Many of us have those cherished memories of watching VHS movies with the family, renting them from Blockbuster, and recording our favourite TV shows, but the videotape era ended quickly as people began to transition from VHS to DVD and digital format.
While Capture has over 20 years of experience helping people make that transition as one of the best options for transferring VHS to digital, we also appreciate the analogue format and the history of VHS tapes. That’s why we put together this blog about the last VHS movie and the value of vintage VHS films.
Keep reading to learn about the final VHS movie, some of the most memorable VHS releases, why videotapes are still appealing, where to buy VHS tapes today, and much more.
The Last Movies on VHS: A Nostalgic Journey
The last Hollywood movie to be released in VHS format was “A History of Violence.” This movie came out on VHS in 2006 and in addition to being the last movie released in the nostalgic format, it also got decent reviews.
“A History of Violence” was directed by David Cronenberg and starred Viggo Mortensen and Ed Harris. The action thriller story was adapted from a graphic novel and is about a diner owner who becomes a hero by stopping an attempted robbery, but then must protect himself and his family from a renowned gangster.
While the movie didn’t have a profound impact on culture, by being the last VHS release it has become somewhat of a collector’s item. While you can easily find DVD and Blu-Ray copies on Amazon and Etsy, it’s very hard to find a true VHS copy. If you do find it, then it could sell for $50 to $100 or more depending on the collector.
Memorable VHS Releases: Movies That Defined the Format
While there can only be one last VHS release, there are plenty of memorable and rare VHS movies that may offer nostalgia, value, and contribute to the history of the VHS format.
For example, the last horror film released on VHS was “Saw II” while the last major film in the comedy genre to be released on VHS was the high school classic “Just Friends” starring Ryan Reynolds and Amy Smart. The 2005 film adaptation of Jane Austen’s “Pride & Prejudice” is often considered the last romance film to come out for VHS players.
However, the final films released on VHS are only telling part of the VHS movie industry legacy. The best-selling VHS movie of all time is “The Lion King.” This Disney movie was released on VHS in 1995 and instantly became an all-time classic.
However, it isn’t the rarest or most valuable VHS tape. While many popular 80s movies like “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “Top Gun” have been sold for lots of cash, a VHS copy of “Back to the Future” sold for $75,000 setting the record for videotape price tag.
Still, a home video doesn’t have to be worth lots of money to be valuable for nostalgia. For example, lots of people loved the Sci-Fi classic “The Matrix” that was released on VHS in 1991. Not only did it break the box-office gross record for the first four days, but it became an instant best-seller on VHS as well.
Another iconic VHS release is “Titanic” from 1997. What makes this major Hollywood film so special is because the movie was so long that it required two videotapes to contain everything. The first home video tape contained all of the film before the iceberg while the second contained everything from the iceberg to the end of the movie.
When it was converted to DVD format, this was no longer necessary, but the videotape version had already cemented its place in the VHS movie market. Other multi-cassette sets included the original “Star Wars” trilogy, “The Godfather,” “Gone with the Wind,” and “The Sound of Music.”
Other iconic VHS releases you might remember from the end of the VHS era during the late 1990s and early 2000s include “Gladiator” from 2000, “Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace” from 1999, “Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone” from 2001, and “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” from 2001.
All of these movies came out on VHS despite DVD copies also being available. It was clear that it was nearing the end of VHS forever, but many people still had a VCR for home entertainment and had not yet bought a DVD player.
The Appeal of Watching VHS Movies
While VHS beat out Betamax during the format wars and dominated the home movie market for years, it’s since been deemed mostly obsolete. However, lots of people still love the analogue format for many reasons. Sure, you have to rewind and fast-forward, which is unnecessary if you choose a company to digitize your videotapes, but there are plenty of reasons people still love VHS.
The main reason is VHS movie nostalgia and sentimental value. We have cherished memories of recording home movies on VHS, renting our favourite classics at the video store, and sitting around watching VHS tapes on our VCR systems with friends and family.
Another reason is that while most of the major Hollywood films and VHS movie collections have been re-released on DVD or added to streaming websites like Netflix, not every VHS movie is available in other formats. Some cult horror films, for example, are only available on VHS so if you want to watch them at all you have to purchase a VCR in 2023.
Finally, people simply love viewing movies like they viewed them when they were younger and there are tons of collectors and enthusiasts who like having physical media, whether that is Super 8 film, audio cassettes, or VHS tapes.
Where to Buy VHS Movies Today
If you want to buy VHS tapes there are plenty of options. Many used bookstores, thrift stores, and pawn shops sell VHS tapes as well as VCR systems. You can also check garage sales and may get lucky and find a rare VHS movie format like the last VHS movie.
Additionally, you can check online marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, Etsy, or even Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. While not all these options have VHS cassettes in the best condition, you have options for restoring old videotapes.
Finally, if you are looking for rare videos of specific movies, then you might want to look at forums for VHS movie collectors. For example, VHSCollector.com has tons of great information on a wide range of analogue media topics.
Tips for Collecting and Preserving VHS Movies
If you plan on collecting and viewing old VHS movies, it’s important to keep them in good condition and understand how long VHS tapes last, because they don’t last forever. While they generally last 10 to 25 years, if you can keep them in a cool, dry place then they could last much longer.
If they do get damaged or if you buy a damaged copy of a favourite movie, then there are ways you can repair VHS tapes. Even if the magnetic tape is broken, you can splice it. While you won’t have the removed section of the film, you may still be able to view the rest of the movie.
Also, remember that VHS tapes that are in good condition with the box are worth a lot more than those missing the original cassette sleeve or tapes that are damaged or in poor condition. The most valuable are those that are not even opened, which are also rare especially if they are already for collectors’ favourite films.
Finally, we highly recommend preserving VHS tapes in high-quality digital format. Doing so will ensure your favourite films and home movies are never lost as the VHS tapes start to degrade. Capture can convert your home movies and precious memories to digital and our state-of-the-art tracking and security system ensures they are safe through every hand and all the way back to you.
If you have VHS tapes that you don’t want anymore, then make sure you check with collectors to see if they might want any of the movies you have. If not, then there are plenty of options for recycling VHS tapes so you don’t have to throw them away completely.
Preserve Your Family Movie
The last VHS movie is “A History of Violence,” but there are other memorable releases during the end of the VHS era like “Titanic,” “Gladiator,” and “Saw II,” that are considered some of the last in their genres or iconic for other reasons. These types of movies remain cultural artefacts because of their importance and there is a huge appeal of collecting VHS tapes.
If you have home movies on VHS or other videotape formats, then make sure you preserve them while you still can. Plus, digital copies are easier to share over email and social media! While there are many options, Capture is one of the best when you compare us with competitors.
*This article is brought to you by Capture HK.
Capture HK is the premier analogue media digitisation company in Hong Kong.
Capture HK's business covers photographs, photo album, slide digitisation, videotapes digitisation, including VHS, S-VHS, VHS-C, S-VHS-C Hi-8, Video8, Digital8, DV, DVCAM, MiniDV, DVC and digital media digitisation, including Secure Digital (SD), Smart Media (SM), MultiMediaCard (MMC) Compact Flash (CF), xD-Picture Card, Memory Stick, USB Drive, CDROM, DVD.