Siege (1983) aka Self Defense aka Night Warriors R2J

[HungFist]

A really neat (*) Canadian Assault on Precinct 13 derivative with a great synth score. The police are on a strike when a group of fascists attack a gay bar. They execute everyone except one man who escapes and seek shelter in an apartment. The good MacGyvers in the apartment turn the house into a fortress and use anything they can as weapons against the gang.

* Mark was not a fan

I just picked up the Japanese DVD as it seems to have gone OOP. This is the 10 min longer Japanese release of the film. The transfer looks like a good VHS, which is way better than the shorter, softer, paler, cropped version floating on YouTube under the title Self Defense.

I hear there is a German DVD also, but I don’t know which version it is and what’s the quality like.

Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1-gpnRJYi0

[HungFist]

A quick look at the Japanese DVD



Video: Full screen
Audio: English 2.0, Japanese 2.0
Subtitles: Optional Japanese
Run time: 92:47
Extras: Import trailer (“Self Defense”)
Japanese title: 真夜中の処刑ゲーム ("Midnight Execution Game")

The additional 10 minutes is right in the beginning of the film. There are character introductions for the main character and the gang, and we see footage of people preparing their homes for the outlaw night and some youngsters already stealing cars on empty streets. There’s also news footage playing on TV at one home. Pretty good stuff.

The shorter 83 min version starts with the news footage (here extracted from the original “on TV” scene context) and then goes straight into the night with the gang entering the bar. It’s a bit of flying start.

Scenes in the longer version:











Brief comparison with the YouTube VHS rip

Youtube


JP DVD


Youtube


JP DVD


Youtube


JP DVD

[HungFist]

Just my luck, 3 months after buying the DVD, Severin announces a BD!
- https://severin-films.com/shop/siege-blu-slip/

"scanned in 2K from the original negative recently discovered in a Nova Scotia archive".

Special Features:

Audio Commentary with Co-Director Paul Donovan and Filmmaker Jason Eisener
Two Cuts of the movie – Theatrical: 84 mins / Extended: 93 mins
Trailer
Limited Edition Slipcover
Reversible Artwork

Disc Specs:

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Audio: English mono with Closed Caps
Region Free