1988: Die Hard premieres in theaters. Nirvana plays their first show. Sub Pop Records forms, and a few hundred video tapes are offered for rental in the back of a record store where George Latsios greets customers with his familiar call of, “Hello, my friend!”
2018: Scarecrow Video celebrates 30 years of being one of the most important film and television resources in the country. The original stock of 600 tapes has grown to over 131,000 titles and is one of the largest publicly available video collections in the world.
This beloved Seattle institution proves that videos can still be relevant in the digital age. Scarecrow established its world-renowned reputation during the video revolution, and is continuing to reinvent itself by undertaking the challenge of how we think about videos.
With nearly three times the number of titles offered by major streaming services that puts them in league with the The American Film Institute and The UCLA Film and Television Archive.
In honor of this landmark anniversary, Scarecrow is launching a 30th Anniversary 30 Years of Scarecrow Fund Drive. Gifts to this campaign with sow the seeds for Scarecrow’s next 30 years … and beyond.
““Back in the days when I was involved with Microsoft Cinemania, I discovered Scarecrow and was amazed by its selection and the knowledge and passion of the staff. They don’t settle for putting a display of the latest big hit inside the door, but attract the curious, the adventurous and the obsessed movie buffs. The store is not only a resource, but a social center, where you can discover you are not the only person who loves Ozu, or Guy Maddin.”
– Roger Ebert, Seattle Times, 2004
