Trancers – Full Moon Features (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1984
Director: Charles Band
Writers: Danny Bilson, Paul De Meo
Cast: Tim Thomerson, Helen Hunt, Michael Stefani, Art LaFleur, Telma Hopkins, Richard Herd, Anne Seymour, Miguel Fernandes

Release Date: October 16th, 2022
Approximate Running Time: 76 Minutes 31 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10
Rating: PG-13
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 English, Dolby Digital Stereo English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $49.95

"Welcome to Angel City, 2247. Trooper Jack Deth (Tim Thomerson NEAR DARK) is wiping out the last disciples of Whistler, who used his psychic power to 'trance' those with inferior minds, forcing them to follow his every desire. Though he'd been thought dead, he's very much alive... in the year 1985. Whistler's master plan - kill the ancestors of the City Council. With the Council disbanded, nothing can stop him from controlling the city. And that's where Deth comes in. Jack is sent back in time, inhabiting the body of his ancestor. Just one problem: Whistler's ancestor is a police detective, and he's trancing people in 1985. With the help of a strong-willed punk girl, Lena (Helen Hunt, in her breakthrough feature film appearance), Deth must confront Whistler one final time, while the fate of time itself hangs in the balance!" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3/5 (4k UHD), 3.5/5 (Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "the first time in glorious 4K, a sumptuous scan from the original camera negative!"

Trancers comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD

Disc Size: 51.9 GB

Feature: 38.6 GB

Trancers comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 21.9 GB

Feature: 15.8 GB

Though the source used for both transfers looks clean. The result is two transfers that leave plenty of room for improvement. Image clarity is inconsistent, with daytime scenes and scenes without special effects looking slightly stronger. Also, both of these transfers have a processed look that is most likely due to egregious digital noise reduction. Colors are one area where 4K UHD fares well in terms of HDR. However, the colors in the Blu-ray transfer are noticeably different from those in the 4K UHD transfer. 

Audio: 3/5 (Dolby Digital 5.1 English, Dolby Digital Stereo English)

It should be noted that though the back box art lists DTS-HD 5.1 English and DTS-HD stereo English, the only tracks actually included are a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix in English and a Dolby Digital stereo mix in English. Both of these tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced. That said, these two tracks leave room for improvement when it comes to range. Included with this release are removable English SDH.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a slipcover, a stills gallery with music from the film playing in the background, a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 59 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actor Tim Thomerson, and actresses Helen Hunt, and Megan Ward (2 minutes 1 second, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival featurette titled Cybercrime: The Making of Trancers (14 minutes 24 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a visual essay titled Gone Down The Line (19 minutes 50 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with producer/director Charles Band and Tim Thomerson, and a short film titled Trancers: City of Angels (24 minutes 41 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles). 

Summary:

Though there have been numerous films that feature time travel, the way in which it is done in this film puts a unique twist on one of the Sci-Fi genres more familiar themes. In this film one can only travel through time if they have a living ancestor during the time period which they want to visit.

Content wise, this film can best be summed up as a Sci-Fi / Noir hybrid. Besides the aforementioned use of time travel, other elements rooted within the Sci-Fi genre include, laser guns and the use of watches to create time lapses. And it is the look of the film that is firmly entrenched within the style has become synonymous with Noir. With that being said, don’t be surprised if you get that feeling of déjà vu, since this film was clearly influenced by films like Blade Runner and Terminator.

The narrative is well laid out and pacing is never an issues as things move along briskly. All of the characters and their motivations are well defined. From a visual stand point the film far exceeds and then some, its limited budget. And though the special effects look dated, the end result more then gets the job done. And without a doubt the most surprising aspect of this film is its use of humor.

Another area where this film often excels are the performances of its two leads, Tim Thomerson (Fade to Black, Near Dark) in the role of Jack Deth and Helen Hunt (‘Mad About You’, As Good As it Gets) in the role of Leena. These two actors have a tremendous amount of chemistry which makes every scene they are in together a joy to watch. Another performance of note is Michael Stefani in the role of Whistler, an megalomaniac who wants to take over the future world and to help him in his quest are ‘zombie’ like human beings that have been put under his trance. Needless to say, he makes for a formidable villain.

For their first foray into 4K UHD, Full Moon Features' debut is a release that fails to take advantage of this format.

                                                             Blu-ray screenshots.

Written by Michael Den Boer