>When they started porting movies and TV to VHS tapes (and DVDs now), I thought I could finally lay my hands on some nearly forgotten things I'd like to see again. I remember the names of the TV shows, the times of broadcasts, the channel, so I thought I would be able to order a copy. Never happened, that I know of. The VHS as a medium turned out to be worse than a movie, in the ways it limits your choice. An odd, non-commercial movie may still turn up in a small movie, specially if there's a film festival or university in your area. The same movie would never show up in Hollywood Video or Blockbuster. And ordering anything from the world's heritage? Unthinkable, unless it's made in Hollywood. Just getting the best movies of the year's world festivals is nearly impossible - try best ten European movies for 2002, and if you find more tha two, try Asian or African.
>You may be more lucky with buying, though - I have bought Cimino's "Heaven's gate", even though I never met anyone here who remembered hearing about it, not to mention saw it.
>

Living in a bigger city helps a lot. Potomac Video, a Washington area chain, will have two or three bookcases full of foreign films and a British comedy section in a typical store.

I don't buy new recorded movies or TV shows much, but it probably helps to know of certain specialized sources. One source that I do know is Trash Palace, which is at www.trashpalace.com and carries old B movies. That probably isn't what you are looking for, but it's an example.

By the way, I know about Trash Palace not because I watch a lot of women-in-prison movies but because I am acquainted with the owner.

If you really want to be Mr. International, and if you don't need subtitles, get a multi-system VCR (or multi-system DVD player, if such exists) and start digging in Europe.

I have a couple of friends I could ask about where to find stuff.

>Cable TV was supposed to bring choice and a multitude of channels, and the blossoming of the local TV, because now you didn't have to build or rent a network of repeaters to cover the territory. Which actually happened, except for the choice. You can't choose channels, you choose packages. I once asked Adelphia why aren't there channels a la cart, why can't I choose which channels do I want and which I don't. The answer was "it would be more expensive that way".

Some of those channels probably cost you very little.