You are in the Special Features section - Vicpine rare and cult movies

There are many films and TV programmes that never made it to video (and thus onto DVD) release or if they did were only available for a short time or in a now obsolete or unavailable format.

Here Digger talks to Chris at Vicpine rare and cult movies. Chris is a rare and cult films enthusiast and helps customers from all over the world locate those hard to find movies and made-for-TV movies that people have fond memories of. These range from pop culture and classic movies to cult and noir or made-for-TV movies.

Chris not only gets great feedback from his customers about the quality and content of his product, but some well-known producers and directors (as well as the BBC and ITV) are also very supportive of what he is doing. Chris is making these rarities and classics available to people where the big players offer only the run-of-the-mill and predictable titles. He is also in some senses acting as a valuable archive. 

Vicpine - Rare & Cult Movies

Digger: Please tell us something of your background and the background to Vicpine Rare & Cult Movies.

Chris: We started out as a furniture outlet but were car booting videos at the weekend. We realised there was money to be made as a third party seller on Amazon. This worked well for a few years but it gradually got too competitive so we diversified to films that were rare or unreleased.

Digger: What are your retro and cult movie passions and what gives you most pleasure running Vicpine Rare & Cult Movies?

Chris: I get most pleasure from watching so many of the films I had never heard of. I love chatting to knowledgeable movie buffs about the oldies. I also love to hear from people in the industry and love to hear someone tell me they had a small part in a film. Usually they can go on and spill some gossip!

Digger: That's a huge and impressive list of movies you have available on there. You are effectively an archive of movies that might otherwise have been lost aren't you?

Chris: So far so good, but that is only the tip of the iceberg. There are so many more, the full list of unreleased films would probably run into the tens of thousands, but our list reflects public demand. It has been created by the requests of our customers.

Digger: Can you please tell us more about the other services you offer, such as sourcing rare items and copying?

Chris: Mostly we import and occasionally convert between formats. We have to research what is now considered public domain and we also have to watch what titles get released. An important part of our service is to convert home videos, such as weddings, onto DVD.

Digger: Who are your 'typical' customers, if such a thing exists, and what sorts of comments and feedback are you getting?

Chris: Most of our customers are elderly. They see us as a chance to relive those childhood memories once again before it is too late. It is such a shame that so many oldies don't get released but we know if we can track it down we can make a lot of people very happy. On more than one occasion I have received an emotional letter or call from an elderly person who has relived an old  film they once saw with a lost loved one. That's when it really hits home how valuable a service this is at times.

Vicpine - Rare & Cult Movies

Digger: What things should people consider when buying DVDs from you in terms of format and compatibility?

Chris: All the DVDs we supply should play worldwide. If there is an issue we have several ways to resolve it so there is no need to worry at all. In terms of quality, all films vary depending on where they are sourced from. As long as you are comfortable watching VHS quality (which we all were just a few years back!) then you will be quite happy with your purchase. Some of our titles are fully digital and widescreen but if you have any concerns just call us first.

Digger: Where do you see the future for Vicpine Rare & Cult Movies?

Chris: I hope to get more films on the site. I hope the problems in the past are behind us. We have had so much encouragement from people in the industry (like Michael Winner, Harley Cokeliss, Mark Lyndsay Chapman to namedrop a few) that perhaps one day a merger with a major UK film distributor is on the cards. My knowledge of films that need to be out on the shelves would be invaluable and at the same time we could ensure a lot of films are not lost forever in time. We know a lot of them won't get released now, mainly because they might be politically incorrect or have rights issues, but we will continue to source and supply those for as long as we can. We have worked very close with the BBC and ITV in the past, supplying vintage footage even they could not get their hands on!