“If only it could have been forever.” Romance and adventure abound in this lyrical story of two teenagers who come of age in the isolation of a lush desert oasis. In the nineteenth century Middle East, David (Willie Aames, TV’s EIGHT IS ENOUGH) and Sarah (Phoebe Cates, FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH) are the only survivors of a caravan massacre carried out by an infamous slave trader known as the Jackal (Tuvia Tavi, SAHARA), who is obsessed with Sarah’s beauty. Fleeing the Jackal, they stumble on a magical place they will come to know as “Paradise,” where they discover refuge, sustenance…and each other. PARADISE was shot on picturesque locations across Israel by cinematographer Adam Greenberg, whose impressive credits include the TERMINATOR films, NEAR DARK and THE BIG RED ONE. Notable as the screen debut of Phoebe Cates, the film built a sizable audience via pay cable and videocassette distribution. Out of circulation for decades, PARADISE is available for the first time on Blu-ray, in a new 4K restoration from its original 35mm camera negative. This version contains several minutes of never-before-seen footage, as well as the chart-topping theme song sung by Phoebe Cates.

For thoughts on Paradise, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:

Video Quality

Paradise debuts on Blu-Ray courtesy of Fun City Editions with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio that is derived from a 4K restoration of the 35mm Original Camera Negative. The presentation retains the organically textured film properties free of unnecessary DNR or other digital malfeasance. Everything appears to be accurate to its original look and rendered carefully to avoid any frozen grain or splotches in the background.

Virtually all instances of print damage such as nicks and scratches have been banished from this viewing experience. Image stability and clarity are first-rate with the textures of the clothing and the natural landscapes making an impressive showing. Skin tones are natural to their tanned appearance and consistent with distinct features such as pores, blemishes, and perspiration on display. The colors are faithfully saturated with deep, warm hues coming through with care. Black levels hold up decently with no moments of crush or banding on our radar. Highlights similarly never struggle with blooming. Fun City Editions has rescued this from obscurity.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track of both the Theatrical Soundtrack and the Pre-Release Soundtrack that does not show any signs of strain throughout. Dialogue comes through without a hiccup as all exchanges sound crisp and clear. We did not observe any sonic shortcomings or anomalies that do not seem authentic to the feature presentation. Music plays a big part in this experience, and every note sounds strong and full of life. These tracks deliver a soundscape that is a gift for those who have been waiting years to own this in great quality. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Film Historian Nathaniel Thompson provides an informative commentary track in which he discusses the legacy of the feature, the career of Phoebe Cates, the background of the other talent involved, the shooting locations, working with the locals, and much more that is worth a listen.

Isolated Music Track: An option to watch the movie with just the music audible.

Theatrical Trailer: The disc provides the Red Band Trailer (2:47) and the Green Band Trailer (2:33).

TV Spot (0:42)

Radio Spots (2:16)

Image Gallery: A seven-and-a-half-minute slideshow of stills and marketing materials.

Booklet: There is a bound booklet included featuring the essays by film historians Amanda Reyes and Margaret Barton-Fumo that explores the production, the themes, the music of the film, and much more that is enlightening.

Final Thoughts

Paradise is best known for being a movie notoriously difficult to seek out for serious Phoebe Cates fans. The movie does not come with a completely unique premise, but it is quite entertaining despite its shortcomings. The Willie Aames character is frustrating to observe with his spiritual baggage that manifests in misogynistic outbursts when he doesn’t know what to do with his burgeoning feelings. There are also some depictions of Middle Eastern society that are horrendously dated. Nevertheless, you have the beguiling Cates lighting up the screen to make you believe in a potential romance and worry about the fate of her character. Plus, who does not love monkey sidekicks to liven things up? It’s a beautiful mess of a movie that we quite enjoy. Fun City Editions has delivered a Blu-Ray featuring a fantastic A/V presentation and a favorable assortment of special features. If you are a Phoebe Cates fan, this is not to be missed. Recommended

Paradise will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD on November 12, 2024.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Fun City Editions has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.