The founder of Something Weird Video, Mike Vraney, died on January 2nd after a long battle with lung cancer. He was 56.
Something Weird was founded in 1990 as a way for Vraney to rescue many obscure exploitation, sexploitation and grindhouse films from obscurity and deliver them to the masses on video and DVD. The company was known for specializing in the films of Doris Wishman, David F. Friedman and, especially, H.G. Lewis. The name of the company, as well as its logo, was taken from Lewis' 1967 film Something Weird. I remember first seeing the ads for Something Weird Video when I was a child, in the pages of Fangoria magazine and dreaming of the day that I could afford to start buying from their collection.
Vraney's love for exploitation began during his teen years as a drive-in projectionist. In the 1970s and 1980s, he was deeply involved in the Seattle punk music scene. He helped start the seminal music venue The Showbox, and managed acts including Dead Kennedys, TSOL, and The Accused.
Mike is survived by his wife and two children. The crew at Something Weird Video vow to honor Mike's legacy by continuing the company and putting out a strong product.
Source: Facebook