Review by Gary Tooze

 

Production:

Theatrical: New Image

Video: Severin Films

 

Disc:

Region: FREE! (as verified by the Oppo Blu-ray player)

Runtime: 1:33:18.750 

Disc Size: 24,794,878,931 bytes

Feature Size: 16,759,615,488 bytes

Video Bitrate: 20.50 Mbps

Chapters: 18

Case: Standard Blu-ray case

Release date: September 22nd, 2015

 

Video:

Aspect ratio: 2.35:1

Resolution: 1080p / 23.976 fps

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Audio:

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1924 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1924 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Commentary:

Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps

 

Subtitles:

None

 

Extras:

• Audio Commentary with Brian Trenchard-Smith

• Not Quite Hollywood Extended Interviews with: Brian Trenchard Smith, Antony I. Ginnane, Steve Railsback, Lynda Stoner, Roger Ward, Gus Mercurio and Bob McCarron (1:17:07)
• The Ozploitation Renaissance – round table discussion with director Brian Trenchard-Smith, producer Antony I. Ginnane and Ozploitation cinematographer Vincent Monton. (26:34)
• Turkey Shoot: Blood & Thunder Memories – featurette (23:45)
• Brian Trenchard-Smith Interview (9:48)
• Turkey Shoot Trailer (2:46)
• Escape 2000 Alternate Title Sequence (1:43)

DVD of the film

 

Bitrate:

 

 

Description: In a totalitarian near future, defiant citizens are labeled ‘deviants’ and sentenced to brutal ‘behavior modification’ camps. But when new prisoners Anders (Steve Railsback of THE STUNT MAN and HELTER SKELTER) and Walters (Olivia Hussey of ROMEO & JULIET and BLACK CHRISTMAS) are chosen as human prey for rich people to hunt, they will be thrust into a nightmare of depravity, dismemberment, cleaved skulls, exploding heads, lesbians with crossbows, the insane hungers of a deformed cannibal circus freak, and more. Michael Craig (THE VAULT OF HORROR), John Ley (BMX BANDITS) and Roger Ward (MAD MAX) co-star in this notorious blood-and-thunder shocker – also known as ESCAPE 2000 and BLOOD CAMP THATCHER – from maverick Ozploitation director Brian Trenchard-Smith (STUNT ROCK, DEAD END DRIVE-IN) and producer Antony I. Ginnane (PATRICK, THIRST), now fully restored in HD from the original vault negative.

 

 

The Film:

This grim, violent Australian production is an artless mishmash incorporating elements of The Road Warrior, 1984 , and The Most Dangerous Game. The story is set in a dystopian future society where all "deviants" (i.e. anyone whose ideas don't jive with those of the government) are interred in nightmarish re-education camps where they are tortured, beaten, raped and put to death -- mostly on the whim of the psychotic commandant (Michael Craig). Periodically, a handful of particularly defiant inmates will be released unarmed to be hunted down (for the entertainment of the elite) in a free-for-all "Turkey Shoot" (the film's original Australian title). Among the latest batch of potential targets are strong-willed Steve Railsback and Olivia Hussey, who are confronted in the wilderness by the commandant and his goofy mutant cronies -- all of whom carry rocket-launchers, exploding arrows, and flamethrowers. This entire exercise is basically a prolonged excuse for a plethora of cheap, splattery makeup effects, made far more unpleasant by the blatant sadism of the proceedings. Unsuspecting viewers exposed to this film may wish to follow with My Brilliant Career to restore their faith in Australian cinema.

Excerpt from Barnes + Noble located HERE

Image :    NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

Turkey Shoot gets a 1080P transfer from Severin Films and it looks quite impressive. The Blu-ray visuals are pretty tight and detail is better than one might anticipate for this early 80's horror-cum-exploitation effort. This looks very pleasing in-motion.  I'm guessing that the source was in exceptional condition. There are a scant few speckles but contrast and balance are all in decent order.  If you are going to see Turkey Shoot at home - with bushel basket of popcorn - this is the way to see it.

 

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Audio :

We get a, reasonably potent, DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel at 1924 kbps and the effects are plentiful. It often seems like a DUB that may be negligibly out-of-sync but the funky score by Brian May (Mad Max, Nightmares, The Survivor) sounds perfect for the obtuse production. There are no subtitle options and my Oppo has identified it as being a region FREE disc playable on Blu-ray machines worldwide.

 

 

Extras :

Severin really stack their release, including some of their own produced features - it starts with an audio commentary by director Brian Trenchard-Smith, Now, I haven't listened to it yet but will probably do so soon. A significant extra is the 1 1/4 hour Not Quite Hollywood 'Extended Interviews' including Trenchard Smith, Antony I. Ginnane, Steve Railsback, Lynda Stoner, Roger Ward, Gus Mercurio and Bob McCarron giving open and honest talk of how they recall their part in the production - both candid and interesting. The Ozploitation Renaissance is a 26-minute round table discussion with director Trenchard-Smith, producer Antony I. Ginnane and Ozploitation cinematographer Vincent Monton reflecting back on Turkey Shoot. There is a 24-minute featurette entitled Turkey Shoot: Blood & Thunder Memories - more recollections from principals, a separate 10-minute piece with Trenchard-Smith Interview, a Turkey Shoot trailer and the 2-minutes of the alt-title Escape 2000 title sequence. The package contains a DVD of the film

 

 

BOTTOM LINE:
This was more fun than I was anticipating. Yeah - it's gruesome in spots and, of course, outrageous - the fascism theme is pretty ham-fisted - but I liked it! Railsback is great as the dissenter and Olivia Hussey natural and hot as the constant 'bait' for abuse. I guess I enjoyed the one-sided-ness and energy in Turkey Shoot and the Blu-ray adds appreciation with the extensive extras. It's trash cinema - but of the appealing kind. A lot of love put into the BD production - recommended to those who know what they'll get getting themselves in for! 

Gary Tooze

September 19th, 2015