Big Trouble in Little China NEEDS a 4K release
One of my fondest video store memories relates to John Carpenter’s classic Big Trouble in Little China. When I was a kid, it was one of those movies I picked up without knowing too much about it. Back in the nineties, before the internet (I know, I know — the dark ages), you couldn’t just hit YouTube and watch a trailer for a movie you were curious about or even read much in the way of reviews. The only resource I had was my trusty Leonard Maltin movie guide. More often than not, it was the box art that would draw you in, and Big Trouble in Little China has Kurt Russell on the cover (in a classic Drew Struzan painting) wielding a gun. It was enough to make me rent it — and I loved it.
I didn’t know it then, but Big Trouble in Little China was a classic cult movie, in that it bombed in theaters but became a favorite on home video. Since I saw it back in ’94, its reputation grew, mostly thanks to its re-release on DVD in a pretty spiffy special edition that had a memorable commentary track by a chummy Kurt Russell and John Carpenter, who sounded like they were knocking back a few beers and having a great time. Its influence grew and grew, and can be seen in a pretty huge way in modern pop culture, particularly in Stranger Things, with Steve Harrington a tribute to Kurt Russell’s Jack Burton. The Thor movies, particularly the ones directed by Taika Waititi, also owe Big Trouble a huge debt, as did the Dungeons & Dragons movie, and many more.
Yet, despite its reputation, Big Trouble in Little China still isn’t available on 4K. Now, this isn’t the case of other movies I’ve written up like Cocoon, Dutch or Strange Days. It’s easy to find in a stacked special edition on Blu-ray from Shout Factory, but oddly it’s never gotten the 4K redux it deserves. It’s a movie that cries out for the format, and it’s a surprise that Disney, which now owns the rights, hasn’t done a 4K release, as it would likely sell like hotcakes. It feels like Disney just doesn’t exploit their Fox library like they should, as there are A LOT of classics that haven’t come out in the 4K format, but Big Trouble in Little China feels like an absolutely critical title. It’s the kind of movie that any physical media collector would consider a pivotal title for their collection — and it deserves respect. Any distributor would likely jump at the opportunity — especially as Big Trouble in Little China is celebrating its fortieth anniversary next year.
Besides Big Trouble in Little China, what other movies are long overdue for a 4K release? Let us know in the comments.
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