Desperate Hours (1990) (MVD Rewind Collection) - July 19, 2022

[hiraeth]

Originally Posted by rip63

The Desperate Hours was originally a stage-play with Paul Newman in the Bogart/Rourke role, if I recall correctly. Would love to have seen it.

It was originally a novel by Joseph Hayes (and a good one, imo) written in 1953 and based on a real life hostage situation took place the year before. He adapted it for stage the following year (starring Newman, and Karl Malden as the dad), then shortly thereafter for the big screen. There's a late-'60s TV adaptation he wasn't involved in, but he is credited as one of three writers for this remake, even if Cimino rewrote and shot his own script (it was retitled Compulsion and changed back during the shoot - long after the other two writers quit).

Rourke brought Cimino on after Friedkin left for The Guardian, though Christopher Cain - coming off of Young Guns and The Principal - was the first (and longest) attached (he went on to direct a TV movie written by Halloween 4's Alan McElroy).

Would like to have seen the original cut - supposedly 140+ minutes long. Last I saw it a decade or so ago (on DVD), I found it a fascinating mess. Looking forward to seeing it again via MVD's release, and hoping for a sooner-than-later solo release of The Pope of Greenwich Village.

[oh_riginal]

I'm probably in the minority on this, but I thought Mimi Rogers was gorgeous in this movie when I first saw it, yet never thought the same of her in any other movie I seen her in. I was pretty young at the time, and I haven't seen it since, so no idea if I would still think the same now.

[zepol]

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

Pretty good film. If I didn't already have the Shout release I would be all over this, but pretty happy with the Shout release which also has the great Pope of Greenwich Village.

The bluray really brings out the great cinematography. Movie though is kina dumb on what the home hostages do in this situation.

[zepol]

Originally Posted by oh_riginal

I'm probably in the minority on this, but I thought Mimi Rogers was gorgeous in this movie when I first saw it, yet never thought the same of her in any other movie I seen her in. I was pretty young at the time, and I haven't seen it since, so no idea if I would still think the same now.

She looks & acts sexier in the small role she has in THE DOORS. Plus, in THE RAPTURE she plays a sex swinger and in that she is hot.

[zepol]

Originally Posted by Chumpster99

Just got this in today. Same transfer as the previous disc (Which is to say it looks pretty good, without glaring DNR/EE issues etc, though it could almost certainly look better with a new scan.) and it seems to have a stereo track like the Shout BD even though it isn't listed on the packaging, rather than having only the 5.1 option. The theatrical trailer on the MVD disc is also upgraded to be in the proper aspect ratio + presented in proper HD, so that's another plus.

Only issue is the subtitles. They're completely borked somehow with weird errors, like I'll coming out as L'll or the O in OK being replaced with the number zero and coming out as 0K.

If subtitles are important to you, this release may be problematic. Otherwise recommended, on par if not slightly better than the Shout disc.

I had to really set the volume very high. The video looks very good.