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Scream Factory has recently come through with a dose of post-apocalyptic madness on Blu-ray as they have released MAD MAX, ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK and CLASS OF 1984. Brad and Sean assess the claims by HD elitists of botched transfers on Scream Factory titles and whether or not you should double dip.
The Flicks:
Mad Max (1979)
Directors: George Miller
Written By: George Miller, James McCausland
Starring: Mel Gibson, Joanne Samuel, Hugh Keays-Byrne
“A riveting classic.” – The New York Times
Setting Mel Gibson on a sure path to superstardom, this highly acclaimed “crazy collide-o-scope” (Newsweek) of highway mayhem “cinematically defined the postapocalyptic landscape” (TV Guide). Featuring eye-popping stunts that are “electrifying and very convincing” (Variety) and “an authentically nihilistic spirit” (The Village Voice), this unforgettable actioner from director George Miller (The Road Warrior, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome and Mad Max: Fury Road) is “pure cinematic poetry” (Time).
In the ravaged near-future, a savage motorcycle gang rules the road. Terrorizing innocent civilians while tearing up the streets, the ruthless gang laughs in the face of a police force hell-bent on stopping them. But they underestimate one officer: Max (Gibson). And when the bikers brutalize Max’s best friend and family, they send him into a mad frenzy that leaves him with only one thing left in the world to live for – revenge! Also starring Joanne Samuel, Hugh Keays-Byrne (Mad Max: Fury Road) and Steve Bisley (The Great Gatsby, Red Hill), this rugged racecar of a film runs on “comic book volatility… exhilarating rowdiness and visual intensity” (The New York Times)!
Directors: John Carpenter
Written By: John Carpenter, Nick Castle
Starring: Kurt Russell, Lee Van Cleef, Ernest Borgnine
“DARK AND DANGEROUS” – Newsweek
A thrilling landmark film that jolts along at a breakneck pace, Escape From New York leapt to cult status with high-octane action, edge-of-your-seat suspense and the mind-blowing vision of lone warrior Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell) battling his way out of a post-apocalyptic Manhattan!
In a world ravaged by crime, the entire island of Manhattan has been converted into a walled prison where brutal prisoners roam. But when the US president (Donald Pleasence) crash-lands inside, only one man can bring him back: notorious outlaw and former Special Forces war hero Snake Plissken (Russell). But time is short. In 24 hours, an explosive device implanted in his neck will end Snake’s mission – and his life – unless he succeeds!
Class Of 1984 (1982)
Directors: John Carpenter
Written By: John Carpenter, Nick Castle
Starring: Kurt Russell, Lee Van Cleef, Ernest Borgnine
The teachers at Lincoln High have a very dangerous problem… their students!
Andrew Norris (Perry King, Lipstick, Mandingo), an idealistic and naive music teacher, has moved into a new community with his pregnant wife, Diane (Merrie Lynn Ross, General Hospital), only to find his new job is an academic abyss. Appalled by the crime-infested school, Norris soon crosses paths with its teenage kingpin, the shrewd and sadistic Peter Stegman (Timothy Van Patten, Catacombs, Zone Troopers). With Norris setting his sights on reforming Stegman and the young punk declaring war on his teacher, the duo is on a collision course for a fateful showdown.
Directed and co-written by Mark L. Lester (Class of 1999, Commando, Firestarter), Class of 1984 is one of the seminal cult movies of the early 1980s. While its vision of a decaying, violence-plagued inner city school seemed over the top in 1982, it sadly prophesied the future of American education. With an original story and screenplay co-written by genre veteran Tom Holland (Fright Night, Child’s Play, Psycho II, The Beast Within), the film is also notable for its great cast, which includes Lisa Langlois (Deadly Eyes, The Nest), Roddy McDowall, Stefan Arngrim (Fear No Evil) and Michael J. Fox in an early role.
Other Films Discussed:
Macabro, Schock (Beyond The Door 2), Manhattan Baby, The Fifth Cord, The Drownsman, Caligula, Warlock, Dead Snow 2, The Dead Lands
