I saw that this is being released on dvd by new company Code Red. This and a bunch of other 70's & 80's movies. You can check the site at CoderedDvd.com. They also have signed another rare gem "Devil Times Five". Sounds like they're gonna be good.
shareI have a release on DVD from the East West DVD company, under the Class Reunion Massacre title, and it's awful quality! Avoid it at all costs! It's dirt cheap, only costing a few dollars, but it's put on a single layer DVD with another movie, which is really awful. Since they crammed two full films on a single layer DVD, there are lots of blocky images and other artifacts. The movie has also had the brightness turned WAY down, and all indoor scenes look as if the lights are off in the room. Also, it's clearly from the old VHS 3/4 master used for the original Continental release, and not a moderm remaster from an actual film print. I did see this listed on the Code Red website as a coming attraction to be released under the original title The Redeemer. I hope it's a better quality DVD.
shareI also have the eastwest dvd and the quality blows hard. I am pissed, because I bought a bunch of there dvd's.
shareLikewise - but all the prints I've ever seen of this movie are pretty dark.
I had a VHS copy of this that included several splices - are these present in the EW-DVD?
The Genesis VHS version is cut and the print is atrocious. The best VHS version I have is the Continental one. Much better sound and picture than VCI's tape. I hope Code Red does this underrated film justice and release a cleaned-up version on DVD. I was hoping Synapse would have had the rights to this as they are top of the line when it comes to their releases.
shareI have the old Continential vhs version. The quality is very crisp and bright to be such an old tape.
shareI also have the eastwestdvd version, and I agree it is crappy quality. However, somehow I think that gives the movie a creepy atmospheric quality. The movie is bad, but for some reason I still like it, especially the score. On the contrary to some rumor that the score was ripped off from Halloween, Redeemer came out before Halloween albeit the same year.
shareAnybody have an update on this? I still keep seeing it listed as "Future Undated."
I've been waiting for it to come out for a couple of years now.
It's still there but no further word on a specific street date. Code Red is very slow at getting these out but based on their first five releases the wait is definitely worth it. A top-of-the-line DVD company indeed. Kudos to them.
"You give me back my ball... I'll give you yours" - Viggo Mortensen in Renny Harlin's 'Prison'
I have the Genesis VHS (bought it for a buck last night!) and the print is horrible. Its barely watchable. Dammit! Thought it looked really cool, too. Well, it was a buck.
shareGenesis (or 21st Genesis) was one of those fly-by-night companies that put out a slew of movies way back when. The few that I bought were of poor quality and 'The Redeemer' was edited. Hopefully, Code Red will give this one top treatment.
"You give me back my ball... I'll give you yours" - Viggo Mortensen in Renny Harlin's 'Prison'
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Code Red will never get this released. All they're doing is wasting time - Time that some other distributor could have to do it and get it out in a timely fashion. I don't trust Code Red. They are very undependable.
"Lookie! Built you a little fry house!''
Speaking on behalf of Code Red, as I know the owners of this company as I have participated in commentary tracks on some of their future releases, I know the story behind this release.
Code Red is NOT holding back this release. The negative is LOST! The only thing the rights owner has at this time is the old crappy Genesis VHS video release. This was a fact NOT KNOWN until after the contract was signed between Code Red and the rights owner. When Code Red was able to search out a print from a private collector in the hopes of finding better materials, it was in such bad shape that the lab said that the quality of the old Continental VHS Video was 'Criterion' in comparison to what could be made out of this private print. Simply put, this film does NOT exist in quality elements. Why aren't other distributors looking into it? Simply put - they did! Code Red spoke to four of them (just look at the thank you credits on any of their discs and you'll get a clue as to who they may be), and they all turned it down for the same exact reason - there are no elements and it is already getting bootlegged on a dollar label. Unlike the other rare film by the same rights owner - "TEENAGE GRAFITTI" - quality materials do exist - unlike THE REDEEMER, where none exist.
Code Red is NOT holding anything back - they pursued every avenue to find presentable elements for this film, but none exist. And considering it's already on a $1 bootleg label in about the best way its ever going to look, how can anyone expect a pristine release to come out of NOTHING?
booberry,
At this point, the quality of the print is secondary. I understand that Code Red is a low budget distributor but, at this point, go for the extras. The extras are what people want in regards to CRM. Give us a Finkbinder commentary..or something. That would certainly be fine with me.
I respect a company wanting to put out a pristine copy of a flick, but you yourself said it was virtually impossible to find anything better than the Continental print (which is the quiet watchable anyway), so, why not just put it out already?
"Lookie! Built you a little fry house!''
Who is this 'rights owner'? I will be more than happy to 'loan' to him/her my Continental video if it guarantees a DVD release. LOL...
"You give me back my ball... I'll give you yours" - Viggo Mortensen in Renny Harlin's 'Prison'
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I also found the Genesis version of this, for a dollar. I definitely could tell it was edited. That's disappointing.
shareLooks like it's been cancelled... no longer on Code Red's 'Future Releases' list.
Good God Almighty... *beep*
"You give me back my ball... I'll give you yours" - Viggo Mortensen in Renny Harlin's 'Prison'
That's a disappointment... It seems that The Redeemer is fast becoming the holy grail of horror afficionados. :(
As far as Code Red DVD goes, I was really pleased to hear that they're planning a lot of releases for 2008 - they had so much on their slate when they started out, including some really cool stuff, but their initial releases weren't the ones I was interested in.
I am HIGHLY disappointed over this news. I was really rooting for this one to get 'the treatment'. This was one of my favourites and it was filmed not too far from home to boot.
Some of their other releases are quite good - Beyond The Door, Silent Scream, Forced Entry, etc. Hopefully those will see their day.
"You give me back my ball... I'll give you yours" - Viggo Mortensen in Renny Harlin's 'Prison'