linton
28-08-2003, 06:14 PM
<I><B>Magna Pacific</I>
<center>
<h2> BLURRED </h2>
Released: Out now
Rating: M15+
RRP: $34.95
<UL>DISC FEATURES AND SPECS:</b></center>
<li> Scene Selection
<LI>Audio Commentary
<LI>Mark and Trav’s guide to Blurred
<LI>Deleted scenes
<LI>Short film “Mate”
<LI>Promotional teasers
<LI>Outtakes
<LI>Theatrical Trailer
<LI>Audio: English Dolby Digital 5.1, English DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 2.0
<LI>Aspect: 1.85:1 widescreen 16:9 enhanced.
<LI>Running Time: 91.01 minutes</UL>
<center><B>CAST: </b></center>
Jessica Gower, Tom Brockman, Travis Cotton, Mark Priestly, Craig Horner
Directed By: Evan Clarry
<center><B>FROM THE BACK COVER: </b></center>
<i>Every year more than 70,000 Australian school leavers head for the beaches of Australia’s Gold Coast to celebrate their release from the secondary school system. With a wild mixture of sun, surf and sex, this quintessential Australian tradition is known as ‘Schoolies Week’. So strap on the beer goggles and follow several groups of friends as they travel to the Gold Coast by train, clapped out Holden, Limo and on foot in search of the best time of their lives </i>
<center><b>AUDIO/VISUAL:</b></center>
Audio:
The DVD has 4 audio options, all presented in English, being Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1, Dolby digital 2.0 as well as the extra Dolby Digital 2.0 track for audio commentary.
With the main audio review being on the DTS track but comparison tested with the Dolby Digital 5.1 track in certain scenes, the conclusion is that if you are unable to play DTS you’re not missing out on anything. A bit deeper dynamic range in the bass, but that’s about it.
All of the speakers get a real workout in this film, with the Sub getting a lot more attention than I thought it would. This comes from one of the best soundtracks I’ve heard, Ever. The film really pumps out the soundtrack loud, but also very clear, with speech still very distinguished at the same time.
With a line up of purely Australian music, there are songs from such talent as Spiderbait, Lash, Grinspoon, Machine Gun Fellatio, 28 Days, Pollyanna, The Cruel Sea, the list goes on.
The rest of the audio is very well separated across the 5 speakers, with a lot of directional effects through-out the film.
In all, an excellent audio mix.
Video:
This movie is presented in the aspect ratio of 1.85:1, and it is 16x9 enhanced.
There are no subtitles at all, which I thought was a little strange.
Being an Australian production, I didn’t really expect the quality of this DVD. In actual fact, it gets a transfer a big Hollywood blockbuster would be proud of.
I really can’t fault the video transfer at all. Believe me, I tried, I searched, scoured, but all I could come up with was maybe a little shimmering on the grill of the limo, but it’s for a brief second.
The image is sharp, bright and crisp. Not even a spot of grain in any of the dark scenes.
The layer change occurred at 61.12 , and was quite noticeable, pausing for a good second and a half, but it wasn’t an interrupting change, as it happened at the change of scene.
<center><B>EXTRA FEATURES:</b></center>
If the movie wasn’t enough to satisfy, there are now an impressive collection of extra’s for you to sit and watch, listen and look through, and all through an impressive menu.
Audio Commentary
LEAVE YOUR MATURITY HERE read the sign on the door to the commentary audio booth for Stephen Davis (writer), Chris Brown (Producer) and Evan Clarry (director). Some of the jokes throughout the commentary were pretty funny, but more often than not, they where clangers (and there where a lot of them). That said, there are no pauses anywhere that last longer than about 3 seconds. At least they tried.
There is some interesting info mixed in amongst it though, covering the use of the split screen, casting process, as well as own experiences.
Craig Horner joined in about a third into the film too, but seemed to want to talk more about other movies than this one.
Mark and Trav’s Guide to Blurred
This is a great look at the 2 main stunts in the film, and is captured from the camcorder operated by Mark Priestley and Travis Cotton, two of the funnier actors from the film. It’s a behind the scenes doco, presented in 1.33:1 and DD2.0. Runs for 14 mins40sec, and as you’d expect from a camcorder, is not the best of video quality.
Deleted Scenes
Made up of 4 deleted scenes, they are run back-to-back, and can’t be selected individually through the menu. You can use the chapter skip to jump to the next one though. These scenes seemed to have been cut before the DVD remastering, and as such, are very soft, and a little grainy. Runs for 5mins16sec in DD2.0 and is in the films 1.85:1 aspect ratio.
Short Film “MATE”
This is a dark little short film from the director Evan Clarry, and runs for 10min24secs. Presented in 1.33:1 and Dolby Digital 2.0, it hasn’t been cleaned up at all, and so is full of grain and scratches.
Promotional Teasers
Seven promo’s that seem to have been made by the actors themselves with camcorders, each running for about 30 seconds, and covers a range of different locations behind the scenes. Total running time is 4mins2sec and can be cycled through with the chapter button. Presented in 1.33:1 and Dolby Digital 2.0
Outtakes
Close on 5 minutes of funny outtakes, these are in 1.85:1 and Dolby Digital 2.0
Full of grain and very soft, these, like the deleted scenes, didn’t get cleaned up at all.
Mark and Travis seem like a couple of funny bastards, with their outtakes having me in stiches.
Trailer
Finally a trailer for a comedy that doesn’t contain every funny moment from the film! Instead, it shows the different modes of transport that the characters are using to get to the Gold Coast, and at the same time, showing the different social groups that they come from.
<center><B>A MEMORABLE MOMENT FROM THIS DVD:</b></center>
Apart from the beautiful Jessica Gower, I’d have to say the soundtrack was what impressed me so much about the movie; it was well selected and extremely well presented.
<center><B>OVERALL:</b></center>
Originally based on a stage play shown in 1999, It’s been taken to film, and a good job has been done with it. I’d have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Having gone though the whole ‘schoolies’ stage myself about 5 years ago, although I went to the smaller, more easily accessible to Victorians, Lorne schoolies, it brought back a few memories.
The movie, although a bit dramatised, pretty much portrays what happens.
Alcohol, sex, music, parties, oh, and the whole end of high school symbolic thing. Did I mention alcohol?
Blurred is out now and has a RRP of $34.95
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" ALIGN="center" BORDER="1">
<tr><td><B><center>Rating out of 5</b></center> </b> </td>
<tr><td><B>VIDEO QUALITY</b> </td><td><B>4.75</b> </td></tr>
<tr><td><B>AUDIO QUALITY</b> </td><td><B>4.75</b> </td></tr>
<tr><td><B>EXTRAS</b> </td><td><B>4</b> </td></tr>
<tr><td><B>THE MOVIE</b> </td><td><B>3.5 </b></td></tr>
<tr><td><B>OVERALL</B> </td><td><B>4.5</b></td></tr></table>
<center>
<h2> BLURRED </h2>
Released: Out now
Rating: M15+
RRP: $34.95
<UL>DISC FEATURES AND SPECS:</b></center>
<li> Scene Selection
<LI>Audio Commentary
<LI>Mark and Trav’s guide to Blurred
<LI>Deleted scenes
<LI>Short film “Mate”
<LI>Promotional teasers
<LI>Outtakes
<LI>Theatrical Trailer
<LI>Audio: English Dolby Digital 5.1, English DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 2.0
<LI>Aspect: 1.85:1 widescreen 16:9 enhanced.
<LI>Running Time: 91.01 minutes</UL>
<center><B>CAST: </b></center>
Jessica Gower, Tom Brockman, Travis Cotton, Mark Priestly, Craig Horner
Directed By: Evan Clarry
<center><B>FROM THE BACK COVER: </b></center>
<i>Every year more than 70,000 Australian school leavers head for the beaches of Australia’s Gold Coast to celebrate their release from the secondary school system. With a wild mixture of sun, surf and sex, this quintessential Australian tradition is known as ‘Schoolies Week’. So strap on the beer goggles and follow several groups of friends as they travel to the Gold Coast by train, clapped out Holden, Limo and on foot in search of the best time of their lives </i>
<center><b>AUDIO/VISUAL:</b></center>
Audio:
The DVD has 4 audio options, all presented in English, being Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1, Dolby digital 2.0 as well as the extra Dolby Digital 2.0 track for audio commentary.
With the main audio review being on the DTS track but comparison tested with the Dolby Digital 5.1 track in certain scenes, the conclusion is that if you are unable to play DTS you’re not missing out on anything. A bit deeper dynamic range in the bass, but that’s about it.
All of the speakers get a real workout in this film, with the Sub getting a lot more attention than I thought it would. This comes from one of the best soundtracks I’ve heard, Ever. The film really pumps out the soundtrack loud, but also very clear, with speech still very distinguished at the same time.
With a line up of purely Australian music, there are songs from such talent as Spiderbait, Lash, Grinspoon, Machine Gun Fellatio, 28 Days, Pollyanna, The Cruel Sea, the list goes on.
The rest of the audio is very well separated across the 5 speakers, with a lot of directional effects through-out the film.
In all, an excellent audio mix.
Video:
This movie is presented in the aspect ratio of 1.85:1, and it is 16x9 enhanced.
There are no subtitles at all, which I thought was a little strange.
Being an Australian production, I didn’t really expect the quality of this DVD. In actual fact, it gets a transfer a big Hollywood blockbuster would be proud of.
I really can’t fault the video transfer at all. Believe me, I tried, I searched, scoured, but all I could come up with was maybe a little shimmering on the grill of the limo, but it’s for a brief second.
The image is sharp, bright and crisp. Not even a spot of grain in any of the dark scenes.
The layer change occurred at 61.12 , and was quite noticeable, pausing for a good second and a half, but it wasn’t an interrupting change, as it happened at the change of scene.
<center><B>EXTRA FEATURES:</b></center>
If the movie wasn’t enough to satisfy, there are now an impressive collection of extra’s for you to sit and watch, listen and look through, and all through an impressive menu.
Audio Commentary
LEAVE YOUR MATURITY HERE read the sign on the door to the commentary audio booth for Stephen Davis (writer), Chris Brown (Producer) and Evan Clarry (director). Some of the jokes throughout the commentary were pretty funny, but more often than not, they where clangers (and there where a lot of them). That said, there are no pauses anywhere that last longer than about 3 seconds. At least they tried.
There is some interesting info mixed in amongst it though, covering the use of the split screen, casting process, as well as own experiences.
Craig Horner joined in about a third into the film too, but seemed to want to talk more about other movies than this one.
Mark and Trav’s Guide to Blurred
This is a great look at the 2 main stunts in the film, and is captured from the camcorder operated by Mark Priestley and Travis Cotton, two of the funnier actors from the film. It’s a behind the scenes doco, presented in 1.33:1 and DD2.0. Runs for 14 mins40sec, and as you’d expect from a camcorder, is not the best of video quality.
Deleted Scenes
Made up of 4 deleted scenes, they are run back-to-back, and can’t be selected individually through the menu. You can use the chapter skip to jump to the next one though. These scenes seemed to have been cut before the DVD remastering, and as such, are very soft, and a little grainy. Runs for 5mins16sec in DD2.0 and is in the films 1.85:1 aspect ratio.
Short Film “MATE”
This is a dark little short film from the director Evan Clarry, and runs for 10min24secs. Presented in 1.33:1 and Dolby Digital 2.0, it hasn’t been cleaned up at all, and so is full of grain and scratches.
Promotional Teasers
Seven promo’s that seem to have been made by the actors themselves with camcorders, each running for about 30 seconds, and covers a range of different locations behind the scenes. Total running time is 4mins2sec and can be cycled through with the chapter button. Presented in 1.33:1 and Dolby Digital 2.0
Outtakes
Close on 5 minutes of funny outtakes, these are in 1.85:1 and Dolby Digital 2.0
Full of grain and very soft, these, like the deleted scenes, didn’t get cleaned up at all.
Mark and Travis seem like a couple of funny bastards, with their outtakes having me in stiches.
Trailer
Finally a trailer for a comedy that doesn’t contain every funny moment from the film! Instead, it shows the different modes of transport that the characters are using to get to the Gold Coast, and at the same time, showing the different social groups that they come from.
<center><B>A MEMORABLE MOMENT FROM THIS DVD:</b></center>
Apart from the beautiful Jessica Gower, I’d have to say the soundtrack was what impressed me so much about the movie; it was well selected and extremely well presented.
<center><B>OVERALL:</b></center>
Originally based on a stage play shown in 1999, It’s been taken to film, and a good job has been done with it. I’d have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Having gone though the whole ‘schoolies’ stage myself about 5 years ago, although I went to the smaller, more easily accessible to Victorians, Lorne schoolies, it brought back a few memories.
The movie, although a bit dramatised, pretty much portrays what happens.
Alcohol, sex, music, parties, oh, and the whole end of high school symbolic thing. Did I mention alcohol?
Blurred is out now and has a RRP of $34.95
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" ALIGN="center" BORDER="1">
<tr><td><B><center>Rating out of 5</b></center> </b> </td>
<tr><td><B>VIDEO QUALITY</b> </td><td><B>4.75</b> </td></tr>
<tr><td><B>AUDIO QUALITY</b> </td><td><B>4.75</b> </td></tr>
<tr><td><B>EXTRAS</b> </td><td><B>4</b> </td></tr>
<tr><td><B>THE MOVIE</b> </td><td><B>3.5 </b></td></tr>
<tr><td><B>OVERALL</B> </td><td><B>4.5</b></td></tr></table>