JOSHUA TREE (a.k.a. "Army Of One") BD & DVD special edition!

[Jerry_Dam]

Shout! Factory will release a Blu-ray/DVD combo special edition of Vic Armstrong's JOSHUA TREE (re-titled ARMY OF ONE in the U.S.) including notably:
- audio commentary with Vic Armstrong and brother Andy (co-producer, second unit director and stuntman)
- interviews with Vic & Andy Armstrong and Dolph Lundgren
- both endings (with commentary)


To be released February 26, 2013.

Note that Shout! Factory also plans a release of DARK ANGEL a.k.a. I COME IN PEACE...

[Leigh_Riding]

I'm gutted, because Shout! Factory region lock their Blu Rays

[Jim_Mcdonaugh]

The transfer is cropped in this edition, so it's no good...

[Jerry_Dam]

How do you know it's cropped, this edition has not even been released yet?

This one is supposed to be a proper 2.35 widescreen HD transfer and Shout! Factory has proven before to be a company to count on for getting out great editions of underrated gems like this one.

[Jim_Mcdonaugh]

How do you know it's cropped, this edition has not even been released yet?

So?

This one is supposed to be a proper 2.35 widescreen HD transfer

It was shot in 1.33, not 2:35. It's a TV movie, like Red Scorpion. Low budget movies are never shot in super wide, remember that. Especially in the 80s.

and Shout! Factory has proven before to be a company to count on for getting out great editions of underrated gems like this one.

Rly? I've seen some of their DVDs... unimpressive at best.

[Samuel_Scott]

This is from the nineties shot on 35mm by Super 35. OAR is 2.35:1.

[Jim_Mcdonaugh]

This is from the nineties shot on 35mm by Super 35. OAR is 2.35:1.

Maybe it's the intended ratio, but not actual. The original one is definitely 1.33.
I had some DVD in the past which had 2.40 or 2.35 ratio, but it was cropped and matted to look like super wide.
I still have such cropped/matted DVDs somewhere... probably. I sold over 2000 discs recently.

[Jerry_Dam]

It is a known fact that the movie was filmed on Super 35mm (same as T2), sure it wasn't anamorphic but I've seen it in French theaters in 2.35 and that's how the DP director framed it (I interviewed them).

It's not a TV movie, apart from the U.S., UK and Germany it was released theatrically worldwide (and I'm not talking about RED SCORPION which was a $16 million flick released worldwide - except in the UK again)...

But please Jim_Mcdonaugh, don't say anything if you don't know and haven't got a disc of this edition in your hands, this is not the Artisan DVD from 1999...

[Jim_Mcdonaugh]

But please Jim_Mcdonaugh, don't say anything if you don't know and haven't got a disc of this edition in your hands,

I'm not allowed to share my opinion? It's a forum btw.
And never take distributor's promises on faith, it's not smart. They wanna sell their stuff, so they'll promise you anything you desire that badly.

this is not the Artisan DVD from 1999...

Which doesn't mean there gonna be some real improvements...

It is a known fact that the movie was filmed on Super 35mm (same as T2), sure it wasn't anamorphic but I've seen it in French theaters in 2.35 and that's how the DP director framed it (I interviewed them).

The director will never be honest with you. Such people never disclose all the details. They simply can't do that.

And T2 wasn't shot in super wide. It was shot in 1:78 and cropped to 2.40 or 2.35 (depends on the transfer).

[Jerry_Dam]

OK sure, whatever you say, amen...

[Paul_Lewis]

Looking forward to this. Nice to see this in its intended AR for once.

Jim, the negative area for a film shot in Super 35 is 1.66:1, but the films are printed anamorphically at 2.35:1. (I've got some cuttings from a print of Ridley Scott's BLACK RAIN, another Super 35 film, in my desk at work; I can scan and upload one of them for you, if you like.)

[Jerry_Dam]

So the Blu-ray:
- is Region A,
- the featurette "A Look Back at the Joshua Tree" runs 24 minutes and does only features Vic, Andy and Dolph (not Kristian Alfonso)
- and the version of the film featured in HD 2.35 widescreen is the first producers cut released: shorter (101 mins) with the "happy ending".
- The newer alternate ending with the reshoots is featured separately in 4/3 (with commentary).
- the theatrical trailer is 4/3
- sound tracks are 5.1 and 2.0
- English subs

[Mark_Meakin]

Certainly one of Dolph's most underrated movies.It was quite a shock seeing it uncut for the first time after having only seen the heavily cut UK video from Entertainment.It was cut by 59 seconds but going on the 96 minute RT it was pre-cut before being submitted to the BBFC.

[Jerry_Dam]

Blu-ray.com review with screen captures
http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Joshua-Tr ... /#Overview

[Leigh_Riding]

Any news if this is being licenced to any other countries? This is locked to A. Also, despite the UK VHS being cut, it had the superior ending, not the US reshot ending.

[Jerry_Dam]

As I already said above the version featured on this Blu-ray/DVD combo is the first ending (same as the UK, Japanese and U.S. R-rated VHS ending)
This one to avoid any further confusion:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrVSHzWVnpU&t=6m0s
The other ending with additional climax (better in my opinion) is featured separately in 4/3 standard quality.

Other than that it's planned in Italy from Koch Media but it probably won't have these special features (unless Shout Factory licensed them).

[Leigh_Riding]

Does the DVD have the same features as the Blu??? I don't fancy upgrading to an unlocked Blu player for this...

[Jerry_Dam]

Yes the DVD is the same.

You can also cheap Blu-ray players from the Toshiba BDX range that can easily be made region free with a firmware.

By the way, Shout Factory is also releasing DARK ANGEL (a.k.a. ICOME IN PEACE) later this year and it's gonna be the same region issue...

More reviews:
http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/8046/joshua_tree.html
http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/58798/joshua-tree/
http://www.dvdsnapshot.com/2013/02/josh ... my-of-one/

EDIT:
Here's the first clip from the 24 minutes interview featurette, "A Look Back at the Joshua Tree":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wU0Vz25aNDc
Another clip is on the way...

[Jerry_Dam]

New Review:

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

Shout Factory has delivered an impressive Bluray release for this obscure film. Firstly it comes with a nice widescreen presentation and an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, which is a real improvement over last full screen DVD release from 1999. The colors are a little flat but the action looks nice. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 audio track is impressive, especially with the non-stop action, fighting and explosions.

The special features are worth checking out if you are a fan of the film. There is an audio commentary track with Director Vic Armstrong and Producer Andy Armstrong. It is a nice balanced track which covers a lot of ground for the production. “A Look Back at The Joshua Tree” is a newly product feature with cast and crew chatting some fun behind-the-scene stories. Lastly there is an alternate ending included and a trailer rounding out the extras.

http://www.mediamikes.com/2013/02/blu-r ... shua-tree/?

[Jerry_Dam]

Here's a new clip from the interview featurette "A Look Back At The Joshua Tree"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqXsZK9hqZs