The VHS Archives: Bob Clark's DEATHDREAM (1974)

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DEATHDREAM

Bob Clark's Dead of Night (1974)

The VHS Archives Factsheet

Label: Gorgon Video

Catalog: MP3054

Box Type: Clamshell

Year of Release: ?

Runtime: 88:03

Print: 1.33:1 / English / No subs

Extras: None

About the Film

Director: Bob Clark

Year of Release: 1974

Country of Origin: Canada

Stars: Richard Backus, John Marley, Lynn Carlin, Anya Ormsby, Jane Daly

AKAs: Death Dream, Dead of Night, The Night Andy Came Home, The Dead Walk, The Veteran, Death Behind the Door, Blood Lust

Verbatim Box Synopsis

Imagine the horror of a family receiving the news that their son was killed in action while fighting in Vietnam. Now imagine what happens when the young man returns home. The result is initial joy, followed by a creeping terror as local women are ruthlessly murdered in the night, their bodies drained of all blood! Now imagine the ultimate horror -- a father, played Academy Award winner John Marley, who realizes his only son is a murdering vampire!

Can he bring himself to drive a stake through the heart of his only child? The answer to that lies in one of the most shocking climaxes you will ever see. A well crafted thriller with special make-up effects by Tom Savini (Creepshow, Dawn of the Dead), Deathdream is the stuff that nightmares are made of. 

U.S Gorgon Video / MPI sleeve! 

Original U.S. Gorgon Video artwork, recently unearthed by MPI!

Japanese Victor sleeve! 

U.K. Intervision Video Limited sleeve, taken from Critical Condition!

U.K. Exploited sleeve, courtesy of It's Only a Movie! 

Dutch Video for Pleasure sleeve, originally scanned by "brucecampbell"! 

Dutch WM Video sleeve, courtesy Hans-Jorn Reimer and his Danish Ex-Rental VHS Appreciation Group!

Swedish Mac Video sleeve. originally scanned by "videohunter"! 

Danish Krone Video sleeve, also from Critical Condition!

Finnish Wolftracks KY sleeve, courtesy of Joe Spina!

French Fantastic Video / RCA sleeve, originally scanned by "anarkotiko21"! 

French GCR Distribution sleeve, originally scanned by "ROTOR"!

German Skyline Video sleeve, courtesy of Monster Brains! 

Spanish Crown Films & Home Video sleeve!

Theatrical trailer, uploaded by Blue Underground!

Looking for Deathdream on VHS? It's available on Amazon here. There's also a nice special edition DVD available from Blue Underground.

Investigate more titles with Project: MPI!

For a look at other labels, check out The VHS Archives!

© 2012 -- Bruce Holecheck. All Rights Reserved.

The VHS Archives: Raphael Nussbaum's PETS (1974)

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PETS
Raphael Nussbaum's Pets (1974)

The VHS Archives Factsheet
Label: Imperial Video Corp.
Catalog: IVC102
Box Type: Clamshell
Year of Release: 1983
Runtime: 101:23
Print: 1.33:1 / English / No subs
Extras: None

About the Film
Director: Raphael Nussbaum
Year of Release: 1974
Country of Origin: U.S.A.
Stars: Ed Bishop, Candice Rialson, Joan Blackman, Teri Guzman
AKAs: Submission, Animal Woman

Verbatim Box Synopsis

Pets is the story of three women, one weak and yielding; the second, black and hostile; the third, strong and unbending ... and a man, charismatic, yet frightening. What sinister attraction does the eccentric Vincent have for these women? Why are his girlfriends never seen again?

Once a visitor gets trapped in his castle, she soon learns the secret of his "zoo." Vincent keeps his women in cages to tame them and do his evil bidding.

 U.S. Imperial Video Corp. sleeve!

U.S. BRB Home Video slipcover, courtesy of
Massacre Video's Louis Justin!

German USA Video sleeve!

Danish Panorama / Irish sleeve, courtesy of Hans-Jorn Reimer
and his Danish Ex-Rental VHS Appreciation Group!

U.S. promotional still from the Arcana Archives!

Looking for Pets on VHS? It's available on Amazon here. Code Red also issued it on DVD, but it's out of print and getting a little pricey.

Investigate more titles with Project: IVC!

For a look at other labels, check out The VHS Archives!

© 2012 -- Bruce Holecheck. All Rights Reserved.

It's Name that Movie Monday! Challenge #28!

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Welcome back to Name that Movie Monday!

It's time for Challenge #28 here at the ol' Arcana! Can you identify this week's mystery photo, scanned direct from The Holecheck Archives? If you think you recognize it, post a comment below. As the week goes on, if no one guesses correctly I'll begin adding some pretty useless hints. Easy, right?

Here ya' go -- good luck!

Solved! Update coming soon!

For a look at the still unsolved Challenge #27, click here.  Ditto for Challenge #24!  We also have quite a few unidentified Grab Bag photos, if you really want to show your stuff. And don't forget, our Upcoming Releases List (the best on the 'net) is updated, um... not as often as it should be the last few weeks, but stop by and preorder some cool stuff anyway!

© 2011 -- Bruce Holecheck. All Rights Reserved.

The VHS Archives: Georg Tressler's 2069: A SEX ODYSSEY (1974)

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2069: A SEX ODYSSEY

Georg Tressler's Ach jodel mir noch einen (1974)

The VHS Archives Factsheet

Label: Imperial Video Corp.
Catalog: IVC106
Box Type: Clamshell
Year of Release: 1983
Runtime: 80:23

Print: 1.33:1 / English / No subs

Extras: None

About the Film
Director: Georg Tressler
Year of Release: 1974
Country of Origin: West Germany
Stars: Nina Frederik, Catharina Conti, Heidrun Hankammer, Alena Penz
AKAs: Space Girls, Venus Raiders

Verbatim Box Synopsis

A team of beautiful, sensuous astronauts are sent to the planet Earth to obtain male sperm which they must bring back to Venus since their population, consisting of females only, is in danger of becoming extinct without it.

The women capture unwary male subjects and soon discover the excitement of earth-style love-making.  Will this science-friction work? ... Or will it be emission-impossible?  Find all the answers as you view the funniest sci-fi sex comedy ever!

U.S. Imperial Video Corp. sleeve! 

Australian K&C Video sleeve, originally scanned by "Howellsy1"! 

 Bonus, um.... pinball machine?!  (For about 30 seconds I thought this was real, and my mind was blown.  Then I read the fine print and my heart cried a little bit.)  Created by the hilarious Evil Meatball vs. Cat!

Bonus trailer, uploaded by "geddoezz"!

Looking for 2069: A Sex Odyssey on VHS? Too bad, 'cuz Amazon don't have it. However, it's available on DVD as a double-feature with Run Virgin Run.

Investigate more titles with Project: IVC!

For a look at other labels, check out The VHS Archives!

© 2011 -- Bruce Holecheck. All Rights Reserved.

The VHS Archives: Pierre Tchernia's THE DOWN-IN-THE-HOLE-GANG (1974)

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THE DOWN-IN-THE-HOLE-GANG

Pierre Tchernia's Les Gaspards (1974)

The VHS Archives Factsheet

Label: Imperial Video Corp.

Catalog: IVC110
Box Type: Clamshell
Year of Release: 1983
Runtime: 85:58
Print: 1.33:1 / English / No subs
Extras: None

About the Film
Director: Pierre Tchernia
Year of Release: 1974

Country of Origin: France

Stars: Michel Serrault, Philipe Noiret, Charles Denner, Michel Galabru, Gerard Depardieu
AKAs: The Holes

Verbatim Box Synopsis

This is an hysterical farce about a group of people who live in the catacombs below the streets of Paris.  The Denver Post referred to it as "...one of the funniest movies of the year ... a gem not to be missed." The Academy of Science Fiction Fantasy and Horror Films named this the "Best Fantasy Film" of 1977.  As the comedy unfolds the viewer will understand why this film has been favorably compared to both the "Pink Panther" films and the films of Frank Capra.

 U.S. Imperial Video Corp. sleeve!

Looking for The Down-in-the-Hole-Gang on VHS? It's available on Amazon here. You can also get it on DVD here.

Investigate more titles with Project: IVC!

For a look at other labels, check out The VHS Archives!





© 2011 -- Bruce Holecheck. All Rights Reserved.

Project Mogul: Juan Bosch's ON THE EDGE (1974)

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ON THE EDGE

Juan Bosch's Los mil ojos del asesino (1974)

The VHS Archives Factsheet

Label: Mogul Communications, Inc.

Catalog: MOG1009

Box Type: Clamshell

Year of Release: ?

Runtime: 82:11

Print: 1.33:1 / English / No subs

Extras: None

About the Film

Director: Juan Bosch

Year of Release: 1974

Country of Origin: Spain / Italy

Stars: Anthony Steffen, Maria Kosty, Eduardo Fajardo, Britt Nichols, Julio Perez Tabernero

AKAs: The Killer with a Thousand Eyes

Verbatim Box Synopsis

ON THE EDGE, a hard hitting, high tension super action thriller is the story of Mike Lawrence, an international anti-narcotics agent and his fight against evil.

The net slowly tightens around Costa, a clever and powerful wealthy Brazilian and a bloody massacre follows.  ON THE EDGE.....explosive action filled... ...violent and loaded with suspense.

 U.S. Mogul Communications sleeve!

Greek Master Home Video sleeve, originally scanned by "Giallohunter"!

Canadian Mastro Entertainment Corp. sleeve, also scanned by "Giallohunter"!

Spanish Soho Video sleeve, courtesy of Jose Antonio Diego Bogajo! Check out his new Spanish-language 'zine, Exhumed Movies.

Investigate more titles with Project: MOGUL!

For a look at other labels, check out The VHS Archives!

© 2011 -- Bruce Holecheck. All Rights Reserved.

Deep Inside the LOVE CAVE (in Eroticolor)

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The pain... the pleasure...

As I noted in my last post, I recently acquired literally hundreds of sexploitation stills, most for titles I've never even heard of.  The majority seem to be redubbed French and German romps; Max Pecas, Jean-Marie Pallardy, Erwin Dietrich, etc. are all well-represented, along with the schoolgirls and their reports, bored housewives, lonely salesmen, and even the spouse of a coal minor [sic]. 

Others are a bit more puzzling, and one in particular really has me curious: Love Cave, whose amusingly literal title makes for an awesomely filthy double-entendre. (Or I just have the mentality of a seventh grader. Your call.)  It's actually rougher looking than the rest; its name conjurs up a different image than the photos represent, but I don't know if Rape Cave would've gone over very well.

So far, I haven't been able to turn up anything regarding its identity. Its distributor is listed as Danton Films Limited, a Canadian outfit.  The photos indicate a '74 release, though it may not have hit Canada until '75.  Based on the clothing and hair, I would wager it was filmed several years earlier. 

Here are the pictures; hopefully someone out there has some information to contribute about this one! (You have to love the hand-scribbled underwear printed onto the photos.)

The second still down actually isn't mine; I found it at One Sheet Index and have included it here (reframed and cleaned up) for completeness.

UPDATE:

John Charles sent along a newspaper ad for Love Cave, paired with something called Under Cover Girls, from the July 11, 1975 edition of The Toronto Star.

© 2010 -- Bruce Holecheck. All Rights Reserved.