If you’re tired of a video store that carries two hundred copies of “Norbit,” but not a single documentary, then you’re in luck.

You’ve got to respect a video store that forgoes playing the typical family shlock in favor of showcasing a film like Ken Loach’s “The Wind That Shakes the Barley.” This alone should be enough to tell you that Riverwest Film & Video is quite a departure from Blockbuster or Hollywood Video.

SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1Formerly housed on Locust Street, the store moved to its current location during the summer of ’06. Nestled right next to Fuel Cafe, the store is adorned with throwbacks to yesterday’s pop-culture, as well as seemingly random objects sprinkled sparingly throughout the room.

In one corner stands a dusty Wurlitzer American II Jukebox piled high with various fliers and pamphlets for local events. Taking a peak at the song selection, I was thoroughly pleased to see it contained David Bowie and Mick Jagger’s obscenely sensual rendition of “Dancing in the Streets.”

Other random objects scattered amongst the films are picked fences, wooden barrels, and even a large rock that just sits in the middle of the floor. The obscure decor is a refreshing change from the serialized white that one is blinded by when they enter a chain store.

Riverwest Film & Video is a place for those of you who’ve grown weary of the cookie-cutter monotony of Blockbuster. If you’re tired of a video store that carries two hundred copies of “Norbit,” but not a single documentary, then you’re in luck.

An entire wall is dedicated solely to foreign films. From the fairly standard, like films of Bergman and Kurasawa, to more obscure movies such as Robert De Niro’s “1900" and the awesomely bizarre “Holy Mountain.” They even have a copy of “Salo,” one of the most disturbing films ever made. The only problem is that the subtitles are only in French and Chinese.

One of the more unique sections of the store comes in the form of an aisle labeled “Cult/Exploitation.” This section contains films ranging from “Cannibal Holocaust” (whose box proudly proclaims, “The most controversial movie ever made!”) to Gaspar Noe’s absolutely brutal film, “Irreversible.”

The section was also intriguing due to the fact that some of the movies appealed to me by the strangeness of their titles alone. One particularly juicy example was a film called “Preaching to the Perverted,” whose case is shaped like the leather mask of The Gimp from “Pulp Fiction.” If that doesn’t make you want to check out a movie, nothing will.

Other sections include a large wall dedicated to documentaries and another reserved for Avant-garde films. Those of you turned off by these niche genres will be happy to know that the store is also home to a wide variety of the standard Hollywood new releases. The average rate for films is a bit under four dollars for three nights. Mondays and Tuesdays bring a two-for-one deal on any movie in the store.

For prices that range from $10 to $23 per month, anyone can sign up for plans that allow you to have one to four movies at any given time. As soon as you’re done with one, you can return it and instantly watch another. For those of you who want to watch a movie a day, but are on a tight budget, you could sign up for the lowest plan and end up only paying thirty cents per movie throughout the course of the month.

Nearly every film in the store is available for purchase, with their prices visible on the front of each box. Prices range from moderately cheap, such as $15 for a special edition of “Meatballs,” to the slightly pricey, like $50 for a copy of David Lynch’s first feature, “Eraserhead.”

The store is also home to a plethora of supplies for amateur filmmakers. From splicing tape and lens cleaner, to rentable HD cameras, the store has much of what one needs to film the next American masterpiece (or at least something you can look back and laugh at).

Riverwest Film & Video is located at 824 Center St. It can be easily reached by taking the 22 bus west and getting off at the corner of Center and Bremen.

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