Author Description

The 1980s inspire nostalgia, even for those who weren’t there. One of the hallmarks from that time was renting videos. Blockbuster stores dotted a corner in every town. People wandered mazes of movie titles like zombies, hands reaching forward to grasp the latest flicks before someone else did. Excitement flowed through patrons handing membership cards to the clerks. Anticipation built as they grabbed stacks of plastic video cases loaded with cinematic delights to binge. Sure, renting videos brought thrills—especially if you opted for horror. Some took it to the next level, though, capturing their own memories and homemade documentaries with camcorders. Others went in a different direction, titillated by the danger and risk of pirating movies. And some broke the golden rule: not rewinding, an unkind act that begged for strict repercussions. What if the creatures and villains in those films didn’t stay on the TV screen? What if employees of those popular video rental chains weren’t trustworthy? What nefarious deeds were being plotted behind the scenes? Did anyone unleash an unspeakable evil hiding on those tapes that did—or didn’t—want to be found? The authors in this collection want to show you the terrors that await unsuspecting viewers. Are you afraid, or will you press play?