Someone tell Caelum Vatnsdal: the most underrated -- and possibly the finest -- Canadian horror film ever, Rituals, has finally been distributed domestically on DVD. I have not yet seen this version, and am going to remain cautious about recommending it - since there are badly mutilated prints out there; you can read my comparison of the atrocious US VHS release and the print that screened at the VIFC last year here. There was allegedly a proper DVD edition of it put out last year in Germany, under it's alternate title The Creeper, but I cannot vouch for that one either, and it looks from that listing (Amazon Germany) that it is now out of print. Seen properly, it's a subtle, tense, and surprisingly well-written film. One telltale sign that you're seeing a trimmed version is the absence of the line, in the first 15 minutes, "What man wouldn't pay for a bigger dick?"
No, seriously...
Thought I'd check in to confirm: the Synergy release of RITUALS is fullscreen, blurry, and the chopped version of the film (a runtime of 90 minutes). Big chunks of it are still more or less intact - mostly it's the character development in the beginning of the film that has been hacked - but it's by far not the ideal way to see it. Videomatica is stocking it, if anyone remains curious...
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