When it comes to auteurship, Russ Meyer was a total badass. There’s simply no other way to put it and his films, everything from Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! to Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, stands as a testimony for his pioneering work in cinematography and his DIY attitude.
And now, thanks to an agreement between Severin Films, Janice Cowart and The Russ Meyer Trust, three of his signature films, Vixen, Supervixens and Beneath the Valley of the Ultravixens, have arrived on home video for the first time in decades. These independent movies, available in 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD, mark the first remastering of Meyer’s films from the original camera negatives since the early 1980s, and each feature both new and archival special features curated exclusively for Severin.
Bosomania is alive and well! While it is true that Meyer might have been a little gun shy when it comes to politics, Vixen stands as one of his most in-your-face attempts as everything from incest to communism is put forth in a DIY-swagger that only Meyer - who often worked for Playboy and was his own cinematographer - could expertly photograph.
The story begins simple enough to set up the marital strife. Tom Palmer (Garth Pillsbury), working as a pilot in the Canadian Pacific Northwest (but really California), is never home to please his wife, Vixen (Erica Gavin, who is so damn committed to this performance that she’s a definite standout). She needs a man. Always. And doesn’t want to share one who is often away on hunting and fishing trips.
So, obviously, any fresh faced young man who happens upon her doorstep is ripe for the taking. Want copious amounts of sex and nudity? You got it. The point here is that Vixen is never satisfied for long and is always on the hunt for the next young buck. Turns out, there are plenty of Mounties available to her. 
Vixen is, for all intents and purposes, a predator. So, when Niles (Harrison Page, who turns in another strong performance), a young black man hiding from the draft, shows up in her desolate location, she decides to take her frustrations out on him. Turns out, they are both on edge. Both frustrated. And both are not up for taking shit from anybody.
Soon enough, Vixen reveals her prejudices to everyone. And when her husband’s plane keeps getting chartered by everyone under the sun, all bets are off for this nymphomaniac. With plenty of sex, violence, and mystery, Vixen is definitely worth checking out, even if you are merely mildly interested in Meyer’s catalog.
To dismiss the film as pure fluff, though, is a mistake. The acting is incredibly well done by the leads, which is why Vixen continues to work. It is in good hands with Severin Films.
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray
Home Video Distributor: Severin Films
Available on Blu-ray - January 28, 2025
Screen Formats: 1.85:1
Subtitles: English
Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
Discs: 4K Ultra HD; Blu-ray DiscTwo-disc set
Region Encoding: 4K region-free; blu-ray locked to Region A
Amid the cultural chaos of 1968 and armed with a budget of only $70,000, producer/director/cinematographer Russ Meyer transcended sexploitation by crafting this “bosomacious melodrama” (Time Magazine) about racism, communism, bush pilots, draft dodgers and a ferociously free-spirited wife named Vixen (the incredible Erica Gavin of BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS and CAGED HEAT).
VIDEO
Scanned from the original camera negative, the 4K restoration is nothing less than breathtaking. Mined from a new master which involved restoring the original 35mm camera negative, the results are pretty stunning and the new color grading is spot-on, too. Black levels are bold, colors pop - with reds, greens, and browns getting the edge over other colors - and everything has more depth than previously seen. It is a damn fine job, resulting in a movie that looks brand-new again. There is one nighttime sequence which looks a bit too soft for its own good. That being said, this release is a solid one which ought to please any fan of cult cinema.
AUDIO
The English Mono soundtrack is perfectly acceptable on this newly minted 4K transfer. The dialogue is up front and never buried in the mix.
Supplements:
Commentary:
-
See Special Features for the details.
Special Features:
There are three hours of supplemental items to dig through with this release.
Disc 1: 4K UHD
- Archival Audio Commentary With Co-Writer/Producer/Cinematographer/Co-Editor/Director Russ Meyer
- Audio Commentary With Actress Erica Gavin
- Trailer
- Trailer
Disc 2: Blu-ray
- 1981 Censor Prologue (Theatrical Re-Release)
- Archival Audio Commentary With Co-Writer/Producer/Cinematographer/Co-Editor/Director Russ Meyer
- Audio Commentary With Actress Erica Gavin
- Woman… Or Animal? – Interviews With Actors Erica Gavin And Harrison Page
- David Del Valle’s The Sinister Image With Guests Russ Meyer And Yvette Vickers
- Entertainment… Or Obscenity? – Marc Edward Heuck On The Film’s Historic Cincinnati Censorship Battles
- Trailer
| Movie |  |
|
| Video |  |
|
| Audio |  |
|
| Extras | |
|
|
Composite Blu-ray Grade
|
||
MPAA Rating: X.
Runtime: 70 mins
Director: Russ Meyer
Writer: Robert Rudelson; Russ Meyer
Cast: Erica Gavin; Garth Pillsbury; Harrison Page
Genre: Drama
Tagline: Is she woman... or animal.
Memorable Movie Quote: "I know it's strange, but your body really turns me on!"
Theatrical Distributor: Eve Productions
Official Site: https://severinfilms.com/products/russ-meyers-vixen-2-disc-4k-uhd-w-slipcover?_pos=2&_psq=vixen&_ss=e&_v=1.0
Release Date: October 22, 1968
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: January 28, 2025.
Synopsis: While a naive bush pilot flies tourists to the wilderness of Northwest Canada, his nymphomaniac wife seduces a Mountie, a married couple, and her biker brother.
