Thoughts on Retro VHS Packaging? - Blu-ray Forum

tqmilymi · 01-17-2019, 03:33 PM

Born in the 1970's I remember VHS packaging. I thought the first season of Stranger Things on Blu-ray did it well. The second season did, too--but I was disappointed that it used a different style.

These latest Mill Creek releases look cool but I was hoping for more than a slipcover. Anyone else have thoughts on Retro VHS Packaging?

Monterey Jack · 01-17-2019, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tqmilymi

Anyone else have thoughts on Retro VHS Packaging?

A few...

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...&highlight=vhs

tqmilymi · 01-17-2019, 03:38 PM

Mods, feel free to close or delete this thread. I searched but didn't see anything. Apparently there are previous, similar posts.

Ruined · 01-17-2019, 06:37 PM

Stupid gimmick

If you want a vhs buy a vhs

phobicsquirrel · 01-17-2019, 08:35 PM

Never saw the point in it.

anthonyls · 01-17-2019, 08:40 PM

I hate it. I've got over 1000 movies in my collection and refuse to buy anything with bulky packaging. What I need are slimmer cases to hold my movies, not larger ones.

Phillip c. Niethe · 01-17-2019, 08:55 PM

Mostly hate this except for Stranger Things box sets. I don't usually display my 4k collection as art but both seasons are displayed on my shelf and I quite Love them. Wish the insides had regular disc hubs instead of the weird foam stack posts.

Gargus · 01-17-2019, 08:56 PM

I don't care about packaging at all. The only time I see it is when I take the box off the shelf to take the disc out or put it back in. What do I care what the box art looks like? Has nothing to do with the movie itself.

TripleHBK · 01-17-2019, 09:08 PM

I like it and think it's a cool way to spruce up a release. It's clearly not going to be for everyone but for folks that grew up in the video store era throw back editions like this are a fun cost effective way to enjoy where the home video market came from. I wouldn't want them for every single release, but when it makes sense, I appreciate seeing stuff like this as a part of deluxe editions and such.

Poya · 01-17-2019, 09:46 PM

They made it so that the VHS comes out of the side than from the bottom, because... nostalgia?

RossD · 01-17-2019, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poya

They made it so that the VHS comes out of the side than from the bottom, because... nostalgia?

Practicality. VHS was a thinner shape. This way, well not true to most store VHS tapes, the design fits perfectly. Plus most all blank VHS tapes were side loading anyway...

AKORIS · 01-17-2019, 10:00 PM

I'm still not 100% sure how these retro packages look.... are they exactly the same size as a regular blu ray with a slip cover?

If I had a row of slip cover blu rays and I put one of these in the middle, would it look normal or out of place?

RCRochester · 01-17-2019, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AKORIS

I'm still not 100% sure how these retro packages look.... are they exactly the same size as a regular blu ray with a slip cover?

If I had a row of slip cover blu rays and I put one of these in the middle, would it look normal or out of place?

The Mill Creek and MVD are just regular slipcovers with designs that look like old rental VHS covers.

The Universal ones are actual big bulky clamshell boxes like the old Disney VHS tapes used to come in.

The Great Owl · 01-17-2019, 10:24 PM

The retro VHS covers speak volumes about what the labels think of the target audience for physical media releases.

They're a fun gimmick, though.

crissrudd4554 · 01-17-2019, 10:32 PM

If they were styled after the actual VHS covers which in most cases they’re not I may appreciate it more. Because it’s simply VHS ‘styled’ it makes me lose my interest with it.

StingingVelvet · 01-17-2019, 11:14 PM

Kind of cheesy and couldn't care less. Honestly all I want is everything in a solid elite case with original poster art on the front. Arrow, Kino and Shout do that, wish everyone did.

El_Fez · 01-17-2019, 11:15 PM

The "Tape half way out" design just looks stupid to me - why is the tape sticking out and why is it out the side?

The big clamshell ones look better, but take up WAAAAY too much space on the shelf.

The best way is either how they did it for 976-EVIL, where the case simulated the look and wear of a VHS without the tape sticking out or something like what Severin did with Blood Farmers, where it incorporated elements of VHS design into the cover.

halloween5309 · 01-17-2019, 11:21 PM

i love it, but i don't own any yet, most of the titles I wanted with vhs cover have no subs

filmbuffTX · 01-17-2019, 11:34 PM

The Walmart VHS style packaging is just a special slipcover with the standard artwork underneath. The majority of those catalog titles never originally came with slipcovers. So really they are just a bonus and shouldn’t be a reason for anyone to not buy the movie. I only bought movies in that style which I didn’t already own; with the exception of a couple of all time favorites like Home Alone and The Sandlot.

I saw the Target-Universal Studios VHS clamshell packaging in person and it looked and felt really cheap to me. Big bulky thin cheap plastic. The Stranger Things VHS packaging is MUCH nicer in comparison.

tallrichard · 01-17-2019, 11:41 PM

The ones where it's actually a designed case are ok.

The ones where it's just a faceplate? That is a cheezy ripoff!

I owned a video store in the 1980s-2000s and many cases had been cut and put into a clamshell since we didn't have affordable protective packaging for many cases. The slipcase was a saving grace because it allowed up to proctect the artwork...it didn't become available until the early 90s.

01-17-2019, 03:33 PM	#1
tqmilymi Special Member Top contributor Member since:Dec 2007 Location:Maryland Home Theater Gallery:7 4K collection:509 Blu-ray collection:1558 DVD collection:212 Digital collection:1864 iTunes collection:57 Prime collection:31 Trading Score:140	Thoughts on Retro VHS Packaging? Born in the 1970's I remember VHS packaging. I thought the first season of Stranger Things on Blu-ray did it well. The second season did, too--but I was disappointed that it used a different style. These latest Mill Creek releases look cool but I was hoping for more than a slipcover. Anyone else have thoughts on Retro VHS Packaging?

01-17-2019, 06:37 PM	#4
Ruined Blu-ray Baron Top contributor Member since:Sep 2009 Blu-ray collection:1 Trading Score:1	Stupid gimmick If you want a vhs buy a vhs Last edited by Ruined; 01-18-2019 at 02:05 PM.

01-17-2019, 09:08 PM	#9
TripleHBK Blu-ray Duke Top contributor Member since:Aug 2012 Location:Lincoln, NE Home Theater Gallery:52 4K collection:249 Blu-ray collection:3649 DVD collection:742 Blu-ray reviews: 17 Trading Score:47	I like it and think it's a cool way to spruce up a release. It's clearly not going to be for everyone but for folks that grew up in the video store era throw back editions like this are a fun cost effective way to enjoy where the home video market came from. I wouldn't want them for every single release, but when it makes sense, I appreciate seeing stuff like this as a part of deluxe editions and such. Last edited by TripleHBK; 01-18-2019 at 03:29 AM.

01-17-2019, 03:38 PM	#3
tqmilymi Special Member Top contributor Member since:Dec 2007 Location:Maryland Home Theater Gallery:7 4K collection:509 Blu-ray collection:1558 DVD collection:212 Digital collection:1864 iTunes collection:57 Prime collection:31 Trading Score:140	Mods, feel free to close or delete this thread. I searched but didn't see anything. Apparently there are previous, similar posts.

01-17-2019, 08:35 PM	#5
phobicsquirrel Banned Member since:Jan 2011	Never saw the point in it.

01-17-2019, 08:40 PM	#6
anthonyls Power Member Member since:Nov 2008 Location:Portland, OR Blu-ray reviews:3 Trading Score:44	I hate it. I've got over 1000 movies in my collection and refuse to buy anything with bulky packaging. What I need are slimmer cases to hold my movies, not larger ones.

01-17-2019, 08:55 PM	#7
Phillip c. Niethe Blu-ray Guru Member since:Jul 2015 Location:DARK CITY… in search of Shell Beach 4K collection:391 Blu-ray collection:391 Blu-ray reviews: 1 Trading Score:13	Mostly hate this except for Stranger Things box sets. I don't usually display my 4k collection as art but both seasons are displayed on my shelf and I quite Love them. Wish the insides had regular disc hubs instead of the weird foam stack posts.

01-17-2019, 08:56 PM	#8
Gargus Expert Member Member since:Jan 2014	I don't care about packaging at all. The only time I see it is when I take the box off the shelf to take the disc out or put it back in. What do I care what the box art looks like? Has nothing to do with the movie itself.

01-17-2019, 09:46 PM	#10
Poya Blu-ray Baron Member since:Jun 2011 Location:NY, NY 4K collection:1 Blu-ray collection:2 Trading Score:12	They made it so that the VHS comes out of the side than from the bottom, because... nostalgia?

01-17-2019, 10:00 PM	#12
AKORIS Blu-ray Prince Member since:Jul 2008 Location:Beautiful Pacific Northwest 4K collection:662 Blu-ray collection:3656 Blu-ray reviews:19	I'm still not 100% sure how these retro packages look.... are they exactly the same size as a regular blu ray with a slip cover? If I had a row of slip cover blu rays and I put one of these in the middle, would it look normal or out of place?

01-17-2019, 10:24 PM	#14
The Great Owl Blu-ray Archduke Member since:Dec 2012 Location:Georgia 4K collection:921 Blu-ray collection:6029 DVD collection:28 Blu-ray reviews: 255 Trading Score:6	The retro VHS covers speak volumes about what the labels think of the target audience for physical media releases. They're a fun gimmick, though.

01-17-2019, 10:32 PM	#15
crissrudd4554 Blu-ray Samurai Member since:May 2013	If they were styled after the actual VHS covers which in most cases they’re not I may appreciate it more. Because it’s simply VHS ‘styled’ it makes me lose my interest with it.

01-17-2019, 11:14 PM	#16
StingingVelvet Blu-ray Grand Duke Member since:Jan 2014 Location:Philadelphia, PA 4K collection:849 Blu-ray collection:2329 DVD collection:111 Digital collection:12 Trading Score:69	Kind of cheesy and couldn't care less. Honestly all I want is everything in a solid elite case with original poster art on the front. Arrow, Kino and Shout do that, wish everyone did.

01-17-2019, 11:15 PM	#17
El_Fez Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Oct 2012 Location:Funkytown 4K collection:49 Blu-ray collection:1923 DVD collection:405 Trading Score:9	The "Tape half way out" design just looks stupid to me - why is the tape sticking out and why is it out the side? The big clamshell ones look better, but take up WAAAAY too much space on the shelf. The best way is either how they did it for 976-EVIL, where the case simulated the look and wear of a VHS without the tape sticking out or something like what Severin did with Blood Farmers, where it incorporated elements of VHS design into the cover.

01-17-2019, 11:21 PM	#18
halloween5309 Blu-ray Guru Member since:Jan 2012	i love it, but i don't own any yet, most of the titles I wanted with vhs cover have no subs

01-17-2019, 11:34 PM	#19
filmbuffTX Blu-ray Duke Top contributor Member since:May 2015 4K collection:267 Blu-ray collection:6361 DVD collection:2270 Digital collection:1617 Blu-ray reviews: 2 Trading Score:16	The Walmart VHS style packaging is just a special slipcover with the standard artwork underneath. The majority of those catalog titles never originally came with slipcovers. So really they are just a bonus and shouldn’t be a reason for anyone to not buy the movie. I only bought movies in that style which I didn’t already own; with the exception of a couple of all time favorites like Home Alone and The Sandlot. I saw the Target-Universal Studios VHS clamshell packaging in person and it looked and felt really cheap to me. Big bulky thin cheap plastic. The Stranger Things VHS packaging is MUCH nicer in comparison.

01-17-2019, 11:41 PM	#20
tallrichard Expert Member Top contributor Member since:Apr 2014 Location:Charleston, SC Blu-ray collection:12 MA collection:2943 Digital collection:4357 iTunes collection:3446 Prime collection:3475 Blu-ray reviews: 1	The ones where it's actually a designed case are ok. The ones where it's just a faceplate? That is a cheezy ripoff! I owned a video store in the 1980s-2000s and many cases had been cut and put into a clamshell since we didn't have affordable protective packaging for many cases. The slipcase was a saving grace because it allowed up to proctect the artwork...it didn't become available until the early 90s.

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