The VHS Archives: Luigi Vanzi's 1931 ONCE UPON A TIME IN NEW YORK (1972)

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1931 ONCE UPON A TIME IN NEW YORK

Luigi Vanzi's Piazza pulita (1972)

The VHS Archives Factsheet

Label: Video City Productions

Catalog: VC5042

Box Type: Clamshell

Year of Release: 1985

Runtime: 86:32

Print: 1.33:1 / English / No subs

Extras: None

About the Film

Director: Luigi Vanzi

Year of Release: 1972

Country of Origin: Italy

Stars: Tony Anthony, Adolfo Celi, Richard Conte, Lucretia Love, Irene Papas, Lionel Stander, Corrado Gaipa

AKAs: Clean Sweep, 1931: It Happened in America, 1931 Dueling Gangsters, Pete, Pearl, and the Pole, New York 1931

Verbatim Box Synopsis

Bullets fly and bodies pile up in this major production of a Prohibition-era crime drama in the great tradition of The Godfather and Once Upon a Time in America. A great international cast that includes Adolpho Celi of James Bond movie fame, Richard Conte, Irene Papas and Lionel Stander of TV's Hart to Hart, heads this gripping tale of gangsters at war. Relive the explosive Prohibition years when 'Tommy' guns did the talking and vice was king! A big-budget movie gem that's sure to become one of your favorites!

U.S. Video City Productions sleeve!

U.S. Spanish-language Atlas Home Video Entertainment sleeve,
courtesy of Marito Almada!

Argentinean Tauro Video slipcase cover, also courtesy
Marito Almada!

Danish A-B-Collection Videofilm sleeve, courtesy of Hans-Jorn

Reimer and his Danish Ex-Rental VHS Appreciation Group!

Japanese HMV Movies sleeve, originally scanned by
"Inspector Tanzi"!

German Video Medien Pool sleeve!

Italian trailer, uploaded by Cecchi Gori Home Video!

Looking for 1931: Once Upon a Time in New York on VHS?  It's not readily available, but there is an unlicensed Televista DVD that boots the tape, for those who really want to see it.  There's also a legit Region 2 import from Perseo Video, but it's Italian-language only. 

Investigate more titles with Project: Video City!

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

© 2012 -- Bruce Holecheck. All Rights Reserved.

Day of the Grab Bag! Mystery Photos #111-115!

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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 twenty-third batch is below; let's see what you've got!

 #111: VB-13

Shoot First, Die Later's John Conner fires a bullet at Renato Polselli's The Vampire and the Ballerina (1960)! A group of photogenic dancers (reportedly including a young Femi Benussi?) get trapped in a castle and are menaced by the titular ghoul. Periodically things are interrupted by cheesecakey jazzercise routines, much to the audience's delight. It's currently a little tough to get this one; most copies are sourced from '90s cable screenings, but there was a more recent Italian-only DVD from NoShame that provided a visual upgrade. I'm sure some entrepreneuring fan has created a composite by now. (See also: #89.)

 #112: wuf-4

 #113: DJ-PUB 37

 #114: CAL-5 (maybe?)

#115: LP-12

Like what you see? Be sure and check out our previous Grab Bag Photos, a lot 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: Joseph Siu Yiu's TWO CRIPPLED HEROES (1980)

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TWO CRIPPLED HEROES

Joseph Siu Yiu's Can que shuang xiong (1980)

The VHS Archives Factsheet

Label: Ocean Shores Video Limited

Catalog: OS-152

Box Type: Clamshell

Year of Release: 1983

Runtime: 90:08

Print: 1.33:1 / English / No subs

Extras: None

About the Film

Director: Joseph Siu Yiu

Year of Release: 1980

Country of Origin: Taiwan

Stars: Sam Chung-Chuen, Thomas Hong Chiu-Ming, Pau Ching-Fong

AKAs: The Crippled Heroes, The Crippled Masters 2

Verbatim Box Synopsis

In the early republican years Peiyang warlord committed killing and firing, Hsu Hsyung was one of sacrificers, he lost his hands at that time, he took his monkey with him and wandered.

One day he encountered a cripple -- Ta Chiang, they had become good friends.

At mean time, town mayor sold munition to Peiyan warlord and this illegal business was found by a servant -- Ah Chun, they tried to kill her but those two cripples saved her, Pei-yang warlord sent a killer again to handle two cripples, unfortunately, he was killed by them which brought town the peace for years.

Meanwhile, Ah Chun met her mother again (they had lost in touch for 10 years), these two herose went away...

U.S. Ocean Shores Video Limited sleeve!

Apprehensive Films' bootleg DVD trailer.

"Gavintheturk2" uploaded the entire film to YouTube, if that's your thing.

Looking for Two Crippled Heroes on VHS? The Ocean Shores tape isn't readily available, but apparently there's a release on Video Treasures. If anyone has it, I'd love a scan! There's also a bootleg DVD from Apprehensive Films, for the less demanding. 

Investigate more titles with Project: Ocean Shores!

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

© 2012 -- Bruce Holecheck. All Rights Reserved.

The VHS Archives: Tonino Ricci's PANIC (1982)

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PANIC

Tonino Ricci's Bakterion (1982)

The VHS Archives Factsheet

Label: Gorgon Video

Catalog: MP3068

Box Type: Clamshell

Year of Release: ?

Runtime: 91:14

Print: 1.33:1 / English / No subs

Extras: None

About the Film

Director: Tonino Ricci

Year of Release: 1982

Country of Origin: Italy / Spain

Stars: David Warbeck, Janet Agren, Jose Lifante, Franco Ressel

AKAs: Zombi 4: Revenge of the Living Dead, The Living Will Envy the Dead, The Panic, Bakterion

Verbatim Box Synopsis

A group of scientists have been laboring on a series of genetic experiments. Unfortunately, things have run amuck -- infecting one of the top researchers with a disfiguring, degenerative disease, resulting in a bizarre lust for blood.

Now nothing can stop him -- will the disease spread to the entire city? Will the whole area be overun with blood-sucking zombies? Will the government be forced to level the entire area?

It is up to the scientists to stop this mangled, mass of flesh -- and time is running short. For one way or another the menace will be stopped.

U.S. MPI / Gorgon Video sleeve! 

 Japanese SCF / CBS Fox sleeve, originally scanned by "Ed209vsCain"!

French MVP sleeve, courtesy of Nanarland! 

 Hungarian Helikon Video sleeve, courtesy of Deliria!

Danish I.T. Video Production sleeve, courtesy of Hans-Jorn Reimer
and his Danish Ex-Rental VHS Appreciation Group!

Danish Filmcom A/S / Videogram sleeve, also courtesy 
Hans-Jorn Reimer and his DEVAG!

Dutch IVB Video sleeve, originally scanned by "King of B"!

Argentinean Tauro Video slipcase, courtesy of RaroVHS!

Spanish Play Films sleeve, courtesy of
Exhumed Movies' Jose Antonio Diego Bogajo!

French-Canadian Videoglobe 1 slipcase, courtesy of
Quebec City's own Gabriel Wagner!

The entire goddamn movie (complete with Spanish subtitles), uploaded by "Cheese of Gold". Somebody watch it and tell me if it's any different than the Gorgon tape.

Looking for Panic on VHS? It's available on Amazon here. There's no official DVD, but you can find a VHS rip included in lots of cheapo multipacks like Mill Creek's Nightmare Worlds and Chilling Classics. 

Investigate more titles with Project: MPI!

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

© 2012 -- Bruce Holecheck. All Rights Reserved.

Grab Bag in Chains! Mystery Photos #106-110!

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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 twenty-second batch is below; let's see what you've got!

 #106: No Markings!

#107: WN-14 

#108: RN-10 

#109: R-5

It looks like we have another one for Bickford Webber's The Runaway aka Runaway, Runaway (1971). The film stars William Smith as a detective trying to track down an AWOL teen who's been shacking up in a commune; naturally, LSD freak-outs and nude beach runs follow. It doesn't appear to have gotten a VHS or DVD release Stateside, though boots seem to be available. (See also: #54.)

#110: 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.