Leave it to Aussie filmmakers to come up with some
creative views of the future. Back in
1979 director George Miller delivered Mad Max, it
was a theatrical hit and spawned a generation of sequels and film homages.
Just seven years after Mad Max
another Aussie director by the name of Brian Trenchard-Smith came up with yet
another post-apocalyptic vision, Dead End Drive-In. And it too has stood the test of time … a
genre fan tale of horrific delights.
Word arrived this past week that Arrow Video, with domestic
sales and distribution expertise provided by MVD Entertainment Group, will be
re-issuing the 2K restoration of Dead End Drive-In —
from the original film elements — on Blu-ray this coming Nov. 12.
A visionary film, Dead End
Drive-In speaks of a world that has
collapsed economically, with many of the young people living without skills and
addicted to sex, drug and punk rock music.
The iPhone has not yet arrived, but all of the elements of disaffected
youth — isolation, loneliness and despair — are prevalent, just in a different
form.
In this future world, the “authorities” have hit
upon the perfect solution. Prison camps
— actually converted drive-in movie theatres — where the youthful, lay-about
inmates are fed an unending dose of punk tunes, exploitation films (riddled
with sex and violence) and all the drugs, alcohol and unhealthy foods they can
consume.
It is a junkie heaven, but in reality these places
are hell on earth with the “prisoners” on a nihilistic mission of
self-destruction … they simply accept their fate, drink, get drugged out and
lose their minds to the music and violence.
Into this world comes Jimmy “Crabs” Rossini (Ned
Manning), who just wanted the perfect date with the alluring Carman (Natalie
McCurry), but ended up stranded at the drive-in. He wants out, but everyone, including
Carman, thinks the set-up is wonderful.
Food, entertainment, drugs, you name it, and the drive-in, the “dead
end” drive-in, has it all.
Bonus features include commentary from filmmaker Brian
Trenchard-Smith (The Quest, Night of the Demons 2, Arctic Blast),
his 1973 feature-length documentary titled The
Stuntmen (aka: Dare
Devils) and his 1978 short film titled Hospitals
Don't Burn Down.
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