Freeway – Vinegar Syndrome (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1996
Director: Matthew Bright
Writer: Matthew Bright
Cast: Kiefer Sutherland, Reese Witherspoon, Bokeem Woodbine, Wolfgang Bodison, Dan Hedaya, Alanna Ubach, Conchata Ferrell, Brooke Shields, Amanda Plummer, Brittany Murphy

Release Date: November 25th, 2022
Approximate Running Time: 104 Minutes 10 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Stereo English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region A (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: $44.98

"Vanessa Lutz' life is a mess. Her mother, a prostitute, and father, an abusive drunk, have been hauled off to jail. With nowhere to live, Vanessa has no choice but to move in with her grandmother. Hitting the road to granny's house, she quickly encounters the silver-tongued Bob Wolverton, who offers to give her a lift. However, what Vanessa doesn't realize is that Bob is the notorious I-5 Killer; a vicious murderer who preys on young, female hitchhikers, and soon finds herself face-to-face with a real "Big Bad Wolf." Using all her wits, she sets in motion a cunning trap which all comes to a grisly head in this modern take on Little Red Riding Hood..." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5 (4K UHD), 4.75/5 (Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative."

Freeway comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 59.4 GB

Feature: 59.1 GB

The source used for this transfer looks amazing. When compared to Freeway’s previous home video releases, this new transfer is vastly superior in every way. The flesh tones look healthy; colors are nicely saturated; image clarity and black levels are solid; there are no issues with compression, and grain remains intact.

Freeway comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 43.9 GB

Feature: 28.8 GB

The Blu-ray uses the same source that was used for the 4K UHD.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD stereo mix in English, and included with this release are removable English SDH. The audio sounds excellent. Dialog always comes through clearly; everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD include an archival commentary track with screenwriter/director Matthew Bright, and a new audio commentary with Matthew Bright.

Extras on the Blu-ray include the original video trailer (1 minute 46 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), alternate scenes from R-Rated cut (6 minute 32 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), on set ‘soundbite’ interviews (8 minute 32 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), original electronic press kit featurette (5 minute 44 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), raw behind the scenes footage (6 minute 9 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), an archival interview with Matthew Bright (14 minute 46 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), an archival interview with actress Amanda Plummer (3 minute 7 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), an archival interview with composer Danny Elfman (4 minute 23 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), an archival interview with executive producer Oliver Stone (8 minute 6 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), an archival interview with producer Samuel Hadida (8 minute 6 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), an interview with actresses Leanna Creel and Monica Lacy titled Murder Twins (24 minute 23 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), an interview with actor Robert Peters titled You're Under Arrest  (12 minute 12 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), an interview with actor Wolfgang Bodison titled To Catch a Predator (11 minute 9 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), an interview with editor Maysie Hoy titled Changing Lanes (17 minute 15 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), an interview with producer Brad Wyman titled Producing Freeway (18 minute 32 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), an interview with Matthew Bright Vulgarity is Timeless  (30 minute 57 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), an archival commentary track with screenwriter/director Matthew Bright, and a new audio commentary with Matthew Bright.

Summary:

The 1990s were a wild time for independently produced cinema. It was a time when there was an increased demand for products because of the VHS format, which gave films a larger audience reach than ever before. And it is during this time that a few filmmakers made notable debuts that continue to be sought out by new audiences. Case in point: Matthew Bright, who directed Freeway, a film for which he also wrote the screenplay.

From its opening moments, Freeway quickly draws you in with its salacious comic book opening credits, which give a strong indication of what is about to unfold. From there, the narrative revolves around an illiterate teenage girl named Vanessa, who comes from a dysfunctional home; her mother is a prostitute, and her stepfather sexually abuses her. without giving away too much more about the narrative. Let's just say that Freeway is a bleak, grueling journey that somehow resolves with a happy ending.

When discussing Freeway, it is hard not to appreciate just how great the cast is, especially Reese Witherspoon (Cruel Intentions) in the role of Vanessa Lutz, the protagonist who runs away from her problems all the way to grandma’s house, and Kiefer Sutherland (Flatliners) in the role of Robert "Bob" Wolverton, a killer whose path crosses with Vanessa's. That said, the scenes that they share are the most memorable moments.

When watching Freeway, if you start to feel deja vu, it is because the premise is a loose retelling of the Little Red Riding Hood fairytale. Also, throughout Freeway, there are many obvious references to Little Red Riding Hood, like the basket Vanessa carries, and of course the most obvious nod in the ending.

From a production standpoint, there is no area where Freeway does not excel. The premise is superbly executed, a well-constructed narrative does a fantastic job building tension, and an exceptional finale provides the perfect coda. Other strengths include subversive dialog laced with humor, a superlative score from Danny Elfman (Edward Scissorhands), and strong visuals, both of which reinforce the mood. Ultimately, Freeway is an extraordinary film about the darker side of humanity that fans of black humor will thoroughly enjoy.

Freeway gets a definitive release from Vinegar Syndrome, which comes with a solid audio/video presentation and an abundance of informative extras, highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a VLC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer