FILM CULTURE SCENE “Nostalgic Joy for Everyone Who Digs Cinema” Exploring Mondo Video! with Film Buff Anthony Sant’Anselmo By Den i s e K. Jame s E ven in today’s digital world, the joy of a well-curated col- lection is not lost on Anthony Sant’Anselmo, whose basement treasury, known as Mondo Video!, is a testament to his love for art and cinema. Georgia Hollywood Mondo Kideo
novels in the thriller or horror genres, but scripts are usually comedies or comedy/horror. It’s funny; I was showing Genevieve LeDoux—a lifelong friend and brilliant writer/producer here in Atlanta—my progress in the video store and shared my plans to have a Culinary Horror movie section in the basement’s kitchen. When I said movies like Attack of the Killer Tomatoes would be proudly displayed in this area, she gave me a writing assignment: to write the reboot for Attack of the Killer Tomatoes ! Which she was also producing! I was so honored. She knew my work prior to knighting me as the writer—it wasn’t just because I had an idea to extend the video store by putting
Review caught up with him for a chat, and, trust us, the conversation will make you nostalgic for the past—but, as you’ll read, enthusiastic about the future, too. After all, true art is immortal. GHR: EXPLAIN THE HISTORY AND CONCEPT BEHIND MONDO VIDEO. SANT’ANSELMO: Before corporate chains came along, video stores had their own
unique look and really celebrat- ed films. Since we now live in a streaming world, I’ve been missing those indie shops that were a great experience for me growing up— they were cinematic libraries that communities shared. I grew up on the West Coast, where basements weren’t a thing. Once I found myself on the East Coast with a basement in our house,
food-related horror films in the kitchen—although, I’d still be super stoked if I gained the gig off the latter... WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS? Aside from celebrating the video store era through our social media pages, I’ve writ- ten the first season for Mondo Video! as an episodic comedy
Main floor
Culinary Section
Secret Bookshelf
I do recall that when Blockbusters started popping up all around town, people were pretty excited—and at the time, I didn’t understand what it ultimately meant for the independent stores. Don’t get me wrong; I do have some happy memories at Blockbuster and Hollywood Video, but it was never the same. WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL FAVORITE MOVIES? My all-time favorite movie is Dawn of the Dead from 1978—and even though the biggest selection in Mondo Video! is the horror section, I often find myself throwing in ‘70s or ‘80s comedies. Some of my favorites are The Jerk, Beverly Hills Cop , Arthur, and Murphy’s Romance . YOU MENTIONED YOU’RE A WRITER. CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THAT? I’ve been doing lip sync animation on the show South Park for the last 19 years, which is based in Los Angeles, but I am now working remotely. We work seasonally, so that frees up time for my other projects: writing screenplays and novels. I almost always write
I knew it was an opportunity to try and do something creative and fun. As a writer, I wanted the space to be inspiring every time I went down there to work, so I strived to create my dream video store. Ultimately, it be- came a ska-infused, “back-alley” ‘80s mom & pop video shop with secret doorways and a cheesy adult movie sec- tion. As a massive movie fan, I treated the build as if it were a movie set and attempted to create a time warp. Any friend who visits is immediately transported to a place that is dedicated to fun, creativity, and the 1980s. SHARE WHAT YOUR EARLY VIDEO STORE SHOPPING EXPERIENCES WERE LIKE. We had a store called The Movie Mart in the San Fernando Valley, a suburb of Los Angeles, and my friends and I would ride our bikes there. This was all pre-Block- buster Video, and this shop really celebrated their horror section. I always gravitated to the creative (and some- times graphic!) cover art that those VHS tapes displayed. I think going to a strict religious school coupled with a mom who forbade anything horror-related really in- creased my interest in the genre.
series, so we will be shooting those in 2022. The whole goal is to bring nostalgic joy to everyone who digs cin- ema. And there’s a lot to celebrate and multiple avenues to explore. DO YOU BELIEVE TODAY’S FAST-GRAB YOUNGER GENERATION CAN LEARN TO APPRECIATE OLDER TECHNOLOGIES? Absolutely. I think it’s pretty fascinating when I see kids who were born in the digital age actually collect VHS tapes and appreciate the bygone era, living their lives through ‘80s aesthetics. Streamer throwbacks such as Stranger Things and Fear Street have helped bridge that interest, and I think that desire for something tangible is stronger than ever: something we didn’t think much of during its heyday, since most everything was tangible then. But some of us miss it now.
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