Dead Video











Monday - Closed
Tuesday - Closed
Wednesday - Closed
Thursday - 12.00pm - 5.00pm
Friday - 10.00am - 6.30pm
Saturday - 9.00am - 3.00pm
Sunday - 10.00am - 2.00pm
Once upon a time, circa 1990, video stores were the cornerstone of every suburb. Often gargantuan pieces of real estate in pride of place with a golden glean only akin to these stores. It was a special time but one that has almost vanished. Luckily, we can still cling to a Blockbuster-esque nostalgia fix. Dead Video in Christchurch's port suburb of Lyttelton, is open for business.
Owner Evan Kiddey has transformed an old barber’s shop into a wall-to-wall homage to cinema. Mountains of magnificent movies to rent – just like the good ol’ days. And to put into context how rare this is, there are only two other DVD rental joints left in Canterbury.
Inside Dead Video you’ll find over 2,500 DVDs to rent (all from Evan’s personal collection), a selection of DVDs to buy, and a bespoke collection of VHS tapes to hire if that’s your jam. Think Thrillers to Anime, True Story to Sci-fi – we recommend you leave plenty of time to browse. If you’re afraid you’ve booted out your VHS player along with the framed photo of your ex, no sweat, Evan can rent you a player too. Now you can rewind your favourite parts of Big Trouble in Little China to your heart's content or sit back and reminisce with local 80s movie The Quiet Earth starring the inimitable Bruno Lawrence.
Be sure to get utterly lost in all the cinematic memorabilia, vintage comics, curios and collectors cards. There’s everything from original Transformers to Star Wars lego, figurines from recent cult favourites like Stranger Things and Game of Thrones to original Simpsons trading cards. It’s all rounded off with a healthy dose of 80s paraphernalia - a couple of mint Sony walkmans, a home camcorder and retro polaroid camera. This place comes with a hefty Advisory Warning: you’ll want to buy it all.
So if you’re wondering, did streaming kill the video star?? Well, not quite, thanks to neat people like Evan at Dead Video.
Words by Kelly Tapper & Photography by Nancy Zhou
Information not correct? Report an error
Location
56 London Street, Lyttelton, Christchurch
Nearby Places
SUPER

Lyttelton’s Asian-fusion eatery, SUPER, is nothing short of what the name suggests.
Mapu

Hidden down a small lane on Lyttelton's main drag, you'll find one of Christchurch's best-kept dining secrets. There is no signage, no walk-ins, no hours and no menu.
Lyttelton Coffee Company

A quirky place humming with activity, this place is home to a coffee roastery and a cafe big on sustainability, community and authentic fare.
Bomba

Bomba on Lyttelton’s bustling London Street celebrates two of Italy’s greatest gifts to the culinary world… pizza and gelato.
Similar Places
Marmaduke Shoppe

Sitting pretty within the Tannery, Marmaduke Shoppe is one of those rare interior stores that is so beautifully curated that it takes a while to realise each piece within...
Embassy

Peruse the likes of Adidas, Vans, Element, and Lower’s latest lines all stocked in store, or choose from more than 50 other international and New Zealand brands.
Canterbury Museum

It’s exciting times for Canterbury Museum as a major five-year redevelopment is now underway at its Rolleston Avenue site. In the meantime, a pop-up a few blocks away serves as a temporary museum space.
Mediterranean Foods

Down the industrial eastern end of Tuam Street in an old brickery is a secluded slice of Italy.