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This special "mystery box" limited edition spot gloss slipcover is limited to 3,000 units and is only available on our website and at Vinegar Syndrome retail stores and conventions. A standard edition will be made available in the future on our website and at select retailers.
The Reviver sub-label releases lost films and missing movies found within the Vinegar Syndrome Film Archive. Each release is a “mystery box” of archival curios scanned from their best-surviving film elements and programmed by VS archivist & vault manager Oscar Becher. In the spirit of the hunt for lost films, each limited edition also includes a 1 in 10 chance of featuring holographic variant sleeve artwork. Purchases of Reviver releases directly fund archival expenses and day-to-day maintenance of the film archive.
Although a relative newcomer to the world of film restoration and distribution, Vinegar Syndrome has amassed one of the most extensive collections of archival film materials in the United States. While our decade-plus existence is short when compared to other major archives and distribution entities, our efforts to protect, release, and preserve unsung films from the world of independent cinema has only expanded over time. Although our focus has primarily been the distribution of feature films, we have amassed swaths of scintillating short films as well.
After their heyday in the silent era, many short films have since become lost due to their perceived lack of market value. While short films did not disappear, by the mid-twentieth century (the beginning of the Vinegar Syndrome scope) they had largely morphed into non-theatrically-distributed works from filmmakers and artists who endeavored to make films their way. Here, we’ve assembled some of our favorite lost shorts found within our archive that have been waiting patiently for their time to shine.
For Vinegar Syndrome’s first-ever shorts program, we selected from an eclectic mix of all subject matters imaginable, from lost projects from genre film legends to oddities which could never be released until now! We’re happy to present at long last this cultivated cabinet of curiosities containing the weirdest and wildest short films from within the Vinegar Syndrome Film Archive. All have been archivally scanned from their best-surviving (and in many cases, only) elements, with each film presented here on disc for the very first time.
The profits from each REVIVER release go directly to help fund the operations and upkeep of the Vinegar Syndrome Film Archive. That means that by purchasing this Blu-Ray, you are helping us pay for archival film cans, colder and drier storage, and nurturing our archive's mission to continue the hunt for lost films. Thank you for your support.
directed by: N/A
starring: N/A
1958-1990 / 244 min (combined) / 1.33:1 / 3333333 Mono
Additional info:
Overall rating: 4.693333 / 5 from 150 reviews.
Reviver 3 is a limited edition Blu-ray release featuring a collection of lost short films from the Vinegar Syndrome Film Archive. Customers have mixed opinions about the film, but many are excited about the release and the opportunity to support film preservation efforts.
Review topics: ["quality","style","value","service","sound","set","buy","film","shorts","release","collection","reviver","series","selection","edition","oddity","treatment","commentary","restoration","entry","presentation","title","fun","bag","volume","format","puppets","stuff","find","moments"].
"Superb collection of a great variety of short films, I ordered it as soon as I saw it includes 2 cat films… Some of the collection is very funny (the stop-motion sex comedy and its sequel), by contrast the film about death is moving and bleak. The feature ‘Winding Through: Reviver 3’ is a must-watch as it gives insight into what is included. Well worth purchasing (when a standard edition is available - the limited edition is now sold out)."
"Reviver is quickly my favorite line of releases from any label, just cause my personal taste is weirdness and very off the cuff films. The picture quality is the best it can be given the nature of the series, and it adds to its charm. Shipping for this is and always a breeze and I have never had a bad instance from VS."
"Really pleased with this Vinegar Syndrome release. The quality is excellent and it’s another welcome addition to my collection. I’m always impressed by the selection of films they bring to Blu-ray, especially the more unusual titles. Customer service has been fantastic as well. I haven’t watched everything I’ve bought yet because I seem to keep buying more releases than I have time to watch, but I’m very happy to have this one in the collection!"
"Reviver might not be the most consistent series in the VS lineup but that's inherent to the nature of the concept, a bunch of lost media slapped together is gonna be a roller coaster in terms of entertainment which is what makes this big collection of shorts more forgiving - you're not going to get too bored because something new's around the corner in five to ten minutes unless you're watching the Dentist puppets, which does, in fact, last forever. If I could, I'd give Reviver 3 ten stars."
"Reviver 3 is a mixed bag of over 20 shorts, running the gamut of industrial film, documentary, educational, experimental and just plain wacky. You’ll see a yeti touring historical sites of Philly, toy frogs in various love-making positions, an early “Troma” home movie and cats “dancing” with string. There’s even a John Carpenter-esque sci-fi (mainly because of the electronic score) that has some impressive special effects. While not all of it is successful, it’s certainly worthwhile enough. Again, the standout piece is Oscar Becher explaining the different film formats and what was preserved."
"I got a deep dive into volume 3 in the Reviver Collection and damn this might be my favorite one yet. So many wacky and horrifying shorts in this. The Notorious Man in Black from 1974 is a huge highlight which is a cautionary tale about a creepy pedophile. Keep them coming!"
"The first Reviver release I've picked up, this collection has some real gems, though I've only watched about half so far. I very much like the way the whole thing is put together, and extras with Oscar are always fun! Don't sleep on this one."
"Another banger Reviver set, this time focusing on short films. You get puppets and cats and stop motion and experimental films, an incredible mix of styles. Even an early Ted V. Mikels shorts about. . . rock collecting. This is my favorite Reviver yet and I hope there's more short film collections down the line."
"I enjoy the variety of a shorts program, so this was easier to for me to commit to than past Reviver releases. The quality here is pretty all over the map, tending towards the not-so-great, in my opinion. A lot of different styles and viewpoints, but a lot of it is pretty amateurish (I understand that is largely the appeal). Nicely presented but nothing I would ever feel compelled to return to."
"The mystery box equivalent of film restoration continues with this set of short films from off the beaten path. The variety is great and the time capsules that you get to experience here are of great value and entertainment. I haven't seen them all by this point but I can safely say that if you appreciated the last 2 releases, you'll surely like this one a lot too. Considering the niche nature of these short films, the restoration done is great and there are even some insightful extras. I wonder how many they will do of these. . ."
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