Most importantly though, this will ensure the preservation and safety of these movies for hopefully decades to come. Here’s the full release:
(Austin, TX | Thursday, January 12, 2017) – Alamo Drafthouse’s American Genre Film Archive, the largest non-profit genre film archive in the world, is making its biggest strides yet in 2017 in an effort to share exploitation films from the 1960s to the 2000s with the widest audience possible. AGFA has partnered with Arrow Films, Severin Films, and Vinegar Syndrome to distribute their respective catalogs theatrically on DCP, and in some cases, on 35mm. Many titles from these newly acquired catalogs are now available for theatrical bookings.
In 2016, AGFA proudly welcomed a new member to the family — a Lasergraphics film scanner. In addition to scanning their own elements for release on home video and in theaters, AGFA now offers 4K and 2K scanning for 35mm and 16mm film elements. AGFA also announced last year that it would begin distributing titles theatrically and on home video in partnership with Seattle’s Something Weird Video including The Zodiac Killer, a 1971 film made in the hopes of capturing the real-life Zodiac killer.
“We’re incredibly excited about AGFA’s expanding mission, with our growing catalog from the best genre labels on the planet, our ability to scan rare film prints in 4K, and the distribution of our own titles with Something Weird Video. We’re making it easier than ever for exhibitors to share these films with audiences across the world as a one stop shop for the preservation and distribution of genre madness,” said AGFA Director Joe Ziemba.
Arrow Films
Launched in 1991, Arrow Films is one of the most energetic and cutting edge forces in the world of genre movies. With a focus on fan-based products at its core, Arrow is dedicated to restoring original material through state- of-the-art techniques, as well as pioneering new packaging solutions and exclusive artwork for each release. Arrow is a friendly, family-based and respected entertainment company with a strong heritage and global ambitions. Titles in Arrow’s catalog include movies like Mario Bava’s hugely influential BLOOD AND BLACK LACE, the 1980s Thanksgiving trash-slasher BLOOD RAGE, and Japan’s legendary FEMALE PRISONER SCORPION series.
Severin Films
Since their founding in 2006, Severin Films has become the foremost studio dedicated to rescuing, restoring and releasing the most provocative genre movies from around the world. With offices in Los Angeles and London, the company’s international successes in DVD, Blu-Ray and niche theatrical films from Oscar nominees and cult icons alike has garnered applause in The Hollywood Reporter and the Onion AV Club, and led BlogCritics.org to proclaim, “Severin Films are well on their way to becoming the greatest indie label of all time.” Titles in Severin’s catalog include movies like Italian zombie benchmark BURIAL GROUND, Jess Franco’s perverted vampire epic VAMPYROS LESBOS, and the twenty-first century mind-melter BIRDEMIC: SHOCK AND TERROR.
Vinegar Syndrome
Born in 2012, Vinegar Syndrome has quickly become internationally recognized as one of the leaders in the preservation and distribution of genre film from the 1960s through the 1980s. With a never-wavering goal of performing expert level preservations of grindhouse classics and obscurities, their work has been praised everywhere from The New York Times to Dangerous Minds. Alamo Drafthouse labeled Vinegar Syndrome “the Criterion Collection of exploitation/horror/ weirdo movies.” Titles in Vinegar Syndrome’s catalog include movies like James Bryan’s D.I.Y. slasher hit DON’T GO IN THE WOODS, Rudy Ray Moore’s incredible DOLEMITE series, and the subversive holiday horror classick CHRISTMAS EVIL.
