BACK TO THE FUTURE: HOME VIDEO HISTORY

On today’s episode of Home Video History we cover Back to the Future, from its earliest days on VHS and Laserdisc all the way up to the latest 4K UltraHD Blu-ray release!
Buy Back to the Future 4K: amzn.to/3wVLwrL
Subscribe: / @jeffrauseo
Become a member for just $1.99 and support my channel: / @jeffrauseo
Donate to the channel:
PayPal.me/Film...
Follow me!
Instagram: / jeffrauseo
TikTok: / jeffrauseo
Twitter: / jeffrauseo
Facebook: / jrauseo
Listen to the Films At Home Podcast!
Spotify - spoti.fi/3qTxm6Q
Apple Podcast - apple.co/3uOYipK
Castbox - bit.ly/Castbox...
Radio public - bit.ly/RadioPu...
Overcast - bit.ly/Overcas...
Sign-up for Horror Pack and get 4 mystery Blu-rays shipped to you each month: bit.ly/HorrorPa...
Find great deals on 4K and Blu-ray with free shipping on every order at GRUV.com: bit.ly/GRUV_Deals
Cut the cord and sign up for fuboTV, my personal cable-alternative! Click here for 15% off your first month: bit.ly/FuboFil...
My Home Theater:
Blu-ray shelves: amzn.to/3nmz5zj
AV Receiver: amzn.to/2IHIMnB
4K TV: amzn.to/33KaRWm
Speakers: bit.ly/SVSSpea...
Subwoofer: bit.ly/SVSSubw...
4K Player: amzn.to/3TK8WKT
Home Theater Seating: bit.ly/HomeThe...
Use code FAH to get 20% off the purchase of gaming/office chairs from EwinRacing: bit.ly/EwinGami...
Install the Lustre browser extension for easy home theater tech comparisons!
bit.ly/3efdvqI
Films At Home Merch Store:
filmsathome.my...
Sign-up For A FREE Amazon Prime Trial:
amzn.to/2Gm7Uzu
*As stated in the video, I will earn a small commission from any purchases made through my affiliate links.*
#Bluray
#movies
#backtothefuture

[@calivalley9056]

Being a teenager in the 80’s was so awesome. This is my favorite film but there were so many great movies in that decade that it would be impossible for me to pick a top ten. Alien (1979), Aliens, Goonies, Ghostbusters, Terminator, Beetlejuice, E.T., it was a great time.

[@johnscott4385]

Love these “history” videos. Keep ‘em coming!

[@brandonpage7087]

Me too! Could you do one on the home video release history of the first Friday the 13th?

[@JacobDreamWorks921]

I love to see home video history of Star Wars and mention the movies theatrical release that it had 70mm prints which featured 6 track stereophonic sound. 😁😁😁😁

[@ibuy2manymovies]

My parents saw this 22 times in theaters and still watch it at least once a year. Afraid to tell them I like the second one more haha

[@StaticBlaster]

Even though I was born in the late 80s, the 80s was the best decade for original, innovative films.

[@mikemacca2382]

Adjusting for inflation $79.95 in 1985 is $214.00 in 2022! That's why my Dad just recorded it from TV like most people did back then. Spending that type of money today on one movie would get you a pretty special release of some type, but you would have to be a superfan, or just stupid rich!

[@JungleJeffarnold]

The $80 price tag for vhs is the price rental stores paid . . . . I saw similar prices on the old tapes in the UK we never paid that for them we just rented them for £1 or £2 the home releases usually came a few years later.

[@curtthegamer934]

Some other details not mentioned here, but the 2002 DVD set was updated a few months after release because the framing on the second and third movies had been severely botched. Also, the individual disks from the 2002 set were later released separately, with the packaging for each movie containing cover artwork based on the individual posters.

[@hunter371]

It's surprising that isn't mentioned here. This was a *really* anticipated DVD set when it came out. Myself and most of my friends wound up getting this for Christmas 2002. The framing issue was well known and I believe they allowed you to send a bar code from your set in to receive a corrected version of 2 & 3 when those were fixed.

[@GuiOmania]

And they where a VHS set too that when i finally was able to get the movie because it have become rare at the end of the 90´s

[@LubbockBabesFan]

Yes thank you and also part 1 of those individual releases from 2009 had a second disk that had the back to the future the ride which was the first time it was released on DVD as well as some other new extras so I guess this video is incomplete.

[@lukekonkol6092]

I remember wearing this out on VHS at my grandparents house, one of those movies that I know like the back of my hand and will always flip to if it’s on tv. I’d love a video on Raiders! Keep killin it, Jeff!

[@robinpendrigh2608]

The trilogy got a widescreen release on VHS in the UK back in the early 90's (can't remember exactly when). I bought the set but ended up getting rid of them. Reason was that I didn't understand that the separate editions I had previously were open matte. I had thought those transfers had just been cropped at the sides so when the widescreen tapes had no extra picture there but were missing info top and bottom I thought I had been done. Oh well, I know better now.

[@shanerollins3736]

For the most part I actually prefer open matte, and us open matte junkies are in the vast minority of collectors. Exceptions are when there’s so much equipment or revealing detail that it spoils the movie.

[@craigosterberg5045]

Have the 4K Trilogy. I enjoy this series. The picture and sound is great.

[@21stcenturyMoments]

Classic movie on 4k blu ray.

[@StaticBlaster]

E.T.: Home Video History? Thanks in advance, Jeff.

[@edreid7872]

I saw this on opening day, and it was the best time I had watching with a crowd in the theater... Back then, almost all blockbuster movies on VHS were around a hundred bucks..then slowly prices lowered.. ET was one of the first, with a fancy green cassette tape... I have one packed away...

[@buckfiden6227]

Also, FTTF was the first big blockbuster movie to have Macrovision anti-copy on the VHS & Beta cassettes. Making it not copy on VHS. You could copy to Beta b/c Beta was immune to Macrovision. Also, BTTF 2 & 3 were released on Beta But, In Limited quantity. These Beta tapes are very collectible today because so few of them were made.

[@treyprevost2547]

Great video as always! Some of my favorites I'd love to see be featured would be Psycho, Scream, The Shining, Wizard of Oz, The Goonies, Silence of the Lambs, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Stand by Me, The Karate Kid, Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory, Beverly Hills Cop, Shawshank Redemption, Misery, Ghostbusters, Men in Black, Hocus Pocus, Home Alone, Independence Day, Full Metal Jacket, and A Few Good Men. I could have kept the list going for hundreds of films, but I wanted to try and keep the list shorter. These are movies that I love the most that I feel have the most wide appeal, and have the ability to make an interesting episode due to having a good physical media history story. Keep up the amazing work!

[@george_thebean]

BTTF was my first ever DVD purchase, back in early 2000's :)

[@BIGwillTHEGAME]

This is one of my favorite trilogies. I have the 35th anniversary regular and 4K with hoverboard versions.

[@mahirderman]

The first HD release was in November of 1995 in Japan in Hi-Vision Laserdisc in 1035i60 resolution with 3+1 discreet audio. You actually have a picture of it at the upper right corner at 3:22.

[@badreality2]

You kissed the part where the CED release of this movie has more aspect ratio picture information, than ANY other commercially released format! ...it was transferred to CED before it was chopped into a 16:9 aspect ratio.

[@ColeWalker]

2:20 that graphic actually caused quite a Mandela effect as the original theatrical version without it was unavailable on home video for years which led people to believe it was always there. Luckily it was restored back to the theatrical version eventually.

[@MidnightMovieMavenn]

Probably worth mentioning. BTTF was originally meant to launch with the DVD format in 1997, and was meant to come to DVD in 1999. Not until 2002

[@fullmetalfire8086]

I'd really like to see the original Star Wars trilogy release history, which I know very little about. Especially considering the fact that extra shots and special effects have been added over the years.

[@sheldonpetrie3706]

I own the dvd, BluRay Complete and 4k set. Fun fact on the dvd there was a matting issue on Part 2 transfer (and maybe part 3) so they recalled and replaced the disks with the corrected transfer with the proper imagine framing.

[@Markimark151]

Back to the Future is one of those movies I bought with the two sequels! Because there was trilogy collection that only costed $40 when it was released on VHS. Sadly I gave that BTTF VHS trilogy to a thrift store decades ago. At least I have the BTTF movies on DVD.

[@timothycatron4212]

My most favorite of all time. I was born in 1978 just FYI. It's a masterpiece look for the flaws or loose ends. They did an awesome job.

[@kjpphotography4764]

It is my all time favorite from the 80's and still is.

[@zenquantum1246]

Great to learn the history of these movies and thumbs up for a history video for Carpenter’s The Thing!

[@wrighthousemedia]

Back To The Future was one of the last films to have what was called legs. When a movie is released & has a strong track record of playing well in theaters usually 6 months to a year after its initial release date. BTTF was still playing in theaters in my area, when I first heard it was heading to home video. It was Feb. of 1986, my local video store had a small binder with upcoming releases. MCA Home Video was Universal's home video label at the time & they released a high gloss folder for merchants w/ sales & ad campaign points & it was going to be released on May 23rd. The big thing from the ad campaign, & I was able to get, was a six & a half foot tall standee for the release. I had that until 1987. The RCA VideoDisc for Back To The Future was one of the last titles to be released in the CED format (Rocky IV was the last big title for CED). The first prints of VHS & Beta cassettes for Back To The Future were presented on Scotch EXG HI-FI cassetes. This type of videocassette, for it's time, was a great Hi-Fi tape to use to record shows, but, was expensive, roughly ten dollars for one blank cassette. Back To The Future arrived on home video on May 23rd 1986, as it was playing out its theatrical run which roughly ended in late June. It co-featured at Drive-ins with the re-release of E.T. & Psycho III.

[@TrippingHawk]

Titanic was most likely the "official" last movie with legs. That was in theaters for years in some markets. I remember our local theater had a copy until The Matrix hit.

[@wrighthousemedia]

Wow! I've never seen a movie stay in theaters that long. I actually feel sorry for theater employees that have to work w/ the movie that long. I was working in my local movie theater (it was a twin cinema) when GHOST was released . We had the movie from opening week in mid-July to the second week of December of 1990. 3 showings on weekdays, 4 showings on Saturdays & Sundays, we went insane. To this day I can't watch more than 2 minutes of the movie at a time.

[@shanerollins3736]

You were so close on the CEDs. The Jewel Of The Nile was the second-to-last CED and the last actual release, and the very last CED was Memories Of CED, made for the RCA employees who all lost their jobs when the format (and subsequently the company) went under. BTTF was easily in the last 100 though, if not even later. Great info you provided though!

[@UnicornDreamsPastelSkies]

Techmoan touched on BttF on both his VHD and Hi-Vison LD(!) videos, as did Technology Connections with the VCD release on his DVD episode. Also LDs cost $40 on average in the 1980s when VHS was, as you mentioned, $80 at the time. My first viewing of the first movie was in summer 2003 at high school-age camp, where we all watched it outside on a front projector connected to a VCR playing the 1986 VHS release. And it was awesome. It was not until this year though that I finally watched Parts II and III in their entirety. I just watched some reaction videos of the trilogy last night, so perfect timing with this video!

[@j.m.4858]

I love seeing these kinds of movies come to 4k. This is definitely one of the greatest ever. I can't wait for your video on The Thing... another favorite of mine for sure. Awesome video.

[@ammedsaavedra5296]

One of my favorite trilogies of all time

[@davecool42]

The 2002 DVD trilogy release had a framing error on many shots of BTTF2 and there was a disc recall. I remember they required that you send your original disc back to get the replacement.

[@jamesgoss1860]

Not just BTTF 2, but 3 had the same issue and the discs were recalled. BTTF 2 DVD had some odd audio, the music seems to warble during the 1955 dance music playing, but wasn't fixed.

[@robertobuatti7226]

I remember as a kid in the early to mid 90's they advertised that you could own the whole trilogy on Video Cassette which really excited because I love this trilogy, I've purchased the Back To The Future Trilogy on multiple formats such as Video Cassette, DVD, Blu-ray and now 4K UHD, gave away all the older formats as the 4K is the best it's looked ever plus you get all the special features so there was no need to keep the older formats.

[@nomnomnomJon]

Most movies were high priced when they first game out. They called it priced for rental. After a few months or longer it would be repackaged, usually in a paper sleeve and be priced for retail. Also I think the Japanese format you mention was in the early 90s

[@jasonschlierman412]

Yup, I don’t remember my family starting to buy VHS till maybe the early 90’s, and I bet that was why.

[@logenvestfold4143]

I used to have the first film on VHS. I watched it so many times the tape got destroyed. Then I owned the first two movies on Laserdisc years later. Had them from 2018 until I sold my collection in 2023. Then I got the boxset on Blu-Ray later that year but ended up having to give it away when I moved out of my dorm. I hope I can get the 4K release soon.

[@wfifa199]

That floppy disc type format was news to me! You learn something new every day

[@BeeRadDubya]

Some of my favorite movies ever. My parents had the VHS Trilogy box set. My brothers and I must watched that whole set 100 times. Love these videos keep it up.

[@Eva_H]

Aliens (1986) and T2: Judgement Day (1991) please Jeff if you haven’t already. I just had to double check because I was pretty sure but here in the UK we actually did get a widescreen VHS box set of the complete back to the future trilogy, It also included a bonus behind the scenes VHS also. Really enjoying this video series, thanks Jeff

[@kerrybourke5018]

Great video jeff Well done on explaining about the history of Back to the Future home video releases in 1986 and 1990's and early to mid 2000's and finally 2020 4k release... My favourite sci fi classic movie of 1985.. i saw this film 3 times at the cinema In 1985..and yes I remember that this movie went for nearly 4 months at the box office because it was so popular with teenagers in australia. I wonder if they will release a 40th anniversary or 50th anniversary..you never know....

[@nicholastotoro7721]

It's still crazy how long it took movies to get to home video 20, 30 and now almost 40 years ago. Especially when today companies are taking pre-orders for movies that are just coming out!!! I'm looking at you, Top Gun 1/2 combo set!!! I remember Star Wars was something like $125 on VHS in '81-'82 when I was a kid.

[@jessechristensen6028]

You missed hi-vision laser disc witch was 1030i so basically HD releas that was in Japan. Techmoan did a two parter on this format.

[@Kdawg1287]

I love the physical 4K trilogy collection. I could rip through these movie time and time again.

[@InimicusSolitus]

I remember seeing the movie in the cinema on first release - just amazing. I went back the next day to see it again :)

[@TrippingHawk]

Couple interesting notes: In the mid 90s McDonald's had a promotional thing going on with BTTF and you could get copies of the trilogy on tape for like 5-6 bucks each so it got a huge boost on home video from that. other interesting thing: when the trilogy first hid DVD, universal messed up the widescreen cropping and cropped too much of the frame off parts 2 and 3. they had a big mail in disc swap to fix the issue but there's still tons of incorrect discs on the used market.

[@Ang417]

I remember being a kid watching this on VHS.. i have the digital version and now just bought the 4k ultra edition from Amazon

[@triplejazzmusicisall1883]

I was incredibly lucky and in early 1986 I managed to own an authentic edition of BTF on vhs. In Australia you could rent it but you could not buy it despite whether you could in other countries. Every kid in the street wanted to borrow it and it got played to death.

[@AskMeWhen]

This movie changed my life when it came out in 85. I was 9 year old and it shaped my life choices growing up. One of my top ten.

[@freshlysqueezed-r3u]

The dvd trilogy release and our first DVD player was the Christmas present for the family in 2002!

[@SWATTECHNOLOGIES]

There are certain movies for me that can get a rewatch without tiring of it and this is one of them. That makes it special.

[@andrewattenboroughtwothumb4697]

one of my favourite classic franchise movies and had them on vhs and on DVD and blu ray and in 4K

[@twcc406]

Excellent round up and thanks for adding the obscure and overseas editions. I recall an oversized VHS box edition in the UK that was in widescreen. I no longer own a copy but I am sure it was available to purchase (maybe 'officially' it was rental only although I did manage to buy an ex-rental copy). My first DVD set was the 4 disc 2005 'Ultimate Edition' with 9 hours of extras that was marketed by the now defunct coolroom website... the case indicates region 2 (UK) and region 4 (Australia).

[@joes9954]

One day Universal will FINALLY release the Eric Stoltz footage. When that day comes, then it will be done. Stoltz isn’t the one holding this up either. Widescreen for this one is also subject to interpretation since it was shot open matte and is nowhere near as problematic as anything shot anamorphic.

[@deadlyspooky]

hell yeah my favorite film of all time 🔥

[@rodrigogonzalezbetancourt978]

KEEP 'EM COMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!!!!!! I absolutely LOVE this series

[@ganonkenobi]

Great movies. I had the trilogy on vhs, the first DVD pressing. The first blu ray set and now the 4k set.

[@laprasking]

Fav trilogy ever! Speaking of trilogies, the OG Star Wars Trilogy would be an interesting one to cover.

[@kascnef]

do 007

[@MaxRockatansky853]

Love this channel. You're the man, Jeff!

[@alextan1478]

MCA Home Video was rebranded as MCA/Universal Home Video in 1990 and as Universal Studios Home Video in 1997, due to MCA absorbing themselves to Universal Studios in December 1996.

[@davidalbee5039]

Love this series of history of releases!

[@suppengroove]

sometimes i wonder: was there ever a movie that had an offical release on literally EVERY (or at least most) format possible? obviously global. video 2000 didn't really left europe, vhd was mainly japan and so on

[@martianwoodpecker]

My favorite movie of all time. I own it on VHS, Beta, Laserdisc, VCD, 2 versions on DVD, 2 versions on Bluray and on 4k. The only format I'm missing is the RCA Selectavision one...I think.

[@myzenthing]

Great recap, Jeff! I would love to see a Home Video History of Apocalypse Now.

[@philsmith5500]

Still have the VHS box set in wide-screen that was released in the UK. There seemed to be a time in the 90s where wide-screen VHS really took off in the UK, I remember there being many films being released in both wide-screen and non-wide-screen on VHS, there was also many box sets or VHS+dvd soundtrack releases. Still got the coffin shaped box of Bram Stoker's Dracula on VHS which came with the novel and pin badge.

[@20rileybob]

I first watched Back to the Future on CED among all the other great 70s/80s movies. My buddies dad had a MASSIVE collection on CED. Back to the Future is one of my ALL TIME favorites. Great for any day, any mood, any time. Love these movie histories, keep em coming Jeff!!

[@kascnef]

saw it as a 2 and a half years old then again om vhs in late 80s and owned it on dvd from 2002 and again on bluray and 4k

[@jefffan171]

Another great video Jeff. Not sure if it's already in the comments? But.... I think you've missed out the Japanese only MUSE Laserdisc of BTTF1. Its was the first ever official Analogue 1035i HD release of the movie and would cost around $200 in 1993 plus the Muse players were around $2000 and a MUSE Decoder for $600 in 1993! So a real rare one. Think TECH Moan did a two part video about it and featured Back to the future as a way to show 1993 HD video. Also in the UK we got a really cool Big 12" sleeve edition for the blu Ray release as another way of owning the trilogy. But loving this series and can't wait to see what's next! Ghostbusters? TMNT the movie? There's so many!!! Loving it !!!

[@computerkid1416]

My favorite film trilogy of all time.

[@vfplayer]

You forgot that the original DVD widescreen edition discs weren’t properly framed. Universal did a disc replacement program. I never did send in my discs, but I replaced the whole set with Blu-ray anyway, and now I’ll replace them again with UHD one day.

[@IronWolf277]

I still got a copy of Back To The Future on VHS, one of the few i saved!

[@ajrob341972]

I'm loving this series Jeff.

[@cheekster777]

Awesome. Love this series of videos Jeff. 👍🏻 Thank you. 🙏🏻

[@mangledgiblets]

My sister worked at a video store at the time of the VHS release and i was so excited when she brought this home for me to watch I must have watch it 5 times before she had to take it back the following day. We have the DVD trilogy box set now and I'm on the fence about upgrading to 4K. If the price is right then maybe. Great video!

[@Bobafett316]

Great video, this is my favorite movie of all time so I am going for a complete home media collection of each version, I've got more than half now, but this definitly helps as a more visual guide for me, so thank you. Also, I know it would be a large undertaking, but I would like to see a history of the original Star Wars, just the first one from 1977 would be very cool.

[@shaunsteele6926]

I remember wanting this movie on VHS, and then it aired on network TV so I just recorded it instead lol

[@AdamOnVinyl]

I wish we could get the full frame version on 4k the wide-screen is cutting off the top and bottom. it was shot open mate so we're missing some of the frame.

[@jsb1944]

This series is great. Keep it up

[@ChrisRoth1972]

In the 80’s I bought of a couple of Vhs Tapes new such as Raiders of the Lost Ark & Star Trek III & He-Man Greatest Adventure of All I got for Christmas & I know it retailed for 29.95. I remember stores selling video’s for 79.95 & I couldn’t imagine anyone buying a video for 79.95! Or 59.95 which some retailed then!

[@Djekkie-gj7jz]

It was also released on V2000 or VCC, although not in the USa probably.

[@kilroy4103]

This is my absolutely all time favorite trilogy. I remember seeing all three of these in theaters. I own so many versions of this I lost count. Thanks for doing this video history it was very informative.

[@ElricSowrd]

I used to own the Beta Version, but now have it on DVD (Wherever it is) and 2010 Bluray.

[@phillipmccauley7744]

One thing you missed...there was also an individual dvd release for each of the films in 2009.

[@MovieMan2150]

Great video! I'd love to see Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II versions of this series in the future!

[@MidnightsEdgeAfterDark]

Fun little bit, in 1994, McDonald's sold the film with a few other Universal titles to promote Jurassic Park

[@adamquiles2468]

Loved Back to the future myself as well just wish the original remained without any sequels made.

[@CinemaDaveMedia]

Hi Jeff. Love your channel. Back to the Future is one of my favorite films. All the best to you!

[@GuiOmania]

There where a 2002 VHS set too the original vhs was very hard to find at the end of the 90’s so the 2002 release was the first time i saw them in VHS since i have become a super fan !!!

[@mrstan8650]

Great recap! I remember my uncle telling me VHS 📼 was expensive

[@duxassassin411]

Forrest Gump would be an interesting one to cover for this series!! Love your dedication to the craft Jeff!!

[@rummazknowsbest1152]

I got the R2 DVDs in the UK with the black packaging in 2002 or 2003 . A while later it came out that the BTTF2 and 3 discs were cropped rather than widescreen (I didn’t notice while watching, it’d been years since I’d watched them and only in 4:3 on TV). I had to write to Universal to tell them I’d bought the boxset, they sent me correct discs in the post along with an apology. Sadly I lent that boxset out and never got it back (ironically I probably still have the 4:3 discs) but I bought the next DVD release which had blue packaging and, as far as I know, no problems. Nowadays I have them on 4K.

[@anerdentertainer698]

Loving this history series.

[@Steve30x]

3:42 I didn't realise the wide-screen versions cropped the top and bottom of the video. I first bought the trilogy on DVD about 12 years ago then I bought it on Blu Ray four years ago. I might buy it on 4K blu ray. I'll give the Blu Rays to my sister

[@Mcfishmeister]

This series is so cool - very well researched (no surprise there). Keep up the great work!

[@Christopher0817]

Back to the future trilogy is one of my all time fave trilogy's hands down and I owned them on vhs dvd and now 4k and I would agree the 4k transfer is amazing just wished they would yave included the animated series with the 4k set

[@Mjaybird]

A great movie and love watching it. You could say a perfect movie with a great cast. Love all 3, I have the laserdisc

[@MaxRockatansky853]

Thanks!

[@LandonBarton]

This is a great series, hopefully it’s successful for you because I’ll keep coming back for them!

[@themediapreacher8154]

In the uk we had a mid 90 s vhs box set that was in widescreen, I still have it 🤣

[@stonemarkstudiosproduction]

Love the history of back to the future. Great video.

[@cwillism]

I have that first DVD release but I didn't realize that was the first time they'd been on DVD. I love those movies but haven't gotten the Blu-rays yet. Anybody else remember those McDonald's VHS releases? I remember my family getting a couple of those

[@cwillism]

Oh, and I remember you had to get replacement discs for Back to the Future II and III

[@Duffy_Collects]

I remember walking into a video store in the mid 1980s and seeing a VHS copy of Evil Dead for for the same amount (79.95). So I don't mind spending 30 bucks for a bouquet title like Scream Factory or Arrow