Adjust Your Tracking: The Untold Story of the VHS Collector

Dir: Dan M. Kinem, Levi Peretic

2013

*****

There is something quite glorious about Adjust Your Tracking: The Untold Story of the VHS Collector even though I don't think there is anything glorious about VHS tapes. I do get it though, as up until a couple of years ago I still had a collection of around 2000 tapes myself. I treasured these tapes but once DVDs became more affordable I, like most people, simply updated my collection. I actually collected way more DVDs than VHS but have got rid of most of these too, keeping only the rare and special films. I have a new rule now that I only watch films once as there are so many I want to watch and I now only collect comics because they go up in value, although it seems certain VHS tapes are now worth something. I still buy CDs though for the same reason as many of the VHS collectors featured in the documentary, and that is because there is something enormously satisfying about cataloguing, organizing and simply admiring one's own collection. That and because I like the artwork. It's a collector thing and it's a nerd thing. One collector refers to himself and his kind as 'archaeologists of low brow pleasure', as teams of VHS enthusiasts scour car boot sales, house clearances and old rental stores that are going out of business for a rare horror, bizarre porno or underground cult classic. The films aren't generally all that good, the reason most of them never made it to DVD, but it's not just about the stories but the artwork and the titles. I remember visiting my local rental store as a child and looking up at the amazing artwork of the horror films. I swore I would go back to the store on my 18th birthday and rent the lot but by that point many had disappeared. These guys felt the same way but unlike me, they went out and found those lost gems and formed an obsession. Some buy the same film several times over just because the artwork is slightly different on different releases and if you have 'Something something 1 & 2, then you really need to have something something 3-9 to complete the collection, even if you have no interest in the films themselves.  It's really not a new phenomenon, Vinyl collectors have been doing the same for years, as have comic, stamp and all sorts of collectors. It's all based on nostalgia and quality. That's where VHS is slightly different. Vinyl fans will argue that the audio quality is better than CD or MP3. Comic collectors have to have comics that are in perfect condition and stamp collectors like stamps that have slight imperfections as it makes them rare, therefore more collectible/valuable. VHS collectors like the imperfections of VHS tapes for what they are, they like the pause lines, the fizzing at the top and bottom of the screen and the general poor quality. They see character in it sure but it all stems purely from nostalgia. There is something rather poetic about that. It's not about the money either as these vast collection will only appeal to a select few who probably already have said collections anyway. The nearest comparison I can think of is classic game collectors but again, there is far more to that than just one technology. One of my favourite things about Dan M. Kinem and Levi Peretic's loving tribute is that it is filmed on low quality VHS cameras. It's very much for the fans and everyone else is welcome to join in should they want but I would argue that when a documentary is this good the subject matter really isn't important, it is the enthusiasm that is infectious and fascinating and what makes the film a success. Nerds rule!