Such a great store and collection of movie history. Came all the way from Tucson,AZ to visit. Worth the trip. The only thing I wish is that I lived here so I could partake in the rental of movie gold! Staff was awesome and took the time to give us a little history on the store and film in general. If you are local and love media, be a customer and return to the way things used to be when making a trip to rent family movie entertainment. read more

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Scarecrow has just about everything and if they don't, they'll try to get it. Their Japanese anime section is extensive and what other video store can boast two floors of DVD and video fun? Parking can be a bit of a nightmare and watch for the one way street they are located on. You'll have to take a round-about way to get there if you come from the south. Even so, its well worth the trip. read more

Scarecrow Video - Videos & Video Game Rental Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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The G.O.A.T. Seriously. The best video store ever. A cinematic mecca. A triumph of the human spirit. read more

The only place I can think of outside of online to find rare films. Plus who doesn't love the entire upstairs room of obscure porn? I like that all the efforts are concentrated into one location because really you can't duplicate perfection. read more

Scarecrow Video - Videos & Video Game Rental Near Me - Seattle, Washington

If 2 words could describe this place, I have them: Humungous selection. Just when you thought you found every movie in the country here, their selection from other countries is also just as impressive. Ho-ly crap! Everything from here in the States to China, Brasil to Russia, and practically all inbetween. For some reason, the rather unique, subtle funky-ness gives it a certain character, too. Whatever gripe someone may have would probably be eased by the mere fact that the selection this place boasts is probably among only a few worldwide, I think. Selection. Collection. Cool. Unique. Wow factor. read more

They have every kind of video imaginable I'm honestly so impressed! As an avid anime viewer I was expecting they wouldn't have some of the more obscure stuff that isn't as popular in the west but nope - they usually have it!! I really hope this place sticks around for the longterm in the age of digital distribution and that it will remain a Seattle institution!! read more

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There was a guy on Queen Anne ave as I walked into my gym, and we both looked at the zone parking sign to see if it was okay to park where I'd parked. He said this out loud to me: "I don't have all the answers. Really, I don't!" I laughed and he kept going. "You see I live my life covered in plastic, though I've heard some people prefer cardboard. Do you think cardboard would better represent me?" I want to tell him yes but instead I walk into the gym and say "hi" and the attendant says "hi" back to me and also "how are you" and I say "great! How are you?" And she says nothing. It made me want to text you. To tell you to remember what he said and remind me any time we need to make decisions re: cardboard vs. plastic. Or to do it in person, see the look on your face when I'm partway through this anecdote with a supposed storybook ending (re: cardboard man vs. gym attendant) and you finally jump on the same little spark of thought I'm on, throughout all of the sparks synapse-ing all over the web of conclusions of human thought, you get my point and you totally emulate my enthusiasm for it. You and me. I pretend it's because we grew up in the same place and have known about each other for years. But let's be real. This must be it. And hey, I'm calling 'em like I see 'em these days because it's so real to know what you want. Like this: Job opportunities that might as well say "we are looking for you, Caitlin" keep turning up and I love my job so it feels like a test. Like someone is out there laying mousetraps when I already have the cheese I want. I have in my hands all of these gems. They're memories from my perspective throughout the history of our relationship. I try to give them to you at the right times (even though since I'm just like you [romantic as fuck] I want to constantly be giving them to you). One of them is this: I couldn't eat or sleep or sit just to sit the first month we started seeing each other. I kept giving myself these stupid tasks. Sort your clothes by color. Walk three miles then turn around and walk home. Listen to music but pretend like you're showing it to him for the first time and imagine his reaction. These sound like the behaviors of a comically anxious person (one of which I am) but what I'm trying to prove is that I am at least as romantic as you. Here's another one: Suspiria is one of my favorite movies ever and I knew almost definitively going into Scarecrow that night we were going to rent it and watch it at your house and kiss during the credits (now that you'd know I was cool enough to love Suspiria so very much). And I knew when I was walking and sorting and listening that we would almost surely fall in love and kiss very often during movie credits. You'd think that being so good at loving someone and knowing what comes next would be a boring chore. Let me (an anxious romantic) tell you something about love: It's not. Too bad about Ed Murray's donation flub. He still probably shouldn't have dropped out of the race. read more

This is the biggest video rental store on the West Coast and it's absolutely amazing! Their foreign film section is outstanding. They have three solid rows of Iranian films and the employee I was speaking with knew so much about the genre. I was impressed. It made my heart full to see a Seattle video rental store carry such a wide range of Iranian films and show so much appreciation to my country's film making. It's such a fun experience to come here and support this local gem. read more

Scarecrow holds a special place in my heart. Their dedication to the preservation and promotion of cinema keeps me going there weekly. Consider donating to them before you download or order a movie off Amazon. You'll feel good about your purchase, and will probably stumble across a few new movies while searching for the one you originally had in mind! read more

The holy land. Mecca. The best video store there ever was. It always has been, and I'm pleased beyond words that it remains there today despite all of the challenges. It's just too great a place not to be. Support Scarecrow Video until your dying day. read more

I absolutely love this store. I don't have Internet or cable at home (cause I'm crazy, according to my friends), so I definitely watch a lot of DVDs. I love movies in general and this place is a movie buff's wet dream! They've got pretty much any movie you can think of, and if they don't, they can special order it for you. I've definitely found some obscure and random movie titles here, i.e. Miami connection, 120 days of Sodom, Cannibal Holocaust, etc... It's easy to kill a few hours just perusing through the hundreds of titles. They've got the store organized by new releases, sale items, directors, foreign, drama, horror, comedy, you get the gist. It's definitely not cheap to rent or buy from them, but we all need to do what we can to keep this place open! The nice thing is that older releases are usually 5 day rentals and tv shows can be up to 7 days. Just don't be delinquent on your returns cause the late fees can get expensive! read more

Scarecrow is one of the last video rental stores left out there. Period. And really, they should be seen more as curators for all things film instead of a place to rent a couple videos for the weekend. Granted, I DO come here for the videos -- they have everything imaginable. Every awful movie I happened to see on the SciFi channel growing up, foreign films that you only see in college, musicals, westerns, documentaries, you name it! (They even have an adult room, whoo boy). They run on a Non-Profit model now, and if weekend evening lines amount to anything these guys look to still have the business to be around for a while longer yet. read more

Their motto is "Celebrating over 20 years of connecting people with film." Whenever I hear that, I think to myself, "You think after all this time they would have learned rope is far superior for that kind of thing." read more

I once heard one of the employees here say to someone on the phone "sir, calm down....sir, breathe in and out." (he apparently was upset because of a late fee, which I will address in a second) Scarecrow video does several things wrong: first, they demand ungodly deposits on some of their "special" movies................they ain't that freakin special, scarecrow-if you're so worried about losing them, copy them and rent out the copies! Second, their late fee policy is a joke (probably why the guy on the phone was yelling at ms. condescending)-movies must be returned by 6PM, I believe. Not by closing, like every other place, but by a time that's convenient FOR THEM. If scarecrow were a person, it would be a conceited, self-centered person who laughed at other's misfortunes-that's why I don't go there anymore (and yes, they do have an amazing selection, and they are independent) read more

HOLY CRAP! A friend of mine took me to Scarecrow last weekend as she knows I'm somewhat of a movie buff. I was totally blown away.. this store should be on the travel channel where they talk about weird/wacky/unique places. It has the widest variety of movies I've EVER seen under one roof and you can't just duck in and out.. it's a place you'll get stuck in because they have so much to offer you'll never make up your mind. I found some of the organization confusing because they have sections like "Foreign" and "By Director". So .. what if my favorite director is a foreign one? I guess in order to find the right movie you'll have to look in a few places.. but that's' smart because you end up deciding to rent 10 movies instead of the 1 you came in for! I can't imagine a bad thing about this place other than it's not a block from my house! read more

Best reason to dump netflix. AWESOME selection and service. You make winter more bearable. Wednesdays are 2 for 1 movies! read more

I first heard about Scarecrow Video through a friend all the way back in Colorado. Her brother worked here at one point. She gave it her highest praise so when I first moved out here I had to go here right away. It is a film buff's heaven! I have been holding off writing a review about Scarecrow Video because I was saving it for a landmark numbered review. A review for a place that is near and dear to my heart. I was thinking of saving it for my 3,000th review. The problem with that is if I don't write about it now it may be too late. A couple of months ago I picked up a Seattle Weekly and read in an article that the store was in trouble. Rentals were way down and like all video rental stores it is buckling under competition from the digital revolution. I Googled Scarecrow Video and it alarmed me that the first things to come up were four different articles about the struggles the store is going through and if it going to stay open. These were the first results to come up before the companies website even pulled up. Sad. Scarecrow Video is the kind of store, the prodigy as to what video stores should aspire to be. The video store has well over 100,000 titles and it shows! Some of my favorite directors like David Lynch, Alejandro Jodorowsky, Peter Jackson and SO many more have their own sections on a shelf! Scarecrow also breaks down their films by genre as well. Not only that but I am told if you put down a sizable deposit you can rent out film spools of films as well. Some of Andy Warhol's films are available in this format. These are films that would otherwise be incredibly hard to find! Perhaps I am a part of Scarecrow Video's problems. I don't rent movies there either. I live in Tacoma and while I am in Seattle often enough to rent movies from here it seems like too much of a chore. In fact I don't really rent movies anywhere anymore! However despite my abstinence from renting movies from Scarecrow I still feel like I am doing my part to keep them in business. I am a huge film buff and any film buff knows there is the Criterion Collection. I have to have all of the entries to this collection as well as any spin off collections from the main collection like the Eclipse series for example. Each month new releases are announced and like any good video store should they have these new Criterion releases here on sale. So while Scarecrow is mostly known for their movie rentals they have a considerable amount of movies on sale both new and previously viewed. So once a month I go up here and get my Criterion fix. So I do feel like I am doing my part. But is it enough? Part of the reason why Scarecrow Video has made it this far is because they are a Seattle institution and one of the few movie rental stores out there that "got it right". But even that may not be enough to compete with the internet. The other reason they are still around is perhaps that the owner of the video store also works for Microsoft so he more than likely is pulling a pretty penny from that. Many people are not even aware that Scarecrow Video is even in trouble. Their advertisements are still shown weekly in The Stranger announcing new releases or some special event. But as I was told we are not seeing these advertisements because they are doing well. We are seeing these advertisements because they want to draw more people in! According to the Seattle Weekly article the company would more than likely to be around up to Christmas but after that? Who knows? So my review is more of a "call to action" to keep a great movie rental store in business. If you are looking for a DVD gift for a certain someone then try and keep it local and to a business that deserves it. Black Friday is approaching and for so many nervous retailers it is make or break time for a whole other year. I plan on doing my part! Come towards the end of the month I plan on shelling out some heavy duty green for my monthly Criterion fix. This month a 25 film box set of Zatoichi, The Blind Swordsman is coming to Criterion and I know I can count on Scarecrow Video on having it. P.S. Anyone else who is a collector of the Criterion Collection should come here! The prices on most Criterion titles are often cheaper and often on sale! read more

I fell in love when my eyes landed on the laser discs. Back in the day these were presented like vinyl at a record store, and I saw the section title, "Vengeful Acts of a Wrathful God". While the laser disc section has long since been replaced by dvds; and George, the store's visionary and soul, has passed on, it is still our movie mecca. Beyond being the video store with the greatest inventory, it is above all, a movie store for film lovers, by film lovers, and it promises to offer you new and old fantastic features, keeping your inner cinephile well nourished. However, and this is frequently overlooked, Scarecrow also offers all kinds of rich treasures that are not for the snooty cineiaste. For example, all of your 80s tv mini-series needs can be met here - from Noble House to Shaka Zulu. Need to rent an entire season of Sledgehammer? Look no further. There is only one draw-back to this magnificent collection, the late fees. I believe our late fees have probably funded a full room of inventory over the past ten years. We're kinda proud of that fact. read more

Why would anyone go to a video store when you could just rent the dvd via greencine.com or torrent it? As far as I'm concerned, the only answer is Scarecrow. This place transforms ordinary people into film buffs. Wandering around in there is amusing, awe-inspiring and enjoyable in and of itself even if you walked out with nothing. Not that I've ever walked out with nothing. Some yelpers have had trouble with the late fees. When I had a high late fee, I explained honestly that my financial situation is quite crappy. They cut the late fee in half. They do seem to be willing to work with people on it to some extent. I avoid the fees by renting films that aren't new releases. read more

Who says that renting is dead? I get Netflix DVDs and streaming, and STILL, I find the charm of a good video store appealing once in a while. This place has the biggest, most diverse selection of films I've ever seen in a video store; according to the staff, over 100,000 films in two-stories of shelf-to-shelf movie madness! (And I thought Rentertainment in Champaign, IL was awesome... ) There are so many movies here that I can't imagine *not* finding something I'm looking for; there are plentiful foreign films, massive hallways of TV series, anime, and even a huge section they call "sexploitation" (you can guess what that section is). Clearly the store has its fans, since on the Saturday night I went, it was packed. U-Dub students are spoiled to have such a great video store so close to campus. My only complaint is the price; at $4.50 a pop, it's rather pricy, even if it's for a week (that's half the price of my monthly Netflix bill!), and the late fees must rake in a lot of cash for them, because it's the price of a FULL rental per day! Fortunately, they allow renewing the rental over the phone. A great place, with a massive selection, though pricey! read more

Scarecrow is THE place for video rental, no question about it. Sure, the world has its esoteric, artsy film-buff stores that stock Cannes-winning foreign films -- but how many of those also carry the bad ones? Let's face it, there are nights for Intellectual Dinner Parties taking on "Primer", and then there are nights where you want to do shots until "Executive Koala" makes sense. Well, rest assured - whatever your poison, Scarecrow has your cure. The store's labyrinth of shelves is so packed that their computer catalog system isn't just a convenience, it's a downright necessity. If you don't stop and ask for directions, you're liable to be eaten by goblin-David Bowie. The other downside is, as some have mentioned, the late fees -- aspiring film queens beware, your DVDs WILL turn into pumpkins at the witching hour of 8pm. Scarecrow's late fees are the price of the original rental for EACH DAY THEY ARE LATE, so if you have an entire season of Supernatural overdue like yours truly, you're bleeding out $11 per day in blood money. Luckily, Scarecrow is very cool about renewing rentals over the phone -- if no one else has reserved your vid, you can call in to get the sentence stayed for another week :) So as long as you keep calm, mind the dates on your receipts, and remember to ask the computer gods for help, you will have a fabulous time renting from this unique, incredibly extensive library of pop culture. read more

This is an amazing video store with a huge selection and helpful staff. If you want a great throw-back experience, are not into downloading movies, or are having trouble finding certain selections online, come here instead and browse to your heart's content! read more

Lost in time, Scarecrow Video is one of the last bastions of physical media. If there's an obscure movie you've heard rumors about but can't find anywhere online, chances are Scarecrow has it. They also sell movies on formats dating all the way back to VHS. Movie screenings, snacks, swag, and the best collection of rentables. read more

Holly Hayballs! They have everything, I think they might have every title ,every genre ,every sub genre ever been made.It's a labyrinth of video's that actually made me dizzy They even have out of print video's that you have to put a hefty safety deposit on, They even have a foreign children show that I loved and they even have the region code free dvd player to watch it on for rent. They have an accurate computer terminal that will show you where the movie will be found with a map. They also have the cleanest bathroom found in the U dist. the only thing it stinks is that scarecrow is so far away. and another thing is they don't have membership cards so when I open my wallet no one will know how cool I am because they look up with drivers license. but they have a friendly movie nerd staff that I even heard them help a guy that was looking for that one movie, with that guy in that other movie with that guy in that movie..you know what I am talking about right? So don't wait for that torrent to download, Don't even try that yellow and blue chain store that screwed you for years for late fess and when hurt they are trying to be friends with you and don't wait for the mail hoping to get the video that you asked for..Just go to scarecrow! read more

Is five stars really possible for any video store? Seriously. "No," I say. Corporate video stores just don't care about movies... only money. Scarecrow, however, has movies and TV shows I never thought I'd see on a shelf for rent OR purchase (Super Friends on DVD?), and the staff, for the most part, have quite an extensive knowledge of anything ever filmed. Also handy is the ability to rent entire seasons for one, slightly discounted price, instead of tedious individual disc renting. Now the reason it doesn't get 5-stars: the staff does tend to air a bit of snobbery to individuals with different taste in video entertainment than themselves, they hesitate in putting energy into customer service, and the late fees are quite high compared to it's corporate brethren. All things considered, the dream-like collection of video choices trump nearly any pluses of other video rental sources. Just be patient. read more

This has been around since I was a little kid... it's a true seattle staple ;) well if you like movies that is........ This is how it will go if you try to find a movie from your childhood that you don't think they'll have You : do you have ...........insert movie title......... clerk : yes You : how about...........insert movie title......... clerk : yes You : well there is a movie about this guy that kills this girl, and they fall madly in love and it has this girl.. do you know it? it was made in the 50's clerk : not sure let me check.. yes we do ..... damn it!!!! you have everything!!!! it is pretty awesome!! do check it out.. it's pretty cool to walk around and just look at the selection, and what used to be your favorites, and reminisce read more

Anyone who gives Scarecrow Video--the best video store in the universe--a bad review is lazy and dumb. Someone actually complained about the parking? Probably the same type of dummy that feels their soul is being crushed when they see a bicycle on the road. It's hard to figure out the director of a film? You are just plain lazy. It's like not wanting to know the name of a painter whose work you admire. I don't go anywhere for the parking or to exhibit ignorance. I go places that have things I want. Scarecrow--the greatest video store in the universe--has what I want and do a fantastic job of helping me get what I want. read more

Any true film fan cannot honestly give Scarecrow less than 4 stars. They have every movie you've ever thought to rent, movies that you never imagined existed. No, not pornos silly, although they have those too, but you have to climb the stairs and go into a cordoned off room. Horror fans will delight in finding every Lucio Fulci film ever made, including his bizarre spaghetti westerns. Ditto with Dario Argento, Jorg Buttgereit, Stuart Gordon, and so on. That's part of the problem. If you go into a "normal" video store you can find pretty much anything you want ... if they have it. You check the Drama section, the Comedy section, the Horror section, Action/Adventure, and then you just give up. At Scarecrow they have everything divided into the most aggravating sections. They have director sections, so if you want to rent Lucio Fulci's 'The Beyond' you can't go to their Psychotronic section which has all the zombie movies. (Don't ask me what Psychotronic means). You need to specifically find the Lucio Fulci director section. Of course even in the Psychtronic section they have categories like Zombies, Euro Horror, Cannibal, Giallo, and German Shit-Eating Cannibal Vampires (okay, I made that last one up). You can forget about any normal movie descriptions like Comedy, Drama, etc. If you don't know who directed a film, tough shit. Good luck getting one of the smart-ass film dorks that work here to help you. Another issue I have is that they'll charge you a $200 deposit for some of their movies. Yeah, yeah, they're rare movies, but give me a fucking break! Also, the layout of the store is stifling. I can just feel my skin start to crawl from paranoia and claustrophobia the second I walk into the building. Otherwise, it's a film lover's paradise. read more

While I don't frequent the place, I do know my movie buff friends are big fans. If you're in need of a niche present for your 13 year old nephew, then this is the place to find horror movies from the 80s that will be cheesy enough for your sibling to approve and classic enough for him to impress his teenibopper friends. read more

Scarecrow Video - 1980s cheesy horror flicks, we threw in Rocky Horror for good measure - Videos & Video Game Rental Near Me - Seattle, Washington

yay!!! This is the place to go if you are looking for a crazy awesome selection of movies! I mean like the best selection of movies that you will find in any one location in seattle. They have DVDs, VHS tapes and you can rent VHS players as well. if you are looking for something in particular then walk on over tho one of the computer directories and search away. One of the best movie places in existence, in my personal opinion. read more

First off, I get the nostalgia and why this place is so sought after. That being said, I don't like that they charge your card without notifying you if you have a late fee. Secondly, a $200 hold on your card if you rent a "rare" DVD. This boggles my mind and keeps me away. read more

I love Scarecrow video. This place is unmatched for their film selection, they literally have everything. I love going here especially at Halloween because they have a massive horror section and specially curated employee picks so I know I'm going to find something new and good! read more

Scarecrow Video is a privilege. You get the largest rental movie selection in the entire United States. There is nothing that prevents you from finding any film, ever. I've tried to stump their database many times. I think I've only managed to once (and it may have just been listed under a different title). Here are the guidelines for having access to such a selection: You will return everything on time. If you fail to do this, you will be pumbled within an inch of your life with the harshest late fees imaginable. Scarecrow Video makes living in Seattle an honor. read more

My favorite video store! Have been coming here for years. They usually have what I am looking for

I love Scarecrow. They have titles that one would never find on a streaming service, movies that I love and movies that I love to share with others. This is a valuable institution and I'm glad they're still in Seattle. read more

The first time I walked into Scarecrow, there were scores of people behind rope barriers, many in black trench coats. I thought I was going to have to wait hours in line just to rent my first video. I walked up to a green-haired kid standing in line and asked him if he was waiting in line to rent a movie. "No", he said, with a tone somewhere between annoyed and amused. "Bruce Campbell is over there signing autographs." I looked over and sure enough, there was Ash himself - sans chainsaw, alas, but cracking jokes and signing all sorts of Evil Dead memorabilia for his fans. Scarecrow has the best selection of rental videos I have ever seen. Movies are organized by genre and by director/producer. The international selection is enormous. There are individual rooms dedicated to music, documentaries, comedy, etc. They even have rare and out-of-print movies that require a credit card deposit. Any place that has an entire section dedicated to Psychotronic is okay in my book. The staff are definitely dedicated to film, very friendly and knowledgeable. There's a staff pick shelf so you can see what they recommend. I spent hours in the place, browsing oddball stuff and finding old films I had long since forgotten. That day I set up my account, went home and cancelled my Netflix account. Just make sure you bring your film back on time or call and renew it, or they automatically charge your credit card, which can sting if you're not expecting it. read more

Well this is the acme of all video stores, everything under one roof. Crazy selection helpful staff. Almost like the old if we don't have it you don't need it place. Only problem is too much selection. read more

Scarecrow video has it all. I decided to go into this place on a whim today after seeing this place on yelp. Let me tell you, I was in movie heaven! Any movie you can imagine is at this store! Their organization is amazing. There is a section organized by directors, which is super helpful if you are in a film class like myself. They have new and used DVD and VHS's to buy and they keep up with all of the new releases as well. This store is two stories along with an espresso bar, and the movies are organized by genre in different sections of the building. It's like a maze of movies. The staff is really knowledgable and helpful into finding a movie, and if you really can't find what you are looking for they have a computer to look it up. The rental prices are really good, and you can even rent series of television shows. What I also enjoyed was along the shelves the workers would post little notes about their favorite films, fun facts, and their opinions of movies! I will definitely be returning to rent some movies and recommend people stopping into Scarecrow video A.S.A.P. read more

I really like this place. It's got all the movies I could ever want, the staff is helpful and I love their system of organization. And if you go on Wednesday (2 for 1 rentals) it's not that expensive. Plus they have awesome screenings. The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because of their return policy. Rentals are due back in a week. They close at 10 every night. One would assume as long as it's back by closing you should be good. Not so fast! Their policy is to charge a late fee if you return a movie after 9PM on the day it's due. There is no sign anywhere to let you know about the 9 PM thing. You'd think it would be near the return slot, but it's not. Apparently it's in the paperwork when you sign up for an account, but I was under someone else's account and never saw it. I got an $18 late fee because I returned some movies after 9 on the day they were due. I made some noise, and they didn't refund the $18 but they did give me some rental credits to make up for it so that's something. I really do think there should be signs up letting last-minute people like me know about the policy. Seriously, though. Everything else about this place is amazing. I wish there were more video rental places like this. read more

Musty? Yep. Crazy mad selection? Yep. As mi amiga might say: "It's the diggity bomb". read more