AGFA/Something Weird Video Discussion Thread

[JustMarv]

Originally Posted by Lianzantoro

Sounds like Ax Em 1992.

Yes, that’s the one, thanks. I haven’t seen it yet, but I plan to.

[JustMarv]

Originally Posted by katatonia

omg, that one was a new level in bad. I can't really think of many movies that were really worse, and i've seen thousands over the years. There are many, many films that are so bad they're good... But ax em is not one of them. I believe i'd honestly rather sit and get a root canal than try to watch it again.

😭

[The Great Owl]

The Monster of Camp Sunshine or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Nature

When the simple-minded groundskeeper of a countryside nudist camp drinks toxic wastewater from a river, he is transformed into a mutated psychopath. This does not bode well for some girls and their boyfriends who arrive at on the scene from New York City with hopes of getting back to nature, only to find that the axe-wielding madman has turned their secluded getaway into a war zone.

The 1964 erotic horror feature, The Monster of Camp Sunshine or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Nature, created by anonymous New York City filmmakers who were listed under pseudonyms in the credits, sports the customary “nudie cutie” genre trappings of the era, in the form of voiceover narration and a tortoise-paced plot. Fortunately, it rises above such limitations thanks to breathtaking shots of 1960s cityscapes and to an unexpectedly bonkers finale.

The black-and-white cinematography is its own reward here, giving this cult classic a far more prestigious aura than it probably deserves.


Honeymoon of Terror

After enjoying the Las Vegas nightlife, newlyweds Frank and Marion venture out to the country for more private time at Thunder Island. Unfortunately for them, this isolated forest locale is inhabited by a crazed serial rapist and killer who is all too eager to claim another victim. When her husband heads into town for supplies, Marion finds herself in the ultimate nightmare.

The 1961 low-budget horror feature, Honeymoon of Terror, directed by Peter Perry Jr., is quite restrained as a “nudie cutie.” Once it gets down to the business of scares, however, this film exudes a genuinely harrowing aura of tension. I love the middle chase sequences where the heroine is hiding in the woods from her madman assailant.

The one-hour run time guarantees a lean-and-mean experience that is surprisingly rewarding during its final half.


All Men are Apes!

Weary of her humdrum existence, Diane yearns for excitement in the big city. A gig as a nightclub stripper seems like the perfect antidote at first, until our heroine realizes that the different personas and fetishes of her male clients eventually blend together into a mundane drabness all their own. Everything changes, however, when a man in a gorilla costume steps into her life.

The 1965 erotic drama, All Men are Apes!, directed by Joseph P. Mawra, is conveyed, noir-style, in flashbacks, all narrated with notable cynicism by Diane, who cannot get a break with regard to her love life. The end result is intended as a cautionary tale, but its boundless awe of its own material has the opposite effect.

All Men are Apes! drags somewhat, despite a short run time, but I do enjoy one party sequence where various attendees let their freak flags fly.


This AGFA disc does not include much else besides the above three features, but the time capsule appeal makes it worthwhile.

[Cujo]

Upgraded my old 88 discs of X-Ray and Schizoid to the 4K release and watched the former the other night. It'd be cool to see AGFA upgrade this to Blu. Not a great film, but Barbi Benton in her absolute prime.

Music by Klais Doldinger - YouTube

[PowellPressburger]

Got Wicked World which was already released before but since I didn’t own it I got the new Slipcover release

So I have to ask what is the story with the audio on this disc. Was trying to watch the original version

The audio seems to be a stereo track so in Dolby Surround the mox is very odd most audio wants to come from the rear channels. Even in direct mode 2.0 the audio wants to bleed to the read channels lol

I know may speakers are set up correctly but didn’t imagine the movie would be unwatchable because the audio wants to rotate to all channels mostly sides and rear lol

The Dir Cur version audio in Dolby Surround mode goes to Center channel

So I guess only the original version has the awful audio configuration.


I spoke to soon after credit sequence the audio is in more of a Dolby Surround mode and music comes from other speakers / side rear -it isnt as distracting as the original version audio but I don’t understand how the audio is mixed / matrixed so oddly

[jmilo61]

Originally Posted by PowellPressburger

Got Wicked World which was already released before but since I didn’t own it I got the new Slipcover release

So I have to ask what is the story with the audio on this disc. Was trying to watch the original version

The audio seems to be a stereo track so in Dolby Surround the mox is very odd most audio wants to come from the rear channels. Even in direct mode 2.0 the audio wants to bleed to the read channels lol

I know may speakers are set up correctly but didn’t imagine the movie would be unwatchable because the audio wants to rotate to all channels mostly sides and rear lol

The Dir Cur version audio in Dolby Surround mode goes to Center channel

So I guess only the original version has the awful audio configuration.


I spoke to soon after credit sequence the audio is in more of a Dolby Surround mode and music comes from other speakers / side rear -it isnt as distracting as the original version audio but I don’t understand how the audio is mixed / matrixed so oddly

I suspect you're giving the original sound design too much credit on this micro-budget SOV movie. I seriously doubt there's any true Dolby Surround matrix info in the stereo track, it's probably just your receiver struggling to interpret what to do with awful source material. Best to set it to just do true stereo with no surround if you ever watch it again.

The music probably fairs a bit better because it's at least semi-professionally recorded and mixed in true stereo, and not recorded with the cameras on board mic. So your receiver has something to work with.

Sounds like the directors cut was converted to be mono track.

I'm no expert though, and there's a lot more knowledgeable people than me here lurking around here. So perhaps someone else will be able to shed more light on it.

EDIT: not technically an SOV movie I guess. Was shot on 16mm, and only edited on video.

[Ranger517]

Originally Posted by jmilo61

EDIT: not technically an SOV movie I guess. Was shot on 16mm, and only edited on video.

Listen, I'm totally with you on this. BASICALLY the same thing. No need to explain yourself. Shit video is gonna look and sound like shit either way, as long as it's good shit.

[fatboyslim142]

From the Vinegar Syndrome Facebook group in regards to the first Doris Wishman set from AGFA:

For those that are interested, I messaged AGFA and they confirmed that 7 minutes of footage is missing from "The Amazing Transplant" from the Doris Wishman set. Although this footage is available on Electric Video's release, AGFA could not find any film elements or video elements for this footage so no composite was made with the missing 7 minutes and since Wishman has passed there was no leads as to where it could have gone. So whatever footage was on the old Something Weird… See more

Pity they're NOT doing a composite wich would be better than including said missing footage as an extra even if there is a drop in quality. Arrow used HD & SD to re-create Mario bava's original cut of Rabid Dogs & Imprint are doing something similar for the Director's Cut of The Wicker Man (Studio Canal's BD release ONLY has said cut in SD).
Here is what is missing from the Wishman film mentioned above (Also from same thread on Facebook):

From my 21-year-old Mondo Digital review for THE AMAZING TRANSPLANT:
"Before you go rushing to the store, however, you may want to know that SWV's DVD is, well... circumcised. The disc's running time is almost 7 minutes shy of Electric Video's 77m53s length, and upon comparison several set-pieces are either shortened or wholly missing! The cuts actually start pretty early on, during the opening sex/murder of Mary Thorne that thrusts the plot into motion. What sex you ask? Exactly. The entire forced fornication and the majority of the strangulation is missing from the DVD, which in turn eliminates the motive for the killing itself ("Poor sick Arthur..." "I'm not sick! I'm like other men!"). The next omission is a lesbian interlude that takes place before Uncle Bill delivers a mislaid package to Arthur's upstairs neighbor, though when reinstated this bit actually destroys the subsequent scene's punchline! The third deletion involves some bewilderingly casual chitchat unfolding during the operation scene, eliminating close-ups of the plainly visible penis. While Arthur and Bill are talking on the steps the fourth chop is made, completely getting rid of a flashback sequence where Arthur and his perpetually off-screen boner donor Felix talk about the worries of impregnating girls, during which the secret side-job of Dr. Meade is revealed. Lastly, the threesome near the end contains some additional sexual grinding on the tape. Strangely, this menage-a-trois unfolds in black + white on disc, but in sepia-tone and color on Electric's release."

& in reply to a reply about the missing footage etc:

This was a similar issue with Retromedia's Shriek Of The Mutilated Blu Ray which completely removes an entire scene which includes a death. Their older DVD included it but had "Popcorn" replaced by generic library music, the Blu Ray licensed Popcorn but then was missing a scene. Like FFS Olen Ray can't you do anything right? Just composite the ****ing footage that was on your old DVD and put a disclaimer about image differences at the start of the film or back of the cover.

[JasonMichael]

That's unfortunate. I was really looking forward to this release.

[Mushi Minion]

Originally Posted by JasonMichael

That's unfortunate. I was really looking forward to this release.

That makes it sound like you’re going to boycott it over those missing seven minutes.

[xXx$uicide_Ma$terxXx]

That really sucks.

[Damonstein]

The differences seem hard enough that they cant really make a composite cut (different color tones in one scene?), but they should include the tape as a bonus feature. Although I probably wouldn't ever watch it.

[JasonMichael]

Originally Posted by Mushi Minion

That makes it sound like you’re going to boycott it over those missing seven minutes.

No, I won't boycott it, but it's too bad. And I am glad to know ahead of time.

[xXx$uicide_Ma$terxXx]

***NEW TITLE ANNOUNCEMENT***
Coming to Blu-ray in 2023 from @agfa !

S. Torriano Berry’s “The Embalmer” (1996)

AGFA will also release “The Black Beyond” (an unreleased Shot on Video anthology film by Berry) in 2023.

[Mushi Minion]

I just watched The Black Beyond via the AGFADOME II event and it was f**king great. Jordan Peele wishes his Twilight Zone reboot was that good.

[Damonstein]

So was embalmer+ black beyond the only announcements?

[Mushi Minion]

Originally Posted by Damonstein

So was embalmer+ black beyond the only announcements?

I believe so. They played Master of the Flying Guillotine but confirmed they would not be releasing it (unsurprisingly).

[hainesdogg]

Originally Posted by Damonstein

So was embalmer+ black beyond the only announcements?

They did have a trailer for "Final Flesh" which is an insane anthology video but they never specifically said they would release but good lord I hope they do.

[spatafore]

THE VIOLENT YEARS and TAKE IT OUT IN TRADE are sold out forever? or they will print more?

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by spatafore

THE VIOLENT YEARS and TAKE IT OUT IN TRADE are sold out forever? or they will print more?

Think all OOP titles will be re-released according to AGFA.