While Robert Zemeckis has hit some big home runs in his career, there isn’t much in his more recent films that has garnered as much notoriety as his earlier works. While something like The Polar Express has become a Christmas classic for many, his experiments with new technology are often hit-and-miss. But in 2012, he would take it back to basics with a character drama that featured Denzel Washington in a surprise film about alcohol addiction titled Flight, which had been more or less advertised as a legal thriller about a pilot’s ability to make a miracle emergency landing.

Flight 4K

Blu-ray.com is now reporting that Kino Lorber will be distributing the Paramount film that stars Washington, John Goodman, Don Cheadle, Kelly Reilly, and Bruce Greenwood. There is yet to be a specific date that is locked down for the release, but the label is aiming to hit retailers for sometime in the Summer of 2026. Additionally, it’s also at a stage where there are yet to be special features announced, so for now, only some of the technical specs are known.

The description reads,
“Commercial airline pilot Whip Whitaker (Denzel Washington) has a problem with drugs and alcohol, though so far he’s managed to complete his flights safely. His luck runs out when a disastrous mechanical malfunction sends his plane hurtling toward the ground. Whip pulls off a miraculous crash-landing that results in only six lives lost. Shaken to the core, Whip vows to get sober — but when the crash investigation exposes his addiction, he finds himself in an even worse situation.”

Technical Specs:

• Video
  Codec: HEVC / H.265
  Resolution: 4K (2160p)
  HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10
  Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
• Audio
  TBA
• Subtitles
  English SDH
• Discs
  4K Ultra HD
  Blu-ray Disc
  Two-disc set (2 BD)
• Playback
  4K Blu-ray: Region free
  2K Blu-ray: Region A (B, C untested)

Usually, Kino Lorber is good at preserving the cover art with the original poster key art, but the photo accompanying this announcement may suggest that Reilly could be featured on the marketing of this release a bit more to capitalize on her fame from Yellowstone since co-starring in this movie.

Bumbray’s Archival Thoughts

Since the movie’s release, it has been one of Zemeckis’ more popular films in the tail end of his resume, which includes films like Welcome to Marwen, Disney’s live-action Pinocchio remake and 2024’s Here. Back in 2012, our Chris Bumbray said in his review, “Despite running a lengthy 140 minutes, Zemeckis keeps FLIGHT moving at a quick pace, making it feel much shorter than it is, and keeping it fully engrossing throughout.  In the end, Zemeckis isn’t making the gritty Sundance version of FLIGHT, but the big-budget, star-studded version. As such, he’s still delivered a ballsy and thoroughly entertaining piece of work.”

The post Denzel Washington and Robert Zemeckis’ Flight heads to 4K Blu-ray from Kino Lorber appeared first on JoBlo.

One of the films that was ubiquitous in the 80s was The Great Outdoors, a John Hughes-penned family comedy, which paired his favorite actor, John Candy, with the great Dan Aykroyd. The story of two feuding fathers spending time at a summer cabin, it has all the hallmarks of a great John Hughes movie. It has the slapstick, the silliness, and yes — even some heart in the unexpected climax.

The good people at Kino Lorber are now bringing the John Candy/Dan Aykroyd classic to a new ultra-high definition release. According to Blu-ray.com, The Great Outdoors will be remastered in 4K from its original negative and will be presented in DolbyVision. The Howard Deutch comedy also stars Stephanie Faracy, Annette Bening, and Chris Young. The 4K/regular Blu-ray combo is due to hit retailers on May 26.

The description reads,
“It’s vacation time for outdoorsy Chicago man Chet Ripley (John Candy), along with his wife, Connie (Stephanie Faracy), and their two kids, Buck (Chris Young) and Ben (Ian Giatti). But a serene weekend of fishing at a Wisconsin lakeside cabin gets crashed by Connie’s obnoxious brother-in-law, Roman Craig (Dan Aykroyd), his wife, Kate (Annette Bening), and the couple’s two daughters. As the excursion wears on, the Ripleys find themselves at odds with the stuffy Craig family.”

Special Features:

DISC ONE – 4K BLU-RAY

• NEW 4K RESTORATION FROM THE ORIGINAL CAMERA NEGATIVE
• DOLBY VISION/HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
• NEW Audio Commentary by Director Howard Deutch, Moderated by Filmmaker Douglas Hosdale
• NEW Audio Commentary by Hats Off Entertainment’s Joe Ramoni
• NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historians Paul Anthony Nelson and Lee Zachariah
• Optional English Subtitles

DISC TWO – BLU-RAY

• NEW 4K RESTORATION FROM THE ORIGINAL CAMERA NEGATIVE
• NEW Audio Commentary by Director Howard Deutch, Moderated by Filmmaker Douglas Hosdale
• NEW Audio Commentary by Hats Off Entertainment’s Joe Ramoni
• NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historians Paul Anthony Nelson and Lee Zachariah
• Optional English Subtitles

Technical Specs:

• Video
  Codec: HEVC / H.265
  Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)
  Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Audio
  TBA
• Subtitles
  English SDH
• Discs
  4K Ultra HD
  Blu-ray Disc
  Two-disc set (1 BD-100, 1 BD-50)
• Packaging
  Slipcover in original pressing
• Playback
  4K Blu-ray: Region free
  2K Blu-ray: Region A (B, C untested)

The post The John Candy and Dan Aykroyd comedy, The Great Outdoors, gets a new 4K Blu-ray from Kino Lorber appeared first on JoBlo.

MVD JCVD releases

It’s a pretty exciting time in physical media. Past classics and cult classics alike are seeing more and more remasters in ultra-high-definition Blu-ray releases. Labels like Shout Factory’s Hong Kong Cinema Classics and MVD Rewind Collection are repackaging these 4K upgrades with grade retro logos and presentations. You can now re-live every kick and every split (and every spinning split kick) of some Jean-Claude Van Damme films in new home video releases of some of his titles. Knock Off from 1998, Lionheart from 1990 and Double Impact from 1991 have gotten early year releases. This time, we take a look at Double Impact.

Double Impact

Double Impact was a perfect kind of film for Jean-Claude Van Damme at the time of its release. By the end of the 1980s, he was a baby-faced, Hercules-physiqued, martial arts phenomenon thanks to movies like Bloodsport, Kickboxer and Lionheart. While newer action stars like Steven Seagal also followed in the vein of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone, Van Damme had an All-American boyish charm to him that went really well with his martial arts prowess. His natural charisma was very easy for movie-going audiences to get attached to — not to mention the sex appeal he exuded. And boy, did his soak up all the attention. 

When Double Impact came out, it was everything you wanted and expected from a new Van Damme action movie, so even if he was a kind of self-indulgent with this project, it just didn’t matter. He earned it. And it’s SO entertaining! The trailer for this movie remarked (with help from the late, great trailer voice Don LaFontaine), “Double the Van Damage!” And that’s what the movie feels like. Take some of the greatest things that made 90s action movies entertaining and multiply it by two. 

You can tell Van Damme is having the time of his life at the height of his fame. A lot of that comes through in the movie. Double Impact is higher in concept when compared to Van Damme’s past action films. While the majority of his resume up to then focused more on pure fighting, this one upgraded the action to involve more gunplay, more explosions and more intrigue. The movie would also capitalize on Van Damme’s sex appeal by adding a lot of sexual tension, a shameless showcase of hardbodies and a blunt, full-on, fantasy scene.

It is revealed in the special features that the concept of the film actually came from a brainstorming session at Cannon Films, where writer/director Sheldon Lettich thought he and Van Damme could do something inspired by Alexandre Dumas’ The Corsican Brothers. After Bloodsport did big business, Van Damme, you can tell he really wanted to show audiences what he was capable of. Everyone in the cast and crew interviews would profess how he would really get into his twin character roles, Chad and Alex — both of whom are polar opposites. While Chad was closer to Van Damme’s personality, Alex was a harder-edged, street-wise badass, who grew up on the streets of Hong Kong.

Van Damme was able to show some good range in this film, playing both characters. He wasn’t as green on the movie scene at this time, so it was a great time to expand his capabilities and challenge himself. He makes you believe there are two different guys, who happen to look alike, interacting with each other and the directing of the scenes showing Alex and Chad are pretty effortless, if not complicated. The movie is a genre film that’s product of its time and it totally holds up.

How is the 4K Blu-ray?

MVD really brings it with this release. The 4K presentation is beautiful. The movie was restored from the original camera negative and the picture looks fantastic along with the 5.1 surround sound. It’s always a joy to rewatch a movie like this in its theater-like presentation as it transports me back to seeing it at the cinema. Funnily enough, the picture looks so good that it has the “Back to the Future effect,” where you can see the flaws in the aged effects shots when the filmmakers tried to have both brothers in frame (except for the classic split screen method, which still looks good).

The special features are also a real treat. It’s pretty much what I would want for a film like this. You’ve got an all-new 2-part making of documentary, with each part almost an hour long. Cast and crew on the film share some great behind-the-scenes information on the movie and we get some really great anecdotes. It’s also nice that they break the film down by some of the more memorable scenes. There is also a new feature with director Lettich choosing one particular scene to break down and give ample information on.

Then, we also have some extended and deleted scenes, all of which also come close to an hour! You get a lot of expanded sequences like the fight scenes with the Spurs fighter and the hulking Bolo Yeung rematch. 

Then, you have some cool archival extras, like an old behind-the-scenes featurette meant for broadcast television back in the day and, interestingly, some pull clips from the film, also meant for television broadcast. Then, you have some archival interviews with Van Damme and the filmmakers, again, meant for press. The coolest archival stuff is shown during the new documentary, which features screentests of the cast and certain hopefuls, like Tia Carrere, who nearly had the Danielle role.

Final Thoughts

As always the case, being a 4K release, the price tag will definitely put off anyone who’s just a casual movie consumer and not a fan enough of this film to shell out a few extra bucks for a presentation upgrade. However, if you ARE a die-hard fan of this film, I definitely think it’s a definitive way to see it, all while getting some good insight into the making of it.

You can buy it at MVD’s online shop HERE.

The post Feel the impact! We take a look at the 4K Blu-ray release of Double Impact from the MVD Rewind Collection appeared first on JoBlo.

Navy Seals reunion

80s action star Michael Biehn hosts his own podcast series titled Just Foolin’ About with Michael Biehn and he’s had the opportunity to interview peers like Roger Avary, Michael Rooker, Tim Colceri, Rick Rossovich and even James Cameron. In a recent episode, Biehn reunites with Charlie Sheen and the two reminisce about co-starring in the 1990 film Navy Seals. They reveal how they thought the studio held no premiere for the movie because they might’ve known “they had a dog on their hands.” Despite their feelings on the film, Sheen brought up how it still had a great influence on a generation of servicemen and women. Sheen would expound how writer Jack Carr told him that people in the military would quote lines while on the frontlines.

Wrangling in Biehn

While talking about the movie, Biehn giddily pushes Sheen to tell the story about getting a call from Mike Medavoy, who ran Orion Pictures — the studio that produced Navy Seals. Sheen explained in an anecdote,

Yeah, I got a call from Mike. And it was about you. He said ‘[Biehn] is going rogue. He’s doing more harm than good,’ essentially. I’m paraphrasing, you know. And I said, ‘Ok. What’s the next move? How do we fix this?’ And he says, ‘Well, I just know one thing. If this behavior keeps up, we’re just gonna fire him without pay.’ And I was like, ‘Wow! That’s fu*kin harsh, man!'”

Biehn followed up by asking Sheen if he was told to straighten up Biehn’s behavior. Sheen answered affirmatively,

I think you’re right. I think there was some mention of ‘Can you talk to this fu*king guy?! If he doesn’t get his sh*t together, we’re just gonna fire him without pay!’ I remember that expression, that term, and he said it with such finality. Such arrogance, you know?”

Biehn added in laughter,

And we’ve talked about this before. Last time, you told me you thought, ‘Where in my job description…? Why am I the Michael Biehn wrangler?!’“

The two former co-stars would continue to laugh about the absurdity of the situation.

Biehn and Cameron sound off on Alien 3

Not long ago, Biehn would also have James Cameron on an episode of his podcast and the two would speak on the shocking killing of the beloved Aliens characters at the start of Alien 3. “I thought that was the stupidest f*cking thing,” said Cameron, adding, “so you build a lot of goodwill So, you build a lot of goodwill around the characters of you know, Hicks, Newt and Bishop, and then the first thing they do in the in the next film is kill them all off, right? Really smart guys, you know, and replace them with a bunch of f**king convicts that you hate. And want to see die. Really clever. Now, I’m a big fan of Fincher and his work and all that. And that was his first feature film, and he was getting vectored around by a lot of other voices and all that. So, I give him a free pass on that one.”

The post Charlie Sheen and Michael Biehn revisit their wild times on the set of Navy Seals appeared first on JoBlo.

1996’s Sleepers may be a star-studded film that isn’t as remembered as much as it should be. From acclaimed filmmaker Barry Levinson, the tale of a group of friends facing an unspeakable amount of abuse in a juvenile correctional facility is getting a new 4K treatment from Warner Bros. Blu-ray.com has reported that Sleepers will have a 4K steelbook Blu-ray released this spring for its 30th anniversary. The cast includes Kevin Bacon, Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Jason Patric and Brad Pitt.

4K Blu-ray

The description reads,
“Four ordinary boys. A harmless prank gone awry. Their childhood innocence forever shattered, they vow to avenge its loss in the haunting drama Sleepers. Sentenced to spend time at a reform school for their reckless behavior, four basically good boys from a bad neighborhood suffer a horrible fate while there. Forced to perform unspeakable acts by the very adults entrusted to watch over them, the young quartet barely survives the ordeal. A decade and a half later, nothing can erase the painful memories. But neighborhood justice, with a little support from a loyal priest, helps even the score.

Academy Award-winners Robert De Niro and Dustin Hoffman team up with international superstars Kevin Bacon, Brad Pitt and Jason Patric, along with Academy Award-winning director Barry Levinson (Rain Man), in this compelling drama of shocking retribution. Based on the novel by Lorenzo Carcaterra.”

Update: Blu-ray.com has just unveiled some of the special features on this release along with another look at the artwork.

Special Features:

• 4K RESTORATION OF THE FILM
• DOLBY VISION /HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
• The Making of Sleepers: A Conversation with Barry Levinson
• Sleepers: The Art of Casting with Barry Levinson
• Original trailer
• Optional English SDH, Spanish, and French subtitles for the main feature

The technical specs read:

• Video
  Codec: HEVC / H.265
  Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)
  HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10
  Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
• Audio
  English: Dolby Atmos
  English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1
• Subtitles
  English SDH
• Discs
  4K Ultra HD
  Blu-ray Disc
  Single disc (1 BD)
• Digital
  Digital 4K
  Movies Anywhere
• Packaging
  SteelBook, Inner print
• Playback
  4K Blu-ray: Region free

Barry Levinson’s next

Levinson recently reunited with De Niro for The Alto Knights, which had De Niro in dual roles. It was reported a while ago that Levinson would tackle the story of the JFK assassination with Al Pacino starring and the cast including Viggo Mortensen, John Travolta, Shia LaBeouf, Rebecca Pidgeon and Courtney Love. Not much word has been revealed on the project since its announcement. Assassination “tells the story of how infamous Chicago mobster Sam Giancana arranged the assassination of President John F. Kennedy as payback for trying to bring down organized crime after the mob helped put JFK in the White House.”

The post Barry Levinson’s Sleepers gets a 30th anniversary 4K Blu-ray [Updated with more details] appeared first on JoBlo.

Head on over to The Gremlins Museum Collection site for a full story on a recent amazing discovery for fans of the Gremlins movies! The curator of the site revealed that this month, he was speaking to Chris Walas, who created the Gizmo and Gremlin effects for the original 1984 film. Walas would reveal that the famous Dorry’s Tavern sequence in the movie (which featured the titular creatures running amok and bending the rules of reality into fun, cartoony sight gags) originally featured 20 minutes of material, in which director Joe Dante could pick and choose from for the final cut.

This prompted the curator to ask Dante himself about the existence of a rough cut. Dante would eventually uncover two VHS tapes and send them to the curator. One tape was labeled “11/23/83 – Gremlins 1st Assembly” and one was labeled “Gremlins outtakes.” Dante had noted that he wasn’t exactly sure what all was on the outtakes video tape, but he invited the curator to take a look anyway.

A rough 3-hour assembly cut

The curator was no doubt presented with a holy grail for Gremlins fans and, God bless him, he will somehow be sharing his findings with the fans with a digital remastering of the material. According to the site, the footage from the VHS tape includes “longer and alternative takes, deleted plot points, larger character arcs, raw camera audio with animatronic puppet sounds, and a movie which at times has a completely different feel. Creature sounds are largely temporary, far removed from the polished, iconic voices later provided by performers such as Howie Mandel, Frank Welker, and Mark Dodson. The rough cut total runtime clocks in at 2 hours and 35 minutes, an almost hour longer than the final theatrical cut.”

Meanwhile, the outtakes VHS is said to contain approximately 40 minutes of deleted and alternate material. The site announced, “Some of these moments overlap with the rough cut, while others are entirely unique sequences written and filmed but cut before the assembly stage. Scenes long rumored to exist such as Barney knocking over Mrs. Deagle’s snowman and full mogwai walking shots are confirmed here for the first time.”

What’s next?

The curator has teased the editing of the digitized footage. The video is straight-up VHS quality, but luckily, it’s still very watchable. The audio is another story. According to the site, the audio is VERY rough. With large parts of the dialogue incredibly inaudible. While the raw track would’ve been replaced in post-production, the curator is doing their best at remastering the sound with some foley and ambience, and arranging the existing Jerry Goldsmith score to fit the scenes.

The big question is, how will people get to see this when completed? The curator makes sure to note that the footage was personally gifted to him by Dante, but it’s still a Warner Bros. property and not his to share. Walas and the film’s star, Zach Galligan, are interested in special screenings of the “Screening Rough Cut” and if Warner Bros. wishes, they could possibly include it on a future Blu-ray release as an extra feature. Unfortunately for now, we can only wait and see.

However, the curator of the museum is updating the page, as he goes, to include details of the extended footage, so check it out!

The post A 3-hour rough cut of Gremlins has been discovered appeared first on JoBlo.

The disc is absolutely loaded with features. Check them out:

DISC ONE – 4K BLU-RAY

• NEW 4K RESTORATION OF THE FILM FROM THE ORIGINAL CAMERA NEGATIVE
• DOLBY VISION/HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
• Audio Commentary by Film Historian Paul Talbot, the author of the BRONSON’S LOOSE! Books
• Audio Commentary by Producer Pancho Kohner, Casting Director John Crowther, and Film Historian David Del Valle
• 5.1 Surround and Lossless 2.0 Audio
• Triple-Layered UHD100 Disc
• Optional English Subtitles

DISC TWO – BLU-RAY

• NEW 4K RESTORATION OF THE FILM FROM THE ORIGINAL CAMERA NEGATIVE
• Audio Commentary by Film Historian Paul Talbot, the author of the BRONSON’S LOOSE! Books
• Audio Commentary by Producer Pancho Kohner, Casting Director John Crowther, and Film Historian David Del Valle
• Charlie’s Partner: Interview with Actor Andrew Stevens (10:46)
• Producing Bronson: Interview with Producer Lance Hool (12:41)
• Remembering Bronson: Interview with Actor Robert F. Lyons (6:00)
• Knife and Death: Interview with Actress Jeana Tomasina (6:55)
• Radio Spots (1:39)
• Theatrical Trailer (2:14)
• 5.1 Surround and Lossless 2.0 Audio
• Optional English Subtitles

In 10 to Midnight, Bronson plays a cop who’s going after a serial killer targeting young women. When he catches the killer (Gene Davis) red-handed, he’s forced to turn him loose due to an illegal search, so the cop turns vigilante and starts stalking him outside the law, inadvertently putting his daughter (Beverly Hills Cop’s Lisa Eilbacher) in the killer’s crosshairs.

If you haven’t seen 10 to Midnight, be warned, it’s pretty extreme. It’s much more of a slasher movie than a cop movie, with heavy-duty murder sequences, and a cast of young victims that include a Kelly Preston in one of her first roles. Critics reviled it at the time for its scuzzy, low-budget vibe, but it became a fave among horror movie fans, and was a VHS staple of the early 80s. The director, J. Lee Thompson, was one of Bronson’s go-to directors, and several of their movies together really pushed boundaries in terms of the kind of sex and violence you’d see in movies like this. Their follow-up, The Evil That Men Do, was pretty rough, while their latter film, Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects, has two unlikely fans in directors Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary, who often name-check the movie on their Video Archives Podcast.

Will you be picking up 10 to Midnight when it hits 4K Blu-ray? Let us know in the comments.

The post Charles Bronson’s bonkers slasher/action hybrid, 10 to Midnight is coming to 4K Blu-Ray; loaded with special features appeared first on JoBlo.

The original Top Gun, which catapulted Tom Cruise into superstardom, is getting a brand new physical media release to celebrate its 40th anniversary. Blu-ray.com reports the announcement that Paramount Home Media Distribution will be releasing the 1986 Tony Scott aerial combat film in a new 4K steelbook Blu-ray. The steelbook edition of the film is scheduled to hit retailers this summer on May 5.

The official description reads:
“Top Gun takes a look at the danger and excitement that awaits every pilot at the Navy’s prestigious fighter weapons school. Tom Cruise is superb as Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell, a daring young flyer who’s out to become the best of the best. And Kelly McGillis sizzles as the civilian instructor who teaches Maverick a few things you can’t learn in a classroom.”

Paramount has also released an image of the steelbook, which you can view below. And while it looks like the 4K UHD disc will feature both the movie and extra material, it’s not yet known if the extras will be carried over from previous releases or if there will be some brand new features.

While there are yet to be announcements on the special features, you can take a look at the disc’s specs below.

Technical Specs:

Video
Codec: HEVC / H.265 (51.10 Mbps)
Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)
HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Audio
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
German: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Italian: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Japanese: Dolby Digital 2.0
Japanese: Dolby Digital Mono
Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Russian: Dolby Digital 5.1

Note: Spanish España y Latinoamérica, Japanese 2.0=TV Tokyo Version, Japanese Mono=Fuji TV Version, Portuguese=Brasil

Subtitles
English, English SDH, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Cantonese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Korean, Mandarin (Simplified), Mandarin (Traditional), Norwegian, Romanian, Russian, Swedish, Thai

Discs
4K Ultra HD
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD-66, 1 BD-50)

Digital
Digital copy included

Packaging
SteelBook, Inner print

Playback
4K Blu-ray: Region free
2K Blu-ray: Region A (B, C untested)

The post Return to the danger zone in ultra high-definition with a new 4K Blu-ray release of Top Gun for its 40th anniversary appeared first on JoBlo.

Chris

What are the greatest action movies of all time? It’s a controversial question, isn’t it? Any time any publication or site puts out a new list of what they consider the best action movies of all time, it can’t help but generate a ton of controversy. Nevertheless, we here at JoBlo have decided to throw our hats into the ring with a list we really hope generates some nostalgia among our viewers but also encourages them to seek out the movies on this list that they may not have seen. But first, some may wonder where superhero movies are on this list. Given how broad that genre is, we decided to stick to old-school action, so we have left them off the list, as they deserve their own ranking. There are also a few absences from the list, notably some Jackie Chan Hong Kong films (like Police Story), with those to follow in another planned list, so stay tuned! With that out of the way, here’s our Top 25 Greatest Action Movies Ever Made!

25. Hard Target (1993)

Jean-Claude Van Damme is one of the biggest action stars of all time, and Hard Target is his best action movie. Beautifully directed by John Woo in his American film debut, it’s not only gloriously violent and lovingly photographed, but it has one of the most memorable villains of all time, Lance Henriksen’s Emil Fouchon. It’s a take on the classic Most Dangerous Game formula, but it gives the heroes and villains equal screen time as they play out a game of cat and mouse, making it highly unique as an action film. One note – to fully appreciate this movie, you must see the uncensored, unrated version, which Kino recently reissued on Blu-ray.

24. Leon: The Professional (1994)

Luc Besson’s 1994 hitman drama ranks as one of the most stylish action movies ever made. Sporting a lush score by Eric Serra, and an iconic performance by Jean Reno as the titular “cleaner”, this one inspired many knockoffs. It also introduced the world to Natalie Portman, who plays Leon’s pseudo-daughter figure, Mathilda, who he helps avenge her family’s murder (Portman seems curiously mixed on the film now, though). Plus, Gary Oldman delivers the greatest villain performance of his career as cinema’s most iconically evil corrupt cop. 

23. Casino Royale (2006)

You can’t seriously do a list like this without including at least one James Bond movie. While I’d wager On Her Majesty’s Secret Service and maybe Goldfinger are better James Bond movies in terms of action, I think Martin Campbell made the best overall action film of the franchise with Casino Royale. It re-invented James Bond for the 21st century, and it is an excellent showcase for Daniel Craig. Once people saw him doing parkour, all doubts about his ability to carry the franchise were immediately put to rest.

22. Commando (1985)

Arnold Schwarzenegger became a star in Conan the Barbarian and The Terminator, but Commando changed his image from a killing machine to a more personable, loving variation. Sure, he still sends 137 souls to meet their maker, but he also establishes a loose persona as a caring dad that really changed the way people see him. Plus, Commando has some of the most creative carnage of all time packed into the insane climax. The woodshed scene alone is glorious.

21. Rambo: First Blood Part 2 (1985)

The Vietnam War was a psychic wound on America of this era, and I’m not sure contemporary audiences are aware of the cultural importance of Rambo: First Blood Part 2 in the United States throughout the eighties. Along with Commando, this was one of the first “one-man-army” movies and was endlessly imitated. It was also the second highest-grossing movie of 1985 and boosted Stallone into the stratosphere. It was also name-checked by the sitting president – Ronald Reagan – and, in some ways, paved the way for more serious examinations of the Vietnam War, such as Platoon. It’s also worth noting that the MIA issue was widely debated at the time, so of all the films on this list, it could be argued that this might be one of the most culturally significant ones. 

20. Top Gun (1986)

Tom Cruise’s Maverick is one of the most iconic movie characters ever. Rumour has it enlistment into the US Navy skyrocketed after this Tony Scott-directed masterpiece, which stars Cruise as the famously cocky pilot. From a stylistic standpoint, this might actually be the most influential film on the list – the only reason it’s this far down is that the action is mainly contained to aerial dogfights. You could also make a good case for the sequel, Top Gun: Maverick being one of the best action movies ever, too.

19. Road House (1989)

While some may chuckle at Road House’s inclusion on this list, it belongs here for several essential reasons. For one, it upends the era’s idea of an action hero. Many of the era’s biggest stars were monosyllabic types, but Patrick Swayze was different. His character, Dalton, is intelligent, stylish and cerebral, with a degree in philosophy and a low-key vibe that invites people to underestimate him – to their doom. But, the main reason Road House makes this list is that the fights in this movie feel real, with them the perfect antidote to the over-choreographed bouts that followed in its wake. In this one, people whack each other with tree trunks, and by the time it’s over, Swayze’s Dalton can barely stand. It’s a masterpiece of its kind (and we’re excited about the well-received remake, even if it will never replace the original in our hearts).

18. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

Being an action hero isn’t all about brawn. Attitude has a lot to do with it, and there’s arguably never been a hero with more attitude than Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley. He’s not a muscle man, but he’s young and street-smart. What’s also great about this movie is how director Martin Brest allows the film to be hilarious but takes the action very seriously, especially towards the end. I also always liked that Axel becomes pals by the end with the real Beverly Hills Cops that initially antagonize him. I’m cautiously optimistic about the upcoming fourth film.

17. The John Wick Franchise (2014 -)

Granted, we’re cheating a bit with this one, but it’s pretty amazing how what started as a movie that nearly went to VOD became one of the biggest action franchises of the century. At the time this was made, Keanu Reeves was on the verge of becoming a DTV star, but this reinvented him for a new generation and gave him one of his most iconic characters to play – with him becoming the most iconic movie hitman since Chow Yun Fat ditched his guns. Chad Stahelski’s take on action choreography has been tremendously influential, with every action flick that comes out nowadays owing the franchise a sizeable debt. 

16. Kill Bill Volume 1 & 2 (2003, 2004)

Quentin Tarantino has made some incredible films, but in terms of action, none was more influential than his ode to Kung-Fu cinema, Kill Bill. The first volume alone has some of the most stylish and memorable action sequences of the last quarter century, including the iconic “Showdown at the House of Blue Leaves”. Each volume is half of a bigger whole, but in terms of action, performance, direction and music, I think a case that Kill Bill is one of the greatest action movies of all time can easily be made.

15. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Not every movie is a walk in the park, and it figures that sometimes, to get excellent results on the big screen, you need a little behind-the-scenes chaos. Indeed, Fury Road was a madhouse of a shoot, with the two stars, Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy, famously feuding. In the making of book, Blood, Sweat and Chrome, both look back at the complex making of the film with regret, with it seeming like no one ever knew exactly how much of a classic it would become, with Hardy especially noting how his head he was. The result on screen was arguably worth it. George Miller took decades to get a new Mad Max movie underway finally, and the result was widely considered one of the greatest movies of its kind ever made.

14. Point Break (1991)

In 1991, Point Break was considered another quite solid action movie. Still, like another movie starring Patrick Swayze on this list, its legacy grew over time, with it being one of the most quotable and rewatchable movies of all time. It helped make Keanu Reeves an action star, and it’s one of the best-directed studio films of the nineties, with Kathryn Bigelow’s movie ripped off over and over in the years to follow- most notably by The Fast and The Furious. There. We said it. Vin Diesel doesn’t have anything on Crazy Swayze. 

13. Predator (1987)

Fact: there has never been a more macho movie made than Predator. Think about it – you have Arnold Schwarzenegger, the late Carl Weathers, Jesse “The Body” Ventura, Bill Duke, crazy Sonny Landham, and the Predator! Even before the alien shows up, this would be up there with the greatest “men on a mission” movies ever made, but when suddenly the team starts getting picked off, and Arnold has to go mano-a-mano with his otherworldly foe, you know you’re watching a classic. Also, Predator pulls off a neat trick – it makes Schwarzenegger an underdog. This won’t be the last John McTiernan movie on this list.

12. First Blood (1982)

While Rambo 2 is maybe more impressive from a pure carnage standpoint, First Blood is devastating and arguably Sylvester Stallone’s best-ever movie after the original Rocky. John Rambo is a tragic character here, and the action, while lower-key than in the next film, will blow you away, such as his fantastic cliff-dive. There’s an incredible score by Jerry Goldsmith and Stallone’s astonishing action in the shattering climax. 

11. The Matrix (1999)

The only bad thing about The Wachowskis The Matrix is that it was so good a whole slew of movies tried to copy it, only for no one to do it quite as well. Even the Wachowskis were never quite able to nail a follow-up, with none of the sequels particularly good, even if they have their fans. The first is one of the best sci-fi action movies ever, with Keanu Reeves reinventing himself as Neo, one of the millennium-defining heroes.

10. The Raid (2011)

Audiences who saw Gareth Evans’ The Raid at its original TIFF Midnight Madness screening walked out of this one feeling like they’d just been hit by a freight train. The martial arts action movie was re-invented by this, and it’s an equally impressive sequel, with Iko Uwais showing off moves as we’d never really seen on the big screen before. The sequel, The Raid 2, is arguably just as good. We’re pretty excited to see Evans’ long-delayed Havoc, starring Tom Hardy, which should hit Netflix this year.

9. Lethal Weapon (1987)

While it’s not the first buddy-cop movie, this is the one that made it a genre unto itself. Mel Gibson and Danny Glover are perfectly cast as the iconic pals Riggs and Murtagh. Richard Donner’s lean and mean direction gives the movie a pulse. The (admittedly excellent) follow-ups come close to matching, but not quite. Gibson’s Riggs, in particular, feels like one of the few truly dangerous action heroes.

8. Robocop (1987)

Paul Verhoeven’s hyper-kinetic, ultra-violent future cop movie will never be equaled, so of course it has to be on a list of the greatest action movies. Peter Weller is iconic as the tragic Alex Murphy-turned-Robocop, and it’s one of the few movies on this list that no one could ever accuse of being dated. Everything about it is cutting edge, from the novel use of miniatures to the social commentary and the excellent score by Basil Poledouris.

7. Aliens (1986)

This is unique because it’s an action movie sequel to a tight horror flick. Everyone has their own opinion about whether James Cameron’s space actioner matches Ridley Scott’s original. Still, it remains one of the best sci-fi actioners ever made, with Sigourney Weaver our choice for the greatest heroine ever. Plus, the movie also has Michael Biehn in one of his best roles (Corporal Hicks), Bill Paxton, an amazing score by James Horner and more.

6. The Road Warrior (1981)

Some will say George Miller’s Fury Road is better, but for my money, nothing matches the intensity of The Road Warrior, which is shot without the benefit of CGI and any other bells and whistles. The vehicular carnage is fantastic, and Mel Gibson, like it or not, is the definitive Mad Max. It’s a rollercoaster ride of a movie. While one could argue that the first Mad Max film was more influential, Miller always considered it a rough draft of what he wanted to do with the franchise… and clearly what he wanted to do was to make some of the greatest action movies the audience had ever seen.

5. Enter the Dragon (1973)

Very few movies on this list are as influential as the final film made by the great Bruce Lee; this movie would have broken him through to a North American audience. Granted, his dying does add to the mystique, but boy, is this ever one of the best martial arts action movies ever made? With Enter the Dragon, I wonder if English-language martial arts action stars like JCVD or Steven Seagal would have ever happened. Simply put, Enter the Dragon gave North American audiences the appetite for martial arts mayhem.

4. Hard Boiled (1992)

John Woo was at the peak of his filmmaking abilities when he made this buddy cop action flick in Hong Kong, pairing Chow Yun-Fat’s rebellious cop, Tequila, with an undercover operative played by Tony Leung. The last forty minutes of this film have never been matched from a shoot-out standpoint. Someone once told Quentin Tarantino that “John Woo sure can direct an action sequence”, to which he replied, “yeah, and Michelangelo sure can paint a ceiling.” Watch Hard Boiled and see what he’s talking about.

3. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Steven Spielberg and George Lucas’s Ode to Adventure is the most iconic film of its kind, introducing us to the great Indiana Jones, played by Harrison Ford. What else can be said about the adventure masterpiece that hasn’t been said already? If you’ve never seen this movie in a theater, I urge you to go check it out if it ever plays near you. There’s something different about watching this movie with an audience in a theater, especially during the last hour, where it just goes from set-piece to setpiece. Also, has any action star ever thrown a better punch than Harrison Ford as Indy?

2. Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)

The best sequel of all time remains the last of its kind, being a huge budget action flick done in the old ways, with real explosions and real heart, with Schwarzenegger giving his most affecting performance as the cyborg who slowly learns the bittersweet truth about being human. Plus, Linda Hamilton as a newly musclebound Sarah Connor is one of the greatest action heroines. So many movies, including Terminator films, have tried to recapture the magic of this one, but have failed. It’s one of a kind, and definitely one of the greatest action movies.

1. Die Hard (1988)

What else could it be? Bruce Willis’s John McClane is the definitive action star, as he is a regular guy forced into action and wants to get home to his family for Christmas. Willis, Alan Rickman, the score, and everything else about this movie are iconic, but what makes it so great is that Willis isn’t a superhero but a man. Yes, it’s the best Christmas movie of all time, but it’s also – in our opinion (and that of many others) that it’s the greatest action film ever made.  

So, those are our picks for the twenty-five greatest action movies, but I’m sure there are titles we left off the list that you think belong on here with the others. Would you have included the Chow Yun Fat / Michelle Yeoh classic Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)? Should the Jet Li / Maggie Cheung / Tony Leung film Hero (2002) have made the cut, or the Al Pacino and Robert De Niro pairing in Heat (1995)? Let’s discuss it in the comments!

The post What Are The 25 Greatest Action Movies of All Time? appeared first on JoBlo.

While Arrow Video and Kino Lorber are coming through with remastering a wide array of genre films from the past, sometimes, we movie fans also get some releases from the studios themselves. Lionsgate Home Entertainment has their own home video series called the Vestron Collector’s Series and Blu-ray.com has just passed along the announcement for a 4K Blu-ray release for 1996’s The Substitute. The Tom Berenger, Ernie Hudson and Marc Anthony film will celebrate its 30th anniversary with this release. The “teacher savior” movie with an action twist is due to hit the market on March 17. The set will include both a 4K and a normal Blu-ray version.

The description reads,
“In this action-thriller favorite, now on 4K for the first time, a mercenary faces off against one of his most formidable enemies: a high school gang. Shale (Tom Berenger) is an ex-Vietnam vet reeling from a botched covert operation. Returning home, he reunites with his girlfriend, Jane (Diane Venora), a high school teacher who’s hospitalized after a beating by the Kings of Destruction gang. Hunting Jane’s attackers, Shale goes undercover as a substitute teacher, and uncovers a cocaine highway running through the school involving gang leader Lacas (Marc Anthony) and the school’s shady principal, Rolle (Ernie Hudson). Summoning his mercenaries, Shale goes to war with the Kings of Destruction – and rival guns for hire – on the unusual battleground of a high school, but for the usual stakes: life…and death.”

Special Features:

• TWO-DISC (4K BLU-RAY/BLU-RAY) COMBO PACK RELEASE
• NEW 4K RESTORATION OF THE FILM
• DOLBY VISION/HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
• DOLBY ATMOS AUDIO TRACK
• NEW Power Achieved Is Power Perceived: Director Robert Mandel on The Substitute
• NEW Color Grade Is in Session
• Bullet Points: Storyboard-to-Film Exploration
• Theatrical Trailer
• Optional English SDH and Spanish subtitles for the main feature

Technical Specs:

• Video
  Codec: HEVC / H.265
  Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)
  HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10
  Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Audio
  TBA
• Subtitles
  English SDH, Spanish
• Discs
  4K Ultra HD
  Blu-ray Disc
  Two-disc set (1 BD-100, 1 BD-50)
• Digital
  Digital copy included
• Packaging
  Slipcover in original pressing
  Reversible cover
• Playback
  4K Blu-ray: Region free
  2K Blu-ray: Region A (B, C untested)

The Substitute was one of the last big starring roles for Berenger, who was known for films like Major League, Chasers and Sniper. The film saw moderate success at the box office as it opened at number 2 on its premiere weekend. The movie would gross over $14 million in its total run. Although it wasn’t a big hit, the movie did spawn a bit of a franchise with The Substitute 2: School’s Out, The Substitute 3: Winner Takes All and The Substitute: Failure is Not an Option getting straight-to-video releases. Tom Berenger would not return for any of the films, but the late Treat Williams would take over as the franchise lead.

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The Danny DeVito/BIlly Crystal dark comedy Throw Momma From the Train is coming to home screens in a new ultra-high-definition picture with new special features. Blu-ray.com announces this new 4K Blu-ray release, as it comes from the boutique home video label, Kino Lorber. The 1987 Danny DeVito-directed film takes a twisted inspiration from Strangers on a Train and you can see it in crisp quality when it hits retailers on April 28.

The description reads,
“Larry (Billy Crystal), an author with a cruel ex-wife, Margaret (Kate Mulgrew), teaches a writing workshop where Owen (Danny DeVito), one of his students, is fed up with his domineering mother (Anne Ramsey). When Owen watches a Hitchcock classic that seems to mirror his own life, he decides to put the movie’s plot into action and offers to kill Margaret, if Larry promises to murder his mom. Before Larry gets a chance to react to the plan, it seems that Owen has already sealed Margaret’s fate.”

Special Features:

DISC ONE – 4K BLU-RAY

• NEW 4K RESTORATION OF THE FILM FROM THE ORIGINAL CAMERA NEGATIVE
• DOLBY VISION/HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
• NEW Audio Commentary by Hats Off Entertainment’s Joe Ramoni
• 5.1 Surround and Lossless 2.0 Audio
• Optional English Subtitles

DISC TWO – BLU-RAY

• NEW 4K RESTORATION OF THE FILM FROM THE ORIGINAL CAMERA NEGATIVE
• NEW Wide Angle Dark Humor: Interview with Cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld
• NEW Audio Commentary by Hats Off Entertainment’s Joe Ramoni
• Wide Angle Dark Humor: NEW Interview with Cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld
• Crafting a Dark Comedy: Featurette
• Why Do You Hate Your Mother?: Featurette
• The Night Was…: Featurette
• 4 Deleted Scenes (1:20)
• Theatrical Trailer (2:06)
• 5.1 Surround and Lossless 2.0 Audio
• Optional English Subtitles
• Limited Edition O-Card Slipcase

Technical Specs:

• Video
  Codec: HEVC / H.265
  Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)
  HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10
  Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Audio
  TBA
• Subtitles
  English SDH
• Discs
  4K Ultra HD
  Blu-ray Disc
  Two-disc set (1 BD-100, 1 BD-50)
• Packaging
  Slipcover in original pressing
• Playback
  4K Blu-ray: Region free
  2K Blu-ray: Region A (B, C untested)

DeVito mentioned that he’s been looking at reuniting with Billy Crystal for a Throw Momma From the Train sequel titled Throw Papa From the Train. “Billy [Crystal] and I want to work together again,” DeVito said. “We were looking at possibly doing Throw Papa From the Train.” Crystal’s representative confirmed the news to Entertainment Weekly. “It’s true,” the rep said. “They’re still working on it.“

The post Throw Momma From the Train is coming to 4K Blu-ray, courtesy of Kino Lorber appeared first on JoBlo.

Originally released to disappointing box-office results—$93 million worldwide against a reported $120 million budget—the film was widely viewed as a misfire from the Wachowskis following their The Matrix Trilogy. Despite the setback, Speed Racer has since grown into a bona fide cult favorite.

Why Speed Racer Failed at the Box Office (But Found New Life Later)

At the time of release, Speed Racer featured a then-hot ensemble cast, including:

• Emile Hirsch
• Christina Ricci
• Matthew Fox (riding high from Lost)
• Rain
• John Goodman
• Susan Sarandon

While audiences were initially lukewarm, the film’s hyper-stylized visuals and faithful anime sensibility found appreciation over time—especially when Speed Racer became one of the earliest Blu-ray releases, where its visual design truly popped.

Why Hasn’t Speed Racer Been Released on 4K Before?

The main obstacle has always been technical.

• Speed Racer was shot digitally.
• Its digital intermediate (DI) was completed at 1080p, not 4K.
• Upscaling to true 4K requires careful reconstruction and supervision.

This issue isn’t unique. Throughout the 2000s, 1080p was the industry standard for digital filmmaking, affecting many high-profile titles.

Other Movies With the Same 1080p Limitation

Several notable films were finished in 1080p, including:

• Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (remastered later in 4K)
• Sin City
• Films by Michael Mann, such as:
  • Collateral (which got a 4K disc)
  • Miami Vice (a long delayed 4K is in the works)
  • Public Enemies

Warner Bros. faces a similar challenge with Superman Returns, directed by Bryan Singer, which remains unreleased on 4K for the same reason.

What’s the Latest on the 4K Reissue?

It looks as though the 4K reissue will be getting a major push for WB, with the movie’s star, Emile Hirsch, saying on X that he planned to be on-hand for several events celebrating the reissue: “Not sure if anyone cares, but I’m going to be making a series of big ass Speed Racer themed paintings that will coincide with the release. The fan base is so loyal, I want to be able to get people artworks and things that connect them even more to the film. More to come.”

Will you be picking up Speed Racer on 4K Ultra HD when it drops?
Sound off in the comments below.

The post Speed Racer is coming to 4K in May appeared first on JoBlo.

When people think of John Woo’s classic Hong Kong period, the movies that come to mind are usually Hard-Boiled or The Killer (or maybe A Better Tomorrow if you’re into the deeper cuts). But the movie that Woo was actually the most passionate about—and the one he considered his greatest, most personal work—is still largely obscure, even in Asia. That movie is Bullet in the Head. A sprawling epic that, at the time, was by far the most expensive movie ever made in Hong Kong, the film was a notorious financial disaster. It was despised by both critics and audiences in Asia, but ironically was well received in the U.S. when it played a handful of festivals (although it never received a Stateside release on video). In the years since its release, a bunch of different, largely compromised cuts have been floating around, with it never getting a great Blu-ray release…until now.

A Record-Breaking Budget — and a Notorious Box Office Disaster

Bullet in the Head is Shout Select’s latest Hong Kong classic to get a re-release, and in its 4K edition, it looks better than ever. The film is the story of three young men—Ben (Tony Leung), Frank (Jacky Cheung), and Paul (Waise Lee)—who, in 1960s Hong Kong, yearn to escape their impoverished existence and strike it rich. They resolve to find their fortunes in Vietnam, working as smugglers, going to work for a gangster and befriending a Eurasian hitman named Luke (Simon Yam). Things go awry when Ben and Frank are no longer willing to turn a blind eye to the cruelty of their boss, who is sexually exploiting a young Chinese singer named Sally (Yolinda Yam). Along with Luke and a reluctant Paul, they opt to rescue Sally from her predicament, but things steadily go from bad to worse for the trio, who at one point end up in a North Vietnam prisoner-of-war camp where they are forced to participate in deadly games for the amusement of the camp guards.

It all sounds pretty heavy, and indeed, Bullet in the Head is easily Woo’s harshest film. But it’s also jam-packed with action, with some incredibly mounted sequences, including the climactic escape from the POW camp, which ranks among Woo’s best-ever action sequences. The cast is solid too, with one of Woo’s favorite leading men, Tony Leung, getting an excellent role as Ben, a would-be gangster who’s a little too compassionate for the job. Jacky Cheung, a huge pop star at the time in Asia, is similarly good as the good-natured Frank, while Waise Lee—who was the baddie in A Better Tomorrow—is the greedy Paul. Of the three, Paul is the weakest character, with him going from conflicted to satanic in the space of about fifteen minutes of screen time. Best of all is Simon Yam, a familiar face for fans of Hong Kong action cinema, who plays a role very much in the mold of those Chow Yun-Fat played for Woo.

The 4K Release: Multiple Cuts and the Definitive Version

The 4K set is great—with one caveat. There have always been many cut versions of the film floating around, and Shout tried to reassemble the longest cut, which played at some film festivals, from a variety of sources. Yet, in some cases, the sources turned out to be censored prints. That’s why your best bet is to stick with the 4K theatrical version, which is uncut and looks great.

Once again, the extras are killer and built around an extensive interview with Woo. He opens up about how the film was a passion project for him, but it goes deeper than that. He admits to being badly hurt when, in the wake of A Better Tomorrow 2, he had a huge falling-out with many of his friends in the industry, who he says badmouthed him and betrayed him. Indeed, Woo had initially pitched the concept for Bullet in the Head as another Better Tomorrow movie, and his former producer, Tsui Hark, took it for himself, making A Better Tomorrow: Love and Death in Saigon, which was rushed to theaters to beat Bullet in the Head. He remembers the Hong Kong premiere of his movie being nightmarish, with the industry crowd storming out, noting that the only person who enjoyed the movie and comforted him was Chow Yun-Fat, who he admits was a steadfast friend during that whole time. Sadly, Woo also reveals that at least thirty minutes of the movie were cut and that when he got famous in the West, he tried to buy the rights to the film so he could restore it, only to discover that all the footage had been burned.

Final Verdict: A Must-Own for Woo Fans

While the theatrical cut is compromised, at least it is Woo’s vision, with him having done the re-editing himself. The 4K set is a must-own, with some dazzling special features, including an alternate ending that ended up on some prints of the film, which is even darker than what played in theaters. If you like Woo’s other Hong Kong movies, you are in for a serious treat with this one. BUY IT HERE!

The post Bullet in the Head: John Woo’s Long-Neglected Masterpiece Gets a New 4K Set appeared first on JoBlo.

Jake

You feel a sharp, cold icepick prod the back of your neck, and you’re forced to name the most luridly entertaining erotic thriller of the ‘80s and ‘90s. What would you go with? Dressed to Kill? Body Heat? Fatal Attraction? What about Wild Things or The Last Seduction? While all worthy affairs, it’s hard to beat Paul Verhoeven’s controversial and transgressive neo-noir crime film, Basic Instinct.

Indeed, not only did Joe Eszterhas’s screenplay sell for a then-unthinkable, record-setting $3 million, but the film also overcame its polemic response and public protests to septuple its budget and gross over $350 million worldwide.

Featuring a sleek, seductive, ultra-sexy star-making turn from Sharon Stone — who Verhoeven had to fight hard to cast as the ice-hot femme fatale Catherine Tramell — Basic Instinct hopped a slew of production hurdles en route to becoming the quintessential ‘90s erotic thriller. Between Stone’s unscripted pantyless power play, the litany of actresses who passed on the part, Michael Douglas’ diva-like demands, the shocking graphic sex and violence that required 14 editorial cuts to avoid an NC-17 rating, the undying creative differences between Verhoeven, Douglas, and Eszterhas, and a whole lot more, it’s time to reach under the bed and find out what happened to Basic Instinct almost 35 years ago.

Joe Eszterhas Writes a $3 Million Script in 10 Days

After penning scripts for the successful ‘80s films Flashdance and Jagged Edge, Joe Eszterhas drew partly on his Ohio upbringing when conceiving the story of Basic Instinct. For instance, Catherine Tramell was inspired by a go-go dancer who pulled a gun on Eszterhas in his youth. Similarly, Nick Curran was based on a thrill-seeking detective the writer knew in Ohio.

As the highest-paid Hollywood screenwriter at the time, Eszterhas was also inspired to reclaim such a title after he learned Shane Black had sold his script for The Last Boy Scout for $1.75 million. In response, Eszterhas hastily pounded out Basic Instinct’s screenplay in only 10 to 13 days under the title Love Hurts.

Eszterhas claims he began without an outline, listened to The Rolling Stones continuously while writing, and changed the title to Basic Instinct after thinking it up en route to FedEx to deliver the script to his agent.

The script sparked a hotly contested bidding war among various production companies. It was sold at auction three days later, with Carolco Pictures agreeing to pay $3 million — an unheard-of sum at the time.

Milos Forman vs. Paul Verhoeven: The Directing Shake-Up

Once Carolco agreed to make the picture, Eszterhas and producer Irwin Winkler wanted Milos Forman to direct. Although Forman was sent the script while on vacation and liked it enough to accept the job, by the time he responded, the Flying Dutchman Paul Verhoeven had already been hired.

Remember, Carolco and Verhoeven had already delivered the badass sci-fi hit Total Recall in 1990.

Yet once Verhoeven joined the project, he immediately took issue with several aspects of the screenplay and wanted to make it even sexier, more transgressive, and risqué. One of the biggest arguments between the writer and director included Verhoeven’s insistence on a lesbian sex scene, which Eszterhas deemed too gratuitous and exploitative and staunchly disagreed with.

When Verhoeven stood his ground and vowed to keep the scene, Eszterhas and Winkler flat-out left the production and never returned.

Sharon Stone’s Casting Battle (And the 12 Actresses Who Passed)

It’s worth noting that the role of San Francisco homicide inspector Nick Curran was originally written to be a lesbian female detective, with Kathleen Turner envisioned for the role.

Although Verhoeven recruited Total Recall scribe Gary Goldman to do four or five rewrites at Douglas’ request, they became worse and worse, to the point that they reverted to Eszterhas’s original script.

Once Nick Curran’s role was rewritten as a much younger bisexual man, several big-name actors passed on the part due to the stigma attached. Michael Douglas ultimately agreed to star — under several conditions.

Meanwhile, before Sharon Stone won the role of Catherine Tramell, Douglas suggested Kim Basinger, Julia Roberts, Greta Scacchi, and Meg Ryan, all of whom declined due to the graphic sex scenes. Additional actresses who turned down the role included Michelle Pfeiffer, Demi Moore, Geena Davis, Farrah Fawcett, Kathleen Turner, Kelly Lynch, Ellen Barkin, Mariel Hemingway, and Debra Winger.

Only after roughly 12 actresses declined did Douglas agree to test with Stone. It took about three months for Verhoeven to convince the producers she was right for the role. Looking back, it’s impossible to imagine anyone else playing Catherine Tramell.

Michael Douglas’ Salary, Script Demands, and On-Set Tension

Douglas agreed to star for $14 million. Once Carolco paid the fee, he demanded script changes to make his character appear less wimpy.

He refused full-frontal nudity as originally scripted, wore lifts to appear taller opposite the statuesque Stone, and insisted the bisexual elements of his character be altered. He also refused to give Stone top billing — despite her arguably being the true lead — which Faye Dunaway publicly criticized.

Stone was paid just $500,000 for her breakout role — a fraction of Douglas’s salary.

Stone later said she was never fully comfortable working with Douglas, but that awkward tension suited the characters.

It’s also worth noting that Stone — who reportedly has an IQ of 154 — was considering quitting acting to pursue law school before landing Basic Instinct.

Filming in San Francisco Amid Protests

Principal photography began April 5, 1991, and wrapped June 28. Verhoeven hired longtime collaborator Jan de Bont as cinematographer, marking their seventh collaboration.

The $49 million production shot extensively on location in San Francisco, including Pacific Heights, Telegraph Hill, Chinatown, Pier 7, The Embarcadero, Golden Gate Park, and Market Street.

When the screenplay leaked and LGBTQ advocacy groups objected to the portrayal of bisexual characters, protests erupted at nearly every location. The SFPD dispatched riot police throughout the shoot.

Catherine’s seaside mansion was filmed in Carmel-by-the-Sea, about 120 miles south of San Francisco.

The Ice Pick Scene: No Body Doubles, Real Blood

Yes, Sharon Stone appears in the opening murder scene. No body doubles were used in any of the sex scenes — though genital pads were worn due to AIDS-era precautions.

During filming, Stone accidentally stabbed actor Bill Cable through the blood packs on his chest. Some wounds were reportedly half an inch deep and required hospital treatment. His screams in the scene were genuine.

The Interrogation Scene: The Most Paused Moment in VHS History

Catherine’s infamous leg-crossing interrogation scene was not in Eszterhas’s original script. It was Verhoeven’s idea, inspired by an incident from his college days.

Stone has maintained she did not fully understand the explicit visibility of the shot at the time of filming and later attempted to have it removed. Verhoeven has disputed aspects of that claim.

Regardless, the moment became one of the most infamous nude scenes in Hollywood history — and possibly the most paused scene of the VHS era.

The NC-17 Rating and 14 Editorial Cuts

The MPAA initially slapped the film with an NC-17 rating due to explicit sex and violence.

Verhoeven made 14 separate edits, trimming approximately 35–40 seconds and adjusting camera angles to secure an R rating. The Director’s Cut later restored the more explicit material for home release.

Box Office Success and Lasting Legacy

Basic Instinct opened in the U.S. on March 20, 1992, and immediately hit #1 at the box office. Two months later, it opened the Cannes Film Festival before expanding worldwide.

With a $49–50 million budget, the film grossed $353 million globally. It became the highest-grossing film of the year in multiple European countries and the highest-grossing film ever in Spain at the time.

Despite controversy, protests, and creative warfare, Basic Instinct emerged as arguably the most successful erotic thriller of the 1990s.

Nearly 35 years later, it remains the definitive example of a subgenre that has largely faded away. And for all the indignities she endured, Sharon Stone will always stand as the brave, badass force behind Basic Instinct’s enduring bravado.

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Saved by the Bell didn’t begin as a hit—or even as a teen show.
Before it became one of the most recognizable sitcoms of the late ’80s and early ’90s, the series started life as a failed Disney Channel experiment built around a single teacher. What followed was one of the most unlikely reinventions in television history: a cancelled show transformed into a Saturday-morning phenomenon that helped define teen-focused TV for decades.

The story begins with NBC executive Brandon Tartikoff, who asked producer Peter Engel to create a series inspired by a middle-school teacher who had deeply affected his life. That idea became Good Morning, Miss Bliss, starring Disney icon Hayley Mills. Despite retooling, recasting, and some impressive early talent, the show failed to find an audience and was cancelled after one season.

Recasting the Kids and Finding Zack Morris

When Disney ordered changes, the kids were aged up and new actors were brought in. The most important addition was Mark-Paul Gosselaar as Zack Morris, envisioned as a Ferris Bueller-type schemer. Gosselaar famously dyed his hair blond for the role.

Dustin Diamond was cast as Screech after Gosselaar insisted he was perfect for the part. Lisa Turtle was rewritten entirely after Lark Voorhies impressed Engel during auditions. Principal Belding also evolved, eventually landing Dennis Haskins in the role after an aggressive audition campaign.

Why Good Morning, Miss Bliss Was Cancelled

Despite a strong lead performance from Mills, the show struggled with ratings. Mills later admitted the pace of television production was overwhelming, especially the constant script changes. Disney ultimately pulled the plug, seemingly ending the experiment.

Reinventing the Show for NBC and Saturday Mornings

Rather than abandon the concept, Tartikoff proposed something radical: refocusing the show entirely on teenagers and airing it on Saturday mornings—a time slot previously reserved for cartoons.

Engel was reluctant but eventually agreed. The setting moved from Indiana to Bayside, California, reflecting the late-’80s obsession with West Coast culture. Only Zack, Screech, Lisa, and Mr. Belding survived the transition.

Casting Kelly Kapowski, Jessie Spano, and A.C. Slater

Kelly Kapowski was created as Zack’s love interest, with Tiffani Amber Thiessen ultimately winning the role over Elizabeth Berkley and Jenny Garth. Berkley was kept on as newly created character Jessie Spano.

A.C. Slater was introduced as the show’s bad boy, with Mario Lopez landing the role almost instantly. His athleticism, dancing background, and unmistakable mullet helped define the character.

How Saved by the Bell Got Its Name (Against Everyone’s Will)

Peter Engel hated the title Saved by the Bell. Brandon Tartikoff loved it. Tartikoff won.

Engel even tried to undermine the name by commissioning a theme song without using it—only for the winning composer to ignore the instruction entirely. The result was one of the most iconic TV themes of all time.

The Influences That Shaped the Show

The show drew heavily from Archie comics and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Zack’s fourth-wall breaks, Slater’s rivalry, and the central hangout at The Max all reflected those inspirations. Zack’s “time outs” blurred the line between sitcom gimmick and superpower.

Critics Hated It. Audiences Didn’t.

Critics dismissed Saved by the Bell as shallow and cheesy, but ratings soared. Teenage audiences responded immediately, especially to the live studio tapings, which producer Peter Engel compared to Beatlemania.

Merchandising followed quickly, cementing the show as a pop-culture force.

“Jessie’s Song” and the Show’s Moral Episodes

The most infamous episode, “Jessie’s Song,” centered on Jessie becoming addicted to caffeine pills under academic pressure. Originally written as a speed addiction storyline, NBC censors forced the change.

Despite the absurd premise, the performances—especially by Berkley and Gosselaar—were strong, and the episode became endlessly quoted and parodied.

Guest Stars, Malibu Sands, and the Tori Paradox

Later seasons introduced the Malibu Sands arc, featuring Leah Remini and Patrick Muldoon, along with future stars like Denise Richards and Tori Spelling.

The final season’s most controversial addition was Tori Scott, who appeared only in episodes filmed while Thiessen and Berkley were unavailable. This led to years of fan debate known as “The Tori Paradox,” though the real explanation was contractual timing.

Behind-the-Scenes Drama and Cast Relationships

Romantic entanglements among the cast were common, creating tension that Engel often had to manage. Mark-Paul Gosselaar dated multiple castmates, while Mario Lopez and Tiffani Amber Thiessen were briefly involved.

The Tragic Story of Dustin Diamond

Diamond’s younger age left him isolated, and his post-show struggles—including addiction, legal issues, and damaging publicity stunts—alienated him from much of the cast. He later expressed regret and reconciled before his death from cancer in 2021 at age 44.

The 2020 revival paid tribute to him, focusing on his talent rather than his controversies.

Spin-Offs, Revivals, and the End of Bayside

The College Years failed, The New Class ran seven seasons, and the 2020 Peacock revival earned positive reviews but modest viewership.

Why Saved by the Bell Still Matters

Though often dismissed as disposable fluff, Saved by the Bell pioneered teen-focused television and laid the groundwork for generations of youth-oriented programming. Its influence is still visible today—and Bayside High remains just one click away.

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JCVD from MVD

It’s a pretty exciting time in physical media. Past classics and cult classics alike are seeing more and more remasters in ultra-high-definition Blu-ray releases. Labels like Shout Factory’s Hong Kong Cinema Classics and MVD Rewind Collection are repackaging these 4K upgrades with grade retro logos and presentations. You can now re-live every kick and every split (and every spinning split kick) of some Jean-Claude Van Damme films in new home video releases of some of his titles. Knock Off from 1998, Lionheart from 1990 and Double Impact from 1991 have gotten early year releases. This time, we take a look at Knock Off.

Knock Off

In 1998, the action movie plane was changing. Arnold and Sly weren’t churning out instant classics as much as they used to and their appeal looked to be waning slightly in favor of newer action stars. The same would be happening to Steven Seagal and Jean-Claude Van Damme. However, Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Chow-Yun Fat would interestingly start to get their due attention in the West with North American re-releases of some of their older films and they would emigrate over to American productions themselves for a new era.

Van Damme (who already had ample collaborations with Eastern martial arts talent, dating back to Bloodsport and Kickboxer) would adapt to the Hong Kong takeover by making a couple films with Tsui Hark (and also with Ringo Lam). Hark, who is known for the Once Upon a Time in China series, was also known for his abstract visual style in his fantasy martial arts films. Knock Off may have its cult of fans, but the film is rarely brought up as a highlight of Van Damme’s career. It’s understandable. The movie is very cheesy and cartoonish, but there is some fun in it too. I guess you’d have to be in the right frame of mind to accept it. However, that isn’t to say that there also isn’t A LOT of unintentional comedy along with it. I’m aware of Tsui Hark, but I’m not too familiar with his career, so it’s entirely possible that it’s just his style. I hear that he has said that Sam Raimi and Evil Dead have been big influences on him, so perhaps that explains quite a bit.

While Van Damme and Rob Schneider have had better films to shine in, the star of Knock Off is Hark’s direction. It’s such a fascinating film to watch purely for the visuals. While Hark’s previous collaboration with Van Damme in Double Team seemed like an American film with some Chinese action flair, Knock Off has full-on Hong Kong cinema vibes (complete with the dialogue being dubbed, despite most of the actors speaking in English). Hark is at home with a lot of signatures from that style — notably some dynamic sweeping shots from either dollies or crane set ups. But he also indulges in a bevy of creative cinematography that give off a live-action anime look. There is no shortage of fish eye lenses, extreme close-ups, POVs of bullets, motion trails and even shots looking through objects. There’s even one POV shot of Van Damme’s foot as it slips into a shoe.

The film is written by Steven E. de Souza, who has had his pen on many action classics, including Die Hard 1 & 2, Commando, 48 HRS and he also previously worked with Van Damme on Street Fighter. For an action film, the plot is pretty standard international crime intrigue, but it has the unique angle of a terrorism plot using knock-off merchandise. Van Damme gets to play a different kind of character this time around as he’s a jokey, smooth-talking hustler and you can tell he’s having a lot of fun. Schneider, who has had his share of comedic sidekick roles in Demolition Man and Judge Dredd, gets to do his thing in this movie, playing a comic foil to Van Damme, but he also plays a straight man to Van Damme’s antics. They both give and take on the humor, and it’s serviceable enough, but it’s no match for something like Chan and Tucker in the Rush Hour movies.

The action is very over-the-top and it fits right in with the unhinged directing. You get some INSANE Hong Kong stunts with a rickshaw race, vehicular chases and gun play. For the most part, the action works well enough. What’s underwhelming about Van Damme’s collaborations with Hark and his Chinese production team is they never truly let Van Damme unleash his martial arts skills with Hong Kong fight choreography. There are shades of it here, especially in the finale, but it could’ve been mind-blowing to see Van Damme do his signature kicking with Yuen Woo Ping or Sammo Hung-like action direction. What is there is pretty fun (he and Lela Rochon get to have some fun parkour-esque manuevers in the finale), but the movie never truly settles into the fight scenes like the show-stopping numbers they should be, and it comes off as a tease.

So, how’s the 4K Blu-ray?

If you’re a fan of this film, you’ll really appreciate how the presentation looks. The 4K restoration is a 16-Bit scan from the original negative and it has a great look. A lot of 4K remasters scanned from the original negative has a noticeable grain quality (which James Cameron’s 4K releases have been criticized for lacking in an overly smoothed look), but the picture for this film doesn’t predominantly showcase some. However, the contrast and is great and the picture is sharp. It may not have the grain (if that’s what film purists prefer), but what I love is the light hint of film dust and scratches. They aren’t distracting from the movie, but those tiny imperfections take me back to a magical era before theaters went digital.

As far as special features, you get a commentary from action cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema from a past 88 Films Blu-ray release. These two are pretty wacky guys, which make for a fun listen, but they also give some interesting anecdotes — such as Steven E. de Souza’s original vision for the film and how Jet Li was once attached in a supporting role. Steven E. de Souza also gets a couple of interviews on the Blu-ray. One is brand new and dives deep into his career history. This one is a lot more interesting if you’re a fan of de Souza himself as you get to learn a lot about his background. He would eventually get around to Knock Off, but there’s another interview on the Blu-ray from 2020 that’s focused entirely on his involvement in the film. You also get an interview with producer Moshe Diamont, where he expounds on the making of the film.

The Blu-ray rounds things out with an archival behind-the-scenes featurette and a theatrical trailer (plus extra trailers for other Van Damme releases).

Again, this was a fascinating watch and the presentation is pretty stellar. You can really enjoy the visuals in a release like this. Being a 4K release, the price tag will definitely put off anyone who’s just not a fan enough of this film to shell out a few more extra bucks for a presentation upgrade. However, if you ARE a die hard fan of this film, I definitely think it’s a definitive way to see it, plus have some good insight into the making of it.

You can buy it at MVD’s online shop HERE.

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When people think of Michael Crichton, they tend to think of him as the author behind high-concept novels like Jurassic Park and Congo, or as the creator of ER. What’s often forgotten is just how wildly accomplished Crichton actually was. Widely regarded as possessing a genius-level intellect, he completed medical school (earning his degree and doing his rotations, though never seeking a license) and spent a significant period working as a Hollywood writer-director, racking up more than a few major hits along the way.

Of all the films he directed, his first remains his most famous: Westworld. A clear precursor to Jurassic Park, the film is set in a futuristic amusement park for adults, where guests can live out their wildest fantasies across three elaborate zones—Westworld, Medieval World, and Roman World. Those fantasies, unsurprisingly, mostly involve violence and sex. The park is populated by lifelike humanoid robots, but things quickly go sideways when the machines begin malfunctioning—first refusing sex, and eventually attempting to kill the guests themselves.

While Westworld was later reimagined as a sprawling HBO series (one that infamously never received a proper finale), the original film—clocking in at a lean 88 minutes—still holds up as a crackerjack thriller with genuine thematic substance. The story follows two yuppies, played by Richard Benjamin and James Brolin, whose vacation turns into a nightmare when they repeatedly clash with a relentless Gunslinger, portrayed by Yul Brynner.

Revisiting Westworld via Arrow Video’s new 4K reissue, one thing that immediately stood out to me was just how influential the film clearly was on The Terminator. Brynner’s unstoppable Gunslinger isn’t far removed from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s T-800. Brynner was perfectly cast, having previously played a heroic gunslinger in The Magnificent Seven, and here he’s styled to look almost identical—dressed head-to-toe in black, radiating cold menace.

Another fascinating aspect of Westworld is its approach to casting the hero and sidekick. Convention would suggest that the macho Brolin would be the lead, with the nebbish Benjamin as his sidekick. Instead, Crichton flips expectations, making Benjamin the film’s true protagonist. At the time, Benjamin was best known for playing yuppies—often New York Jewish intellectuals—so casting him as the lead in a sci-fi western was a bold move. Imagine someone like Seth Rogen headlining a Westworld remake and you get the idea. It works remarkably well. Even though modern audiences tend to sympathize more with robots (a perspective leaned into heavily by the HBO series), you still find yourself rooting hard for Benjamin to survive.

Arrow Video’s 4K release is a lavish and thoughtful package. One of its highlights is a pair of newly recorded interviews with the two surviving stars, Richard Benjamin and James Brolin. Benjamin’s interview is conducted by Larry Karaszewski, co-writer of Ed Wood, The People vs. O.J. Simpson, and Dolemite Is My Name, as well as a noted film historian. Benjamin shares a wealth of on-set stories, praising Brynner for his guidance on how to “lead” a western and recounting Crichton’s success in getting the film released without studio interference—no small feat given that studio head James Aubrey was notorious for re-editing films during his tenure. Benjamin also reflects on his own later career as a director, which included My Favorite Year and Racing with the Moon.

The set also includes the pilot episode for the short-lived TV spinoff Beyond Westworld, which ran for only five episodes. The only real omission is the sequel, Futureworld, a more overt B-movie that would have made for a fun bonus feature, though it was financed by a different studio and likely unavailable to Arrow for rights reasons.

If you only know Westworld through the HBO series and have an appreciation for older genre films, the original is absolutely worth your time. It still holds up remarkably well and remains a sharp, efficient, and highly entertaining blend of science fiction, action, and western tropes.

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Ever since Disney acquired 20th Century Fox, many classic movies produced by the studio have become surprisingly difficult to find. Some notable examples include the 1972 classic The Hot Rock, starring Robert Redford (which is actually airing on TCM tonight, so set your PVRs), Ron Howard’s Cocoon, the Thanksgiving classic Dutch, Kathryn Bigelow’s Strange Days, and so many more. However, one that’s puzzling in its absence is Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. Despite being considered one of Brooks’ all-time classics, and one of the greatest comedies of all time, the film isn’t available on 4K disc, nor is it streaming anywhere. You can’t even buy it or rent it digitally from iTunes or any other service. The only way to obtain it is through the 2008 Blu-ray Disc, which, fortunately, is still in print and relatively easy to purchase. That said, it’s a seventeen-year-old disc…

What’s strange is that the movie was restored in 4K last year. It screened fairly widely, with numerous revival screenings taking place all over North America. It played a cool arthouse theater here in Montreal – the Cinema Moderne – and sold out every screening. You’d think Disney would have reissued it shortly after (it’s also getting a TV spinoff on FX). Still, it seems like they’ve all but gotten out of the physical media business, with them rarely issuing discs unless it’s for a huge catalogue title like Die Hard, Speed, Predator or one of the Alien movies (although Alien 3 and Alien: Resurrection still aren’t out in 4K). 

Mel Brooks is in the midst of a long-overdue resurgence, with HBO recently broadcasting a great documentary about his life. Yet, so many of his great movies are nowhere to be found. Young Frankenstein is the most glaring absence, but his hilarious Silent Movie is also missing, as is the movie he made with his late wife, Anne Bancroft, To Be Or Not To Be, which he admits in the documentary holds a special place in his heart.

This is a pretty unacceptable turn of events, as the Fox catalogue is legendary. It’s crazy that they haven’t followed other studios like Warner Bros, Universal and Paramount, who, having cut back on their own physical media releases, have licensed them to places like Arrow Video, Kino Lorber, Shout, Vinegar Syndrome and others. Indeed, any of those companies would love to get their hands on Young Frankenstein. The movie is so well regarded that I’m sure Criterion would love to add it to the collection (it’s streamed now and then on The Criterion Channel). 

At least, the movie is still available on Blu-ray, which is more than can be said for many other movies. But, there’s something unacceptable about the fact that Young Frankenstein is relatively hard to find these days, driving home the importance of physical media.

In addition to Young Frankenstein, what other movies are shockingly tough to find?

The post Mel Brooks: Many of his classics are really hard to find appeared first on JoBlo.

We’ve been eating good at the physical media table with many 4K Blu-rays being released. This is due to some great third-party companies like Arrow Films, Shout Factory, Kino Lorber and Criterion. The latter recently put out a House Party 4K that is an amazing ultra-high-definition transfer. Blu-ray.com has just reported that Shout Factory announced the release of three big, but very different titles, that are slated for release this Spring. Both Tiger on the Beat films, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow and The Deer Hunter are getting the UHD treatment.

Tiger on the Beat 1 & 2

The description for the Tiger on the Beat movies read,
Tiger on the Beat (1988)

“A seasoned cop and his rookie partner are a pair of mismatched partners in this Hong Kong action-comedy in the style of ‘Lethal Weapon’. The wacky twosome are up in arms as they try to solve the murder of a heroin trafficker. Starring Chow Yun-Fat, Chia-Hui Liu, David Chiang, Nina Li Chi, and Conan Lee.”

Tiger on the Beat II (1990)

“The film is an in-name-only sequel to Tiger on the Beat. Danny Lee stars as the veteran police sergeant Lam Yik-lim, who seeks a memorable case before retirement, alongside Conan Lee as the bumbling rookie Buffalo and Ellen Chan as the thief Sweet Dream, who witnesses a murder tied to a criminal syndicate led by Gordon Liu’s character Lau Fai.”

Special features are yet to be announced, but the specs read,

• Video
  Codec: HEVC / H.265
  Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)
  HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10
  Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
  Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Audio
  Cantonese: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
• Subtitles
  English
• Discs
  4K Ultra HD
  Blu-ray Disc
  Four-disc set (2 BD-100, 2 BD-50)
• Packaging
  Slipbox
• Playback
  4K Blu-ray: Region free
  2K Blu-ray: Region A (B, C untested)

STREET DATE: APRIL 28.

The Deer Hunter steelbook

The description for The Deer Hunter reads,
“One of AFI’s Top 100 Films of All Time, The Deer Hunter follows a group of Pennsylvania steelworkers from their blue-collar lives, hunting in the woods of the Alleghenies, to the hell of Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. Academy Award® winners** Robert De Niro and Christopher Walken star in this unforgettable saga of friendship and courage. Experience the brutality of war and the depths of emotional strain on the human spirit in this extraordinarily powerful film classic.”

Special features are yet to be announced, but the specs read,

• Video
  Codec: HEVC / H.265 (56.69 Mbps)
  Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)
  HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10
  Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
  Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
• Audio
  English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
  English: Dolby Digital 2.0 (192 kbps)
• Subtitles
  English SDH
• Discs
  4K Ultra HD
  Blu-ray Disc
  Two-disc set (1 BD-100, 1 BD-50)
• Packaging
  Reversible cover
  SteelBook
• Playback
  4K Blu-ray: Region free
  2K Blu-ray: Region A (B, C untested)

STREET DATE: APRIL 7.

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow steelbook

The description for Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow reads,
“When giant robots attack New York City, intrepid reporter Polly Perkins (Academy Award winner Gwyneth Paltrow) enlists the aid of ace aviator and old flame Joseph ‘Sky Captain’ Sullivan (two-time Academy Award nominee Jude Law) to stop a plot to destroy the world before it’s too late. Co-starring Academy Award winner Angelina Jolie, Sky Captain And The World of Tomorrow will thrill and amaze you right through to the action-packed finale.”

Special features are yet to be announced, but the specs read,

• Video
  Codec: HEVC / H.265 (84.40 Mbps)
  Resolution: Upscaled 4K (2160p)
  HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10
  Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
  Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Audio
• English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
  English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
• Note: 5.1: 4056 kbps, 2.0: 1580 kbps
• Subtitles
  English SDH
• Discs
  4K Ultra HD
  Blu-ray Disc
  Two-disc set (1 BD-100, 1 BD-50)
• Packaging
  SteelBook
• Playback
  4K Blu-ray: Region free
  2K Blu-ray: Region A (B, C untested)

STREET DATE: APRIL 21.

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Chris

It’s always a bummer when great movies underperform at the box office, but what’s even worse is when they’re such massive disasters that they derail careers despite featuring top-tier work. Such was the case, infamously, with Brian De Palma’s Blow Out, a 1981 thriller that ended the director’s superb run at the box office and, more than that, really crippled the then-bulletproof career of its star, John Travolta. The fallout paved the way for a disastrous run of films that it would take him well over a decade to recover from.

But why did people hate Blow Out, even if it’s now considered one of De Palma’s best films, so celebrated that it’s become one of the most popular titles in the Criterion Collection? It has to do with politics, violence, and… well… disco.

This is exactly what happened to Blow Out.

Brian De Palma, Carrie, and the Rise of New Hollywood

Jump back to 1976. That was the year Brian De Palma released the movie that elevated him to the A-list: his adaptation of Stephen King’s Carrie. A smash hit, Carrie returned more than ten times its budget to United Artists and made De Palma one of the biggest names in the rising ranks of New Hollywood alongside Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, and others.

While mostly remembered for Sissy Spacek’s star-making turn, two other young actors played memorable roles as obnoxious, bullying teens: John Travolta and Nancy Allen. Allen would later marry De Palma and headline another huge hit for him, Dressed to Kill. Travolta, meanwhile, was about to become a worldwide phenomenon.

John Travolta Becomes a Global Superstar

Shortly after filming Carrie, Travolta landed a role on the TV sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter, playing Sweathogs leader Vincent Barbarino. Sweet-natured, if a little thick, the character made Travolta a massive teen heartthrob. He even scored a top-10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Let Her In.”

But what happened next took him from teen idol to arguably the biggest global superstar of the 1970s: he was cast in a mid-budget disco movie called Saturday Night Fever.

The film turned Travolta into a disco-era James Dean. Propelled by the iconic Bee Gees soundtrack, Saturday Night Fever became a full-blown pop-culture phenomenon. Quentin Tarantino often talks on his Video Archives Podcast about just how big Travolta was at the time, comparing his rise to that of the Beatles. Modern audiences know Travolta from his second wave of stardom after Pulp Fiction, but back then he was basically a one-man Beatlemania.

There were John Travolta Superstar dolls not based on any specific movie, just on Travolta himself. In Italy, a lookalike known as John Travolto even had a career starring in movies like The Man with Travolta’s Face. That’s how huge he was.

How Disco Helped Doom Blow Out

This level of fame is part of what doomed Blow Out. At his peak, Travolta was viewed as the boy next door even though Saturday Night Fever is far grittier than its reputation suggests. Tony Manero is violent, profane, and even witnesses a gang rape he could have stopped. The film is a critique of toxic masculinity, but that nuance was largely lost.

Why? Because after Fever became a hit and after Travolta grew even more popular with the family-friendly musical Grease, the studio reissued Saturday Night Fever in a sanitized, PG-rated cut. This disco-only version eliminated the adult content and became the one that played endlessly on TV throughout the 1980s. For years, it was easier to find on VHS than the original R-rated cut.

That re-edit cemented Travolta’s image as an inoffensive teen idol, making any attempt to break away from it risky. He tried, cautiously, with 1980’s Urban Cowboy, playing a flawed, misogynistic blue-collar cowboy who ultimately redeems himself.

Blow Out would be something else entirely.

A Hard-R Reinvention: The Premise of Blow Out

In Blow Out, Travolta plays Jack Terry, a sound technician for a low-rent exploitation film company. While recording sound effects one night, he accidentally captures audio of a fatal car accident: a tire blowout, a car plunging into a lake, and, crucially, a gunshot.

Jack rescues a young woman from the car but can’t save the man inside, who turns out to be a presidential candidate poised to win the election. Reviewing the tape, Jack realizes the accident was actually an assassination.

The woman he saved is Sally, a makeup artist played by Nancy Allen. She was helping set up the candidate for a sleazy private investigator (Dennis Franz) to manufacture a sex scandal. The real villain, however, is Burke (a chilling John Lithgow) who begins murdering women who resemble Sally to frame a serial killer, ensuring her eventual death looks random rather than political.

De Palma Goes Full De Palma

De Palma’s vision for Blow Out was audacious: a political conspiracy thriller mashed up with an Italian-style giallo, the genre he’d already explored in Dressed to Kill. Like that film, Blow Out leans heavily into nudity and violence but in a self-aware, critical way.

The movie opens with a sleazy tracking shot of a killer stalking nude college girls, only to reveal it’s a movie-within-a-movie produced by the exploitation hacks Jack works for. De Palma is condemning and mocking the very audience that might find those images titillating, including fans of his own earlier work.

Though often compared to Alfred Hitchcock, Blow Out also draws heavily from real-life events: the Kennedy assassination, the Zapruder film, and Ted Kennedy’s Chappaquiddick scandal. De Palma even borrows a 360-degree camera move from Michael Snow’s experimental short The Central Region for a devastating scene where Jack realizes all his evidence has been erased.

A Massive Budget and a Bigger Gamble

De Palma and distributor Filmways were convinced they had a masterpiece and priced it accordingly. Blow Out cost $18 million, an enormous sum in 1981. For context, it cost $8 million more than Star Wars and nearly triple the budget of Dressed to Kill.

That money went onscreen, particularly in the film’s massive finale, set during a fictional “Liberty Day” parade in Philadelphia, where Jack desperately chases the killer through hundreds of extras in one of De Palma’s most ambitious set pieces.

The Ending Audiences Rejected

Despite strong reviews from critics like Pauline Kael, Roger Ebert, and Gene Siskel, Blow Out was a catastrophe with audiences. Much of the backlash centered on its bleak ending.

Jack, haunted by a past failure that cost a cop his life, convinces Sally to wear a wire to expose the conspiracy. But he underestimates Burke’s depravity. He arrives seconds too late to save her, kills Burke, and then completely breaks.

Jack abandons the investigation, letting the conspiracy go unpunished. Worse, he dubs Sally’s dying scream into a cheap horror movie he’s working on, immortalizing her death and forcing himself to hear it forever. It’s devastating, nihilistic, and unforgettable.

American audiences hated it. European audiences were more receptive… because, well, it’s Europe.

Box-Office Fallout and Career Damage

Blow Out grossed just $13.8 million. Filmways nearly collapsed as a result. De Palma eventually rebounded with Scarface in 1983, though even that film was controversial at the time. His next true crowd-pleaser wouldn’t arrive until The Untouchables in 1987.

Nancy Allen’s performance was widely misunderstood as ditzy rather than innocent, but she bounced back with RoboCop, arguably her most iconic role.

Travolta, however, was devastated. With disco dead, audiences stopped showing up. He chased commercial projects that damaged his credibility: Staying Alive, Two of a Kind, Perfect. Even his hit Look Who’s Talking owed more to a wisecracking baby voiced by Bruce Willis than to Travolta himself.

How Blow Out Saved Travolta in the End

Ironically, the film that helped ruin Travolta’s career would later save it.

Blow Out always had passionate defenders, chief among them Quentin Tarantino, who has long called it a masterpiece. Travolta’s performance left such an impression on Tarantino that Pulp Fiction’s Vincent Vega was written specifically for him.

That role launched Travolta’s second act, leading to classics like Get Shorty, Face/Off, and more.

The Legacy of Blow Out

Blow Out may have lost the battle at the box office, but it won the war. Today, it’s widely regarded as Brian De Palma’s greatest film and a crown jewel of the Criterion Collection.

It’s proof that sometimes masterpieces fail in their moment, only to be discovered, appreciated, and vindicated years later.

And yes: Blow Out is a masterpiece.

The post Blow Out: The Thriller Audiences Rejected and History Redeemed appeared first on JoBlo.

Criterion Collection

You smell something? I smell something. I smell…I smell 4K Blu-ray!

Criterion has just released Reginald Hudlin’s 1990 debut feature film, House Party. The label gave the film a lot of love, remastering it in 4K with a digital restoration that was supervised by Hudlin. When it was originally announced, Criterion’s schedule initially listed this for last November. It would see a bit of a delay, but fear not! House Party has now been released at the beginning of the new year and we check out how this release measures up.

House Party

House Party is an all-out classic. Don’t ever let anyone tell you different. It sits on the same shelf as John Hughes’ coming-of-age teen comedies and deserves to continue its pop culture relevance. Its timelessness may be slightly hindered by Kid ‘N’ Play being tied so closely to the early 90s “happy hip hop” scene, but f*ck it. My cry two tears in a bucket, f*ck it. The themes and the story are timeless. The issues are relevant. And the fashion, slang and songs are a snapshot of an amazing era.

I grew up on this movie. I’ve grown up with many movies in which I’ve continually loved, but sometimes, a rewatch in my adult years with my evolved sensibilities can expose a movie for being what it really is and my rose-colored nostalgia glasses become incredibly apparent. Watching this movie again definitely solidifies that it’s the real deal. It’s not only a good watch, dipped in 90s memories. It’s a comfort movie. The subsequent House Party sequels would crank up the silly humor and some absurdity that those movies (coupled with the non-franchise Kid ‘N’ Play film Class Act) kind of established a cartoonishness that could be seen as the “Kid ‘N’ Play style.” It’s kind of a throwback to The Monkees TV show with its silly visuals (like the floating alarm and phone shots in House Party 3). Here, you can tell that Reginald Hudlin had a vision and his style is perfectly grounded, but he also added some comic flair for punctuation.

The 4K Blu-ray includes Hudlin’s original short film that he made for his thesis at Harvard. When you watch it, you see that he’s had the hallmarks of the movie down early on. Surprisingly, his original short also feels grittier despite still being a comedy. It’s in 16mm. It takes place in New York. The titular party is bathed in red light. And there’s a lot of the feature film’s flamboyant personality that is notably absent without the presence of the musicians and comedians.

It makes you appreciate even further how great the characters are in the official movie — that you just can’t help but root for everyone. Kid ‘N’ Play are the quintessential duo where one is an underdog and the other acts more alpha. Martin Lawrence as Bilal is the perfect tag-along friend who is also the punching bag comic relief. Tisha Campbell and A.J. Johnson are the perfect mirrors to Kid ‘N’ Play and I still can’t decide who I’d rather get with, although Tisha Campbell is just the absolutely ideal “girl next door” that draws you to her. Full Force (although they might not pass for high schoolers) are classic bullies of that era with their intimidating builds and bad attitude. And good lord, Robin Harris as Kid’s dad owns every scene he’s in. His dialogue is so dense, I caught jokes I never caught before and found myself laughing from discovering them for the first time.

It can’t be said enough. House Party just captures the innocence and fun of high school, which makes it endlessly rewatchable. 4K, Blu-ray, DVD, VHS, Beta, rerun television — it doesn’t matter where, if you can, you should just revisit House Party. And if you’re new to it, definitely check it out to either relive the 90s or discover the decade right as it was blossoming.

How’s the 4K Blu-ray?

The movie is presented in DolbyVision and has a DTS-HS Master Audio Soundtrack with 4.0 Surround Sound. I made sure to watch this release in my apartment complex’s private theater and I got to see it as I’ve never experienced before — on the big screen and in surround sound. It was an amazing screening experience as the picture looks beautiful. There are so many details I’ve never caught before that I saw on my viewing, such as being able to see the cast peppered throughout the party crowd in wide shots (in which they went through the trouble to add character moments that were easy to miss) and seeing that Kid was a big fan of the X-Men with posters hanging in his room. I also never caught certain fashion details of the era, which the 4K made pop out more, like multiple party goers sporting hearts etched into their haircuts.

The sound was also amazing and I definitely felt like I was at the party with the songs filling the room with their bombastic sounds. I can’t stress enough how much I love the dance sequence. The theater experience felt so rich that I must’ve rewatched that scene four or five times, as it kept moving me out of my seat and I repeatedly exhaled in a loud vocal exasperation every time it ended.

The special features aren’t many, but they’re pretty good for anyone who is yearning for information behind the movie. We have a new interview with the Hudlin brothers, Reginald and Warrington, as they go in depth about their history with this movie. They recall how they went from student filmmakers to making the film and blowing up after its success. We also get a commentary from Reginald Hudlin, where he shares more anecdotes about the film scene-by-scene. The cast reunites in a 2025 interview via Zoom and everyone tells their story of getting involved along with sharing their favorite memories. A couple of cool revelations include that the amazing dance battle scene was A.J. Johnson’s idea and it was basically put together during filming. Plus, Kid ‘N’ Play revealed that New Line was ready to pass on them until executives saw a crowd of fans go “Beatles-mania” on them outside of the studio’s offices.

We also get the aforementioned short film thesis from Hudlin, which added an exclamation mark for the title to become, House Party! You can see the skeleton of the feature film in this short and how much the cast was ultimately able to contribute to the feature and truly give the final film its identity.

So, it should always be addressed — being a 4K Blu-ray — it will be pricey for a physical media disc. The format is a premium quality and it’s not nearly as common as Blu-ray is, so unfortunately, the price tag will be intimidating for casual shoppers. For collectors and big fans of this movie, I feel like it’s a must-buy.

You can check it out at the Criterion store HERE.

The post The party’s at the funhouse! We take a look at Criterion’s 4K Blu-ray release of House Party appeared first on JoBlo.

In the wake of Batman and its hit sequels, interestingly, movie studios wouldn’t necessarily snatch up more DC properties to adapt, but they did attempt to bring more classic pulp heroes to the screen with The Rocketeer, The Shadow and 1996’s The Phantom. While there was an animated series just two years prior with the purple-clad character trying to save our dying planet in the future with The Phantom 2040, the feature film with Billy Zane takes its cue more from Indiana Jones-esque action with its 1930s setting and globe-trotting adventure.

4K Blu-ray remastering from Kino Lorber

Last year, a 4K Blu-ray for The Phantom was originally slated to come out, Blu-ray.com now reports that the Paramount adaptation of the Lee Falk comic strip is now set to grace your TV screens in crisp ultra-high def 4K with a new Blu-ray from Kino Lorber this Spring. The new physical release of the Simon Wincer film, which stars Billy Zane, Kristy Swanson, Treat Williams, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and James Remar, is scheduled to hit retailers on April 14.

The description reads,
“The Phantom, descendant of a line of African superheroes, travels to New York City to thwart a wealthy criminal genius from obtaining three magic skulls which would give him the secret to ultimate power.”

Special Features:

DISC ONE – 4K BLU-RAY

• NEW 4K RESTORATION FROM THE NEGATIVE, APPROVED BY DIRECTOR SIMON WINCER
• DOLBY VISION/HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
• NEW Audio Commentary by Director Simon Wincer, Moderated by Filmmaker Douglas Hosdale
• 5.1 Surround and Lossless 2.0 Audio
• Optional English Subtitles

DISC TWO – BLU-RAY

• NEW 4K RESTORATION FROM THE NEGATIVE, APPROVED BY DIRECTOR SIMON WINCER
• NEW Audio Commentary by Director Simon Wincer, Moderated by Filmmaker Douglas Hosdale
• Kismet in the Jungle: NEW Interview with Star Billy Zane (27:06)
• Slam Evil – Scoring The Phantom: NEW Interview with Composer David Newman (14:48)
• Theatrical Trailer
• 5.1 Surround and Lossless 2.0 Audio
• Optional English Subtitles
• Limited Edition Reversible Art and O-Card Slipcase

Technical Specs:

Video
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)
HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Audio
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)

Subtitles
English SDH

Discs
4K Ultra HD
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD-100, 1 BD-50)

Packaging
Slipcover in original pressing

Playback
4K Blu-ray: Region free
2K Blu-ray: Region A (B, C untested)

Billy Zane loves The Phantom

Billy Zane recently declared that Kit Walker aka The Phantom stands as “one of my favorite characters.” But the movie itself was a flop, with the June 7th, 1996 opening weekend finding it opening at #6, despite only one other title that week being a new release. As Zane remembered, “It got a lot of stick early on because it wasn’t edgy at a time when all those movies were going dark. I’ve always held a torch for what I saw as a dying genre, which was adventure. I was raised on adventure, and I think it’s so easily overlooked as how critical it is to young boys and girls.”

This action is what drew Billy Zane to The Phantom, saying, “I really understood the ethos of that, which is why I think I got the role. I just knew it and I was holding a torch for it… and it was a candle in the wind at the time, but then this thing came about, and I was, like, ‘A-ha! At last!’ It was something that would benefit from this weird adoration and fixation on all things Errol Flynn and Tarzan. A happy hero. Go figure! No issues. Well-adjusted. Animal friends. Man cave. Girlfriend. The family business. Life is good!”

The post New details unveiled on the upcoming 4K Blu-ray of The Phantom appeared first on JoBlo.

Fans of 90s action and physical media collectors, gather as we take a look at a new release from Arrow Video. Arrow is responsible for some of the latest upgraded titles of the past. Lately, we’ve gotten pristine remasters of gems like Cobra, Deep Blue Sea, In The Mouth of Madness, Outland, Lost in Space and Spawn, and their January slate includes a few heavy hitters. One of their more recent titles is what is usually touted as the best film from martial artist Steven Seagal — 1992’s Under Siege, which also co-stars Tommy Lee Jones, Gary Busy and Erika Eleniak and is directed by The Fugitive‘s Andrew Davis.

Under Siege

I agree with the consensus that this is probably Seagal’s best film. It’s a movie with a little bit more going on than his usual “police crime story” films and he shares the spotlight with the likes of Tommy Lee Jones, with the plot having the hook of being “Die Hard on a battleship.” Director Andrew Davis is interviewed in one of the special features on this 4K Blu-ray and he reveals some pretty cool, candid tidbits about the film. According to Davis, Warner Bros. hired Pretty Woman writer J.T. Lawton to do a movie that takes its cue from Die Hard. Lawton and Davis decided to give the plot certain relevant issues of the time. The movie touches on former President George H.W. Bush and his relationship with foreign powers, as the U.S.S. Missouri carries Tomahawks that would be useful for North Korea to present a threat.

When watching this film, you’ll see that Seagal doesn’t occupy too much screentime because he’s the John McClane equivalent — hiding out of sight and sneakily throwing a wrench in the terrorists’ plans from the shadows. Much of the film splits time with Seagal, Jones and Gary Busey, as the latter two attempt to turn traitor for a boatload of money (pun intended). The movie holds up well, thanks in part to Jones’ energetic performance as Strannix, a former CIA operative who executes the siege on the Missouri. Whereas Die Hard has Alan Rickman being the cool, calculated, but still charismatic villain, and Bruce Willis having the smart-ass personality, in Under Siege, the dynamics are switched. Seagal, although he shows some personality in this film, is as self-serious and stoic as he usually is in his other films, and Jones does the heavy lifting by chewing on the scenery like he’s starving…and you love every minute of it! It’s almost like a test run for his U.S. Marshal character in Davis’ The Fugitive, which Jones would win the Academy Award for.

The movie goes through the usual motions of a Die Hard movie, but it would somewhat break the mold by teaming Seagal up with an exotic entertainer, played by Erika Eleniak. The odd coupling of Seagal’s Navy SEAL and Eleniak’s showgirl brings more levity to his scenes.

For fans of Seagal’s martial arts, his Aikido is, unfortunately, not as prominent this time around. It’s more of a military-focused film with the group of mercenaries targeting Seagal, and gunplay and explosions dominate the action scenes. However, the film does a good job of varying the action up enough to switch over to more close-quarters combat where Seagal’s techniques can shine.

Along with Davis’ Above the Law, which introduced Seagal to audiences, there are shades of important themes that are tied to the action story. Strannix and Seagal’s Casey Ryback call their loyalty to their governments into question when moral issues become grey. Strannix becomes disgruntled while Ryback has faith in his superiors. Elements like these help to make Under Siege more timeless and is likely a principle reason people continue to gravitate to this film out of all the others in Seagal’s resume.

How’s the Blu-ray?

Arrow continues to remaster the pictures of these 4K releases to great results. This is a title that has been restored from its original negative and has gotten approval from Andrew Davis. It’s presented in DolbyVision and DolbyAtmos and the movie looks great. The DolbyAtmos makes the action sound dynamic. The gunshots and explosions pop with intensity and makes you feel as if you’re watching it at the theater.

The special features aren’t too plentiful, but provide enough for fans to get new information about the movie. I, for one, enjoy listening to Andrew Davis being incredibly honest and candid about making the film. Eleniak credited Davis for running a tight ship (pun intended again) and making a big action film run smoothly. Davis is hilariously honest about Seagal without talking much trash on him. There’s a commentary with Davis and Lawton and when Seagal appears in his first shot, Davis jokingly remarks, “And there’s a skinny Steven Seagal.”

Additionally, Davis describes working with Seagal on both Above the Law and this in his new interview. He recalls that, by this time, Seagal had gotten “arrogant” and the studio thought that he would be the best director to rein him in. Eleniak also explained that Davis was good at managing egos on set and that there were a lot of egos. Eleniak has her own new interview as a special feature on this release. She describes her iconic “topless cake dance” scene and how it was actually uncomfortable for her, but the studio pushed for it. She reveals that Davis, Jones and Busey went above and beyond to ease her tension and that she would’ve handled the situation differently today.

Other special features include an interview with Blood In, Blood Out star Damian Chapa, who had a supporting role in the film. Plus an interview with the Visual Effects supervisor and the original theatrical trailer.

Final verdict

Under Siege holds up well for me. It’s still an entertaining action movie and Seagal’s best. Tommy Lee Jones really elevates the film and proves the rule that “an action movie is as good as your villain.” This 4K Blu-ray from Arrow is another good release from the label. As far as special features go, there aren’t too many to sink your teeth into, but you get a lot of good insights from some of those involved, especially Andrew Davis. If you’re a fan of the film or a UHD physical media collector, it’s a welcome upgrade. You can check out this release on Arrow’s website HERE.

The post “I’m just a cook.” We take a look at Arrow’s release of Under Siege on 4K Blu-ray appeared first on JoBlo.

Chris

The 1980s were the era of the buddy cop movie. While the genre arguably started to pick up traction in the seventies with movies like Freebie and the Bean, and TV’s Starsky and Hutch, in the ’80s the genre went into overdrive. There was 48 Hrs., which twisted the formula as one of the team was a crook, Miami Vice on TV, the Beverly Hills Cop movies, Running Scared, and most explosively, Lethal Weapon on the big screen.

In fact, it was the shocking success of Lethal Weapon that made the genre ubiquitous. After it hit big, you had all kinds of buddy cops flooding theaters. There were wacky buddy cops like Richard Dreyfuss and Emilio Estevez in Stakeout, macho cops like Tango & Cash, duos where one cop was human and the other was an alien—such as The Hidden or Alien Nation—and at least two where the buddy cops were a human and a dog, like Turner & Hooch and K-9. Heck, there were even zombie buddy cops in the cult classic Dead Heat, with Treat Williams and Joe Piscopo.

Walter Hill Returns to the Genre He Invented

Enter Walter Hill, who had basically given birth to the genre with 48 Hrs. After a rough couple of years following that movie’s success, he had a few bombs. Streets of Fire, despite being awesome, wasn’t a hit, nor were Crossroads or Extreme Prejudice. It was time to return to the genre he pioneered—but with a twist.

With glasnost in the air and the Cold War winding down, Hill decided to make a buddy cop movie that would pair a Soviet cop with a wisecracking American. That movie was Red Heat.

Walter Hill: Writer, Director, and Genre Architect

Red Heat was Walter Hill’s baby through and through. While mostly known as a director, he was also a very strong screenwriter. He penned Steve McQueen’s The Getaway, and a pretty crazy, hyper-violent Bill Cosby–led action movie no one besides yours truly seems to remember, Hickey and Boggs, which honestly deserves more attention.

Hill also helped write the final screenplay for Alien, and fatefully was the one who decided Ripley should be a woman—paving the way for Sigourney Weaver to play one of the greatest action heroes of all time.

Casting Arnold Schwarzenegger as a Soviet Cop

Hill had suffered a few flops and was looking to do something commercial—something he could also cast Arnold Schwarzenegger in, as the two were friendly. Hill didn’t think Arnie suited American roles, so he figured his Austrian accent could pass for Soviet.

When Hill approached Schwarzenegger, he didn’t even have a script—just a basic premise. Arnie would play a proud Soviet hero who notably does not defect at the end, and there would be a scene where he rips off a henchman’s leg to find cocaine stuffed inside it. That was the pitch.

A More Grounded Schwarzenegger Performance

Interestingly, Hill’s version of the Schwarzenegger persona is more grounded than in other eighties action movies like Raw Deal and Commando. In Red Heat, his character Danko—despite being introduced naked in a very homoerotic bathhouse sequence (though there are a few women around)—feels more human.

Early in the movie, when he takes the villain Rosta back to Russia, he’s overpowered and beaten up. He spends the rest of the film with a bruise on his face that never heals, which was unusual for an Arnold action movie at the time.

Why Red Heat Feels So Uneven

As a finished film, Red Heat is highly uneven. It feels schizophrenic, with a hard-core action thriller stapled to a rather stale buddy comedy. James Belushi plays the wisecracking Chicago cop Ridzik, partnered with Danko, in what was clearly an attempt to recapture the magic of 48 Hrs.

It doesn’t work. Either Danko on his own or Ridzik on his own should have been the lead.

Part of the problem is the script, which was worked on by multiple writers, including Hill himself and Troy Kennedy Martin, who had a major hit with the Edge of Darkness miniseries. The result is a movie that feels episodic and—crucially—lacks either big laughs or big action.

James Belushi Wasn’t the Problem

Many people blame James Belushi for the movie not quite working, but that’s unfair. He’s saddled with the wise-guy cop role, but Belushi isn’t Eddie Murphy. While he could be funny, straight comedy was never his strength.

He was better in dramatic roles with a comedic edge, like Salvador and the underrated The Principal. Even in K-9, he’s more or less the straight man to the dog. In Red Heat, he plays a tough, competent cop, and on rewatch actually seems more capable than Danko, who is constantly taking ridiculous risks or losing the bad guy.

Direction, Tone, and Missed Opportunities

Hill’s direction doesn’t help matters. He always had a tendency to make his movies dark and grim, and this one could have used a bit more levity. The tonal clash between grim action movie and buddy comedy is never fully resolved.

Still, despite its flaws, Red Heat remains very watchable.

Supporting Cast, Score, and Standout Elements

Ed O’Ross is terrific as the villain Rosta and is arguably the most credible Russian in the film. He later played Russian again on Six Feet Under. The supporting cast is stacked, with Peter Boyle, Gina Gershon, and Laurence Fishburne all turning up.

James Horner’s score is essentially a self-remix of his 48 Hrs. soundtrack—he was infamous for ripping himself off—but it’s so effective that John Woo lifted chunks of it for The Killer the following year.

Cold War Context and Historical Significance

Red Heat also has real historical significance. When it was made, the Cold War was winding down, and the crew was actually allowed to film in Moscow for a few days. Most of the Moscow scenes were shot in Austria and Budapest, but the opening credits and the finale—where Schwarzenegger salutes the camera—were filmed in Red Square.

With glasnost on the horizon, Russia is portrayed somewhat sympathetically, which was a stark contrast to Rambo III, released just weeks earlier by the same company, Carolco.

Box Office Performance and Legacy

Despite being released at a high point in Schwarzenegger’s career, Red Heat wasn’t a major box-office hit. It earned about $35 million domestically—on par with The Running Man, but well below Commando or Predator.

Perhaps the movie would have fared better if it had been released in 1989. Just six months later, Twins became a massive blockbuster and elevated Schwarzenegger to global superstardom, tripling his average box-office grosses.

Today, Red Heat is one of the more obscure Schwarzenegger films, but it’s still well worth watching—especially if you’re an Arnie completist.

The post Red Heat: We take a look back at one of the more obscure Arnold Schwarzenegger movies appeared first on JoBlo.

While a box office flop, Bulletproof developed a bit of a cult following once it hit VHS, but it’s rarely discussed when talk turns to Sandler’s filmography. Kino Lorber seems poised to change that, with a 4K 30th anniversary edition of the movie slated for release later this year, with full specs still to be revealed.

How Bulletproof Recreates the 48 Hrs Formula

The influence of 48 Hrs. on Bulletproof is striking, as it tries to recreate the earlier film’s formula almost ingredient by ingredient. You’ve got the black/white buddy duo, with one as a cop and the other as a crook. The main twist is that the black character, played by Wayans, is the cop this time, while the white character, played by Sandler, is the criminal.

Given how much Eddie Murphy’s run on Saturday Night Live helped boost 48 Hrs. at the box office, it’s also notable that both leads here are SNL veterans—although Wayans’ tenure on the show was famously short-lived.

A Personal Rewatch… or Not?

I remember seeing Bulletproof in theaters with my father and enjoying it. I even owned a VHS copy, though I haven’t seen the movie in probably 25 years, so who knows how well it holds up. I do remember it having a surprisingly solid supporting cast, with James Caan playing the villain, but I also recall Sandler being a little hard to take seriously in the action scenes—while Damon Wayans handled them much better.

Ernest Dickerson’s Complicated Legacy with the Film

Bulletproof was directed by Ernest Dickerson, who also helmed several ‘90s classics, including Juice, Demon Knight, and Tales from the Hood. Apparently, he doesn’t have fond memories of the experience, saying in an interview:

“There’s a movie I did a couple years ago called Bulletproof. I’d like to just erase that whole experience… I’m proud of a lot of the films I’ve done, but there’s some situations that happened that in retrospect maybe I could have handled them a little differently.”

Is Bulletproof Worth Buying on 4K?

Will you be picking up Bulletproof on 4K? I’m not convinced it’s worth a full-price disc purchase—but it does feel like exactly the kind of movie I’d buy on a whim if it popped up in the $4.99 section on iTunes.

The post Bulletproof: A Hugely Obscure Adam Sandler Action Flick Is Coming to 4K appeared first on JoBlo.

Chris

Here at JoBlo, we’re James Bond fans. Heck, as EIC, I’m maybe the biggest 007 fan of all, which is why I tend to hog all the assignments related to this famous superspy, with probably the work I’m proudest of at the site being our long running James Bond Revisited series. Yet, what are the best James Bond movies? Not James Bond actors mind you. I’ve already done that ranking. Rather, this is a list of the ten BEST James Bond movies.

One thing’s for sure, a list like this is always bound to be divisive. I tried to strike a balance between my personal feelings and the overall consensus of fans. If this were a nostalgia-based list, I probably would have picked Octopussy for my top slot. Making a responsible list means it didn’t make our TOP 10, as facts are facts, and it’s arguably not a “good” James Bond movie. However, I did try to make some interesting choices, I think, with all of the James Bond actors well represented here, including George Lazenby and, especially, the always underrated Timothy Dalton. Do you agree with our picks? Let us know in the talkbacks!

Number 10: For Your Eyes Only (1981)

This was a departure for Roger Moore. In fact, at one point, it looked like Roger Moore wasn’t even going to return to the franchise after Moonraker, despite that film being a huge hit. I suppose he just wanted more money. But for a while, it looked like Michael Billington—who was actually Major Anya Amasova’s love interest in The Spy Who Loved Me, and who gets killed in the opening teaser—was actually signed to play James Bond. In fact, there were stills taken of him on location, so he came very close to becoming our new James Bond in For Your Eyes Only. In the end, though, Roger Moore decided to return at the 11th hour. But the creative brain trust behind For Your Eyes Only had changed a little bit. I think that Albert R. Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, who were producing at the time, realized they had gone more than a little overboard in Moonraker. So the decision was made to bring James Bond back down to Earth. Thus, For Your Eyes Only is a lot more grounded compared to other James Bond films of the era, with Roger Moore giving one of his grittiest portrayals as 007.

I always really liked For Your Eyes Only. I thought the stunts were amazing, I thought that a lot of the action was really good, and it probably contains my favorite Roger Moore performance as James Bond. Because he’s just cool in this movie. You know, he’s not necessarily jumping into bed with every woman he sees. He passes up Bibi—who’s really young—Lynn-Holly Johnson as a skater, and offers to buy her some ice cream instead of jumping in the sack with her. I think that’s what I love about Roger Moore in this film. It’s his nicest portrayal of James Bond, I guess. But he’s also tough as hell—such as when he kills the assassin who killed his buddy Ferrara by throwing the pin and then booting his car off a cliff. I mean, it’s really cool. This movie’s also got a great sidekick—Topol! You’ve got Carole Bouquet as Melina Havelock, who’s kind of a badass James Bond heroine. The only problem with this movie is that Julian Glover is really boring as Kristatos, the villain. Not a very good villain. But a great James Bond movie, with a great job by John Glen behind the camera in his first-ever James Bond film.

I’m a little mixed on the score, however, by Bill Conti. Probably would be higher on the list if it wasn’t for that really weird, schlocky disco score—although I love the theme song by Sheena Easton. One of the best.

Number 9: The Living Daylights (1987)

One of my favorite James Bond movies from my childhood was The Living Daylights. In fact, when I was a kid, I did something bad, and I was punished by having my VHS copy of The Living Daylights taken away. Oh yes, it was traumatic, to put it mildly. So, this one was Timothy Dalton‘s debut as 007, and you can still see that he’s trying to find his footing. I think Dalton’s just a much more serious actor than Roger Moore is—maybe even more so than Sean Connery. He’s playing 007 pretty straight-laced, but they’re still throwing in some one-liners and some Roger Moore-esque stuff, and he seems a little bit uncomfortable—especially in a tuxedo. I always thought that Timothy Dalton looked more comfortable in casual clothes, which is very evident in his next James Bond film. He also holds a cigarette really weird, as if he’s not really a smoker, but he’s doing it because, you know, he has to be James Bond. James Bond smoked at the time.

A lot of things about this movie are great. It’s got an amazing score by John Barry, it’s got a great theme song by A-ha, and it’s got a really good cast—although, again, some really weak villains, with Jeroen Krabbé as Koskov and Joe Don Baker as Whitaker. I like the main bad guy, Necros, who’s kind of like the assassin that’s going after James Bond, because they have some really good fight scenes. And I think this is probably the best thing about The Living Daylights—the action in this film is top-notch. It’s almost James Bond meets Rambo towards the end, when he goes to Afghanistan to help the Mujahideen. Of course, this isn’t necessarily a PC movie to watch nowadays… but it’s a pretty good little Bond film. And again, it was one of my favorites when I was growing up.

Number 8: Licence to Kill (1989)

Now, I’ve always said that Timothy Dalton probably had the strongest run as James Bond. He only did two James Bond movies, but they were both amazing. And Licence to Kill really feels like it’s the first James Bond movie that was tailored for Timothy Dalton. Minimal time is spent in his tuxedo. Instead, James Bond is kind of wearing casual street clothes for a lot of the movie—some kind of unstructured blazers. He looks comfortable. He looks like this is the kind of role that he wants to be doing. There’s something down-to-earth about Timothy Dalton in this movie. And I don’t think that any other James Bond actor could have pulled off a James Bond role like he has in Licence to Kill, where he has to be a lot more grounded.

This movie also has an amazing villain—one of the best ever—with Robert Davi as Sanchez, a drug-dealing sadist who nevertheless is somewhat sympathetic because he’s so loyal to his henchmen. And one of his henchmen? Played by an impossibly young Benicio del Toro.

It’s also got two of the best James Bond girls. He got Talisa Soto as Lupe, but the best ever is Carey Lowell as Pam Bouvier, who’s absolutely gorgeous, especially with her short haircut, and is a pretty badass Bond girl to boot. This one’s got a very jewel-silvery kind of ’80s score by Michael Kamen with a good theme song by Gladys Knight, and it ends with the song “If You Asked Me To” by Patti LaBelle, which would become a massive hit for Celine Dion a few years later.

I really like Licence to Kill. It’s probably the most violent James Bond film ever made, but when I was a kid, I watched it over and over again, and it’s one that I think really holds up well. In fact, it probably plays better now than it did in 1989. It was also the first James Bond movie to be rated PG-13.

Number 7: Skyfall (2012)

Now, I have to say that Daniel Craig‘s run as James Bond has definitely been hit or miss. It seems that the odd-numbered Daniel Craig James Bond movies are really good, and the even-numbered ones just aren’t. Casino Royale (number one) was really good, but Quantum of Solace (number two) was not. Number three, however, Skyfall, was excellent. This one’s got a great villain with Javier Bardem, a much bigger role for Judi Dench’s M, and some really good set pieces courtesy of director Sam Mendes. The photography by Roger Deakins, I think, is probably the best we’ve ever seen in a James Bond movie. I don’t think any James Bond movie has ever looked quite as good as Skyfall does, and Daniel Craig really gives it his all in the performance. He’s in his physical prime in this movie, and it shows. It’s got some really good action scenes, and it holds up really well.

Number 6: The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

The most critically respected Roger Moore James Bond movie of all time: The Spy Who Loved Me. Now, I do think it’s a little bit inconsistent because the movie doesn’t really pick up, in my opinion, until Triple X and Roger Moore’s James Bond, of course, are paired up in the desert when they’re on the run from Jaws. But there are so many classic moments in this movie. For one thing, it’s got that opening ski jump by Rick Sylvester, which is just amazing when the Union Jack parachute opens up. It’s got a great theme song, one of the best ever, by Carly Simon: “Nobody Does It Better.” The disco-y score by Marvin Hamlisch isn’t great, but I do like his take on the James Bond theme, “Bond 77,” which I think suits the movie really well. You got the Lotus Esprit, you got Q coming along to give a couple of one-liners and look annoyed at 007. You got Curt Jurgens as Stromberg with the webbed hands. And, of course, you’ve got Jaws—I mean, you can’t go wrong with Jaws. I also really love Barbara Bach as Anya Amasova. I think that she’s a little bit stiff, but I think the character is really cool and makes a good foil for Roger Moore as Bond.

Number 5: From Russia with Love (1963)

One of the Sean Connery classics. Now, this is a little bit slow, I’ve always thought, but it’s such a well-crafted James Bond film. You got Terence Young directing, you got an amazing score by John Barry—his first full score for the series—and you have one of the best James Bond villains ever, Robert Shaw as Red Grant. The story is pretty compelling. Sean Connery is lured to Istanbul to recover the Lektor spy decoding machine, and, of course, he’s lured there by a Russian cipher clerk played by the gorgeous Daniela Bianchi, who they say has fallen in love with him based on a picture. Of course, it’s all a plot by SPECTRE—Kronsteen and Rosa Klebb, as well as a shadowy version of Ernst Stavro Blofeld, whose face we never see, just his kitty. And it all ends in that amazing fight scene on the Orient Express, and then a later fight scene in a Venice hotel room where James Bond has to take on Rosa Klebb’s pointy shoe with the shoe knife.

I always thought it was really cool. It’s a good movie, it has some good action. I think, in some ways, the editing by Peter Hunt is largely responsible for the current editing that we see in action movies nowadays. In some ways, you could even say that From Russia with Love was the first modern action film.

Number 4: GoldenEye (1995)

Pierce Brosnan’s first and best performance as James Bond:GoldenEye. The thing about Pierce Brosnan is he was an amazing James Bond who just never got really good material. GoldenEye, however, was his first and most promising take on the part. You had Martin Campbell directing, who always knew exactly how to make a James Bond movie. You had Izabella Scorupco and you had Famke Janssen, plus Sean Bean as one of the best James Bond villains ever, 006, who’s very much James Bond’s physical equal. And they have that amazing fight scene at the end of the movie. It’s also got a really cool but unusual score by Éric Serra and that great theme song by Tina Turner and Bono. This is a really good Bond film. The pacing is off a little bit at times, but I think in terms of Pierce Brosnan Bond movies, you really can’t get much better than this.

Number 3: Goldfinger (1964)

The James Bond series as it exists now simply would not be what it is without Goldfinger. I mean, this movie kind of established the formula. You have the larger-than-life villain, Auric Goldfinger, played by Gert Frobe. You got Pussy Galore (no, it’s a character name) played by Honor Blackman. You had that golden girl, Shirley Eaton—I mean, that’s great. Plus, you had the Aston Martin DB5, complete with Desmond Llewelyn as Q’s first Q-branch nifty gadget scene. I mean, it’s the best. In that car chase, he’s ejecting people, shooting off machine guns—I mean, it is a great James Bond movie. I have an absolute blast every time I watch this movie, and the theme song is so good by Shirley Bassey.

Number 2: Casino Royale (2006)

Daniel Craig’s first turn as James Bond was his best. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Martin Campbell is the director of two of the James Bond films in the top five because he really knows how to do a movie like this and especially knows how to introduce a James Bond to the audience. I mean, if they bring in somebody new in the next one, you really got to get Martin Campbell back to direct because he just nails it every time, knocks it out of the park. And there’s so many good things about Casino Royale because the book isn’t very cinematic—it all ends in a poker game with a sad ending—but Martin Campbell will just pepper in tons of amazing action scenes, including that opening parkour sequence. You know, I think that once we all saw Daniel Craig doing parkour, we knew that a new action icon had been born, and man, his James Bond was going to be a lot different and a lot more physically capable than the ones that we’d seen come before.

Daniel Craig is amazing. He has probably his best performance ever as James Bond. He’s got a great score by David Arnold. Only thing about it was, I always thought that the Chris Cornell theme song, “You Know My Name,” didn’t sound really Bond-like, although I do like the song a lot. And, you know, of course, I miss Chris Cornell, as does everybody. But Casino Royale, in my mind, is pretty much a flawless James Bond film with flawless villains, including Mads Mikkelsen as Le Chiffre, and perhaps the most flawless James Bond girl of all, Eva Green as the gorgeous but tragic Vesper Lynd.

Number 1: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)

A controversial pick, to be sure, but one I gotta go with On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Yes, George Lazenby may have been the worst James Bond, but he was in the best James Bond movie. And I honestly think that if George Lazenby had even been given a chance to grow into the part, he would have probably emerged as one of our best James Bonds ever. He looks great. He fights really well. The action scenes in this movie are awesome. It’s got an amazing Bond girl with the late Diana Rigg as Tracy. Plus, James Bond gets married in this movie. It’s epic length, running just a hair under two and a half hours at two hours and 20 minutes. It’s got that beautiful location photography—all the snow in Switzerland and Piz Gloria—plus it’s got one of the best scores ever by John Barry. It has that great song by Louis Armstrong, “We Have All the Time in the World.” It’s got kind of a romantic vibe. All the girls are gorgeous.

I mean, this movie has all the elements of James Bond that you could ever possibly want, but it’s also probably the James Bond film that the least people have seen because of—probably—Lazenby. Nobody really thinks of him as James Bond. But damn, they made a great James Bond movie, and Peter Hunt, as the director, absolutely nailed it. And I wish he had come back to do some more James Bond films because he really, really knocked it out of the park with this one.

So On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is my favorite James Bond movie of all time. But I know that a lot of you are probably going to disagree with me, so make sure to let me know in the talkbacks.

The post What are the 10 Best James Bond Movies? Here’s Our Top 10! appeared first on JoBlo.

By 1978, the small-screen clones were already in motion. In the U.S., audiences got Battlestar Galactica, while the UK responded with a darker, grimmer alternative: Blake’s 7.

A Blake’s 7 Reboot Is Officially in Development

Now, that cult-favorite British sci-fi series—which ran for four seasons—is finally getting a reboot. According to Deadline, Peter Hoar has signed on to direct the project.

Hoar recently helmed the most critically acclaimed episode of The Last of Us, “Long, Long Time,” making him an intriguing choice for a reboot that needs emotional weight and moral complexity. Deadline’s report doesn’t specify whether Hoar will direct just the pilot or multiple episodes, but the project is reportedly heading to buyers soon.

The hope is for a UK/US co-production, potentially airing on the BBC in the UK, with a streamer picking it up in the U.S.

What Made Blake’s 7 So Different From Other Sci-Fi Shows

Despite its Star Wars DNA, Blake’s 7 was far darker than most sci-fi television of its era. Originally pitched as The Dirty Dozen in space, the series followed a group of outlaws led by Roj Blake (played by Gareth Thomas) as they rebelled against a brutally totalitarian galactic government.

Tonally, it was far closer to something like Andor than the swashbuckling adventures audiences expected at the time. The show also became infamous for its bleak final episode, in which most of the main cast—including Blake himself—are killed.

Why a Blake’s 7 Reboot Makes Sense Now

In many ways, it’s surprising that a Blake’s 7 reboot has taken this long. The core premise is strong, inherently political, and perfectly suited for a modern ensemble approach.

With Star Trek arguably having lost its footing and Star Wars shifting its focus back toward the big screen, there’s a noticeable void when it comes to darker, more cerebral sci-fi on television. This reboot could follow in the footsteps of Battlestar Galactica—a reimagining that didn’t just update the original, but improved upon it.

Is Blake’s 7 the Next Great Sci-Fi Reboot?

Between its morally complex story, anti-authoritarian themes, and ensemble-driven structure, Blake’s 7 feels tailor-made for modern television. With the right cast and tone, it could become one of those rare reboots that finally realizes the full potential of its concept.

Are you down for a Blake’s 7 reboot?

The post Blake’s 7: The Classic British Sci-Fi Show is Getting a Reboot appeared first on JoBlo.

While most people assume that peak ’80s action ran the span of the decade, that’s not really true. If anything, hardcore ’80s action arguably kicked off somewhere around 1982 or so and ran until about 1992, as in the early ’90s we were still getting plenty of oiled-up, muscle-man action heroes. Case in point: 1991’s Stone Cold, which Dawn of the Discs announced is now getting a 4K reissue on April 21st from Kino Lorber. This movie was an attempt to turn bad-boy college football star Brian “The Boz” Bosworth into a movie star.

Who was Brian Bosworth?

While many of our readers are likely too young to remember him, Bosworth was among the most colorful football players of the ’80s, sporting radical hairstyles, a jacked-up physique, and a surly attitude both on and off the field, which made him one of the most popular college athletes of all time. By contrast, his NFL career was disappointing, as he only played for three seasons after a series of injuries. Yet Hollywood saw something in Bosworth’s look and attitude, and in 1991, none other than Michael Douglas produced a star vehicle for him called Stone Cold.

What is Stone Cold?

Stone Cold casts Bosworth as a rogue cop (were there any other kinds in that era?) who goes undercover in a biker gang involved in political violence. If folks remember this movie fondly, it’s most likely due to the powerhouse performances of the film’s two villains, with Lance Henriksen playing the gang’s charismatic leader, Chains, while William Forsythe plays his number two, Ice.

How was Stone Cold received?

When it came out in early May of 1991, Hollywood was fully expecting Bosworth to immediately join the ranks of Steven Seagal and Jean-Claude Van Damme. However, the movie completely bombed, only grossing $9 million off a hefty $25 million budget. Yet when it hit VHS and cable, it became a favorite of action fans, due largely to the hardcore violence (it almost nabbed an NC-17) and the Henriksen/Forsythe villain duo. While Bosworth never got the chance to lead another studio action movie, the film was enough of a hit on home video to launch him as a DTV star, with him spending the rest of the decade making mid-budget movies like One Man’s Justice (which was actually directed by Equilibrium’s Kurt Wimmer).

As for Stone Cold, we’ve always been fans of it on the site, and I wrote and narrated an episode of The Best Movie You Never Saw about it. Kino Lorber’s 4K disc hasn’t gotten any specs yet, but action fans will no doubt want to add this one to their libraries.

The post Stone Cold: The Cult Classic Brian Bosworth Movie Has a 4K Release Date! appeared first on JoBlo.

Chris

A lot of people don’t believe such a thing as overnight stardom exists, but sometimes—just sometimes—it does. Perhaps the most famous such example is Eddie Murphy, who became a global superstar off of just one movie, 48 Hrs, a rough-and-tumble action programmer no one had a ton of faith in when it came out around Christmas time in 1982, but which became a runaway smash, upgrading its co-star, Eddie Murphy, to superstar status.

He’s one of the only major Hollywood stars who never really played a supporting role. His first movie was 48 Hrs, and once it came out, there was never again a time when he wasn’t a star.

But how did a run-of-the-mill action movie wind up giving a virtual unknown a star role? Let’s take a look at how 48 Hrsbecame one of the defining movies of the decade.

Was Eddie Murphy Unknown Before 48 Hrs?

Now, anyone who knows movie or TV history knows that Eddie Murphy wasn’t just plucked out of nowhere when he starred in 48 Hrs. His casting was highly unconventional, but he’d been rising in prominence at the time he was cast.

He gained national attention when, as a very young stand-up (he was only 18 years old), Murphy was cast as a featured player on Saturday Night Live. He was part of the disastrous 1980–81 cast under the supervision of Jean Doumanian, who took over for Lorne Michaels and attempted to build a new ensemble.

Simply put—the cast stank.

Murphy, as a background player, had to fight for airtime, but he scored in a few isolated bits. When Doumanian was fired and Dick Ebersol was brought in, only Murphy and co-star Joe Piscopo—who was also beginning to make a name for himself—were kept.

Under Ebersol, the two would anchor the next season, and Murphy’s talent quickly became impossible to ignore.

How Did Eddie Murphy Break Out on Saturday Night Live?

Murphy created many recurring characters that have since become classics, including his take on Gumby, Buckwheat from The Little Rascals (“Otay!”), Velvet Jones, Mr. Robinson, and his spot-on impressions of James Brown and Stevie Wonder.

The latter was so impressed that he would actually appear on SNL to riff with Murphy.

Eddie also became a favorite on the talk-show circuit, regularly dazzling hosts like Johnny Carson and Dick Cavett with his razor-sharp wit.

How Was 48 Hrs Originally Cast?

When Murphy was in his second season on SNL, Paramount Pictures was putting together a slate of movies, and one of them—48 Hrs—was being positioned as a potential buddy action flick for Clint Eastwood and Richard Pryor.

The movie tells the story of a burned-out, hard-living San Francisco cop named Jack Cates, who is tracking escaped prisoner Albert Ganz, who—along with his partner Billy Bear—kills a couple of cops and escapes with Cates’s service revolver.

His only lead is an incarcerated thief, Reggie Hammond, who participated in a robbery with Ganz and is the only one who knows where their lost loot is. Hammond agrees to help Cates if he springs him from jail, and Cates manages to secure him a 48-hour pass.

Why Didn’t Clint Eastwood Star in 48 Hrs?

The script was developed by Roger Spottiswoode, a former editor of Sam Peckinpah who wanted to direct. He worked on it with his colleague from Hard Times, Walter Hill, with further overhauls by Tracy Keenan Wynn.

By this point, Hill—riding high after the success of The Warriors—was signed to direct.

The studio wanted Clint Eastwood to play Jack Cates and Richard Pryor to play Reggie Hammond (then called Willie Biggs). However, Eastwood didn’t want to play the cop—correctly sensing that the convict was the better role—and tried to have the script rewritten so he could play the crook.

Hill couldn’t make it work, so Eastwood passed, and the role went to Nick Nolte, who had previously scored a solid hit for Paramount with North Dallas Forty.

How Did Eddie Murphy Get Cast in 48 Hrs?

As for Reggie, when Pryor didn’t pan out, Gregory Hines was briefly considered but was unavailable.

Wanting to preserve the Black guy/white guy dynamic—which they rightly knew would be potent—Hill’s girlfriend, agent Hildy Gottlieb, suggested he look at Murphy’s SNL work.

And just like that, a legend was born.

Once Murphy was cast, the script was overhauled by Steven E. de Souza and tailored to his talents, with another writer, Larry Gross, meshing particularly well with Hill as the movie evolved from a straight action thriller into something closer to an action-comedy hybrid.

Why Does 48 Hrs Change When Eddie Murphy Appears?

Watching 48 Hrs now, it’s remarkable how much energy the film gains once Murphy enters the picture.

The first act is tight but grim, with Nolte’s Jack Cates presented as a hard-ass hero in a violent, largely humorless movie.

Once Eddie shows up, the film gets a jolt of electricity, with Murphy’s megawatt charisma on full display from the moment he’s introduced singing along to The Police’s “Roxanne” in his jail cell.

What Is the Most Famous Scene in 48 Hrs?

The dynamic between Murphy and Nolte is compelling, with the two initially despising each other, and Nolte’s Cates even baiting him with racial epithets.

The movie truly hits its stride when Reggie convinces Jack to let him take the lead during their investigation of a cowboy bar.

The entire sequence is a masterclass, as Murphy completely takes over the movie, aggressively confronting the racist cowboys and bossing everyone around. Even Nolte’s Jack starts to come around, clearly impressed by how effortlessly cool Reggie is.

That scene likely planted the seed for the idea of Murphy one day playing a cop.

How Influential Was 48 Hrs on the Buddy-Cop Genre?

Nolte and Murphy have a strong, antagonistic chemistry that proved hugely influential.

The Black guy/white guy buddy-action dynamic became the gold standard for the genre throughout the decade, most famously echoed on Miami Vice and in the Lethal Weapon series, though those films adjusted the formula by making both characters cops instead of a cop and a crook.

Does 48 Hrs Still Hold Up?

Hill’s film still holds up as a tough, well-paced action movie, bolstered by surprisingly effective action sequences and an early score by James Horner.

Rather than functioning as comic relief, Murphy’s Reggie is treated as a full partner in the carnage, making 48 Hrs a legitimate two-hander despite Murphy being virtually unknown at the time.

By the midpoint of production, it was obvious Murphy was a star.

Was Eddie Murphy Almost Replaced?

When studio executives—misreading the film’s vibe—briefly suggested replacing him, both Nolte and Hill flatly refused.

Paramount was lucky they did.

How Successful Was 48 Hrs at the Box Office?

Released on December 8, 1982, 48 Hrs became a juggernaut.

It outgrossed every film it competed against, including Richard Pryor’s The Toy and Paramount’s own Airplane II: The Sequel. It finished as the seventh highest-grossing movie of the year with $78 million and became a massive hit on cable and in the early days of home video.

What Did 48 Hrs Launch for Eddie Murphy?

Its impact was immediate and lasting.

When Nolte was scheduled to host SNL but fell ill and had to bow out, Murphy stepped in—becoming the only cast member in the show’s history to host while still officially part of the ensemble.

Under contract, Murphy remained on SNL for another season and a half before becoming Paramount’s biggest star of the 1980s, launching a historic run that included Trading Places, Beverly Hills Cop I & II, The Golden Child, Coming to America, and the concert films Delirious and Raw.

Why Didn’t Another 48 Hrs. Work?

When Paramount attempted to sequel 48 Hrs in 1990, the magic wasn’t quite there.

Murphy had become a far bigger star than Nolte, and the film was reshaped into more of a Murphy-centric star vehicle. Matters were made worse when Walter Hill was forced to cut nearly an hour from the film at the last minute to emphasize comedy.

While it wasn’t the disaster many remember—it grossed around $80 million—it was expensive, poorly reviewed, and marked the beginning of a fallow period for Murphy.

Still, Murphy has always been the king of comebacks.

Why 48 Hrs Still Matters

48 Hrs was the start of one of the most influential film careers of all time—and a crucial chapter in our shared cinematic history.

The post 48 Hrs Just Might Be The Most Influential Movie of the 80s appeared first on JoBlo.

Chris Carter will forever be synonymous with The X-Files, but while Mulder and Scully were off chasing conspiracies, aliens, and government cover-ups, Carter was also quietly creating something darker: Millennium. The show starred Lance Henriksen as former FBI profiler Frank Black, whose skill at tracking down serial killers brings him to the attention of the “Millennium Group”, who recruit him into their ranks. The grim, apocalyptic crime drama may never have enjoyed the same mainstream visibility as The X-Files, yet it remains one of the most daring and mature series of the 1990s. However, if you don’t already own the DVDs, you may be out of luck, as Millennium isn’t streaming anywhere.

What is Millennium?

Millennium, which starred the always-excellent Lance Henriksen, stripped away the paranormal spectacle of The X-Files and replaced it with pure human evil. The show took cues from some of The X-Files’ most disturbing episodes—particularly Irresistible, with its chilling portrait of death fetishist Donnie Pfaster—and built an entire series around that. The result was something that felt closer to Se7en than network television, pushing moral, psychological, and spiritual boundaries years before prestige TV made that kind of storytelling fashionable.

Black is a man both gifted and burdened with the ability to see the world through the eyes of violent criminals. Consulting for the shadowy Millennium Group, Frank investigates crimes while desperately trying to shield his family from the growing sense of dread surrounding the approach of the year 2000.

The series underwent a significant evolution over its three-season run. The second season leaned more heavily into supernatural and apocalyptic themes, deepening the mythology and revealing the true nature of the Millennium Group itself. The third season shifted course again, with Frank returning to the FBI and finding himself in open conflict with his former employers. Although the show was ultimately cancelled, Frank Black later resurfaced in The X-Files with a crossover episode, but many fans felt it failed to do justice to the series or provide a truly satisfying conclusion.

Why Isn’t Millennium Streaming Anywhere?

The reason behind Millennium’s continued absence from streaming platforms appears to be the same issue that has kept other classic shows from making the jump to the modern era: music rights. Throughout the course of the show, Millennium featured music from Nine Inch Nails, Rob Zombie, The Carpenters, Dean Martin, Bobby Darin, Kiss, Blur, and more.

At PhileFest 2023, Chris Carter explained that the holdup comes down to difficulty in clearing all the songs. “So, especially in season 2, there was a lot of really good music and I believe they are having a hard time securing those music rights,” he said. “And I think the reason is because Disney and Fox are so cheap. But I hold out hope that somehow they’ll make it happen.”

Those original music licenses were negotiated long before anyone could have anticipated on-demand, worldwide digital distribution, meaning new agreements must be reached before the series can legally land on a streaming platform. Shows like WKRP in Cincinnati, The Wonder Years, and Northern Exposure ran into the same problem, but their solution was often to replace any song they couldn’t clear. This may have solved the legal issue, but it infuriated longtime fans and fundamentally altered the shows themselves.

Millennium Is Hard to Find on DVD

All three seasons of Millennium are available on DVD, both separately and in a complete series box set; however, they can be difficult to find at a reasonable price. You can find used copies on Amazon or eBay, but many will cost you well over $100.

For now, Millennium remains a casualty of outdated licensing deals and modern streaming realities. But I can only hope that Frank Black’s story will eventually resurface in its original form. When it does, audiences may finally realize that one of the darkest and most ambitious shows of the 1990s was quietly laying the groundwork for the television we celebrate today.

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