Something Weird....

[freerangehuman]

Hello all,
I know that Something Weird Video doesn't do strictly horror, but I own a couple of their DVDs...
Basket Case(an old fav of mine)
Just for the Hell of it/Blast-Off Girls(preposterous JD mayhem)
Beast that Killed Women/Monster of Camp Sunshine(cheesy nudist/monster silliness)

I enjoy their DVDs. The extras outshine the features IMO.
I was just interested in anyone else's opinions, good or bad, about SWV's DVDs(Other's favorites, recommendations, etc.)

thanks, Free

[ArrowBeach]

I hate their DVD! Their extra has a cheap commadore computer Sw logo that never leaves, no inserts, most films are full screen, non anamorphic, lame extra, very crappy prints, in fact some the VHS counterpart used a less damaged print, I say Anchor Bay has nothing to fear of this shoddy company,in fact they are almost on equal level as diamond or retro media dvd! At lease elite or synapse do re-master!

[maybrick]

Originally posted by ArrowBeach
I hate their DVD! Their extra has a cheap commadore computer Sw logo that never leaves, no inserts, most films are full screen, non anamorphic, lame extra, very crappy prints, in fact some the VHS counterpart used a less damaged print, I say Anchor Bay has nothing to fear of this shoddy company,in fact they are almost on equal level as diamond or retro media dvd! At lease elite or synapse do re-master!

You have no idea what you're talking about.

Most films owned by S/W have an aspect ratio that's full screen so I should hope that they wouldn't be anamorphic. You'd either lose vital info on the top and bottom or it would wind up being window boxed. Yes the extras have a logo on it but big deal, it's pretty faint and you're lucky to see any of this footage at all! Do you realize how rare this shit is and here you complain about damaged prints? Most of films have looked far better than anyone should hope without remastering (see Sting of Death or Blood Feast for some great examples). And don't blame S/W for the packaging either, blame Image. They're the ones who decided on snapper cases (and they recently switched over to the more popular keep cases. No inserts? You should see the 11 page booklet that comes with Monsters Crash the Pajama Party! I don't usually make a habit of attacking someone's personal character, but it appears to me that you're nothing but a spoiled brat! Sorry.

[Max Yokell]

OK I admit it, I have some of their DVDs.

Worse yet, I have enjoyed several of their DVDs.

I really Liked Gore Gore Girls and enjoyed a couple of other horror movies as well.

I have never thought of them or their product as quality, but they deal with movies that are so far beyond not being touched by mainstream compnaies that they do, deserve some praise.

BTW I got one DVD from them that I expect was going to be a double feature of cheap exploitation horror and I swear after watching it, that it was like watching two 60's porno films with the porn parts missing. :)

So I think they are hit or miss, but I will continue to check out their oddities.

Max

[Ralph Mouth]

Something Weird is my favourite company - I have some of their XXX hardcore horror tapes as well as their DVD's, which are amazing.

Anyone who complains about a lack of inserts on a disc I don't take very seriously - its quite laughable really...why not just enjoy the movie?

As for the SWV logo - you can't tell its there after a while on their video's and its not on the main feature of the dsics, just the extra's which are usually alot of fun ("Bloody Pit of Horror" disc for example - the rare snippet of "Primitive Love" is hilarious, the best extra on any disc ever!). Their transfers are amazing also and as pointed out by someone else are fullscreen in many instances because that's how they are meant to be seen (the H G Lewis stuff etc).

Best company in the business - long live Something Weird!

[KillerCannabis]

I have Basket Case and I'm quite pleased with the disc. The cover art is cool and the extras are full of shit that I'm surprised have even seen the light of disc. Excellent job IMHO.

[Andrew]

The BASKET CASE DVD is sweet. Awesome extras, specially the commentary. But I swear, the Beverly Bonner show is scarier than anything on any DVD I've ever seen. And I'm not kidding.

BLOOD FEAST is great fun, the commentary is one of my favorites. Still haven't seen most of the extras, but it's a classic.

Got TWO THOUSAND MANIACS for $16 shipped (at Rare Flix (http://www.rareflix.com)) and didn't like it much. The commentary was pretty cool though, so maybe the film will grow on me.

I dunno, I like their stuff. ArrowBeach - I'm honestly starting to think you're a joke.

[gunner]

Whats this no insert buisness? Every something weird video release I've bought (which is quite a few) have had inserts...complete with full frontal nudity!!! Their older releases used to be packaged in snapper cases which of course isn't going to have one.

[Mark Relford]

Originally posted by AndrewBBD
I'm honestly starting to think you're a joke.

Give Andy a prize. Arrow is like a broken record, spouting off the same tired shit.:rolleyes:

freerange, if you dig blood n' guts, bad acting, and Grade A cheese, check out Blood Feast, 2000 Maniacs, The Wizard of Gore, and The Gore Gore Girls. H.G. Lewis rocks!:D
I like SW's DVDs. Can't wait for Monster-A-Go-Go/Psyched by the 4-D Witch in July!

[Trout]

Originally posted by AndrewBBD

I dunno, I like their stuff. ArrowBeach - I'm honestly starting to think you're a joke.

Anyone remember that "Zombie" guy who kept saying how Anchor Bay was the greatest, while all other companies sucked ass? Kind of reminds me of that.

[ArrowBeach]

Well I was ANXIOUSLY waiting for Sw to do a good job with soe of my all time favorites like CARNIVAL OF BLOOD, DEATH CURSE OF TARTU, HITCHIKE TO HELL, AMAZING TRANSPLANT, and I couldnt believe the bad print they used. I am not kidding. check out the 20 year old wizard video copy of CARNIBAL OF BLOOD! It is brighter, and less scratchy, and it didnt have green scratches like the Sw dvd! And this is one of my guilty preasures! And AMAZING TRANSPLANT is SHORTER than my 22 year old electric video version as well! IF they released these titles semi-decent, I would be happy, but I feel I gotten ripped off. :mad: At least MGM and AB dvd are now 14.98, so it's easy on my salary! And look at Rhino DVD, for 9.98 they are FINALLY re-mastering the crown titles.

Trout, why are you saying your family must commit suicide/harakiri?;)

[maybrick]

"I am not kidding. check out the 20 year old wizard video copy of CARNIBAL OF BLOOD! It is brighter, and less scratchy, and it didnt have green scratches like the Sw dvd!"

I'm not surprised. Back then, Carnival of Blood was only 12 years old, and now it's 32! There's bound to be more wear and tear on any print that has lasted this long, especially for a shitty, grade Z film like this which very few people even care about. Just be glad that there's even a print still around at this late stage in the game to be converted to DVD!

[Spectre]

I love the Something Weird Video--and their DVDs, given they're taken from 30-40 year old grindhouse and drive-in prints, look amazing!

I've got the Lewis films on disc, and I think they look great. GORE GORE GIRLS was sourced from a video master, but even it makes a nice DVD. Something Weird is the only Lewis title that's matted, but the matting obscures some of the opening credits, so you can tell it's a matted fullscreen presentation. I'm quite happy with it, though.

Definitely pick up THE CURIOUS DR. HUMPP--it's an Argentinan classick full of sex, monsters, sex, mad scientists, more sex, a talking brain in a jar, and even mor sex! The DVD is also has the extra sex footage (i.e., lesbian and so forth) that Novak had shot specifically for the U.S. release. There are some interesting extras on it, too, for those that are into 'em--including a short where a woman gets it on with a cardboard skeleton--PLUS the trailer for THE DEADLY ORGAN, which will hopefully see a DVD release as well.

I also dig FRANKENSTEIN'S CASTLE OF FREAKS, even though it didn't fare so well in the reviews here. It's fun Italian trash, tho, w/ Edward Purdom, Mike Dunn, and Bava regular, Luciano Pigozzi.

Also check out HORRORS OF SPIDER ISLAND and MANTIS IN LACE.

[Jog]

Something Weird is an amazing company releasing fantastic, otherwise nearly impossible to see films with tons of extra rare fun at a fairly low price! The commen complaints about SW are two:

1. Their prints suck. Well yeah, sometimes they do. But you have to understand that SW more-or-less consists of two men: Mike Vraney and Frank Henenlotter, and a FEW assorted helpers. They do not have the cash for restorations. And most of these films would be outright lost (some are: exploitation films are often thought to be gone forever before rare prints are found) were it not for SW. They do try to use the best prints possible, though there was controversy over The Amazing Transplant. Sometimes though, their prints can be AMAZING (Sting of Death springs to mind).

2. That damn SWV logo. Well, I don't think it's going away, and SW does not want anyone copying their stuff (which is totally rational, considering that many of the extras they have are the only copies in existence). It's not THAT annoying...

So anyway, I love them. I own about 1/2 of their entire dvd collection. I'd recommend:

1. Sting of Death/Death Curse of Tartu: MONSTER FUN!!!

2. Godmonster of Indian Flats/Girl and the Geek: Jaw dropping American giant monster film + vintage nudie classic = good fun for all.

3. Carnival of Blood/Curse of the Headless Horseman: Ultra-bad indy "art" horror. I honestly enjoyed these!

4. Monsters Crash the Pajama Party: Too much great stuff about classic spook shows to list. It really is a full education on a disc.

5. Blood Feast: Of course!

This is only the beginning...

[ArrowBeach]

Originally posted by maybrick
"

I'm not surprised. Back then, Carnival of Blood was only 12 years old, and now it's 32! There's bound to be more wear and tear on any print that has lasted this long, especially for a shitty, grade Z film like this which very few people even care about. Just be glad that there's even a print still around at this late stage in the game to be converted to DVD!

Hmm, you do have a very valid point. however, I know that if you look deep enough somewhere, someone MUST have the negatives. Yes, not all films the negatives survive, but this played alot in the 70's someone must have the negatives, or a good print somewhere. Or, maybe just wishful thinking on my part. :confused:

[dcrw6]

I can't really judge the company as I only have one disc by them, which isn't enough to accurately state an opinion on them. However, that one disc is Basket Case (a childhood favorite) and is a top notch disc for the kind of film it is. I love when the director tries to go back to the hotel with the guy that looks like a Cypress Hill reject and aren't allowed in. I just saw that S&M club on Dave Attel, too. Though the clips from that black lady's public access show freak me out for some reason.

[Trout]

Originally posted by ArrowBeach

Trout, why are you saying your family must commit suicide/harakiri?;)

My friend gave me a link to a site with Japanese phrases that everyone must know, and that one struck me as the funniest.

It says something like (or it is supposed to say): I liked the part were your family disemboweled themselves.

[bruce h]

I have every SWV DVD there is, and I can truthfully say they're my favorite DVD company out there right now (although to be fair Image does a lot of the work too).

ArrowBeach - As for the complaints - high quality elements for these titles are NOT easily found. Negatives don't always exist. SWV uses the best prints they can get, and does the best transfers they can with the materials they have access to. They're NOT going to digitally restore any title (the sales wouldn't warrant it), but you can guarantee a nice new digital transfer for each one. Any of the ltbx titles coming up (like WHEN WOMEN PLAYED DING-DONG) will be anamorphic. While Wizard Video's CARNIVAL OF BLOOD and Cult Video's CURSE OF THE HEADLESS HORSEMAN prints weren't as beat up as the ones used for DVD, the disc is MUCH sharper, with better colors than both ancient VHS releases. As far as AMAZING TRANSPLANT goes, after writing my review (I was told that Wishman herself re-edited the film and cut the negative to tone down some elements for different markets. SWV didn't notice the error until it was too late.

Jog - SWV consists of more than Mike and Frank.

Spectre - Harry Novak didn't shoot the xtra footage for CURIOUS DR HUMPP, Jerald Intraltor did. As for DEADLY ORGAN, it's going to be double-billed with NIGHT OF THE BLOODY APES this Fall.

Recommended titles?
The Adult Version of Jeckyll and Hide
Basket Case
Black Cat/The Fat Black Pussycat
Blood Feast
Bloody Pit of Horror
The Body Beneath
Carnival of Blood/Curse of the Headless Horseman
The Child/I Eat Your Skin
Confessions of a Psycho Cat/Hot Blooded Woman
The Curious Dr Humpp
Deadly Weapons
Death Curse of Tartu/Sting of Death
Double Agent 73
Goliath and the Dragon/The Conqueror of Atlantis
The Gore Gore Girls
The Gruesome Twosome
The Horrors of Spider Island
Johnny Firecloud/Bummer!
Marihuana/Assassin of Youth/Reefer Madness
Mondo Mod/The Hippie Revolt
Monster-A-Go-Go/Psyched by the 4-D Witch
Primitive Love/Mondo Balordo
Satan in High Heels/The Wild and the Naked
A Scream in the Streets
She Devils on Wheels
She Freak
Something Weird
Street of a Thousand Pleasures/Way Out Topless
Teenage Gang Debs/Teen-Age Strangler
Two Thousand Maniacs
The Wizard of Gore

[Max Yokell]

Does something Weird Video have a web site any where?

Gunner,
You have SWV DVds with inserts? Which ones?

Max

[DefJeff]

http://www.somethingweird.com/

[gunner]

The something weird dvd titles I have with inserts are

The Child
Axe
Basket Case
Kiss Me Quick/House On Bare Mountain
Mondo Mod/The Hippie Revolt
Blood Feast (recent press in keep case)


All of my other SWV titles are in cardboard snapcases

[Max Yokell]

Umm I guess somewhere along the way there was some confusion. :D

Gunner,
I thought by inserts you meant the porno shots..

Max