I feel a bit bad, because I missed writing up Vinegar Syndrome's November and December releases. As a result, I didn't get to talk about what I got in the Black Friday sale (a lot more porn than I would have expected, for one), and I didn't cover what I didn't pick up. But here we are, in January, and there's a solid slate of new releases coming at the end of the month, so no need to kick ourselves in the ass for the past when the future is so near.
Take, for instance, our first film of the month, 1978's "Satan's Blood" ("Escalofrío"). If you want to grab my interest entering the new year, then put "Satan" in the title and let Earl Kessler Jr. put together some runes and a shirtless dude wielding a sacrificial dagger. It's a great take on the original Spanish poster from director Carlos Puerto. It sounds like a rad bit of Eurosleaze, with a young couple getting drawn into a secluded mansion, only to be set upon by horny devil worshippers. A new 4K scan means this will probably look better than anyone has seen this since its late 70s debut. We get both the Spanish- and English-language soundtracks, as well as a commentary track from V.S. mainstays Samm Deighan and Kat Ellinger. I'm really digging this focus on Spanish-language exploitation from Vinegar Syndrome; it's an era I'm not super familiar with, but I enjoy watching. I like simple things, like butter in my ass, and blood orgies; that's just me.
From Lucifer to Elder Gods: Spanish director Juan Piquer Simón put in some uncredited work on "Satan's Blood", as well as helming one of my personal favs, "Slugs". His 1992 movie, "Cthulhu Mansion" ("La mansión de los Cthulhu") gets a 2K restoration for its North American debut on Blu-ray. And while the title doesn't really sync up to the storyline, I doubt anyone who hasn't seen this will be disappointed. It's got punks on film, evil magicians, spooky amusement parks: it's a "Scooby Doo Mysteries" episode, done in hard-R fashion. I'm really in love with Richard Hilliard's cover art/slipcase for this release; the Chthuluized skull reminds me of a lot of the mid-Atlantic tattoo aesthetic that came out of hardcore/metal in the past 15 years. There's also a full-length documentary about Simón's career. It's in Spanish, but should come with subtitles.
Something sinister is happening in a newly-opened Barcelona apartment skyscraper. Michael Moriarty plays the hard-boiled security consultant hired to uncover the mystery behind an on-site death. Is he ready for something more than simple murder? Joined by Jenny Agutter, can this duo solve matters before another death occurs?
And that's 1988's "Dark Tower" in a nutshell, originated by Ken Weiderhorn and finished by Freddy Francis in the director's chair. The cast is deep, with the likes of Carol Linley, Theodore Bikel, and Kevin McCarthy all making appearances. I passed up a VHS copy of this I saw in a suburban Atlanta thrift store a few years ago, because I was probably being a ding dong or something. I can now rectify that mistake with this debut on region A Blu-ray, featuring a 2K scan and restoration. The interview with Steve Neill should be interesting; the former Corman and Cohen collaborator worked on a wide range of awesome movies in makeup and effects, including "Ghostbusters", "The Stuff", and "Galaxy of Terror".
Every time I decide to wait to buy a Vinegar Syndrome Archives title, it immediately sells out. It's enough to make a fella feel like a real screw up. But 2021 will be different; this year, I'm won't make the same mistakes. I know how much time that wastes. So it is with cash and hand that I happily preorder the January VSA release of 1989's "The House Of Usher". I don't know a ton about Australian director Alan Birkinshaw, other than his work on "Killer's Moon", which I'm pretty sure I saw a third-gen dub of sometime in the late 90s. But 1989 was an incredibly productive year for him, between this, another Poe inspired film in "The Red Masque Of Death", and his adaptation of Agatha Christie's "Ten Little Indians". The latter two featured...you guessed it, Frank Stallone! VS says this is the first time "House Of Usher" has been released on disc; I believe them. Oliver Reed and Donald Pleasence star alongside TV mainstay Romy Windsor. You get a limited to 4,000 piece, Region A Blu-ray with 2K scan and restoration and the always enjoyable bottom loading slipcase. A bargain now at $27.99, compared to what we'll be paying in six months on eBay, no doubt.
AGFA has a pair of releases in January, the first of which is inventively named "The AGFA Horror Trailer Show". And, because they are big believers in truth in advertising, what viewers get here is, indeed, a big ass Blu-ray, chock full of horror trailers. Normally, I'm a bit dubious about collections of trailers (smut comps being the exception). Here, however, I'm absolutely intrigued what the kids at AGFA have dug out of their archives. They describe it as "the most spine-ripping, slime-slinging, soul-shredding horror trailers that you’ve never seen." After watching their trailer, I'm inclined to believe them. And if that weren't enough, there's the bonus feature of "VIDEORAGE", which is nothing but direct-to-video and shot-on-video horror trailers. Slice me off a hunk of that and serve me a pair of biscuits to mop it up with.
As for "The Curious Dr. Humpp", I can only say that I must have it. A true Argentinian curiosity from 1969, this was originally shot by Emilio Vieyra as a straightforward horror film, only to mutate into a pretty legendary blend of Italian horror, Buñuel-esque surrealism, and late 60s grindhouse smut. As they'd say back in the day, "far out!" Not only do you get a 2K restoration of the film that Something Weird has been sharing on DVD for years, you also get Vieyra's "La venganza del sexo" cut, also with a 2K restoration. It even gets English subtitles for the first time ever. "Basket Case" & "Frankenhooker" director Frank Henenlotter, whose ouevre owes a bit to "Dr. Humpp", provides commentary on "Humpp". I'm sure that's going to be worth the price of admission. There's also a line on the VS website stating there will be "brain damaged shorts and trailers from Dr. Humpp’s laboratory" on this release. I don't know what that implies, but I'm dying to find out.
We end our January lineup, as we normally do when we have the opportunity, taking a look at the classic pornography whose preservation Vinegar Syndrome has built their business upon. It's worth mentioned (to me, at least) that regardless of the sexual nature (and politics thereof) of the films, these are as worth studying and discussing as any lost film or indie curiosity. To say they don't make them like this anymore is an understatement; it's a lost era of filmmaking that's never coming back, sadly.
Take, for instance, this double film Blu-ray release in the Peekarama series. "Taxi Girls" and "Heavenly Desire" are a duo of sex comedies from the Israeli-American director Jourdan Alexander (directing under his birthname of Jaacov Jaacovi here), who had a reputation for making these sort of things. His trademark was casting talent that resembled Hollywood starlets, then letting them fuck on film. What you end up with are movies that are both arousing and, dare I say, pretty damned funny. "Taxi Girls" is led by Nancy Suiter in one of her iconic roles, Seka headlines "Heavenly Desire", and Serena stars opposite both in each film. Add in appearances from John Holmes, Jamie Gillis, Aubrey Nichols, and Johnny Keyes, and you have a pair of movies well worth watching.
From "Satan's Blood" (Carlos Puerto, 1978)
So, what am I buying? I think I'll cop that "Taxi Girls"/"Heavenly Desire" 2-pack, as well as both AGFA releases to start. If I'm feeling real frisky (aka I come into some loose money), I'll add on "The House Of Usher". As always, if all four Vinegar Syndrome/VSA titles float your boat, you can save some serious bread ordering the the January 2021 Package, at a relative bargain price of just $99.99 (with free shipping!). I promise to be back in less than 30 days with the February lineup. Until then: be easy, and don't go blind.
Nothing makes me happier than to see something I like grow in stature. Whether it's their audience, their regard, or in their ability to bring new product to market, it's been awesome to experience Vinegar Syndrome as they've gone from a label who actually cared about restoring Golden Age porn (a noble pursuit, to be honest) to one on the bleeding edge of protecting and restoring independent cinema from around the world. Pretty cool for a company named after dissolving film.
AGFA returns to Baltimore with another no-budget classic in October. Doug Ulrich was influenced by his predecessor Don Dohler, and his 1993 shot-on-video classic, "Scary Tales", is getting a restoration and release I never would have imagined could have happened. "Scary Tales" belongs to a lost era of Baltimore; one filled with arty weirdos, dark, cramped video stores, white trash, and kids (literally) playing with fire. I don't remember the particulars of how I saw this: was it a rental from Reptilian when Chris X still rented videos? Or did we drive down to Goucher and pick it up from Video Americain? Were we introduced via Atomic TV? This is a killer anthology that's deserved a bigger audience for years. Added to this Blu-ray release is Ulrich's 1994 follow-up, "Darkest Soul", a demo reel for "Scary Tales" shot in 1987, and multiple shorts. I cannot recommend this highly enough.
Fun City Editions got off to a good start with its debut release of Amos Poe's "Alphabet City" a couple months ago. They return with an early Jenny Agutter film, 1969's "I Start Counting!" This thriller is uncomfortable and edgy, not just for its period, but even today. A teenage girl, secretly in love with her much older foster brother, finds evidence he may be the serial killer murdering her fellow schoolgirls. It's a quality watch that I'm pretty surprised hasn't ever really been highlighted on video. Director David Greene was better known as a TV film director, having won four Emmys for his work on "Roots" and "Rich Man, Poor Man". But his theatrical run is absolutely worth exploring; he had a knack for exploring taboo family stories without resorting to exploitation. This, along with "Madame Sin" and "The Shuttered Room", are the sort of underseen British movies from the 60s that get ignored in favor of Hammer releases from the same period. Add in a Basil Kirchin score and this equals a really interesting sophomore release for Fun City.
Utopia, the newest addition to the VS family, presents their first release, 2020s "Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets", from the brother team of Bill Ross IV and Turner Ross. The Ross's documentaries have, for the last ten years, told stories that I would have never thought to explore, whether it's been tales of a border town in "Western" or David Byrne's celebration of color guard in "Contemporary Color". "Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets" is set in a Las Vegas bar last day of operation on the night of the 2016 election. The storyline looks interesting, and the filmmakers have always put out intriguing work, so this is an easy sale for me. Utopia will be focusing on new film distribution. I think this is a great debut release for them. The slipcover release is already sold out, so keep that in mind.
Now, let's bathe ourselves in the grindhouse releases from Vinegar Syndrome. First up: the first ever digital release of 1982's "Whodunit?", also known as "Island of Blood". This is one of the wilder adaptations of Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None", chock full of slashings, thrashing, and the occasional boob. It's a total gore fest, with one of my favorite murders being the one by nail gun to the face. The team from the Hysteria Continues provides commentary for a brand-new 4K restoration from the 35mm negative. Also included are interviews with a number of the cast and crew. As always, Earl Kessler Jr. provides a quality new cover and slipcover. I think this'll be a fun double feature along with this year's Scream Factory release of "April Fool's Day".
"Whodunit?" director Bill Naud would re-emerge six years later as director of 1988's "Rocky" parody, "Ricky 1" and scribe of this month's Vinegar Syndrome Archives release, "Necromancer". This is B-movie gold, a supernatural reading of "I Spit On Your Grave!". Directed by Pittsburgh native Rocky Nelson, and starring 80s scream queen Elizabeth Kaitan ("Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2"), this is a welcome spin on the rape revenge flick, a sub-genre that's not that easy to watch any more. Russ Tamblyn pops up as a creepy professor and just owns every scene he's in. This 4K restoration is the first time "Necromancer" has ever been available on disc, and if the trailer is to be believed, it's the best it's ever looked. This is limited to just 4,000 pieces, and comes with the now-standard VSA bottom-loading slipcase and poster.
If you know any work by the director José Ramón Larraz, it's probably his 1974 magnum opus, "Vampyres", easily in my top ten of sexy lesbian vampire movies. After a career in Western Europe making Euro-sleaze, he moved to the US in the late 80s, and made a pair of horror movies under the pseudonym Joseph Braunstein. The first of these is 1987's "Rest In Pieces" ("Descanse en piezas"). This is a quintessential piece of late 80s direct-to-video slime. It has boobs, drownings, decapitations, more boobs, blood sprinklers, and...a haunted mansion? "Rest In Pieces" debuts on disc with a 4K restoration, an interview with lead actor Scott Thompson Baker, and a commentary track featuring Samm Deighan and Kat Ellinger from Diabolique Magazine. There's no one better in the biz to walk you through this late-period film from a trash auteur.
While I haven't gotten my copy of "Grave Robbers" in the mail yet, I'm stoked to see Vinegar Syndrome return to the work of Mexican director Rubén Galindo Jr., this time with his 1985 debut "Cemetery of Terror" ("Cementerio del terror"). Last time, we encountered some Satan worship; now, we get...MORE Satan worship! With ZOMBIES! Viva la diferencia! The Hysteria Continues returns with another commentary, and Galindo Jr. also provides a separate track. I may wait another week or so to order this 4K restoration, but "Cemetery of Terror" looks to be right in my wheelhouse. This is some prime Halloween craziness, the kind of film that should have a place in our regular holiday rotation at the MSO Compound.
And speaking of holidays: let's wrap with a piece of cult French cinema. Vinegar Syndrome's third 4K UHD/Blu-ray release is the first American disc release of "Dial Code Santa Claus" ("36.15 code Père Noël"). Released in English-speaking countries as "Game Over" and "Deadly Games", writer/director René Manzor created a would-be holiday classic that, unfortunately, got buried by the success of the very-similar "Home Alone". Manzor is best known in the States for having helmed a pair of episodes of "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles", but this 1989 cult classic looks and sounds amazing. It's the horror twist that really sets "Dial Code" apart; instead of a pair of bumbling burglars, the antagonist is an escapee from an asylum, dressed up as Father Christmas. This release is packed full of extras: Manzor sits for a 90-minutes interview, provides storyboards and commentary, and presents both one of his short films and his Bonnie Tyler (!) music video. Child lead Alain Musy also sits for an interview; I'm excited to hear how he transitioned from acting into producing visual effects for the likes of "Edge of Tomorrow" and "Dark Phoenix". I'd love to see more of this kind of release from Vinegar Syndrome: their "Tammy & the T-Rex" and "Rad" releases have been top notch, so I'm hoping this is a trend.
From "Necromancer" (Dusty Nelson, 1988)
There's only one package deal this month: it'll get you all four Vinegar Syndrome releases and "Necromancer" for a bargain $130.00. It's also welcome news to hear that all domestic shipments are now postage paid: while VS's postage rates have always been fair, who doesn't like saving a few quid to get their cult movies? I'll be preordering "Dial Code Santa Claus", and plan to snag "Scary Tales" when I have a few extra bucks. It's also fair to remind everyone that VS always does a Black Friday sale, with fun exclusives and cheap prices for everyone...so don't feel bad to hold off on a few titles.
I'm really excited for September's Vinegar Syndrome lineup, because I've only seen one of the five films debuting next month. There's something for everyone in September: a new AGFA release, some late 80s Charles Band craziness, an Italian gore fest, a "murder every camper" direct-to-video slasher, and an oft-overlooked Mexican Satanic horror flick. Let's dive in, knives out!
The releases from the American Genre Film Archive have been killing it this year, and September brings a queer exploitation film I've only ever seen the trailer for. "Sometimes Aunt Martha Does Dreadful Things" looks like a mix of "Pink Flamingos", "Dog Day Afternoon", and the original "My Bloody Valentine". Limited to 1,500 units, "Sometimes..." has received a 2K restoration from the only 35mm print in existence. Additionally, the little-seen documentary "The Drag Queen's Ball" has been added to this package, along with a pair of gay-themed short films. Everything about this release reads like a time capsule from the years immediately following Stonewall. For me, it's a must have.
My first exposure to Adam Ant wasn't via a music video, or one of the awesome/terrible Adam and the Ants records from the early 80s. I discovered Adam Ant from the poster to 1991's "Spellcaster". Today, it's known as the final Empire Pictures film released, a full three years after completion of the film. Directed by B-movie auteur Rafal Zielinski, this is the tale of an evil treasure hunt, starring Ant as the villain and Gail O'Grady as an aspiring VJ. There is no doubt in my mind that this is not a good movie. But it DOES look like a fun movie, so I'm buying a copy. The additional hook is the packaging on this, the eighth release in the Vinegar Syndrome Archive series. The releases in this series were mainstays on late 80s/early 90s late night TV, are hand numbered, and feature a specially designed, bottom loading VHS inspired slipcase, while also including a double-sided poster. "Spellcaster" is limited to 4,000 pieces, and the sold out releases in the VSA series go for crazy money on the secondary market.
When I saw "Killing Birds" in the early 90s, I thought it was SO dumb. Did the birds kill? Nope; they just blinded Robert Vaughn. But I remember it being gory and having a cool cover, and isn't THAT what really matters when you're 13 and looking for horror movies at the video store? VS issuing this in North America on Blu-ray for the first time under the title "Zombie 5: Killing Birds". That should clear some things up when you judge this film by its cover. Along with a 2K scan and restoration, the happy new owner of "Killing Birds" gets interviews with credited director Claudio Lattanzi (who apparently fronted for Joe D'Amato here) and long-time grindhouse vet Larry Revene. The bonus that stands out for me is the new commentary track by critic Samm Deighan, whose recent book in the Devil's Advocates series, "M", is pretty outstanding.
Summer may be over, but there's never a bad time to watch a direct-to-video camp slasher movie. I've yet to see "Memorial Day Massacre", but the plot looks like it's right in my wheelhouse. This has it all: an evil real estate magnate, a heroic forest ranger, bikers, white trash, a caveman, gratuitous nipples, and so many mullets. Just listing these makes me want to watch it NOW! It stars John Kerry, the only person to appear in both "Dolemite" and "Black Dynamite", and was directed by Robert Hughes, whose 1986 feature "Hunter's Blood" is absolutely worth tracking down if you're into hixploitation. VS has ponied up a 4K scan and restoration from the 35mm negative, along with interviews with Hughes and Kerry, and fresh artwork. Are you ready for an axin' packed adventure? Damn right, you are!
Finally, September brings a region-free Blu-ray release of 1988's "Ladrones de Tumbas" ("Grave Robbers"). What is this film about, you may ask? Why, it's about teenage grave robbers who awaken the sleeping body of a 300-year-old satanic priest. The maniac immediately sets out to complete his mission to spawn the Son of Satan. Bloodshed ensues. It sounds like a hell of a time! (I'll show myself out)
Now, I was sucked in by a great slipcover from Richard Hilliard, but I'm excited to give this a wag based on the description that this parallels the later "Friday the 13th" films. And I have very little experience with the 80s Mexican horror scene, so this seems like as good a place to start as anywhere. The gang at The Hysteria Continues provides commentary, and we also get an interview with director Rubén Galindo Jr., along with a 4K scan and restoration.
Someone has a weird idea of "romance"...not to kink shame!
The trade off for five releases in a month is that we sadly get no smut in September. However, each release gets a now-customary limited edition slipcover when you order via www.vinegarsyndrome.com. If you're looking to snag all three Vinegar Syndrome releases in September, you can save $35 ordering the VS September package. OR you can tack on "Spellcaster", and save a whopping $53 by ordering the VS + VSA September package. That's a good ass price!
Alright, movie fans. August is just a couple weeks away, so let's take a look at what Vinegar Syndrome has coming out. I've set the mood appropriately by throwing on the 1979 Chuck Vincent trash classic "Summer Camp" (featuring a young Linnea Quigley!), so I'm ready to talk some weird cinema!
Vinegar Syndrome has been distributing the releases from the American Genre Film Archive for a while now, and its been a revelation to dive into these movies. AGFA dives deep to release some truly amazing films, from the work of Ugandan auteur IGG to Ed Wood sexploitation to scare film compilations. Their newest release is the lone directorial release from Z-movie goddess Tina Krause, 1999's "Limbo". This shot-on-video release looks sounds totally batshit, with a murder triggering a decent into hell for the protagonist. If you're a fan of surrealist horror and no budget filmmaking from the 90s, this is right in your wheelhouse.
Fun City Editions is a brand-new reissue label focusing on reissues of maverick repertory cinema and music that can best be described as works that exist "outside of their time." When your first release is Amos Poe's 1984 neo-noir "Alphabet City", it tells me that your taste is worth paying attention to. Poe's work from the 70s and 80s always captures that era of pre-Guiliani New York City that a lot of people both romanticize and bemoan. The cast has some great names in it: Vincent Spano, Kate Vernon, Jami Gertz, and a pre-"Police Academy" Michael Winslow. The score was written and performed by Nile Rodgers as one of his first works after the breakup of Chic. This sounds like a pretty cool crime thriller to satisfy your lust for the days of cheap rent and cheaper heroin on the Lower East Side. If you needed one more excuse: well, that slipcover is pretty fantastic looking.
The first of three VS releases in August is the first ever digital release of 1982's "Pandemonium", an incredible horror parody from Alfred Sole, who directed "Alice, Sweet Alice" and "Tanya's Island". This feels like a forgotten classic to me, with a cast list including Carol Kane, Paul Reubens, Tom Smothers, and Phil Hartman. I was super surprised to hear this hadn't been available since the days of VHS. The film gets a 2K restoration; the proud owner also gets an interview with writer/director Sole. THIS is my pick of the month. Fun fact: Sole left directing after this, his third theatrical release, and became a production designer of some renown. Trivia, everyone!
Vinegar Syndrome also brings another lost 80s "classic" to Blu-ray in August with the release of 1987's "The Caller". Would it surprise you to learn that a film starring Malcolm McDowell in 1987 is super weird? It shouldn't. I've never seen this, but in my quick "judge a movie by its cover" judgement, the VS website's description of "The Caller" as "a labyrinthine mystery tinged with horror and science fiction elements" also is not surprising. I'd be disappointed if this wasn't feverishly odd.
August's smut release has a fun link to my favorite director, Orson Welles. Welles' cinematographer on "The Other Side of the Wind" and one of his latter-day collaborators, Gary Graver, directed and shot 1981's "Indecent Exposure" under the name Robert McCallum. Graver worked with a ton of different stars and directors over the years: Welles, Robert Corman, Ron Howard, Al Adamson. But many fans would argue his finest period occurred in the early 80s in adult films. His run of directorial efforts from "'V': The Hot One" to "10 1/2 Weeks" is as strong a body of work as you'll find in the Golden Age of Porn. I'll always mark out for a Georgina Spelvin appearance; add in Veronica Hart, Jessie St. James, and Eric Edwards, and you have the recipe for a very sexy Blu-ray/DVD combo pack.
That's it for August. As is the custom in their part of the woods, any orders made at vinegarsyndrome.com will get you a limited edition slipcover along with your disc of choice. Ralf Krause handled design on "Pandemonium" and "The Caller"; Earl Kessler Jr. returns with the cover for "Indecent Exposure". You can also save $35 by ordering all three Vinegar Syndrome releases this month at once as part of the August 2020 Package.
