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![]() Established A.D. 2000, March 19. Now in our eighth calendar year! ![]() by Andy Lalino A very long time ago there thrived an exuberant era, when the grindhouse epics of 42nd Street were now available down the block at your local video rental store. Notorious sleazoid cinema such as "I Spit on Your Grave" and "Snuff" where no longer giddy whispers of anticipation between Fango-reading young males, but now an acquirable reality, thanks to home video. The ma & pa video store at the corner became our Grand Central Station and changed our lives. It gave both cine and sleazo philes a forum to rent and discuss their treasured findings in an inclusive atmosphere.
Frank Granda, Jr.: The concept for Unique Video probably started about the time I graduated from college. I had obtained a Master's in Theatre Arts and was traveling around the country, performing in many plays. I had always had one of the largest collections of cult movies in my private collection, that I knew of. I had been collecting odd titles since I was 13 years old. By my mid 20's, I was tired of traveling to be in plays. I started teaching Theatre Arts. Still, I had a passion for cult films.
I was having a hard time finding places to rent, or even buy the films I was looking for. I finally decided to use my savings, to create a store, that I was always trying to find myself, but never could. It was 1987 and I opened Unique Video.
Andy Lalino: Have you always been at the Waters/Armenia location?
Frank Granda, Jr.: No, from 1987-1992 we were located on Armenia, but near to Hillsborough Ave. next to the now defunct Armenia Nursery.
Andy Lalino: Did Unique Video begin as a specialty rental store from the start, or did it evolve into that concept?
Andy Lalino: Selected shelves at UV are dedicated to counterculture directors, such as Argento, Waters, Jess Franco, Jodorowsky, etc.. who's idea was that?
Frank Granda, Jr.: As I've indicated above. I have always been a personal fan of underated, counterculture, cult, and controversial diectors. Some of my other favorites are ; Mario Bava, Lucio Fulci, David Lynch, Ruggero Deodato, Pupi Avati, Jean Rollin, Larry Clark, Joe D'Amato, Umberto Lenzi, Tinto Brass, Just Jaeckin, Nicholas Roeg, as well as DePalma, Craven, Miike, and several others.
Andy Lalino: What's the most popular genre with your customers?
Frank Granda, Jr.: I would have to say that depending on the customer, if they enjoy art cinema and award winning foreign films, it is our extensive foreign sections. If the customer is a cult-film fan, then it is those sections belonging to the director's mentioned above.
Andy Lalino: You have the absolute BEST selection of rare Mondo Movies I've ever seen. Are you personally a Mondo Fan, and do you have any "unique" Mondo rental stories you can share with us?
Frank Granda, Jr.: No, I'm not a particular fan of Mondo. However, I do research to find out what Mondo Films are the hardest-to-find and the MOST horrifying, and I purchase the Uncut versions of those titles from different countries, to put them on Unique Video's shelves. The only story I can remember off hand, is when a representative from the company that distributes The Faces Of Death series, was in our store one day, and he said that Unique Video carried titles that HE did not own, in the series. Like Faces of Death Part 5, and Part 6. Which were never released in the U.S.A.
Andy Lalino: Unique Video has seen many National and Local celebrities, such as Conrad Brooks, Bob Ross of the Tribune, Steve Purcell of the St. Pete Times, Dread Central's Uncle Creepy, walk through your doors. Can you share any celebrity stories, and can you tell us what other celebrities you can claim as customers and fans?
Frank Granda, Jr.: Yes, we are proud of many of our fans and customers. Some of our fans that do not live in the area include : Barbara Steele (actress from Black Sunday, They Came From Within, and many other Italian horror films) She sent us a nice picture with a note to Unique Video after hearing that we have so many of her films. We have it in a frame in the store. Also, Brad Pitt who I've known from press junckets, gave us a signed picture to put up in the store. Local celebrities like the talented Marcus Koch, Joel D. Wynkoop, etc..
Andy Lalino: You have a special section in the store for local filmmakers. Can you share some stories with us in regard to those patrons, such as Marcus Koch, Corey Castellano, and Joel D. Wynkoop?
Frank Granda, Jr.: We have provided an area for these filmmakers movies, from when they first began making them. As a way to give their work exposure. I believe it has helped them and their work to be seen. Look at the result. 100 Tears is Koch's best work yet. Similar to first time director Alfred Sole's Alice, Sweet Alice, also made on a shoestring budget, but showing huge talent nevertheless.
Andy Lalino: Legend has it that when UV first opened its doors, far-right wing groups actually muscled away potential customers, rebelling against the subject matter of the films you carry. Is this true? And can you tell us about it?
Frank Granda, Jr.: Yes, it is true. For the 1st year we were opened. We received many threatening letters telling us we didn't belong in Tampa. Many calls asking us when we were getting out of here. Even visits from some men in 3-piece suits, walking around with big yellow note pads, writing down our titles, and talking to each other outloud about how "this or that film should get us in trouble."
Andy Lalino: Even with a Blockbuster Video directly across the street, and a Hollywood Video next door, you still manage a loyal customer base. In fact, it is reported that many Blockbuster and Hollywood Video employees, visit UV to partake in your rare, out-of-print titles. What's your secret?
Frank Granda, Jr.: It is true, that managers as well as employees of the stores you've mentioned are members of our store. The secret is the hard-to-find, Banned, and controversial titles, those stores will NEVER carry.
Andy Lalino: Out of all the Great cult/art films you carry, are you partial to a particular director(s) or movie(s)?
Andy Lalino: Can you give us some reflections on the great heyday of the independent video store of the early 1980's?
Frank Granda, Jr.: Yes. The early stores were so exciting. One I remember was called Future Video on Bush Blvd. in Tampa. You would buy one VHS movie for $80 to become a member. Then, you could come back as often as you wish, and for an exchange charge, trade it in for another title. You would always actually own the one title you presently had. The other "scandalous story" I remember, was about a video store on Kennedy Blvd. owned by film critic of the Tampa Tribune Bob Ross and his family. It was called Tampa Video Station. It was eventually shut-down by the police, because back when XXX rated films were not allowed to be rented in a family store, Tampa Video Station was caught doing it. It was the first time a video scandal like this appeared in the Tampa area. Bob Ross was always very bitter about video
stores, as a result of this incident.
Andy Lalino: What is your opinion of the DVD format?
Frank Granda, Jr.: DVD is Great. Sound, picture, and overall picture quality cannot be beat. (Except, of course, by HD-DVD and Blu-Ray which are just newer forms of DVD.) However, do not believe for one second that DVD outlasts VHS. It does NOT. I have VHS tapes that are 25 years old, and they play like new still. Since the tape itself is never touched by a person's hand, it will last forever if you treat it right. Unlike, DVD's that are actually handled (therefore, often scratched) and often ruined within the year. This is never discussed by most people.
![]() Andy Lalino: What's the strangest thing that's happened to you since the store's been open? Any crazy characters as customers? Frank Granda, Jr.: God, so many you wouldn't believe it. We've had customers with strange and exotic pets like Armadillos, and huge pythons come into the store with them. The python incident caused a mini-riot of other customers, even though the python was very friendly. The armidillo, tried to climb up the store shelves. Andy Lalino: What does the future hold for Unique Video? Frank Granda, Jr.: Hopefully, good things. More people finding out about how different we are when they come inside. More and more DVD's and VHS titles from around the world to astonish our customers. A place where true film fans can come to be amazed. Some of our customers have been with us for 20 years. Now, that's a film fan. Andy Lalino: What's it like running a specialty store with a father/son team? Frank Granda, Jr.: Just Great! You see, my dad, Frank Granda Sr., is the one people always see in the store. He's great with customers. He was a media specialist for over 40 years before he retired. He loves to put sections, categories, genre's in perfect harmony and order. He loves helping people find what they seek. He is the great organizer, the film library decorater, the communicator......I on the other hand, am the film expert. The buyer, the searcher of films from every corner of the globe. The one who writes the brief synopsis on every movie box card, the reviewer who used to find films when I wrote my column in the newspaper. The push-the-envelope guy, who caused the St. Pete Times film critic Steve Purcell, to blush, almost weekly, when we had a Siskel & Ebert television style review show in the early '90's. I'm the one who does not believe in LIMITS. I despise any form of art Censorship. I do not handle "fools" well. If you are someone that is offended by my store, I'm the person who would ask you to leave it, and not to return. Andy Lalino: If you could send a message to potential customers who have not yet visited Unique Video, what would you tell them? Frank Granda, Jr.: First, I'd tell them to check out our web site at: www.myspace.com/uniquevideo. I would then tell them that they have to come to the store, between the hours of 5pm--11pm (we have teaching jobs during the day, so we can't open the store early. Although, the years we did open early, we never had daytime customers. Our customers seem to be of the nocturnal/midnight movie variety.) People MUST spend at least 2 hours looking through the vast selection of rare titles, while INSIDE the store, to truly appreciate how UNIQUE the store REALLY is. There is NO substitution for what you'll find while INSIDE. Andy Lalino: Can you tell us any other interesting facts about UV? Frank Granda, Jr.: Only that you can actually see, and take home to watch, Unique Video compilations on DVD and VHS, showing you scenes from many of the strangest, and most controversial films in the store. These compilation DVD's and Tapes, have scenes from many VERY controversial titles we carry. UNCUT scenes, therefore they are not lent out to minors. They give customers a taste of film titles they never heard of. People are always able to call us at (813) 935-2083 and ask us anything about rare titles. Since the store space is limited, we have 100's of titles in storage, that will be brought in, if you just request them. Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions about Unique Video. It was a pleasure.
All contents of Nolan's Pop Culture Review are ©2007 by Nolan B. Canova.
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