THE PUNISHER (Mark Goldblatt, 1989)

[alex.sp89]

In your opinion guys should they keep the original prologue for the movie showing Castle and his family or it was a good decision to cut it out ? Or is the workprint version much superior version than the released one ?

The Punisher (1989) Deleted Opening

OI.png (199.67 KiB) Viewed 10897 times

[Jox]

Overall it probably was a good decision although it's not that simple particularly because the prologue as we can see it is a rough edit on an SD tape with no proper post work such as color grading, sound FX and music etc.

But despite my affection for those scenes especially with his family, it looks like it was almost a different film for 16 minutes that may have needed more to perfectly blend in the rest of the film. It also shows that they shot those last with little budget left which you can tell was lacking the opening action sequence.

One thing I wished was they could keep Castle's original scene with Tommy where he goes beserk in an Andrew Scott fashion, and delivers a great emotional performance that foresaw what he'd do 3 years later in UNIVERSAL SOLDIER...

[alex.sp89]

To me the first action sequence from deleted prologue was OK, but second part at the airport and discussion in the car between Dolph and Louis after Franco got arrested at the airport was kind of boring, Dolph talking with his daughter about divorce and stuff... feels something not right there to me.

One more thing what is missing to me in the movie are those two characters - Gossett Jr. and Everhart they should find, as scripted, Frank Castle new home in that subway, collector system I don't know how to call it right ! It looks like this two characters are trying to find Castle -The Punisher- the entire movie and don't succeed in anything... 0% luck no development and implication of them in the movie. I don't know if they filmed that scene or not but impact could be great with loud frightening orchestral music on the background when they finally find it ! Something like C. Starling when she found the fortress of Buffalo Bill in ''The Silence of the Lambs'' (1991) or Chuck Norris in ''Hero and the Terror'' finding Simon Moon..

About deleting original ending with ''crazy'' Castle speech I think u are right. I thing they tried to make from Castle more normal guy not like o cuckoo one with kind of psychological problems. Playing antihero character could work very good... making people to do their choice: hero for revenge or nutty psycho everyone with his own opinion

[Jox]

One more thing what is missing to me in the movie are those two characters - Gossett Jr. and Everhart they should find, as scripted, Frank Castle new home in that subway, collector system I don't know how to call it right ! (...) I don't know if they filmed that scene

I agree it would have been nice to see that scene where they find his laird full of weapons and everything, and a family pic while Shake is hiding, which was not filmed as I recall...



Damien Granger, former editor in chief of almost 50 year-old French magazine Mad Movies, started off making fanzines as a teenager in the '80s here is one he did for the PUNISHER release in French cinemas.

[Jox]

"Amazing Heroes" magazine 5-pages advance interview with Dolph, issue #165, May 15th 1989
https://comiconlinefree.com/amazing-heroes/issue-165/22

[Jox]

The French booklet / comic that came with the retail VHS

[Jox]

Quentin Tarantino told Mark Goldblatt he loved the THE PUNISHER...

“Grow up to be a good man. Because if not, I’ll be waiting.”

"When you grow up, if you still feel raw about it, I'll be waiting."

[Jox]

Super rare Polish VHS trailer, pure '80s exploitation style




And this one from Brazil though I suspect apart from the voice over it was actually an early trailer / promo reel

[Jox]

Can't get enough of this "fan-made" trailer

[Jox]

The movie opened in the UK on June 1, 1990.

Here is the review from Empire magazine:

[Jox]

Greg Smallwood continues to pay homage to Dolph on the covers of the on-going PUNISHER series

[Jox]

I was sent out these pics of a late 1990 early 1991 New Year's greeting promo mug for the rental tape release in the UK

[lt.brannigan]

That's cool. Wish I had one of those.

[Jox]

Another exclusive for Weekend of Hell, including one with artist Laurent Melki's vintage art which I also licensed for the book:

The limited mediabook is available from DiabolikDVD for US residents (still Region B though)
https://www.diabolikdvd.com/product/pun ... -region-b/

"Uncut" version (not workprint) fully HD-restored (no SD inserts) plus the following extras:

– 20-page glued booklet with pictures to the film and commentary by Thomas Witzler (in German)

– Audio commentary by director Mark Goldblatt

– Gag Reel

– German trailer

– English trailer

– Picture gallery 97 pictures (from yours truly's collection)

- Workprint version on DVD disc

[Jox]

Trailer widescreen or cropped



Somebody should take the Blu-ray image to re-edit and restore the trailer...