Blu-ray Release: Smash Palace

Blu-ray Release Date: May 29, 2018
Price: Blu-ray $39.95
Studio: Arrow Video

Premiering at the 1981 Cannes Film Festival, Smash Palace was the second feature helmed by Roger Donaldson (The Bounty), following his successful 1977 feature film directorial debut, Sleeping Dogs, which heralded the arrival of the New Zealand New Wave.

Greer Robson and Bruno Lawrence in Smash Palace

Smash Palace concerns itself with the marriage of former racing driver Al (Bruno Lawrence, The Quiet Earth) and French-born Jacqui (Anna Jemison, Nomads), who initially met when she nursed him back to health following a career-ending injury. The two married and returned to Al’s native New Zealand to take over his late father’s wrecking yard business – the titular “Smash Palace.” The couple had a child (Greer Robson), but over time stagnation has set in, Jacqui’s resentment of Al has grown, and things are threatening to spill over…

A New Zealand- based variation on such powerful Hollywood separation dramas as Kramer vs. Kramer and Shoot the Moon, Smash Palace was critically lauded upon its release (Lawrence’s performance, in particular), and continued the renaissance of Down Under cinema that had begun several years earlier.

Arrow’s Special Edition Blu-ray release of the drama contains the following features:

• • High Definition (Blu-ray) presentation
  • Original mono audio (uncompressed LPCM)
  • Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
  • Commentary by writer-director Roger Donaldson and stunt driver Steve Millen
  • The Making of Smash Palace, a 51-minute documentary on the film’s production featuring interviews with Donaldson, actor Keith Aberdein, filmmaker Geoff Murphy and others
  • Theatrical trailer
  • Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sean Phillips
  • Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Ian Barr, a contemporary review by Pauline Kael and the original press book (first pressing only!)