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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: 4.752 / 5 from 125 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, value, style, set, film, shorts, release, collection, series, edition, reviver, commentary, oddity, selection, restoration, treatment, presentation, volume, idea, title, find, festivities, gem, section, format, fun, surprise, stuff, exception, christmas].
"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 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."
"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."
"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. . ."
"I can't recall if the first two had an Oscar section, but if they did I probably didn't find it. This one definitely does, plus a commentary for every short film (there are tons!). The commentary is often more interesting than the films, but that's okay because it's all about learning and preserving. There were a couple of real standouts in this collection, with Child's Play rounding off the set nicely. Highly recommended viewing."
"When I first discovered VS, I appreciated their eclectic taste and style. Archiving and distributing unseen regional film seemed like such an important task as only a few companies were doing that work. I love the Reviver series. It's fun to feel a little special, getting to see rediscovered lost film. Even if they aren't particularly amazing, they are important and I am always happy to support this mission. These films deserve to be remembered"
"It’s definitely an eclectic mix of obscure, lost short films rather than a single feature, so the quality bounces around quite a bit. Still, if you like digging through weird, vintage physical media oddities and forgotten cinema, it's pretty fascinating to browse through."
"These releases have been interesting if a bit of a mixed bag. I don’t know if they’re necessarily worth $40 CAD, but they have been fun to go through none the less. This was was about on par with the first release, but not as good as the second. I won’t spoil too much but it’s pretty much made up of several shorts of various lengths and genres."
"I adore the Reviver series, and #3 is no exception. What a great collection of unique and rare shorts. Totally recommended!"
"This was my first time buying a Reviver release and I'm glad I did. VS did a great job curating this wild and woolly collection of bizarre short films. Play em all at once and it feels like you've stumbled across a midnight screening at world's strangest film festival."
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