True Lies? (1 Viewer)

[Aaron Silverman]

It had nothing to do with not wanting to show Arnie fighting terrorists for PC reasons; studios in general simply got very cold feet about releasing light films involving terrorism for a while after 9/11 because the topic was making people uncomfortable.

That probably had a lot to do with not releasing a 5-Star edition in the US.

 

[KurtEP]

I'd love to see this on BD, since I think it's one of the better Arnold movies. I'd also like to see some attention paid to the transfer, since none of the Arnold movies I currently own on BD (T1, T2, Total Recall and Predator), are exactly reference material. Of course, Conan the Barbarian is the one I'm REALLY waiting for.

 

[JulianK]

Actually, Fox did re-shoot the beginning of the first episode of 24, in the wake of 9/11.

 

[Travis Brashear]

Because they don't treat Middle Eastern terrorists as grounds for light-hearted comedy like TRUE LIES does.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Quite correct. Also, if Fox wants to release some super-duper SE double-dip on DVD, you can bet they want/need to publicize it, not just sneak it onto store shelves and just hope enough people will buy it to turn a good profit. While it's true they didn't pull all the existing copies of the old True Lies off store shelves, they also didn't need to worry too much about turning *additional* profits on the existing product like they would for a new, double-dip release.

IOW, they're in it to make $$$. And bad publicity (at least in this case) probably isn't a good thing for their bottomline.

_Man_

 

[RobertR]

A former coworker of mine is in this film (he's bigger than Arnold!).

 

[Brent M]

The dude that was beating the hell out of him in the bathroom?

 

[Dave H]

A re-release with Cameron's involvement is another promotion serving to emphasize the film once again as opposed to an existing, printed, ongoing release. Two different things. It's clear Cameron wants nothing to do with True Lies again whether it's a sequel or new SE video/BD release. The studio is not going to risk stirring the pot. (The other posters have made some good points too.)

 

[Travis Brashear]

Arguably well-reasoned posts, as well as studio and filmmaker perspectives, aside James Cameron and 20th Century Fox should unclench the sphincter on this one...time enough has passed...

 

[Zack Gibbs]

How is that clear in the least? Is it clear the same way he wants nothing to do with The Abyss either? Because that never got an anamorphic release either...

The only reason there's no True Lies SE out today is because the necessary parties just haven't gotten around to it, it happens, stop reading into things.

 

[Dave H]

As far as I know the Abyss isn't about Islamic terrorists.

Yeah...right. Seven years, post 9/11 PC, True Lies 2 cancelled because of 9/11, and still no one has gotten to it. Sure.

 

[TravisR]

How is that clear?

 

[Dave H]

LOL. Okay, I give up. I'm sure your True Lies will be just around the corner. Do you guys feel better now? I'm sure Cameron can't wait to get this to Blu-ray and has probably been working hard on it for months.

 

[Paul_Warren]

Remember seeing this in the theatre a few times and it has a terrific DTS soundtrack which is still one of the greatest. Terrific action movie as well. Definately one of the best ever made.

Cameron said a few years ago that he was uncomfortable with True Lies2 as he did not want to promote terrorism which is probably why this has never got the better editions it deserved.

I have recently noted that a 1080P H264 version is doing the rounds in the torrent community (must be a HDTV transfer).

 

[Zack Gibbs]

How is it even possibly for you to read this thread and then make out like WE'RE the conspiracy theorists?

Just to recap, Cameron supervised a new HD transfer for True Lies in 2002, for HBO. Fox has already released True Lies in HD once, on D-Theater, in 2003. There is nothing stopping a new release from coming, other than the fact that Cameron has spent the last 2 years on his first new film in over a decade and theres STILL another year and a half to go before that's even finished. He's a busy man.

There's a huge difference between Cameron not wanting to make a new, high profile, multi million-dollar blockbuster action comedy about terrorism in 2001-2002, -- and then claiming without any validity that he's somehow decided to wash his hands of his original film entirely.

 

[Dave H]

I'm not claiming anyone is a conspiracy theorist - you evidently are.

All I'm saying is it's quite obvious why this movie has not been re-released.

 

[TravisR]

So you really think that 'political correctness' is the only reason that True Lies doesn't have a special edition?

 

[Dave H]

If memory serves me, I remember reading Digital Bits before 9/11 where Bill Hunt said a True Lies SE was in the works.....I believe Speed: SE was released just ahead of it. 9/11 happened and that was pretty much the end of True Lies: SE.

The studios want to stay clear of any movie since 9/11 which portrays Middle Eastern people in the light that True Lies does. I even remember some Arabic groups denouncing the film when it was released in the theaters. Do you really think Fox wants go there again with a super-duper True Lies Blu-ray edition with a big press release, etc. especially with Cameron's involvement? I bet it never happens. How can Cameron even defend that film since it reinforces some Islamic, Arabic stereotypes in the eyes of many people? (Personally, I'm not saying I necessarily agree, but I'm just looking at it more objectively and how it looks to other people.)

And as for the D-VHS release in 2003. We all know the D-VHS release was a non-special edition (essentially DVD carryover) and D-VHS was at the very, very best an absolute miniscule, niche format that was totally off the radar. Virtually no one even knew was the D-VHS was at the time. A Blu-ray release would get FAR, FAR more attention especially if Cameron was involved.

 

[AlexCosmo]

Huh? How is supervising a new transfer for HBO under the radar?

 

[Zack Gibbs]

The studios WERE afraid of controversial subjects after 9/11, but they got over it a long time ago. Die Hard 4 is a perfect example, Fox dropped it as well afterwards and it has now come and gone.

I concur that the flick will likely get a release to cash in on Cameron's Avatar.