Oldest movie for rent at your local video store?

shaun3000 · 02-14-04, 01:49 AM

By oldest, I mean oldest physical video, not the movie contained on it. In other words, a copy of Gone With the Wind from 1995 wouldn't beat out a copy of the Graduate from 1980.

I was at my local Blockbuster (I live in the ghetto, it's my only option) and noticed a VHS copy of Greased Lightning that has to be atleast 20 years old. The movie is copyrighted 1977, so I wouldn't be surprised if it's the original home video release. The question is, why does Blockbuster have such an old video? They haven't been around that long, have they?

Crocker Jarmen · 02-14-04, 05:28 AM

I bought a copy of The Conversation at a video store years back. I figure it must have been an old old copy based on how heavy it was. When I got home I picked up other VHS cassetes in once hand and this movie in another, and noticed it weighed at least twice as much compaired to recent video cassetes.

garolo · 02-14-04, 08:56 AM

You mean video stores still have, gasp, video tapes?

I haven't been to a video store in years but my local library has hundreds of circa 1981 videos donated from a certain someone's collection.

DRG · 02-14-04, 01:02 PM

I know a lot of the big chains like Blockbuster, Hollywood Video, etc. used to buy out the inventories of small mom and pop video stores when they shut down. They'd use the inventory to build up back catalogs in new stores, especially for movies that were out of print.

LasVegasMichael · 02-14-04, 01:10 PM

Remember when the Wherehouse was mainly a VHS rental joint?

About 8 years ago they were closing down a bunch of smaller rental locations and I bought several ancient history VHS tapes there, all with replacement values declared at $85+++.

I still have most, as they were obscure titels that have yet to hit DVD.

Tarnower · 02-14-04, 02:41 PM

How on earth would I know this? More importantly, who has that much time on their hands to flip around all those box covers to check out copyright dates? I mean, c'mon....

shaun3000 · 02-14-04, 03:17 PM

OK, let me rephrase: Oldest tape you've seen. I was looking for a movie and noticed this one with a HUGE box and a very old Warner Bros. logo.

mikewendt · 02-14-04, 03:19 PM

Elvis: On Tour with the original large, cardboard, book style cover.

02-14-04, 01:49 AM	#1
shaun3000 DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Jul 1999 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 7,753	Oldest movie for rent at your local video store? By oldest, I mean oldest physical video, not the movie contained on it. In other words, a copy of Gone With the Wind from 1995 wouldn't beat out a copy of the Graduate from 1980. I was at my local Blockbuster (I live in the ghetto, it's my only option) and noticed a VHS copy of Greased Lightning that has to be atleast 20 years old. The movie is copyrighted 1977, so I wouldn't be surprised if it's the original home video release. The question is, why does Blockbuster have such an old video? They haven't been around that long, have they?

02-14-04, 05:28 AM	#2
Crocker Jarmen DVD Talk Platinum Edition Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 3,153	I bought a copy of The Conversation at a video store years back. I figure it must have been an old old copy based on how heavy it was. When I got home I picked up other VHS cassetes in once hand and this movie in another, and noticed it weighed at least twice as much compaired to recent video cassetes. __________________ www.redcoatblackcoat.blogspot.com

02-14-04, 08:56 AM	#3
garolo DVD Talk Gold Edition Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Exit 10, NJ Posts: 2,753	You mean video stores still have, gasp, video tapes? I haven't been to a video store in years but my local library has hundreds of circa 1981 videos donated from a certain someone's collection. __________________ "Once again, lambs blood has been placed on my post." - RyoHazuki7

02-14-04, 01:10 PM	#5
LasVegasMichael DVD Talk Gold Edition Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: 11.5 Miles from the Strip Posts: 2,353	Remember when the Wherehouse was mainly a VHS rental joint? About 8 years ago they were closing down a bunch of smaller rental locations and I bought several ancient history VHS tapes there, all with replacement values declared at $85+++. I still have most, as they were obscure titels that have yet to hit DVD. __________________ "I love watching people lose. You LEARN* about people when they lose."* --Donald Trump

02-14-04, 02:41 PM	#6
Tarnower Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 882	How on earth would I know this? More importantly, who has that much time on their hands to flip around all those box covers to check out copyright dates? I mean, c'mon.... __________________ "Thank God for the model trains. If not for them, we wouldn't have the big ones." ("A Mighty Wind") "But it's my birthday and I wanna have a blood feast." ("Party Monster")

02-14-04, 01:02 PM	#4
DRG DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Aug 1999 Location: ND Posts: 11,352	I know a lot of the big chains like Blockbuster, Hollywood Video, etc. used to buy out the inventories of small mom and pop video stores when they shut down. They'd use the inventory to build up back catalogs in new stores, especially for movies that were out of print.

02-14-04, 03:17 PM	#7
shaun3000 DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Jul 1999 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 7,753	OK, let me rephrase: Oldest tape you've seen. I was looking for a movie and noticed this one with a HUGE box and a very old Warner Bros. logo.

02-14-04, 03:19 PM	#8
mikewendt DVD Talk Platinum Edition Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Boston Posts: 3,196	Elvis: On Tour with the original large, cardboard, book style cover. __________________ mikewendt.com My Movie Collection / Instagram / Twitter / '12 Oct. Horror Challenge "I feel sorry for people who don't drink. They wake up in the morning and that's the best they're going to feel all day." - Dean Martin