Honestly, his career has been an awful lot of hit-or-miss with me. Typically, I haven't enjoyed what he's done in the world of drama -- yes, I'm aware he's an award-winning actor -- but I think his work in comedies has been damn near spot on when he's been given good material. That's the real bug for me -- the material: when he's paired up with something solid, he tends to tune in good work. If the script just doesn't nip at my brain, then I tend to lose sight of him and anyone else in it. That's just how I am, folks, at this ripe old age.
In any event, I do vaguely recall some of the publicity that hit the web not all that long ago regarding Prisoners Of The Ghostland (2021) when it made its round in theatres and (I believe) on streaming. It looked mostly passable (for my tastes), though a few outlets online gave it solid marks. I've nothing against offbeat genre properties (as clearly my day job would indicate); it's just that even an offbeat property really has to bring me something I haven't seen before, or else it just disappears quickly with all of the static. Again, that's a right I've earned at my age.
Still, cinema presses onward like a train with no stops; and I received word just this morning that Prisoners will be available for purchase on home video well before Turkey Day. The reliable RLJE Films notes that it'll street this November 16, 2021 for interested parties, so I'll be putting the bulk of their press release below the break to provide readers with all of the particulars. It does look like the Steelbook edition will have a making-of featurette -- always a plus for those of us who dig that stuff -- but no commentary ... a bit of a miss if you ask me.
We'll see what happens closer to time. I may pick this one up just for coverage's sake. As I said, I know a few folks online who were very fond of the film. Though it didn't look quite up my alley as for as the cineplexes go, it's the type of motion picture that generally sprouts strong legs on home video.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
Directed by the acclaimed Japanese director, Sion Sono (Why Don’t You Play in Hell), the film was written by Aaron Hendry and Rexa Sixo Safai (Western Wonderland). The film stars Nicolas Cage (Mandy), Sofia Boutella (The Mummy), Nick Cassavetes (Face/Off), Bill Moseley (Texas Chainsaw Franchise), Tak Sakaguchi (Tokyo Tribe) and Yuzuka Nakaya (The Forest of Love). Joseph Trapanese (Tron: Legacy, The Raid: Redemption, The Greatest Showman) composed the original score. The DVD will be available for an SRP of $29.96, the Blu-ray for an SRP of $29.97 and the 4K UHD/Blu-ray SteelBook for an SRP of $35.97.
PRISONERS OF THE GHOSTLAND is set in the treacherous frontier city of Samurai Town where a ruthless bank robber (Cage) is sprung from jail by wealthy warlord The Governor (Moseley), whose adopted granddaughter Bernice (Boutella) has gone missing. The Governor offers the prisoner his freedom in exchange for retrieving the runaway. Strapped into a leather suit that will self-destruct within three days, the bandit sets off on a journey to find the young woman—and his own path to redemption.
PRISONERS OF THE GHOSTLAND DVD, Blu-ray and UHD/Blu-ray SteelBook includes the bonus feature, “The Making of Prisoners of the Ghostland.”
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