When VHS tapes first came out, demand was so high that shop owners were constantly looking for copies to line their shelves. A lot of rubbish got rented out back in the day due to the fact that, in general, there was no public resource available for additional information on these films; customers took their chances based on what looked interesting. Those days are long gone now, with On Demand and streaming services allowing us to find and watch specific titles in minutes, whenever we want. Obviously this a great thing, but we lost the mystery and grab-bag feel that renting a movie used to have. It also means the death of amazing VHS box art – Images specifically designed to catch the eye and make a sale. Horror movies were particularly good at capturing the imagination of potential viewers, flaunting covers so gory and shocking that customers were bound to pick them up. In honor of these classic freaky designs, we’re taking a look back at some Halloween-themed VHS box art that kept people on their couches every October throughout the 80’s and 90’s.
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1. Trick or Treat (1986)
Synopsis: Sammi Curr was a famous, devil-worshiping rock star who died under mysterious circumstances. Now he wants to come back to life. Doing so requires possessing radio wave & automobiles and making a few human sacrifices.
IMDb Rating: 5.3/10
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2. Halloween (1978)
Synopsis: A psychotic murderer institutionalized since childhood for the murder of his sister, escapes and stalks a bookish teenage girl and her friends while his doctor chases him through the streets.
IMDb rating: 7.9/20
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3. Hack O Lantern (1988)
Synopsis: A kindly old grandfather is actually the leader of a murderous satanic cult which sacrifices its victims on Halloween.
IMDb rating: 4.8/10
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4. Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981)
Synopsis: In a small town, a wrongfully killed man exacts revenge on those who murdered him beyond the grave.
IMDb rating: 6.7/10
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5. Night of the Demons (1988)
Synopsis: A group of teens decides to have a Halloween party up at the deserted funeral parlour. They accidentally awaken a demon while having a séance. The demon enters the body of one of the women, and soon the teens begin experiencing an attrition problem.
IMDb rating: 4.6/10
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6. The Midnight Hour (1985)
Synopsis: Phil, Melissa, Mitch, Mary, and Vinnie are high school friends, who unwittingly raise the dead on Halloween night. Once the dead have returned, Pitchford Cove will never be the same again….or will it?
IMDb rating: 6.4/10
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7. Hollow Gate (1988)
Synopsis: At a Halloween party, a young boy is almost killed by his drunken, alcoholic father. Ten years afterward, the boy goes on a murder spree.
IMDb rating: 3.4/10
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8. Halloween 3 (1982)
Synopsis: A large Halloween mask-making company has plans to kill millions of American children with something sinister hidden in Halloween masks.
IMDb rating: 4.1/10
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9. Trick or Treats (1982)
Synopsis: A baby sitter is stuck watching over a young brat on Halloween night that keeps playing vicious pranks on her. To add to her trouble the boy’s deranged father has escaped from an asylum and is planning on making a visit.
IMDb rating: 3.3/10
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10. The Clown Murders (1976)
Synopsis: A killer targets trick-or-treaters on Halloween.
IMDb rating: 3.7/10
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11. Jack-O (1995)
Synopsis: In Halloween, three friends seek an ancient cemetery in the suburb for fun and remove a cross from a tomb, where Jack-O was buried many years ago by the farmer Arthur Kelly. The evil creature is unleashed, kills the trio and seeks the descendants of the Kelly family for revenge.
IMDb rating: 2.6/10
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12. Haunted-Ween (1991)
Synopsis: Twenty years ago a deadly accident forced Eddie Burber from his home. Since Eddie was younger he wanted to be part of the family business “The Burber Haunted House.” A note is placed on the local Fraternity giving permission to use the old house as a fund-raiser. While the students prepare the house, they soon are hunted down and placed in the Haunted House for amusement. One thing is for sure. Nobody knows it really happening – People are dying, and people are laughing.
IMDb rating: 6.4/10
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13. Clown House (1989)
Synopsis: Just before Halloween, three young brothers alone in a big house are menaced by three escaped mental patients who have murdered some travelling circus clowns and taken their identities.
IMDb rating: 5.6/10
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Look out for more Halloween related articles from Grizzly Bomb soon!
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