trocadero. Where have those times gone? At least this little store up Shaftesbury Avenue has survived and now it's packed from floor to ceiling with movies and music so a small reminder of times gone by. John.
Fantastic tour in places i thought did not existed anymore. If i ever would come across a store like this my wife would need to put me in chains. I am afraid i would go a little bit bananas. Great video....as always.
I think a lot of us movie enthusiasts could spend a lot of money in stores like this Morten. Probably just as well not many exist any longer but it is special to still have the few that have survived.
John.
What a incredible store John, my local HMVs are quite small and the Blu-ray selection is rather slim focusing more on vinyl. But wow Fopp is brilliant I can tell if you want it, then it's highly likely they've got it. Such a great range of titles available.
Some brilliant buys there as well, that Censor edition from second sight looks incredible and I'm rather tempted to get it myself. But those 3 4Ks for £30 is such a great deal, In The Line of Fire is such a superb thriller definitely need to pick up the Blu-ray myself.
Also I absolutely adore that Last Night in Soho poster, it's artwork is incredible and I bet that poster will be pride of place on your wall. Look forward for the next video John, take care
Greetings Pete. The FOPP stores are dangerous so unless you want to keep your house I suggest you stay away! I managed to keep my spending down this time but that was probably only because I was concentrating on shooting the video and a bit more distracted than I otherwise would have been. I couldn't even find Censor so one of the great chaps working there looked it up and another produced a copy from behind the counter. It was all so efficient which is unusual with anything today. Keith at Euphoria doesn't rate the last 20 minutes of Censor but at least I'm prepared for that now so I shouldn't be too disappointed knowing that it's not up to the rest of the film. Second Sight are releasing The VVitch in 4K as one of their special packs in a few weeks so I'll see if I can get that to show the sort of work that company are doing.
As for Last Night In Soho, I think it's a stone-cold classic. I don't understand why it wasn't a massive hit but maybe it will become a cult favourite now it's on the home movie market. I want to get a UK quad poster light box for the poster.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Hey John hope you're having a nice weekend, yeah I can imagine money will easily be spent there and you could spend the whole day there. I bet it is very hard to resist all the film's and the movie soundtrack vinyls, I was talking to Keith at Euphoria Pictures about the video and how amazing Fopp is. I did watch his video, so will keep an eye out for a cheap copy, but for £30 it isn't too bad. I haven't seen the VVitch but heard great things and that would be amazing for the Last Night in Soho poster, you'll have to show us in a video when you finally have it displayed and I agree it'll be a film that will be greatly more appreciated with age. Take care John look forward to the next video
@@PlaytendoGuy Looks like we are watching Censor this evening so we're both prepared to be a little disappointed with the ending. Apart from that it looks and sound really interesting.
FOPP seems to be getting quite a lot of good feedback and already a few subscribers seem to have headed in there as a result of the video.
Enjoy the rest of the weekend and if you're watching anything tonight, I hope it's a great film.
John..
This reminds me of Zia Records in Tucson, AZ here in the U.S. It's rather a dangerous place to visit as one's pockets seem to empty quickly. The staff is great; they are all quirky, knowledgeable and very personable.
I think we need a group visit to Tuscon Jose! Zia Records sounds like my sort of place. John.
I can't even remember when i last saw a shop dedicated to physical media like FOPP or HMV in Germany, maybe in the 90s. Hole-in-the-wall record shops have had a resurgence several years ago but nothing like this (at least in my part of the country).
Perhaps a few entrepreneurs will give it a go again now Moo as the pandemic over here appears to have fueled the growth of HMV. FOPP is an HMV offshoot but kept entirely separate. I think we have five FOPP stores remaining in Britain. When you're next over here and in London you'll know where to head for.
John.
Wow never knew there are 2 seasons of Das Boot. Hopefully the movie comes out in 4K one day. Looks like my kind of shop
Most of us would really need a few hours in FOPP Sirius but it's a dangerous place for movie enthusiasts. People with gambling problems get psychiatric help but film collectors are left to find shops like this and face financial ruin with no help on offer whatsoever!!!
John.
Hello John,
Woke up to your latest video ,was glued to my bed until the end. If I could find one reason to live in the UK again it would be to be near that store full of wonder. One of the 7th wonder's of the film collector's world. My temple, eureka. Next time I visit London I will make a B -line there. Straight to the world cinema section first. Some of those prices looked crazy good I will be viewing this video over and over. Will take a pocket full of money when I go there as a credit card will be dangerous.
It has made my day Thanks John.
Gtaham
You need to join the shop's Twitter feed Graham and let them know because I think a comment like you just made here will absolutely delight all the staff in that wonderful little store. I've got a link to their Twitter in the description for the video.
John.
Thanks for the twitter connection to fopp I will certainly let them know how delighted I am to find them. By the way what does fopp Stand for?
@@hildamontes6146 I don't know what FOPP stands for Graham but their shopping bags used to be called 'Fopping Bags' so it was probably simply the idea of someone with a bit of a sense of humour. If you find out differently though, please educate us all.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 I thought you might not know what it means John it's funny perhaps like you said someone's sense of humor. I might just find out something though ha,ha. If your around there again a part two would be great.
Some of my long time friends live quite close to Covent garden so it's just a walk away when I next visit
Thanks again John a good night to you.
Graham.
@@moviecollector5920 good morning john Found the definition of fopp.......
Fopp means to dance with awesome style made popular by the funk band "ohio players" Could that be? I certainly wanted to7 dance when i saw your video and i'll bet when you leave the fopp store with a handful of goodies you for sure feel like dancing. The only way to know is the ask the founding members of fopp. At least there is such a word.
John, that was a great tour of an amazing store. Thanks so much for taking us through there, and for the cinema visit last week! I don't go out any more for health reasons, but it is really great to take these trips projected up on the screen or wall (depending on which room I am in) and vicariously enjoy outings like I used to (although never to such an amazing store as that, I don't think!)
If you're not getting out at all these days I hope you are taking plenty of vitamin D supplement because you won't get enough sun exposure to make any if you're not out and about at all. Vitamin D is so important to our overall health but I expect you already know this so just try to ensure you're taking enough. I'm currently on 3000 international units a day and that's considered 1000 IUs below the recommended adult male dose.
Glad you enjoyed the last couple of videos. I'd like to get into the BFI IMAX when they've got a real IMAX film on so maybe they'll let me see how it all hangs together sometime in the summer. That should make for a really interesting video.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Thank you, John. That is for sure an important consideration! I am indeed taking those (I take 5000 IU) as well as quite a few other supplements. I actually have not been getting sun for quite a long time at this point, as I have a rare type of porphyria and get quite ill when exposed to the sun and fluorescent lights, as well as a variety of other triggers. I've lived with black plastic, blackout curtains, or cardboard on windows for several decades, and we have UV-blocking tinting on our vehicle and have on past vehicles since the '90s. I used to be able to go some places as long as I was covered up and didn't go out in the direct sunlight and minimized exposure, or I would go in a shop all covered up and wearing hoodie or hat and glasses (and scaring people occasionally because of it, unfortunately), but over the years it has gotten worse. Even before the COVID I was barely going into most stores this past decade. Best Buy used to have mostly okay lights for me, but they changed and put in the kind that make me sick, and most other places had those, too. However, one of my favorite local theaters actually went the other way and remodeled with more LED lighting instead, so that was a great place to go these past years. It is a hereditary condition, and my mother has it, too. We used to ask our doctors if we should take Vitamin D many years back, but they all said we didn't need it up until about a decade ago when we finally started taking it anyway, and since then our current doctors have agreed that it was the right thing to do. It seems the professionals finally caught up! Sorry for such a long post in response, but I thought it was relevant to the topic, and again, thank you for thinking of that and recommending it--I hope that all those who are staying home a lot more now (many here I am sure spending a bit of time in darkened home theater rooms and darkened cinemas) will also take the tip to increase Vitamin D intake!
@@cinemaniac78 We've just been watching another informative video on John Campbell's channel (he's a trainer of nurses) where he talks to another doctor who is really clued up on all the Vitamin D side of things but he is also focusing on iodine which has got me thinking because I cannot go near sea food without getting sick. So that's another supplement I need to look out for and also vitamin K2 which is essential for the vitamin D to work properly apparently. Got about 28 minutes into the video of almost an hour but the sound isn't brilliant so I'll need to go back to it.
Sounds like you need some sort of space suit to be able to get around everywhere. There's got to be a solution for it, it's just no one's come up with it yet.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 That sounds like an interesting and helpful video. There are really so many vitamins and minerals and the like which we need but which we don't get enough of in our modern diet and lifestyle.
Yes, it really would be a space suit type of thing I would need to not get sick going out and about at this point, as there are a lot of chemicals and substances in the air that also make me really sick, including smoke, gas (petrol), bleach, perfumes, and so on--I would probably need a full-on space suit like I was out exploring LV-426!
@@cinemaniac78 I have trouble with bleach but probably nowhere near the problem you have. I find that most modern diesel cars pump out what smells like bleach and I can't breathe when one of those crawls past under load.
If you do find a space suit similar to those worn to explore LV-426 please let me know as I'd like one too. As long as there's not a xenomorph hiding within it of course!
We'll be visiting Fopp this coming June when we visit London for a few days, I'll quote discount code "John 10%" at the till. Lol. To be honest, what I've seen of this place and the amount of stuff they stock takes me back to around 1990 when I used to visit X Records in Bolton, what a bloody goldmine that place was back in my VHS collecting days.
Just quote my RUclips ID for the special price... 4Ks on sale at £15 are £20 to members of this channel!!!
Hmv in the Trafford centre in Manchester was just the same as this, RIP it closed a couple of years ago
HMV are expanding again under their new owners so new stores are being opened. Maybe another will return near the Trafford Centre.
John.
I cannot wait to go there, already told my wife about the store and she is looking forward to shopping there with me.
Really want to buy "British" TV shows/movies, they are so good. Sure I could buy online, but I want to purchase them there and bring them home (USA) with me.
That way each disk will have a story on how it ended up in my collection.
Well I'll probably see you there then Bob. Remember that many Blu-rays have a Zone B on them over here whereas you're Zone A so you'll need to be careful of have a multi-zone player. Same with DVD because the region code here is 2 and you're 1. But I expect you know all this already. As for the British television shows, there have certainly been some cracking productions down the years. If you haven't seen that joint Swedish and Danish series 'The Bridge' though, that's among the best I've ever seen along with series 1 of 'Trapped' which is set in a coastal town on Iceland. They're all snowed in with a killer on the loose... wonderful atmosphere to that one.
John.
Great video, fascinating insight. I notice a few of your reviews of some classic Ridley Scott's movies like ALIEN and BLADE RUNNER. Have you got BLACK HAWK DOWN in 4k? I would be interested to see a review of that. One of the best 4k discs for me...
I don't have Black Hawk Down in 4K Chris. It's a great film but not one I like to watch very often as I find it a bit too real... which is the sign of a great film in many respects.
John.
I often shop at my Local Fopp. HMV are actually reopening in the centre of Edinburgh. About bloody time.
Brilliant news. The resurgence of this famous brand continues.
John.
Looks like a great place John......not many like that anymore.
I believe there are five FOPP stores left in the UK Roy. They're a cut above the more general HMV outlets but they're all very nice to have on the high streets. This particular store is the most successful of the whole group.
John.
When I do manage to get across the pond, I always stop into FOPP (After hitting Forbidden Planet...Our usual hotel is up by the British Museum, down Shaftesbury is my typical path down to Leicester Square), my only sadness was that I could really only shop for vinyl, as I found most of the video content of interest was region locked (though, now that I'm in 4K as much as possible, my options are wider).
Honestly, I've not been back in the UK since 2017 due to...well, we all know. I'm just glad they weathered it!
I haven't been to London for a couple of years either so you're not alone. We all need muti-zone Blu-ray players for situations when we're abroad and want to buy something. They seem to be more readily available over here but I'm sure they're for sale everywhere if you have a good look. We used to live just next to the British Museum so I probably know the very hotel you usually stay in.
John.
Its nice to see there are still stores like this around, they have practically disappeared here in the States. Most big box stores like Best Buy have scaled back there DVD and Blu Ray selection to almost nothing.
It's possible that our large population within a small space has kept a few specialist shops viable here Scott whereas in the USA you're far more spread out. HMV and FOPP do sell via the web as well as through their stores but fortunately enough of us here appreciate the ability to be able to visit a physical shop and browse for something which means that Amazon have so far failed to completely kill everything. And long may that continue!
John.
Some of the ones I used to go to in the '90s aren't even around anymore, like Circuit City and Borders, and all the mall shops, I remember Suncoast Video, Camelot, Tower Records. Then there were all the independent stores with huge used sections I would spend hours browsing. Now that I don't get out, I am thankful there is so much available online, but I do look back with nostalgia on the video, music, and book store days.
@@cinemaniac78 I too spent money in the USA versions of Virgin Megastore and Tower Records both of which I think I recall were on Sunset Boulevard. How did we lose all these wonderful stores?
John.
@@moviecollector5920 I went to Tower in Seattle and Tacoma, WA, back in the late '90s and early '00s, along with many of those other stores, when I still could go in and shop around a bit. Of course, there are a couple of 800-pound gorillas that took over and led to the demise of these stores, the video rental stores, and so many others. Of course, in my current situation I am thankful for all the online shopping, but I certainly miss those great stores and am sorry that doesn't carry on as an option for many people.
@@cinemaniac78 We had a plethora of those stores all over the West End of London. We used to frequent them all but one that was there all through is now this FOPP store. For most of the time I knew it, it was a classical music store so I didn't tend to go in it but then it started selling videos, then DVDs and then all of a sudden, FOPP was born. It's the only video shop in the West End of London that has survived all the turmoil caused first by the congestion tax that caused most of the specialist shops to go out of business (that one is a road tax on top of the normal road tax) and then web shopping which started to get increasingly popular a few years after the congestion tax came in. It was a double whammy but London finally looks to be recovering now. I haven't seen it buzzing like this in more than 20 years.
John.
Passed by this place last time I visited the UK. Next time I'm in London I'll make sure to swing by and buy some Hong Kong movies to support them.
What was noticeable while we were in London was that the pandemic is all but forgotten now so hopefully we're now heading into a time when we can all get back to some sort of normality. I'll see you in FOPP soon then Rafael.
John.
Excellent store and walkaround. Great video of the west end cinemas as well last week. One day I'll go. Last film I saw at odeon leicester square was Aliens in 1986. Last film I saw at leicester square was at the empire in 1988 and it was beetel juice or beetelgeuse.
Well you saw the 70mm blow-up print of Aliens then Dark. I was there for it three times in 1986, the first of which was a midnight screening because the film was so popular and it was impossible to get in at any other time. It played for six weeks before it moved out of the premiere cinema and the rest of the country got it. I then saw it at a local cinema and it was nowhere near as impressive but it was still a great film then and it is to this day. Last film I saw at The Empire was Prometheus and I've never got over how awful that presentation was. Low quality video in 3D. It was so much better to see the film at home on Blu-ray.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Yes I do seem to recall Aliens looking exceptional in 70mm, I managed to get in on a weekday matinee performance 2-3 weeks into its release and then only just!! Not sure if it's out on 4k with both editions (special edition and cinema cut).
@@moviecollector5920 I saw Aliens and Alien 3 on 70mm in 2019 at the Media Museum in Bradford. The sound of the gunfire in Aliens was immense. It was like being in a firefight.
@@darkvader7231 Apparently Aliens is coming soon to 4K disc. I don't much care for the extended version though but I like those extra sequences as outtakes. Having said that, I did like the extra scenes with the smart guns and I thought that would have worked without upsetting the flow of the film but it was already running too long for a film in 1986 so I dare say the editor had to be ruthless.
John.
@@davidjames579 Bradford put on some wonderful shows David. Not sure Alien 3 was any better in 70mm though. I only ever saw it on opening night at the Odeon Leicester Square and I've avoided it ever since but enough people have recommended the alternate version of the film so if it does re-appear soon on a 4K disc I'll finally give it a second chance. Aliens was fabulous though. What a sequel!
John.
I haven't been to that part of town since before the start of the pandemic (I used to combine it with trips to Nisbets catering for supplies for a club I belong to). When I get back I'll have to work on that reality hack to put a couple of extra hours in the day to watch and listen to what I buy>
Nisbets is the catering store opposite Fopp isn't it Brian? They've had a refit recently so you may not even recognize the shop front but it certainly stands out now. I too hadn't been into Fopp since the start of the pandemic but it was good to get back to a more normal sort of life. Hopefully we're through all that now and we can all go shopping again!
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Yes, that's the one John. As the club hasn't been open much we haven't needed the consumables I got from there. It's good to know that it is still there and ungraded. I went to Exeter earlier this year and the Nisbets there had closed.
@@brianfretwell3886 I think Exeter may have lost quite a few stores in recent years. I don't know if the John Lewis has survived but the town suffered when BHS went. I just hope the HMV is still thriving.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 John Lewis is still there, I did call in the HMV and it seemed well stock with customers in.
@@brianfretwell3886 That's good news Brian. Exeter's a lovely town. John.
John, i used to go in this shop quite regularly 10 or 12 years ago but i never actually bought anything. I was tempted to purchase something once though, it was a remastered standard definition (480) uncut 3 hour and 28 minute version of Michael Cimino's ludicrously under-rated 1980 masterwork "HEAVEN'S GATE" but Fopp were having the nerve to charge 7 nicker for it ! ! ! (SEVEN SODDING NICKER MY OLD MUCKER ! ! ! ! ! !), if it had been 2 nicker i'd have bought it. Now, "SCARFACE", "IN THE LINE OF FIRE", and "THE CABIN IN THE WOODS" are all good choices and should look great in your movie-house. BTW, i have to agree about that poster for "LAST NIGHT IN SOHO" it's stunning and those two gorgeous sexy birds look quite breathtaking, it will indeed look even more marvellous after you've framed it. I still think 28 nicker for the "BLADE RUNNER" soundtrack is absurdly steep though. And one last item John, does it really only take you 5 minutes to walk from 'Dill-a-picky Cus-cus' to 'Cambridge Circus' ! ?, Shaftsbury Avenue must be half-a-mile at least ! ! !. Its just that walking that route and distance always took me a couple of hours because i kept turning left into all those streets leading to Soho looking for 'Walk-ups' ! ! !, NUDGE NUDGE, WINK WINK, GRIN GRIN, SAY NO MORE ! ! !. Great video John, really entertaining, cheers.
Well it can take a long time to walk from Piccadilly Circus to Cambridge Circus if you get distracted Barry but yes, it is really only about five minutes. I probably walk it somewhat quicker than that at times.
I wouldn't usually spend £28 on a record but Blade Runner is a bit special. If it were the soundtrack on a CD I wouldn't be interested at all but that gatefold presentation is the seller for that one. The fact that the actual record is really heavy and sounds just about flawless is the icing on the cake.
The two young ladies in Last Night In Soho really look beautiful both on the poster and in the film. I think their appearance is a large part of the success of the film but the whole look of the film combined with a mesmerizing story that keeps you guessing up until the very end certainly contributes too. Some people seemed to watch it with the expectation of seeing a horror movie and have been upset that it isn't but I watched in the hope of a time-travelling murder mystery and that seems to fit the description of this film best.
John.
This would be my perfect shop if i went to London could spend hours in there. The last time i went up London for LP'S and films was back in the late 80's where i use to shop called flashback's in Soho it was only small shop but it had film poster records cd but no blu rays they went really out back then.
Fopp is more or less the same but so much much bigger and more. If i have an opportunity again to go to London that's where i would go first it my kind of shop all i need now is to find a shop in London that does hot toys type figurines and a few grand to spend lol
Just up the road about 200 yards from Fopp is Forbidden Planet so I think you'll need a new mortgage when you do get there! I could have spent a fortune in Forbidden Planet too (loads of movie and comic book figurines and the best movie related books I've ever seen) but it's almost impossible to take a car to London now so we weren't able to carry that much... which is probably just as well!
John.
@@moviecollector5920 i would get a train up there its only half an hour to 45 mins getting there then get on the tube and just ask them to deliver the items for me once i have picked out what i wanted
@@bioshock6935 Now that's good thinking. They have some bargain movie books for just a few pounds so I should have done that.
John.
Fantastic coup on the poster.
We used to be able to go into shops and buy posters like this but I don't know of anywhere that sells them these days. No doubt they're available on-line but it's just not the same.
John.
I miss these stores, most of us have is HMV if we are lucky but a few years ago there was a store called Head and they had a lot of great DVD's and Blu-ray's plus Boxset's and music and I got the complete series of STARGATE ATLANTIS on Blu-ray and the picture quality is great. Plus I watched The BATMAN yesterday and it was a brilliant movie and it was the first time I went to cinema since December 2019 but the seat's were uncomfortable because of my Coccyx injury.
Many people are saying The Batman is good so I may just have to take a look at the 4K when it's out. I didn't think I was ready to give another Batman film a try yet as they seem to come out so regularly but if a Batman story is done well and faithful to the original detective that he was then anything Batman should be a good watch.
Some of the Odeon cinemas have the 'Luxe' designation and that appears to mean that you get reclining armchairs. Could be worth looking out for one of those for your next cinema outing as it should be a lot more comfortable for your coccyx inury. I hope that improves quickly Andrew.
John.
I've probably got all of the BATMAN movies plus the BATMAN TV show on Blu-ray from the 1960s and I injured my Coccyx just before the first lockdown and then summer 2020 and I'm still waiting for my appointment for my injections. Plus I've noticed cex isn't cheap anymore.
@@andrewstagg4395 I haven't had a serious look around a branch of CEX in quite a while but I want to get to one soon to see if any of the Stargate series are going cheap as I rather fancy seeing that now after avoiding it all these years.
John.
Was just in London and found this store. I bought 6 4k movies they I cant get in Australia.
Also bought another 8 4k movies from HMV also cant get in Australia. Went to Germany and went to a store called Saturn and bought a few more 4k movies before going back to Australia. $500au later.
Such a weird name Fopp, But it was like JB hifi store in Australia but only dedicated to Movies and music.
I don't know where the name FOPP comes from but I expect it was an attempt to appeal to children. Very rarely do I ever see children in there though.
I hope you haven't got to take out a second mortgage after spending so much on your trip over here. I tend to get into financial trouble every time I visit FOPP or HMV but I have an understanding wife which helps!
John.
Wowzers! The benefits of living in a large city (and hence a large customer base): great specialty stores.
But I'm not jealous. Let me loose in there and I'd be flat broke in mere minutes!
PS Looking forward to your opinion on Scarface. I have the "cigar box" BluRay edition, curious if the 4K is worth the upgrade.
Greetings Zwerker. Scarface is a great 4K video transfer so if you like the film the 4K looks just like a film. John.
Wow you hit the jackpot there with that poster John! I got the steelbook for Last Night in Soho and wish they had used that original artwork rather than the design they chose.
I also visited London recently to watch Death on the Nile at Leicester Square and really enjoyed it, although we were sat quite far back from the screen in the upper gallery which negated some of the impact. I thought the Dolby sound system they have installed (JBL speakers I think?) was outstanding, its a shame they cant install a larger screen, it is a bit small for the size of auditorium in my opinion, its a shame the BFI IMAX aren't showing the 70mm print. I will buy it on UHD when its released I think to watch it again at home.
I hear the new Batman film is very good and worth a visit to a cinema, but I think I've watched enough superhero films now to last a lifetime and can't get enthused by them any more.
I'm with you on the Batman and comic book side of things Nick but I may take a look at the 4K of the new film. Similarly for the latest Spidey film but that's just because Tobey Maguire is in it and I thought he was terrific in the role, particularly in the first two films.
The sound in the Odeon is almost up there with the BFI IMAX now. Absolutely terrific. As for the screen size though, I can't remember how wide it really is but I only ever made the mistake of sitting too far back in the Odeon once and never again. The stalls or the front row of the circle is the ideal to get the big screen effect... and it is BIG!
As for the poster for Last Night In Soho - the best for years. I remember the days when we used to be able to go into a shop and buy these posters when the films were first out but we've lost all those sort of retailers now. Maybe they can be ordered on the web but it just doesn't appeal like going into a physical shop and choosing something in front of your eyes.
John.
Great looking store, I always go to the one in Manchester when I'm there, and never come out empty handed, Am I mistaken or did you say secondsight is putting out a 4k of sensor?
I think Manchester is one of five FOPP's still left. I've only ever visited the London store but I'm told they're all damned good.
Second Sight are about to issue a 4K of The VVitch so that's what I meant - sorry for the confusion. If I get that one too then I might show a few Second Sight releases as the specials they put out are rather special. I don't think they have done too many 4Ks previously but I've just been reminded about Zombies Dawn of the Dead which seems to have been a big success for them.
John.
Hey John, I’d never heard of Fopp. Thanks for this. I hope your video is not representative of how busy the store is!
That was a Tuesday morning Rob so not the busiest time but it suited me as I could get the camera into places without having people get in my way. The shop gets really busy at times and particularly so late into the evening.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 yay John. Since my mom died a couple of years ago I've not been to the UK. The regional lock codes are another reason I could not buy standard blu rays at Fopp. What a great store and a lovely video. I really like how you're broadening your area of coverage from disc reviews to all things cinema and video. Seems like you're having fun doing it. I do think that you might not be quite aware what an authority you are and I'd imagine that there's a real niche for this type of channel. More, more, more 😂
@@Celestialrob I just like to do something different when the opportunity presents itself Rob. I'll be shooting the National Vintage Tractor Road Run next month which I last did in 2018. The DVD for that sold really well but there was no interest at all in the Blu-ray version so i'll just stick to DVD this time around. Also coming up is the two year delayed celebration for the 50th anniversary of the greatest rally that was ever run - the 1970 Daily Mirror World Cup Rally. I was expecting to do that with one of my best friends and the writer of more motoring books than anyone else in the world, Graham Robson, but he sadly died last year at the age of 85. His mind was encyclopaedic when it came the history of cars and motorsport and he's going to be irreplaceable.
Maybe now we're getting through the pandemic we'll all be able to start getting back to normality so we'll see you over here sometime if we don't get over to San Fran first.
John.
Hi John, do you have anymore details on Second Sight's Censor 4k release please? Not sure whether to just get the standard bluray before it sells out or wait for the 4k?
Thanks.
It's not Censor that's coming out in 4K Andy but a special edition of The VVitch with all the same sort of extras as Censor. I don't know either film but Second Sight certainly are producing some exceptional collectible editions of films on disc.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Thanks for the reply. This will be my first Second Sight purchase.
@@andymasterson8059 We might watch it tomorrow night Andy. Keith at Euphoria reported that the ending is a bit over the top so if we're both prepared for that it should help. Most horrors tend to go too far at the end but apparently this one is a gripping mystery thriller up to that point so it should be a good watch.
John.
What a great store. Only problem is if I were to visit London, I would spend all my time in that store and I wouldn't be able to see any of the other sites in London. LOL.
That tends to be my problem too. Fortunately I spent most of my life in London so I don't need to see the rest of it as I've been there, seen it, done it!
John.
The used movie stores in the. Bay Area is better than BestBuy for new movies. Retail shops here in San Francisco area are removing shelf space for Blu-ray 4K movies... Which is sad. Thanks for the excellent video.
It seems that over here enough people are shopping with our last remaining physical shops Leif. We're not quite as disparate over here with more than 70 million people crammed into such a small space so maybe that's why shops like Fopp have been able to survive whereas across the USA you're all just so spread out so web shopping has won the day.
John.
Great video John, They look like a good retailer, wish we had someone like that here in Australia, our best one would have to be JB hiFi i think but they have nothing like the selection FOPP has, we have the problem over here of a lot of 4k movies not being released in Australia so we need to buy them either from the UK or US very annoying
It's looking increasingly like the UK is the last country to have stores like this around Paul. There are five FOPP's I think but a multitude of HMV's and some of those are still really quite big. HMV/FOPP seem to have done well during the past two years so I do wonder why a music and video chain can make a go of it here but apparently nowhere else in the western world.
John.
JB are pretty good to be honest, but they are restricted to whatever Aus distributors decide to produce. I wish they (JB) would stock boutique and import releases. I reckon they'd do alright...
@@blahblahwhatblahblah Let's hope Australians have re-discovered the joy of home movies just as people have here in the UK. I realize the pandemic has only really hit Australia now and it's Omicron so not really the trouble we've been through but one good thing that came out of it is some returned to purchasing discs. There are over 70 million of us within a small land mass though to that's probably a factor in making FOPP and HMV stores viable. John.
Beautiful store
It may be the best left in the world Faluda. Maybe others will tell us of any similar stores elsewhere on the globe.
John.
Movie Collector it’s all down to economics. 4K Dune could be bought for £9 on ebay. Titles are bought new, watched and sold off. I used to love visiting HMV Oxford street and buy various titles. At least one store must survive in big cities. They provide enormous titles at a glance. They have big expenses . Movie lovers must support a store like this and buy at full prices. Also I think these rare places should have a small cinema room so that people could feel the power of real dvds as compared to streaming. I guess general populace just want to watch a movie, on tv, iPad or even iPhone. They don’t want to feel it, get immersed into it. It’s ridiculous to watch movies on small screens which are meant for bigger screens with proper sound set-up. For a decade, I rented movies from love film and enjoyed on my set-up. I think about those times and smile
@@faludabutt8253 I was only thinking earlier today that it would be nice to have a bit of a demonstration area within FOPP but I suppose all sorts of public exhibition licencing comes into it then. With Super 8 I always put together 20 minute and 30 minute reels of trailers which could be run over and over again. Something like that may avoid licencing costs and do the job.
As much as I was a little underwhelmed by the 4K disc of Dune on both my systems, I still very much like the film and there's no way I'd sell it on. Particularly not for £9! Actually, the steelbook is really nice so that was a help. I always look to buy from HMV/FOPP for the reasons you stated so there do seem to be plenty of us out there and that has to be good for the future.
John.
Movie Collector I want to buy & see 4K Dunes on my Panasonic 65” oled but dilemma is I neither have UHD player nor the compatible AVR. When I started with blu-rays, and up-graded my system ( I still have pioneer kuro), I thought that was it. But now, this 4K is giving me the itch and I will end up spending at least £1500 on both the units and a new SVS sub😩
@@faludabutt8253 You could just start with a budget 4K player and see what you think first. I know what you mean though because once you start with these things it's sometimes a journey that takes you to ever better equipment for ever more money that in reality gives you ever diminishing returns. John.
Wow, great video. Can confirm there's nothing quite this good in Sydney, Australia, that I know of. I bought the Blade Runner vinyl too. One question John - how was their selection of soundtracks on CD? Any good? When it comes to listening to soundtracks, I prefer CD. But I can't pass up the chance to buy the vinyl too sometimes - for display.
I didn't really look at the CDs which was a bit of a mistake because I do still like soundtracks on CD. Sometimes quiet sections of soundtracks with pops and crackles from vinyl can be really disappointing and CD wins the day for that reason. Not so with this heavy Blade Runner record as I don't think I've ever heard anything quite so impressive. I suppose a glossy gatefold sleeve helps with the overall impression too.
John.
I use my playstation 4 as a blu ray player. Is it worth the investment for somone who hasn't got any 4kblu rays ? 700 dvds and 300blu rays. Not sure to start or not
We all under estimated Blu-ray so although 4K UHD Blu-ray is better it's only really perceptible because of the addition of HDR, which is why I suspect they did it. HDR makes video look more like film but results vary on all the myriad equipment out there. Some swear by OLED tellies but I don't watch films on a telly any longer and haven't for over 15 years now. Video projection has come a long way and it's quite special to be able to project a cheap (relatively speaking) 4K video disc that looks like projecting a film in the home. The better the video projector the better the results of course and that's the same with a television too.
John.
Went to Fopp today. Picked up a 4k Crouching Tiger for £10 and a birthday card for the Mrs. Nice! 🙂
Sounds like you managed to get out of there without having to take out a second mortgage today James. Well done!
@@moviecollector5920 then I walked over to Leicester Square to take a look at the Odeon you speak about, only to find Tom Cruise there in person as its the Top Gun Maverick Premiere tonight. So not a bad afternoon really. 🙂
@@jamesclifford238 Well I wish you'd have got him to call me!
@@moviecollector5920.... I tried John but he hung up the call before it could be traced back to Liverpool Street Station. 😕
@@jamesclifford238 What a shame!
Coming from Manchester I've never heard of FOPP? I did notice they have HMV safe distance shields on the counter? Is it a sister company??
Great video as always pal.
Yes Lee, they're all part of the Sunrise Records group. I think you actually still have one of the five surviving FOPP's in Manchester: www.hmv.com/store-finder/fopp-manchester
John.
@@moviecollector5920 well I never! Thanks for that John. I will be sure to check it out over the weekend.
@@BeersAndBlurays Let us all know how you get on Lee. John.
3:13 - Oh man! There it is! “Sorcerer” by William Friedkin! Buy it and review it. You will love it!
Yes Michael, I spotted that when I was editing the video. Shame I didn't see it on the day but I was concentrating on filming really. John.
In the line of fire looks excellent in 4K, you can't beat real film when scanned properly.
I love that film Alex. I've had the PAL LaserDisc since it was first released but it's one of those rare PAL discs that looked fairly awful so it will be nice to see it properly again. John.
@@moviecollector5920 lovely, I just watched it on 4K this past weekend. I thought it looked incredible, solid film as well.
@@AlexGreig Clint Eastwood has been consistently good throughout his career and this is one of his best as far as I'm concerned. But in terms of the films he's directed I think he's probably number one alive in the world today. Gran Torino is my favourite and probably followed by Million Dollar Baby but there are plenty of others up there with them.
John.
John, I hope you could check out The Outsiders (Coppola) on 4k UHD BR..
It's a bit of an expensive release Rick but maybe when a standard version presents itself. I've never actually seen the film so it should be interesting.
John.
Just to throw one other thought out there. Zavvi are promoting their exclusive 4k Lawrence of Arabia Steelbook. I can't see any mention of a release via HMV and so think this is a must buy.
I expect HMV will have a 4K of Lawrence of Arabia even if it's a standard package Douglas. I think it's terrible that one or other of these two dealers gets an 'exclusive' on various titles. If Zavvi still had physical shops then perhaps it would make more sense but they don't and I don't feel like supporting them for that reason... although I did purchase the Super 8 steelbook from them a year or so ago simply because that one looked irresistible and I love that particular film.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Thanks John. Feel the same about Zavvi and only bought a few steelbooks from them when the film is close to my heart. Smokey and the Bandit and Animal House. Both favourites from when I was a kid.
That is a very very nice store lucky people in London even if you combined every single record and movie shop in Copenhagen it will only take up 1/8 of that store.
I think it's looking increasingly like the FOPP stores over here (five of them I believe) are unique in the western world now Niels. We have HMV in most big towns again now but FOPP is packed from floor to ceiling with movies and music whereas HMV is having to be more general to be commercial.
John.
Hold up we have one in Manchester and it looks pretty identical, isn't it Co owned by HMV but they sell more independent and collectors editions and the prices can be pretty reasonable, I did pay £100 for the entire series of Quantum Leap set on blu ray
All five of the Fopp's are pretty much the same Ethan but as you would expect, the London store is the most successful. It needs to be with central London rents and rates.
John.
Stores like these are all pretty much all gone in the US. There's Vintage Stock, Barnes & Noble, and some other small shops where you might be able to get some diverse finds. But for the most part it's all online ordering here including for most movies from Best Buy outside of new releases. I hate it and I miss being able to go into a store to go get movies.
I suspect we're the last country to have shops like FOPP and HMV... well, the last western country anyway. Perhaps China and a few other places are still selling goods like music and video from physical stores.
John.
I'd be straight to the Arrow Section first then the 4k section,my wife's cursing you John 😃
Well she seemed to be alright when she got up this morning Gary!!!
John.
@@moviecollector5920 🤣🤣
Back in the day you had tower records hmv and virgin mega store to buy you videos one shop I went to was the laser disk shop in Notting hill
I didn't even know there was a LaserDisc shop in Notting Hill Neil or else I'd have probably seen you in there sometime. Stereo Regent Street and The Cinema Store were another pair of top locations for LD until DVD quickly supplanted the bigger discs by the end of 1999.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 they mainly sold ntsc disks but hmv and the virgin mega stores sold the pal disks I remember there was a shop on Piccadilly Circus they sold laser disks
@@neiltaylor6645 That shop near Piccadilly Circus was called Stereo Regent Street and abbreviated to SRS. They had to downsize into a small shop on Shaftesbury Avenue but I spend a fortune in that shop. John.
So it’s true... Heaven does exist! 😍
Ho ho! I think you're right Nick.
Heaven
That says it all Megan.
John.
Yes, I think I could spend a small fortune in that shop!
@@nick1635 That goes for a lot of us Nick!
John.
Spending your hard earned viewership cash! I’ve still not seen Last Night in Soho - clearly you would advise me to watch it? I used to go in Fopp in Manchester quite often - really great store for finding those little bargains or editions you thought were out of print or sold out everywhere.
I think Last Night In Soho is a stone-cold classic Clark. It has all the ingredients to generate a cult following and I hope it becomes just that.
I think there are five branches of Fopp left today. The London branch is the one with the highest turnover and the most successful. A wonderful store.
John.
Auyup John
Great video, I’m guessing it’s not a store that’s great for those of us who don’t have a workable pair of legs and have wheels instead? 😜
Anyway I hope you and yours are doing well, take care.
PS Store itself looks great 😊
Actually Eva they've installed a lift specifically for people who have difficulty getting around. I should have shown that but it's at the back by the staircase. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Cheers John, I just assumed there wasn’t one because of the way obviously you filmed/edited.
Definitely good to know that there is a lift for people like me myself and I.
Have you and the wife started watching SG1 yet?
@@Eva_H I've kept a lookout for SG1 but haven't purchased any of the series yet. The whole lot was on Blu-ray in FOPP for £80 but I want to find DVDs in CEX as I expect it will be really cheap by now. I expect I'll find it before too long.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 fair enough 🙂
No similar store left in Montreal Canada . One but inventory getting smaller.
I don't know if any other Western countries have much in the way of music and video stores Robert. Maybe places like China still have them but I don't know. Hopefully a few comments will let us know on here of anything similar in the world. John.
Still haven't sorted a pj albums
What, pray tell, is a PJ Album? Sounds like a record for a pyjama party!
What an amazing store I would spend hours inside and spend a fortune
And I did just that Mark. Not for the first time either!
John.