Back in the ‘80s when we were all younger, slimmer and had hair (but probably too much) we were all listening to music on vinyl and cassette. We also had no internet and no DVDs. So if we wanted to watch a movie that wasn’t on TV, what did we do? We hopped on our BMX bikes and visited the local video store.

Videos came in big clunky boxes and for a couple of pounds you could own your favourite film for one night! However, you had to take it back the next day AND you had to rewind the tape or you might end up getting a fine. If you were very lucky there might be a leaflet pushed through your door from a man who drove around in a van, carrying dozens of films such as A Nightmare On Elm Street Part 2 – Freddy’s Revenge or Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. But could VHS make a comeback in the same way as vinyl? Can you even still rent or buy a VHS tape?

Pan and Scan

No and yes are the answers to those questions. VHS (Video Home System) emerged in the 1970s and for some years was in a consumer battle with its rival tape format, Betamax. Eventually VHS won the war and through the ‘80s and ‘90s was the dominant force in home video entertainment. By the 21st century the DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) appeared and all but destroyed VHS. The odd shop has still been known to supply blank videos for home taping but buying new titles on VHS is impossible.

With DVD, viewers could finally see crystal clear widescreen movies with surround sound, rather than “pan and scan” cropped fuzzy images in mono. Plus we no longer have to keep adjusting the tracking (remember that?) We also don’t have to endure that moment where the picture wobbled because someone had been pausing that Sharon Stone leg-crossing moment in Basic Instinct or the bit where Tom Cruise goes to the fridge in All the Right Moves.

20th Century Flicks

So what happens if you’re still a fan of the old format? What if you want to purchase or rent video tapes? Obviously you’ll still be able to pick up the odd one on eBay or Amazon but there is still one shop known to rent and sell VHS cassettes and that shop is in Bristol.

Bit of a trek if you live in the Shetland Isles but it’s worth the trip. 20th Century Flicks carries the largest selection of VHS tapes and DVD discs for rental. There are literally thousands of titles to choose from. While the DVDs understandably get most of the attention, they do still rent out a couple of VHS titles each week. It’s a good job they don’t have to rely purely on the tape rental market. So why couldn’t VHS make a comeback in the same way vinyl has?

Vinyl Revival

The reason vinyl still has a cult following is down to the sound quality. Purists still believe that vinyl has a richer, warmer sound than CDs or digital downloads. The same cannot be said for VHS. The image and sound of VHS is pretty abysmal in comparison with DVDs, Blu-Ray and the like of Netflix. Any affection we have for VHS is purely the memories attached to our childhood jaunts to the video store, having a Star Wars marathon on a wet Saturday as we put off doing our homework. For the time being, VHS is definitely all played out. And this time we won’t be hitting rewind.

If you want to see an interview with the proprietors of 20th Century Flicks in Bristol, click here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-30953306

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