The VHS Strikes Back

Double Impact (1991) | Van Damme’s Cult Twin Martial Arts Classic | VHSSB

Chosen by Gareth, Double Impact arrived in 1991 at exactly the point where Jean-Claude Van Damme was becoming one of the defining action stars of the VHS era. Directed by

Best of the Best (1989) | Cult Martial Arts Tournament Classic | VHSSB

This week's pick comes from JAC, who takes us back to 1989 for Best of the Best, directed by Robert Radler and developed from a story by Phillip Rhee and Paul Levine. Mad

Flash Gordon (1980) | Cult Sci-Fi Space Opera Madness | VHSSB

Chosen by Dave and Directed by Mike Hodges and produced by Dino De Laurentiis, Flash Gordon arrived in 1980 as a gloriously extravagant attempt to bring Alex Raymond’s cl

Bad Boys (1995) | Explosive ’90s Buddy-Cop Action Comedy | VHSSB

Chris has chosen a 1995 action classic this week! Produced by action-movie heavyweights Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, Bad Boys marked Michael Bay’s feature-directing

Ninja Condors (1987) | Insane Cult Ninja Action Classic | VHSSB

Leigh's pick takes us deep into the wonderfully unhinged world of 1980s Taiwanese ninja cinema with Ninja Condors, also known as Ninjas, Condors 13. Directed by Wu Kuo-Re

Wheels on Meals (1984) | Jackie Chan’s Cult Kung Fu Comedy | VHSSB

Chosen by Maff, directed and co-written by Sammo Hung, Wheels on Meals was a Hong Kong–Spanish co-production from Golden Harvest and Laurenfilm, filmed extensively on loc

Once Were Warriors (1994) | Brutal Māori Family Drama | VHSSB

Chosen by Dylan, Once Were Warriors was adapted from Alan Duff’s bestselling 1990 novel by screenwriter Riwia Brown. Made for approximately NZ$2 million and filmed over a

Glengarry Glen Ross (1992) | Cult Sales Drama with an All-Star Cast | VHSSB

Chosen by Dave, and adapted by David Mamet from his Pulitzer Prize-winning stage play, Glengarry Glen Ross was directed by James Foley and assembled one of the most formi

Falling Down (1993) | Michael Douglas’ Cult Urban Breakdown Thriller | VHSSB

Chosen by Chris and released in 1993, Falling Down was directed by Joel Schumacher from a screenplay by Ebbe Roe Smith. Produced for an estimated $25 million, the film st

Dune (1984) | Lynch’s Cult Sci-Fi Fever Dream | VHSSB

Chosen by Mike Burton of Genuine Chit-Chat fame, Dune was released in 1984 and was David Lynch’s ambitious attempt to bring Frank Herbert’s famously dense sci-fi novel to

Irreversible (2002) | Extreme French Arthouse Thriller | VHSSB

Chosen by Timothy and released in 2002, Irreversible was written and directed by Gaspar Noe, the Argentine-born French filmmaker already known for pushing audiences well

Summer Rental (1985) | John Candy Beach Comedy Classic | VHSSB

Chosen by new Patreon Chris! Released in 1985 by Paramount Pictures, Summer Rental gave John Candy one of his early big-screen leading roles, with Carl Reiner directing a

Red Heat (1988) | Schwarzenegger Buddy Cop Action Classic | VHSSB

Chris has gone for an Arnie classic this week. Released in 1988, Red Heat arrived right in the thick of the buddy-cop boom, pairing Arnold Schwarzenegger’s granite-faced

A Shot at Glory (2000) | Scottish Football Underdog Drama | VHSSB

Chosen by Dave, A Shot at Glory is a Scottish football drama directed by Michael Corrente and written by Denis O’Neill, bringing together a surprisingly heavyweight cast

Indecent Proposal (1993) | 90s Erotic Drama & Moral Meltdown | VHSSB

Chosen by Patreon supporter Helen, Indecent Proposal is exactly the sort of glossy 90s adult drama that makes perfect VHS Strikes Back territory: stylish, morally messy,

Brewster's Millions (1985) | Richard Pryor 80s Comedy Classic | VHSSB

Chosen by Kent and released in 1985, Brewster’s Millions was directed by Walter Hill and produced by Lawrence Gordon, Joel Silver and Gene Levy for Universal Pictures. Hi

Only the Lonely (1991) | John Candy Romantic Comedy Drama | VHSSB

Chosen by Justin, Only the Lonely arrived in 1991 as a gentler, more bittersweet John Candy vehicle than the broad comedy many audiences might have expected. Written and

Crocodile Dundee (1986) | The 80s Aussie Comedy Phenomenon | VHSSB

Released in 1986, Crocodile Dundee was directed by Peter Faiman and co-written by Paul Hogan, Ken Shadie, and John Cornell, with Hogan also starring as the now-iconic Mic

Heat (1995) | Michael Mann’s Crime Thriller Classic | VHSSB

Chosen by Chris, Heat arrived in 1995 as Michael Mann’s grand, granite-jawed crime epic: a nearly three-hour Los Angeles thriller with the emotional temperature of a frid

Innocent Blood (1992) | Vampire Mob Horror Comedy | VHSSB

This week, Patreon supporter Matt Bates, the Black Country Vlogger, brings us Innocent Blood (1992) for our Pain and Pleasure theme -- a film that revels in the push and