#distribpix

Vinegar Syndrome / Distribpix Press Release: A Home Video Merger of Epic Proportion

Bridgeport, Connecticut - Vinegar Syndrome is excited to announce an exclusive distribution partnership with legendary NYC-based exploitation and sexploitation producer and distributor, Distribpix Inc.

This partnership will bring Distribpix’s extensive catalog of close to 300 feature films to Home Video, including countless never on disc titles as well as classic exploitation films from genre masters such as Michael and Roberta Findlay, the Amero Brothers, Joe Sarno, Chuck Vincent, Radley Metzger, Ron Sullivan, and Shaun Costello, among dozens more. Additionally, Distribpix’s unprecedented archive of key 1960s and early 70s exploitation rarities, many of which have been completely unavailable since the VHS and early DVD era, will at last be making their return to disc, all newly restored and presented in the type of deluxe, collector-centric editions that both Distribpix and Vinegar Syndrome are known for creating.

Vinegar Syndrome co-founder Joe Rubin, in describing the collaboration said, “Vinegar Syndrome and Distribpix have worked together before Vinegar Syndrome existed. This venture has been a long time coming and I couldn’t be more excited to be working on preserving, restoring and releasing this collection. So many of the best and most significant sexploitation and early hardcore features were produced by Distribpix and it is an honor to finally be able to consider them part of the Vinegar Syndrome family.”

Head of Distribpix Inc, Steven Morowitz responded “The gang at Vinegar Syndrome is wonderful; they opened their doors and welcomed me into their family. I am honored and grateful for this opportunity and together we are going to produce some absolutely amazing packages. Vinegar Syndrome is the best at what they do, from the highest quality restorations, to top-notch physical releases, so this really is a perfect match and the best spot for Distribpix. Our companies not only thrive on excellent restorations and releasing, but there is a major emphasis on film preservation and archiving, which was equally attractive to me.”

While schedule specifics are still being worked out, Radley Metzger and Gerard Kikoine’s, The Tale of Tiffany Lust (1981), starring Veronica Hart, Vanessa Del Rio, Desiree Cousteau, Samantha Fox, George Payne, and Dominique St Clair, will be making its world 4K UHD and Blu-Ray debut late this summer, while Michael Findlay’s notorious Flesh Trilogy is being prepared for a Blu-Ray release this fall, in partnership with Something Weird Video. Additionally, the Command Cinema line which has been distributed by Distribpix for the last several years will also be joining the Distribpix/Vinegar Syndrome family and will see both Blu-Ray and 4K debuts of producer/director, Cecil Howard’s acclaimed erotica.

This monumental merger coincides with the launch of Mélusine, a new online marketplace for premium home video editions of sexploitation and hardcore cinema primarily produced during both genres’ golden ages: the early 1960s through the late 1980s. In addition to serving as the new retail home for Command Cinema, several other brandings will be launched:

Mélusine, which will serve as the flagship brand, will offer deluxe 4K UHD/Blu-ray combo pack editions of some of the landmark works in hardcore theatrical features, with an emphasis on works by the genre’s most acclaimed filmmakers.

Quality X, the name of which pays homage to what was one of the most esteemed early home video distributors of erotic entertainment, will offer single film Blu-ray editions of standout and hidden gem theatrical hardcore features from around the globe.

Distribpix itself will become home to all things sexploitation, pulling from both Vinegar Syndrome and Distribpix’s vast libraries and ranging from the earliest nudie cuties all the way through the tail end of theatrical softcore. Releases will be single, double and triple feature Blu-rays.  

Finally, Vinegar Syndrome’s acclaimed hardcore feature branding, Peekarama, will continue to offer double feature Blu-rays of hardcore films in all genres.

In keeping with Vinegar Syndrome and Distribpix’s focus on film preservation, releases under all branding will meet the highest standards in presentation quality and the most comprehensive available extras.

An ugly, menacing and dismal look at the vulturous sleaze-bags that circle around bright-eyed showbiz ambition. Directed by Joel Reed, best known for Bloodsucking Freaks (1976), Career Bed follows a domineering stage mother willing to pimp out her daughter for a shot at stardom. It’s Jennifer Welles’ first film*. Georgina Spelvin shows up as an agent (a sleazy one, naturally). Psycho-sexual, grimy, and laced with more dialogue than the producers of these films normally wanted. Cinematographer Ron Dorfman’s first film, whose camera is either gob-smackingly inconsistent (bless him, especially the run-and-gun exterior shots), or hints at his future prowess. It somehow all works. That scene with Mrs. Potter, the photographer, and that poster of the chimp, is incredible — as is Welles’s screen-test sequence. 

The new Something Weird/Distribpix/Melusine Blu-ray (paired with Reed’s Sex by Advertisement) looks fantastic and features a very informative commentary by Reed biographer John Szpunar. He cites something Jimmy McDonough said about what made these films so special:

I haven’t paid much attention to the “Inside” or “Deep Inside” star productions because they’re easy to dismiss as re-packaged best-of compilations. They were low on my priorities in this re-visiting of the Golden Age.

But the Evart Pictures star vehicles were different, offering a refreshingly realistic view into the lives of stars like Jennifer Welles, Seka, and Gloria Leonard.

Deep Inside Annie Sprinkle is the best of them, owing much to Annie Sprinkle’s incredible charisma and her overall sex-positivity. This film absolutely celebrates sex, embraces kink, and there’s something incredibly calming about her presence, sometimes veering into ASMR territory.

The Violation of Claudia (1977) Rated PG