13 VHS Covers That Were Scarier Than the Movie
These terrifying VHS covers promised nightmares they couldn’t deliver, scaring you more on the rental shelf than in your living room.
- Chris Graciano
- 3 min read
Back when VHS rentals were the thing, horror fans were often lured in by eerie covers that screamed terror. Many of these movies turned out to be unintentionally funny. However, the covers themselves were burned into our memories. Here are 13 VHS covers that were far scarier than the actual films they were trying to sell.
1. Dead Alive (1992)
Jack Lawrence on Flickr
The cover showed a woman pulling her mouth open to reveal a tiny skull inside; a truly unsettling image. Despite that gory promise, the movie leaned heavily into absurd comedy and over-the-top splatter rather than genuine scares.
2. The Gate (1987)
Chris Lawton on Unsplash
Its VHS featured a demonic hole opening in a suburban backyard with ghostly hands reaching out. The movie itself, while fun and creepy in parts, was more of a teen adventure than a nightmare-inducing horror.
3. Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)
Jack Lawrence on Flickr
A Santa arm clutching an axe as it emerges from a chimney made the VHS instantly notorious. The actual film is a low-budget slasher that spends more time explaining its killer than delivering holiday horror.
4. The Video Dead (1987)
Bruno Guerrero on Unsplash
A ghastly zombie crawling out of a TV set graced the VHS, promising a surreal undead nightmare. What viewers actually got was a low-effort zombie flick with unintentional comedy.
5. Chopping Mall (1986)
Bruno Guerrero on Unsplash
The VHS art showed a monstrous robotic hand gripping a shopping bag filled with body parts. It promised grisly mall mayhem, but the film’s campy killer robots turned it into a quirky B-movie instead.
6. House (1985)
Ryunosuke Kikuno on Unsplash
The cover featured a rotting, severed hand ringing a doorbell; creepy enough to make you hesitate before opening your own door. The film itself was a darkly comic haunted house story, leaning more on quirky humor than actual frights.
7. Slaughter High (1986)
Bruno Guerrero on Unsplash
The VHS displayed a grinning skull wearing a graduation cap, brandishing a knife in a twisted school setting. While the movie is a fun little slasher, it never quite reaches the menace the cover promised.
8. Night of the Demons (1988)
Lucas Pezeta on Pexels
A demonic, fanged party girl leered from the VHS cover with a candle in hand, ready to drag viewers to Hell. The actual movie is more of a campy party-gone-wrong than a constant terror ride.
9. Ghoulies (1984)
Ben Griffiths on Unsplash
Perhaps the most infamous VHS art ever: a tiny green monster emerging from a toilet with a wicked grin. Despite the suggestive artwork, the film plays like a goofy, light creature feature rather than a hard horror.
10. Witchboard (1986)
Ron Lach on Pexels
The VHS showed a menacing Ouija board glowing with a sinister aura, promising possession and unspeakable evil. What you actually get is a slow-burn supernatural thriller with minimal jump scares.
11. The Stuff (1985)
Phúc Phạm on Pexels
The VHS displayed a man screaming in horror as white goo poured from his eyes, nose, and mouth. While the cover hints at a gruesome body-horror nightmare, the movie is more of a satirical take on consumerism.
12. Dolls (1987)
Miscellaneous Angel on Pinterval
This cover showed a sweet-looking porcelain doll removing its own eyes, holding them out as if offering them to you. The film itself is a fantasy-horror blend that’s far less gruesome than the artwork.
13. Critters (1986)
juhoham on DeviantArt
The VHS displayed a snarling ball of fur with razor-sharp teeth against a desolate night sky. While the movie is more mischievous than truly horrifying, the cover promised a relentless alien menace.