Film Media /Film Movement Releasing Joe Sarno Films On Blu-ray

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

This is pretty great news.

http://www.filmmedia.org/

"Conceived and initiated in 2016, the Film Media Project is the brainchild of company director Michael Raso who has dedicated his life to working with film. A professional cinematographer, editor and producer, Michael understands all aspects of film media from production through media management and distribution. Michael personally oversees the restoration and transfer to high definition of all films in the Film Media Project archive."

Michael Raso, how released a lot of Sarno's films through Seduction Cinema/Retro-Seduction Cinema, is involved and it looks like Tim Lucas is also helping out here:

http://videowatchdog.blogspot.com/20...coming-to.html

Lucas posted this press release on his blog:

For Immediate Release

FILM MEDIA TO RELEASE VAMPIRE ECSTASY / SIN YOU SINNERS TO BLU-RAY AND HD DIGITAL OCTOBER 4, 2016

Double Feature Kicks Off Joseph W. Sarno High Definition Release Schedule

April 5, 2016 Fair Lawn, NJ - Motion picture film preservation and restoration company Film Media announced the October 4, 2016 release of Vampire Ecstasy and Sin You Sinners, two seminal films from director Joseph W. Sarno, to Blu-Ray and HD Digital. This day-and-date Blu-ray and HD digital release is the first in a planned series that will comprise the largest collection of Joseph W. Sarno films under one label. Also contributing to the series are Tim Lucas, noted film critic and editor of Video Watchdog, who will provide liner notes; and Joe's widow Peggy Steffans Sarno, who will provide context and invaluable insight into Joe's process.

About the Vampire Ecstasy / Sin You Sinners Double Feature Blu-Ray:

Magic amulets, occult rituals and an undying curse drive tales of sexual jealousy and forbidden desire in Joseph W. Sarno's Sin You Sinners and Vampire Ecstasy, presented together for the first time in High Definition.

Sin You Sinners (1963) - An aging exotic dancer uses occult forces in the shape of a magic amulet to maintain her youth and beauty. Discovering her secret, her jealous daughter and employer hatch plots to steal the amulet for themselves. When the amulet goes missing, it sets off a chain of events ending in murder.

Vampire Ecstasy (1973) - Three beautiful young women arrive at a grim and secluded castle, eager to claim their inheritance. In the castle basement, a coven of witches dance in a wild ritual, invoking the spirit of their deceased vampire leader. That same night, a brother and sister arrive, warning of the castle's evil curse. But too soon they also fall under the witches' spell, and the stage is set for the return of the Baroness Varga, for the vessel has been chosen!

Double Feature includes new liner notes by Tim Lucas, film critic and editor of Video Watchdog, director and producer interviews, commentaries and a trailer vault.

[Rakesh R. Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Rakesh R.]

Wow, awesome news! Sarno is a favorite of mine.

[Fundi Guest Find all posts View Profile Close Fundi]

well this is great, I like Joe Sarno's films, but I never did buy all of them on blu ray, I hope they can do Ingo on blu ray, that one is great, and if there are any surviving sources for Seduction of Ingo that one definitely needs a better release the old release is horrible.

[Keith H Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Keith H]

My fave for a blu would be Sleepy Head.

[Thomas Wood Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Thomas Wood]

My fave for a blu would be Sleepy Head.

SLEEPY HEAD is Video-X-Pix. This is just Alternative Cinema going into Blu-rays so only Sarno tittles that Alternative Cinema released will be coming out.

[Robert R Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Robert R]

Really excited by this announcement. Sarno is one of my favorite directors. I hope they talk about their choices of aspect ratios in the booklets or commentaries, but the videos look to be 1.66:1, which should be right. I trust that Tim Lucas and others involved would be interested in proper presentations.

If they are releasing the largest collection under one label, they might be releasing more than what Alternative Cinema has released so rare Sarnos may finally be available. It would be nice if film elements of Misty were discovered, or if they have better materials for The Switch or How to Alter Your Ego, Moonlighting Wives, and Confessions of a Young American Housewife.

[Fundi Guest Find all posts View Profile Close Fundi]

yeah I hope they can release all of Sarno's films even the ones Distribpix has, because we're never going to get them from Distribpix in restored versions on blu ray. I hope they can release the Something Weird ones as well, because Something Weird has stopped releasing anything on blu ray as well. It would be nice if they follow through and actually release all the Sarno films, but we'll see.

[Mark C. Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mark C.]

Incredible news, Sarno was a true artist and his films are far greater than anything others were doing in the same genre. Excited for this.

[Thomas Wood Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Thomas Wood]

I think Lisa Petrucci has mentioned working with Alternative Cinema in the future so it's possible some of their Sarno titles may appear.

[Randy G Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Randy G]

One of the best directors in sexploitation, looking forward to these and more.

[Andrew P Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Andrew P]

I'm guessing that Vampire Ecstasy will be the 85 min R-rated cut seen on the widescreen Devil's Playthings release? I'd like to be wrong a see the full 100 or so minute cut that was in the Girl Meets Girl Collection set.

My ultimate Sarno wishlist would be Misty, The Switch and Passion in Hot Hollows in glorious new uncut scans. Sadly that is a pipe dream I think.

[Marshall Crist Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Marshall Crist]

It would be insane to include the cut version of "Vampire Ecstasy," but the mere fact that they are marketing it with that shitty retitling does not bode well. Fingers crossed.

[Fundi Guest Find all posts View Profile Close Fundi]

I really hope like you guys that they release the uncut version of Vampire Ecstasy, it's kind of pointless to do a great restoration on a badly censored version of a film, unless it's like some film from like 1895 or something and it's like the first film ever made lol, but I mean since the uncut version is already out on DVD, a cut blu ray would not get purchased by me, and I'm sure many others.

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

Update from their website:

FILM MEDIA TO RELEASE VAMPIRE ECSTASY / SIN YOU SINNERS TO BLU-RAY AND HD DIGITAL OCTOBER 4, 2016

Double Feature Kicks Off Joseph W. Sarno High Definition Release Schedule

April 26, 2016 Fair Lawn, NJ - Motion picture film preservation and restoration company Film Media announced the October 4, 2016 release of Vampire Ecstasy and Sin You Sinners, two seminal films from director Joseph W. Sarno, to Blu-Ray and HD Digital. This day-and-date blu-ray and HD digital release is the first in a planned series that will comprise the largest collection of Joseph W. Sarno films under one label. Also contributing to the series are Tim Lucas, noted film critic and editor of Video Watchdog, who will provide liner notes; and Joe's widow Peggy Steffans Sarno, who will provide context and invaluable insight into Joe's process.

Magic amulets, occult rituals and an undying curse drive tales of sexual jealousy and forbidden desire in Joseph W. Sarno's Sin You Sinners and Vampire Ecstasy, presented together for the first time in High Definition.

Sin You Sinners (1963) - an aging exotic dancer uses occult forces in the shape of a magic amulet to maintain her youth and beauty. Discovering her secret, her jealous daughter and employer hatch plots to steal the amulet for themselves. When the amulet goes missing, it sets off a chain of events ending in murder.

Vampire Ecstasy (1973) - Three beautiful young women arrive at a grim and secluded castle, eager to claim their inheritance. In the castle basement, a coven of witches dance in a wild, orgiastic sex ritual, invoking the spirit of their deceased vampire leader. That same night, a brother and sister arrive, warning of the castle's evil curse. But too soon they also fall under the witches' spell, and the stage is set for the return of the Baroness Varga, for the vessel has been chosen!

Double Feature includes new liner notes by Tim Lucas, film critic and editor of Video Watchdog, director and producer interviews, mini poster, commentary and a trailer vault.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Film Media Project is dedicated to preserving, restoring and raising awareness of obscure and outstanding examples of independent cinema shot on motion picture film.

Tim Lucas' VIDEO WATCHDOG blog - http://videowatchdog.blogspot.com/

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

Another press release, this time confirming the involvement of Something Weird in this project, which is pretty exciting news.

Announcing the FILM MEDIA PROJECT
Organization Launched to Archive, Preserve, and Restore Outstanding Independent Motion Picture Films

April 18, 2016 Fairlawn NJ - Producer, director and founder of the Film Photography Project Michael Raso announced the launch of the Film Media Project, a new enterprise devoted to the preservation and restoration of outstanding independent cinema shot on motion picture film. Located in a climate controlled facility in Fairlawn, NJ the swiftly-growing archive of 35mm, 16mm and 8mm films stands at nearly 600 features and shorts, with high definition restoration of many of the features already underway. Short and long-term Film Media Project goals include theatrical screenings, retrospectives and eventual release of High Definition assets to home entertainment.

Leading the schedule for restoration to high definition are the Film Media prints of erotic auteur Joseph W. Sarno, frequently referred to as the 'Ingmar Bergman of 42nd street,' and a leading figure in the mid-20th century exploitation genre. In a fortuitous collaboration with Something Weird Video, represented by Michael Vraney's widow and business partner Lisa Petrucci, seven 35mm prints of Sarno films previous released under the Something Weird Video label will be added to the Film Media assortment for restoration and eventual co-branded HD release, making this the largest collection of Joseph W. Sarno films to date under one label. Also contributing to the series are Tim Lucas, noted film critic and editor of Video Watchdog, who will provide liner notes; and Joe's widow Peggy Steffans Sarno, who will provide context and invaluable insight into Joe's process.
Also underway is restoration of Where the Air is Cool and Dark, a visually stunning and critically acclaimed account of drug addiction and recovery set in the 1990s Pacific Northwest, directed by Seattle film maker Brion Rockwell.

Michael Raso commented,
"Founding the Film Media Project & archive seems the inevitable outgrowth of my passion for film in its many forms. With my company The Film Photography Project, we work tirelessly to promote, educate and inspire creativity using analog film as a medium - through educational videos, a podcast, free workshops and camera donations to schools around the globe - and along with like-minded organizations such as the Impossible Project and Lomography, we endeavor to keep film relevant and available. Recently, I expanded our efforts to include 16mm film, and the response far exceeded my expectations. That's when I realized I needed to bring this momentum to my swiftly growing library of rare and obscure films. I should also mention that Film Media would not be poised to launch the Joseph W. Sarno Retrospect Series if it weren't for the collaboration with Lisa Petrucci and the Something Weird Video library, which dramatically expanded our assortment of films by one of my all-time favorite directors and personal friend, Joe Sarno."

Lisa Petrucci, SWV added,
"Something Weird Video is thrilled to have this opportunity to work with the Film Media Project on the release and restoration of these seminal sixties sexploitation classics from the great master of psycho-sexual cinema, Joe Sarno. We've always believed Sarno's films to be some of the best of this genre and have long considered them precious jewels in the crown of our film archive. It will be a treat to see these brilliant films in high definition, and get the first class treatment and presentation they so well deserve."

For additional information on the Film Media Project, please visit www.FilmMedia.org
For additional information on Something Weird Video, please visit www.SomethingWeird.com