430 Patrick

[MichaelB]

PATRICK
(Richard Franklin, 1978)
Release date: 19 February 2024
Limited Edition 4K UHD (World premiere)

Pre-order UK UHD/US UHD/UK BD/US BD

From director Richard Franklin (Roadgames) comes Patrick, a terrifying fusion of science fiction and Hitchcockian thriller, starring Susan Penhaligon (House of Mortal Sin), Robert Helpmann (The Red Shoes), and Robert Thompson (Thirst).

Murderer Patrick (Thompson) is kept in a comatose state between life and death, under the watchful eye of the eccentric Dr Roget (Helpmann). When he is assigned a caring new nurse, Kathy (Penhaligon), he becomes possessive, and uses telekinetic powers to torment anyone who comes between them.

Produced by Antony I Ginnane (Snapshot), written by Everett De Roche (Harlequin), and scored by Brian May (Mad Max), Patrick’s unprecedented international success made it a landmark of the Australian New Wave.

INDICATOR LIMITED EDITION 4K UHD SPECIAL FEATURES

• Brand-new 4K HDR restoration from the original negative by Powerhouse Films (SDR on the Blu-ray releases)
• 4K (2160p) UHD presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) (4K releases only)
• Three presentations of the film: the original Australian theatrical version; the shortened US theatrical cut with American dubbing; and the Italian theatrical version, featuring an alternative score by Italian prog legends Goblin and presented with English subtitles for the first time
• Original mono audio
• Audio commentary with director Richard Franklin and screenwriter Everett De Roche (2002)
• On-Set Interview with Richard Franklin (1978): behind-the-scenes interview with the Patrick director conducted by Australian film critic Ivan Hutchinson
• Interview with Richard Franklin (2001): previously unseen interview in which the director discusses Patrick
• A Coffee Break with Antony I. Ginnane (2009): the renowned genre-film producer revisits Patrick
• ‘Not Quite Hollywood’ Interview Excerpts (2008): extensive selection of outtakes from Mark Hartley’s acclaimed documentary on Australian cinema, featuring Franklin, De Roche, Ginnane, and stars Susan Penhaligon and Rod Mullinar
• Stephen Morgan on ‘Patrick’ (2023): appreciation by the academic and Australian cinema specialist
• Original Australian theatrical trailer
• Original US theatrical trailer
• TV spots
• Image gallery: promotional and publicity material, and behind the scenes
• New and improved English translation subtitles
• Newly translated English subtitles for the Italian soundtrack
• Limited edition exclusive 80-page book with a new essay by Alan Miller, exclusive extracts from director Richard Franklin and producer Anthony I Ginnane’s unpublished memoirs; archival interviews with screenwriter Everett De Roche and special-effects supervisor Conrad Rothmann, and full film credits
• World premiere on 4K UHD
• Limited edition of 10,000 individually numbered units (6,000 4K UHDs and 4,000 Blu-rays) for the UK and US

All extras subject to change

#PHILE430U
BBFC cert: 15
REGION FREE
EAN: 5060697923483

[MichaelB]

Final specs:

[MichaelB]

CineOutsider.

[Finch]

A lot more restrained than the trailer (which spoils almost the entire first setpiece!) leads you to believe. Indicator's description of the film as a mix of science fiction and Hitchockian thriller is more accurate than the various articles calling it horror. Anyone expecting a full blown horror movie based on the trailer and perhaps knowledge of the Italian cut with its Goblin score are probably going to be disappointed with the Australian edit dropping the anticipated horror theatrics for something that's more patient (read "slow" for some) and more interested in quiet unease. The most chilling scenes in the movie involve messages communicated through a typewriter and an expertly drawn out moment of suspense that hinges on your fear of two characters being discovered in the midst of a secretive test that they're carrying out. I also liked the cast, especially British actress Susan Penhaligon and Julia Blake who plays Matron Cassidy. If I like Roadgames quite a bit better by comparison, it's because Patrick requires more suspension of disbelief and the plot doesn't hang together as well as the later film's (I hope that one day, Indicator will reconsider their policy of not upgrading existing Blu-Rays to 4Ks because I would happily re-buy Roadgames in 2160p).

EDIT: I just pulled out the Indicator BD of Roadgames because I thought, this might have been a Studio Canal license, and so it is. So a 4K might come from SC instead.

[nicolas]

A lot more restrained than the trailer (which spoils almost the entire first setpiece!) leads you to believe. Indicator's description of the film as a mix of science fiction and Hitchockian thriller is more accurate than the various articles calling it horror. Anyone expecting a full blown horror movie based on the trailer and perhaps knowledge of the Italian cut with its Goblin score are probably going to be disappointed with the Australian edit dropping the anticipated horror theatrics for something that's more patient (read "slow" for some) and more interested in quiet unease. The most chilling scenes in the movie involve messages communicated through a typewriter and an expertly drawn out moment of suspense that hinges on your fear of two characters being discovered in the midst of a secretive test that they're carrying out. I also liked the cast, especially British actress Susan Penhaligon and Julia Blake who plays Matron Cassidy. If I like Roadgames quite a bit better by comparison, it's because Patrick requires more suspension of disbelief and the plot doesn't hang together as well as the later film's (I hope that one day, Indicator will reconsider their policy of not upgrading existing Blu-Rays to 4Ks because I would happily re-buy Roadgames in 2160p).

EDIT: I just pulled out the Indicator BD of Roadgames because I thought, this might have been a Studio Canal license, and so it is. So a 4K might come from SC instead.

This is the first time I’m reading this and I hope they reverse this too. We desperately need their brilliant quality for more UHDs. They have so many 4K-restored gems already on BD that deserve upgrades immediately, particularly Body Double and Hardcore, two of my favorites from their catalogue. The BDs are excellent but their UHDs are definitive. A real shame, Body Double is a no-brainer for UHD and these sales could enable more experimental titles which are just as welcome. I really hope their strategy doesn’t backfire, meaning the UHDs they do now sell enough. Arrow drastically evolved into a wholly different label as well with their 4K re-releases (to the annoyance of some) but they’re setting benchmarks with these UHDs, frequently improving even over their excellent BDs. Indicator obviously wouldn’t need to do it just like that but tacking on a nice upgrade to their slates once a while definitely doesn’t do damage to anyone.

[Finch]

I should clarify that I think it is their policy because when I asked if they were going to upgrade the Boetticher westerns following the Criterion 4K announcement of those, the answer was no.

[swo17]

Perhaps they figured there's no point with that one since the Criterion set is region-free and generally considered definitive

[dwk]

EDIT: I just pulled out the Indicator BD of Roadgames because I thought, this might have been a Studio Canal license, and so it is. So a 4K might come from SC instead.

I fully expect this to get a US UHD from the world's greatest label.

[tenia]

Perhaps they figured there's no point with that one since the Criterion set is region-free and generally considered definitive

What's the regarded deal with import/export and UHDs ? Is it indeed that widespread-ly imported to the point it might moot a domestic release, or is this market still like DVD and BD and "nothing replaces a domestic release" ?

(Also, I'm certain Indicator would yield better compression and more extras)

[rapta]

Surely the decision to upgrade something to UHD is also based on sales figures, as well as competition from other territories due to the inherent nature of the format being Region Free. Some upgrades would naturally be riskier than others, and allocating resources to revisiting titles for the 4K upgrade could also be deemed risky when a label in another territory could suddenly announce a 4K of the same title in 2/3/4 months' time and render your efforts moot.

Speculatively, you would think some of the Sony-licensed launch titles would do very well in 4K, but this is of course assuming Sony would allow such a thing now. You have to remember that Sony have enforced region locking with Indicator in recent years, which shows they're more aware of importing and market competition than they probably were at first, and they've also been releasing titles themselves on UHD (usually debuting them in these Columbia Classics sets).

You wonder if they would allow Body Double at least (as they have done in Germany and Italy), but perhaps not Christine (now they've released it themselves). Perhaps some titles would work (Fat City, Hardcore) but others would likely have to be UK only (Vampires, The Last Detail, The Swimmer, The Big Gundown).

I could be proven wrong of course, but I'm guessing they've decided to take a similar attitude to Radiance when asked about 4K in that they'll consider it for new acquisitions, but will probably not revisit titles later on to 'upgrade' them as Arrow and Criterion and some other labels are doing. They probably have more interesting things to do with their time, and could concentrate on delivering new titles to their audience rather than attempt to marginally better previous successes.

That being said, you do wonder if any of their upcoming Sony licenses could be set for 4K releases, as they have signalled their interest in doing UHD wherever possible. We know they've got Single White Female and a [potential box set set?] of Richard Pryor films, but I wonder if Sony will allow them to license a few they've released Stateside already on UHD? I'm thinking specifically of things like The Quick and the Dead, Adaptation, So I Married an Axe Murderer and Real Genius (but I suppose this logic would apply to Christine as well). I mention this as Sony have been known to deny requests for titles they already have release of in the same format and in the same territory (and still in print), so therefore have allowed licenses if they don't encroach on their own business in that territory (though even then they allowed Arrow to license things like Frankenstein and Flatliners).

[MichaelB]

Anyway, getting back to Patrick…

[colinr0380]

Anyway, getting back to Patrick…

Which I mostly remember for doing the jumpscare from Carrie at the end, but in hilariously Rube Goldberg-style accidental fashion!