Just Before Dawn (1981) 4K UHD

[sonicyogurt]

Synapse announced at Flashback Weekend in Chicago today that Street Trash and Just Before Dawn are getting the 4K treatment. No release dates, specs, or official social media post as-yet, but they did 'like' a tweet sharing the news.

[Brian81]

Nice, glad I didn't get around to the BD.

[PowellPressburger]

Good to know, I was going to rewatch the BLU since it’s a great summer vacation slasher.

Sounds like I have a 4K to look forward to spinning Summer 2023 (if it is released before or at that time)

[AKORIS]

Originally Posted by PowellPressburger

Good to know, I was going to rewatch the BLU since it’s a great summer vacation slasher.

Sounds like I have a 4K to look forward to spinning Summer 2023 (if it is released before or at that time)

it's Synapse... maybe winter of 2024 if you're lucky!

[RandomMovieFan]

I cant wait Just before dawn is my favorite 80s slasher and i hope they restore the extended cut.

[Marv Inc.]

Synapse so expect them in 2028.

[Braktastic]

For a hot minute I thought Code Red was releasing a 4K and couldn't wait to see who did a worse job with their initial effort between them and VCI.

[DaylightsEnd]

Synapse!!!!!! Oh Hells Yes!!! My brain just melted.

This is a top-ten slasher 4k wish-list title for me. Why? The film has a deliberately hazy, gauzy look, and much like The House By The Cemetery, the 4k platform should yield several big improvements well beyond a simple resolution uptick. I don't care WHEN we get it, just so long as we do, and it's definitive. I've already waited since 2016 for this. I can go another few years, if necessary This just made my entire month. I really didn't think it was going to happen.

[Christian Muth]

AFAIK, the Code Red/Scorpion Blu-rays were transferred from an InterNegative, so 3rd generation from the negative. A 4K original negative scan should be a revelation!

Chris

[Marv Inc.]

This will be the first time the OCN has been accessed for a home release so be interesting to see how good it will look.

[Matt89]

Really glad to see this is finally getting a proper restoration, it's one of the best backwoods slashers.

Wasn't there some kind of falling out between Scorpion/Code Red and Jeff Lieberman? They cut all his interview footage out of the "Lions, Tigers & Inbred Twins" doc if I remember correctly (which was originally made for the Shriek Show DVD - and only included a cut version of Just Before Dawn). Anyway, what a mess. Really good news that it's in another label's hands. It might take a while, but I'm confident Synapse will do a great job.

Speaking of Scorpion though, wouldn't hate a UHD of Savage Streets. Would love for that to go to someone like Synapse or Arrow.

~Matt

[Damonstein]

Originally Posted by Matt89

Really glad to see this is finally getting a proper restoration, it's one of the best backwoods slashers.

Wasn't there some kind of falling out between Scorpion/Code Red and Jeff Lieberman? They cut all his interview footage out of the "Lions, Tigers & Inbred Twins" doc if I remember correctly (which was originally made for the Shriek Show DVD - and only included a cut version of Just Before Dawn). Anyway, what a mess. Really good news that it's in another label's hands. It might take a while, but I'm confident Synapse will do a great job.

Speaking of Scorpion though, wouldn't hate a UHD of Savage Streets. Would love for that to go to someone like Synapse or Arrow.

~Matt

It sounded like maybe code red paid the producer to license and not liberman. Might have been a tricky ownership situation.

[LawnFurniture]

One of the best slashers ever made. This is a title is in a desperate need for a proper restoration because that Code Red release was pretty mediocre.

[DaylightsEnd]

Whenever I think about Just Before Dawn desperately needing a new 4k scan from the OCN, I simultaneously think of The Prowler, which is similarly in need of a new scan. And then I get sad that the OCN of The Final Terror is unaccounted for......another personal favorite woods slasher of mine. I've double-featured Just Before Dawn with either The Final Terror or The Prey more times than I can count.

[Marv Inc.]

Originally Posted by Matt89

Really glad to see this is finally getting a proper restoration, it's one of the best backwoods slashers.

Wasn't there some kind of falling out between Scorpion/Code Red and Jeff Lieberman? They cut all his interview footage out of the "Lions, Tigers & Inbred Twins" doc if I remember correctly (which was originally made for the Shriek Show DVD - and only included a cut version of Just Before Dawn). Anyway, what a mess. Really good news that it's in another label's hands. It might take a while, but I'm confident Synapse will do a great job.

Speaking of Scorpion though, wouldn't hate a UHD of Savage Streets. Would love for that to go to someone like Synapse or Arrow.

~Matt

I think Jeff said he now owns the film while Scropion/Code Red say the licensor they acquired it from owns it. To which I think Jeff request they remove him from the extras.

[LawnFurniture]

Originally Posted by DaylightsEnd

Whenever I think about Just Before Dawn desperately needing a new 4k scan from the OCN, I simultaneously think of The Prowler, which is similarly in need of a new scan. And then I get sad that the OCN of The Final Terror is unaccounted for......another personal favorite woods slasher of mine. I've double-featured Just Before Dawn with either The Final Terror or The Prey more times than I can count.

The Final Terror is such an under-appreciated gem. Very unfortunate the OCN is missing.

[DaylightsEnd]

Originally Posted by LawnFurniture

The Final Terror is such an under-appreciated gem. Very unfortunate the OCN is missing.

The Final Terror (1983), Shock Waves (1977), The Hills Have Eyes (1977), and The Last House on the Left (1972) are some of the most tragic OCN misadventures in the horror genre.

[Christian Muth]

Originally Posted by DaylightsEnd

The Final Terror (1983), Shock Waves (1977), The Hills Have Eyes (1977), and The Last House on the Left (1972) are some of the most tragic OCN misadventures in the horror genre.

Romero's MARTIN, too. There are also questions about the location of DAY OF THE DEAD's negative, apparently.

Chris

[Matt89]

I had wanted to check out The Final Terror for years after first reading about it on The Terror Trap, but the VHS was way out of print at the time and the only DVDs that existed were culled from that same VHS source.

When Shout put out their blu-ray, I finally got to see it all the way through I thought it was quite good, actually. For a slasher film, anyway. It's a shame there isn't a better source available, Shout really did what they could with the various elements they were able to pull together. There's some really good nature photography in the film that thankfully doesn't go as far as The Prey where it almost becomes a National Geographic special. But the visuals are quite nice. Joe Pantoliano plays his usual over the top personality and an early turn from Darryl Hannah is pretty cool to see as well. The scene where

[Show spoiler]they have to stitch her throat together after she gets slashed

always makes me squirm. It's also sorta funny to see Adrian Zmed from Grease 2 make an appearance in it too (he can even carry a tune here as well lol). It's a pretty effective little backwoods slasher and yeah I'd agree, it would make for a great double feature with Just Before Dawn.

~Matt

[DaylightsEnd]

Originally Posted by Christian Muth

Romero's MARTIN, too. There are also questions about the location of DAY OF THE DEAD's negative, apparently.

Chris

Oh NO, say it ain't so. Ouch. I always feel this way about ANY lost negative, but that film has some rabid fans that prefer it over Night and Dawn. Sounds like a disaster in the works. I'm more of a Dawn guy, but now I'm more thrilled than ever that I have a couple copies of the Australian blu of Day with the corrected audio.