Waking Life

[domino harvey]

An extraordinary thought-provoking trip, quite unlike anything before or since.
Release Date: 14th March
Region: B

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
FIRST PRESSING EXCLUSIVE: includes a booklet containing new writing on the film by critic David Jenkins and a guide to Bob Sabiston’s short films

[domino harvey]

A welcome surprise, and one I'm shocked Fox never got around to upgrading themselves. I guess it'll come out via Twilight Time at this point!

[Roger Ryan]

The liner notes should be referencing Linklater's Before Sunrise (1995), not Before Sunset (2004) which was released three years after Waking Life.

I prefer Linklater's second animated film, A Scanner Darkly (one of the few good Philip K. Dick adaptations), but Waking Life is an admirable experiment very much in the Slacker mode. A lot of nice extras on this release as well.

[rapta]

Possibly my favourite Linklater film so I'm very happy. I managed to get A Scanner Darkly on Blu-ray last year (OOP here in the UK), so this will go with it nicely. I'm sure Arrow will do an even better job with it - loads of great extras here.

[PfR73]

I just rewatched Slacker last week and began wondering if Criterion might possibly ever put this out on Blu-Ray, but I'll take an Arrow release!

[swo17]

My only complaint is that I can't have it right now.

[The Narrator Returns]

This is essential for those Sabiston shorts alone, let alone the fact that this could be my favorite Linklater. Yes please, may I have another?

[rapta]

I hope this does well so they consider more Linklater (or US indie cinema from the same era...some Soderbergh for instance). There were a lot of people moaning today but I hope that doesn't show in sales of this title.

I never thought my wish for Waking Life on Blu-ray here in the UK would ever come true. So glad it's on its way!

[Ribs]

I get the impression from the moaning that the problem is this seems generally like more of a title with an Academy appeal than a Video one (and as MichaelB said over at Blu-ray, there was some discussion of both possibilities.) I'm sure the moaners will be happy with the three+ other Video titles coming on Friday.

[rapta]

Final specs and artwork for Waking Life!

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

[swo17]

Are they really not going to correct that to Before Sunrise?

[Roger Ryan]

Are they really not going to correct that to Before Sunrise?

No problem, I'll fix it for them free of charge. Here you go:
"In 2001 writer-director Richard Linklater released a spiritual sequel to his acclaimed early feature Slacker that could also be considered a spiritual prequel to his Before Sunset."

"Featuring...Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke (anticipating the return of their Jesse and Céline characters from Before Sunset)"

[swo17]

There is a line in Before Sunset that calls back to the Delpy/Hawke scene in Waking Life, so they could make something of that I suppose. That is, if they're banking on getting more sales from namedropping the slightly more acclaimed later film.

[tenia]

The FB post now reads :

"In 2001 writer-director Richard Linklater released a spiritual sequel to his acclaimed early features Slacker and Before Sunrise.

Featuring Adam Goldberg, Nicky Katt, Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke (reprising their Jesse and Céline characters from Before Sunrise)"

This has been changed a few minutes ago by Arrow.

[nolanoe]

Clearly reading the forum, the lot!

Most looking forward to this. I love Linklater's "personal" projects.

[Banasa]

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