
Interestingly the movie doesn’t just stick to the studio and also shows the life of LIVE OR DIE host Chuck Toedan outside of his highly rated program. What’s unexpected is that while the world that the show exists in is certainly strange and heightened, there is also a lot of backlash against LIVE OR DIE that Chuck has to deal with. Every day he is accosted by protesters, drivers in traffic and is even brought on talk shows to defend his work. While he says that violent crime has dropped by thirty percent since LIVE OR DIE has been on the air, many people are still outraged by it and find it morally corrupt and horrifying. Funny thing is, you’d never know from the crowds that pack the three tapings a day that go on at the TV Station KSICK. During the segments of the film where the show is playing, we see this cheeky and upbeat approach to the death and dismemberment of the inmates. Off the air though, there is a sarcastic, but somewhat “real” (if goofily comic) approach to what the response would be to such a horrifying show. Chuck gets 47 phone threats a week as well as in-person attempts on his life on a regular basis. I was reminded vaguely of THE GONG SHOW MOVIE and Chuck is very much like Chuck Barris and how he is similarly shown being approached all the time about being on his show as well. This movie is much darker of course, as I mentioned and it makes for an intriguing jet-black comedic take on FACES OF DEATH and a game show combined. The craziness of the behind-the-scenes on LIVE OR DIE together with the outrageousness of the show itself makes for a memorable and still relevant statement on popular media.
Disc Features:
As with all VS releases, this disc has some nice supplements. The commentary track is good and the making-of is solid too. From an early low-budget feature (A POLISH VAMPIRE IN BURBANK) that found it's way into the hands of an exec at the notorious Crown Interntational Pictures on through production and cast recollections - it's provides a nice picture of how DEATHROW GAMESHOW came to being and what the day-to-day was like.
• Region free Blu-ray and DVD combo pack
• Scanned, restored & preserved in 2k from 35mm original camera negative.
• Commentary track with director Mark Pirro, John McCafferty (actor) & Robyn Blythe (actress).
• “Revisiting Deathrow Gameshow” – 32 minute making-of documentary featuring interviews with John McCafferty, Robyn Blythe, Darwyn Carson, as well as Mark Pirro, Craig Bassuk, David Vaughn and Glen Campbell.
• 2015 director’s cut of DEATHROW GAMESHOW
• Multiple director introductions.
• “Buns” 1978 (short film directed by Mark Pirro)
• “The Spy Who Did it Better” 1979 (short film directed by Mark Pirro)
• Original theatrical trailer
• TV spot
• Image gallery
• Director bio
• Reversible cover artwork
• English SDH Subtitles
Buy DEATHROW GAMESHOW here:
https://vinegarsyndrome.com/shop/deathrow-gameshow/
or here:
http://amzn.to/2ejPqT5

HOBGOBLINS (1988; Rick Sloane)

• Region free Blu-ray and DVD combo pack
• Scanned, restored & preserved in 2k from 35mm original camera negative
• Archival commentary track with director Rick Sloane
• “Hobgoblins Revisited” brand new making-of featurette
• Brand new interview with hobgoblin creature fabricator, Kenneth J. Hall
• “Hobgoblins: The Making of a Disasterpiece” featurette
• “Hobgoblins Invade Comic-Con” featurette
• Trailer
• Reverse cover artwork
• English SDH Subtitles
Buy HOBGOBLINS here:
https://vinegarsyndrome.com/shop/hobgoblins/
or here:
http://amzn.to/2frSzT6

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