THE GUYVER (1991)
3-Disc Limited Collector's Edition
4k Ultra HD + Blu-ray + CD Soundtrack
Label: Unearthed Classics
Region Code: Region-Free
Rating: R
Duration: 92 Minutes 26 Seconds
Duration: 92 Minutes 26 Seconds
Audio: English PCM 2.0 Stereo, DTS-HD MA 5.1 Surround with Optional English Subtitles
Video: 2160p Ultra HD Widescreen (1.85:1)
Director: Screaming Mad George & Steve Wang
Cast: Mark Hamill, Vivian Wu, Jack Armstrong, Jimmie 'JJ' Walker, Michael Berryman, David Gale
The Guyver (1991) is a sci-fi action/superhero flick adapted from Yoshiki Takaya's manga series of the same name. Produced by Brian Yuzna (Society) and co-directed by surreal FX legend Screaming Mad George (Curse II: The Bite) and Steve Wang (Guyver: Dark Hero) it starts off with a bit of a text crawl and voiceover that explains that basic idea of the film. As explained, a race of long-gone aliens bio-engineered humans as organic weapons, and that there exists alien-human hybrids known as Zoanoids, and how there's an alien artifact called "The Unit" which has the ability to transforms humans into an alien-hybrid super soldier called "The Guyver", but that how to activate the artifact has long remained a mystery.
The Guyver (1991) is a sci-fi action/superhero flick adapted from Yoshiki Takaya's manga series of the same name. Produced by Brian Yuzna (Society) and co-directed by surreal FX legend Screaming Mad George (Curse II: The Bite) and Steve Wang (Guyver: Dark Hero) it starts off with a bit of a text crawl and voiceover that explains that basic idea of the film. As explained, a race of long-gone aliens bio-engineered humans as organic weapons, and that there exists alien-human hybrids known as Zoanoids, and how there's an alien artifact called "The Unit" which has the ability to transforms humans into an alien-hybrid super soldier called "The Guyver", but that how to activate the artifact has long remained a mystery.
The film opens with scientist Dr. Segawa (Greg Paik) who has "The Unit" in his possession having stolen it from his employer the Chronos corporation, which run by evil CEO Fulton Balcus (David Gale, Re-Animator). He's trying to get the device into the hands of CIA agent Max Reed (Mark Hamill, Star Wars), but before he can make the handoff he is intercepted by Balcus's Zoanoid henchmen Lisker (Michael Berryman, The Hills Have Eyes), M.C. Striker (Jimmie Walker, TV's Good Times), Ramsey (Peter Spellos, Bound), and Weber (Spice Williams-Crosby, Fatal Games), mutating into their monstrous Zoanoid forms and dispatching the scientist, who also turns out to be an alien-human hybrid. The recover the briefcase carrying "The Unit" and bring it to Balcus, who is quite displeased to find a kitchen toaster inside!
It turns out that The Unit was hidden away nearby in a lunchbox, and it's discovered by middling karate student Sean Barker (Jack Armstrong, TV's Days of Our Lives). Not realizing what it is he picks it up and marvels at it, before being accosted by a street gang. It's during the alteration that he falls face-first onto The Unit accidentally activating it, which fuses to his face before covering his body in the Guyver armor, allowing him to easily dispatch the street toughs. From here we get Balcus cronies attacking Sean in an effort to get The Unit, but when he turns out to be near indestructible they kidnap his girlfriend Mizky (Vivian Wu, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III) who is coincidentally Dr. Segawa's daughter, resulting in Sean as The Guyver teaming-up with Agent Reed to infiltrate the Chronos facility and save his girlfriend, and the world.
I had thought I'd watched The Guyver before, but it became apparent just a few minutes in I clearly had not. I think I saw the sequel Guyver: Dark Hero at some point, but I only just barely remember it. I will say the sequel must be darker in tone from what I remember, because the comic book/slapstick sense of humor found here caught me a bit by surprise. The general tone of this comes across as a more violent Power Rangers or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, there's corny sound effects like the sound of a tree falling when one of the villains is knocked-out, it's pretty groan inducing but fun if you're in the right mood, and the one-liners, oof! The dialogue during the rubber-suited monster/Guyver battles is 100% grade-A kiddie TV stuff.
That's not to say I didn't like it, I absolutely did. I was won over by the incredible rubber-suited monsters and the Guyver armor by Screaming Mad George, these looked pretty fantastic, and the transformations from humanoid to zoanoid really do look great. There's some nice variation, a couple of the monsters look like oversized Gremlins, one of the female is hair-covered except for her breasts, it's fun stuff, even if Jimmy Walker's characters monster alter-ego crossed-eyes and oversized lips seem pretty fucking racist and ill-advised in hindsight.
There are also some fun cameos, we as well, we get a very brief walk-on from Linnea Quigley (The Return of the Living Dead), who is simply credited as "Scream Queen", and Jeffrey Combs (Re-Animator) plays a scientist in the employ of Balcus, his name Dr. East - clearly a fun nod to Dr. West who Combes played in the Re-Animator films.
Admittedly Jack Armstrong is pretty weak in the acting department, he makes a stiff and unremarkable lead, but it gets better once he's covered in rubber as The Guyver. The fight scenes are plenty entertaining but not exactly kinetic masterpieces of martial arts either, but good enough for a rubber suited sci-fi actioner. The big show here is seeing David Gale as the evil Balcus chewing up the scenery left and right, he's going very big here as Gale was prone to do, he almost seems like he's reprising his role from Re-Animator. Hamill is someone I love, I grew up worshipping him in Star Wars, but let's be honest, he's no great thespian, his best role outside of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back is as a voice actor bringing the cackling DC villain Joker to life in the animated series, films and games. Regardless, in the right role he's a pleaser, and I like the way he camps it up in this flick. His character goes out in crazy manner as well, transformed into a cockroach looking zoanoid!
Audio/Video: The Guyver (1991) gets a three-disc UHD/BD/CD release from Unearthed Films (#14) as part of the Unearthed Classics line-up, this is a 4K restoration of the original R-rated 35mm camera negative, making it;s HD/UHD disc debut here, presented in 1.85:1 widescreen in 2160p Ultra HD with HDR color-grading. I do believe this is Unearthed Films first foray into 4K UHD, and it's a stunner. The restoration is gorgeous, we get nicely resolved grain structures that look terrific with that excellent detail and textures in the close-ups, facial details look great, and the rubber-suited zoanoids looks amazing with deep, well-saturated colors, primaries enhanced by HDR but never too hot, and whites are nice and crisp. Black levels are always deep and inky with pleasing shadow detail, and clarity and depth are wonderful. It's a glorious looking 4K, and the accompanying Blu-ray also look terrific, sourced from the same 4K restoration of the OCN, but minust the 4K resolution and HDR, but still quite impressive.
Audio comes by way of both English PCM 2.0 stereo and DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround with optional English subtitles, both are clean and well-balanced, the source elements are in terrific shape. The surround track moves atmospherics and score tot he surrounds creating a slightly larger sound field, but I preferred the stereo track myself. Dialogue sounds great, and the effects and score by Matthew Morse is full-bodied and well place in the mix.
The only extra on the 4K UHD disc is a new Audio Commentary with co-directors Screaming Mad George and Steve Wang, moderated by Dom O’Brien, the author of Budget Biomorphs: The Making of The Guyver Films, wisely saving those precious digital bits to let the feature film breathe, with additional extras appearing on the accompanying Blu-ray disc.
Blu-ray extras include the same new Audio Commentary with co-directors Screaming Mad George and Steve Wang, moderated by Dom O’Brien, the author of Budget Biomorphs: The Making of The Guyver Films, plus a new 36-min Interview with producer Brian Yuzna; a brand new 57-min The Altered States of Screaming Mad George: Interview with co-director Screaming Mad George; 7-min Suit Tests with Commentary by co-directors Screaming Mad George and Steve Wang or with Evil Ted Smith and Wyatt Weed; 15-min Outtakes with commentary by co-directors Screaming Mad George and Steve Wang; and an 11-min Gag Reel with commentary by co-directors Screaming Mad George and Steve Wang; plus a 6-min Promotional Gallery and 20-min Production Gallery. Disc extra are buttoned-up with
Alternate Title Sequences in English, German and Spanish that run 6-minutes each, plus "Mutronics" Trailers in English, German, Spanish and French.
The third disc is the CD Soundtrack featuring the score by Matthew Morse, 19 songs and running about 45 minutes, including 2007 and 2021 remixes of the Guyver Theme.
The 3-Disc Limited Collector's Edition UHD/BD/CD set arrives ina black keepcase with a flipper tray housing the three discs. We get a Reversible Wrap as well as a First-Pressing Only Slipcover featuring unique artwork as well, so there are three artwork options, but does not include that misleading artwork that made it look like Mark Hamill was The Guyver. Inside there's an 8-Page Illustrated Booklet with liner notes by Dom O'Brien, author of Biomorphs: The Making of the Guyver Films and Matthew Morse, the film's composer, plus the CD Track Listing.
Special Features:
Disc 1 – Feature (4K Ultra HD)
- NEW 4K restoration of the original R-rated 35mm camera negative by Unearthed Films presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio in HDR
- NEW! Audio Commentary with co-directors Screaming Mad George and Steve Wang, moderated by Dom O’Brien, the author of Budget Biomorphs: The Making of The Guyver Films
Disc 2 – Feature + Extras (Blu-ray)
- NEW 4K restoration of the original R-rated 35mm camera negative by Unearthed Films presented in 1080p HD in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio
- NEW! Audio Commentary with co-directors Screaming Mad George and Steve Wang, moderated by Dom O’Brien, the author of Budget Biomorphs: The Making of The Guyver Films
- NEW! Interview with producer Brian Yuzna (35:39).
- NEW! The Altered States of Screaming Mad George: Interview with co-director Screaming Mad George (56:48)
- NEW! Suit Tests with commentary by co-directors Screaming Mad George and Steve Wang or with Evil Ted Smith and Wyatt Weed
Disc 1 – Feature (4K Ultra HD)
- NEW 4K restoration of the original R-rated 35mm camera negative by Unearthed Films presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio in HDR
- NEW! Audio Commentary with co-directors Screaming Mad George and Steve Wang, moderated by Dom O’Brien, the author of Budget Biomorphs: The Making of The Guyver Films
Disc 2 – Feature + Extras (Blu-ray)
- NEW 4K restoration of the original R-rated 35mm camera negative by Unearthed Films presented in 1080p HD in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio
- NEW! Audio Commentary with co-directors Screaming Mad George and Steve Wang, moderated by Dom O’Brien, the author of Budget Biomorphs: The Making of The Guyver Films
- NEW! Interview with producer Brian Yuzna (35:39).
- NEW! The Altered States of Screaming Mad George: Interview with co-director Screaming Mad George (56:48)
- NEW! Suit Tests with commentary by co-directors Screaming Mad George and Steve Wang or with Evil Ted Smith and Wyatt Weed
(7:06)
- NEW! Outtakes with commentary by co-directors Screaming Mad George and Steve Wang (14:31)
- NEW! Gag Reel with commentary by co-directors Screaming Mad George and Steve Wang (10:55)
- NEW! Outtakes with commentary by co-directors Screaming Mad George and Steve Wang (14:31)
- NEW! Gag Reel with commentary by co-directors Screaming Mad George and Steve Wang (10:55)
- NEW! Promotional Gallery (6:22)
- NEW! !Production Gallery (19:35)
- Alternate Title Sequences: English rs@(6:10), German (6:10), Spanish (6:10)
- Alternate Title Sequences: English rs@(6:10), German (6:10), Spanish (6:10)
- "Mutronics" Trailers: English (1:45), German (2:32), Spanish (0:54), French (2:15)
Disc 3 – Soundtrack CD
- The Guyver Soundtrack composed by Matthew Morse (19 Songs, 45 Minutes)
Disc 3 – Soundtrack CD
- The Guyver Soundtrack composed by Matthew Morse (19 Songs, 45 Minutes)
- Reversible Wrap
- First-Pressing Only SLipcover
- 8-Page Illustrated Booklet with Liner Notes
Unearthed Films first 4K UHD is stellar release, a total knockout that is loaded with extras, and very attractive packaging. This set is Limited to 5000 units, so if you want it you better get on it!
Unearthed Films first 4K UHD is stellar release, a total knockout that is loaded with extras, and very attractive packaging. This set is Limited to 5000 units, so if you want it you better get on it!
Buy it!
#ad
Screenshots from the Unearthed Films Blu-ray:
