Nostalgia Kinky

Wild East’s Visual Vengeance label continues its incredible reign of releasing classic SOV productions as special-edition Blu-ray releases. Coming soon is Reanimator Academy (1992), an incredibly fun slapstick horror film from no-budget legend Bret McCormick, working under the delightful name Judith Priest. With a bonus film and plentiful extras, the winning Reanimator Academy can be ordered from MVD.

Shot on location in South Fort Worth, TX, just after the release of McCormick’s Fred Olen Ray-produced Macon County War, Reanimator Academy is a Lovecraftian horror film by the way of Animal House if it were directed by all Three Stooges. Financed by fellow video legend David DeCoteau and shot just over a weekend, Reanimator Academy is an enthusiastically goofy and incredibly entertaining 70-minute takeoff.

Taking place mostly on or near Texas Christian University, Reanimator Academy is a charming production, dripping with early-nineties attitude and fuzzy VHS nostalgia. McCormick calls it a ‘terrible little movie’ during his informative new interview on this new Blu-ray, but then he proceeds to list all of its obvious and delightful charms.

Considering the ferocious speed at which it was prepped and shot, it is to DeCoteau’s credit that such a rather large ensemble cast was able to be assembled. Even more impressive is how everyone seems completely tuned in to this completely absurdist production. The film’s appealing performances, combined with the delightful dollar-store analogue effects, make this an especially endearing SOV release.

Reanimator Academy comes armed with a fine set of extras, including a new critic’s commentary, a location featurette and new interviews with the director, composer and cast. Additionally, we get an alternate version of the film with a different soundtrack. The package comes with a poster, sticker sheet, slipcover, reversible sleeve and, best of all, a replicated plastic video store membership card.

The bonus film Children of Dracula is a ‘documentary’ about real-life vampires filmed and released in 1994. Shot around Dallas, this could have easily fit into any hour-long TLC or History Channel slot in the early 2000s. Featuring clips from older bloodletting films, this talking-heads feature plays it mostly straight, or as straight as it comes, considering its subject.

Visual Vengeance continues doing wonderful work rescuing SOV productions from complete obscurity. Film fans who don’t recognize the importance of works like these are missing out on some of the most entertaining American time capsules out there.

-Jeremy Richey, August 2026-