Dead-End Drive-In

[domino harvey]

THE PRICE OF ADMISSION IS THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

One of Quentin Tarantino s favourite directors, Brian Trenchard-Smith was a key figure in the Ozploitation movement, responsible for The Man from Hong Kong, Stunt Rock, Turkey Shoot, BMX Bandits... and dystopian cult classic Dead-End Drive In!

Set in a near-future where the economy has crumbled and violent gangs play havoc in the streets, the powers-that-be have decided to lure the delinquent youth into drive-in cinemas and keep them there. No longer just a place to watch trashy movies and make out, these outdoor picture shows have become concentration camps for the unruly and unwanted.

With its day-glo colour scheme, new wave soundtrack and extraordinary stunt work, Dead-End Drive-In is in the tradition of Ozploitation milestones Mad Max and The Cars That Ate Paris only very, very eighties.

SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS

Brand new 2K restoration from original film materials
High Definition (1080p) Presentation
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Audio commentary by director Brian Trenchard-Smith
Archive interview with Quentin Tarantino and Brian Trenchard-Smith
The Stuntmen, Trenchard Smith s classic television documentary on Grant Page (Mad Max, Road Games) and other Australian stunt performers
Hospitals Don t Burn Down, Trenchard-Smith s 1978 public information film told in pure Ozploitation fashion
Theatrical trailer
First pressing only: fully-illustrated collector s booklet containing writing on the films by Cullen Gallagher and Neil Mitchell

[rapta]

Somewhat interested in this, and I hope this means more Ozploitation from Arrow Video - they mention The Cars That Ate Paris, Turkey Shoot and BMX Bandits in the description, and they're three Aussie titles I've suggested in the past (along with Razorback, Long Weekend and Patrick).

[beamish13]

This is a fantastic choice! Brian Trenchard-Smith is one of *the* great b-movie filmmakers.

[colinr0380]

Neat! If anyone wants more Brian Trenchard-Smith Severin did recently release Turkey Shoot (aka Blood Camp Thatcher) on Blu in the US.

[oldsheperd]

I'm hoping someone puts out Stunt Rock and Man From Hong Kong. Very nice to hear about Dead End Drive-In

[Grand Wazoo]

I just bought the old image dvd this week so you are all welcome.

[RossyG]

I echo the above. Great to be getting this and fingers crossed it's the first of many Ozploitation films in general and Trenchard-Smith films in particular to get the Arrow treatment. A lot of these films - BMX Bandits apart - are surprisingly little known in the UK, but have huge cult potential.

[RossyG]

I'm hoping someone puts out Stunt Rock and Man From Hong Kong. Very nice to hear about Dead End Drive-In

Umbrella in Australia are releasing The Man From Hong Kong in October on a region free Blu-Ray.

https://www.umbrellaent.com.au/movies/2 ... u-ray.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Stunt Rock is one of the supplements. Both have commentaries from Trenchard-Smith.

TMFHK is from a new 4K scan, although I imagine Stunt Rock, as well as Deathcheaters, Dangerfreaks, and the Stuntmen will be SD only. Still, overall a great package for us Ozploitation fans.

[GaryC]

I'm hoping someone puts out Stunt Rock and Man From Hong Kong. Very nice to hear about Dead End Drive-In

Umbrella in Australia are releasing The Man From Hong Kong in October on a region free Blu-Ray.

https://www.umbrellaent.com.au/movies/2 ... u-ray.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Stunt Rock is one of the supplements. Both have commentaries from Trenchard-Smith.

TMFHK is from a new 4K scan, although I imagine Stunt Rock, as well as Deathcheaters, Dangerfreaks, and the Stuntmen will be SD only. Still, overall a great package for us Ozploitation fans.

It certainly is. Umbrella's site says that will be a single disc so that's a lot to cram in. TMFHK is 103 mins. The Stuntmen is around 50 but the other three features are all around the 90-minute mark.

[MichaelB]

It certainly is. Umbrella's site says that will be a single disc so that's a lot to cram in. TMFHK is 103 mins. The Stuntmen is around 50 but the other three features are all around the 90-minute mark.

But if they're SD only, the disc space will be comparatively negligible. You'd only need about four or five gigabytes per feature for a perfectly acceptable DVD-quality image, freeing up a more than adequate 30-plus gigabytes for the main feature and The Stuntmen.

[antnield]

Beaver.

[RossyG]

Unlike Matinee, which arrived late, this one arrived today, two days early. And a terrific release it is, too. The film looks good in HD and the extras are great fun. Those who love violent public information films will appreciate Hospitals Don't Burn Down and The Stuntmen is an interesting documentary. I get the impression that Aussie stuntmen in the Seventies took a lot more risks than would be expected of Hollywood stuntmen today. There's one scene where they set themselves on fire which looks bloody dangerous. And Trenchard-Smith gives an affable commentary on the main feature.

A must for Ozploitation fans.

[GaryC]

I'm hoping someone puts out Stunt Rock and Man From Hong Kong. Very nice to hear about Dead End Drive-In

Umbrella in Australia are releasing The Man From Hong Kong in October on a region free Blu-Ray.

https://www.umbrellaent.com.au/movies/2 ... u-ray.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Stunt Rock is one of the supplements. Both have commentaries from Trenchard-Smith.

TMFHK is from a new 4K scan, although I imagine Stunt Rock, as well as Deathcheaters, Dangerfreaks, and the Stuntmen will be SD only. Still, overall a great package for us Ozploitation fans.

I now have the Umbrella disc and it raises a question which I'll post here as it's appropriate to the Arrow disc.

The Stuntmen is an extra on both, and in both cases my display says it's "60p" which I take to mean upscaled from standard def. However, they have different running times: 48:46 on Arrow, 50:48 on Umbrella. The music over the opening sequence does sound higher-pitched on the Arrow disc, but as I don't have perfect pitch I couldn't say which is correct. I'm wondering what the framerate The Stuntmen was shot at? Given that it was made for Australian television (a PAL country) I would guess 25 fps but I don't know for sure. But if that's the case that would suggest that the Arrow version is running at the right speed and the Umbrella version is slowed down.

I haven't done more than glanced at what's on the Umbrella disc so far, but the transfer of one of the other extra features is also problematic. Stunt Rock was shot in Scope but the transfer on the disc is in the ratio of 1.78:1 - and it looks like it has not been cropped but has been squeezed into the narrower ratio.