- Published on
press release
unleash 'the sword and the claw'
This special limited edition spot gloss and embossed slipcover is limited to 2,000 units and is only available on our website and at select indie retailers. Absolutely no major retailers will be stocking them.
The American Genre Film Archive (AGFA) represents the world's largest theatrical catalog of exploitation cinema. Their home video line presents a diverse selection of movies, ranging from new preservations of classics from the vast library of Something Weird to the wildest in shot-on-video (SOV) titles. Vinegar Syndrome’s sister company, OCN Distribution, is thrilled to be representing this diverse and unique home video line!
They took his money, family, and hands—but they can’t take his revenge. Exploding from the same hallucinogenic netherworld as TURKISH STAR WARS, THE SWORD AND THE CLAW is a Turkish action-fantasy spectacle that stars genre legend Cüneyt Arkin in his most iconic role. Distributed in North America by exploitation maestro William Mishkin, this movie contains more lo-fi bloodshed, pop-art visuals, and bizarro dubbing than the boundaries of reality can handle.
Directed by: Natuk Baytan
Starring: Cüneyt Arkin
1975 / 88 min / 1.78:1 / English DTS-HD MA 2.0
Additional info:
The American Genre Film Archive (AGFA) represents the world's largest theatrical catalog of exploitation cinema. Their home video line presents a diverse selection of movies, ranging from new preservations of classics from the vast library of Something Weird to the wildest in shot-on-video (SOV) titles. Vinegar Syndrome’s sister company, OCN Distribution, is thrilled to be representing this diverse and unique home video line!
They took his money, family, and hands—but they can’t take his revenge. Exploding from the same hallucinogenic netherworld as TURKISH STAR WARS, THE SWORD AND THE CLAW is a Turkish action-fantasy spectacle that stars genre legend Cüneyt Arkin in his most iconic role. Distributed in North America by exploitation maestro William Mishkin, this movie contains more lo-fi bloodshed, pop-art visuals, and bizarro dubbing than the boundaries of reality can handle.
Directed by: Natuk Baytan
Starring: Cüneyt Arkin
1975 / 88 min / 1.78:1 / English DTS-HD MA 2.0
Additional info:
- Region Free Blu-ray
- Preserved from the only known 35mm theatrical print in existence
- Action trailer reel from the AGFA vaults
- Bonus movie: THE BRAWL BUSTERS (1978, 83 mins), a Korean martial arts extravaganza that screened with THE SWORD AND THE CLAW during its original U.S. theatrical run
- English SDH subtitles
About American Genre Film Archive
The American Genre Film Archive (AGFA) is the world’s largest archive dedicated to genre movies and filmmakers, and the only known 501(c)(3) non-profit genre film distributor. Formed in 2009, AGFA is committed to preserving the legacy of genre films through our archival work, sharing these movies through our home video label, and promoting the power of genre through our theatrical distribution arm. Since its inception, AGFA has rescued over one-hundred features from the void, including the works of exploitation pioneer Doris Wishman, underground trash-art king Jon Moritsugu, Riot Grrrl icon Sarah Jacobson, and found-footage founder Joe Dante. AGFA’s archives house over six-thousand 35mm film prints, a 4K scanner, and prestigious libraries such as the Something Weird archive. AGFA exists to preserve the legacy of genre movies through collection, conservation, and distribution. We satisfy this mission by rescuing, restoring, and sharing largely forgotten films on home video and in theaters, as well as providing film scanning and restoration services.
About Vinegar Syndrome
Vinegar Syndrome is a film restoration and distribution company with a catalogue of hundreds of feature films, produced primarily between the 1960s and 1980s.
Founded by Ryan Emerson and Joe Rubin, VS has been acclaimed by The New York Times, Village Voice, Dangerous Minds, The Foglenest Files, and many others as one of the premier independent genre film focused distribution companies in the world, and was noted by Alamo Drafthouse Theatres as “…perhaps the most important home video label in the world for genre film…”
Our ever expanding catalog includes worldwide rights on such exploitation classics as Tammy & the T-Rex, Demon Wind, Spookies, Night Train to Terror, Terminal Island, Blood Harvest, Angel, The Lamp, Death Promise, Don’t Open Till Christmas, and countless others.
We also boast owning one of the largest catalogs of rare and classic X rated films, which can be found on our sister site Mélusine.
- Published on
Press Release
Leading the pack this month is the 4K UHD debut of maestro Lucio Fulci’s stylish and final giallo, MURDEROCK (1984) (or Murder-Rock, or Murder Rock: Dancing Death; whatever you prefer). This mid-80s classic offers everything you want and expect from Fulci, and this time, it also features a score from musical genius Keith Emerson. Not only is our exclusive-to-VS restoration of the original negative a stunner, but we’ve packed on every conceivable extra, including plenty of new and archival interviews with a ridiculously wide array of cast and crew, including an ultra-rare archival interview with Fulci himself discussing the film. This is the ultimate MURDEROCK experience.
This special limited edition 2-disc 4K UHD/Blu-ray set comes with a spot gloss hard slipcase + slipcover combo (designed by Suspiria Vilchez), includes a 40-page perfect bound book and is limited to 8,000 units. It is only available on our website and at select indie retailers. Absolutely no major retailers will be stocking them.
Candice Norman operates the hottest dance academy in town, with hoards of hopefuls dying to be admitted, maybe literally. Shortly after a trio of new students are accepted into Candice’s tutelage, a young female pupil is found murdered on campus, stabbed through the heart with a long pin. With the backbiting staff and students alike all rendered possible suspects, Candice is also plagued by haunting dreams involving a sinister man. When Candice spots this man's face on a billboard, she decides to track him down, while yet another rising dance starlet winds up with a punctured heart. Is this handsome stranger as dangerous as the man in her dreams? Could a bloodthirsty maniac from outside the school be preying upon the dancers? Or has the intense competition between dancers and staff turned one of them into a depraved killer? And how does Candice herself factor into this shocking mystery?
Director Lucio Fulci’s (City of the Living Dead, The Beyond) final giallo and also his final film set in New York City, MURDEROCK (Murderock - Uccide a passo di danza), is amongst the maestro's last truly lavish productions, boasting stylized dance numbers (scored by legendary musician Keith Emerson) and surreal dream sequences between its labyrinthine mystery and gruesome killings. Starring Olga Karlatos (Zombie), Ray Lovelock (Autopsy), Claudio Cassinelli (Slave of the Cannibal God), Cosimo Cinieri (The New York Ripper), and featuring a guest appearance from Silvia Collatina (The House by the Cemetery), Vinegar Syndrome proudly brings this late period giallo classic to 4K UHD and Blu-ray, exclusively restored from its 35mm camera negative and boasting an unparalleled selection of new and archival extras, including the first-ever interview with co-writer Gianfranco Clerici (Cannibal Holocaust), amongst many others.
Directed by: Lucio Fulci
Starring: Olga Karlatos, Ray Lovelock, Claudio Cassinelli, Cosimo Cinieri, Silvia Collatina
1984 / 93 min / 1.66:1 / English Stereo & Italian Dub
Additional info:
This special limited edition 2-disc 4K UHD/Blu-ray set comes with a spot gloss hard slipcase + slipcover combo (designed by Suspiria Vilchez), includes a 40-page perfect bound book and is limited to 8,000 units. It is only available on our website and at select indie retailers. Absolutely no major retailers will be stocking them.
Candice Norman operates the hottest dance academy in town, with hoards of hopefuls dying to be admitted, maybe literally. Shortly after a trio of new students are accepted into Candice’s tutelage, a young female pupil is found murdered on campus, stabbed through the heart with a long pin. With the backbiting staff and students alike all rendered possible suspects, Candice is also plagued by haunting dreams involving a sinister man. When Candice spots this man's face on a billboard, she decides to track him down, while yet another rising dance starlet winds up with a punctured heart. Is this handsome stranger as dangerous as the man in her dreams? Could a bloodthirsty maniac from outside the school be preying upon the dancers? Or has the intense competition between dancers and staff turned one of them into a depraved killer? And how does Candice herself factor into this shocking mystery?
Director Lucio Fulci’s (City of the Living Dead, The Beyond) final giallo and also his final film set in New York City, MURDEROCK (Murderock - Uccide a passo di danza), is amongst the maestro's last truly lavish productions, boasting stylized dance numbers (scored by legendary musician Keith Emerson) and surreal dream sequences between its labyrinthine mystery and gruesome killings. Starring Olga Karlatos (Zombie), Ray Lovelock (Autopsy), Claudio Cassinelli (Slave of the Cannibal God), Cosimo Cinieri (The New York Ripper), and featuring a guest appearance from Silvia Collatina (The House by the Cemetery), Vinegar Syndrome proudly brings this late period giallo classic to 4K UHD and Blu-ray, exclusively restored from its 35mm camera negative and boasting an unparalleled selection of new and archival extras, including the first-ever interview with co-writer Gianfranco Clerici (Cannibal Holocaust), amongst many others.
Directed by: Lucio Fulci
Starring: Olga Karlatos, Ray Lovelock, Claudio Cassinelli, Cosimo Cinieri, Silvia Collatina
1984 / 93 min / 1.66:1 / English Stereo & Italian Dub
Additional info:
- 2-disc Set: 4K Ultra HD / Region Free Blu-ray
- 4K UHD presented in Dolby Vision High-Dynamic-Range
- Newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative
- Presented in its original English language theatrical stereo soundtrack as well as its Italian language dub with newly translated English subtitles
- Commentary track with film historian Troy Howarth
- "Ballet in Blood" (28 min) - an interview with actor Robert Gligorov
- "Hellfant Prodige" (10 min) - an interview with actress Silvia Collatina
- "Lucio’s Pet" (13 min) - an interview with actor Al Cliver
- "Lightning Murder" (27 min) - an interview with cinematographer Giuseppe Pinori
- "A Pen in the Dark" (14 min) - an audio interview with co-writer Gianfranco Clerici
- "Augusto’s Empire" (32 min) - an interview with film historian Eugenio Ercolani
- "The Murder Instigator" (17 min) - interviews with producer Augusto Caminito and film historian Eugenio Ercolani
- "Murder Prog" (32 min) - an interview with music historian Pierpaolo De Sanctis
- "A Pin in the Heart" (8 min) - an interview with make-up artist Franco Casagni
- "Child's Play" (24 min) - an interview with actress Silvia Collatina
- Audio interview with director Lucio Fulci (16 min)
- Interview with actress Geretta Geretta (25 min)
- Original video trailer
- 40-page perfect bound book with essays by Stephen Thrower, Amanda Reyes, Al Cliver
- Reversible sleeve artwork
- English SDH subtitles
About Vinegar Syndrome
Vinegar Syndrome is a film restoration and distribution company with a catalogue of hundreds of feature films, produced primarily between the 1960s and 1980s.
Founded by Ryan Emerson and Joe Rubin, VS has been acclaimed by The New York Times, Village Voice, Dangerous Minds, The Foglenest Files, and many others as one of the premier independent genre film focused distribution companies in the world, and was noted by Alamo Drafthouse Theatres as “…perhaps the most important home video label in the world for genre film…”
Our ever expanding catalog includes worldwide rights on such exploitation classics as Tammy & the T-Rex, Demon Wind, Spookies, Night Train to Terror, Terminal Island, Blood Harvest, Angel, The Lamp, Death Promise, Don’t Open Till Christmas, and countless others.
We also boast owning one of the largest catalogs of rare and classic X rated films, which can be found on our sister site Mélusine.
Vinegar Syndrome is a film restoration and distribution company with a catalogue of hundreds of feature films, produced primarily between the 1960s and 1980s.
Founded by Ryan Emerson and Joe Rubin, VS has been acclaimed by The New York Times, Village Voice, Dangerous Minds, The Foglenest Files, and many others as one of the premier independent genre film focused distribution companies in the world, and was noted by Alamo Drafthouse Theatres as “…perhaps the most important home video label in the world for genre film…”
Our ever expanding catalog includes worldwide rights on such exploitation classics as Tammy & the T-Rex, Demon Wind, Spookies, Night Train to Terror, Terminal Island, Blood Harvest, Angel, The Lamp, Death Promise, Don’t Open Till Christmas, and countless others.
We also boast owning one of the largest catalogs of rare and classic X rated films, which can be found on our sister site Mélusine.
- Published on
press release
Firebook Entertainment's
PÁRVULOS: CHILDREN OF THE APOCALYPSE
In Theaters Friday, April 4
From Mexican director Isaac Ezban’s, PÁRVULOS: CHILDREN OF THE APOCALYPSE is a new coming-of-age post-apocalyptic horror film of juvenile brothers’ survival after civilization’s death by plague.
Synopsis:
In a dystopian future ravaged by a viral apocalypse, three young brothers—Salvador, Oliver, and Benjamin—find themselves isolated in a remote cabin deep within the woods. As they navigate this desolate world, they harbor a dark and disturbing secret in their basement, a presence they must feed to ensure their own survival.
Director: Isaac Ezban
Cast: Farid Escalante Correa, Leonardo Cervantes, Mateo Ortega Casillas, Carla
Adell, Noé Hernández
Genre: Horror, Post-Apocalyptic, Family Drama
About Firebook Entertainment
Firebook Entertainment is a genre sales, distribution, and acquisitions company with a theatrical distribution network dedicated to delivering high-quality theatrical releases across North America. With access to over 5,000 theaters and a team with more than 40 years of combined experience, Firebook is committed to maximizing box office potential while ensuring the best-in-class financial return for producers. Firebook plans to expand its theatrical footprint in the years ahead, offering bold, audience-driven films the distribution they deserve.
In a dystopian future ravaged by a viral apocalypse, three young brothers—Salvador, Oliver, and Benjamin—find themselves isolated in a remote cabin deep within the woods. As they navigate this desolate world, they harbor a dark and disturbing secret in their basement, a presence they must feed to ensure their own survival.
Director: Isaac Ezban
Cast: Farid Escalante Correa, Leonardo Cervantes, Mateo Ortega Casillas, Carla
Adell, Noé Hernández
Genre: Horror, Post-Apocalyptic, Family Drama
About Firebook Entertainment
Firebook Entertainment is a genre sales, distribution, and acquisitions company with a theatrical distribution network dedicated to delivering high-quality theatrical releases across North America. With access to over 5,000 theaters and a team with more than 40 years of combined experience, Firebook is committed to maximizing box office potential while ensuring the best-in-class financial return for producers. Firebook plans to expand its theatrical footprint in the years ahead, offering bold, audience-driven films the distribution they deserve.
- Published on
press release
For VS proper, we’re off to England by way of Canada with a Blu-ray double feature of 60s chillers from Lindsay Shonteff. First up, DEVIL DOLL (1965), which serves up supernatural suspense by means of an extra angry ventriloquial figure and his no-less-evil owner, played by the great Bryant Halliday. But wait…our new 4K restoration of the original camera negative also makes the world home video debut of the complete and uncensored Continental Version, which finally re-integrates all of the film’s notoriously removed “saucy” content as well as fully reinstates all dialogue scenes, as originally intended. How could we top that? By adding to the package Shonteff’s no less bonkers CURSE OF THE VOODOO (1966), also starring Halliday and exclusively restored in 4K by us from its original negative!
This special limited edition spot gloss slipcover (designed by Robert Sammelin) is limited to 5,000 units and is only available on our website and at select indie retailers. Absolutely no major retailers will be stocking them.
Few filmmakers working in British genre cinema had more memorable careers than Lindsay Shonteff. The Canadian ex-pat produced an incredibly diverse body of work during his few decades spent toiling on the fringes of England’s low-budget film community. Still, few of his films have developed a wider - and more deserved - fan base than his set of 60s horror-shockers made for legendary producer Richard Gordon (Horror Hospital): DEVIL DOLL and CURSE OF THE VOODOO. Vinegar Syndrome is proud to offer both of these true cult classics, newly scanned and restored from their camera negatives in 4K and on Blu-ray for the first time.
Acclaimed magician The Great Vorelli dazzles audiences with his mastery of hypnosis while shocking them with a strange ventriloquist dummy named Hugo. Determined to uncover Vorelli’s methods for making Hugo’s movement and speech appear so real, reporter Mark English begins a covert investigation. However, nothing can prepare him for the strange and horrifying secret trapped inside the dummy, nor for the murderous actions it will take to be freed... Integrating the supernatural into a twist-filled story of revenge, DEVIL DOLL stars Bryant Haliday (Tower of Evil), William Sylvester (Gorgo), and Yvonne Romain (Night Creatures) and is presented in its “Continental” version, which has never before been seen complete and uncut on video!
Mike Stacey is a cold-blooded guide to novice big game hunters. While on safari in Africa, he has to clean up the mess of one of his clients, shooting a lion they wounded but couldn't kill. But no sooner than moving in to collect the body is he accosted by the local tribesmen who reveal that the lion is their deity and that any man who dares interfere will suffer unimaginable torments. Upon returning to England, Mike is besieged by unrelenting nightmares and a paranoid sense that he’s being watched, chased, and hunted like the animals he preys upon. As he descends further into madness, he realizes that the only way he can break the curse is by returning to Africa and again facing the deadly tribe... A 1960s update of Jungle adventure and horror films of the 1930s and 40s, CURSE OF THE VOODOO (aka Curse of Simba) again stars Bryant Haliday, Dennis Price (The Earth Dies Screaming), and Lisa Daniely (Lili Marlene).
Directed by: Lindsay Shonteff
Starring: Bryant Haliday, William Sylvester, Yvonne Romain, Dennis Price, Lisa Daniely, Sandra Dorne, Nora Nicholson, Mary Kerridge, Ronald Leigh-Hunt
1964, 1965 / 169 min (combined) / 1.66:1 / English DTS-HD Master Audio Mono
Additional info:
This special limited edition spot gloss slipcover (designed by Robert Sammelin) is limited to 5,000 units and is only available on our website and at select indie retailers. Absolutely no major retailers will be stocking them.
Few filmmakers working in British genre cinema had more memorable careers than Lindsay Shonteff. The Canadian ex-pat produced an incredibly diverse body of work during his few decades spent toiling on the fringes of England’s low-budget film community. Still, few of his films have developed a wider - and more deserved - fan base than his set of 60s horror-shockers made for legendary producer Richard Gordon (Horror Hospital): DEVIL DOLL and CURSE OF THE VOODOO. Vinegar Syndrome is proud to offer both of these true cult classics, newly scanned and restored from their camera negatives in 4K and on Blu-ray for the first time.
Acclaimed magician The Great Vorelli dazzles audiences with his mastery of hypnosis while shocking them with a strange ventriloquist dummy named Hugo. Determined to uncover Vorelli’s methods for making Hugo’s movement and speech appear so real, reporter Mark English begins a covert investigation. However, nothing can prepare him for the strange and horrifying secret trapped inside the dummy, nor for the murderous actions it will take to be freed... Integrating the supernatural into a twist-filled story of revenge, DEVIL DOLL stars Bryant Haliday (Tower of Evil), William Sylvester (Gorgo), and Yvonne Romain (Night Creatures) and is presented in its “Continental” version, which has never before been seen complete and uncut on video!
Mike Stacey is a cold-blooded guide to novice big game hunters. While on safari in Africa, he has to clean up the mess of one of his clients, shooting a lion they wounded but couldn't kill. But no sooner than moving in to collect the body is he accosted by the local tribesmen who reveal that the lion is their deity and that any man who dares interfere will suffer unimaginable torments. Upon returning to England, Mike is besieged by unrelenting nightmares and a paranoid sense that he’s being watched, chased, and hunted like the animals he preys upon. As he descends further into madness, he realizes that the only way he can break the curse is by returning to Africa and again facing the deadly tribe... A 1960s update of Jungle adventure and horror films of the 1930s and 40s, CURSE OF THE VOODOO (aka Curse of Simba) again stars Bryant Haliday, Dennis Price (The Earth Dies Screaming), and Lisa Daniely (Lili Marlene).
Directed by: Lindsay Shonteff
Starring: Bryant Haliday, William Sylvester, Yvonne Romain, Dennis Price, Lisa Daniely, Sandra Dorne, Nora Nicholson, Mary Kerridge, Ronald Leigh-Hunt
1964, 1965 / 169 min (combined) / 1.66:1 / English DTS-HD Master Audio Mono
Additional info:
- Region Free Blu-ray
- Newly scanned & restored in 4K from their 35mm original camera negatives
- Commentary track with writers/film critics Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw (DEVIL DOLL)
- Commentary track with producer Richard Gordon and film historian Tom Weaver (DEVIL DOLL)
- Commentary track with film historians Rod Barnett and Adrian Smith (CURSE OF THE VOODOO)
- "Time for Tommy's Tea" (20 min) - an interview with CURSE OF THE VOODOO editor Barrie Vince
- "Traditions and Legacies" (23 min) - writer and film critic Kim Newman on CURSE OF THE VOODOO
- "Casting a Spell" (25 min) - writer and film historian Jonathan Rigby on DEVIL DOLL
- Alternate clothed scenes for DEVIL DOLL
- Inside sleeve artwork
- English SDH subtitles
About Vinegar Syndrome
Vinegar Syndrome is a film restoration and distribution company with a catalogue of hundreds of feature films, produced primarily between the 1960s and 1980s.
Founded by Ryan Emerson and Joe Rubin, VS has been acclaimed by The New York Times, Village Voice, Dangerous Minds, The Foglenest Files, and many others as one of the premier independent genre film focused distribution companies in the world, and was noted by Alamo Drafthouse Theatres as “…perhaps the most important home video label in the world for genre film…”
Our ever expanding catalog includes worldwide rights on such exploitation classics as Tammy & the T-Rex, Demon Wind, Spookies, Night Train to Terror, Terminal Island, Blood Harvest, Angel, The Lamp, Death Promise, Don’t Open Till Christmas, and countless others.
We also boast owning one of the largest catalogs of rare and classic X rated films, which can be found on our sister site Mélusine.
Vinegar Syndrome is a film restoration and distribution company with a catalogue of hundreds of feature films, produced primarily between the 1960s and 1980s.
Founded by Ryan Emerson and Joe Rubin, VS has been acclaimed by The New York Times, Village Voice, Dangerous Minds, The Foglenest Files, and many others as one of the premier independent genre film focused distribution companies in the world, and was noted by Alamo Drafthouse Theatres as “…perhaps the most important home video label in the world for genre film…”
Our ever expanding catalog includes worldwide rights on such exploitation classics as Tammy & the T-Rex, Demon Wind, Spookies, Night Train to Terror, Terminal Island, Blood Harvest, Angel, The Lamp, Death Promise, Don’t Open Till Christmas, and countless others.
We also boast owning one of the largest catalogs of rare and classic X rated films, which can be found on our sister site Mélusine.
- Published on
press release
Next on the UHD roster is a nifty little sleeper from a director more likely to be associated with our sister site, Mélusine, here crafting his sole horror effort, with Armand Weston’s haunted house hit THE NESTING (1980). Blending an old-fashioned ghost story with plentiful bloodshed (iron fence eye impairment, for example), this story of past and present colliding is a delightfully late 70s take on classic Hollywood horror. We’ve fully restored it in 4K from its original camera negative, and we are at last presenting the home video debut of its pre-release director’s cut, complete with its original title card. Extras are also plentiful with deleted scenes, outtakes, a multitude of trailers, plus a first-ever interview with illusive screenwriter Daria Price.
This special limited edition spot gloss slipcover (designed by Suspiria Vilchez) is limited to 6,000 units and is only available on our website and at select indie retailers. Absolutely no major retailers will be stocking them.
With the impending release of her new book, “The Nesting,” agoraphobic New York-based writer Lauren Cochran decides to spend some time outside the city to find inspiration for her next novel. Arriving in the small town of Dover Falls, she happens across an isolated and dilapidated mansion that bears an uncanny resemblance to the one depicted on the cover of her latest work. Feeling a strange pull to the place, Lauren decides to rent the property and quickly gets herself set up and into writing mode. But it’s not long before she starts experiencing bizarre, vivid dreams and seeing ghostly apparitions. Soon enough, those around her start dying in strange and gruesome ways. What could all this have to do with the house’s murky history and a tragedy that occurred there decades before?
The only mainstream feature directed by prolific illustrator and erotic filmmaker Armand Weston (Defiance, Take Off), THE NESTING - which was originally filmed as Phobia and subsequently re-released in 1983 as Massacre Mansion - is a stylish supernatural slasher expertly photographed by João Fernandes (Children of the Corn, Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter), and featuring Academy Award-winning actress Gloria Grahame (The Bad and the Beautiful) in her final screen role. Now newly restored in 4K from its original 35mm camera negative, Vinegar Syndrome is proud to unveil THE NESTING in its UHD world premiere, presented in its longer Phobia cut for the first time on home video, alongside a host of new bonus features and a wealth of archival material.
Directed by: Armand Weston
Starring: Robin Groves, Michael David Lally, John Carradine, Gloria Grahame, Christopher Loomis, Bill Rowley, David Tabor
1981 / 110 min / 1.85:1 / English Mono
Additional info:
This special limited edition spot gloss slipcover (designed by Suspiria Vilchez) is limited to 6,000 units and is only available on our website and at select indie retailers. Absolutely no major retailers will be stocking them.
With the impending release of her new book, “The Nesting,” agoraphobic New York-based writer Lauren Cochran decides to spend some time outside the city to find inspiration for her next novel. Arriving in the small town of Dover Falls, she happens across an isolated and dilapidated mansion that bears an uncanny resemblance to the one depicted on the cover of her latest work. Feeling a strange pull to the place, Lauren decides to rent the property and quickly gets herself set up and into writing mode. But it’s not long before she starts experiencing bizarre, vivid dreams and seeing ghostly apparitions. Soon enough, those around her start dying in strange and gruesome ways. What could all this have to do with the house’s murky history and a tragedy that occurred there decades before?
The only mainstream feature directed by prolific illustrator and erotic filmmaker Armand Weston (Defiance, Take Off), THE NESTING - which was originally filmed as Phobia and subsequently re-released in 1983 as Massacre Mansion - is a stylish supernatural slasher expertly photographed by João Fernandes (Children of the Corn, Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter), and featuring Academy Award-winning actress Gloria Grahame (The Bad and the Beautiful) in her final screen role. Now newly restored in 4K from its original 35mm camera negative, Vinegar Syndrome is proud to unveil THE NESTING in its UHD world premiere, presented in its longer Phobia cut for the first time on home video, alongside a host of new bonus features and a wealth of archival material.
Directed by: Armand Weston
Starring: Robin Groves, Michael David Lally, John Carradine, Gloria Grahame, Christopher Loomis, Bill Rowley, David Tabor
1981 / 110 min / 1.85:1 / English Mono
Additional info:
- 2-disc Set: 4K Ultra HD / Region Free Blu-ray
- 4K UHD presented in Dolby Vision High-Dynamic-Range
- Newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative
- Commentary track with writer and critic Andy Marshall-Roberts
- "Acting is Being Brave" (21 min) - an interview with actress Robin Groves
- "The Outlaw Poet" (21 min) - an interview with actor Michael David Lally
- "Low Budget Miracle" (30 min) - an interview with associate producer / production manager Don Walters
- "The Sating of Desire" (29 min) - an interview with Nightmare USA author Stephen Thrower
- Audio interview with co-writer Daria Price, conducted by extras producer Ewan Cant (57 min)
- "The Nesting Outtakes: Preserving Armand Weston's Gothic Horror" (14 min) - a featurette produced by the Vinegar Syndrome Film Archive
- U.S. theatrical trailer
- Spanish theatrical trailer
- TV spots
- Radio spot
- Alternate 'jump scare' from The Nesting cut
- The Nesting title sequence
- Archival image gallery
- Cuts and trims
- Unused dailies
- Reversible sleeve artwork
- English SDH subtitles
About Vinegar Syndrome
Vinegar Syndrome is a film restoration and distribution company with a catalogue of hundreds of feature films, produced primarily between the 1960s and 1980s.
Founded by Ryan Emerson and Joe Rubin, VS has been acclaimed by The New York Times, Village Voice, Dangerous Minds, The Foglenest Files, and many others as one of the premier independent genre film focused distribution companies in the world, and was noted by Alamo Drafthouse Theatres as “…perhaps the most important home video label in the world for genre film…”
Our ever expanding catalog includes worldwide rights on such exploitation classics as Tammy & the T-Rex, Demon Wind, Spookies, Night Train to Terror, Terminal Island, Blood Harvest, Angel, The Lamp, Death Promise, Don’t Open Till Christmas, and countless others.
We also boast owning one of the largest catalogs of rare and classic X rated films, which can be found on our sister site Mélusine.
Vinegar Syndrome is a film restoration and distribution company with a catalogue of hundreds of feature films, produced primarily between the 1960s and 1980s.
Founded by Ryan Emerson and Joe Rubin, VS has been acclaimed by The New York Times, Village Voice, Dangerous Minds, The Foglenest Files, and many others as one of the premier independent genre film focused distribution companies in the world, and was noted by Alamo Drafthouse Theatres as “…perhaps the most important home video label in the world for genre film…”
Our ever expanding catalog includes worldwide rights on such exploitation classics as Tammy & the T-Rex, Demon Wind, Spookies, Night Train to Terror, Terminal Island, Blood Harvest, Angel, The Lamp, Death Promise, Don’t Open Till Christmas, and countless others.
We also boast owning one of the largest catalogs of rare and classic X rated films, which can be found on our sister site Mélusine.
- Published on
It's the end of the world as we know it ...
Folks, it isn't every day of the genre year that we -- as fans -- get to celebrate an authentic 'first,' but today -- April 1 -- does have a very significant one that gets overlooked in those lesser entertainment blogs, so let me educate you.
It was on this day all the way back in 1916 in the great nation of Denmark that audiences were first introduced to the Apocalypse movie, a unique sub-genre of Science Fiction that continues to resonate with viewers everywhere. It was called Verdens Undergang (aka The End Of The World), and the story explored the physical and psychological aftermath unleashed on mankind when a comet passes very, very, very near to our world. Directed by August Blom with a story from Otto Rung, the feature starred Olaf Fønss, Carl Lauritzen, Ebba Thomsen, Johanne Fritz-Petersen, Thorleif Lund, Alf Blütecher, Frederik Jacobsen, K. Zimmerman, Moritz Bielawski, and Erik Holberg.
Here's the plot summary and a bit of extra information from the film's citation page on Wikipedia.org:
"The film depicts a worldwide catastrophe when an errant comet passes by Earth and causes natural disasters and social unrest. Blom and his crew created special effects for the comet disaster using showers of fiery sparks and shrouds of smoke. The film attracted a huge audience because of fears generated during the passing of Halley's comet six years earlier, as well as the ongoing turbulence and unrest of World War I. The film is also known as The Flaming Sword. It was restored by the Danish Film Institute and released on DVD in 2006."
Such devastation played out to the delight and horror of audiences of the day; and coming in at an impressive 77 minute running time it remains the very first entry tapping that fragile fear I suspect all of us have imagined at one time or another. While I've yet to see this one (not a big fan of silent films, in general, but this one remains a curiosity), I have read that European audiences were kinda/sorta smitten with the project as -- at the time of its release -- World War I was kicking into gear; and the association of 'End Times' was not only very real but front-and-center in the public consciousness. Because of such obvious real world comparisons, Verdens Undergang was necessarily a bit of a box office sensation over there.
A quick search of the Information Superhighway shows that the film is available for viewing for free up on Wikipedia.org for those who might be interested in exploring it further. Here's the helpful link. And don't bother hitting that sound button over and over and over, my friends ... it's SILENT. (Ask your grandparents, kiddies.)
-- EZ
Folks, it isn't every day of the genre year that we -- as fans -- get to celebrate an authentic 'first,' but today -- April 1 -- does have a very significant one that gets overlooked in those lesser entertainment blogs, so let me educate you.
It was on this day all the way back in 1916 in the great nation of Denmark that audiences were first introduced to the Apocalypse movie, a unique sub-genre of Science Fiction that continues to resonate with viewers everywhere. It was called Verdens Undergang (aka The End Of The World), and the story explored the physical and psychological aftermath unleashed on mankind when a comet passes very, very, very near to our world. Directed by August Blom with a story from Otto Rung, the feature starred Olaf Fønss, Carl Lauritzen, Ebba Thomsen, Johanne Fritz-Petersen, Thorleif Lund, Alf Blütecher, Frederik Jacobsen, K. Zimmerman, Moritz Bielawski, and Erik Holberg.
Here's the plot summary and a bit of extra information from the film's citation page on Wikipedia.org:
"The film depicts a worldwide catastrophe when an errant comet passes by Earth and causes natural disasters and social unrest. Blom and his crew created special effects for the comet disaster using showers of fiery sparks and shrouds of smoke. The film attracted a huge audience because of fears generated during the passing of Halley's comet six years earlier, as well as the ongoing turbulence and unrest of World War I. The film is also known as The Flaming Sword. It was restored by the Danish Film Institute and released on DVD in 2006."
Such devastation played out to the delight and horror of audiences of the day; and coming in at an impressive 77 minute running time it remains the very first entry tapping that fragile fear I suspect all of us have imagined at one time or another. While I've yet to see this one (not a big fan of silent films, in general, but this one remains a curiosity), I have read that European audiences were kinda/sorta smitten with the project as -- at the time of its release -- World War I was kicking into gear; and the association of 'End Times' was not only very real but front-and-center in the public consciousness. Because of such obvious real world comparisons, Verdens Undergang was necessarily a bit of a box office sensation over there.
A quick search of the Information Superhighway shows that the film is available for viewing for free up on Wikipedia.org for those who might be interested in exploring it further. Here's the helpful link. And don't bother hitting that sound button over and over and over, my friends ... it's SILENT. (Ask your grandparents, kiddies.)
-- EZ
- Published on
site update
So many movies ... so little time ...
On this day in the United States of America all the way back in the year 1999, a little something-something titled Beowulf enjoyed a limited theatrical run domestically. I've no way of knowing just how far and wide this one played, but methinks it likely wasn't but a few theaters at best. That tends to happen with these smaller releases -- perhaps they had some contractual agreement to play on screens, and that's all that was accomplish -- but we'll have to take IMDB.com's word that it did his the multiplexes for a brief period.
Directed by Graham Baker (who also directed 1988's Cult/SciFi gem Alien Nation), the script shows attributed to "Anonymous," Mark Leahy, and David Chappe. (Like all of you, I'm assuming this all must tie-in with the Old English legend of the heroic warrior who slays beasts anyway.) Amongst its cast were such names of Christopher Lambert, Rhona Mitra, Oliver Cotton, Gotz Otto, Charles Robinson, Brent Jefferson Lowe, Patricia Velasquez, Roger Sloman, Layla Roberts, and others.
According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"This post-apocalyptic future story is based on the 8th century Saxon epic poem about the knight who battled a monster in a medieval castle. In this story, Beowulf is a wanderer who learns about a man-eating creature called Grendel which comes in the night to devour warriors trapped at the Outpost. The Outpost is ruled by Hrothgar. He has a daughter, whose husband may have been murdered by the Outpost's master of arms."
-- EZ
On this day in the United States of America all the way back in the year 1999, a little something-something titled Beowulf enjoyed a limited theatrical run domestically. I've no way of knowing just how far and wide this one played, but methinks it likely wasn't but a few theaters at best. That tends to happen with these smaller releases -- perhaps they had some contractual agreement to play on screens, and that's all that was accomplish -- but we'll have to take IMDB.com's word that it did his the multiplexes for a brief period.
Directed by Graham Baker (who also directed 1988's Cult/SciFi gem Alien Nation), the script shows attributed to "Anonymous," Mark Leahy, and David Chappe. (Like all of you, I'm assuming this all must tie-in with the Old English legend of the heroic warrior who slays beasts anyway.) Amongst its cast were such names of Christopher Lambert, Rhona Mitra, Oliver Cotton, Gotz Otto, Charles Robinson, Brent Jefferson Lowe, Patricia Velasquez, Roger Sloman, Layla Roberts, and others.
According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"This post-apocalyptic future story is based on the 8th century Saxon epic poem about the knight who battled a monster in a medieval castle. In this story, Beowulf is a wanderer who learns about a man-eating creature called Grendel which comes in the night to devour warriors trapped at the Outpost. The Outpost is ruled by Hrothgar. He has a daughter, whose husband may have been murdered by the Outpost's master of arms."
-- EZ
- Published on
site update
So many movies ... so little time ...
It was on this day all the way back in the year 1978 in the United States of America that the good and bad people of Dayton, Ohio were treated to an exclusive theatrical premiere event of the latest and greatest Horror/Thriller: Jennifer was first screened locally, and a good time was had by all.
Directed by Brice Mack (1917-2008) from a story by Kay Cousins Johnson (1923-1980) and Steve Krantz (1923-2007), the motion picture starred such names as Lisa Pelikan, Bert Convy (1933-1991), Amy Johnston (1954-2021), Nina Foch (1924-2008), John Gavin (1931-2018), Jeff Corey (1914-2002), Louise Hoven (1949-2024), Ray Underwood (1953-1993), Wesley Eure, Florida Friebus (1909-1988), and others.
According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"Ostracized at a snooty private school because of her impoverished rural Virginia background, scholarship student Jennifer Baylor is tormented to the point of exacting revenge by using her psychic control over snakes."
Essentially what one gets with Jennifer -- as best as I've been able to surmise -- is the picture appears to have been an early attempt to capitalize on the Horror phenomenon created by director Brian De Palma's adaptation of the Stephen King novel Carrie which was delivered to theaters in 1976. In fact, Jennifer's Wikipedia.org page has more than a single citation in which critics compared the two features to one another, though actress Pelikan's work may or may not have been the single greatest difference between the like-minded projects.
-- EZ
It was on this day all the way back in the year 1978 in the United States of America that the good and bad people of Dayton, Ohio were treated to an exclusive theatrical premiere event of the latest and greatest Horror/Thriller: Jennifer was first screened locally, and a good time was had by all.
Directed by Brice Mack (1917-2008) from a story by Kay Cousins Johnson (1923-1980) and Steve Krantz (1923-2007), the motion picture starred such names as Lisa Pelikan, Bert Convy (1933-1991), Amy Johnston (1954-2021), Nina Foch (1924-2008), John Gavin (1931-2018), Jeff Corey (1914-2002), Louise Hoven (1949-2024), Ray Underwood (1953-1993), Wesley Eure, Florida Friebus (1909-1988), and others.
According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"Ostracized at a snooty private school because of her impoverished rural Virginia background, scholarship student Jennifer Baylor is tormented to the point of exacting revenge by using her psychic control over snakes."
Essentially what one gets with Jennifer -- as best as I've been able to surmise -- is the picture appears to have been an early attempt to capitalize on the Horror phenomenon created by director Brian De Palma's adaptation of the Stephen King novel Carrie which was delivered to theaters in 1976. In fact, Jennifer's Wikipedia.org page has more than a single citation in which critics compared the two features to one another, though actress Pelikan's work may or may not have been the single greatest difference between the like-minded projects.
-- EZ
- Published on
site update
So many movies ... so little time ...
It was on this day in the United States of America all the way back in the year 2012 that homebound audiences were thrilled beyond belief by witnessing the end of life as we know it -- well, maybe life as we know it in Seattle -- with the broadcast television premiere of Seattle Superstorm.
Directed by Jason Bourque from a story by David Ray and Jeff Renfroe, the SciFi/Thriller starred such illuminaries as Esai Morales, Ona Grauer, Jared Abrahamson, MacKenzie Porter, Martin Cummins, Jay Brazeau, Dominika Juillet, Michelle Harrison, Matty Finochio, Jesse Moss, and others.
According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"NASA scientist Tom Reynolds thought everything would be fine when he moved to Seattle to be with his fiancé, Navy Lieutenant Emma Peterson. But when his gearhead son Wyatt can't stop fighting with her green-minded daughter Chloe, they realize that this new family may not make it. And things aren't just stormy on the home front; when an unidentified object is shot down by the military and crashes into Puget Sound, it sets off a series of strange weather phenomena: earthquakes, tornados, lightning storms... and they're spreading. Now, this new family must find a way to work together to save the city, and each other, before it's too late."
-- EZ
It was on this day in the United States of America all the way back in the year 2012 that homebound audiences were thrilled beyond belief by witnessing the end of life as we know it -- well, maybe life as we know it in Seattle -- with the broadcast television premiere of Seattle Superstorm.
Directed by Jason Bourque from a story by David Ray and Jeff Renfroe, the SciFi/Thriller starred such illuminaries as Esai Morales, Ona Grauer, Jared Abrahamson, MacKenzie Porter, Martin Cummins, Jay Brazeau, Dominika Juillet, Michelle Harrison, Matty Finochio, Jesse Moss, and others.
According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"NASA scientist Tom Reynolds thought everything would be fine when he moved to Seattle to be with his fiancé, Navy Lieutenant Emma Peterson. But when his gearhead son Wyatt can't stop fighting with her green-minded daughter Chloe, they realize that this new family may not make it. And things aren't just stormy on the home front; when an unidentified object is shot down by the military and crashes into Puget Sound, it sets off a series of strange weather phenomena: earthquakes, tornados, lightning storms... and they're spreading. Now, this new family must find a way to work together to save the city, and each other, before it's too late."
-- EZ
- Published on
site update
So many movies ... so little time ...
On this day in the United States of America all the way back in the year 1984, Iceman enjoyed its first release when it was screened exclusively for audiences of the USA Film Festival. (FYI: its full U.S. theatrical release would follow about two weeks later.)
Directed by Fred Schepisi, the script shows attributed to Chip Proser and John Drimmer. The film starred John Lone, Timothy Hutton, Lindsay Crouse, Josef Sommer, David Strathairn, Philip Akin, Danny Glover, Amelia Hall, Richard Monette, James Tolkan, and others.
According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"An anthropologist who is part of an arctic exploration team discovers the body of a prehistoric Neanderthal man who is subsequently resuscitated. The researcher must then decide what to do with the prehistoric man and he finds himself defending the man from those that want to dissect him in the name of science."
Interestingly enough, I do remember seeing this one back in the day; and I distinctly remember being quite moved by it. Lone's performance as the somewhat reanimated caveman was particularly impressive, and Hutton -- as the scientist who befriends the Neanderthal -- was also very solid. I can also recall being a bit disappointed by the somewhat predictable finale: it isn't as if there was a great deal they could do with the story -- ultimately one was to wonder how possible it would be to introduce a man of limited means to a whole new world of tomorrow, and that's pretty much where they went with it. Still, I'd argue that if a flick deserves to be rediscovered for modern audiences then Iceman is something deserving of another look.
-- EZ
On this day in the United States of America all the way back in the year 1984, Iceman enjoyed its first release when it was screened exclusively for audiences of the USA Film Festival. (FYI: its full U.S. theatrical release would follow about two weeks later.)
Directed by Fred Schepisi, the script shows attributed to Chip Proser and John Drimmer. The film starred John Lone, Timothy Hutton, Lindsay Crouse, Josef Sommer, David Strathairn, Philip Akin, Danny Glover, Amelia Hall, Richard Monette, James Tolkan, and others.
According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"An anthropologist who is part of an arctic exploration team discovers the body of a prehistoric Neanderthal man who is subsequently resuscitated. The researcher must then decide what to do with the prehistoric man and he finds himself defending the man from those that want to dissect him in the name of science."
Interestingly enough, I do remember seeing this one back in the day; and I distinctly remember being quite moved by it. Lone's performance as the somewhat reanimated caveman was particularly impressive, and Hutton -- as the scientist who befriends the Neanderthal -- was also very solid. I can also recall being a bit disappointed by the somewhat predictable finale: it isn't as if there was a great deal they could do with the story -- ultimately one was to wonder how possible it would be to introduce a man of limited means to a whole new world of tomorrow, and that's pretty much where they went with it. Still, I'd argue that if a flick deserves to be rediscovered for modern audiences then Iceman is something deserving of another look.
-- EZ