Description
Title: Video Violence (1987)
Alternate Title: Video Violence… When Renting Is Not Enough
Genre: Horror / Slasher / Experimental
Plot Synopsis
A couple open a video rental store in a small rural town, only to discover the locals are obsessed with horror and adult tapes — and the store’s return-bin starts yielding evidence of real violent snuff footage. As the husband and wife dig deeper, they unravel a murderous conspiracy tied to their community’s darkest tendencies and the tapes they once innocently rented.
Cast and Crew
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Director: Gary P. Cohen
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Writers: Gary P. Cohen, Paul Kaye
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Cast:
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Gary Schwartz as 1st Store Owner
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Chick Kaplan as 2nd Store Owner
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Robin Leeds as Customer
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Paige Price as 1st Victim
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Kevin Haver as Rick Carlson
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YouTube Trailer: Video Violence | Trailer
IMDb: Video Violence (1987)
Reviews from Letterboxd:
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HorrorFanatic — ★★★½
“Shot-on-video chaos at its most audacious — the cheap camcorder aesthetic becomes part of the terror.” -
CultTapeReviewer — ★★★
“It’s rough, amateurish, and weirdly hypnotic — the plot doesn’t always make sense, but the vibe stays strong.” -
VHSCollector — ★★★★★
“A true underground gem of SOV horror. The premise of video rental meets snuff film never gets old for me.” -
MidnightScreener — ★★★★
“Flawed and low-budget, yes, but the energy and weirdness make it endlessly rewatchable.” -
TapeSwapGuru — ★★
“More concept than execution — the pace sags and the acting can’t always keep up, but it has a certain DIY charm.”
Meta Description: A cult-classic DIY horror shot entirely on VHS, Video Violence turns the video-store rental world into a snuff-film nightmare in an obscure, audacious blend of slasher and experimental terror.
Title: Video Violence 2 (1988)
Genre: Horror / Exploitation
Plot Synopsis
Howard and Eli, the sadistic killers from the original, have moved on from basement killings and now run a pirate TV show called The Howard & Eli Show. From their hidden broadcast studio they air brutal “do-it-yourself” submissions from viewers alongside their own murders, turning violence into spectacle and inviting a new generation of killers to join in.
Cast and Crew
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Director: Gary P. Cohen
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Writers: Gary P. Cohen
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Cast:
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Bart Sumner as Howard
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Uke as Eli
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David Christopher as Vampire (segment “The Vampire”)
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Mavis Harris as Vampire’s Bride (segment “The Vampire”)
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Neil Cerbone as Evan
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YouTube Trailer: Video Violence 2 | Trailer
IMDb: Video Violence 2 (1988)
Reviews from Letterboxd:
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Aberrant Ghoul — ★★★★
“Well, this one isn’t as good as the first one but I still really dug it because, ya know, 80s SOV horror is just really diggable… to me, anyway.”
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Justin LaLiberty — ★★
“the snuff-themed answer to Wayne’s World and/or Kentucky Fried Movie, which is either of immediate interest to you or something to avoid for the rest of your life.”
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Tony the Terror — ★★★
“It’s clear director Gary P. Cohen needed a quick cash-in sequel … What we got is a vignette-style TV show illegally broadcast by your two favourite psychopaths from the first film.”
Meta Description: A low-budget cult horror sequel that trades narrative for a twisted TV-show format, Video Violence 2 ups the gore and spectacle as Howard and Eli hijack the airwaves and turn murder into live entertainment.
