Press Release Lionsgate Press Release: Extreme Prejudice (Blu-ray) (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The acclaimed Vestron Video Collectors’ Series delivers a double-barreled, brawny Western with Extreme Prejudice, arriving on Blu-ray™ + Digital on May 17 from Lionsgate. Directed by Walter Hill (The Warriors, 48 Hrs.) with story co-written by Academy Award® nominee John Milius (1979, Best Writing/Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, Apocalypse Now), this action-packed shoot-’em-up stars three-time Academy Award® nominee Nick Nolte (2011, Best Supporting Actor, Warrior), Primetime Emmy Award®nominee Powers Boothe (1980, Outstanding Leading Actor in a Limited Series or Special, “Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones”), Maria Conchita Alonso (The Running Man, Predator 2, Spread), and Michael Ironside (Starship Troopers, Total Recall, Top Gun). Extreme Prejudice includes hours of new special features, and will be available on Blu-ray for the suggested retail price of $17.99.

OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS
Directed by the legendary Walter Hill, this gritty, modern Western is regarded as a classic and features an all-star cast with Nick Nolte, Powers Boothe, Maria Conchita Alonso, Rip Torn, and Michael Ironside. Lean, mean Texas Ranger Jack Benteen (Nolte) locks horns with a former friend, Cash Bailey (Boothe), now a ruthless drug kingpin. Though they’re on opposite sides of the law, they share a love interest in the sensual Sarita (Alonso). When a crew of rogue soldiers descends upon the border town for an off-the-books mission, all roads lead to a bloody, to-the-death showdown, as loyalties shift and the lines between good and evil are blurred.

BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES

• Audio Commentary with Film Historians C. Courtney Joyner and Henry Parke
• Isolated Score Selections with Audio Interview from Music Historian John Takis
• Interviews:
  • Interview with Director Walter Hill
  • “The Majorʼs Agenda” ― An Interview with Actor Michael Ironside
  • “The War Within” ― An Interview with Actor Clancy Brown
  • “Capturing the Chaos” ― An Interview with Director of Photography Matthew F. Leonetti
• Teaser Trailer
• Theatrical Trailer
• TV Spots
• Vintage EPK
• Still Gallery

CAST
Nick Nolte (Warrior, Affliction, The Prince of Tides)
Powers Boothe (Sin City, Sudden Death, The Avengers)
Michael Ironside (Starship Troopers, Total Recall, Top Gun)
Maria Conchita Alonso (The Running Man, Predator 2, Spread)
Rip Torn (Men in Black, TV’s “The Larry Sanders Show,”
The Man Who Fell to Earth)

PROGRAM INFORMATION
Year of Production: 1987
Title Copyright: Program Content and Package Artwork: © 1987 STUDIOCANAL. All Rights Reserved. Package Design and Summary: © 2022 Lions Gate Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Type: Catalog Re-Release
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Western
Closed-Captioned: N/A
Subtitles: English, Spanish, English SDH
Feature Run Time: 104 Minutes
Blu-ray Format: 1080p High Definition, 16x9 (1.85:1) Presentation
Blu-ray Audio: English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio™


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[Robert Crawford]

Finally this guilty pleasure of mine makes it onto Blu-ray in Region A.

 

[Robert Crawford]

My Blu-ray arrived from Amazon today. It's nice having a digital code along with that rest of the bonus material. Only $11.99 right now on Amazon.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

So, watched this over the weekend. I will say straight up I am a fan of this film and a huge fan of Walter Hill.

This is title number 26 in the Vestron Video Collector's Series which is a pretty cool series of releases if you are a genre fan. This is a stacked package that comes with a bunch of special features, commentary, interviews, isolated score, trailers, TV spots, a vintage EPK, and stills. I only had time over the weekend to watch the Walter Hill interview.

In the Walter Hill interview (which is a new one for this release) he starts right off talking about Sam Peckinpah and there is a good reason for that beyond the fact that Hill worked with Peckinpah and is obviously an acolyte.

Basically, what Extreme Prejudice is, is a reworking/tribute to The Wild Bunch. In this version the Bunch is not the central focus as instead brought to the forefront is the soured relationship of two old friends played by Nick Nolte (looking as lean and mean as you will ever see him) and Powers Boothe (also in his prime and giving a wonderful performance). This story of two old buddies that now exist on opposite sides of the law is pretty much a Western standard. It has been used over and over again and Hill quotes Peckinpah saying "I'll tell you what a cliche is, it is something that works." in his interview.

Released in 1987 this is quite obviously The Wild Bunch brought up to the present day. It includes a number of items taken directly from The Wild Bunch. A bad ending for a scorpion, a bank robbery gone wrong, and a massive shoot-out in a Mexican town all being easy to spot.

Here the Bunch is a "zombie" unit of supposedly dead soldiers that now operate undercover for the CIA, usually on foreign soil, but this time are given an assignment on the Texas/Mexico border. Having to execute a plan that includes a daylight bank robbery where American civilians could be injured or killed does not sit well with them. As good soldiers do though, they follow orders.

These guys are played by an awesome set of character actors from the 1980s (and beyond) including Michael Ironside, Clancy Brown, and William Forsythe, who all are, as you would expect, fantastic.

Nolte is a Texas Ranger, of course, and on his side he gets the legend Rip Torn as the local sheriff. Probably my only complaint about this picture is that I would have loved to have more of Rip Torn in it.

Powers Boothe is Nolte's old buddy, now turned drug kingpin that has set-up shop in Mexico and has a private army all his own. So, essentially we get a triangle with the three sides, Nolte and Torn as law enforcement, Ironside's bunch of undercover operatives, and Boothe's drug cartel, all armed to the teeth and deadly as all hell.

With this, Hill unleashes the mayhem giving us a series of shoot-outs, showdowns, and double crosses all beautifully photographed in his cool Peckinpah inspired style.

In other words, what is not to love about this picture?

The talent involved with this one is all first class. Outside of Hill and the amazing list of actors in this, the story was written by John Milius and you have a Jerry Goldsmith score.

As Robert points out above this title is a steal at $11.99 so if you like the film, or Hill, or 1980s action films this is a must in my book. I would just say one thing to Robert on this one, don't feel guilty that you like this picture, with the talent and skill on display here this one is guilt free.

This looked and sounded great in my home theater with this being the best presentation of the picture ever released for home viewing. The back of the box trumpets that the film has been digitally restored but I know nothing about the source they used or what that restoration entailed. It was, to my eyes, a very nice film-like presentation with the sounds of gunfire and explosions as well as dialogue being crisp and clear and I was not required to raise and lower the volume as the film transitioned between action sequences and conversations between the characters.

If this kind of film is your thing, what are you waiting for, grab this one!

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

Between this and The Warriors from Imprint, it is a good time to be a Walter Hill fan.