Hostage (1983)

[McCrutchy]

Umbrella Entertainment will release Frank Shields' Hostage (1983) as part of its Ozploitation Classics line on 6 May 2020.

The horrific true tale of Christine Lewis (Kerry Mack, The Lancaster Miller Affair), a naive 16-year-old who in 1974 Australia, meets a handsome German immigrant called Walter Maresch (Ralph Schicha, Nesthocker) working as a carny, and they quickly fall in love. However, his secret sadistic side quickly begins to reveal itself and he manages to strong-arm her into marriage. Things get progressively worse even after they have a baby, but her nightmare truly begins when he reveals to her that he is actually a fanatical member of the banned Nazi Party and forces her to move with him to West Germany, where the neo-Nazi group he belongs to operates. As his abusive behaviour worsens and his neo-Nazi activities turn violent, she's forced to choose between her life - and his.

Special Features:

• Anatomy of an Action Scene Narrated by Frank Shields
• Locations for Hostage Narrated by Frank Shields
• Behind the Scenes
• Image Gallery
• Theatrical Trailer
• Australian Home Video Trailer

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

[Davidian]

Isn’t that Savage Attraction?

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by Davidian

Isn’t that Savage Attraction?

That seems to be the US title, yes:

https://vhscollector.com/movie/savage-attraction

[Davidian]

Reverse cover:

[PT Ryan]

Very much looking forward to this. I remember seeing a story on Christine Maresch on a current affairs show in the mid-nineties.

[Clak]

Originally Posted by Davidian

Isn’t that Savage Attraction?

This is a whole 2 minutes longer than the CODE RED release.
https://www.monsterfest.com.au/hostage-he/

[Davidian]

Special Features:

• Theatrical Trailer (720p, 01:41)
• Australian Home Video Trailer (720p [upscaled video], 00:59)
• Behind the Scenes (720p [upscaled video], 07:34)
• Anatomy of an Action Scene Narrated by Frank Shields (720p, 03:43)
• Locations for Hostage Narrated by Frank Shields (720p, 09:25)
• Image Gallery

BDinfo:

Disc Label: BD_DAVID4140_Hostage
Disc Size: 30,255,184,052 bytes
Protection: AACS
Playlist: 00004.MPLS
Size: 25,648,478,208 bytes
Length: 1:32:38.094
Total Bitrate: 36.92 Mbps
Video: MPEG-4 AVC Video / 33068 kbps / 1080p / 23.976 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1
Audio: English / DTS-HD Master Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /  1989 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz /  1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Subtitle: English / 15.539 kbps

Code Red:

Disc Label: SAVAGE_ATTRACTION
Disc Size: 23,658,529,068 bytes
Protection: AACS
Playlist: 00003.MPLS
Size: 21,804,767,232 bytes
Length: 1:30:19.205
Total Bitrate: 32.19 Mbps
Video: MPEG-4 AVC Video / 28961 kbps / 1080p / 23.976 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1
Audio: English / DTS-HD Master Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /  1584 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz /  1509 kbps / 24-bit)

[TrentW1982]

Will be picking this up for sure! Checked if my local JB had it today but it hasn't come in stock yet there.

[PT Ryan]

Originally Posted by TrentW1982

Will be picking this up for sure! Checked if my local JB had it today but it hasn't come in stock yet there.

It's a tick under $20 on Amazon Au right now.

[Katatonia]

Originally Posted by Davidian

Special Features:

• Theatrical Trailer (720p, 01:41)
• Australian Home Video Trailer (720p [upscaled video], 00:59)
• Behind the Scenes (720p [upscaled video], 07:34)
• Anatomy of an Action Scene Narrated by Frank Shields (720p, 03:43)
• Locations for Hostage Narrated by Frank Shields (720p, 09:25)
• Image Gallery

BDinfo:

Disc Label: BD_DAVID4140_Hostage
Disc Size: 30,255,184,052 bytes
Protection: AACS
Playlist: 00004.MPLS
Size: 25,648,478,208 bytes
Length: 1:32:38.094
Total Bitrate: 36.92 Mbps
Video: MPEG-4 AVC Video / 33068 kbps / 1080p / 23.976 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1
Audio: English / DTS-HD Master Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /  1989 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz /  1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Subtitle: English / 15.539 kbps

Code Red:

Disc Label: SAVAGE_ATTRACTION
Disc Size: 23,658,529,068 bytes
Protection: AACS
Playlist: 00003.MPLS
Size: 21,804,767,232 bytes
Length: 1:30:19.205
Total Bitrate: 32.19 Mbps
Video: MPEG-4 AVC Video / 28961 kbps / 1080p / 23.976 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1
Audio: English / DTS-HD Master Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /  1584 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz /  1509 kbps / 24-bit)

Yeah, it's interesting that the Umbrella release is a good 2+ minutes longer than the Code Red release. No blank filler at the opening/end of the film on the new release, so I'm wondering what exactly is different between the two cuts.

[Caustic]

It can't be much I remembered seeing it back in the day and for all the sizzle of the cover art, its basically a domestic violence drama

[Savage_Blu]

Any reason to get the Umbrella disc over the Code Red quality wise?

[The Mole]

Originally Posted by Savage_Blu

Any reason to get the Umbrella disc over the Code Red quality wise?

I don't know if it is the same basic master or not, but the Australian disc contains the full uncut version whereas the US is cut.

[agentalbert]

Originally Posted by Savage_Blu

Any reason to get the Umbrella disc over the Code Red quality wise?

Originally Posted by The Mole

I don't know if it is the same basic master or not, but the Australian disc contains the full uncut version whereas the US is cut.

Do you know WHAT is cut?

[Savage_Blu]

Originally Posted by agentalbert

Do you know WHAT is cut?

To update my post that you quoted, I ended up purchasing the Code Red version...no idea if there are any differences in the master or runtime.
Pretty solid thriller that has that 'made for tv' feel.
Free to watch on Tubi if you want to check it out.

[agentalbert]

Originally Posted by Savage_Blu

To update my post that you quoted, I ended up purchasing the Code Red version...no idea if there are any differences in the master or runtime.
Pretty solid thriller that has that 'made for tv' feel.
Free to watch on Tubi if you want to check it out.

Good idea, I'll do that. They have the 92 minute version under the "Hostage" title.

[agentalbert]

Finally got around to watching this on Tubi (the 92 minute cut, under the title "Hostage") - if it didn't say this was based on true events and have the info at the end with pictures of the real people, I wouldn't believe any of it, as it just seems so ludicrous. Really does have that "made for tv/lifetime movie" feel, other than the 3-4 instances of nudity thrown in. The main girl (Kerry Mack) was cute, so I appreciated that. But I'm not too worried I missed the Code Red release now. Not sure I'd really want to watch this whole thing again.

A release that had a documentary on the real events would be interesting.