The search parameters were limited. You judged a movie by its VHS box art. If you were looking for something specific, you relied on a clerk who knew your taste. The categorization was broad, and "popular media" was defined by whatever the store had in stock that weekend.
Could you clarify what you need help with? For example: Searching for- 1975 xxx in-All CategoriesMovies...
Use the Boolean string: 1975 +xxx +movie -tv -music Select but then manually check "Movies." Usenet is the best source for untouched DVD-Rs of 1975 films that never made it to streaming. The search parameters were limited