The Top Ten Scariest Horror Movie VHS Covers
I’ve been fascinated by horror movies ever since I was a kid. Back in childhood, every time my mom would take me to the local video rental store, I would instantly gravitate to the horror section. I was too young to watch the movies, but I couldn’t resist looking at the creepy VHS box art, which usually featured evil clowns, skeletons, zombies, and a wide variety of other creepy monsters. Here are my favorite top ten scariest horror movie VHS covers.
The VHS home video market exploded in the 1980s. A flood of low-budget horror movies were released during this period. In some cases, they bypassed theaters and were released directly to the video market. The website VHSCollector.com was an indispensable resource for the images in this article.
These obscure films had to compete with better-known franchises like Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th. They needed striking and memorable VHS box art to attract an audience. Studios designed covers that would stand out from the competition. Unfortunately, many included misleading material designed to trick renters.
10. The Funhouse (`1981)
The late Tobe Hooper, who was best known for directing The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, helmed this 1981 slasher flick set inside an amusement park carnival.
In The Funhouse, a rowdy group of teens is menaced by a masked killer inside an amusement park funhouse. The VHS box art is creepy and fun, but misleading. To the relief of coulrophobia sufferers everywhere, it does not feature an axe-wielding clown. The villain is a hulking psychopath in a Frankenstein mask.
Related: The Top Ten Underrated Retro Slasher Movies
9. Troll (1986)
How many kids had nightmares about this grotesque troll attacking them in their sleep? Troll is a 1986 fantasy/horror movie about a shapeshifting monster who lurks inside an apartment complex.
This movie has mostly been forgotten. It’s overshadowed by its sequel, the gloriously terrible cult classic Troll 2. The box art has lived on in memes about internet trolls.
8. Bloody new year (1987)
This skeleton is ready to party! He’s got a hat and a noisemaker and he’s primed for a great night. Unfortunately, Bloody New Year is much less fun than the VHS box art suggests. It was a direct-to-video cheapie about a bunch of idiots who get trapped in a haunted hotel on New Year’s Eve.
This is the most obscure movie on this list and for good reason. At least the skeleton looks like he’s having a good time. He has more personality than anybody in the movie.
7. Cheerleader Camp (1988)
Give me a K! Give me an I! Give me an L! Give me an L! Who could resist renting a movie with a skeletal cheerleader on the cover? This gal managed to keep a full head of hair even after losing all the skin on her face. Impressive! She should talk to her dermatologist.
Cheerleader Camp was originally released under the title Bloody Pom Poms. It is a generic 1988 slasher movie. The film features many cheerleaders, but sadly none with skeleton faces.
6. Chopping Mall (1986)
A shopping bag filled with body parts is the perfect cover for this movie. Rowdy mall employees decide to stay inside the mall overnight so they can party. Unfortunately, they are attacked by the mall’s trio of high-tech security robots. The robots are programmed to shoot intruders with lasers.
Despite the title, nobody gets chopped in this movie. Instead, they get burned, blown up, decapitated, smashed, electrocuted, and incinerated. Fans of cheesy ‘80s movies will recognize Kelli Maroney, who plays Allison, the movie’s final girl.
5. Dead Alive (1993)
This is one of the most creative horror movie VHS covers on this list. It’s hard to make sense of the image. Why does this person have a skull in their mouth? It’s best not to think too deeply about these things. This zombie gorefest was directed by Peter Jackson, long before he went on to fame and fortune with the Lord of the Rings movies.
4. Dolls (1987)
There’s something creepy about dolls. Especially dolls who are holding their own eyeballs. This box cover is nightmare fuel at its finest and that earns it a place among the best horror movie VHS covers. A great slogan too: “They walk. They talk. They kill.”
Despite the creepy VHS artwork, this 1987 movie received little attention compared to the popular Child’s Play, which was released about a year later. Both movies are about dolls that are possessed by the souls of criminals.
3. House (1985)
This is an image that stuck with you as a kid: a severed hand ringing a doorbell. Where do they come up with this stuff? House is a 1986 movie about an author who moves into a haunted house.
The creepy VHS cover makes House look like a terrifying ordeal, but the movie is actually quite funny. House was ubiquitous in video rental stores across the United States. It was followed by House II: The Second Story and two further sequels.
2. Monkey Shines (1988)
It seemed like every video rental store had a copy of this movie. Monkey Shines is about a psychic simian who goes on an unhinged homicidal rampage after being subjected to cruel experiments.
It was directed by the late George Romero, who was known for his Living Dead zombie series. The monkey’s maniacal grin was enough to give any kid nightmares.
1. Ghoulies (1985)
If you took even a cursory glance at the horror section of a video store in the ‘80s or early ‘90s, you remember this one. Just when you thought it was safe to go to the bathroom! This is easily the most memorable horror movie VHS covers I’ve seen.
Ghoulies became a surprise hit on the video market and spawned three sequels. It features unconvincing acting, poor production values, and cheap puppets. The only explanation for its commercial success is that people were intrigued by the little green monster popping out of the toilet bowl.
Ghoulies is mostly about a satanic cult. Sadly, the ghoulies themselves are given relatively little screen time. They don’t even get to bite anybody in the ass!
