Harlequin [1980] [DVD]

Harlequin bluray is about an individual by the name of Gregory whom heals a senator's terminally sick son. Whom the family then accepts as a sort of live in guest. From the beginning you accept that he is some sort of charlatan magician whose motives are suspicious, but as the movie progresses you begin to suspect he has supernatural abilities. Its a mix bag of light horror/scifi that keeps you pondering until the very end if he is the real deal. Bluray transfer won't win any awards, but its acceptable.

Ha!...another classic film that I had looked for for year's having seen it on television just once when I was growing up in the 1980's, another great find that I had actually had before and made the mistake of not keeping?!....so when I found another copy I had to have it and did, a cult classic English Fantasy-Horror film from 1981, played brilliantly by Robert Powell .

Opening with the disappearance of a 'senator' in an unidentified country - it could be the USA, Australia or even, the UK [note, the test card] but for the term, senator - politician Nick Rast [David Hemmings] is next in line for the top job as the only other is seriously ill in hospital. Nick is being groomed by security chief, 'Doc' Wheelan [Broderick Crawford as a J. Edgar Hoover-type figure who he played a few years previous] while his beautiful, estranged wife [Carmen Duncan] cares for their son Alex [Mark Spain] who suffers from leukemia. It's not exactly happy families in the Rast residence [ a kinda modernist, glass/concrete monstrosity surrounded by high walls with vicious dogs in between], the marriage is one of convenience while Nick is having an obvious affair with his PA. At his birthday party, a clown [Robert Powell] impresses the boy and the mother, reappearing later on in front of the senator to perform a 'miracle' that has Alex regaining his strength. The clown is named Gregory and through his charm and 'powers', he insinuates himself into the Rast household a la Rasputin. This causes tensions between Rast and his wife, Rast and Doc and Rast and Gregory. What is Gregory up to? Was the senator assassinated? Is this about the boy or is it about something else, even more serious?A mix of political conspiracy thriller and the supernatural, it was written by Everett De Roche [Patrick]who updated the Rasputin story setting it in modern [well, 1980] times. Rast is Tsar backwards [which didn't occur to me until Hemmings mentioned it in the 5 minute extra] while Gregory was the first name of Rasputin. Part of the Ozploitation cycle, it was filmed in Western Australia during the back end of 1979 and directed by Simon Wincer [Free Willy]. As was common for Aussie films in those days, the main cast were imported from the UK [Hemmings and Powell] and the USA [Crawford].Powell was born to play the role of Harlequin and he gets excellent support from Crawford, Hemmings and Duncan and it's hard to believe that the role was originally cast with Bowie in mind when Powell is so good. Even at the end you're left wondering whether he was a fraud or not. Both Hemmings and Powell stuck around in Oz to make James Herbert's, The Survivor [1980]. Talking of Survivor, I watched Harlequin back-to-back with Survivor and I'd say Harlequin is the better film. Harlequin's image quality also pips Survivor. It isn't perfect but for the most part, Harlequin looks really good. There are a few pops and damage [in the scene where Harlequin and the boy are in the car], the special effects sequences don't look as good as the rest and some second unit stuff [the car pulling off the driveway] look a bit rough but that's it. The colours are better than Survivor too while the audio is more than acceptable. Extras on this 88 Films release include excepts from the documentary, 'Not Quite Hollywood' with producer Ginnane, director Wincer, writer De Roche and actor Gus Mercurio. There are anecdotes about Crawford's pants being on backwards and the drinking habits of the actors involved. Ginnane tends to focus on the marketing of Harlequin. There is also the customary Kim Newman interview discussing Ozploitation, an archive interview with Powell and Hemmings, a trailer, writing by Callum Waddell and a commentary from Ginnane and Wincer. English subtitles.

The film Harlequin was wonderful , I watched it some years ago and to have the CD in my collection is great

Well this film starts really slow, it gets better as it goes on but barely though. A young Robert Powell is a con artist in this cheesy film. Acting is wooden but laughable. It's ok.

excellent quality film. thoroughly enjoyed it.would certainly recommend it to anyone. thanks Amazon

The film itself is a classic piece of Ozploitation, but this print is awful. The picture is completely unrestored; scratched and grainy. But worst of all, the entire film is shown in the wrong aspect ratio, cutting of edges of the picture and making it look like a badly edited TV version from the 80's. Absolutely terrible presentation.

Outstanding every time