Waking Life (Linklater) - Arrow

[Oscar Rothman]

Waking Life Blu-ray PRE-ORDER



NEW UK ONLY TITLE: Waking Life (Arrow Video) Dual Format

An extraordinary thought-provoking trip, quite unlike anything before or since.

Release Date: 14th March
Region: B

DREAM IS DESTINY

In 2001 writer-director Richard Linklater released a spiritual sequel to his acclaimed early features Slacker and Before Sunset. Taking its cue from their walk-and-talk stream of consciousness, Waking Life enquired into the relationship between dreams and the big screen, and how cinema captures the phantasy state.

Aiding Linklater’s exploration were two major players: actor Wiley Wiggins (Dazed and Confused, Computer Chess), who acts as our guide through the dreamscape, and animator Bob Sabiston, who created the appropriately disassociated, floating rotoscoped visuals. He and Linklater would later collaborate again on A Scanner Darkly to equally stunning effect.

Featuring Adam Goldberg, Nicky Katt, Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke (reprising their Jesse and Céline characters from Before Sunset) and director Steven Soderbergh, Waking Life is an extraordinary thought-provoking trip, quite unlike anything before or since.

SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

•High definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations
•Original 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
•Optional subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
•Commentary by writer-director Richard Linklater, art director Bob Sabiston, actor Wiley Wiggins and producer Tommy Pallotta
•Commentary by the 25-strong animation team
•A selection of Bob Sabiston’s short films, including The Trees (1991), Project Incognito (1997), Snack and Drink (1999), Figures of Speech (1999), Grasshopper (2003), Ryan’s Capitol Tour (2006) and The Even More Fun Trip (2007)
•Original ‘making of’ featurette including interviews with Linklater, Sabiston and Pallotta
•Animation tutorial with Sabiston
•Deleted and alternative animation sequences
•Pre-animation live action footage captured on Mini DV
•Trivia subtitle track written by Linklater
•Theatrical trailer

The first pressing also includes a booklet containing new writing on the film by critic David Jenkins and a guide to Bob Sabiston’s short films

[rapta]

Got to say I didn't see this one coming. MoC maybe, but not Arrow. Glad to see they heard my request! I've been suggesting this for a few years now, and glad to see they agree with me. Probably my favourite Linklater film. Would've been better paired with Slacker, but you can't have everything.

Can't wait!

[rossbirks]

YES! All in for this. Slacker would hugely benefit from the Arrow treatment though I can't see how they'd top Criterion in regards to extras. Unless they struck a deal to share some of them which probably will never happen. But anyway, Waking Life - great news!

[Foggy]

Day one. That's one film from my wishlist strikes off.

[RazorwireRyan]

HOLY SHIT YES. One of my favourite filmmakers, this is incredible news.

[shadedpain4]

Hope the UK only bit means that Criterion week be including this on their eventual Before Trilogy set.

I already have this on blu, but I'll gladly get it again for all those features.

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

Hope the UK only bit means that Criterion week be including this on their eventual Before Trilogy set.

I already have this on blu, but I'll gladly get it again for all those features.

I wouldn't imagine it would be put on as an extra, it would receive it's own release. 20th Century Fox own the rights for Waking Life, while the Before series is owned by a number of different company's. I think the first one is owned by Warner and the other two by Sony (which strikes a UK release of the films from a label.)

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by Foggy

I wouldn't imagine it would be put on as an extra, it would receive it's own release. 20th Century Fox own the rights for Waking Life, while the Before series is owned by a number of different company's. I think the first one is owned by Warner and the other two by Sony (which strikes a UK release of the films from a label.)

But the before trilogy would be incomplete without it!

[dvdmike]

Neat, in for that

[Vidya]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

I already have this on blu, but I'll gladly get it again for all those features.

Same here. I'm confident we'll see at least a marginal upgrade here as the German release, while good, isn't particularly technically robust.

[Mr Kite]

I am intrigued by this. Never seen it but it looks like it could be something I would enjoy.

[rapta]

Originally Posted by MichaelB

I haven't seen it either, but I've yet to see a Linklater film that didn't impress me (I've been watching School of Rock a fair bit with my ten-year-old daughter recently).

Agreed, but there are still a handful I've not see yet - SubUrbia, The Newton Boys, Tape, and Fast Food Nation. I've seen bits and pieces of his Bad News Bears remake, but wasn't hugely familiar with the original so couldn't really get to grips with it.

I watched Me and Orson Welles for the first time just last week and quite enjoyed it! Bernie was one of my favourites of 2012, and criminally took an entire year to make it to UK cinemas.

I feel like his extreme success with Boyhood was a long time coming - Dazed and Confused, School of Rock and the Before films deserved to have been just as popular.

[Vidya]

It is quite pretentious but it's full of interesting ideas and I'm certain it'll make you want to try to do some lucid dreaming.

[RazorwireRyan]

I can't decide it Tape is a masterpiece or a train wreck.

Waking Life is one of his only films I haven't seen, this is the perfect way to do it. That we might not get a Before trilogy set is criminal, but at this point I just want the first two in HD already.

[nitin]

Tape is really good. On the other hand, I cant stand this film so take that for what it's worth

[Foggy]

It's like most of Linklater's art house stuff, you only get back what work you're willing to put into it*. If Boyhood struck you as a bore or the Before series seems like just two people chatting, you're probably not going to enjoy this one. It's a tough sell, but even if you don't enjoy it, it'll leave an impression at least.

*that's not saying those who don't like it, don't get it. It's not one everyone's going to like, but for those who haven't seen it and manage to engage with it, they'll get a lot out of it.

[Mr. Thomsen]

Ha! Had this confused with A Scanner Darkly, which I like very much, so my arms were shortly up in a 'YES!' posture.

I must admit, I have never seen Waking Life, even though I believe I have the DVD somewhere in my collection. Maybe I should dig it out.

[RazorwireRyan]

Originally Posted by Foggy

It's like most of Linklater's art house stuff, you only get back what work you're willing to put into it*. If Boyhood struck you as a bore or the Before series seems like just two people chatting, you're probably not going to enjoy this one. It's a tough sell, but even if you don't enjoy it, it'll leave an impression at least.

*that's not saying those who don't like it, don't get it. It's not one everyone's going to like, but for those who haven't seen it and manage to engage with it, they'll get a lot out of it.

Perfect way to put it.

[hawkangel]

I really hope A Scanner Darkly is next from Arrow.

[rapta]

Originally Posted by hawkangel

I really hope A Scanner Darkly is next from Arrow.

Unfortunately it's a Warner Bros title so that's basically impossible. Fortunately they already released it on Blu-ray...but it's OOP in the UK:



I managed to get a copy on eBay a year or so ago so keep your eyes peeled! Nothing that special though, hasn't been remastered or anything and I think it's bare-bones. Might be able to get an imported copy if you're suddenly desperate!