7 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
As she comes of age in 19th-century Australia, the beautiful and headstrong Sybylla Melvyn stuns her family and friends by deciding to become a writer despite the restrictive Victorian environment in which they live. To pursue her ambitious dream, she rejects an enticing proposal from a handsome, wealthy, and persistent suitor, fearing the match might stifle her creativity.
Starring: Judy Davis, Sam Neill, Robert Grubb, Julia Blake, David Franklin (I)Drama | 100% |
Romance | 36% |
Coming of age | 2% |
Period | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1
English: Dolby Digital 5.1 EX
English: Dolby Digital Mono
English SDH, French, Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Here's the story of my brilliant career.
There's nothing quite like a well-made coming-of-age period film. The grandeur of the manmade
locales, the natural countryside wonders often surrounding them, and a diverse collection of
characters all modeling beautifully-realized costumes make for scene-chewing imagery at every
turn and often captivating glimpses into life, traditions, and mannerisms of an era long
since faded into the dusty pages of history. My Brilliant Career -- a 1979 Australian
picture, winner of a plethora of awards, and a 1981 Oscar nominee for Best Costume Design --
follows
the formula of a young woman in constant battle with the set ways of her world, but the film
reinforces its themes not through the veil of an aristocratic, stuffy setting but rather in the midst
of the dusty Australian Outback. Its protagonist eschews not only the sweeping
traditions meant to give purpose to her life but in reality only allow it to waste away, but she
rejects the very notion of true love that is often the catalyst for women in such stories to seek a
better life defined by freedom of choice rather than convenient or arranged couplings. In a way,
My Brilliant Career is itself a rebel amongst its peers, a film that features a superficially
similar story and structure but deeper under the veil appears a picture at odds with the very
notion of true love that defines most others of its kind.
Wastin' away again in Caddagat-a-ville.
My Brilliant Career features another quality 1080p transfer from Blue Underground. Framed at 1.78:1, My Brilliant Career will likely disappoint viewers that disdain copious amounts of grain; several scenes are swirling in a heavy field that lend to the image a raw appearance, though through the majority of the picture it diminishes greatly, revealing a practically clear and crisp high definition image. Detail is rich and handsome throughout. What's on display here is not as pristine as what might be expected of a new release fresh from the local multiplex and a budget in the hundreds of millions of dollars, but the Australian Outback as seen in My Brilliant Career sports a nice collection of images; the dusty and dirt-laden plains, wooden and weathered fence posts and planks, tall grasses around Caddagat, straw hats, and other niceties allow the transfer to come to sparkling life. Colors are stable and nicely rendered throughout, but blacks tend to devour everything in their path. The image is generally sharp with only a few shots going the slightest bit soft. Flesh tones appear nicely preserved, and aside from a few errant speckles scattered about the film, My Brilliant Career makes for a nice, if not slightly rough-around-the-edges, 1080p experience of a classic 30-year-old film.
My Brilliant Career arrives on Blu-ray with a DTS-HD MA 7.1 lossless soundtrack. This isn't exactly the sort of movie that's going to dazzle listeners with a full array of surround and subwoofer activity, but the 7.1 track is a nice touch and does make for a more active and pleasant experience than would a one- or two-channel presentation which would have suited the material just fine. The lossless mix does do a fine job of immersing the listener in several scenes throughout; whether heavy blowing winds or the soft, inviting keystrokes of a piano flowing through the soundstage (even if it is focused up the middle), the track does all it can to open up the film and invite listeners to soak up plenty of nuanced niceties that add to the atmosphere of the film. Elsewhere, the subtle yet pleasant sounds of chirping birds, trotting horses, and a gently flowing stream lend a relaxing tone to the film and are nicely realized on Blu-ray. Nevertheless, My Brilliant Career is a dialogue-driven picture at its core, and save for a few words and phrases that might not immediately stand out under thick accents or in the context of local colloquialisms, the spoken word is generally clear and intelligible throughout. All said, My Brilliant Career covers all the sonic bases and makes for a pleasing listen considering the general feel of the picture.
My Brilliant Career scripts several extras, the collection headlined by a commentary track with Director Gillian Armstrong. She covers a wide array of topics, including the low budget, the state of Australian filmmaking at the time of production, Judy Davis' performance and casting, shooting locations, adapting the script from the Miles Franklin novel of the same name, production design and shooting techniques, and much more. Interview with Director Gillian Armstrong (480p, 8:15) and Interview with Producer Margaret Fink (480p, 8:31) feature the cast members briefly recalling their experiences in working on the film and their thoughts on the story and its themes. Cannes Film Festival Premiere Featuring Star Judy Davis, Director Gillian Armstrong, and Producer Margaret Fink (480p, 2:21) is a vintage piece that briefly looks at the film's importance as an Australian finalist for the Palme d'Or and contains brief interview clips with the star, director, and producer. The Miles Franklin Story (480p, 4:04) provides a brief history of the author whose story influenced the film. Also included is the film's U.S. and Australian trailers (480p, 1:45 & 3:00, respectively).
A different and superior take on a timeless story of rebellion against tradition, My Brilliant Career marks not only a milestone in Australian cinema and a wonderfully realized film that captures the very essence of what it means to reject set ways in favor of one's own pursuits, but it also represents Actress Judy Davis' breakthrough picture that would place her on a path that would indeed lead her to her own brilliant career as a praised and noted actress. This Blue Underground release is certainly not of the same style as the studio's traditional Horror output, but the same quality found in their previous Blu-ray releases is also evident here. My Brilliant Career features a strong technical presentation and a decent assortment of extras. Though not a film for all tastes, particularly those that are generally in-line with the typical Blue Underground release, My Brilliant Career nevertheless comes recommended.
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