The VHS Archives: John Carr's DEATH WISH CLUB (1983)

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DEATH WISH CLUB

John Carr's Gretta (1983)

The VHS Archives Factsheet

Label: Regal Video Inc.

Catalog: R1015

Box Type: Clamshell

Year of Release: 1985

Runtime: 87:31

Print: 1.33:1 / English / No subs

Extras: None

About the Film

Director: John Carr

Year of Release: 1983

Country of Origin: USA

Stars: Merideth Haze, Rick Barnes, J. Martin Sellers

AKAs: Gretta, Carnival of Fools

Verbatim Box Synopsis

A handsome young gigolo offers a pretty young girl huge amounts of money to live with him. Soon they become members of an eerie club where the only common bonds are exciting ways of committing suicide. 

U.S Regal Video Inc. sleeve!

In 1985 Death Wish Club was condensed, augmented and generally reworked to be included as a segment in the awesome anthology, Night Train to Terror. Above is a compilation of its best moments, put together and uploaded by "NightmareSeasons". 

Looking for Death Wish Club on VHS? It's available on Amazon here, but be careful: some sellers have the 21st Genesis release or the AIR tape instead of the Regal. If you want the best current release, Vinegar Syndrome have included the entire film as a supplement on their essential Blu-Ray/DVD release of Night Train to Terror!

Investigate more titles with Project: REGAL!

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

© 2012 -- Bruce Holecheck. All Rights Reserved.

Grab Bag in a Woman's Skin! Mystery Photos #81-85!

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Welcome back to the ol' Arcana for another round of Grab Bag Goodies!

As outlined in previous installments, I purchased a few hundred promotional stills that have had their title captions trimmed off. Some I recognize, most I don't. It's up to my faithful readership to help me decipher what they're promoting. Hell, solve enough of 'em and maybe I'll send you some of the duplicates I received!

For those not familiar with promo stills, they occasionally carry a helpful hint or two. Some are branded with a cataloging code of letters and numbers which usually signify an abbreviation of the title (sometimes a retitling) and, if you're especially lucky, maybe the year of release (not to be confused with year of production). And that's pretty much all we have to go on...

The seventeenth batch is below; let's see what you've got!

#81: No Markings!

#82: No Markings!

#83: No Markings!

#84: 7308-10 © 1973 American International Pictures

A shout out to Cool Ass Cinema's Brian Bankston for spotting Gordon Douglas' Slaughter's Big Rip-Off (1973). Jim Brown again stars in this direct follow-up to the wildly popular 1972 original, this time swearing revenge on new mob boss Ed McMahon (no, seriously) and paid killer Don Stroud. Above-average blaxploitation action fare, on DVD from MGM. 

#85: 7124-54 © 1971 American International Pictures

Florinda Balkan's taking a trip on a train... in more ways than one, in Lucio Fulci's outstanding giallo, Lizard in a Woman's Skin (1971). One of the director's best outings, its Swinging London settings provide the backdrop for upper class murder, paranoia, psychedelica and depravity as a well-to-do woman begins to find it difficult to distinguish between reality and hallucination. Is she responsible for murder, or is something more sinister happening? Jean Sorel and Anita Strindberg co-star, along with Carlo Rambaldi's infamous vivisected dogs. Media Blasters released a nice DVD years back, though it apparently slipped out-of-print!

Like what you see? Be sure and check out our previous Grab Bag Photos, some of which are still unidentified. And don't forget, our Upcoming Releases List (the best on the 'net) is constantly updated, so stop by and pre-order some cool stuff!

© 2012 -- Bruce Holecheck. All Rights Reserved.

The VHS Archives: Miguel Iglesias Bonns' NIGHT OF THE HOWLING BEAST (1975)

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NIGHT OF THE HOWLING BEAST

Miguel Iglesias Bonns' La maldicion de la beastia (1975)

The VHS Archives Factsheet

Label: Super Video, Inc.

Catalog: SV04

Box Type: Clamshell

Year of Release: 1984

Runtime: 86:46

Print: 1.33:1 / English / No subs

Extras: None

About the Film

Director: Miguel Iglesias Bonns

Year of Release: 1975

Country of Origin: Spain

Stars: Paul Naschy, Grace Mills, Silvia Solar, Gil Vidal, Luis Induni

AKAs: The Werewolf and the Yeti, Hall of the Mountain King, In the Claws of the Werewolf, The Curse of the Beast

Verbatim Box Synopsis

A scientific mission goes to Tibet in search of the Abominable Snowman. One man is bitten by two sensuous female cannibals and becomes a werewolf. He thinks he will die, but instead lives on becoming more beast-like with each passing day and longing for blood. The expedition loses some of its members to a cruel war-like native leader. This man is dying from an incurable disease and is being treated with human flesh from live victims. 

The werewolf and the native chief have a fight to the death and the chief is killed. The members of the expedition are still trapped by a cruel female leader and are thrown in her torture dungeon. In a wanton orgy of blood a rescue is attempted and eventually the werewolf has the curse lifted from him.

U.S. Super Video Inc. printed clamshell!

U.S. Super Video Inc. sales sheet, 
courtesy of VHShitfest's Dan Kinem!

U.S. Majestic Home Video slipcase, courtesy of 
Don Cunningham from the Latarnia Forums!

 U.K. Video Programme Distributors Limited sleeve!
(One of the original "Video Nasties"!)

French Super Video Productions sleeve,
originally scanned by "Kobal" at Nanarland! 

Dutch Sunrise Tapes sleeve, originally scanned by "Videohunter"! 

Netherlands Sunrise Tapes sleeve!

Original trailer, uploaded by BoPaulMedia!

Looking for Night of the Howling Beast on VHS? It's available on Amazon here. Now how 'bout we get a nice DVD?!

Investigate more titles with Project: SUPER!

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

© 2012 -- Bruce Holecheck. All Rights Reserved.

Grab Bag of Fury! Mystery Photos #76-80!

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Welcome back to the ol' Arcana for another round of Grab Bag Goodies!

As outlined in previous installments, I purchased a few hundred promotional stills that have had their title captions trimmed off. Some I recognize, most I don't. It's up to my faithful readership to help me decipher what they're promoting. Hell, solve enough of 'em and maybe I'll send you some of the duplicates I received!

For those not familiar with promo stills, they occasionally carry a helpful hint or two. Some are branded with a cataloging code of letters and numbers which usually signify an abbreviation of the title (sometimes a retitling) and, if you're especially lucky, maybe the year of release (not to be confused with year of production). And that's pretty much all we have to go on...

The sixteenth batch is below; let's see what you've got!

 #76: HH-17

 #77: HTP-19

 #78: 7408-21 © 1974 American International Pictures

Roberts Blossom goes Gein in Alan Ormsby's Deranged (1974), a darkly comic and supremely creepy take on Wisconsin's most famous necrophile. Much closer to the facts than other "inspired by" outings like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Psycho, this tale of a lonely farmer slipping into dementia after the death of his overbearing mother is one of the best of the '70s and is really worthy of a spot next to its aforementioned kin. If you haven't seen it, the MGM DVD paired with Kevin Connor's cannibal slasher Motel Hell (1980) is available pretty cheap.

 #79: No Markings!

#80: 7007-47

Like what you see? Be sure and check out our previous Grab Bag Photos, some of which are still unidentified. And don't forget, our Upcoming Releases List (the best on the 'net) is constantly updated, so stop by and pre-order some cool stuff!

© 2012 -- Bruce Holecheck. All Rights Reserved.

The VHS Archives: Jean-Claude Roy's THE KILLER (1973)

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THE KILLER

Jean-Claude Roy's L'insolent (1973)

The VHS Archives Factsheet

Label: Mogul Communications, Inc.

Catalog: MOG1038

Box Type: Clamshell

Year of Release: 1987

Runtime: 89:19

Print: 1.66:1 / English / No subs

Extras: None

About the Film

Director: Jean-Claude Roy

Year of Release: 1973

Country of Origin: France

Stars: Henry Silva, Andres Pousee, Philippe Clay, Georges Geret, Robert Dalban

AKAs: The Insolent, Deadly Sting, The Killer Shows No Mercy 

Verbatim Box Synopsis

For ex-con Henry Silva this is the big one. The perfect crime. The scam that will set him up for life.

With meticulous planning, he puts together his team. The target is fixed. The fences are lined-up. The heist is on and the prize is gold.

But this is a robbery with a difference. The bullets are blanks. The cops are actors. Silva ends up with the money. For the mobsters fencing the bullion, it's a truckload of fake gold.

But the action is only just starting. Silva has been conned himself.

The scene is set for a bloody carnage.

 U.S. Mogul Communications sleeve!

U.S. Mogul Communications sleeve!

Looking for The Killer on VHS? It's not readily available, but I did find a foreign DVD on Amazon. I don't know anything about this release, so buy at your own risk!

Investigate more titles with Project: MOGUL!

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

© 2012 -- Bruce Holecheck. All Rights Reserved.

The VHS Archives: Alfonso Brescia's METALLICA (1979)

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METALLICA

Alfonso Brescia's Sette uomini d'oro nello spazio (1979)

The VHS Archives Factsheet

Label: Mogul Communications, Inc.

Catalog: MOG1033

Box Type: Clamshell

Year of Release: 1987

Runtime: 99:05

Print: 1.33:1 / English / No subs

Extras: None

About the Film

Director: Alfonso Brescia

Year of Release: 1979

Country of Origin: Italy

Stars: Gianni Garko, Malisa Longo, Yanti Somer, Chris Avram

AKAs: Captive Planet, Star Odyssey, Seven Golden Spacemen

Verbatim Box Synopsis

A rebel civilization in a far-off galaxy embark on a mission to capture and exploit the planet Earth. With it's gigantic spaceship their leader assembles a massive army of robots and the battle begins.

Thanks to the special metal from which their inter-galactic space transporter is constructed they break through the Earth's protective safety shield.

Meanwhile, the authorities on Earth are now convinced that normal means of defence will not stand in the way of the superior fire-power of the aliens.

A team of experts are recruited to formulate a strategy for defending the Earth.

Daring fights and large scale spectacular battles between the star-fighters of Earth and the space-transporters of the enemy continue.

Metallica ... full of action, suspense, a science fiction movie with a difference. 

 U.S. Mogul Communication sleeve!

(At the time of this tape's release, Metallica's Master of Puppets album had already been officially certified gold and was making a 72-week run on Billboard's Top 200 chart. The band was also in the news following the death of their bassist, Cliff Burton, and their search for his replacement. Way to ride them coattails, Mogul!)

For alternate covers and clips, check out our Captive Planet listing!

Looking for Metallica on VHS? It's available on Amazon here. You can also find a budget DVD double-bill from Alpha under the title Star Odyssey, paired with Terry Marcel's Prisoners of the Lost Universe (1983).

Investigate more titles with Project: MOGUL!

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

© 2012 -- Bruce Holecheck. All Rights Reserved.

Curse of the Grab Bag! Mystery Photos #71-75!

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Welcome back to the ol' Arcana for another round of Grab Bag Goodies!

As outlined in previous installments, I purchased a few hundred promotional stills that have had their title captions trimmed off. Some I recognize, most I don't. It's up to my faithful readership to help me decipher what they're promoting. Hell, solve enough of 'em and maybe I'll send you some of the duplicates I received!

For those not familiar with promo stills, they occasionally carry a helpful hint or two. Some are branded with a cataloging code of letters and numbers which usually signify an abbreviation of the title (sometimes a retitling) and, if you're especially lucky, maybe the year of release (not to be confused with year of production). And that's pretty much all we have to go on...

The fifteenth batch is below; let's see what you've got!

 #71: 1753-27

 #72: IA(1389)-15

 #73: 7001-27 © 1970 American International Pictures

Some tender loving care courtesy of Gordon Hessler's Scream and Scream Again (1970)! A morning jogger keeps waking up at a hospital with one less limb at a time. A bloodsucking fiend is prowling nightclubs for fresh victims. A group of torturing neo-nazis are being bumped off one by one. Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing pop up for a quick paycheck. What the heck's going on? Vincent Price is creating a master race! Fun, trashy '70s pulp that's well worth a watch.  Available on DVD from MGM with its original score restored, paired with a longer cut of Hessler's The Oblong Box (1969). 

 #74: 7122-23 © 1971 American International Pictures

#75: No Markings!

Like what you see? Be sure and check out our previous Grab Bag Photos, some of which are still unidentified. And don't forget, our Upcoming Releases List (the best on the 'net) is constantly updated, so stop by and pre-order some cool stuff!

© 2012 -- Bruce Holecheck. All Rights Reserved.

The VHS Archives: Umberto Lenzi's THUNDER SQUAD (1985)

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Thunder Squad

Umberto Lenzi's I cinque del Condor (1985)

The VHS Archives Factsheet

Label: Mogul Communications, Inc.

Catalog: MOG1021

Box Type: Clamshell

Year of Release: 1987

Runtime: 82:53

Print: 1.33:1 / English / No subs

Extras: None

About the Film

Director: Umberto Lenzi

Year of Release: 1985

Country of Origin: Italy

Stars: Antonio Sabato, Ivan Rassimov, Werner Pochath, Sal Borghese, Julya Fursich, Gustavo Adolfo Matos

AKAs: The Wild Team, The Condor Five, Five Amazon Bastards

Verbatim Box Synopsis

A South American rebel leader in exile in Miami, Florida, is given one last chance to overthrow his successor, a bloody and ferocious dictator, by a multi-national mining group out to exploit his country's mineral resources.

PROBLEM: The leader's only son is held hostage by the dictator, and will be executed at the first signal of an invasion. 

SOLUTION: Recruit a team of deadly mercenaries, all experts in guerilla warfare, to free the boy and eliminate local resistance ... thus the THUNDER SQUAD is born, a dirty dozen, trained to the limit and armed to the teeth. Parachuted into the jungle, they launch a sudden successful attack. 

The THUNDER SQUAD are betrayed by the multinational executives, who have switched sides to protect their interests. Hunted by government troops, the THUNDER SQUAD must battle for survival in the jungle ... Call it guts, courage, bravery ... whatever you call it, they've got it.

U.S. Mogul Commincations sleeve!

(The cover is actually a pretty cool foil-embossed sleeve which unfortunately doesn't scan very well. I'm unsure if a non-foil printing exists.)

Danish A-B-Collection Videofilm sleeve, courtesy of Hans-Jorn Reimer and his Danish Ex-Rental VHS Appreciation Group! 

German Starlight Video sleeve! 

Dutch Video for Pleasure sleeve!

French Prime Time Video sleeve!

Argentinean Lucian Films Video sleeve, courtesy of Raro VHS!

Argentinian Lucian Films VHS advertisement, also courtesy Cristian from Raro VHS!

Norwegian VCM sleeve, courtesy of Dag-Johnny Elnes!

Greek Rex Films Home Video sleeve, courtesy of Jack Jensen's When the Vietnam War Raged... in the Philippines. 

Japanese Columbia Video sleeve, also courtesy of Jack Jensen!

If you feel like spending 90 minutes in front of your computer, The Giallo Grindhouse have uploaded the entire film to Youtube!

Looking for Thunder Squad? It's not readily available on VHS, but if you just want to see it there's a crummy DVD from VideoAsia as part of their Expendables 2: Zero Heroes set.

Investigate more titles with Project: MOGUL!

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

© 2012 -- Bruce Holecheck. All Rights Reserved.

Secret of the Grab Bag! Mystery Photos #66-70!

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Welcome back to the ol' Arcana for another round of Grab Bag Goodies!

As outlined in previous installments, I purchased a few hundred promotional stills that have had their title captions trimmed off. Some I recognize, most I don't. It's up to my faithful readership to help me decipher what they're promoting. Hell, solve enough of 'em and maybe I'll send you some of the duplicates I received!

For those not familiar with promo stills, they occasionally carry a helpful hint or two. Some are branded with a cataloging code of letters and numbers which usually signify an abbreviation of the title (sometimes a retitling) and, if you're especially lucky, maybe the year of release (not to be confused with year of production). And that's pretty much all we have to go on...

The fourteenth batch is below; let's see what you've got!

 #66: ANCW (457)-14

 #67: CTC-3

Thanks to Temple of Schlock's Chris Poggiali for identifying Will Zens' Capture that Capsule! (1961), a cheapo piece of crackpot Cold War propaganda detailing the efforts of the Russkies to retrieve a fallen satellite nose-cone that contains, um... important information. However, the whole thing's a sham, as our homeland Spy Squad (the flick's aka) have dropped a decoy in a ploy to flush the Commies out! Good thinkin', boys. As expected, Something Weird Video are the source for this one, as part of their Johnny Legend's Untamed Video series. (See also: #56.)

 #68: CM-60

 #69: No Markings!

#70: LT-5 © Warner Bros. Inc.

 

Like what you see? Be sure and check out our previous Grab Bag Photos, some of which are still unidentified. And don't forget, our Upcoming Releases List (the best on the 'net) is constantly updated, so stop by and pre-order some cool stuff!

 

© 2012 -- Bruce Holecheck. All Rights Reserved.