VCRs, Family, and the Community

Often times life is an uncontrollable experience and it is no surprise that video use as entertainment has stressed control. The viewer has control over the exhibition, from watch to watch, to when to watch it. Video is easily controllable and this is partially why quality comes second to the easy of viewer control. The home video library demonstrates this principle of control through repetition. By collecting a home video library the consumer is able to receive pleasure by watching their favorite movies over and over. It is no surprise that the top selling videos are children’s films and pornographic movies. Both appeal to a person who is lacking power and therefore the VCR works as release.

Another aspect of the home video library is the increase in the genre of the cult film. Films such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show were repeated in some theaters multiple times, but the VCR allowed for the spectator to become a fan at home. The cult genre relies on repetition that the VCR is able to give, and this can be seen with the current trend of re-releasing films. In 1997, Star Wars was re-release and the trailer addressed the cult viewing that has occurred around this film by saying "You’ve seen it on the small screen, now see it the way it was meant to be seen." Since Star Wars; Grease, Gone With the Wind, and the Wizard of Oz have been re-released in the theater. The VCR has had a great impact by allowing young people to watch the films of older generations.

The impact of the entertainment cult on society has had interesting effects. Common cultural stories now can be preserved for future generations, and can be viewed multiple times. Repetition allows for an educational analysis of the consumer entertainment that beforehand could not be paused and rewound. However, this cultifying of society is dangerous in the separation that is occurring. Instead of spending free time with the family or community, instead the leisure time ends up a solitary activity. By becoming part of the cult of one type of programming, the fundamental similarities are lost. Similar to what the commercial industry tries to advertise products that are the same. The difference between Coke and Pepsi is almost non-existent, but the advertising industry would have us think differently. Similar to sports teams who are displayed as unique, video can be used to break down the image into smaller pieces that appear separate. Finally, video offers an instant gratification of desires (also similar to commercialism) that may have an adverse effect on society’s values.

Souces:
--Dobrow, Julia. Social and Cultural Aspects of VCR Use. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers. Hillsdale, NJ. 1990
--Levy, Mark. The VCR Age. Sage Publications. Newbury Park, CA. 1989./P>

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