Every now and then I check here to see if it became available. I just searched on an Australian on-line store and it seems it is being released down under this week. That doesn't do me much good, but maybe it will be released on zone 1 as well some time soon. If not, I guess I'll order it from Australia.
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death
It was just announced that the North American DVD release date is November 2, 2004.
shareI am looking forward to this. Good simple story and excellent acting. This is a DVD worth waiting for. Looks like there will be a commentary or two :)
shareJust got my copy from amazon.com today, where I'd placed an order months ago...commentary by Hugo Weaving and director Jocelyn Moorhouse; not many other features, but who needs 'em with a film this good? Now if only some of Hugo Weaving's other early, Australian film and TV work could be issued on DVD...
shareYes, my earliest recollection of Hugo Weaving was his depiction of English cricket captain Douglas Jardine in the mini-series 'Bodyline' made for Australian TV. It's probably for cricket fans only, but you should be able to get it on DVD.
I noticed in Weaving's bio he was pretty much inactive for a couple of years after that role. Jardine is such a reviled character in Australian history, maybe Weaving played the role a little too well?
Weaving has commented that the role did get him typecast as English cads for awhile, though he's obviously long since moved past that. Coincidentally I do have a copy of Bodyline (not official, I'm afraid, but an umpteeth-generation copy from a TV taping). I've only watched the first two hours thusfar, but they do seem to be taking time to give Jardine a backstory, not simply make him a cartoon villain. I should note I'm objective on the cricket rivalry issue; I'm an American and had to read up a bit on cricket to follow the miniseries...I don't find the film unintelligible for those who aren't cricket afficionadoes. It does tell a multilayered story beyond a simple recounting of a sporting event. Should probably comment further on the Bodyline board. :) Weaving didn't do a lot of film/TV work after Bodyline for a few years, but did keep busy with theatre work in Sydney.
shareI first saw Hugo in Bodyline on TV many years ago. He's a great actor and he's at his best playing the villian. I think he is by far Australia's finest actor. "Proof" and "The Interview" is Hugo at his best, must see films if you haven't already.
shareI don't know that I'd say he's at his BEST playing the villain, but he certainly brings a terrific combination of nuance and fascination to his villains. I agree Proof and The Interview are his greatest performances, but he's usually great in whatever he does. He never plays cardboard characters; his Douglas Jardine was deeply flawed but not the demon I'd expected from reviews and Australian revulsion at the historical figure. He's certainly more complex than the underwritten character of the Australian batsman who's supposed to be the hero in Bodyline. (I'm not commenting on the actual people, just the characters as portrayed in the miniseries.) And Martin in Proof undermines about every film stereotype about the Noble or Mystical Blind Man; he's manipulative, untrusting and at times cruel, but also deeply human and, in the end, sympathetic. And The Interview is a diabolical mindbender of a film that keeps you guessing about the degree of guilt or innocence of Weaving's character even after you've seen it several times.
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