Reviews & Columns
Reviews
DVD
TV on DVD
Blu-ray
4K UHD
International DVDs
In Theaters
Reviews by Studio
Video Games

Features
Collector Series DVDs
Easter Egg Database
Interviews
DVD Talk Radio
Feature Articles

Columns
Anime Talk
DVD Savant
Horror DVDs
The M.O.D. Squad
Art House
HD Talk
Silent DVD

discussion forum
DVD Talk Forum

Resources
DVD Price Search
Customer Service #'s
RCE Info
Links

Columns




Cry in The Dark, A

List Price: Unknown [Buy now and save at Amazon]

Review by Chuck Arrington | posted February 10, 2000 | E-mail the Author
Synopsis: In the 80's Lindy & Michael Chamberlain took their three children on a camping holiday to a scenic point in the Australian outback. There were great times & fellowship for all around. For all intents & purposes it was a great holiday vacation. Among the other points of interest in the outback are Dingos. Something of a wild nomadic dog known for not only it's ferral existence but also for it's ferocity. The campers, having seen these dogs literally all over Australia have lost their sense of fear & apprehension when it comes to these wild dogs. So much so that, they feed the animals & even bring them into camp by tempting them with treats of meat & other foods. Unaware that the dogs are in the camp, Lindy Chamberlain (Meryl Streep) puts her infant daughter to bed in the family's tent & rejoins her husband(Sam Neill) & their friends for more friendly conversation. Not soon thereafter, a muffled baby's cry is heard & a dingo is seen leaving the Chamberlain's tent with something in it's mouth. All too late, Lindy & the rest of the campers realize that a dingo has in fact taken her baby off into the cool desert night of the Australian outback. After the searchers find no sign of the dogs or baby, the resue party is called off & the awful truth of the events of that night begin to set in. Given the inability to locate baby Azaria, suspicion looms heavily over the Chamberlains as they give interview after interview regarding the loss of their infant daughter. Due to recent events concerning missing children & the mystery concerning the circumstances surrounding the loss of these children, public opinions generally tend to blame the parents for either not protecting the child enough or in this case having had a hand in the killing of baby Azaria. The latter was the opinion of what would appear to be, most Australians at the time & this film replays these moments & all of the facts of the case in it's aim et telling the true story of the life & death of baby Azaria.

Audio: The audio is a 2 channel stereo platform that adequately presents the audio effects of the film. There were a few surround effects at the start of the film however, as the film continued, those effects & the need for them became increasingly non-existant.

Video: The video is a widescreen non-anamorphic presentation. I found the visual content of the film itself to be quite soft. Not at all what I would have expected. Given the age of the movie it is understandable that a crystal clear master may not have been available or easily rendered. Some of the exteriors on the outback in particular, really could have benefitted from a bit more clarity.

Extras: The only extra included on the disc is a trailer for the film. The quality of which is only marginally better than the film itself.

Overall: As I am about to become a father, the thought of losing a child is terryfing at the very least. The fact that this is a true story is probably the most jarring fact of all. While I cannot give away the main points of the story, I can tell you that The Chamberlains endured an incredible amount of strain & in my opinion, the almost unbearable weight of greiving the loss of a child. That coupled with the never ending quest for justice & most importantly the truth, makes theirs a story that truly has to be seen to be believed.

Buy from Amazon.com

C O N T E N T

V I D E O

A U D I O

E X T R A S

R E P L A Y

A D V I C E
Recommended

E - M A I L
this review to a friend
Popular Reviews

Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links