Rewind This! (2013) - Josh Johnson

The introduction of the home video format completely changed the way films were consumed by the general public.  Josh Johnson's Rewind This! examines the importance of this format, touching on the cultural and historical impact of VHS tapes.  There is not a trace of condescension throughout Rewind This but rather an affection for the VHS format, providing an educational examination of the importance and power of VHS tapes in an era where movie-watching was as much about exploration as it was about fitting in.  Rewind This is a talking heads style documentary that brings up not only the importance from a technological perspective but also lots of fascinating arguments about what we lost with the format.   The idea that VHS made the film industry an even playing field I found particularly interesting, as budget restraints played little influence on what a viewer rented.  We see how the cover art of VHS tapes was actually artistic and unique, not like the photoshopped, floating heads that dominate marketing these days.  Most important and personal to me was how VHS gave generations of young people the ability to understand and study the language of cinema in a way they never could, with the rewind and fast forward capabilities.  While I was watching Rewind This I actually found myself getting depressed as I realized how many films will lost due to technologies desire to streamline everything for the masses.  Rewind This is a simple but effective documentary that should be seen by anyone who calls themselves a movie lover.

---