Jack's Back (1988)

[DaveyJoe]

Something weird going on with James Spader's eyes on that cover.

[slimdude]

I remember Jack's Back, it's a pretty good movie. As a matter of fact, I still have it on VHS. Jack's Back was never released on DVD in the U.S, only in the UK. So this upcoming blu-ray released from Shout Factory is a treat, for those who're familiar with the movie.

[JackForrester]

Originally Posted by slimdude

Jack's Back was never released on DVD in the U.S, only in the UK. So this upcoming blu-ray released from Shout Factory is a treat, for those who're familiar with the movie.

Australia and Brazil also got DVD releases, probably the same disc from the UK. The image's horrible tho. Can't wait to see it in HD.

[JackForrester]

Anyone knows if JACK'S BACK got a theatrical release back in 1988, or was it straight to video?

[Buscemi]

Originally Posted by JackForrester

Anyone knows if JACK'S BACK got a theatrical release back in 1988, or was it straight to video?

It did play theatrically (playing in about 100 or so theatres at its widest). And the cover is actually based on the US poster.

[JimSmith]

Originally Posted by Buscemi

It did play theatrically (playing in about 100 or so theatres at its widest). And the cover is actually based on the US poster.

Only 100? Such a pity for a great film!

[Buscemi]

Originally Posted by JimSmith

Only 100? Such a pity for a great film!

The distributor (Palisades) was one of the last distributors to regionally platform its movies (this was done by smaller distributors for cost mainly but also to see how certain movies performed in one market and how to improve them for the next). By the time they entered distribution in 1987, this was a dying strategy and none of their movies were particularly successful (though a few, such as this one, performed better on video) as they had to face movies that would hit 1,000 theatres the same weekend.

However, what killed Palisades was not weak box office but in fact an unproduced project called Fantan. This was to have starred Marlon Brando (based on a script he co-wrote with Donald Cammell) and it was going to the company's entry into the big time. However, Brando pulled out just days before production was to begin and the studio sued for breach of contract. In turn, Brando countersued and Palisades fired for bankruptcy shortly after. Brando and Palisades I believe ended up settling the suits.

The final Palisades production, a war drama called Souvenir, bypassed theatres and premiered on Showtime.

List of Palisades productions:
Zombie High (1987)
White of the Eye (1987)
Brain Damage (1988)
Jack's Back (1988)
Never on Tuesday (1989)
A Chorus of Disapproval (1989)
Souvenir (1989)

Four of these were released theatrically by Palisades while A Chorus of Disapproval was released by South Gate Entertainment (ITV now owns the rights though IMDb still lists Screen Media having some rights), Never on Tuesday went straight-to-video (after a few festival screenings) and Souvenir's fate was mentioned above.

[DenOfEarth]

I saw this in theaters as a kid and thought it was creepy, finally on BD at last. Time to destroy my old bootleg DVD.

[JimSmith]

Originally Posted by nuhuelins

Never heard of this, but it sounds interesting.

It is trust me!

[DenOfEarth]

Who here is gonna destroy their bootleg DVDs and getting this baby on BD?

[Jay Mammoth]

Originally Posted by DaveyJoe

Something weird going on with James Spader's eyes on that cover.

He had a case of Forrest Whitaker eye while making this movie.