The boutique video store installation Slashback Video has come and gone, but the memories remain. The exhibit was a recreation of video stores of old but completely horror themed, becoming a popular attraction to genre fans in the Los Angeles area. Though it mainly featured vintage tapes, it also featured custom boxes and art for imagined movies befitting of the era. One such exhibitor is writer/director Rob Schrab (The Sarah Silverman Program, Monster House), whose art label ‘Schrab Home Video’ has a number of original VHS boxes and pieces that were a particular highlight of the attraction and featuring such titles like Cannibal Airlines, Shark Hotel, and Wizard Vigilante which are also available on various apparel through Teepublic. I sat down with him to talk about the exhibit, the genre, and more.

Image via IMDB

What were some of the first horror movies you watched?

Mainly creature feature stuff. Local TV, sci-fi, horror. Stuff like The Howling, but cut for TV. Alien, Poltergeist, one of my first was The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2 which blew my mind because it was like a fever dream of colors, noise, and make-up effects.

What was your upbringing like?

I lived in a small town like Mayville, Wisconsin. I watched a lot of TV and drew a lot. We didn’t even have a video store. We had a 5 And Dime where you could rent movies. I’d rent Return Of The Living Dead, which is so terrifying and amazing. I love zombies and From Beyond, stuff that’s so weird, colorful, and amazing.

The sweet spot for me was 1982 to 1987. The summer of ’82 had so many great movies. On the cover of Starlog magazine through the year. ET, Star Trek II: Wrath Of Khan, The Road Warrior. Every single horror movie has been remade in one way, shape, or form from that one summer. Movies done really well by Dante, Raimi, O’Bannon. I’ve seen every movie by John Carpenter. He brought a look of horror that persists to this day as it is now.

What recent horror movies have you enjoyed?

Get Out I think is such an amazing movie. I assumed it was a spoof, but it’s straight-forward, strong POV, with rich mythology. Well constructed to the last scene. It should be nominated for best screenplay.

They Look Like People was really well done. Really smart, creepy, with mounting dread. Only movie I’ve seen to compel me to yell at my TV. I love it when a horror movie gets that kind of reaction, when it disarms you, attacks you. Horror movies make you afraid of being killed without actually harming you. It makes you think “I’m going to die one day, but how?”

Shudder [the streaming service] has got great taste.I’ve been more open to newer films because of Shudder. They always have something playing. I watched it last night and High Tension was playing and I thought “Oh! I want to check that out.”

What are your favorite horror sub-genres?

Cop vs Monster. The Dark. The police detective up against an insidious monster. The Hidden is just really great fun. Alligator is such an influence on me. John Sayles wrote such an amazing script based on a dumb idea. Also, horror anthologies like Tales From The Darkside.

How did you get involved with Slashback Video?

Schrab Home Video, SHV. I’ve been making my own home videos for awhile. Did it for a pitch and people loved it. I tried to change it up and make it its own thing. It’s all about making your own thing. I was working with Bad Robot and sent them Cannibal Airlines, Dan Trachtenberg saw it and wanted it in 10 Cloverfield Lane. People were actually really interested. I met Ryan Turek and he said he was doing Slashback Video, so I sent in 13 boxes. I was just really happy to be a part of that.

Image via Nerdist

What were your reactions to the opening of Slashback Video?

Amazing! I couldn’t even get in for a long time, and I was unable to really go back. It’s the video movie club. What video stores were. I loved haunting the aisles and finding something new and seeing what’s good and what’s bad based on the VHS box. Looking for gold, like the first time you watch Night Of The Creeps or Terrorvision.

What were the influences for your boxes?

Mutant Hunt. Great box, terrible movie. The first half-hour is pretty fun, but that box is pretty amazing. Razorback. Ghoulies. It’s one of those movies everyone has seen. Screamers. Blood Beach. I’d buy all the VHS tapes. Rawhead Rex because it’s so ridiculous. I’m a big fan of the Empire Home Movies. Especially From Beyond because it was so fun and had so many great lines. Fred Dekker is such an influence. Night Of The Creeps is such a great mash-up of invasion, monster, and zombie movies.

What were you most pleased with about Slashback Video?

The love of Slashback Video by the community overall. You don’t get love looking at boxes on Netflix. It’s overwhelming and you end up browsing without watching anything. Dan Harmon and I would watch the entire sci-fi movie section at the video store hoping to find bad movies.