MovieChat Forums > Trancers (1984) Discussion > Coming to DVD in Australia, and looks pr...

Coming to DVD in Australia, and looks promising...

posted 15 years ago by Lexx-2
21 replies | jump to latest

http://www.bigskyvideo.com/trancer.htm

Looks at this point like it'll be released under the Aussie title of Future Cop, but also appears to have some decent extras!

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Special Features:
Featurette – bloopers and behind-the-scenes (6:40 duration);
Audio Commentary with director Charles Band.
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Here's hoping it's in widescreen as well!

"Oh, I did my thesis on life experience." - Anonymous Harvard Guy, The Simpsons.

[–] RTheManF89 15 years ago

Wow.

[–] mike_cable 15 years ago

Nice find, very exciting! Interesting to see an Australian distributor has been arranging it, under the local domestic title as well. Couldn't find a release date anywhere yet.

[–] Lexx-2 15 years ago

It's out October 7th, and at a pretty good price. Still no word on whether its in widescreen or not. Fingers crossed!!!

http://www.cdwow.com.au/DVD/FUTURE-COP/product/view/9883563

Same distributor is releasing Intruder, Subspecies, Demonic Toys and Puppet Master 1-5!

"Oh, I did my thesis on life experience." - Anonymous Harvard Guy, The Simpsons.

[–] djsmokingjam 15 years ago

Agreed, if Big Sky have sourced this from a film print as opposed to the usual LD, then this is an essential purchase. I'll wait until a review to be sure though.

Give a thousand monkeys a thousand laptops and they'd all be writing their stupid opinions on IMDB.

[–] the_settler2010 15 years ago

About bloody time, I've been waiting for ages for this to get a decent release. Fingers crossed that it will be widescreen, the fact that there are extras is promising.

Now hopefully they will release Zone Troopers

[–] Lexx-2 15 years ago

According to this listing (http://www.devoteddvd.com.au/shop/product_info.php?products_id=52221&ref=2) it's in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen! Huzzah!

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EDIT: I managed to pick up a copy the other day (Video Ezy already has them on sale), and sadly, it's not in widescreen. In fact it's one of the worst transfers of any movie I have ever seen, looking like it's been taken from a very dirty VHS tape. Really disappointed, though the commentary from Band and Film Threat's Chris Gore is excellent. Oh and the "bloopers" are from Trancers II!

"Oh, I did my thesis on life experience." - Anonymous Harvard Guy, The Simpsons.

[–] djsmokingjam 15 years ago

Thanks for clarifying, shame about the transfer!

Give a thousand monkeys a thousand laptops and they'd all be writing their stupid opinions on IMDB.

[–] mike_cable 15 years ago

That's really disappointing news about the quality of the transfer and the widescreen. I emailed Full Moon a couple of years ago about the first DVD and they said something like "what do you expect from a film this old?" You'd think that someone, somewhere, would have a much better transfer. Sounds like I'm just buying it for the commentary, so I'm not going to bother now unless it's $2 in a bargin bin at The Reject Shop.

[–] Lexx-2 15 years ago

Yeah, I was very disappointed. I suspect if MGM ever puts this out on DVD (as they have with many other Empire flicks, even Breeders for god's sake!!) it'll finally get a decent transfer. The commentary is the only redeeming feature of Big Sky's release.

"Oh, I did my thesis on life experience." - Anonymous Harvard Guy, The Simpsons.

[–] wallacesawyer 15 years ago

TRANCERS could be a great title for Midnite Movies. But I'd much prefer a DVD, with lots of special features, especially commentary and interviews with Tim Thomerson and Helen Hunt.

For DEMONIC TOYS and updates on Full Moon Films:
www.freewebs.com/demonictoys/

[–] NewNewJersey 15 years ago

Damn. I'd been looking forward to it for a while. Should have known we'd get screwed over again.

I own three releases of Trancers so far, and they're all sourced from the same laserdisc transfer. (Which itself came from VHS, apparently.)

Thanks for letting us know.

[–] Lexx-2 15 years ago

The commentary is excellent though, but that's it sadly.

"Oh, I did my thesis on life experience." - Anonymous Harvard Guy, The Simpsons.

[–] NewNewJersey 14 years ago

I finally picked up the Big Sky box set release, primarily for the commentary on the first film. There was a sticker on the box saying "Includes New Print of Future Cop 1" I dunno where they get the balls to claim this when it's from the same source as every other copy I have.

I wonder sometimes if I'll have a good transfer of this movie before I die. :)

[–] djsmokingjam 14 years ago

UncannyAntman, can you tell us anything else about the boxset? Website listings claim it has trailers and featurettes for all six films - I'm particularly interested in hearing what extras are on the first film.

Give a thousand monkeys a thousand laptops and they'd all be writing their stupid opinions on IMDB.

[–] NewNewJersey 14 years ago

These are the (pathetic) extras for the entire box...

Trancers 1:
Trailers for all six films.

Trancers 2:
Trailers for 1, 2 and 3 again.
Trailer for Puppet Master II
Gag reel for Trancers 2

Trancers 3:
Featurette for Trancers 3
Trailer for Puppet Master 4
Trailer for Trancers 3 & 4 again...again.
Trailer for Subspecies III

Trancers 4:
Trailer for Trancers 4 & 5
Featurette for Trancers 4

Trancers 5:
Trancers 5 featurette
Trancers 5 trailer, in case you missed it the first two times.

Trancers 6:
Trailer for Trancers 6. No way!

[–] djsmokingjam 14 years ago

Really? They don't even carry over the commentary for the first one? (Which I'm praying some lovely person posts as an MP3 or something one day...)

Big Sky have, disappointingly, not just licensed films from Full Moon; they've also adopted Charles Band's propensity for lying about special features. I've seen numerous sites advertising featurettes for all six films, including the first. Guess I won't be buying that then!

Give a thousand monkeys a thousand laptops and they'd all be writing their stupid opinions on IMDB.

[–] NewNewJersey 14 years ago

Oops, that's actually my oversight there. Was checking the disc on PC and forgot about alternate audio tracks.

The commentary IS carried over on Trancers 1. Sorry about that.

As for them lying about things, that much is certain. The sticker that proudly proclaims a new print of Trancers 1 is a total lie. All they have done is filter the same old print I own three times already from various releases.

Finally, check your private messages. :)

[–] djsmokingjam 14 years ago

Thanks for that. Looks like I'll be saving the £30 I was thinking of spending on the boxset then...

Give a thousand monkeys a thousand laptops and they'd all be writing their stupid opinions on IMDB.

[–] Lexx-2 14 years ago

Boo and indeed hiss. Haven't seen the transfer on Trancers 6 (as it's only available in the boxset, which I don't own), but the only one with a decent transfer is 2 (which nonetheless has an ugly "aka Future Cop II" title added under the Trancers II title). Time to start badgering the likes of Blue Underground, Anchor Bay or Media Blasters to try and get a decent release happening, methinks... Most of Big Sky's Full Moon releases have simply ported the transfers from the US releases, which isn't too surprising for a small scale label, but it's unavoidably disappointing all the same.

"Oh, I did my thesis on life experience." - Anonymous Harvard Guy, The Simpsons.

[–] djsmokingjam 14 years ago

Don't hold your breath. Charles Band recently licensed Trancers to Echo Bridge in America, who put out the same old DVD. The more of those that get sold, the less likely it is we'll see a special edition of some kind. I'd abslutely love to be proven wrong though...

A fan has just done his own transfer of the laserdisc, in progressive NTSC and cropping the picture to anamorphic 16:9. Try searching "Trancers: Enhanced Edition" to get the links to the DVD-R. That might be the best we see for a while.

Give a thousand monkeys a thousand laptops and they'd all be writing their stupid opinions on IMDB.

[–] Kensith 13 years ago

All we want is a nice widescreen DVD with a high quality transfer 5.1 dolby audio directors commentary and a few extras such as interviews with the actors and director is that to much to ask probably as no one want to spend any more money on this movie so there's no chance of a blu-ray release.