HG Lewis Shock and Gore Limited Edition (1 Viewer)

[bigshot]

Arrow just announced a limited edition set on Hershel Gordon Lewis.
http://www.boxofgore.com
Order Page at Diabolik for US edition: http://www.diabolikdvd.com/category...0-Boxset-All-Region)-(US-CUSTOMERS-ONLY).html

There will be a regular edition with just the blu-rays and DVDs available at Amazon.

Press Release

In 1963, director Herschell Gordon Lewis pulled a cow’s tongue out of an actress’ mouth on camera, and in doing so, changed the landscape of horror cinema forever. That sequence was just one of numerous gruesome gags featured in Blood Feast, the film credited as being the world’s first gore movie. It’s no exaggeration to say that the modern gross-out movies of today owe their very existence to the pioneering efforts of H.G. Lewis.

But whilst Lewis is most widely celebrated for his blood-and-guts epics (Two Thousand Maniacs!, The Wizard of Gore et al.), there’s more to the prolific director than splatter. From tales of sordid photographers (Scum of the Earth) to sex robots (How to Make a Doll), from biker girl-gangs (She-Devils on Wheels) to youths-run-amok (Just for the Hell of It), and from psychic witches (Something Weird) to hard liquor-loving hillbillies (Moonshine Mountain), the filmography of H.G. Lewis reads like a veritable wish-list of exploitation movie madness.

Now, for the first time ever, Arrow Video is proud to present fourteen of the Godfather of Gore’s most essential films (including nine Blu-ray world debuts), collected together at last and packed full of eye-popping bonus content. So put your feet up, pour yourself a glass of good ol’ moonshine, and prepare yourself for a feast – H.G. Lewis style!

LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS:

Fourteen of the Godfather of Gore’s finest attractions, newly restored from original and best surviving vault materials
High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentation of the features and extras on 7 Blu-ray and 7 DVD discs
Additional 2 bonus Blu-rays featuring 1.33:1 versions of Blood Feast, Scum of the Earth, Color Me Blood Red, A Taste of Blood and The Wizard of Gore
Additional bonus DVD: Herschell Gordon Lewis: The Godfather of Gore documentary
28-page H.G. Lewis “annual” stuffed full with Lewis-themed activities plus archive promotional material
Fully-illustrated 92-page art book featuring the definitive overview of the entire career of H.G. Lewis written by Stephen Thrower, with a brand new foreword by Lewis [Shock and Gore edition exclusive]
160-page paperback of the original Blood Feast novelization, written by Lewis [Shock and Gore edition exclusive]
7” vinyl single featuring select tracks from the Blood Feast score [Shock and Gore edition exclusive]
14 postcards featuring original artwork for all the films included [Shock and Gore edition exclusive]
Individually handmade “super gory” eyeball [Shock and Gore edition exclusive]
Shock and Gore commemorative barf bag [Shock and Gore edition exclusive]
Newly illustrated packaging and books by The Twins of Evil [Shock and Gore edition exclusive]

BLOOD FEAST (1963) + SCUM OF THE EARTH (1963)

Brand new introduction to the films by director Herschell Gordon Lewis
Audio Commentary on Blood Feast with Lewis and producer David F. Friedman
Audio Commentary on Scum of the Earth by Friedman
Blood Feast Outtakes
Blood Perceptions – filmmakers Nicholas McCarthy (The Pact) and Rodney Ascher (Room 237) offer their insight on Blood Feast and the importance of Herschell Gordon Lewis
Herschell's History – archival interview in which Lewis discusses his entry into the film industry including Scum of the Earth
How Herschell Found His Nitch – Lewis discusses more of his early work in nudie cuties and the making of The Adventures of Lucky Pierre
Archival Interview with Herschell Gordon Lewis and David F. Friedman from 1987
Carving Magic (1959) – vintage short featuring Blood Feast’s Bill Kerwin
Blood Feast Radio Spot and Trailer

TWO THOUSAND MANIACS! (1964) + MOONSHINE MOUNTAIN (1964)

Brand new introduction to the films by director Herschell Gordon Lewis
Audio Commentary on Two Thousand Maniacs! with Lewis and producer David F. Friedman
Two Thousand Maniacs! Outtakes
Two Thousand Maniacs Can’t Be Wrong – Tim Sullivan (director, 2001 Maniacs) on Two Thousand Maniacs!
Hicksploitation: Confidential – visual essay on the history of the American South’s representation in cinema
David Friedman: The Gentlemen’s Smut Peddler – a tribute to the legendary producer featuring Herschell Gordon Lewis, filmmakers Fred Olen Ray, Tim Sullivan and Bob Murawski
Herschell's Art of Advertising – Lewis shares his expert opinion on the art of selling movies and how to hook an audience.
Trailers for Two Thousands Maniacs! and Moonshine Mountain

COLOR ME BLOOD RED (1965) + SOMETHING WEIRD (1967)

Brand new introduction to the films by director Herschell Gordon Lewis
Audio Commentary on Color Me Blood Red with Lewis and producer David F. Friedman
Audio Commentary on Something Weird with Lewis and Friedman
Color Me Blood Red Outtakes
The Art of Madness – visual essay on the recurring motif of mad artists as killers in horror cinema
Weirdsville – film Scholar Jeffrey Sconce on Something Weird
Lewis on Jimmy, the Boy Wonder, his 1966 children’s musical
A Hot Night at the Go Go Lounge! – Lewis’ 1966 dance short
Trailers for Color Me Blood Red and Something Weird

THE GRUESOME TWOSOME (1967) + A TASTE OF BLOOD (1967)

Brand new introduction to the films by director Herschell Gordon Lewis
Audio Commentary on The Gruesome Twosome with Lewis
Audio Commentary on A Taste of Blood with Lewis
Peaches Christ Flips her Wig! – the San Francisco performer on The Gruesome Twosome
It Came From Florida – filmmaker Fred Olen Ray (Scalps) on Florida Filmmaking
Herschell vs The Censors – Lewis discusses some of the pitfalls involving local censorship and the lengths to which angry moviegoers tried to stop him
Trailers for The Gruesome Twosome and A Taste of Blood

SHE-DEVILS ON WHEELS (1968) + JUST FOR THE HELL OF IT (1968)

Brand new introduction to the films by director Herschell Gordon Lewis
Audio Commentary on She-Devils on Wheels with Lewis
Garage Punk Gore – filmmaker and musician Chris Alexander discusses the films and music of Herschell Gordon Lewis
The Shocking Truth! – Bob Murawski on his lifelong love for Herschell Gordon Lewis and what he has learned from Lewis’ films
Lewis on his 1968 film The Alley Tramp
She-Devils on Wheels Radio Spot
Trailers for She-Devils on Wheels and Just for the Hell of It

HOW TO MAKE A DOLL (1968) + THE WIZARD OF GORE (1970)

Brand new introduction to the films by director Herschell Gordon Lewis
Audio Commentary on The Wizard of Gore with Lewis
Montag Speaks – a brand new interview with Wizard of Gore actor Ray Sager
The Gore The Merrier – an interview with Jeremy Kasten, director of the 2007 Wizard of Gore remake
The Incredibly Strange Film Show: Herschell Gordon Lewis “The Godfather of Gore” – episode of the Jonathan Ross-hosted documentary series focusing on Lewis’ films, featuring interviews with Lewis, producer David F. Friedman, actor Bill Kerwin, John Waters and more
The Wizard of Gore Trailer

THIS STUFF’LL KILL YA! (1971) + THE GORE GORE GIRLS (1972)

Brand new introduction to the films by director Herschell Gordon Lewis
Audio Commentary on The Gore Gore Girls with Herschell Gordon Lewis
Audio Commentary on This Stuff’ll Kill Ya! by camera operator and Lewis biographer Daniel Krogh
Regional Bloodshed – filmmakers Joe Swanberg and Spencer Parsons discuss the Midwestern roots and work ethic of Lewis’ output and how The Gore Gore Girls represents the shift into transgressive ’70s cinema that would dominate the American horror landscape
Herschell Spills His Guts – Lewis discusses his career post-The Gore Gore Girls, why he left the film industry and his role as a leading figure in the copywriting industry
Gore Gore Girls Radio Spot
Trailers for This Stuff’ll Kill Ya! and The Gore Gore Girls

THIS IS A PREORDER DISC THAT IS DUE TO BE RELEASED ON OR ABOUT 10/26/2016

 

[bigshot]

The US version of the deluxe set sold out in half a day. There are still a couple of hundred of the UK ones left, but they will be gone soon.

 

[Ruz-El]

Release of the decade! I'll be getting it (and the regular limited edition) due to being a supporter of the indiegogo campaign. I'm so far ahead of the cost on the five year subscription that I'm kicking myself for not getting the 10year subscription.

 

[Rob W]

Sadly, Variety reports today that HGL has died at 87 years old.

 

[Ruz-El]

Sadly, Variety reports today that HGL has died at 87 years old.

Sad in deed. You could argue that their wouldn't be an exploitation genre without his influence. (And David Friedman, of course.)

 

[bigshot]

I received this yesterday. The Stephen Thrower book is definitely worth the price of the deluxe set alone. It's a great film by film overview with wonderful images. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Godfather of Gore documentary isn't a DVD as stated in the press release above... it's a blu-ray- 1080i. The box is huge, and even the slipcase and books housing the discs are oversized. This has to be one of most elaborate video box sets ever. It even makes the John Ford box looks small! My only complaint (other than two of my books which had manufacturing defects- DiabolikDVD is helpfully trying to fix that for me) is that nowhere in any of the books is a disc by disc listing of the supplements. I'm going to have to print out the press release and put it in the box I guess.

Overall, worth the price and the best presentation that H G Lewis will ever receive.

 

[Ruz-El]

Mine arrived a couple of weeks ago and I have to agree. Easilly the crowning boxset in my collection, I can't think of another one so thorough! Another neat thing, the slipcase that holds the discs also has custom art for this set, it's simply the Limited Edition "Herschel Gordon Lewis Feast" set stuck in it.

I haven't had time to sit down with the films but I did stick each disc in to check them out and make sure they loaded. 2000 Maniacs has some additional found material (from a tape source if memory serves) and as a result is a more complete cut than the one found on the previous SWV bluray for the Blood Trilogy. Everything has been re-scanned for this set from the best materials and prints they could find. When negatives were available they look absolutely gorgeous. Some of the prints are a bit pants with scratches and damage, but I doubt much can be helped.

Arrow continue to absolutely kill it this year.

 

[bigshot]

Are the disc books the same or different? I think there is a word missing in one of your sentences there.

 

[dvdclon]

An oddity about my Feast set: no UPC to be found anywhere at first examination. It turns out to be affixed to the shipping box, if anyone cares.

 

[Ruz-El]

Are the disc books the same or different? I think there is a word missing in one of your sentences there.

Sorry, meant to say that the slip cases have different art, they didn't just stick the feast set in the big box. I believe the books holding the discs and the annual are the same, but I don't know, I didn't open the regular feast set since I plan on selling it.

I totally missed that the UPC for the shock and gore was on the shipping box and now I tossed it out. Damn. I like to use the UPC for DVDprofiler.

 

[bujaki]

I totally missed that the UPC for the shock and gore was on the shipping box and now I tossed it out. Damn. I like to use the UPC for DVDprofiler.

Happy to oblige. Here's the UPC: 760137948285

 

[dvdclon]

Happy to oblige. Here's the UPC: 760137948285

That is the same UPC that my Feast box has. I assume Russell's Shock and Awe set would be different.

 

[bigshot]

Sorry, meant to say that the slip cases have different art, they didn't just stick the feast set in the big box. I believe the books holding the discs and the annual are the same, but I don't know,

I think the books inside the slip are the same. They don't say Shock and Gore anywhere on them.

 

[Ruz-El]

I think the books inside the slip are the same. They don't say Shock and Gore anywhere on them.

That would be my guess too. I thought it a good job that they went with the custom slip cover for the set. I would of fully expected them to reuse the regular. most other companies would of!

 

[Ruz-El]

What's the consensus on the what is the right ratio for these films? They included some of the films in open matte (4:3) as opposed to widescreen (16:9 I don't have the set in front of me to list the actual ratios (probably 1:44 and 1:89, sorry). Just curious if it makes much difference or if Lewis shot them open matte and then later decided he intended them widescreen after the fact?

 

[bigshot]

You get to choose. H G Lewis's earlier films got shown in a wide variety of venues with all different sizes and shapes. And he wasn't exactly Kubrick. I'm sure he pretty much looked through the viewfinder and composed on the fly, not always considering the aspect ratio. Some scenes look better 1.85, some look better academy.

 

[bigshot]

Here is an interesting example of why you can't go strictly with historical accuracy for aspect ratios. Here is a scene from Scum of the Earth. Which of these is correct, 1.85 or 1.33?

If you go purely by history, you would pick 1.85. If you go by what you see with your eyes, it's pretty clear that it was composed for 1.33.

 

[Ruz-El]

That's what I was thinking. It's funny, I heard somewhere that Lewis, when asked about being known as a bad director, claimed that a good picture is one that has synced audio and was in focus.

Seeing how many of his films have loose audio and soft focus, I didn't think he would be too concerned with aspect ratios haha

 

[bigshot]

You have to remember that many drive in theaters were built in the era of Academy format. If you projected 1.85 on a screen like that, it's going to be smaller and have black bars at the top and bottom. You want the gore in Blood Feast to fill as much of the screen as possible. I think Lewis' films were being distributed to so many different venues with so many different screen sizes, he figured "...to hell with it. I'll just use the viewfinder in the camera and let the projectionist figure it out." ...which isn't necessarily a bad decision under the circumstances.