Bran Nue Dae (2009)

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General		Extras
Category	Musical	Featurette-The Story of Bran Nue Dae Interviews-Cast & Crew Storyboard Comparisons Trailer
Rating
Year Of Production	2009
Running Time	81:25
RSDL / Flipper	RSDL (61:14)	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Ads Then Menu
Region Coding	4	Directed By	Rachel Perkins
Studio Distributor	Maytan Films Roadshow Home Entertainment	Starring	Geoffrey Rush Magda Szubanski Ernie Dingo Dan Sultan Tom Budge Deborah Mailman 'Missy' Higgins Jessica Mauboy Ningali Lawford Rocky McKenzie Ferdy Richard Mauboy
Case	?
RPI	$39.95	Music	Cezary Skubiszewski

Video		Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame	None	English Dolby Digital 5.1 (448Kb/s) English Dolby Digital 2.0 (224Kb/s) English Descriptive Audio Dolby Digital 2.0 mono (192Kb/s)
Widescreen Aspect Ratio	2.35:1
16x9 Enhancement
Video Format	576i (PAL)
Original Aspect Ratio	2.35:1	Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures	No
Subtitles	English Descriptive Audio	Smoking	No
		Annoying Product Placement	No
		Action In or After Credits	No

     Broome 1969. Single mother Theresa (Ningali Lawford) has worked hard to allow her son Willie (Rocky McKenzie) to study to become a priest in a college in Perth run by Father Benedictus (Geoffrey Rush). Willie, however, has doubts about entering the priesthood, not least because he has a crush on Rosie (Jessica Maulboy). When things come to a head, he runs away from the college and meets up with Uncle Tadpole (Ernie Dingo), another Broome local trying to get home. They trick a pair of hippies in a brightly painted Kombie Van, Slippery (Tom Budge) and Annie (’Missy’ Higgins), into giving them a ride to Broome. On the way they encounter a busty shopkeeper with a gun, the police and an amorous Kimberly woman, all with Father Benedictus hot on their trail. On arrival in Broome, there are surprising revelations for most of the characters. And, of course, a happy ending.

     Bran Nue Dae started life as a musical stage play in the 1990s developed by Broome local Jimmy Chi and some of these origins are still apparent in, for example, the song and dance numbers staged in the pub. Some of the acting is raw and the delivery of lines static, contrasted by Geoffrey Rush who is rather the opposite and over the top. However, the film is highlighted by a wonderful, natural performance by Ernie Dingo, who also provides a good singing voice. The music ranges from forgettable, to good, with perhaps Long Way Away From My Country and Listen to the News the standouts, but it also ranges some distance from Broome by including Zorba’s Dance and Six White Boomers! It also certainly opens out during the journey in the Kombie through the outback and overall the film is a good, fun ride.

     Bran Nue Dae is a good, clean fun ride that, at 81 minutes, does not outstay its welcome. It is funny in places, and moving; and although some of the acting is wooden, and the song and dance numbers nothing too slick or special, it has a heart that is as big as the outback and in Listen to the News a well staged lament for the country that is poignant and moving.

Video

     There was some concern that Bran Nue Dae would not be presented in the correct aspect ratio as the Blu-ray wsas cropped to 1.78:1. I can report that by measurement the DVD is presented in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, the original theatrical ratio, and is 16x9 enhanced.

     This is a good print. Colours are enhanced for effect and are positively luminous, with blues, reds and yellows leaping from the screen. Such is the vibrancy that there is some colour bleed, but otherwise everything is fine. Blacks and shadow detail are excellent, brightness, contrast and skin tones natural within the enhanced colour scheme. There is occasional grain, but I did not notice any film or video artefacts.

     Lip synchronisation is fine.

     Descriptive subtitles for the hearing impaired are in a clear white font and seem to follow the dialogue well, including subtitling the songs.

     The layer change at 61:14 resulted in a slight pause on my equipment.

Video Ratings Summary

Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

     Audio is a choice between English Dolby Digital 5.1 at 448 Kbps, English Dolby Digital 2.0 at 224 Kbps and English Dolby Digital 2.0 audio description from the hearing impaired at 192 Kbps. The 5.1 will not blow the windows out but does the job. Dialogue is sometimes indistinct – the songs and Geoffrey Rush’s accent being the most effected – but the subtitles are there so you can check what is being said. Otherwise, music and effects occur naturally in the front and surround speakers and the sub woofer provides support when needed.

     The original music by Cezary Skubiszewski was effective in supporting the songs and action.

     I did sample the audio description and it seemed to give a good account of the on-screen action.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

     The disc opens with forced trailers for Bright Star, Love Happens and The Rebound totalling 6:51 that have to be individually skipped; a revision to the days of VHS tapes!

The Story of Bran Nue Dae (24:17)

     This is an excellent featurette dealing not with the film (although there is some good behind the scenes footage) but with the history and development of the songs and the stage play of Bran Nue Dae, the rehearsals and staging of the play and adapting the play for the screen. It includes some great archival footage and a whole range of interviews with Jimmy Chi (who was the creator of the music and the play), Kuckles Band Members Garry Gower, Michael Manolos and Stephen Pigram, Aboriginal elders Roy Wiggin and Jimmy Edgar plus, from the film, director Rachel Perkins and producers Robyn Kershaw and Graeme Isaac. One of many highlights is when Father Luemenn, the former head of the Pallottine Training Centre and the man on whom Geoffrey Rush's character was based, is asked if he felt he was too tough on the boys. Watch it to find out the answer!

Bran Nue Day Making of Interviews (32:16)

     Interviews with cast and crew, although most are light weight and not all that interesting. Perhaps the best are Deborah Mailman, Rachel Perkins and Stephen Page, and there is also some good behind the scenes footage. The sections are:

• Rosie – Jessica Maulboy (2:59)
• Willie – Rocky McKenzie (2:57)
• Roxanne – Deborah Mailman (3:09)
• Uncle Tadpole – Ernie Dingo (2:55)
• Listen to the News (2:37)
• Nothing I Would Rather Be (3:03)
• Producers’ Attachments (Taryne Laffar & Irma Woods) (2:45)
• Kimberley West (Editing Assistant) & Terrence Jack (Art Department Assistant) (3:03)
• Arnhem Hunter (Lighting) & Devina McPherson (Camera Attachment) (2:48)
• Rachel Perkins (Director) (2:54)
• Stephen Page (Choreographer) (3:08)

Film To Storyboard Comparison (5:32)

     The sequences are:

• Beach Fishing (0:14)
• Kombie Runs Down Tadpole (1:20)
• Interior Sun Pictures (1:54)
• Light A Light (1:25)
• Clontarf Arrival Night (0:39)

     There is no release of Bran Nue Dae outside of Region 4 at present.

     Bran Nue Dae is good, clean fun. It is funny in places, and moving; and although some of the acting is wooden, and the song and dance numbers nothing too slick or special, it has a heart that is as big as the outback and in Listen to the News a well staged lament for country that is poignant and moving. The video and audio are very good, and there is a good range of extras, with The Story of Bran Nue Dae an excellent featurette that is both informative and entertaining.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall