…in my opinion anyway.

Full disclosure: If this were an objective list, it would look completely different. Some of the labels I’ve sung the praises of would not make the list. Some of the labels I dismissed when I began compiling this list would have taken their place. I’ve received a few emails regarding the list already. Most of them are holding their breath hoping one of the big labels in the genre community, Mondo Macabro, will slip into number 1 (SPOILER ALERT: it doesn’t). One reader really took me to task for awarding Mya Communication, basically a bootleg distributor, a spot on the list but not CasaNegra, a label which devoted a lot of love and care to some truly obscure pieces of cinema. Some people thought my decision to include Anchor Bay was ridiculous. Why not Lionsgate or Dimension Extreme?

The response to all these bits of criticism is simple: this is my list. I am a fan of certain kinds of cinema and not others. I value companies that release certain kinds of films more than companies who do not. This was never meant to be some kind of definitive list. This is one of those problems with creating lists (I even spoke about it in the very first part). People get, for the lack of a better term, butthurt over them. While I certainly don’t mind a bit of friendly debate (or a little abuse), my mind won’t be changed by a few emails and some four letter words (even if they’re in ALL CAPS and followed by several exclamation points).

All of my choices can be justified by my personal opinions on what constitutes worthwhile releases. For me, a good DVD label should look to augment their spate of mainstream titles with obscure titles. There should be a level of quality control apparent throughout their entire catalog. They should treat their releases with respect. Extras, while nice, are not mandatory but, when included, should go a bit beyond a few trailers for other films and text biographies.

I am aware that there are some obvious exceptions to those qualifications on my list. Mya Communication don’t put much effort into 90% of their releases, but the films they’re releasing are so rare that I’m willing to put quality control aside for the sake of having a certain film on disc. I’m struggling to think of a single obscure title released by Anchor Bay in the last decade. Most of their catalog is mainstream film. You’re not going to see Anchor Bay release MUSEO DEL HORROR or BLUE MOVIE anytime soon, but I value their place in the marketplace as they have continuously kept catalog titles in print. There will always be exceptions. The label that knocked Mondo Macabro off the list was Barrel Entertainment. Why? Because I think Barrel Entertainment deserved it. Mondo Macabro has a relatively big selection of titles. Barrel Entertainment had 10 releases. There is no doubt that, objectively speaking, Mondo Macabro has done more to spread exposure of obscure exploitation and horror cinema than Barrel Entertainment. Their releases look better than Barrel Entertainment’s releases and have better extras and artwork. So why did Barrel Entertainment beat them out when Mondo Macabro meets all my qualifications and Barrel Entertainment only meets a few?

Because I think the totality of Mondo Macabro’s big catalog fails to match the value of Barrel Entertainment’s tiny catalog. I would not trade my Barrel Entertainment edition of LAST HOUSE ON DEAD END STREET for any title (or all titles) released by Mondo Macabro. The 10 titles released by Barrel Entertainment were titles no one else wanted to touch. They were more than likely doomed to the graveyards of public trackers in battered and bruised VHS rips. While Mondo Macabro deserves a lot of praise (consider them number 11 on this list), I think Barrel Entertainment deserved the spot simply for having balls the size of watermelons.

So now that I’ve explained (or tried to explain anyway) a little bit of my reasoning, I can move on. It’s time to wrap up the list. But first, a quick rundown of the list so far.

#10 (tie) Anchor Bay Entertainment / Barrel Entertainment
#9 Code Red
#8 Mya Communication
#7 Dark Sky Films
#6 Shriek Show
#5 Subversive Cinema
#4 Severin
#3 Synapse Films
#2 Blue Underground

And now for my number one pick.

#1

I’m an Italophile. I have no problem admitting to that. For me, there is no better cinema than Italian cinema, especially in the 1970s. I adore the giallo film and the poliziotteschi just as much as I adore the cinema of Fellini, Antonioni, De Sica and Rossellini. So you can imagine the elation I felt when the first NoShame releases began to hit the US in 2005. A true specialty label, NoShame was The Criterion Collection for fans of Italian cinema. With releases that covered nearly all the bases of Italian cinema in the post-1960s, each and every NoShame release was a potential goldmine of revelation. The attention to detail and love poured into every release was astounding. Each and every release was a godsend.

NoShame closed shop in 2006, leaving behind an impressive catalog of titles. Even though they were only releasing in the States for less than a year and a half, they managed to release close to 40 titles, most of them for the first time ever in the US. Their titles range from sex comedies (the Edwige Fenech starring Ubalda, All Naked and Warm and Giovannona Long-Thigh), dramas (Valerio Zurlini’s excellent Violent Summer and Girl With a Suitcase, and Marcello Pagliero’s powerful Roma Citta Libera), poliziotteschi (Umberto Lenzi’s amazing Almost Human and Massimo Dallamano’s gritty Colt 38: Special Squad), anthologies (the Avant-garde wonder Love & Anger and the Fellini / Visconti / Monicelli / De Sica powerhouse Boccaccio ’70), horror (Mariano Baino’s Lovecraftian creepfest Dark Waters and Marcello Aliprandi’s quietly understated A Whisper in the Dark) and, of course, the giallo (Sergio Martino’s excellent The Case of the Scorpion’s Tail, Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key and The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh). Every release is top quality, utilizing only the best prints and supplemented by quality extras.

For fans of Italian cinema, NoShame is an indispensable label and their releases deserve to be tracked down and added to your collection. They were the best specialty label to have come and gone in a long time and they are deeply missed.

NOSHAME RELEASES

Almost Human
Uno Bianca
The Big Alligator River
Boccaccio ’70
The Case of the Scorpion’s Tail
Colt 38 Special Squad / La Bidonata
Convoy Busters
Dark Waters
Devil in the Flesh
Double Game / Tony: Another Double Game
Emergency Squad
The Emilio Miraglia Killer Queen Box Set (The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave / The Red Queen Kills Seven Times)
Gambling City
Giovannona Long-Thigh
Last Days of Mussolini
The Last Round
Love and Anger
Luciano Ercoli’s The Death Box Set (Death Walks at Midnight / Death Walks on High Heels)
A Man Called Magnum
Massacre in Rome
The Most Beautiful Wife
Open Letter to the Evening News
Padre Pio, Miracle Man
Partner
The Railroad Man
Roma Citta Libera
Secrets of a Call Girl
The Sensuous Nurse
St. Francis
Story of a Cloistered Nun
Story of a Love Affair
The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh
The Desert of the Tartars
Ubalda, All Naked and Warm
The Valerio Zurlini Box Set: The Early Masterpieces
A Whisper in the Dark
Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key

TOP 5 NOSHAME TITLES

#1 THE EMILIO MIRAGLIA KILLER QUEEN BOX SET – Chances are good that you already own a copy of THE NIGHT EVELYN CAME OUT OF THE GRAVE if you’ve purchased any of those horror movie 50 packs floating around retail outlets, but I can guarantee you’ve never seen it look this good. Miraglia’s excellently weird gothic/giallo/sexploitation shocker is lovingly restored here and is presented with excellent special features. The real star of this set however is Miraglia’s follow-up (and last film as a director), THE RED QUEEN KILLS 7 TIMES. Simply put, this is one of the greatest giallo films ever made, a taut thriller that comes close to surpassing even the best of Martino and Argento. The film looks and sounds wonderful here and is complimented by plenty of wonderful extras. The little Red Queen figurine is icing on the cake. An absolutely essential boxed set and a prized piece in my personal collection. Amazing stuff.

#2 LUCIANO ERCOLI’S THE DEATH BOX SET – This set collects Ercoli’s twin gialli, DEATH WALKS ON HIGH HEELS and DEATH WALKS AT MIDNIGHT, and tops it off with a special CD collecting some of the best film music of Stelvio Cipriani. On the surface, this seems like a simple set, less flashy than NoShame’s other two big boxed sets, but the value here cannot be understated. These are excellent films and perfect examples of the giallo film in its prime. The extras on the set are lacking but the inclusion of the television version of DEATH WALKS AT MIDNIGHT more than makes up for that.

#3 YOUR VICE IS A LOCKED ROOM AND ONLY I HAVE THE KEY – Here it is. Sergio Martino’s undervalued masterwork is an incredible piece of work but one that divides opinion. For some, this mix of sex, murder and Poe feels scattershot and confused. For others, this deeply challenging, confrontational film stands at the top of the giallo filmography. I belong to the latter. This is an outstanding film, one that both demands and rewards multiple viewings. The NoShame release is gorgeous.

#4 THE STRANGE VICE OF MRS WARDH – Sergio Martino’s first giallo film is an excellent and twisted gem of a film. This is an incredibly important film in the history of the giallo film and easily stands up to the very best the giallo had to offer. Extras are a little slim but the presentation is gorgeous. An essential film for fans of the giallo film (or fans of Edwige Fenech).

#5 DARKS WATERS – A perfect example of NoShame’s fearlessness, this huge set collects Mariano Baino’s Lovecraftian horror DARK WATERS, three of Baino’s short films, a huge amount of supplemental material and a nifty ceramic reproduction of the demonic amulet from the film. While not a masterpiece, this is still one of the creepiest films I’ve ever seen and NoShame’s fanboyish commitment to releasing the definitive version of this small, cult film is remarkable. A real labor of love, this set is a stunning work of art.

in my opinion anyway…

So far, I’ve discussed my first three picks for the best genre DVD labels in the US. To save you a few clicks, here’s how the list is shaping up so far. My #10 spot came down to a tie between heavy weight label Anchor Bay and the infinitely smaller (and sadly defunct) label Barrel Entertainment. My #9 choice was Code Red, a label which has excelled at releasing great prints of some truly niche titles but suffers from a few quality control problems. #8 belonged to Mya Communications, a small label that releases some really bizarre Italian genre titles but unfortunately does nothing to better the print quality of their releases. My #7 pick was Dark Sky, a great label with big ambitions. #6 was Shriek Show, an excellent label with an eye for some of the more mainstream titles and #5 belonged to Subversive Cinema, a short lived label which managed to release some truly amazing titles in wonderful editions.

OK. Here we go…

#4

Severin treats every film they release with a Criterion level of care. It doesn’t matter what film it may be, you’re always guaranteed a great print and a handful of great extras. Severin specializes in little-seen erotica and horror with the occasional spattering of mainstream fare. Cult classics like BLOODY BIRTHDAY and THINGS rub shoulders with trash epics like MACUMBA SEXUAL and SATAN’S BABY DOLL. Severin doesn’t have a massive catalog and variety is practically non-existent, but their offerings are top notch and well worth the price.

TOP 5 SEVERIN TITLES

#1 SANTA SANGRE – Easily Severin’s top release, this release of Alejandro Jodorowsky’s most accessible and most intoxicating film mixes extras culled from previous releases with brand new features to create a release that comes very close to definitive. The transfer is simply gorgeous. If you have not yet experienced SANTA SANGRE, this is how you want to see it. Positively glorious.

#2 PERVERSION STORY – This little seen Lucio Fulci giallo won’t impress fans of his late era work but fans of the giallo will find much to enjoy here. The film looks fantastic but the disc contains no extras. The included soundtrack CD by Riz Ortolani is excellent. A visually interesting film featuring the lovely Marisa Mell, PERVERSION STORY is an essential film for Fulci fans.

#3 MALABIMBA – One of the more notorious sexploitation films in Severin’s catalog, this piece of Italian sleaze looks great and comes in two different edits, an uncut composite and the tamer regular release. A much better film than it has any right to be, MALABIMBA is an excellent purchase for fans of sleazy Italian sexploitation.

#4 THE SINFUL DWARF – Speaking of sleazy… Easily one of the most distasteful and disturbed films ever made, THE SINFUL DWARF more than lives up to its reputation. Unfortunately Severin doesn’t include the XXX version of the film (or any meaningful extras) but the transfer presented here is good and the film itself should be in every serious exploitation fan’s collection.

#5 THE BLACK EMANUELLE FILMS – Also collected in two excellent boxed sets, Severin released six of the many Emanuelle films starring the lovely Laura Gemser. While none of the Emanuelle films are great, they are essential pieces of softcore eye candy. EMANUELLE IN BANGKOK, EMANUELLE AROUND THE WORLD, SISTER EMANUELLE, BLACK EMMANUELLE / WHITE EMMANUELLE, BLACK EMANUELLE 2 and EMANUELLE AND THE WHITE SLAVE TRADE are all on offer from Severin in nice looking prints.

#3

A Synapse release is everything you could want from a DVD release. Strong titles in gorgeous transfers with timely and interesting extras are all par for the course. Company founder Don May, Jr clearly has a great eye for film and the company’s catalog is excellent. In addition, Synapse houses two sister labels, Impulse Pictures and Panik House, both of which are tailored to specific niche interests (erotica and Asian exploitation respectively). For quality, Synapse is hard to beat and their commitment to quality is inspiring. A great label.

TOP 5 SYNAPSE TITLES

#1 THRILLER: A CRUEL PICTURE – This release alone would be enough to qualify Synapse as a top DVD label. Bo Arne Vibenius’ excellent rape / revenge tale is given a great transfer (including a hardcore edit with all the XXX inserts included) and a small but good selection of extras. This is one of the greatest exploitation films of the 1970s and an instant purchase for anyone interested in exploitation cinema.

#2 SCHOOLGIRL REPORT SERIES – Released on the Impulse Pictures imprint, these pseudo-documentaries feature erotic fantasy scenarios, all featuring gorgeous young women. Seven volumes are available and all are recommended as fine sources of eye candy. Not much to learn, not much narrative to digest and not too much to write home about, but having these quirky bits of erotica in good looking prints is awesome. This series is a must for anyone interested in international erotica.

#3 INTRUDER – One of the greatest slasher films ever made finds a home at Synapse in a simply wonderful package. Presented uncut on both blu-ray and standard DVD, and packed with great extras, this is the definitive presentation of a film which never quite got the love it deserved. A must for slasher film fans.

#4 THE PINKY VIOLENCE COLLECTION – Originally released by Panik House before they were folded into the Synapse label, this amazing collection brings together four great Pinky Violence films (CRIMINAL WOMAN: KILLING MELODY, TERRIFYING GIRLS’ HIGH SCHOOL: LYNCH LAW CLASSROOM, GIRL BOSS GUERILLA and DELINQUENT GIRL BOSS: WORTHLESS TO CONFESS) in one amazing package. Up until the time of this release, Pinky Violence films were relatively unknown in the States. They should be better known. Brimming with violence and explosive action, these films managed to mix gratuitous nudity, graphic bloodletting and punk rock attitude into volatile concoctions that were always entertaining. A great, great set.

#5 THE IMAGE – One of the most remarkable pieces of erotic cinema, Radley Metzger’s masterpiece is given great treatment here. Looking lovely but sadly presented without extras, THE IMAGE is a great addition to any home video collection. It is sensual without being smutty and explicit without feeling like pornography. Simply amazing.

Now I understand that I kind of cheated here by including The Pinky Violence Collection and the Schoolgirl Report Series as they are not straight Synapse releases. So if you are the kind of person that demands purity in these kinds of lists, feel free to take out those releases, move the remaining films up and tack on SINGAPORE SLING (a truly twisted noir-ish nightmare) and LET ME DIE A WOMAN (a really nasty piece of exploitation).

Anyway, moving on…

#2

TOP 5 BLUE UNDERGROUND TITLES

As you would expect from a company founded by Bill Lustig, the director of MANIAC and VIGILANTE, Blue Underground releases some of the most dangerous, fascinating and downright amazing films from the grindhouse era. Known for their quality releases, Blue Underground’s contributions to the genre DVD era are indisputable. From zombie films to gialli, poliziotteschi to horror, Blue Underground covers all the bases, with release after release reflecting a great respect for the genre film. Any serious collection begins with Blue Underground.

Sadly, new Blue Underground releases have become fewer and fewer as the company shifts its focus to releasing their back catalog on Blu-ray. New acquisitions have taken a backseat to cash grabs with the company frequently releasing new, extras-packed editions of some of their best selling titles like ZOMBIE, HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY and MANIAC. Hopefully the time will come again when we see a new title emerge every month from one of the best labels around.

#1 THE MONDO CANE COLLECTION – A beautiful boxed set of some of the most controversial films ever made. Graphic brutality, playful eroticism, bizarre culture and serious politics are mixed with the poisonous ideology of Gualtiero Jacopetti and Franco Prosperi to create dazzling, disgusting and unforgettable films. AFRICA ADDIO alone will stick with you for a very long time. This eight disc beauty of a set from Blue Underground rivals anything the Criterion Collection has released.

#2 THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE – Argento’s first and most important giallo, THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE is presented in a beautiful transfer and supplemented with a separate disc full of fascinating interviews. The importance of this film in the history of Italian genre cinema cannot be overstated. It remains a remarkable film and the Blue Underground release does it justice.

#3 THE BLIND DEAD COLLECTION – Another great set that shines a light on one of the most overlooked franchises in all of shock cinema. While the quality of the prints is outstanding, the quality of the films varies quite a bit. Two entries are great and two are not. The films can be purchased separately but then you would miss out on the fantastic coffin packaging and the highly informative included documentary on director Amando de Ossorio.

#4 EMANUELLE IN AMERICA – One of the most controversial Italian genre films, this entry in the long running Emanuelle series comes to us in a gorgeous print and, for the first time ever, completely uncut. Veering between softcore sex, overblown melodrama, hardcore pornography and grisly violence, EMANUELLE IN AMERICA is one helluva schizophrenic (and fun) experience.

#5 SNUFF – Sure, SNUFF is without a doubt one of the worst films ever made, but it is also one of the most important genre releases of the 1970s. The history behind this film is the stuff of legend. Unfortunately this history is left uncovered on the DVD. There are no extras (or menus, chapter selections or credits) and that is perhaps the biggest flaw of this release. The history of SNUFF is so damned fascinating that it deserves to be covered in detail. Hell, it is infinitely more interesting than the film itself. But sadly, Blue Underground gives us a bare bones release. Hopefully, they will see fit to correct this with a nice deluxe edition in the future. Still, this is one of those films that need to be in your collection.

Next up, number 1…

in my opinion anyway…

So far, I’ve discussed my first three picks for the best genre DVD labels in the US. To save you a few clicks, here’s how the list is shaping up so far. My #10 spot came down to a tie between heavy weight label Anchor Bay and the infinitely smaller (and sadly defunct) label Barrel Entertainment. My #9 choice was Code Red, a label which has excelled at releasing great prints of some truly niche titles but suffers from a few quality control problems. #8 belonged to Mya Communications, a small label that releases some really bizarre Italian genre titles but unfortunately does nothing to better the print quality of their releases. So now that we’re up to date, we can move on to the next batch.

#7

Although their focus has shifted to new films, the catalog of older titles offered by Dark Sky is impressive, though not very extensive. But quality always trumps quantity and the titles offered by Dark Sky are great. BONNIE’S KIDS, THE KILLING KIND, AND NOW THE SCREAMING STARTS, EATEN ALIVE, ASLYUM, THE BEAST MUST DIE, THE DEVIL’S RAIN, HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER and THE FLESH EATERS are all essential titles for fans of horror cinema. Dark Sky’s attention to detail is impressive and the transfers they use for their releases are near the top of the scale. Their lack of releases for older cult films is regrettable given their track record.

TOP 5 DARK SKY TITLES

#1 SPIDER BABY – Dark Sky did a major service to cult film fans everywhere when they released Jack Hill’s amazing SPIDER BABY in 2007. Easily the best release in Dark Sky’s line-up, this film is in equal measures camp and terror and has stood the test of time as one of the best cult film oddities of all time.

#2 WHO CAN KILL A CHILD? – A brilliant horror film with political undertones, WHO CAN KILL A CHILD? is the killer child film taken to horrifying new extremes. The incredible atmosphere is captured wonderfully in this beautiful release and the extras, consisting of two interesting interviews, adds a healthy dollop of context to the film. An essential purchase.

#3 TRAGIC CEREMONY – TRAGIC CEREMONY is not Riccardo Freda’s best film but it is one of his most visually impressive. For years the only way to experience this film was in shoddy bootleg editions that robbed the film of all its visual splendor. Dark Sky corrects the problem with a stunning 1.85:1 transfer. It’s not a very good film from start to finish but it is definitely an interesting viewing experience.

#4 RICCO THE MEAN MACHINE – A Spanish/Italian action revenge flick best known for a very graphic castration (and a very hot Barbara Bouchet strip tease), RICCO is high camp, light on story but high on style. This is drive-in trash done well, fun without being demanding, violent without being exploitative. The Dark Sky release is the best this film has ever looked.

#5 THE CENTERFOLD GIRLS – One of the most divisive slasher films ever made, THE CENTERFOLD GIRLS has a very rough reputation as the ultimate in misogynist trash. What is often overlooked is how good the film looks and how well directed it is by John Peyser. This is easily the best transfer of the film I’ve ever seen. The extras on offer here are slim but having this notorious film in a nice 1.66:1 transfer more than makes up for it.

#6

Shriek Show has been around for quite some time and their line-up is rife with some of the worst and some of the best the exploitation film has to offer. The quality isn’t always the best but the extras are usually intriguing. Shriek Show is also known for releasing triple packs of exploitation films for cheap, bringing cannibal films, Nazisploitation and Italian trash cinema into households for the cost of a single DVD. For lovers of lower level exploitation, Shriek Show is a godsend.

TOP 5 SHRIEK SHOW TITLES

#1 SHRIEK SHOW TRIPLE FEATURE PACKS – The quality of the DVDs is a mixed bag but the price is right. Psycho Killers Triple Feature (DELIRIUM: PHOTO OF GIORA, HOUSE ON THE EDGE OF THE PARK, BEYOND THE DARKNESS), Jungle Horrors Triple Feature (JUNGLE HOLOCAUST, EATEN ALIVE, MASSACRE IN DINOSAUR VALLEY), Evil Animals Triple Feature (GRIZZLY, DAY OF THE ANIMALS, DEVIL DOG: THE HOUND OF HELL), SS Hell Triple Feature (SS EXPERIMENT LOVE CAMP, SS GIRLS, SS CAMP WOMAN’S HELL)… those are the some of the easiest buying decisions for any genre fan to make. And for about $20 a pop, they’re virtually risk free.

#2 WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO SOLANGE? – Massimo Dallamano’s brilliant giallo classic has been poorly served on home video. Shriek Show’s beautiful presentation corrects that, featuring a beautiful 1.85:1 transfer with beautiful colors and sharp details. There are no extras outside of a gallery but that doesn’t matter. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO SOLANGE? is worth every penny. A beautiful release of an amazing film.

#3 ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK – Sergio Martino’s mixture of Satanic cult horror and giallo is uneven and shaky but Shriek Show’s release is rock solid. Boasting a gorgeous transfer and excellent interviews, this is an easy choice for giallo fans (or Edwige Fenech fans).

#4 MAN FROM DEEP RIVER – The granddaddy of the Italian cannibal film, Umberto Lenzi’s MAN FROM DEEP RIVER doesn’t contain nearly as much carnage as the films that followed it but it nevertheless a must-own for fans of genre cinema. Shriek Show’s presentation is good but the extras are a bit underwhelming. Still, as a piece of Italian genre history, it should be in every serious collector’s collection.

#5 SPASMO – A bizarre giallo from Umberto Lenzi, SPASMO remains insanely popular even though it is way too high on the melodrama to make any kind of visceral impact. The giallo may be an acquired taste but SPASMO takes that to a whole new level, creating a film that will baffle much more than half of those who view it. Shriek Show’s transfer is beautiful though and the film should be seen by anyone interested in the giallo.

#5

Another short lived but excellent label, Subversive was home to only a handful of essential titles. But what a handful of titles they were. A remarkable release of Richard Stanley’s DUST DEVIL, the immortal THE CANDY SNATCHERS, THE FREAKMAKER, BLOOD BATH, METAL SKIN and LIVING HELL… Subversive’s short catalog of titles is full of ultimate cult oddities. Excellent transfers coupled with great extras made each Subversive an instant buy regardless of whether or not the film itself interested you.

TOP 5 SUBVERSIVE TITLES

#1 THE CANDY SNATCHERS – The calling card release for Subversive, THE CANDY SNATCHERS brought one of the best exploitation films of the 1970s into the very deserving limelight. Regulated to the realm of VHS bootlegs for years and years, THE CANDY SNATCHERS arrived looking beautiful and filled with great extras. This is easily one of the best exploitation oddities of the 1970s and every serious collector needs this disc in their collection.

#2 SAVAGE SINEMA FROM DOWN UNDER – A four disc beauty, Subversive’s collection of Mark Savage films is the best boxed set ever devoted to a filmmaker that no one had ever heard of before. Quality is as good as one could hope for given the fact that two of the features and most of the included short films were shot on the cheap. The real revelation here is DEFENCELESS, a silent rape / revenge flick with supernatural undertones set to a glorious, sweeping score. An excellent boxed set.

#3 THE WITCH WHO CAME FROM THE SEA – Not nearly as squirm inducing as you may have heard, Matt Cimber’s film finds its way under your skin and stays there for a long time. Benefitting immensely from Millie Perkins’ excellent central performance, THE WITCH WHO CAME FROM THE SEA is a complicated drama that grows more disturbing as the film goes on. Subversive released the film in a great 2.35:1 transfer. The audio commentary by Matt Climber, Millie Perkins and director of photography Dean Cundey is excellent (if poorly recorded).

#4 DUST DEVIL: THE FINAL CUT – A great release. Subversive includes two cuts of this stunning film (a workprint and a beautifully restored director’s cut print), three documentaries (THE SECRET GLORY, VOICE OF THE MOON and THE WHITE DARKNESS), three booklets (a production diary, a comic book and a booklet of essays) and a CD featuring Simon Boswell’s evocative score. There are even more extras sprinkled throughout the discs, including excellent commentary tracks by director Richard Stanley. This is the most comprehensive edition ever of this much maligned film. Essential stuff.

#5 BATTLEFIELD BASEBALL – What a bizarre, entertaining mash-up of a film this is. Like a splatter movie version of SHAOLIN SOCCER (except with baseball, of course), BATTLEFIELD BASEBALL is tremendous fun. Two great making-of documentaries and the best audio commentary this side of EVIL DEAD 2 makes the Subversive edition a winner.

Next up, number 2, 3 and 4…

…in my opinion anyway.

Before you start, you can click HERE for Part 1.

Continuing my list of the greatest genre labels in the US, I bring you

#9

Code Red has a catalog of titles that reads like a 1980s horror fan wish list. From bizarre sex flicks like the weirdo-porn ALICE IN WONDERLAND and the ode to necrophilia LOVE ME DEADLY to slasher film oddities like SWEET SIXTEEN and MARDI GRAS MASSACRE, Code Red has every base covered for a variety of genre film fans. While they are somewhat notorious for their low print runs and sometimes shoddy quality control, Code Red remains a force to be reckoned with when it comes to weird and forgotten genre cinema.

TOP 5 CODE RED TITLES

#1 THE NIGHT CHILD – Massimo Dallamano’s excellent ghost/demonic possession drama is one of those films that divides audiences. Now out of print, this is one of those small gems of horror filmmaking that manages to stand out from the pack. A great film, well worth tracking down on eBay.

#2 NIGHTMARE – Romano Scavolini’s 1981 psycho-slasher is one of the most notorious films of the 1980s. A popular target for censorship, NIGHTMARE (better known as NIGHTMARES IN A DAMAGED BRAIN) found itself on the Video Nasties list in the UK. Long unavailable in an official, uncut release, Code Red’s release is a revelation, a great package for a film that does not live up to its notorious reputation.

#3 PETS – While not a great transfer, Code Reds release of PETS is a welcome edition that finally brings the Candice Rialson starring trash epic to DVD. An interesting film with serious undertones, PETS might not have the power it once did, but it is a bizarre viewing experience with moments of genuine brilliance.

#4 TEENAGE HITCHHIKERS – Like a homegrown, white trashy version of TO BE TWENTY, TEENAGE HITCHHIKERS is low on action, high on graphic (though softcore) sex. This is the best this film has ever looked and is a definite cult oddity. Not a great film by any stretch, it still stands well above most films of its kind.

#5 MADMAN – A great piece of 1980s slasher mayhem, MADMAN is a suspenseful, bloody good time. The film itself looks great and the assortment of extras (including an audio commentary with director Joey Giannone, producer Gary Sales, and actors Paul Ehlers and Tony Fish) are all excellent.

#8

Rising from the ashes of NoShame Films, Mya Communications deals almost exclusively in hard to find Italian genre cinema. Their release list is a mixture of cult items and forgotten gems. PROVOCATION, THE MANIACS, SCORPION WITH TWO TAILS, FATTY GIRL GOES TO NEW YORK, CRAVING DESIRE, HUMAN COBRAS, PASSION, THE LEGEND OF BLOOD CASTLE, HORRIBLE, SUBMISSION OF A WOMAN and ANNA, THE PLEASURE, THE TORMENT are the kinds of titles that make Italian genre cinema fans salivate. There is a trade-off to this bounty of treasures however. Most of the prints used by Mya are little more than public domain prints or grubby, ugly and worn VHS rips. Most titles are without extras and can be found on private trackers in better quality, but the novelty of finding any of those titles sitting on the shelves of your local video store outweighs that fact. Sort of.

TOP 5 MYA COMMUNICATIONS TITLES

#1 FOUR FLIES ON GREY VELVET – The first official (kind of) US release of Dario Argento’s “lost” giallo is a winner. Despite some audio problems, the disc is worth the cost. The picture quality is good and the film itself is great fun, a little light on violence for an Argento giallo but with a story that keeps you glued to your screen right until the very end.

#2 DARIO ARGENTO’S DOOR INTO DARKNESS – Originally scheduled for a NoShame release, this release collects the four episodes of the short lived Italian television show that ran in 1973. The episodes are largely hit and miss but when the episodes work, they work wonderfully well. Argento only directed one episode, “The Tram”, and the limitations of television censorship didn’t allow the episodes to really go all the way, but they work as short blasts of suspenseful fun.

#3 LUCIFERA, DEMONLOVER – The quality is not the best here. The film is presented in a sometimes smudgy 4:3 print that does little service to the atmospheric direction of Paolo Lombardo. The narrative is far from original and the action is a bit plodding at times, but Rosalba Neri is fantastic and the film is ultimately a good bit of fun. Of all the Mya releases, this is the film that really deserves a much better transfer.

#4 DEATH WILL HAVE YOUR EYES – Strangely enough, the cover of this film features an image from an entirely different film (that being MASQUERADE from 1965). Sounding like a giallo thriller, DEATH WILL HAVE YOUR EYES is anything but. While people do die in the film, it is a very tame, very slow thriller that bounces between suspense and melodrama. The lovely Marisa Mell and an excellent Stelvio Cipriani score help pick up the slack of the workmanlike script. It’s just a shame the print used is absolutely terrible.

#5 THE GIRL FROM CORTINA – One of the better looking Mya releases, THE GIRL FROM CORTINA is a late era giallo produced by Sergio Martino. While light on the violence and sexuality, it remains an intriguing (if a bit familiar) film, one that will be best appreciated by giallo fanatics.

Next up, number 5, 6 and 7…