PHANTOM PAIN FILMS Brings the J.R. Bookwalter Rarity ROBOT NINJA Back to Fresh VHS in a Limited Edition! PRE-ORDER INFO and RELEASE DETAILS!
After a bit of VHSilence, the rewind-minded re-animators at Phantom Pain Films are back in action, Tapeheads. You may recall their brand of fresh VHS creations from releases such as Devil Times Five, the absolutely ridiculous (and loving it) 1988 women’s wrestling double-feature Going Hog Wild / Oil of L.A. (still available by clicking here!), and a limited edition run of J.R. Bookwalter’s zombie trashterpiece The Dead Next Door as a part of their now completed Indiegogo for the Ultimate Edition of that same watershed indie horror film. And now, Phantom Pain Films has returned with yet another Bookwalter essential being issued to fresh VHS… the one and only Robot Ninja!
The brand-spankin' new cover art for the upcoming fresh VHS release of ROBOT NINJA! Dig that never-before-seen comic art, dudes!
The PRE-ORDER for Robot Ninja is LIVE NOW, and accessible via this hot, hot, hot link, Tapeheads! Just click HERE! TAKE NOTE, DUDES! This is PRE-ORDER, and the actual VHS is scheduled to ship on October 20th. Here are all the details, directly from the VHS-lovin’ crew at Phantom Pain Films: Phantom Pain Films is pleased to announce the new Special Edition VHS of the splatter-filled comic book vigilante film Robot Ninja from cult filmmaker J. R. Bookwalter (The Dead Next Door, Ozone), available on October 20. Robot Ninja follows frustrated comic book artist Leonard Miller. His publisher and agent are working to unfairly capitalize on the success of his latest creation, a costumed crusader known as the “Robot Ninja.” Miller finds his breaking point when one night he witnesses the rape and murder of a young couple by a gang of ruthless thugs. Enlisting the help of an inventor friend, Miller decides to become his crime-fighting creation, the Robot Ninja. Taking to the streets, he wreaks bloody havoc, leaving a trail of slashed, stabbed, jabbed, poked, and gutted bodies in his vengeful wake, closing in on the murderous gang's ringleader. The new Special Edition VHS of Robot Ninja comes in a clear clamshell case with double-sided artwork. Both previously unseen comic art from the film's production and the original video box art are featured in this release. The box art also includes a new director's statement, signed by Bookwalter on the reverse. This Special Edition also contains 10 minutes of never released behind-the-scenes footage featuring actors Burt Ward (ABC's “Batman”), Linnea Quigley (legendary Scream Queen), and Scott Spiegel (Evil Dead II). Three randomly selected copies will also be signed by executive producer/actor Dave DeCoteau (Nightmare Sisters, Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama). Filmed in Akron, OH and Los Angeles, CA, this 16mm sophomore effort from Bookwalter was a more graphic and downbeat comic book movie than any other that had preceded it, even outdoing the dark tone of a certain soon-to-be-released comic book blockbuster: “This was a film fueled by gallons of fake blood, plenty of late-night Taco Bell, and infectious fanboy anticipation for Tim Burton's Batman, released days after we wrapped shooting in late June 1989,” Bookwalter explains. Originally released to VHS in late 1989 from distributor Cinema Home Video, Robot Ninja has been out of print for nearly 30 years, with original copies hard to find and fetching top dollar online. Over the years it has garnered a worldwide cult following with multiple dubbed releases on VHS and DVD overseas. “That's saying something considering it went from video store shelves to oblivion,” Bookwalter offers.
The flip side of the reversible artwork, featuring a slight variation on the OG video release art.
This is one dope rarity that’s getting tougher and tougher to track down, Tapeheads, so for the low-budget / no-budget film aficionado, this Phantom Pain Films Limited Edition VHS release is an absolute godsend. PPF, we here in Lunchmeat Land VHSalute you!
Groove on over to the Official Phantom Pain Films site and secure this slab before they’re all gobbled up, dudes. This is one slab of fresh VHS that’ll do your VCR proud.
Groove and Groove and VHSee It To Believe It.
Josh Schafer