"BLACKJACK" (John Woo, 1998, TV pilot)

[savagesketch]

God, I remember that trailer reel playing at the beginning of EVERY Dimension Films release. All of the films are actually pretty good, though I remember being disappointed with how mundane THE RAGE was (despite having a decent cast). Funny how that one was directed by Sidney J. Furie who went on to direct a couple films of Dolph's!

[Jox]

German mediabook edition in the works
https://www.facebook.com/pretzmedia/pho ... 535182611/
https://www.dvd-forum.at/news-details/7 ... -mediabook

Teasing
https://www.facebook.com/pretzmedia/pos ... 0699787423

[Moltisanti]

Definitely would be all over this.

[Jox]

There will be 3 variant Mediabook covers. Pre-sales start tomorrow...
https://www.facebook.com/pretzmedia/pho ... 5322935626

Pretz-Media
Morgen starten wir den Vorverkauf unserer nächsten Mediabook Veröffentlichung "Blackjack - Der Bodyguard".

Es wird 3 Cover geben und wir werden es diesmal so machen, dass wir die Limitierung der Mediabooks erst am Mittwoch den 22.04.2020 bekannt geben. Bis dahin könnt ihr ohne Einschränkung bestellen. Nach den Verkäufen legen wir die Limitierung fest plus einen kleinen Puffer.

[Jox]

UPDATE
The German Blu-ray pre-sales will start on Monday (they said they’re waiting for a cover art to be delivered back)...

[Jox]

Here it is!
BLACKJACK Limited Mediabook [Blu-ray+DVD] for pre-order exclusively on Pretz-Media for a release estimated June 18
https://www.pretz-media.at/de/search?pa ... =blackjack

Extras:
24-pages booklet
Trailer 1
Trailer 2
Pro 7 Trailer
Sills Gallerie
Artwork Gallerie
Behind the Scenes
German cut
TV-cut (approx 95. Min.)

Cover A
https://www.pretz-media.at/de/mediabook ... blu-raydvd




Cover B
https://www.pretz-media.at/de/mediabook ... blu-raydvd





Cover C
https://www.pretz-media.at/de/mediabook ... blu-raydvd




EDIT:
Also available to order from Medienversant (which I have used numerous times)
https://www.medienversand.at/advanced_s ... c_subcat=1

[Moltisanti]

Nice! Gonna have to nab one of these.

[Jox]

Word is that it might be just an upscaled version...

[Jox]

Packshots with back covers below
(click to enlarge)

Cover A - Limited to 350 units
Cover B - Limited to 150 units
Cover C - Limited to 150 units

[lt.brannigan]

Would love to get my hands on pack B.

[Krom]

Love them all, but i’ll go with an original artwork C.

[Jox]

Again be aware before you order, that this might not look like a proper remastered HD Blu-ray so don’t expect it to look highly different from your DVD. Apparently Digidreams / Platinum Cult is behind the "technical" editorial.

[alex.sp89]

I guess it is going to be a regular DVD Upscale from Digidreams or Cult Col. spending few euros for a new artwork covers ! I wish NSM will make a good special edition release ..... ! it is a very solid TV movie ! if they could do additional re-editing adding new effects shortening some scenes, orchestral music arrangements, they even could release it on cinema like a big mainstream movie intended for big screen... and this TV 'flavor' format will be gone...

I wonder if this movie was filmed on real cinema footage or video footage for tv shows !!! if someone will release it someday on real Blu ray we could see the difference from old DVD editions ( the same like with Minion 1998)

[Jox]

if they could do additional re-editing adding new effects shortening some scenes, orchestral music arrangements, they even could release it on cinema like a big mainstream movie intended for big screen... and this TV 'flavor' format will be gone...

I will assume you're joking here!

I wonder if this movie was filmed on real cinema footage or video footage for tv shows !!! if someone will release it someday on real Blu ray we could see the difference from old DVD editions ( the same like with Minion 1998)

Both BLACKJACK and THE MINION were shot on 35mm film (with Panavision cameras for BLACKJACK). The problem with BLACKJACK being meant as a TV show and made in 1998 (when HD wasn't barely being used except in Japan), it was not finished on film (unlike THE MINION which was completed for film prints).

Therefore that is why it is gonna be difficult to make proper HD Blu-ray out of the available "late '90s made for broadcast" materials. Sadly, unlike the exception that is "FRIENDS", the Canadian studio is not gonna spend lots of money to go back to the original negatives and re-conform them to the edit of the film in order to produce a proper remaster...

[alex.sp89]

seriously John Woo ( and other asian director's) have this problems with editing their movies ! BLackjack is a decent movie but runs 111 minutes and this is kind of too long. Could be shorter 8-10 minutes. I own John Woo workprint and sneak preview copy of Hard Target (1993) and really they are too long 128 ( workprint) and 116 minutes (sneak preview). I agree with Universal Studio and Van Damme complains, back in time, doing re-editing on that. They made a decent 95 minutes action movie (100 minutes including end credits) cutting all the "fat" out. I still think they could make it a little longer around 105 minutes ( in my opinion they could leave some more action scenes footage but MPAA DIDN'T LET THEM TO DO THAT).

The same think with BLACKJACK - additional re-editing could help and all this typical TV format scenes will vanish and make it like a true theatrical movie. The scenes with antagonist killer and his ex-wife are awful in my opinion ( true TV movie). I even recognized that actress - I saw her in a daytime soap opera Sunset Beach (1997-1999), she playeD Caitlin Richards Deschane number 2 after original actress left that show. Action scenes were good but acting in some parts is really bad - kindergarten, joke. I assume this is second unit director's fault who rushed production and wanted to make it like a TNT or NBC popcorn for brain. John Woo for sure wasn't number one person on the set , he barely speaks english. Anyway he made decent action movies FACE/OFF, BROKEN ARROW MI 2 in Hollywood and of course my favourites - THE KILLER, HARD BOILED - but still they have 2-3 extended versions HK version, Taiwan version which are too long (again in my opinion). Always should be THE GOLDEN MIDDLE if someone understands my words.

It was a missed opportunity for Dolph working with master John Woo. I don't know he had a bad luck or something with directors - Mark Goldblatt couldn't deliver a big hit for Dolph ( Mark is editor of Terminator 1-2 Commando), Mark L Lester ( who made Arnie a real action hero star , in my opinion 1st Terminator was more a horror sci-fi movie not pure action), Gary Goddard - famous collaborator of James Cameron again bad luck.