VHS Flashback: Paragon Video

I recently reviewed the new DVD release of Boarding House for my Killer B's on DVD mini-feature over on Cinematical.com (check it out here). I first saw this movie on VHS from Paragon Video, a long defunct label whose magnificently lurid box covers graced video stores everywhere during the hey day of VHS. Paragon was one of those companies responsible for making obscure trash cinema available to the common man, and God bless 'em for it.

I found this way cool gallery of Paragon tape box covers over at the Critical Condition website, and phrases like "adjust tracking for best picture" and of course "be kind rewind" have been running through my head ever since. Some of these I've seen, some I haven't, but the art really grabs the imagination. Iconic 42nd Street gore flick Dr. Butcher, M.D. is there, as is something called Death Promise whose cover is obviously done by comics legend Neil Adams, and you can see art for minor classics like Blood on Satan's Claw, Tombs of the Blind Dead, Kiss Me Kill Me and Silent Night Bloody Night. This stuff is awesome.

Here's the Paragon Video logo as it appeared onscreen.