Mull (1989 aka Mullaway/Umbrella Entertainment/PAL Region Zero/0/Free/DVD Import)

 

Picture: C     Sound: C+     Extras: D     Film: C-

 

 

PLEASE NOTE: This DVD set can only be operated on machines capable of playing back DVDs that can handle Region Zero/0/Free PAL format software and can be ordered from our friends at Umbrella Entertainment at the website address provided at the end of the review.

 

 

Among what might be a cycle of young ladies coming of age films in Australia, Don McLennan’s Mull (1989) never works, no matter what it tries to do.  Most twists are predictable, the acting is good yet not good enough and the use of music (i.e., endlessly bad remakes, often of great songs) makes this a sometimes bizarre dud.  I did think Nadine Garner was good in the lead of Phoebe and Bill Hunter is gritty enough as her problematic father, but her title character is nothing new, though the book might be more interesting considering what we see here.

 

Of course, her father becoming a born-again Christian pushes the situation to the breaking point and that has some points, but this never seems like a well-rounded and thoroughly made film (Budget restrictions?  Not knowing how to handle the book?), so it becomes lost early and never recovers as it often trips up on itself.  It also feels like the late 1980s a few generations down.

 

The 1.33 X 1 image is surprisingly soft, weak and grainy throughout, despite some nice footage here and there.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 sound is simple stereo at best and there are no extras.

 

 

As noted above, you can order this PAL DVD import exclusively from Umbrella at:

 

http://www.umbrellaent.com.au/

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo