JUDGE DREDD [1995 / 2012] [Blu-ray] [USA Release]
In The Future . . . One Man is Judge, Jury and Executioner!
Prepare yourself for the nonstop action-adventure thrill ride ‘JUDGE DREDD’ exploding onto Blu-ray for the first time, featuring a digital restoration with enhanced picture and sound. Academy Award® nominees Sylvester Stallone [Best Actor in 1976 for ‘Rocky'] and Diane Lane [Best Actress in 2002 for ‘Unfaithful'] brings the story of a legendary comic book hero to life.
In a time when all-powerful "judges" act with supreme authority of both the police force and legal system, Judge Dredd is the most feared law enforcer of them all. But when a former Judge devises a sinister plot to bring him down, Dredd will stop at nothing to even the scales of justice! Narrated by James Earl Jones (uncredited).
FILM FACT No.1: Awards and Nominations: 1995 Sci-Fi Universe Magazine, USA: Win: Universe Reader's Choice Award for Best Director for a Genre Motion Picture for Danny Cannon. 1996 Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA: Nominated: Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film. Nominated: Saturn Award for Best Costumes for Gianni Versace and Emma Porteous. Nominated: Saturn Award for Best Make-Up for Chris Cunningham and Nick Dudman. Nominated: Saturn Award for Best Special Effects for Joel Hynek.
FILM FACT No.2: Prior to production, the producer Edward Pressman had the script rewritten by Walon Green, Rene Balcer, and Michael S. Chernuchin. Sylvester Stallone selected Gianni Versace to design futuristic yet functional attire for the film. Gianni Versace created numerous rejected designs for Dredd's outfit, before landing on the final look. The trailer had specially composed music by Jerry Goldsmith, who had originally been attached to score for the film; instead the film music score was composed and conducted by Alan Silvestri. Initially recorded with the Sinfonia of London, following changes made to the film in post-production Alan Silvestri made extensive adjustments to the score that were recorded in Hollywood, although some of the music from the London sessions remains in the finished film.
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Armand Assante, Rob Schneider, Jürgen Prochnow, Max von Sydow, Diane Lane, Joanna Miles, Joan Chen, Balthazar Getty, Maurice Roëves, Ian Dury, Christopher Adamson, Ewen Bremner, Peter Marinker, Angus MacInnes, Louise Delamere, Phil Smeeton, Steve Toussaint, Bradley Lavelle, Mark Morghan, Ed Stobart, Huggy Leaver, Alexis Daniel, John Blakey, Howard Grace, Dig Wayne, Martin McDougall, Ashley Artus, Christopher Glover, Brendan Fleming, Stephen Lord, Phil Kingston, Ewan Bailey, Stuart Mullen, Pat Starr, Adam Henderson, Mitchell Ryan, Adrienne Barbeau (voice) (uncredited), Sam Barriscale (uncredited), Alan Bond (uncredited), James Bowden (uncredited), Frazer Brown (uncredited), Charlie Condou (uncredited), Amelia Curtis (uncredited), Ian Durrant (uncredited), Elly Fairman (uncredited), Ryan Gage (uncredited), Mark Moraghan (uncredited), James Earl Jones (narrators voice) (uncredited), Casper McQueen (uncredited), Tony Montalbano (uncredited), Mark Moraghan (uncredited), Patrick Pasi (uncredited), James Remar (uncredited), Al Sapienza (uncredited), Scott Wilson (uncredited) and Fred Wood (uncredited)
Director: Danny Cannon
Producers: Andrew G. Vajna, Beau E. L. Marks, Charles Lippincott, Edward R. Pressman, Susan Nicoletti and Tony Munafo
Screenplay: Carlos Ezquerra (characters), John Wagner (characters), Michael De Luca (story), William Wisher (story/ screenplay) and Steven E. de Souza (screenplay)
Composer: Alan Silvestri
Cinematography: Adrian Biddle, B.S.C. (Director of Photography)
Audio: English: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio,
French: 5.1 Dolby Digital Audio
Spanish: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
English: Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese
Image Resolution: 1080p
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Running Time: 96 minutes
Region: All Regions
Number of discs: 1
Studio: Hollywood Pictures Home Entertainment / Buena Vista Pictures
Andrew's Blu-ray Review: Plagued by production delays and reported feuds between its star and director, ‘JUDGE DREDD’ fizzled at the US box office in the summer of 1995, though it did much better overseas, where Sylvester Stallone was still selling tickets. In his own backyard, Sylvester Stallone's performance was mocked by critics, who also attacked the film's futuristic design as derivative for some unknown reason, and its effects as cheesy, which some of them were, due to time constraints. Sylvester Stallone was nominated for a Razzie as the worst actor of that year, but not for this film.
Time has been kind to ‘JUDGE DREDD,’ vindicating those who enjoyed it sitting and watching it in the cinema and of course fans who have discovered it since it was released for home video viewing. By today's CGI standards, all of its effects look cheesy and slightly dated, which is to say, they're largely practical or based on miniatures. After sitting through one cutting-edge computer-generated environment after another, filled with actors who seem increasingly detached from their surroundings, these kinds of productions have acquired new appeal. As for the film's derivative elements, who among us can keep count of the dystopian futurist tales to which we've been exposed in the last two decades? At some point, they all begin to look the same and anything with a coherent story and a memorable character stands apart from the pack. ‘JUDGE DREDD’ has both, and a lot more.
The character originated in a 1977 comic series first published in the British anthology 2000AD. Director Danny Cannon, who was in his early twenties and had only made one previous film when he was tapped to direct, grew up reading the Dredd comics and had definite ideas about how the character should appear on film. Unfortunately, Sylvester Stallone was the star, and he too had ideas, which included showing his face, unlike the graphic character, who never did. Entire books were written about the production battles, but that's too big a subject for this review.
The unmistakable and uncredited voice of James Earl Jones provides our introduction to the bleak future world of Judge Dredd. Humanity is crowded into a few habitable areas called "Mega-cities" that are walled off from the rest of the parched land known as the Cursed Earth. The overcrowded Mega-cities became anarchic and ungovernable until a new order was instituted, based upon the Law and enforced by Judges, each of whom combines the function of judge, jury and executioner. The greatest, most respected and fearsome is Judge Joseph Dredd [Sylvester Stallone]. As our introduction to how the system works, Judge Dredd subdues a vicious "block war" in a vertiginous residential neighbourhood, "judging" and mowing down dozens of combatants, including one of the warlord ringleaders Block Warlord [James Remar]. His only assistance is a junior "street" judge named Hershey [Diane Lane] and a rookie who doesn't survive the operation.
Caught up in the melee is Herman 'Fergee' Ferguson [Rob Schneider], freshly paroled from Aspen Penitentiary. Truly an innocent bystander, he is nevertheless judged by Judge Dredd as a repeat offender and returned to prison for a five-year term. It's the film's first hint that the Law may be overly severe.
The Judges answer to a Council of Justices, of which the leader is Judge Dredd's mentor, Chief Justice Fargo [Max von Sydow]. After the severity of Judge Dredd's handling of the block war, the Chief Justice orders his star pupil to spend two days a week at the Judges' Academy teaching, of all things, ethics to young cadets, including a rising star, Cadet Nathan Olmeyer [Balthazar Getty]. Hershey reproaches Judge Dredd for being too severe in his portrayal of a Judge's lonely existence, but this is life as Judge Dredd understands it. He has no friends and resists all emotion. Judge Dredd had a friend once, but he had to judge him. Judge Dredd's "friend" was actually his brother, Rico [Armand Assante], also a Judge. Contrary to what Judge Dredd and the rest of the world believe, Rico isn't dead but in isolation under maximum security in Aspen Penitentiary. In a scene that recalls Demolition Man, Rico is brought a message from a secret "benefactor" by Warden Miller [Maurice Roëves], which provides an opportunity for a dramatic and bloody escape.
One more detail: Rico kills Vartis Hammond [Mitch Ryan] and his wife, on camera while successfully impersonating Dredd. Dredd, who can't dispute the Law, is tried, convicted and sentenced to death, but his surrogate father, Chief Justice Fargo, is able to spare his life by resigning and invoking an old custom that the last wish of a resigning Justice be granted. Fargo's successor, Justice Griffin [Jürgen Prochnow], who suggested the strategy, I wonder why? But commutes Judge Dredd's sentence to life imprisonment.
Just like previous films of this calibre, Judge Dredd's prison shuttle is shot down en route, and Judge Dredd has to fight his way through numerous obstacles back to Mega-city, accompanied by Herman 'Fergee' Ferguson [Rob Schneider], who just happened to be seated next to him for the aborted trip to prison. Meanwhile, Rico is pursuing a crazy plan involving world domination, assisted by a mad scientist, Dr. Hayden [Joan Chen] and Judge Dredd is learning dark secrets about himself and the Council that force him to reconsider the truths by which he's lived his life. Really, though, the latter half of the film is all about fireballs, bullets, brawn, explosions, flying motorcycles, killer robots and comic relief from Herman 'Fergee' Ferguson (who does a wickedly funny Dredd impression). All that stuff about "the Law" pretty much goes out the window, or, to be more precise, over the side of the Statue of Liberty, which, in its newly transplanted location, is where Rico and Judge Dredd have their final battle. But who will, well you will have to view this film to find out.
Blu-ray Image Quality – ‘JUDGE DREDD’ was shot by the late Adrian Biddle, whose last film before his untimely death of a heart attack at age 52 was ‘V for Vendetta.’ Even at the time, in the pre-digital intermediate era, the film was striking for the clarity of its imagery and the intensity of its blues. Buena Vista Pictures 1080p image on thus Blu-ray disc ranks in the upper tier of their recent round of catalogue releases, reproducing Adrian Biddle's shimmering images with a touch less "pop", but with an appropriately saturated palette that fully differentiates between the steely blue and grey world of the Judges and the more colourful cacophony of the rest of Mega-city and not to mention the sickly yellow of the “Cursed Earth.” Detail is sufficiently well rendered that you can easily tell, as you could with a good film print in 1995, which effects shots were rushed at the last minute. Black levels and shadow detail are really good, and there is no evidence of detail digital filtering or artificial sharpening. The film's grain structure is visible, but it is extremely fine. Nothing in the way of compression artefacts presented itself. So well done Buena Vista Pictures for your sterling work.
Blu-ray Audio Quality – There is nothing subtle or restrained about the film ‘JUDGE DREDD’ and its 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track. It's loud, aggressive and in-your-face, like the title character. None of the weapons sound like ordinary gunfire; they're all ramped-up superguns. The crash of the prison transport in the Cursed Earth is especially impressive, if you like your effects noisy, as is the grand finale in Dr. Hayden's lab. A chase sequence involving airborne police scooters offers some nice panning effects, and Rico's robot is good for a few bass notes. In general, those who enjoy bombastic action tracks can expect a good time. One doesn't watch Judge Dredd for the dialogue, but it's clear and intelligible, even with Sylvester Stallone and Armand Assante trying to outdo each other. Alan Silvestri's film music score is frequently drowned out by the sound effects, but when you hear it, it strikes the appropriately martial tone. The balance is in favour of the special effects isn't a fault of the Buena Vista Pictures Blu-ray disc; it's always been mixed like that.
Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:
Special Feature: Stallone's Law: The Making of ‘JUDGE DREDD’ [1995] [480i] [1.37:1] [20:02] What is this, a new feature on a Buena Vista Pictures Blu-ray? Not exactly new, but this made-for-TV promotional piece from 1995 was not included Buena Vista Pictures 1998 DVD of ‘JUDGE DREDD.’ Hosted by Sylvester Stallone, and it features on-set interviews with the entire principal cast, as well as director Danny Cannon and many of the department heads and effects people. It's slickly produced and more informative than many contemporary documentaries. Contributors include: Armand Assante, Danny Cannon, Joan Chen, Joel Hynek, Diane Lane, Beau Marks, Nigel Phelps, Emma Porteous, Jürgen Prochnow, Rob Schneider, Sylvester Stallone, Andrew G. Vajna and Joss Williams.
Theatrical Trailer [1995] [480i] [1.37:1] [2:11] This is the Original Theatrical Trailer for the film ‘JUDGE DREDD.’ Among other notable features, it opens with a short narration by James Earl Jones who was for some unknown reason uncredited.
Sneak Peaks: At the start-up the Blu-ray disc plays trailers for ‘Frankenweenie' and ABC TV on Blu-ray, plus an anti-smoking. The main menu has an option for "Sneak Peeks" that plays these trailers, plus trailers for ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit,' ‘The Avengers,' and ‘Castle: Season 4' on ABC TV on DVD.
Finally, of course, the reason for Disney to release ‘JUDGE DREDD’ on Blu-ray at this moment is the release of ‘Dredd’ 3D which of course as you will read by my review shows you the new film character is an entirely different take on the character and a welcome re-boot. For one thing, Karl Urban's ‘Dredd’ 3D never removes his helmet, which is a good sign, especially a total homage to the fans of the brilliant comic book 2000 AD. Sylvester Stallone's version will always be a unique creation. Disney has done a capable job with the Blu-ray, especially for the fans; but if you're new to the Judge Dredd experience, you might want to rent this first, before actually purchasing this particular Blu-ray. I know this film has had its negative critics, but I loved it and have always enjoyed it when I had it on an inferior DVD, but now owning it on this stunning and far superior Blu-ray format, I feel even more proud to add it to my extensive Blu-ray Collection. Highly Recommended!
Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
