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Cinema Arcana presents The VHS Archives!

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Friday, October 26, 2012

The VHS Archives: Steve Barkett's AFTERMATH (1982)

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AFTERMATH
Steve Barkett's The Aftermath (1982)

The VHS Archives Factsheet
Label: Prism Entertainment Corp.
Catalog: 8004
Box Type: Clamshell
Year of Release: 1985
Runtime: 94:37
Print: 1.33:1 / English / No subs
Extras: Trailer for Survival Zone

About the Film
Director: Steve Barkett
Year of Release: 1982
Country of Origin: U.S.A.
Stars: Steve Barkett, Lynne Margulies, Sid Haig, Christopher Barkett, Alfie Martin, Forest J. Ackerman, Jim Danforth
AKAs: The Aftermath, Zombie Aftermath, Nuclear Aftermath, Atom Bomb SurvivorsThe Survivors, Fearless, Mysterious Charge, The Day After Doomsday 

Verbatim Box Synopsis
Hell In The Aftermath. Who Will Survive?
Three astronauts return from deep space to discover that a world-wide biological and nuclear war has ravaged the earth.
The returning scientists face a dual peril, from mutant cannibals ... and from a gang of psychotic killers who control what is left of civilization.
While making their way through the ruins of Los Angeles, the astronauts learn of a few innocent survivors living in constant fear of the murderous gang and its leader, Cutter.
The deranged leader of the gang savagely murders the survivors, one-by-one before becoming the ultimate target of the avenging astronauts.
An explosive and violent science fiction story in a modern day setting. 

U.S. Prism Entertainment Corp. sleeve!

U.S. Roan Group laserdisc sleeve, courtesy of the LaserDisc Vault!

 U.K. World Video 2000 sleeve, courtesy of Rolfens DVD!

U.K. Goldscreen Cinema Group sleeve, courtesy of Monster Brains!

Danish Videogram Distributors sleeve, courtesy of Hans-Jorn Reimer and his Danish Ex-Rental VHS Appreciation Group!

Norwegian ABC Media sleeve, courtesy of Rare Cult Cinema!

Norwegian Video-Huset sleeve, also courtesy of Rare Cult Cinema!

German AllVideo sleeve, also courtesy Rolfens DVD!

Spanish Ivex Films sleeve!

 Australian Platinum sleeve, courtesy of Pre-Certification Video!


Original trailer, uploaded by Revok!

Looking for Aftermath on VHS? It's available on Amazon here. There's also a bootleg DVD from Televista as Zombie Aftermath if you're especially desperate, though it sounds like it's pulled from a bad VHS (worst source) rather than the laserdisc (best source).  

Investigate more titles with Project: Prism!

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

© 2012 -- Bruce Holecheck. All Rights Reserved.

Sunday, October 21, 2012

The VHS Archives: Bob Clark's CHILDREN SHOULDN'T PLAY WITH DEAD THINGS (1973)

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CHILDREN SHOULDN'T PLAY WITH DEAD THINGS
Bob Clark's Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things (1973)

The VHS Archives Factsheet
Label: Gorgon Video
Catalog: MP3051
Box Type: Clamshell
Year of Release: ?
Runtime: 86:20
Print: 1.33:1 / English / No subs
Extras: Trailer for Faces of Death

About the Film
Director: Bob Clark
Year of Release: 1973
Country of Origin: U.S.A.
Stars: Alan Ormsby, Jeff Gillen, Valerie Mamches, Anya Ormsby, Paul Cronin
AKAs: Revenge of the Living Dead, Cemetery of the Dead, Zreaks, Things from the Dead, Zombie Graveyard, The Siege of the Dead, Night of the Thundering Graves, Night of the Living Dead II

Verbatim Box Synopsis
While preparing themselves for an upcoming play, five aspiring actors are led to a deserted burial ground by their bizarre director/mentor Alan. (Alan Ormsby - "Deranged," "Cat People," "Porkeys II").
Alan, a "Manson type", seems to exert strange control over his group whom he calls his "Children."
At Alan's urging the "Children" dig up a rotting corpse and Alan attempts a revival with various occult incantations.
Unfortunately, in CHILDREN SHOULDN'T PLAY WITH DEAD THINGS, the dead do rise - and they are hungry.
CHILDREN SHOULDN'T PLAY WITH DEAD THINGS thrusts its unwitting performers into a nightmare of madness and murder in a gruesome movie that follows the infamous tradition of "Night of the Living Dead".
Occasionally campy and always terrifying -- don't see this one alone.....

(Sun-faded) U.S. Gorgon Video sleeve!

One with a little more color, courtesy reader Scott Gacek!

U.S. Gorgon Video promotional advertisement,
courtesy of Critical Condition!

U.S. VCI Command Performance slipcase, again
courtesy Scott Gacek!  Thanks a bunch!

U.S. VCI reissue sleeve, courtesy of 
the Basement of Ghoulish Decadence!

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

Japanese Nikkatsu sleeve!

Spanish JML sleeve, courtesy of Mondo VHS! This release tries to 
pass the film off as a sequel to Romero's Night of the Living Dead!

Italian Cinehollywood sleeve!

Greek Cinehollywood sleeve, originally photographed by "helviocult75"!


Special snackbar menus issued at theatrical screenings,
courtesy of the Temple of Schlock!


Original theatrical trailer, uploaded by "PGSegal"!

Looking for Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things on VHS? It's available on Amazon here. It was also released to DVD from VCI, by itself or paired with Roger Evans' Forever Evil (1987).

Investigate more titles with Project: MPI!

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

© 2012 -- Bruce Holecheck. All Rights Reserved.

Friday, October 19, 2012

The VHS Archives: Nick Millard's .357 MAGNUM (1977)

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.357 MAGNUM
Nick Millard's .357 Magnum (1977)

The VHS Archives Factsheet
Label: World Video Pictures, Inc.
Catalog: WV1057
Box Type: Clamshell
Year of Release: ?
Runtime: 69:40
Print: 1.33:1 / English / No subs
Extras: None

About the Film
Director: Nick Millard 
(Jan Anders)
Year of Release: 1977
Country of Origin: U.S.A.
Stars: Marland Proctor, James Whitworth, Kathryn Hayes, Marianne Walter (Kelly Nichols)
AKAs: ?

Verbatim Box Synopsis
Jonathan Hightower's weapon of chose is the deadly .357 Magnum. He's assigned to the Far East to track the killer of CIA agents in Hong Kong and Tokyo. . . . International intrigue, doublecross and death follow. The only way out is the shootout!

 U.S World Video Pictures, Inc. sleeve!


An awesomely terrible clip, uploaded by "brujaria"!

Looking for .357 Magnum on VHS? It's available on Amazon here.
Not on DVD.

Investigate more titles with Project: WORLD!

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

© 2012 -- Bruce Holecheck. All Rights Reserved.

Monday, October 15, 2012

The VHS Archives: Cheung Yan-Git's DEVIL (1981)

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DEVIL
Cheung Yan-Git's Xie mo (1981)

The VHS Archives Factsheet
Label: Video City Productions (Chop-'Em-Ups Video)
Catalog: VC5075
Box Type: Big Box
Year of Release: 1986
Runtime: 82:24
Print: 1.31:1 / English / No subs
Extras: Trailer for Mob War

About the Film
Director: Cheung Yan-Git
Year of Release: 1981
Country of Origin: Taiwan / Hong Kong
Stars: Sherman Chow Shiu-Dung, Chen Hung-Lieh, Wong Bo-Yuk, Lau Yin-Seung
AKAs: The Devil, Devil's Express

Verbatim Box Synopsis
Inhuman beasts stalk the night in search of hosts for their unspeakable cravings!
Your skin will crawl with sheer terror as helpless victims turn into brutal, flesh-eating monsters, stopping at nothing in their orgy of fiendish lusts!
A shocker that will leave you gasping with dread.
Definitely not for the squeamish!
 
U.S. Video City Productions big box cover!

Tokuma Japan Video sleeve, courtesy of Backyard Asia!


Video review with clips, put together by So Good Reviews!


An especially gross set-piece, also uploaded by So Good Reviews!

Looking for Devil on VHS? It's available on Amazon here, if you've sold your soul to afford it. If you're just wanting to see the film, a much cheaper option is VideoAsia's DVD as Devil's Express, paired with Chuen Yee-Cha's The Rapist (1994) as part of their 'Tales of Voodoo' series. The print is VHS quality, but it's fully letterboxed and probably the best available outside of owning the original Japanese prerecord. 

Investigate more titles with Project: Video City!

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

© 2012 -- Bruce Holecheck. All Rights Reserved.

Saturday, October 13, 2012

The VHS Archives: Aristide Massaccesi's TRAP THEM AND KILL THEM (1977)

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TRAP THEM AND KILL THEM
Aristide Massaccesi's Emanuelle e gli ultimi cannibali (1977)

The VHS Archives Factsheet
Label: Twilight Video
Catalog: #23000
Box Type: Clamshell
Year of Release: 1985
Runtime: 93:02
Print: 1.33:1 / English / No subs
Extras: None

About the Film
Director: Aristide Massaccesi (Joe D'Amato)
Year of Release: 1977
Country of Origin: Italy
Stars: Laura Gemser, Gabriele Tinti, Donal O'Brien, Monica Zanchi, Nieves Navarro (Susan Scott), Annamaria Clementi, Dirce Funari
AKAs: Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals, Rape in the Tropics, Bloody Track, Naked Among Cannibals

Verbatim Box Synopsis
The Amazon jungle -- so impenetrable that if its natural dangers don't get you ... there's a good chance the aboriginal cannibals will!
This is what four adventurers faced after ignoring all warnings and perilous signals. Their fate -- documented and detailed in this graphic account -- is an experience of such horror and scope that it is advisable to view it with caution. Remind yourself that it is only a movie -- and not the real thing!

Because some scenes are so explicit, children under 13 should not be permitted to see "TRAP THEM and KILL THEM."
 
U.S. Twilight Video sleeve!

Japanese Pack-In-Video sleeve, courtesy of Japanese VHS Hell!

Danish Video Action sleeve, courtesy of Rare Cult Cinema!

Dutch Video for Pleasure sleeve, originally scanned by "HorrorC.K."!

French Prosperine Editions sleeve, originally scanned by "Fred932000"!

Alternate French Prosperine Editions reissue sleeve, also scanned by "Fred932000"!

German Video Medien Pool sleeve!

German EuroVideo embedded clamshell!


Original Italian trailer, uploaded by "johntrent70"! Chock-full of nudity and gore, so it's not even remotely safe for work, but one watch and you'll be humming the score all day.

Looking for Trap Them and Kill Them on VHS? It's available on Amazon here. Media Blasters have also released a nice DVD as Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals, but it's out-of-print now and starting to get a little pricey.

Investigate more titles with Project: TWE!

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

© 2012 -- Bruce Holecheck. All Rights Reserved.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Castle of Grab Bag! Mystery Photos #116-120

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

#116: KK-1 

#117: CIA-34 

#118: No Markings! 

#119: NF-2 

#120: No Markings!

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.

Saturday, October 6, 2012

The VHS Archives: Liliek Sudjio's BLACK MAGIC TERROR (1979)

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BLACK MAGIC TERROR
Liliek Sudjio's Ratu ilmu hitam (1979)

The VHS Archives Factsheet
Label: Twilight Video
Catalog: #15011
Box Type: Clamshell
Year of Release: 1985
Runtime: 89:33
Print: 1.33:1 / English / No subs
Extras: None

About the Film
Director: Liliek Sudjio
Year of Release: 1979
Country of Origin: Indonesia
Stars: Suzzanna, W.D. Mochtar, Alan Nuary, Teddy Purba, Sofia W.D.
AKAs: The Queen of Black Magic, Black Magic 3 

Verbatim Box Synopsis
In this horrifying tale, the darkest witchcraft is woven to create terrifying demons who attack the body, mind and spirit of its victims.
Evoking these evil spells is the Queen of Black Magic whose anger is matched only by her powers, her passion matched only by her hate. 

U.S. Twilight Video sleeve!

U.S Twilight Video promotional poster!

Canadian Lettuce Entertain You, Inc. slipcase, courtesy of The Scandy Factory! (Now sadly defunct.)

Belgian Variety Video sleeve, courtesy of Backyard Asia!

French Cine Budget sleeve, originally scanned by "Kothar"! In a bait and switch move, most of its cover photos actually originate from H. Tjut Djalil's Lady Terminator (1988)!

French Farah Film Production sleeve, originally scanned by "Valor"!

French Cosmopolis Films sleeve!


Sales trailer put together by Rapi Films, uploaded by "thatscraptacular"!

Looking for Black Magic Terror on VHS? It's available on Amazon here. (Or you can get the Lettuce tape here.) Mondo Macabro have also released an excellent DVD as The Queen of Black Magic.

Investigate more titles with Project: TWE!

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

© 2012 -- Bruce Holecheck. All Rights Reserved.