The best Smart DNS for watching movies abroad.
Before the dawn of streaming, studios would save the films they deemed not worthy of a theatrical release for the home video market. However, as far as we are concerned, some of the best movies of the ‘90s (or even just some of the decade’s most awesomely cheesy flicks) ended up going straight to video when they deserved to be seen on the big screen. The following are some fun classics that initially existed only on VHS.
Showdown In Little Tokyo (1991)
Starring Dolph Lundgren and the late Brandon Lee, Showdown in Little Tokyo follows two mismatched detectives facing off against the Yakuza in Los Angeles. The cult favorite action flick from director Mark L. Lester did initially receive a brief theatrical release, but Warner Bros. pulled it prematurely due to budget constraints before it took on a new life on video.
The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride (1998)
Probably the most beloved feature-length installment of the Lion King franchise after the 1994 original classic Disney animated movie is its first direct, straight-to-video sequel. Matthew Broderick returns to voice the title role of The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride, which follows his daughter, Kiara (Neve Campbell), and her relationship with Kovu (Jason Marsden), the son of a Scar loyalist.
The Stoned Age (1994)
While most were in awe of Dazed and Confused, another subset of early ’90s audiences enjoyed a similar epic party movie called The Stoned Age, from co-writer and director James Melkonian. The underrated comedy also provides a funny and accurate depiction of late ’70s debauchery, from the perspective of two road-trippers guided by their libidos… and peach schnapps.
Samurai Cop (1991)
Starring Matt Hannon as a sword-wielding American detective, Samurai Cop is one of the most iconic examples of an unintentionally hilarious ’90s action flick, with its wooden acting and cartoonish fight choreography. It would even inspire a sequel 24 years later that leans more heavily into its campy tone, but not to the same gut-busting effect.
No Code Of Conduct (1998)
No Code of Conduct initially seems like the type of film that would have earned a theatrical release, considering it stars A-list parent-child acting duo Martin and Charlie Sheen as a father-son detective duo investigating a fellow detective’s murder. Also starring Mark Dacascos, the explosive action flick was also co-written and co-produced by Charlie alongside director Bret Michaels. Yes, that Bret Michaels.
Scooby-Doo On Zombie Island (1998)
Fans of the original Hanna-Barbera cartoon often consider Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island to be Mystery Inc.’s best feature-length adventure. The movie sees Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, and Scoob taking on a whole new kind of threat while on a visit to Louisiana, which is known for its history of voodoo.
Body Count (1998)
Due to surprisingly poor test screenings, Body Count – featuring a star-studded cast that includes David Caruso, Linda Fiorentino, John Leguizamo, Ving Rhames, Donnie Wahlberg, and Forest Whitaker – skipped its theatrical release. However, the story of a group of thieves struggling to lie low after a job that costs one of their members his life is regarded by some as a fun crime thriller.
Aladdin And The King Of Thieves (1996)
In Aladdin and the King of Thieves, the title character’s (voiced by Scott Weinger) impending marriage to Jasmine (Linda Larkin) is interrupted by a band of criminals whose leader (voiced by John Rhys-Davies) has an unexpected connection to Aladdin. The second straight-to-video sequel to the 1992 Oscar-winning favorite is considered the better of the two, especially for the return of Robin Williams, who did not reprise his role as Genie in The Return of Jafar.
Overnight Delivery (1998)
One of the best Paul Rudd movies you might not have heard of is Overnight Delivery, which was also the actor’s first collaboration with Reese Witherspoon before co-starring in How Do You Know in 2010. The rom-com is about a man, accompanied by an exotic dancer, chasing after an angry letter he wrote his girlfriend, whom he wrongfully assumed was cheating on him.
Tremors 2: Aftershocks (1996)
The cult favorite creature feature, Tremors, was a box office flop in the 1990s, but was popular enough on VHS to inspire a series of straight-to-video follow-ups. Widely considered the best of the bunch is Tremors 2: Aftershocks, in which Earl (Fred Ward) is recruited to hunt Graboids in Mexico, where he discovers the next step in their evolutionary process: two-legged beasts called Shriekers.
SubZero (1998)
One of the most underrated Batman movies is SubZero, in which the Dark Knight (Kevin Conroy) and Robin (Loren Lester) must rescue Barbara Gordon (Mary Kay Bergman) from Mr. Freeze (Michael Ansara). Spun off from Batman: The Animated Series, most would call this a better feature-length Batman/Mr. Freeze face-off than the live-action Batman & Robin from 1997.
The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit (1998)
Writer Ray Bradbury told The A.V. Club that he believes the best movie he ever worked on was The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit, which was also director Stuart Gordon’s first departure from horror films like Re-Animator. Touchstone Home Video released this comedy about five Latino men (played by Joe Mantegna, Edward James Olmos, Esai Morales, Clifton Collins Jr., and Gregory Sierra) who share a white business suit that seems to have magical qualities based on the incredible opportunities it suddenly gives them.
Firepower (1993)
Firepower is kind of like the love child of John Carpenter’s Escape from New York and a fighting movie, a la Jean-Claude Van Damme. Set in the near future, it follows two cops (played by Gary Daniels and Chad McQueen) who must infiltrate a criminal-controlled area of Los Angeles in order to locate a cure for AIDS.
Castle Freak (1995)
Director Stuart Gordon reunited with his Re-Animator and From Beyond stars Jeffrey Combs and Barbara Crampton for the straight-to-video cult favorite, Castle Freak. It follows an American family who inherit an Italian castle that, unbeknownst to them, comes with a monstrous creature locked in the basement that, soon after they move in, manages to go on the loose.
Never Say Die (1994)
Personal trainer turned B-movie hero Frank Zagarino stars in Never Say Die as a commando turned boat repairman who must come out of retirement to rescue a general’s daughter from a cult leader from his past. What really makes the thriller stand out is the antagonistic performance by Billy Drago, who was known for playing some of the most wonderfully over-the-top action movie villains of the time.
Dennis The Menace Strikes Again (1998)
Justin Cooper, known for playing Max in the classic Jim Carrey movie Liar Liar, does a great job portraying the iconic title role of Dennis the Menace Strikes Again, a follow-up to the John Hughes-penned 1993 adaptation of the comic strip. However, it is comedy legend Don Rickles’ performance as Mr. Wilson that really makes the family comedy a must-see.
Summer Of The Monkeys (1998)
One of the more well-received live-action Disney movies released directly on VHS in the 1990s was director Michael Anderson’s adaptation of Wilson Rawls’ 1976 novel, Summer of the Monkeys. The charming adventure drama stars Cory Sevier as a young boy who befriends four lost circus monkeys in 1910 Canada.
Rage (1995)
English actor Gary Daniels, a staple of straight-to-video action flicks in the 1990s who later appeared in The Expendables, initially goes against type for his role in Rage. His character, Alex Gainer, is a well-meaning California teacher who is suddenly thrown into a world of fast-paced, high-stakes violence when he is chosen to be cloned for a radical militia’s army.
Scooby-Doo And The Witch’s Ghost (1999)
If not Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island, Witch’s Ghost is typically the go-to feature-length Mystery Inc. adventure for the Hanna-Barbera cartoon’s biggest fans. It is not so much the titular antagonist that has made the movie, which also stars Tim Curry, a classic, but the introduction of a band called The Hex Girls, whose music is a must-add for your Halloween playlist.
Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves (1997)
The first sequel to Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, 1992’s Honey, I Blew Up the Kid, was not a big enough success to secure a theatrical release for the third installment, Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves. This time, Wayne Szalinski (Rick Moranis), along with his wife (Eve Gordon), his brother (Stuart Pankin), and his sister-in-law (Robin Bartlett), goes through what his kids experienced years earlier after an accident involving his revolutionary shrink ray.
From Dusk Till Dawn 3: The Hangman’s Daughter (1999)
Writer and star Quentin Tarantino and director Robert Rodriguez’s From Dusk Till Dawn is regarded as one of the best vampire movies of its time, but the same has not been said about its first, loosely connected direct-to-video follow-up, From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money. However, most fans and critics had more favorable thoughts about From Dusk Till Dawn 3: The Hangman’s Daughter, which is a prequel revealing the origins of Santanico Pandemonium.
Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas (1999)
One of the best Christmas movies for Disney fans of all ages to watch is Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas. Narrated by Kelsey Grammer, the animated film presents a delightful trio of holiday stories, featuring Mickey, Goofy, Donald Duck, and other classic characters. It was later followed up by a less memorable computer-animated sequel called Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas.
Casper Meets Wendy (1998)
In Casper Meets Wendy, the Friendly Ghost (voiced by Jeremy Foley) and the Good Little Witch (played by a young Hilary Duff) team up to defeat an evil warlock. The live-action crossover film is also considered the better of the two straight-to-video prequels to 1995’s Casper, the other being Casper: A Spirited Beginning from 1997.
The Land Before Time III: The Time Of The Great Giving (1995)
Don Bluth’s 1988 classic The Land Before Time spawned a countless number of straight-to-video sequels following the continued adventures of Littlefoot and other young dinosaurs. One of the more widely praised is the third installment, The Time of the Great Giving, in which the interspecies prehistoric community is forced to find a new home with a fresh water supply.
Hercules And Xena – The Animated Movie: The Battle For Mount Olympus (1998)
Kevin Sorbo’s godly, eponymous hero from Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Lucy Lawless’ title character from Xena: Warrior Princess would cross paths on each other’s shows from time to time. The actors would reprise the iconic roles once more, but in a new medium, for Hercules and Xena – The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount Olympus, in which they must team up against a group of ruthless Titans.
Basket Case 2 (1990)
Cult horror director Frank Henenlotter made his feature debut in 1982 with one of the genre’s most iconic twin movies, Basket Case, in which a young man (Kevin VanHentenryck) and his formerly conjoined, mutant brother, Belial, seek revenge on the doctors who separated them. Some fans actually prefer the first sequel, Basket Case 2, which is a more intentional dip into the horror-comedy movie territory.
Our Friend, Martin (1999)
We have no doubt that many grade school children had a copy of Our Friend, Martin in their classroom that got brought out every Black History Month. The animated film – featuring the voice talents of James Earl Jones, Samuel L. Jackson, Whoopi Goldberg, and more – is about two friends who magically become able to travel through time and have encounters with influential civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at various stages throughout his life.
Head Of The Family (1996)
The award for “Horror Movie Title with the Most Hilariously Ridiculous Pun” would surely go to Head of the Family. Directed by Charles Band, the founder of Full Moon Features, the cooky thriller is about a Southern couple who set out to blackmail a family of mutants, whose brilliant leader (played by J.W. Perra) is, literally, just a giant head with a pair of arms.
Demonic Toys (1992)
There are two different types of people in this world: there are fans of the Puppet Master movies, and then there are those who prefer this Full Moon Entertainment release about possessed playthings. Demonic Toys, in which a pregnant police officer and others become trapped in a haunted warehouse, also spawned its fair share of sequels, including a crossover with Full Moon’s miniature superhero, Dollman.
Ice Cream Man (1995)
One of Clint Howard’s best-known roles from a movie not directed by his brother, Ron, is the titular villain of Ice Cream Man. Also starring Olivia Hussey and David Naughton, the comedic slasher gained a cult following after Joe Bob Briggs presented it during an edition of MonsterVision on TNT.
Drive (1997)
Not to be confused with a movie of the same title from 2011 with Ryan Gosling, Drive is a sci-fi action flick that first premiered on HBO before acquiring a home video release. Mark Dacascos stars as a genetically enhanced man on the run who enlists a stranger, played by Kadeem Hardison, to help him evade capture.
Dark Angel: The Ascent (1994)
Dark Angel: The Ascent is about a woman, played by Angela Featherstone, who escapes the Underworld and, unexpectedly, finds love on Earth. The romantic fantasy horror film is one of the most well-received original features from Full Moon Entertainment. For instance, Fangoria called it “genuinely a lot of fun.”