7.1 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Asta Cadell, a lawyer traveling through the Australian Outback on holiday, stops in a small Western Australian town after her motorcycle breaks down and shacks up with Tim Curtis, the local mechanic, while fixing it. She then becomes involved in helping Curtis' teenage daughter, Lizzie, who has been recently date-raped by Danny Fiske, the son of a wealthy, well-known citizen and his gang. Asta persuades Lizzie to press charges against Danny, but the local population becomes determined to keep the incident a secret at any cost and soon Asta and the Curtis family's lives are in danger.
Starring: Deborra-Lee Furness, Tony Barry, Simone Buchanan, Gillian Jones, Peter AanensenForeign | 100% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.84:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
1988’s “Shame” has the vague appearance of an exploitation film, taking on the subject of sexual assault and the ways of fighting back, with its setting a rural Australian town filled with angry men. It’s the stuff of B-movies, but the screenplay by Beverly Blankenship and Michael Brindley doesn’t go in any grotesquely voyeuristic direction, electing to approach the topic of physical and psychological horror in a softer manner, getting to understand a situation of fear instead of celebrating it. It’s a unique approach, and while the endeavor slightly veers into unwelcome broadness at times, “Shame” retains a decent sense of fury, with star Deborra Lee-Furnace delivering strong work as a sharp woman suddenly in the middle of a male behavior mess in the middle of nowhere. Bottom-shelf cinema training has one expecting guns and gore, but director Steve Jodrell doesn’t take the bait, crafting a more sensitive understanding of corrupt power plays and intimidation, hoping to reach viewers instead of battering them.
The AVC encoded image (1.84:1 aspect ratio) presentation does well with colors, with brightly lit locations bringing out blue skies and distinct greenery. Clothing choices offer primary power, along with interior decoration and mood lighting. Hair color is also memorable. Detail is softer, with a limited sense of skin particulars and costume textures. Distances are acceptable as the story moves around the rural community. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain looks processed and noisy, lacking a natural appearance. Source is in decent condition, with a few brief displays of wear and tear.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix presents a simple understanding of sound elements, leading with dialogue exchanges, which remain clear and dramatic. Argumentative behavior is comfortable as well. Scoring favors plenty of piano tinkling, and instrumentation is defined, supporting mournful moods. More excitable music selections are also capable. Atmospherics are basic but appreciable.
"Shame" does well with restraint. We don't see the assaults, just the aftermath of one, creating a more uneasy feeling of personal pain, which carries to the endeavor's unexpectedly bleak conclusion. Climatic chases and aggression is added to the mix, but the writing does better with more human actions, as Asta isn't a superhero, but an educated, confident woman (Furness superbly captures such authority), becoming a force for good in Ginborak as others respond to her presence. "Shame" covers the process of denial ("these things happen" states a mother to Lizzie), and while the picture teases a soap opera tone, Jodrell keeps the movie upright and authentic when it comes to profound feelings of confusion, submission, and inspiration.
Storia di una monaca di clausura
1973
La vera storia della monaca di Monza
1980
Cristiana monaca indemoniata
1972
Tore Tanzt / Tipota kako de tha symvei / Rising
2013
Hēi tài yáng 731 wán jié piān sǐ wáng liè chē / 黑太陽731完結篇:死亡列車
1994
La Casa Sin Fronteras
1972
Immagini di un convento
1979
Die Erben
1983
I ragazzi del massacro
1969
檻の中の妖精 / Ori no naka no yôsei
1977
1975
Emmanuelle Exposed / Las orgías inconfesables de Emmanuelle
1982
La ragazza del vagone letto
1980
Violent Fire / 実録・安藤昇侠道伝 烈火
2002
Verano Salvaje
1980
La via della prostituzione
1978
Naked Massacre / Die Hinrichtung
1976
Vizi privati, pubbliche virtù
1976
La muerte silba un blues
1964
Le journal intime d'une nymphomane / Kino Cult #4
1973