Horror legend and
home video pioneer Charles Band had been putting off his warehouse cleaning for
years. But during a recent overhaul of his extensive collection of
collectibles, he unwittingly resurrected a veritable treasure trove of vintage
horror limited-edition VHS boxes coveted by horror fans and serious collectors.
Now, fans will be able to purchase these original boxes with
authentically duplicated VHS copies inside - at an incredibly reasonable price.
"Back in the 80's,
I thought it would be cool to release these films in the oversize VHS boxes,"
explained Band. "In the short term, it was very successful - but by
1982 the trend had run its course and the titles were reduced back to regular
VHS dimensions."
Band started Wizard Video
in 1980, and was the first to release horror cult films such as HALLOWEEN, THE
TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, and I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE in the early days of home
video. "The kids who remember these
oversized packages remember them fondly," Band continued. "The
release of this collection is for them."
Over a span of three
to four years, Wizard Video published eighty titles in the large-format
boxes. Thirty-five years after the packaging's popularity died out, Band
and his excavation team uncovered the original big VHS boxes of thirty-six of
these rare titles in mint condition, between two hundred to four hundred copies
per title. Each box will be hand-numbered on the spine and
autographed by Charles Band and will include an authentically duplicated VHS
copy of the film inside of a clamshell holder. Band estimates that
very few of these rare videos are still in print - and no more than 5-10
thousand units were manufactured at the time.
Also found in the
collection were original boxes of the first horror video games on the planet,
from Wizard Video's sister company, Wizard Video Games. The Atari 2600
game boxes for HALLOWEEN and THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE will be released this
year from Full Moon. At the time of release, these titles were
deemed too violent for children, and were either banned or sold by
request-only, making them an extraordinarily rare find as well.
Go
to www.Wizardvideocollection.com
and www.Fullmoondirect.com for more
information. Every month four titles
will be on sale at $50.00 per title.
Rollout schedule:
FEBRUARY 12
RETURN OF THE ZOMBIES
TRAUMA
OASIS OF THE ZOMBIES
DEMONIAC
MARCH 12
A VIRGIN AMONG THE LIVING DEAD
FEAR
BREEDERS
HEADLESS EYES
APRIL
I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE
BLOOD CASTLE
MANDINGA
TORMENTOR
MAY
ZOMBIE
MONSTER HUNTER
SPACE VAMPIRES
THE SCREAMING DEAD
JUNE
SS EXPERIMENT
DREAMANIAC
SAVAGE ISLAND
EROTIKILL
JULY
ZOMBIE LAKE
SPACE ZOMBIES
ZOMBIETHON
THE BEST OF SEX & VIOLENCE
AUG
FILMGORE
HELLTRAIN
THE POSSESSOR
FAMOUS T&A
SEPT
THE INVISIBLE DEAD
BEAST
THE MISS NUDE AMERICA CONTEST
FIEND
OCT
FRAULEIN DEVIL
WHITE SLAVE
ESCAPE
PARASITE
