petition
any fans out there up for a petition to bring this beauty onto special edition DVD?
shareIt has been released on DVD (at least on Region 1) by MGM. Unfortunately it only has 2 languages and a trailer as extras.
share
MovieChat Forums > The Mechanic (1972) Discussion > petition
i havent seen this film
If you're a Charles Bronson fan...this is a must see. Check it out.
I've read that one of the reasons that there isn't a better DVD of "The Mechanic" is in part because Michael Winner (the films director) was very economical and didn't shoot extra scenes and footage. He kind of got what he wanted and moved on. Not a lot of tape on the "cutting floor" so to speak.
That coupled with CB being such a private person...he would literally show up to work, shoot his scenes and go home, doesn't create opportunity for extra footage.
And back then, the mentality was different. No one thought of there being a DVD release in the future. There was no need to do a "making of.." type montage.
Although I do know they could do a new release with better sound. I recently saw a screening of "The Mechanic" in LA Ca and the sound (dialouge and music) was awesome...not because it was turned up loud. It was just more dynamic i.e., the quiet parts were perfectly comprehensible and the loud parts weren't overbearing.
I saw "The Mechanic" recently as well. Were you at the "Silent Movie theater" with Quentin Tarantino and Drew Barrymore in the audience?
[Off-topic: I asked Quentin if he ever thought to put Bronson in any of his films and he said, "sure, but he was pretty much retired by the time I started making movies" (which wasn't quite true as Bronson made "Death Wish V" and the horrible "Family of Cops" tv movies after "Reservoir Dogs" came out, but, whatever.]
Anyway, yeah, the sound and picture were great at this screening. I can understand why they can't put in "extra" pieces of film but surely the distribution company can pay Michael Winner a few k to talk about the making of the movie? Maybe other people involved like the great scriptwriter, Lewis John Carlino?
It seems like none of Bronson's starring films have extras (unless you count the ensemble pieces like "Once Upon a Time in the West" or the "The Great Escape") and that's really too bad.
Chas 77,
Yes, I was at the recent screening at the Silent Movie Theater in Hollywood. That was pretty impressive to see Quentin Tarantino in attendance! I missed Drew Barrymore however. What a treat to see "The Mechanic" on a big screen...I was introduced to it by my father when it was on a late movie feature on a local station. It always stuck with me but I've never seen it in a theater. I do have the DVD.
I know that Tarantino is a big fan of Charles Bronson (I was watching Kill Bill Vol.2 last night and saw a Bronson movie poster in the background of one scene...from "Mr Majestyk" I think). I wish Tarantino was doing the remake of "The Mechanic". I think he'd do a great take on it.
I think that would be great to have Michael Winner and Lewis John Carlino doing commentary about "The Mechanic" if a new DVD were to be put together. I think aside from Jan Michael Vincent they're the only ones left around. Even the soundtrack composer Jerry Fielding passed some time back in the 80's
Well, maybe someone is reading this...come on let's get it together!
Cheers...