Video Yesteryear
Encyclopedia
Video Yesteryear of Sandy Hook, Connecticut was the largest catalog retailer of public domain
films on VHS
, Betamax
, and 8mm film beginning in 1977. Originally known as Radiola from 1967, the company distributed old radio shows on LP record
s and audio cassettes.
Eventually, Radiola became Radio Yesteryear. They are best known for presenting silent films and slower speeds than a standard 16mm projector would normally show, bringing the early films closer to their silent film running time. This process was known as Video Accu-Speed and described as a "prism optical" process. It unfortunately had the effect of making the film darker the closer it got to the edges. Their silent film
releases also included original organ scores composed and performed by Rosa Rio
(1902-2010), who had been a theatre organist during the silent era.
Public domain
Works are in the public domain if the intellectual property rights have expired, if the intellectual property rights are forfeited, or if they are not covered by intellectual property rights at all...
films on VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
, Betamax
Betamax
Betamax was a consumer-level analog videocassette magnetic tape recording format developed by Sony, released on May 10, 1975. The cassettes contain -wide videotape in a design similar to the earlier, professional wide, U-matic format...
, and 8mm film beginning in 1977. Originally known as Radiola from 1967, the company distributed old radio shows on LP record
LP record
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
s and audio cassettes.
Eventually, Radiola became Radio Yesteryear. They are best known for presenting silent films and slower speeds than a standard 16mm projector would normally show, bringing the early films closer to their silent film running time. This process was known as Video Accu-Speed and described as a "prism optical" process. It unfortunately had the effect of making the film darker the closer it got to the edges. Their silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
releases also included original organ scores composed and performed by Rosa Rio
Rosa Rio
Rosa Rio , born Elizabeth Raub, was an American organist who began her career as a silent film accompanist. She became a leading organist on network radio and continued to perform until age 107...
(1902-2010), who had been a theatre organist during the silent era.