Every child of the 80s will remember going to the video store and trying to find a movie to rent. Back before the days of Blu-ray and On Demand, selecting a movie usually meant finding the flick with the coolest box art. Like modern posters, classic VHS art has been lost but thanks to the Internet there are countless reminders of these cool creations. This column will be dedicated to bringing you reminders of a bygone era and a look at how cool some of these movies looked on store shelves.
DEATH CODE NINJA
When I was a kid, any movie with ninjas on the cover was a must rent. Now, they just don't make very many ninja movies that are worth the time to watch, but covers like these make me remember the old days when I used to put pajamas on and an old pillow case for a mask and pretend to kick ass. Not available to purchase on Blu-ray/DVD.
THE LIFT
Growing up in an apartment building, I always had an irrational fear that the elevator may crash or I would get stuck inside during a power outage. It definitely did not help to see this movie about a killer elevator. This movie made me take the stairs for years…and I lived on the eleventh floor! Click here to purchase on Blu-ray/DVD.
EVIL SPAWN
Also released under the title METAMORPHOSIS, this low budget flick from the director of PUPPET MASTER follows an actress who takes a drug to make herself younger and instead turns into an insect monster. Plus, aliens are involved, so you know this is a must see. Available to purchase on Blu-ray/DVD.
RAW FORCE
Zombies, cannibals, nudity, and martial arts! What more do you need? When the Burbank Kung Fu Club heads to Warrior's Island, they are in for the cheesiest and most epic quest you could imagine. This movie is available on Blu-ray, but the VHS art makes this look like something you just want to own on cassette. Click here to purchase on Blu-ray/DVD.
HALLOWEEN NIGHT
I don't know anything about this movie and cannot seem to find it on DVD or Blu-ray, but the VHS art looks like a cross between an 80s metal music video and a softcore porno, but with Satanists and pumpkins. Yep, I want to see this. Not available to purchase on Blu-ray/DVD.
METAMORPHOSIS
I remember seeing this VHS box at my local West Coast Video and the 3D cover just screamed cheese. It is hard to take a film seriously when the carboard box is jutting out at you like this, but that second cover really drives home the horror of getting a needle in your eye. Click here to purchase on Blu-ray/DVD.
Feel free to pop us your favorite VHS box art and come back for each future column. You can send your finds or photos of your own VHS tapes to alexmaidy@joblo.com