Throughout the eighties and early nineties, the retail cost of a VHS movie was inordinately high—usually around $79 to $90. Top Gun, released on video in 1987, made national news for being “only” $26.95, the lowest introductory price ever for a major release (McDonald’s received similar attention in 1992 when the fast-food chain distributed copies of Dances with Wolves on VHS for $7.99, if the buyer also purchased food).
