Walter Hill's The Warriors (1979) (1 Viewer)

[titch]

There is a great retrospective on Walter Hill's masterpiece, The Warriors, in the latest edition of EMPIRE magazine (September 2021, pages 90-95). I realised that I didn't have a blu-ray in my library, but checking to see what was available to purchase, I could only find a blu ray from 2007 from Paramount, as well as a German edition. I seriously doubt that the 2007 blu-ray from Paramount looks good projected onto a large screen today, although I would welcome any comments from readers with a projector set-up, if they have it.

I saw the recently remastered "Paramount Presents" 48 Hrs. last week. It was certainly much better than the 2007 edition - although there appeared to be considerable grain removal done.

 

[TravisR]

Also worth noting is that the Blu-ray has the director's cut with the comic book transitions between some scenes added in and not the theatrical cut.

 

[Robin9]

I seriously doubt that the 2007 blu-ray from Paramount looks good projected onto a large screen today, although I would welcome any comments from readers with a projector set-up, if they have it.

I have the Blu-ray of this film and I found the picture quality via a projector really good. If you like this movie, give your credit card some exercise!

 

[Worth]

Also worth noting is that the Blu-ray has the director's cut with the comic book transitions between some scenes added in and not the theatrical cut.

The theatrical cut is available on iTunes and presumably other digital services.

 

[David Norman]

The 2007 disc looks quite good though I can't say what it looks like above 65in. I'm also not entirely sure this film was ever meant to look pristine.

The US disc has the advantage of being cheap. It has the disadvantage that every US version appears to be the same basic disc and ONLY the Director's Cut which some folks claim is essentially blasphemy. Only about 75 seconds of extra stuff including a different opening and some Comic Book style animations,

The German Mediabook seem to be the original Theatrical Release, but are expensive.

I can't confirm, but have read that the digital copies either redeem for the theatrical only or possibly both versions either by using the digital codes in the later re-releases or DiskToDigital redemptions. I must have done the latter, b/c I only have one of teh early items and on VUDU it's the Theatrical version. Since it's Paramount, it's not Movies Anywhere so it doesn't cross over to itunes. [looks like Nick added some digital info while I typing and Robert Confirmed things below)

 

[Robert Crawford]

My iTunes HD digital has both film cuts along with four 15 minutes segments.

 

[Robert Crawford]

The theatrical cut is available on iTunes and presumably other digital services.

My Vudu digital has only the theatrical cut from a $1.00 disc conversion with no bonus material. The iTunes HD digital that I purchased back in 2019 for $4.99, has the theatrical cut with the director's cut being a bonus item along with some featurettes.

 

[Jeff Adkins]

My Vudu digital has only the theatrical cut from a $1.00 disc conversion with no bonus material. The iTunes HD digital that I purchased back in 2019 for $4.99, has the theatrical cut with the director's cut being a bonus item along with some featurettes.

Yes, iTunes is truly the best home viewing option for The Warriors.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

I don't care for the transitions that Mr. Hill added to the "Director's cut" and much prefer the theatrical cut of the picture...which just screams awesome B-movie goodness. I kept thinking that someone like Shout or some other boutique label would put out a two disc version of this with both cuts and a bunch of special features. I've only watched the current US blu twice since 2007 and this is one of those pictures that if I put it on, I put on the DVD with the theatrical.

It looks fine on the Blu-ray but the new material that Hill added looks like it was all done on the cheap and completely brings the film to a halt every time it surfaces. I saw the picture a bunch of times over the years and maybe I was just so used to the theatrical cut I can't get used to the new cut. However, I am a huge fan of Mr. Hill and have I think nearly all his pictures on Blu-ray. Point being I was completely willing to give his new version of this a big break but on both occasions that I watched it I was highly annoyed by his additions.

I might consider the German release if it has the theatrical or wait in hopes it gets a new US release that has the theatrical cut included. It is an influential and popular film after all so you would think they would give it a big bells and whistles edition here.

 

[David Norman]

The German item has been confirmed by many over the last couple years to be the Theatrical Cut - starts with the Wheel and no animations. Just expensive. I think the next time th Itunes drops I'll bite.

 

[TravisR]

I don't care for the transitions that Mr. Hill added to the "Director's cut" and much prefer the theatrical cut of the picture...which just screams awesome B-movie goodness. I kept thinking that someone like Shout or some other boutique label would put out a two disc version of this with both cuts and a bunch of special features.

It's definitely up Shout's alley and they currently have a deal with Paramount so I think it's very possible that they'll release The Warriors at some point. And perhaps an incentive for Shout is that many of the actors in the movie routinely appear at horror movie conventions so that's also easy access to people for them to interview for special features.

 

[Darby67]

Any true "Director's Cut" or "Ultimate Edition" DVD or Blu-ray should include the following deleted scenes either directly in the film or extras/special features:

The Warriors Deleted Scenes

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

So, I am guessing everybody knows Imprint has released an all region 2 disc box set that includes both cuts of the film and a bunch of special features on each version. Most of the features I believe are new for this set.

I have the set and it looks pretty great but I have not had time to watch the discs. Will report back once I have watched the theatrical cut. Excited to see it on this new Blu.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

Here is Brian from Just the Discs breaking this set down.

 

[TravisR]

Much as I love this movie, I'm hoping that Shout Factory will release it (maybe even on UHD) for far less than I'd have to pay to get this release in the U.S.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

Much as I love this movie, I'm hoping that Shout Factory will release it (maybe even on UHD) for far less than I'd have to pay to get this release in the U.S.

Well, my apologies here because I guess the 2000 copies of this set did sell out from all the regular retail sellers. I did not know this as the set I have arrived about 10 days or so ago. So, I thought it was still available widely.

I paid around $64.00 for the set, so $32.00 per film which seemed alright to me.

You can still purchase this set, a place called Movie Mars has it, I've purchased from them before and they are reliable, but it looks like the cost now is $87.00 plus shipping. Which I guess I would call reasonable on the secondary market as I imagine people will try to get a lot for this set.

It is just the two films, each in their own case in a very pretty outer box as pictured above. So, no big book with it or anything else. Each disc does contain special features created for the set.

As a huge Walter Hill fan I preordered this as I did think it would be a big seller. The Warriors remains a cult classic that is very popular and as much as I don't want to knock Walter, I really had issues with the director's cut he did. This film shines in the theatrical cut as a B movie of the late 1970s.

When he fiddled with it adding animation stills, obviously on a very limited budget, it did not improve the film and to me the pacing was thrown off.

I will say, Shout could do their own set but for those hoping that Imprint will do separate releases of this picture one thing that seems to point to that not happening is the spine numbers on both versions are the same. It is numbered release 123 only. So, I don't know if they would release the two versions separately if they gave them a single release number.

Also, while I know Blu ray sales these days tend to be limited, particularly for a pricey box set, not sure why they chose to limit this film to 2000. The Warriors seems a title that has worldwide popularity and a fan base that would well exceed 2000 people. Although I guess if you limit it to 2000 it does, and did, assure a sellout. Perhaps they will release just a single version of the theatrical cut under spine number 123, as probably that is the one everybody wants.

 

[Desslar]

The movie is good, but I probably wouldn't buy it unless there is a very good production-focused commentary and ideally an extensive making-of documentary.

 

[Keith Cobby]

I enjoyed this theatrically on release but not on subsequent viewings on a smaller screen.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

The movie is good, but I probably wouldn't buy it unless there is a very good production-focused commentary and ideally an extensive making-of documentary.

I've not gone through this set yet so can't really comment on what is here for special features yet. They are pretty extensive it seems and there is more than one commentary. The video I posted above from Brian at Just the Discs has a good walk through of what is on the discs. He seems to think the commentaries are great as are the interviews.

Walter himself is not part of the commentaries but he has said before he does not like to explain his films or talk about them too much so I would not expect him to say a lot about them.

At the moment, with what is out there, I would say this is the Criterion level release of The Warriors for now. Not sure how much better a future release could be but most of the features on these discs I think will remain specific to these discs because they were created by Imprint for this release.