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Posted: **Wed Jun 21, 2023 12:39 am**

Just the usual Vinegar Syndrome numbers game FOMO. Both the limited and standard editions of the Szulkin set will be back on the VS site on 7/1, I'm sure.

Posted: **Wed Jun 21, 2023 6:16 am**

swo17 wrote: Thu May 25, 2023 4:26 pm Shandigor is a pretty cool, unconventional take on a spy film

Loved this, and "unconventional" is an understatement. There's a transparency to the type of satire being pitched at cold-war espionage and spy films in general, but there's also a less-obvious bit of prodding going on. I'll concede that characters come and go in the most slapdash and subversive ways in part because the film is zany and uninvested in organizing long-term payoffs vs impulsively delivering pleasures as they pop into mind (there are a few punchlines - like the vehicle of the pool monster - that arrive comically early and actionably pruned). But, the switching-up of thinly-decorated narrative arcs seems to also be having fun with the unadaptability of the spy novel plotting - where a deep section of a Le Carré story is at-best a behaviorist glance at iceberg-tip characterization, even in miniseries form, and often at worst a convoluted plot with zero characterization. I could barely figure out who was who and what was happening, but as a reader of spy books and a witness to almost-universally horrible adaptations, this was even more fun on a reflexive level, and it's plenty fun without that context.

Posted: **Wed Jun 21, 2023 5:16 pm**

Okay so after watching all of the Vinegar Syndrome Labs catalog I have ranked them all in case anyone was interested in what it had to offer. I'm doing this from worst to best so...

#4 or the Worst is Curucu.
Don't get me wrong this is certainly a fine film but nothing that interesting asides the oddly feminist Beverly Garland (at least compared to other films of that period), the stunning landscape shots, and the fact that it's an animal snuff film. The main problem here is that

Spoiler

the monster isn't real, which wouldn't have been so bad, had it not already been done in Siodmak's other film, Bride of the Gorilla and feels very stale, especially considering how original the design looked. Plus at least with BotG, they care to try to make it seem ambiguous.

Overall though it's fairly standard jungle fare from what I've seen and I might also check out Love Slaves but hopes aren't high for that one.

#3 is The Cat Creeps:
I came into TCC with low expectations based off other ratings of the film, but came pleasantly surprised, nothing groundbreaking but it feels like it knows what it is (compared to the self-serious Curucu) and had a fun time with itself and the audience. I laughed at quite a few lines, I was fairly invested in the story, and I even enjoyed the twist and turns especially that final reveal which was set up and foreshadowed well and then paid off well too. In short, go in with low expectations and you'll at the very least be mildly happy with yourself by the end.

#2 is Flesh and Fantasy:
I've never really gotten into anthologies but this is making me really consider checking more out. What on the surface could have been a fairly stale and dull experience and story (minus the 2nd tale which is really well written) is instead turned into a nightmarish yet somehow beautiful display of lighting and cinematography. Wouldn't go into this deeply though because I've already written my thoughts in the Duviver thread but in short, beautifully Hollywood.

#1 is the Piotr Szulkin set:
Maybe one day I'll write my individual thoughts on each film but in short, each is wonderful in their own right and serves as probably the 2nd best example of using genre as commentary (first being Luis Garcia Berlanga), going into what happens to a society when the apocalypse comes and things change, and also far outweighs the feats of the other films except maybe FaF (in technical scope at least). Maybe when I receive the set I can understand them some more, but I still admire the absolute brilliance of Szulkin's work and the fact that this set could open up the doors to other similar directors like Królikiewicz in the future.

Posted: **Wed Jun 21, 2023 5:43 pm**

therewillbeblus wrote: Wed Jun 21, 2023 6:16 am
swo17 wrote: Thu May 25, 2023 4:26 pm Shandigor is a pretty cool, unconventional take on a spy film
Loved this, and "unconventional" is an understatement. There's a transparency to the type of satire being pitched at cold-war espionage and spy films in general, but there's also a less-obvious bit of prodding going on. I'll concede that characters come and go in the most slapdash and subversive ways in part because the film is zany and uninvested in organizing long-term payoffs vs impulsively delivering pleasures as they pop into mind (there are a few punchlines - like the vehicle of the pool monster - that arrive comically early and actionably pruned). But, the switching-up of thinly-decorated narrative arcs seems to also be having fun with the unadaptability of the spy novel plotting - where a deep section of a Le Carré story is at-best a behaviorist glance at iceberg-tip characterization, even in miniseries form, and often at worst a convoluted plot with zero characterization. I could barely figure out who was who and what was happening, but as a reader of spy books and a witness to almost-universally horrible adaptations, this was even more fun on a reflexive level, and it's plenty fun without that context.

It's also one of the most gorgeous black and white films of the 60s, right up there with Last Year at Marienbad.

Posted: **Sat Jun 24, 2023 6:34 pm**

Vinegar Syndrome wrote:Due to a recently discovered issue with the 5.1 surround track on our SHOWGIRLS Blu-ray and UHD discs, we will be implementing an automated replacement program for customers that purchased direct from VinegarSyndrome.com. If you purchased from another retailer, please contact us via our website with proof of purchase to qualify for the replacement discs. We expect the replacement Blu-ray and UHD discs to ship out in July. Thank you for understanding.

Posted: **Sat Jun 24, 2023 7:07 pm**

Adam X wrote: Sat Jun 24, 2023 6:34 pm
Vinegar Syndrome wrote:Due to a recently discovered issue with the 5.1 surround track on our SHOWGIRLS Blu-ray and UHD discs, we will be implementing an automated replacement program for customers that purchased direct from VinegarSyndrome.com. If you purchased from another retailer, please contact us via our website with proof of purchase to qualify for the replacement discs. We expect the replacement Blu-ray and UHD discs to ship out in July. Thank you for understanding.

That's great news to hear, hopefully they'll fix their subtitle problem too as there's a lot of grammatical errors. My favorite being AfterNards

Also sidetracking a bit here but Partner Label clues dropped a little while ago so figured I'd post them here:

Vinegar Syndrome wrote:From the Finally, 17 (!!!) new Partner Label releases are coming on July 1st, including a set of rarities from a Spanish genre film master, a controversial early 2000s drama, and an incredible 60s adaptation of a beloved classic.

I know for a fact that The Pied Piper is coming from Deaf Crocodile might be coming this month as it was listed as the next spine number after Prague Nights but sure what the hints could mean unless the adaptation is somehow meant to be for TPP.

Posted: **Sat Jun 24, 2023 11:30 pm**

Come to think of it, Yellow Veil's Wocjiech Has films are all literary adaptations. Since Polish cinema of the 60s has quite a few other literary adaptations of note, and the artists behind the Has slipcovers mentioned only working on three films by Has (presumably, then, no more Has), I wonder if that "incredible 60s adaptation of a beloved classic" might be a Yellow Veil release of another Polish film. Boleslaw Prus's Pharoah, for instance, was adapted into a film by Jerzy Kawalerowicz, and I think that would fit the criteria nicely, as it is a beloved classic novel and the adaptation considered quite extraordinary.

Naturally, I'm probably wrong.

Posted: **Sat Jul 01, 2023 4:48 pm**

Partner Labels releases for July:

Spoiler

Adjust Your Tracking: The Untold Story of the VHS Collector
Dirty Money
Fake It So Real
Falcon Lake
Full Time
The Harbinger
The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things
The Hole In the Fence
Midnite Spares
Once a Moth
The Outwaters
The Pied Piper
Rimini
The Tortured Soul Trilogy
Uranian Dreams: Two Homosexual Films by Eloy de la Iglesia
Video Diary of a Lost Girl

The Film Desk are also releasing 3 books: Conversations with Kiarostami, In the Time of Kiarostami, and Time Tells.

Posted: **Sat Jul 01, 2023 5:02 pm**

Dirty Money! Damn, Canadian International is really all-in with Denys Arcand. I hope they can score Joyeux Calvaire at some point

Posted: **Sat Jul 01, 2023 5:50 pm**

Whatever the "incredible 60s adaptation" is supposed to be, it isn't among the titles announced.

Posted: **Sat Jul 01, 2023 5:59 pm**

Here is what VS is planning to release for the rest of the year:

August 2023:
3 VS releases totaling $137.94 (MSRP)
Includes: 4 film BD box set including BEAKS, German shocker UHD, Brazilian exploitation double feature BD

September 2023:
4 VS releases totaling $171.92 (MSRP)
Includes: ARNOLD (BD), EVIL JUDGEMENT (BD), early 80s Hong Kong horror (BD), regional horror double feature (BD)

October 2023:
4 VS releases totaling $205.92 (MSRP)
Includes: Never on disc slasher (BD), Notorious Troma classic (UHD), Grisly “golden age” slasher (UHD), Notorious German gorefest (UHD)

November 2023:
5 VS releases totaling $352.90 (MSRP)
Includes: PROPHECY 1-3 (UHD set w/ exclusive restorations & extras) 10 Film Collection (BD), Never on disc slasher (BD), plus two shocking surprise titles!

December 2023:
No VS releases planned.
Partners Only month!

Those 2 shocking surprise titles in November better be shocking and surprising since everything else that's listed doesn't sound interesting at all.

Posted: **Sat Jul 01, 2023 6:20 pm**

Well, that Brazilian exploitation double feature sounds intriguing.

Posted: **Sat Jul 01, 2023 6:25 pm**

beamish14 wrote: Sat Jul 01, 2023 5:02 pm Dirty Money! Damn, Canadian International is really all-in with Denys Arcand. I hope they can score Joyeux Calvaire at some point

I am looking forward to seeing these. They've said they're also working on Réjeanne Padovani.

Posted: **Sat Jul 01, 2023 6:45 pm**

The Troma is probably Toxic Avenger or Street Trash. Disappointed none of these clues fit Ms. 45

Posted: **Sat Jul 01, 2023 6:53 pm**

Street Trash UHD is coming from Synapse, though it's not a Troma film anyway (which leaves just one film on your shortlist).

Posted: **Sat Jul 01, 2023 6:57 pm**

Pied Piper is an easy Orbit pre-order (plus Prague Nights once they have more stock again). I might also get The Outwaters.

Posted: **Sat Jul 01, 2023 7:12 pm**

Troma is also releasing their own 4K box of the Toxic Avenger films.

Posted: **Sat Jul 01, 2023 8:02 pm**

Full Time is great--this Letterboxd review nails it: "Uncut Gems for single moms"

Posted: **Sat Jul 01, 2023 8:55 pm**

Does anyone own the Blu-ray of "I Do Not Care If We Go Down In History As Barbarians"? I can't find a single review or any information about whether the audio is lossless and if the subtitles are optional.

Posted: **Sat Jul 01, 2023 9:16 pm**

I have it but I don't know how to tell about the audio. Subtitles are optional.

Posted: **Sat Jul 01, 2023 9:20 pm**

Does your player display or receiver say whether the audio is say, DTS-HD Master Audio, PCM, or Dolby Digital?

Posted: **Sat Jul 01, 2023 9:28 pm**

It does say "DTS-HD MA 5.1 48k"

Posted: **Sat Jul 01, 2023 9:36 pm**

Great, thanks for the info, I'm gonna buy it at today's sale price!

Posted: **Sat Jul 01, 2023 10:36 pm**

swo17 wrote: Sat Jul 01, 2023 8:02 pm Full Time is great--this Letterboxd review nails it: "Uncut Gems for single moms"

I suppose that's somewhat apt, but I watched it recently and didn't feel the vibe at all, so YMMV

Posted: **Sun Jul 02, 2023 2:24 am**

To follow up on my confusion regarding the Piotr Szulkin set, it is available for sale again, but only in the Limited Edition. The Standard Edition (which one would think would NOT be limited) is still “sold out.” I don’t know. At this point I think I’ve lost interest altogether.

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