Celia - Rebecca Smart

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

(aka "Celia: Child of Terror" )

directed by Ann Turner
Australia 1989

Celia (also known as Celia: Child of Terror) is a 1988 Australian drama film written and directed by Ann Turner. Set in rural Australia in the 1950s amidst the Red Scare and a rabbit plague, it stars Rebecca Smart as troubled nine year old Celia as the movie follows her descent into madness. Turner won the Grand Prix award at the 1989 Créteil International Women's Film Festival and for her part as Alice Tanner, Victoria Longley won the Best Actress in a Supporting Role award from the Australian Film Institute.

Excerpt from Wickipedia HERE

Set in mid 1950s Australia, with the fear of communism in the air and the country's farmlands overrun by a plague of rabbits, the film depicts a long hot summer seen through the eyes and over-active imagination of nine year old Celia.

Shaken by the death of her beloved Grandmother, Celia finds herself adrift between the cruel games and rituals of childhood and the incomprehensible world of grown-ups. With monstrous creatures stalking her dreams by night, those imagined terrors blur by day with the banal brutality of the adult world and lead to tragic and shocking consequences.

Ann Turner's refreshingly unsentimental debut feature is a dark fable of childhood's end. An enthralling film to rank alongside Lord of the Flies, The 400 Blows and Stand By Me.

Excerpt of review from Excerpt from theSecondRunDVD.com located HERE located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: 18 May 1989 (Australia)

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DVD Comparison:

Second Run DVD - Region 0 - PAL vs. Scorpion Releasing (Katarina's Nightmare Theater) - Region 0 - NTSC

Big thanks to Gary Tooze and Eric Cotenas for the Screen Caps!

(Second Run DVD - Region 0 - PAL - LEFT vs. Scorpion Releasing (Katarina's Nightmare Theater) - Region 0 - NTSC - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers
Distribution	Second Run DVD Region 0 - PAL	Scorpion Releasing Region 0 - NTSC
Runtime	1:38:42 (4% PAL speedup)	1:42:52
Video	1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 7.97 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	1.75:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 7.17 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Second Run DVD
Bitrate: Scorpion Releasing (Katarina's Nightmare Theater)
Audio	English Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo	English Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo
Subtitles	none	none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Second Run DVD Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1 Edition Details: • Interview with Anne Turner (13:40) • Photo Gallery • 16-page liner notes booklet with photos and essay by Michael Brooke and Joy Damousi DVD Release Date: March 30th, 2009 Amaray Chapters 12	Release Information: Studio: Scorpion Releasing Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.75:1 Edition Details: • Sunday Show Interview (4:3; 7:04) • Ann Turner Audio Interview (16:9; 10:57) • German Trailer (1:53) • Trailers for THE MONSTER CLUB, GRIZZLY, DAY OF THE ANIMALS, DEATH SHIP, THE UNSEEN, and THE SURVIVOR • Playable with optional 'Katarina's Nightmare Theater' introduction and postscript by Katarina Leigh • Waters DVD Release Date: 26 February 25th, 2013 Amaray Chapters 16

Comments

Scorpion Releasing's dual-layer, progressive, anamorphic transfer appears to be derived from the same master as the Second Run edition (and presumably the Australian disc). Extras have been carried over from the region 4 Australian release, including a vintage TV show profile of the film and brief interview with the director (much better than the equivalent sound-byte interviews on American "entertainment shows") as well as a more recent audio interview with the director in which she discusses the scapegoating metaphors in the film. The British disc features a different on-camera interview with the director as well as a sixteen-page booklet.

It appears that either no English trailer was created or could be found since only a German trailer (highlighting the dramatic aspects rather than the horrific ones) is included. Scorpion's artwork uses the American video release title CELIA: CHILD OF TERROR, emphasizing the fantasy horror elements over the tragic drama. The introduction and post-script by "Katarina's Nightmare Theater" hostess Katarina Leigh Waters addresses the film's misleading promotion stateside and highlights the other credits of the film's cast. Trailers for other Scorpion Releasing titles are also included.

Gary Tooze on the Second Run release: The dual-layered, anamorphic and progressively transferred effort from Second Run looks quite strong. We can thank them again for another clandestine and desirable film - this one took me by surprise as a quasi-masterpiece with a creepy aura and political underpinnings - extremely enjoyable.

The transfer, obviously representative of the source material is one of the better from Second Run - detail is strong - noise minimal and there is even some grain visible. I had no issues with the 1.78 framed image.

The 2.0 channel audio is unremarkable and the Aussie accents are not overpowering so the lack of optional subtitles isn't fatal for most.

Supplements include a decent 13-minute interview with director Ann Turner, a superfluous photo gallery and some keen-o liner notes with interesting essays by Michael Brooke and Joy Damousi.

This is a very cool film - one I am so glad to have watched. It's another great choice by Second Run and we hope they continue to bring us these formidable gems. Surely recommended!

- Eric Cotenas