V/H/S/85

V/H/S/85 unravels through a seemingly innocuous made-for-TV documentary, a staple of the 1980s television landscape. The documentary in question, 'The Forgotten Era: VHS and the Birth of a New Horror', aims to shed light on a lesser-discussed chapter of horror's history – the heyday of VHS tapes and the low-budget horrors spawned from these analog monstrosities. Through intimate interviews with industry professionals, collectors, and horror aficionados, the documentary attempts to capture the essence of the era's most iconic – and often overlooked – horror classics. It is within this documentary framework that five standalone tales of horror emerge, each one more unsettling and graphic than the last. Each story serves as a tribute to the early days of found footage horror, when low budgets and resourcefulness often led to more innovative and disturbing tales. The first tale, 'Cassette,' is a visceral exploration of a group of college students who become obsessed with a mysterious VHS tape discovered in their dorm's storage room. As they watch the seemingly innocuous footage, they begin to experience inexplicable and terrifying occurrences that push their perceptions to the edge. The film's director, a master of using atmospheric tension, crafts a gripping narrative that showcases how the mundane world of college life can quickly descend into chaos when confronted with the eldritch horrors lurking within the VHS tape. Following 'Cassette,' the next tale, 'Disconnected,' delves into the twisted world of amateur horror movies, focusing specifically on the rise of notorious director, Martin Jones. This character study becomes an exercise in psychological terror, as Jones' filmmaking style becomes increasingly disturbing and sadistic. As we delve deeper into Jones' world, we unravel a complex web of obsession, control, and the perils of blurring reality and fiction. The third segment, 'A Video, a Tape,' revolves around a mysterious figure known only as 'The Director,' who becomes fixated on a VHS tape that contains footage of a 1980s slasher film's missing scenes. As the Director delves deeper into the tape's mysteries, he starts to question what is real and what is just a product of his own paranoia. Blurring the lines between reality and fiction, this narrative explores the unsettling world of obsessive fandom and the dangers of losing oneself within the world of found footage. 'You're One of Them,' the fourth segment, offers a chilling take on social anxiety, presenting a group of friends who attend a slumber party hosted by a charismatic but troubled individual. This individual, whose true intentions are unclear at the start, seems to have a sinister agenda, which slowly unfolds as the tape progresses. What was initially a lighthearted gathering gradually turns into a descent into madness as the group succumb to the individual's manipulation. The final segment, 'This Is My Home,' provides a poignant and terrifying tale of family values and the dark side of nostalgia. The narrative centers on a young boy who becomes trapped within a haunted VHS tape, which forces him to confront the traumas of his family's past. Through vivid imagery and the eerie atmosphere of a 1980s suburban home, this segment delves into the idea that sometimes the horrors we experience are the ones we least expect. Ultimately, V/H/S/85 serves as a nostalgic yet gruesome look into the darker corners of the VHS era, a time when the art of horror filmmaking was at its most raw and unbridled. By weaving five diverse tales of terror within the framework of a mock documentary, the film offers a visceral experience, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in the grim underbelly of 1980s horror.