There is a specific aesthetic that I have never been able to see anywhere else outside of Figueiredo’s. The no-cover movies had the store cover with gray and pink art deco accents and the pegasus that was found almost everywhere in the store, from the store logo to the neon signs above the art house section. The Broadway font was found in almost all the signage, even when it wasn’t necessary. Before the closing announcement, there were clay masks of Hollywood icons like James Dean, Ginger Rogers, and the main characters of The Wizard of Oz (my boyfriend managed to by the one extra Lion mask before it was gone). Some movie posters circulated but a few stayed for many years like the Michael Hoffman production of A Midsummer’s Night Dream and many promotional signs for Disney’s Fantasia. A lot of mirrored surfaces, an overt but subtle nod to the art deco inspiration. Glittering blue and silver merry-go-round horses circle around the children and family section. There was a really tiny area next to the TV series with a curtain and a sign above saying “21 and Older Only” (it was porn).
When I was little, on Friday’s children’s tapes were free for a one day rental. Fridays also meant free popcorn. My parents would bring me along to rent movies. I don’t know since when, long before I started kindergarten. This place was a constant for me, and I’ll probably won’t stop complaining for a while.
Watch This or Watch That 