Vinegar Syndrome et al.

[beamish14]

I hope Phase IV and D.A.R.Y.L. are the start of a large number of Paramount acquisitions

The Miramax titles (Prophecy trilogy and eXistenZ) are from Paramount as well, so it looks like they got a good thing going with them.

That’s right. I thought Existenz might have been held by it’s Canadian producers

[dwk]

Maybe I'm not looking in the right place but I don't see a dropdown option to choose the standard edition of the Southern Comfort 4k. The month's other title that I want, the BD of The Tune, has it. Are they not offering regular editions on their 4ks
now until after the slips sell out?

Edit: I think I have my answer. Southern Comfort and Daryl are sold from VS Ultra in magnet books. Anyone know if standards will follow?

Some of the VSU titles have gotten standard editions after the box versions sold out, (Road House, Showgirls, Cloak & Dagger, Beastmaster) so I assume these two will as well, but who knows.

The evolution of VS has been very fascinating, is there any article or interviews (who runs the company? two or three dudes, right?) that detail their ambitions and choices? I could (can and do) see accusations of careerism and indeed "predatory" behaviour lobbed their way, and it's possible their influence has spread to other labels like Severin. But the film preservation, the sub-label diaspora, the retail stores, the move into licensing major studio films... all very important and yet peculiar. A great label in general. I just hope they don't go the way of Alamo Drafthouse, but then Alamo was never anty sort of deep or real alternative to the mouthbreathers, and they would never have a "Hardcore Fuckfest" night once a week, ha.

Some of the guys behind VS have been on Colors of the Dark podcast (episode 27) and its previous incarnation Shock Waves (episodes 121, 141, 188.) The only thing I can recall from any of these episodes, is that one of the guys behind the company doesn't collect physical media.

[Finch]

Thanks dwk! Here's hoping.

[cdnchris]

Even though a lot of their stuff doesn't appeal to me, I'm actually considering their subscriber package since I did buy quite a bit from them last year. As I understand it, I get 50% off on the other non-mainline VS titles and partners on top of the mainline ones sent directly each month? Also, how's the resale on the ones that just don't do much for me?

Also... does the 50% off only apply to 2024 titles, or would it apply to titles from 2023 as well?

[MichaelB]

Presumably Phase IV is the 1970s American directorial debut that they were touting - which would make perfect sense, even if the director was already globally famous.

[TechnicolorAcid]

Also interesting to note Kani is releasing Cleaners and Altered Innocence is releasing another Arthur J Bressan title, Gay USA alongside The Strangler so a solid goodbye from them if I say so.

[What A Disgrace]

love how they cornered Diabolik and Orbit to not carry the Radiance edition of The Horrible Dr. Hichcock and then charged $10 more for their own edition. predatory!

also I don't know why Film Movement is now a partner label but naturally they continue this bizarre migration of labels coming under one roof. The Early Films of Asghar Farhadi is their first release

I get the impression that there are at least two kinds of partner labels. One starts off under the Vinegar Syndrome umbrella, becomes remarkable, and then (perhaps) goes out on their own (Fun City has done this, as has Terror Vision, Altered Innocence is doing it, and I believe Deaf Crocodile has stated that they may break away at some point). The other seems to be established labels who have come up short in terms of reputation, and want to earn a more legitimate place in the hearts and minds of cinephiles, so they partner up in order to accomplish this. Big World Pictures is one (they used to be associated with Cinema Guild), and Film Movement definitely seems to be in this category.

[Finch]

For what it's worth, I ordered The Tune from Deaf Crocodile directly because film and shipping were a combined $5-6 less than at VS's store and because I didn't want to wait a whole month or longer for the standard edition to be available from deepdiscount or importcds. So I'll happily give Deaf Crocodile my business direct and it'd be nice if Kani Releasing added direct order options to their site as I believe they have Patrick Tam's My Heart Is That Eternal Rose coming up for home video this year (pretty sure it toured theatrically in 2023 through Kani) and their Filipino titles look intriguing.

[dwk]

Presumably Phase IV is the 1970s American directorial debut that they were touting - which would make perfect sense, even if the director was already globally famous.

I dont think so, that was a hint for the first Cinématographe title. Phase IV appears to be a mainline Vinegar Syndrome release.

[What A Disgrace]

General consensus is that the 60s anthology film will be Dr. Terror's House of Horrors. Any guesses what the 80s Italian horror film could be? It's prestigious enough to get a UHD release, but not enough to get an English friendly Blu-ray beforehand.

As for the early 60s Italian horror, I would guess Margheriti's Horror Castle. I don't think it has had a Blu-ray release in English speaking territories.

[TechnicolorAcid]

The Italian 80s UHD could be The House of the Blue Shadows maybe? There’s also the possibility of The Red Monks as that’s a Fulci to my understanding.

[TechnicolorAcid]

First Cinematographe title is up, to no one’s surprise, it’s Little Darlings.

[jazzo]

Awww, yeah.

[Buttery Jeb]

First Cinematographe title is up, to no one’s surprise, it’s Little Darlings.

Curious to see how much of the original soundtrack is included in the release, as they don't reference the music at all in their announcement.

[TechnicolorAcid]

First Cinematographe title is up, to no one’s surprise, it’s Little Darlings.

Curious to see how much of the original soundtrack is included in the release, as they don't reference the music at all in their announcement.

JLALibs on that forum said that it will be the theatrical soundtrack aka the original soundtrack. You may now celebrate.

[TechnicolorAcid]

Okay hear me out for this gentlemen, a Cinematographe release of Andy Warhol’s Vinyl or Chelsea Girls. It is the very definition of wishful thinking but they feel more like Vinegar Syndrome sublabel titles than something like DARYL in my eyes.

[jazzo]

I'd also love Paul Morrissey's Spike of Bensonhurst, although that also seems to fit with Fun City

[Calvin]

The subscriber page confirms that Cinematographe has at least one Morrissey coming, so I'd guess at either Mixed Blood or Bensonhurst.

[TechnicolorAcid]

I'd also love Paul Morrissey's Spike of Bensonhurst, although that also seems to fit with Fun City

To me his trilogy of Flesh, Trash, and Heat seem like good choices for a release. Also while we’re discussing Pauls, Paul Mazursky’s Alex in Wonderland seems like it could be an interesting release with Donald Sutherland, Ellen Burstyn, Jeanne Moreau, and Federico Fellini (!) which could make for good publicity.

[jazzo]

Or the incredible Brooks/Pakula concoction, Starting Over.

We really could do this all day. Also, we definitely don't sound like that other forum. Definitely.

[TechnicolorAcid]

At least we’re not whining about small slipcover dents am I right?

[jazzo]

Totes.

[domino harvey]

Or the incredible Brooks/Pakula concoction, Starting Over.

This is coming from KLSC already

[jazzo]

Hey...I thought you were giving up the internet.

[TechnicolorAcid]

Sexmission has been revealed to be the Vinegar Syndrome Labs release as expected. Also of note, the next Cinematographe title will not be a Paramount title.