Indie Neon-Noir Film VIRUS Comes to Limited Edition VHS from Cyberfools and Weird Life LTR!
The ever-expanding landscape of the fresh VHS movement has offered an array of rewind-inclined releases ranging from obscurities unearthed to re-animations of scarce cult classics to mind-boggling mix-tapes. But perhaps the most interesting and exciting aspect the fresh VHS happening is how it’s provided a platform for indie filmmakers to present their work in a retro-radical format that connects them to a specific sphere of inclinations and tastes. Whether it be as a perk for their current crowdfund campaign or just as a straight-up radical special edition of the film, committing their film to VHS is now again a viable avenue to get more eyeballs on their movie. And that’s pretty groovy, man.
One company that has shown a knack for flowing out a varied and fascinating sampling of indie filmmaking via VHS is Weird Life LTR. Inside their relatively brief existence, Weird Life LTR has released 8 different indie film efforts on VHS varying in aesthetic and scope including the compelling, heartfelt documentary from filmmaker Courtney Fathom Sell called Tracking Issues, and their newest offering Virus: a sci-fi action freakout from director Teva Cheema, which is available RIGHT NOW via this hot, hot, hot link, Tapeheads!
Teva Cheema's VIRUS on VHS from Weird Life LTR. Grab this slab HERE. And HERE, if you dig on those groovy colored videocassettes.
Director Teva Cheema describes Virus as “sort of like an 80's Japanese motorcycle flick a la Sogo Ishii… we've always been big fans of Blade and Jet Li's Black Mask… it's a fun, action-packed, coming-of-age story in a way… a neon-noir.” You can get a closer look at Cheemas shadowy, neon-kissed sci-fi world with the official trailer for Virus just below:
But why a VHS release for Virus? Cheema explains, “Honestly, we wanted to put the movie out on VHS because that is primarily the only way we watch films. We wanted Virus to be that cool-looking video in our collection. We want it to last forever in someone's room… hopefully found at a thrift store once again in 20 years, or something of that like; not a DVD that someone misplaces in their sock drawer. It definitely was not for nostalgic purposes; we could give a shit about that.” Cheema also noted that Virus fits inside a continuum of other films that is ever growing, with Virus currently being the “largest rooted project.” And you’re able to clickity-click this here hot link to get acquainted with a chronological reference showcasing the other films that have helped shape the Virus universe.
You can grab this slab via Cheema’s CYBERFOOLS site directly, which is offering a limited edition 2nd press of 10 copies issued on random colored VHS stock, and you can also grab the Weird Life LTR VHS version which comes issued on a classic black videocassette through the Official Weird Life site, Tapeheads!
Groove and Groove and Make Your Own Universe.
Josh Schafer