Maybe you've heard of The Karate Kid. Sure, sure, but nothing KICKS ASS like the gleam and determination of RAD . . . and, yes, that's entertainment that is in ALL CAPS!
Can you win the insane BMX race called Helltrack? Yeah, that name alone sends shivers and for good reason. It’s deadly and invites all sorts of spills and chills at speeds and heights thought impossible for young BMXers. So, honestly, do YOU have the dedication to take on that hellish bike trail?
One hometown hero, teenager Cru Jones (Bill Allen), believes he can. He just has to outsmart the corrupt president of the Federation of American Bicyclists, Duke Best (Jack Weston) and all his cronies that are out for blood in this EPIC tale of homegrown heroism, including Bart Taylor (Bart Conner), the best BMX biker in the world! They don't want Jones in the contest and keep changing the rules to keep him out.
IT. WON'T. WORK.
Get ready to cheer on the underdog! Jones might disappoint his mother (Talia Shire) by choosing the BMX over his SATs, but when the contest includes $100,000 AND a new Chevrolet Corvette, it’s EASY to see why the aggressive teen would choose to pump his BMX rather than break out a sweat over his studies.
Of course, earning the smiles from a young (and damn sexy) Lori Loughlin helps, too. Sorry, Ma, but the boys gotta ride and he does so with all sorts of 80s style, pop collars and all. From dance floors pumping out “Send Me An Angel” by Real Life to the YO- CAN-DO-IT vibes of John Farnham’s "Break the Ice" as BMX bikes seem to float and do pirouettes in the air, this cheese bucket of a movie is every bit the stone cold killer that it seems.
Directed by Burt Reynolds’ loyal stuntman Hal Needham (who was the basis for Brad Pitt’s character in One Upon a Time in Hollywood) and written by Sam Bernard and Geoffrey Edwards, RAD is nearly effortless in its total enjoyment as Jones and his friends steal the show from the opening segment as they deliver newspapers and perform all sorts of tricks along the way. Their smiles and good natured attitude is infectious and it spreads like wildfire as they earn every bit of their cheering on in the film’s second half.
Co-starring the immortal Ray Walston, this release of RAD is licensed from Utopia Distribution and Schwartzman Pictures and features a familiar-looking 4K restoration from another release which sold out in record time, making this copy - as it also repurposes JJ Harrison’s AWESOME artwork for its cover - the version to own and celebrate time and time again with repeat viewings.
Celebrate the heart! The passion! The slo-mo effect of all the BMX bikes gliding through the air! RAD is back in circulation!
Like BMX Bandits before it, RAD takes its biking seriously and delivers a fun film that manages to straddle that fine line between camp and classic. It is now on blu-ray thanks to Mill Creek’s 4K SteelBook offering, and - if you ask me - has to be their BEST release to date..
Is there enough THUNDER in your heart?
SteelBook / Mondo X #46 / Blu-ray + Digital HD
Home Video Distributor: Mill Creek Entertainment
Available on Blu-ray - March 16, 2021
Screen Formats: 1.85:1
Subtitles: English SDH
Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; single disc
Region Encoding: 2K Blu-ray: Region A
Cru Jones (Bill Allen) is the best BMX biker in Cochrane. He's got the talent to become the best BMX daredevil in the world. Bart Taylor (Bart Conner) is the best BMX biker in the world, and he's in town to race in the $100,000 Helltrack competition, the most grueling BMX race in history. Cru wants a shot at winning the title, but his mom (Talia Shire) insists he take his college entrance exams which fall on the same day. He decides to go for Helltrack, but the race promoter (Jack Weston) has a dirty scheme for keeping the local whiz kid out of the race and away from his prized champion. Only the gorgeous Christian (Lori Loughlin), a member of the opposite team, can get Cru on track for Helltrack! And teach him a few other things while she's at it!
Video:
This brand-new HD release of RAD sports the same 4K restoration that Vinegar Syndrome offered before it sold out in record time. This comes from a scan of the original negative. Presented in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio utilizing the AVC codec, it was supported and approved by the film’s director and is absolutely the best this film will ever look. The image is crisp and black levels – especially on the streets of Cochrane – absolutely POP. Colors are bold, bright, and shadows are thick with lines and deep blacks. The dance scenes – and there are a lot of them – are detailed and heavy with edges. The colors, thanks to some awesome lighting effects, are bold and bursting with color. Saturation levels are on point and so too is the restored audio.
Audio:
Thanks to a crisp DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix, the EPIC soundtrack thunders on its way to BREAK THE ICE!
Supplements:
Commentary:
- None
Special Features:
Special Features for this release includes "Rad" Q&A Session featuring cast members Bill Allen, Talia Shire, Bart Conner, screenwriter Sam Bernard, and hosted by Jorma Taccone, Archival video interviews with cast and crew, Original Behind-the-Scenes Featurette and “Break the Ice” music video. Also includes digital redemption on movieSPREE.
- RAD Q&A Session
- Archival Video Interviews with the cast and the crew
- Behind the Scenes Featurette
- Break the Ice Music Video.
| Movie |  |
|
| Video | |
|
| Audio |  |
|
| Extras | |
|
|
Overall Blu-ray Experience
|
||
MPAA Rating: PG.
Runtime: 91 mins
Director: Hal Needham
Writer: Sam Bernard, Geoffrey Edwards
Cast: Bart Conner, Lori Loughlin, Bill Allen
Genre: Drama | Sport
Tagline: A hometown kid on his BMX against the best in the world. At Helltrack... the heat is on.
Memorable Movie Quote: "And Hollywood Mike Miranda makes his second dramatic exit of the day."
Theatrical Distributor: TriStar Pictures
Official Site:
Release Date: March 28, 1986
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: March 16, 2021.
Synopsis: In the hilarious new comedy THE HUSTLE, Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson star as female scam artists, one low rent and the other high class, who team up to take down the dirty rotten men who have wronged them.
