Walkabout Jenny Agutter

Australia 1971

Wandering in the Australian outback, three young individuals survive because of an Aborigine’s abilities to extract food, water, and medical needs from the surrounding arid environment. Communication is the major issue, although more for the girl than for her younger brother. His young age enables him to disregard unnecessary etiquette and detail, and cut directly to the issue at hand. This communication bridge between the older pair—the native boy and the “city” girl—becomes their greatest adversity. As her mind wanders back to swimming naked together, it again reinforces Roeg’s subtle theme of the “hustle and bustle” of civilization versus idyllic pastoral innocence. Her appreciation of that time is purposely indecipherable. Does she regret the events that transpired? Pine for the communion with nature to return? Mark this as her maturity, her ascent to womanhood? Regardless, she’s recalling a mysterious and defining moment in her life. The whole film is no longer represented as a passing instance, but as a crucial yet tumultuous juncture in her life. The final moments of Walkabout define those days as something more than desperate survival-it brings the whole experience back to viewers and impacts them on a more personal level...

Gary Tooze

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Theatrical Release: January, 1968 - Italy

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DVD Comparison:

MC One (Germany) - Region 2- PAL vs. Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Madman Entertainment - Region 0 - PAL

(MC One - Region 2- PAL LEFT vs. Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. Madman - Region 0 - PAL - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers
Distribution	MC One Classic Region 2- PAL	Criterion Collection Spine #10 Region 0 - NTSC	Madman Region 0 - PAL
Runtime	1:36:12 (4%PAL Speedup)	1:40:21	1:40:12 (no PAL Speedup)
Video	1.74:1 Widescreen (cropped) Average Bitrate: 7.16 PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	1.77:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.53 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	1.66:1 Widescreen (cropped) Average Bitrate: 5.13 PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: MC One
Bitrate: Criterion
Bitrate: Madman
Audio	English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), DUB: German (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)	English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), English Audio Commentary Dolby Digital 2.0	English Dolby Digital 2.0 mono, English Audio Commentary Dolby Digital 2.0
Subtitles	German and none	English and none	None
Features	Release Information: Studio: MC one Classics Aspect Ratio: Widescreen 1.74:1 Edition Details: • Photo Gallery • Biographies-Crew • Trailers • DVD Credits DVD Release Date: June 5th, 2005 Keep Case Chapters 28	Release Information: Studio: Home Vision / Criterion Aspect Ratio: Widescreen - 1.70:1 Edition Details: • Audio commentary by Nicolas Roeg and Jenny Agutter • Original, unedited director’s cut • The theatrical trailers Long (4:08), Short (:37) • Subtitled for the deaf and hearing impaired • An essay by Roger Ebert (3 pages) DVD Release Date: May 5th, 1998 Keep Case Chapters 28	Release Information: Studio: Madman Aspect Ratio: Widescreen 1.68:1 Edition Details: • Audio Commentary-Nicolas Roeg (Director) and Jenny Agutter (Actor) • Theatrical Trailer-2 same as Criterion • Biographies-Crew • Roger Ebert Essay, • Trailer-The Bank; Mullet DVD Release Date: Dec 10th, 2000 Keep Case Chapters 28

Comments

ADDITION - MC One Classics (16X9) June 2005 - Being one of my favorite films I have anxiously awaited an anamorphic DVD edition. I had never heard of MC One and did not have high expectations, but I very happy. Frankly, I think the MC One edition may have the most accurate colors of the 3 releases. The Criterion has some some contrast manipulation and very slight edge enhancement is noticeable - this shows in the form of slightly brighter (almost saturated) picture. Although the Criterion initially appears sharper - I don't think it has that much of an edge over the MC One. For colors the pool and desert scenes (see below) give the best indication of the differences of the three editions - each gaining in the color richness as your eyes wander down OR colors seem more faded as your eyes rise. It's very hard to know what colors are most akin to the theatrical presentation. Riding the fence we will state that the Criterion may be better for tube viewers and the MC One superior for widescreen or any projection systems. I'll do so more research but I still lean towards the MC One edition for the best color palette.

The MC One is a little cropped on the left and bottom edges, but is otherwise the correct ratio. It is also a very clean print. As we come up with more information I will post it here.

*****

Ohhh boy I'm mad.

Firstly, Michael D's DVD info Website is one of the better DVD Review websites in the world. They are extremely thorough and detailed and have over 4000's DVD reviews listed on their website. BUT reviewer Ian Morris has totally misinformed anyone who read this paragraph on his Review (located HERE). He states:

"Walkabout has been available for some time in Region 1 on a DVD from The Criterion Collection. Promoted as a new digital transfer created from a 35mm interpositive, there was always something "not quite right" to me about the transfer. Apart from being just a little grainy at times, as well as being somewhat shimmery, this new Madman Region 4 release emphasises the reason for my qualms about The Criterion Collection release: the Region 1 release has a slightly muted colour palette. The Region 4 release also seems to be a lot cleaner and since it seems to boast an almost identical extras package, is the preferable version in every way."

This review cost me $20. You can plainly see that his comments in no way reflect the actual truth. What has really happened here is the Madman release has used the NTSC transfer instead of telecine-ing their own from the original PAL source. The times are the same - no PAL speedup compared to the NTSC. Hence we see blurred "ghosting" in motion sequences and other artifact inconsistencies associated with this lazy production quick-step. The Madman single-sided Region 4 (zero) is fraught with error. It is hazy. It is overly red (see skin tones), saturated and it is a little cropped on the vertical sides. Shameful. The Extras are duplicates making me again suspect that Madman bought (or bootlegged) the entire package from Criterion for PAL release. Even the chapter titles are the same. It looks to be going "out of print" anyway in Region 1. It might suggest that this will not be re-issued by Criterion in anamorphic, which is a shame because I would love to see this improved. Although saying that the Criterion DVD is quite good with accurate flesh tones, rich colors and tight sharpness. Buy the Criterion... and soon.

- Gary W. Tooze

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(MC One Classics - Region 2- PAL)

(Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Madman - Region 0 - PAL - RIGHT)

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