ROBOT NINJA Now Available on Ultimate Edition Blu-ray!

J.R. BOOKWALTER'S VIGILANTE SUPERHERO SHOCKER COMES TO BLU-RAY WITH A 2K TRANSFER AND LOADS OF EXTRAS!

I was extremely saddened to hear that Tempe Entertainment was closing its doors after thirty-three years of creating (and distributing) independent films! As the final curtain draws on Tempe, J.R. Bookwalter has given his long-forgotten ROBOT NINJA a Blu-ray release to be proud of! I myself haven't seen this one since its VHS debut, so I'm pretty curious to see how good it looks in HD! Let's take a closer look at Tempe's final big Blu-ray Vault Dwellers!

Synopsis: Late one night, frustrated comic book artist Leonard Miller witnesses the brutal rape and murder of a young couple at the hands of ruthless small-town thugs. Seeking vigilante justice, Miller decides to become his most famous character, stalking the night intent on spilling the blood of any criminal who stands in his way! Written, produced, and directed by J.R. Bookwalter (THE DEAD NEXT DOOR, OZONE), ROBOT NINJA slashes, stabs, guts, pokes, and jabs its way to a climactic finale, putting a unique imprint on the superhero genre.

Painstakingly restored from a 2K film scan of the original 16mm A/B roll cut negative with a dynamic new 5.1 surround sound remix, VHS-era video store classic ROBOT NINJA debuts on Blu-ray in time for its 30th anniversary!

This feature-packed two-disc Ultimate Edition includes hours of vintage and newly-prepared bonus materials, four audio commentaries, three foreign dubbed mixes, and the original 1989 standard-definition version with proper stereo mix for the first time!

Disc Specs:
Unrated | Color | 79 minutes | Region Free
Video - 1080p Fullscreen (1.33:1)
Audio - DTS HD-Master Audio 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1, and Original Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Mix!

Extras:

DISC ONE

• NEW! 2K Restored Feature!
• Audio Commentary with writer/director J.R. Bookwalter, moderated by Matthew Dilts-Williams of Phantom Pain Films!
• Audio Commentary with executive producer David DeCoteau & producer J.R. Bookwalter!
• Audio Commentary with director J.R. Bookwalter, star James L. Edwards, associate producer Scott P. Plummer, co-creator David Lange, and special makeup consultant David P. Barton!
• Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround German Dubbed Mix
• Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Italian Dubbed Mix
• Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Castilian Spanish Dubbed Mix
• Rebuilding the Robot: J.R. Bookwalter on the Restoration. (21 mins.)
• Thank You Miss Barbeau: Interview with Linnea Quigley. (5 mins.)
• Contemplating Coleslaw: Interview with Scott Spiegel. (6 mins.)
• Dr. Goodknight's Neighborhood: Location Tour with Benjamin Bookwalter. (5 mins.)
• "The Robot Ninja" 2013 Fan Film with introduction by director Johnny Dickie. (7 mins.)
• Artwork & Promotional Gallery (5 mins.)
• Behind The Scenes Gallery (6 mins.)
• Production Stills Gallery (4 mins.)
• Tempe Digital Trailers

DISC TWO

• 1989 VHS Version in 4:3 Original Aspect Ratio (1.33:1, 80 mins.)
• Unreleased Dolby Digital 2.0 Original Stereo Mix
• Audio Commentary with Doug Tilley and Moe Porne of The No-Budget Nightmares Podcast!
• Robot Ninja: Unmasked! featurette. (48 mins.)
• Behind-the-Scenes Footage with audio commentary by director J.R. Bookwalter. (30 mins.)
• Rough Cut Outtakes (11 mins.)
• "The Adventures of Robot Ninja" TV Show Promo. (2 mins.)
• Newscast Outtakes (12 mins.)
• Location Preshoots (7 mins.)
• Original 1989 VHS Release Trailer (3 mins.)
• Optional English or Spanish Subtitles
• Tempe DVD Trailers

DISC 2: DVD-ROM EXTRAS

• Original Motion Picture Soundtrack with Complete Score Composed & Performed by J.R. Bookwalter plus songs by Foxx, Argus, Rodney Shields, and J.R. Bookwalter! (MP3, 320kbps)
• Original Treatment and Three Screenplay Drafts! (.PDF Format)

PACKAGING

• NEW! Collectible slipcover signed by director J.R. Bookwalter! (First 1,000 units only.)
• Reversible wrap with newly-commissioned artwork by David Lange and original 1989 Cinema Home Video VHS artwork!
• Eight-page color booklet with behind-the-scenes photos and liner notes by director J.R. Bookwalter! (First 1,000 units only.)

Holy cow! Tempe's Ultimate Edition of ROBOT NINJA truly lives up to expectations! Featuring two cuts of the film and oodles of extras, I think the entire package totally warrants the $34.99 pricetag! You can order ROBOT NINJA on Blu-ray directly from Tempe HERE - it is set to ship out on April 2, 2019! But wait: There's MORE! You can also pick up ROBOT NINJA on DVD, order its SOUNDTRACK, or get it on LIMITED EDITION VHS!

ROBOT NINJA is Coming to Blu-ray in Late 2018!

TEMPE ENTERTAINMENT IS RELEASING AN "ULTIMATE EDITION" OF J.R. BOOKWALTER'S LONG OUT OF PRINT INDIE SHOCKER!

Talk about a blast from my past! I came across ROBOT NINJA during my early teen years at a VHS liquidation outlet and bought it solely based upon the cover art. While I didn't end up loving it like I had hoped, the movie certainly left an impression on me.

At least fifteen years have passed since I've seen ROBOT NINJA, so you can imagine my surprise after receiving an e-mail touting its impending return to home video! And now, after a relatively successful IndieGoGo campaign, we're getting this film in a 2-Disc Ultimate Edition that features a 2K restoration, lots of extras, and a soundtrack CD! For the full details of this upcoming release, read onward Vault Dwellers!

Synopsis: Leonard Miller (Michael Todd - THE DEAD NEXT DOOR, LURKING FEAR) is a frustrated artist. His publisher, his agent... everyone is out to capitalize on the blooming success of Robot Ninja, the greatest costumed superhero since Batman! One night, Miller witnesses the brutal rape and murder of a young couple at the hands of ruthless thugs. He cries out for revenge! With the help of an inventor friend, Dr. Goodknight (Bogdan Pecic - THE DEAD NEXT DOOR, ZOMBIE COP), Miller becomes the Robot Ninja, stalking the dark streets of Ridgway, intent on spilling some blood!

The only thing standing in his way is Sanchez (Maria Marcovic - THE DEAD NEXT DOOR) and her band of villains. Relentlessly, Miller pursues his prey, watching the bodies pile up before him. The only thing stopping him is Goodknight, and a frustrated local cop that’s always just one step behind him. Robot Ninja slashes, stabs, guts, pokes and jabs his way through body after body until his final confrontation with head baddie Sanchez. You’ll never see comic books the same way again!

Disc Specs:
Rated R | Color | 80 minutes | Region Free
Video - 1080p Fullscreen (4:3)
Audio - Original 2.0 Stereo Mix

For decades, this was the only way to watch ROBOT NINJA!

Extras: 

DISC ONE

• NEW! 2K Restoration from the original 16mm negative!
• 1989 VHS Release Version in 4:3 Original Aspect Ratio (Standard Definition)
• Audio Commentary with Doug Tilley and Moe Porne of No-Budget Nightmares Podcast!
• Cast & crew interviews
• Behind-the-Scenes Footage
• 1989 Original VHS Release Trailer
• "The Robot Ninja" 2014 fan film by Johnny Dickie
• Tempe Digital Trailers
• NEW! Reversible cover art featuring original VHS cover art on one side, and newly-commissioned artwork by David Lange on the other!

DISC TWO

• NEW! Original Motion Picture Soundtrack with complete score by J.R. Bookwalter plus songs by J.R. Bookwalter, Foxx, Argus, and Rodney Shields!

There is no official release date yet for the Ultimate Edition of ROBOT NINJA and more extras may be added as the months tick by. Ant though it is not listed here, I did read that J.R. Bookwalter is also working on creating a cropped 16:9 Widescreen version for non-purists, but I'm not entirely sure if that will be included here, or released separately.

As more details are revealed about this upcoming Blu-ray, I'll update this post. If you are interested in owning ROBOT NINJA (which has been out of print for nearly thirty years!), you can order a copy exclusively through TEMPE ENTERTAINMENT'S ONLINE STORE!

Pre-order THE DEAD NEXT DOOR: ULTIMATE EDITION on Indiegogo!

 

THE DEAD NEXT DOOR was one of those "lost" films I managed to procure in the early days of the internet, and I've proudly kept my DVD of it displayed in my gigantic film collection. But it is definitely time for an upgrade, and luckily, that's exactly what is happening!

Tempe Video recently announced the launch of an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign to support preorders for a 3-Disc “Ultimate Edition” Blu-ray of the 1990 underground zombie favorite THE DEAD NEXT DOOR, the boutique cult label’s first HD release.

30 years ago this fall, writer/director J.R. Bookwalter (OZONE, WITCHOUSE II: BLOOD COVEN) embarked on THE DEAD NEXT DOOR, a gory, ambitious Super-8mm horror feature that pits an elite team of Zombie Squad soldiers against hoards of the undead and the secretive religious cult hell-bent on protecting them. The film would ultimately take four years to complete with the help of more than 1,500 Northeast Ohio residents portraying the multitudes of bloodthirsty zombies.

For this one-of-a-kind release, Tempe has assembled four unrated versions of the film, two of which have been created from a brand-new 2K restoration using the original film elements. To celebrate the film’s 25th release anniversary this fall, collectors and fans will now be able to enjoy the movie in 1080p HD in either 4:3 original aspect ratio or 16:9 cropped alongside the standard-definition masters used for previous VHS and DVD releases, together with all of the commentary tracks and extras from with those versions.

To pre-order your very own copy (hurry, because they are limited!), CLICK HERE! Not totally sold on throwing down money on this? Then let's take a closer look at what this 3-disc set has to offer.

Become a ZOMBIE SQUAD supporter, just like me!

DISC SPECS & EXTRAS

DISC 1 (BLU-RAY)

• 2K Restored Feature Presented in its original 4:3 Aspect Ratio!
  
• 2K Restored Feature Presented in 1.85:1 Widescreen, for the first time ever!
  
• Remastered 5.1 Surround and Stereo 2.0 mixes
  
• All-new 2015 commentary (participants TBA)
  
• 2005 commentary with writer/director J.R. Bookwalter, actor Michael Todd and cinematographer Michael Tolochko
  
• 2005 Behind the Scenes footage
  
• 2005 Deleted Scenes & Outtakes
  
• 3 still galleries (including new foreign artwork gallery!)
  
• All-new 2015 trailer

  DISC 2 (DVD)

• 2005 Remastered Feature in 4:3 Original Aspect Ratio with Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround and Stereo 2.0 mixes (78 mins.)
  
• 1990 Original Release Version with Stereo 2.0 mix (85 mins.)
  
• NEW! Optional Stereo 2.0 Spanish Dubbed Mix (1990 version only)
• All-new 2015 Commentary with Doug Tilley and Moe Porne of The No-Budget Nightmares Podcast (1990 version only)
  
• 20 Years in 15 Minutes (16 mins.)
  
• Video Storyboards (8 mins.)
  
• Video Pre-Shoots (6 mins.)
  
• Auditions (14 mins.)
  
• Three Miles Out Music Video (3 mins.)
  
• 2000 Frightvision Reunion (6 mins.)
  
• 1995 Making-of Featurette (first time on DVD!)
  
• Original 1999 trailer

DISC 3 (SOUNDTRACK CD)

• Original Motion Picture Soundtrack with Complete Score by J.R. Bookwalter plus unreleased songs by Argus, Joy Circuit and Three Miles Out!

The disc will be REGION FREE, and have reversible cover art (including the original 1990 Electro Video artwork reproduction autographed by writer/director J.R. Bookwalter + new artwork that has yet to be revealed). And, if the funding goal is met, these additional features may make it into this Ultimate Edition as well: 

• Alternate 5.1 Surround Mix with Original Cast (first time ever!)
  
• All-new 2015 look at the 2K restoration
• Color booklet with liner notes by FANGORIA Managing Editor Michael Gingold and behind-the-scenes photos

This is pretty darned impressive, and I sincerely hope they meet their $15,000 goal, because I want it all!  Donate a few bucks if you can, or just throw down some money and secure yourself the last copy of THE DEAD NEXT DOOR you will ever need to buy! The clock is ticking so get to it! Support independent film and pre-order your copy now!