THE HITCHER Coming to UHD 4K Blu-ray from Second Sight! (1 Viewer)

[Kaskade1309]

Second Sight on Twitter: "Happy New Year everyone! And to kick of 2022 some very exciting news on THE HITCHER! We've tracked down the negative!! Thanks to Warner’s archive team for allowing us access, we will be doing a full restoration for 4K/Blu-ray release later this year. #TheHitcher https://t.co/k0C9V9BMfp" / Twitter

If anyone is as big a fan as I am of this seminal 80s thriller first introduced to us on HBO, you'll know that the U.S. DVD was an abomination (I own it) -- this announcement may suggest we're in for a big treat!

Obviously, for U.S. buyers, this will have to be imported, which isn't an issue because UHD Blus are region-free.

Apparently, Warner will be releasing a standard Blu-ray of The Hitcher, as well, for the U.S., though there are no plans to do a 4K disc...

I'm trying to get additional info about it; here's what I found up until this point:

1986 Classic The Hitcher to Finally Get 4K Release This Year (movieweb.com)

 

[SWFF]

How do you know about the Warner release? I haven't heard anything about that.

 

[Kaskade1309]

How do you know about the Warner release? I haven't heard anything about that.

For some reason, I thought that was mentioned in the links I posted -- looking back, apparently not...

I do believe I read it somewhere, but it is possible I'm wrong -- I recall something about the U.S. only getting a 1080p Blu-ray (from Warner) and Second Sight releasing the 4K outside of Region 1/A.

However, Warner's archive division is still involved with this project, as seen in the language within the links I included.

 

[Alex...]

 

[Stephen_J_H]

"The UK-based company usually releases their Blu-ray products tied to European region coding, but their 4K versions have previously all been Region Free, which will be good news for U.S. fans of the thriller."
Someone doesn't know that region coding isn't a thing on 4K UHD discs.

 

[Kaskade1309]

AWESOME news and updates about this title! Can't wait to eventually pick it up!

 

[Alex...]

 

[Kaskade1309]

Yeah, saw this news on the UK-based AVForum; man, is this taking forever to put out....

Hopefully it will be worth it.

 

[titch]

Someone doesn't know that region coding isn't a thing on 4K UHD discs.

It is now. See The Conformist thread. Although all Second Sight's 4K UHDs have been region-free, until now.

 

[cineMANIAC]

Yeah, saw this news on the UK-based AVForum; man, is this taking forever to put out....

I think it's now been 2 years since the initial announcement, maybe more. The going rumor is that the licensor, Warner, is mandating a certain release date. This usually happens when the studio wants to tie in to a new project but I don't know about a remake or anything Hitcher related unless I've missed something. I'm a strong advocate for not announcing anything until the release is ready to hit the streets so to speak. Nothing is more annoying than having to wait.

 

[titch]

I'm a strong advocate for not announcing anything until the release is ready to hit the streets so to speak. Nothing is more annoying than having to wait.

I'll have to disagree with you there. It is considerably more annoying, purchasing a blu-ray from Australia

The Hitcher (1986) Collector's Edition (Blu-Ray +Book +Rigid case +Slipcase +Poster +Artcards)

While transporting a car from Chicago to San Diego, Jim Halsey (C. Thomas Howell) picks up a hitchhiker named John Ryder (Rutger Hauer), who claims to be a serial killer. After a daring escape, Jim hopes to never see Ryder again. But when he witnesses the hitchhiker murdering an entire family...

shop.umbrellaent.com.au

only to realise that a spanking new 4K UHD is forthcoming from Second Sight. I can bide my time.

 

[cineMANIAC]

^ Is this the only forum you're a member of? It's been known for at least two years that Second Sight has been working on a release. The Australian release was just announced barely a few months ago. Unless you only post here, then, yes, you probably wouldn't had known about the SS release, which is expected to be far superior to the Aussie edition. This particular board doesn't seem very interested in these types of films judging by the lack of activity and/or threads. But sometimes it's a crapshoot. Vinegar Syndrome just announced Red Rock West - barely a month after I placed an order for the Australian version. I would've preferred the US release since it's supposed to be a newer scan than the Aussie but the latter has cooler packaging so it's not a major loss for me.

 

[Kaskade1309]

I think it's now been 2 years since the initial announcement, maybe more. The going rumor is that the licensor, Warner, is mandating a certain release date. This usually happens when the studio wants to tie in to a new project but I don't know about a remake or anything Hitcher related unless I've missed something. I'm a strong advocate for not announcing anything until the release is ready to hit the streets so to speak. Nothing is more annoying than having to wait.

There was a remake starring Sean Bean in the lead. It sucked, especially when you compare Hauer's horribly underrated performance in the original.

 

[titch]

^ Is this the only forum you're a member of? It's been known for at least two years that Second Sight has been working on a release. The Australian release was just announced barely a few months ago. Unless you only post here, then, yes, you probably wouldn't had known about the SS release, which is expected to be far superior to the Aussie edition. This particular board doesn't seem very interested in these types of films judging by the lack of activity and/or threads. But sometimes it's a crapshoot. Vinegar Syndrome just announced Red Rock West - barely a month after I placed an order for the Australian version. I would've preferred the US release since it's supposed to be a newer scan than the Aussie but the latter has cooler packaging so it's not a major loss for me.

Yes, I am aware of the Second Sight release. Which is why I'm not going to order the Umbrella blu-ray (which isn't coming out until February). Red Rock West was released in the UK in 2022, but from a dated master. I'm expecting Vinegar Syndrome to deliver their usual quality work here.

 

[Alex...]

Update

 

[Tom St Jones]

There was a remake starring Sean Bean in the lead. It sucked, especially when you compare Hauer's horribly underrated performance in the original.

Hauer was awesome and the original remains a contemporary classic, but Sean Bean's take was no slouch either..

 

[Kaskade1309]

Hauer was awesome and the original remains a contemporary classic, but Sean Bean's take was no slouch either..

I'd have to disagree with the notion that Bean's performance was "no slouch;" in my opinion -- and, of course, that's what all this is, our opinions, as film is so subjective -- the character as realized by Bean lacked mysterious charisma, foreboding terror and a raw frightening presence.

Again, IMO (and I suspect in the opinion of hardcore fans of Harmon's original).

 

[Tom St Jones]

I'd have to disagree with the notion that Bean's performance was "no slouch;" in my opinion -- and, of course, that's what all this is, our opinions, as film is so subjective -- the character as realized by Bean lacked mysterious charisma, foreboding terror and a raw frightening presence.

Again, IMO (and I suspect in the opinion of hardcore fans of Harmon's original).

I'm sure you're right about the hardcore fans. I'm also (very) sure I wouldn't want/have wanted to cross paths with either Hauer or Bean's versions of "John Ryder" in real life.. :>]

 

[Kaskade1309]

I'm sure you're right about the hardcore fans. I'm also (very) sure I wouldn't want/have wanted to cross paths with either Hauer or Bean's versions of "John Ryder" in real life.. :>]

Perhaps...

 

[Kaskade1309]

Deleted; duplicate post