CRACK HOUSE 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 and Toronto, ON!
Unique to this line, each hand 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 Robert Sammelin) is strictly limited to 4,000 units and may (but probably not) be followed by a standard edition in the future.
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Teenage sweethearts Melissa and Rick are looking forward to graduating high school so they can at last escape the violent inner city neighborhood in which they grew up. Despite trying to distance himself from his past gang affiliations, Rick ends up being thrown into prison after seeking violent vengeance on the rival gang that murdered his cousin. Now alone and left to fend for herself, Melissa is targeted by a charming low-level drug dealer named B.T., who manipulates her into joining his world of sex and drugs. As Melissa’s life begins spiraling out of control, Rick offers to help the police take down a notorious drug kingpin named Steadman in exchange for immunity, but will he be able to save Melissa before she is pulled deeper into a deadly lifestyle from which few can escape?
A violent thriller from lauded genre film director Michael Fischa (Death Spa), CRACK HOUSE presents a gripping examination of life during the height of the crack epidemic in the late 1980s. Featuring compelling performances from first-time actors Cher Butler and Gregg Thomsen in the leading roles of Melissa and Rick, along with supporting performances from acclaimed genre veterans Richard Roundtree (Shaft) and athlete-turned-actor Jim Brown (Slaughter), who offers a memorably sadistic portrayal of brutal drug kingpin Steadman. Vinegar Syndrome Archive is proud to present this tough-as-nails urban action rarity for the first time on Blu-ray, newly restored and graded under the supervision of cinematographer Arledge Armenaki and presented in its never-on-video original version, featuring extended sequences of violence and nudity.
directed by: Michael Fischa
starring: Richard Roundtree, Jim Brown, Gregg Thomsen, Anthony Geary, Angel Tompkins, Cher Butler
1989 / 95 min / 1.85:1 / English DTS-HD Master Audio Stereo
Additional info:
Overall rating: 4.5719695 / 5 from 264 reviews.
Crack House, part of the Vinegar Syndrome Archive collection, offers a gripping examination of life during the height of the crack epidemic in the late 1980s. Customers praised the top-notch packaging, realistic appearance, and excellent transfer quality. The film's action and performances were highly commended, though opinions on the overall movie were mixed.
Review topics: ["quality","looks","feel","picture","packaging","box","case","presentation","sound","service","buy","set","work","film","movie","acting","release","flick","transfer","house","vsa","vibe","thriller","watch","drama","drugs","cast","slipcover","ride","title"].
"A fun and gritty cult crime release with plenty of energy and atmosphere. The audio is solid, the presentation looks good, and the disc makes for an enjoyable collector’s edition. Entry and service were smooth as well, making the overall experience very positive."
"CRACK HOUSE offers the kind of crime/drugs/gangs combo platter you'd hope for renting a video in the early '90s. No wheels are reinvented but it just doesn't matter. Particularly, I'm glad to have seen this in its proper aspect ratio, cleaned up & pretty. The grittiness looks great on BD, despite how perfect this film might've felt on well-worn, smeary VHS tape."
"Good movie had a very original feel to it we so a lot of these movies in the early 90s but in 87 this is an original good cast great restoration I love the vsa hard box slipcovers"
"Excellent, nitty gritty crack themed gang drama set in late 80s LA. Jim Brown as the Crack King is ruthless and menacing. Great story with great acting and some raw scenes. A perfect addition to the VSA line!"
"I’m a sucker for a good LA gang related movie. This has got that Blood In, Blood Out and Colors influence early on. Then it takes a dark turn when the main character goes to jail for a gang shooting. That’s when the movie earns its title. There’s some drug related depravity going on thru the remainder, but still with the LA gang influence as the through line. Stand out performance by Jim Brown. Icy, evil. And some might recognize an old TV soap superstar in a duplicitous role. Yeah, this one’s a winner and is getting back to the classic VSA. Keep em comin."
"With a name like Crackhouse, how can you go wrong! Gritty action film at it's best. Recommended!"
"Crack House, directed by Michael Fischa, is a gritty slice of late-80s exploitation that dives into the violence and paranoia of the crack epidemic era. The story follows Rick, a determined young man who gets caught in the escalating chaos of a neighborhood controlled by drug dealers, while Melissa becomes one of the central victims of that brutal environment. As the situation spirals, the film leans into themes of revenge and survival, building toward a vigilante-style confrontation that reflects both the fears and excesses of its time. The Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome in their Archive line includes a solid selection of extras that help contextualize the film. These feature interviews with members of the cast and crew, offering insight into the production and its low-budget, fast-paced shooting conditions. There is also a location-focused featurette that revisits where the film was shot, adding another layer of appreciation for its gritty setting. Together, these supplements enhance the release, turning it into a more complete look at this piece of 80s exploitation cinema."
"Transfer looks good, the slipcover on this is probably nicer than this film really deserves. I love the weirdo crack pipe artwork on the back. This movie is a ridiculous, wild ride and I'm glad VSA put it out."
"Just finished Crack House + the 3 extras, and I'd have to say that this is a top tier VSA worth grabbing. It's got balls(!), 🎱 balls, speedballs 💉"
"This is a Cannon Film at a time when their best years were behind them, but still with the B-movie (character) actor chops and decent budget. Richard Roundtree (in a somewhat small role as the police lieutenant) and Jim Brown (as the drug lord Steadman, only appearing after about an hour) are both here to provide some name value to a cast of mostly unknowns, though it has to be said that they too don't disappoint. After watching a couple of films that plummet the depths of movie making, it makes one appreciate the decent roles in films like this. I've read some critical opinions about this film concerning only casting people of color in the roles of the different gang members (there isn't a single Caucasian person in there). In the end, this is a film that tries to portray a horrible world that takes place in downtown L. A. and goes for realism while at the same time also provides the exploitation goods. In other words, don't take it too seriously. You know it's still a make-believe thing when a dead teacher is zipped up, who also used to be a drug dealer, and someone says "It's time we start to pay teachers more!". The alleys, decrepit houses and all-around world building is believable and look dirty and very unwelcome. There's violence, there's nudity, sexual misconduct and constant drug abuse (and the titular crack house, of course). The atmosphere and lighting and music all provide the building blocks to immerse oneself in the world of gangland competition, shootouts and human misery. It's a downbeat film, yet at the same time also gives you some chuckles with a couple of unlikely revelations and happenings typical for exploitation films. Someone addicted to crack after only 2 shots, for example? This one misses the sheer lunacy of Michael Fischa's hilarious and delirious Death Spa. Outside of that, it's a solid film with a truly nasty Jim Brown, the vulnerable Cheryl Kay as Melissa (who's good enough as to be wondering why she only did this one film, though maybe this one was enough to sour the film experience for her?), a dependant Richard Roundtree and a lot of oneliners and predictable story beats (like the seemingly good-guy-turns-out-to-be-crack-pushing-pimp) supported by solid technical feats. The region A blu-ray of this in the VSA-line is probably going to be the best it will every look and sound."
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