The Cardona Collection 1&2 (Vinegar Syndrome)

René Cardona Jr. was the king of Mexican exploitation cinema throughout the 70s and 80s, directing dozens of films in a variety of genres and taking creative inspiration from the most popular trends in American and Italian genre cinema. Vinegar Syndrome presents The Cardona Collection: Volume 1, containing three of his violent, horror tinged adventure and disaster movies, all newly restored from their original negatives.

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TREASURE OF THE AMAZON:

Gringo, an American ex-pat driven mad by a failed (and deadly) treasure hunt in the Amazonian rainforest, is encouraged by two novice adventurers to help them recover Gringo’s mythic loot. Setting out on their journey, they cross paths with Klaus von Blantz, a deranged and greedy ex-Nazi, who has launched his own fortune seeking expedition and Clark, another American hunting for oil. As greed and jealousy grows between the competing posses, they discover that their biggest threat isn’t each other, but the ravenous native beasts around them…and some very hungry local tribesmen…

A terrifically entertaining and twisted Mexican take on Italian style cannibal and jungle films, René Cardona Jr.’s TREASURE OF THE AMAZON is chock full of all the right ingredients: gratuitous gore (and some imaginatively nasty death scenes), cannibal natives, animal attacks, and a surprise A-list cast featuring Oscar Nominee Stuart Whitman (Night of the Lepus), Donald Pleasance (Halloween), and Golden Globe winner, Bradford Dillman (Piranha) playing along side Eurosleaze film favorites such as Hugo Stiglitz (Nightmare City) and John Ireland (One on Top of the Other). Vinegar Syndrome is delighted to present this overlooked piece of Amazonian set splatter to Blu-ray, newly restored in 4K from its original negative!

directed by: René Cardona Jr.
1984 / 105 min / 1.85:1 / English Mono

• Region Free Blu-ray
• Newly scanned & restored in 4k from its 35mm original negative
• Still gallery
• English SDH subtitles

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THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE:

Edward, a wealthy old man, has commissioned a yacht to take his family on an expedition to investigate underwater ruins in the Bermuda Triangle. While at sea, his daughter discovers a strange looking doll floating in the water, to which she takes an immediate liking. No sooner than entering the Bermuda Triangle, increasingly mysterious events start to befall the travelers, as the group begins loosing all sense of time. And it’s not long before various members of the party turn up dead, while the strange doll develops an appetite for fresh flesh…

A strange Mexican-Italian co-production that balances adventure and survival film tropes along with touches of supernatural horror and mystery, René Cardona Jr.’s THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE stars two-time Oscar winner, John Huston (Chinatown, Prizzi’s Honor), Italian sex symbol Gloria Guida (To Be Twenty), Euro starlet Claudine Auger (Thunderball), and Mexican exploitation stalwart, Hugo Stiglitz (Survive!). Imaginatively weird and frequently jaw dropping, Vinegar Syndrome brings THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE to Blu-ray for the first time, newly restored from its original 35mm negative.

directed by: René Cardona Jr.
1978 / 112 min / 1.85:1 / English Mono

• Region Free Blu-ray
• Newly scanned & restored in 4k from its 35mm original negative
• “Escaping the Triangle” - an Interview with René Cardona III
• “Triangle of Fear” - an interview with producer Angelo Iacono
• Collection of foreign titles and credits
• Still gallery
• English SDH subtitles

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CYCLONE:

When a powerful cyclone sweeps through the Caribbean, downing a small plane, sinking a fishing boat, and sweeping people off of the nearby islands, a group of sea bound survivors take refuge on a damaged boat. Stranded and with no way to communicate with land, the days drag on and hunger and hopelessness overtake the group. However, their horror is only beginning as food supplies start to dwindle and the survivors are forced to take unspeakable measures to stay alive, all as carnivorous sea life circles in, seeking fresh blood…

An epic disaster thriller made on a shoe-string that slowly morphs into an unsettling tale of survival and desperation, René Cardona Jr.’s cult classic, CYCLONE brings together a remarkable cast, headlined by five time Oscar nominee, Arthur Kennedy (Let Sleeping Corpses Lie), exploitation queen Carroll Baker (Orgasmo, Baby Doll), Spaghetti crime favorite, Lionel Stander (Milan: Caliber 9), and Italian character actress, Olga Karlotos (Fulci’s Zombie). Elevated by a lush score from two time Oscar nominee, Riz Ortolani (Goodby Uncle Tom, Don’t Torture a Duckling), Vinegar Syndrome presents this star-studded thrill ride on Blu-ray for the very first time, presented in both its commonly seen English export version as well as it’s rare, alternate Mexican theatrical cut, both of which feature extensive alternate footage!

directed by: René Cardona Jr.
1978 / 119 min / 1.85:1 / English Mono

• Region Free Blu-ray
• Newly scanned & restored in 4k from its 35mm original negative
• Includes both the English & Spanish language versions
• “Surviving the Cyclone” - an Interview with René Cardona III
• “The Eye of the Cyclone” - an interview with producer Angelo Iacono
• “Beware of Sharks” - an interview with actress Carroll Baker
• Still gallery
• English SDH subtitles

 

Beaks: The Movie (1987 / 100 min / 1.85:1 / English Stereo):

When TV reporter Vanessa is given an assignment to cover some local bird attacks, she sees it as a lowly assignment from her sleazy producer. But as the number of deadly incidents grow and Vanessa's investigation deepens, she discovers something much more sinister waiting in the wings. Soon humanity is under violent siege from all forms of avian predator and nowhere is safe to hide from these fearsome fowl, who hope to pec and gouge their way to world domination!

A globe-trotting and action packed classic from the animal attack genre, Rene Cardona Jr’s BEAKS (aka Birds of Prey) pays playful homage to Hitchcock while infusing this story with way non stop carnage and death defying stunts as only he can. Starring Michelle Johnson (Tales From the Crypt), Christopher Atkins (The Blue Lagoon) and Sofia Infante (Los placeres ocultos), Vinegar Syndrome is proud to present the world Blu-ray debut of BEAKS, presented in its uncut international version and newly restored in 2K!

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Under Siege (1980 / 94 min / 1.85:1 / Spanish Mono):

When an organized crime group pulls the heist of their criminal careers things quickly spiral out of control into a nightmare of violence. After robbing several casinos in a synchronized attack, the group splinters in order to escape, only to be dogged by police task forces and relentless detectives at every turn. When one faction ultimately takes refuge in the home of an upscale family, it's up to the father to save his family as the criminals fall, one by one, and desperation sinks in.

A stellar example of Cardona Jr.'s prowess as a director, this film grabs you from its opening moments and the tension never lets up. Pulling from an all-star ensemble featuring Stuart Whitman (The Longest Day), Francisco Rabal (Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!), Hugo Stiglitz (Nightmare City), Antonella Interlenghi (City of the Living Dead) and Marisa Mell (Danger: Diabolik) Under Siege (aka Hostages), is a non-stop thrill ride, newly restored from the 35mm camera negative of its original Spanish language version.

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La casa que arde de noche (1986 / 103 min / 1.85:1 / Spanish Mono):

Eleazar is a smooth talking strong man who works at a notoriously sleazy brothel. His charming ways have put him in the good graces of the house's madame. That is until Lalasana, a seductive new prostitute, enters the brothel and does everything in her power to get to the top. While Eleazar and Lalasana vie for the favor of the house madame they will do anything to stop the other, but when their feud turns into a sexual fire, the intensity and heat threaten to turn all they've worked for into a pile of ash.

A mid-80s entry into the psycho-sexual thriller genre, this film is a twisting and turning tale with all the sex and sleaze you can handle. Starring frequent Cardona collaborators Sofia Infante (Treasure of the Amazon) and Salvador Pineda (Beaks: The Movie), La casa que arde de noche (aka The House That Burns at Night) is a welcome addition to U.S. home video, restored from its 35mm original camera negative.

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S.O.S. Conspiración Bikini (1967 / 89 min / 1.85:1 / Spanish Mono):

Alex Dinamo is the top agent at The International Service and is always busy either taking down criminals or making ladies swoon. But now, the criminal enterprise, Secret Organizational Service (S.O.S.) is about to complete its long-in-the-works plot to destabilize the world with illegal arms deals. Using an international fashion show as their front, they're getting together for one last meeting before enacting their master plan. Will Agent Dinamo be able to pry away from all the scantily clad models long enough to foil S.O.S.'s plans or will they succeed?!

In this lighter action comedy, Cardona Jr. sets his sights on sending up the spy film genre. Filled with action set pieces and chase sequences, Cardona is in familiar territory while keeping the mood and pace free and fun. Starring Julio Alemán (El Tunco Malclovio), Sonia Infante (Beaks: The Movie), Sonia Furió (Aventura) and Noé Muayama (Infernal Rapist) and in a new restoration from its 35mm internegative, Vinegar Syndrome is proud to present S.O.S. Conspiración Bikini.

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directed by: René Cardona Jr.
starring: Hugo Stiglitz, Stuart Whitman, Michelle Johnson, Christopher Atkins, Julio Alemán, Sonia Infante, Noé Muayama, Francisco Rabal, Antonella Interlenghi
1967-1987 / 386 min (combined) / 1.85:1 / Spanish Mono & 2.0 English Stereo

Additional info:

• 3-disc Region Free Blu-ray Set
• Newly scanned & restored in 4K from various 35mm original elements
• Commentary track with film historian Viviana García-Besné for S.O.S. CONSPIRACIÓN BIKINI
• "On The Run" (19 min) - an interview with filmmaker René Cardona III on UNDER SIEGE
• "We Were Wild" (16 min) - an interview with UNDER SIEGE actor Hugo Stiglitz
• "Don’t Shoot" (10 min) - an interview with UNDER SIEGE actor Orlando Urdaneta
• "All in the Family: The Cardona Legacy" (15 min) - an interview with Andrea Cardona, granddaughter of René Cardona Jr.
• "Union City: Behind the Entertainment" (14 min) - an interview with LA CASA QUE ARDE DE NOCHE production assistant Felipe Marino
• "From P.A. to Producer" (17 min) - an interview with LA CASA QUE ARDE DE NOCHE actress Mineko Mori
• Promotional still gallery
• Reversible sleeve artwork
• Newly translated English subtitles