Synapse have been putting out esoteric genre fare on blu-ray for a while now and have released some rather great, unexpected, discs. Their disc for Hammer's VAMPIRE CIRCUS is an exceptional showcase for a film that has been under-appreciated outside of the diehard horror film circuit and their recently released disc for Radley Metzger's THE IMAGE is just the dose of sleaze that the blu-ray format has been in need of (and in a glorious transfer, at that!). When I heard that they were to release one of my favorite 80s exploitation flicks, THE EXTERMINATOR, my excitement was hard to contain. Synapse were nice enough to send me over a review copy of the retail disc and what follows is my review.
THE FILM:
THE EXTERMINATOR came out a strange time. It was post-70s grit and on-the-fringes filmmaking but has far more aesthetically and politically in common with films released ten years prior to its release than anything else released in 1980. Trying to give the film a genre classification is almost an exercise in futility, thus it typically just gets lumped in with anything else that was remotely exploitative at the time. But this is no mere bargain bin grade sleaze picture. There is a lot going on here outside of the rampant grue and awesome weaponry displayed on screen. Actually, despite the film's origins and rather obvious target demographic, it would not be entirely absurd to pair the film on a double bill with more tame, politically minded action films along the lines of UNCOMMON VALOR or THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR. Yes, THE EXTERMINATOR is to those films what Bang Bros is to Taxi Cab Confessions, but there is a well written sense of paranoia in the narrative that tends to get overlooked in favor of its (rather wonderful) excesses.
On face value, THE EXTERMINATOR is a rather simple vigilante film. It features Robert Ginty as a war veteran in New York City who, after his friend is attacked by a street gang, intends to rid the city of its violent crime problem. In all honesty, this is all most similar films would need as far as a story is concerned. You have a rather badass character avenging a crime committed against his friend and he's going to run around a huge city and kick a lot of ass. What more do you need? Well, for director James Glickenhaus that was not enough. The ever pressing issues of organized crime and governmental conspiracy need to be tackled as well. And he does this with glee. It all gets rather cliche at times but this was 1980, since then we have been bombarded with stories of government cover-ups and corrupt military officials, accepting this as a product of its time is really essential to appreciating how far it takes material that could have merely been a topic of a single conversation but instead is allowed to permeate the story as a whole.
But that's not what you're picking up a blu-ray that has a dude with flamethrower on the cover for, right? No, don't get me wrong, THE EXTERMINATOR is a trashy, violent picture that can satiate the appetite of any exploitation fan. Synapse have also seen fit to release this disc as the unrated director's cut, adding more violence than was already present. You're going to get a lot of shooting, some stabbing, a bit of nasty mutilation and, of course, some flamethrower usage. This one doesn't skimp though it does not go as far as other films in the genre, but it doesn't need to. Glickenhaus carefully balances the excesses expected in a film like this with a rather well told story and that should be commended. If, by now, you are not convinced that you need to see this than perhaps this quote from Roger Ebert will: "One of the most cold-blooded and controversial revenge films ever made, this is a sick example of the almost unbelievable descent into gruesome savagery in American movies."
THE DISC:
Synapse did a 2K restoration for this disc and it looks like it. I never got a chance to look at the previously released DVD version of the film so I cannot comment on how they compare but I was introduced to this on VHS (remember those?) and this is an obvious, even jarring, improvement. I've heard many people ask how an exploitation film, or any film with such a gritty aesthetic, can benefit from HD and this is as good an example as any I've seen. There is so much texture evident in the location itself that the city feels alive and, though some practical effects seams are evident, the gore looks terrific. I'd actually say that solid practical effects look better in HD than sub-par CG effects do and this is no exception. The colors (especially all of that red) are vibrant and really compliment the dirty, dull appearance of the grimy New York City locations. The audio has also been restored and sounds great, it is 2.0 so don't expect a surround sound system workout, but it is clean and consistent and I couldn't ask for anything more.
If there is any area where I wanted more it is in the special features. What is here is great but there is not much of it. Synapse give us a director's commentary which is informative while also being entertaining. I love listening to tracks for films that were made outside of the studio system, especially when they're as controversial as this one and this track has some great moments. I'm not going to spoil anything here but you will definitely hear about the effects if you're into such things, and I know that I am not the only one that is. The only additional material that Synapse include is a theatrical trailer and a TV spot. They advertise the film well enough but it would have been great to have commentary on those as well or even an intro to the blu-ray version from the director. Regardless, it is great to have this film readily available and with a great transfer so I can't complain.
CLOSING REMARKS:
Odds are that by now you know if you're the audience for this film or not. If you are, than this disc is absolutely worth purchasing regardless of the minimal bonus features. The film is presented uncut, the new transfer and audio are exceptional and the commentary is worth a listen for fans of the genre. Oh, and it also happens to come with a DVD copy of the disc which I imagine could come in handy for loaning out or could at least make a decent weapon.
The disc does not street until tomorrow, September 13th, but you can pre-order it at Amazon now.
