Forgotten Gialli: Volume 1 (1973-1978) coming from Vinegar Syndrome

[DR Herbert West]

[Show spoiler]

This limited edition and painstakingly crafted boxset (designed by Earl Kessler Jr.) is limited to 5,000 units and is only available here at VinegarSyndrome.com!

Note: this box includes three Blu-rays and cases (no DVDs).

The giallo remains one of the must popular sub-genres in Italian and Spanish film history. But for all of the well-known and classic films the genre has spawned, so many others have been nearly impossible to enjoy since their theatrical debuts. This first entry in our 'Forgotten Gialli' series presents three rarities, two from Spain and one from Italy, none of which have ever been legally available in the English speaking world.

--

TRAUMA:

Daniel, a writer seeking seclusion to work on his new book, finds himself stranded at a rural bed and breakfast run by a strange and prudish young woman and her ailing, wheelchair-bound husband who remains shut in his room all day. However, as night falls, a psychotic, razor-wielding killer begins stalking the bed and breakfast, brutally slashing the throats of its most sex-crazed guests, whose bodies and luggage then mysteriously disappear the following morning...

A satisfyingly trashy low-budget Spanish giallo which inadvertently also ranks as one of the country's earliest proto-slashers, León Klimovsky's (The Vampire's Night Orgy) TRAUMA aka Violación Fatal is filled with gratuitous sex and nudity, along with bloody killings. Barely released outside of Spain, Vinegar Syndrome presents TRAUMA on Blu-ray, in a brand new 2K restoration of its camera negative and in its longest version ever presented on home video.

Directed by: León Klimovsky
Starring: Ágata Lys, Heinrich Starhemberg, Ricardo Merino, Isabel Pisano
1978 / 87 min / 1.85:1

• Region Free Blu-ray
• Newly scanned & restored in 2k from its 35mm original negative
• Original Spanish language sound with newly translated English subtitles
• Historical commentary track with European cult cinema author Troy Howarth
• Promotional image gallery

--

KILLER IS ONE OF 13:

A recent widow has invited a group of family friends to her large and secluded country home. However, what the guests don't know, is that the reason they've been assembled is because their host suspects one of them might be her husband's killer and she's intent on uncovering the identity of his murderer. As the guests begin to suspect each other, revealing long kept and sinister secrets in the process, an unknown, black-gloved killer begins bumping them off in a variety of nasty ways.

A unique Spanish take on Agatha Christie's oft-adapted novel, and giallo source material favorite, And Then There Were None, exploitation auteur Javier Aguirre's (Count Dracula's Great Love) THE KILLER IS ONE OF 13 is uncharacteristically literary-in-structure, but never skimps on its requisite bloodshed. Featuring some of Spain's top genre film stars including Patty Shepard (Rest in Pieces), Jack Taylor (Female Vampire), and Paul Naschy in a supporting role, Vinegar Syndrome brings THE KILLER IS ONE OF 13 to Blu-ray, newly restored in 2K from its original negative and available in North America for the first time in any format.

Directed by: Javier Aguirre
Starring: Patty Shepard, Simón Andreu, José María Prada, Jack Taylor, Paul Naschy
1973 / 95 min / 1.85:1

• Region Free Blu-ray
• Newly scanned & restored in 2k from its 35mm original negative
• Original Spanish language sound with newly translated English subtitles
• Historical commentary with author and Editor-In-Chief of Diabolique Magazine Kat Ellinger
• Promotional image gallery

--

THE POLICE ARE BLUNDERING IN THE DARK:

A young nude-model is violently stabbed to death with a pair of scissors. It soon emerges that three other women have already fallen prey to this unknown maniac, and that all three victims have a single and unique connection: they all served as models for an eccentric photographer named Parisi. When another young woman with a date to be photographed is murdered, her journalist boyfriend decides to investigate the crimes and quickly finds himself mixed up with Parisi, who reveals that he's working on a camera capable of photographing people's thoughts!

The only film credit from 'one-and-done' director, Helia Colombo, THE POLICE ARE BLUNDERING IN THE DARK is a satisfyingly sleazy and decidedly oddball giallo rarity, filled with bloody killings, plentiful nudity, wild plot twists, and plenty of general weirdness. Unseen outside of its native Italy, Vinegar Syndrome presents THE POLICE ARE BLUNDERING IN THE DARK in a fresh, 2K restoration of its original negative and in its first official home video release anywhere in the world.

Directed by: Helia Colombo
Starring: Joseph Arkim, Francisco Cortéz, Gabriella Giorgelli, Elena Veronese
1978 / 87 min / 1.85:1

• Region Free Blu-ray
• Newly scanned & restored in 2k from its 35mm original negative
• Original Italian language sound with newly translated English subtitles
• Historical audio essay with film historian and critic Rachel Nisbit
• Promotional image gallery

[DukeTogo84]

Haven't seen any of these. I've heard about the Killer is One of 13 and hear it was simply OK, and takes over an hour before the first kill. Anyone have any thoughts on these?

[DoghouseReilly46]

Originally Posted by DR Herbert West

Release date: Apr 28, 2020

Hallelujah! Hopefully subsequent volumes will come at least every six months.

[El_Fez]

While I am not super well versed in Giallo, I know nothing about these. Anyone know if they are any good?

[DukeTogo84]

Originally Posted by El_Fez

While I am not super well versed in Giallo, I know nothing about these. Anyone know if they are any good?

That's what I would like to know. I haven't seen any of them and have heard very little besides that THE KILLER IS ONE OF 13 was meh.

[Red Spectre]

Forgotten for a reason, I think.

[prkchopexpress]

sold. can’t wait for the preorder

[Keyser Soze.]

I will buy these.

In Vinegar Syndrome I trust.

[DR Herbert West]

Blind buying this.

[Diabolik008]

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

That's what I would like to know. I haven't seen any of them and have heard very little besides that THE KILLER IS ONE OF 13 was meh.

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

That's what I would like to know. I haven't seen any of them and have heard very little besides that THE KILLER IS ONE OF 13 was meh.

All three films are not so good.
Guess these got picked because of deals with the rights holders.

Unfortunately all the good films we're all waiting for are from other licensors. And sadly some of these will remain VHS only.
A combination of any of these would make a REALLY GOOD boxset:
CRIMES O/T BLACK CAT
SMILE BEFORE DEATH
HOUSE WITH LAUGHING WINDOWS
FIVE WOMEN FOR THE KILLER
REFLECTIONS IN BLACK
ORGASMO
MY DEAR KILLER
DEATH CARRIES A CANE
DEATH STEPS IN THE DARK

[DR Herbert West]

Originally Posted by Diabolik008

Unfortunately all the good films we're all waiting for are from other licensors. And sadly some of these will remain VHS only.
A combination of any of these would make a REALLY GOOD boxset:
CRIMES O/T BLACK CAT
SMILE BEFORE DEATH
HOUSE WITH LAUGHING WINDOWS
FIVE WOMEN FOR THE KILLER
REFLECTIONS IN BLACK
ORGASMO
MY DEAR KILLER
DEATH CARRIES A CANE
DEATH STEPS IN THE DARK

There's always Volume 2.

[Member-222782]

Originally Posted by El_Fez

While I am not super well versed in Giallo, I know nothing about these. Anyone know if they are any good?

These will probably be new territory for many of us, including fans of Euro horror in general like myself. As such, we're going to have to go in blind and hope for the best. Nothing we're not already doing with VinSyn I still haven't watched my copy of Secta Siniestra and have kind of been putting it off but I plan on spinning that disc soon so I'll have an idea of what I'm getting into

[GODHOOD]

I haven't heard of these films either so I'm not sure if I want to pre-order just yet. I do like the look of the boxset.

[RossD]

Originally Posted by Diabolik008

All three films are not so good.
Guess these got picked because of deals with the rights holders.

Unfortunately all the good films we're all waiting for are from other licensors. And sadly some of these will remain VHS only.
A combination of any of these would make a REALLY GOOD boxset:
CRIMES O/T BLACK CAT
SMILE BEFORE DEATH
HOUSE WITH LAUGHING WINDOWS
FIVE WOMEN FOR THE KILLER
REFLECTIONS IN BLACK
ORGASMO
MY DEAR KILLER
DEATH CARRIES A CANE
DEATH STEPS IN THE DARK

Agreed with everything you said. I REALLY want Crimes of the Black Cat.

Also:
Death Knocks Twice
The Sweet Body of Deborah (With the English audio)
The Killer Must Kill Again
Nothing Underneath

[sworntotheriff]

I'm assuming since this is VS, these films are not great. I love VS, primarily for the packaging and for what they stand for, but woof do they license some awful movies. I'm assuming because those titles are cheap to get.

[cakefactory]

Originally Posted by Diabolik008

All three films are not so good.
Guess these got picked because of deals with the rights holders.

Unfortunately all the good films we're all waiting for are from other licensors. And sadly some of these will remain VHS only.
A combination of any of these would make a REALLY GOOD boxset:
CRIMES O/T BLACK CAT
SMILE BEFORE DEATH
HOUSE WITH LAUGHING WINDOWS
FIVE WOMEN FOR THE KILLER
REFLECTIONS IN BLACK
ORGASMO
MY DEAR KILLER
DEATH CARRIES A CANE
DEATH STEPS IN THE DARK

Most of those would not qualify as "forgotten," so I expect volume 2 will be similarly obscure ones. :P

[DukeTogo84]

I'll probably end up buying this. I love the giallo genre, and event he bad ones tend to have some redeeming values.

[snipemonkey]

None of these are prime gialli but I'm addicted, so I will be purchasing this. I mean, I own Amuck! and The Doll of Satan, so how much worse can these possibly be?

Originally Posted by Diabolik008

All three films are not so good.
Guess these got picked because of deals with the rights holders.

Unfortunately all the good films we're all waiting for are from other licensors. And sadly some of these will remain VHS only.
A combination of any of these would make a REALLY GOOD boxset:
CRIMES O/T BLACK CAT
SMILE BEFORE DEATH
HOUSE WITH LAUGHING WINDOWS
FIVE WOMEN FOR THE KILLER
REFLECTIONS IN BLACK
ORGASMO
MY DEAR KILLER
DEATH CARRIES A CANE
DEATH STEPS IN THE DARK

I would KILL to have The House with Laughing Windows in hi-def. Not kidding: I have my black leather gloves and stiletto ready. Just tell me who I need to off and it's done.

[Kakihara]

Originally Posted by Diabolik008

All three films are not so good.
Guess these got picked because of deals with the rights holders.

Unfortunately all the good films we're all waiting for are from other licensors. And sadly some of these will remain VHS only.
A combination of any of these would make a REALLY GOOD boxset:
CRIMES O/T BLACK CAT
SMILE BEFORE DEATH
HOUSE WITH LAUGHING WINDOWS
FIVE WOMEN FOR THE KILLER
REFLECTIONS IN BLACK
ORGASMO
MY DEAR KILLER
DEATH CARRIES A CANE
DEATH STEPS IN THE DARK

Originally Posted by RossD

Agreed with everything you said. I REALLY want Crimes of the Black Cat.

Also:
Death Knocks Twice
The Sweet Body of Deborah (With the English audio)
The Killer Must Kill Again
Nothing Underneath

Also:

In the Folds of the Flesh

[Dr Lenera]

I thought I knew my gialli, but I honestly haven't heard of any of these. I'm going to have to buy....even if they turn out to be crap, I'm sure they'll still be fun!