1983 in home video:
Note[]
1983 was a time when home video players were becoming affordable for use in homes, the price of them having dropped by half in a few years to around US$500.[1] Pre-recorded tapes remained expensive, creating the video rental industry and with rentals sometimes including the player.[2]
It was also a time known as the "format wars" with two major standards Sony's Betamax and JVC's VHS competing for dominance. Consumer camcorders were also gaining popularity with prices dropping below $1000.[3]
Industry milestones[]
February[]
- February 18 - The local courthouse in Åhus, Sweden fines the owner of a video rental shop for renting out a violent movie rated 15 to a 14-year-old boy.[4]
April[]
May[]
- May 4 - RCA introduces the J-Line for CED players.[6]
October[]
Date unknown[]
- CBS/Fox Video launches Key Video.
- MCA folds its laserdisc operation, MCA Videodisc Inc. , into MCA Videocassette.[8]
Film releases[]
The following films were released on video in 1983:
| U.S./Canada Release Date |
Title | Studio | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January-March | |||||
| J A N U A R Y |
Unknown | The Secret of NIMH | MGM/UA Home Video | Betamax/VHS release | |
| F E B R U A R Y |
1 | Blade Runner | Embassy Home Entertainment | Betamax/VHS release | |
| 16 | The Last Unicorn | CBS/Fox Video | VHS release | ||
| April–June | |||||
| A P R I L |
3 | Pink Floyd The Wall | MGM/UA Home Video | Betamax/VHS release | |
| 8 | Ringing Bell | RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video | Betamax/VHS release | ||
| 27 | First Blood | Thorn EMI Video | Betamax/VHS release | ||
| M A Y |
4 | He Knows You're Alone | MGM/UA Home Video | Betamax/VHS release | |
| J U N E |
1 | Mad Max | Vestron Video | Betamax/VHS release | |
| 10 | Creepshow | Warner Home Video | Betamax/VHS release | ||
| Tex | Walt Disney Home Video | Betamax/VHS release | |||
| July–September | |||||
| J U L Y |
7 | The Black Stallion Returns | CBS/Fox Video | Betamax/VHS release | |
| You Only Live Twice | |||||
| A U G U S T |
24 | The Outsiders | Warner Home Video | Betamax/VHS release | |
| 30 | The Howling | Embassy Home Entertainment | Betamax/VHS release | ||
| S E P T E M B E R |
6 | Gandhi | RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video | Betamax/VHS release | |
| 8 | Flashdance | Paramount Home Video | Betamax/VHS release | ||
| October–December | |||||
| O C T O B E R |
5 | A Boy Named Charlie Brown | CBS/Fox Children's Video | Betamax/VHS release | |
| 7 | Tron | Walt Disney Home Video | Betamax/VHS release | ||
| Something Wicked This Way Comes | Walt Disney Home Video | Betamax/VHS release | |||
| N O V E M B E R |
9 | National Lampoon's Vacation | Warner Home Video | Betamax/VHS release | |
| D E C E M B E R |
4 | Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark | Paramount Home Video | Betamax/VHS release | |
| 9 | Tootsie | RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video | Betamax/VHS release | ||
| 15 | Risky Business | Warner Home Video | Betamax/VHS release | ||
| 20 | Twilight Zone: The Movie | Warner Home Video | Betamax/VHS release | ||
| Unknown | Annie | RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video | Laserdisc release | ||
| The Beastmaster | MGM/UA Home Video | Betamax/VHS release | |||
| The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas | MCA Videocassette Inc. | Betamax/VHS release | |||
| The Dark Crystal | Thorn EMI Video | Betamax/VHS release | |||
| Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid | MCA Videocassette Inc. | Betamax/VHS release | |||
| Jaws 3 | MCA Home Video | Betamax/VHS release Laserdisc release | |||
| Monty Python's The Meaning of Life | MCA Videocassette Inc. | Betamax/VHS release | |||
| Porky's | CBS/Fox Video | Betamax/VHS release | |||
| Rodan | Vestron Video | Betamax/VHS release | |||
| Victor/Victoria | MGM/UA Home Video | Betamax/VHS release | |||
| Videodrome | MCA Videocassette Inc. | Betamax/VHS release | |||
| The Evil Dead | Thorn/EMI Home Video | Betamax/VHS release | |||
References[]
- ↑ Roehl, Richard; Varian, Hal R. (2000). "Circulating Libraries and Video Rental Stores". http://people.ischool.berkeley.edu/~hal/Papers/history/.
- ↑ Roehl, Richard; Varian, Hal R. (2000). "Circulating Libraries and Video Rental Stores". http://people.ischool.berkeley.edu/~hal/Papers/history/.
- ↑ "1980's Appliances including prices". http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/80selectrical.html.
- ↑ Horisont 1983, Bertmarks förlag, page 42 - Första domen mot videovåld
- ↑ History of Media Technology (accessed 8 April 2011)
- ↑ History of Media Technology (accessed 8 April 2011)
- ↑ History of Media Technology (accessed 8 April 2011)
- ↑ Bierbaum, Tom (February 6, 1990). "Mixed Reviews". Daily Variety: 78.
External links[]
| |||||