The Manson Family (2003) (10th Anniversary Edition)

[Kriztoffer Swank]

Oh man, this is some exciting news to wake up to. One of my favorite exploitation movies hitting Blu-ray along with the director's new short film, Gator Green.

Press release from Severin:

Severin Films Releases THE MANSON FAMILY!
Jim VanBebber’s Controversial Masterpiece Gets
Blu-Ray Treatment, Theatrical Dates & New Poster.

Special Edition Of Underground Epic Will Include HD Transfer, VanBebber’s New GATOR GREEN Short & Other Exclusive Extras!

LOS ANGELES, CA, February 21st, 2013 – Severin Films today announced the May 7th Blu-ray debut of Jim VanBebber’s legendary, award-winning indie THE MANSON FAMILY on the 10th anniversary of its original release. US theatrical dates in 20 major cities are scheduled through March and April and new poster artwork has been created by artist Stephen Romano for the occasion. VanBebber’s highly anticipated new short GATOR GREEN will accompany many of the screenings and will also be included in the extras-packed Special Edition Blu-Ray release.

The theatrical run launches at Landmark Theatres locations in Denver and San Francisco on March 22nd and will continue through April taking in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Boston and many more (see below for a partial list of engagements, with more to be announced in the coming weeks).

THE MANSON FAMILY delivers an uncompromising, brutal vision of the collapse of the “Love Generation.” On a ranch outside of LA the hippie dream is perverting into something evil. What was once an oasis of free love and acid trips has become ground zero for a madman’s paranoid visions. An average group of kids, the "Family", become engulfed in a delusional world where torment and slaughter is considered the path to righteousness. The Manson Family is a dizzying, rapid-fire vision of the sex and violence that unifies the misguided group, and at the direction of their leader, ends in a brutal spree leaving seven people dead in 48 hours. Now re-mastered in stunning HD for the first time ever in America. Extras include an all-new Director’s commentary, the brand new short GATOR GREEN, the uncut version of the previously censored, feature length documentary THE VANBEBBER FAMILY on the film’s near-mythic production, and much more.

Severin Films was formed in 2006 with offices in Los Angeles and London. The company produced the acclaimed 2012 horror anthology THE THEATRE BIZARRE and their previous releases include Richard Stanley’s restored HARDWARE, the all-star War classic THE WILD GEESE, the unrated Director’s Cut of Just Jaeckin’s GWENDOLINE, Enzo Castellari’s original action classic INGLORIOUS BASTARDS, Oscar®-nominee Patrice Leconte’s THE HAIRDRESSER’S HUSBAND, the midnight movie sensation BIRDEMIC – SHOCK & TERROR, Eugenio Martin’s restored HORROR EXPRESS, and Alejandro Jodorowsky’s incomparable masterpiece SANTA SANGRE.

Interviews With Director Jim VanBebber available on request.

All Press Enquiries / screener requests to david.szulkin@gmail.com (508-566-4553

THE MANSON FAMILY
2013 Theatrical Screenings

March 22 & 23 – Clay Theatre, San Francisco
March 22 & 23 – Esquire Theatre, Denver
March 27 – Boston Underground Film Festival - Brattle Theatre, Cambridge MA
March 29 & 30 – Landmark’s Sunshine Cinema, New York City
March 29 & 30 – Alamo Drafthouse Vintage Park, Houston
March 29 – Plaza Theatre, Atlanta
April 3 – Granoff Center for the Arts, Providence RI
April 5 – Ritz Bourse, Philadelphia
April 5 & 6 – Egyptian Theatre, Seattle
April 12 – Logan Theatre, Chicago
April 12 & 13 – Hi-Pointe Theatre, St. Louis
April 13 – Cedar Lee Theatre, Cleveland
April 19 & 20 – E Street Theatre, Washington DC
April 19 & 20 – Inwood Theatre, Dallas
April 21 – Screenland Crossroads, Kansas City MO
April 23 – New Beverly Cinema, Los Angeles

If you're sick and like exploitation and haven't seen this, ya gotta. Here's a trailer:

THE MANSON FAMILY - Official Trailer - YouTube

Dunno if Gator Green has a trailer (I think it just got finished), but here's a poster:



Aaaaaand, I hope this means the door's open for a Blu-ray of VanBebber's Deadbeat at Dawn, which is one of my favorite movies, and it needs to include some of his short films and also the trailer for the unfinished Chunk Blower. Loads of fun. Spoiler tag for those trailers.

[Show spoiler]

Deadbeat At Dawn Trailer 1988 - YouTube

Chunk Blower Trailer HQ - YouTube

As a fan of industrial music, having a cEvin Key and Dwayne Goettel soundtrack in the style of their Doubting Thomas material and also seeing Dwayne and Bill Leeb hamming it up would have been incredible. Shame the movie never got made, but also shame it hasn't been released on DVD even.

[davidthenikonuser]

Awesome! Jim VanBebber is one crazy ass film maker.

Hope Severin does a good job on the blu-ray. Some of there blu's haven't been to good, (using out dated MPEG-2 and Dolby Digital)

[Kriztoffer Swank]

I'm a bit nervous myself; they haven't had a very good history so far in terms of video quality, but I'm hoping they'll do an all right job here.

I'll nab it anyway just to see Gator Green, but it'll be a real pisser if the Dark Sky DVD ends up being preferable or if the upgrade is minute.

[Bad Feeble]

Great news. I bet the transfer will be top notch, David Gregory & all helped finish the post-production back then. I'm sure they'll go all out if they're planning/producing an HD release unlike their recent releases which seems to be transfers licensed to them, unless I'm mistaken.

Originally Posted by Kriztoffer Swank

As a fan of industrial music, having a cEvin Key and Dwayne Goettel soundtrack in the style of their Doubting Thomas material and also seeing Dwayne and Bill Leeb hamming it up would have been incredible. Shame the movie never got made, but also shame it hasn't been released on DVD even.[/spoiler]

It did appear as an easter egg on the first release of DEADBEAT AT DAWN by Synapse (Van Bebber's Spasmolytic music video was also on there).

[Kriztoffer Swank]

Originally Posted by Bad Feeble

It did appear as an easter egg on the first release of DEADBEAT AT DAWN by Synapse (Van Bebber's Spasmolytic music video was also on there).

Well I'll be. I may just have to pick up the Synapse DVD for that alone if I can nab it cheap. Already got the Skinny Puppy music video DVD, woo.

[Bad Feeble]

If I remember correctly (it's been quite a while), there's also a commentary by JVB for the video (you have to switch the audio with the remote as it's not mentioned anywhere since the video itself is an easter egg). Might be one for CHUNKBLOWER but I really can't remember for sure.

[Kriztoffer Swank]

Thanks for the heads-up. I would have never even thought to check out the Synapse DVD.

Bought it. Horrible image quality (and missing Goose's inebriated roundhouse kick)—glad Dark Sky did a proper DVD—but the commentary is great. Commentaries too for "My Sweet Satan", "Chunkblower", and the "Spasmolytic" video. Good stuff.

Wish there were more people discussing the main feature at hand. The Manson Family treads a very strange line between entertainment and shame; making an exploitation movie about Charlie's family seems very sick but the end result is amazing. I suppose it's the intercut faux-interview segments that pull it away from being pure sleaze.

[Bad Feeble]

I think the visceral quality wins out in the end.

In any case, what's up with this release: it's supposedly coming out in two weeks but can't be pre-ordered anywhere. Severin's june releases have been available for pre-order for a couple of weeks now.

I guess the theatrical showings are going great and they decided to push back the release ?

EDIT: Just got my answer: it's being delayed 'til June 4th for those that wanted to know.

[Moe Szyslak]

What's the difference between the BD/DVD and BD-only releases for this? Obviously the one includes a DVD, but does that disc have additional content?

[dullboy]

^^ Wondering the same thing.

[Kriztoffer Swank]

My guess is it just contains a DVD and that's all. Sounds like the Blu-ray replicates the extras from the Dark Sky DVD and is pretty chock-full.

From this review, it's sounding pretty tasty.

[dullboy]

That reviewer contacted Dark Sky and reported back with this:

OK, David Gregory says: "The doc is the uncut version never before released in the US. Yes the blu is the same in the single disc." I don't have the old Dark Sky SE DVD around anymore to compare the doc, but if anyone else does and wants to post the running time I'll do the same for the uncut version.

[KrugStillo]

I'm not sure what the difference is in the doc but it seems to be a minute longer. The DVD version was 76 minutes and the Blu-ray version is 77 minutes. I haven't had a chance to check out the disc yet but I checked the times. I can also confirm that the Blu-ray only version has all the advertised features on it so the Blu/DVD Combo must be just that a DVD with the same content. Glad I got the Blu only version cause the cover looks much cooler without the crappy banner on it.

[JMK]

The Manson Family Blu-ray Review

[davidthenikonuser]

Originally Posted by JMK

The Manson Family Blu-ray Review

Nice review.

Going to have to order it soon. I hope they do Dead Beat at Dawn next.

[Kriztoffer Swank]

Thought some folks might be interested in supporting a feature-length Gator Green through its Indiegogo campaign:

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/gator-green

Less than six days left, so please spread the word to anyone interested.

It'll get made no matter what (independent filmmakers live and breathe their craft), but the money will really help things along.

From the Indiegogo page:

We are seeking to raise $12,000.00 seed money on Indiegogo to fund the launching of our company, secure first-rate legal representation to prepare an investor offering, create pre-production materials and to produce quality GATOR GREEN investor parties to aid in the investment of the production of the feature film. GATOR GREEN is a 70s-styled horror thriller about a crazed Vietnam veteran who returns from the war to take over the operation of an alligator farm in Florida. Much madness, mayhem and murder ensue.

[Kriztoffer Swank]

Anyone on the fence about this title might wanna act quick, as it's soon to be OOP.

From Severin's Facebook page:

As some of you may have seen, the director of one of our titles is engaging in a spot of slander. We’ll be embarking on a legal battle with regards to this behavior which we can assume will not be resolved quickly. We got involved in quite an uphill battle by committing to the near impossible task of finishing the movie THE MANSON FAMILY back in the early 2000s but we were green with inexperience and, don’t get us wrong, we are very proud of helping to get it to the finish line, where others were unable to, and ultimately of the film itself, even though it cost about six times what was proposed to us and took about five times as long. Unfortunately its recent 10th anniversary blu-ray re-issue turned out to be a big commercial failure. As a result we have no choice but to withdraw the title from distribution in all territories for an indefinite time until the matter is appropriately resolved. Effective Monday, THE MANSON FAMILY will be taken down from the Severin store, no more copies will be produced and current inventory will be destroyed.

[davidthenikonuser]

Originally Posted by Kriztoffer Swank

Anyone on the fence about this title might wanna act quick, as it's soon to be OOP.

From Severin's Facebook page:

Crazy they are going to destroy them.

[Decepticon07]

Picked up 2 more copies!!

[bgart13]

Where can we read about what Van Bebber has done to them?