Centrespread Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Centrespread Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov February 13, 2019

Tony Paterson's " Centrespread" (1981) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Australian label Umbrella Entertainment. The supplemental features on the disc include vintage trailers for the film; archival interview with Greg Lynch; vintage making of featurette; publicity materials; and more. In English, without optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Future art

Tony Paterson’s Centrespread is a prime example of the type of different films that I used to love discovering in my favorite local video store. There was an entire section dedicated to them where you could pick up anything from Albert Pyun’s Radioactive Dreams and Lance Mungia’s Six-String Samurai to Alejandro Jodorowsky’s El Topo and Luc Besson’s The Last Battle to Gregg Araki’s The Doom Generation and even Juliusz Machulski’s Sexmission. The guys that ran the place were film buffs too, so they had correctly figured out that these films just could not coexist with the rest of the normal films in their store. I loved browsing the big VHS boxes and going home with an entire bag of films.

The plot of Centrespread apparently underwent some serious changes -- which are addressed by producer Greg Lynch in an interview that was conducted for the excellent documentary Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation! and parts of which are included on this release -- which essentially made it what it is now. Before these changes the idea was to emphasize the erotica and basically promote the film as softcore entertainment. (For the record, I dislike the term ‘softcore’ with a passion because it is incredibly misleading and frequently abused by ‘experts’ who like to throw it around as soon as they see a pair of naked bodies). So, all of the post-apocalyptic material and the interesting themes about the ‘progressive’ oppressive society emerged much later on.

When I saw the film a few nights ago, I felt that it actually uses most of the classic blueprint that made Michelangelo Antonioni’s Blow-Up an international phenomenon. Not intentionally, I don’t think so, but it does. Obviously, it would be incredibly foolish to compare Paterson to Antonioni and this isn’t what I am trying to do, but the basic concept behind their films is indeed very similar -- they are both hybrid projects that can be interpreted in different ways, and while using photography as a key element of their narratives they both produce different types of social commentaries. Of course, Paterson’s commentary is entirely manufactured and very limited in scope, but it has the same effect on his film’s identity that Antonioni’s commentary has on his. (It is not a coincidence that in Paterson’s film the photographer also undergoes a profound transformation and eventually begins to see the world around him from an entirely different angle).

The film is set in the future where talented photographer Gerard (Paul Trahair) does work for a prestigious magazine that is desperately looking for a fresh new face to bring it back to the top. The magazine specializes in future art, which is the only area where the ruling elite still allows creative people to excel -- they just have to do it while mixing sex and violence. While taking a break from testing new models, Gerard accidentally meets Niki (Kylie Foster), a beautiful girl from a lower social group who works in an antiques shop, and convinces her to go out with him on a date. Then, after Gerard takes some pictures of her, the two fall madly in love, and later on Niki shows him how to appreciate life in an entirely new way. But the new experiences affect the rhythm of Gerard’s work and he is promptly transferred to a lower social group.

This is the only film that Paterson directed and it is a shame because it has quite an atmosphere and some very chic visuals. For example, the desert sequence where the girl is supposedly ‘raped’ while Gerard is creating art for the magazine looks like a twisted dream that would pop in one of Brian De Palma’s more outrageous films. It is great. Also, there is some very atmospheric original music that John Sharp composed for the Centrespread and Power themes, which make multiple appearances throughout the film.

Centrespread Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Tony Paterson's Centrespread arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Umbrella Entertainment.

This film has been remastered, but I don't have any detailed information to share in our review. All I can say is that what is on this disc does not come from some very old master that was created during the early days of the DVD era. Frankly, excluding a couple of tiny white specks, I think that the film looks gorgeous in high-definition. There is some room for small encoding optimizations, but clarity, depth, and fluidity are very good. The color grading is excellent as well. The best news is that there are no traces of digital tinkering, so from start to finish the film has a very solid and very pleasing organic appearance. It was quite a treat to see it on Blu-ray. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

Centrespread Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are not provided for the main feature.

The excellent audio track proves that the film was in fact remastered. The audio is very clean, stable, and lacking any of the age-related anomalies that are frequently found on very old masters. Also, the music has a very important role in the film and I am happy to report that the lossless track features plenty of lovely dynamic nuances.

Centrespread Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

NOTE: All of the supplemental features on this Blu-ray release are perfectly playable on North American Blu-ray players, including the PS3.

• Trailer One - remastered trailer for Centrespread. In English, not subtitled. (3 min, 720p).

• Trailer Two - a vintage unrestored trailer for Centrespread. In English, not subtitled. (3 min, 720p).

• Interview with Greg Lynch - presented here are extracts from a long interview with producer Greg Lynch that was conducted for Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation!. The comments address the production history of Centrespread, some of the drama that its producers had to overcome after feminists criticized the search for female stars, the film's themes and reception, etc. In English, not subtitled. (7 min, 720p).

• Behind the Centrespread - a wonderful archival featurette that examines the production history and public image of Centrespread. Included in it are plenty of clips from interviews with the girls that auditioned for director Tony Paterson, producer Wayne Groom, star Paul Trahair, etc. In English, not subtitled. (48 min, 720p).

• Alternate UK Cut - a different, more explicit cut of the film, source from an analog master, likely used for a VHS release of the film. 1.33:1. Upscaled. (74 min, 720p).

• Image Gallery - a collection of vintage promotional materials for the film -- VHS covers, production stills, negative trims, magazine articles, etc. (6 min, 720p).

• Cover - reversible cover.

Centrespread Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Centrespread is one of the best discoveries that I have made on Blu-ray. I am unsure how I missed it over the years because it is exactly the type of different film that I should have discovered during the VHS era, but somehow I did. It is the one and only film that Tony Paterson, who edited Mad Max, did in the early '80s, and it is lensed by Geoffrey Simpson, who recently worked with Julia Leigh on Sleeping Beauty. Umbrella Entertainment has been digging deep to bring many of these rare, forgotten, and unseen by a lot of people Aussie gems to Blu-ray, and I hope it does not stop. I absolutely love what this label is doing at the moment. (Centrespread is included in this release, together with John Lamond's Felicity). HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.