Films That Look Better On Tape

[Big Mclargehuge]

I know if this day and age theres a good majority of the public for whome; if its not 8k 3D with a 7.1 Dolby surround mix with 26 hours of extras and visuals that could melt your face off if you sit within 8 foot of the screen, they don't want to know.

I myself have recently (Having been initially spurred on by nostalgia) started picking through older films that were released on VHS. and I have to say it's absolutely a night and day difference in tone, atmosphere and general vibe. theres something about analogue tape stock that smooths over the cracks in production that occurs with some aging or lower budgeted films...for example:

*The Warriors - On Bluray it looks gorgeous and really lets the direction and cine shine through, on tape though it becomes a lot more grittier looking and feeling. the fuzz covers up some of the ropier fight scenes and effects, it genuinely feels to me at least more at home on tape than it does on disc.

*Terminator 2 - Again; like the warriors on Bluray it looks very pretty. but a lot of the effects and model shots have aged horribly over the last 10-15 years. on tape however those early CGI shots are a lot more forgiving and the model shots generally look a lot more believeable as the step down in quality smooths over what is clearly some hotwheels sat outside "Box" buildings. the liquid metal terminator effects work so much better to...as does the opening shots in the future because the step down in quality smooths over any early green screen effects and crushes the blacks blurring the set backdrops more forgivingly

*Robocop - have you seen Ed-209 on the bluray copy of this!? he looks like a sticker!...again the effects look a lot smoother on the VHS version, and much like the warriors; the VHS fuzz really helps to add a level of grittiness to the direction it gives the film an extra layer of character which really improves the look and feel for me.

*Threads - If you thought it was desolation on DVD and bluray try watching a tape copy...Jesus; it really makes it feel like your watching a documentary from an alternate universe where everything went tits up. Tons of atmosphere and much more merciful. it's astounding to see...

Has anyone else had any experiences where going from 4k to 240P has actually improved the cinematic experience? :)

[A Hat Like That]

The local budget cinema showed Terminator as a Friday night special. Blu-Ray really brings out Arnie's wang.

Anyway, yeah, most 80s actioners would probably be better served on a slightly grainier medium. Robocop just about holds up (seen that in the same budget cinema, some of the 209 shots suffer). The Thing works better on a slightly damaged VHS as do films like Near Dark and The Hitcher.

[Big Mclargehuge]

The local budget cinema showed Terminator as a Friday night special. Blu-Ray really brings out Arnie's wang.

Anyway, yeah, most 80s actioners would probably be better served on a slightly grainier medium. Robocop just about holds up (seen that in the same budget cinema, some of the 209 shots suffer). The Thing works better on a slightly damaged VHS as do films like Near Dark and The Hitcher.

I can absolutely agree with you RE: "The Hitcher" I only saw it for the first time on tape about a month ago and it was like watching a completely different movie (Considering I'd only ever seen a washed out DVD-R version before this) it really bought the film to life :)

I went to a terminator double bill last week which sparked this thought. it was a bit of a pick your poison moment for me really. the first terminator I think holds up better from a practical effects perspective but the model shots and the back projection just looked terrible on the HD master when compared to tape and T2 looked visually more interesting to me and when the effects land (The bit where arnie rips his arm skin off is still very impressive) they look brilliant...but when they don't quite land it's almost cringe inducing D:

[idunnosomename]

hbomberguy did a video on pretty much this a year ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbZMqS-fW-8

alien is one he particularly says is much scarier on VHS. but also T2, for the floor effect in the police station

[NoSleep]

Isn't there a switch on the bluray machine to transform video into a VHS-type experience?

[Big Mclargehuge]

Isn't there a switch on the bluray machine to transform video into a VHS-type experience?

I know it's a joke but fun fact: the PS3 is one of the only Bluray players that actually has composite connections. it is in fact one of the only way you can watch a 1080p Bluray disc in glorious 480p without ripping and compressing it yourself...if you run it through a multiscart port that then gets crushed even further down to 240p...unfortunately it means you don't get the tracking issues, static, noise on the picture or soundtrack...but if you just want to be able to watch your 2k scan of Dawn of the dead in the lowest possible resolution possible. there's certainly workarounds out there :)

[Big Mclargehuge]

Equally here's 2 of my 4 shelves of Ex-rental VHS tapes if anyone cares (this is my action/scifi/horror shelf...though theres a bit of grumble in the top left hand corner)

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1eDmjUFiRi/

[NoSleep]

You have Bad Taste.

[Big Mclargehuge]

You have Bad Taste.

Literally! (Surprisingly it took me ages to get that ex-rental version)

[Jerzy Bondov]

Paperhouse is way better on VHS. Scared the living shit out of me back then. I watched it on Prime the other day and it wasn't the same. Some scores just sound better if they go a bit wavery.

Hellraiser as well.

[VelourSpirit]

I love my X-Files blu ray box set, it looks stunning and cinematic, but i can't help but feel the atmosphere would be even better if I was watching it on VHS in 4:3

[Big Mclargehuge]

I love my X-Files blu ray box set, it looks stunning and cinematic, but i can't help but feel the atmosphere would be even better if I was watching it on VHS in 4:3

I know that feeling, Star Trek: TNG and The Simpsons just "Feel" right in the 4:3 SD format...the DVD's and Blurays are nice...but nothing can send you back to the mid 90's quicker than finding a home recorded tape of BBC2 in the evening :)

[checkoutgirl]

Anyway, yeah, most 80s actioners would probably be better served on a slightly grainier medium.

That's true of medium to small budget films definitely, but the likes of Robocop looks really good most of the time. Even Terminator 1 and 2 look pretty decent in high definition. I'm not a fan of the VHS look but some people just like it. There's a bit in Adjust Your Tracking (2013) where some woman opines about the warm, fuzzy quality of VHS that makes it more sensual or something. Can't see it myself. In fact from the 90s I can remember loads of crappy VHS copies of stuff like Predator 2 or Jurassic Park that was so poor they were unwatchable and I had no idea what was happening. I've never been tempted to fish out my old VHS tapes from my parent's shed, well not enough to actually do it.

Although I do like the idea of the VHS revival and I like to reminisce about old video tapes. But as an actual viable visual medium, not for me unfortunately.

[Big Mclargehuge]

That's true of medium to small budget films definitely, but the likes of Robocop looks really good most of the time. Even Terminator 1 and 2 look pretty decent in high definition. I'm not a fan of the VHS look but some people just like it. There's a bit in Adjust Your Tracking (2013) where some woman opines about the warm, fuzzy quality of VHS that makes it more sensual or something. Can't see it myself. In fact from the 90s I can remember loads of crappy VHS copies of stuff like Predator 2 or Jurassic Park that was so poor they were unwatchable and I had no idea what was happening. I've never been tempted to fish out my old VHS tapes from my parent's shed, well not enough to actually do it.

Although I do like the idea of the VHS revival and I like to reminisce about old video tapes. But as an actual viable visual medium, not for me unfortunately.

Different strokes for different folks really :) I'm not someone who will only watch on tape. but these days I've found myself owning the films I really enjoy on both Blu and VHS so I have the choice to appreciate the direction/cine/set designs/sound design as was intended. Or whether to watch it with a distinctive styalised vibe and feel to it. I also pick up the odd taped off tv tapes looking for continuity, adverts and the occasional technical difficulties :) I don't regret the money I've paid into doing this but I work in the film industry as an editor so I'm kind of wedded to formats xD

What is weird (And I did this as an experiment once) is dubbing new films (2008 onwards) from DVD/Bluray back onto tape. the more CGI heavy the movie the more of an abomination it appears...watching "Avengers Assembled" or the new "Halloween" on VHS just feels really REALLY wrong. uncomfortably so. like some kind of unnatural evil masquerading as a classic.

[lazarou]

Most italian exploitation films feel made for VHS. Once you get into remastered HD versions the magic falls apart and all that lurid gore becomes very obviously sausages-up-the-jumper stuff, but on a smeary old tape copy it still carries that video nasty edge to it. A show-stopper like Cannibal Holocaust weathers it better than most but it still doesn't quite reach that VHS tone where it feels like you're watching something genuinely obscene. Probably helped along by the fact you had to hunt down a nth-generation bootleg as most of these were either banned or heavily cut for UK release at the time.

[NoSleep]

Cathode ray tubes probably help to grunge things up as well. SNES and Playstation games looked better through them, too.

I just grabbed this audio plugin for the bargain price of $20 (£16.92): https://aberrantdsp.com/plugins/sketchcassette/

It really adds some authentic 80's wavering grunge to audio. Now we need the same for video.

[Shaky]

Not a film so I'm being a bit cheeky, but I downloaded a low-quality, VHS transfer of the 80's Twilight Zone series and it absolutely suits that aesthetic. Even the shitter stories (of which there are loads) are shot through with a compelling, queasy strangeness.

[Huxleys Babkins]

ED-209 looked shite on TV when I watched Robocop back in the day on my 14" portable as well. It's not just the obvious cut and pasting, it's the fact he's animated at a really low frame rate compared to everything around him and lit completely differently.

[batwings]

Betamax and a 12inch black and white portable telly with the sound through a mono ear plug. That's how I roll.

Porn is better on tape, where blemishes, needle marks, stretch marks, surgery scars etc are not so noticeable (unless that's your thing).

[Sebastian Cobb]

Most italian exploitation films feel made for VHS. Once you get into remastered HD versions the magic falls apart and all that lurid gore becomes very obviously sausages-up-the-jumper stuff, but on a smeary old tape copy it still carries that video nasty edge to it. A show-stopper like Cannibal Holocaust weathers it better than most but it still doesn't quite reach that VHS tone where it feels like you're watching something genuinely obscene. Probably helped along by the fact you had to hunt down a nth-generation bootleg as most of these were either banned or heavily cut for UK release at the time.

Dunno about this because while VHS tape does obscure crap effects it also absolutely flattens some of the odd processing/saturated 16mm look a lot of those films have.

[checkoutgirl]

Most italian exploitation films feel made for VHS. Once you get into remastered HD versions the magic falls apart and all that lurid gore becomes very obviously sausages-up-the-jumper stuff, but on a smeary old tape copy it still carries that video nasty edge to it. A show-stopper like Cannibal Holocaust weathers it better than most but it still doesn't quite reach that VHS tone where it feels like you're watching something genuinely obscene. Probably helped along by the fact you had to hunt down a nth-generation bootleg as most of these were either banned or heavily cut for UK release at the time.

There's an entire culture behind that. Finding stuff that's banned. Talking to people about tapes. Actually having to go to a place and interacting with living humans to get a tape. Putting the tape in. Rewinding the tape. Making a copy of a tape with two VCRs and a SCART lead and being delighted with that. All that stuff is gone. Even if you're into all that you'd be hard pressed to find anyone in the vicinity who shares that interest.

I remember around 1999 me and my mate made a copy of a Dennis Pennis tape with two VCRs and being chuffed with ourselves. Now that shit is on youtube just a click away.

[Sebastian Cobb]

I remember around 1999 me and my mate made a copy of a Dennis Pennis tape with two VCRs and being chuffed with ourselves. Now that shit is on youtube just a click away.

I did that with some german grumble a mate borrowed off another mate he'd stole off his dad.

I even swapped carefully swapped the labels around so I ended up with the 'master'.

28 I was, etc.

[Pearly-Dewdrops Drops]

No movies look better on VHS. It is better at hiding dodgy effects but the tradeoff is never worth it.

[garbed_attic]

Paperhouse is way better on VHS. Scared the living shit out of me back then. I watched it on Prime the other day and it wasn't the same. Some scores just sound better if they go a bit wavery.

Keep meaning to write an academic paper or at least a blog article on that film. Did a podcast episode on it a while back. It's just fascinating - closest thing to Kleinian psychoanalysis on film I've seen! I love those '80s films where they feel pitched at some cursed netherland betwixt childhood and adulthood, yet not really for teenagers.

As for VHS... experientially, Eraserhead and Videodrome.

[Sebastian Cobb]

I first saw videodrome late at night on a sleepover when channel 4 saw it, ancient 80's hitachi* that had been relegated from the lounge to my mates bedroom, crap signal, fuzzy and ghosting to fuck, it was great.

I now have videodrome on bluray and it's ace though.

*instaview, one of those mad sets that consumed lots of power because it kept itself 'warm' (it actually had heaters on the electron guns) even when it was 'off' so it would show a picture marginally faster.

[Ambient Sheep]

Keep meaning to write an academic paper or at least a blog article on [Paperhouse]. Did a podcast episode on it a while back. It's just fascinating - closest thing to Kleinian psychoanalysis on film I've seen!

Have you ever seen the early 70s ITV adaptation of the same story, Escape Into Night?  The only thing to give me nightmares as a kid apart from Quatermass and the Pit.

'twas developed by Ruth Boswell, who went on to have a major hand in Timeslip, The Tomorrow People and Shadows.

Having said that, I got the DVD a couple of years back and even allowing for being 45 years older I was rather disappointed that it didn't seem scarier.  Probably to do with expectations though.  But if you're going to write about Paperhouse you should probably watch it too.

Maybe even read the original book?  I'd like to but have never seen it.  Should bother to track it down one day.

[nw83]

Mainly '70s / '80s horror films for me, where the graininess makes them more creepy - Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Halloween, The Fog, Black Christmas - and some of the grittier Spaghetti Westerns like Django, Django Kill, The Great Silence, etc.

[greenman]

Terminator 1 especially looks great in HD, the few dodgier FX moments look dodgy at any definition.

[DukeDeMondo]

I would imagine that there are certain horror films that work much better on VHS for reasons other than the fact that the medium can mask any potential SFX shortcomings. Films that pivot around an old menacing sort of othering of analogue video itself, for example. Things like Ring or The Blair Witch Project. Videodrome, as mentioned above. Far scarier on VHS. Brings you that bit nearer the skin of the Bad Thing. Invites the creeping notion that the malevolence somehow embedded within the footage you're watching might be bleeding out into the tape in the player there in front of you.

There's something safe about watching those films on the 4K or whatever. Feels like you're watching them with a condom on and two strips of blues in your belly.

Similar to how it feels when you're watching Poltergeist on a big old fuck off Black Friday flatscreen.

They're still scary, like, those things, they still work, they still draw you in. But there's a barrier between you and them, nonetheless, when you're watching them on anything other than tape.

But, then again, we're not sitting round watching M.R. James adaptations on a fucking whistle so who the fuck knows.

[Phil_A]

I would imagine that there are certain horror films that work much better on VHS for reasons other than the fact that the medium can mask any potential SFX shortcomings. Films that pivot around an old menacing sort of othering of analogue video itself, for example. Things like Ring or The Blair Witch Project. Videodrome, as mentioned above. Far scarier on VHS. Brings you that bit nearer the skin of the Bad Thing. Invites the creeping notion that the malevolence somehow embedded within the footage you're watching might be bleeding out into the tape in the player there in front of you.

On the old Tartan DVD of Ring, the image quality was so degraded it might as well have been a VHS. God only knows where they sourced it from.