Faces of Death

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FACES OF DEATH is part of our Vinegar Syndrome Archive collection, celebrating forgotten cinematic oddities from the video store era. This collection was inspired by our own brick & mortar video stores, with locations in Bridgeport, CT, Denver, CO, Toronto, ON, and Pittsburgh, PA.

Unique to this line, each numbered limited edition release will come fitted in a specially designed, bottom loading VHS inspired slipcase, while also including a double-sided poster.

These releases will ONLY be available on our website and at participating indie retailers. Absolutely no major retailers will be stocking them. This spot gloss slipcase edition (designed by Steak Mtn.) is strictly limited to 5,000 units and includes a 40-page perfect bound book, plus a title sticker which may or may not be placed on the cover - your call! This release will likely be followed by a standard edition in the future.

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What question has plagued mankind more than the mystery—and terror—of death? This forbidden pursuit has driven Dr. Frances B. Gröss to the brink of madness, but in his obsession, he has amassed a uniquely comprehensive collection of films that depict life in its final, grueling moments. From the savagery of cold-blooded murder to the perverse realities of war, tragic accidents, and the everyday lives of those who collect, dissect, and bury the dead, this descent into morbidity lays bare a truth that all of us will one day face.

One of the most banned, censored, controversial, and notorious films ever made, FACES OF DEATH (1979) changed cinema forever. A surprise home video blockbuster that spawned three sequels, the film was immediately met with praise and condemnation, along with legions of fans and hordes of protestors. Skillfully combining grueling imagery depicting the stark reality of mortality, blended with cleverly staged, ultra-gory re-enactments of murders, suicides, executions, and more too horrible to imagine, Vinegar Syndrome Archive is excited to at last bring FACES OF DEATH to 4K UHD newly restored from its long-lost camera original, and fully uncut for the very first time ever on disc; still as shocking now as it was nearly 50 years ago...

directed by: Conan Le Cilaire
starring: Michael Carr
1979 / 108 min / 1.33:1 / English Mono

Additional info:

• 2-disc Set: 4K Ultra HD / Region A Blu-ray
  
• 4K UHD presented in Dolby Vision High-Dynamic-Range
• Newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm and 16mm original camera negative
• Commentary with director Conan Le Cilaire, moderated by Michael Felsher
• "Buried Footage" - newly discovered, never-before-seen outtakes
• "Choice Cuts" - an archival featurette with editor Glenn Turner
• "The Death Makers" - an archival featurette with effects creators Allan Apone and Douglas White
• "Many Faces of Death" - scholars and genre experts examine the controversial origins and lasting cultural impact of Faces of Death
• 40 page perfect bound book with essays by Samm Deighan, David Kerekes and Stephen Thrower
• Isolated music track
• Archival outtakes
• Trailer
• Reversible sleeve artwork
• English SDH subtitles