Go Back  DVD Talk Forum > DVD Discussions > DVD Talk
Reload this Page >

Hardware (Dylan McDermott) - Where is it?

DVD Talk Talk about DVDs and Movies on DVD including Covers and Cases

Hardware (Dylan McDermott) - Where is it?

Old 09-18-05, 11:09 AM
  #1  
Cool New Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hardware (Dylan McDermott) - Where is it?

A few years ago this DVD was announced and then scrubbed for some unknown reason. Is there any word on when this movie will finally be released on DVD. I'm only interested in a NTSC region 1 legitimate release.
Old 09-19-05, 03:34 AM
  #2  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: The Other Side
Posts: 985
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I think we'll have to keep waiting on that one. I think the German release is legitimate, it's called MARK 13, but it's pan-and-scan, and the quality is infamously terrible. I've read an interview with Richard Stanley (from a Stanley fansite...I can't remember it off the top of the head) and I think he said the rights are tangled up somewhere.
Old 09-19-05, 04:04 AM
  #3  
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Rampaging across DVDTalk.
Posts: 4,046
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
I like Dylan McDermott as an actor but haven't heard of this. Is it any good?
Old 09-19-05, 04:14 AM
  #4  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: The Other Side
Posts: 985
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Fincher Fan
I like Dylan McDermott as an actor but haven't heard of this. Is it any good?
Ha ha, not a good question to ask if you're uninitiated! Funny, I first knew McDermott from this. In the Line from Fire came out and I thought, huh, the guy from Hardware! Really, every person will have a different answer. If you like moody, low-budget 80s sci-fi, you'll probably like it. Others think it's shit. So it's got a post-apocalyptic setting, Ministry's Stigmata and Public Image Ltd on the soundtrack, bathed in very dark red lighting (which will be hell for any video transfers--Stanley has said that everyone had used blue lighting in the 80s, ala Cameron, so he wanted to be different), a robot, a peeping Tom ("pop by pop..."), Lemmy, Iggy Pop on the radio, John Lynch, and Burglekutt from Willow.
Old 09-19-05, 07:58 AM
  #5  
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Sanger, TX
Posts: 3,552
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
This was one of the first movies I saw in theaters when I started giving up watching sports on TV. It didn't gross well. Well, maybe more than Gigli. I didn't know Dylan McDermott was in it. After seeing it, it was one of the most boring movies I ever saw. But that's my thoughts.

Last edited by darkhawk; 09-19-05 at 08:30 AM.
Old 09-19-05, 08:19 AM
  #6  
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Rampaging across DVDTalk.
Posts: 4,046
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
I look forward to avoiding it.
Old 09-19-05, 08:28 AM
  #7  
DVD Talk Legend
 
matome's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: NY
Posts: 12,304
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
This was actually scheduled for DVD release a couple of years ago (I had it on preorder) and then it was just canceled one day out of the blue. Haven't heard a peep about it since.
Old 09-19-05, 09:50 AM
  #8  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Salem, OR
Posts: 379
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I own this movie on VHS, one of the few I have in that format.

This is one of the better Sci-Fi movies IMHO. It's like a rollercoaster....starts off very slowly for the first half hour...really slow...then it's non-stop intensity til the end.

Last edited by danganet; 09-20-05 at 05:32 PM.
Old 09-19-05, 02:15 PM
  #9  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Seattle
Posts: 1,384
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Its sci-fi cheese but if they released it with good pic and sound I would cop.
Old 09-20-05, 12:20 AM
  #10  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Hollywood, USA
Posts: 1,571
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Egon's Ghost
So it's got a post-apocalyptic setting, Ministry's Stigmata and Public Image Ltd on the soundtrack...a robot, a peeping Tom ("pop by pop..."), Lemmy, Iggy Pop on the radio, John Lynch, and Burglekutt from Willow.
In other words, what's not to like?

BTW, I rented the German disk and that disk does suck. Still, liked the movie, though...
Old 09-20-05, 03:45 AM
  #11  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: The Other Side
Posts: 985
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by CrumpsBrother
In other words, what's not to like?
Exactly! This movie really only appeals to a certain sensibility.

"This is what you want...this is what you get...."
Old 09-20-05, 11:54 AM
  #12  
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 8,899
Received 180 Likes on 125 Posts
I'd also love to see nice R1 DVD versions (or just as good, for it to pop on an HD channel) of "Hardware" and Stanley's other underrated genre movie "Dust Devil". "Hardware" is kind of like Argento's "Suspiria". On the surface not much of a story, but a captivating visual and aural experience for those viewers receptive to it. Also like "Suspiria", there a real "love it or hate it" response in many viewers -- and it's hard for the lovers to argue with the haters, other than it "worked" for them.

Seeing "Hardware" and "Dust Devil" makes me wish that director Stanley was able to make more features. I'm a bit spotty on the history, but he seemed primed for the big time until getting fired from "Island of Dr. Moreau", and has been working on other non-feature projects since. However, he's still in his 30's so there's time (imdb lists a feature thriller called "Vacation" in preproduction, but you know how unrealiable these imdb postings can be).
Old 09-20-05, 03:09 PM
  #13  
DVD Talk Gold Edition
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Columbus, OH
Posts: 2,392
Received 46 Likes on 36 Posts
I can appreciate what this movie was able to accomplish on basically a budget of $1.98. Somehow it manages to elevate above direct-to-video or low-budget sci-fi trash. It is a shame it never got released on DVD. (I had to eventually cave in and purchase the laserdisc off Ebay.)

By the way, there does not appear to be a widescreen release of this movie on any format. I wouldn't be surprised if all previous home video versions were open-matte instead of pan & scan, but I honestly don't know for sure.
Old 09-20-05, 03:19 PM
  #14  
Moderator
 
Giles's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Washington DC
Posts: 33,630
Received 16 Likes on 12 Posts
wait!.. are we talking about the movie that got slapped an X-rating by the MPAA over a scene where some unfortunate victim gets sliced in half by an elevator -right?
Old 09-20-05, 03:38 PM
  #15  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Antarctica
Posts: 525
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I really like this movie as well. It's definitely style over substance, but it creates its own little world so well that it ends up really working. The unrelenting robot attack on Stacey Travis is one of the better sci-fi horror sequences of that era and I think the film as a whole is heads-and-tails more fun than most 80's genre crap. Lots of industrial touches and sounds of machinery and gears turning as the robot attacks should appeal to fans of industrial rock as well. I just really like the look and feel of it. I can definitely understand how some people may hate this film, but it shouldn't be casually dismissed as a throwaway film by any means.

As far as the video prints being open-matte or P&S, I vaguely recall that in the shower scene, you can see that McDermott is actually wearing shorts so that would imply that its most likely open-matte.
Old 09-20-05, 03:38 PM
  #16  
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Astoria, NY, USA
Posts: 3,333
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Yes, among other moments in the film. Director Richard Stanley and Hardware became somewhat emblematic of MPAA issues at the time.

Last year, Disney received an R rating for a resubmission of the film. Details are not given, but presumably they submitted the full uncut version (why else bother submitting anything for re-rating?). They likely wanted to clear an R rating for the film so that they can release it uncut and also comply with the in-house policy of not releasing X material. It's unclear what the plan is, as Disney has not divulged such, nor have they been working with Richard Stanley on it.

Even the fully uncut version of the film is not Stanley's true director's cut. In addition to gore cuts made late in the game, the producers had the actors dub in dialogue that was not meant to exist (e.g., when the camera doesn't actually show any actors, additional dialogue is dubbed in to explain what's going on). Any real director's cut would involve the removal of all of the extraneous dialogue. No such version has ever been released anywhere.

DJ
Old 09-20-05, 03:40 PM
  #17  
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Astoria, NY, USA
Posts: 3,333
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by rennervision
By the way, there does not appear to be a widescreen release of this movie on any format. I wouldn't be surprised if all previous home video versions were open-matte instead of pan & scan, but I honestly don't know for sure.
The film was shot for 1.85:1 exhibition. Video versions are likely not completely "open matte," as they probably zoom in somewhat. So you're probably seeing both too much at the top and bottom and not enough on the sides.

There has never been a video transfer that involved the director's participation.

DJ
Old 09-21-05, 07:06 AM
  #18  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Josh Z's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Boston
Posts: 11,757
Received 254 Likes on 180 Posts
Originally Posted by djtoell
Last year, Disney received an R rating for a resubmission of the film. Details are not given, but presumably they submitted the full uncut version (why else bother submitting anything for re-rating?).
If they cut something out of the film, they would have to resubmit it.
Old 09-21-05, 07:22 AM
  #19  
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Astoria, NY, USA
Posts: 3,333
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by Josh Z
If they cut something out of the film, they would have to resubmit it.
When I rhetorically asked "why else bother submitting anything for re-rating," I meant anything with regard to Hardware. It doesn't make any sense that Disney would bother cutting Hardware further, only to seek yet another R rating. If Disney had cut it with the intent of seeking a PG-13 (!) rating somehow, it's doubtful that they would have accepted the R certificate on the further-cut version.

DJ
Old 09-21-05, 01:06 PM
  #20  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: The Other Side
Posts: 985
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Can we back up a bit, and forgive my ignorance? Since when has Disney owned this movie? And if it's been resubmitted, that must mean we'll see a DVD release, right?
Old 09-21-05, 01:41 PM
  #21  
Moderator
 
Giles's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Washington DC
Posts: 33,630
Received 16 Likes on 12 Posts
Originally Posted by Egon's Ghost
Can we back up a bit, and forgive my ignorance? Since when has Disney owned this movie? And if it's been resubmitted, that must mean we'll see a DVD release, right?
it was a Miramax release
Old 09-21-05, 01:43 PM
  #22  
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Astoria, NY, USA
Posts: 3,333
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by Egon's Ghost
Can we back up a bit, and forgive my ignorance? Since when has Disney owned this movie? And if it's been resubmitted, that must mean we'll see a DVD release, right?
Hardware was originally a Miramax property (the Weinsteins were listed as producers for it, as they were for Richard Stanley's follow up film, Dust Devil). Disney has owned Miramax for many years. The particular Disney subdivision that obtained the new rating was Buena Vista Home Entertainment.

Whether the new rating "must mean" we'll get a DVD remains to be seen. The new rating happened a few months after Disney announced and then cancelled a DVD in late 2003. The new rating was given in early 2004. It is over a year and a half since that new rating was given, and we have yet to see anything come of it.

DJ
Old 09-21-05, 01:45 PM
  #23  
Moderator
 
Giles's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Washington DC
Posts: 33,630
Received 16 Likes on 12 Posts
Originally Posted by Josh Z
If they cut something out of the film, they would have to resubmit it.
a resubmittion/rerating also applies to any film that has new or previousily deleted footage reinstated into the movie. Now if it's true that Disney had restored the previousily problamatic footage (i,e the original uncut version) - the MPAA must have had a good day and didn't find the extreme gore to warrantt a MPAA rating this time around.
Old 09-21-05, 01:52 PM
  #24  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Drexl's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 16,077
Likes: 0
Received 15 Likes on 13 Posts
I guess they should retitle it "Vaporware."

The only reason I remember this at all is because of its rating. I would like to see it though.
Old 09-21-05, 02:39 PM
  #25  
Banned
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Sand Point
Posts: 2,249
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Josh Z
If they cut something out of the film, they would have to resubmit it.
And thus the DVD marketing scheme of the "unrated edition"!!! Add an additional 45 second of footage back into Dodgeball, and suddenly it's the all new unrated version.

I wonder what this means for legitimate unrated stuff like Poison Ivy 3?

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.