Subtitles:

None / English, none / English, none

Extras:

• Audio Commentary with director Ted Kotcheff and editor Anthony Buckley
• Interview with Director Kotcheff (23:16)
• Theatrical Trailer, International Trailer - 'Outback' (alt title - :34)
• TV Spot: Who Needs Art? (1971) - segment on Wake In Fright (6:00)

Sweat, Dust and Beer... There's Nothing Else Out Here Mate!

Awe-inspiring, brutal and stunning, Wake in Fright is the story of John Grant, a bonded teacher who arrives in the rough outback mining town of Bundanyabba planning to stay overnight before catching the plane to Sydney. But his one night stretches to five and he plunges headlong toward his own destruction. When the alcohol-induced mist lifts, the educated John Grant is no more. Instead there is a self-loathing man in a desolate wasteland, dirty, red-eyed, sitting against a tree and looking at a rifle with one bullet left...

Believed lost for many years, Wake in Fright has been painstakingly restored by Australia’s National Film and Sound Archive and AtLab Deluxe, and is presented in its original uncompromising form.

***

Wake in Fright tells the story of a young school teacher who descends into a personal hell after finding himself stranded in a brutal, menacing town in outback Australia.

For many years, Wake In Fright enjoyed a reputation as Australia’s great 'lost' film because its unavailability on video tape or DVD -- and its absence from television broadcasts -- meant that it was little seen after its original run of screenings. However, in mid-2009 a thoroughly restored, digital re-release of Wake in Fright was shown in Australian theatres to considerable acclaim. Later that same year, it was issued commercially on DVD and Blu-ray disc, reaffirming its status as a classic of the Australian cinema.

 

 

The Film:

Excerpt from Wickipedia located HERE

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

Wake in Fright is kind of a hidden gem in that was thought lost but the restoration and subsequent digital releases have given it exposure to a new, appreciative, audience. This may not look 'perfect' on Blu-ray in modern-film-transfer terms but for a 40-year old piece of clandestine cinema, of its nature, and with its history - it looks very good.  Any softness is consistent and seems inherent in the print source but there are some impressive moments of detail. There a green cast over a lot of the film and it's not distracting but worth noting. This is only single-layered with a bitrate in the mid-twenties so some noise is occasionally prevalent. It looks quite smooth but never glossy but there are some cases of blown out brightness - again probably inherent in the film's original cinematography. Having never seen the film prior to this viewing - I'd have to guess that this is a remarkable presentation - quite clean although don't expect any depth or brilliant colors.

Foolish of me to match so many screen captures as this is the same D1 source as evidenced by the running time (to the 1000th of a second). The Image does have a slightly lesser bitrate and may me marginally softer - but this is almost imperceptible on a standard viewing level. It is from the same restoration and the video comments above hold true.

Masters of Cinema give us the most robust transfer dual-layered with a max'ed out bitrate. I need to peer quite close but it shows up in background artifacts - more prevalent on the other two 1080P transfer. This is the one you would project and the best video rendering of the three.  

 

1) Madman Video - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP 2) Image Entertainment - Region 'A' - Blu-ray MIDDLE 3) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

1) Madman Video - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP 2) Image Entertainment - Region 'A' - Blu-ray MIDDLE 3) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

1) Madman Video - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP 2) Image Entertainment - Region 'A' - Blu-ray MIDDLE 3) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

1) Madman Video - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP 2) Image Entertainment - Region 'A' - Blu-ray MIDDLE 3) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

1) Madman Video - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP 2) Image Entertainment - Region 'A' - Blu-ray MIDDLE 3) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

1) Madman Video - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP 2) Image Entertainment - Region 'A' - Blu-ray MIDDLE 3) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

1) Madman Video - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP 2) Image Entertainment - Region 'A' - Blu-ray MIDDLE 3) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

1) Madman Video - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP 2) Image Entertainment - Region 'A' - Blu-ray MIDDLE 3) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

1) Madman Video - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP 2) Image Entertainment - Region 'A' - Blu-ray MIDDLE 3) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

1) Madman Video - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP 2) Image Entertainment - Region 'A' - Blu-ray MIDDLE 3) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

1) Madman Video - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP 2) Image Entertainment - Region 'A' - Blu-ray MIDDLE 3) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

1) Madman Video - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP 2) Image Entertainment - Region 'A' - Blu-ray MIDDLE 3) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

1) Madman Video - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP 2) Image Entertainment - Region 'A' - Blu-ray MIDDLE 3) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

No boost going on here - its a flat 2.0 channel track pushing dialogue, crowd noises and some gunplay. I like the authenticity but fans who indulge for their Surround systems will, obviously, be left empty handed with Wake in Fright. Without a lossless audio rendering nothing is notably crisp or has demonstrative range or depth. A linear PCM track would have been the choice here. The track may have had restoration as well as it is without heavy flaws. Unfortunately, there are no subtitles offered but the Aussie accents aren't disagreeably thick and I didn't have any instances where I couldn't interpret the dialogue. My Momitsu has identified it as being a region FREE disc playable on Blu-ray machines worldwide.

Same audio - still not lossless, but the Image Entertainment has optional English subtitles and is region 'A'-locked.

Masters of Cinema also improve upon the sound with a linear PCM 2.0 channel at a solid 2304 kbps. Both other audio transfers were standard Dolby and this uncompressed quality is significantly superior. It is that much crisper and connotes some mood-influencing bass depth. MoC offer optional English subtitles on their region 'B'-locked disc.

Masters of Cinema jump ahead with most of the extras of both other releases and then some. They include the same feature length audio commentary with director Ted Kotcheff and editor Anthony Buckley as found on both other releases plus the 23-minute, 2009, Kotcheff interview available on the Madman Video Blu-ray. The ABC 7:30 Report video piece on the the rediscovery and restoration of the film running 6.5 minutes was on both previous releases - as was the 5.5-minute Who Needs Art? vintage piece on Wake in Fright. Chips Rafferty short obituary clip was also on both and the UK label adds and Outback TV spot and UK theatrical trailer. But their biggest bonus is the 48-page booklet featuring essays by Adrian Martin, Peter Galvin, Meg Labrum, Graham Shirley, Ted Kotcheff and Anthony Buckley, and archival imagery. Being Dual-Format this also has a DVD included with the feature and all the supplements of the Blu-ray.

Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

BOTTOM LINE:
Pretty interesting film that grew on me a lot more in my second viewing (the commentary). It is quite subtle in some areas but obvious in others. There is a lot to like here. I wouldn't put this in the class of Walkabout or Picnic at Hanging Rock but I think it's a great film to have on Blu-ray - one I'm sure to revisit. Quite an indictment of Australian culture! The package is done up with some viable, worthy extras and it's not a film you are likely to see on TV too often. I encourage those willing to venture here to indulge in the Blu-ray - the best way you are going to see it today in your home theater although we have heard rumor of a North American release in the future. Those prudent can wait - but for the less patient and adventurous - we recommend.

This is a film that tends to grow on you - and get better - with subsequent viewings. Nice to see Image Entertainment have made it more accessible for North American audiences. Certainly worthy of any digital library.