Def-Con 4 (1985) September 15, 2020

[DR Herbert West]

three astronauts, tim choate (the first time, ghost story), kate lynch (meatballs), john walsch (body parts), in a secret spaceship lose all contact with the ground and observe what appears to be a nuclear exchange between the usa and russia, basically a ww iii. Two months later, the spacecraft’s guidance system is mysteriously reprogrammed, forcing the crew’s return to a vastly changed earth. The spacecraft lands considerably off-course, on a beach in eastern nova scotia, canada and they encounter “terminals” – humans crazed by disease. In the middle of the night, howe ventures out in search of help and a way to escape. He soon encounters vinny (maury chaykin - twins, war games, highpoint), a survivalist who has fortified his house with barbed wire and booby-traps. Vinny effectively saves him from the “terminals”, and makes him his prisoner. Eventually, vinny, fellow survivor j.j. (lenore zann - visiting hours, happy birthday to me, american nightmare, murder by phone), and howe are captured, and taken in chains to a makeshift fortress built out of junk. In order to survive, the crew must escape to the radiation-free zones while avoiding the cannibal “terminals” and a sadistic military-school student- turned-despotic ruler. And will any of them be able to escape before a malfunctioning nuclear warhead explodes in sixty hours? Hang on tight, def-con 4 is a sci-fi survival thriller that will leave you breathless.

Special features:
-brand new hd master
-new interview with composer chris young
-newly commissioned art
-limited edition slipcase
-theatrical trailer
-optional english subtitles

[DR Herbert West]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_AdobGziVs

[DaveyJoe]

How is this movie?

[DR Herbert West]

Originally Posted by DaveyJoe

How is this movie?

Enjoyable trash.

[Blu2u]

I would say the cover art is better than the film. As far as post-apocalyptic goes, this one is boring. Has a few good moments, but never really comes together.

[Endymion0000]

How is the movie even named with the complete wrong defense condition number? Shouldn't it be Def-con 1 or even 2 if referring to just before it all goes down.

[Jay H.]

I watched this for the first time a few years ago. I was wide awake, sober, and there were no distractions. I don't remember any of it.

This has been Jay's Half-A**ed Movie Reviews.

[DR Herbert West]

Originally Posted by Jay H.

I watched this for the first time a few years ago. I was wide awake, sober, and there were no distractions. I don't remember any of it.

Yep, that's Def-Con 4.

[Zillamon51]

I blind-bought this on VHS back in the day. Why? Because it had cool cover art, and was CHEAP.

I watched it recently on Tubi as part of my end-of-the-world quarantine marathon. It's not good. It's just okay. I commend Arrow for polishing these old turds, but I *might* only buy this if it was $5 in the Walmart bargain bin.

[Lionel Horsepackage]

Will definitely be picking this one up in September. Surprisingly-thoughtful-at-times take on the '80s nuclear war-formula -- indeed the film gets downright contemplative here and there, and I still have chills from watching this for the first time as a 5th grader over at my cousin's house decades ago. Maury Chaykin frequently steals whatever scene he's in, too. The Arrow BD is Region B-locked, so was pretty excited when I heard this was finally coming out a couple months back.

Almost hard to believe that this film comes from the same writer/director (Paul Donovan) who'd go on to create the much-more comedic TV series Lexx on the Sci-Fi Channel several years later -- they're such COMPLETELY different animals.

[Luke Dodge748]

This is fantastic. I held off on the UK edition. Now I'm all over this one...

[Endymion0000]

Originally Posted by Zillamon51

I commend Arrow for polishing these old turds

This one is Scorpion Releasing though.

[Zarak]

This is a movie I often considered renting in the VHS days but ultimately passed up because I'd read such bad things about it. Maybe its time has finally come for me.

[Zillamon51]

Originally Posted by Endymion0000

This one is Scorpion Releasing though.

OP didn't specify, but posted the Arrow trailer.

[Lionel Horsepackage]

^ Yeah, I think this U.S. release contains all of the U.K. Arrow-supplements, so it stands to reason that it will also feature the Arrow-transfer.

[DR Herbert West]

Originally Posted by Zillamon51

OP didn't specify, but posted the Arrow trailer.

Sorry, it was the best looking trailer.

[Brutimus]

Fun fact: Music from this movie was reused for the American edit of Godzilla 1985. Rights issues concerning the music are why that cut hasn't been officially released since the VHS days

Add me to the list of "watched it but can't recall a single thing about it" list.

[ltb2.0]

Originally Posted by Brutimus

Fun fact: Music from this movie was reused for the American edit of Godzilla 1985. Rights issues concerning the music are why that cut hasn't been officially released since the VHS days

Add me to the list of "watched it but can't recall a single thing about it" list.

I just came to post that. I've not seen this movie, but I hate it simply for that reason.

[redrayz]

Originally Posted by DR Herbert West

Yep, that's Def-Con 4.

Def-Con 5 was sooo much better! Made 4 look like a real P.O.S. !

never seen this but wanna watch as I saw this VHS in the video store growing up in the 80s, always wanted to see it (just because of the poster lol)

[DR Herbert West]

Originally Posted by redrayz

Def-Con 5 was sooo much better! Made 4 look like a real P.O.S. !

I've always preferred Def-Con 2: The Beginning.