directed by Peter Weir
Australia 1975

Twenty years after it swept Australia into the international film spotlight, Peter Weir's stunning 1975 masterpiece remains as ineffable as the unanswerable mystery at its core. A Valentine's Day picnic at an ancient volcanic outcropping turns to disaster for the residents of Mrs. Appleyard's school when a few young girls inexplicably vanish on Hanging Rock. A lyrical, meditative film charged with suppressed longings.

On the TOP 100 List of DVDs.

Posters

Theatrical Release: February 1975 - Australia

Reviews    More Reviews  DVD Reviews

DVD Comparison:

Umbrella Entertainment (2 dis)c) - Region 0 - PAL vs. Pathe - Region 2 - PAL vs. Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Kinowelt (German) - Region 2 - PAL vs. Gaumont Boxset (France) CTVH - Region 2 -PAL

Big thanks to Steffen Bieker for the Kinowelt screen captures!

(Umbrella Entertainment - Region 0 - PAL  LEFT vs. Pathe - Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE vs. Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC SECOND)

DVD Box Covers

or rent:

   
Distribution

Umbrella Entertainment

Region 0 - PAL

 Pathe Films
Region 2 - PAL

Criterion Collection Spine # 29

Region 0  - NTSC

Runtime 1:42:20 (4% PAL speedup) 1:42:36 (4% PAL speedup) 1:47:00
Video

1.77:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 8.45 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 5.5 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

1.66:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 7.94 mb/s
NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s

 

(Kinowelt (German) - Region 2 - PAL LEFT vs. Gaumont (France) CTVH - Region 2 -PAL - RIGHT)

 

or rent:

Kinowelt (German)
Region 2 - PAL

 Gaumont - Columbia Tri-Star HV
Region 2 - PAL
1:42:36 (4% PAL speedup) 1:42:12 (4% PAL speedup)

1.66:1 Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 8.28 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

1.78:1 Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 5.83 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate:

Umbrella Entertainment

 

Bitrate:

Pathe + Criterion

 

     

Bitrate:

Kinowelt + GCTHV

 

  

 

Distribution

Umbrella Entertainment

Region 0 - PAL

 Pathe Films
Region 2 - PAL

Criterion Collection Spine # 29

Region 0  - NTSC

Kinowelt (German)
Region 2 - PAL		 Gaumont - Columbia Tri-Star HV
Region 2 - PAL
Audio English (Dolby Digital 2.0)

English (Dolby Digital 2.0)

 

 English (Dolby Digital 5.1) DUB: German (Dolby digital 1.0)  English (Dolby digital 5.1) 

English (Dolby Digital 2.0) , DUB: French  (Dolby Digital 2.0) 

Subtitles None None English, and none German and none French (removable AFTER starting)
Features

 Release Information:
Studio: Pathe

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen

  - 1.77:1

 

Edition Details:

• "A Dream Within A Dream" (duration 90 Mins Approx)
An All New Feature Length Documentary On The Making Of The Film Featuring Exclusive • Interviews With Peter Weir, Patricia Lovell, Hal & Jim Mcelroy, Cliff Green, Russell Boyd, Bruce Smeaton, Jose Perez, Helen Morse, John Jarratt, Christine Schuler And Anne Louise Lambert.
• "A Recollection: Hanging Rock 1900" (duration 25 Mins).
A 1975 On-set Documentary Produced And Presented By Patricia Lovell Which Includes Interviews With Author Joan Lindsay, Director Peter Weir, And Key Cast Members Including Rachel Roberts.
• Joan Lindsay Interview.
• Excerpts From An Interview Conducted With Author Joan Lindsay In 1974 In Which She Provides An Insight Into The Writing And Essence Of The Novel, "picnic At Hanging Rock".
• Short Recollections - Audio Interviews With Actors Dominic Guard (michael) And Karen Robson (irma).
• "Hanging Rock & Martindale Hall: Then And Now".
• A Tour Of The Film's Two Principal Locations.
• Trailer Collection
• Australian Trailer, Cannes Promo Reel And Double Feature Trailers.
• Still And Poster Gallery - An Extensive Library Of Images Accompanied By An Excerpt Of The Novel Read By Actress Helen Morse.
• The Day Of Saint Valentine - The First Screen Adaptation Of Joan's Novel Made In 1969 By 13 Year Old Schoolboy, Tony Ingram With Commentary From The Director.

 

DVD Release Date: August 18th, 2004
Fold-out digi-pak in double case

Chapters 15

 Release Information:
Studio: Pathe

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic  - 1.78:1

Edition Details:
• none
 

DVD Release Date: 30 June, 2003
Keep Case

Chapters 16

Release Information:
Studio: Home Vision Entertainment

 

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen letterbox - 1.66:1

Edition Details:
• 4:3 Theatrical trailer (4:49)
• Soundtrack re-mastered in Dolby Digital 5.1
• 3 page liner notes by Vincent Canby

 DVD Release Date: October 20, 1998
Keep Case

Chapters 33
 

 Release Information:
Studio: Kinowelt (Germany)

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic  - 178:1

Edition Details:
• Trailer

• Deleted Scenes (In German)
 

DVD Release Date: 22nd June, 2004
Keep Case

Chapters 18


 Release Information:
Studio: Gaumont -CTHV

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic  - 1.78:1

Edition Details:

• 3 other Peter Weir films on separate DVD - The Last Wave, The Cars that Ate Paris, The Plumber

• Interview with Patricia Lovell (22:54) English with optional French subtitles
• Dust (24:05) non-anamorphic widescreen -English with ingrained French subtitles
• Lost (13:45) 4:3 English short with optional French subtitles
• 6 Filmographies of cast and crew (moving text screens) 

DVD Release Date: March 10th, 2004
2 double Keep Cases inside Box
Chapters: 12

 

 

ADDITION: Umbrella Entertainment - PAL (October 2004) - Well this is probably the only film I will have 5 different DVD editions of. Phew.... the Umbrella Region 0 - PAL DVD from Australia has some good points... and some bad. On the positive side the Extras are magnificent ! The second disc blows away all other versions and Weir fans will, for this alone, make it a must-have DVD. The animated menus are incredible - some of the best I have seen- ever. Packaging likewise is classic - a perfect keepsake. This is, as all others, the 'directors cut'. Now the bad - why is this disc not anamorphic? and why are there no subtitles ? I found the audio clear but seemed to fluctuate in volume level at times - kind of unusual. The ratio is 1.77 keeping the Criterion as the only issue at 1.66 - thereby showing the most information in the frame (Go Criterion!). Why is this 1.77 and not anamorphic ? there is no reason not to adhere to the correct aspect ratio in this case. We give some leeway for 16X9'ing, but this is not right. As far as image goes - this is very good on tube - amazing actually - but falls short in sharpness next to the Criterion. I think the colors may be a shade more vibrant in this Umbrella issue. Bottom line: There is a very good reason to pick this up - those amazing extras! and if you don't own the Criterion or a projection system - you will be content with the image quality - guaranteed.

****************

In 1998 Peter Weir band Producer Patricia Lovell  decided to offer a 'directors cut' of his theatrical film "Picnic at Hanging Rock'. They both agreed that certain original scenes were not to their liking. This consisted of about 14 minutes that the production company thought would help ticket sales at the time of release. Most of the scenes that Weir and Lovell removed were in the last 1/3 of the film. Each of these above DVD releases represents the 'director's version' or 'cut version' of the film. The German Kinowelt actually offers the additional footage as "deleted scenes" in their extra features.

Okay, the Criterion is the only one of the four that is in the original aspect ratio of 1.66:1. The others have been slightly cropped to fit a 16X9 anamorphic screen. I really don't understand this as you can have 1.66 anamorphic images. And the Criterion is the only one of the four that is not anamorphic. However, if you do not have a widescreen system it is the best image. For widescreen viewing (HTPC, widescreen TV etc.) The Kinowelt is the best. Colors are pretty consistent in all 4 releases.

The Criterion remastered 5.1 audio is the best- even superior to the Kinowelt 5.1audio. Audio is such a large part of this film that this is a paramount criteria for purchase. The Kinowelt is marvelous, but I thought the Criterion was even better (range). The Gaumont and Pathe 2.0 were very flat in comparison.

Extras are a tie. I couldn't decide between the invaluable 14 removed minutes on the Kinowelt DVD of the extras (called 'deleted scenes'), or the interview and shorts on the Gaumont.

So, buying: Fans will want (depending on their system) the Criterion or the Kinowelt for image. True fans will want the Kinowelt and Gaumont for all the extras (they are super!)

NOTE: On my rear projection TV the French version looks great, but it has some quirks with my Malata Region Free player. It jitters unless you put it in 'still mode' and then it shimmers (strobs). No winning. It need filters on an HTPC setup for optimum viewing. The DVD Menus open to beyond the frame of the TV (is this anamorphic 'on the fly'?).  

 

 - Gary W. Tooze

 




DVD Menus

(Umbrella Entertainment - Region 0 - PAL )

 


(Pathe - Region 2 - PAL TOP 2 LEFT vs. Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC TOP 2 RIGHT )

 

(Kinowelt (German) - Region 2 - PAL BOTTOM 4 LEFT vs. Gaumont (France) CTVH - Region 2 -PAL - BOTTOM 4 RIGHT)

 

 

 

 

Screen Captures

 

(Umbrella Entertainment - Region 0 - PAL TOP vs. Pathe - Region 2 - PAL SECOND vs. Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC THIRD vs. Kinowelt (German) - Region 2 - PAL FOURTH vs. Gaumont (France) CTVH - Region 2 -PAL - BOTTOM)

 

(Umbrella Entertainment - Region 0 - PAL TOP vs. Pathe - Region 2 - PAL SECOND vs. Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC THIRD vs. Kinowelt (German) - Region 2 - PAL FOURTH vs. Gaumont (France) CTVH - Region 2 -PAL - BOTTOM)

 

 

(Umbrella Entertainment - Region 0 - PAL TOP vs. Pathe - Region 2 - PAL SECOND vs. Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC THIRD vs. Kinowelt (German) - Region 2 - PAL FOURTH vs. Gaumont (France) CTVH - Region 2 -PAL - BOTTOM)

 

 

(Umbrella Entertainment - Region 0 - PAL TOP vs. Pathe - Region 2 - PAL SECOND vs. Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC THIRD vs. Kinowelt (German) - Region 2 - PAL FOURTH vs. Gaumont (France) CTVH - Region 2 -PAL - BOTTOM)

 

 

(Umbrella Entertainment - Region 0 - PAL TOP vs. Pathe - Region 2 - PAL SECOND vs. Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC THIRD vs. Kinowelt (German) - Region 2 - PAL FOURTH vs. Gaumont (France) CTVH - Region 2 -PAL - BOTTOM)

 

 

(Umbrella Entertainment - Region 0 - PAL TOP vs. Pathe - Region 2 - PAL SECOND vs. Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC THIRD vs. Kinowelt (German) - Region 2 - PAL FOURTH vs. Gaumont (France) CTVH - Region 2 -PAL - BOTTOM)

NATIVE RESOLUTION

 

 

(Umbrella Entertainment - Region 0 - PAL TOP vs. Pathe - Region 2 - PAL SECOND vs. Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC THIRD vs. Kinowelt (German) - Region 2 - PAL FOURTH vs. Gaumont (France) CTVH - Region 2 -PAL - BOTTOM)

 

NATIVE RESOLUTION - Notice font difference!

 

 

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Report Card:

Image:

Widescreen- Kinowelt  /  Television tube - Criterion

Sound:

Criterion
Extras: Umbrella Entertainment
Menu: Umbrella Entertainment



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