The Video Home System, or VCR, came along in the late 1970s, providing access to film and television shows on a new smaller and longer format of media. Of course, by today’s standards of Blu-Rays and streaming, VHS leaves a lot to be desired in picture and audio quality, not to mention the fact that you had to rewind every time you finished the video. But for some reason, the vertical box, the black tape, and the sound of the heads spinning up have some nostalgic appeal for me.
I started collecting some VHS tapes in the past year or so, mostly driven by inebriated eBay sprees of irony. I also found a pretty nice CRT on the side of the road during a pizza delivery one night, so matching up a mint condition VCR with that and some classic films is a fun trip. Somehow, it’s caught the eye of my students too, whether because of its alien-like technology or just a testament to how things have changed.
For now, here are a few of the random films we have in the classroom. These are periodically on, whether for some background noise or entertainment while writing or editing. Surround yourself with art while creating, it’s a good motivator… right? (or just a good excuse to watch movies more!)