Raised by VHS — Arachnophobia (1990)

Welcome to Raised by VHS – proudly paying late fees since the 80s. Let’s pop this tape, adjust the tracking and dim the lights – we got a staff-recommended pick for you tonight!

Today’s film is a Cam pick: Arachnophobia.

📄 Episode Description

Spiders, suburbia, and Spielberg-era dread. Frank Marshall’s Arachnophobia mixes horror, comedy, and small-town vibes. We revisit the Venezuela prologue, Jeff Daniels’ fight against his fears, John Goodman’s exterminator swagger, and that unforgettable basement showdown. Plus: our own spider nightmares, a VHS Conspiracy Hotline spin, and a new Top 5 list.

🧱 Episode Breakdown

📼 Film info and box office context

🕷️ Story basics: killer spider invasion meets a doctor with arachnophobia

🧠 Memory Lane: VHS viewing, creepy crawlspace stories, childhood fears

🏡 Highlights: Venezuela opener, small-town tension, Delbert stealing scenes, bathroom spider rain, gooey basement finale

🎬 Behind the Scenes: real spiders, “Spider Olympics,” Big Bob the tarantula, early work from Jamie Hyneman

⭐ Favorites: best character, cozy vibe, standout performances

🎯 Top 5 Segment: Comedy-horror movies

☎️ VHS Conspiracy Hotline: was the infestation supernatural?

💵 Late Fee Ratings: Cam $70 | Coby $69 | Avg $69.50 → Good Shelf

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Special Features #–3 - The top-grossing movies of the 1980s, year by year

Cam kicks things off with the intro before we jump into what we’ve been watching lately. Coby runs through a stacked list including Dream a Little Dream, Die Hard, Romeo & Juliet, Fury, The Usual Suspects, Gleaming the Cube, Rain Man, Robocop, The Ninth Gate, and Warfare. Cam brings in his own mix with Chernobyl and The Terror, sparking plenty of side tangents about VHS gems and forgotten classics.

We also look ahead at upcoming releases on our radar, with Coby eyeing the wild casting of Paul Rudd and Jack Black in Anaconda and Cam weighing in with his own picks.

In our additional segment, we fire up the time machine and break down the top-grossing movies of the 1980s, year by year. From The Empire Strikes Back and Raiders of the Lost Ark to Back to the Future, Top Gun, and Batman, it’s a tour through the box office hits that defined the decade.

Watch or listen to the full episode to hear the full breakdown and see how these 80s giants shaped the VHS era we were raised on.

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License to Drive (1988) – RBVHS Ep. 3

Coby’s pick takes us back to 1988 for a neon-soaked VHS favorite full of DMV meltdowns, Cadillac chaos, and the unstoppable force of the Two Coreys. We start with Memory Lane stories about fantasizing over Archies, Mercedes Lane, and the day we could finally ditch the bus, then roll through the film scene by scene — from Les’ nightmare test and Feldman’s wild one-liners to the all-night joyride and the unforgettable reverse hospital run.

In Behind the Scenes, we dig into casting “what ifs” like Ben Affleck auditioning for Les, Heather Graham’s early breakout, and the nine Cadillacs wrecked in production. We share our Favorite Picks, with Cam backing Corey Haim’s frantic Les and Coby going with Richard Masur’s hilarious dad. In How It Formed Us, we talk about how this movie cranked up the obsession with getting a license and why it felt rebellious even when we were still walking everywhere.

Plus: a Top 5 list of movies where your parents would absolutely kill you if they knew, and a Movie Memorabilia Inferno surprise.

Watch or listen to the full episode to see what Late Fee this late-80s joyride earned and if it stays checked out forever.

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Raised by VHS – Special Features #2

🎬 Intro
Cam kicks things off with another Special Features episode – your in-between weeks where we catch up on movies, talk upcoming releases, and throw in a fun extra segment.

🍿 What We’ve Been Watching

Coby – From the theater to the couch, he’s been on a roll with classics and cult favorites.

Cam – Mixing comedies, war epics, and oddball picks at home and on the big screen.

🎥 Upcoming Movies We’re Excited For

Coby – Keeping a close eye on the new Running Man remake.

Cam – Anticipating Tron: Ares and some heavier historical pieces.

📼 Special Segment – Top Ten VHS Covers From Childhood
We go full nostalgia mode, ranking the VHS covers that stuck with us as kids – the ones you couldn’t walk past at the rental store without staring at.

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The Karate Kid (1984) – RBVHS Ep. 2

Cam’s pick takes us back to 1984 for a VHS classic packed with awkward teen romance, Cobra Kai chaos, and the most memorable training montage of the decade. We kick things off with Memory Lane stories about backyard crane kicks and karate gi pajamas, then break down the film scene by scene — from Daniel’s rough California welcome to Miyagi’s unorthodox lessons and the All-Valley showdown.

In Behind the Scenes, we talk casting “what ifs,” the real story that inspired the script, and the music choices that almost ended up in Rocky III. We share our Favorite Picks, from beachside brawls to lens flare perfection, and in How It Formed Us we reveal the lines, moves, and outfits that stuck with us for life. Plus: a VHS Valentine for Elisabeth Shue, our Top 5 childhood martial arts movies, and a Mystery Movie Memorabilia gift exchange.

Watch or listen to the full episode to find out what Late Fee we gave this 80s classic and if it stays checked out forever.

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🎬 Raised by VHS – Special Features #1

📄 Episode Description
Between our regular movie breakdowns, we’re rolling out a new kind of episode — Special Features. These are shorter, looser shows where we update you on what we’ve been watching, talk upcoming releases, and throw in a fun segment or two.

🧱 Episode Breakdown
🎥 What We’ve Been Watching

Coby (In-Theater) – Weapons absolutely blew him away. Directed by Zach Cregger (Barbarian), this horror was sharp, funny, scary, and original. With $200M at the box office and an 81 on Metacritic, it lived up to the hype — even his horror-hating wife liked it. ★★★★½ on Letterboxd.

Coby (At Home) – Parasite, Sicario, Bull Durham, and Point Break.

Cam – Updates on what he’s been checking out lately.

🎬 Upcoming Movies We’re Watching For

Coby’s most anticipated: One Battle After Another — Paul Thomas Anderson directing Leonardo DiCaprio.

📼 Letterboxd Top 4
We each break down our “Top 4” on Letterboxd, BS about why we picked them, and how those films shaped our movie taste.

Follow us on Letterboxd!

Coby - https://letterboxd.com/ccoonradt/

Cam - https://letterboxd.com/cambonius/

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📄 Episode Description
We’re fired up for Episode One of Raised by VHS and we’re kicking it off with pure early ’90s blockbuster energy – Days of Thunder (1990)! Tom Cruise’s NASCAR-fueled “Top Gun on wheels” was one of the defining movies of our childhood, and we’re talking about why it still slaps, where it doesn’t hold up, and the wild behind‑the‑scenes stories that made it a cult favorite. From Cole Trickle’s cocky debut to Robert Duvall’s iconic Harry Hogge wisdom, Hans Zimmer’s adrenaline‑pumping score, and Tony Scott’s golden‑hour race cinematography – we break it all down. Plus, our Top 5 Tom Cruise movies, favorite quotes, memorabilia pick, and of course, our official Raised by VHS Late Fee rating.

🧱 Episode Breakdown
🎬 Intro & Show Launch – Welcome to Raised by VHS and why we’re here paying late fees.

🏁 Movie Overview – Days of Thunder’s box office, cult following & why it’s “Top Gun on wheels.”

🎞️ Memory Lane – Our first VHS and DVD experiences with the film, the Nintendo game, and why we still watch it anytime it pops up.

🎥 Movie Breakdown – Full scene-by-scene run‑through: casting surprises (Nicole Kidman, John C. Reilly’s first big break), epic opening credits, the Rowdy Burns rivalry, the Daytona 500 showdown, and those unforgettable Harry Hogge one‑liners.

🔧 Behind the Scenes – Tom Cruise’s real NASCAR license, filming in live races, rewriting scripts hours before filming, and the off-screen chaos of Bruckheimer & Simpson productions.

🎵 Hans Zimmer’s Breakthrough – How the score amped up the racing energy and launched Zimmer’s blockbuster career.

🏆 Favorite Picks – Our favorite scenes, quotes (“Rubbin’, son, is racing!”), and why Robert Duvall steals the show.

🔥 Hot Takes – Is Days of Thunder actually better than Top Gun? Did it mark the end of Cruise’s “young hotshot” era?

🎁 Segments – Top 5 Tom Cruise movies, “Put That on a T‑Shirt” lines, and the Movie Memorabilia Inferno gift.

💵 Late Fee Rating – Final verdict: a Top‑Tier $90 in Late Fees.

👉 Like what you hear? Be sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube @RaisedByVHS for more VHS‑era movie love!

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Raised by VHS – Official Trailer

Step back into the glow of the TV screen and the hiss of the VCR with Raised by VHS, the podcast that celebrates the movies that shaped a generation. Each week, Coby and Cam rewind to a different film from the VHS era—digging into behind-the-scenes stories, ridiculous trivia, and the nostalgia that made these movies unforgettable.

Episode One drops August 21st, so grab your popcorn, be kind and rewind, and get ready for a totally 80s/90s movie night… through your headphones.

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