Exploitation Nation

One of my favorite DVD lines from 2007 was BCI’s WELCOME TO THE GRINDHOUSE series. This series replicated the double feature evening at the grindhouse from the opening policy dater and very familiar coming attraction banner, to great old exploitation trailers and a double whammy of grindhouse movies usually from the Crown International library. These releases were the first time anywhere movies like Trip with The Teacher, Pick Up, Black Candles, The Teacher or Malibu High had found their way to dvd. The transfers weren’t always excellent but they were certainly passable. The Sonny Chiba double features of Dragon Princess and Karate Warriors (one of Chiba’s best films) and The Bodygaurd (not quite uncut but very close and finally letterboxed!) and Sister Street fighter were especially charming and fun.

Unfortunately the good times were short lived. After ten mouth-watering volumes, covering everything from horror, to biker and beach films the series just dissapeared from the new release lists. The series was by all accounts selling well enough and was easy to find at most brick and morter stores and online shops. So sales weren’t the issue. The word on the street (though I have to stress this is RUMOR not fact) is that the big hand of the Weinstein Brothers came a swinging with their lawyers and put a stop to the use of the word Grindhouse and the somewhat appropriation of the logo. I’ve heard from other low budget filmmakers who have used the term “Grindhouse” in their marketing or titles that since the Weinsteins put out the Tarantino/Rodriguiz film that Lawyers have been working overtime to threaten lawsuits to anyone using the term. Never mind the fact it existed well before them or their film in and of itself is a “homage” to the very kinds of films that are using the term in the first place. So the word on the street was that this DVD series had to put on the breaks and re-evaluate what they were doing to avoid being sued into the ground. I have no idea if this is true but it sounds reasonable enough.

So finally after almost a year of nothing this series has risen from the ashes and is back in action under a new title called “EXPLOITATION CINEMA“. The format is the same, the packaging is almost exactly the same as well. I suggested to an employee on a message board they should have went with “Welcome to 42nd Street” as a title, but this new one works too. There are 3 new releases on the horizon; Two to be release on September 16th and another one on October 14th. The first two double features are CEMETARY GIRLS/VAMPIRE HOOKERS and the British Norman J. Warren delights TERROR/SATAN’S SLAVE. The October release is MAUSOLEUM which stars Bobbie Breese as a monster with breasts that kill people and BLOOD SONG the movie where Frankie Avalon is an ax murderer! Manufacturer retail price is $12.98 on each disc.

Trust me on this, if you are an exploitation fan, this series is something you will want to visit.

2008-08-28
23:31:18
Andy Copp