The 1994 cult classic The Stöned Age is joining the Vestron Video Collector’s Series as entry #38. Lionsgate Limited is releasing the Blu-ray debut on April 20th, the perfect date to celebrate a movie that may not have invented but certainly embraces the "one wild night" stoner comedy vibe.
I first saw The Stöned Age back in high school, not long after discovering Dazed and Confused. At the time, I will be honest, I dismissed it. I wrote it off as another movie trying to capture the same 70's nostalgia vibe, cruising around, chasing girls, and killing time with friends. But over the years, I'd revisit it from time to time, and each time it hit a little differently. What I'd originally written off as just another copycat actually turned out to have its own thing going on. It is rougher around the edges, a little louder, and full of a particular kind of Southern California troublemaking. Eventually, it clicked for me that the film was not trying to be Dazed and Confused at all; it was doing its own weird, funny thing all along.
Directed by James Melkonian and co-written with Rich Wilkes, The Stöned Age plays out as a classic “one crazy night” comedy set in Torrance, California. The story follows Hubbs (Bradford Tatum) and Joe (Michael Kopelow) as they cruise the suburbs in their station wagon, the Blue Torpedo. Their goal is simple: find a legendary beach party, meet some girls, and keep the good vibes rolling. Of course, nothing goes quite according to plan. Along the way, they run into cops, short-tempered ex-cons, and a series of strange detours, all set against a soundtrack packed with classic 1970s rock that perfectly captures the film’s shaggy, freewheeling energy.
This Vestron Collector’s Series edition promises the best presentation the film has ever received, with the movie restored in its original 1.85:1 widescreen format and English 2.0 theatrical audio... I've only seen this film on a used pan and scan VHS. As fans of the Vestron line have come to expect, the Blu-ray is also stacked with extras. Alongside the legacy audio commentary with Melkonian and Wilkes, the release includes new Lionsgate Limited featurettes such as Back to The Stöned Age, the reunion piece Tales from The Blue Torpedo, and even an extended scene that has never been released before.
The Blu-ray also features striking new cover art by Lucas Peverill, giving collectors another reason to add this one to the shelf. Whether you have been quoting Hubbs and Joe for years or you are discovering the Blue Torpedo for the first time, this 4/20 release is the perfect excuse to revisit (or visit) it!!
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