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The Last Wave
[Blu-ray 4K]
Blu-ray ALL - Australia - Umbrella Entertainment Review written by and copyright: James-Masaki Ryan (28th September 2023). |
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The Film
 "The Last Wave" (1977) David Burton (played by Richard Chamberlain) is a lawyer based in Sydney that has been having some unusual nightmares that he can't quite explain. Around the same time, he is given the task of defending a group of Aboriginal men on trial for supposedly killing another Aboriginal man outside of a pub, whose death was ruled as a homicide but with mysterious circumstances surrounding it. Talking to the men, they claim they didn't kill the man and are innocent of the crime. But when he meets one of the accused, Chris (played by David Gulpilil), things turn stranger for David, as Chris was a figure that appeared in his recent dreams. Coupled with unusual weather happening in the country, David feels something, but cannot explain the connections to all the events. "The Last Wave" has the usual elements of horror and suspense - a mysterious death, unexplained dreams, paranoia, tribal mysticism. Yet is does not particularly fall into these genres and is a unique film, taking inspiration from various genres and sources. Filmmaker Peter Weir's previous film "Picnic at Hanging Rock" (1975) was a huge critical hit worldwide as an adaptation of the 1967 mystery novel of the same name. The mysterious and dreamlike tone of the film is carried over to "The Last Wave" but the two films couldn't be any more different. "The Last Wave" is based in modern Australia rather than a period piece. The screenplay was an original written by Weir, Tony Morphett, and Petru Popescu. The look is much darker visually as well. The central focus in "The Last Wave" deals with the personal struggles and awakening of the character of David. He's a lawyer with a fairly successful life socially and domestically, having a job as a lawyer and having a loving wife Annie (played by Olivia Hamnett) and two children, and also a good relationship with his father (played by Frederick Parslow). The nightmarish dreams he has been having lately is not something completely new, as his father would tell him, but ones that would occur ever since childhood, including a foreshadowing of David's mother's death and thoughts of him being kidnapped. The images he sees with the overtaking of water ravaging the city, people drowning, Chris standing in his home with a mysterious emblem, and others are given without explanation as dreams are, but the images are drawing closer and closer to reality for him. How David acquired the power to possibly foresee the future is unexplained, though the spiritual elder Aboriginal Charlie (played by Nandjiwarra Amagula) senses something within, and possibly something with David's ancestry. Although his job is just to defend the five men accused of killing a person, the case goes much deeper than that for David, as he confronts his past and present to find the meanings of the future. Will everyone die in a massive tidal wave? How did the Aboriginal man die? What are the secrets that lie beneath the city? "The Last Wave" has a large amount of questions and mysteries that unfold, yet they are never fully solved and left more to the interpretation of viewers. From Aboriginal legend to White guilt, climate change and the disruption of nature - there are elements of all weaved throughout the narrative. Water is something very often seen throughout the film. The sudden rainfall in the opening scene, the overflowed bathtub in the Burton home, the flooded city with the car submerged in water, etc. Even when Chris and Charlie are invited into David's home and David offers an alcoholic beverage, they request just water. The most essential element for life is also one that causes extreme incidents and even death. The sudden rain in the opening sequence causes a panic and even glass windows breaking and injuring the school children, and the heavy rainfall in the city causes accidents and traffic jams, and most devastatingly, the murdered Billy died from drowning. In the twenty-first century there have been a record number of hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones worldwide, tsunamis in the Indian Ocean and in Japan that caused an incredible amount of deaths and damage. Though "The Last Wave" might be interpreting myths and legends, there is truth that man and nature's balance has been getting worse over the years. The film doesn't preach how these impending disasters are the fault of man, and instead shows a bridge between cultures and times which cannot be fully explained. With the success of "Picnic at Hanging Rock", Australian cinema was given a boost and financing from not only Australia but from overseas. "The Last Wave" received financing from the Australian Film Commission and the South Australian Film Corporation, plus from Janus Films and United Artists. Hollywood actor Richard Chamberlain was brought as the lead for international appeal, and David Gulpilil, the most recognizable Aboriginal actor from "Walkabout" prominently appears in a crucial supporting role. Blending a modern set drama with supernatural elements of Aboriginal mysticism, it was certainly something very Australian in nature while appealing to international audiences. The film premiered at the Paris Film Festival and at the Tehran Film Festival on November 5th, 1977, where it won the Golden Ibex prize at the latter. It was given a general Australian release in December. At the 1978 AFI awards, it won two out of seven nominations, for sound and cinematograpy. In addition, Chamberlain won Best Actor at the Sitges International Film Festival and Weir received the Special Jury Award at the Avoriaz Fantastic Film Festival. Though critically it was a hit, it would not repeat the massive success of "Picnic at Hanging Rock", and it would take a year later until an American release, in December 1979. Though United Artists partially financed the film and released it theatrically in Australia and the UK, it backed out at the last minute in America, which then the distributor changed to the smaller World Northal, changing the title to "Black Rain" for some odd reason. Over the years, "The Last Wave" has only gained in status with its unique tone and performances, leading Weir as one of Australia's great auteur directors. The film may not have easy answers, but continues to be mesmerizing and thought provoking all these decades later. Note this is a region ALL 4K UltraHD Blu-ray / region ALL Blu-ray set
Video
Umbrella Entertainment presents the film in the theatrical 1.85:1 aspect ratio in 2160p HEVC with SDR on the 4K UHD and in 1080p AVC MPEG-4 on the standard Blu-ray. A 4K restoration was undertaken by Umbrella Entertainment, which was first utilized for the 2020 Blu-ray release. The transfer for that release looked good, though there were flaws to be seen. For the 2023 4K UltraHD release, the same master has been used and there seemingly hasn't been any additional clean-up or restoration done. From the opening colorful scenes in the rural outback showcase a healthy look, with the bright blue skies, the browns of the sand, and the colorful wardrobe of the school children. In darker scenes such as in the caves and at night, there is great detail in the darker portions as well. Film scratches, debris, and other anomalies have been removed and film grain is kept intact. There are some inconsistencies here and there with flickering, and some minimal damage in certain portions. Some sequences have colors looking slightly washed out in comparison to others. But overall it is a very good looking transfer for the film. When comparing the 4K disc to the Blu-ray, sadly it doesn't quite have a major boost in quality. The 4K disc only has standard dynamic range for the colors, so there is not additional clarity or definition to the color spectrum. The image is fairly thick in its appearance with the colors, and could have benefited from better dynamic range. While it looks fairly good on the Blu-ray, one will be hard to see what the differences are between the two discs. As good as the transfer looks, it doesn't quite push the format's limits. The film is uncut with a runtime of 105:00 on the 4K disc and 105:07 on the standard Blu-ray disc.
Audio
English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono The original mono track is presented in a lossless format. The supernatural and eerie score by Charles Wain (AKA Groove Myers) great, being well balanced with the dialogue and effects throughout. Dialogue is always clear and easy to understand, and there are no hisses, pops, or other errors with the track. The audio is identical on both discs. There are optional English HoH subtitles for the film in a white font. Timing of the subtitles are fine when the speaker speaks, but the subtitles sometimes disappear before the speaker has full spoken which might be slightly annoying for people that rely on captions. There are no spelling or grammar errors. The comments apply for both discs, and it's a little unfortunate that Umbrella didn't go back to spot check the timings for the 4K disc.
Extras
This is a two disc 4K UltraHD Blu-ray + standard Blu-ray set, with the film presented on both discs with extras. Note that the standard Blu-ray is identical to the 2020 Umbrella Entertainment release. DISC ONE (Blu-ray 4K) Audio Commentary with Film Critic Alexei Toliopoulos and Filmmaker Travis Akbar In this newly recorded commentary, Alexei Toliopoulos and Travis Akbar discuss the film together. Talked about are the historical influence of the film in Australian cinema, the representation of Aboriginals in the film as well as during that period in Australian media, the melding of Christianity with Noah's Ark and Aboriginal dreamtime, their recollection of seeing the film for the first time, and more. It is not particularly a technical commentary, as there are not a lot of notes on say the making of the film but more about their viewpoints, with Tolipoulos in a critical eye and Akbar giving an Aboriginal viewpoint with many fascinating things to say. in English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 without subtitles "Riding the Wave: Producer Jim McElroy on The Last Wave" interview (38:16) In this 2020 interview, producer Jim McElroy discusses the Australian filmmaking rise in the early 1970s, producing Weir's "The Cars That Ate Paris" and "Picnic at Hanging Rock", alongside detailed information on "The Last Wave". From Weir's writing, the music and effects work, the casting, and the release of the film are all discussed here. Note this is also available on DISC TWO. in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.78:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles "Lighting the Cave: Director of Photography Russell Boyd on The Last Wave" interview (24:39) In this 2020 interview, Russel Boyd looks back at the second film he shot for Weir after "Picnic at Hanging Rock", including the look of the film, memories of the stars, details on certain sequences and working with technical challenges with water. Note this is also available on DISC TWO. in 720p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.78:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles "Richard Chamberlain: In Conversation with Paul Harris" interview (22:11) In this interview from May 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, Chamberlain is interviewed by film critic Paul Harris remotely via Internet video chat. Chamberlain looks back fondly on the film, working in Australia for the first time with a young crew and great admiration for his co-stars. He also discusses his role, about the underlying tone of the film, how Weir was nearly the director for "The Thorn Birds", and more. Note this is also available on DISC TWO. in 720p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.78:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles "David Gulpilil: Walkabout to Hollywood" 1980 documentary (50:56) David Gulpilil Ridjimiraril Dalaithngu was born on July 1st, 1953 in Arnhem Land, in Northern Territory, Australia. Raised in the bushes as a Yolngu, Gulpilil's world was not of the so-called western civilized world, existing with the rural environment as part of nature. At 16 years old, he was seen by filmmaker Nicolas Roeg who was looking to cast an Aboriginal boy to play a leading role in an upcoming film. With Gulpilil's skills as a tracker, a dancer, and being the right age for the part, he was cast in "Walkabout", an adaptation of the 1959 novel of the same name. While the film was not a major hit in Australia, it was a major critical and arthouse hit abroad, nominated for the Palme d'or at Cannes and on a number of top films lists of the year, and in many "Greatest Films" lists in the later decades. Gulpilil was suddenly a face to a nation and Aboriginal people, and while that was a major weight placed on the shoulders of a teenager, he used the opportunity for a greater purpose with his later work in films as an adult. While his role in "Walkabout" did not require him to speak English, Gulpilil eventually learned English as a language and his time between the bushes and life in the city gave him opportunities to showcase Aboriginal culture to the western world. From going to schools and showing traditional dance, makeup, and language, he was able to have a new generation of children learn about their land's original culture, which for many years was erased from textbooks and society. There was a long history of Aboriginals being mistreated and not having equal rights in their own country, and in cinema there were examples of white Australian actors playing Aboriginals in blackface. Gulpilil acted on television works, and returned to film in 1976 with the troubled production of "Mad Dog Morgan" starring Dennis Hopper in the title role. This was followed by "Storm Boy" in the same year and "The Last Wave" one year later. His roles in each were very well received, with a natural tone and strong presence for his characters, and always being true to his roots as an Aboriginal man, rather than roles of parody or exaggeration. From mystical traditions to technical skills and communication with the land itself, each of his film roles have been like that of an intelligent elder, yet played at ease with someone in his twenties. In 1980, Australian documentary filmmaker Bill Leimbach produced and directed an intimate portrait of Gulpilil for the BBC, complete with input from Gulpilil himself. Leimbach was able to create a unique documentary about a particularly unique man. The documentary shows Gulpilil spending time in the rural bushes practicing his tracking skills, and also teaching his children the ancient techniques, as they are not being brought up in the same environment as he was when he was a child. Having them appreciate their roots and having them continue the traditions is very important to Gulpilil, and that includes footage of him visiting schools and teaching children. But not all is in Australia, as the director flies with Gulpilil to the United States as they go to various screenings of his current films, and all the Americans being in awe of the major star. But it is not all about the glitz and the glamor, as Gulpilil finds more time talking to Native American artists and performers, from their arts and crafts to their music, to their idea of identity and the similarities that faced the erasure of cultures. From candid footage, film clips, and fascinating interview footage, "Walkabout to Hollywood" is a documentary about a man that seems so much larger than life because of this impressive screen appearances, but in his mind he is just a man that is placing the arts and traditions above fame and fortune. The documentary is only fifty minutes long, yet covers quite a lot of ground. There aren't too many interviews or input from people around Gulpilil, such as family, friends, critics, or filmmakers, mostly concentrating on the man's own words. It is a one-sided look, though there are a great amount of talking points from what is shown. The importance of continuing tribal traditions, racism faced by generations of conflict and oppression, the importance of cinema to bring things to wider audiences around the world. After the documentary, Gulpilil continued to act in a number of great works, from "Crocodile Dundee" (1986), "Crocodile Dundee II" (1988), "Rabbit Proof Fence" (2001), "The Proposition" (2005), "Charlie's Country" (2013), and many more. In 2017, he announced that he was diagnosed with lung cancer, and in 2019 officially retired from acting. That year, he was honored with the lifetime achievement award at the NAIDOC Awards, and the Premier’s Award for Lifetime Achievement at the South Australian Ruby Awards. On March 12, 2021, A documentary on Gulpilil entitled "My Name Is Gulpilil" premiered at the Adelaide Film Festival on March 12th, 2021. It featured the actor looking back on his life while receiving treatment for terminal lung cancer. Gulpilil passed away on November 29th, 2021. The transfer here comes from the original film materials and it looks and sounds very good. There are some examples of speckles and scratches at times and is most prevalent in the vintage clips, though clarity is excellent as well as the color reproduction. The audio is a bit low but it is clear throughout. in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.33:1, in English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono without subtitles "David Stratton on The Last Wave" 2010 interview (3:39) Filmed at the ACMI in Melbourne in 2010, film critic David Stratton recalls "The Last Wave", including being invited to the set, and having a memorable encounter at the dinner scene in the film. Note this is also available on DISC TWO. in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.78:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles Gallery (3:10) An automated slideshow with poster art, documents, the novel and press kit photos. Note this is also available on DISC TWO. in 1080p AVC MPEG-4 Trailer with Brian Trenchard-Smith commentary from "Trailers from Hell" (3:39) Filmmaker Brian Trenchard-Smith, who cut the original Australian trailer gives a brief introduction and an excellent commentary about the editing not to give too much away but also give just enough to entice. In addition he talks about the film itself and its importance in cultural clashes and the relevance it had. Note this is also available on DISC TWO. This particular trailer, without commentary is not available on the disc, but has been embedded below, courtesy of Umbrella Entertainment, as well as the Trailers from Hell version, from their YouTube channel. in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.78:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles 4K UHD Trailer Trailer (2:49) Presented here is the original United Artists trailer for America which sells it through a supernatural and suspense angle, interestingly doesn’t have the title or the cast and staff attached and is quite different from the above Australian trailer, which cannot be seen on its own on this disc. Note this is also available on DISC TWO. It has been remastered and presented in 4K resolution here, and like the film itself has the same color palate and clarity. The trailer has also been embedded below, courtesy of Umbrella Entertainment. in 2160p HEVC SDR, in 1.85:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles DISC TWO (Blu-ray) "Riding the Wave: Producer Jim McElroy on The Last Wave" interview (38:16) in 720p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.78:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles "Lighting the Cave: Director of Photography Russell Boyd on The Last Wave" interview (24:39) in 720p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.78:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles "Richard Chamberlain: In Conversation with Paul Harris" interview (22:11) in 720p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.78:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles "David Gulpilil: Walkabout to Hollywood" 1980 documentary excerpt (7:05) Presented here is an excerpt of the 1980 documentary while the 4K disc has the full documentary. in 720p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.33:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles "David Stratton on The Last Wave" 2010 interview (3:39) in 720p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.78:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles Gallery (3:10) in 720p AVC MPEG-4 Trailer with Brian Trenchard-Smith commentary from "Trailers from Hell" (3:39) in 720p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.78:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles Theatrical Trailer (2:51) in 720p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.80:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles Prior to this Umbrella Entertainment 4K UHD release, as stated the film was previously released on Blu-ray by Umbrella Entertainment in 2020, their first in the discontinued "Sunburnt Screens" line of releases, and the disc itself has been included in this 2023 release. Prior to that, it was released on Blu-ray in Germany by Koch Media, which only had a gallery and trailer as extras. It also had a 5.1 remix in addition to the original mono, though the transfer is an older one rather than thw 4K remaster. Weir has never recorded a commentary track for any film and he is conspicuously missing from the interviews. He did record an interview for the US Criterion DVD in 2001, but that has not been ported over here.
Packaging
The discs are packaged in a keep case with reversible artwork. The opposite side has the same artwork, just without the PG rating logo. Note that the artwork differs from the 2020 release entirely. The first pressing from the Umbrella Web Shop also includes a slipcase with exclusive artwork. It is also available in a Collector's Edition exclusively at the Umbrella Web Shop limited to 400 copies which includes: - 48 page book of behind-the-scenes, experiences and art - Authentic Aboriginal Bunya Designs "Connected Dreams" outer rigid slipbox - Custom design slipcase (as mentioned above) - 8 replica lobby cards - A3 reversible poster The 48 page booklet starts with the essay "Coming Face to Face with the Uncertain Universe" by writer and filmmaker Peter Galvin on the film and its themes. Next is "The Last Wave: A Culturally Appropriated Classic" by Travis Akbar which covers some of the information presented in the commentary in greater detail of Aboriginal representation and criticism. Unfortunately, it seems the booklet editor has truncated the piece, as it cuts off mid-sentence during a discussion on David Gulpilil. What comes next is a vintage interview with Peter Weir, interviewed by Movietone News' Judith M. Kass in 1979 for the American release of "The Last Wave". Then there is "On Location with The Last Wave" which is a reprint of the October 1977 issue of Cinema Papers which includes interviews and stills. In addition there are numerous posters and video artwork stills throughout the booklet. The slipbox and slipcase have differing beautiful unique artwork, though to be honest some may think this was a surfing movie due to the title and the artwork. Designed by Bunya Designs, both the slipbox and the slipcase for the keep case look wonderful for the shelves with their colors and patterns. The lobby cards are printed on thick cards, and the poster which is folded in the keep case has two designs - American and German theatrical posters. 
Umbrella seems to have copied and pasted the embarrassing error from the "Razorback" Collector's Edition, which says on the back of the box that is exclusively from the "Umbrealla" webstore...
Overall
"The Last Wave" is undoubtedly one of the most important and unique Australian films during the New Wave era, crossing suburban drama with tribal mysticism. Umbrella Entertainment's upgrade to 4K UHD is not the best example of the format's strengths, as the transfer is not much of an upgrade from the 2020 standard Blu-ray's presentation, even if it is in 4K resolution. (The 2020 Blu-ray was given a B+ score for the video, but considering how it looks for the 4K format, it is knocked down to a B- here.) The added new commentary is very good, and it's also great to have the David Gulpilil documentary in full form for this upgrade in the extras. Recommended for newcomers, though for an upgrade it is a slightly hard sell.
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