Wake in Fright: Limited Edition – Arrow Video (4K UHD)

Theatrical Release Date: Australia/UK/USA, 1971
Director: Ted Kotcheff
Writer: Evan Jones
Cast: Donald Pleasence, Gary Bond, Chips Rafferty, Sylvia Kay, Jack Thompson, John Meillon, Nancy Knudsen

Release Date: June 29th, 2026 (UK), June 30th, 2026 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 108 Minutes 21 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / Dolby Vision HDR10
Rating: 18 (UK), R (USA)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: £29.99 (UK), $49.95 (USA)

"John Grant (Gary Bond, Zulu), a bored schoolteacher working in the remote outback, stops overnight in the frontier mining town of Bundanyabba on his way back to Sydney for the Christmas holidays. After he loses all his savings in a bad gambling bet, Grant finds himself marooned and swept up in the vortex of a succession of hard-drinking, hard-living and crude men led by Doc (Donald Pleasence, Halloween) who threaten to make him just as crazy, drunk, and violent as they are." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, “The film was restored and made available by Umbrella Entertainment in conjunction with the Wake in Fright Trust. The original camera negative was scanned in 4K by the National Film and Sound Archive and graded and restored by ROAR Digital in Melbourne, Australia.” 

Wake in Fright comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 93.1 GB

Feature: 76 GB

The source looks excellent. Flesh tones and colors look correct, and contrast, black levels, image clarity, and compression are solid, and the image always retains an organic appearance.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English SDH. The track sounds clean, clear, and balanced, and the ambient sounds and the score are well-represented.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a stills gallery with music from the film playing in the background, a US TV spot (31 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a US theatrical trailer (2 minutes 31 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a restoration trailer (1 minute 26 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), Chips Rafferty obituary by Ken G. Hall (3 minutes 27 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), Who Needs Art?, a 1971 TV segment with behind-the-scenes footage (5 minutes 52 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a 2009 TV report on the rediscovery and restoration of Wake in Fright (6 minutes 35 seconds, Dolby Digtal stereo English, no subtitles), alternate scenes from an international version titled Outback (10 minutes 40 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an archival audio interview with director Ted Kotcheff, conducted by Paul Harris (130 minutes 27 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival audio interview with composer John Scott, conducted by music historian Daniel Schweiger (15 minutes 30 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with Ted Kotcheff titled Yer Mad, Ya Bastard! (12 minutes 57 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actor Jack Thompson from Not Quite Hollywood (6 minutes 50 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a Q&A with Ted Kotcheff from the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival (45 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), The Filmmaker and the Film Buff, a discussion between Philippe Mora and Paul Harris (20 minutes 7 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), The Cinema’s Great Squeaky Bald Git, an appreciation of actor Donald Pleasence by film historian Kim Newman (14 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Sounds of the Outback, a previously unreleased interview with sound editors Keith Palmer and Eddy Joseph (14 minutes 52 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with the director of photography Brian West titled Take in Fright (20 minutes 42 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a featurette tracking down the film’s Broken Hill locations titled Return to the ‘Yabba (49 minutes 46 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival audio commentary with Ted Kotcheff and editor Anthony Buckley, an audio commentary with Peter Galvin, author of The Making of Wake in Fright, reversible cover art, a slipcover (limited to the first pressing), and a 44-page booklet (limited to the first pressing) with cast & crew information, an essay titled All the Little Devils are Proud of Hell written by by Jay Slater, an essay titled Terror in the Yabba written by Paul Lê, an essay titled Come and Have a Drink, Mate written by David Michael Brown, an archival writing titled On the Kangaroo Hunt written by Ted Kotcheff, an archival writing titled Lost & Found written by Anthony Buckley, and information about the transfer.

Other extras include a trailer reel of Australian films helmed by overseas filmmakers titled Foreign Visions of Local Stories (38 minutes 13 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles). The trailers are The Overlanders, Bitter Springs, A Town Like Alice, The Siege of Pinchgut, The Sundowners, They’re a Weird Mob, The High Commissioner (Nobody Runs Forever), Age of Consent, Walkabout, Sunstruck, Sidecar Racers, The Pyjama Girl Case, The Earthling, and The Coca Cola Kid.

Summary:

Ted Kotcheff directed Wake in Fright. Other notable films he directed are The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, Fun with Dick and Jane, North Dallas Forty, Split Image, Rambo: First Bood, Uncommon Valor, and Weekend at Bernie’s. Wake in Fright is an adaptation of Kenneth Cook’s novel of the same name.

A schoolteacher on an overnight stay in a frontier mining town loses all of his money gambling. Now broke and with nowhere to go, the townfolks take him in and expose him to their excessive drinking and hard living. Desperate to get out of town, the schoolteacher is on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

Wake in Fright is a film about choices. The narrative revolves around a man named John Grant, who ventures out into Bundanyabba instead of going straight to bed and catching a flight to Sydney in the morning. While exploring Bundanyabba, a policeman befriends him, but his generosity quickly becomes annoying. John tries his luck at two-up, a gambling game the locales play, and he becomes reckless when he starts to win. Resentful of the onerous terms of his employment, he sees a way to quickly earn the cash he needs to pay off his bond. John’s luck quickly runs out; he loses all of his money and now finds himself stranded in a place he loathes.

Wake in Fright is an unflinching portrayal of Australia's Outback. Most of the characters live a carefree life where they spend most of their time drinking. Trapped and with nowhere to go, John embraces the locale's way of life and becomes engulfed in their excesses. While there is nothing outwardly sinister about any of the characters, Wake in Fright is extremely effective at getting under your skin. That said, so much of Wake in Fright’s mood comes from the barren location Broken Hill, which is a character unto itself.

All around, the performances are excellent, especially Gary Bond’s portrayal of John Grant. He delivers a remarkable performance that perfectly conveys John’s prejudices and anxiety about his future. Another performance of note is Donald Pleasence's (Halloween) portrayal of a vagrant alcoholic doctor. That said, there is an authenticity to all of the performances that greatly aides the story that unfolds.

The visuals and John Scott’s (Symptoms) do a superb job of heightening the mood. In the case of the former, it simply lets the performances be the focal point, while the latter accentuates key moments. For a film that has many unsettling moments, none stand out more than the kangaroo hunting scene that contains genuine footage of kangaroos being shot. To say these moments are brutal would be an understatement. Ultimately, Wake in Fright is an aptly titled film that has not lost any of its potency.

Wake in Fright gets a definitive release from Arrow Video. Highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Survivor – Indicator Series (4k UHD)

Theatrical Release Date: Australia, 1981
Director: David Hemmings
Writer: David Ambrose
Cast: Robert Powell, Jenny Agutter, Joseph Cotten, Angela Punch McGregor, Peter Sumner, Lorna Lesley, Ralph Cotterill, Adrian Wright

Release Date: March 30th, 2026 (UK), March 31st, 2026 (USA)
Approximate Running Times: 99 Minutes 8 Seconds (Director's Cut), 98 Minutes 22 Seconds (Australian Theatrical Version), 81 Minutes 7 Seconds (U.S. Version)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / Dolby Vision HDR10 (Director's Cut, Original Theatrical Version), 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (U.S. Version)
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English (Director's Cut, Australian Theatrical Version), Dolby Digital Mono English (U.S. Version)
Subtitles: English SDH (All Versions)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: £24.99 (UK), $49.95 (USA)

"When pilot David Keller (Powell) is the sole survivor of a plane crash, he begins to experience terrifying visions. Assisted by a clairvoyant (Agutter) who claims to have contacted the crash victims, Keller starts to investigate the cause of the accident, only to find that those who can help him keep turning up dead..." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "The Survivor was scanned in 4K by the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA), using the original 35mm negative, which it preserves. Picture restoration and color correction work were carried out in 4K HDR by Renasci Films in the UK. Thousands of instances of dirt were removed, scratches, stains, and other imperfections were eliminated, and a number of torn or damaged frames were repaired. No grain management, edge enhancement, or sharpening tools were employed to artificially alter the image in any way.”

The Survivor comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 92.2 GB

Feature: 65.9/65.4 GB (Director's Cut/Australian Theatrical Version via seemless branching), 10.8 GB (US version in HD 1080P)

The source is in excellent shape; flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic. This release uses seamless branching for the director’s cut and the original theatrical version.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio sounds excellent; dialogue comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include image and script galleries: original promotional material (55 images-stills/posters), behind-the-scenes (98 stills), fifth draft screenplay (58 images), spotting list (20 images) and trailer dialogue continuity script (5 images), a TV spot (27 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 52 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles with optional audio commentary by Brian Trenchard-Smith), Super 8mm footage filmed and narrated by stuntman Dean Bennett titled Behind the Scenes: ‘The Survivor’ (21 minutes 19 seconds), an appreciation by the academic and Australian cinema specialist Stephen Morgan (20 minutes 29 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Mayhem Film Festival’s Chris Cook titled The Legacy of James Herbert (9 minutes 19 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), The Survivor’s original promotional film (15 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English with removable English SDH), excerpts from the Australian TV programme Clapperboard, featuring behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with actors Joseph Cotten, Peter Sumner, Jenny Agutter, Ralph Cotterill and Angela Punch McGregor (30 minutes 4 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an archival TV interview with Peter Sumner titled Touch of Elegance (3 minutes 40 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actor Robert Powell who discusses James Herbert (3 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with producer Antony I Ginnane (10 minutes 5 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), cinematographer John Seale’s ‘Not Quite Hollywood’ interview (7 minutes 6 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Antony I Ginnane’s ‘Not Quite Hollywood’ interview (15 minutes 15 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an isolated score track, an archival audio commentary with Antony I Ginnane and film critic and archivist Jaimie Leonarder, an archival audio commentary with Antony I Ginnane and horror hostess Katarina Leigh Waters, and an 80-page book with cast & crew information, an essay titled Terror Firma: The Spirit of Elizabeth Will Not Return written by Sergio Angelini, an exclusive extract from producer Antony I Ginnane’s unpublished memoirs, an archival production report titled Inferno! written by David Parker, an archival interview with actor Joseph Cotten titled Joseph Cotten, Hitchcock-Era Survivor conducted by Dan Grooves, an archival interview with director David Hemmings conducted by Bertrand Borie, an archival interview with actress conducted by Bertrand Borie, and information about the restoration.

Summary:

David Hemmings, who is most known for acting, directed The Survivor. Other notable films that he directed are Running Scared and Just a Gigolo. The Survivor is an adaptation of the novel of the same name.

The lone survivor of a plane crash looks for the answers as to why he was spared.

The Survivor begins with an ominous opening sequence that immediately grabs attention. The narrative effectively retraces the events leading up to the deadly plane crash, culminating in a satisfying climax that emphasizes the supernatural elements present throughout the story. When it comes to the more eerie moments, these are all rooted in atmosphere. Although there is an air of mystery to the main character, the way in which the narrative unfolds more than makes up for his lack of backstory.

When it comes to the performances, the cast all deliver and then some. Robert Powell’s (Harlequin) portrayal of the lone survivor, a pilot named Keller, is the heart and soul. His character's inability to remember the events leading up to the crash is convincingly portrayed, and it is through his eyes that the audience ultimately discovers the truth. Other notable performances include Jenny Agutter (An American Werewolf in London) as Hobbs, a psychic who assists Keller, and Joseph Cotten (Citizen Kane) in what would be his final role as a priest.

From a production standpoint, there is not an area where The Survivor does not excel. The premise is flawlessly executed, key moments are given an ample amount of time to resonate, and an extremely satisfying finale brings everything into focus. David Hemmings' direction is rock solid, and the visuals fully embrace the supernatural aspects of the story that unfolds. Other areas of note are how effective the special effects are, especially the plane crash sequences, and Brian May's (Mad Max) score does an exemplary job reinforcing the foreboding mood. Ultimately, The Survivor is an outstanding supernatural horror film that quickly draws you in and stays with you.

The Survivor gets an excellent release from Powerhouse Films, highly recommended.

Note: This release is a limited edition of 10,000 numbered units (6,000 4K UHDs and 4,000 Blu-rays) for the UK and US.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Dead Kids (aka Strange Behavior) – Indicator Series (4k UHD)

Theatrical Release Date: Australia, 1981
Director: Michael Laughlin
Writers: Bill Condon, Michael Laughlin
Cast: Michael Murphy, Louise Fletcher, Dan Shor, Fiona Lewis, Arthur Dignam, Dey Young, Marc McClure, Scott Brady, Charles Lane, Elizabeth Cheshire

Release Date: March 30th, 2026 (UK), March 31st, 2026 (USA)
Approximate Running Times: 102 Minutes 1 Second (Dead Kids), 99 Minutes 10 Seconds (Strange Behavior)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / Dolby Vision HDR10 (Both Versions)
Rating: 18 (UK), R (USA)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English (Both Versions)
Subtitles: English SDH (Both Versions)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: £24.99 (UK), $49.95 (USA)

"In a small midwestern town, police chief John Brady (Murphy) investigates a bizarre series of murders. As the corpses pile up, all signs point to the hellish mind-control experiments of a twisted scientist..." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, “Dead Kids was scanned in 4K by the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA), using the original 35mm negative, which it preserves. Picture restoration and color correction work were carried out in 4K HDR by Renasci Films in the UK. Thousands of instances of dirt were removed, scratches, stains, and other imperfections were eliminated, and a number of torn or damaged frames were repaired. No grain management, edge enhancement, or sharpening tools were employed to artificially alter the image in any way.”

Dead Kids (aka Strange Behavior) comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 90.2 GB

Feature: 69.4/67.9 GB (Australian Theatrical Version/US Theatrical Version via seemless branching)

The source is in excellent shape; flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic. This release uses seamless branching for the two versions.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio sounds excellent; dialogue comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include image galleries: original promotional material (139 images—posters/lobby cards/stills/home video art) and behind-the-scenes (99 stills), Trailers from Hell with Patton Oswalt (3 minutes 38 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an international theatrical trailer (3 minutes 16 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a U.S. theatrical trailer (1 minute 39 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an appreciation by the academic and Australian cinema specialist Stephen Morgan titled Perfect Strangers (17 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an new presentation of a 2004 interview with producer Antony I Ginnane titled Lightning Strikes (4 minutes 49 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), ‘Not Quite Hollywood' interview with Antony I Ginnane (10 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Michael Murphy (20 minutes 40 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actress Fiona Lewis Lasting Bonds (10 minutes 18 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actress Dey Young titled An Actor’s Dream (15 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Podcasting After Dark: Dan Shor, excerpts from a career-spanning audio interview (13 minutes 7 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an extensive interview with Dan Shor titled A Very Delicious Conversation with Dan Shor (44 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with special make-up effects artist Craig Reardon titled The Effects of ‘Strange Behavior’ (20 minutes 45 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an isolated score track, an archival audio commentary with director Michael Laughlin, and filmmaker David Gregory, an archival audio commentary with screenwriter Bill Condon and Dan Shor and Dey Young, and an 80-page book with cast & crew information, an essay titled Rockin’ and Reelin’ in Auckland New Zealand written by Paul Duane, an exclusive extract from producer Antony I Ginnane’s unpublished memoirs, an archival interview with Michael Laughlin titled Strange Creator conducted by Alan Jones, an archival interview with Michael Murphy conducted by Vadim Rizov, an archival interview with composers Tangerine Dream titled Electronic Music Pioneers Want You to Get the Message, and information about the restoration.

Summary:

Strange Behavior was the directional debut of Michael Laughlin, who is most known for producing The Whisperers and Two-Lane Blacktop. He directed only two other films, Strange Invaders and Mesmerized. The former, along with Strange Behavior, was part of a "strange"-themed trilogy of films; the third film was never made. Strange Behavior was written by Bill Condon, who would become a director known for Sister, Sister; Gods and Monsters; and Dream Girls.

Scientists in a rural town where nothing out of the ordinary happens conduct controversial medical experiments that are turning the teenagers into murderers.

Although the premise and vibe of Dead Kids is an homage to 1950s horror films, another influence is the 1980s slasher film. The opening setup does an excellent job drawing you in with a sequence where someone murders a teenager while his parents are away. This sequence shows the carnage that unfolds via the victim's and the killers' shadows on the wall. Instead of going the graphic route right out of the gate, Dead Kids deceptively shoots the scene like a film from the 1950s would. That said, when it comes to the later kill scenes, they are more graphic and hold nothing back.

While the influence of the slasher film is evident in the killings, Dead Kids distinguishes itself from other films of the era by revealing the killers' identities. Besides the horror genre, there are a multitude of other genres at play throughout Dead Kids. These genres are science fiction, melodrama, and thriller, making Dead Kids a well-blended melting pot where everything perfectly comes together.

Dead Kids excels in its casting, and overall, the performances are exceptional. The most notable performance is Fiona Lewis (The Fury) in the role of Gwen Parkinson; her character is carrying on her mentor's experiments. She delivers a sinister performance that serves as an homage to the 1950s mad scientist character. Another performance of note is Dan Shor (TRON) in the role of Pete Brady, the sheriff's son. Notable cast members include Michael Murphy (Count Yorga, Vampire), Louise Fletcher (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest), Jim Boelsen (The Curious Case of the Campus Corpse), Dey Young (Rock ‘n’ Roll High School), and Marc McClure, who is most remembered as Jimmy Olson from Christopher Reeve's Superman films.

While watching Dead Kids, you notice nothing about it that indicates it's an Australian film that was shot in New Zealand. In fact, Dead Kids does a remarkable job creating a Midwestern setting that is utterly convincing. Another area where Dead Kids delivers and then some is Tangerine Dream’s (Thief) mood-reinforcing score and an exemplary soundtrack of rock songs, notably Lou Christie’s Lightning Strikes, which plays during a costume party. Ultimately, Dead Kids does a phenomenal job drawing you and holding your attention, and most importantly, it is a lot of fun.

Dead Kids gets an excellent release from Powerhouse Films, highly recommended.

Note: This release is a limited edition of 10,000 numbered units (6,000 4K UHDs and 4,000 Blu-rays) for the UK and US.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Next of Kin – Severin Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Australia/New Zealand, 1982
Director: Tony Williams
Writers: Michael Heath, Tony Williams
Cast: Jacki Kerin, John Jarratt, Alex Scott, Gerda Nicolson, Tommy Dysart, Debra Lawrance

Release Date: February 26th, 2019
Approximate Running Time: 89 Minutes 25 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English, DTS-HD 5.1 English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.98

"When a young woman inherits a creaky retirement home, she’ll find herself in a waking nightmare of murder, madness, and a legacy of evil that may be inescapable." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "transferred from original Australian vault elements."

Next of Kin comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 41.5 GB

Feature: 26.1 GB

Sourced from the same 4k master that Umbrella Entertainment used for their release, this transfer is in excellent shape. Flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity is strong, and there are no issues with compression or digital noise reduction. That said, there is some black crush most noticeable in darker moments. 

Audio: 5/5 (Both Audio Tracks)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in English and a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English. Both tracks deliver excellent sound quality, with clear dialogue, balanced audio, well-represented ambient sounds, and a robust score. That said, the 5.1 does a superb job opening up the original mono source. Included are removable English SDH.

Extras:

Extras for this release include reversible cover art, an image gallery (85 images—posters/home video art/stills/Polaroids/storyboards/location sheets/press clippings), a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 55 seconds, Dolby Digital mono with text in English, no subtitles), a UK VHS trailer (2 minutes 54 seconds, Dolby Digital mono with text in English, no subtitles), a German theatrical trailer (3 minutes 15 seconds, Dolby Digital mono German, no subtitles), alternate German opening (1 minute 30 seconds, Dolby Digital mono), ballroom footage shot by Tony Williams in 1979 titled Before the Night is Out (2 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital mono with music from the film playing in the background), deleted scenes that were discarded and no longer exist are presented via a collection of stills and text that provide information about them; a Now and Then locations featurette titled Return to Montclare: Location Revisit (10 minutes 30 seconds, Dolby Digital mono with music from the film playing in the background), extended interviews with director Tony Williams and actor John Jarratt from Not Quite Hollywood (25 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), House of Psychotic Women introduction by Kier-La Janisse for Morbido TV (5 minutes 41 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Tony Williams and producer Tim White, an audio commentary with the cast, Jackie Kerin, John Jarrett and Robert Ratti and moderated by filmmaker Mark Hartley, and two episodes from the Survey TV series directed by Tony Williams: The Day We Landed on The Most Perfect Planet in the Universe (31 minutes 7 seconds, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles) and Getting Together (30 minutes 5 seconds, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles).

Summary:

A woman inherits an elderly home owned by her mother. Shortly after her arrival, a series of strange events have her questioning her sanity. Are these eerie occurrences figments of her imagination or is something trying to push her over the edge?

Next of Kin was made during Australia's peak period for genre cinema, the late 1970s and early 1980s. While the film has many elements that are undeniably Australian, notably the cast’s accents, the result is a film that was clearly influenced by 1970s European horror cinema. Another clear influence over Next of Kin is gothic horror, and nothing makes this connection more evident than when it comes to its visuals.

Although the narrative takes time before it settles in, once things get going, it moves quickly from one revelation to the next as it builds to an explosive finale. The narrative effectively fleshes out backstory via a diary written by the protagonist's mother, which she reads throughout. A central element of the narrative is that no one believes the protagonist when she suspects something sinister is happening, which drives her state of mind to the brink.

While the visuals are going to get a lot of the recognition, one must not undervalue the performances, especially Jacki Kerin in the role of Linda. She does a phenomenal job conveying emotions, making her characters' mental decline all the more convincing. Notable cast members include Alex Scott (Twins of Evil) in the role of Dr. Barton, a doctor who takes care of the elderly staying at Monteclare and John Jarratt (Dark Age) in the role of Barney, Linda’s love interest.

The visuals are overflowing with atmosphere; every composition has been meticulously designed for the greatest effect. Colors and symbolic imagery also play a large role in the story at hand. Standout moments visually include the pre-credits opening sequence that foreshadows what is about to happen to the protagonist, a scene in the woods where the protagonist mistakes her boyfriend for the killer who’s stalking and a finale that provides an extremely satisfying climax. Another area where Next of Kin excels is its sound design, which forms a perfect fusion with the visuals.

There is no area where Next of Kin does not excel. The premise is flawlessly executed, and the narrative does an exemplary job building momentum by giving key moments an ample amount of time to resonate. The unsung hero of Next of Kin is Klaus Schulze’s (Angst) phenomenal mood-enhancing score, notably the main theme that immediately sets the tone during the opening credits. Ultimately, Next of Kin is an exemplary psychological horror film that stands out as one of Australia's best genre films.

Next of Kin gets a solid release from Severin Films that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and informative extras. Recommended.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer

Harlequin – Indicator Series (4k UHD)

Theatrical Release Date: Australia, 1980
Director: Simon Wincer
Writers: Everett De Roche, Jon George, Neill D. Hicks
Cast: Robert Powell, David Hemmings, Carmen Duncan, Broderick Crawford, Gus Mercurio, Alan Cassell, Mark Spain, Alyson Best

Release Date: March 16th, 2025 (UK), March 17th, 2025 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 95 Minutes 45 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / Dolby Vision HDR10
Rating: 15 (UK), R (USA)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: £24.99 (UK), $49.95 (USA)

"When eccentric faith healer Gregory Wolfe (Powell) apparently cures the terminally ill son of Senator Nick Rast (Hemmings), Rast’s wife (Duncan) places her faith in Wolfe’s powers. But when Wolfe begins meddling in sensitive government business, political fixer Doc Wheelan (Crawford) decides to make the problem go away..." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5 (4K UHD, Blu-Ray)

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Harlequin was scanned in 4K from the original 35mm camera negative, preserved at the National Film and Sound Archive (NPSA) of Australia by Fixafilm. Picture restoration and color correction work were carried out by Renasci Films in the UK. Thousands of instances of dirt were removed, scratches, stains, and other imperfections eliminated, and a number of torn or damaged frames repaired. No grain management, edge enhancement, or sharpening tools were employed to artificially alter the image in any way.”

Harlequin comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 60.9 GB

Feature: 56 GB

The source is in excellent shape; flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic. That said, during the opening credits, grain looks heavier than it does for the rest of the film.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio sounds excellent; dialogue comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include script galleries; dialogue continuity (25 images) and screenplay (61 images), an image gallery (59 images - stills /posters), Australian theatrical trailer #1 (2 minutes 53 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), Australian theatrical trailer #2 (1 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), U.S. theatrical trailer under the title Dark forces (1 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an isolated score track, an interview titled Destruction from Down Under with writer Kim Newman, who revisits the Australian genre film boom of the 1970s and 1980s (15 minutes 53 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), appreciation by film historian Stephen Morgan titled More Than Magic (15 minutes 34 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival audio interview with production designer Bernard Hides, conducted on the set of Harlequin (34 minutes 49 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an archival audio interview with associate producer Jane Scott, conducted on the set of Harlequin (51 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an archival audio interview with director Simon Wincer, conducted on the set of Harlequin (75 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an archival interview from the TV show The Banzura Project with screenwriter Everett De Roche (5 minutes 29 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview from the TV show Clapperboard with actors David Hemmings and Robert Powell (6 minutes 1 second, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), ‘Not Quite Hollywood’ interviews: Simon Wincer (20 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), producer Antony I Ginnane (21 minutes 23 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Everett De Roche (3 minutes 1 second, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles) and actor Gus Mercurio (5 minutes 36 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival audio commentary with Simon Wincer and Antony I Ginnane, and an 80-page book with cast & crew information, an essay titled Not quite Australia written by Julian Upton, extracts from producer Antony I Ginnane’s unpublished memoirs titled Memories of Harlequin, an archival interview with Ginnane conducted by Peter Beilby and Scott Murray, and information about the restoration.

Summary:

Simon Wincer directed Harlequin. He’s known for Snapshot, Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man, and The Phantom. Harlequin was released in the U.S. under the alternate title Dark Forces.

A mysterious man with magical healing powers cures a senator’s son of cancer. Skeptical of the man’s abilities, the senator's advisors and the doctor who treated his son insist that the healer is merely a conman.

At the core of Harlequin is a tale about a Rasputin-like character named Gregory whose origins and source of his magical powers are never fully revealed. One could also assume that Gregory is a devil-like character in the way that he pushes everyone he comes in contact with over the edge. At first his special gift is embraced by those who come in contact with him. The tide turns as he gains more power over those close to him. His spiritual hold over his devotees does not sit well with the nonbelievers, who take action and eliminate him before his hold is too strong. The magic that Gregory uses can be interpreted as a reflection of the manipulation often found in politics. This concept is subtly referenced in a scene near the conclusion. When Gregory tries to show Senator Rast the truth, he refuses to acknowledge it. That said, an open-ended finale is an appropriate coda for the film.

The most surprising aspect of Harlequin is the performances, especially Robert Powell’s (The Survivor) portrayal of the enigmatic Gregory Wolfe. The strength of his performance relies on how it is never fully revealed if his character is benevolent or has sinister motives. Gregory Wolfe is a chameleon character that’s hard to pin down, and he delivers a tour de force performance that stands out as his best. Child performances often fall short; however, Mark Spain, portraying the senator’s son cured by Gregory Wolfe, delivers an effective performance that complements Robert Powell’s portrayal. Other performances of note are David Hemmings (Deep Red) in the role of Senator Nick Rast and Carmen Duncan (Turkey Shoot), who portrays Rast’s attention-starved wife.

Illusions play a significant role in the story that unfolds. That said, although the special effects show their age, they work well within the framework of what's happening onscreen. The well-constructed narrative quickly draws you in and holds your attention; pacing is never an issue, as there is rarely a moment to catch your breath. Another area where Harlequin excels is Brian May’s (Mad Max) exemplary score, which does a phenomenal job heightening the mood. Ultimately, Harlequin is an excellent supernatural thriller that does a superb job blurring the line between what is real and what is an illusion.

Harlequin gets an excellent release from Powerhouse Films, highly recommended.

Note: This release is a limited edition of 10,000 numbered units (6,000 4K UHDs and 4,000 Blu-rays) for the UK and US.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer