Paracinema in Socialist Romania During the 1980s: the VHS and the Emergence of Alternative Film Repertoires
Paracinema in Socialist Romania During the 1980s: the VHS and the Emergence of Alternative Film Repertoires

Summary/Abstract: This article examines the emergence of video home systems (VHS) in socialist Romania within the broader context of state-controlled cinema industry and through the conceptual lens of “paracinema.” Rather than viewing video as a disruption in film consumption, the study explores films as both cultural products and commodities. The analysis addresses the social construc- tion of paracinema repertoires in a broader context and uses discourse analysis to explore ruptures and continuities in the polarised framing of films. The results show an intersection of socialist cinema cultures and VHS repertoires, revealing a continuity in moral debates around popular film genres. The discus- sion also reveals how the circulation of videotapes in the black market and the emergence of alternative VHS film repertoires exposed the tensions between state policies and public demand, ultimately reshaping the social construction of cinema cultures under socialism.

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