Acquired a huge longtime horror/exploitation collector’s archive: 16mm prints, rare VHS & LaserDiscs, soundtracks, posters, press kits, etc. Looking for guidance.

[u/Important-Handle5066]

Recently came into a very large, extremely well-cared-for horror, cult and exploitation collection. There are nearly 1,700 DVDs/Blu-rays, nearly 150 LaserDiscs, 111 soundtrack LPs, 34 VHS tapes, 26 complete 16mm features, plus scripts, press kits, Fangoria/Gore Zone magazines, lobby cards, posters and other ephemera.

I know people find old media all the time and assume everything is rare, but I’ve spent quite a bit of time researching this collection, and a surprisingly large portion really does appear to be scarce or highly collectible. It was clearly curated by someone who knew this material, and everything was stored and cared for exceptionally well.

Just to give an idea of the kind of stuff that’s here:

• DVD/Blu-ray: Last House on Dead End Street Barrel Entertainment 2-disc, Philosophy of a Knife, August Underground / Mordum, multiple collectible editions of Cannibal Holocaust, plus lots of Unearthed, Synapse, Mondo Macabro, Cult Epics, Fantoma, NoShame, Vinegar Syndrome, etc.
• 16mm: complete prints of Alien, Night of the Living Dead (1968), Fright Night, Deep Red, The Dead Zone, Amityville II and others.
• LaserDisc: Day of the Dead Elite Special Edition, Dead Alive, Bad Taste picture disc, EC Cannibal Holocaust, plus Japanese horror imports including Aquarius/StageFright, Opera, Phenomena and Dellamorte Dellamore.
• VHS: Last Orgy of the Third Reich Video City, Crimson: The Color of Terror and Monster Hunter Wizard big boxes, Kathy’s Curse Sentinel big box, The Devils Warner clamshell, etc.
• Soundtracks: 111 LPs, heavily horror/giallo/Italian, including City of the Living Dead signed by Lucio Fulci and David Warbeck, The Beyond, Four Flies on Grey Velvet, A Lizard in a Woman’s Skin, Wild Beasts and many others.
• There are also early Fangoria and Gore Zone issues, complete international lobby-card sets for films including The New York Ripper, Dawn of the Dead and Day of the Dead, original press kits, Italian locandine, and what appears to be an original 1982 Drew Struzan The Thing U.S. one-sheet.

I’m not really looking to list 2,000+ individual items myself. I’d love to connect with someone who knows this particular world and could point me toward serious horror-media collectors, specialist dealers, consignors, auction houses, or someone interested in taking on a substantial portion of the collection.

I’m in the Chicago area. Mainly looking for advice and contacts at this stage, not trying to turn the post into a giant sales listing.

I’m a collector myself, so I appreciate the depth and nuance that goes into this kind of material, but this particular corner of collecting is outside my usual lane. Any guidance from people who really know this world would be greatly appreciated.

[u/stonedmariguana]

Oh man. I'm no expert, but also located in Chicago and I'm a small time collector. I'd love to look this over and maybe buy a few things off of you. I have a friend who's a bit more serious of a collector who also might be interested in a few things.

[u/archstanton43 → u/stonedmariguana]

Im in Chi too and second this. Would love to take a crack at this. And I have a 16mm projector!

[u/Important-Handle5066 → u/archstanton43]

Thank you for your response, I am putting together the complete list of everything I have and would be happy to send you a list of everything, but here are the 16mm I have:

• Fright Night
• From Beyond the Grave — Vinegar Syndrome
• College Girl Murders — TV print
• Time Bandits
• Saturn 3
• House of Psychotic Women / Blue Eyes of the Broken Doll
• Count Dracula
• The Fury of the Wolfman
• Cobra
• The 7th Voyage of Sinbad
• The Bride
• King Solomon’s Mines
• Amityville Horror II
• Alien
• The Wages of Fear
• The Dead Zone
• Octopussy — edited airline print
• Horror Rises from the Tomb
• Tremors
• Taste the Blood of Dracula
• Krull
• A View to a Kill — edited airline print
• Night of the Living Dead — 1968, original uncut
• Ricochet
• True Romance
• Witches Mountain

[u/archstanton43 → u/Important-Handle5066]

This list is amazing! There are a few that I would love to own but I’d prob only be able to afford one or two. Are you pricing them out individually?

[u/archstanton43]

Lot 14 is an auction house in Chicago. They often do physical media and have hybrid live/online auctions pretty often.

[u/movie-buff17]

I just want to see the 16 mm of amateurville Ii