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The second series of the Wonder Cinema podcast turns its attention to the remarkable story of the rise and fall of videotape in Northern Ireland. In this first episode, Brian and Sam discuss the format wars, the video boom and the home entertainment revolution that took place from the mid-1970s to the early ‘80s

The arrival of VHS, and to a lesser extent its rival format Betamax, came at the perfect time for cinema lovers in Northern Ireland, who were often unwilling to leave their homes due to the ongoing conflict of the Troubles. In spite of difficult economic circumstances, Northern Ireland had the highest concentration of VCRs in the United Kingdom. Video rental dealers sprang up to accommodate demand and films such as Alien, Superman, Airplane and An American Werewolf in London were all big video hits in the early 1980s. The introduction of home video forever changed our relationship with cinema and television, with people now able to record content and to play, pause or rewind at their own leisure.

Links

The Northern Ireland Screen Digital Film Archive, '80s Tech!' collection

Written and presented by Dr Sam Manning and Brian Henry Martin
Music by Score Draw Music
https://thewondercinema.buzzsprout.com

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Join filmmaker Brian Henry Martin and cinema historian Dr Sam Manning for the new series of the Wonder Cinema Podcast: ‘Say Yes to VHS’. Press play on the remarkable story of home video in Northern Ireland as Brian and Sam rewind everything from the format wars to video nasties, piracy and paramilitaries to the wonder of the video shop in a new six-part series.

The Wonder Cinema Podcast will be available wherever you get your podcasts.

Written and presented by Dr Sam Manning and Brian Henry Martin
Music by Score Draw Music
https://thewondercinema.buzzsprout.com

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In this special episode of The Wonder Cinema Podcast, recorded live from the Black Box at the 2024 Belfast Film Festival, hosts Brian Henry Martin and Dr Sam Manning celebrate the 88th birthday of the Ritz, which first opened its doors on 9 November 1936. They discuss how the cinema quickly became a landmark in Belfast city centre and hosted stars such as Gracie Field, Cary Grant and even The Beatles. The cinema later faced more turbulent times during the Troubles, including a firebombing in 1977 and a reimagining of its identity, before finally closing in 1993. Brian and Sam dive into the history of 'Ireland's Wonder Cinema', hear personal memories from those who were, and unveil Stuart Marshall's new model of this iconic cinema.

Written and presented by Dr Sam Manning and Brian Henry Martin
Music by Score Draw Music
https://thewondercinema.buzzsprout.com