THE SERVANT #7: Video Violence 1 & 2
For issue 7 of THE SERVANT zine, I was thrilled to review the new BluRay release of Gary P. Cohen’s VIDEO VIOLENCE 1 & 2 from Terror Vision! It’s so exciting to see these landmark cult classics of SOV horror get a fancy home video re-release with new special features. If you’re a longtime fan of the films, or even if you’ve never seen them but love low-budget gore flicks, you’ve got to get this BluRay!
In the 1980s, as mom & pop video stores sprang up all over the United States, there was a desperate need for video content. The major studios were slow to release their back catalog on home video, and video store owners wanted new product to satisfy their customers. This led to the boom of “shot on video” movies, where independent filmmakers with low budgets would shoot films on consumer-grade equipment, create eye-catching cover art, and sell their films directly to video stores.
One of the most famous of all SOV films is the cult classic “Video Violence,” along with its sequel “Video Violence 2.” Written and directed by Gary P. Cohen, they began with the most ingenious premise: why not make a horror film set in a video store? It’s shocking this hasn’t been done more often. And since Cohen owned his own video store, finding the filming location was already done. The film follows a husband and wife who move to a small town and open a video store, but find that the residents of this quaint village have a massive hankering for extremely violent, blood and guts films. Soon they discover that the townsfolk aren’t satisfied with fake violence: they’re making their own snuff films, killing visitors and new residents.
“Video Violence 2” follows the two residents behind the snuff films — Howard (Bart Sumner) and Eli (Uke)– as they expand their business from simply one-off kills to a bizarro late-night cable show, where they play viewer-submitted videos and torture an unsuspecting aspiring actress live on air. And while the original film plays as a fairly straight horror film, with some sly humor about audience bloodlust, the sequel dives right into self-aware satire, filled with meta-commentary, infomercial parodies, and references to Jason Voorhees, Freddy Krueger and other horror film icons.
Now, you may think: if these films were shot on video, what’s the point of releasing them on Blu-ray? First of all, it’s important to preserve older films, and make them available on the latest physical media formats (especially with how unreliable streaming is these days). And secondly, the films look surprisingly good on Blu-ray! “Video Violence” was actually shot on professional-grade U-Matic tape, and holds up remarkably well. And while “Video Violence 2” was shot on more conventional VHS tape, it’s fitting for the found-footage story it tells. Both films rise above simply being SOV “curiosities,” thanks to some smart satirical humor, wonderfully outlandish blood effects, enjoyably over-the-top acting, and a catchy synth score.
This new release comes in a gorgeous hard cardboard box, a slipcover depicting the video store from the film, and the Blu-ray case has reversible cover art from both film’s original artwork. The special features include two commentaries for both films. There’s a new director commentary, along with a commentary from 2007 with the director and several members of the cast and crew. This comes from the previous DVD release of the film from Camp Motion Pictures. However, what’s not included from the 2007 edition is a new cut of the film, where Cohen re-edited both installments of “Video Violence” into a single film. If you want to watch that version, you’ll have to track down the OOP DVD on eBay. However, this new edition does include several new interviews with the actors and makeup artists, along with a 30-minute documentary by Cohen about the legacy of “Video Violence” and its cult fandom.
With its handmade VHS aesthetic and copious body-count, “Video Violence” isn’t for everyone. But if you’re a fan of bloody horror comedies, or are just interested in the independent films of the 1980s, “Video Violence” and its sequel are essential viewing for understanding a unique period of both filmmaking and video store history.
