Be the first to own the fully restored ROBOT NINJA directly from a 2K scan of the original 16mm A/B roll cut negative! Long out of print since the original Cinema Home Video release in 1989, this dark tale of a vigilante comic book artist who dons the persona of his most famous character continues to fetch a high price with collectors decades after release. This 3-disc Ultimate Edition is the definitive way to own a lost cult classic from the video store rental era. New perks added every Friday!
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Who are you?
My name is J.R. Bookwalter, and in 2015, Indiegogo members like you helped make possible a 2K restoration for my first feature film,
THE DEAD NEXT DOOR. Now I’m back doing the same for my follow-up effort, the notorious direct-to-video comic book vigilante epic ROBOT NINJA, which celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2019.
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Shot in 1989 on 16mm film, ROBOT NINJA isn't quite what it looks like — in fact, there’s not a single robot or Ninja anywhere in the movie! I chose to adapt this mandated title into the dark, splatter-drenched tale of a comic book artist who dons the persona of his most famous character to battle a gang wreaking havoc upon a small town. This is easily the most gruesome film I ever directed — instead of the late ‘80s martial arts action extravaganza promised by the original cover art, viewers are assaulted by a unique spin on comic books, superheroes, and vigilante justice that goes horribly wrong for the protagonist.
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Despite being out of print since the early '90s, this movie has remained a hot item with collectors over the last three decades. That has a lot to do with its absence during the heyday of the DVD format — outside of the original VHS release from Cinema Home Video, ROBOT NINJA has never been reissued in the USA. By comparison, the movie has been released internationally in Italy, Spain, Argentina, and several other countries including Germany, where it's been available in more VHS and DVD editions than I can count! But never on Blu-ray, until now...
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About the restoration
The film’s executive producer,
David DeCoteau, recently unearthed the original 16mm A/B roll cut negative, which has enabled me to do a proper 2K film scan and begin the restoration process even before launching this campaign. At this point, the film already has an initial color grading pass and work is underway to create new main and end titles to complement a pair of shiny new 1080p HD masters being created — one in 4:3 original aspect ratio, the other cropped to 16:9 widescreen for modern displays.
Here’s a look at several frame grabs comparing the original 1989 VHS release (left) to the new 2018 2K restoration (right); it's fair to say the difference is quite remarkable!
For even more side-by-side comparison frame grabs, be sure to visit our
Facebook page!
Your Indiegogo preorder will help fund the remaining restoration and cleanup work, producing bonus features, as well as authoring, replication, and shipping costs. We're aiming to have the Ultimate Edition in your hands by the end of this year!
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Ultimate Edition breakdown
Like THE DEAD NEXT DOOR campaign three years ago, ROBOT NINJA Ultimate Edition will be a loaded three-disc set with two feature versions and HD extras on Blu-ray, a DVD with the original VHS version of the film, behind-the-scenes footage and additional SD extras, plus the complete original motion picture soundtrack available for the first time on CD.
Here’s a tentative breakdown of what's planned for each disc:
Disc 1 (Blu-ray)
- 2K Restored Feature Presented in 4:3 Original Aspect Ratio 1080p HD
- 2K Restored Feature Presented in 16:9 Widescreen 1080p HD (first time ever!)
- DTS HD-MA All-New 2018 5.1 Surround Remix
- DTS HD-MA Original 1989 2.0 Stereo Mix
- 2018 production commentary (participants TBA)
- Cast & crew interviews
- Still Galleries (including all original artwork by David Lange)
- "The Robot Ninja" 2014 fan film by Johnny Dickie
- Optional English subtitles
- Tempe Digital Trailers
Disc 2 (DVD-9)
- 1989 VHS Release Version in 4:3 Original Aspect Ratio (Standard Definition)
- Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Original Mix
- Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Remix
- Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo German Dubbed Mix
- 2018 Audio Commentary with writer/director J.R. Bookwalter
- Audio Commentary with Doug Tilley and Moe Porne of No-Budget Nightmares Podcast
- Behind-the-Scenes Footage
- 1989 Original VHS Release Trailer
- Optional English subtitles
- Tempe DVD Trailers
Disc 3 (CD)
- First time on CD! Original Motion Picture Soundtrack with complete score by J.R. Bookwalter plus songs by J.R. Bookwalter, Foxx, Argus, and Rodney Shields
Packaging
- Slipcover with vintage artwork by David Lange (first 500 units only)
- Reversible wrap with newly-commissioned artwork by David Lange and original 1989 Cinema Home Video VHS artwork
- Eight-page color booklet with liner notes and behind-the-scenes photos (first 1,000 units only)
- First 1,000 units numbered and autographed by writer/director J.R. Bookwalter
Stay tuned for a few more surprises yet to come!
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What about perks?
The movie already has a few built-in perks, like cameos from
Burt Ward (Robin from the BATMAN '66 TV series) and scream queen
Linnea Quigley (above). But you’ll also have the chance to purchase several collectable perks with your Blu-ray preorder. Here are a few to get started:
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- Comic Book Adaptation: Destined to become a collector's item, this all-new 32-page black-and-white comic book with full-color cover brings the film's vigilante justice into printed form for the first time ever! Available with select perk bundles, not included with the standalone Ultimate Edition Blu-ray.
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- Original Screenplay and Artwork Books: Contributors loved this Indiegogo-exclusive perk for THE DEAD NEXT DOOR, so I’m doing it again for ROBOT NINJA! The Screenplay Book includes a reproduction of all three screenplay drafts plus original treatment and full-color cover with artwork by David Lange. There's also an Original Artwork Book, which includes reproductions of all David Lange artwork featured in the film, plus rare pre-production character designs.
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- Reversible Poster: Show your Robot Ninja pride with this full-color poster featuring the original 1989 VHS artwork (right) on one side and the all-new 2018 artwork by David Lange on the other!
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- Cast & Crew T-Shirt Replica: Available exclusively in the Ultimate Collector's Bundle, this all-new color T-shirt is a replica of the one worn by the cast & crew in 1989, which features Robot Ninja swinging his claws on the front, plus the classic title treatment and credit block on the back. These are sure to go fast!
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- Retro Limited Edition VHS: Released by Phantom Pain Films, this all-new VHS version includes a reversible clamshell sleeve with liner notes by writer/director J.R. Bookwalter, the original 1989 trailer, plus 10 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage.
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- Vimeo Digital HD Add-On: Can’t wait for the Ultimate Edition to arrive? Watch ROBOT NINJA at home or on the go at least one month before the Blu-ray ships with this exclusive Vimeo On Demand digital copy. Stream the movie and bonus features in 1080p HD from all your favorite devices!
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- Tempe Blu-ray and While You Wait Bonus Add-Ons: Pick up a deal on a bunch of other flicks I’ve produced or directed! The first is a bundle of three other Tempe Digital Blu-ray releases: THE DEAD NEXT DOOR 2-Disc Collector’s Edition, PLATOON OF THE DEAD and POISON SWEETHEARTS. I'm also bringing back the While You Wait Bonus Add-On, this time packed with 15 DVDs including ROBOT NINJA (Limited Edition), SKINNED ALIVE, GHOUL SCHOOL, KINGDOM OF THE VAMPIRE Double Feature, BAD MOVIE POLICE: CRIMEWAVE, OZONE, THE SANDMAN, POLYMORPH, BLOODLETTING, WITCHOUSE 3: DEMON FIRE, DEAD & ROTTING, SOMETHING TO SCREAM ABOUT, FOREST PRIMEVAL, REFLECTIONS ON THE LIVING DEAD, and a surprise disc!
Check back for our featured Perk of the Week to be announced every Friday during the campaign!
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FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Q: Will the Ultimate Edition be region locked?
A: Absolutely not! This 3-disc set will be region-free and we’ll be happy to ship preorders anywhere in the world. International shipping rates will automatically be added at checkout.
Q: Can I purchase the Ultimate Edition outside of Indiegogo?
A: Not at this time — we’re offering the first 500 units exclusively through this campaign, which will help defray the restoration, authoring, and replication costs.
Q: How many units of the Ultimate Edition will be produced?
A: We'll be manufacturing 1,000 units for this campaign, all of which will numbered and autographed with an eight-page color booklet; slipcovers are an Indiegogo exclusive limited to the first 500 units.
Q: I don’t care about the extras, can I just buy the Blu-ray disc by itself?
A: Not at this time, but you can always preorder the Vimeo Digital HD version and stream the film before the Ultimate Edition actually ships — you'll even receive the extras as a bonus!
Q: What happens if the funding goal isn't reached?
A: The release of this Ultimate Edition isn't dependent upon the success or failure of this Indiegogo campaign, but some features and/or perks may change if the funding goal is not met.
Q: Can I request to have my item(s) autographed?
A: The first 1,000 units of the Ultimate Edition already ship autographed free of charge by writer/director J.R. Bookwalter on the reverse side of the wrap, which features a reproduction of the classic 1989 Cinema Home Video VHS artwork. If you'd like a customized signature greeting, please send us a message after making your purchase.
Q: What’s a 2K film scan?
A: “2K” refers to the number of pixels being captured by the film scanner — in this case, 2048 x 1556, which is actually higher quality than the traditional 1920 x 1080 most modern television sets are capable of displaying.
Q: Why no 4K (or higher) film scan?
A: Only 35mm and 70mm film offers enough detail to warrant a 4K scan. Scanning 16mm film in 4K might sound cool for marketing purposes, but the additional cost would have amounted to a negligible increase in quality.
Q: What about grain? I'm a purist and hate digital noise reduction.
A: 16mm is less than half the size of 35mm and given the number of nighttime scenes in this movie, you can definitely expect to see film grain! As you can see from the trailer above, we've applied a very light smattering of noise reduction to the 16:9 version so the grain doesn’t overwhelm viewers, but not so much that it no longer looks like it was shot on film. We love the look of 16mm film and are doing everything technologically possible to preserve that. Let us know what you think!
Q: Why are there two different aspect ratios?
A: The 2K film scan delivers enough extra resolution so that we can present the film in a wider 16:9 aspect ratio for the first time, cropping out some of the top and bottom of the picture — that means your entire HDTV will be filled with picture from top to bottom and side-to-side, like the majority of modern movies and TV shows. The downside is, many shots will appear more tightly framed than previous releases. (The trailer above gives a good sense of what to expect.) Since this is radically different from the squared frame afforded by 16mm film, the Blu-ray also includes the 4:3 original aspect ratio (OAR) version, which fills the screen vertically but uses black to fill out the remaining horizontal space (what’s known as “pillarboxing”). It’s really the best of both worlds: Longtime fans can watch the movie the way it was originally shot (and in many cases, see a little more of the frame!), while a new generation of viewers can see a more traditionally “cinematic” presentation.
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About Tempe Digital
Founded in 1991 during the heyday of the VHS format, Tempe Digital has a lengthy history of distributing independent, low-budget features and special interest titles. The company cemented a reputation as “the Criterion of direct-to-video features” in 2003 after branching into DVD with a line of nationally distributed, feature-packed Special Editions.
Tempe’s eclectic catalog of horror and cult fare includes the all-star dramedy “Eddie Presley” (directed by Jeff Burr), Showtime documentary “Something to Scream About” (directed by Jason Paul Collum), and “The Dead Next Door,” a sprawling zombie epic directed by J.R. Bookwalter, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2015.
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Artwork not yet final. Ultimate Edition contents and perks subject to change. Objects in the mirror may be closer than they appear. There are neither robots nor Ninjas in this film.
FOREIGN CUSTOMERS, PLEASE REMEMBER TO ADD INTERNATIONAL
SHIPPING COSTS NOTED ABOVE TO AVOID DELAYS WITH YOUR ORDER!
All other content copyright © 2018 Tempe Entertainment
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ROBOT NINJA Ultimate Edition Blu-ray (Indiegogo)
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