Albert Pyun on blu-ray

[WaverBoy]

Just watched DANGEROUSLY CLOSE (1986) for the first time. My capsule review:

Randy (John Stockwell) is the leader of The Sentinels, a group of self-proclaimed guardians of Vista Verde high school, where they rule by weeding out “undesirables”. Their actions come under scrutiny when a fellow student is found murdered, and school newspaper editor Donny (J. Eddie Peck) and Randy’s ex-girlfriend Julie (future Bond girl Carey Lowell) try to find out who’s responsible while the Sentinels’ behavior becomes more aggressive in the criminally underrated and unknown thriller DANGEROUSLY CLOSE (1986), directed by cult film favourite Albert Pyun. One of the best ‘80s teen movies I’ve seen, and I’ve seen plenty. Kinetically directed, atmospherically shot and lit, and very well acted by a great cast; Bradford Bancroft as Donny’s punky pal Krooger is a particular highlight. The bangin’ soundtrack features songs by Depeche Mode, Lords of the New Church, The Smithereens, The Fine Young Cannibals, Lone Justice, TSOL, and Robert Palmer. My highest recommendation. The barebones (except for the trailer) Olive Blu-ray looks and sounds fine, but this worthy film desperately needs a deluxe remastered 4K/Blu-ray combo release with a shitload of extras and a booklet. This is the best Pyun film I’ve seen so far, just excellent.

[Mikezilla3k]

Saw that Max Havoc has a Blu-Ray release in Germany that isn't on the OP:



And yeah, have to agree with you WaverBoy on Dangerously Close being Pyun's best.

[WaverBoy]

Originally Posted by Mikezilla3k

Saw that Max Havoc has a Blu-Ray release in Germany that isn't on the OP:



And yeah, have to agree with you WaverBoy on Dangerously Close being Pyun's best.

I hadn’t heard of Max Havoc. Just checked out the trailer and it looks like a cheesy good time.

[Mikezilla3k]

For those who may be interested, Shout's Cyborg release is going OOP:

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

I just noticed Shout has added many more titles to their Going OOP / While Supplies Last section, including some notable Scream titles. All MGM titles. It's likely some of these have been picked up by other labels.

After Midnight
The Ambulance
American Gothic
Body of Evidence
Colors
Crimewave
Cyborg
Death Wish (2018) 4K
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Gate II
Home For the Holidays
Man of La Mancha
Mr. Mom
Ninja III: The Domination (Kino got the rights and will be releasing all 3 Ninja films on 4K)
The Phantom of the Opera (1989)
Prancer
The Resurrected
Teen Wolf Two
The Town that Dreaded Sundown (1976)
The Vampire Lovers

The Blu-ray releases of Return of the Living Dead and Bill & Ted's Most Excellent Collection are also on the list, though SF likely still have rights to those films with the 4K releases of them.

[WaverBoy]

I snagged the (region B) 88 Films limited edition of Cyborg as the transfer was reportedly better than Shout’s, and it is indeed lovely. More extras too. The standard edition can currently be had for $20 shipped on eBay. I’d definitely recommend it over Shout’s for my fellow region-free folks.

My most wanted Albert films on Blu-ray (or 4K if the gods are so generous):

• Radioactive Dreams (both the theatrical cut and the extended alternate cut that turned up on Japanese laserdisc)
• Down Twisted
• Deceit
• Knights
• Spitfire
• Heatseeker

I just ordered expensive laserdiscs of Radioactive Dreams and Heatseeker, which means 4Ks could happen any day now. I recently picked up Down Twisted and Deceit on VHS, so those will probably happen too. Always happy to take a few for the team.

[DR Herbert West]

Originally Posted by Mikezilla3k

For those who may be interested, Shout's Cyborg release is going OOP:

I feel like we can't be too far from a 4K.

[Mikezilla3k]

Originally Posted by DR Herbert West

I feel like we can't be too far from a 4K.

Hopefully from VS, fingers crossed they can get the Slinger cut too.

[WaverBoy]

Originally Posted by Mikezilla3k

Hopefully from VS, fingers crossed they can get the Slinger cut too.

That would be ideal, although it reportedly only exists as a VHS workprint. I preordered the upcoming Blu-ray of it from the Pyun family label:

Product Details
ALL THE PRE ORDER PEOPLE WILL RECEIVE 3 LOBBY CARDS AND A TRADING CARD

Albert Pyun's director's cut release, exclusively at Yippee Ki-Yay Mother Video. Third Quarter 2025, estimated release date. When you pre-order from us, you help the cause. It also helps us get the movies out to you faster. We are doing everything possible to ensure you get the best release I can deliver. These discs are also all pressed, not burned. Please note all Pre-Orders are to be ordered separately due to shipping costs.

4 VERSIONS OF THE FILM

1. THE NEMESIS CUT

2. 1ST GENERATION WORKPRINT

3. THE DIRECTOR CUT (HD MIXING IN THE WORKPRINT TO CREATE A HYBRID CUT}

4. THE DIRECTOR CUT IN BLACK AND WHITE

SPECIAL FEATURES

"What Albert Pyun Films Mean to Me" A video essay to self-proclaimed Albert Pyun film historian Kenn A. Williams

"A Minute with Cynthia" Cynthia Curnan takes us through the alternate version Albert intended on

more to come.........................

Exclusive slipcase artwork designed by Juan Jose Saldarriaga

https://yippeekiyaymothervideo.com/products/cyborg

[Mikezilla3k]

Originally Posted by WaverBoy

That would be ideal, although it reportedly only exists as a VHS workprint. I preordered the upcoming Blu-ray of it from the Pyun family label:

[Show spoiler]

https://yippeekiyaymothervideo.com/products/cyborg

Oh interesting, wonder if it they found new material to use for it like with Captain America.

[WaverBoy]

Ok, I also just bought an expensive laserdisc of Spitfire, so that’ll probably hit 4K too. You’re welcome, my fellow Pyunizens.

[dylrichard02]

Originally Posted by Mikezilla3k

Saw that Max Havoc has a Blu-Ray release in Germany that isn't on the OP:



And yeah, have to agree with you WaverBoy on Dangerously Close being Pyun's best.

Added! Thank you!

Originally Posted by WaverBoy

Ok, I also just bought an expensive laserdisc of Spitfire, so that’ll probably hit 4K too. You’re welcome, my fellow Pyunizens.

Thank you for your sacrifice, the streaming HD version on VUDU and elsewhere is pretty nice looking as those types of things go, a 4K of the movie would be glorious. I would also love to see Dangerously Close and Down Twisted (which I believe MGM owns, at least it perpetually streams on MGM+) hit 4K at some point considering MGM is still a relatively accessible catalog.

[Mikezilla3k]

Originally Posted by dylrichard02

Added! Thank you!

No problem! Although I do have a question, does the UK/German release for Mean Guns contain an alternate cut from the US release? Thought there was only one cut of the film.

[dylrichard02]

Originally Posted by Mikezilla3k

No problem! Although I do have a question, does the UK/German release for Mean Guns contain an alternate cut from the US release? Thought there was only one cut of the film.

No, I actually just never removed it when the US release was announced. Sorry for the confusion, I am going to remove it from the OP!

[Mikezilla3k]

Originally Posted by dylrichard02

No, I actually just never removed it when the US release was announced. Sorry for the confusion, I am going to remove it from the OP!

Ah no issue there. Don't think the Dollman set has an alternate cut as well.

Could include the Spanish release of Kickboxer 4 though since the German one is OOP and the Japanese release of Ticker since the Denmark release is harder to find than El Dorado itself lol:

[WaverBoy]

Originally Posted by dylrichard02

Would love to have his score for Slinger available in it's full form. Hopefully some day. All of the pieces available for it online are excellent!

https://youtube.com/watch?si=bKsQFwH...ature=youtu.be

That is indeed fantastic, much better than Kevin Bassinson’s serviceable but thoroughly unmemorable score. Can’t wait for the new director’s cut Blu with this score. (I first ran across Kevin B when I watched the butchered cropped rescored version of Police Story (1985) known as Jackie Chan’s Police Force on Cinema Group Home Video VHS. Again, a serviceable but completely forgettable score, vastly inferior to the original.)

[WaverBoy]

Originally Posted by Member-222782

So Radioactive Dreams really is controlled by MGM. There was some speculation that the rights were in dispute/ownership unclear, with some believing the film was under Studiocanal. Then it's a mystery to me why the film has never had a legit home video release beyond VHS (I don't count the German DVD from years ago as it was sourced from a VHS master and probably unauthorized). It's a pretty enjoyable little B flick with some pedigree behind it so I would think it would make a great Collector's Edition Blu-ray at the very least. Hopefully something happens in the near future.

The German DVD reportedly has soundtrack alterations due to song rights issues, so that doesn’t point to an unauthorized release IMO; also, it’s clearly from a different master than the NTSC VHS release; was there a widescreen PAL VHS release?

[WaverBoy]

A few days ago I stumbled across this fascinating, funny, thoroughly unpretentious 2 1/2 hour deep dive into what makes Albert Pyun such an interesting, idiosyncratic, resourceful, ahead-of-the-curve cult filmmaker, and a heartfelt tribute as well, recorded the day after he died. Among the guests is Justin Decloux, the man who wrote the book. A highly recommended listen.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/action-for-everyone/id1776626855?i=1000674733652

[Mikezilla3k]

Originally Posted by WaverBoy

The German DVD reportedly has soundtrack alterations due to song rights issues, so that doesn’t point to an unauthorized release IMO; also, it’s clearly from a different master than the NTSC VHS release; was there a widescreen PAL VHS release?

Not sure though the German DVD was cropped from 2.35:1 to 1.78:1.

[WaverBoy]

Originally Posted by Mikezilla3k

Not sure though the German DVD was cropped from 2.35:1 to 1.78:1.

Indeed it was. It’s also a bit off-center. I have a boot of it. I’m very curious to know how that release came about.

[WaverBoy]

Here’s a great deep dive analysis/appreciation of Mean Guns, courtesy of the good folks of the Throw Down action movie podcast:

https://thetwingeeks.com/2024/04/15/...ean-guns-1997/