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