Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Video International

One of the most legendary video companies in Denmark was Video International. The label existed back in the 1980s and was run by just the one guy. I'm not even sure of his name. Anyway, Video International put out tons of cool titles, titles that are now sought after by VHS collector scum everywhere (like myself, haha). For an incomplete list of their releases go here.

Old-timer VHS collector Heine Sørensen outside the old Video International building on Gasværksvej 16, Copenhagen.

At some stage, I believe it was towards the end of the 1980s, the owner jumped the boat and took off in direction Far East. Apparently the tax authorities were breathing down his neck so at some stage he just decided he'd had it and left it all behind; the company, the video tapes, even his wife!! A couple of (individual) collectors have tracked him down to Thailand but the trail grows cold there. None of them actually found his exact whereabouts. The first collector to track him down was Thure Munkholm of Uncut.dk and the second collector, Diabolik/Hans Jørn of Cinehound, told me he'd found out that the Video International owner's name was actually attached to all kinds of crime!

BLOOD OF DRACULA'S CASTLE (cover courtesy of Dag-Johnny)



Anyhoo, a little while ago me and my mate Heine Sørensen set out to find the old Video International headquarters and sure enough we found it in the middle of Copenhagen. Unfortunately, none of the old HQ was left. I had kinda hoped no one would have touched the place and that we would be able to just walk in and we'd be standing in the middle of tons and tons of rare, dusty video tapes that wouldn't have been touched since he took off back in the 80s. Well, needless to say all what was left was the building which is now used by people who don't even realise they're living where this legendary video label used to be. And all we've got left are old moldy video tapes and a couple of photos that I took of Heine outside the old building. Boo-hoo. :-(

JUNGLE VIRGIN FORCE was one of five Indo flicks that Video International put out. The other four were: DEVIL'S SWORD, ESCAPE FROM HELL HOLE, BLAZING BATTLE, and THE INTRUDER ("Rambu").

[click both covers for bigger size]

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