Joyride (1977) [w/Commentary]

Director: Joseph Ruben
Starring: Desi Arnaz Jr., Robert Carradine, Melanie Griffith, Anne Lockhart, Tom Ligon, Ted D'Arms

Taking its name from the Lumière Brothers invention of the same name, Cinématographe is a new sub-label from Vinegar Syndrome that seeks to fill gaps in the canon of American cinema. Offering a mix of auteur driven studio films produced during the New Hollywood era of the late 1960s and 70s all the way through the indie boom of the 1980s and 90s, Cinématographe will explore the wide breadth of American moviemaking, spanning numerous genres and scales of production. Curated and produced by Vinegar Syndrome's Justin LaLiberty, each limited edition release will be housed in a specially designed, cloth-bound, media book with embossed foil titles and custom molded disc trays accompanied by a slipcase featuring newly commissioned art and an individually numbered J-card.

Three disaffected youths in California – couple John (Robert Carradine, The Long Riders) and Mary (Melanie Griffith, Body Double) along with their friend Scott (Desi Arnaz Jr., A Wedding) – abruptly quit their jobs and take a ferry headed to Alaska in the pursuit of a new life running a salmon fishing business. Shortly after arriving, they are robbed, spurring a ripple effect of violence and its repercussions.

An inspired amalgamation of road movie, dark comedy and crime drama, JOYRIDE is a defiantly unclassifiable slice of 70s Americana deftly directed by esoteric genre filmmaker Joseph Ruben and produced by noted exploitation impresario Samuel Z. Arkoff. Featuring energetic cinematography by Stephen M. Katz, Cinématographe is proud to present this often overlooked gem of 1970s malaise in a new 2K restoration from its 35mm interpositive, making its world blu-ray debut!



New audio commentary with film historians Alain Silver and Christopher Coppola

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