Something Weird founder Mike Vraney dies

Grindhouse fans will be saddened to hear of the loss of Mike Vraney.

The co-founder of Seattle’s Something Weird Video, Vraney—who lost his battle with lung cancer yesterday (January 2)—curated and released a vast number of forgotten films, stag reels, and 8mm loops from America’s glory days of exploitation cinema. Every Something Weird Video release was a guaranteed mindblower, each one over-stuffed with extras, trailers, and the company’s “world famous intro.”

In a 2005 interview with the A.V Club, Vraney expressed his amazement at the gradual creep of the Something Weird world into mainstream life.

“The thing about DVD that's different from my video business is that I've crossed over, consumer-wise,” he said. “All of a sudden I'm in Best Buy. I shake my head every month, going, ‘I can't believe I released that, and people bought it.’ It's all a joy to me.”

Here’s a clip from She Mob—a personal favourite that never would have entered my life without Vraney’s heroic work.