The Screen Addict Recommends – True Lies (1994) and The Abyss (1989) in glorious ultra-high definition (finally!)
I’ve talked a lot on this platform about the frustrating fact that for the longest time, many of my favorite James Cameron flicks were not available in 4k – or even on Blu-ray, for that matter.
Especially True Lies and The Abyss are glaring omissions in my high-def library. I obviously own several DVDs and VHS tapes of both pictures, and used to revisit ‘em at least once a year, but I have been putting that off for the past decade or so in anticipation of the UHD releases.
Well, the long wait is finally over.
Yesterday, I got to experience back-to-back, crystal-clear viewings of TL – Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s take on James Bond – and the criminally undervalued SciFi-masterpiece The Abyss.
(read my love letter to Cameron's underwater epic here https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bad-films-abyss-robin-logjes/?trackingId=NgsGow4tQl2yqeLkl2898A%3D%3D)
One of the main reasons why TL and The Abyss are closer to my heart than any other Cameron production, is that these two pictures also work as an acting showcase for the amazing Michael Biehn and Bill Paxton.
Both actors more or less became Cameron regulars after having worked with the director on The Terminator (1984) and Aliens (1986), but in TL and The Abyss they truly get to shine. In particular Biehn’s performance as the paranoid Navy SEAL in The Abyss is exceptional.
Actually acquiring 4k discs of TL and The Abyss wasn’t easy, by the way. Retailers in my country apparently believe that not even evergreens like these are going to make money on physical media, so I had to import my copies from France…
Thank you, Amazon...
It was totally worth the hassle though – revisiting the enhanced classics after all this time, damn near brought tears to my eyes.
Were my eyes watering because of the piercingly bright images? Sure. But I can’t deny there was a bit of emotion over being reunited with two of my all-time favorites going on as well…
Seek ‘em out & get your fix.
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True Lies is one of my all time favourite movies! So many memorable scenes.
I remember watching it on TV once and they’d edited out the scene where Arnie visualises himself breaking the used car salesman’s face whilst on their test drive. I was outraged.
Your posts always leave me wanting to dig into my DVD collection (no 4K here)
You have excellent taste, @the-gorilla! I love that scene too. Arnie makes it great, but Bill Paxton (God rest his soul) makes it even greater.