I quickly discovered that if something weird released a movie and it was in blackandwhite and from the 60s, i was almost guaranteed to love it. This episode of moviocrity celebrates the life and mourns the death of mike vraney. Mike vraney, founder of something weird video, rip boing boing. His efforts to preserve a margin of film remain unparalleled.
The film detective partners with something weird video. Intoxica radio jan 7, 2014tribute to mike vraney from. It was very sad to hear of the passing of mike vraney on january 2 nd, he was only 56 years old. Something weird video was founded in 1990 by mike vraney, who died last week at age 56. They specialize in exploitation film, particularly the works of harry novak, doris wishman, david f. Another funfilled disc from something weird video, this sexploitation science fiction flick has a clean fullframe standard transfer with excellent color balance. Intoxica radio jan 7, 2014tribute to mike vraney from something weird video. Consider his association with dave friedman and h,g. Jan 03, 2014 mike vraney, founder of something weird video, has died of lung cancer. Sep 21, 2019 mike vraney and something weird video used to do a great job finding and rescuing those grindhouse obscurities.
Something weird how tim league discovered 110 drivein films in an east prairie warehouse and other stories of disappearing celluloid by jerry renshaw, fri. Something weird dance a go go somethingweirddotcom. Something weird video music, videos, stats, and photos. Something weird vibrations fluctuations submission. Various artists something weird greatest hits easy street. Something weird video was founded by the late great mike vraney 19572014 in the early 1990. Something weird was smart to save submission for last, as it plays like a cobbled together version of the previous two offerings. He was 56 years old, way too young to leave this planet. Something weird video head honcho, mike vraney, partnered with jimmy maslon and marty sokol in 1994 to form mondo a gogo productions.
Feb 16, 2001 something weird how tim league discovered 110 drivein films in an east prairie warehouse and other stories of disappearing celluloid by jerry renshaw, fri. Mike vraney, founder of something weird video, rip boing. Sadly, he passed away in 2014 after a long, heroic battle with lung cancer. We regret to inform you that something weird s founder, mike vraney, passed away on january 2nd 2014 after a long heroic battle with lung cancer. He might not be a household name to most, but as the founder of something weird video, vraney was responsible for opening up generations of cult movie fans to films that would have been lost to time otherwise. Something weird very few titles whose past or present cultural value and video. For decades, something weird has been the preeminent source of cult psychotronic and exploitation films that would. Tribute to mike vraney founder of something weird video. With something weird video vraney made available hundreds, if not thousands of hours of rare, obscure and vintage films, most of which were, wellreally weird. Interview with mike vraney of something weird video youtube. Our biggest employee perk was unlimited free rentals, of which i fully took advantage. Friedman deemed vraney the fortyfirst thief, which was the ultimate compliment to this exploiteer, who dedicated his life to unearthing and preserving the most radically insane.
It contains some of sarnos attention to narrative detail while utilizing a frantic flashback style that suggests fluctuations stream of consciousness carnality. Its collection of exploitation films of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s isnt just second to nonenothing else even comes close. Mike vraney founder of something weird video i wish i can find that article when mike and frank henenlotter uncovered all those lost films which were later imported to swv in an area the size of a football field. Since 1990, something weird video has rescued thousands of bizarre and wonderful exploitation titles from obscurity. Something weird video is an american film distributor company based in seattle, washington.
Something weird is a video company founded by the late mike vraney, whose personal obsession with exploitation and horror cinema is reflected both in his companys outputwhich includes thousands of titles, including the films of herschell gordon lewis, david f. Something weird video was responsible for saving hundreds of exploitation films from being lost forever, and for reintroducing the works of grindhouse film makers like andy milligan, harry novak, doris wishman, david f. During the 1990s he began helping mike vraney of something weird video unearth and release dozens of mind bending exploitation filmsmany of them thought long lostfor a series that became known as frank henenlotters sexy shockers from the vault thanks to preservationists frank and mike generations to come will be able to enjoy. Mike vraney, founder of something weird video, has died of lung cancer. A completeish list of the imagedistributed swv feature films released to dvd and bluray from 19992012. As a library of popular culture, its expansive, fun, and revealing.
Wonderful tribute to mike vraney, lisa petrucci, and the legacy of something weird video. This is the official mike vraney founder of something weird memorial tribute page. Disenchanted with the contemporary art world, she moved to the west coast where she became part of the burgeoning lowbrow art movement and eventually settled in seattle after meeting her soulmate, mike vraney of something weird video who tragically passed away in january 2014 after a heroic battle with lung cancer. One of the final projects vraney was involved in is a documentary called thats. A year or so after my first visit, i started working at video vault. New 4k transfers of titles from something weird library. This particular issue is a tribute to something weird video, the brainchild of mike vraney and lisa petrucci. A true friend to underground movie cultists and popculture history buffs everywhere, vraney worked as a teenage projectionist at driveins and porno theaters, ran a comicbook store, and managed punk bands before starting. Founded by mike vraney in 1990, something weird video is. Something weird reel wild cinema unaired pilot outtakes. Get your kindle here, or download a free kindle reading app.
The company specializes in exploitation and exploitation films from the 1930s to the 1970s. Since founding something weird video named after herschell gordon lewis 1967 lsd movie in 1990, mike rescued literally hundreds of. Something weird video sells off rare image dvd stock. Since vraney died, im not sure how much preservation work is being done. Mike vraney, founder of the seattlebased exploitation boutique home video company something weird, has died at the age of 56, following a long struggle with lung cancer. He was inspired by his teenage job as a theater projectionist. Something weird video was founded in 1990 by mike vraney in seattle, washington. Friedman, and doris wishmanand in his massive 35mm film collection.
To celebrate the work of founder mike vraney, who died last week, here. Before mike vraney passed away, he told lisa petrucci, his widow and business partner, to sell the company and discontinue the mail order video company something he was already considering even before his terminal cancer. I would go so far to say that something weird video is one of the most beloved video companies in the known universe. Lewis, swv put out virtually their entire catalog of films first on vhs and then dvd. To celebrate the work of founder mike vraney, who died last week, here are some. For the very best in exploitation cinema from the 1930s to 70s. I just went to the something weird video homepage only to learn the deeply saddening news that founder mike vraney has passed away. Interview with mike vraney of something weird video. Something weird video is an american film distributor, dedicated to unearthing exploitation films between the 1930s1970s. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on youtube. Founded by mike vraney in 1990, something weird video is headquartered in. Various artists something weird greatest hits record. On the company website, vraney explains the labels genesis.
Something weird video founder mike vraney 1957 2014 by noel murray i never met something weird videos founder mike vraney, but i spoke with him by phone back in 2005, and was charmed by his sincere appreciation for vintage exploitation cinema, which surpassed my own notinsubstantial enthusiasm. Vraney introduced me and many others to a world of cinema that would have been lost otherwise. At home with mike and lisa continuing the series of posts rescued from the mobius home video forum, here is a little reportage from one of my visits to mike vraney, founder of something weird video, and lisa petrucci, kickass kutie artist extraordinaire. Oct 20, 2016 mike vraney founded something weird in 1990. For decades, something weird has been the preeminent source of. Interview with mike vraney of something weird video duration. Begun in the latter 1980s as an offshoot of the voracious habits of punk band manager and underbelly culture vulture mike vraney, something weird video stands today as the greatest lifesavers and distributors of the most utterly insane, sleazy, violent, dopey, accidentally artsy, often kookycrappy forgotten films in the world. Agfa, the american genre film archive, has released some titles in conjunction with something weird, as well as some with bleeding skull which specializes in. Mike vraney, founder of something weird video news. Full moon streaming adds something weird something weird video. Sadly, founder and main dynamo mike vraney died in january but the business continues as before, thanks to vraneys family and friends.
Something weird video is an american publisher of video tapes and dvds, based in seattle, washington. Something weird video has been the main supplier of fine cinematic sleaze for many decades now. His love for the obscure films that never made it to video prompted him to transfer hundreds of ancient reels of film to vhs and dvd. We would go so far to say that something weird video is one of the most beloved video companies in the known universe. Despite being found in tennessee, it is uncertain where bat pussy was filmed. Something weird video founder mike vraney 1957 2014 the. Anyone who is a true movie geek, film fan, or cinema addict owes him a debt of thanks.
While the company still sells dvds, much of its catalog is now also available as digital downloads. Tribute to mike vraney founder of something weird video imdb. A great deal of something weirds cult stemmed from the high profile founder mike vraney and his notsosilent partner, director frank. His love of obscure films that never made it to video led him to transfer hundreds of old reels to vhs and dvd. Lists of unavailable films page 3 general discussions. Before mike vraney passed away, he told me to sell the company and discontinue the mail order video company something he was already considering even before his terminal cancer diagnosis. Founded by the late mike vraney in 1990, something weird video has. He might not be a household name to most, but as the founder of something weird video, vraney was responsible for opening up. From the something weird video facebook page in memorium mike vraney founder of something weird december 29, 1957 to january 2, 2014 we regret to tell you that something weirds founder, mike vraney, passed away on january 2, 2014 after a long heroic battle with lung cancer. Images something weird video dvds, a list of films by paul.
1337 1201 1163 744 1189 455 79 1381 1515 520 1514 664 665 988 516 1386 1353 215 862 513 912 639 1515 1433 427 1437 226 830 1178 543 1537 825 101 114 1352 228 1087 1399 1105 163 244 1435 978 381 133 466 1328 1483 119 736