The VHS Strikes Back

Frank Drebin first graced our screens in 1982 with Police Squad, but 6 episodes is all we got. Fast forward 6 years and we get to this week's Chris pick with The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! The production of The Naked Gun was like a case file thick with mystery, mayhem, and, most likely, unpaid parking tickets. Directed by the Zucker brothers with a firm grip on comedy and a loose g...

New supporter Gareth has chosen a cult classic comedy horror movie this week with 1990's Tremors. Tremors was a collaborative effort between director Ron Underwood, producer Gail Katz, and writers S.S. Wilson and Brent Maddock, who crafted a unique blend of science fiction, horror, and comedy. Filming took place primarily in the arid landscapes of the California desert, specifically in the small t...

Herb's picked a few Aussie classics and this week's pick is no exception with the war drama Gallipoli! Gallipoli, directed by Peter Weir, was a large-scale and highly ambitious undertaking that sought to depict the experiences of young Australian soldiers during the ill-fated Gallipoli campaign of World War I. Weir, who co-wrote the film with David Williamson, worked closely with producer Patricia...

Stephen has picked some crackers in the past, and this time, he's chosen the iconic 1991 biopic The Doors. The production of The Doors (1991), directed by Oliver Stone, was a passionate and meticulous effort to capture the wild spirit of Jim Morrison and the iconic 1960s rock band. Stone, known for his intense filmmaking style, had long been fascinated by Morrison and sought to tell a story that r...

Blake has been a great friend and supporter for a good while now. And hopefully after this review of 1993's Fatal Instinct he still is! Fatal Instinct was an ambitious attempt to spoof the popular erotic thrillers of the early 1990s, but it quickly became an exercise in comedic misfires. Directed by Carl Reiner, a seasoned comedy veteran, the film set out to parody films like Basic Instinct and Fa...

One of Dave's childhood favorites, despite a fair sledding from mates, is up for scrutiny this week! And with a 16 year old Jennifer Connely heading up against a middle aged pop star, what could possibly go wrong? directed by Jim Henson, was an ambitious blend of puppetry, live-action, and cutting-edge visual effects for its time. The film was a collaboration between Henson and executive producer...

Chris stumbled across the original Cage while looking for the worst martial arts movies ever made. So it was only a matter of time before he picked the sequel to cover. The production of Cage II (1994) is a bit like the cinematic equivalent of an underdog pub brawl—scrappy, gritty, and utterly unapologetic. Directed by Lang Elliott, it’s the kind of low-budget, direct-to-video action flick that ha...

Supporter Leigh's chosen a cult-classic horror movie this week with Demons from 1985. Directed by Lamberto Bava and produced by Dario Argento, is a classic Italian horror film known for its intense gore, vibrant visuals, and relentless pace. The production took place in Berlin, with much of the action set inside an old movie theater, where a group of strangers attends the screening of a myster...

Supporter Susan from Geek Girl Soup (https://geekgirlsoup.com) has picked some corkers in the past, and this choice is no exception. It's the 1987 body horror comedy, Street Trash. Street Trash, directed by Jim Muro, was a low-budget endeavor that became known for its outrageous blend of horror, comedy, and social commentary. The film was originally conceived as a short student project by writ...

Dylan's pick for this week is the Legend of Bagger Vance. The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000), directed by Robert Redford, aimed to capture a blend of magical realism and historical drama set against the backdrop of 1930s Savannah, Georgia. Adapted from the novel by Steven Pressfield, the screenplay by Jeremy Leven focused on themes of redemption and spirituality, embodied by the mysterious cadd...

Dave has gone for an iconic action thriller this week with The Fugitive! The production of The Fugitive (1993) was a complex and ambitious endeavor, led by director Andrew Davis. The film was adapted from the 1960s television series of the same name, and the script underwent several rewrites to craft a narrative that balanced action, drama, and character development. The filmmakers aimed for a rea...

This one is from Chris' sweet spot of the early 1990's action movie but very few people have heard of! "Double Trouble" (1992) is an action-comedy film starring the Barbarian Brothers, Peter and David Paul, as twin brothers with vastly different personalities. Peter Jade is a tough, no-nonsense cop, while David Jade is a carefree, muscle-bound nightclub bouncer. Despite their dif...

Returning supporter Glyn has chosen a sci-fi cult-class in the 1986 box-office bomb, Solarbabies. "Solarbabies" (1986) is a sci-fi adventure film set in a dystopian future where Earth has become a barren wasteland controlled by the oppressive Eco Protectorate, which hoards the planet's dwindling water supply. The story follows a group of orphaned teenagers, known as Solarbabies, who...

"Wild Things" (1998) is the pick from Patreon supporter Helen this week. It's definitely a memorable one for both hosts, though maybe not for the intricate twists and turns of the storyline. "Wild Things" was a sultry neo-noir thriller directed by John McNaughton, renowned for his work on "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer." The production of "Wild Things&qu...

After a couple of big-hitting blockbusters the last couple of weeks, Patreon JAC has remained we stay grounded with the little-known cult movie Tammy and the T-Rex. "Tammy and the T-Rex," a film so bonkers you'd think the creators were on a week-long bender, was directed by Stewart Raffill. The story behind this 1994 madness starts with Raffill and producer Diane Kirman discovering a...

The most rented video of 1991 came out the year previous in cinemas and is this week's pick for Dave. "Ghost" (1990) was a collaborative effort that blended romance, supernatural elements, and drama to create a timeless film. Directed by Jerry Zucker, known primarily for his work in comedy, the film marked a significant shift in his career. The screenplay, written by Bruce Joel Rubin...

In a departure from martial arts or buddy cop movies, Chris has gone for the heart warming comedy from 1987, Three Men and a Baby. Three Men and a Baby was an American adaptation of the 1985 French film "Trois Hommes et un Couffin" (Three Men and a Cradle), produced by Touchstone Pictures. The casting was crucial to the film's success, bringing together Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg,...

Patreon Spirder-Dan is never one for the obvious pick, and this time he's gone for the 1972 comedy sci-fi cult-classic The Thing With Two Heads. Checkout some of Dan's fantastic content on https://www.spiderdanandthesecretbores.com. Directed by Lee Frost, the film was produced by American International Pictures, known for its exploitation films. The story follows a racist, dying doctor, pl...

This week we're joined by new Patreon John Malone and he's picked the cult classic from 1979, The Warriors. The Warriors was marked by its ambitious vision and the challenges of shooting on location in New York City. Directed by Walter Hill and based on Sol Yurick's 1965 novel of the same name, the film aimed to capture the gritty realism and heightened stylization of gang culture. Hil...

Dave's pick this week is the family comedy sci-fi adventure, Short Circuit from 1986. Short Circuit was a collaborative effort that blended innovative special effects with a light-hearted, family-friendly narrative. Directed by John Badham, the film tells the story of a military robot, Number 5, who gains sentience after being struck by lightning. The production was notable for its advanced us...

Chris had this as an ex-VHS rental back in the day and has chosen the neo-noir black comedy crime drama, Miami Blues (1990). Miami Blues was an adaptation of Charles Willeford's novel, directed by George Armitage and produced by Jonathan Demme. The film starred Alec Baldwin as the charming yet psychopathic criminal Frederick J. Frenger Jr., Jennifer Jason Leigh as his naive love interest Susie...

Timothy's choice this week and he's gone for the 1986 thriller, The Hitcher. Directed by Robert Harmon and written by Eric Red, the film's production began with a script that was compelling enough to draw the interest of producer Edward S. Feldman. Rutger Hauer was cast as the enigmatic and terrifying hitchhiker, John Ryder, delivering a performance that would become iconic in the thri...

Patreon supporter Justin's last pick was Bottle Rocket from the 90's and this time we're going 3 decades back to 1963 with The Courtship of Eddie’s Father. The Courtship of Eddie's Father, directed by Vincente Minnelli, was a noteworthy project within the family-comedy genre, combining elements of drama and humor to tell a heartfelt story. Based on the novel by Mark Toby, the film...

John Hammond is another long-time supporter and has picked some of the greatest terrible movies committed to VHS, and this week he may have just raised the bar. Checkout John's recent vlog from Horrorcon UK 2024 in Sheffield: https://youtu.be/Q0IAAvR8O2E?si=dar8gRmqGWQDWFSX Devil Fetus was produced by Shaw Brothers Studio, a prolific company known for its martial arts and exploitation films. S...

Long-time supporter Kent and has picked another classic this week in Deliverance from 1972. And is also the last installment of our 3 week Burt Reynolds season! Check out a whole bunch of cool stuff Kent does on his facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/kentgustavsonphd . Deliverance, directed by John Boorman, was both ambitious and challenging, marked by its decision to shoot on location in the...