[UPDATED] FULL LOVE: Jean-Claude Van Damme’s Second Star/Director Outing Finalizes A 3-Disc Blu-Ray U.S. Release
UPDATE (9:30am EST): I usually don’t make it my business to post April Fools’ Day articles much less fall for them myself, but certain signs point to this being nothing more than an April Fools joke piece from the minds at City On Fire, in which case…. Har-har-hardy-har-har. You got me.
EARLIER: It was last week that the official YouTube trailer for action star Jean-Claude Van Damme released a newly cut trailer for his long-awaited action drama, Full Love. Its release was long kept stagnant due to reshoots and title changes after screening to a mixed reception at Cannes in 2010 and at other festivals and events, wherein the action star has since filmed projects like Black Water and We Die Young, while promoting other titles like Lionheart 2 and sibling Western, Three Coyotes to name a few.
I suppose we’ll have more info on those in due time. For now, it’s all about Full Love and the decade it took to finally make this film’s release a reality, and we now have confirmation from City On Fire with a press announcement from JVD Rewind for a three-disc Blu-Ray limited edition comprising all three versions of the film, and much more.
After a career reviving turn in 2008’s JCVD, the Muscles from Brussels returned to the director’s chair for only the second time since making his directorial debut, with 1996’s The Quest. Directing, writing, and starring, Full Love was Jean-Claude Van Damme’s most personal project, the culmination of a lifetimes worth of passion and pursuing his dreams, however it’s had a rocky journey to the screen. Now for the first time, fans can not only enjoy the final cut of Full Love, but also experience the full saga, from its conception to eventual release, and everything in-between. In a career that’s seen Van Damme take on the most iconic villains to grace the screen, the 3-disc Blu-ray of Full Love tells the story of Van Damme’s victory over his greatest adversary – himself.
Full specs below:
Full Love – 4k remastered version of the never before released final cut representing Van Damme’s true vision for his epic tale
The Eagle Path – 2k remastered version of Van Damme’s original cut, screened at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival out of competition
Soldiers – The rare workprint of the 2012 redux version, which contained newly shot scenes inspired by the (at the time) recent release of The Raid
Half a Loaf of Love – An exclusive to this release fan-edit of all 3 existing versions of Van Damme’s opus, incorporating all existing footage into a chronological narrative
Following the Path to Love – An exclusive, newly commissioned 1 hour Making of documentary, featuring Jean-Claude Van Damme, and key cast members Claudia Bassols, John Colton, Josef Cannon, and many more
Archival footage of Jean-Claude Van Damme introducing The Eagle Path at Cairns in 2010
Jean-Claude Van Damme: Behind Closed Doors – Archival footage from the 2011 UK reality TV show, in which Van Damme discusses The Eagle Path
On the Eagle’s Wing – An exclusive interview with cast member and daughter of Van Damme, Bianca Brigitte Van Damme, who was 17 when shooting started in 2008
Audio commentaries on all 3 versions from Jean-Claude Van Damme and principal cast members
Soldiering On – An exclusive featurette mixing new interviews and archival footage, delving into the making of the Soldiers cut, and how the era influenced its creation.
Cracks in the Path – A compilation of outtakes and bloopers
Exclusive slipcover for the first 500 pressings featuring newly commissioned artwork created by Van Damme himself (available exclusively at Walmart).
A Decade of Love – Limited to the first 500 pressings, a booklet containing an essay by Jean-Claude Van Damme historian Kyle Warner on the history of Full Love, from its principal filming in Thailand in 2008, to its eventual completion in 2018
Native New Yorker. Been writing for a long time now, and I enjoy what I do. Be nice to me!