The Greatest Home Video Releases of All-Time

[Ernest Rister]

No Rankings, just entries...add your own.

1980's
Star Wars airs as a pay event on Cable systems throughout America, spiking sales of VCRs. Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark come to VHS, Videodisc, and Beta, causing further jumps in sales of home video players.

Disney decides to release Pinocchio on home video, breaking a decades-old tradition of reserving certain titles for theaters only. Although the title is priced close to $100, it becomes a major seller and a huge success in the rental market. The most lucrative home video franchise in history takes a major step forward. The title also includes the trailer for "The Black Cauldron", beginning a practice of using home video to hype a new release still in use at Disney to this day.

An American Tale comes to video at "sell-through" prices, and becomes a smash, with units sold in grocery stores. The success of this title causes Disney to respond by re-investing in its Animation unit, resulting in The Little Mermaid, and all that followed.

LATE 80's
The creation of Laserdisc leads to the formation of The Criterion Collection, with classic films streeting on home video with extensive bonus features. The original cut of Close Encounters of the Third Kind and acclaimed releases of Citizen Kane, Singin' in the Rain, The Seven Samurai, 2001, and others quickly follow.

The import market allows Americans to see films not yet available in the United States. A late-80's laserdisc release of Song of the South becomes a major import seller leading to countless bootlegs.

EARLY 90's
James Cameron releases an alternate version of Aliens on laserdisc. While director cuts and alternate cuts were not new to home video, the expanded cut becomes a sensation, leading to the even grander release of The Abyss, as well as paving the way for alternate cuts of Blade Runner, JFK, Wyatt Earp...the modern "expanded version" movement on home video is born.

**I'm going to keep expanding this post...more to come and add your own below**