The Earthling Blu-ray - William Holden

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

Directed by Peter Collinson
USA 1980

Screen icon William Holden (The Devil’s Brigade, The Revengers) delivers the performance of a lifetime in this poignant action-adventure with stunning scenery from Australia’s New South Wales. Patrick Foley (Holden) is a hard-hearted, no-nonsense loner who spent his life exploring the world and avoiding his feelings. When he returns to his remote Australian birthplace, he is met with more than the average outback wildlife… fate throws him together with young Shawn Daley (Ricky Schroder), a recently orphaned, city-bred boy with little hope and even less self-reliance. How can he take a pampered little child into perilous, wild country without risking both their lives? The Earthling is a spectacular, thought-provoking drama, beautifully shot by Donald McAlpine (Moulin Rouge!) and co-starring Jack Thompson (Breaker Morant). The final film in the glorious career of director Peter Collinson (The Italian Job, Ten Little Indians), who died at age 44 from cancer a few months after the release of this film, and second-to-last film of the legendary William Holden.

***

Despite its title, The Earthling is not a science fiction opus. Instead, it's a low-key character study about a doomed man who finds a new lease on life by helping another lost soul. Suffering from terminal cancer, Patrick Foley (William Holden) returns to his native Australia. Intending to live out his last few months alone, Foley comes out of his shell long enough to teach impressionable young orphan Shawn Daley (Ricky Schroder) a few Bush Country survival skills. Ironically, director Peter Collinson was himself a cancer victim, who died shortly after the film's completion. The Earthling works best on a kiddie-matinee level, with Holden's performance and the gorgeous photography its chief assets.

Excerpt from B+N located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: July 24th, 1980

Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews

Review: Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Box Cover		CLICK to order from:
Distribution	Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:36:58.687	1:39:18.327
Video	US Cut: 1.85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 44,959,529,459 bytes Feature: 21,147,205,632 bytes Video Bitrate: 25.95 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video	International Cut: 1.85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 44,959,529,459 bytes Feature: 21,654,061,056 bytes Video Bitrate: 25.95 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate US cut Blu-ray:
Bitrate International Cut Blu-ray:
Audio	DTS-HD Master Audio English 1554 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1554 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)s
Subtitles	None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Kino US Cut: 1.85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 44,959,529,459 bytes Feature: 21,147,205,632 bytes Video Bitrate: 25.95 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video International Cut: 1.85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 44,959,529,459 bytes Feature: 21,654,061,056 bytes Video Bitrate: 25.95 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Includes both the 97 minute US cut and the 99 minute alternate International Cut • 3 Deleted Scenes (no audio) (03:28) (02:16) (00:26) • Theatrical Trailer (03:11) • Trailers (The Devil's Brigade 03:46) (The Revengers 02:22) Blu-ray Release Date: March 11th, 2019 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters 8

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

Kino present 2 brand new 2K masters of both the US cut (97 minutes) and the International Cut (99 minutes) of 1980's "The Earthling". Of interest is that these two cuts are distinctly different presentations, from different sources, and are separate files on the dual-layered Blu-ray disc (though they both have the same supportive bitrate.) This is most evident in the slightly different framing and condition of both prints. The shorter US cut benefits from a brighter image, showing finer detail and a wider range of contrast, with more varied blacks. Faces also appear cooler and more realistic in the US cut. Also of note is the fact that both cuts are much different than one might think. Scenes that are missing from the US cut change the story somewhat significantly, and shots that are otherwise the same are cut differently, giving the film a different rhythm altogether. Both versions are well worth your time, as this is a fine penultimate performance from William Holden.

Both the US and International cuts feature a 16-bit 2.0 DTS-HD Master audio track. These tracks both sound rather flat, though dialogue is intelligible. The various outback sounds are present, as is the score from Dick DeBenedictis (Columbo) and other music used in the film; Halfway Home sung by Maureen McGovern, Fast Women and Slow Dancin and Blind Faith by Gene Nelson as well as Stay With Me and Run to Me performed by The Hues Corporation. There are sadly no subtitles on this Region 'A' Blu-ray.

There aren't many offerings in the way of extras. Three deleted scenes are here (presented without audio) including a scene of the RV crash shot inside the RV. There are also trailers for both The Devil’s Brigade and The Revengers. "The Earthling" theatrical trailer rounds out the Blu-ray.

What a great final film from the late director Peter Collinson (The Italian Job). William Holden's performance is powerful, even more poignant given that this was one of his last roles. Kino present both cuts of the film with brand new 2K masters, and while I prefer the longer "International Cut", the shorter US cut is fascinating in its brevity and has the better transfer but it is nice to have both options on this Blu-ray.