Veni, Vidi, Video: The Hollywood Empire and the Vcr (Texas Film and Media Studies Series)

A funny thing happened on the way to the movies. Instead of heading downtown to a first-run movie palace, or even to a suburban multiplex with the latest high-tech projection capabilities, many people's first stop is now the neighborhood video store. Indeed, video rentals and sales today generate more income than either theatrical releases or television reruns of movies. This pathfinding book chronicles the rise of home video as a mass medium and the sweeping changes it has caused throughout the film industry since the mid-1970s. Frederick Wasser discusses Hollywood's initial hostility to home video, which studio heads feared would lead to piracy and declining revenues, and shows how, paradoxically, video revitalized the film industry with huge infusions of cash that financed blockbuster movies and massive marketing campaigns to promote them. He also tracks the fallout from the video revolution in everything from changes in film production values to accommodate the small screen to the rise of media conglomerates and the loss of the diversity once provided by smaller studios and independent distributors. Contents......Page 6 Acknowledgments......Page 10 Photo Section......Page 144 Introduction: Signs of the Time......Page 14 The American Film Industry before Video......Page 18 The American Film Industry and Video......Page 23 The Political Economy of Distribution......Page 27 Video and the Audience......Page 30 Structure of the Study......Page 31 Film Distribution and Home Viewing before the VCR......Page 36 A Brief Review of the Early Days of the Movie Industry......Page 37 From Universal Audiences to Feature-Length Films......Page 39 Movies at Home......Page 41 Tiered Releasing......Page 42 Broadcasting: The Other Entertainment Medium......Page 44 Postwar Film Exhibition......Page 49 Distributing Films to Smaller Audiences......Page 52 Television Advertising and Jaws: Marketing the Shark Wide and Deep......Page 57 The Development of Video Recording......Page 61 Broadcast Networks and Recording Technology......Page 64 Television and Recording......Page 68 Home Video 1: Playback-only Systems......Page 73 Home Video 2: Japanese Recorder System Development......Page 83 Home Video: The Early Years......Page 89 Choice, “Harried” Leisure, and New Technologies......Page 90 The Emergence of Cable......Page 94 The Universal Lawsuit......Page 95 VCR and Subversion......Page 104 X-rated Cassettes......Page 105 Videotape Pricing......Page 108 Renting......Page 111 The Years of Independence: 1981–1986......Page 117 Independence on the Cusp of Video......Page 118 New Companies Get into Video Business......Page 119 Hollywood Tries to Control Rentals......Page 123 Video, Theater, and Cable......Page 129 Pre-Selling/Pre-Buying......Page 134 Video and New Genres......Page 138 Vestron’s Video Publishing......Page 140 Conclusion......Page 142 Video Becomes Big Business......Page 156 The Development of Two-Tiered Pricing......Page 157 The New Movie Theater......Page 160 Microeconomics 1: Overview......Page 163 Microeconomics 2: Rental......Page 166 Video and Other Commodities......Page 170 Retailing Consolidation......Page 171 Breadth versus Depth......Page 174 Video Advertising......Page 176 Video and Revenue Streams......Page 177 More Money, Same Product......Page 179 Consolidation and Shakeouts......Page 183 High Concept......Page 186 Disney Comes Back On-line......Page 187 The Majors Hold the Line on Production Expansion......Page 190 Vestron Responds......Page 196 The Fate of Pre-Selling and the Mini-Majors......Page 201 LIVE, Miramax, and New Line......Page 205 Conclusion......Page 208 Media Industries after the VCR......Page 210 Home Video and Changes in the Form of Film......Page 219 Images of Audience Time......Page 225 A Philosophic View of Film and Audience......Page 227 Whither the Mass Audience?......Page 229 Notes......Page 232 Bibliography......Page 252 Index......Page 262 Chronicles The Rise Of Home Video As A Mass Medium And The Changes It Has Caused Throughout The Film Industry Since The Mid-1970s. Introduction : Signs Of The Time -- The American Film Industry Before Video -- The American Film Industry And Video -- The Political Economy Of Distribution -- Video And The Audience -- Structure Of The Study -- Pt. 1. Film Distribution And Home Viewing Before The Vcr -- From Universal Audiences To Feature-length Films -- Movies At Home -- Tiered Releasing -- Broadcasting : The Other Entertainment Medium -- Postwar Film Exhibition -- Distributing Films To Smaller Audiences -- Television Advertising And Jaws : Marketing The Shark Wide And Deep -- Ch. 2. The Development Of Video Recording -- Broadcast Networks And Recording Technology -- Television And Recording -- Home Video 1 : Playback-only Systems -- Home Video 2 : Japanese Recorder System Development -- Ch. 3. Home Video : The Early Years -- Choice, Harried Leisure, And New Technologies -- The Emergence Of Cable -- The Universal Lawsuit -- Vcr And Subversion -- X-rated Cassettes -- The Majors Start Video Distribution -- Videotape Pricing -- Ch. 4. The Years Of Independence : 1981-1986 -- Independence On The Cusp Of Video -- New Companies Get Into Video Business -- Hollywood Tries To Control Rentals -- Video, Theater, And Cable -- Pre-selling/pre-buying -- Video And New Genres -- Vestron's Video Publishing -- Conclusion -- Ch. 5. Video Becomes Big Business -- The Development Of Two-tiered Pricing -- The New Movie Theater -- Microeconomics 1 : Overview -- Microeconomics 2 : Rental -- Video And Other Commodities -- Retailing Consolidation -- Breadth Versus Depth -- Video Advertising -- Video And Revenue Streams -- Production Increase -- More Money, Same Product -- Ch. 6. Consolidation And Shakeouts -- High Concept -- Disney Comes Back On-line -- The Majors Hold The Line On Production Expansion -- Vestron Responds -- The Fate Of Pre-selling And The Mini-majors -- Live, Miramax, And New Line -- Conclusion -- Ch. 7. The Lessons Of The Video Revolution -- Media Industries After The Vcr -- Home Video And Changes In The Form Of Film -- Images Of Audience Time -- A Philosophic View Of Film And Audience -- Whither The Mass Audience? Frederick Wasser. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [227]-235) And Index. Machine generated contents note: Acknowledgments ix Signs of the Time The American Film Industry before Video 5 The American Film Industry and Video lo The Political Economy of Distribution 14 Video and the Audience 17 Structure of the Study 18 23 Film Distribution and Home Viewing before the VCR A Brief Review of the Early Days of the Movie Industry 24 From Universal Audiences to Feature-Length Films 26 Movies at Home 28 Tiered Releasing 29 Broadcasting: The Other Entertainment Medium 31 Postwar Film Exhibition 36 Distributing Films to Smaller Audiences 39 Television Advertising and Jaws: Marketing the Shark Wide and Deep 44 48 The Development of Video Recording Broadcast Networks and Recording Technology 51 Television and Recording 55 Home Video 1: Playback-only Systems 60 Home Video 2: Japanese Recorder System Development 70 76 Home Video:The Early Years Choice, "Harried" Leisure, and New Technologies 77 The Emergence of Cable 81 The Universal Lawsuit 82 VCR and Subversion 91 X-rated Cassettes 92 The Majors Start Video Distribution 95 Videotape Pricing 95 Renting 98 104 The Years of Independence: 1981-1986 Independence on the Cusp of Video 105 New Companies Get into Video Business 106 Hollywood Tries to Control Rentals no Video, Theater, and Cable 116 Pre-Selling/Pre-Buying 121 Video and New Genres 125 Vestron's Video Publishing 127 Conclusion 129 131 Video Becomes Big Business The Development of Two-Tiered Pricing 132 The New Movie Theater 135 Microeconomics i: Overview 138 Microeconomics 2: Rental 141 Video and Other Commodities 145 Retailing Consolidation 146 Breadth versus Depth 149 Video Advertising 151 Video and Revenue Streams 152 Production Increase 154 More Money, Same Product 154 158 Consolidation and Shakeouts High Concept 161 Disney Comes Back On-line 162 The Majors Hold the Line on Production Expansion 165 Vestron Responds 171 The Fate of Pre-Selling and the Mini-Majors 176 LIVE, Miramax, and New Line 180 Conclusion 183 185 The Lessons of the Video Revolution Media Industries after the VCR 185 Home Video and Changes in the Form of Film 194 Images of Audience Time 200 A Philosophic View of Film and Audience 202 Whither the Mass Audience? 204 Notes 207 Bibliography 227 Index 237.