It’s not so uncommon for those in the film industry to recognize a trend and try to lean into it. We’re not talking about similar releases like Deep Impact (1998) and Armageddon (1998), which released two months apart, but films like Transformers (2007) and Transmorphers (2007). There are countless others made to capitalize on the recognition of larger projects or trending events. In the early 1980s, Wacko director Greydon Clark witnessed a video arcade overloaded with teens and was struck with the idea of a comedy centered on such a location, inciting what would become the 1983 low-brow satire Joysticks. Said film is the perfect addition to the MVD Rewind Collection, the home of other comedies like Hardware Wars (1978) and Ski Patrol (1991), receiving a 2K restoration as it leaves the ethereal void of forgotten comedies and lands its corporeal self on your shelf.
In the town of River City, the kids like to hang out at The Video Arcade, a bustling home for all kinds of video game machines, currently run by Jefferson Bailey (Scott McGinnis). All is going great until Joseph Rutter (Joe Don Baker) comes looking for his daughter Patsy (Corinne Bohrer) and stumbles into some adult shenanigans. Determined to get rid of such an influence on his daughter, a face-off begins between Jefferson and Joesph that puts both of their reputations and all they hold dear on the line.
Moreso than Ski Patrol, which offers wholesome PG-rated shenanigans, Joysticks easily earns its R rating with scenes of nudity that mostly do nothing for the plot. This isn’t a slam on the film, but a specific element of a type of sex comedy wherein the T&A is as significant to creating atmosphere and energy as the execution of the comedy. For Joysticks, this means you get Jefferson leading Kym Malin’s Alva and Kim G. Michel’s Alva into a few rounds of strip video game, providing the opportunity for the audience to see both male and female skin, before a revenge plot engages wherein previously embarrassed Eugene (Leif Green) can get revenge on the two girls for tricking/luring him into stripping in public at the start of the film. No one is harmed in the traditional sense with the world this film takes place in giving off a vibe that the girls aren’t so much violated by the public display of their nudity, but recognize that it’s all fun and games and they got hoisted by their own petard. When the film maintains such an even keel, the whole of Joysticks is fairly entertaining, even as it utilizes the same staple/generic characters and typical hijinks of a sex comedy (loads of T&A, idiot villains, questionable/bordering on abusive sexcapades, unkempt nerds, sexy heroes). Where the film ages fairly poorly is where the camerawork stops shooting scenes to capture the action and directly focuses on nudity. This is not to suggest that nudity itself is bad or that nudity in films is bad (it’s not and it’s not), but the presentation of the nudity matters. The whole of it is congruous with what’s expected for a sex comedy, but there’re ways of showing off flesh that don’t feel exploitive, and that Joysticks oscillates between tasteful, sensical nudity and direct camera pans to show off the female form implies that there are two forms of storytelling battling in front of the audience. Par for the course at the time, so it may be something that, in looking backward, doesn’t age as well as the rest.
That said, if you’re checking out this review, you likely already know what you’re in for and, therefore, are far more interested in the restoration, packaging, and bonus features for this MVD Rewind Collection release.
If you check out the trailer at the bottom of this review, the very same one that MVD Entertainment Group uses on the official sales page, the scenes from Joysticks are incredibly dated and worn, with the colors quite flat. According to the press notes, in 2015 the 35mm film elements were scanned in 2K and restored, and the on-disc presentation is miles away from the look of the trailer. Colors are warm, skin tone is natural (particularly important when showing much bare skin), there’s significantly reduced visual distortion, and it’s cleaned up to remove dirt and grime. There are a few instances, particularly early in the film, where one can see where the 35 mm source likely was damaged beyond repair (we’re talking like pinholes in the negative), but this is, otherwise, a really pristine-looking restoration. There’s no remastered or remixed audio included, but the 2.0 mono track still came through my 5.1 Yamaha surround sound stereo with impressive clarity. I set the audio and didn’t touch it for the entire viewing, which, considering the silly rock songs written by Ray Knehnetsky and Milo Angelo Adamo which play throughout the film, is quite the achievement.
MVD Entertainment is releasing Joysticks on both DVD and Blu-ray, with the Blu-ray labeled as a collector’s edition that includes a limited-edition slipcover for the first-pressing, reversible liner artwork (new and classic), a dual-sided mini-poster with the same artwork as the liner, and a clear case for the Blu-ray so that you can see the artwork no matter which side you open.
The on-disc features are a touch more robust than the physical materials, with two commentary tracks (one brand-new made specifically for this release); a nearly 18-minute interview with Clark; a faux trailer for Coin Slots, a short film heavily inspired by Joysticks and the 1980s American era sex comedies; and trailers for four other MVD Rewind releases. If you’re a fan of Clark’s, the one-way interview will provide a great deal of insight into the inspiration for this film, his relationship with Baker (they made several films together), and his lengthy career making various genre releases. There’s no indication with the press notes as to whether the interview or the audio commentary was included with a prior release, so go into this with the knowledge that the only item labeled as “new” is the described “fan commentary track” featuring MVD Rewind Collection‘s Eric D. Wilkinson, Cereal at Midnight host Heath Holland, and Diabolik DVD‘s Jesse Nelson. If you’re coming to this for the first time, though, that’s two feature-length commentaries, an interview with the director, and the original theatrical trailer, which isn’t so bad for a 1983 sex comedy. It’s certainly more than the critically acclaimed Challengers (2024) is receiving for its own brand-new physical release.
When it comes down to it, the film itself is hard to recommend because the plot is barely there, the characters aren’t enjoyable (whether good or bad), and the gratuitous nudity borders on gross rather than charming. But that’s from someone who has zero connection to the film where fond memories may color what is an otherwise fine-to-watch-once experience. But if you’re someone who *does* possess said memories, that in combination with the bonus materials and impressive restoration may be enough to snag this — on-sale or not. Films like Joysticks are very much of a time, representing a form of cinema that’s beloved by many, and that some of them are finding new lives on home video speaks volumes to how physical formats are not dead at all, just moved from displaying the new to restoring the old. To that end, picking up Joysticks really comes down to what it means to you. So if it’s your jam, slide in a token and press play, you’ve got next.
Joysticks Blu-ray Special Features:
- 2K scan and restoration in (in 2015) from 35mm film elements and presented in 1080p HD in 1.78:1 aspect ratio
- *NEW* Fan commentary featuring MVD Rewind Collection’s Eric D. Wilkinson, Cereal at Midnight host Heath Holland and Diabolik DVD’s Jesse Nelson
- Audio Commentary with Director Greydon Clark
- Interview with Director Greydon Clark (17:43)
- Original Theatrical Trailer
- “Coin Slots” – Faux “Trailer” short written and directed by Newt Wallen and starring Mr. Lobo & Eric D. Wilkinson
- Collectible 2-Sided Mini-Poster
- Reversible Artwork
- Audio: LPCM 2.0 Mono
- Limited Edition Slipcover (First Pressing Only)
Available on Blu-ray and DVD May 7th, 2024.
For more information, head to the official MVD Entertainment Group Joysticks webpage.
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Categories: Home Release, Home Video, Recommendation, Reviews
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