10 Walkabout

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Martha
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10 Walkabout

#1 Post by Martha » Sat Feb 12, 2005 10:18 pm

Walkabout

[img]http://criterion_production.s3.amazonaws.com/release_images/2698/walkabout-DVD_w128.jpg[/img]

A young sister and brother are abandoned in the harsh Australian outback and must learn to exist in the natural world, without their usual comforts, in this hypnotic masterpiece from Nicolas Roeg. Along the way, they meet a young aborigine on his “walkabout,” a rite of passage in which adolescent boys are initiated into manhood by journeying into the wilderness alone. Walkabout is a thrilling adventure as well as a provocative rumination on time and civilization.

DISC FEATURES

* New, restored high-definition digital transfer, from a newly manufactured restoration element (with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition)
* Audio commentary featuring director Nicolas Roeg and actress Jenny Agutter
* Video interviews with Agutter and actor Luc Roeg
* Gulpilil—One Red Blood (2002), an hour-long documentary on the life and career of actor David Gulpilil
* Theatrical trailer
* PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by author Paul Ryan



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exte
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#2 Post by exte » Tue May 31, 2005 12:51 pm

I watched this last night after hearing about it for some time; most recently from the Charlie Rose interview on George Washington. It was alright. It didn't redefine cinema for me, like maybe 2001 does, but its very interesting when it comes to pacing, camera work and the performances, particularly the Aborigine male. How Nicolas Roeg directed that guy, I'll never know, but I guess it has to be mentioned in the commentary. The subtlety of the Aborigine's relationship with the girl and the little boy were great, and sometimes really affecting.

SPOILERS AHEAD: To be honest, though, I miss this quality in the girl, in which she protects the innocence of her brother from their father's attempt on their lives. She can't bring herself to be directly honest about what had happened, and is certainly not downright hysterical like most of today's cinema, which seems to be populated with young adult characters who throw up their hands in panic like the character in Shaun of the Dead.

Anyway, I digrees, and perhaps I haven't said enough. I don't hate the movie. It does make for a good viewing, but perhaps it isn't the all-time masterpiece as I was expecting. Comments, anyone?

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zedz
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#3 Post by zedz » Tue May 31, 2005 5:28 pm

exte wrote:It didn't redefine cinema for me, like maybe 2001 does, but its very interesting when it comes to pacing, camera work and the performances, particularly the Aborigine male. How Nicolas Roeg directed that guy, I'll never know.
David Gulpilil isn't just "that guy," he's a great Australian actor, and his amazing work in Walkabout is just the tip of the iceberg.

I'm a big Roeg fan, but this is by far my favourite of his films. Even though some of the 'asides' seem misjudged, while we're focussed on the three main characters I find it a completely magical experience (on a big screen it's doubly stunning), and it has one of the most emotionally shattering climaxes of any film I know: it's not just sad, it's seriously distressing.

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Jean-Luc Garbo
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#4 Post by Jean-Luc Garbo » Wed Jun 01, 2005 7:48 pm

The camerawork is definitely a plus in the movie. The whole attempt of the father to kill the kids seemed like such a plot contrivance to me when I saw the movie. I need to see it again because it seemed so stupid. I probably missed something. I'm not big on the whole civilization vs. nature debate, but the film was beautiful enough to almost settle it.

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King of Kong
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#5 Post by King of Kong » Thu Jun 02, 2005 3:38 am

It's a beautiful film, of course, but the dad's attempt at killing his kids, and other plot contrivances are enough to keep it off my "greatest films" list.
It found it funny that the family, who are from Sydney, take a drive a few hundred kilometers to the Australian desert for a picnic - with the children, for some reason, still wearing their school uniforms. The kids also take their father's trying to kill them awfully well, as if this is common behaviour for him.

And after they find themselves stranded, wouldn't it just be easier walking back the way they came, instead of beating a new path? I guess there wouldn't be a movie otherwise?

Apparently, the novel on which Walkabout is based has the kids surviving a plane-crash in the outback - which makes a great deal more sense.

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exte
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#6 Post by exte » Thu Jun 02, 2005 1:46 pm

The reason they didn't walk back the same way they came is because the sister was shielding her brother from their father's firey death. She says that Daddy wants them to go on without him or something like that. And I imagine they didn't have the kind of budget for a plane crash.

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Gordon
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#7 Post by Gordon » Sun Dec 11, 2005 12:52 am

I love this this film and Roeg's oeuvre in general. The commentary is one of the best I've ever heard; the stories and insights are perfectly balanced and fascinating.

The transfer, however, isn't one of Criterion's best. It is non-anamorphic, interlaced (not progressive) and not from hi-def. There is a German DVD that is anamorphic and is said to be very good: DVD Beaver comparison. The element used by Criterion is obviously a beautiful prime element, but the transfering and encoding are flawed. The DVD Beaver shots don't show this, but on a big screen, zoomed-in, it doen't hold together well. Today, it would be a high-def, progressive, anamorphic, high-bitrate, MTI cleaned-up eye-popper that would rank as one of their very best, ie the other recent brilliant Roeg DVDs.

So, is there a chance that Criterion will revisit this title before Blu-Ray? The German disc isn't that expensive: JPC.de or Amazon.de.

Just get a standard-width 2-disc case and keep the Criterion and German discs together, eh?

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LightBulbFilm
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#8 Post by LightBulbFilm » Sun Dec 25, 2005 5:22 pm

Has anyone else noticed all the flaws on the DVD transfer? Like all the dust that has obviously made it's way to DVD... I thought Criterion would have taken care of this in production of the DVD. The audio is nothing to jump about either, it seems like it's just a VHS transfer or something... For such a great film too... What a shame...

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exte
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#9 Post by exte » Sun Dec 25, 2005 8:55 pm

Wasn't it one of their first dvds? I think it was ported over from their laserdisc. Maybe like M, they'll do a reissue.

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LightBulbFilm
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#10 Post by LightBulbFilm » Sun Dec 25, 2005 9:05 pm

Yeah, it's spine number 10. But even if it was ported from their laserdisc shouldn't the picture be good?

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exte
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#11 Post by exte » Sun Dec 25, 2005 10:07 pm

DVD technology in 1998 wasn't as good as it is today. Computer power alone has grown so much and so far. Today, I'm sure it would take much to have one of their programs digitally clean up a film, but back then, I'm sure it was far more painstaking, and many, many months of work... How many gigs did you have in your computer in 98? I had 2.1. Today, I have 200, with over half a terabyte sitting on my shelves. It's a big difference.

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Gordon
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#12 Post by Gordon » Mon Dec 26, 2005 12:27 am

The current transfer is non-anamorphic, interlaced and from a standard-def master. When I zoom-in, it looks pretty bad in places. Hey, they remastered and re-released The Man Who Fell to Earth as a 2-disc, so a revisit to the telecine for Walkabout wouldn't be that surprising, but it would certainly be most appreciated.

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miless
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#13 Post by miless » Wed Oct 25, 2006 4:10 pm

this is playing with other Janus titles in New York (with, I imagine, a new restored print)... let's hope that this means a re-release, as I have been holding off on this title for a while now with that hope. this and Andre Rublev are my two most awaited re-releases (if and when they do get released)

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Barmy
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#14 Post by Barmy » Thu Oct 26, 2006 4:20 pm

I saw this in the Janus series. I don't think the print was restored, but I'm no expert. The print was fine, but didn't seem brand new.

For my money, the best film ever made in Australia. I love the music even though it is slightly cheesy. Agutter gives an awesome, naturalistic performance. My favorite Roeg, although I like pretty much all of his work.

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Cinephrenic
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#15 Post by Cinephrenic » Mon Dec 04, 2006 8:29 pm

Walkabout is being played at film forum in December. Hopefully, this signals a new print/re-issue from Criterion.

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criterionsnob
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#16 Post by criterionsnob » Tue Dec 12, 2006 1:07 pm

From Criterion's website:

Jules and Jim and Walkabout back on the big screen
New 35mm prints of two classic Janus films, struck on the occasion of the company's fiftieth anniversary, are being given weeklong runs this month at New York's Film Forum. First, starting on Friday, December 15, enjoy François Truffaut's definitive love triangle classic Jules and Jim, and then, starting on Friday, December 22, catch the stunning widescreen vistas of Nicolas Roeg's outback adventure Walkabout. Go to Film Forum's website for showtimes and other details.

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miless
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#17 Post by miless » Tue Dec 12, 2006 2:49 pm

my mouth is watering over the mere thought of a re-release.

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Michael
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#18 Post by Michael » Tue May 01, 2007 1:02 pm

my mouth is watering over the mere thought of a re-release.
I can't believe I waited this long to finally watch Walkabout last night. Some of you thought it didn't refine cinema the same way as 2001 did. Well it did for me. I would love to add the film to my collection but it's one of Criterion's oldest releases. Does anyone know if Criterion's working on the rerelease?

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miless
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#19 Post by miless » Tue May 01, 2007 4:56 pm

Michael wrote:
my mouth is watering over the mere thought of a re-release.
I can't believe I waited this long to finally watch Walkabout last night. Some of you thought it didn't refine cinema the same way as 2001 did. Well it did for me. I would love to add the film to my collection but it's one of Criterion's oldest releases. Does anyone know if Criterion's working on the rerelease?
Maybe when they get Roeg in to do a new transfer of Insignificance they'll do a new anamorphic transfer of Walkabout (kill two birds with one stone)
It's more a question of when than if at this point, it seems.

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sidehacker
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#20 Post by sidehacker » Wed May 02, 2007 4:35 pm

Isn't Insignificance one of Roeg's "lesser" works. I was led to believe that everything he did after Bad Timing was far different both in theme and technique.

Anyway, yes this film definitely needs a reissue especially considering how it's probably one of the best photographed films ever.

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Subbuteo
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#21 Post by Subbuteo » Wed May 02, 2007 4:57 pm

sidehacker wrote: Anyway, yes this film definitely needs a reissue especially considering how it's probably one of the best photographed films ever.

Wow, sidehacker, that's a strong opinion. Be interested in hearing you're views on it's cinematography?

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sidehacker
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#22 Post by sidehacker » Wed May 02, 2007 6:25 pm

Uh, what? How is that a strong opinion? I don't see how anyone can ignore the photography of this film.

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Subbuteo
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#23 Post by Subbuteo » Wed May 02, 2007 6:34 pm

sidehacker wrote:Uh, what? How is that a strong opinion? I don't see how anyone can ignore the photography of this film.
Probably the best ever photographed film is a strong opinion, No?

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mbalson
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#24 Post by mbalson » Wed May 02, 2007 10:07 pm

Firstly, he said "one of" and secondly, are you disagreeing? I'd like to hear that story.

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zedz
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#25 Post by zedz » Wed May 02, 2007 11:29 pm

mbalson wrote:Firstly, he said "one of" and secondly, are you disagreeing? I'd like to hear that story.
Nicely put. For me, the film itself is the evidence for sidehacker's opinion, and I'd also be more interested in hearing a case against.

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