Vinegar Syndrome

Last updated

Vinegar Syndrome
Industry Film restoration
Home video
Founded2012;12 years ago (2012)
FoundersJoe Rubin
Ryan Emerson
Headquarters,
U.S.
Products DVDs and Blu-ray Discs (2013–present)
Exploitation.TV (2015–18)
Website vinegarsyndrome.com

Vinegar Syndrome is an American home video distribution company which specializes in "protecting and preserving genre films". [1] The company was founded in 2012 in Bridgeport, Connecticut by Joe Rubin and Ryan Emerson, who created it to restore and distribute old X-rated films that were lost or otherwise unavailable. Their catalog has since expanded to include other types of cult and exploitation films, including horror films and action films.

Contents

Vinegar Syndrome has been compared to the Criterion Collection for its importance to "physical media and film preservation," [2] as well as similarly garnering praise for high-quality home video offerings. [3] [4] Like the Criterion Collection, Vinegar Syndrome is considered a boutique Blu-ray label. [5] [6]

In September 2021, Vinegar Syndrome announced the establishment of Vinegar Syndrome Pictures (VSP), a sub-branding dedicated to the production and distribution of films. [7] The first film released under the VSP banner was New York Ninja , which was shot in 1984 and abandoned until Vinegar Syndrome acquired the footage. Without access to the original audio or screenplay, Vinegar Syndrome then restored and reconstructed the film, adding music and newly dubbed dialogue. [8] [9]

History

2012–13: Early history

Vinegar Syndrome, named for the acidic smell of deteriorating film, was founded in 2012 by Joe Rubin and Ryan Emerson. [10] [11] The company was founded to restore and distribute X-rated films from the 1960s to the 1980s, including pornographic films released during the Golden Age of Porn, on home media. [10] Rubin and Emerson emphasized that the company is not a part of the pornography industry, with Rubin noting that they choose to restore films that they feel "provide value", [10] and stating: "We are film archivists who happen to focus on preserving sex films." [12] The first three films to be released on DVD and Blu-ray by Vinegar Syndrome were each directed by Herschell Gordon LewisEcstasies of Women, Linda and Abilene (both 1969), and Black Love (1971). [13] Previously thought to be lost, they were released in 2013 in a box set titled The Lost Films of Herschell Gordon Lewis. [13] Since that debut release, Vinegar Syndrome's catalog has expanded to include cult and exploitation films in a variety of genres, including horror films and action films. [14]

2015–18: Streaming service ventures

In 2015, Vinegar Syndrome began developing a subscription-based, VOD-style streaming service called Skinaflix, described by Rubin as "Netflix for sex films, but curated for cinephiles". [15] Funded by an Indiegogo campaign, the service was initially intended to offer sexploitation films and other X-rated works, but its catalog was expanded to include films from other genres prior to its launch. [12] Additionally, the name of the service was changed to VinegarSyndrome.TV and finally to Exploitation.TV before its launch. [14] Exploitation.TV was launched online and on Roku devices on August 20, 2015. [14] The service was discontinued on July 31, 2018, in order to allow Vinegar Syndrome to focus on its core operation of restoring and distributing films for physical home media. [16]

2021–present: Vinegar Syndrome Pictures (VSP) and Cinématographe

In September 2021, Vinegar Syndrome published a press release announcing the establishment of Vinegar Syndrome Pictures (VSP), a sub-branding dedicated to the production and distribution of films. [7] The first film released under the VSP banner was New York Ninja , a film originally directed by and starring John Liu. [7] [8] Though shot in 1984, the footage for New York Ninja was shelved when the film's original distributor went bankrupt, and was eventually acquired by Vinegar Syndrome. [8] Despite not having access to any audio, storyboards, or scripts from the original production, Vinegar Syndrome reconstructed the film using a new director, Kurtis M. Spieler, and dubbed dialogue recorded by such actors as Don "The Dragon" Wilson, Michael Berryman, and Cynthia Rothrock. [8] [9] [17]

The second film released under the VSP banner, in association with Magnolia Pictures, was the 2021 British film Censor , directed by Prano Bailey-Bond. [7] Pre-production on a new feature film by VSP is scheduled to begin in late 2021. [7]

In December 2023, Vinegar Syndrome announced a new sub-label Cinématographe, named after the early motion picture system pioneered by the Lumière brothers. [18] Intended to "fill gaps in the canon of American cinema", the first two releases under the label were announced for pre-order in January 2024: a 4K/Blu-ray combo pack of Little Darlings [19] and a Blu-ray of Red Rock West . [20]

Formats

DVD and Blu-ray

Vinegar Syndrome began publishing films on DVD and Blu-ray in 2013, starting with the release of the Lost Films of Herschell Gordon Lewis box set. [13] [21] In 2015, Chris Coffel of Bloody Disgusting ranked Vinegar Syndrome as one of the five best Blu-ray labels releasing horror films on physical media, praising the company's customer service and calling the quality of their releases "breathtaking". [3] That same year, Matt Serafini of Dread Central wrote of Vinegar Syndrome's releases: "Vinegar Syndrome has only been on the scene for a few years, but they've proved themselves a force to be reckoned with." [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Thriller – A Cruel Picture</i> 1973 Swedish exploitation film by Bo Arne Vibenius

Thriller – A Cruel Picture is a 1973 Swedish rape-and-revenge exploitation film written and directed by Bo Arne Vibenius under the pseudonym Alex Fridolinski, and starring Christina Lindberg and Heinz Hopf. It tells the story of a mute young woman who is forced into heroin addiction and prostitution, and her subsequent revenge on the men responsible.

<i>Road House</i> (1989 film) 1989 American action film by Rowdy Herrington

Road House is a 1989 American action film directed by Rowdy Herrington and starring Patrick Swayze as a cooler at a newly refurbished roadside bar who protects a small town in Missouri from a corrupt businessman. Sam Elliott co-stars as a bouncer, the mentor, friend, and foil of Swayze's character. The cast also includes Kelly Lynch as Swayze's love interest and Ben Gazzara as the main antagonist. A direct sequel, Road House 2, was released in 2006.

<i>The Human Tornado</i> 1976 American blaxploitation film

The Human Tornado is a 1976 American blaxploitation film directed by Cliff Roquemore. The film is a sequel to Dolemite.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Synapse Films</span>

Synapse Films is an American DVD and Blu-ray label, founded in 1997 and specializing in cult horror, science fiction and exploitation films. It is considered a boutique DVD label.

<i>Last House on Dead End Street</i> 1977 American exploitation horror film by Roger Watkins

Last House on Dead End Street, originally released as The Fun House, is a 1977 American exploitation horror film written, produced, and directed by Roger Watkins, under the pseudonym Victor Janos. The plot follows a disgruntled ex-convict who takes revenge on society by kidnapping four acquaintances and filming their murders in an abandoned building.

<i>Surf II</i> 1984 film by Randall M. Badat

Surf II is a 1984 American comedy film written and directed by Randall M. Badat and starring Eddie Deezen, Linda Kerridge, Eric Stoltz and Jeffrey Rogers. The plot follows two dim-witted surfers attempting to thwart the plans of a mad scientist attempting to rid the beaches of surfers by turning them into zombie punks through chemically-altered soda pop.

<i>Spookies</i> 1986 film

Spookies is a 1986 American independent horror film directed by Brendan Faulkner and Thomas Doran, with additional footage directed by Eugenie Joseph. It stars Felix Ward, Dan Scott, Alec Nemser, and Maria Pechukas, and follows a group of partying teenagers who find an abandoned mansion and become trapped inside as a warlock tries to sacrifice the group with the intention of using their vitality to keep his wife alive.

<i>Carnival Magic</i> (1983 film) 1983 American film

Carnival Magic is a 1983 American film directed by Al Adamson and starring Don Stewart.

<i>Terror at Tenkiller</i> 1986 American slasher film

Terror at Tenkiller is a 1986 American slasher film directed and produced by Ken Meyer, and starring Stacey Logan, Michelle Merchant, Michael Shamus Wiles, and Kevin Meyer. Its plot follows two female college students spending their summer vacation at Lake Tenkiller in rural Oklahoma where a rash of grisly murders are occurring.

<i>The Undertaker</i> (1988 film) 2010 American film

The Undertaker is a 1988 American slasher film directed by Franco Steffanino and starring Joe Spinell. The film was completed in November 1988, but was never released for the public and existed only in an incomplete form. The Undertaker was later reedited for a DVD release by Code Red in 2010 and a Blu-ray release by Vinegar Syndrome in 2016. The film is considered a cult classic, due in part to both Joe Spinell's involvement and its troubled production. This was Joe Spinell's last film before his premature death in 1989.

MVD Entertainment Group, is an American production company and film distributor based in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, consisting of three main departments MVD Visual, MVD Audio, and MVD Distribution.

<i>Bat Pussy</i> 1970s American pornographic parody film by an anonymous director, released in 1996

Bat Pussy is an American pornographic film, believed to have been produced and possibly released in the early 1970s. Ostensibly a spoof of the 1966–1968 Batman television series, it has been cited as the earliest example of a pornographic parody film and more infamously considered to be the worst pornographic film ever made.

<i>Runaway Nightmare</i> 1982 film by Mike Cartel

Runaway Nightmare is a 1982 American dark comedy thriller film written, edited, directed by, and starring Mike Cartel. It also stars Al Valetta, Seeska Vandenberg, Georgia Durante, and Jody Lee Olhava, and follows two desert worm ranchers who find themselves caught between a female death cult and the mafia over precious stolen plutonium. The film developed a cult following and had a national theatrical re-release in 2014.

<i>The Telephone Book</i> 1971 film

The Telephone Book is a 1971 American independent sexploitation comedy film written and directed by Nelson Lyon and starring Sarah Kennedy, along with Norman Rose, James Harder, and Jill Clayburgh. The film follows a solitary but lustful woman named Alice, who falls in love with a stranger who makes obscene phone calls to her. The film is satirical in nature, and often breaks the fourth wall.

<i>The Vixens of Kung Fu</i> 1975 American pornographic exploitation film

The Vixens of Kung Fu (A Tale of Yin Yang) is a 1975 American pornographic martial arts exploitation film produced and directed by Bill Milling, under the pseudonym Chiang. It stars Bree Anthony, Tony Richards, Peonies Jong, and C. J. Laing, and follows a prostitute who is gang raped, and who seeks revenge against her rapists after being trained in kung fu with a clan of other women by a martial artist. The film received an X rating from the Motion Picture Association of America.

<i>The Jekyll and Hyde Portfolio</i> 1971 American film

The Jekyll and Hyde Portfolio is a 1971 American sexploitation slasher film produced and directed by Eric Jeffrey Haims. Loosely based on the 1886 novella Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, the film's plot concerns an insane killer with dual personalities who stalks and murders victims at a nursing academy. It stars Sebastian Brook, Mady Maguire, Donn Greer, Gray Daniels, John Terry, and Rene Bond.

<i>L.A. Wars</i> 1994 American action film

L.A. Wars is a 1994 American action film directed by Tony Kandah and Martin Morris. It stars Vince Murdocco as a disgraced former officer of the Los Angeles Police Department who becomes involved in a conflict between two rival crime syndicates.

9 Lives of a Wet Pussy is a 1976 American pornographic film directed by Abel Ferrara in his feature directorial debut. Written by Nicholas St. John under the pseudonym Nicholas George, the film stars Pauline LaMonde as Pauline, a socialite who details her sexual experiences by mail to a mystic named Gypsy, played by Dominique Santos.

<i>New York Ninja</i> 2021 American film

New York Ninja is a 2021 American action film written, directed by and starring John Liu. It was shot in 1984, but was not edited or released until 2021, when its footage was discovered and restored by the film preservation and home video distributor Vinegar Syndrome.

<i>The Icarus Line Must Die</i> 2017 American film

The Icarus Line Must Die is a 2017 American drama film directed by Michael Grodner, co-written by and starring Joe Cardamone of the post-hardcore band The Icarus Line. It is a semi-fictionalized account of the band's dissolution as they attempt to navigate the contemporary music industry of Los Angeles. The film also features appearances and performances from musicians Ariel Pink, Keith Morris, and Annie Hardy.

References

  1. "Vinegar Syndrome (@VinegarSyndrome) on Twitter". Twitter . Archived from the original on November 26, 2019. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  2. Rife, Katie (November 23, 2018). "It's Black Friday—How about a free Blu-ray of Cutting Class, starring a young Brad Pitt?". The A.V. Club . Archived from the original on February 2, 2020. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  3. 1 2 Coffel, Chris (July 20, 2015). "5 Blu-ray Labels Saving Physical Media". Bloody Disgusting . Archived from the original on February 2, 2020. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  4. 1 2 Serafini, Matt (December 31, 2015). "Top 10 Cult Horror Blu-ray Releases of 2015 to Add to Your Collection". Dread Central . Archived from the original on February 2, 2020. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  5. Jarvis, Henry (August 12, 2022). "10 Best Boutique Blu-Ray Brands". CBR.com . Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  6. Mack, Andrew (June 6, 2023). "Crowdfund This: Boutique, New Doc Chronicles The Rise of Specialty Distributors". Screen Anarchy . Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 "Vinegar Syndrome Pictures - Press Release". Vinegar Syndrome. Archived from the original on December 11, 2021. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Grode, Eric (November 19, 2021). "With 'New York Ninja,' Lights, Camera and, Finally, Action". The New York Times . Archived from the original on December 17, 2021. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  9. 1 2 Crump, Andy (November 2, 2021). "Vinegar Syndrome Finds Itself in a New York Ninja State of Mind". Paste . Archived from the original on December 9, 2021. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  10. 1 2 3 Piepenburg, Erik (January 23, 2014). "Smut, Refreshed for a New Generation". The New York Times . Archived from the original on October 2, 2019. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  11. Hamburger, Ellis (January 24, 2014). "Vintage porn is making a comeback". The Verge . Archived from the original on February 2, 2020. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  12. 1 2 Nastasi, Alison (February 11, 2015). "Meet the Archivists Working to Preserve Classic Sex Films". Flavorwire . Archived from the original on November 27, 2019. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  13. 1 2 3 Hunter, Rob (March 19, 2013). "'The Lost Films of Herschell Gordon Lewis' Collection Reveals the X-Rated Side of the Wizard of Gore". Film School Rejects . Archived from the original on December 12, 2019. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  14. 1 2 3 Rife, Katie (July 23, 2015). "Cult DVD label Vinegar Syndrome launches all-exploitation streaming service". The A.V. Club . Archived from the original on November 21, 2019. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  15. Abrams, Simon (February 27, 2014). "Meet Skinaflix, the Netflix for Aficionados of Old-School Porn". Riverfront Times . Archived from the original on October 19, 2020. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  16. "Exploitation.TV on Facebook: "We have decided to discontinue service on Exploitation.TV as of July 31st, 2018..."". Facebook . June 21, 2018. Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  17. "New York Ninja (VSP) – Vinegar Syndrome". Vinegar Syndrome. Archived from the original on December 9, 2021. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  18. "Cinématographe". Vinegar Syndrome. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
  19. "Little Darlings". Vinegar Syndrome. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
  20. "Red Rock West". Vinegar Syndrome. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
  21. Hall, Phil (August 10, 2017). "Saving Cult Classics in Connecticut". Take Magazine. Archived from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2021.