Johnny Haladay, Jürgen Prochnow, and Karen Allen (speaking French!) star in the indescribable French Post-Apocalyptic Action Terminus. New to Blu-ray from MVD Entertainment.
The Film
Terminus is some wild shit. A blonde Johnny Hallyday. Jürgen Prochnow plays three roles (one of them in drag). Karen Allen speaking French (or at least dubbed into French). Set in a post-apocalyptic world during some sort of Death Race 2000-style race. Add in Cloning, fascist militias, an AI called Monster, a child genius creating a game of it all for mysterious purposes, and you have a recipe for something that could have only come out of France during the late 1980s.
The film is very much dead center in the art-spoliation of genre filmmaking. The tone and themes are too heady for normal exploitation fare. The film is more concerned with its themes than it is with action set pieces and its race to victory plot. In fact, the race to victory plot is subverted as the race itself is used for nefarious purposes – a science experiment of sorts headed by the aforementioned child genius.
That isn’t to say that the film isn’t an action film – it very much is – with stylish set pieces of a giant truck (a Battle Truck!) with explosion and car mayhem aplenty. Though it’s the content within the form that separates it from your average post-apocalyptic action film. The film just happens to be more thoughtful than your average post-apocalyptic entry.
A note about the two versions of the film on the disc…
The biggest difference between the American versions, beyond the length, is the tone and style. For example, the AI / Monster is voiced by a female in the French version but a Male who is attempting to sound like the stereotype of someone from “The street”. This is a primary example of how the American version just lacks the subtlety of the French director’s cut. There are so many differences in fact that they feel like two completely different movies that should be experienced as such. My preference is for the weird, thematically more robust, and art-spoliation of the French version, but you can decide for yourself.
NOTE: The film depicts (off-screen) sexual assault.
The Transfer
MVD has provided two flavors of Terminus. The French Version is in the 1.66 aspect ratio (not 2.39 as stated on the cover), and the US version is in 1.78 aspect ratio. All around, the French version and the transfer are the way to go here. There are only slight variances in the transfer, but the 1.66 aspect ratio is more pleasing to the eye, and the picture is all around a better experience. The color, contrast, black levels, and image sharpness are all better on the French version. The US version is good, just not great (where the French version is great).
The Extras
They include the following;
NEW! Interview with star Jürgen Prochnow
NEW! “We All Descend – The Making of Terminus”
Photo Gallery
Original Theatrical Trailer
Interview with star Jürgen Prochnow (15:55) – in this all-new interview with the star begins with how he got into films by dubbing Rocky and then the other films in the series, and eventually moving to the US for his English language career. The actor goes onto discuss the impact that Das Boot had on his career; how eventually he was hired on Terminus; what he loved about the project; the work of director Pierre-William Glenn – and his genius; some truly disturbing information about how hard the Chernobyl disaster had on France but also effect the film Glenn created in Terminus; the difficulty of shooting in multiple languages and three different parts; and much more. The interview is a great career overview, along with a discussion of the production of Terminus, including some fantastic B-roll footage edited in.
We All Descend – The Making of Terminus (49:30) – This all-new making-of featurette combines newly filmed interviews with archival interviews, b-roll footage, footage from the film, and historical footage from other sources to look back at the making of this very unique film, but also the man who made it. Beginning with an account of their own careers inspired by their father, Vincent and Julie Glenn take us on a journey into the world of director Pierre-William Glenn – his films, his life outside film, and more – eventually discussing how and why Terminus came about. Through various archival interviews, Pierre-William Glenn himself recounts his life in film and eventually discusses the making of Terminus. This very personal look at Glenn is a perfect way for anyone being introduced to the director of the films he made and collaborated on. Featuring interviews with Vincent Glenn (son of director Pierre-William Glenn), star Julie Glenn (daughter of Pierre-William Glenn), and director Pierre-William Glenn. In French with English subtitles.
Photo Gallery (3:03) – the gallery consists of 36 production stills, behind-the-scenes of the phones, lobby cards, soundtrack art, home video art, and poster art. The gallery plays automatically with the title song by Stan Ridgway.
Original Theatrical Trailer (1:13)
The Final Thought
MVD Entertainment continues to release the very best in cult genre cinema with the best special features. Highest Recommendations!!!
Johnny Haladay, Jürgen Prochnow, and Karen Allen (speaking French!) star in the indescribable French Post-Apocalyptic Action Terminus. New to Blu-ray from MVD Entertainment.
The Film
Terminus is some wild shit. A blonde Johnny Hallyday. Jürgen Prochnow plays three roles (one of them in drag). Karen Allen speaking French (or at least dubbed into French). Set in a post-apocalyptic world during some sort of Death Race 2000-style race. Add in Cloning, fascist militias, an AI called Monster, a child genius creating a game of it all for mysterious purposes, and you have a recipe for something that could have only come out of France during the late 1980s.
The film is very much dead center in the art-spoliation of genre filmmaking. The tone and themes are too heady for normal exploitation fare. The film is more concerned with its themes than it is with action set pieces and its race to victory plot. In fact, the race to victory plot is subverted as the race itself is used for nefarious purposes – a science experiment of sorts headed by the aforementioned child genius.
That isn’t to say that the film isn’t an action film – it very much is – with stylish set pieces of a giant truck (a Battle Truck!) with explosion and car mayhem aplenty. Though it’s the content within the form that separates it from your average post-apocalyptic action film. The film just happens to be more thoughtful than your average post-apocalyptic entry.
A note about the two versions of the film on the disc…
The biggest difference between the American versions, beyond the length, is the tone and style. For example, the AI / Monster is voiced by a female in the French version but a Male who is attempting to sound like the stereotype of someone from “The street”. This is a primary example of how the American version just lacks the subtlety of the French director’s cut. There are so many differences in fact that they feel like two completely different movies that should be experienced as such. My preference is for the weird, thematically more robust, and art-spoliation of the French version, but you can decide for yourself.
NOTE: The film depicts (off-screen) sexual assault.
The Transfer
MVD has provided two flavors of Terminus. The French Version is in the 1.66 aspect ratio (not 2.39 as stated on the cover), and the US version is in 1.78 aspect ratio. All around, the French version and the transfer are the way to go here. There are only slight variances in the transfer, but the 1.66 aspect ratio is more pleasing to the eye, and the picture is all around a better experience. The color, contrast, black levels, and image sharpness are all better on the French version. The US version is good, just not great (where the French version is great).
The Extras
They include the following;
Interview with star Jürgen Prochnow (15:55) – in this all-new interview with the star begins with how he got into films by dubbing Rocky and then the other films in the series, and eventually moving to the US for his English language career. The actor goes onto discuss the impact that Das Boot had on his career; how eventually he was hired on Terminus; what he loved about the project; the work of director Pierre-William Glenn – and his genius; some truly disturbing information about how hard the Chernobyl disaster had on France but also effect the film Glenn created in Terminus; the difficulty of shooting in multiple languages and three different parts; and much more. The interview is a great career overview, along with a discussion of the production of Terminus, including some fantastic B-roll footage edited in.
We All Descend – The Making of Terminus (49:30) – This all-new making-of featurette combines newly filmed interviews with archival interviews, b-roll footage, footage from the film, and historical footage from other sources to look back at the making of this very unique film, but also the man who made it. Beginning with an account of their own careers inspired by their father, Vincent and Julie Glenn take us on a journey into the world of director Pierre-William Glenn – his films, his life outside film, and more – eventually discussing how and why Terminus came about. Through various archival interviews, Pierre-William Glenn himself recounts his life in film and eventually discusses the making of Terminus. This very personal look at Glenn is a perfect way for anyone being introduced to the director of the films he made and collaborated on. Featuring interviews with Vincent Glenn (son of director Pierre-William Glenn), star Julie Glenn (daughter of Pierre-William Glenn), and director Pierre-William Glenn. In French with English subtitles.
Photo Gallery (3:03) – the gallery consists of 36 production stills, behind-the-scenes of the phones, lobby cards, soundtrack art, home video art, and poster art. The gallery plays automatically with the title song by Stan Ridgway.
Original Theatrical Trailer (1:13)
The Final Thought
MVD Entertainment continues to release the very best in cult genre cinema with the best special features. Highest Recommendations!!!
MVD Entertainment’s Blu-ray Edition of Terminus is out now
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