Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

Restless Natives Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov July 14, 2021

Michael Hoffman's "Restless Natives" (1985) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of StudioCanal. The supplemental features on the disc include exclusive audio commentary recorded by Michael Hoffman, screenwriter Ninian Dunnett and co-producer Andy Paterson; new interviews; vintage trailer for the film; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

The desperados

If in 1985 someone had screened Restless Natives to me without its opening credits and asked me to guess the nationality of its director, I would have instantly replied Scottish. In fact, I would have speculated that Bill Forsyth had in some way contributed to it as well, because its personality and especially sense of humor are practically identical to those of his films. You think I am exaggerating? Find the time to see That Sinking Feeling and Gregory's Girl and I guarantee you will come to the same conclusion. Restless Natives has genuine Scottish genes, and it is awfully difficult to believe that Forsyth did not have anything to do with it.

Or perhaps Forsyth did have something to do with it.

I don’t know what the real story behind the production of Restless Natives is -- and I mean the real story, not the one that you will get from interviews and programs that were done decades after the film’s premiere -- but perhaps Michael Hoffman did come to Scotland to copy Forsyth’s style with it. This isn’t a crazy scenario because you can’t replicate Forsyth’s style in a film that is being shot outside of Scotland. Simply put, it won’t work because there is an intimate relationship between the two that has to materialize in a very organic way. But was this truly Hoffman’s intent when he left America? And if it was, why would he make such a decision? How does it help his career?

This recent release of Restless Natives features an audio commentary that Hoffman recorded with screenwriter Ninian Dunnett and co-producer Andy Paterson that offers an enormous amount of technical information addressing the production process and stylistic appearance of the film. But it does not reveal much that addresses Hoffman’s thought-process before the production process, which could have clarified to what extent Forsyth and his work had influenced him. Why is this important? Because it would have explained why the film has such a distinct Forsyth-esque identity, and why at the same time it isn’t a shameless copycat.

Predictably, the main characters, Ronnie (Joe Mullaney) and Will (Vincent Friell), have typical Forsythe-esque qualities. They are both classic Scottish outcasts that decide to redirect their lives by becoming professional robbers without actually knowing much about the ‘business’. While wearing cheap rubber masks -- one is a clown, the other a wolfman -- and riding a beat-up scooter, the two hit the Scottish Highlands and have a number of hilarious experiences that quickly transform them into a major tourist attraction. However, at the height of their fame and glory they cross paths with an ambitious CIA agent (Ned Beatty) who vows to put them behind bars, as well as a beautiful and emotionally available bus attendant (Teri Lally) who unexpectedly finds one of them irresistibly attractive.

The entire film is very light and sells an image of Scotland that is impossible not to admire. This is the most obvious clue that it may not have been shot by a Scottish director. Indeed, there are certain parts of it that try too hard to emphasize beauty in a way that would resonate with a tourist looking to book a trip to the next perfect destination. The camera of a Scottish director would not have missed a chance to see the country from the best angle as well, but it would not have emphasized its beauty as much. It would have done it casually, very possibly even reluctantly.

The soundtrack features original music by the late Scottish rocker Stuart Adamson and his band Big Country.

Restless Natives 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, Restless Natives arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of StudioCanal.

The film has been fully restored and looks fantastic in high-definition. (For the record, there seems to be some confusing information about the exact type of work that was done as both 4K and 2K have been mentioned to us, but this is largely irrelevant because the end product is terrific. If I had to guess, I would say that it is likely a 2K master). On my system, delineation, clarity, and depth were enormously impressive. There were a few darker areas where I felt that some shadow nuances can be slightly more convincing, but I have a gut-feeling that the downscaling to 1080p is most likely introducing flattening that is entirely lost in native resolution. If the restored master was finalized in 4K, then the entire film is guaranteed to look stunning in native 4K. The same will be true if the master was finalized in 2K as well. The grading job is wonderful as well. The primaries are solid and look very organic, while the existing ranges of supporting nuances are wonderfully balanced. In darker areas, I did not notice any distracting crushing either. There are no traces of problematic digital corrections. Image stability is excellent. Also, this master has one of the best density levels that I have seen used for recent StudioCanal releases. Fantastic presentation. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Restless Natives Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The lossless audio is great. The film uses plenty of music to enhance its atmosphere and on my system it sounded terrific. Clarity, sharpness, and the fullness of the audio really could not be any better, which tells me that when the current master was prepared someone was in fact paying very close attention to ensure top quality. The dialog was crystal-clear and very easy to follow. There are no encoding anomalies to report in our review.

Restless Natives Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary - in this audio commentary, director Michael Hoffman recorded with screenwriter Ninian Dunnett and co-producer Andy Paterson recall how and where key sequences of Restless Natives were shot, and discuss its stylistic appearance, sense of humor, character relationships, etc.

• A Restless Retrospective: Creating a Caledonian Classic - this new program focuses on the production history and success of Restless Natives. Included in it are clips from interviews with director Michael Hoffman, screenwriter Ninian Dunnett, co-producer Andy Paterson, and actor Vincent Friell (Will), amongst others. In English, not subtitled. (41 min).

• Soundtrack for a Not-So-Big Country: The Music of Restless Natives - this new program Bruce Watson (Big Country), Michael Hoffman, and Andy Paterson discuss the creation of the original soundtrack for Restless Natives. In English, not subtitled. (16 min).

• Stills Gallery - a collection of behind the scenes stills. (1 min).

• Trailer - a vintage trailer for Restless Natives. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

Restless Natives Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Restless Natives might be the best European release to reach my desk this year. The film, which somehow I missed over the years, is an absolute gem, while the new restoration that was prepared for it is a genuine stunner. I am unsure if Michael Hoffman was trying to imitate Bill Forsyth's style, but in the grand scheme of things it does not really matter because he shot a very special film that is virtually impossible to dislike. Consider including this release in your next European order, folks. I guarantee you will be thrilled to have it in your library. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.