“These films are low on dialogue, but involve a lot of fighting,” he explained.
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U Tun, owner of a movie rental store in Botahtaung, likes to call these videos “rustic movies” because they typically appeal to rural audiences rather than city audiences. Nay Htoo Naing has been described as Myanmar’s ‘Chuck Norris’, starring in films showcasing his fighting and martial arts skills. Of all the film genres offered in Ko Win Zaw’s store, he says the action genre is the most popular, with Nay Htoo Naing’s films being in high demand. I started watching more documentary films, ”he said, referring to the content he accesses on YouTube. Sometimes these are really absurd movies, and the acting is overkill. “The public doesn’t really benefit from our films. U Sein Kyaing says he has also broadened his viewing habits and is watching less locally produced videos than before. Sometimes we had to wait a few days if there was a movie we really wanted to see, but now it’s a lot easier to see. “Even though it was my friend’s store, we often argued about the titles. U Sein Kyaing, who was once a regular customer of Ko Win Zaw’s store, says he likes having more choice in terms of the movies he watches, but also misses the old days of the crowded rental store. But now owners like Ko Win Zaw have become more selective about which movies they choose to buy – typically only 2 or 3 new releases per week. When the demand for VCDs was good, rental store owners were not shy about spending money on the latest productions.
A film with actor Dwe, for example, would cost 4000K, while a film by Lu Min would bring in 800K per disc. Ko Win Zaw has to pay around K 150,000 per month to purchase the rental rights for the videos, with films featuring famous actors attracting a higher amount. Although he never borrowed money to run the business, he managed to keep the store going through all of the industry’s technological disruptions. He decided to open the rental business after seeing actor Kyaw Hein in the movie A Kyway (“The Debt”). Ko Win Zaw (not her real name) runs a rental store on Kyun Taw Road in Sanchaung, and although he makes less money than when he opened 20 years ago, he still manages to cover his expenses. Some rental store owners are also committed to their business and continue to rent the latest local releases to a loyal consumer base. Some enjoy the old-fashioned rental business in their neighborhoods. Accessible through their app, with a premium service charge of $ 4 per month, the Mahar streams Thai and Burmese movies to local audiences.ĭespite the many technological changes, the video library remains a preferred option for many Myanmar moviegoers – especially those without a reliable internet connection.
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Mahar is more like a digital entertainment provider, offering movies, TV shows and even Dhamma services to Burmese viewers – provided subscribers have an internet connection. While international streaming services like Hulu and Netflix have gained market share in Myanmar over the past 10 years, so have region-focused services like Mahar. Skipping the mandatory military propaganda messages, the youngest family member would be tasked with changing the record halfway through the film.īut as more and more local movies are uploaded and shared online, through websites like YouTube, the VCD-DVD rental store is in decline. In a typical family home, different generations gathered around the television to watch a rental VCD. In these stores, “I ordered it first” and “Please return it as soon as possible” sounds can be heard as customers compete for the best movies to watch for the weekend. In the suburbs, video libraries rented their VCDs – much like Blockbuster Video franchises abroad, but without the computer databases, barcode scanners and ice creams.
The VCD packages themselves never exceeded K1000 and would be sold alongside overseas-produced nature documentaries, crime thrillers, comedies, and even overseas-produced pornography. Some street vendors had agreements with their customers, allowing them to rent videos for a lower price. It was the heyday of video in Myanmar, before the internet took over the world – and, much later, Myanmar too. It was the time before locally produced reality TV, when the only competition for eyeballs was Korean midweek drama and Premier League football weekend. Friends and family would gather at a designated house to watch some action or romance filmed on laphet thote (tea leaf salad).
Despite the quality, movie night was a highlight of the week in the typical Myanmar family home.