A Fantastic Feast For Fans OF the 80's

VHS Massacre
2016 | Color | 1 Hr 12 Min | Documentary | NA | Troma

Directors:

Kenneth Powell

Thomas Edward Seymour

Stars: 

Mike Aransky

Alan Bagh

Troy Bernier

With 

Lloyd Kaufman

Deborah Reed

Synopsis: This lively documentary explores the rise and fall of physical media and its effect on Independent and cult films. Ranging from the origin of home movies through the video store era, it's sure to entertain. With icons like Joe Bob Briggs (MonsterVision), Lloyd Kaufman (Toxic Avenger), Greg Sestero (The Room), Debbie Rochon (Return to Nuke 'Em High), Deborah Reed (Troll 2), Mark Frazer (Samurai Cop), James Nguyen (Birdemic) and many others.

If you hang around Lloyd and Charles Band long enough you get the sense that the 80' and VHS drove them to the top of their game and now that we are in the digital age you can see how they struggle to adapt. Thankfully both of them understand that their fans still want to physically own a VHS, DVD, or BluRay. And VHS Massacre does a good job letting you know there are fans out there not willing to let go. (I raise my hand here as well) 

A lot is covered in this documentary, and it is all set along a great subplot which is the main title’s VHS Massacre. During the course of filming the filmmakers have collected a mass of discarded discount VHS from the many closing stores. Not only does this document the closing of a long-holding-on Blockbuster Video, a mom-and-pop gem, and the last remaining Kim’s Video in New York City’s East Village, but it brings the film’s anticipated climax. The filmmakers celebrate the ending of the documentary with a festival from the found VHS cassettes. Leading itself to a very fun and promising ending.

All though a less polished film than Josh Johnson’s Rewind This!, which was better structured and had a little more substance. Still, there’s something very charming about director Thomas Edward Seymour bringing to the documentary his own personal tale of distribution challenges in a digital world and deep love for physical media. He carries a lot of the film, and it’s a noble attempt to structure what’s a lot of material covered. If you have not seen Rewind This! check that out first and come back to VHS Massacer both deserve a watch.

From someone who collects VHS and other physical media I highly recommend this Doc. If you have ever gone down a YouTube rabbit hole watching nothing but videos of Blu-ray hauls, box set unboxings, and, of course, VHS hunts at flea markets you will fall in love with Massacres charm. 

3 Bloody Brains out of 5

And as you can see I picked up this crazy VHS tape the other day looking forward to doing a review on it soon.

Picked up this crazy #vhs today I did not know this was a thing!

A post shared by bob Johns (@mda4life1970) on May 16, 2018 at 4:58pm PDT