Blu-Ray Review: Kino Lorber’s Cherry 2000 (special Edition) 

Director Steve De Jarnatt’s cult classic action sci-fi film Cherry 2000 gets a full-on Blu-ray special edition thanks to Kino Lorber.

The Film 

Some films take longer to have their moment than others.  Cherry 2000 took decades to have its moment and it’s here now.  Part sci-fi actioner, part satire, part romance, and all badass.  Starring Melanie Griffith and David Andrews as mismatched partners trying to find a replacement android find much more than they bargained for.  

In 2017, the United States is now a wasteland.  The major remaining cities though advanced rely on recycled goods.  Sam Treadwell (Andrews) is one of those at the executive level dealing in recycling.  He’s got the life that many want – that includes his gynoid (aka lovebot), a Cherry 2000 (Pamela Gidley) model.  That is until one night Cherry breaks.  So rare is his gynoid that the only way to replace her is to send a bounty hunter into the wastelands and beyond to find her.  Enter E. Johnson (Griffith) a rough and ready hunter who takes on Treadwell’s bounty with one condition – he goes along with her.  Armed with a badass red Mustang, a trunk full of weapons, and their wits E. and Treadwell push through the wastelands and beyond to find all manner of enemies and unpleasant characters.  What they did not expect to find a chance a love – not synthetic love but real human connection love.  

Cherry 2000 is an unexpected Molotov cocktail of a film.  A mashup that one is always a few steps behind but always delighted to see where it goes.  The adroit script by Michael Almereyda keeps the satirical streak alive even in the most serious of moments but never deflates the drama of the piece.  De Jarnatt understands the script and its tonal shifts allowing the story to shift from action to romance to comedy to even western without skipping a beat.  

Though the film’s standout moments are the crackerjack action scenes.  The centerpiece being a rocket launcher shootout atop of suspended car.  De Jarnatt manages to create a sense of wit and most importantly geography to all of the action no matter how smart.  The film uses locations and a sense of scale creating set pieces that always feel much larger than one expects from a film that has very little cultural imprint.  

The secret weapon and what truly elevates Cherry 2000 to a true great undiscovered gem of a genre film is its central performances by Melanie Griffith and David Andrews.  Chemistry is one of the harder things to pull off in film.  It’s either there or it isn’t. Luckily for the film Griffith and Andrews have plenty to spare.  Their bickering that begins the film turns quickly into admiration and then more is the cleverness of the script and performances.  Griffith feels freed up by playing a hardboiled action hero.  It shouldn’t shock anyone because up until this point was only given essentially manic pixie dream girls and sex pots to play (see Demme’s Some Kind of Wonderful and De Palma’s Body Double – both truly great films and she is exceptional but are those archetypes to a tee).  Andrews playing essentially the female role aquits himself well adding a charm and masculine energy that never feels forced.  They work together beautifully.  

That isn’t even to speak to the amazing supporting cast that includes Ben Johnson, Harry Carey Jr., and Tim Thomerson to name a few.  They’re each given wonderful supporting roles to shine in the brief time they’re on screen.  Thomerson’s manic energy as the villainous Lester almost steals the show from everyone.  

Cherry 2000 is a film that delights in surprising its audience.  Equal parts rip-roaring road movie, action thriller, and an unexpected romance.   

The Transfer

This all-new HD Master – From a 16-bit 4K Scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative (Supervised and Approved by Director Steve De Jarnatt) is a masterful update to the initial Blu-ray release from Kino Lorber.  The image is sharp and has a beautiful filmic look that retains the grain structure of widescreen western/sci-fi-influenced photography.  There is not a scratch or blemish on the image.  No digital issues like artificing or DNR.  Fans of Cherry 2000 will be delighted at this wonderful new transfer. 

The Extras

They include the following;

DISC 1:

• NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historians Heather Buckley, Michelle Kisner and Heidi Honeycutt
• Audio Commentary by Director Steve De Jarnatt and Film Critic Walter Chaw
• Tarzana (1978 35mm Short Film Noir by Steve De Jarnatt) 
• Eat the Sun (16mm Award-Winning Short by Jim Cox and Co-Written and Co-Directed by Steve De Jarnatt) 
• Grace for Grace: Audio Readings of Two Award-Winning Stories by Steve De Jarnatt 
• Theatrical Trailers 

DISC 2:

• Tales from Zone 7 – An Oral History of the Making of Cherry 2000: Feature-Length Documentary with Crew, Cast, and Staff 
• The Zen of Julie Weiss: Costume Designer Cherry 2000
• Cherry 2000 Storyboards – Parts 1 & 2
• Red Bennies Burlesque – A Tribute to Cherry 2000
• The Making of Cherry 2000: On Location and Behind-the-Scenes (Archival)
• 2015 Interview with Actor Tim Thomerson
• Deleted and Expanded Scenes + Gag Reel: A Ton of Fun, Never-Before-Seen Footage 

DISC 1:

The first of two Audio Commentary is an all-new track by Film Historians Heather Buckley, Michelle Kisner, and Heidi Honeycutt and begins with bonafides before diving into the film.  Some of the details include the cast that appears in this film; a discussion of the aesthetic, tone, style feeling more of the mid-to-late 1990s rather than the late 1980s it was made in; a discussion of the dating world of the future and how bleak it is; the shot on location in the west and the purpose the production did so; the work of star Melaine Griffith – including a discussion of her personal and professional life; the role reversal between the male and female protagonists; a discussion of the great genre actor Tim Thomerson; a great discussion of AI and could someone fall in love with an AI; a discussion of actor Ben Johnson – which leads to a great discussion of indie movies hiring great character actors that are not on the cultural radar anymore; a great discussion of the parallels to current era culture; and much more.  The trio provided an informative and entertaining commentary track. 

The second of two Audio Commentary is an archival one by Director Steve De Jarnatt and Film Critic Walter Chaw and begins with bonafides before diving into the title credit sequence and the cast he was able to get for this film.  Some of the details include Irvin Kershner was attached to direct before De Jarnatt was brought on; something that occurred during the sex scene that almost killed them; how he was in the middle of trying to make Miracle Mile (which at the time was going to star Nic Cage)– and the mess of that production ended with him directing Cherry 2000; a discussion of the work of star David Andrews; the Laurence Fishburne cameo – and how he was cast in the Nic Cage starring version of Miracle Mile; the work of production designer John Jay Moore; a discussion of the work of star Melaine Griffith – how she was cast in De Jarnatt first paid gig; a discussion of the score by Basil Poledouris; how Don Burgess, Darius Wolski, and Greg Gardener all who worked in 2^nd and 3^rd unit cinematographers; the toxic the locations were they shot in – the concern they had over shooting in them; a discussion of the work of actor Pamela Gidley; the work and collaboration of screenwriter Michael Almereyda; how the car towing action scene was created and developed; working with Ben Johnson; a discussion of the work of actor Tim Thomerson; a side conversation of De Jarnatt’s friendship with Martin Breast; a great discussion about Almereyda stealing things Sylvester Stallone said for Lester; a larger discussion of the current state of action stars at the time of recording; a larger discussion of the various cast members that appear; a larger discussion of the various easter eggs De Jarnatt placed throughout the film; a larger discussion of the themes of the film throughout – like consumerism, sex, relationships, transnationality of society; and much more.  Chaw and De Jarnatt provide a truly great informative and entertaining conversation on this film.  

Tarzana (1978 35mm Short Film Noir by Steve De Jarnatt) – This black and white hardboiled detective mystery is fantastic.  The style and De Jarnatt’s ability to mimic the style and visuals of the 1950s detective fiction specifically Robert Aldrich’s Kiss Me Deadly is masterful in a way that it makes sense he got heat off of this short.  The way he deftly satirizes the genre with his tale of a tale so twisty that it gives The Big Sleep a run for its money blurs the line between satire and true homage – which is this reviewer’s sweet spot.  Starring Michael C. Gwynne, Eddie Constantine, Timothy Carey, Edie Adams, Pete Candoli, Reni Santoni, Charles Knapp, Kate Murtagh, Ann Dusenberry and Carel Struycken. 

Eat the Sun (16mm Award-Winning Short by Jim Cox and Co-Written and Co-Directed by Steve De Jarnatt) – this short from 1975 feels the strong pull of both George Lucas’ THX-1138 short and feature film.  Though it takes on the concept of TV, alternate dimensions and religion are very different than Lucas’ classics.  A melding of faux-documentary and narrative the film charts the rise of a new religion and a guru within its ranks – is a cheeky look at the melding of technology and spirituality well before things like Altered States or Brain Scan.  

Grace for Grace: Audio Readings of Two Award-Winning Stories by Steve De Jarnatt (115:05) – Yes, there are two stories, but you get three with one being performed twice.  This is a gold mine and not just audiobooks but radio plays with accompanying scores by Ben Landsverk & Rachel Taylor Brown, and Stephen Day.  The introduction gives everyone much-needed context to “what happened to Steve De Jarnatt” after these two cult classics.  

1. Introduction
2. Her Great Blue – Read by Lily Cooper 
3. Rubiaux Rising – Read by Duane Whitaker 
4. Rubiaux Rising – Read by Steve De Jarnatt 

This two-hour collection is a fascinating look and taste into De Jarnatt’s second-half career as a novelist.  I will say that both stories intrigued me enough to investigate his written work.  If you are as well the featurette lists a discount code to purchase from his website. 

Theatrical Trailers for Cherry 2000 (2:25); Miracle Mile (2:16)

DISC 2:

Tales from Zone 7 – An Oral History of the Making of Cherry 2000 (150:38) – something we rarely get anymore.  A feature-length documentary on the making of a film that’s LONGER than the feature film itself.  Tales from Zone 7 is an Everything and the Kitchen Sink documentary that looks at every aspect of the making of Cherry 2000.  Literally, no stone is left unturned as the cast and crew detail the making of the film beginning with the Studio and Agent shenanigans that put De Jarnatt on the film which was already deep into pre-production moving all the way to its failed release, its rise as a cult oddity thanks in large part to it being in constant rotation on HBO in the late 80s into the early 90s, to its successful Blu-ray release in 2015 by Kino Lorber.  This is no mere talking head documentary, cleverly the film uses behind-the-scenes photos, b-roll video footage, preproduction art, camera tests, and footage for the film to create a beautiful collage of visual references.  The documentary is as entertaining as the film itself – especially when recounting some of the onset hijinks that occurred with an unfiltered transparent “we could never do this again” tone.  The biggest joy is listening to all recount living situations and also the dangerous stunt work being pulled off.  Anyone that even has a passing love for this film owes it to themselves to watch this very special making of.  Even if you don’t love the film and you pine for the DVD-era long-form making-of documentaries – this is going to be your bag.  Featuring interviews with actors David Andrews, Charlie Croughwell, Michael C. Gwynne, Director Steve De Jarnatt, Art Department Lead Susan J. Emshwiller, Prop Master Ellen Freund, Makeup Artist Valli O’Reilly, Special Unit DOP Christ Tufty, Director’s Assistant Merie Weismiller-Wallace.  Stick around after the credits for something very special. It’s definitely worth your time.  

The Zen of Julie Weiss: Costume Designer Cherry 2000 (50:45) – is an all-new interview with Costume Designer Julie Weiss, in Discussion with Director Steve De Jarnatt about the making of Cherry 2000.  The duo opens with their brief on what they thought the film would be and how what they ended up using would be very different.  Some of the topics discussed are working with Ben Johnson and Harry Carey Jr.; fitting and working with Melaine Griffith, David Andrews, and Pamela Gidley – how different they were and approached the costuming; the way she approached the costuming contrary to the genre’s prototypical costumes; how she approaches building a character specifically in Cherry 2000; and much more.  The interview is more of a philosophical discussion of the art of costuming in Cherry 2000 than it is a pragmatic discussion.  The featurette cleverly uses Weiss’s preproduction designs and sketches from her other work in tandem with her conversation with director De Jarnatt. 

Cherry 2000 Storyboards – Part 1 (11:13) – a look at the storyboards drawn by Marty Klein set to the score by Basil Poledouris. 

Cherry 2000 Storyboards – Part 2 – (11:31) – the second set of storyboards drawn by Marty Klein set to the score by Basil Poledouris. 

Red Bennies Burlesque – A Tribute to Cherry 2000 (27:01) – Red Bennies an Australian Burlesque review took on Cherry 2000 using the score by Basil Poledouris in this one-of-a-kind show.  The featurette excerpts the show they created in honor of the cult classic.  Please note that this is a fairly tame Burlesque show, nothing beyond the PG-13 rating of the film itself.  

The Making of Cherry 2000: On Location and Behind-the-Scenes (6:22) – this archival behind-the-scenes EPK-style making of is the kind of featurette that fans of the 80s will eat up.  More of a look at the story and characters than an actual making-of-features onset interview with the cast and crew, and b-roll footage.  

Interview with Actor Tim Thomerson (13:03) – this 2015 archival interview with the B-Movie Icon Thomerson begins how he was cast in the film – by having to read for the part.  Some of the other details include how he began his career as a bad guy and that informed his approach to these types of characters including Lester in Cherry 2000; working with both Ben Johnson and Harry Carey Jr.; working in Las Vegas during the production; and much more.  

Deleted and Expanded Scenes + Gag Reel: A Ton of Fun, Never-Before-Seen Footage (55:04) – with over 37 deleted scenes totally around 38 Minutes; 6 alternate Jake Narration Tracks totally around 5 minutes; a 10-minute Gag Reel; and a final little bit that this review won’t ruin.  This is a treasure trove of missing and odd bits. The most curious and fascinating is the unused voiceover narration by Ben Johnson.  One can see why those were left on the cutting room floor but it’s a damn shame because Johnson’s voice is so distinct and adds to the Western Flavor in this unique sci-fi mashup.  

The Final Thought 

Kino Lorber has upgraded their edition of Cherry 2000 to an overstuffed Special Edition giving the work Special back its meaning.   Highest Possible Recommendations!!! 

Kino Lorber’s Blu-Ray edition of Cherry 2000 is out now.