Melbourne cinema closed for over 200 days brings back old school tradition

Hiring a movie from a video store is almost a distant memory, but one theatre in Victoria is bringing the tradition back.

A video library is being run at the front of the Elsternwick Classic in Melbourne, with locals able to pick up a movie for free or swap one if they'd like.

With its doors having been closed for more than 200 days, the family-run cinema wanted to engage film buffs in a different way by bringing back the nostalgia of a video store.

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Manager Benji Tamir said the initiative brought back memories of "spending hours" in video stores while browsing through films.

"Walking through aisles, looking at covers, picking it up, putting it down, hiring five or six," Mr Tamir said.

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