The VHS Strikes Back

28 Days Later was chosen by show supporter Dylan — and it’s one of the most defining British horror films of the 21st century. Directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland, the film was a bold reinvention of the zombie genre, injecting it with raw energy, political undertones, and a sense of realism rarely seen in horror at the time. Shot primarily on digital video using Canon XL1 cameras,...

The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires (1974) was chosen by Dave, and it’s a wild blend of classic British gothic horror and Hong Kong martial arts cinema, a true oddity even by Hammer Films standards. By the early 1970s, Hammer was struggling to keep its brand of horror relevant, as audience tastes shifted toward more modern and visceral scares. Looking to revive interest in their iconic Dracula fra...

Chris has gone big with his next pick, Van Helsing, Universal’s flashy attempt to revive their classic monsters for a modern blockbuster audience. Directed by Stephen Sommers, hot off the success of The Mummy films, the project was designed as both a gothic action spectacle and a potential launchpad for a wider franchise. With a hefty budget of around $160 million, the film spared no expense on la...

FearDotCom (2002) was chosen by supporter Mike, and it stands as one of the more infamous entries in early-2000s horror cinema. Directed by William Malone, the film attempted to ride the wave of techno-horror thrillers that followed in the wake of The Ring and other Y2K-era internet scare stories. Produced on a budget of around $40 million and shot in Luxembourg to cut costs, the film leaned heavi...

Mr Ice Cream Man (1996) was chosen by Patreon supporter Helen, and is a perfect example of the kind of deep-cut oddity that makes their way into the Year of the Stitch-Up. Directed by Mack Hail and co-written with Jim Mills, this low-budget horror outing was produced by Jeremy Settles with executive production from Hail, Mills, and Yvette Hoffman. Released straight to video, the film leaned into t...

Miller’s Crossing (1990) was chosen by supporter Justin, and it stands as one of the most stylish entries in the Coen Brothers’ early catalogue. After the breakout success of Blood Simple and the quirky charm of Raising Arizona, the Coens set their sights on the gangster genre, crafting a film inspired by classic Dashiell Hammett novels such as The Glass Key and Red Harvest. Their vision was to ma...

Long time supporter Kent has picked the 1965 experimental film Empire for this week!. True to form in the year of the stitch-up, Kent has chosen a film that’s as unconventional and divisive as it gets. Directed by Andy Warhol, Empire exemplifies the avant-garde spirit of mid-1960s New York, pushing the boundaries of traditional cinema with radical minimalism, extreme duration, and an obsessive foc...

The 1994 science fiction movie Stargate is Dave's selection for this week.  The film, which put director Roland Emmerich firmly on the Hollywood map, was marketed as an ambitious blend of ancient mythology and future spectacle long before it gave rise to a massive TV franchise.  With Carolco Pictures supporting Emmerich and director Dean Devlin following their success with Universal Soldier, S...

The next VHS Strikes Back pick comes from Chris, and he’s gone for the high-octane 1989 comedy Cannonball Run III: Speed Zone — also known in some regions as Cannonball Fever. Chris has a history of picking sometimes questionable movies, and this one certainly fits the bill. Directed by Jim Drake, who was best known for his work in television sitcoms, the film was the third entry in the loose Cann...

This week’s VHS Strikes Back pick comes from Patreon supporter Timothy, and he’s chosen Out for Justice from 1991. By this point, Steven Seagal had already punched and wrist-locked his way into Hollywood as the latest in a long line of action stars. Out for Justice was his fourth movie in just a few years, with Warner Bros. doubling down on his image as a ponytailed, tough-talking enforcer. Unlike...

This week’s VHS Strikes Back pick comes courtesy of our Patreon supporter Tony Farina, who’s chosen the cult classic  Death Race 2000  from 1975. Produced by the legendary Roger Corman, the film was made on a shoestring budget of around $300,000 and shot in just a few weeks — a hallmark of Corman’s efficient, low-cost production style. Director Paul Bartel brought a tongue-in-cheek, satirical flai...

This next movie pick comes from VHS Strikes Back Patreon Matt Bates, and he’s chosen a gritty, bloody, and proudly British cult favourite: Dog Soldiers (2002). Directed by Neil Marshall in his feature debut, this film has become a fan-favourite among horror and action enthusiasts alike, thanks to its blend of pitch-black humour, practical effects, and relentless werewolf mayhem. It’s a howling goo...

This week’s stitch-up comes courtesy of Dave, who’s chosen Universal Soldier II: Brothers in Arms from 1998. A made-for-TV sequel to the 1992 cult hit Universal Soldier, this entry was produced by Trimark Pictures and aired as part of a two-part Canadian-American miniseries. Rather than bringing back Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren, the production recast the lead roles with Matt Battaglia...

The next movie pick comes courtesy of Chris, who’s known for his love of high-energy, action-packed flicks. Following on from his previous picks, Chris has chosen  Universal Soldier  (1992)—a film that perfectly captures that early ’90s blend of sci-fi and adrenaline-fueled spectacle. Universal Soldier  is a 1992 science fiction action film directed by Roland Emmerich in his Hollywood debut. The m...

This week’s pick is courtesy of Patreon supporter John Hammond—an undisputed master of chaos, who previously cursed us with the likes of  For Your Height Only ,  Bloody Muscle Body Builder in Hell , and  Devil Fetus . Now, he's reached deep into the arthouse-horror void and pulled out  Santa Sangre  (1989), a film beloved by critics, film students, and probably no one with a functioning sleep sche...

This week's nostalgic dive comes courtesy of Patreon supporter Lucky Looloo Green—who’s not only a proud VHS Strikes Back backer, but also a top-tier supporter of our CD Reality TV Cast! Her pick? The gloriously goofy, genre-clashing Buffy the Vampire Slayer from 1992. Before the brooding drama and Scooby Gang of the TV series, there was Kristy Swanson in neon spandex, staking vamps between cheer...

This week’s pick comes courtesy of longtime VHS Strikes Back Patreon supporter Herb, who’s chosen the delightfully oddball Aussie gem Malcolm from 1986. It’s a film that proves even the quietest, most socially awkward tram enthusiast can have a life of crime tucked beneath his cardigans. With its quirky charm, deadpan humor, and a DIY spirit that would make MacGyver jealous, Malcolm is a criminal...

Strap in and set phasers to “tense banter” — this week’s pick comes from Dave, who’s boldly going where Chris would frankly rather not:  Star Trek: First Contact  (1996). As a lifelong Trekkie, Dave’s diving into one of the most action-packed, fan-favourite entries in the franchise, while Chris braces for a full-on warp-speed assault of technobabble and space diplomacy. It’s the Next Generation’s...

The second episode of our Halloween weekend is Tony Farina and Chris Phelps discussing James O'Barr's 1989 Caliber Press masterpiece comic, The Crow . Crossover episode with Indie Comics Spotlight on Comics In Motion. If you want to talk with Tony about comics or to suggest any future shows, please connect with him on Twitter @Tricycleboombox . You can read his reviews of multiple Independent and...

Buckle up, because this episode’s pick comes straight from co-host Chris, who’s chosen to take us on a nostalgic joyride with  The Gumball Rally  (1976). With a fondness for high-octane chaos and old-school ensemble comedies, Chris dives into the rubber-burning madness of this pre- Cannonball Run  classic, where the only rule is there are no rules—unless you're talking about car stunts, in which c...

This week’s throwback VHS gem comes courtesy of long-time Patreon supporter Gareth—who clearly knows his way around a good roundhouse kick. Gareth has chosen  China O’Brien 2  (1990), the Cynthia Rothrock martial arts sequel that kicks just as hard as the first. With small-town justice, explosive action, and some delightfully dated hairdos, this one’s a real time capsule of straight to video actio...

We're going off the beaten track for this one! This latest pick by JAC is quite a unique one in that it's a fan made film, Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation. Technically shown for the first time in 1989 and an additional scene added in 2014, this is the movie that was the inspiration for the documentary, Raiders!: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made. Checkout JAC's Lette...

We're diving headfirst into high-flying mayhem with  Con Air , a chaotic symphony of explosions, one-liners, and mid-air madness—handpicked by our awesome Patreon supporter Susan from the Geek Girl Soup podcast! Con Air  (1997) was born out of the mid-90s action movie boom, with producer Jerry Bruckheimer riding high from previous hits like  The Rock  and  Crimson Tide . Wanting to blend testoster...

Young Dave, armed with a love for Star Wars and a soft spot for everyone's favourite scruffy-looking nerf herder, thought he was in for another dose of Han Solo heroics when switching on Blade runner. What he got instead was something a little moodier, a lot rainier, and less exciting than Songs of Praise. The production of Blade Runner (1982) was as tumultuous and moody as the rain-soaked, neon-l...

After a slow start in the year of the Stichup ,Chris has gone full throttle by picking  Maximum Overdrive  — Stephen King's chaotic leap into the director’s chair! Maximum Overdrive  marks Stephen King’s one and only time in the director’s chair — and it shows. What was meant to be a thrilling blend of horror and action instead turned into a loud, chaotic mess that careened off the rails almost as...