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(aka "Candy Snatch")

 

Directed by Guerdon Trueblood
USA 1973

 

Candy, a teenage heiress to a large fortune, is kidnapped by a trio of small time criminals on her way home from Catholic school. After burying her alive in an unmarked grave, the trio attempts to extort Candy's father, a wealthy jeweler, for a hefty ransom. But, what seemed like a simple, straightforward kidnapping soon spirals out of control with violent consequences and Candy's only hope for survival is a young mute boy who knows where she is buried.

Unflinchingly dark, violent, and merciless all the way through its notorious final shot, THE CANDY SNATCHERS remains one of the seminal pieces of early '70s cult filmmaking. The only theatrical feature directed by acclaimed screenwriter Guerdon Trueblood (Welcome Home Soldier Boys; Jaws 3-D), THE CANDY SNATCHERS stars Tiffany Bolling (Wicked Wicked), Ben Piazza (The Blues Brothers), Vince Martorano (Kojak), and Susan Sennett as Candy. Exquisitely shot by Robert Maxwell (Blood Mania), Vinegar Syndrome presents this key piece of drive-in cinema on Blu-ray for the very first time, newly restored in 4K from its camera negative.

***

Sixteen-year-old Candy is a student at a private school, who is kidnapped while walking home by some kidnappers who have learned that her father is the manager of an upscale jewelry store. They bury her in a ventilated box in the desert, planning on holding her there until her father gives them $500,000 in jewels. When they have not heard from him by the next day, they contact him again and learn that he is not interested in rescuing his daughter.

Posters

Theatrical Release: June 1973

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Review: Vinegar Syndrome - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

Distribution Vinegar Syndrome - Region FREE - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:34:43.511        
Video

1.85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 37,486,275,996 bytes

Feature: 28,752,981,696 bytes

Video Bitrate: 34.87 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate Blu-ray:

Audio

DTS-HD Master Audio English 2895 kbps 2.0 / 96 kHz / 2895 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Commentary:

Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -4dB
Dolby Digital Audio English 448 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 448 kbps / DN -4dB

Subtitles English, None
Features Release Information:
Studio:
Vinegar Syndrome

 

1.85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 37,486,275,996 bytes

Feature: 28,752,981,696 bytes

Video Bitrate: 34.87 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

• Director Intro (1:24)
•  "A Dark Film" - an interview with director Guerdon Trueblood (15:15)
•  "Snatching the Role" - an interview with actor Vince Martorano (10:55)
•  "Digging up the Past" - an interview with producer Gary Adelman (9:15)
•  Audio commentary with film historian Nathaniel Thompson
•  Promotional still and archival article gallery (1:55)
•  Reversible cover artwork

DVD

Blu-ray Release Date:
February 25th, 2020
Transparent Blu-ray Case inside slipcase

Chapters 5

 

 

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Vinegar Syndrome Blu-ray (January 2020): Vinegar Syndrome have transferred the early 70's horror-cum-crime-exploitation film The Candy Snatchers to Blu-ray. It is advertised as from a "newly scanned & restored in 4k from its 35mm original camera negative". It looks excellent - from an obviously strong source, beautiful grain structure, authentic colors and a consistent, clean and film-like image.

On their Blu-ray, Vinegar Syndrome use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel track (24-bit) in the original English language. Effects are minimal but it has a score by Robert Drasnin (Ride In the Whirlwind), and an opening song; Money Is the Root of All Happiness sung by Canadian Kerry Chater best known as a member of Gary Puckett & The Union Gap. This sounds clean and has some buoyancy. Vinegar Syndrome offer optional English subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-ray.

The Vinegar Syndrome Blu-ray starts with a brief introduction by director Guerdon Trueblood. Vinegar add an excellent audio commentary with film historian Nathaniel Thompson who brings up plenty of information on the production and how the cast and crew have some relation ship to the TV program The Streets of San Francisco, a lot of Tiffany Bolling, Susan Sennett and others. He makes the case that this could be considered a horror and/or a crime film and not at all a sexploitation effort despite the marketing. There is some nastiness in The Candy Snatchers from abusive of minors to the moral indifference of all the characters. He is thoroughly well-prepared and researched. There is a 1/4 hour interview with director Trueblood who relates his experiences - this being his only directorial effort. We get 11-minutes with actor Vince Martorano entitled "Snatching the Role" and 10-minutes with producer Gary Adelman entitled "Digging up the Past". There is a promotional still and archival article gallery and the package has reversible cover artwork and a second disc DVD.

While not an award winning film by any stretch - it is a more nuanced effort than I was anticipating touching on autism, self-serving parents and the height of morally corrupt villains. Those keen on independent 70's cinema may find this treatment fascinating if disturbing.  Nathaniel Thompson's commentary does a great job in instilling appreciation bringing up numerous details and links to other productions. Vinegar Syndrome continue their successful tagline adage in specializing in the masterful restoration and distribution of cult, horror, and erotic films from the 1960s-90s. The Candy Snatchers was hard to see for decades but this Blu-ray is easily the most pristine way to indulge in it through your home theater. There is definite value here but more for 'B' and/or Tiffany Bolling fans to peel back the layers discussed in the commentary.

Gary Tooze

 


Menus / Extras

 


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Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

Distribution Vinegar Syndrome - Region FREE - Blu-ray


 


 

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