Review by Gary Tooze

Production:

Disc:

Video:

Audio:

• Commentary by writer-director Richard Linklater, art director Bob Sabiston, actor Wiley Wiggins and producer Tommy Pallotta
• Commentary by the 25-strong animation team
• A selection of Bob Sabiston's short films, including The Trees (1991 - :34), God's Little Monkey (2:06), Project Incognito (1997 - 20:17), Snack and Drink (1999 - 3:44), Figures of Speech (1999 - 30:46), Grasshopper (2003 - 14:30), Ryan's Capitol Tour (2006 - 6:34) and The Even More Fun Trip (2007 - 22:36)
• Original making of featurette including interviews with Linklater, Sabiston and Pallotta (4:44)
• Animation tutorial with Sabiston (20:23)
• Deleted and alternative animation sequences (7:32)
• Pre-animation live action footage captured on Mini DV (12:01)
• Trivia subtitle track written by Linklater
• Theatrical trailer (1:59)
• The first pressing also includes a booklet containing new writing on the film by critic David Jenkins and a guide to Bob Sabiston's short films

Dual-Format with DVD included

Bitrate:

 

Description: In 2001 writer-director Richard Linklater released a spiritual sequel to his acclaimed early features Slacker and Before Sunrise. Taking its cue from their walk-and-talk stream of consciousness, Waking Life enquired into the relationship between dreams and the big screen, and how cinema captures the phantasy state.

Aiding Linklater s exploration were two major players: actor Wiley Wiggins (Dazed and Confused, Computer Chess), who acts as our guide through the dreamscape, and animator Bob Sabiston, who created the appropriately disassociated, floating rotoscoped visuals. He and Linklater would later collaborate again on A Scanner Darkly to equally stunning effect.

Featuring Adam Goldberg, Nicky Katt, Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke (reprising their Jesse and Céline characters from Before Sunrise) and director Steven Soderbergh, Waking Life is an extraordinary thought-provoking trip, quite unlike anything before or since.

 

 

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

 

 

 

 

Audio :

The commentary tracks by writer-director Richard Linklater, art director Bob Sabiston, actor Wiley Wiggins and producer Tommy Pallotta and the second one with the 25-strong animation team were originally on the 2002 DVD and they still hold value with the filmmakers reflect on the production process. The same can be said for the Trivia subtitled track written by Linklater - another option. We get a selection of Bob Sabiston's short films - over 1.5 hour's worth and they are majority the animation-style and are very engaging from the very short to the lengthier. Arrow include the original, 5-minute, making of featurette including interviews with Linklater, Sabiston and Pallotta plus a 20-minute Animation tutorial with Sabiston which is educational. Some might be keen on the 8-minutes worth of deleted and alternative animation sequences and the dozen-minutes of pre-animation live action footage captured on Mini DV. There is a theatrical trailer and the package's first pressing also includes a booklet containing new writing on the film by critic David Jenkins and a guide to Bob Sabiston's short films. This is dual-format and includes a DVD.

BOTTOM LINE:
Once again, seeing this in 1080P gave me a far more appreciative reaction than when I saw it on DVD many years ago. The a/v is so impressive and the presentation is hard not to fall in love with. It beautifully fuses art and philosophy in Linklater's unique dreamlike (Bob Sabiston) style - also seen 5-years later in his A Scanner Darkly. The Arrow Blu-ray is a real treat to view in your home theatre and the extensive supplements and commentaries add immense value. I'm so happy to own this in HD - a film I will revisit whenever the mood strikes - a great choice to bring to Blu-ray - very strongly recommended! 

Gary Tooze

March 8th, 2016