One of the Best Unreleased Movies in History Is Coming to Blu-ray

Around ten years ago, I had an amazing time at the movies. BAMcinématek in Brooklyn was showing a collection of films by director Joe Dante, and they included a very rare screening of what many consider to be one of the best films never officially released: The Movie Orgy.

Created by Joe Dante while he was a college student in the late 1960s, this film is a huge collection of movies, commercials, newsreels, and other found footage. Its runtime has changed over the years – it once stretched over seven hours, but the recent screening at BAM was around five hours – but no matter how long it is, it’s consistently funny, weird, and captivating. In fact, it essentially pioneered the format of YouTube compilation videos decades before YouTube even existed. After seeing it at BAM, I wrote that it felt like experiencing the best 50 moments in movie history all at once, and that I didn’t want it to end after five hours. It was as if Dante invented both supercuts and binge-watching nearly 45 years ago!

This movie is a cult favorite, largely because it’s never been officially released. Director Dante created it using footage he didn’t have the rights to, meaning it can usually only be shown at charity events or when Dante himself presents it with his personal copy.

As a huge fan of cult cinema, I’m thrilled to share that The Movie Orgy is finally getting a home video release! The American Genre Film Archive and Vinegar Syndrome have really pulled through for us fans, and it’s about time this film was accessible outside of film festivals and rare screenings.

This new Blu-ray release of Movie Orgy features an introduction by Dante and includes a booklet with an interview with him, as well as several essays. The film has been restored to a runtime of 276 minutes (approximately 4.5 hours), using the original 16mm film and digitally added footage to fill in any gaps.

Here is its official plot synopsis:

Joe Dante, the acclaimed director of Gremlins, created The Movie Orgy in 1968 – a groundbreaking and now-legendary film considered one of the earliest examples of ‘found footage.’ Working with producer Jon Davison (known for RoboCop), Dante assembled a dizzying mix of commercials, newsreels, movie clips, and television outtakes using 16mm film. This unique and influential ‘megamix’ is a fascinating piece of pop culture history. For years unavailable for home viewing, the original 16mm elements have now been carefully preserved thanks to a collaboration between AGFA, Joe Dante, and Jon Davison.

This is truly one of the most thrilling movie releases of the year! You can purchase a copy of The Movie Orgy directly from the Vinegar Syndrome website today.

The 10 Movies with the Best DVD and Blu-ray Special Features

This Is Spinal Tap (1984)

We generally avoided including releases from the Criterion Collection, as they would have dominated the list. However, we made an exception for This Is Spinal Tap because its initial DVD release was part of that collection. This release, which was unavailable for many years before a recent 4K re-release, is packed with extras, including two audio commentaries, almost a full movie’s worth of deleted scenes, the original 20-minute short film that started it all, a music video for “Hell Hole,” and two trailers featuring director Rob Reiner hilariously presenting a wheel of cheese – a playful substitute while the film was still being edited.

Back to the Future Trilogy (1985-1990)

If you own the Back to the Future trilogy on DVD or Blu-ray, you’re in for a treat! Every home video release is packed with extra content, including audio commentary, interviews with the director and cast, behind-the-scenes documentaries, episodes from the animated series, and even a short film featuring Doc Brown. There are also fun extras like vintage commercials for the fictional “2015 Hoverboard” and Jaws 19. One Blu-ray edition even includes the complete pre-show video and ride footage from “Back to the Future: The Ride,” which was a popular attraction at Universal Studios parks and overseen by Steven Spielberg.

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992)

The HD Blu-ray release of David Lynch’s Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me included a wealth of deleted scenes – enough to almost create a whole new film. This release offers a fresh perspective on the movie, which originally received mixed reactions, particularly with the inclusion of all the removed and extended footage compiled in Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces. While it’s usually clear why scenes were cut – often because they were too lengthy or unnecessary – it’s tempting to think that every scene from Fire Walk With Me should have stayed in the final cut. This would have made the movie over three hours long, but it also would have significantly enhanced the experience, altering the plot and bringing back deleted characters and storylines.

Memento (2000)

The movie Memento is well-known for its unusual storytelling, which jumps around in time to mirror the disorientation of the main character, Leonard Shelby, who suffers from amnesia. The film cleverly uses both black-and-white and color sequences that eventually come together, revealing the full story. A special hidden feature on the Special Edition DVD lets you watch the entire film in chronological order. To unlock it, you need to access the Special Features menu and press play at a specific moment, revealing a feature called “The Beginning of the End.” This version shows the film from start to finish, even playing the end credits in reverse and the opening scene normally.

Freddy Got Fingered (2001)

It’s surprising, but the home video release of Tom Green’s famously outrageous film, Freddy Got Fingered, is packed with bonus content. Fox included a full commentary track with Green, scene-specific commentary from the cast, deleted scenes (with and without commentary), and behind-the-scenes featurettes. The most interesting extra is an audio recording from the movie’s world premiere, letting you hear the audience’s reactions – the laughter, groans, and screams – as they experienced the film for the first time.

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)

It wouldn’t be complete without Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy – the bonus features on the home video release are truly exceptional. Making three epic movies consecutively was groundbreaking at the time, and after creating such a detailed world with incredible costumes, sets, and effects, the filmmakers went all out to show us how they did it. You’ll find deleted scenes, interviews with the cast and crew, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of the meticulous work, like costumers crafting endless lengths of chainmail. Plus, keep an eye out for a fun Easter egg: Dominic Monaghan appears as a disguised German journalist interviewing Elijah Wood about whether he wears a wig!

Dawn of the Dead (2004)

Zack Snyder’s remake of Dawn of the Dead is widely considered his best film, and the DVD release is a surprisingly great addition for any zombie movie enthusiast. Beyond the film itself, it includes unique bonus features like a fictional news report about the zombie outbreak, a humorous behind-the-scenes look at casting the zombie extras, and a video diary from a gun shop owner that expands on the film’s backstory.

Sin City (2005)

If you enjoyed Sin City and were curious about how its unique visual style was achieved, the DVD special features will give you a behind-the-scenes look. The release includes a fascinating picture-in-picture commentary that shows how scenes from the movie compare to the original storyboards and on-set production. Similar to Freddy Got Fingered, it also features an “Audience Reaction Track” recorded during an early screening, letting you experience the movie alongside the first-time viewers.

Grindhouse (2007)

The Grindhouse double feature, created by Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino, is just as enjoyable to watch at home as it was in theaters. That’s because the fun bonus content shown during theatrical screenings is also included on the Blu-ray. While Planet Terror and Death Proof are available separately, the Special Edition Grindhouse Blu-ray offers the complete “Double Feature Presentation” – the first time the films were released this way for home viewing. It also includes the fake trailers for Don’t, Werewolf Women of the SS, Machete, Hobo with a Shotgun, and Thanksgiving – three of which later became full-length movies.

Knocked Up (2007)

Judd Apatow loves letting actors improvise during filming, which means his movies always have plenty of extra footage left over when they come out on DVD or Blu-ray. This is definitely the case with Knocked Up. Along with lots of deleted scenes, the release includes a 30-minute fake documentary called “Finding Ben Stone” that shows how difficult it was to find the right actor to play the main character. Apatow actually filmed some scenes several times with different actors – you can even see Michael Cera, Orlando Bloom, and Bill Hader hilariously mess them up!

2025-12-04 22:57