Why I Still Buy VHS Tapes in the Age of 4K
I know 4K is sharper. I know streaming is easier. I also know neither one gives me the little clunk of a tape settling into a VCR, followed by three seconds of static while the machine figures out what year it is.
VHS is a physical record of how a movie moved through the world. The sun fade on the spine, the handwritten rental number, the sticker that warns you about a rewinding fee - every copy has a life beyond the movie inside. A clean digital file can show me the film. A tape can show me its history.
I keep buying tapes because the shelf is full of surprises. Some titles never made the jump to streaming. Some have alternate cuts, strange trailer reels, or cover art that promises a completely different movie. Even the mistakes are part of the fun.
Mostly, I like that VHS asks me to slow down. Pick one. Put it in. Watch it all the way through. Then rewind it for whoever comes next.