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FACES OF DEATH III 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.
This listing is for the standard edition 4K UHD/Blu-ray. The limited edition slipcase (designed by Steak Mtn.) was limited to 3,333 units and is sold out. Both versions are identical, aside from the packaging.
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The shocking analysis of death in full color continues in the expanded, ambitious FACES OF DEATH III! Amid the ongoing success of their appalling series of video-rental favorites, the makers of Faces of Death decided to branch out and make a more conventional "mondo movie." The result was FEAR, an exploration of fears, superstitions, urban legends, and the real-life carnage that so often accompanies them. Despite having had a brief release in Europe, by the time a US debut was ready, the runaway demand for Faces of Death sequels was so overwhelming that FEAR was re-tooled and re-titled to FACES OF DEATH 3, which featured the return of the erudite Dr. Francis B. Gröss (Michael Carr) in video-only hosting segments.
Even with the enduring popularity (and wild notoriety) of the Faces of Death series on home video, audiences have been deprived for over forty years of the opportunity to see what is easily the most unusual and unexpected release from the Faces of Death universe. Vinegar Syndrome Archive is very proud to bring this wild and original mondo production to 4K UHD, painstakingly restored to its initial theatrical version as FEAR, in addition to its much more commonly seen FACES OF DEATH III video version, and packaged with an array of extra features.
directed by: John Alan Schwartz starring: Michael Carr 1985 / 105 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 16mm original camera negative
Alternate Faces of Death III video version, sourced from standard definition tape
Isolated music track
Reversible sleeve artwork
English SDH subtitles
Overall rating: 4.5652175 / 5 from 138 reviews.
AI Generated Review Summary
Faces of Death III, part of the Vinegar Syndrome Archive collection, is a restored 4K UHD/Blu-ray release of a unique mondo movie. It features a pleasing appearance, great packaging, and a solid release. The product includes a reversible sleeve artwork and English SDH subtitles.
Summary topics
Release Quality (16%): A significant number of customers stated that the release of the product is amazing and great, with a solid release.
Packaging Quality (25%): Many customers stated that the packaging of the product is great and amazing, with attention to detail.
Product Appearance (16%): A significant number of customers pointed out that the product looks great and has a pleasing appearance.
"Great packaging and video quality couldn’t be better." — Gary D.
"Amazing packaging and attention to detail." — Christopher M.
"Great transfer and looks great." — Matthew F.
Reviews
Third installment
"Faces of Death 3 is less a film than a loosely stitched compilation, and that’s both its defining trait and its biggest limitation. The third entry in the infamous shockumentary series leans heavily on staged segments, recycled footage, and sensational narration, creating a strange hybrid of pseudo‑documentary and exploitation theater. The result is more curious than disturbing — a relic of an era when taboo‑baiting home video releases thrived on notoriety rather than coherence."
— Tarek E. (3/5)
Faces 3
"Wild entry in the series. Like the previous installments, contains reenactments mixed with real life footage. Happy to see no animal cruelty in this one! Contains ridiculous scenes of an exorcism, naked placenta eating, and Bigfoot! Another stellar slipcover and the inclusion of the original Fear cut is awesome."
— Gabriel G. (4/5)
The BEST VinSyn Faces of Death release!?
"Consider yourself lucky if only your eyes dilate in shock at how epic this release is! The Fear cut is what you’ve seen in the older FOD III releases, but so much more, and what they cut is totally bonkers! You not only get a plethora of original narrators (no one can replace Dr Gross but these guys try hard) but there’s a segment so bizarre and original I laughed all the way through. Bigfoot also makes an appearance!"
— Joe S. (5/5)
Faces of Death III
"Superb presentation by VS of the third in the ‘Faces of Death’ series of films (on the blu ray disc), and including (on both the 4K disc and the blu ray disc) the original, theatrical version (under the title ‘Fear’j."
— Andrea M. (5/5)
For the Dedicated Series Completionist
"Overall, not as good as Parts 1 and 2, but it has a certain allure as an ultra-low-budget pseudo-mondo exploitation film. The 16mm source gives it a suitably gritty appearance, though the picture quality is understandably rough."
— Noel H. (4/5)
The journey of depravity continues…
"I only saw the first in VHS as a teen. These films were considered the “holy grail” for horror fans then. Now as an adult, I’m loving these releases and enjoying the memories that came with it. I had never seen Part III and happy to have added this to collection. Great packaging and presentation."
— Alejandro L. (5/5)
Yet Another Exploitative Example of Pure Bad Taste to Add to the Trash Cinema Heap!
"For my full detailed review of Faces of Death III, see my entry on Letterboxd: @M4N14K I already knew that every single one of these Faces of Death films were totally irredeemable and only mildly entertaining trash cinema due to previous viewings but I still bought them all anyway! Being able to have this collection on 4K in matching premium packaging is something I never would have thought possible: We are truly living in a golden age of physical media! I viewed this film on the Faces of Death III Vinegar Syndrome Archive 4K Limited Edition physical media release and it is the same great premium level of packaging and presentation that you’ve come to expect from the special releases of this boutique label. No other brand beats Vinegar Syndrome at the cardboard game and this great slipcover is no exception to the consistently fantastic artwork and component quality this company produces."
— Michael B. (5/5)
Decent Non-FoD Entry in the FoD Series
"I’ve always known FoD3 as being a straight up FoD entry, but VS’ release of the original film “Fear” proves what I suspected: it was never intended as true FoD film. Still, I love that both films are included and it brings me back."
— Aaron P. (3/5)
More, more please
"Another great FOD release, keep them coming please. Awesome addition to the VSA line."
— Jakob P. (5/5)
Real-life carnage
"FACES OF DEATH III (1985) takes the infamous Faces of Death concept in a surprisingly different direction. Originally conceived and released as Fear, this bizarre mondo film explores fears, superstitions, urban legends and real-life carnage, before being reworked and retitled for the Faces of Death home-video market. The return of Dr. Francis B. Gröss gives the film its connection to the previous entries, but this third chapter is much more experimental and strange than a conventional sequel. It is one of those fascinating pieces of exploitation history where the story behind the release is almost as interesting as the film itself. Vinegar Syndrome Archive has given this neglected oddity a fantastic 4K UHD/Blu-ray treatment, newly restored in 4K from the original 16mm camera negative and presented in Dolby Vision HDR. Even better, the release includes both the original theatrical FEAR version and the more familiar Faces of Death III video version, with the latter sourced from standard-definition tape. The package also features an isolated music track, reversible artwork and English SDH subtitles. The limited VHS-inspired slipcase, designed by Steak Mtn. , was restricted to just 3,333 copies, making this exactly the kind of bizarre video-store-era artifact that Vinegar Syndrome Archive was created to preserve."
— Jaume M. (5/5)
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