Vice Academy 1-6: Limited Edition – Vinegar Syndrome (Blu-ray)
Director: Rick Sloane (All Films)
Cast: Linnea Quigley, Ginger Lynn, Karen Russell, Jayne Hamil, Ken Abraham, Stephen Steward, Jean Carol, Tamara Clatterbuck (Vice Academy), Ginger Lynn, Linnea Quigley, Jayne Hamil, Scott Layne, John Henry Richardson, Melissa Moore (Vice Academy Part 2), Ginger Lynn, Elizabeth Kaitan, Julia Parton, John Henry Richardson, Jordana Capra, Steve Mateo, Darcy DeMoss (Vice Academy Part 3), Elizabeth Kaitan, Julia Parton, Jayne Hamil, John Henry Richardson, Rebecca Rocheford Davies (Vice Academy Part 4), Elizabeth Kaitan, Jayne Hamil, John Henry Richardson, Raelyn Saalman, J.J. North (Vice Academy Part 5), Elizabeth Kaitan, Jayne Hamil, John Henry Richardson, Raelyn Saalman (Vice Academy Part 6)
Release Date: September 23rd, 2025
Approximate Running Times: 89 Minutes 47 Seconds (Vice Academy), 92 Minutes 46 Seconds (Vice Academy Part 2), 88 Minutes 40 Seconds (Vice Academy Part 3), 88 Minutes 22 Seconds (Vice Academy Part 4), 91 Minutes 41 Seconds (Vice Academy Part 5), 88 Minutes 53 Seconds (Vice Academy Part 6)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (All Films)
Rating: R
Sound: DTS-HD Stereo English (All Films)
Subtitles: English SDH (All Films)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $64.98
"Today, the sagas from the hallowed halls of the esteemed Vice Academy are legendary. From the early years of trapping porn producers to the villain who escaped from a CD-ROM to wreak havoc over the city, the expert hands of Vice Academy cops Holly, Traci, Candy, and Didi always managed to solve crimes and look dazzling while doing so. Capturing devious villains such as Malathion, Queen Bee, Spanish Fly, and Heidi Ho was never easy, but under the watchful eyes and expert tutelage of Ms. Devonshire and the Commissioner, the Vice Academy team always managed to pull it off." - synopsis provided by the distributor
Video: 4.5/5 (All Films)
Here’s the information provided about the transfers, "Scanned and restored in 2K from their 35mm original camera negatives."
Vice Academy and Vice Academy 2 come on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.
Disc Size: 45.3 GB
Feature: 21.4 GB (Vice Academy), 23.5 GB (Vice Academy 2)
Vice Academy 3 and Vice Academy 4 come on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.
Disc Size: 45.1 GB
Feature: 22.5 GB (Vice Academy 3), 22.2 GB (Vice Academy 4)
Vice Academy 5 and Vice Academy 6 come on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.
Disc Size: 45.7 GB
Feature: 23 GB (Vice Academy 5), 22.4 GB (Vice Academy 6)
All of the sources are in excellent shape, and they are easily the best these films have ever looked on home media. Flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and all of the sources always look organic.
Audio: 4.5/5 (All Films Except Vice Academy), 4.25/5 (Vice Academy)
Each film comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD stereo mix in English with removable English SDH. Although all of the audio tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced, the first film’s audio sounds more constrained than the other five films. That said, ambient sounds are well-represented, and the score sounds appropriately robust.
Extras:
Extras on disc one include an archival audio commentary from a 2019 Blu-ray release with director Rick Sloane for Vice Academy, an archival audio commentary from a DVD release with Rick Sloane for Vice Academy, an archival audio commentary from a 2019 Blu-ray release with Rick Sloane for Vice Academy 2, and an archival audio commentary from a DVD release with Rick Sloane for Vice Academy 2
Extras on disc two include an archival audio commentary from a 2019 Blu-ray release with Rick Sloane for Vice Academy 3, an archival audio commentary from a DVD release with Rick Sloane for Vice Academy 3, and an archival audio commentary from a DVD release with Rick Sloane for Vice Academy 3.
Extras on disc three include an archival audio commentary from a DVD release with Rick Sloane for Vice Academy 5 and an archival audio commentary from a DVD release with Rick Sloane for Vice Academy 6.
Extras on disc four include original video trailers for each film: Vice Academy (2 minutes 25 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Vice Academy 2 (1 minute 37 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Vice Academy 3 (1 minute 45 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Vice Academy 4 (2 minutes 23 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Vice Academy 5 (1 minute 33 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and Vice Academy 6 (2 minutes 25 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), original EPK interviews with Rick Sloane (18 minutes 59 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), actress Jayne Hamil (16 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and actress Elizabeth Kaitan (5 minutes 48 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival featurette titled The Making of Vice Academy 2 (6 minutes 7 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival featurette on the making of Vice Academy titled B-Movie Queens: Revealed (51 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Vice Academy panel at Cinema Wasteland 2024 with Rick Sloane and actress Ginger Lynn Allen (42 minutes 50 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview from 2019 with Ginger Lynn Allen titled Going Undercover (35 minutes 14 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview from 2019 with actress Linnea Quigley titled Head of the Class (17 minutes 46 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an interview with Rick Sloane titled The Thin Magenta Line (20 minutes 37 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles).
Other extras include reversible cover art, a poster, and a spot gloss slipcase edition (limited to 6,000 units).
Summary:
Vice Academy 1-6 were written and directed by Rick Sloane, the creative mind behind films like, Blood Theatre, The Visitants and Hobgoblins.
Vice Academy: Inept cadets at a police academy compete for a chance to be on the police force..
Like many fans of Vice Academy, my first exposure to this film was on the USA Network in the 1990s. Although time can lead us to reevaluate our enjoyment of certain films, Vice Academy is not one of those movies. In fact, after not seeing it for over twenty-five years, I found myself enjoying Vice Academy more than ever.
Nostalgic memories aside, Vice Academy is a raunchy comedy that’s overflowing with irreverent humor. Although the premise takes inspiration from the iconic television series Charlie’s Angels, the result is a film that metamorphoses into something that no longer resembles its inspiration.
When talking about Vice Academy, one must not overlook the contributions of its two leading ladies, Ginger Lynn Allen (Trashy Lady) in the role of Holly Wells, the police chief’s spoiled daughter, and Linnea Quigley (Nightmare Sisters) in the role of Didi, a mischievous cadet who’s always looking for a way to cut corners. Both actresses deliver pitch-perfect performances that are reinforced by their undeniable chemistry.
From a production standpoint, there is no area where Vice Academy does not come out ahead. The premise is superbly realized, the well-executed narrative moves at a brisk momentum, and most importantly, from its opening moments, absurdity reigns supreme. Ultimately, Vice Academy is B-cinema perfection.
Vice Academy Part 2: Two rookie cops who were rivals at the police academy are law enforcement's best chance of taking down a crime syndicate.
When one discusses sequels, the first point of contention is that they never live up to their predecessor. Although Vice Academy 2 carries over the core elements from its predecessor, the result is a film that does not fall into the trappings that plague most sequels. With that being said, a change of place and adding a ridiculous character are the two areas that elevate Vice Academy 2 above most sequels.
Where Vice Academy followed Holly and Didi’s exploits at the police academy, Vice Academy 2 follows their exploits after graduation. And just like its predecessor, Vice Academy 2 has an assortment of colorful characters for them to interact with.
Once again, Ginger Lynn Allen (Too Naughty to Say No) plays Holly, and Linnea Quigley (Witchtrap) portrays Didi, both of whom dominate the screen. Although their characters have graduated, their rivalry continues within the police force. Another performance of note is Teagan Clive in the role of BimboCop. Ultimately, Vice Academy 2 is a solid sequel that is on par with its predecessor.
Vice Academy Part 3: An escaped convict escapes prison and wreaks havoc, and it is up to a group of inept police officers to end her reign of terror.
“If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.” No truer words have ever been spoken. Although Vice Academy 3 follows the blueprint that was perfectly laid out in the previous Vice Academy, the result is a film that pales in comparison to its predecessors.
Nowhere is this clearer than when it comes to Linnea Quigley’s (Deadly Embrace) absence. She played a large role in why the first two Vice Academy films worked so well. And though her replacement, Elizabeth Kaitan (Nightwish), in the role of Didi’s sister, does an admirable job filling the huge void left by Linnea Quigley. Elizabeth Kaitan does not have the same onscreen chemistry with Ginger Lynn Allen that Linnea Quigley had.
The main attraction of Vice Academy 3 is Ginger Lynn Allen (Taboo IV), who returns for her third and final Vice Academy film, not counting recycled footage and a cameo in Vice Academy 6. She delivers another exemplary performance in which she is clearly enjoying herself. Another performance of note is Julia Parton in the role of Melanie (aka Malathion), a psychopathic criminal whose gang is wreaking havoc around town. Ultimately, despite being greatly affected by Linnea Quigley’s absence, Vice Academy 3 is still a fun film that retains the core humor of its predecessors.
Vice Academy 4: Malathion returns and once again breaks out of prison; pursuing her are a group of inept cops whose actions delay her capture.
Vice Academy 4 continues its rotating cast; this time around, Didi is the experienced officer, and she’s teamed with Samantha, a character from Vice Academy 3. Besides Ginger Lynn Allen’s exit after three films, another casting change is Rebecca Rocheford Davies, who replaces Darcy DeMoss in the role of Samantha. This new pairing lacks chemistry, like the Ginger Lynn Allen and Elizabeth Kaitan pairing after Linnea Quigley’s exit after Vice Academy 2.
Vice Academy 4 sticks to its familiar formula: humor rooted in outrageous moments and dialogue laced with innuendo. Another area of change is the shift of the focus from two female cops to the commissioner and his assistant, who get married despite not being romantically involved. That said, this film quality-wise is a significant drop from its predecessors. Ultimately, Julia Parton’s delirious portrayal of Malathion is Vice Academy 4’s only saving grace.
Vice Academy 5: The police commissioner's son unleashes from a video game a VR hooker who comes to life and wreaks havoc.
For this installment there is another casting change; Samantha is replaced by a new officer named Traci. Although Didi and Traci are characters that stand out on their own, they lack the chemistry that drives the first two films. That said, the acting is best described as serviceable; the only performances of note are Jayne Hamil and John Henry Richardson in the roles of Miss Devonshire and the police commissioner. This is their fourth film working together with these two characters, and they have a strong chemistry.
There were signs that the Vice Academy film series was already in decline before part 5, and the result is a film that continues on this downward trend. Another area where Vice Academy 5 is lacking is scenes related to police work; this time around there is a shift to the characters' personal lives. Content-wise, Vice Academy 5 has all of the humor and absurdity that are synonymous with this film series. That said, Vice Academy 5 brings nothing new to the table, and it is ultimately undermined by its predictability.
Vice Academy 6: Bikini-wearing bank robbers outsmart a group of inept cops by staying one step ahead of them.
For this sixth installment, the core cast remains the same, and the performances work well within the story that unfolds. The premise is full of possibilities, which are fully exploited, and the focus on police work is a welcomed return. That said, what Vice Academy 6 lacks in exposition is more than made up for with a series of outrageous moments that always hold your attention.
Vice Academy 6, like all of the films in this series, was made for a specific audience. Although their overreliance on formula makes them predictable, at least when it comes to humor, this is an area where these films never disappoint. That said, a core element to why the humor works so well is how bad the cops are at their job and how oblivious they are to things that should be obvious. Ultimately, when compared to the two films that preceded it, Vice Academy 6 is a move in the right direction; unfortunately, at this point, it is too little too late.
Vinegar Syndrome gives the Vice Academy film series a definitive release; highly recommended.
Written by Michael Den Boer
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