V/H/S/85 consists of five distinct vignettes, each exploring a different flavor of 80s terror—from slasher tropes to cosmic dread.
Bruckner, who directed the iconic “Amateur Night” in the first V/H/S , kicks off the anthology within a documentary. “Total Copy” follows a team of scientists studying a strange, inhuman entity they’ve dubbed “Rory.” The creature, a fleshy, humanoid figure trapped behind a two-way mirror, begins to mimic the researchers’ movements and speech. What starts as a clinical observation quickly descends into body horror madness as Rory learns to copy more than just gestures—it copies identity. The gore is practical and squirm-inducing, and Bruckner masterfully builds tension through the banality of 80s lab equipment.
To understand the success of V/H/S/85 , one must first appreciate the texture of the medium itself. In an age where 4K resolution and CGI dominate the screen, the V/H/S series forces the viewer to squint at the screen. The 2023 installment doubles down on the "analog horror" subgenre, utilizing the tracking lines, color bleeding, and audio hiss synonymous with VHS tapes to create an atmosphere of unease. V H S 85 2023
Explore the dark aesthetic and detailed breakdown of the segments in V/H/S/85 with these insightful videos: V/H/S/85 (2023) Review & Breakdown! Hamburgers & Horror V/H/S/ 85 (2023) Ending Explained V/H/S/85 Full Trailer : r/horror
David Dastmalchian, a beloved character actor known for his roles in The Dark Knight and Dune , steps behind the camera for (The Killer of God). This segment is pure 80s pulp. It centers on a TV show host, a eccentric magician-type character attempting to summon a demon on live public access television. V/H/S/85 consists of five distinct vignettes, each exploring
transcends mere nostalgia by using the "found footage" format to explore the breakdown of human control against cosmic and supernatural forces. Unlike its predecessors, which often focused on urban legends or slasher tropes, this entry utilizes the specific cultural anxieties of 1985—technological obsession and religious extremism—to create a cohesive atmosphere of inevitable doom. II. Technical Authenticity: The "Look" of 1985 Visual Fidelity:
Unlike the uneven pacing of some franchise entries, 85 builds like a concept album. The wraparound segment, “Total Copy,” presents itself as an earnest PBS-style documentary about a “new form of life” discovered in a Nicaraguan lake. But as the “expert” grows increasingly unhinged, the documentary’s slick veneer cracks to reveal a Cronenbergian body-horror nightmare—one that subtly connects every other tape in the collection. What starts as a clinical observation quickly descends
This film is rated R for strong bloody violence, gore, language, sexual content, and drug use. Several segments feature intense animal cruelty themes (simulated) and body horror that may be triggering.