The VHS Archives: Michael J. Murphy's INVITATION TO HELL (1982)

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INVITATION TO HELL

Michael J. Murphy's Invitation to Hell (1982)

The VHS Archives Factsheet

Label: Mega

Catalog: WV5002
Box Type: Clamshell
Year of Release: ?
Runtime: 41:25
Print: 1.33:1 / English / No subs
Extras: None

About the Film

Director: Michael J. Murphy

Year of Release: 1982
Country of Origin: U.K.
Stars: Becky Simpson, Joseph Sheahan, Colin Efford
AKAs: ?

Verbatim Box Synopsis

A beautiful young girl accepts an invitation to a party of a former college friend held at an isolated house in the country.

Unbeknown to her a dark evil force is lurking with it's walls -- controlling the lives of the other inhabitants.

Lured into their satanic web she discovers that she is to become a virgin sacrifice to quench the eternal lustings of the evil being.

Alone and powerless against her tormentor, in a struggle to survive she stumbles across the key to the malevolent force.  Is it too late to use it and escape her Invitation To Hell?

U.S. Mega sleeve!

U.K. Scorpio Video sleeve! 

 U.K. Scorpio Video reverse sleeve!



DVD trailer, uploaded by Sarcophilous Films!

Looking for Invitation to Hell on VHS?  It's available on Amazon here, though the picture listed is actually the Videoline release.  Buyer beware!  Anyway, you're much better off grabbing the Sarcophilous Films DVD; it features a new transfer, some extras and it's paired with Murphy's The Last Night to replicate its original U.K. VHS release!

Investigate more titles with Project: MOGUL!

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

© 2011 -- Bruce Holecheck. All Rights Reserved.

The VHS Archives: Valentino Orsini's MISSION CORBARI (1970)

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MISSION CORBARI

Valentino Orsini's Corbari (1970)

The VHS Archives Factsheet

Label: Mega

Catalog: WV5004

Box Type: Clamshell
Year of Release: ?
Runtime: 94:31

Print: 1.33:1 / English / No subs

Extras: None

About the Film

Director: Valentino Orsini

Year of Release: 1970

Country of Origin: Italy

Stars: Giuliano Gemma, Tina Aumont, Frank Wolff

AKAs: ?

Verbatim Box Synopsis

One man against incredible odds.

This action-filled story concerns one man who would stop at nothing to win the struggle against the tyrannical jackboot rule of the Nazis.  Hi name was Corbari.

U.S. Mega sleeve! 

Italian SSV Video sleeve! 

Swedish Trocab Film sleeve, originally scanned by "Jonas"! 

Swedish Trix Videofilmer sleeve!

Danish Dana Sound Video sleeve, courtesy of Hans-Jorn Reimer and his Danish Ex-Rental VHS Appreciation group!

Investigate more titles with Project: MOGUL!

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

© 2011 -- Bruce Holecheck. All Rights Reserved.

Project: MOGUL

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I'm not sure when my obsession with Mogul's VHS releases started.  I'm not even sure what the first one I ever purchased was, but I can remember the excitement of coming across a new, previously unknown title at some creaky backwoods video store or pawn shop.  Information was practically nonexistent, and the lists below were compiled the old-fashioned, pre-internet way:  wasting lots of gas finding every video store in the surrounding states and begging, bribing and sometimes stealing for them.  Classics are few and far between in the Mogul Communications line-up (not Mogul Video, as they're ofttimes incorrectly referred), but the rarity of their tapes and the obscurity of their titles, not to mention their typically outlandish, garishly-painted artwork, never fail to capture one's imagination.  Hilariously, some of their covers include the following disclaimer in small print across the back:

The scenes depicted on this sleeve may be an artist's impression & may not necessarily represent actual scenes from the film.

You gotta love 'em.  Mogul's lineage can be traced overseas to the U.K., where in '83 they were set up as yet another VHS arm by GO! Video's Des Dolan. Interestingly enough, Mogul Communications' name and logo wasn't only devised for home video use, as the company simultaneously issued a slate of video games under the banner. Not surprisingly, their games were essentially knock-offs of arcade hits, and included titles like Chomper Man, Kongo Kong and Pollywog. Fans of the label will notice artwork elements recycled from not only the U.K. Mogul tapes, but sometimes the GO! catalog and the video games, too!

As far as I know, in the States the outfit released around 70 titles on at least four different branches between '85-'88. Des Dolan's connection can explain the proliferation of films pulled from pal Dick Randall's holdings, along with other Brit associates like Michael J. Murphy. Ironically, Mogul is probably most famous for a movie they didn't release: Ruggero Deodato's Cannibal Holocaust. Their acquisition was announced, but the company went belly-up before their VHS was ever issued. Below are the tapes I've been able to track down.

I'll be frequently updating this list with links to each individual release, including cover scans, exact runtime information, alternate titles, etc. I also hope to do some related interviews, to shed a little light on the outfit. Keep checking back, or become a follower to ensure you don't miss anything!

Mogul Communications, Inc.:

MOG1001:

MOG1002: Captive Planet

MOG1003: Macabre
MOG1004: Insanity
MOG1005: Curse of the Screaming Dead
MOG1006: The Last Mercenary

MOG1007: Terrorism

MOG1008: Reactor

MOG1009: On the Edge

MOG1010: Conqueror of the World

MOG1011:
MOG1012: Days of Hell

MOG1013: The Icebox Murders

MOG1013(S): El Congelador de la Muerta
MOG1014: Gunblast
MOG1015: Fatal Fix
MOG1016: Street War

MOG1017: Don't Look in the Attic

MOG1018: SS Experiment Camp 2

MOG1019: Contraband

MOG1020: Ninja Holocaust

MOG1021: Thunder Squad

MOG1022: Fear in the City

MOG1023: Special Force

MOG1024: Deadly Sting

MOG1025: Crimebusters

MOG1026: Fury

MOG1027: Autopsy

MOG1028: Green Inferno

MOG1029: Rape

MOG1030: Sniper
MOG1031:

MOG1032: Feast for the Devil

MOG1033: Metallica
MOG1034: Fist of Death

MOG1035: Scandal

MOG1036:

MOG1037: Demon Queen
MOG1038: The Killer
MOG1039: Don't Panic
MOG1040: Alpha City

MOG1041: Bladestorm

MOG1042: The Hereafter

MOG1043: Fast Guns

MOG1044: Assault Squad

Other Titles, Possibilities and “Iffys”:

Hostages, Terror of the She Wolf, Satan's Blade

All American Video:

AAV101: Invaders of the Lost Gold

AAV102: The Dirty Seven

AAV103: The Ninja Strikes Back
AAV104: Satan's Blood
AAV105: Big Boss 2
AAV106: The Daughter of Emanuelle
AAV107: King Frat

AAV108: Ninja vs. Shaolin

AAV109: School of Death

AAV110: Gymkata Killer

AAV111: The Poseidon Explosion

AAV112: Necromaniac

AAV113: Ninja Apocalypse

AAV114: Holocaust 2

AAV115: I Want to Get Even

AAV116: Have a Nice Weekend

AAV117: Sabotage

AAV118: The Warrior and the Ninja

AAV119: Hell Hole
AAV120:
AAV121: Greed

Mega Video:

WV5001: Viking Massacre

WV5002: Invitation to Hell
WV5003: Taste of Death
WV5004: Mission Corbari

Kidivid:

KID1: Bumper Fun Video Annual

If anyone out there has information regarding the gaps in this roster, including confirmation that Hostages and Terror of the She-Wolf actually exist, please get in touch! Also, I'm looking for prerecords of Fast Guns (Mogul) and Taste of Death (Mega). If you have copies for sale or trade, please let me know. I'm additionally interested in more information on Mogul's UK arm and its line of videogames.

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

© 2011 -- Bruce Holecheck. All Rights Reserved.