Why is Visual Vengeance preserving shot-on-video horror films like Violent New Breed?

The name Todd Sheets is known to a deep corner of horror movie fan community, but with the special edition blu-ray release of his 1997 film Violent New Breed from Visual Vengeance, his infamy could spread. If not into the mainstream, at least into the realm of “you gotta see it, to believe it” movie fanatics.

As VHS camcorders became affordable and ever-present in homes of the 1980s and 1990s, it was inevitable that some cinema-loving kids would tape over their little league games or talent show performances with their own homemade movies. I was one of these kids. My friends and I filmed comedy sketches, mockumentaries, slasher films and sci-fi epics as often as we could and screened them for our families. Little did we know that there was a group of adults doing the same thing and getting paid for it!

With the home video market exploding in the 1980s, distributors were looking for as much product as possible to put on video rental store shelves. It didn’t matter the quality, it didn’t matter the competency, as long as it had cool enough box art to get someone browsing the selves on a Friday night to pick it up and pay $2.99 to rent it. Most popular and infamous among these genres was horror and working as writer/director/producer and sometimes star, Todd Sheets managed to get in on the direct to video action by delivering movies dripping with inventive gore effects and outrageous violence, all filmed on VHS tape.

From Zombie Bloodbath to Bigger Budgets

Working throughout the late 80s and early 90s to produce low-budget horror films with titles like Zombie Bloodbath, Nightmare Asylum, Bloodthirsty Cannibal Demons and Goblin, in 1997 Todd Sheets was given financing to produce one of his films on a slightly larger budget and distribution channels. What came out of that opportunity was Violent New Breed and coming into it blind, I was totally mesmerized by the experience of pushing play on this extra-filled blu-ray.

As a long time VHS collector, I was only vaguely aware of the filmed to tape or shot on video horror movement. Because most of these productions were not widely distributed and not easy to preserve due to the format of magnetic tape, they fetch high prices in the collector’s market. To be honest, they function on a level beyond the cult classic and more of a cult closet. Someone has to open the door and let you in. Visual Vengeance has gone above and beyond with this release, to invite us all into the mind and work of Todd Sheets.

This release offers 4 different versions of the film. First is a new remastered cut created from the original tapes by Todd Sheets himself and then an alternate version from a previous DVD release, as well as a version in the original VHS release aspect ratio. In addition to all of these, there is also an R-rated cable TV cut, used for airings on The Movie Channel in the 90s. Many of these can be viewed with a commentary track featuring the director and his actors, plus there are multiple making of featurettes. These are essential because the true story of the film is not the plot playing out on screen, but how this movie was made.

Amateur Passion Becomes the Point

Make no mistake, Violent New Breed is an amateur production by a very passionate group of performers, but that it where its charm is to be found. With the exception of bringing in his personal silver screen hero, Rudy Ray Moore, Sheets cast the film locally with friends and community members looking for something to do on a weekend. The acting is hammy and the characters are outrageous, but it is that wild card aspect of the production that keeps the viewer glued to the screen, wondering what disgusting new scenario or bizarre acting choice will pop-up next.

There is a cinema vérité or perhaps moreso, a snuff film aesthetic added to the whole affair by the low quality of the VHS tape medium, that makes you wince a little bit more at the gore and tickles the back of your brain to say, “Am I allowed to be watching this?” There is even a disclaimer at the beginning of the film acknowledging that some of the content is beyond the norm and certainly lives in the world of unrated, indie filmmaking. Blood, nudity and violence are the order of the day.

As for the story of Violent New Breed, it concerns a group of Hell-born Demons called Breeders who are forcing themselves upon human women that become pregnant and give violent, gooey birth within minutes. Meanwhile a drug called Rapture is being forced upon the inhabitants of the world by these Breeders, which causes hallucinations and all the while a small task force of humans have organized to fight back. But the clock is ticking because the anti-christ has been born and they have to kidnap the child and have it baptized at the last surviving church run by comedian, Rudy Ray Moore, before it’s too late. It’s a splatter-filled, blood soaked race to save the world, unlike anything you’ve seen before. 

Sincerity Beneath the Sleaze

If you can believe it, despite the multiple gross-out moments, by the end of the film, I actually found myself getting emotional. It wasn’t the quality of acting that illicit such a response, but the sincerity of everyone involved and the fact that they actually were completing the film. All the hard work, excitement and creativity had paid off to create something that while chaotic and sleazy, was somehow pure.

It should be pointed out that this release of Violent New Breed also features some fun physical extras packed into the case. First up is a reproduction of a birth announcement for the anti-christ that appears to have served as an invitation to the extras planning to appear in the film back in 1997. Next is a poster of the original Ghana style cover art commissioned for this blu-ray and a reversible cover art insert that allows you to display the original VHS box art design. Plus there is an essay extolling the virtues of the film in an attractive fold-out design. Finally, a sheet of video store style stickers is included for an extra bit of nostalgic flare.

Overall, the Visual Vengeance release of Violent New Breed shows as much passion in its production as Todd Sheets did in creating the film, which is to say, A LOT. It is a worthy starter for a new shelf in the physical media collection of any horror movie fan. You can order a copy of Violent New Breed now from Amazon or any online media retailer.

Next: Discuss Violent New Breed and Visual Vengeance on the PopGeeks Film Forum.

Violent New Breed Key Takeaways

• Visual Vengeance releases a special edition Blu-ray of Todd Sheets’ 1997 shot-on-video horror film Violent New Breed
• The package includes four cuts: a new remaster, a DVD version, original VHS aspect ratio, and R-rated cable TV edit
• Exploitation legend Rudy Ray Moore appears alongside local performers and community members
• Physical extras include reproduction props, Ghana-style poster art, and video store stickers
• The release preserves both the film and the broader context of direct-to-video horror production