The Last Wave 4K UHD - Richard Chamberlain

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

Directed by Peter Weir
USA 1977

Occult Aboriginal mysticism. Dreams . Reality. Conflict.

In 1977, Australian director Peter Weir made a haunting film dealing with central themes of cultural understanding, tolerance and man's communication with the natural world. As a follow up to the critical success of his 1975 film Picnic at Hanging Rock, The Last Wave was able to generate a similar foreboding presence of the unknown. Both films deal with mans' compelled acceptance of the spiritual forces that modern society has alienated itself from, all presented within a penetrating atmosphere of suspenseful mystery.

Right from the very first scene, the story intimates a parallel to the unusual weather circumstances that are occurring throughout Sydney at the time of the ongoing trial. Large hail falls violently on one day, blotchy mud from the sky's on another. The subtle background sounds of radio broadcasts detail proposed scientific explanations for the events. The plot thickens.

***

Australian lawyer David Burton agrees with reluctance to defend a group of aborigines charged with murdering one of their own. He suspects the victim was targeted for violating a tribal taboo, but the defendants deny any tribal association. Burton, plagued by apocalyptic visions of water, slowly realizes danger may come from his own involvement with the aborigines and their prophecies.

***

"Dream is a shadow of something real." Chris Lee (David Gulpilil) Internationally acclaimed filmmaker Peter Weir (Oscar® nominated director of Picnic at Hanging Rock, Gallipoli and Witness) explores a startling world on the brink of apocalypse in The Last Wave, a time and place where Mother Nature and human nature are destined to collide in catastrophic disaster.

When lawyer David Burton (Richard Chamberlain, The Thorn Birds) is assigned a case to defend a group of indigenous Australian men, he is unprepared for the nightmares and dreamscapes ahead. Accused of murdering one of their own, the men stand trial amidst suspicious circumstances and, as Burton becomes plagued by unsettling visions, he is drawn to the mysterious Chris Lee (AFI Award winner David Gulpilil, Storm Boy, The Tracker) for answers to his torment. As the erratic climate turns dangerous, Burton senses a greater power at play, where tribal customs and the ancient ideas of Dreamtime may be more than just an ominous warning.

Featuring atmospheric cinematography by Oscar® winner Russell Boyd (Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World), The Last Wave is a haunting journey into the depths of the unknown, where dreams and nightmares conspire as one.

Posters

Theatrical Release: November 5th, 1977 (Paris Film Festival)

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Review: Umbrella - Region FREE - 4K UHD

Box Cover		CLICK to order from: Bonus Captures:
Distribution	Umbrella - Region FREE - 4K UHD
Runtime	1:45:00.875
Video	1.85:1 2160P 4K Ultra HD Disc Size: 63,551,518,466 bytes Feature: 43,655,507,904 bytes Video Bitrate: 48.88 Mbps Codec: HEVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate 4K Ultra HD:
Audio	DTS-HD Master Audio English 1812 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1812 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) Commentary: DTS-HD Master Audio English 1861 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1861 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Subtitles	English, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Umbrella 1.85:1 2160P 4K Ultra HD Disc Size: 63,551,518,466 bytes Feature: 43,655,507,904 bytes Video Bitrate: 48.88 Mbps Codec: HEVC Video Edition Details: 4K Ultra HD disc • NEW! Audio Commentary with Film Critic Alexei Toliopoulos and Filmmaker Travis Akbar (4K Disc only) • "Riding the Wave" - Interview with Producer Jim McElroy (38:16) • "Lighting the Cave" Director of Photography Russell Boyd (24:39) • Interview featurettes with Lead Actor Richard Chamberlain in conversation with Paul Harris (22:11) • David Gulpilil: Walkabout to Hollywood Documentary (50:55) • David Stratton on The Last Wave (3:39) • Trailers From Hell: The Last Wave with Brian Trenchard-Smith (3:39) • Image Gallery • 4K UHD Trailer (2:49) Umbrella - Region FREE - Blu-ray • "Riding the Wave" - Interview with Producer Jim McElroy (38:16) • "Lighting the Cave" Director of Photography Russell Boyd (24:39) • Interview featurettes with Lead Actor Richard Chamberlain in conversation with Paul Harris (22:11) • David Gulpilil: Walkabout to Hollywood Documentary (50:55) • David Stratton on The Last Wave (3:39) • Trailers From Hell: The Last Wave with Brian Trenchard-Smith (3:39) • Image Gallery 48 pages of behind-the-scenes, experiences and art Authentic Aboriginal Bunya Designs "Connected Dreams" outer rigid slipcase Custom design slipcase 8 replica lobby cards A3 reversible poster 4K Ultra HD Release Date: September 29th, 2023 Black 4K Ultra HD Case Chapters 13

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray and 4K UHD captures were taken directly from the respective discs.

ADDITION: Umbrella 4K UHD (September 2023): Umbrella's are releasing Peter Weir's The Last Wave to 4K UHD. Like Criterion's 4K UHD transfers of Rules of the Game, Branded to Kill, In the Mood For Love, Night of the Living Dead and ex. Masters of Cinema's The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, ClassicFlix's I, the Jury, and Kino's 4K UHDs of The Apartment, For a Few Dollars More, A Fistful of Dollars, In the Heat of the Night, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly as well as Koch Media's Neon Demon + one of the 4K UHD transfers of Dario Argento's Suspiria, this does not have HDR applied (no HDR10, HDR10+, nor Dolby Vision.)

The package includes the 2020 Umbrella Blu-ray, (as part of their 'Sunburnt Screens' sub-label,) reviewed HERE. As evidence by the M2TS files:

NOTE: The presentation starts with a text screen that states "ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER VIEWERS ARE WARNED THAT THE PROGRAM AND EXTRAS ON THIS DISC CONTAIN IMAGES AND SOUNDS THAT MAY RELATE TO DECEASED PERSONS. "

The 2160P image matches the colors scheme of the 2020 Blu-ray - richer and deeper while flesh tones cool. The 1.85:1 image is brighter (some yellow and gold dominance) and shows the 1.78:1 DVDs to be 'opened up' and the 1080P transfer has slightly less information on the top and bottom of the frame but a sliver more on the side edges. The image is heavy, sometimes unnaturally so and both clunky with odd contrast... but the resulting HD presentation in-motion, on my system, was appealing and a slight advancement over the 1080P. There were some very impressive visual sequences on the Blu-ray. I would say that it looked even better than the still captures indicate.

NOTE: 64 more more full resolution (3840 X 2160) 4K UHD captures, in lossless PNG format, for Patrons are available HERE

We have reviewed the following 4K UHD packages to date: The Train (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Trial (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Walkabout (software uniformly simulated HDR), Black Magic Rites, The Night of the Hunted (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Rape of the Vampire (software uniformly simulated HDR), Gorgo (software uniformly simulated HDR), Akira Kurosawa's Dreams (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Man From Hong Kong (software uniformly simulated HDR), One False Move, The Tall T (software uniformly simulated HDR), Cold Eyes of Fear (software uniformly simulated HDR), Rules of the Game (no HDR), The Manchurian Candidate (software uniformly simulated HDR), After Hours, Rain Man (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Changeling (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Night of the Hunter (software uniformly simulated HDR), 12 Angry Men (software uniformly simulated HDR), Branded to Kill (no HDR), Picnic at Hanging Rock (software uniformly simulated HDR), Two Orphan Vampires, The Shiver of the Vampires, Drowning By Number (software uniformly simulated HDR), Serpico (software uniformly simulated HDR), Cool Hand Luke (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Seventh Seal (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Maltese Falcon (software uniformly simulated HDR), Mildred Pierce (software uniformly simulated HDR), Tár (software uniformly simulated HDR), Marathon Man (software uniformly simulated HDR), Dazed and Confused (software uniformly simulated HDR), Three Colors: Blue (software uniformly simulated HDR), Invaders From Mars (software uniformly simulated HDR), Death Wish (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (no HDR), High Plains Drifter (software uniformly simulated HDR), Mystery Men (software uniformly simulated HDR), Silent Running (software uniformly simulated HDR), Dressed to Kill (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Power of the Dog (software uniformly simulated HDR), Escape From Alcatraz (software uniformly simulated HDR), I, the Jury (no HDR), Casablanca (software uniformly simulated HDR), In the Mood For Love (NO HDR applied to disc), The Werewolf vs. the Vampire Woman (software uniformly simulated HDR), Blow Out (software uniformly simulated HDR), Night of the Living Dead (NO HDR applied to disc)

On their 4K UHD, Umbrella use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel track (24-bit) in the original English language (with some Italian + Aboriginal). The score is by Groove Myers (as Charles Wain) - one of only two film composure credits. But this is an excellent soundtrack with, often violent, nature effects (frequent rain and thunder) and (cited on the back cover of the vinyl soundtrack cover): "tense atonal electronics, synthesizer drones and manipulated Didjeridu all perfectly capture the film’s ominous atmosphere, punctuating the slow hypnotic pace of this brooding supernatural thriller." It sounds very atmospheric and impacting in the 24-bit lossless transfer. Umbrella offer optional English subtitles (see sample below) on their Region FREE 4K UHD and Region FREE Blu-ray.

The 4K UHD offers a new commentary by film critic Alexei Toliopoulos and filmmaker Travis Akbar. They talks bout Weir and where the film sits in Australian and world cinema. They talk about the book, 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die. Travis discusses cultural appropriation, Indigenous politics at the time of the film, the film's respectful expressions, collaborative filmmaking, funding and much more. The 4K UHD disc has all the extras of the 2020 Blu-ray (commented on below) plus there is a 4K trailer.

The Umbrella Blu-ray (a duplicate of their 2020 edition) has the multitude of supplements. These include a recent 22-minute interview with actor Richard Chamberlain in conversation with Paul Harris (remotely for the C19 lockdown) where the he tells us memories of the production and relevant, lesser-known, details. "Riding the Wave" is a 39-minute interview with Producer Jim McElroy and "Lighting the Cave" spends 25-minutes with Director of Photography Russell Boyd who shares some insights into his work on the film and Peter Weir. We also get a brief piece with critic David Stratton on The Last Wave. There is an episode of 'Trailers From Hell: The Last Wave' with director Brian Trenchard-Smith (Turkey Shoot) plus a 7-minute edit from the 50-minute 1980 documentary David Gulpilil; Walkabout to Hollywood made in 1980 by Bill Leimbach. It was part of Season nine Episode eleven of The World About Us. There is a theatrical trailer and stills gallery. This extensive package has 48 pages of behind-the-scenes, experiences and art, Authentic Aboriginal Bunya Designs "Connected Dreams" outer rigid slipcase, a custom design slipcase, 8 replica lobby cards, an a reversible poster (see image below.)

I have always enjoy watching Peter Weir's The Last Wave. There was a keen augmented feature seeing it in 4K UHD. It is such a curious, haunting, supernatural thriller and existential horror containing apocalyptic weather phenomena and mythical connections. David Burton's (Chamberlain) sedate and 'normal' family life is turned upside down by forces he logically tries to reject... until his dreams cannot be denied. Weir has filled the film with many cultural reference points and shrouded mystery throughout. It seems to evoke similar themes of Colin Eggleston's Ozploitation classic Long Weekend. - another strongly recommended Australian film. The Last Wave is really quite brilliant and I enjoyed the 1080P, lossless audio (still LOVE the spooky soundtrack) and new commentary is a bonus plus the interviews, booklet and other accouterments. World cinephiles who appreciate the film may wish to indulge in this stacked package.