Video Home System

I didn't have cable growing up, so I didn't have much choice of what to watch on TV.  However, I just realized I actually did have options of what to watch.  Mainly, these were video rentals.

My mom and I usually would walk a few blocks to go grocery shopping to this store called C-Town.  I believe one time we walked past this video store by Vroom Street.  It is no longer there.  But we went in there and got a membership.  I can't remember which videos my mom and I first rented.  And then for the rest of the summer, it was just me walking over there to return and rent VHS tapes.

One of the movies I remember renting was "Only the Lonely", starring John Candy.  And I think there was also "Mr. Saturday Night", starring Billy Crystal.  I can't recall much of the other movies I rented though.

My mom also bought some VHS cassettes, mostly the cheap ones at C.H. Martin.  One of them was "Topaz", which she told me as a good movie by a good director.  I can't remember watching it with her, but afterwards I remember seeing the tape in its case all the time but I never got interested in popping it in no matter how bored I was sitting at home alone.

At some point, my mom signed up with Columbia House or something.  We used to see their commercials all the time on TV.  I can't remember all the movies she bought at first because I think you can get like ten for one cent or something like that initially.  And I don't remember if it came from the club or it was bought at a store, but we also had "A Man Called Horse".  She was watching it one morning, but I didn't stay in the living room with her.  I think I went into the bedroom to watch something else.  I did walk by once in a while and I remember the scene where they were hanging the guy through a rope under the skin of his chest.  I didn't really feel like watching the rest of it.  I did check it out though many years later, and I thought the movie was all right.  

We also had a copy of "On Golden Pond".  It was another title that I kept seeing near the VCR but I never popped into the cassette player.  It just seemed like more of a grown up movie and not for me.

Another movie what we had was "Basic Instinct".  I never watched it with my mom, thank goodness.  I think I already knew it was something I wouldn't want to watch with her.  But when I was home alone by myself though, I did watch it a few times.  I was twelve years old.  It was definitely more of a grown up movie and not for me.

I can't believe I can't remember if I had asked her to buy me movies also through the club.  I'm fairly certain I did though.  I just can't remember the exact titles.  I was really into comedies back then so it must have been something funny.