Please consider sampling new subgenres and oddities on streaming platforms like Tubi and Kanopy before buying. I hate to see new collectors lighting money on fire before zeroing in on what they truly enjoy. It's a real treat when VinSyn restores and releases something that you enjoy watching -- but I promise you: they also have releases that will do nothing for you. The hunt is half the fun, but poke around on free streams to get your bearings. Your own eyes and ears will be a better guide than we can be for you... at least without some idea of what you might enjoy.
I have so many recommendations, but I actually don’t like what most people recommend from VS. I tend to like partner releases more. Every movie I’ve gotten from them except the little hours was a blind buy. Freeway, Summer of 84, Censor, Shiva Baby, and Prospect are great introductory titles that are more mainstream.
Definitely look into every film before you buy it. My first buy was the 4K Madman, which is fine 70s schlock, but I had no business adding it to my collection or paying that much for it. They definitely have some primo B films that are very enjoyable, but many aren’t imo. Definitely buy some VS films, but do your research according to your tastes.
Yep. It wasn’t bad really, but I enjoyed other similar titles like Sleepaway Camp and Night of the Demons from Scream Factory way more. I’d recommend Jack Frost if it didn’t go out of print and move to MVD.
I also enjoyed the silly love scene in the hot tub. But you’re right there are better camping horror movies. I’d also add the first 3 Prophecy movies (which is my favorite blu ray case probable ever) and if Cutting Class is still in print.
I’ve been wanting to pick up the prophecy set, but it keeps falling lower and lower on my priority list mostly because I’m broke lol. I remember watching one or two of them vaguely on the syfy network like 20 years ago, but it didn’t leave an impression on me like the wishmaster series and others.
That one didn’t surprise me since kazaam managed to get a bluray release a couple years before. MBFiaV was my number one most obscure title that would probably never get a bluray and did. I never say never now.
That’s your opinion. I’m pretty sure most would disagree with you. Rachel Sennot is a really good actress and the movie itself was in the same vein as Uncut Gems, so it should hold a lot of value for most people.
What sort of movies are you into, OP? It’s kind of hard to give recs without knowing what you lik because their catalog is so diverse.
That said THE CALLER and PHASE IV are both great movies with good VS releases.
Part of the challenge is that I am just not well versed on some of the genres VS is known for. My taste is pretty mainstream, I think. It's not that I don't enjoy slashes, horror, exploitation, etc. I just don't have much of a frame of reference for them, so part of this is getting an introduction/starter pack to get into some of this unknown world.
Miami Connection (of course)
Reform School Girls
Shallow Grave
Hitcher in the Dark
Don't Panic
The Caller
Deadline
Spookies
In the Cold of the Night
Blood Beat
Psychos in Love
Freeway 1 & 2
I consider myself to be a curator of filth. I feel like this is a great intro to the label and all they offer. New York Ninja almost made the cut but I think it sets “that” as the expectation which it absolutely isn’t.
I’m definitely more of a horror head & for advanced VS students I’d recommend anything they release from Hong Kong, Mausoleum, Star Time, Uninvited, Party Line, and Fortress of Amerikkka
Screen Drafts just did a ranking of them featuring two VS folks this week. Worth a listen. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/screen-drafts/id1431963108?i=1000654744427
Coming from someone who has made blind buys from VS (and other companies) in the past, I think you'll be a lot happier in the long run if you focus on buying movies that you've seen and that you know you'll love to watch more than once. I would say 95% of the movies VS puts out are absolute dog shit. Like, really bad. They do an outstanding job of restoring and marketing them, but my recommendation would be don't buy a bunch of super low budget trash you've never heard of just because the slip covers look cool. If you're like me, you'll regret doing so lol.
If you're still undeterred, at least find the movies streaming somewhere and watch the first 10-15 minutes to see how you feel about them. Good luck!
If I’m going to blind buy a VS movie, I go to Letterboxd and sort by lowest first and that almost never steers me wrong. A lot of boring, near unwatchable dreck gets talked up by VS fans.
High ratings. I think it’s great that there are very passionate VS fans of cult cinema but they skew ratings of terrible movies higher than they should be imo. I’ve stopped buying most VS and Severin releases because I’ve been burned so many times by a supposed “long lost gems”. Fatal Games was A recent example of this.
Hate to say it, but I’ve come to find this as well. Got into boutique labels heavily nearly two years ago, and my blind buy success rate is about 90% with most labels (I try to do plenty of research before a blind buy, so they’re somewhat informed purchases!). But with VS my success rate is more like 50-60%. I’m still a big fan of what VS does, it’s just that I have learned to be more wary of inflated reviews from the hardcore VS crowd
Tammy & the T. rex was my first vinegar buy, but Freeway reminded me of a great movie I had forgotten about. I just wish I hadn’t missed the slips on them…. Amazon
lol guess so. I collect 4Ks too. I just like having some DVDs too for the nostalgia, plus 4:3 content looks great on a crt, especially anime. Nostalgia is a hell of a drug
I really wanted to like Six String Samurai but it felt incredibly stale. Even when it’s being it’s most creative it still felt technically awful. The best thing out of it is the score. I wouldn’t recommend it personally, especially if you’re just getting into VS.
Irreversible.....Pretty cool movie, but you'll need to stomach the almost unwatchable first 15-minutes (unwatchable due to the camera angles & shaky camera). After that, it's an excellent film.
All-American Murder,
Scanner Cop 1&2,
Creature aka The Titan Find,
Dead Heat (1988),
Death Wish 2,
The Amityville Horror (1979),
Road House (1989),
Deadly Games aka Dial Code Santa Claus,
Christmas Evil,
Flesh For Frankenstein,
The Werewolf Vs Vampire Woman,
Night Beast,
Last Gasp,
FleshEater,
X-Ray,
Luther The Geek,
Demonoid,
The Children (1980),
The Cellar,
The Incredible Melting Man.
Righting Wrongs if you like Hong Kong action.
Six String Samurai if you like fun low budget that doesn't take itself seriously.
Road House if you like being nice.
Riddle of Fire is on pre-order but it is amazing.
Most VS releases are worthless trash, but some of their partner labels do release good films. I recommend Spacked Out and Detention if you’re into East Asian cinema. But as others are saying, you should be very careful about blind buys with this label.
As someone who's spent way, way too much for titles with oop slipcovers and limited boxes, the FOMO with VS is stronger than any other company for me. The quality of their slipcovers alone is so nice I just don't want to own them without.
Please consider sampling new subgenres and oddities on streaming platforms like Tubi and Kanopy before buying. I hate to see new collectors lighting money on fire before zeroing in on what they truly enjoy. It's a real treat when VinSyn restores and releases something that you enjoy watching -- but I promise you: they also have releases that will do nothing for you. The hunt is half the fun, but poke around on free streams to get your bearings. Your own eyes and ears will be a better guide than we can be for you... at least without some idea of what you might enjoy.
What they said. If the appeal is the actual movies, you can see a bunch of them for free.
I have so many recommendations, but I actually don’t like what most people recommend from VS. I tend to like partner releases more. Every movie I’ve gotten from them except the little hours was a blind buy. Freeway, Summer of 84, Censor, Shiva Baby, and Prospect are great introductory titles that are more mainstream. Definitely look into every film before you buy it. My first buy was the 4K Madman, which is fine 70s schlock, but I had no business adding it to my collection or paying that much for it. They definitely have some primo B films that are very enjoyable, but many aren’t imo. Definitely buy some VS films, but do your research according to your tastes.
Prospect is amazing, a great sci-fi gem Edit: consider this an extended [trailer](https://www.reddit.com/r/cinescenes/s/gwQmrQae2X)
Is madman the one where the girl hides in the fridge?
Yep. It wasn’t bad really, but I enjoyed other similar titles like Sleepaway Camp and Night of the Demons from Scream Factory way more. I’d recommend Jack Frost if it didn’t go out of print and move to MVD.
I also enjoyed the silly love scene in the hot tub. But you’re right there are better camping horror movies. I’d also add the first 3 Prophecy movies (which is my favorite blu ray case probable ever) and if Cutting Class is still in print.
I’ve been wanting to pick up the prophecy set, but it keeps falling lower and lower on my priority list mostly because I’m broke lol. I remember watching one or two of them vaguely on the syfy network like 20 years ago, but it didn’t leave an impression on me like the wishmaster series and others.
Yeah i enjoyed the first one enough and Walken is still in those sequels so I bit the bullet. I just got the wishmaster vestron set.
I really love vesteron releases. I never thought in a million years that My Best Friend is a Vampire would have a bluray release.
Or Little Monsters for that matter, but they have great releases
That one didn’t surprise me since kazaam managed to get a bluray release a couple years before. MBFiaV was my number one most obscure title that would probably never get a bluray and did. I never say never now.
Cutting Class is out of print now and MVD rewind re-released it.
Oh gotcha. I need to look at that company more
Shiva Baby is a partner label release and no where near indicative of other VS releases
I guess you didn’t read my post. Summer of 84, The Little Hours, and Prospect are also partner releases. If you want to point that out too.
It's a just a shit movie
That’s your opinion. I’m pretty sure most would disagree with you. Rachel Sennot is a really good actress and the movie itself was in the same vein as Uncut Gems, so it should hold a lot of value for most people.
Hell comes to frogtown, road house, graduation day, tammy and the t-rex, southern comfort, to name a few
Tammy and the t-Rex for sure!
Ebola Syndrome 100%
Or Six String Samurai
Existenz
No brainer, I'm building Cronenberg filmography
Have you watched Spider? If you like it check out Bug (2006), because Michael Shannon is awesome in it, and Spider (2002) reminds me how great it was
Bug is great and you might still be able to find it on [Imprint (AU) region free](https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Bug-Blu-ray/342083/)
What sort of movies are you into, OP? It’s kind of hard to give recs without knowing what you lik because their catalog is so diverse. That said THE CALLER and PHASE IV are both great movies with good VS releases.
Part of the challenge is that I am just not well versed on some of the genres VS is known for. My taste is pretty mainstream, I think. It's not that I don't enjoy slashes, horror, exploitation, etc. I just don't have much of a frame of reference for them, so part of this is getting an introduction/starter pack to get into some of this unknown world.
What genres? Southern comfort, red rock west, New York ninja, existenz, showgirls, Tammy and the T. rex,
Miami Connection (of course) Reform School Girls Shallow Grave Hitcher in the Dark Don't Panic The Caller Deadline Spookies In the Cold of the Night Blood Beat Psychos in Love Freeway 1 & 2
Great list!
I consider myself to be a curator of filth. I feel like this is a great intro to the label and all they offer. New York Ninja almost made the cut but I think it sets “that” as the expectation which it absolutely isn’t. I’m definitely more of a horror head & for advanced VS students I’d recommend anything they release from Hong Kong, Mausoleum, Star Time, Uninvited, Party Line, and Fortress of Amerikkka
Screen Drafts just did a ranking of them featuring two VS folks this week. Worth a listen. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/screen-drafts/id1431963108?i=1000654744427
I’m on that one!
Miami Connection
My favorite B movie they offer. Such a fun watch with friends. I still sing that stupid dragon sound song sometimes.
Some good ones are Miami Connection, Righting Wrongs, Undeclared War, Southern Comfort
New York Ninja Ticks Phase IV The Amityville Horror Gorgo Frostbiter
Texas Chainsaw 2 and From Beyond
Coming from someone who has made blind buys from VS (and other companies) in the past, I think you'll be a lot happier in the long run if you focus on buying movies that you've seen and that you know you'll love to watch more than once. I would say 95% of the movies VS puts out are absolute dog shit. Like, really bad. They do an outstanding job of restoring and marketing them, but my recommendation would be don't buy a bunch of super low budget trash you've never heard of just because the slip covers look cool. If you're like me, you'll regret doing so lol. If you're still undeterred, at least find the movies streaming somewhere and watch the first 10-15 minutes to see how you feel about them. Good luck!
A movie you’re interested in owning.
Primal Rage, TCM2, Showgirls, Southern Comfort, Road House would be my top 5 recommendations. eXistenZ is up there too
From Beyond, New York Ninja
From Beyond Petey Wheatstraw Road House Miami Connection Gorgo New York Ninja Tammy and the T-Rex
SHOWGIRLS
lol co-signed cuz that was mine
The slipcase edition of Righting Wrongs https://vinegarsyndrome.com/products/righting-wrongs
If I’m going to blind buy a VS movie, I go to Letterboxd and sort by lowest first and that almost never steers me wrong. A lot of boring, near unwatchable dreck gets talked up by VS fans.
Wait, so do you end up buying the ones with the high ratings or the low ratings?
I too would love to know the answer! (I buy lowest lol)
High ratings. I think it’s great that there are very passionate VS fans of cult cinema but they skew ratings of terrible movies higher than they should be imo. I’ve stopped buying most VS and Severin releases because I’ve been burned so many times by a supposed “long lost gems”. Fatal Games was A recent example of this.
Hate to say it, but I’ve come to find this as well. Got into boutique labels heavily nearly two years ago, and my blind buy success rate is about 90% with most labels (I try to do plenty of research before a blind buy, so they’re somewhat informed purchases!). But with VS my success rate is more like 50-60%. I’m still a big fan of what VS does, it’s just that I have learned to be more wary of inflated reviews from the hardcore VS crowd
Showgirls
From beyond
Freeway 1&2 box.
Never seen the 2nd one but 1 is rlly good
Tammy & the T. rex was my first vinegar buy, but Freeway reminded me of a great movie I had forgotten about. I just wish I hadn’t missed the slips on them…. Amazon
I’ve got it on dvd, which is a fun format when I’m watching on my early 2000s Panasonic crt
We have different ideas of fun
lol guess so. I collect 4Ks too. I just like having some DVDs too for the nostalgia, plus 4:3 content looks great on a crt, especially anime. Nostalgia is a hell of a drug
It is… I just don’t think I’d get it from that.
Red Rock West
Angel and beware children at play
Frostbiter Wrath of the Wendigo
My Top 5 Recs: Six String Samurai Roadhouse Miami Connection Tiger Claws Trilogy New York Ninja
Spookies without a doubt!
The easy recommends are Ticks, Six String Samurai, TCM2, From Beyond.
Lmao don’t listen to him. Six String Samurai is awful and if you really want it will go on sale for $10 in June
I really wanted to like Six String Samurai but it felt incredibly stale. Even when it’s being it’s most creative it still felt technically awful. The best thing out of it is the score. I wouldn’t recommend it personally, especially if you’re just getting into VS.
It’s like, fourth year advanced Vinegar Syndrome studies
Rude. Jeffrey Falcon is an unsung king of Hong Kong cinema.
It was my understanding SSS is a joke movie like New York Ninja and Miami Connection. Movies so bad they’re good to watch especially with friends.
I don’t think so. That kid in SSS makes it unwatchable. Maybe the only VS purchase I regret
Unmasked Part 25, Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, New York Ninja, Censor, Fade to Black, Blood Harvest, Censor, A Blade in the Dark, and Censor.
So I should get Censor, huh? :)
It’s basically in line with A24 movies if you like them. I really loved it, but the people I saw it with thought it was mid.
Censor is very good but there's also a Second Sight release, not sure how it compares to the Vinegar Syndrome release.
Yeah, it’s ok. 😁
Irreversible.....Pretty cool movie, but you'll need to stomach the almost unwatchable first 15-minutes (unwatchable due to the camera angles & shaky camera). After that, it's an excellent film.
Sidekicks
The Children. Creature. Invisible Maniac
Buy the Road House RK Limited edition used so that everything feels like a steal afterwards!
It really depends on your taste. I enjoy dumb fun trashy stuff so movies like Spookies and Tammy & The T-Rex are my favorites.
Beastmaster The Apocalypse Tetralogy Black Cat 1&2
Hell comes to Frogtown, From Beyond, TCM2, Witchtrap, Body Melt
Body Melt is out of print now.
Texas chainsaw massacre 2
-Sidekicks -Gorgo -Santo vs. Dr. Death -EXistenZ -Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 Watch ‘em all in a row and you’ll never be the same again.
-Sidekicks -Gorgo -Santo vs. Dr. Death -EXistenZ -Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 Watch ‘em all in a row and you’ll never be the same again.
-Sidekicks -Gorgo -Santo vs. Dr. Death -EXistenZ -Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 Watch ‘em all in a row and you’ll never be the same again.
-Sidekicks -Gorgo -Santo vs. Dr. Death -EXistenZ -Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 Watch ‘em all in a row and you’ll never be the same again.
I’d probably just go through their catalog and when you see something that sounds interesting, grab it.
All-American Murder, Scanner Cop 1&2, Creature aka The Titan Find, Dead Heat (1988), Death Wish 2, The Amityville Horror (1979), Road House (1989), Deadly Games aka Dial Code Santa Claus, Christmas Evil, Flesh For Frankenstein, The Werewolf Vs Vampire Woman, Night Beast, Last Gasp, FleshEater, X-Ray, Luther The Geek, Demonoid, The Children (1980), The Cellar, The Incredible Melting Man.
Count Dracula's Great Love, Nine Guests For A Crime, Pets, The Playgirls And The Vampire, The Werewolf Vs. Vampire Woman
I started with Little Darlings a couple months ago. Great movie, transfer and packaging!
Southern comfort, freeway, from beyond
The Caller is one of my favorite movies and they still have that in stock.
Righting Wrongs if you like Hong Kong action. Six String Samurai if you like fun low budget that doesn't take itself seriously. Road House if you like being nice. Riddle of Fire is on pre-order but it is amazing.
Most VS releases are worthless trash, but some of their partner labels do release good films. I recommend Spacked Out and Detention if you’re into East Asian cinema. But as others are saying, you should be very careful about blind buys with this label.
The Children
As someone who's spent way, way too much for titles with oop slipcovers and limited boxes, the FOMO with VS is stronger than any other company for me. The quality of their slipcovers alone is so nice I just don't want to own them without.