Dark of the Sun (1968)- coming in May from WAC (1 Viewer)

[atfree]

DARK OF THE SUN (1968)
NEW 2018 1080p HD MASTER
Run Time 100:00
Subtitles English SDH
DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 MONO- English
16 X 9 LETTERBOX, ORIGINAL ASPECT RATIO - 2.35:1
COLOR
BD 50
Special Features
Theatrical Trailer (HD)
New Commentary by Trailers From Hell's Larry Karaszewski and Josh Olson with Brian Saur and Elric D. Kane

Take elite commandos, send them on a do-or-die assignment – and sit back and watch the action explode. The men-on-a-mission formula that worked in 1967’s The Dirty Dozen and in Where Eagles Dare (released in the U.S. in 1969) provides another salvo of volatile screen adventure with this strike force saga released in 1968. Rod Taylor and Jim Brown are among a mercenary unit rolling on a steam train across the Congo, headed for the dual tasks of rescuing civilians imperiled by rebels and recovering a cache of diamonds. The film’s violence is fierce, unforgiving, ahead of its time. Quentin Tarantino would offer a tribute of sorts to this red-blooded wallop of a cult fave by using part of its compelling score in Inglourious Basterds (2009).

 

[Alan Tully]

I don't remember seeing this at the cinema (released in the UK as The Mercenaries), & I probably didn't as I seem to remember just about every film I've seen, & what cinema I saw them in (all closed down now). But I really fancy seeing this now, especially in a new HD transfer, I think I've only seen it on TV in the seventies, in a cut down 4x3 presentation.

 

[Douglas R]

I saw it when if first opened in the UK under the title of THE MERCENARIES (it went on general release at ABC cinemas). I was shocked at the level of violence, even though the film had been cut. I never had it on DVD but I'll get this to see what I think of it now.

 

[disctrip]

Happy to hear this.

 

[Bob Cashill]

Some of the pre-release cuts alleged on the IMDb entry seem preposterous to me. (Apparently Quentin Tarantino owns a 16mm print where Simbas throw nuns to crocodiles.) The release version is exceptional as is.

 

[Randy Korstick]

Wow Warner Archive is on a roll this month. Lots of titles.

 

[atfree]

Somewhat surprised we've not seen pre-order available for this title yet....with one Tuesday in May already gone by without a WAC BD release, and no pre-order for this title up yet (which is supposedly a May release), it confirms to me that WAC's 2018 release schedule will be much less than 2017 at least in terms of pre-1980 catalog titles. No pre-orders yet for the other May releases either (2 Weeks In Another Town and The Colossus of Rhodes).

 

[atfree]

Now all the May and June releases have pre-orders except for this one.....the one I want the most.

 

[commander richardson]

I don't remember seeing this at the cinema (released in the UK as The Mercenaries), & I probably didn't as I seem to remember just about every film I've seen, & what cinema I saw them in (all closed down now). But I really fancy seeing this now, especially in a new HD transfer, I think I've only seen it on TV in the seventies, in a cut down 4x3 presentation.

Everything you have said is exactly as I would have written and I add that the music score by Jacques Loussier is outstanding and creates a wonderful atmosphere to this very violent and excellent film.

 

[john a hunter]

Just tried to order this thru this site but Amazon had no knowledge of it apparently.
Did order 7 brides and Big Country as well as Colossus of Rhodes , the latter being pushed back to end of June.

 

[atfree]

Just tried to order this thru this site but Amazon had no knowledge of it apparently.
Did order 7 brides and Big Country as well as Colossus of Rhodes , the latter being pushed back to end of June.

Yes, no pre-order is available. Also, I messaged WAC about this and they have no responded. Feels llike something funny is going on, hopefully this title still gets a release.

 

[Dick]

Yes, no pre-order is available. Also, I messaged WAC about this and they have no responded. Feels llike something funny is going on, hopefully this title still gets a release.

Yeah, the Archives are getting a bit weird. Good titles, but erratic as hell in actual availability.

 

[skylark68]

Hopefully we hear something new on this one pretty soon. I've pre-ordered Colossus and am waiting patiently on this one.

 

[Astairefan]

I am just guessing, but I suspect they made the announcement for this movie mainly because both it and Colossus were announced at Wondercon back in late March (of course, they might have run into some problems that might have delayed it as well). Why it didn't come up for pre-order for May, I have no idea. June, I can begin to understand, because they have 5 new-to-blu titles coming in June, and as I have mentioned numerous times, this year is not the same as last year. Last year, they mainly released new-to-blu stuff, while re-releasing OOP WHV titles on dvd, which probably allowed them to focus more of their resources on their blu releases (and allow them to release up to 6 titles a month). Once they started releasing new-to-dvd stuff later last year, they struggled to release more than 5 new-to-blu titles a month (they had several months that they announced 6, but at least one title consistently got held over for the following month), and since they have been releasing a LOT more new-to-dvd titles this year (which takes resources away from their blu work), that is why their blu releases are not as frequent (and as Mr Harris indicated at one point, WAC are NOT sitting idle, they are very hard at work).

 

[skylark68]

Have we heard any news on this one? I don't see an Amazon placeholder.

 

[atfree]

Have we heard any news on this one? I don't see an Amazon placeholder.

I asked them on Facebook about a week ago...they responded that the release is still planned for the summer but no date as yet. No reason for the delay either. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will show up in July as yesterday's release announcement by WAC only had 3 films. They usually do 4....

 

[ahollis]

I don’t know why we would call it a delay. The release date was never announced. This is a prime example on why companies hold announcements of titles until they are ready with a date.

 

[atfree]

I don’t know why we would call it a delay. The release date was never announced. This is a prime example on why companies hold announcements of titles until they are ready with a date.

But WAC never puts a release date on their announcements.....but they're generally announced and then released the following month. DOTS is the first I can remember that got a Facebook announcement but then wasn't released for several months.

 

[skylark68]

Still waiting on this one. Any news? Summer is basically over...

 

[atfree]

Still waiting on this one. Any news? Summer is basically over...

As recently as last month, they responded on Facebook that it is still coming, they had some "issues" to resolve. If it's not announced in October for November release, it won't be released until 2019 as WAC doesn't release anything in December (or least they haven't in the last 5+ years).