Given how many kids of the 1970s and 1980s are creating the movies and TV shows of today, it\u2019s no surprise that retro is in. And that includes making new products look like they were released a long time ago.<\/p>\n
For example, shopping at Barnes & Noble I came across a behind-the-scenes book for the Netflix \u201980s nostalgia-fest \u201cStranger Things.\u201d The book was purposely made to look like it had been worn down by the ravages of 30 years on shelves, and even included a transparent plastic book cover not unlike what one would have found in their school library. The book looked so beaten up that its makers felt the need to include a sticker on the cover to tell potential buyers that it was meant to look like that.<\/p>\n
On the video side of things, \u201980s retro is covered by three simple letters: VHS. It would be futile for any studio trying to capture the spirit of the early days of home video without evoking the memory of video stores and VHS tapes.<\/p>\n
Going back to \u201cStranger Things,\u201d Netflix has released Blu-rays of the two seasons of the series (as Target exclusives) with packaging meant to resemble old hardshell VHS cases you\u2019d get at a rental store.<\/p>\n
The MVD Rewind Collection brings \u201970s and \u201980s cult hits to Blu-ray using box art meant to evoke a VHS box, complete with faux stickers with messages like \u201cBe Kind Rewind.\u201d<\/p>\n
Even non-movies are getting the VHS nostalgia treatment. The Disney Store is selling journals and handbags designed to resemble the classic clamshell VHS cases for its animated movies such as The Lion King<\/em> and Aladdin<\/em>.<\/p>\n Now Mill Creek is getting into the game with box art that makes it look as if the VHS is slipping out of its case. The effect comes via a slipcover that takes advantage of the relative wider dimensions of the Blu-ray compared with VHS, to basically put authentic-looking VHS art on one side of the cover, with the simulated tape on the other.<\/p>\n Since it\u2019s just a slipcover it\u2019s mostly just an optical illusion, but it looks cool. The Blu-ray itself is a standard case with non VHS-styled poster art. In some cases the Blu-ray appears to be a previously released standard Mill Creek release repackaged in the retro VHS case to give it some eye-catching pizazz.<\/p>\n The first batch of six films includes Arnold Schwarzenegger\u2019s The Last Action Hero<\/em>, Chuck Norris\u2019 Silent Rage<\/em>, John Candy\u2019s Who\u2019s Harry Crumb?<\/em>, the fantasy epic Krull, the horror movie Happy Birthday to Me<\/em> and the erotic comedy Hardbodies<\/em>.<\/p>\n