Overview: Let’s shred our way to hell! The Greek myth is reimagined as a post-apocalyptic skateboard rock opera in SHREDDER ORPHEUS ― a low budget hallucination that drops somewhere between the music video for Devo’s Whip It, a Bones Brigade skate tape, and a surrealist art project.

The story follows Orpheus (director Robert McGinley), a rock star who descends to hell in order to save his kidnapped wife (and the universe) from Satan and his hypnotic TV signals.

Filmed in Seattle and featuring a rare screen role from Steven Jesse Bernstein―the William S. Burroughs of the Pacific Northwest―SHREDDER ORPHEUS makes its disc debut with a new preservation from the original film elements [December 26th, 2023].

Blu-ray Verdict: In truth, Shredder Orpheus is a movie I have a great affinity for. I first saw it about 15 years ago after picking it up at a closing video store. It sat on my shelf for months before I slipped it in the VCR and had my mind blown!

And now, well, I was lucky enough that I was sent a brand new Blu-ray copy for review and having done just that, it quickly reminded me that it also features one of my favorite movie quotes of all time: I’ve dedicated my life to the sound of metal insects screaming in a wall of oatmeal!.

As for the story line, it follows a basic one of the Greek mythology of Orpheus and Eurydice. Difference is, it’s in the future, when late-night TV is controlled by the devil’s EBN (Euthanasia Broadcast Network). The setting is just called the Grey Zone. Everyone in the Grey Zone lives in shipping containers and seems to survive by stealing shredded wheat and skating.

Orpheus leads a rock group called Orpheus and the Shredders, who include Axel and the crew of Scratch, Razoreus, the members of Orpheus’ band, The Shredders, and of course, his girlfriend Eurydice). Eurydice is a dancer and the folks at EBN get some footage of her moves. They decide they need her for their programming and resolve to kidnap her. Orpheus is determined to get her and goes to Hell for his love!

And thus our first introduction to Orpheus is seeing him up on stage, delivering a poignant monologue – “There’s an old saying… nobody likes me… everybody hates me… I guess I’ll go eat worms. Don’t do that,” – before launching into “Worm Song”. I mean, come on now, how great does all this sound in just black and white let alone a fully colorized film with one of the best soundtracks that I’ve heard in a long, long time accompanying too.

The techno/goth soundtrack to this cult classic features notable Seattle musicians such as Roland Barker, Amy Denio and Bill Reiflin and also the Metaphonics make an appearance. Also, for all you fact-grabbers out there, especially those from the Seattle area, there is one you might recognize: Stephen Jesse Bernstein, a poet and performance artist who released recordings with Sub Pop records and opened for bands like Nirvana and Soundgarden.

And so, now out as an incredible new Blu-ray Special Edition, this pretty rad, post-nuke, sci-fi flick is as brilliant as ever, and is now perfectly fitted to be front room viewing fodder for you and yours (and the generations to come). [C.C.]

Special Features:
1. Preserved from a 35mm blow-up print; created from the original 16mm, Beta SP, and 1 Inch tape master elements
2. Commentary with director Robert McGinley and AGFA’s Bret Berg 4. Behind the scenes photo gallery
5. Preservation of the original VHS version
6. Original home video trailer
7. Booklet with a Robert McGinley interview by David J. Moore and writing by Amy Rose

Official Trailer