Razorback

Razorback, Russell Mulcahy's 1984 Ozploitation horror favourite makes its second appearance on an Australian Blu ray from Umbrella Entertainment. Superseding their previous release from 2014 which utilised a dated interlaced transfer this 2018 disc presents a new 4k remaster of the film complete with an uncompressed DTS HD MA 5.1 surround track and a huge assortment of truly worthy extras. It is worth pointing out that this is region free and playable on all Blu ray decks worldwide and that Scream Factory have also recently released this in the US with what appears to be the same 4k transfer.Synopsis:After cutting his teeth on glossy MTV music videos for the likes of Duran Duran and Elton John and two years before he directed cult favourite Highlander Russell Mulcahy returned to his homeland of Australia for his feature film debut Razorback. Based on a 1981 novel of the same name by true crime writer Peter Brennan this often stylish film begins with the home of wild boar hunter Jake Cullen (Bill Kerr of Gallipoli) being ransacked and his young grandson taken by a huge rhinoceros sized feral pig known as a razorback. Accused of the boys death Cullen is finally acquitted despite the nearby townsfolk of Gamulla thinking otherwise with the now revenge obsessed hunter determined to kill the giant boar that no one believes exists.Fast forward a few years and the primitive backwater town of Gamulla is visited by feisty New York journalist and animal rights activist Betty Winters (Judy Morris) who along with her camera assistant Danny is on the trail of kangaroo poachers who are butchering the animals for the pet food market. As to be expected for a nosey out of towner Betty soon falls afoul of the colourful locals and in particular the Baker brothers who run the cavernous meat processing plant PETPAK. After attempting to film the two brothers at work Betty is pursued by the nefarious siblings who force her car from the road and attempt to attack her. Before they can finish the job she is set upon by the rampaging razorback.Believing her to be missing Betty's husband Carl (Gregory Harrison) makes the long trip to Gamulla to try and find answers. Not wanting to arise suspicion Carl doesn't divulge his intentions with the clicky locals but instead seeks out embittered outcast Jake Cullen who tells him about the Baker brothers and their PETPAK cannery plant. Posing as a Canadian opal miner Carl pays the siblings a visit. Intrigued by the city slicker and keen to see what he is made of the unsavoury brothers take him on one of their nighttime roo hunts but after seeing him to be more of a hindrance than a help they ditch him in the outback and split. Carl soon finds that the surrounding area is over populated by a drove of scavenging wild pigs one of which is an incredibly large and ferocious specimen. After spending the night atop a Griffith's windmill, tired and dehydrated he happens upon the secluded homestead of Sarah Cameron (Arkie Whiteley of Mad Max 2) an expert on the local boar problem and an acquaintance of Jake Cullen who alerts the grizzled vengeance fueled hunter that the marauding razorback has returned to the area.Owing more than a debt of gratitude to Stephen Spielberg's Jaws (and to a lesser extent William Girdler's Grizzly), Russell Mulcahy's debut feature is a rather odd beast to be sure but one which has it's own very distinctive cinematic style. With its roots firmly placed in Mulcahy's background in glossy 80's music videos, Razorback if nothing else is a largely attractive picture which uses it's scope framing, extreme colour palette and cracked outback setting to great effect. Many shots feature dominant use of dark and shadows not to mention some stunning silhouettes and the many cool blue and burnt orange filters used throughout lend the picture an extremely stylised if slightly idiosyncratic and over produced feel. There is also no doubt as to it's origin even without the sunburnt antipodean locations, gritty imagery and Castlemane XXXX product placement I can't think of an 80's movie which screams Australia more than this especially when you figure in the quirky cartoonish characters and Mad Max style post apocalyptic feel. This was even shot by Oscar winning cinematographer Dean Semler who had previously worked on Max Max 2 (not to mention Philip Noyce's Dead Calm and the Oscar winning Dances With Wolves).Despite the moody visual panache the film can at times come across a slightly disjointed with titular Razorback often playing second fiddle to the outlandish Baker brothers. Like Spielberg's movie, Mulcahy does though play the wise move of keeping the beast mostly in the shadows or hidden by quick edits but once unleashed in the third act the effects by Bob McCarron (The Matrix) are convincing enough especially when you consider the age and budget of the production although it is a shame that some of the more extreme gore hit the cutting room floor.A staple of home video and late night TV in the 1980's despite the carefully composed widescreen framing being obliterated by panning and scanning, I can still remember the glorious Thorn EMI video sleeve complete with the image of the monstrous boar looming over Jake Cullen, his rifle aloft not to mention its extravagant colour scheme which totally befitted the movie it accompanied. I must admit to being rather fond of Russell Mulcahy's film but must warn newcomers that the execution and visual style complete with a rather baffling hallucinatory desert sequence will definitely not be to all tastes. A bona fide cult classic for fans of 80's horror cinema.Picture:Umbrella Entertainment originally released Razorback to Blu ray for the first time in 2014 but for reasons known only to themselves it was incorrectly encoded in 1080i 50hz and 25fps. Fast forward to 2018 and Umbrella have listened to fans and rewarded them with a much better AVC encoded 1080p 24fps transfer in it's correct Panavision aspect ratio of 2.35:1 taken from a new 4k restoration produced by Roar Digital of Melbourne. There is no mention on the packaging as to what source was used for the project but a little internet digging revealed that it was an interpositive of the slightly trimmed theatrical version. Apparently there are no known elements which contain the uncut gore scenes apart from an old full frame VHS release which is included on this disc in it's entirely as an extra.As to be expected this new release was always going to better the old interlaced disc from four years previous especially in motion but it too has a few albeit minor problems of it's own.The first thing that became apparent with this remaster is how much darker the transfer is. This isn't necessarily a bad thing but at times can come across as oppressive which in turn produces occasional instances of black crush. Detailing is though mostly fine especially in close-ups which can be strong and revealing adding character to the timeworn town and sun scorched faces. Unfortunately panoramic views of the rugged desert landscapes are often left lacking in depth and density exhibiting a much softer appearance. Unavoidably the image never looks completely razor sharp and if anything has a thickness to it that resembles 16mm rather than the 35mm it was actually shot on. This could have been a result of an interpositive being used and not the original camera negative or the simple fact that there are rather a lot of extras eating into the space of this BD50 causing issues with compression. That said the dark, gritty nature of this transfer coupled with a heavy grain structure actually works in the film's favour creating a unique almost 70's horror ambience which I rather like. Colours too are richer and warmer with bold reds and blues whilst earthy browns and ruddy skin tones give the impression of heat which is tonally appropriate given the location of the film. I did note a fair amount of mostly light print damage and even some telecine wobble throughout the runtime but nothing that is going to distract and the widescreen framing exhibits marginally more information in the frame than the previous release.A marked improvement compared to what came before, this is possibly the best Razorback will look for the foreseeable future (unless that is the original camera negative is located) and complements the stylish photography and Russell Mulcahy's visual flair rather well.It is worth noting that Scream Factory in the US have also released their own region A locked BD of this which I would presume uses the same restoration. At time of writing I haven't seen this version so can't possibly comment on the quality.Sound:As with their 2014 release Umbrella provide Razorback with an uncompressed 24bit DTS HD MA 5.1 surround mix at a more than respectable 3566kbps. This was originally released to theatres in four channel Dolby Stereo but it is obvious listening to this lossless track that it has been remixed rather tastefully for modern set-ups whilst still retaining some of it's 80's charm. Clarity was excellent, prioritising dialogue and immediate sounds of action clearly through the centre channel whilst allowing some discrete stereophonic width with clear panning of sound effects through the left and right speakers. The surround channels which I would guess are far more active than on the original Dolby track are utilised surprisingly well to add ambience such as blowing wind, buzzing flies and directional sounds of the outback wildlife. LFE can also be particularly aggressive for an older low budget feature adding impact to the roar of engines, gunshots and the pounding industrial machines in PETPAK. The electronic synth heavy score courtesy of Iva Davies is also well served by this uncompressed soundtrack taking advantage of the headroom and low frequency extension it provided. It also appears as if the track has been well mastered as I didn't detect and age related issues.As a purist my only real gripe is the absence of the original stereo mix which would have been interesting to hear as a comparison to the remixed 5.1.Extras:The first 2014 Blu ray release was already fairly stacked but Umbrella Entertainment have again provided more reason other than AV quality to upgrade to this new edition.First up in the new extras is a feature length audio commentary with director Russell Mulcahy moderated by film critic and lifelong fan of Razorback Shayne Armstrong. This is a fairly laid-back chat track with lots of interesting anecdotes about the production and cast members and how Mulcahy got the gig in the first place. We also learn how despite being Australian the outback was alien to him and that he had been away from Oz for many years shooting music videos. The location of the town is touched upon mentioning other films which had been shot there and of course the special effects of the Razorback itself with a funny story involving Elton John when he saw a preview of the movie. I always enjoy listening to commentaries for films I dug back in the day and despite some slower sections this was definitely worth my time.Next up in the new supplements is Razorback: The VHS Cut. As Umbrella Entertainment were unable to source original film elements which contained the missing gore scenes the best they could offer was the old Australian VHS release which did for whatever reason present the full uncut version. Naturally this is presented in 4:3 full frame with a lossy Dolby Digital mono soundtrack but has been upscaled to 1080p and runs for 95 minutes. As to be expected this is a very compromised image and looks exactly how you would expect an old videotape to look. It is an interesting addition and I am actually glad that Umbrella didn't try to insert these fleeting moments into the new 4k version as the shift in quality would have been especially jarring. Unless though you actually want to watch the whole presentation in low quality video I can't honestly see the point in this as the missing moments can be viewed as an extra complete with a commentary by Russell Mulcahy.To conclude the new extras is "A Certain Piggish Nature: Looking Back at Razorback". This is a newly produced extra by Umbrella Entertainment running just shy of 25 minutes is a panel discussion with a selection of film historians. It's not terribly interesting with the group giving their own opinions on the movie.Carried over from the 2014 Blu ray is the 74 minute making of documentary "Jaws on Trotters" which first became available on Umbrella's 2005 DVD. This isn't the best quality in terms of presentation bit does cover a fair bit with input from Russell Mulcahy, composer Iva Davies, producer Hal McElroy and special effects artist Bob McCarron.Following this is another extra that was first seen on the 2014 BD which turns out to be a selection of interviews taken from Mark Hartley's Ozploitation documentary "Not Quite Hollywood" which runs for around 85 minutes. This features again Russell Mulcahy, Hal McElroy and Bob McCarron who are joined by actors Gregory Harrison and Judy Morris plus writer Everett De Roche.Also included is a 30 minute audio only interview with Gregory Harrison that was also featured on the 2005 DVD.As already mentioned above the uncut moment are available as an extra under the title of "Grizzly Deleted Scenes". As with the VHS cut these are upscaled to 1080p in pretty poor quality but do come with an audio commentary with Russell Mulcahy and Shane Armstrong. These run for two minutes and thirty seconds giving you an idea as to how much was cut from Razorback on its initial release.Also included are two decidedly rough looking trailers, one for theatrical use and the other for VHS plus of course the obligatory image gallery with runs for around 27 minutes and does feature some terrific artwork for the movie.Conclusion:Razorback is a true Australian horror classic that has endured the years thanks to it's rabid cult following. Truth be told the narrative can be somewhat unfocused with the titular boar going missing for long periods but thanks to it's stylish photography and assured direction from then first time feature film director Russell Mulcahy the movie remains constantly entertaining and always interesting from a visual point of view. Umbrella's presentation for this new Blu ray release is a marked improvement over anything which came before and when paired with a strong uncompressed soundtrack and a fantastic set of extras this comes very highly recommended.

This film has weathered amazingly, looking visually excellent on DVD despite the movie being released in 1984. When a crusading animal rights journalist goes to Australia to film a report on Kangaroo hunting, she winds up getting on the wrong side of the locals, and disappearing in an isolated backwater town in the Outback. Her husband flies in to find her, and it's not long before he's run across a trail of suspicious circumstances and teamed up with a bitter, 'razorback' hating hunter and his friend who have a bizarre theory about what happened to his wife.With its tone set by a brutal mystery killing at the start, this is an Aussie horror-thriller with a very distinctive style. For starters, there's plenty of pig in it. The titular 'Razorback' is a massive, killer wild boar with a very nasty temper and a hunger for human flesh. Fast, heavy, brutally strong and hugely intimidating, it's a brilliant villain, and we get to see a lot of tantalising half-glimpses of it. Mulcahy is clever with his camera placement - always letting us catch just enough of a view to be impressed, but just quickly or obliquely enough to keep us wanting more. But he's also not daft. Knowing that this would just be a 'Jaws' knock off if it were just the pig, he throws in some appalling scumbag local brothers, the most distinctive being an outstandingly twisted and shock-haired lunatic played by David Argue. The film has a nasty edge in places, unafraid to go for bitter cruelty and reinforce the harshness of its characters against the desolate harshness of their outback middle-of-nowhere surroundings. Mulcahy's filming is beautiful as well, the film a lush and surprising collection of very striking images and colours in between the more ordinary scenes. The special effects have really stood the test of time as well. The creature looks terrific whether in close up or distance shot, and you really wouldn't want to get caught in those teeth.The ending may be faintly gore-light for those wanting it to live up to the brutality of what's gone before, but it's highly tense, hugely atmospheric, and satisfying.It's a standout horror. Don't be afraid to give it a try just because of its age. With its distinctive Aussie outback setting, the hairstyles, clothes and vehicles all seem timeless, and the landscapes look terrific.

Review of 'Umbrella edition(2005).This Autralian film from'84 is a confident debut from director Russell Mulchay.(best known for 'Highlander'). The cinematic look of the film,including some very good night shots filled with atmosphere & with good use of the available scenery(from future Oscar winner Dean Semler)more than make up for its moderate budget.The DVD (All regions suitable) contains an excellent 70min 'making of' documentary-( 'Pigs on Trotters'!) that's almost as entertaining as the main feature, an Audio interview with actor Gregory Harrison,and a selection of some gorier scenes edited from the final cut ,a gallery with stills & posters, and various trailers. Together with a good looking widescreen print in '2.35:1' ratio and a good 5.1 audio (& 2.0) Dolby sound, make this a worthwhile creature feature/horror/social study thriller, that balances violence,humour and a mix of serious and off the wall characters + a fearsome beast with some very good FX,that follows the 'Jaws style' of not showing too much,too soon & at an hour and a half gets its running time just right.

This a man versus nature type of horror piece, with much of the threat unseen for large periods of time, like 'Jaws' made 8 years earlier.However, it is shot with a very 'Mad Max' photographic style that is extremely well done, very interesting, and highly suited to the purpose of heightening the threat and consequent tension.It is not as good as some of the best horror films, or general films that might be associated with this genre, but equally it is nowhere near as bad as many of the type, even those with a much bigger budget.In sum, there are worse ways to while away 91 minutes of your life if you are at a loose end than watching this.

Orr creature feature