Which film's home video cassettes used green plastic doors in an attempt to deter video piracy?

Video piracy is defined as the act of copying video images and sound that are protected by copyright, without the permission or consent of the copyright owner. Modern anti-piracy methods rely strongly on sophisticated encryption; back in the days of VHS tapes, anti-piracy measures relied on green plastic.

‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial’ (‘E.T.’ for short) is a 1982 American science fiction film produced and directed by Steven Spielberg. It tells the story of Elliott, a boy who befriends an extraterrestrial, dubbed E.T., who is stranded on Earth.

When ‘E.T.’ was released for at-home viewing on VHS (Video Home System) in 1988, anti-piracy measures were just coming into effect. One of these, the green cassette door, made its debut along with the movie’s release on videotape.

In order for consumers to know their VHS cassette was an authentic original release, with the quality guaranteed, MCA Home Video provided the public with three new features. In addition to the green door, there were green tape hubs on each spool, and in the tape view window, a Universal Studios holographic label which further verified the VHS tape’s authenticity.

Although the measures didn’t prevent piracy, as an untold number of unauthorized copies were made and/or sold, ‘E.T’ nevertheless became a best-selling home video in the 1980s, grossing over $250 million (209 million Euros). Over 15 million authentic copies of VHS tapes were sold in the US alone.