BLUE CITY is part of our Vinegar Syndrome Archive collection, celebrating forgotten cinematic oddities from the video store era. This collection was inspired by our own brick & mortar video stores, with locations in Bridgeport, CT,Denver, CO,Toronto, ON, and Pittsburgh, PA.
Unique to this line, each numbered limited edition release will come fitted in a specially designed, bottom loading VHS inspired slipcase, while also including a double-sided poster.
These releases will ONLY be available on our website and at participating indie retailers. Absolutely no major retailers will be stocking them. This spot gloss slipcase edition (designed by Sean Longmore) is strictly limited to 4,000 units and may (but probably not) be followed by a standard edition in the future.
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After five years of adventures on the road, born rebel Billy Turner has finally returned to Blue City, his South Florida hometown where his father was the longtime mayor. Upon discovering his beloved father was mysteriously murdered a year prior, and that corruption and vice may have seized the coastal city, Billy vows to avenge his dad and uncover the truth no matter what hell he has to raise. Relying on his final local friend, Joey, along with Joey's sister and police chief Reynolds, Billy takes aim at his father's affected widow and a sleazy nightclub owner. But in the slippery new Blue City, it's gotten a lot harder knowing just who to trust.
Released after a slew of films featuring the "Brat Pack," BLUE CITY is one of a few attempts at taking its stars beyond high school, and is likely the most ambitious. This action thriller based on the novel by legendary hardboiled author Ross Macdonald (Harper) boasts a script co-written by Walter Hill (The Warriors, Southern Comfort) and Lukas Heller (What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?) updated with a hard shot of 1980s Miami Vice style. Featuring a bold score by the legendary Ry Cooder, the film stars Judd Nelson and Ally Sheedy (both of The Breakfast Club) and David Caruso (Jade, TV's CSI) alongside veteran actors Scott Wilson (The Exorcist III, TV's The Walking Dead) and Paul Winfield (The Terminator, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan). Vinegar Syndrome Archive is right pleased to take you down south for this seedy actioner, newly scanned in 4K from its original camera negative.
directed by: Michelle Manning starring: Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy, David Caruso, Paul Winfield, Scott Wilson, Anita Morris, Luis Contreras 1986 / 83 min / 1.85:1 / English 2.0 Channels
Additional info:
Region A Blu-ray
Newly scanned and restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative
Commentary track with film historian Jim Hemphill
"Breaking Down Blue City" (13 min) - an interview with unit production manager Robert Brown
"Dark and Steamy" (17 min) - a featurette with the camera department on shooting Long Beach for Key West
"Welcome to Blue City" (10 min) - a video essay by film historian Wayne Byrne
Double-sided poster insert
Reversible sleeve artwork
English SDH subtitles
Overall rating: 4.5 / 5 from 106 reviews.
AI Generated Review Summary
Blue City is a restored 4K action thriller from the 1980s, featuring a compelling storyline and notable performances. It includes special features such as commentary and featurettes, and comes in a limited edition slipcase with a double-sided poster.
"This is a fun little movie with good performances and great direction." — Ed K.
"It's cringe as hell and that is the pure unadulterated charm of this feature flick." — David R.
"Great little 80’s action flick" — james b.
Reviews
Not for me but maybe for thee?
"This was a blind buy. I had actually never considered watching it during the Bratt Pack stage of GenX. I love Alley Sheedy, but, well, let's just say even she couldn't save this dud. I haven't the forgiveness for Michelle Manning robbing an hour of my time (grin) and alliw ne to say Judd Nelson's forced & totally unbelievable acting was nails on a chalkboard hedious. One would think he regressed from his acting chops of Breakfast Club fame, he showed ZERO progression and bitterly every line was painful to endure. The action sequences of this film were worse than a 'made for TV' movie, the comrade between characters was non-existent, simply dreadful, a painful watch. With that said, 'IF' you happen to be a fan of this film, Vinegar Syndrome offered no apology in making this packaging absolutely STUNNING! I purchased this as a blind buy because the artwork was amazing, and inside is a huge gorgeous poster of the OG film cover and VS artwork on the flipping."
— Steven P. (1/5)
A Stylish 80s Crime Thriller with Attitude
"Blue City is a stylish 80s crime thriller that blends action, corruption, and revenge into an entertaining throwback experience. The cast helps carry the film, bringing enough charisma and attitude to keep the story engaging even when it leans into familiar genre territory. The sound mix is solid, with clear dialogue and a score that fits the moody, neon-lit atmosphere of the film. The music and audio design help reinforce that gritty mid-80s vibe without overpowering the scenes. In terms of overall order, the release feels clean and well organized. Everything about the presentation is straightforward and collector friendly, making it easy to jump in and enjoy the film. Overall, this is a fun and visually stylish crime thriller that works well as a nostalgic revisit for fans of 80s action cinema."
— Tim L. (5/5)
A Silly Little Brat Pack One Off
"I bought this movie based on the cast, and I'm glad I did. It's a wacky 80s action thriller with some of the brat packers blasting their way through dystopian locations. The slipcover and cover art is awesome and gives you a great picture of what's in store in the film."
— Jake B. (5/5)
Underrated!
"A great film starring Judd Nelson and Ally Sheedy that actually deserves more love than what it gets."
— Thomas P. (5/5)
Love VSA releases
"a wonderfully messy, aggressively '80s neo-noir thriller that tries to push The Breakfast Club stars Judd Nelson and Ally Sheedy into mature, hard-boiled territory."
— Kevin G. (5/5)
Never seen this picture or
"Never seen this picture or anything else from this director. Top notch restoration with great sound."
— Nick D. (4/5)
Solid Action Thriller
"Judd Nelson may not be the most convincing action star (and certainly not the most likeable), but Blue City is nonetheless a rather underrated action thriller, written by Walter Hill (and even scored by Ry Cooder) and featuring good turns from the great Scott Wilson, David Caruso and Paul Winfield. I was pleasantly surprised by how violent this one got towards the end. I had the Olive edition but this is a huge upgrade, with a sparkling new transfer and good extras."
— Kyle S. (4/5)
Really dumb, sometimes fun
"Blue City is a gritty crime thriller about a man returning to his corrupt hometown to avenge his father’s murder, but it struggles with a predictable plot and uneven pacing. Judd Nelson does his best to bring intensity to the lead role, though the characters often feel one-dimensional. While it has a few moody moments and some noir-inspired atmosphere, the film overall fails to leave a strong impression."
— Shawn M. (2/5)
Sixteen Streets of Candles
"A cool Walter Hill script directed by Michelle Manning (her only feature directorial credit, mostly known for producing John Hughes, bug surprise) with a decent turn by Hughes alums Judd Nelson and Ally Sheedy. Not good, not terrible, just here. Could be a spiritual successor to Streets of Fire, but without thay Walter Hill panache"
— Derrick A. (3/5)
Blue city
"Good stuff"
— Corey S. (5/5)
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