RED SCORPION (Joseph Zito, 1988)

[Jox]

http://10kbullets.com/reviews/r/red-sco ... dvd-combo/

The BluRay:
Red Scorpion comes on a 50 GB dual layer BluRay. The film is presented in a 1080 progressive anamorphic widescreen. This is another strong transfer that does a superb job retaining the intended look of the film. There are no problems with compression or edge enhancement and grain looks natural throughout.

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English and a DTS-HD Stereo mix in English. Both audio options sound great, as dialog is always clear, everything sounds balanced and robust when it needs too. Also included with this release are removable English SDH.

Extras for this release include T.V. spots for the film (3 minutes 8 seconds – 4:3 full frame), a trailer for the film (1 minute 55 seconds – anamorphic widescreen), a image gallery with music from the film playing in the background, original on set behind the scenes footage from Tom Savini (9 minutes 11 seconds – 4:3 full frame), three interviews, the first one with actor Dolph Lundgren (24 minutes 54 seconds – anamorphic widescreen), the second interview with producer Jack Abramoff (13 minutes 26 seconds – anamorphic widescreen) and the third interview with special effects make-up creator Tom Savini (10 minutes 5 seconds – anamorphic widescreen) and a audio commentary with director Joseph Zito and moderator Nathaniel Thompson. Though the interview with Dolph Lundgren primarily focuses on Red Scorpion. This interview also covers all of the films that he made leading up to Red Scorpion. In all this is a well rounded retrospective of the early part of his career. The interview with producer Jack Abramoff discusses how he got involved in this project, the political tone of Red Scorpion and he also reminisces about the cast & crew. The interview with Tom Savini is a detailed look into this films special effects. Topics discussed in the audio commentary include, the difficulties of shooting on location in Africa, the cast and various other production related topics. Also included with this release is a reversible cover art and a collectable booklet with liner notes about the film. Overall Red Scorpion gets a first rate release from Synapse Films.

Note: Also included with this combo release is a DVD copy that has all the contents that are included on the BluRay counterpart.

[Mosquito]

OMG I've received my BR today but I have to wait until Monday when my new screen arrives. Red Scorpion will be the first film to be projected on that screen. YAY! But I can already tell you what my thoughts about that BR release will be when I'll start to watch:

[Coligion]

Interesting screenshot comparison here:

http://www.caps-a-holic.com/hd_vergleic ... #vergleich

I just checked my copy, and it is indeed there. I have yet to watch the Synapse version all the way through, but I hope this is an isolated anomaly; In motion, you really don't notice it, though.

Not at all trying to knock the release by this, but thought it was worth mentioning.

[Jox]

http://wickedchannel.com/2012/07/movie- ... -scorpion/

Synapse Films do blu ray right. This 1988 classic has never looked so good. I know a lot of people do not want to make the jump to blu ray, and I for one do not blame most people. But, if you had any thoughts about jumping to blu ray, Synapse gives you so many reasons why it is such a great jump.

http://beyondthemarquee.com/9767/

This 2k transfer is the best this film has ever looked. Certain scenes are grainer than usual, but nothing too bad. The picture’s been cleaned up pretty well and the film looks like it could’ve been shot 5 years ago, rather than 25. The audio is in both 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, providing a clean mix that makes good use of surround sound and the original 2.0 mix, also in DTS-HD Master Audio. Both are great, but the 2.0 has that true “downtown cinema” feel. Others may appreciate the open feeling of the 5.1 track which gives the film a modern and more spacious feel. You really can’t go wrong with either.

Bonus features are found in abundance, but I found the shining star to be the featurette Scorpion Tales, a super cool interview with Tom Savini which shows how he did some of the amazing makeup effects for the film. Savini also provides some Behind the Scenes VHS video footage – a nice little addition. Hath No Fury is a sit down with Dolph Lundgren where he discusses his early career, from bodyguard to Grace Jones, to James Bond background actor, to playing Ivan Drago and ultimately headlining his own movies. Everyone knows Dolph is extremely intelligent (he holds a masters degree in Chemical Engineering), but this interview also shows how humble, grounded and professional the man is. Producer Jack Abramoff discusses many of the film’s hurdles in Assignment: Africa. It’s informative, but listening to Mr. Abramoff is like listening to my old high school math teacher. Other extras include a still photo gallery, liner notes on the making of the film by Lundgren scholar Jeremie Damoiseau and reversible cover art. I love my movie trailers and Synapse has never let me down in this department. They give us the theatrical trailer (“His one mistake was a death sentence. Their one mistake was not finishing the job.”) and a slew of television spots (“Some men go to war… Dolph’s just going to work.”) to enjoy. Finally, a commentary track with director Joseph Zito and Mondo Digital’s Nathaniel Thompson is provided and it’s really a great listen. I’m a fan of this type of commentary (Synapse tends to do these often), where the director is free to talk about the film, but when things slow down the scholar sort-of interviews him to keep the flow. It usually results in a very candid discussion rich with information and anecdotes that the director alone, especially after 20+ years, most likely wouldn’t be able to self-muster.


DOWNTOWN CINEMA'S REVIEW RATING FOR RED SCORPION
Red Scorpion gets a solid 4 out of 5 reels. I really miss the old days of Communist villains and the one man killing machine. They really don’t make them like this anymore and the straight to DVD actioners with CG explosions simply don’t cut the mustard. This film represents a bygone era as much as Dolph represents a bygone genre. I’d love to see The Expendables 2 bring these movies back to theaters, but whether that’ll happen is anybody’s guess. In the meantime, just sit back and let Professor Lundgren teach you how to take out an Army, one man at a time. No math skills required… unless you’re keeping a body count, Doc.

[Jox]

http://mcbastardsmausoleum.blogspot.fr/ ... r-red.html

Video: Synapse Films Blu-ray/DVD combo sports a brand-new 2K high-definition transfer of the uncensored version, containing footage never before seen in the U.S. I've seen the Arrow Video Blu-ray and it's pretty great but this is just on another level - when it comes to 1080p transfers Synapse are definitely on a Criterion level of perfection, few can touch 'em and Red Scorpion benefits greatly from there tender love and restoration affections.


The English DTS-HD 5.1 surround sound mix is stunning, there's no shortage of explosions, gunfire and sounds of the battle field here and the surrounds get a nice workout, the low-end rumble was really rattling the walls. Also included us the DTS-HD MA 2.0 stereo track for the purists but trust me the 5.1 is the way to go here, it's a great presentation.


Special features are plentiful beginning with the Hell Hath No Fury featurette, an interview with Lundgren whom talks about his beginnings as a engineering student, working security detail for 80's icon Grace Jones which lead to a romance and then landing a bit part in the 007 film A View to a Kill through that connection which eventually brought him worldwide acclaim with Rocky IV then into the Masters of the Universe film. When speaking of Red Scorpion Lundgren talks of producer turned politician Jack Abrahamoff and director Joseph Zito, the troubled production in South Africa and his stunt work which is just crazy by today's standards, dodging errant explosion, jumping from a motorcycle to a moving truck and being bit by a hyena and stung scorpions. It's a great interview and a treat for fans of the film.


We also get a dry but informative interview with lobbyist cum producer Jack Abrahamoff and another with master special effects maestro Tom Savini who worked on the film and speaks about the insane pace of the shooting, working with Lundgren and his effects work on the film. Savini also has a few interesting tales to tell of getting caught in a flood with his wife and then infant daughter and being rescued by rebel soldiers, there's also some really cool behind-the-scenes video footage he shot included too, great stuff.


There's also a super-informative audio commentary with director Joseph Zito moderated by Mondo Digital's Nathaniel Thompson. Pretty much anything you could ever want to know about the film is discussed, it's an entertaining commentary and well-worth a listen. On top of that we get a still gallery of one-sheets, production stills, and behind-the-scenes pic, theatrical trailer and a collection of TV spots.

Verdict: Synapse's Blu-ray of Red Scorpion is a muscular, sweaty and blood soaked 80's actioner that looks fantastic in 1080p. The gorgeous 2K transfer, sweet DTS-HD 5.1 surround mix and impressive array of extras make this an easy recommend.
Red Scorpion definitely kicks some major ass on Blu-ray. 3.5 outta 5

[Jox]

Here's a podcast interview of Don May Jr, president of Synapse Films who made and released the RED SCORPION Blu-Ray
http://cinemascore.podomatic.com/entry/ ... 2_14-07_00

http://cinemascore.podomatic.com/enclos ... -07_00.mp3

[Jox]

http://www.horrortalk.com/reviews/2493- ... eview.html

Video and Audio:

Another quality release from Synapse Films as there is little doubt Red Scorpion has ever looked better. While this is not exactly a reference-quality disc, the colors and fine detail produce the desired effect and pop from the screen. The original 1.85:1 aspect ratio is faithfully presented with solid blacks and a natural amount of film grain.

In a nice attempt to satisfy new audiences and purists alike, the audio options include both the original stereo mix as well as a fully re-mastered 5.1 DTS-HD track that really delivers during the many action scenes. Dialogue is a little thin at times, but never fully buried beneath the mayhem.

Special Features:

First up is an engaging commentary track with director Joseph Zito and Mondo Digital’s Nathanial Thompson. The conversation is casual and fun with all aspects of the production covered. While a little light on Abramoff and the Apartheid scandal content, there is enough information to satisfy listeners. A fun drinking game may come with every time Zito mentions placing a “marker” cue for audiences that he isn’t attempting to make Apocalypse Now. Indeed he knows exactly the kind of film he made, but at times appears uncomfortable when some of the lacking qualities present themselves.

The main supplements come in the form of a series of featurettes:

"Hath No Fury: Dolph Lundgren and the Road to Red Scorpion" is a discussion with the action star and his career leading up to this cinematic classic. Lundgren instantly comes across as likeable in this half-hour conversation that covers everything from dating Grace Jones (A View to a Kill) to the amount of stunts he performed himself on Red Scorpion.

"Assignment Africa" lands the most surprising interview as post-penal producer Jack Abramoff sits down for a 15-minute discussion of the production and its lesser known sequel.

"Scorpion Tales" is a 10-minute visit with special effects master Tom Savini. The man is always welcome and knows exactly what fans want to hear. Goddamn, that Savini can tell a story.

Even better than Savini stories is the rare glimpse at his home movies. Reliably bringing a video camera to most sets, here we are granted a 10-minute look at behind the scenes footage he shot on set in Africa in 1988.

A pretty self-explanatory animated still gallery, a seven-minute slideshow providing a glimpse of marketing print ads, promotional art and assorted stills are also available.

Rounding out the special features are the original theatrical trailer and TV spots.

The two-disc set also includes a DVD version of the special edition.

[Jox]

On the whole RED SCORPION has aged very well and big props to SYNPASE for giving it the red carpet treatment with this packed Blu-Ray/DVD combo! It’s not everyday that a film like RED SCORPION gets its dues, so this action fiend mucho appreciates it. F*ck Lawrence of Arabia! Give me Nikolai of Africa! He IS Spetznaz!

http://www.joblo.com/horror-movies/news ... d-scorpion

[shooby]

A french BluRay of the movie ... but I don't think it's in great quality !

http://www.priceminister.com/offer/buy/ ... -zito.html

[Jox]

Yeah we've mentioned it already, it's not even been released officially...

[Dida]

Same cover as the Dutch one...

[Jox]

Here's another batch of good reviews/tests for the "Golden" Synapse edition (region free I recall)!

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Red-Scorp ... 19/#Review

http://digitallyobsessed.com/displayreview.php?ID=4842

http://www.unratedmag.com/movies/2012/0 ... pion-1988/

http://www.doomcheez.com/reviews/redscorpion.html

http://www.cinematicautopsy.com/2012/07 ... y-dvd.html

[Mosquito]

Oh man, it's sitting here but I wait until my friend comes over and we'll celebrate the Girl's Night with Red Scorpion. Tough... Hope tomorrow is the big night!

[Jox]

Crazy German chicks watching RED SCORPION for a ladies night haha

[Jox]

http://eurocultav.com/Reviews/Red_Scorp ... rpion.html

Audio/Video (4.5/5)



Synapse Films have done it again! Red Scorpion has entered the Blu-ray realm with a glorious 1:78:1 AVC encoded 1080p transfer that is filmlike and gorgeous. The level of detail is simply excellent, and the film has a healthy level of grain throughout, while color reproduction is absolute stunning. The black levels are extremely deep, and flesh tones are accurate. This is Red Scorpion looking it's absolute best.



Synapse have presented Red Scorpion with 2 audio options both in English. A DTS-HD Master Audio track Stereo 2.0 track and a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track. Since I tend to watch films as close to their original intended form as possible I stuck to the 2.0 track for much of my viewing, but toggled over to the 5.1 for the purpose of this review. Both tracks are quite solid, with the effects such as explosions, crashes, etc taking center stage and really packing a sonic punch. The dialogue, music, and effects are mixed well with no element overpowering any other in the mix. The dialogue is clean and crisp and audible throughout. Synapse have been awesome enough to include optional English subtitles on Red Scorpion!



Extras (5/5)

Synapse have put together what can only be described as a truly definitive package for Red Scorpion. This release is packed to the brim with awesome extras, for fans of the film new and old, and there is definitely something for everyone. The disc kicks off with an audio commentary with Joseph Zito moderated by Nathaniel Thompson of the website Mondo Digital. Zito is a great listen, and covers pretty much every facet of the production one could want to know about from the production, down to the various edits of the film, and more.



We then get to the featurettes which start with Hath No Fury: The Road to Red Scorpion, a 25 minute interview with Dolph Lundgren which acts as a career overview, how he got his start in acting, and touches on Rocky IV, Masters of the Universe, etc, however most of the discussion time here is obviously on Red Scorpion. We then have what I considered the most surprising extra on the disc a 13 minute interview called Assignment Africa with Red Scorpion producer and infamous lobbyist Jack Abramoff. When Synapse announced the interview I assumed it was show while he was still in prison, it turns out he is already out. Abramoff ends up being quite an interesting interview discussing how the film was put together the difficulty in getting a steady shooting location, and being forced to shoot in an area that was part of apartheid in the 80's. A really interesting interview from the producers perspective that really shows the difficulty in getting this film made. We then have Scorpion Tales, a 10 minute interview Special FX wizard Tom Savini. He discusses the sequences he worked on for the film, having to take his family to Africa for the work, and the hardships they faced because of it, and more. Tom is always a great interview, and this is no exception, the only problem is it is very short, but there is a ton of information and interesting anecdotes packed in to the running time. We then have 9 minutes of Tom Savini's home movies from the set of Red Scorpion, it shows the production of the film from Tom's perspective with a focus on his FX sequences. The disc is rounded off by a 7 minute motion stills gallery, the films trailer in HD, and a few minutes worth of TV spots!



Overall

Not just a Dolph Lundgren movie, but quite possibly THE Dolph Lundgren movie. Red Scorpion comes to Blu-ray in a fantastic looking (and sounding) High Definition transfer from Synapse Films. This disc is loaded with extras, and comes with a spare DVD if you haven't made the upgrade or need some Dolph action cinema whilst on the road. The movie is fun violent 80's action cinema with one of it's greatest action heroes doing what he does best! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

http://www.ldnews.com/valleylife/ci_21070138

Making 'Red Scorpion' more interesting than film itself

The story behind the making of "Red Scorpion" is easily more interesting than the film itself, so I was tickled that Synapse has included both a booklet (increasingly rare) and a slew of behind-the-scenes bonus features.
Just for starters, the film was the brainchild of Jack Abramoff (yes, that Jack Abramoff), who briefly dabbled in film production before moving on to questionable lobbying practices that led to his conviction for fraud and conspiracy. (In his interview among the extras, Abramoff refers to his post-Hollywood activities as "moved on to other things." The interview, by the way, is either filmed in one heckuva posh slammer or Abramoff is already once again at liberty.)

Filming in Swaziland was on the verge of beginning - sets were built and the actors had arrived - when that country's rulers paranoiacally booted the production out because of a coup in Algeria that was accomplished by rebels posing as BBC journalists. After six weeks (with actors and crew cooling their heels in a Johannesburg hotel) permission to film in Namibia was obtained, but that caused original distributor Warner Bros. to pull out of its contract because of its anti-Apartheid policy. The desert location was problematic and caused shooting to drag on and the budget to double.

The story has Dolph Lundgren as a Soviet "killing machine" whose mission is to infiltrate an African rebel uprising and assassinate its anti-Communist leader. Of course, he comes to realize that he's allied with the wrong side, and there's lots of automatic weapons fire and all sorts of stuff blowing up. It also has some of the most ravishing landscapes ever committed to film.

Lundgren, while no Olivier, is surprisingly good - his interaction with an aged bushman are quite affecting - and it's a shame that the box-office non-performance of "Scorpion" (preceded by unimpressive income for "Masters of the Universe" and followed by the same for "The Punisher") relegated his career to low-budget and direct-to-video fare. Others less talented (and let's face it, far less beautiful) have had far more success in the action-hero field.

That said, the real acting honors here go to M. Emmett Walsh, as a foul-mouthed journalist, who effortlessly steals every scene he's in. The film, of course, isn't even remotely about acting; it's a remarkable late-in-the-day, anti-evil-Russkies tract with uber-violent and often improbably set-pieces.