If you haven’t seen Long Weekend – a true classic in Australian cinema – then this new Umbrella release is the way to go. One of the stereotypes of Australia as a country is that everything is out to kill you, and within Long Weekend, we see nature doing just that. Granted, the two main characters pretty much deserve it given how terrible they are. Visually, this film looks great on Blu-Ray, with the rolling waves of the ocean and the horrifying campsite that the two characters exist in getting shown in all their natural glory.
Once again, Umbrella has jam packed an Australian classic with some truly brilliant special features. Now, not to jump into hyperbole, but with the release of The Man From Hong Kong, Body Melt and Long Weekend on Bluray, with the level of special features that they have, it’s easy to call Umbrella the Criterion of the Southern Hemisphere. What works so well about the Long Weekend special features is that they encompass a solid amount of film history with the uncut Not Quite Hollywood interviews, the extremely informative commentary, and a rare audio interview with actor John Hargreaves.
However, if there’s one reason to purchase this disc, it’s the Nature Found Them Guilty: Examining Long Weekend special feature. This is a 25 minute discussion with film historians Lee Gambin, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Emma Westwood and Sally Christie – and really, I’m kinda disappointed this wasn’t a feature on the other discs. What works so well about this panel discussion is that it covers the history of Long Weekend in an analytical manner, covering the themes and concepts within the film, while also discussing the history of director Colin Eggleston and the legacy of John Hargreaves. The special features that include content from the filmmakers is always welcome, but this extra feature with a critical eye on the film shifts this release from a recommend buy to an essential purchase. Please Umbrella, include more of these panel discussions on future releases. Many thanks.
Director: Colin Eggleston
Cast: John Hargreaves, Briony Behets, Nature
Writer: Everett de Roche
Bluray Rating: Essential. Add this disc to your collection now.
Special Features:
Uncut Not Quite Hollywood Interviews with Everett De Roche, Briony Behets, and Vincent Monton
Nature Found Them Guilty: Examining “Long Weekend – Panel discussion with film historians Lee Gambin, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Emma Westwood and Sally Christie”
Audio commentary by Executive Producer Richard Brennan and Cinematographer Vincent Monton
Extensive stills gallery accompanied by an audio interview with actor John Hargeaves
Original Theatrical trailer (HD)
Purchase Long Weekend from Umbrella Entertainment here.
