VHS HORROR COVER ART

 

One of the greatest parts of the VHS era as many will tell you was the artwork that was used on the covers of the tapes you rented. This was especially true for horror movies.

This may seem weird to people who weren't around back then. These days due to the internet we know practically every single thing about a new film from cast, director and even key plot points literally months before it's even released. The 80's and 90's where simpler times - we didn't know practically ANYTHING about a film prior to it's release, especially when it came to low budget movies. This is where the cover art became important because that (usually) painted artwork and that description on the back (along with a few choice stills, usually the goriest bits) REALLY had to sell the film to a prospective renter...and sell them they did.

So here's a rundown of some of my own personal favourites from those bygone days...

THE EVIL DEAD.

Just look at that amazing artwork depicting Zombie/Deadite Cheryl. The green skin, the demonic glowing eyes and the gnarled hand reaching out to grab you. Mix that with the title font that looks like something from an underground record label's death metal band LP cover, throw in a choice quote from Stephen King for good measure and you're onto a winner.

I had this version which was released on the 4-Front label (a company which knocked out budget priced horror VHS tapes) - I always liked the gold edging they used on all their titles as it made them look "classy". I literally watched the hell out of this tape when I was seventeen. Happy days.

THE INCREDIBLY STRANGE CREATURES WHO STOPPED LIVING AND BECAME MIXED UP ZOMBIES 

When I was at Comprehensive school, I'd very often nip out into the town centre at dinner time (we weren't allowed to but I always say small passive acts of rebellion are best).

One of the things I used to do was go into the local video rental store and browse longingly in the horror section, my eyes taking in all that gorgeous artwork.

One of the tapes which always caught my eye was this little beauty. Everything about it was so gloriously off kilter - the ridiculous title, the fact that it was a "monster musical" (I hate 90 percent of musicals by the way, but this still intrigued me regardless), the dancing girl, the fact that it proudly proclaims that it stars CASH FLAGG (whoever he is) and best of all - the mixed up zombie with the bulging eyeball who looked a lot like my favourite Madballs character - Slobulus.

All of the above fired my early teen imagination... funnily enough I STILL haven't seen this film to this very day.

HELL ISLAND

Another cover that used to intrigue me as a kid. Who was this character? What was he doing on Alcatraz island ? What was he ? A ghost of a murderer ? A vampire? A werewolf ? A demon ? I just wanted to know what his story was.

I didn't find out until a few weeks ago when I watched this film on Tubi, the memories that the thumbnail of the cover art evoked reawakened my interest from all those years ago...

Guess what ?

The film was shit. Aw well...

THE VIDEO DEAD

Another case of a mediocre b-movie with awesome artwork. There's just something about this image that just perfectly captures that feeling of watching a rented horror movie on VCR back in the day.

I like this image so much that I recently bought a poster of it which now hangs in pride of place on the door to the back room, where I can bask in it's glory forevermore.

AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON 

I remember seeing this as a poster in the window of HMV in Mansfield when I was about five years old and it gave me the willies.

In later years I came to love this film for the true classic it is. An iconic image for an iconic movie.

GHOULIES

Speaking of iconic - this image of an ugly little mutant emerging from a toilet bowl with murder in his eyes (probably after lacerating some poor blokes knob and testicles) was all over video shops in the 80s.

The aforementioned wedding tackle mutilation that the cover suggests doesn't actually happen in the film at all, but so many people EXPECTED it too that the film became a massive straight to video hit. It wasn't until the sequel that we finally got to see a ghoulie emerge from a toilet to get someone by...the GHOULIES.

A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET PART 2 - FREDDY'S REVENGE

There are, of course, many MANY VHS covers to choose from which feature a certain Mr F. Krueger. The son of a hundred maniacs was literally EVERYWHERE in the 80's and early 90's. Out of all the covers featuring him this one is by far my favourite. 

I think it's because you don't really get a massively clear view of Freddy's face in the first film (he's always in shadows or just part of his face is glimpsed) but come the sequel and his flame ravaged fizzog is plastered all over the cover, and if that wasn't cool enough - on the back cover you also get a beautifly rendered picture of Freddy's famous glove. This cover is a true work of art.

THE GATE & KINDRED

I always link these two films together as they where the first two horror films I ever rented. I chose them by the traditional way - thinking that the artwork was awesome.

Several decades later and the artwork is still awesome.

I WAS A TEENAGE FRANKENSTEIN 

A vintage pick for my final choice (yes, I know they're ALL vintage these days but you know what I mean). I Was A Teenage Frankenstein was a movie from the 50's that was released on the Drive-In Classics label in the early 90's.

I like this cover for two reasons - a) Teenage Frankenstein himself is just a great looking monster, and b) this cover reminds me of the day that I bought this video. 

It was 1996 (the very tail end of the VHS era), I was on holiday from University and had been working in a call centre to make some cash for the next term. The previous evening I'd been fired from my job (I think I swore at a rude customer) and was hanging around the town centre in a bad mood. Then I noticed a five pound note on the floor that someone had dropped. I picked it up, went into a nearby shop and there staring me in the face was this very tape.

Even better than that was the fact that it only cost a quid. I snapped it up and rushed home to watch it. This video turned a shit day into a good day that I still remember clearly all these decades later. For that reason it makes the list.

I hope you enjoyed this look at VHS horror art, all that needs to be said now is HAPPY HALLOWEEN 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃.