The Greatest Moments in VHS History

We knew it was gonna happen sooner or later, but today it became official. Distribution Video Audio of Palm Harbor, Floirda'the last big supplier of VHS tapes'sent out their last shipment of VHS tapes. What used to be a multimillion dollar industry has all be shriveled up and died under the shine of DVDs and downloadable content. And while some couldn’t be happier to see the medium going the way of the 8-Track, we here at Complex have a special place in our heart for the VHS tape.

Even though we haven’t seen, let alone watched a VHS tape in the past couple years, we thought we’d show some recognition and respect to the O.G. of personal video recording and put together our five most memorable VHS moments. Check ‘em out below..

1985: BLOCKBUSTER CRUSHES THE GAME

• America’s largest retail rental spot had humble beginnings in Brooklyn, NY back in ‘85. But ever since then, they straight bogarded the rental market and become synonymous with staying in and kickin’ it with wifey.

1988: VHS BEATS OUT BETAMAX

• In the 1980’s Sony’s Betamax technology was perceived to be the better of the videotape technologies thanks to its higher resolution. But in 1981 JVC upped the ante and matched Betamax’s resolution in addition to increasing the amount of recordable time to nine hours versus Betamax’s four hours. The step-up allowed users to record multiple shows and movies without being there. And so started the rise of piracy.

1980’s: THE VCR/TV COMBO

• As VCR’s became as common as blenders, prices began to drop and company’s began to build TV/VCR combination’s to save space. As far as we’re concerned, these “dorm room specials” changed the game.

2001: PAMELA ANDERSON & TOMMY LEE SEX TAPE HITS THE STREETS

• The VHS cassette tape of Pamela and Tommy’s honeymoon, that was “stolen” from the crib and then sold by the Internet Entertainment group, became the best selling porno of all time with over 200,000 sold (and that was in ‘01). Thanks to them we now have the pleasure of watching a new celebrity sextape every couple months. Kim K owes someone a thank you note.

2002: THE RING MAKES VIEWERS SHOOK OF VHS

• This American remake of the popular Japanese horror flick had us scared as shit of little kids and to ever watch another VHS.