Adventure #1: Terrorvision

My first adventure for Books & Boards is to a faithful recreation of a bygone era!

Adventure #1: Terrorvision

3729 N. Southport Ave.
Chicago, IL 60613

Terrorvision recreates a feeling and an atmosphere many of us yearn for.

It’s the mid-90s, and I’m walking down a never-ending wall of movie titles in a mom-and-pop video rental store. Painted depictions of monsters and skeletons, alluring backdrops of forbidden castles and run-down houses, and tourists shrieking come together to create a collage of eye-catching video box art. The horror section of video rental stores of old were a carnival for the eyes. The distribution team, whether it was for a theatrical or direct-to-video release, threw everything it had into the box art. Some of that art, lost to time as physical media made the leap to at-home streaming, is the stuff of legends.

For children like myself, renting a title was like playing a game of roulette. You never knew if the box art was lying, and there often was no way of knowing the quality or caliber of the film unless the video store clerk intervened. Some boxes terrified me away from ever picking them up. Others drew me in, and I wouldn’t know what I was in for until the end credits rolled.

There weren’t many Internet sites to aggregate reviews. Online horror and cinephile communities were fewer. The world was different.

Located right next door to the historic Music Box Theatre on Southport Ave., Terrorvision is a pop-up video store that recaptures the mystique of the late 80s and early-to-mid 90s horror section. It boasts everything from classic VHS rentals to newer 4K Bluray releases for purchase. Each inch of space is lined with posters, movies, books, and games. It’s a pastiche of a cultural touchpoint many yearn for, and in a way, Terrorvision feels like home.

Horror games, movies, and books galore.

The atmosphere this store creates reminds me of why I track down and play nostalgia-driven horror games like Stay Out of the House or Bloodwash. There’s a “never-know-what-you’ll-find” excitement that electrifies the air.

On my first visit to Terrorvision, I brought a friend who was horror-shy (but curious). While all of the familiar and well-known favorites are there, Terrorvision highlights rare and off-the-beaten-path films. You can find everything from classics like Halloween and Night of the Living Dead to more obscure, but equally great films, like Blood Harvest (the one starring Tiny Tim) and Eyes Without a Face.

The staff at Terrorvision is helpful and super friendly. Along with that excitement of diving into a treasure-trove of horror, there’s a vibe I typically only find at horror conventions and movie marathons: community. More than recapturing the magic of the video rental era, Terrorvision manages to touch upon something foundational to cinephiles, genre nerds, and acolytes of the Music Box Theatre next door. It’s this friendly, familiar, community atmosphere. It feels cozy, comfortable, and safe.

This little pop-up movie store puts visitors at ease, lowering their guard, so they can chase their favorite horror subgenre all the way down a rabbit hole. It’s a shame that this pop-up will only be around until September 30th, 2025. Like those strolls down the horror aisle at my local 90s video rental store, I wish for each visit to Terrorivision to last forever.

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