If you’ve followed any of my work over the years, then you know I have an affinity for projects that pay homage previous time periods, most notably, the ’80s. I was a teenager in the ’80s, so my life revolved around the films and music of that particular decade. I’m having so much fun right now seeing this resurgence of ’80s nostalgia, especially in indie film.
With the success of Kung Fury, we now can get excited over similar projects like Escape from North Korea, Commando Ninja, The Summoner, and the upcoming Night Run. While these films have begun to garner a rabid fan base, there’s a new kid on the block who is ready to take over: Lieutenant Jangles. The Australian action/comedy from director Nicolas Champeaux is now available on VHS and Blu-ray from Scream Team Releasing.
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The official summary of the movie: “It’s the mid 1980’s in the most crime ridden city of Australia. Only one man keeps the scales of justice even. Cowboy Detective, Lieutenant Jangles. After his partner is killed in a blazing shootout, Jangles goes on an explosive and blood soaked mission to avenge his death. His quest for vengeance unintentionally makes him the enemy of a mysterious new crime boss, who has been quietly taking over Brisbane City. When their paths finally cross, one thing is made clear, this town isn’t big enough for the both of them.”
The movie lovingly takes shots at action cinema of the ’80s while injecting its own sense of style and over-the-top humor. The discs are loaded with commentary tracks, bloopers, trailers, a VFX breakdown, and a feature length behind-the-scenes documentary. A film that pays homage to this particular era wouldn’t be complete without a soundtrack that features some of the top acts in the “synth-wave” genre such as Timecop 1983, The Van Dammage, Jupiter-8, and many more. You can purchase the soundtrack over at the Bandcamp page for $3. Well worth the purchase, as is the film. The bonus feature packed disc is just $19.99 USD, and is waiting to be consumed by the retro-hungry masses that need this sort of entertainment to survive.
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Lieutenant Jangles was partially crowdfunded, with the director putting his money where his mouth is to fund the project, which took nearly four years to complete. In this crazy time when the independents are struggling to stay afloat (filmmakers, musicians, Ma and Pop stores, etc.), now would be the time to support the little projects such as this. With our way of life about to change drastically, we can at least hold on the entertainment we hold dear.
Scream Team Releasing proudly presents Lieutenant Jangles, buy it now.
Visit the official Lieutenant Jangles website.
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