Address: 4320 SE Belmont St
Pricing: Museum is free, Rentals are inexpensive
Phone: (503) 234-4363
Hours: Sun.-Thurs: 10:00am-11:00pm; Fri.-Sat.: 10:00am-12:00am
How To Get There:
From downtown Portland:
1. Take the Morrison Bridge
2. Continue onto SE Belmont St
3. Slight right to stay on SE Belmont St
Movie Madness will be on your left.
By public transit:
TriMet Bus #15 runs down Belmont Street. A stop is located right outside the main entrance to Movie Madness.
Parking:Lot and street parking are available
Visit Website
Movie Madness: Doubling as Historic Hollywood Museum
Jul 10, 2010
At Movie Madness, you not only get a choice of great movies, but can also take a look at vintage artifacts from decades of the silver screen. The store has a homey feel with a large local following. Movie Madness shows why when other chain stores are going out of business, it continues to be busy.
Located off of Belmont St. in southeast Portland, Movie Madness is a must-stop for Portland residents. Their large selection offers an array of choices. From the latest blockbusters to obscure foreign language films, chances are they have what you are looking for.
Movie Madness can be quite busy on weekends and weekday nights with the checkout line snaking down the aisle. However, this large store never makes you feel cramped. If you want to avoid the long check-out line, try to come during off-peak hours.
First opened in 1991, Movie Madness now boasts over 70,000 titles and you can get lost trying to find the perfect choice. Be aware that their movie filing system can be tricky. Movies are listed by genre, director, or even lead actor. With this in mind, be sure to ask up front or use their computer if you cannot find what you are looking for.
One of the best features of this store is the movie museum. The museum features over 100 historic Hollywood items which range from the knife in the classic movie Psycho to a dress worn in Godfather II. Each little item played a part in some of the biggest movies of the last century. Many of them are on display to your left when you are in line to rent your next movie.
While many stores rent movies, Movie Madness is different. Instead of just offering the latest and greatest movies, the store stands as a testament to the power of cinema. With historic artifacts, rare films, and helpful staff, chances are you will see something new before leaving.
HelloPortland Tip: Searching for a rare title, but not sure if they have it? Try their online movie library, which will tell if they carry the title and where in the store you can find it.
- by William Crane, Portland Reporter for HelloMetro
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William CraneWilliam Crane is an accomplished print and online journalist (http://www.william-crane.com) His work covers a variety of topics including features, local community news, sports, music, and political/social issues.
Graduating from Seattle University with a B.A. in Journalism, William's writing has appeared in a variety of different publications including the Stranger, Capitol Hill Times, the Skanner, Backfire Magazine, and the Internationalist.
