Too Intense for Kids, Just Right for VHS Glory
It took over 2 years, but Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom finally arrived on home video today in 1986 after a May 23rd, 1984 theatrical release.
Obviously it was another lucrative priced-to-own Paramount title at $29.95, and with Raiders being co-promoted at a cool $19.95, it’s no wonder these 2 titles were among the first to reside on many living room bookshelves – along with dad’s copy of Top Gun.
This was still a few years before it was adopted as THE default home video business model. Paramount began aiming choice lower-priced new releases squarely at the buyer’s market (as opposed to rentals) when most tapes would set you back a cool 89.95. These priced-to-own Paramount releases (like Star Trek II, Flashdance, Beverly Hills Cop) were watershed experiments and the industry would eventually take notice.
Note the Pre-PG-13 “This Film May Be Too Intense For Younger Children” warning on the trade ad. Red Dawn (1984) was the first film to be actually released with the PG-13 rating after its creation in July of that year. -Pop