The 4K UHD of Peter Weir's The Last Wave is reviewed HERE

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

ADDITION: Umbrella Blu-ray (October 2020): Umbrella (as part of their 'Sunburnt Screens' sub-label) have transferred Peter Weir's The Last Wave to Blu-ray. It is on a dual-layered disc with a high bitrate. Generally colors are richer and deeper while flesh tones cool. The 1.85:1 image is brighter (some yellow and gold dominance) and shows the 1.78:1 DVDs to be 'opened up' and the 1080P transfer shows slightly less information on the top and bottom of the frame but a sliver more on the side edges. The image is heavy, sometimes unnaturally so and both clunky with odd contrast... but the resulting HD presentation in-motion, on my system, was very appealing. There were some very impressive visual sequences on the Blu-ray. I would say that it looks even better than the still captures indicate. 

NOTE: The presentation starts with a text screen that states "ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER VIEWERS ARE WARNED THAT THE PROGRAM AND EXTRAS ON THIS DISC CONTAIN IMAGES AND SOUNDS THAT MAY RELATE TO DECEASED PERSONS. "

NOTE: We have added 68 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Umbrella use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel track (24-bit) in the original English language (with some Italian + Aboriginal). The score is by Groove Myers (as Charles Wain) - one of only two film composure credits. But this is an excellent soundtrack with, often violent, nature effects (frequent rain and thunder) and (cited on the back cover of the vinyl soundtrack cover): "tense atonal electronics, synthesizer drones and manipulated Didjeridu all perfectly capture the film’s ominous atmosphere, punctuating the slow hypnotic pace of this brooding supernatural thriller." It sounds very atmospheric and impacting in the 24-bit lossless transfer. Umbrella offer optional English subtitles (see sample below) on their Region FREE Blu-ray.

The Umbrella Blu-ray has the multitude of supplements. These include a brand new 22-minute interview with actor Richard Chamberlain in conversation with Paul Harris (remotely for the lockdown) where the he tells us memories of the production and relevant, lesser-known, details. "Riding the Wave" is a 39-minute interview with Producer Jim McElroy and "Lighting the Cave" spends 25-minutes with Director of Photography Russell Boyd who shares some insights into his work on the film and Peter Weir. We also get a brief piece with critic David Stratton on The Last Wave. There is an episode of 'Trailers From Hell: The Last Wave' with director Brian Trenchard-Smith (Turkey Shoot) plus a 7-minute edit from the 50-minute 1980 documentary about David Gulpilil; Walkabout to Hollywood made in 1980 by Bill Leimbach. There is a theatrical trailer and stills gallery. 

I was so glad to watch Peter Weir's The Last Wave on Blu-ray. This is such a curious, haunting, supernatural thriller and existential horror. David Burton's (Chamberlain) sedate and 'normal' family life is turned upside down by forces he logically tries to reject... until his dreams cannot be denied. Weir has filled the film with many cultural reference points and shrouded mystery throughout. It seems to evoke similar themes of Colin Eggleston's Ozploitation classic Long Weekend. - another strongly recommended Australian film. It's really quite brilliant and I enjoyed the 1080P, lossless audio (LOVE the spooky soundtrack) and the interviews and other extras. This seems like a must own for world cinephiles. A strong recommendation! 

Gary Tooze

ON THE DVDs: The Gaumont doesn't look bad considering it is from a low definition source. We can categorically state here that the French subtitles are removable. There is a little bit of cropping at the bottom edge of the French DVD. The French has some unclean frame shifts (see very last capture). The Criterion is sharper with better skin tones and an obvious HD sourced tape was used. Criterion's 5.1 mix is marvelous, and also added an original option (but no menu option for it - must do it 'on the fly'). Extras go to the French with over an 1 hour long featurette, trailer and filmographies. Subtitles look well done on both, but the overall winner here is Criterion, unless you are keen on the Gaumont Extra featurette (more about history than the film). The Weir interview is more fitting.