Couch time

Veg out with movie rentals that transcend the mainstream

by Laura Biringer

So you're still recovering from the Thanksgiving feast, and all you wanna do is sit on the couch and watch Blue Velvet for the 17th time. Or you've got a date this weekend, and you're looking for that perfect slasher video to bring you and your honey closer together. Maybe you'd prefer a Japanese martial-arts flick, or perhaps some vintage porn to spice up your evening?

Whatever your taste -- from European horror to documentaries to new releases -- you'll find just the right movie at Video Oasis Ltd. in East Cambridge. Nestled in a row of restaurants and shops on Cambridge Street, Video Oasis is a mecca for independent films and all things rare or unusual in the world of videos.

Owner Dennis Arruda has been offering a vast array of impossible-to-find-anywhere-else titles to the anti-Hollywood video connoisseur for over 16 years, and his collection is truly amazing. "I've got more variety than anybody," Arruda says. "People who work at Hollywood Express and other video stores come here to get videos their stores don't carry."

Hundreds of classic-horror, B-horror, and "European sleaze" films will slake your thirst for gore, with titles ranging from the mainstream Chucky films to the Evil Dead series (there's even a copy of Snuff -- the 1970s movie that purported to be an actual snuff film but was probably a hoax). The martial-arts selection is unparalleled in the city, and Arruda stocks a great range of war documentaries, anime, Disney classics, and even new releases.

And if you're looking for a good porn video for the night, you're sure to find something of interest among Video Oasis's 13,000-plus titles. Dozens of films from Something Weird Video line one wall, including the always-interesting Bizarre Sex series. If that's a little much for you, check out the "traditional" porn videos catalogued in the black binders, or the Playboy videos on the wall.

Don't bother searching for a film alphabetically, however. The roughly 34,000 titles here are arranged by genre and by studio. If you can't find a film, just ask. Arruda knows the place inside and out.

The prices will rival Blockbuster's any day: older titles cost $5 for 3 days, while new movies will set you back $3.50 for 3 days. For $21 you can get a lifetime membership and enjoy rentals for $1 less than regular cost.

Video Oasis Ltd., 543 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, (617) 547-3740. Hours are Monday through Saturday from noon to 10 p.m., and on Sunday from 1 to 8 p.m.

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