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starring: Richard Chamberlain, Olivia Hamnett, David Gulpilil, Frederick Parslow, Vivean Gray directed by: Peter Weir Binding: VHS Tape EAN: 9780780024779 Format: Color, Letterboxed, Original recording remastered, Widescreen, NTSC ISBN: 078002477X Label: Home Vision Manufacturer: Home Vision Number Of Items: 1 Publisher: Home Vision Release Date: November 13, 2001 Running Time: 106 minutes Sales Rank: 41663 Studio: Home Vision Theatrical Release Date: 1979-01 Related Items:
Editorial Review: Description: Frogs, hail, and a deluge of rain fall from the sky immediately setting the tone for this highly atmospheric story from Australian director Peter Weir (Picnic at Hanging Rock, The Truman Show, Dead Poets Society). Contrasting a western perspective derived from science and facts with an aboriginal viewpoint of a universe beyond the grasp of conscious thought, the film stars Richard Chamberlain as lawyer, David Burton, who is compelled yet ill-equipped to defend a group of Aborigines accused of murdering one of their own. As the case wears on, something is awakened within Burton leading him on a journey to discover his true connection with the tribal prophecies and an aboriginal way of seeing. Amazon.com essential video: Nominally a supernatural thriller, Peter Weir's third feature resonates with the director's underlying fascination with the collision between the modern, rational world and the primordial mysteries of older belief systems. In The Last Wave, the keys to an enigmatic murder, as well as baffling disturbances in the weather, are gradually revealed to an Australian lawyer (Richard Chamberlain) within the shadowy, nomadic culture of aborigines living in and around Sydney who until now were presumed to be assimilated into its modern--and white--social fabric. In the process, Weir brings us toward an apocalyptic climax that is foreshadowed with a haunting series of events that cohere around water imagery, from an improbable drowning on dry land to downpours from cloudless skies, sudden hailstorms on the sere Australian land, and ghostly invasions of frogs. The film's power (as well as what skeptics might regard as its pretension) emanates from Weir's stately, deliberate pace. Violating most of the conventions of suspense, he unravels his mystery with an unsettling calm underscored by its sparse soundtrack, which replaces conventional orchestral cues with the low, brooding rattle and hum of the didgeridoo. Instead of sudden camera movements or quick cuts, Weir circles his subjects almost diffidently. The stillness of that approach only amplifies the mounting unease Chamberlain's character, David Burton, feels as he steps for the first time beyond the bland safety of his privileged life and into the mystical world of the native Australians. Taking on the defense of the aborigines suspected of murdering the drowned man through tribal magic, his own beliefs are tested by the suspects' evident, intuitive connections to nature. Chamberlain's Anglicized performance seems fussy and epicene, which only heightens the quiet intensity and watchful grace conveyed by the two aborigines, Chris Lee (David Gulpilil) and the shaman, Charlie (Nandjiwarra Amagula), who give Burton his first glimpse of their culture's 'dreamtime' and the potent symbolism it contains. --Sam Sutherland Average Rating:
 Rating:  - Homeowner's Insurance Won't Cover ThisYou know the people in the movie are in for it when king-sized hailstones fall from a clear blue sky. In fact, the weather stays pretty bad throughout this atmospheric thriller, and only lawyer Chamberlain has the answer. But he's too much the European rationalist, I gather, to get in touch with that inner being that reveals itself through dreams. Hauntingly original mystery heavy on the metaphysics from director-writer Peter Weir. Already he had shown skill at flirting with other dimensions ... Read More Rating: - metaphysics on celluloidThe acting, cinematography and storyline are all 1st rate. The Aborigines pull Richard Chamberlain into their dark nonlinear primal world where dreams are still taken seriously. The very best (and perhaps most chilling) scene is when Chris, a young Aborigine, tells Chamberlain what dreams really are while they sit around the dining room table. I was riveted (sp) to my seat during the entire movie and will recommend this film to offbeat friends. Rating:  - Myth and mystery very thought provokingThis film is an old favorite of mine. This purchase was a gift for a friend. I would love to see some of the material expanded upon. So many areas were touched. One of the memorable moments for me was when the Aboriginal Shaman asked the question "Who are you?" with such intensity it began to shift the hero's perception of himself. Don't want to give any of this story away. It should be new and surprising to each viewer. Definitely held my attention. The cast was great. Rating: - "The Last Wave" - a thought-provoking mysteryThe Last Wave, set the the "Outback" of Australia, delivers not only a first class mystery tale, but effectively moves you into the intriguing realm Australian aboriginal spirituality. In this case, the theme involves cultures in conflict with the protagonist(played by Richard Chamberlain), a lawer and a "rational man", finding himself defending aboriginal Australians in a "Voo Doo Death" case. He gradually finds himself involved in a mystery that goes far beyond the trial of the accused. The deeper mystery ... Read More Rating: - The Last Wave"The Last Wave" is a hard movie for me to grade. I want to give it 3 stars, for the entertainment grade...But I don't think, what amounts to, a 'C' sums up the entertainment value. It's a movie that deserves 4 stars, not necessarily because it's a really good movie but because there are so many "really good" things about it. The movie is entertaining, but not massively. It's directed by Peter Weir, whose credits include The Truman Show, Master & Commander, and Picnic at Hanging Rock. I've seen the two formers ... Read More |
