1986 BMX Cult Classic RAD Now Available For the First Time on Blu-ray

Utopia announced today that the company will be re-releasing the 1986BMX cult classic RAD for the first time on DVD and On Demand this summer.  The film, which was scheduled to have a 4K Restoration World Premiere at the 2020 SXSW Film Festival, will launch across all TVOD and On Demand platforms on Friday, July 24^th, with a ‘special edition’ premiere on new digital streaming platform  Altavod on Friday, July 10^th and now available on Blu-ray directly through Vinegar Syndrome.

Originally released in 1986 during the rise of the BMX bike craze, this powerful piece of pop cultural nostalgia is finally coming to disc, newly restored in 4K from its original negative by Fotokem. The film follows Cru Jones (Bill Allen), a small town kid determined to win an infamous BMX race set on a nearly impossible course known as Helltrack. A sleeper hit upon its initial release, RAD has become one of the iconic cult films of the 1980s and amongst BMX professionals, spawning fan clubs and repertory film screenings for decades.

“This is a very personal project for me. My Father produced the film, my brother John filmed the opening and closing credits, my Mother plays Cru’s Mom; my family grew up in and around the film and my Father passed away before the film reached this phase of its release cycle,” says Utopia co-founder Robert Schwartzman. “It’s taken time to get things in order and reach this point, we’re extremely grateful to all the fans for waiting all these years and for all the support we’ve received from our partners.”

RAD, presented by Jack Schwartzman and Schwartzman Pictures Inc., stars Bill Allen, Lori Laughlin, Talia Shire, Bart Conner, Jack Weston and Ray Walston.  The film was directed by Hal Needham (Smokey And The Bandit, The Cannonball Run), written by Sam Bernard and Geoffrey Edwards, produced by Robert L. Levy (Wedding Crashers) and executive produced by Jack Schwartzman (Being There, Never Say Never Again). Additional release plans for RAD in 2021, more updates announcing soon.

For additional information, please visit https://www.utopiadistribution.com/