So Netflix are finally closing down their DVD by mail service. Honestly, I thought it had disappeared years ago. Like the copy of Robin Hood I lost. Still don’t know what happened. I had to pay for it in the end. Borrowing DVDs, and before that, videos, was once a huge business. But they crashed with both streaming, and before that, DVDs becoming affordable to purchase. In the 1980s, the golden age of video rental, a new VHS of a movie was cripplingly pricey, often north of $80. (Adjusted for inflation, that’s $220: a lot to pay out for a copy of
Apr 22, 2023·edited Apr 22, 2023Liked by Katrina Gulliver
Having grown up in the VHS era, I don't don't think this is quite right. While VHS was initially pricey, by the 90's, they had dropped to about $20 a pop, well before the DVD era. Everyone I knew had a small library of favorite movies on VHS, we went to Blockbuster because even at $20, not everything was worth purchasing. The reason we rented from Blockbuster was that not everything was worth purchasing and/or storing underneath your TV.
When Laserdisc came out, it was back to pricey copies, ostensibly in exchange for improved quality. The price was the reason Laserdisc never took off and subsequently why DVDs were a revolution. They were cheap, small (compared to the LP-sized laserdisc) and a substantial tech upgrade from VHS. Netflix was revolutionary because you didn't have to get off your ass and go to Blockbuster, rather you could peruse and order from the privacy of your own home computer. They also offered a more comprehensive selection compared to the local video store.
But in the end, yes, it was streaming that killed physical media. I too had no idea the mail order service was still hanging on. I suppose it would be worthwhile for those odd rural places that still lack high speed internet.
Having grown up in the VHS era, I don't don't think this is quite right. While VHS was initially pricey, by the 90's, they had dropped to about $20 a pop, well before the DVD era. Everyone I knew had a small library of favorite movies on VHS, we went to Blockbuster because even at $20, not everything was worth purchasing. The reason we rented from Blockbuster was that not everything was worth purchasing and/or storing underneath your TV.
When Laserdisc came out, it was back to pricey copies, ostensibly in exchange for improved quality. The price was the reason Laserdisc never took off and subsequently why DVDs were a revolution. They were cheap, small (compared to the LP-sized laserdisc) and a substantial tech upgrade from VHS. Netflix was revolutionary because you didn't have to get off your ass and go to Blockbuster, rather you could peruse and order from the privacy of your own home computer. They also offered a more comprehensive selection compared to the local video store.
But in the end, yes, it was streaming that killed physical media. I too had no idea the mail order service was still hanging on. I suppose it would be worthwhile for those odd rural places that still lack high speed internet.