Kurt Russell-headlined thriller Breakdown is coming to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray in the UK – more details here.
It took a fair amount of time between the film’s US and UK release for the movie Breakdown to land in cinemas over here. If memory serves, by the time it did – in an era of heavily staggered release dates – the film was already on video in the US. Still, Breakdown was absolutely worth the weight, arguably the high point in Kurt Russell’s run of 1990s hit movies.
Directed by Jonathan Mostow (and it’d be a film that’d prove a stepping stone to him getting the Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines job), Breakdown co-stars Kathleen Quinlan and J T Walsh (in one of his final roles), and the conceit is a simple one: a couple break down, the husband stays with the car, the wife gets a lift with a trucker to go and get help. She doesn’t come back.
Running to just over 90 minutes, the simple concept is then superbly mined for tension, and I think it’s one of the best thrillers to come out of the Hollywood system in the 1990s. And now? It’s been confirmed that the movie is getting a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release in the UK. A lovely surprise, that.
Paramount has listed the film for release on 7th October 2024, and it’s gone up for order now. You can find more information ,on the release, and order yourself a copy, right here.
Here’s the synopsis for the film to leave you with for now, but in truth, the less you know the better. If you’ve not had the pleasure of the movie, do seek it out. Here’s that synopsis should you really want it…
All roads lead to excitement with Kurt Russell in Breakdown, the non-stop thrill ride that’s “a movie of nerve-frying intensity…Kurt Russell’s best performance yet” (Rex Reed, New York Observer). Jeff Taylor (Russell) and his wife Amy (Kathleen Quinlan) are headed toward a new life in California when their car’s engine dies on a remote highway. Amy accepts a ride from a helpful trucker (J.T. Walsh) while Jeff waits with the car. But when Jeff shows up at the agreed rendezvous, he finds his wife’s not there. The locals aren’t talking; the police aren’t much help. With no one to turn to, Jeff battles his worst fears and begins a desperate, danger-ridden search to find Amy––before it’s too late!
Oh, and one last thing: we covered Breakdown on a Film Stories podcast episode here. That’s spoiler-free too…
