VHS Release from 20th Century Studios

[Ed Gordon]

The resurgence of the VHS format continues with 20th Century Studios announcing that they’ll be releasing Alien: Romulus on limited edition VHS on December 3, 2024!

The fully functioning VHS tape was created in celebration of the 45th anniversary of the legendary Alien franchise, and the box features artwork by renowned artist Matt Ferguson.

Check out the box art for the upcoming official Alien: Romulus VHS release below, which will be in a Full Screen 4×3 aspect ratio with an English Stereo Language Track.

The film is now available on digital and will also be released on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD on December 3, with exclusive bonus features, including featurettes with filmmakers Fede Alvarez and Ridley Scott, behind the scenes content, and alternate and extended scenes.

Source: https://bloody-disgusting.com/home-v...l-vhs-release/

The first question is Why?

It must be a publicity stunt, but they could have offered it in Super 8 scope as a stunt and be surprised that so many film collectors are still active and looking for new releases.

[Douglas Meltzer]

I'm looking forward to the soundtrack being put out on 8-track tape.

[Joe Taffis]

I still collect VHS and Beta tapes along with super 8 and vinyl records. Boutique Blu Ray/DVD label Vinegar Syndrome has partnered in some recent VHS tape releases. Lots of folks still collect these formats.

[Brian Fretwell]

I wonder that there are the bulk duplication facilities for VHS around. I assume this will be a very limited release.

[Brian Harrington]

Is that website just a joke -- hard to believe this.


Unlike other retro-gauges, VHS is a downgrade from DVDs, Blu-rays, etc. VHS was a downgrade from film. Yes I still have my VHS tapes, and one surviving player on its last legs, but I'd never buy a VHS tape again, let alone a new one.

Collecting Super 8 and vinyl is not a downgrade from anything, with the correct equipment. The best equipment in the world cannot make a VHS look any better.

The only reason to hang onto old VHS tapes may be because of the cut of the film, or the color. Same for laser discs (which I never had.) People claim for the Disney animated classics that the color for films like BEAUTY AND THE BEAST on laser disc and VHS were more "correct" in terms of matching the 35mm original releases compared to the botched restorations on DVD, Blu-ray, and streaming services, where they also applied DVNR (and similiar technologies, for the sticklers who claim DVNR is no longer used) and roto-scoping to essentially re-animate the films.

Also, VHS can only look "decent" if you still have an old, pre-HD TV. Believe you me, on a modern TV, you will turn your VCR off after a minute of watching a VHS tape.
https://youtu.be/od9X6aGMHlI?si=p-fIg_AILVQi4VVI&t=40

[Kilian Henin]

Like film, there is a huge variation in the quality of VHS tapes, and some look absolutely terrible. But high quality releases (recorded in SP mode) look very good on a CRT TV, as do other analogue formats such as laserdisc and Betamax.

Personally, I'd rather watch a CRT screen than an LCD or OLED, so I buy lots of VHS and laserdisc. It's nice not having to deal with FBI warnings/previews/ads that you're forced to sit through or skip (and no passwords or buffering to deal with). With VHS, and especially laserdisc, you have total control with your remote at all times. Also, I've had more DVDs fail or break. Even my late 70s VHS releases still work perfectly.

Also, although I prefer film, I do think most people would consider S8 and 16mm a downgrade compared to the current digital home formats.

[Brian Harrington]

Because said people probably have never seen Super 8 nor 16mm.

No matter how well a VHS was mastered, it's resolution is still less than DVD and laserdisc -- that's a fact.

Yes, when I pop in an old pre-recorded tape, and watch it on an old CRT TV -- it looks good enough. It still can't compare to a DVD on a better TV. I first started watching DVDs on that same TV and the WOW factor was there from the start -- there is just no comparison.

VHS had all those warnings and previews too. You still had to FF thru them - -either in "viewing" mode which would wear down the tape heads, or stopping it first and going forward. Then you had to guess how long the preview might be. You'd hit play and they would either still be on, or the movie had already started.

Don't want to navigate DVD menus and such -- rip it to disc with makeMKV. One file will have just the movie. Delete the rest, or don't rip the other stuff to begin with. makeMKV shows you the length of each "title" so just rip the longest one, which is the movie. Believe you me, it's easier to watch hooking your laptop up to a TV then to fiddle with DVDs.

I've had a brand new VCR eat newly purchased, expensive tapes I bought back in the day. I never liked those front loaders. My first few VCRs were top loaders, and never damaged a tape. My last working VCR likes to eat tapes, and the front flap doesn't open when you hit eject. So I need to push it open with my finger. When you try to eject the tape mid stream is when it eats it. "Don't do that" you say? The "stop" button and "eject" button are the same button. Unless you hit it quickly, it starts ejecting! I should sell it on eBay and say I have no tapes to test it with.

I'm pretty much done with VHS and VCRs.

[Mike Chailland]

VHS and VHS camcorders are on a resurgent track with gen z. Basically all things ‘90’s and early 2000’s are on the rise. I just had a coworker pay around $300 for a vhs camcorder to make videos for social media. Not surprised that a movie marketing department is jumping on the trend. They know the quality isn’t there but a bunch of social media posts about watching it on vhs will hype it up and sell all of them I bet.

I could probably sell my old Jnco jeans for a lot of money at a new vintage clothing shop. They are selling all 90’s style clothes for so much money it’s insane. But this is the norm for every generation. History repeats.

[Brian Harrington]

That's because they want lower quality video to get a certain look. My daughter wanted my very old digital camera for that very reason, but she couldn't get it to work anymore.

To each his own -- I'll occasionally pop in an old VHS tape if it's a movie not readily available (for me) to watch in another way, but that's like once every few years, if that much. The old tapes are frankly taking up too much room. And the VCR eats them anyway as I described above.

Like I said, playing a vinyl record is not the same -- that's an upgrade from a CD or digital file (flac, mp3, whatever) most of the time. So is watching a movie on real film.