In this episode of Raised by VHS, Coby and Cam head deep into the Central American jungle with Cam’s staff pick, Predator (1987)—the ultimate 80s mash-up of muscle, mud, and murderous alien tech. They break down Arnold’s all-time Dutch performance, Carl Weathers’ legendary bicep handshake, and why this film still feels like the manliest VHS in the stack. Along the way, they hit the wild production stories (the failed original Predator suit, Jean-Claude Van Damme drama, Stan Winston’s iconic redesign), the surprisingly mixed original reviews, and how that neon-green-blooded creature and its heat vision basically rewired their childhoods. Plus: favorite scenes, Top 5 Arnold movies, and a special Movie Memorabilia Inferno gift reveal before they slap a late-fee rating on this overdue rental.

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Episode Summary — Home Alone (1990)

You asked for another Coby pick, and here it is: the greatest booby-trap Christmas classic of all time. This week on Raised by VHS, we revisit Home Alone, the 1990 holiday juggernaut that turned an 8-year-old kid into a cultural icon and made every kid in America believe they could survive on junk food, VHS tapes, and pure snark.

We walk through the McCallister chaos, the Wet Bandits’ criminal incompetence, and the sheer genius of Kevin McCallister’s suburban war zone. From the attic banishment to “Keep the change, ya filthy animal,” we break down why this movie hit so hard as kids and why it still delivers nearly 35 years later.

We hit all the big moments from Kevin’s freedom montage to the booby-trap gauntlet, the church scene that gives the movie its unexpected heart, and the legendary slapstick that somehow didn’t kill Harry and Marv. We also go deep on the behind-the-scenes magic—John Hughes writing the script in nine days, the real Winnetka house, Daniel Stern taking a REAL tarantula to the face, the John Williams score that almost never happened, and the movie nearly being shut down mid-production.

Plus, we dig into childhood memories, favorite scenes, best characters, and a Top 5 Christmas Movies list. And yes… the Late Fee Rating System decides whether Home Alone stays checked out forever or gets slammed back into the return slot.

Thanks for listening to Raised by VHS – proudly paying late fees since the 80s.

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Dumb and Dumber (1994)

In this episode of Raised by VHS, the crew rewinds one of the most quotable comedies of all time — Dumb and Dumber. Cam’s staff pick brings Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels’ unforgettable duo, Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne, back into focus as we relive every ridiculous, endearing, and endlessly quotable moment from the 1994 Farrelly Brothers classic.

We talk about the film’s absurd brilliance—from the fateful limo ride and lost briefcase to the disastrous road trip that somehow leads them to Aspen (“where the beer flows like wine”). Along the way, we revisit the diner scene with Seabass, the atomic pepper prank, the Big Gulp improv, and of course, the legendary bathroom blowout that had audiences crying with laughter.

The episode dives into personal VHS-era memories of seeing the film in theaters (twice), falling asleep to it night after night on VHS, and growing up idolizing Jim Carrey during his unstoppable ’90s run that also included Ace Ventura and The Mask. We also dig into the behind-the-scenes stories—Carrey’s $7 million paycheck that ate half the film’s budget, Jeff Daniels’ unexpected casting, and the haunted Stanley Hotel connection that ties Dumb and Dumber to The Shining.

And yes, there’s even a wild conspiracy theory: what if Jeff Daniels’ “Harry” in Dumb and Dumber is the same Harry from Speed, now brain-damaged after the explosion?

Finally, the guys hand out their Late Fee Ratings, debate whether this one stays permanently checked out or gets returned early, and exchange one more priceless piece of movie memorabilia.

It’s nostalgia, dumb genius, and pure VHS magic — proof that every day with Harry and Lloyd really is a no-brainer.

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