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  Specs
  • Widescreen 1.78:1
  • 16:9 Enhanced
  Languages
  • English: Dolby Digital Stereo
  Subtitles
  • None
  Extras
  • Theatrical trailer

Edge of Madness

Universal/Universal . R4 . COLOR . 96 mins . MA15+ . PAL

  Feature
Contract

Well, for a telemovie, this is alright. If it were a cinema release I would say it isn’t so good.

Set in the Red River Valley in 1851, it details the story of Annie, who turns up at a ‘police station’ claiming to have murdered her husband. In flashback we learn she was a poor work girl orphaned and living in a workhouse. Simon, a rough Scottish settler, chooses her to be his wife and they leave for the countryside; a countryside in which she imagines a farmhouse and barn and all the trappings of an established farm. What she gets is a tent and a half-built homestead and Simon’s brother, George.

As the first days pass, Simon continually assaults Annie under the rule of ‘man and wife’ while his more sensitive brother George listens on in horror. As the weeks turn into months, the tension between George and Simon grows while Annie’s friendship with George gets closer and closer. Finally, we come to learn the actual truth of what happened in the ruined homestead through the investigations of Mullins, a sturdy lawman of sorts.

It’s a fairly well-told tale and performances are solid from a mostly inexperienced and unknown cast, but some of the production values have faltered in the creation, lending the film a cheapness that isn’t entirely out of place, but does hinder the overall credibility of the film. For example, some facial hair is so obviously fake as to be comical at times and that does contribute toward ruining what is an alright story. Perhaps it’s been treated too much like a deep mystery when there aren’t enough mitigating circumstances to warrant it, but it’s still a watchable film and fairly entertaining.

  Video
Contract

Not a bad picture overall, with the picture quality fairly clean. There aren’t really film artefacts of any measure though there are some more modern camera moves that are out of place and again affect the credibility of the piece. Delivered in the 1.78:1 aspect ratio with anamorphic log cabins, this does look pretty good, but again has a real telemovie feel. Flashbacks are also delivered too ham-fistedly, flickering swiftly between the ‘present’ and the ‘past’ in rapid and silly edits reminiscent of the TV series Kung-Fu. A heavy earth palette keeps colour out of the winter landscape, adding to the morose nature of the film, while blacks are mostly true (though for one instance of becoming a deep ugly green early on). Shaodw detail is surprisingly good as well and there is no grain in the deeper night shots.

  Audio
Contract

Just a Dolby Digital stereo delivery here and this is adequate for the production. Some out of synch sound effects may leave you confused and wondering at times, and dialogue too may confuse you. This is laced with thick accents throughout to give authenticity to the settling period of American history in which accents from around the world were grouped in the wilderness. They just get a little too thick occasionally.

As to music, this is quite good, with a haunting quality that adds depth to the initial mystery. It’s a shame the mystery isn’t really all that deep to begin with, for the music could have easily supported a richer storyline. Randolph Peters is the musician who scored it and he’s done a fine job building a lyrical content to the film that does enhance it.

  Extras
Contract

Just a hopeless trailer that’s full of spoilers, so watch it afterward. This goes for 1:17 and runs in stereo.

  Overall  
Contract

While the film itself isn’t so bad, the title is quite misleading. Performances are keen and while the story lets down the overall film a little, the acting doesn’t. Fake facial hair does add a comical bent that shouldn’t be here and that detracts from the film, but as far as telemovies go (which I can only assume this is) it’s a fairly watchable piece set in the empty wilderness of winter America in 1851. Based on Alice Munro’s A Wilderness Station short story, this adaptation is good, but short stories so often find translation to the big screen difficult due to their lack of full text and surroundings described to the nth degree. While the story here is a good one for a short film, stretching it into a feature can only be viewed as an error in judgement. Still, worth a rental if you’re into this sort of thing.


  • LINK: http://www.dvd.net.au/review.cgi?review_id=4375
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      And I quote...
    "Well, for a telemovie, this is alright. If it were a cinema release I would say it isn’t so good."
    - Jules Faber
      Review Equipment
    • DVD Player:
          Teac DVD-990
    • TV:
          AKAI CT-T29S32S 68cm
    • Speakers:
          Teac PLS-60 Home Theatre System
    • Centre Speaker:
          Teac PLS-60 Home Theatre System
    • Surrounds:
          Teac PLS-60 Home Theatre System
    • Subwoofer:
          Akai
    • Audio Cables:
          Standard RCA
    • Video Cables:
          Standard Component RCA
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