Thoughts on Retro VHS Packaging?

[crissrudd4554]

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]

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]

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.

[andyman1970]

Personally I don't mind the slipcovers, but those big ugly clamshell cases are a pass for me.

[AFFanAttic]

Originally Posted by RCRochester

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.

Originally Posted by andyman1970

Personally I don't mind the slipcovers, but those big ugly clamshell cases are a pass for me.

Can anyone please point to some of these clamshell style titles? I know of the slipcover designs of course, and the Stranger Things releases, but I don't know what these Universal clamshell boxes are.

I sort of liked the idea of these VHS slipcovers when I first started seeing pictures of them. I almost wanted to get the Halloween 6 one, but I didn't want to go hunting at a Wal-Mart for it. If I spot it anywhere, I'll probably get it.
But the idea has kind of quickly run thin. Above all else, it just feels like cynical studio pandering. A half-step away from artless mondo covers.

[RCRochester]

Originally Posted by AFFanAttic

Can anyone please point to some of these clamshell style titles? I know of the slipcover designs of course, and the Stranger Things releases, but I don't know what these Universal clamshell boxes are.

A user on the Canadian Deals thread posted a picture of them.

I believe they are Target exclusives in the United States.

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...ostcount=16248

[AFFanAttic]

Originally Posted by RCRochester

A user on the Canadian Deals thread posted a picture of them.

I believe they are Target exclusives in the United States.

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...ostcount=16248

Ooh cool. I had not seen those before. ::sob:: I think I like them.

[halloween5309]

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

[filmbuffTX]

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]

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.

[Monterey Jack]

Originally Posted by tallrichard

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

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

^ This.

[ditcin]

Hate it.

[Brian81]

I would like these if they got rid of the "stickers" and the VHS tape showing on the side. Then they'd look like actual VHS covers, which usually were poster art...and clean looking.



vs

[Monterey Jack]

Originally Posted by Brian81

I would like these if they got rid of the "stickers" and the VHS tape showing on the side. Then they'd look like actual VHS covers, which usually were poster art...and clean looking.

The reason they have the "tape" sticking out of the side is because the remaining space for the "VHS" cover will have the approximate dimensions of an actual VHS tape. If they filled in the available Blu case dimensions, it'd be too fat.

[AgentOrange]

Originally Posted by Monterey Jack

The reason they have the "tape" sticking out of the side is because the remaining space for the "VHS" cover will have the approximate dimensions of an actual VHS tape. If they filled in the available Blu case dimensions, it'd be too fat.

Wait, the VHS tape is actually printed on the artwork? I had been thinking those were slipcovers, and the artwork underneath on the case was supposed to look like VHS tape. That's kind of lame. A slipcover is just a gimmick anyway, but they didn't even do the gimmick right.

I know some of them go all-out, like these. Where the case underneath looks like a VHS tape.

VHS Range : Retro Blu-ray packaging from HMV _ A QUICK-EXTRA-VID - YouTube

Can't say I'm a huge fan. But I like this effort better. Not that I'd want to have a whole collection of them or anything (too much space). Those are from HMV, not sure anything like that came to the US besides Stranger Things.

[poke smot]

If i like the movie then sweet. I dont mind the covers since im a child of the 80s. Ill bet a bunch of peeps on here have never watched a vhs. Nostalgia for me. Cant wait for Sheena Queen of the Jungle.

[hype88]

I dont get the complaints by some when we're talking the Mill Creek releases especially since they are priced very well and if you don't have room for the extra 1/4" simply take the slip cover off like the majority of blu rays and dvds have on there releases at least early on. Then with the bigger deluxe versions they usually cost more anyways so just simply skip it and save money by getting the standard release?

Personally, I think it's a nice nostalgic touch and I actually really like the addition of the stickers as well.. Overall, I am not going to pay much more if at all for a slip cover but when it's about the same price i'll def. take it.

[Albie989]

A bit of nostalgia for the old folks.

YouTube

EDIT: Sorry, reference to the Frank Zappa album Lumpy Gravy

[TXMoviebuff77]

They’re ok for nostalgic purposes or maybe hardcore collectors but to me it’s a bit silly. It would be more accurate if the slips were from the bottom. Sure the Stanger Things release did it right, but leave it to other companies to follow suit. I don’t know maybe age is catching up to me but I’m not feeling these retro slips.

[Ruined]

I know its the nostalgia factor, but man VHS sucks for quality just like compact cassette tape sucks for quality.

Vinyl nostalgia I am more understanding of because vinyl can sound just as good as CD other than some clicks&pops, and often better due to the more dynamic masters sometimes used for vinyl.

But VHS and cassette tape nostalgia just seems nostalgia for the purpose of nostalgia. They are much inferior to Blu-ray/DVD and CD/Vinyl in terms of A/V quality. Since quality is a big focus for me, I just can't get behind VHS/Cassette Tape nostalgia.

And this is a large part of the reason I find these VHS case Blu-rays so unappealing... the other part is having a media format in a different media's format case is an "OCD" mismatch for me!

Note none of this prevents me from buying the "Vhs slipcover" releases since you can just remove the slipcover. But certainly would not get me to double dip, pay extra, or give extra attention to a release.