Starship Troopers (1977)

Above: US Sony Pictures 4K UHD and BD ROM Blu-ray 2 disc 2022 edition - Region All
25th Anniversary edition 2022




This Sci-Fi action and War movie from 1997 has becomed a beloved classic among the many, many film fans, and are for
sure Paul Verhoeven's best film in his mighty Sci-Fi trio with also Robocop and Total Recall. In the future the world is ruled
by a Military Fascist regime and humanity is in war with powerful alien insects.

I've rarely seen Casper Van Dien in movies (in a Tim Burton film and in The Pact), maybe he's relegated to B movie land,
but he's perfect as the Buenos Aires rich boy Johnny Rico, a high school football hero that wants to serve The Federation
and join up with the Mobile Infantry. Great also is Dina Meyer as Dizzy, the girl and school classmate that loves Johnny.
Michael "Scanners" Ironside as Lieutenant Rasczak, Jake "The Son of Gary" Busey etc. they're all great.

I Love EVERYTHING about this film, it just works for me and Denise Richard's a bit superficial and "remote"acting as
Casper Van Dien's Johnny Rico's girlfriend Carmen Ibañez suits her role figure perfectly. She's living in a Fascist society
that is superior to the old world with it's democracys, as the ever present regime propaganda trumpets out. To be a Citizen
(and to be able to vote) you must do Federal Service and as Carmen comes from a military family she dreams of being a
Star Fleet pilot, and that's more important than being with her boyfriend Johnny. She's an A student, where as Johnny is a
lowgrade one, and she wants to become a Cadet in the Star Fleet and to wear a snazzy uniform more than anything else.

Denise Richards look amazing in 4K and she had some really good years at the end of the 1990's with her role in the great
and sexy swamp Neo-Noir film "Wild Things". She has this slick and slightly unreal look as Carmen Ibañez.

Amazing are the Phil Tippet created alien killer bugs, the arachnoids, and the bombastic but Super Great Soundtrack
from Basil Poledouris. I even sat through the whole of the end titles, and there were 9-10 minutes of them and rolling for
an eternity, just to enjoy this mighty piece of music. And, the CGI still looks great today 25 years later.
The famous attack on Klendathu scene with the drop of the infantry shuttles in HD .... a Powerful watching experience.

Above: UK Blu-ray edition and Casper Van Dien's and Dina Meyer's Johhny Rico and Dizzy Flores Citizens in front of the
Mobile Infantry in the ill-fated attack on Klendathu, home planet of the Alien Killer Bugs

This film is based on the Robert A. Heinlein 1959 novel and was greatly misunderstood on it's release in 1997 as the critics
called it Fascistic and trash. No, No, No .... it looks gorgeous and better than any Sci-Fi i've ever seen and the book and
the film depicts a future world where the Earth is under the control of The Federation, some sort of military fascistic junta.
With constant news bulletins about the importance of becoming a Citizen, of doing military duty for the Federation.
It's just like the social satire in Verhoeven's Robocop where the earth was ruled by big Corporations and with commercials
unleashed on it's citizens instead of political messages in Starship Troopers. Do You Want to Know More?
Paul Verhoeven is an Anti-Fascist and in this film as in his earlier films satirizes and makes fun of totalitary regimes.

Man vs. Bugs, Earth vs. Klendathu in The Battle of the Galaxy. Sci-Fi and War action movie with some social satire and
even high-school romance in it. How is it possible that the 1990's CGI effects look that good today? A Miracle.
Starship Troopers, Dredd, Alien, Total Recall, Robocop, Terminator 1 and 2 are some of my favourite Sci-Fi action films.

This 4K UHD release of Starship Troopers presents the film in widescreen 1.85:1 with english audio Dolby Atmos (Dolby
True HD 7.1 compatible or DTS-HD MA 5.1 with english subtitles, region ALL
Disc 1 with the 4K UHD film comes an 25th Anniversary Virtual Reunion (21 minutes where Casper Van Dien, Denise
Richards, Jake Busey et. al. reminisces the filming, a Theatrical Trailer

Disc 2 is a Blu-ray BD ROM with extras: Audio Commentary with Paul Verhoeven, Casper Van Dien, Dina Meyer, Neil
Patrick Harris, another Audio Commentary with Paul Verhoeven and scriptwriter Ed Neumeier,
Death From Above - Making Of (32 minutes), Featurettes (8 minutes), Know Your Foe, FX Comparisons, Storyboard
Comparisons, Scene Deconstruction with Paul Verhoeven, Deleted Scenes, Screen Tests (Johnny and Carmen), Previews,
Fednet Mode (watch film with the cast/crew taking you behind the scenes), Recruitment Test, Put Yourself in the movie

 

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