Ultimate Dolph

Tom wrote:It amazes me that companies still release full screen editions.
I do love that Arctic Armageddon title, although it sounds more like a Tara Reid Syfy Channel disaster movie than anything else.

It's just a hartbox re-release of the older German disc. I think the title and artwork are dreadful tbh and reminds me (like you said) of Asylum/SyFy movies.

Yeah, I posted it because it amazes me how in Germany RETROGRADE has so many releases under so many different titles.

And yes Tom, even though this must be 10 years-old or so, 4/3 full screen editions were unbelievably "has been" even back then...!

Hey Jox did u get the chance to watch the director's cut or workprint version of Retrograde ? I know it was posted in workprintvault site but couldn't find it anyone and the guy from the site don't trade with money just exchanges with other rare cuts of another movies. Was it more superior than the released version ?

I've seen Christopher Kulikowski's underground director's cut which he put on a DVD for friends and acquaintances. The difference isn't shocking but I felt it's slightly better (and looking more like a film since the color grading is a bit darker and "moodier")... Haven't seen it in 14 years though, I should play both cuts back to back one day.

But the production was so messy and cheap that he was never satisfied with what was shot in the first place so there's only so much he could do with it.

Okay, super-low budget.
But it's a charming and fun sci-fi/action b-movie.
I liked the time travel aspect of it, Dolph looks stunning and the starship was definitely cool.
Lots of realistic, low-key fights which add to the overall charm.

I just did not like the ending, because Dolph coming back to his "unaltered" future would not make sense? Was that an altered future instead? I can see a wife and a son.

By the way, is the German (uncut) blu-ray any good in terms of picture quality? Hopefully so.

They aired the movie on a good channel, here in Italy. Yesterday.

UniSol GR77 wrote:By the way, is the German (uncut) blu-ray any good in terms of picture quality? Hopefully so.

Nah, unfortunately the German blu ray is awful in terms of HD standard. I would picture it as something slightly above a basic dvd upscale in term of quality... But the German blu ray is maybe the best edition available if you compare it to the various dvd releases though... (someone correct me if I am wrong).

I guess it depends of your equipment as well, I got one of the last remaining OPPO BR players last year, and the standard DVDs usually look great while upscaled by this one (but I haven't checked with my RETROGRADE DVD editions).

Good call ! (is there a lot of RETROGRADE's dvd edition with the correct aspect ratio ? I can't recall it...)
It never crosses my mind before, but I should try to play the German BR into my 4K player to see if there is some minor enhancement to this poor HD/dvd upscale transfer. Last time, I tried it was on 1080P blu ray player.

lhz wrote:Good call ! (is there a lot of RETROGRADE's dvd edition with the correct aspect ratio ? I can't recall it...)

There were a few in 1.78:1: Japanese, French, and I believe the later US release (which I don't have)...

Filming 20 years ago in Italy and Luxembourg

Market flyer from 2005, when a new company (American Cinema Intl.) was selling the film after Franchise Pictures went under, and they changed he title to "THE IDENTITY"...