Buddies
Buddies
Buddies
Buddies
Buddies
Buddies
Buddies
Buddies
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Buddies
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Buddies

Vinegar Syndrome

Buddies

$22.99
$22.99
$32.98
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Edition Type: Standard Edition

VS-237
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Details

This listing is for the standard edition Blu-ray. The limited edition slipcover (designed by Haunt Love) was limited to 2,000 units and is sold out. The two versions are identical, aside from the slipcover.

David (David Schachter), a naive graduate student, has volunteered to work as a 'buddy' for people dying of AIDS. Assigned to the intensely political Robert (Geoff Edholm), a lifelong activist whose friends and family have abandoned him following his diagnosis, the two men, each with notably different world views, soon discover common bonds, as David's inner activist awakens and Robert's need for emotional release is fulfilled.

The first narrative feature film made about AIDS, acclaimed independent filmmaker Arthur Bressan Jr's (PASSING STRANGERS, ABUSE) BUDDIES is an intensely personal study of love, death, and the need for activism during the earliest years of the AIDS crisis. Structured like a filmed play, BUDDIES would be Bressan's final film, as he too would fall victim to AIDS barely two years after its completion. Nearly impossible to see following its brief theatrical release and never officially released on home video, BUDDIES makes its home video debut, newly restored from its long lost 16mm negative, from Vinegar Syndrome.

directed by: Arthur J. Bressan Jr.
starring: Geoff Edholm, David Schachter, Damon Hairston, Joyce Korn
1985 / 79 minutes / Color / 1.33:1 OAR

Additional info:

  • Region free Blu-ray/DVD combo
  • Newly scanned and restored in 2k from 16mm camera negative
  • Video interview with Co-Star David Schachter
  • Video interview with Film Historian Thomas Waugh
  • Original theatrical trailer
  • Archival still/production article gallery
  • Reversible cover artwork
  • English SDH subtitles

Overall rating: 4.713287 / 5 from 143 reviews.

AI Generated Review Summary

Buddies is a limited edition slipcover for a significant film about the AIDS crisis, featuring a captivating story and excellent restoration. Customers praise its emotional impact, visual quality, and historical importance.

Summary topics

  • LGBTQIA+ Cinema Importance (8%): It was reported by customers that the cinema is important and essential for LGBTQIA+ cinema.
  • Heart-Wrenching Story (6%): It was reported by customers that this story is a heart rending and heart-wrenching story about HIV.
  • Film Visual Quality (9%): Customers expressed appreciation for the look of the film, stating that it looks great and interesting.
  • Film Restoration (5%): Customers expressed appreciation for the great transfer of this film, with multiple reviews mentioning its incredible restoration and captivating drama.

Review topics: ["quality","looks","design","work","packaging","piece","buy","film","movie","release","drama","slipcover","friends","slip","transfer","cinema","story","community","watch","artwork","restoration","art","aids","interviews","performances","history","features","gem","empathy","disease"].

Review highlights

  • "This transfer looks incredible for how low budget this film was originally made." — Kyle T.
  • "This is a great drama with a great looking transfer." — Landon G.
  • "Buddies is an incredible and brave film — extremely human and sensitive." — Francisco W.

Reviews

Will buy from VS again!

"Came quickly, and was in great shape when it arrived! The cover was a little bit askew but that’s trivially easy to fix!"

— Chelsea G. (5/5)

Great release for an obscure title!

"Not every catalog title receives this kind of treatment, which makes releases like this especially appreciated. The film looks magnificent, sounds great, and has been packaged with the kind of attention and fan service that collectors like myself notice immediately."

— Patrick F. (4/5)

Emotional

"Great classic VS release. Emotional and wonderfully performed."

— Nick C. (5/5)

Arthur J Bressan Jr classic

"An essential release for queer film fans and any real fans of American movies of the 1970s. Incredible this came out in 1979 and as it says in the press, the first film dealing with the aids crisis. Presumably the only film in the decade to have dealt with it in such a beautiful way. Top quality release with a couple of interviews and nice sleeve and slipcover artwork,"

— Ben C. (5/5)

Buddies

"One of, if not the greatest film VS has ever released. The bonus features are definitely a little disappointing, I would have like something further contextualizing this within Arthur j. Bressan's filmography."

— Gus T. (5/5)

invaluable

"Words can't express how special this film is. . . rarely is a film that's so inarguably important, also this fucking good. One of our best filmmakers who should be taught in films schools. Forever in the running of the best things VS ever released in the early days."

— William M. (5/5)

A Cruel God Ain’t No God At All

"Earnestly emotional without being schmaltzy. Can’t believe I had never heard of this beautiful queer movie before seeing it on VinSyn’s site. An important piece of (film) history for sure."

— Noah F. (5/5)

The first and best film about AIDS is given new life!

"Vinegar Syndrome has done a wonderful job of helping to resurrect Arthur J. Bressan's cinematic swan song "Buddies". Forget about "Philadelphia", this is the most honest film about AIDS! Thanks a lot, Vinegar Syndrome!"

— Michael C. (5/5)

I've never cried so much

"I've never cried so much from a movie"

— Avery E. (5/5)

Important Film

"Managed to get the slipcover and it has beautiful art, excited to watch this important film in the history of queer cinema."

— Małgorzata M. (5/5)

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