In 1976, the President of Victor Company of Japan introduced the JVC HR-3300, the world’s first VCR that used VHS as its format. As a result, a new age of home video was ushered in, one that would maintain a strong hold on our market for two decades before it would begin its steady decline in the mid-90’s thanks to the DVD and, eventually, Blu-ray. As digital home media grew stronger and stronger, the need for VCR’s began to wane as many people simply abandoned the format.
This month marks the final breathes of the iconic machine as Funai Electric, the world’s last manufacturer of VCRs, has announced that they are ceasing production of all units due to declining sales and difficulty finding the necessary parts for construction, according to MentalFloss.
I remember watching movies all the time on VHS. It was a ritual when I was 16 that I would rent movies for the family (I had clearance in the system to rent ‘R’ films) and we’d gather around the TV to watch something fun. I’d always get some horror title that had been watched so many times that I’d have to spend 10-15 minutes on adjusting the tracking to get the best quality possible.
I also remember that my favorite Hanukkah gift was when I got Jurassic Park on VHS. God, I watched that movie so many times. The same thing when I got Gremlins and Gremlins 2: The New Batch. I have so many memories associated with VHS that it’s actually a little heartbreaking to hear this news. I knew it was coming but that doesn’t make it any less shitty to hear.
Rest in peace, VCR. Thanks for all the good times.