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[Blu-ray Review] Tim Thomerson and Melanie Griffith Shine in ‘Cherry 2000’
I love watching movies from the 80’s that take place roughly 30 years in the future because that’s currently the time that we’re living in. It’s amazing the type of changes people expect society to make in what is really a short period of time. Will the year 2045 be that different than 2015? Probably not, but if a filmmaker makes a movie today that takes places in 2045, I’d wager their version of 2045 would be incredibly different than the current world we live in. Cherry 2000 was made in 1987. It takes place in 2017, which is only two years from now. If we want to catch up with Cherry 2000 we need kick it into gear!
The year 2017 of Cherry 2000 has a world in which large chunks of society have collapsed into a post-apocalyptic wasteland. There are a few sections here and there that are thriving with the wealthy, but for most part society as we know it has crumbled. Relationships are quite a bit different in Cherry 2000, as they’re all treated like businesses. If you plan on having a sexual encounter of any kind you need to come to a contract agreement and everything must be approved by a lawyer. If you’re lucky that lawyer is a cool, young Laurence Fishburne.
If you’re the wealthiest of the wealthy you just buy an android and make her your wife. This is what business executive Sam Treadwell (David Andrews) does. He has a lovely model in the Cherry 2000 (Pamela Gidley) and they have a pretty great life. That is until Cherry short circuits during sex. Sam takes Cherry into the shop to try and get her repaired only to find out that she’s done for. The repairman is able to remove Cherry’s memory disc, a miniature compact disc that now looks hilarious, which can be placed in another android model. Problem is Sam wants a Cherry 2000 and those are hard to find.
Luckily there’s a robot graveyard Sam can go to and likely find a new Cherry 2000. This robot graveyard is located in the very dangerous Zone 7, but Sam is able to hire a tracker by the name of Edith Johnson (Melanie Griffith) to lead him there. Along the way Sam and E encounter a gang of wasteland thugs led by the evil Lester (Tim Thomerson), dead set on stopping them.
Cherry 2000 is a lot of fun. It’s full of futuristic thugs as envisioned by the creative minds of the 80’s, which are pretty much my favorite type of movie villain ever. They’re always such interesting characters. If I had my way the bad guys in every movie would post-apocalyptic thugs from the 80’s.
Melanie Griffith is awesome as Edith. She’s a total badass. From her kick-ass customized Mustang, to her attitude and style, she’s the type of girl you want on your side when shit goes down. She can handle her own in any situation, perfect for a world in which society has crumbled.
Tim Thomerson is the star of the film, even if he’s not promoted as such. Any time he is on the screen he just steals it. He’s such a cold, heartless baddie. He’s very simple in his approach. You’re either with him or you’re against him. And if you’re against him, you’re likely to end up dead. Doesn’t matter who you are. You can also end up dead if he finds you annoying. You’re a young girl swooning over him but won’t shut up? Bang, you’re dead. This is what a good villain should be. No sympathy, no remorse. Just looking out for his own.
Cherry 2000 certainly isn’t a perfect movie, however. It slows down in the middle. There’s about 15-20 minutes that are kind of boring, as the action sort of stops. David Andrews is also just ok as the lead. He just isn’t that memorable as the lead, likely due to the fact that he’s over shadowed a bit by Griffith and Thomerson. He gets the job done, fine enough, but he’s not a game changer here.
In the long line of post-apocalyptic movies, Cherry 2000 would fall in the upper half, but closer to the middle. And that’s enough to making it worth checking out.
Cherry 2000 is now out on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber. Special features include audio commentary with director Steve De Jarnatt and a making of documentary.
Editorials
Arrow Video’s ‘Stranger Things: The Complete Series’ is the Ultimate Collector’s Box Set for Fans
Available as of today from Arrow Video is a new box set that might arguably be the definitive way to watch Netflix’s blockbuster series Stranger Things.
At the very least, Stranger Things: The Complete Series puts emphasis on “complete.” That’s evident in its special features alone.
Special and Deluxe editions of Stranger Things: The Complete Series are available for purchase now, featuring an array of exclusive bonus content, including bloopers, interviews with the cast and crew, and behind-the-scenes featurettes, designed for the ultimate Stranger Things experience.
The Deluxe Edition is presented in custom packaging featuring newly-commissioned artwork, alongside a wealth of extra material: a 148-page booklet, exclusive art cards, a Hellfire Club patch, double-sided posters for each season, and much more.
This limited-edition release features all 42 episodes of the show’s five season run on more than 25 discs, all housed in a set featuring gorgeous artwork by Juan Ramos. “We always dreamed that Stranger Things could be owned in its entirety,” said Matt and Ross Duffer, “not just as a collector’s set, but as a way to preserve the show for decades to come.”
Their imprint looms large over the release, including writing in the 148-page book that also includes original design sketches, concept art, and storyboards. All of which would warrant the steep price tag alone for the diehard Stranger Things fan, but Arrow Video upped the ante with collectible surprises as well. Arcade patches, stickers, Hellfire Club dice, and an extremely detailed map of Hawkins, Indiana- double-sided to account for the Upside Down, of course – are among the highlights for this all-ages set.
Adorn your walls with posters representative of your favorite season! That’s also an option with this set’s offerings.
All of which to say that it’s rare for Netflix to make the jump into physical media, and they’ve enlisted Arrow Video to give it the best possible treatment. They certainly brought utmost care and attention to this release. As such, both the standard and deluxe sets come with steep price tags that start at $160 depending on format. While that’s likely a deterrent to the casual viewer, it’s more than worth it for fans.
It may be less convenient than hitting play on Netflix, sure, but there’s a lot to be said about the potential for quality upgrades to your viewing. No spotty internet or compression issues to be found here when it comes to the 4K Ultra HD or Blu-ray discs.
That’s really the biggest takeaway from this release: the untapped potential still of Netflix’s streaming library of originals that are ripe for similar treatment. Series and films that could receive Arrow Video levels of treatment on physical media.
Fans of Stranger Things can venture into the Upside Down one last time this spooky season at Halloween Horror Nights, but there may be no better way to ring in the series’ tenth anniversary than a rewatch with this expansive, well-curated box set.
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