This week is a week of celebrating bygone action movie glory if you’re a collector of physical media from the good folks over at MVD Entertainment.
More than twenty years since HKL/Medusa Communications advanced the home release efforts of Steve Wang’s own cut of the 1996 film, Drive, the company’s own Rewind Collection shingle are now offering their own spruced up edition of the director’s cut on Blu-Ray. The special features are listed below and if some of them read familiar to you any, chances are you’ve owned a copy of the HKL/Medusa print from 2000, and so there’s a very, VERY good chance that you know your friends and fellow film fans have reasons aplenty to be excited.
Drive is a cult classic that pays dear homage to action movies in a multitude of ways, and was a festival darling for a time or two, and the unfortunate part is much ado with the studio malfeasance for the film’s commercial releases on VHS and television to be reduced to a ninety-minute fast food packaging of the full, extended entrée Wang had in store to begin with.
Adding to the brouhaha is the fact that despite all forward-going statements to the matter, fans of the flick which also stars Kadeem Hardison, John Pyper Ferguson, Masaya Kato, and late actors Brittany Murphy and James Shigeta, never saw another reunion from Wang and lead action star Mark Dacascos (See my Bring *These* Back piece from last April over at The Action Elite).
Perhaps the good that came out of all this is that Wang has a story to tell, if he wants to. He’s since recently gone into great depth with YouTuber/filmmaker Bueno over at Garage Hero about the film’s beleagured rollout and the crippling corporate skullduggery the film befell so many years ago prior to its HKL/Medusa rescue. He goes in deep on this topic and much more, and it’s worth a watch.
As for all things Drive: Director’s Cut this year, read on:
MVD Rewind Collection #26
Coming May 11, 2021: DRIVE: DIRECTOR’S CUT / SPECIAL EDITION [BLU-RAY]
SPEED KILLS… IF YOU AIN’T GOING FAST ENOUGH!
Toby Wong (Mark Dacascos, John Wick 3: Parabellum) is on a martial arts mission impossible. With a bio-energy module placed on his chest, Toby’s awesome martial arts skills are tuned to a super-human level. The only problem is that Toby doesn’t want the power.
Now, only an army can stop him, and that’s just what’s hunting him down. As he makes his escape from an ammo-packing posse of hitmen, Toby needs a hostage, Malik (Kadeem Hardison, White Men Can’t Jump) to drive him to freedom in Los Angeles.
Its double-power Jackie Chan-like super moves as the two unlikely heroes face-off with a new advanced killer in this amazing cult classic, high octane hyper-action movie featuring an all-star supporting cast that includes Brittany Murphy (Clueless), Sanaa Lathan (Blade) and Tracey Walter (Batman).
SPECIAL FEATURES:
• High Definition (1080p) presentation of the Extended Director’s Cut in 2.35:1 aspect ratio from a brand new 4K HD scan of the original camera negative.
• Audio: 2.0 Stereo (LPCM), 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround
• Audio commentary by director Steve Wang, fight choreographer Koichi Sakamoto and stars Mark Dacascos and Kadeem Hardison
• “Drive: The Force Behind The Storm” documentary (SD, 47:42)
• Six Deleted Scenes (SD, 08:42)
• Interview gallery with cast, director and crew including stars Mark Dacascos and Kadeem Hardison, director Steve Wang, Second Unit Director Wyatt Weed and Stunt Coordinator Koichi Sakamoto (SD, 24:30)
• Drive: Theatrical Cut with optional English Subtitles (HD, 1:39:47. 2.0 Stereo, 1.78:1)
• Original Theatrical Trailer (SD, 01:38)
• Reversible artwork
• Collectible Mini-Poster
• Limited Edition Slip Cover – FIRST PRESSING ONLY
Special Features May Not Be Rated, Closed Captioned Or In High Definition.
Standard Edition DVD also available.
TITLE: Drive: Special Collector’s Edition
Format: Blu-ray
SKU: MVD3390BR
UPC /Barcode: 760137339083
Region Free
$39.95 SRP
Street Date: 5/11/21
Color
RT: 112 min / 99 min
Language: English
Subtitles: Only on Theatrical Version
Aspect Ratio: Director’s Cut: 2.35:1 – Theatrical Version 1.78:1
Year: 1997
Audio : 2.0 Stereo (LPCM), 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround
MPAA Rating: R / NR
DVD:
SKU: MVD3389D
UPC /Barcode: 760137338994
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Native New Yorker. Lover of all things pizza, chocolate, pets, and good friends. Karaoke hero. Left of center. Survivor. Fond supporter of cult, obscure and independent cinema - especially fond of Asian movies and global action cinema. Author of the bi-weekly Hit List. Founder and editor of Film Combat Syndicate. Still, very much, only human.
