Monday, January 17, 2005

vhs memories

-The first movie I saw on a video tape (as fas as i know) was Return of the Jedi. We were visiting one of my dad's good friends from work. They lived in a dome home, which they built. I remember my dad and his friend talking about what they thought the future would be for this new crazy invention.

-Foggy memories of the movies people had at that time: Jane Fonda's Workout, 9 to 5, Grease and Grease 2.

-My dad taking me and my sister to rent at Family Video in San Jose. My dad encouraged me to "get something you haven't seen." I usually rented something with Dolly Parton. Always a safe bet, still is.

-I remember the boxcover to Ants - a horror movie with Suzanne Somers, the box had a picture of breasts covered in ants. Lots of sexual confusion in the video store.

-Wondering what was behind that shower curtain that men quickly walked in and out of, but kind of knowing.

-I wanted to rent the making of We Are The World, my dad compared the prices of renting it vs. buying it. He bought it for me.

-My parents talking about how they passed up the chance to own a video store, thinking it was a fad, too risky.

Years later, Dollar Video became a hangout in Crystal Lake, where I went to high school. By that time you could rent five movies for five dollars for five days. You would walk out of there feeling like you got such a steal! There were tons of older cute boys that worked there.

I would dress up to go there. I would try to push the limits, wear makeup and crazy clothes and just walk around the store. I don't know what I was trying to do. Seduce them? Freak them out? Have them notice me?

Then Blockbuster Video kind of took over, it was never the same after that.

2 comments:

  1. Watching "Night Flight" in the living room while my parents were asleep, waiting for the censored version of "Relax" to come on so I could tape it-hoping against hope that my dad wouldn't wake up, wander down the hallway, and ask me what I was doing up. He would then notice the men tied to each other on a wheel and the bright bright red glow of the "record" light.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous12:52 AM

    I can't remember the first movie I saw on Tape. However, I do remember the first movie I saw on a "Pay Subscription TV Service" OnTV was Star Trek, the motion picture. My parents weren't home and I had the place all to myself. It was great. I had the lights all off and I was sitting on the floor in the living room. I was basking in the glow of the television set. It set a mood I could describe as being in heaven.. my senses were on overload.

    ReplyDelete