This listing is for the standard edition 3-disc Blu-ray release. The limited edition slipcase was limited to 2,000 units and is sold out. The two versions are identical, aside from the packaging.
The American Genre Film Archive (AGFA) represents the world's largest theatrical catalog of exploitation cinema. Their home video line presents a diverse selection of movies, ranging from new preservations of classics from the vast library of Something Weird to the wildest in shot-on-video (SOV) titles. Vinegar Syndrome’s sister company, OCN Distribution, is thrilled to be representing this diverse and unique home video line!
A force of nature since 1985, underground icon Jon Moritsugu—in partnership with wife Amy Davis—creates candy-colored genre riots that feel like NC-17 sitcoms from outer space. Moritsugu's fearless, protopunk deconstructions function as a giant middle finger to everything from racism to gender expectations—while also exploring themes of Asian-American identity. TERMINAL DEGENERATION: THE FILMS OF JON MORITSUGU collects these joyous, trash-art ragers for the first time on widely released home video. From MY DEGENERATION (a DIY answer to BENEATH THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS) to TERMINAL USA (an ultra-90s teen-crime berserker that was funded by PBS), AGFA is honored to present sparkling new restorations of Moritsugu's essential work.
directed by: Jon Moritsugu
starring: Various
1987-2013 / 519 min (combined) / 1.33:1, 1.78:1 / English DTS-HD MA 2.0
Additional info:
Disc 1: MY DEGENERATION (1989) and HIPPY PORN (1991)
Disc 2: TERMINAL USA (1993) and MOD FUCK EXPLOSION (1994)
Disc 3: FAME WHORE (1997), SCUMROCK (2002) and PIG DEATH MACHINE (2013)
Overall rating: 4.72067 / 5 from 179 reviews.
This Blu-ray box set features a collection of films by Jon Moritsugu, known for his unique and provocative style. Customers praise the restoration quality, the lavish packaging, and the art on the slipcover. The set includes archival commentary tracks and various extras, making it a must-have for fans of underground cinema.
Review topics: ["colors","looks","design","picture","style","value","packaging","presentation","box","case","buy","set","price","work","film","collection","release","explosions","filmmakers","restoration","art","movie","boxset","usa","agfa","vision","transfer","commentary","features","gem"].
"Great package, great extras. You sorta feel like you've been let in on something, watching these. Certain types will realize they could totally just make movies. As for the films, there's not much to say that others haven't. Disc 2 was my favorite, but it was all worthwhile. Also, there's a ton of music in these things."
"Great price, product and design"
"True Punk Rock movie making. A treasure trove of delights and excellent restorations on each film."
"I waited so long to pull the trigger on this one and it was worth the wait."
"Jon Moritsugu’s films are not for the uninitiated — abrasive, punk, trash-glam and proudly antagonistic toward any notion of polished filmmaking. But that is exactly why they matter and why this set is so satisfying: it treats these films not as fringe curiosities but as culturally valuable work worth archiving and re-watching. Seeing them with clean scans and proper authoring gives them a clarity and presence that home-dupe copies never could. For anyone even slightly curious about the American underground of the late 80s–90s, this is an essential document."
"Consider buying"
"I peed my phone"
"Greatest creative couple this side of Cassevetes/Rowlands! Jon & Amy belong in film schools and film books next to any of the canonized filmmakers! This set gathers near everything and finally the films have been restored to the glory they deserve. Don't miss a single special feature as they're all crucial."
"Now this is the good stuff"
"Movies: My Degeneration: Nothing too profound, but I got several laughs out of this, and I _really_ appreciate that it doesn't drag on too long. Not every movie needs to be 90 minutes! Hippie Porn: Took me a bit to get into this. It had some nice laughs, and does a great job bringing across the vibe of certain college students, including just how insufferable they can be at times, while also feeling broadly sympathetic. Terminal USA: So fun! The sets really elevate this to a new level above Moritsugu's previous films, and the acting is spot on for the right delivery of the hilariously absurd dialogue. This is why funding the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is so important. Mod Fuck Explosion: More grounded than Terminal USA, but more whimsical than Hippie Porn. It definitely hits the teenage feels, while also providing plenty of visual and stylistic interest. More great, memorable dialogue from Moritsugu. I would've enjoyed it more if the climax had hit harder, but I can also see how that might've diluted the message. Fame Whore: Enjoyable enough. The three threads of the movie didn't seem to really play off each other, but I do think that bouncing around helped the pacing. The jokes are consistently funny, although I didn't feel as much of the societal critique present in the other Moritsugu films I've seen. Gave me some good nostalgic '90s feels. Scumrock: For me this fares poorly in comparison to the other Moritsugu movies. It's less absurd, and the lo-fi picture and sound quality don't give it enough of a vibe to justify the decreased ability to see/hear what's going on. I really liked one part that did something neat w/ the digital camera, and some of the jokes about making movies made me chuckle. Overall just fine though. Pig Death Machine: Frustrating. I really _wanted_ to like this, and there are some interesting things going on, but after spending most of the movie wondering where the threads were going the answer was "nowhere". It's a shame, because the beginning is great, the visual style is overall nice, and even just having uptempo songs keeps the energy up, _for awhile_. Then you get too many long scenes of characters not doing very much, punctuated by occasional loud screeching noises. Extras: Loved having the TV cut of Terminal USA; it's worth a watch for sure. The Q&A with Jon is also fun. Booklet: Really great interview, although it's hard to tell exactly who the interviewer is. Packaging: Overall solid, and it's always nice to have a hard case to slip everything into."
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