28 March 2022

Review: The Proposition 4K UHD

4K UHD Blu-ray: The Proposition (2005)

Some films truly deserve a 4K UHD release, none more than Nick Cave and John Hillcoat’s 2005 film The Proposition. An Aussie Western of Shakespearean portent, based 1880s Australia, it tells the story of the Burns gang. Irish immigrant brothers Charlie (Guy Pearce), Mikey (Richard Wilson) and eldest brother Arthur Burns (Danny Huston), alongside the man set to catch them; Captain Morris Stanley (Ray Winstone).

After a shootout in a brothel, Stanley captures 14 year old Mikey and Charlie and tells them that he will have Mikey executed by Christmas ( 9 days away) unless Charlie finds and kills their brother Arthur for the rape, mutilation and murder of the Hopkins family.

We follow Charlie’s hurried journey to find the brother he left taking the youngest sibling with him. At the same time we are introduced to Captain Stanley and his wife Martha (Emily Watson), two families, appearing to be different while essentially the same.

I’m not a big fan of Winstone or Huston, but here they both give possibly the best performances of their careers. Huston as the somewhat ‘spiritual’ psychopath who can recite poetry then cut a man’s head off. He plays Arthur as a disassociated madman, dark eyes staring into the distance, probably not thinking of anything.

Winstone portrays Stanley as a man who’s seems to be fighting his true nature, risen in the ranks and is aware that his wife is several classes above him, he rebels against his own barbarism to be a gentleman to his wife as Watson’s Martha is a true lady in every sense, from her pristine clothes to her mannerisms, who is also aware of class, jokingly putting on a fake ‘Cockernee’ accent to appease her husband. But her tenderness towards him shows this is a love-match.

Along with David Wenham as Eden Fletcher (who is more or less in charge of the town and gives Stanley his job) and John Hurt as Jellon Lamb, the casting is superb. None more than Guy Pearce (Charlie) who has to make a choice – which brother does he save? Despite his contempt for his psychotic brother he does waver, as even though he appears to be the most ‘stable’ of the Burns brothers, he’s still a murderer and outlaw, and one that despite his poor origins still retains a sense of the importance of family.

Of course the other major character in this film is the location, literally in the middle of nowhere, Winton in Queensland. The heat along with the MILLIONS of flies gives this story an almost dream-like edge to it.

Released in UHD each act of violence pings out, but it also has a beauty to it, and packed with a great selection of extras this really is a must-buy.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

2-disc set limited 5,000 copies
Newly remastered and presented in High Definition
Audio commentary with John Hillcoat and Nick Cave (2006)
Newly recorded audio commentary by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Josh Nelson
John Hillcoat and Nick Cave in Conversation (2021, 53 mins): a newly recorded conversation between director John Hillcoat and screenwriter Nick Cave as they look back on The Proposition
The Making of The Proposition (2005, 27 mins): behind-the-scenes documentary
Inside The Proposition (2005, 43 mins): a series of featurettes looking at the film’s pre-production
Shooting The Proposition (2005, 24 mins): featurettes on the production and the challenges faced during filming
B-roll footage (2005, 20 mins): behind-the-scenes footage shot during the filming of The Proposition
Interview with Guy Pearce (2006, 14 mins): the actor on his approach to the role of Charlie Burns
Interview with Danny Huston (2006, 8 mins): the actor recalls his work on the film
Stills galleries
Original theatrical and teaser trailers
2022 trailer
Eighty-page book featuring new writing and recollections by John Hillcoat, Cat Villiers and Leah Purcell, plus essays by Andrew Graves, composer Warren Ellis, Professor Catriona Elder and Dr Stephen Morgan
Double-sided poster featuring new artwork by Matt Needle and the original UK poster