Analog Era Cover Art Detail Uncovered: The Orion Home Video VHS Release of THEY CAME FROM WITHIN aka SHIVERS Compared with the June 1985 Cover of National Geographic!
While groovin’ around the radical VHS-obsessed Facebook forum VHS Misfits ~ Ironfist VHS Bliss this morning as a part of my daily dose of online analog insanity, I happened upon a most excellent post from fellow Tapehead Matthew Baxter (originally observed and mentioned by Al Magliochetti). His post compared the now iconic National Geographic cover featuring the portrait of an Afghan girl by photographer Steve McCurry with the Orion Home Video VHS release of the David Cronenberg classic They Came from Within aka Shivers. There is no doubt that the Afghan girl (now identified as Sharbat Gula) captivated the world upon the cover’s release in June of 1985 with her kaleidoscopic eyes and soulful stare; but little did we know it would also inspire an artist for some VHS cover art just one year later in 1986.
Haunted eyes, indeed, mang! Don't fix it if it ain't broke!
The likeness is unmistakable. As Tapehead Jimmy Turri stated, “The shading gives it away, really.”, and I’d have to agree. This photo was everywhere in 1985, so it makes perfect sense that this artist could have had this issue of Nat Geo on his desk, and decided to use the striking portrait for reference in his creation of the Orion video cover artwork. And just like that, another analog era cover art detail is discovered thanks to the ever-growing online community of Videovores sharing out. You know we can dig it.Special thanks to Matthew Baxter for the image of They Came from Within, and Al Magliochetti for the awesome analog observation!
Groove and Groove and Video Déjà vu!
Josh Schafer