Friday night, you just rented Jack Frost, after playing with the lenticular cover for 20 minutes at Speedee Video, you got a Jolt Cola and a box of Salt n Vinegar chips, your friends are coming over any minute now.
This was the peak of adolescence for many of us, and I still haven't let it go.
Jolt Cola hasn't been in my hand for over 20 years but I still try to watch VHS movies as often as I can, reserving Fridays for the schlockiest trash I can find. One day I had a crazy idea to make a side table for my remotes and snacks to go on, but make it out of tapes! Ok, so originally it was supposed to be all Terminator; Judgement Day tapes because I would find one every time I went out. The second I claimed it and asked friends to keep their eyes peeled for 36 T2 tapes, the well dried up. I only found 3 in 6 months.
Turns out that T2 tape is super boring looking anyways, with a screened label, you can barely read half the time. That movie got a lot of play all over.
At one point last year I came across an ad with someone desperately trying to get rid of 5 grocery bags full of home recorded tapes, for free. Of course I took the chance on them, hoping they'd be chock full of amazing commercials etc, but only a handful had anything promising. Let's just say I didn't feel bad gluing these boring mainstream movies to the box.
I used some scrap project panel I had, made a frame with a lip to keep things on top and decided to paint a design that is familiar to all of us Video Store kids.
Of course, I wouldn't be satisfied with googling any old sticker, I had to use one from my collection, and what would be better and more personal than the sticker off my copy of Monster Squad I got when I first started seriously collecting tapes in 2004. My friends and I found an ex video store selling out his old stock at a garage sale, and we had to split the finds 3 ways. I had the choice between this and Phantasm II and I have never looked back!
Be sure to come back every Friday for more Video Store Memories, and be kind, rewind!
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