The Importance and Legacy of Something Weird Video

Something Weird Video was founded in 1990 by Mike Vraney. Based out of Seattle, it takes its name from the movie Something Weird, which was directed by “Godfather of Gore” Herschel Gordon Lewis. In addition to distributing the works of Lewis, they’ve also distributed films by Doris Wishman (a prolific female director of sexploitation films) and Ed Wood (specifically, The Violent Years and Jailbait), as well as movies starring famed pinup model Bettie Page. Something Weird Video specializes in exploitation B to Z movies. That Basket Case may have the highest production values of their distributed titles says something. But there is something incredibly charming about this little distribution company. If the appeal of exploitation movies is the possibility for us to see what they cannot see anywhere else, then Something Weird Video is every bit as important as Troma Entertainment, Grindhouse Releasing, Blue Underground, Vinegar Syndrome, and Unearthed Films. Their catalogue features everything from schlocky horror to softcore and hardcore pornography. They’ve made it their mission to preserve the sorts of films that mainstream companies wouldn’t bother taking the time to preserve. This doesn’t just include bizarre or shocking works, but also kids commercials, rare cartoons, and early films featuring all-Black casts. For this alone, they are a noteworthy company.