Maximum Overdrive Vestron Blu-ray

Listen up, mother trucker! Lionsgate is back with yet another movie that has been elevated to nostalgic greatness with the honor of a Vestron Video collector’s edition Blu-ray. This time, we’re treated to the first-ever Blu-ray release of Stephen King’s Maximum Overdrive, which was released earlier this month. If you’ve ever wanted a high-octane movie written and directed by horror maestro Stephen King while he was admittedly “coked out of [his] mind,” boy, do I have the perfect film for you!

Before he was a Mighty Duck, a young gun, or man at work, Emilio Estevez was just a regular dude on the run from a homicidal truck. Yes, that’s right, a murderous 18-wheeler is out to get my man, Emilio. I would write more about the plot at this point, but that’s about it. Just 98 minutes of blood pumpin’ big rig carnage. Oh yeah, it also boasts an AC/DC soundtrack. And I. AM. ALL. IN.

I love that the Vestron Video Collector’s Editions don’t try to be anything other than what they are: celebrations of campy horror movies that have a modicum of cult status. I’ve covered a bunch of previous releases, and what’s great about each release is that they put Academy Award-level detail to diving deep into films that were never truly celebrated before. They do so not only with a crystal clear 1080P high-def version of the film but also with loads of extras packed into the special features.

Maximum Overdrive is no different. My favorite has to be the hilarious new audio commentary by actor/comedian Jonah Ray and Blumhouse film executive (and cohost of the Shockwaves Podcast) Ryan Turek. However, there’s plenty more to put your pedal to the metal:

  • New audio commentary with writer Tony Magistrale, author of Hollywood’s Stephen King
  • New Truck Shop Tales featurette: an interview with producer Martha De Laurentiis
  • New Rage Against the Machines featurette: an interview with actress Laura Harrington
  • New Maximum Carnage featurette: an interview with make-up effects creator Dean Gates
  • New Who Made Who featurette: an interview with Murray Engleheart, coauthor of AC/DC: Maximum Rock & Roll
  • More featurettes, a still gallery, behind-the-scenes, features, and more

The only thing missing from this would be an interview or commentary track from my boy Emilio (Emiiiiliooo!!!), but that would just be icing on the cake. If the only way you’ve ever watched Maximum Overdrive was on VHS, then it is certainly time to make an upgrade. Go get your own copy and revel in the murderous fun today!

(Disclaimer: I received a review copy of the film. All opinions are my own. Emiiiiliooo!!!)

Preston Burt
Preston is a writer and graphic designer. He lives outside Atlanta, GA with his awesome wife and two amazing daughters (10 and 14). The host of the Wayback Attack Podcast, he has an affinity for VHS tapes and an obsession with arcade games and pinball machines. He has written for Paste and RETRO Magazines and is a founder of the Southern-Fried Gaming Expo.

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