‘The Outsiders – The Complete Novel’ on 4K

Category: Blu-ray's and DVD's

 

The Outsiders movie premiered in 1983. This latest release on 4K Ultra HD includes both the original theatrical release and the expanded version with scenes cut from the theatrical version using original camera negatives.  The Outsiders – The Complete Novel is the ultimate update of a film.

The story of youths from different sides of the tracks was originally written as a novel by a 16-year old girl named Susie Hinton, aka S.E. Hinton. Director Francis Ford Coppola said, “The Outsiders The Complete Novel came about after meeting students over the years who repeatedly asked me why certain scenes from S.E. Hinton’s wonderful book were missing from the theatrical version. These questions reminded about my inspiration for the film—in 1980, a contingent of 12- to 14-year-old students wrote and asked me to make it. I listened to those young fans back then, and I continue to listen to young people now and believe in their opinions, so this complete film version of the novel is for them.”

The film came about because a school class of teenagers signed a letter to Mr. Coppola asking him to make a movie from this novel that they loved and that struck a chord in the teens. Coppola then read the book and decided to do the film. According to Ms. Hinton, she was worried that the movie would be better than the book with this award-winning director at the helm.

The story of two rival teen gangs, the Greasers and the Socs, aka Socials, came from different economic households. What struck Coppola was the way the teens had inner strength and heart. They might be tough on the outside but they were all relatable humans on the inside. The film is set in 1960s Oklahoma and was filmed on location in Tulsa. In the bonus features viewers see how the actors’ preparations for their roles evolved and how they rehearsed and rehearsed while they lived in character during the production.

The actors are well known now, however The Outsiders was the vehicle that launched them into the limelight. Ralph Macchio, Matt Dillon, C. Thomas Howell, Rob Lowe, Tom Cruise, Emilio Estevez, Patrick Swayze, Leif Garrett, and Diane Lane gathered together to create this cult classic and launch their acting careers.

“For The Outsiders The Complete Novel as well as the original theatrical version, we wanted to create and maintain the highest level of visual quality possible for these restorations,” commented James Mockoski, Film Archivist and Restoration Supervisor at American Zoetrope. “We took the unusual path of locating all the various elements that went into creating the film’s most elaborate visual effects sequences and re-scanned them. Luckily, Mr. Coppola is an archivist at heart, and he kept every piece of film he shot, so we were able to unify scenes from the film using the original camera negative as much as possible. It was important to Mr. Coppola to give this release its best quality presentation, and no one has ever seen this film looking as beautiful and pristine as it does now.”

Besides the two versions of the film, there are plenty of bonus features delving deeper into the production and the actors as well as the story. It is interesting to hear Coppola introduce the film and tell the story of how it came to be. A look at the casting is another interesting featurette along with deleted scenes. The cast has some interesting stories to tell about their time working on the film. Viewers will be taken back to the preproduction and production with the cast and crew.

Fans of the story, the novel and the film will definitely want this new release with the updated film as well as new bonuses.  The Outsiders – The Complete Novel is rated PG-13 for violence, teen drinking and smoking, and some sexual reference. The theatrical version is rated PG.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 25 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association, was a longstanding member of the Los Angeles Press Club, and is accredited by the MPAA. Follow her on Twitter.