A while back, one of the upstart DVD companies
(I'm not being cute: I really don't remember who it was)
announced that it would be releasing Hajime Sato's GOKE: BODY SNATCHER FROM HELL,
to dvd, remastered and in widescreen.

Given this past year's releases of Freaked, Danger Diabolik and the recent Beyond the Valley of the Dolls and Cemetery Man, and Criterion's Equinox, and upcoming Jigoku and Spirit of the Beehive, and the appearance of many
Alex de la Iglesia and Alex van Warmerdam films on DVD, and then given the news that Jodorowsky's films may be coming within the year (I'll believe that when I see it), I am feeling bolstered in my faith that other titles may soon follow, namely:
Goke, Monolith Monsters, Phase IV, Accion Mutante, The Northerners, Raul Ruiz's The Golden Boat, Jerome Boivin's Baxter, Maurizio Nichetti's Stefano Quantestorie and all the films of Trent Harris, mainly Plan 10 from Outer Space and Rubin and Ed


Until I ask once again next year,
does anyone know what the chances are of seeing these on DVD soon?

Is there a database somewhere, of titles everybody's waiting for?

Here's an old mobius (2 years) thread covering GOKE:

GOKE:BODYSNATCHER FROM HELL

The gist is HVE had the U.S. rights and they were a part of Criterion, which got bought by Image. Your guess is as good as mine for it's current status.

I think MONOLITH MONSTERS is still rotting in Universal's vaults (or whoever it is that owns Universal).

Can't answer your question but what's become of Dark Sky Films previously announced upcoming releases of BLOOD OF THE VAMPIRE and the 1959 JACK THE RIPPER?

Dark Sky still has these and they may come out by years end. I seriously hope they get the continental version of BLOOD OF THE VAMPIRE or I am going to be very dissapointed.
Unfortunatly, I believe there will be alot of titles that never make it to DVD ( ie: older cultier titles with no big names to market or with remakes to tie in with ). The video era was awesome, it was also 25 years ago, when all the films and tv shows of the last 20 years did not exist. Video distributors were forced to seek out movies from around the world and dig deep into the 50's / 60's and 70's for product.
The DVD era is an entirley different animal as it was born in the late 90's. DVD releases are by far all recent titles from the 80's forward, and the disturbing trend to issue every single tv show on DVD within months of their airdates furthur gluts the market and occupies the major players, who have no shortage of crap to release. Vault releases for the big players are a trickle at best. Digging into the vaults just does not make finacial sense to the bean counters, and we are left with the small companies like Dark Sky, Blue Underground, No Shame ect... to release the quality golden era genre stuff we Mobians and other like minded fans want to see.
That said alot of this stuff will likely air on pay cable channels like MONSTERS HD and others hopefully soon to exist ( I hope ). But I firmly believe some films may never see another legit release to home video besides their previous video incarnations.

Can you elaborate, John? I was not aware that there were multiple versions of this one.

I have heard a rumor that Dark Sky also has THE HELLFIRE CLUB, another Baker/Berman film. That one, along with JACK THE RIPPER and BLOOD OF THE VAMPIRE, was released in domestic and spicier "Continental" versions (boob shots). I certainly hope that Dark Sky is able to find the Continental versions. I've had different videos of HELLFIRE CLUB; Sinister has a color P&S version, whereas a French cassette was in 2:35-1 but B&W. I'd love to see a widescreen color print, with all the nudity intact, but that's asking for a lot.

The Continental version of BLOOD OF THE VAMPIRE was issued on a French video label eons ago. I have not seen it but understand it has additonal gore shots. I don't recall any mention of alternate nude scenes for this title, but details have been scarse as to what exactly it does contain.

I believe the Blood of the Vampire extra footage consists of an extra scene of Victor Maddern's hunchback menacing some chained damsals (at least that was how it was advertised on a bootleg I saw at a sale which I never purchased). Not clear whether this includes nudity or not or even whether this was separately shot for the Continent or a scene that the BBFC insisted on removing from the standard theatrical release).

On Jack the Ripper I don't know - the version shown on UK TV occasionally doesn't even have the colour climax (b/w only). Was this colour shot added especially for the UK market?

Nearly all of Alexander Ptuschko's later films are on the books for release with one glaring exception, SAMPO (aka THE DAY THE EARTH FROZE)
RUSCICO holeds the rights, but there appear to be no plans to release it on dvd.

The US theatrical print I saw of JACK THE RIPPER had the color shot at the end.

It seems a DVD company called Westlake has released Blood of the Vampire but I don't have any more info. I'm not parting with the Gorgon tape till I see some proof of an upgrade.

Amazon gives a list price of 9.98 and doesn't give either Donald Wolfit or Barbara Shelley a mention as actors. That's real encouraging, isn't it?

Addition: a check at allmovie.com's release list shows Westlake has also released a bunch of other movies including:

THE BEYOND (or possibly SEVEN DOORS OF DEATH)
BLOODY PIT OF HORROR
BLOOD CASTLE
CASTLE OF BLOOD
THE CORPSE VANISHES
HATCHET FOR A HONEYMOON
THE MAD MONSTER
THE MONSTER MAKER
SHE-BEAST
SPOOKS RUN WILD
REVOLT OF THE ZOMBIES
etc.

I'm curious what their source for their BLOOD OF THE VAMPIRE is. A Gorgon tape perhaps?

Westlake is as shady as a willow tree.

Yes, the list of Westlake titles kind of says it all, giving them the look of one more company that cribs from other sources. I'll just wait for the hopeful release from Dark Sky.

To clarify, HVE was not part of Criterion. HVE was bought by Image (who made out like bandits, thanks to the HVE Narnia set). So if HVE did have the rights, Image has them now.

Dark sky has just set a street date of Nov 11 for BLOOD OF THE VAMPIRE, on a double bill with HELLFIRE CLUB. No word if its the longer, bloodier continental cut yet. Cover art is posted over at DVD Drive In with a little more info.