In the modern age of streaming, some feel that it’s a bit silly to go through the effort and money to buy a physical movie these days. But there is a community of collectors who beg to differ and have many reasons to back up their chosen hobby. Collectors of physical media do so for the joy of permanently owning a film that won’t ever be removed from their collection, like on a streaming platform. And the form of media that kicked off the physical media boom was the VHS tape.
While obsolete by today’s standards, there is a large community who enjoy hunting for their Holy Grails and enjoying an art form from a bygone era. Many VHS tapes can be bought fairly easily, oftentimes for no more than a dollar. There are others, however, that for one reason or another are high in price and low on availability.
Tammy & The T-Rex – $89
Just because a movie is expensive on VHS, doesn’t mean it is a good film, by most people’s standards. The cult classic Tammy & The T-Rex was not very well received by critics or audiences when it was originally released in 1994. But one of the reasons the movie can sell for close to $100 on VHS, is because of its limited original run.
The movie didn’t gain its cult status until many years later, so the tapes weren’t mass-produced after the theatrical run. By the time the movie showed promise as a cult hit, the studio had already moved on and the tape was out of print.
Let It Be – $150
Everyone has heard of The Beatles. The Fab Four changed the music industry when they exploded onto the scene in the ’60s, and have been hailed as one of the greatest bands of all time. John, Paul, George, and Ringo made several films throughout the height of Beatlemania, with the last being an inside look at their last album, Let It Be, in 1970.
The film was first released on VHS in 1981, and due to the mixed reception, did not last very long. This initial release has gone for no less than $100 and has become a hot item for Beatles collectors.
A History Of Violence – $120
VHS tape sales were in decline in the early 2000s, with the last major Hollywood film to be released on VHS being A History Of Violence in 2006. While the movie itself is very easy to find on other mediums, the fact that it is the last major VHS release makes collectors view this release as a must-have.
The film has been sold for various prices, but very rarely for under $100. The VHS was released the same day as the DVD, as was typical in the VHS’s later years, and outsold the VHS by a large margin. While the movie itself may not be spoken of very much, among VHS collectors, it is a masterpiece.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre – $300
The horror genre was evolving in the ’70s and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was one of the films that forced this evolution. When the movie was released on VHS sometime later, there were several companies that took it upon themselves to release the then-controversial movie.
Several of these early releases go for a pretty penny, but one by Wizard Video went for nearly $300, making it among the more expensive editions of the film. While the movie is easy to find in other mediums, many fans agree the graininess of VHS adds to the grindhouse feeling the movie offers.
Walt Disney Home Video 1981 Releases – Varies From $50 – $300
When it became clear that home video was the way of the future, the Walt Disney Company was hesitant. The company made good money in re-releasing their popular films in theatres and didn’t want to lose money by having fans own the movies. Their solution was to release a select amount of their most well-regarded films in a rent-only, limited capacity.
These films were released in 1981 and were an instant hit. After some time, Disney stopped production on these films and released a new wave of home videos sometime later. These original releases run for various prices on the internet and are sure to make any VHS or Disney fan eager to get their hands on them.
The Evil Dead – $300
It isn’t uncommon for classic horror movies to have been banned in certain countries. When The Evil Dead was released in the U.K., it suffered the same fate. The film was released but quickly recalled for being too scary and was debated in court to be banned.
When the film was deemed to be appropriate, after all, it was re-released with a banner over the cover saying, “Not Guilty.” This variant cover has become the rarest copy of the film to date, and while there are various reports on the price, it isn’t uncommon for it to go for several hundred dollars.
WCW Bash At The Beach 2000 – $500
The last Bash At The Beach before WCW was bought by WWE, was in 2000. The event was released on VHS for a short time before the purchase when the tapes were discontinued. While many wrestling tapes demand high prices, this is among the rarest.
Anything involving Hulk Hogan is valuable for collectors, but his final match with the WCW will be a grail for many. Hulk Hogan went off-script when he left with the belt when he should have lost it, ending his WCW relationship. This match alone adds to the price of the tape, which has gone up as high as $500.
Halloween – $500
The classic slasher film is easy to come by on home video, with several cheap VHS releases. Those purists who want true originals, however, have to be willing to dig deep into their pockets. The movie was first released on VHS in 1978 by Media Home Video and with a typo. The Media logo is misspelled as Meda, and that is a key reason the tape is so sought after.
Media later re-released the movie with an updated logo, and while some of these can cost a pretty penny, none have come close to the true original with the subtle typo in the bottom right of the cover.
Tales From The QuaDead Zone – $700
One of the, if not the rarest VHS tapes is a relatively unknown anthology film called Tales From The QuaDead Zone. The film itself is easy to watch online, but the VHS was released in a small quantity, being manufactured independently. The film has never been released on any other physical medium, and odds are, it never will be.
The film is nothing to write home about, but it has quickly become the most sought-after tape in VHS collecting circles. The film was extremely underground, but after the tape was featured in the VHS collecting documentary, Adjust Your Tracking, the hunt was one to find the elusive tape. In the rare instances the tape does show up for sale, it isn’t uncommon for it to cost an upwards of $700.
Star Wars – $3,500 Sealed
This is one of the most expensive VHS tapes ever sold. When Star Wars was released in 1977, it was a cultural phenomenon and was released on video for the first time in 1982. Things were different in those days though, and it would be far too expensive for families to buy the film, so instead, Fox released it as a rental exclusive.
This original release is not cheap by any means, regardless of the condition. But when a rare, mint condition tape still in the shrink wrap surfaced, fans flocked to bid on this piece of film history, with the final bid an astounding $3,500.
