88 Films present Simon Wincer's "Harlequin" as the ninth release of their 88 Vault sub-label. The 1080p 2.35:1 image is housed on a dual-layered Blu-ray and has a maxed out bitrate. The image quality varies somewhat from scene to scene, most obvious when a visual-trick is being employed. The detail level is decent, though the film has a somewhat softer look and this may be intentional. Certain shots seem to blur at the top and bottom of the frame, due to the anamorphic lens used during filming. There is the occasional damage in the image but it is hardly noticeable unless going through the shots frame-by-frame. Contrast levels are good, with a healthy spectrum of blacks. Colors are faithfully represented in this presentation. Overall, this is Blu-ray's image gets a passing grade, with the aforementioned caveats.

88 Films present the "Harlequin" audio in 24-bit linear PCM. This is a robust track exporting depth in the effects. The composer for this film is the wonderful Brian May (Snapshot, The Survivor, Turkey Shoot, Nightmares) The dialogue is clearly audible and there are only moderate hisses and pops. There are optional English subtitles on this Region-Free Blu-ray.

First off there is a great audio commentary with director Simon Wincer and producer Antony Ginnane. They discuss many topics, starting off with their mixing of the Rasputin legend with the true story of missing (presumed drowned) Australian Prime Minister, Harold Holt. The two commentators are very well informed and this track is well worth your time. "Destruction From Down Under, An Ozploitation Retrospective" is a 15-minute interview with genre expert Kim Newman. Newman discusses his early introduction to Ozploitation pictures, the early screwball sex comedies (The Adventures of Barry McKenzie), followed by the different genres covered by Aussie cinema, from high brow (new-Australian Cinema of "The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith" and "Picnic at Hanging Rock") to low-brow ("Turkey Shoot") and everything in between. Newman also notes the many actors who seem to always pop up in these films (Bruce Spence, David Argue, John Meillon, Charles Tingwell). This is a wonderful piece exploring Ozploitation. There is a 6-minute archival interview with Robert Powell and David Hemmings from a television program. They discuss the film "Harlequin" and its cast. Hemmings notably points out the film's similarity with the Rasputin story. "Cast and Crew Interviews" is 50-minutes of outtakes from the filming of the wonderful Ozploitation doc "Not Quite Hollywood". Interviewed here; Simon Wincer (director), Antony I Ginnane (producer), Everett de Roche (screenwriter), and actor Gus Mercurio. There are liner noites - Dr. Callum Wadell writes a piece "Death and Destruction Down Under".

Harlequin is very strange. The film, although totally unique, would make a wonderful double-bill with Croenenberg's "The Dead Zone". 88 Films continue to put out an impressive collection of films, across multiple genres and subgenres. Though the Blu-ray image quality here isn't reference quality, this is a wonderfully odd film, worthy of your time.

 - Colin Zavitz