Fresh VHS Label Video Carnage Video AKA VCV Unleashes a Double Dose of Anti-Digital Excellence with Limited Editions of MAD FOXES and MASSACRE AT FEMUR CREEK Making them Available for the First Time on VHS in the US!
Hey-yo, my fellow Tapeheads! Man, the preparation and execution for this past weekend’s Severed event and unveiling of the initial installment of The Museum of VHS was most analog excellent, but after that whirlwind of rewind-inclined extreme excitement, we needed some VCRest, mang! VHSincere apologies for that delay! We’re now back in the VHSaddle and ready to bring you more magnetically crazed coverage with a new duo of fresh VHS dealing dudes from The Great White North operating under the banner of Video Carnage Video. VCV main brains Brett and K Cuz have recently unleashed two slabs of black plastic gold with the hard-to-find sleazy cult classic Mad Foxes and a Canadian indie short film entitled Massacre at Femur Creek that pays hilarious homage to a totally seminal slasher. Both releases are fully legit limited editions of just 66 copies, so read on, my fellow Videovores, and groove your way to a pair of fresh VHS that are sure to expand your mess of home video magnificence…
The absolutely analog-inclined Video Carnage Video Logo. Dig that VHSimplicty, mang.
Tell us a little but about yourselves, and how VCV came to be. What was the impetus to start it up? Brett: We are Canadian, so obviously we are really nice. I am from London, Ontario and have been a horror film lover for pretty much my entire life. My childhood memories are going to Videoflicks in London and renting 5 movies for 5 days for $5, and the horror section was incredible. I also remember going to my Grandparents a lot of weekends and my Grandfather taping horror & skin movies off of Late Great Movies on City TV. My younger brother and I would watch things we for sure should not have been watching, but we loved it. K Cuz: VCV is Brett Jansen and myself. Were based out of Londoom, Ontario. We started the label as a means to pump more schlock into the world because let's face it: there's never enough.
The VCV dubbing station where indie slabs of video vindication come to life. DIY OR DIE, DUDE.
You’ve come out of the gate with two releases. Tell us first about Mad Foxes, which is almost impossible to come by. For the uninitiated, tell us about the flick and what to expect. These are fully licensed releases, so how was the process of getting the rights and creating the release? Specs on this release? K Cuz: We are so stoked on Mad Foxes. It's totally insane! Expect to see Nazis on bikes, fast cars, explosions, full frontal male nudity (for the ladies), possibly the most contaminated bath water ever captured on film, guts, gore and disappearing/reappearing swastikas. There's tons of other crazy shit but I don't want to spoil the fun. Yes, Foxes is fully legit. A percentage of the sales go to the current rights holder who was also a producer on the film. We're not in the business of boots. As far as getting the rights you just have to put in the work. Make calls, send emails and stay persistent. Google translate is your friend. I have a dubbing station set up that I have labeled Black Ark. Some of the best dub was made in Lee Perry's studios and now in my tape room, as well. I know these movies word for word and Krokus haunts my nightmares. EASY ROCKER! Both Foxes and Femur are a limited run of 66. Act now! Brett: Foxes is such a balls to the wall film. It’s the perfect movie to start with because it embodies everything we want to be as a company. We want to release the greasiest of the greasy.
A look at the full art for MAD FOXES from VCV. Unchained Analog Editions 5EVA.
Your other release is a short film called Massacre at Femur Creek. Tell us all about that one? Why did you want to transfer this flick to VHS and release it via analog means? Brett: Massacre at Femur Creek is a limited release of 66 as well. A local film maker that I went to school with had made it as homage to the Friday the 13th series and we both loved it. It seemed like the perfect movie to put on VHS and Kyle, the film maker, did the design of the cover to match the old Warner clams and the spine stickers to give that old Friday the 13th feel. K Cuz: It's set in 1984 so it's only natural it be released on the appropriate format to reflect the times. It's a lot of fun. Really funny and some good gore. We just want to release stuff we are excited about and Femur definitely meets that criteria.
A look at the art for MASSACRE AT FEMUR CREEK. Dig that rewind retro video vibe, mang.
Why do you want to put movies on tape? What is it about the format that really excites you? K Cuz: I like intrusive bulky objects that satisfy my primitive brain. DVDs are too slim and fem. You can knock someone over the head with a tape and do damage. That is very important to me. Brett: As collectors, we each have pretty extensive collections. We are doing this not only for other collectors but for ourselves as well. I love seeing Mad Foxes and Massacre at Femur Creek on the shelves with my Donna Michelles, Wizards, Camps and Film Threats. At the end of the day we want to release things that excite us and if other people want them that’s a major bonus. The format itself is all about nostalgia for us, as I assume with most collectors. That’s why we started the company. Also the movies we are working on and Mad Foxes are impossible to find on the format so we want to bring that to the (limited to 66) masses sort of.
Both releases from VCV all ready to roll into your VCR. Lookin' GOOD, mang.
Tell us a little about your Videovore habits. What are some of your favorite slabs? Do you have a favorite VHSnack to go along with your video viewings? Brett: I have so many tapes that I love personally. Demons on Unicorn, every Thriller except 2 (I think) Toxic Zombies, all the Donna Michelles, Gore Whore & Gorotica to name a few. I collect all kinds of ways, going to video stores, eBay, the message boards, etc. and I’ve amassed about 5,000 tapes. As for VHSnacks I will eat just about anything that is terrible for you while watching tapes. K Cuz: When I'm watching a flick by myself I usually strip to my underwear and immerse myself in the nurturing glow radiating from the screen. I love my Psychopath side loader big box on Astral. It’s probably my favourite tape in terms of rares. And I just found a copy of Gaillo a Venzia at Shock Stock here in London, Ontario which blew my mind. I eat a fucking ton of Ring-a-Wing. If I'm not then I’ll eat a bowl of cereal and a glass of PC new wave cola. If I'm at Brett's, I eat Taco Bell and whatever chocolate bars his girlfriend keeps beside the couch.
A peek at one small section of Brett's 5000 tape collection. Some prime slabs here, Videovores!
Have you guys been collecting VHS for long? What’s your take on the current VHS collector world as it exists right now? K Cuz: In terms of collecting I always was into buying tapes from Goodwill, Value Village etc.. It was just something I did along with records and cassette tapes. It was more of a casual thing. That’s how I found most of my cool tapes. It wasn't until I met Brett a few years ago that I really got the bug. He was selling some horror tapes off Kijjiji (Canadian Craigslist) and I went to pick them up and saw his collection and was like, “Dude I'm in heaven.” Brett: I’ve been collecting since I was a kid but have only been on the message board for about a year and a half. I had no idea there were so many people out there like me. It’s great. I am also liking all of the other new VHS distribution companies. I have almost every Massacre, Sub Rosa, Bleeding Skull & Vultra tape out there and love how they are bringing out movies that are hard to find or have never been released. It’s a model that we are trying to follow.
There they are! K Cuz, Brett and MASSACRE director Kyle Hytonen kickin' it at Shock Stock in London, Ontario. TAPES ON TAPES ON TAPES.
What’s next VCV, mang? Any obscure analog on deck for you guys? Brett: We are working on some titles right now that are on par with Mad Foxes that we think will blow people’s minds. We also want to keep releasing short films that we love (especially if they are Canadian). We have nothing to announce as of right now but that could very well change very soon. We are excited about the future. K Cuz: Some irons in the fire but nothing we can talk about yet. SSssecretssss. We could call those VHSecrettsss, right?! You know I will. Anything else you wanna shout out to the voracious Videovores here in Lunchmeat Land?! Brett: Get ready for some exciting announcements from VCV in the very near future and thanks for the opportunity to be interviewed! K Cuz: Ya. Buy our tapes!You heard ‘em, Tapeheads! Groove on over to VCV’s official Facebook page, shoot ‘em a message to secure your copies before these limited edition re-animations are VHiStory! Your VCR will thank you, mang! Oh! And be sure to give VCV some like button love on their Facebook to stay updated on all of their upcoming analog creations. Sounds like they’ve got some super groovy slabs in the works, and you KNOW you’re going to want in on the info when they unveil their next batch of current VHSecrets to VCRs everywhere! DIG IT!
Groove and Groove and Eat Whatever is Next to the Couch.
Josh Schafer