Withnail and I

 (1987)

Withnail and I Blu-ray features mediocre video and solid audio in this mediocre Blu-ray release
In London, 1969, two out-of-work actors take a holiday in the country and are unprepared for what lies in store for them.

For more about Withnail and I and the Withnail and I Blu-ray release, see the Withnail and I Blu-ray Review

Starring: Richard E. Grant, Paul McGann, Richard Griffiths, Ralph Brown, Michael Elphick, Daragh O'Malley
Director: Bruce Robinson

» See full cast & crew

Withnail and I Blu-ray Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov, December 14, 2011

Winner of Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Screenplay, Bruce Robinson's "Withnail & I" (1987) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Studio Canal. The only extra on the disc is an original trailer for the film. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

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Ever since I first saw Bruce Robinson's Withnail & I back in the late 80s, I have been trying to decide whether Richard E. Grant and Paul McGann were only acting when they shot the film. Part of me has always believed that they were indeed incredibly talented individuals who managed to become the characters they were asked to play – completely. There is another part of me, however, that remained incredibly suspicious of their "acting". Those of you who have already seen Withnail & I probably have a pretty good idea what I am talking about; those of you who have not, well...you are just going to have to see the film to figure out why I took the time to tell you about my dilemma.

Camden, the 60s. Withnail (Grant, Penelope) and Marwood (McGann, Gypo) are two unemployed actors. They have an agent – somewhere - but he does not seem to care much about them. Frustrated, the two friends spend their days drinking as much as they could. Occasionally, if not too cash-strapped, they also light up a blunt.

To support their drinking habits, Withnail and Marwood rely on Uncle Monty (Richard Griffiths, The History Boys), an elderly man who happens to like young men. Luckily, Uncle Monty does not mind giving them money, and occasionally even a bottle of expensive French wine.

Things get incredibly complicated when Withnail and Marwood move into Uncle Monty's countryside cottage to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. First, they discover that provincial folks aren't as friendly and hospitable as books and films suggest they are. And second, Uncle Monty appears and confesses his feelings for Marwood: "I mean to have you, even if by burglary".

Withnail & I is loosely based on director Robinson's own experience as a struggling actor during the late 60s. A lot of the characters and scenes in it are indeed inspired by real people and events. Two years after it was released, the film was recognized with the Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Screenplay.

There is a general consensus amongst critics and viewers that Withnail & I is an incredibly hilarious film. I agree – it is full of terrific one-liners and outstanding scenes. I would also add that Withnail & I is a distinctively British film. Many of the expressions heard throughout it, for example, are loaded with that typical British cockiness that makes them irresistibly funny and at the same time borderline offensive.

Withnail & I is also a time capsule of sorts filled with melancholy. The film effectively captures the dying spirit of the 60s and the beginning of a new, less humane, era (the final scene where Withnail and Marwood part ways is indicative of it).

For a low-budget production, Withnail & I looks shockingly good. In an interview supplied on the Anchor Bay Blu-ray release, director Robinson admits that he was incredibly nervous while shooting the film, but I don't believe it ever shows. On the contrary, there isn't a single scene in Withnail & I that feels amateurish.

Richard E. Grant and Paul McGaan are beyond convincing. In fact, as I mentioned in the opening paragraph of this review, I've often wondered whether they were only acting in front of the camera. There are more than a couple of scenes in the film where I've always had difficulty telling if they were indeed sober.

Withnail and I Blu-ray, Video Quality

 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with VC-1 and granted a 1080p transfer, Bruce Robinson's Withnail & I arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Studio Canal.

Studio Canal's high-definition transfer is not identical to the one Anchor Bay used for their Blu-ray release of Withnail & I in 2009 - it is encoded with VC-1 and rife with compression artifacts that further destabilize the already very weak image. At least on the Anchor Bay release contrast and clarity were somewhat decent, and when comparing that release to the R1 Criterion DVD release one could see some minor improvements. The softness, filtering, and now the additional artifacts really make it impossible not to speculate that this Blu-ray rerelease was completely unnecessary. Clearly, the master Anchor Bay and now Studio Canal worked with is very old and simply not good enough to produce a competent Blu-ray release of Withnail & I. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray disc. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free PS3 or SA in order to access its content).

Withnail and I Blu-ray, Audio Quality

 

There is only one audio track on this Blu-ray disc: English LPCM 2.0. For the record, Studio Canal have provided optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature.

The English LPCM 2.0 track opens up the film enough not to be disappointed with it - the dialog is clear, stable, and mostly easy to follow, while the soundtrack occasionally gets a small boost. The range of nuanced dynamics, however, is very limited. For the record, there are no sync issues or distortions to report in this review. Also, unlike Anchor Bay, Studio Canal have provided optional English SDH subtitles, which I found to be enormously helpful.

Withnail and I Blu-ray, Special Features and Extras

 

• Trailer - original trailer for Withnail & I. In English, not subtitled. (4 min, PAL).

Withnail and I Blu-ray, Overall Score and Recommendation

 

Studio Canal's Blu-ray release of Bruce Robinson's Withnail & I is disappointing. Not only it does not represent an upgrade in quality over the old Anchor Bay Blu-ray release, but it does not port the various supplemental features from that release either. The only 'bonus' here is the addition of optional SDH subtitles. I am left with no other option but to recommend that you SKIP IT.

• Withnail and I (Optimum Home Entertainment)

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Jan 24, 2012