88 Films is currently one of the best distribution labels out there for fans of cult cinema. The small UK-based company are relative newcomers on the block, but in a fairly short time they’ve already released a number of great Blu-rays. Their release of Zombi 3 is one of my absolute favorites.

They have standard releases that just fall under the 88 Films banner but they also have special collections of releases that are basically sets of films from a specific genre that come in special numbered cases. Their Italian Collection is about 14 films deep at the moment but they have big plans to increase it. In an effort to make sure they release the best possible versions of these films, they’ve launched an IndieGoGo campaign to help restore 4 classic Italian films in 2k.

Here are the four films:

Absurd
Dir. Joe D’Amato
A priest comes to a small town to help get rid of a monster whose blood coagulates very fast. This creates problems as the monster is very hard to kill and then decides to go on a killing spree of its own.

Massacre in Dinosaur Valley
Dir. Michele Massimo Tarantini
A plane crashes in the Amazon jungle, and its passengers must battle their way through cannibals, slave traders, wild animals and murderous piranha fish to safety.

Aenigma
Dir. Lucio Fulci
The spirit of a comatose teenage girl possesses the body of a newcomer to her girls boarding school to enact bloody revenge against the elitist, lingerie-clad coeds responsible for her condition.

Beyond the Darkness
Dir. Joe D’Amato
Grief-struck after the death of his wife, a young man attempts to keep her with him forever – by gutting her, stuffing her and replacing her eyes with glass eyes, turning her into a doll. But his bouts of insanity are just beginning.

The campaign is set up in goals. Each time they hit one goal, they’ll move onto the next film. Here’s the breakdown:

Goal 1: We raise £10,000 and the (video) nasty Absurd absolutely, definitely  gets remastered in 2K resolution from the original 35mm negative, uncut and uncensored.

Goal 2: We raise £20,000 and and the gut-munching Massacre in Dinosaur Valley gets remastered in 2K resolution from the original 35mm negative, uncut and uncensored.

Goal 3: We raise £30,000 and the creepy Aenigma gets remastered in 2K resolution from the original 35mm negative, uncut and uncensored.

Goal 4: We raise £40,000 and the gore filled Beyond the Darkness gets remastered in 2K resolution from the original 16mm negative, uncut and uncensored.

88 Films have done crowd funding campaigns in the past and have had much success. They already do great work, but with a little extra support they’re able to elevate their releases, as is evident with films like Burial Ground.  And your donations aren’t without perks of course. There are lots of various levels to earn different things, including special limited edition releases of the films.

As they are based in the UK, 88 Films releases are region B, so that’s something you’ll want to keep in mind.

If you’re interested in donating you can visit the 88 Films campaign here: https://igg.me/at/absurd2K/x/491497

And if you’re just interested in previous releases from 88 Films be sure to check out their store: https://88-films.myshopify.com/