April 2019 Film Restoration Release Calendar Revealed By Vinegar Syndrome

Vinegar Syndrome announced this past week a four-strong slate of film restorations to be released as Blu-ray/DVD Combo Packs on Apr. 30.

Topping the list is, by far, director Juan Antonio Bardem’s 1973 (1975 and 1976) giallo-style slasher/mystery, The Corruption of Chris Miller.   This 4K restoration from the original 35mm film negative comes complete with both the Spanish-language and English-dubbed theatrical tracks. 

Released in the European market in 1973, the film first arrived in the domestic market in 1975 as The Corruption of Chris Miller, which came and went at the speed of light.   So, it was re-packed and re-released the following year as Behind the Shutters and then disappeared.

A Spanish-giallo film from the 1970s, but it touches all the bases in terms of being erotic, being a mystery and delivering on the horror (slasher) elements.   Let’s tick them off …

Jean Seberg stars as Ruth, she has been abandoned by her husband (a sketchy backstory about him being a “puppeteer”) and now lives with her stepdaughter, Chris (played by Marisol — Blood Wedding, An Angel Has Appeared), in a villa on the northern coast of Spain.  

 Ruth blames the daughter for the breakup and exploits the fragile stepdaughter’s current emotional state (raped while away at school) with mind games and what can only be described as cross-the-line and very inappropriate sexual advances (note, Chris is her “stepdaughter”).

Next, we have serial killer, who has been working the countryside for sometime, and we learn from the local police that a drifter has been seen with guitar in hand near the killings.   We, as the audience, get a few examples of the killer’s handwork … ranging from gruesome to bizarre. 

A drifter shows up by the name of Barney (Barry Stokes — Enemy Mine, Prey), who, in time, will seduce both Ruth and Chris … and he just happens to be pretty handy with a guitar.   

Mother?  Daughter?  Drifter?  Missing father?  Someone else?   Who the killer is, that’s the mystery that ties it altogether.   

Bonus features include an archived video session with filmmaker Juan Antonio Bardem, a short film titled “Jean Seberg: Movie Star” and the alternate Spanish-version ending.

Also on the Apr. 30 calendar from Vinegar Syndrome are two direct-to-video horror releases from the late ‘80s — director Terrence O'Hara’s Darkroom (1989, 4K restoration) and Peter Rader’s Grandmother’s House (1988, also a 4K restoration) — and famed adult filmmaker Gerard Damiano’s 1978 entry, Skin Flicks (a 2K restoration from 35mm film elements), which features Sharon Mitchell, who also provides commentary. 

  

Damiano was known for his breakthrough films of the 1970s — Deep Throat, The Devil in Miss Jones and Memories Within Miss Aggie — and, if the truth be known, Skin Flicks is probably more autobiographical in nature than it is given credit for.