Sleeping Dogs

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DarkImbecile
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Joined: Mon Dec 09, 2013 6:24 pm
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Sleeping Dogs

#1 Post by DarkImbecile » Wed Apr 03, 2019 5:38 pm

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Adapted from C.K. Stead’s novel Smith’s Dream, Sleeping Dogs almost single-handedly kickstarted the New Zealand New Wave, demonstrating that homegrown feature films could resonate with both local and international audiences, and launching the big-screen careers of director Roger Donaldson (No Way Out, Species) and Sam Neill (Jurassic Park, Possession).

Neill – in his first lead role in a feature – plays Smith, a man escaping the break-up of his marriage by finding isolation on an island off the Coromandel Peninsula. As he settles into his new life, the country is experiencing its own turmoil: an oil embargo has led to martial law and civil war, into which Smith reluctantly finds himself increasingly involved.

Co-starring Warren Oates (Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia) as the commander of a US army unit drawn into the conflict, Sleeping Dogs is simultaneously a political thriller, a personal drama and a true landmark in New Zealand cinema.

CONTENTS
  • High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation
  • Optional 2.0 (uncompressed LPCM) and DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtracks
  • Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
  • Commentary by writer-director Roger Donaldson, actor Sam Neill and actor-writer Ian Mune
  • The Making of Sleeping Dogs (2004), a 65-minute retrospective documentary on the film’s production featuring interviews with Donaldson, Neill, Mune, Geoff Murphy
  • The Making of Sleeping Dogs (1977), a contemporary behind-the-scenes documentary featuring interviews with Donaldson and Neill
  • Theatrical trailer
  • Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sean Phillips
FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Neil Mitchell, a contemporary review by Pauline Kael and the original press book

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tenia
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Re: Sleeping Dogs

#2 Post by tenia » Wed Apr 15, 2020 12:17 pm

Movie aside, that I didn't particularly like, I'm left quite unconvinced by the technical restoration. It's too clean and fresh-looking and stable to be an older HD master, but it's so smooth that it didn't look like a new restoration either.
My guess is that the New Zealand Film Commission followed their australian neighbors' work on Wake in Fright and simply heavily degrained the movie during the restoration. It's not helping that the movie's photography seems to be originally a bit all over the place, with some shots' overall colorimetry only highlighting even more so the digital-looking aspect of the restoration.
On top of this, the compression is quite rubbish in places.

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Drucker
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Re: Sleeping Dogs

#3 Post by Drucker » Wed Apr 15, 2020 12:19 pm

Agreed! I watched this several months ago and was really disappointed with the lack of grain, but there were so few reviews I couldn't tell if I was crazy or not. Guess I should have just trusted my own eyes. Upon recollection, I'm not sure that Smash Place looked any better.

I actually quite liked the film and Neil's performance, so the poor A/V quality hurts worse.

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