Mondo, the poster art arm of the Alamo Drafthouse, is releasing the direct-to-video slasher film Sledgehammer – on VHS! They have partnered with Intervision Picture Corporation to start Mondo Video, the purpose of which will be to release rare genre films in a collectible VHS format. The VHS will be released today, coinciding with the Intervision DVD release. The VHS release includes the original 1983 copy of the film and the original box art.
Not convinved? Well, Sledgehammer was the debut feature by Deadly Prey director David Prior, and stars Mike Danton himself, Ted Prior! Zack Carlson of the Alamo Drafthouse describes the film as follows:
“Ted Prior leads a cast of self-loathing alcoholics who face off against a shape-shifting, dimension-crossing spectre with a penchant for blunt object trauma. By the end, brains, bowels and Budweiser will be smeared across every inch of the walls. A rewardingly lethal collision of ‘80s slasher video-vomit, suburban legend and unintentional surrealist art, Prior’s supernaturally disabled death opera is the most visionary migraine to ever pummel its way into your skull. If you survive it, you’ll never ever forget it.”
This release is bound to inspire complaints such as, “Why the hell would I want a VHS?” or “This is for retro-humping hipsters.” I, for one, think it is fantastic. Obviously nobody is going to buy this for stunning video quality – it is a collectible. You buy it for the same reason you buy a t-shirt, a poster, or an action figure. It brings a sense of nostalgia and represents your love for the genre. Most of us grew up with VHS and there is nothing wrong with wanting that piece of history back. Does it make you a hipster to listen to old vinyls? Or to play classic Nintendo? If it does, then consider me Wes Anderson.
It is not about hearing a song in the best quality, or seeing a film in high definition – it is about recapturing a feeling and a fidelity to the era from which the film or song came. Sure, I hated tracking lines and having to fast-forward, too. But I also hated jamming NES games and blowing into the cartridge every time, but that does not mean I love it any less. Besides, this release is not taking away from the Sledgehammer DVD – they are still releasing that, so nobody can bitch about that. I am looking forward to seeing what Mondo Video releases next!
