Viva la VHS Revolution!
by Jaden
The home movie question of the 1980s was: VHS or Beta?
In the 1990s, the answer came: DVD.
Want to pinch some pennies and have the movie collection of a millionaire?
VHS players and VHS movies are going to the dumps in truck loads.
For 10 bucks, you can buy someone else’s used VHS player through free online selling sources like Craigslist. 15 bucks will get you a DVD / VHS player combined. For about $20, you can also get a nice television too, which will come along with a few free channels to watch.
At your local thrift stores, you can pick up VHS movies in the range of 25 cents to two dollars.
Many VHS movies may never make their way to DVD. What a shame for you to miss them.
I don’t know about where you live, but in America, our unemployment is rising and so is the cost of gas. Going back to VHS is a really fun and exciting way to save money. Gives you something to do on the weekends: go VHS hunting.
Every night is movie night in my home. Pop some corn, melt some butter, and toss some cinnamon sugar on it… yummmmmm.
So tell me, what is your preference for watching movies at home: VHS, DVD, or Internet download?
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Trivia: See if you can guess which girl I am in this music video by the band VHS or Beta. The song is called, “You Got Me.” Don’t blink!
A special guest star in the video is Alex Ebert, the lead singer of one of my favorite bands, Ima Robot; he plays the delivery man. I credit Alex for bringing the 1980s mullet hairstyle back in the early 2000s; way to go buddy.
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14 Responses to “Viva la VHS Revolution!”
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Are you Mary? Guessing from the drawing a few posts ago.
“Mr. Muzz” (aka Zeke) has been transferring VHS to DVD via some new fangled converter system. Best movie never to make it to DVD in his opinion is “Made in Heaven” — have you seen it?
We usually watch DVDs or the cable channels for movies — haven’t been to too many theaters lately, but the temps are over 90 this week in NY — and the DARK KNIGHT is opening on Friday! :-)
Muzz — Nope, I’m not Mary. (Drawing is slightly glamorized. *wink*)
Yeah, I’m going to get that fangled converter system going too. I think I saw ‘Made in Heaven’ too long ago to remember it; I will seek it during my thrift store hunts.
Good idea. But I just had a garage sale. Where the hell am I gonna put all the VHS tapes?
I do like DVDs because their thin and don’t take up much room. I don’t often buy movies, just rent them. I’m actually thinking of running off to the Hollywood Video tonight because I’m sick of working. I think 7:00 pm is a good time to quit.
I watched the video so many times that the tune is burning into my brain. After the many views and comparing it to the pic of you on my site, I want to say your Alex, but I’m not sure. Are you any of the girls with names?
I prefer DVD or Blu-ray, but BD is too expensive right now to revamp my growing collection.
2 side notes:
Saw THE DARK KNIGHT last night and it was pretty good! The review is going live at 2AM ET….11PM PT?
I was invited to the press junket for Summit Entertainment’s upcoming movie, “Twilight”, at Comic-Con in San Diego, but I had to decline because I would have to get it off from my day job and pay over $1,000 CDN to go and stay a night or two.
SizzlyP - You must have blinked. Ha ha! No, I’m not Alex. Yes, my girl’s character has a name. Too bad I am out of town Comic-Con weekend, or I could cover Twilight for your site. If you want, I can have someone cover it for you? I know some serious comic-film nerds. Just let me know. “Blu-ray, but BD” are new to me, I will have to research them.
Ellen — Agreed, you are not allowed to do this VHS hunting… You just did a good cleaning. VHS are too bulky and ugly, but I have the space at the moment.
My guess after watching the music video that your in, seeing your pic over on SP, and your drawing from your friend Mark…..
…..Are you Katie in the video, and your also shown in the car?!
I still own a JVC VCR….not that I really use it much, but I just can’t do away with it. Sometimes I’ll tape something from the TV, or I’ll watch old things/music videos that I taped from the 80’s and 90’s.
As for my preference for watching movies at home, it would be DVD. Like someone else mentioned, I too rarely buy movies, and usually rent them instead.
I have the original Star Wars trilogy on VHS. 1st edition released on VHS and never been watched. It’s the only video’s I own. I dont even own a video machine! So yes. Much prefer DVD. More value, better quality and less frustration.
I remember years ago watching Field of Dreams with my mom when suddenly the movie froze and the tape melted inside the machine. A simple cheap rental cost us our bloody video machine! It meant no more movies for almost a year. I was close to suicide.
If VHS tapes came with directors commentaries I’d invest like a madwoman. Unfortuantely I’m addicted to the commentaries. I need my fix.
My name is Kel, and I’m a DVD gal.
Just think of what today’s DVD’s and I-phones will cost 20 years from now!
Hmm… I want to play the guess my identity game, but I already know the answer and I wouldn’t want to spoil the fun. 8>P
Sadly, it is much harder to preserve the quality of VHS as the tapes degrade so rapidly over time (unless you keep them in a magnetically shielded vault). As a result, I have to admit, I am a bit of a DVD elitist though I do still have every VHS I ever bought (some of which are nearly unwatchable). I expect the film industry will force the shift to Blu-ray or, more likely, direct download within just a few years anyway. Then we will be lamenting how cheap DVD’s are.
As a side note, dedicated online fan pressure can effectively encourage the release of specific films to DVD. I mean, if Berry Gordy can be convinced by a small group of dedicated fans to release “The Last Dragon” on DVD, anything is possible. Just start an online petition and make it happen!
I guess Sunday screenwriting exercise will have to wait. I’ll check back tomorrow. E
I grew up in a house that was overrun by VHS tapes because my parents owned a video store. And I’m an avid music collector who was constantly irritated by all the space that my cassettes, then CDs took up. Of course, Jaden already knows all this ;)
It’s all about iTunes baby! I’d rather buy two download movies than acquire all that bulk. I spent years trying to downsize all my crap! LOL!
By the way, you can get a Netflix account for about $10 a month and always have a movie at home. Plus, no late fees. I have had nothing but good experiences with Netflix and that way you can save money AND space!
Looks like VHS has been overwhelmingly defeated… again.
Jan — You win! I play Katie in the VHS OR BETA video. Pick your prize.
Norman — I confess, I too have a few Star Wars toys and movies in unopened packages. Per the VSH tape meltdown, I have had a few cheap DVD machine / computer meltdowns.
RJ Keller — Yes, the extra footage on DVDs are excellent like film school; good point.
Friar — 10 cents! I never wanted to buy CDs when they first came out because my friend who studied the technology said that the CDs oxidize in 10-20 years and will lose their information. Not sure they ever fixed that problem; if not, then CDs and DVDs will also have problems. I was happy to sell all my CDs, make hundreds of dollars, and go digital with iTunes. I know someone who has an entire wall covered in the under side of trashed CDs, creates a mirrored wall effect.
The Dweller — Hmmm, what movie should we try to revive next? I’m finding that even the absolute worst movies have already been converted to DVD, the deeper I look into it here.
Melissa — Considering space, I am with ya… Loved my transition to iTunes and getting rid of crates of CDs. Once I tire of my VHS revolution, maybe I will give Netflix a try.
haha!! yeah, it’s unbelievable how cheap the things we payed top dollar for in the past decade are now now! sweet!