Razorback Blu-ray - Gregory Harrison

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

(aka "Razorback: Destructor")

Directed by Russell Mulcahy
Australia 1984

Somewhere deep in the Australian outback there's a marauding, indestructible creature that can rip a man in half and destroy a homestead in seconds. This giant freak of nature is nine hundred pounds of tusk and muscle - and it is hell bent on terrorizing the small isolated community of "Gamulla" - a town as violent and primitive as the beast that threatens it. The astonishing feature film debut of music video maestro Russell Mulcahy (Highlander), RAZORBACK is a ferociously entertaining, adrenalin pumping thriller that proudly counts Steven Spielberg and Quentin Tarantino among its self-confessed fans! Presented in a new high definition transfer, boasting stunning cinematography from Oscar(R) winner Dean Semler (Dances with Wolves), a taut script by horror veteran Everett DeRoche (Patrick), atmospheric music by Iva Davies (ICEHOUSE) and a fearsome creature from effects master Bob McCarron (The Matrix), RAZORBACK is an Ozploitation classic, bloodcurdling to the last squeal...

Posters

Theatrical Release: April 19th, 1985

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Umbrella - Region FREE - Blu-ray vs. Umbrella (REMASTERED) - Region FREE - Blu-ray

1) Umbrella - Region FREE - Blu-ray LEFT

2) Umbrella (Remastered) - Region FREE - Blu-ray RIGHT

Box Cover	and on a Spanish Blu-ray in UK + Germany
Distribution	Umbrella - Region FREE - Blu-ray	Umbrella (Remastered) - Region FREE - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:31:01.000 (4% PAL Speeup)	1:34:50.643
Video	Disc Size: 48,399,034,893 bytes Feature Size: 22,631,952,384 bytes Average Bitrate: 27.99 Mbps Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video / 1080i / 25 fps	Disc Size: 46,870,326,061 bytes Feature Size: 21,223,517,376 bytes Average Bitrate: 26.98 Mbps Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video / 1080P / 23.976 fps
Bitrate: Original Blu-ray
Bitrate: REMASTED Blu-ray
Audio	DTS-HD Master Audio English 3458 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 3458 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)	DTS-HD Master Audio English 3458 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) Commentary: Dolby Digital Audio English 256 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 256 kbps
Subtitles	None	English, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Umbrella Disc Size: 48,399,034,893 bytes Feature Size: 22,631,952,384 bytes Average Bitrate: 27.99 Mbps Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video / 1080i / 25 fps Edition Details: • JAWS ON TROTTERS - a 70 minute documentary featuring interviews with Director Russell Mulcahy, Producer Hal McElroy, Razorback Creator Bob McCarron, Composer Iva Davies And Cast Members Judy Morris and Chris Haywood (1:10:46) • Audio Interview With Actor Gregory Harrison (29:42) • Grisly Deleted Scenes (2:24) • Aussie Trailers (10:54) • Stills And Poster Gallery (6:46) Blu-ray Release Date: May 27th, 2014 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters 13	Release Information: Studio: Umbrella Disc Size: 46,870,326,061 bytes Feature Size: 21,223,517,376 bytes Average Bitrate: 26.98 Mbps Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video / 1080P / 23.976 fps Edition Details: • Audio commentary with director Russell Mulcahy and Shayne Armstrong • Audio interview with actor Gregory Harrison (30:55) • JAWS ON TROTTERS: Featuring interviews with director Russell Mulcahy, producer Hal McElroy, Razorback creator Bob McCarron, composer Iva Davies and cast Judy Morris and Chris Haywood. (1:13:40) • Extended interviews with cast and crew from Mark Hartley's NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD (1:24:40) • Grisly deleted scenes with new optional audio commentary (02:27) • RAZORBACK: THE VHS CUT - the original uncut 4:3 Australian home video version (1:34:58) • Theatrical trailer VHS trailer • A CERTAIN PIGGISH NATURE: Looking Back at Razorback (24:04) • Image gallery Blu-ray* Release Date: August, 2018 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters 12

Comments:

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

REMASTERED (September 2018): Well, this is an interesting. This is an all new transfer from a newly restored 4k master. This is wildly different from the previous transfer (that was sadly in 1080i at 25 fps, PAL speed). The new 1080p has more information in the frame on all sides. Detail levels are better, most notably in close-ups. Certain scenes are much, much darker, having some details vanish in darkness. The contrast levels are decent, but this added darkness might be a bit much for some. Colors are also very different with greens now giving ways to browns, and yellows to whites (see the cap of Arkie Whiteley smiling in front of the fence and notice the colors in the background completely change). The most obvious change in the color palette has to be in the reds, with much warmer skin tones.

This is the same 5.1 audio track that was on the previous Blu-ray but it does not have the 4% speed-up of the original release. This is also a Region FREE Blu-ray playable worldwide.

Umbrella have ported over the extras from the previous Blu-ray, and included a whole slew of new ones. Let us start with the new stuff. First up is an audio commentary by director Mulcahy moderated by horror writer/producer Shayne Armstrong. Next up is the whopping 1-hour and 25-minute collection of excerpts from Mark Hartley's excellent Ozploitation doc, "NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD". Also a cool addition is RAZORBACK: THE VHS CUT which is the original uncut 4:3 Australian home video version. Also new here is the 25-minute "A Certain Piggish Nature", which is a conversation with film historians Lee Gambin, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Sally Christie and Emma Westwood. The four have a great rapport, and this is a welcome addition to this set. There is also a theatrical trailer, a vhs trailer, image galleries, and all of the other extras that were on the previous Blu-ray (Jaws on Trotters, grisly deleted scenes, etc).

This is a big difference from Umbrella's previous 1080i 25fps Blu-ray. Though the image looks much better in motion, some might find the new image too dark, or too warm (skin tones). I actually prefer this new image, what with the giant leap in detail. The new hours of extras are also just wonderful to have included here. Highly recommended!

Colin Zavitz

***

The Umbrella Blu-ray is Region FREE. Razorback has been released on Blu-ray in Spain as well but I suspect that European BD is a bootleg. Umbrella's Blu-ray transfer is 1080i / 25 fps on a dual-layered disc with a high bitrate. It looks inconsistent with plenty of desert vistas, close-ups, and shaky looks at the titular giant pig. Razorback is in the 2.35:1 aspect ratio and it can look soft but still film-like and some of the close-ups show pleasing detail. But it is far from the heights of the format and needs a new transfer (which is coming!) The film has some cool lighting techniques and while the contrast is not crisp the film's style makes up for it. The HD is not premium but is superior to SD.

The Umbrella Blu-ray has an intense DTS-HD Master 5.1 surround audio track (24-bit) in the original English. There many very aggressive 'Razorback' grunts and squeals that come through with powerful depth. There is also some head-turning separation. There is a score by Iva Davies (Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World) adding to the creature-feature thrills and suspense. There are no subtitles offered on Umbrella's Region FREE Blu-ray disc.

Umbrella include Mark Hartley's 2005 documentary Jaws on Trotters: The Making of 'Razorback'. It runs 1-hour 10-minutes and has interviews with director Russell Mulcahy, Producer Hal McElroy, Razorback Creator Bob McCarron, composer Iva Davies plus cast members Judy Morris and Chris Haywood. It's very good. There is also an audio interview with actor Gregory Harrison running almost 1/2 hour. There is a short deleted scene, some Aussie Trailers and a stills and poster gallery.

Very cool Ozploitation and creature-feature - over-the-top niche classic. It's way out-of-print but coming to a new Umbrella release in 2018. Fans of the genre(s) gotta have this on their shelf. Recommended!

Gary Tooze

Package - Umbrella (Remastered) - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Umbrella - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Umbrella (Remastered) - Region FREE - Blu-ray

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Subtitle Sample - Umbrella (Remastered) - Region FREE - Blu-ray

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