subject: The Evolution Of Watching Movies At Home [print this page] Film has taken leaps and bounds over the past thirty years. Since VHS (Video Home System) was first unveiled by Japanese giant JVC back in 1977, watching movies at home has gone from strength to strength. It may seem difficult nowadays to imagine only being able to watch films at a cinema, when most people watch films at home on a regular basis. Some people only ever watch them at home, preferring the comfort, convenience and privacy that one gets when at home, rather than at a cinema. With movies going to VHS around six months after their initial cinema release, movie rentals became a huge craze, allowing people to watch their favourite films again and again. Movies which had little or no success at cinemas were given a second chance on video (The Terminator, for example), which meant that movies and their studios had an extra opportunity to earn from their releases.
In the same way that VHS defeated Betamax video, DVD quickly became a market leader, and VHS was phased out over a few years. However, in the last four years or so, opting to watch movies online has become a popular way to see films, as people can combine watching at home with a wider choice of films than a typical rental store may have available. Also, as the internet allows viewers to stream movies, it means that a new release cannot sell out, which is a distinct advantage. The huge evolutionary steps in mobile phone technology also means that if people can access the internet on their phone to a good enough standard, they can also stream movies through their handsets, allowing them to watch movies online wherever they want. As technology continues to develop at a startling pace, the experience of watching films will evolve with it .
