19 VHS Cover Designs That Were Actually Better Than the Movie
Strolling through rental stores, I was captivated by vibrant VHS sleeves, bursting with bold hues and heroic figures, hinting at thrilling tales. These designs were marketing marvels, sparking excitement for adventures the tapes rarely matched.
Let’s revisit the video rental era and spotlight those dazzling covers that raised hopes far beyond what the pictures delivered.
1. Chopping Mall (1986)
Menacing robots with crimson eyes and carts brimming with grim trophies? Count me in! The sleeve evoked a chilling sci-fi fright fest. The picture, however, showcased security bots resembling oversized vacuum cleaners with stun guns.
Originally titled “Guardbots,” it was less flashy but honest. Yet, the design’s eerie robotic hand grasping a gruesome bag remains a pinnacle of campy menace.
2. Shark Attack 3: Megalodon (2002)
The design depicted a colossal prehistoric shark engulfing a boat as a diver fled in panic, hinting at oceanic dread. The feature relied on recycled shark footage and laughable CGI, with a megalodon resembling a pixelated doodle.
My roommate and I still chuckle over its dreadful dialogue at gatherings, a testament to its unintended humor.
3. Laser Mission (1989)
Brandon Lee standing triumphantly amid laser beams while explosions erupt behind him? The cover screamed high-tech action thriller with cutting-edge special effects!
Reality check: barely any lasers appear in the entire film. Most action sequences involve standard gunfights in dusty locations. The only thing laser-like was how quickly my excitement faded after pressing play.
4. Troll 2 (1990)
Glowing-eyed goblins lunging from shadows? The design conjured nightmares of unrelenting fright. Instead, the picture offered actors in stiff masks and sacks, playing plant-obsessed creatures, not trolls.
Its glorious awfulness inspired a documentary, proving the sleeve’s haunting allure outlasted the feature’s flaws.
5. Yor: The Hunter from the Future (1983)
A muscular barbarian wielding an axe while dinosaurs and futuristic spaceships battle overhead? The cover promised an epic sci-fi fantasy mashup that would blow minds!
The actual movie delivered a confused mess with terrible dinosaur puppets and a plot that made less sense than a fever dream. The prehistoric-meets-future concept had potential, but the execution was painfully budget-conscious.
6. C.H.U.D. (1984)
A manhole with sinister eyes gleaming below evoked gritty urban menace. The feature, while decent, underused its Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers, focusing on toxic waste debates over monster chaos.
The design’s eerie promise of sewer-born terror far exceeded the picture’s delivery.
7. The Lawnmower Man (1992)
A metallic human face emerging from a digital grid with electric blue lighting suggested a mind-bending cyberpunk masterpiece ahead of its time.
Unfortunately, the virtual reality sequences looked more like a screensaver from Windows 95. The film had almost nothing to do with Stephen King’s original short story, prompting King to successfully sue to have his name removed from the credits.
8. Steel Dawn (1987)
Patrick Swayze with a sword, shirtless against a post-apocalyptic sunset? The cover promised Mad Max meets Conan with dance-fighting!
The actual movie delivered a sluggish desert drama with occasional swordplay. My dad rented this three weekends in a row, convinced it would get better each time. It didn’t.
The water-farming plot was surprisingly dull despite Swayze’s undeniable charisma.
9. Ghoulies (1985)
A green monster emerging from a toilet bowl? The cover image was so memorable it became the film’s main marketing hook, promising toilet-based terror in every bathroom of America.
Spoiler alert: the toilet scene barely exists in the movie. Most of the film involves a boring inheritance plot with occasional puppet monsters hanging around. The bathroom ambush that sold millions of rentals is just a brief moment.
10. Ice Pirates (1984)
Space pirates battling amid ice planets and starships? The cover art suggested Star Wars-level epic space adventure with swashbuckling and frozen planets.
The reality was a campy sci-fi comedy with space herpes jokes and robot castration scenes. Not necessarily bad, just wildly different from the serious space opera the cover promised.
The special effects budget apparently went entirely to the cover art department.
11. Burial Ground: The Nights of Terror (1981)
Zombies clawing from ancient graves under a crimson moon? The Italian sleeve hinted at chilling undead mayhem.
The creatures were actors with crude makeup, and a bizarre casting choice added unease. The design’s grim artistry surpassed the picture’s amateurish execution.
12. Hard Ticket to Hawaii (1987)
Beautiful women with big guns, explosions, and a tropical paradise backdrop? The cover screamed action-packed adventure with plenty of bikinis and bullets.
While the film delivered on the bikinis, the action consisted mostly of frisbees with razor blades and a snake-infected with “cancer from contaminated rats.”
13. Pumpkinhead (1988)
A towering, skeletal demon with bony claws emerging from a pumpkin patch under a full moon? The cover art promised elite-tier monster horror with unique creature design.
The actual film had decent effects but spent most of its runtime on a grieving father’s moral dilemma. The pumpkinhead demon, while cool, had nothing to do with actual pumpkins. The cover artist clearly missed that meeting but created unforgettable horror imagery.
14. Rock ‘n’ Roll Nightmare (1987)
Demonic creatures surrounding a muscular heavy metal rocker with a microphone stand as a weapon? The cover promised a heavy metal horror extravaganza!
In reality, most of the film featured bodybuilder/musician Jon Mikl Thor and his band practicing in a barn. The demons were clearly hand puppets filmed in close-up.
The final battle involves Thor fighting Satan with the power of rock while wearing nothing but a studded codpiece.
15. Xtro (1982)
An alien hand emerging from darkness with a glowing fingertip that would make E.T. jealous? The cover suggested a sci-fi thriller with Spielberg-level production values.
The actual film featured a woman giving birth to a fully-grown man, a toy clown coming to life, and a panther appearing from nowhere. Nothing made sense, but that didn’t stop my older brother from making me watch it three times during a weekend sleepover.
16. Trancers (1984)
A futuristic police officer with a special gun standing in a neon-lit dystopian city? The cover screamed Blade Runner-level sci-fi noir with time travel elements.
The actual movie, while entertaining, was clearly filmed in 1980s Los Angeles with minimal set dressing. The “future tech” consisted mostly of flashlights with colored gels.
My dad still insists this is an underrated classic, though I suspect he just had a crush on Helen Hunt.
17. Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn (1983)
A warrior in futuristic armor battling alien creatures in a 3D desert wasteland? The cover art promised Star Wars meets Mad Max with cutting-edge special effects!
The actual film featured dune buggies with plastic bits glued on and villains who looked like they raided a Halloween store. Despite being promoted as a 3D spectacular, the flat VHS release made the already confusing plot nearly incomprehensible.
18. Eliminators (1986)
A cyborg with tank treads instead of legs teaming up with a ninja and a scientist with a robot sidekick? The cover promised the ultimate 80s action mashup!
The actual film delivered on its bizarre premise but with the budget of a ham sandwich. The mandroid’s tank treads moved at a snail’s pace, and the ninja barely performed any martial arts.
Despite these shortcomings, it remains one of my guilty pleasure rentals from childhood.
19. R.O.T.O.R. (1987)
A menacing robotic police officer with glowing red eyes standing amid lightning and destruction? The cover promised Terminator-level robot mayhem with cutting-edge effects!
The actual robot was just a guy in sunglasses and a motorcycle helmet. The “futuristic” police headquarters was clearly a community college campus.
My cousin and I rented this believing we’d found an undiscovered sci-fi gem—we discovered something alright, but “gem” isn’t the word.