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The Fall
[Blu-ray 4K]
Blu-ray ALL - Australia - Umbrella Entertainment Review written by and copyright: James-Masaki Ryan (3rd June 2025). |
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The Film
 "The Fall" (2006) Taking place in a Los Angeles hospital in the 1920s, Alexandria (played by Catinca Untaru) is a six year old girl recovering from a broken arm. She befriends a young man named Roy (played by Lee Pace), who is a silent film stuntman that suffered an on set injury that has left him unable to walk and bedridden. The two become close as he starts reciting an adventure story about five men and their quest for revenge, all ready to take down an evil governor that brought suffering to each of them. Every day, Alexandria comes to his bedside to hear the continuation of the story, but for Roy it is not just storytelling for pure enjoyment. It is to have her do tasks that he cannot do otherwise, which includes stealing extra pills from the infirmary… At glance, "The Fall" might seem like a similar situation as "The Princess Bride", in which the story is told through the voice of the adult while a child listens, with occasional moments of the child stopping the narrative at awkward moments. "The Princess Bride" has a straightforward narrative in its adventure story, with the grandfather reading the book word for word and entrancing the child. There is no book in "The Fall". Instead the storyteller is using his imagination as well as using the listener’s feedback to reshape the story entirely. Roy starts to tell the story Alexander the Great and his men, but once little Alexandria questions his motives and finds it boring to her liking, Roy instead starts a story of five men on a quest for vengeance, which she likes. But once he mentions that they are pirates, this loses her interest again. He reshapes them as bandits, which then peaks her interest once more. This is the type of storytelling that is older than the printed word, with storytellers with myths and fairytales that get passed down over time, which changes from time to time and from audience to audience. Standup comedians are an example of this technique, having a story to tell, but using audience reaction and feedback to shape and reshape the timing and the wordplay. They also use improvisation to twist things bit by bit, and they sometimes work, and sometimes not. Watching, or should we say listening to the story told within "The Fall" will sound like an utter mess if the outer narrative in the real world with Roy and Alexandria were not present. It is a story that shifts accordingly to the parallels of the real world they are experiencing in the hospital together, but so much more. The main narrative is with the two characters that share a common thread of both having a fall and landing in the hospital. One with a broken arm and one with possible paralysis. Alexandria is a young immigrant child who fled to America with her mother after their farm was burned down and father was killed. She is not in school but helping her mother who works in a farm grove along with other immigrant workers. Not being in school and her imagination being limited, she is like an empty vessel ready to have her mind go to places that she could only dream of. With the character of Roy, he seems like a trustworthy and nice person with his calm demeanor with a playful attitude to Alexandria. But it does take a different turn once his story is unfolded. A stuntman who landed in the hospital due to an accident that has left him unable to move his legs, it is not only the physical pain and mental anguish of the possibility of never being able to walk again. He is also experiencing emotional pain of his girlfriend (played by Camilla Waldman) leaving him for the actor Sinclair (played by Daniel Caltagirone), who is the leading star of the film Roy was working on. For him, and for anyone who has experienced it, a broken heart is much more painful. The scenes in the hospital are close and intimate with Roy telling a story to the curious Alexandria, but once she closes her eyes and imagines the characters and the setting, the film's visuals go to another world entirely. Roy's tale about a group of men (and a monkey) who each have the same goal - to have their revenge against the evil Governor Odious. Otto Benga (played by Markus Wesley) is a former slave of Odious who escapes after the death of his brother in the fields. There is the Indian (played by Jeetu Verma) whose wife was kidnapped by Odious which led to her suicide. Famed explorer Charles Darwin (played by Leo Bill) along with his monkey sidekick Wallace have been searching for a rare species of butterfly, but is mocked by Odious who sends them a dead one. Luigi (played by Robin Smith) is an explosives expert who is deemed dangerous by Odious and is banished from his homeland. The Mystic (played by Julian Bleach) is angered that Odious has stripped their land of resources to make it uninhabitable. Finally there is the Masked Bandit (played by Lee Pace) whose brother the Blue Bandit (played by Emil Hostina) was murdered by Odious. They band together in a quest to find the governor, and these sequences play out like an RPG, with vivid costumes, exotic locations, and scenes of action and adventure in the most extravagant way. The visuals found in "The Fall" and its storytelling scenes are some of the most incredible images ever captured on film. This is due to them being shot on location in some of the most gorgeous locations around the world without the aid of CGI or greenscreen. Filmmaker Tarsem made a name for himself in the world of television commercials and music videos, making award winning shorts for major companies such as Nike, Kellogg's, and Coca-Cola, and for artists such as R.E.M., En Vogue and Deep Forest. Throughout the 1990s, Tarsem traveled around the world to create some of the most vividly striking award winning commercials and music videos with his staff, but he always had in his mind about making a feature film. Inspired by the 1981 Bulgarian film "Yo Ho Ho" about a paraplegic in the hospital as he tells an adventure tale to a young child as well as the 1996 French film "Ponette" about a young girl coping with the sudden death of her parents, it was a hard sell to financers as he did not have a finished script. Seeing it as a work that would be shaped through the eyes of the young child that could morph during production, it was a risk that no studio was willing to take, especially as Tarsem did not have experience in directing a feature as of yet. Even after his feature film directorial debut "The Cell" in 2000 was a financial hit, it still proved difficult to find backers for the project. But following a breakup with his girlfriend and with advice from his brother Ajit Singh, he decided to completely finance the film on his own. They found Catinca Untaru while working in Romania and as she fit exactly what Tarsem was looking for, preparations were made to start the ambitious project. The hospital sequences were shot in South Africa doubling for California with the story being shot chronologically for the young Untaru specifically, who had no training as an actress and had to use her broken English. The then-unknown Pace was cast as a paraplegic and went one step further by convincing almost the entire cast and crew that he was unable to walk, staying in character even after cameras stopped rolling. The story that he was telling and some of the interactions changed due to Untaru’s interactions and misunderstandings, such as how she read the “E” in his memo as a “3”, which was worked into the story. Other changes were made such as how the original “villain” that would be the vision of Governor Odious. Like "The Wizard of Oz", the actors would play two parts – one in the real world in the hospital, and a counterpart in the fantasy story. As the visuals were part of Alexandria’s mind, all the characters would be people she knew. The Indian and the Mystic were workers she knew on the farm, Darwin and Evelyn (played by Justine Waddell) were workers at the hospital, etc. For the fantasy sequences, these were shot later all across the globe, with Tarsem choosing locations in conjunction with his commercial work, so he could shoot both advertisements and his passion project at the same time. The cast and crew shot in 24 countries altogether, in some of the most remote regions that were not seen in many narrative films. There were some shared locations in the seminal documentary film "Baraka" from 1992, such as the chanting dance in Bali, Indonesia, the blue city of Jodhpur, India and others, but now used in a fictional setting. Tarsem flew the cast and crew to shoot in scenes of almost magical beauty in deserts and oceans and mountains and ancient ruins, sometimes in guerilla form without permits. This was also enhanced by production designer Ged Clarke and costume designer Eiko Ishioka with their creative input for dazzling imagery throughout the storytelling scenes. The film is not singularly about one man telling a story to a child, but how the child can shape and reshape the story, as well as the storyteller. As the narrative shifts into ways that might not seem logical, it is about an innocent mind trying to make sense of things to fit her emotions. The character of Roy reveals his suicidal thoughts but Alexandria cannot and will not understand how he could feel such things and tries to help him in every way she can. The performances are absolutely wonderful, with Untaru not particularly acting, but reacting genuinely and Pace being loving yet very broken. "The Fall" was filmed for over four years on and off, with the $30 million budget being completely financed by Tarsem himself. The completed film was first screened at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival, where Miramax’s Harvey Weinstein was keen to grab the rights even before the film was screened. But Tarsem made it clear that there would be no negotiations until after the screening, which would be fair opportunity for all the industry producers and critics who would see it for the first time. Unfortunately, Weinstein left quickly during the screening, which may or may not have influenced the initial screening of being poorly received, criticizing it with style over the substance and the violence shown onscreen. No distributors were interested in picking up the rights for the film. Roger Ebert, who was one of the few major critics to highly praise "The Cell", could not attend due to his cancer treatment at the time, but later wrote a generously positive review for the film from a screener copy. Eventually, the rights for distribution were sold to differing companies worldwide in 2007 and 2008 (Sony in the US, Momentum in the UK, Warner Brothers in Japan, etc.), with each having limited theatrical screenings or direct to video, depending on the country. The film was released in most counties in 2008, and was not commercially successful, grossing only $3.7 million theatrically. The film found a wider audience on DVD and Blu-ray, with Tarsem being involved in the creation of the extras and the film being an early showcase of the Blu-ray format with its vibrant visuals for the HD format. But as the distribution rights lapsed and went back to Tarsem, it was not negotiated for the streaming market, which led to high prices for second hand copies of out of print DVDs and Blu-rays for the film. The film was shopped around yet again for new distributors, leading to streaming service and independent Blu-ray distributor MUBI spearheading a 4K restoration of the film. Tarsem was involved in the restoration which went back to the original film elements. In addition, the two scenes that were shot and deleted but were available on the DVD and Blu-ray were reinstated for a newly created “Director’s Cut” for the 4K restoration, which premiered at the 2024 Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland, followed by special theatrical screenings worldwide in September 2024, as well as its premiere on the MUBI streaming service. Nearly twenty years after its lukewarm reception, the film gradually found its intended audience. The amazing vistas, the powerful performance by the child actor and the wonders of the imagination are just a few of the elements that make the film stand out, and having the film use practical effects and limited use of CGI for elements such as wire removal make it a timeless looking feature. It is a tribute to storytelling, cinema, children, and also to the hopeless, and will stand the test of time for another twenty years easily. Australia’s Umbrella Entertainment previously released the film on DVD and now they have given the 4K restoration director’s cut its worldwide debut on a home video format on 4K UltraHD Blu-ray and standard Blu-ray with this release. Note this is a region ALL 4K UltraHD Blu-ray + standard Blu-ray set
Video
Umbrella Entertainment presents the film in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio in 2160p HEVC with HDR10/Dolby Vision grading on the 4K UltraHD Blu-ray and in 1080p AVC MPEG-4 on the standard Blu-ray. Shot on 35mm film, the film was known for its vivid colors and the breathtaking locations, all fantastically transferred to DVD and Blu-ray more than fifteen years ago. While those transfers still hold up well, this new 4K restoration places the quality even higher. Restored from the original film elements as well as reincorporating two deleted scenes for a new director’s cut, the UHD’s image is as close to perfection as there is. The opening credits sequence in slow motion black and white is absolutely striking. The hospital scenes emphasizing browns and darker hues. The storytelling scenes shot all around the world are bright, bold, and beautiful with exceptional clarity and depth. Colors are balanced perfectly, the image is stable and without a single damage mark to speak of, with the sole exception of the silent film montage that is taken from differing sources. The Dolby Vision grading gives an extra boost to detail in color, making this UHD one of the best of the year, if not ever. As for the standard Blu-ray, it also looks exceptional, taken from the same master but downconverted and graded accordingly. The film's runtime is 119:22, which is approximately 90 seconds longer than the original theatrical version. This is due to the two deleted scenes being reincorporated, as well as changes in the opening company logos which now mention MUBI and The Match Factory, as well as the end credits being new in font size, scrolling speed, and some updates due to the new restoration. There is no option to view the original theatrical version on either disc.
Audio
English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo There are two audio options for the film, with lossless 5.1 and 2.0 stereo audio. The film was originally mixed in surround and previous DVDs and Blu-rays included a 5.1 mix. It is a very active one, with the soundtrack cues, the sounds of explosions and arrows all using the surrounding speakers very effectively, while the center speaker is focused on the dialogue. The dialogue, music and effects are all well balanced, with dialogue being clear and clean throughout the film. It seems that it did not get an upgrade to Dolby Atmos or DTS:X for its restoration and only kept in the 5.1 realm, but it is still a fantastic sounding audio track all the way through. The 2.0 track I scaled down, losing some of its edge from the fuller 5.1 track, but still sounds excellent as well. There are optional English HoH subtitles for the main feature in a white font that are well timed and easy to read. There were two instances in which the subtitles were incorrect, with the priest yelling "Tyrant!" after the bandits flee from the carriage, but in fact he was yelling "Darwin!" in this reinstated scene, and also when the Indian cuts the rope and says "How!" the subtitles mistakenly say "Up!"
Extras
DISC ONE (Blu-ray 4K) (1) Audio Commentary with director/producer Tarsem Singh (2008) This commentary with Tarsem is an excellent one, as he discusses about the ideas he had for years for the film, the changes made through the casting process, the difficulties with the locations, the costume designs and individual behind the scenes stories for sequences, and much more. He is talkative throughout and has many stories to tell about the very personal project, with lots of great technical information. Note this was originally available on previous DVD and Blu-ray releases. Since it was recorded for the original theatrical version, during the reinstated two scenes the track has no new commentary recorded. He also mentions about the "missing" scene with the priest which then appears reinstated soonafter. in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles (2) Audio Commentary with actor Lee Pace, co-writer/co-producer Nico Soultanakis and co-writer Dan Gilroy (2008) This ensemble commentary has Pace, Soultanakis, and Gilroy recorded together as they discuss about the unusual and lengthy production process. Pace talks about creating his character and remaining in character for the hospital scenes, traveling around the world for the fantasy sequences, while Soultanakis and Gilroy discuss the writing process, the changes made to the final feature, Tarsem's original pitch for the story, the influences they had, Catinca's contributions, and much more. Note this was originally available on previous DVD and Blu-ray releases. Like the above commentary, this was recorded for the theatrical version, so the two reincorporated scenes have no new commentary. in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles DISC TWO (Blu-ray) (1) Audio Commentary with director/producer Tarsem Singh (2008) (2) Audio Commentary with actor Lee Pace, co-writer/co-producer Nico Soultanakis and co-writer Dan Gilroy (2008) The two commentaries found on the 4K disc is repeated here for the standard Blu-ray. in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles 2025 Interview with Director Tarsem Singh (17:24) This new and exclusive interview with Tarsem has him discussing about the genesis of the film, collaborating with the co-writers, finding the right child for the production, self funding the production, working with the actors in the hospital scenes, using only existing locations and the scouting process, the costume designs, the difficulty in distribution, and more. It's a great reflective interview and he is very proud of the work that was done and its cult favorite reception it has had nearly twenty years later. in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.78:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles 2025 Interview with Production Designer Ged Clarke (26:17) This new and exclusive interview has Clarke talking about meeting Tarsem through commercial work, the initial plans for what would become "The Fall", location scouting, the difficulties in creating the large banner in the middle of the windy desert, the carriage scene, the initial and later receptions, and more. Although this interview was conducted remotely, the quality is quite good. in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.78:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles 2025 Interview with Cinematographer Colin Watkinson (22:29) This new and exclusive interview with Colin Watkinson has him discussing about his working relationship with Tarsem from before and during "The Fall", along with his memories of the shoot. Talked about are working at the hospital location, shooting all around the world, working with Ishioka on the costumes, the filming of the opening black and white scenes, and the challenges of shooting in remote locations. Like the interview above, this was conducted remotely, but looks and sounds quite good throughout. in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.78:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles 2025 Interview with Actor Lee Pace (9:10) In this new interview, Pace looks back at his work on the film, about being cast by Tarsem, the setting and the costume designs, working with Catinca for their characters, and shooting in India in remote locations. This interview was conducted by MUBI for the 4K restoration release. The interview has also been embedded below, courtesy of MUBI. in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.78:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles "The Making of an Impossible Film" 2025 Video Essay by Virat Nerhu (17:57) This new and exclusive video essay has Nerhu discussing about the film's difficult and unusual production, its influences found in Indian folklore, comparisons to the Bulgarian film that inspired it, and more. in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.78:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles "The Quest for Origins: Trauma, Cinema and Storytelling in Tarsem's The Fall" 2025 Video Essay by Anton Bitel (16:22) This new and exclusive video essay by Bitel discusses in-depth about the opening scene, the relationship between the two leads, the story and its relationship to early cinema, and more. in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.78:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles Original Cut Deleted Scenes (1:34) Two scenes that were originally deleted from the theatrical version, but now reinstated for the director's cut are presented here separately as they were on the previous DVD and Blu-ray releases. The first scene is with the men lost in the desert. The second is following the carriage scene in which the priest emerges. in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.85:1, in English Dolby Digital 5.1 without subtitles "Wanderlust" 2008 featurette (28:11) This vintage featurette was shot and edited by Nico Soultanakis and has pre-production footage, location scouting, behind the scenes footage and more. It features moments such as Tarsem on set explaining to his cast and crew his intentions, examples of multiple takes in B-roll footage in the hospital, and a look at the desert scenes shot in India. Note this was originally available on various DVD and Blu-ray releases of the film. in 1080i60 AVC MPEG-4, in 1.33:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles "Nostalgia" 2008 featurette (29:59) This is another vintage featurette which was shot and edited by Nico Soultanakis. Here there is more behind the scenes footage, from the wedding scene with the dancers , the fight scene in the final sequence, the choreography, as well as the behind the scenes moment in which Pace reveals to the cast and crew he was able to walk. Note this was originally available on various DVD and Blu-ray releases of the film. in 1080i60 AVC MPEG-4, in 1.33:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles Archival Interviews with Cast and Crew (10:07) These vintage interviews from 2008 have Catinca Untaru, Lee Pace, Daniel Caltagirone, Justine Whaddel, and Ged Clarke interviewed separately in all different locations. The actors discuss their characters and working with Tarsem on the project while Clarke discusses his collaboration process with the designs. Whaddel's interview is done in a taxi ride which is an unusual choice. These interviews were previously included on the German Capelight DVD and Blu-ray releases. in 1080i60 AVC MPEG-4, in 1.78:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles Director's Cut Trailer (1:06) The newly created trailer is presented here. It has also been embedded below, courtesy of Umbrella Entertainment. in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.85:1, in English LPCM 2.0 without subtitles This Umbrella Entertainment marks the director's cut's debut on a home video format and the film's first 4K UltraHD Blu-ray release. It includes all the vintage extras found on the US and UK DVD and Blu-ray releases with the two commentaries, two featurettes, and two deleted scenes. It also adds the vintage interviews found on the German DVD and Blu-ray release. With the addition of three new interviews, this is a very definitive release of the film on the format, though note the German release also included a separate commentary for the dream sequence and a short film with commentary as well. Though note the short film is an unrelated short and it is unconfirmed who spoke on the separate commentary for the dream sequence. Other notable clips: Interview with Tarsem for Empire Magazine (2009) Interview with Tarsem for Movieweb (2010) Interview with Pace for Movieweb (2010) Tarsem reading user reviews for Letterboxd (2024) Tarsem on the 4K restoration at the Locarno Film Festival (2024) Interview with Tarsem for MUBI (2024) An interview with university student Catinca Untaru in 2017
Packaging
The discs are packaged in a standard black keep case with a reversible inlay. The opposite side's artwork is identical, with the only difference being the Australian MA 15+ rating logos being removed. It is also available with a slipcover exclusively at the Umbrella Webshop with new artwork by Tof Zapanta. It is also available in a Collector's Edition exclusively at the Umbrella Webshop, limited to 5000 copies which also includes: - A 100 page book with behind-the-scenes, experiences and art with essays by William Bibbiani, Nadine Whitney and David Michael Brown - Custom rigid case artwork - Custom slipcover artwork - 8 artcards - A3 reversible poster The hardcover book includes in-depth essays by William Bibbiani, Nadine Whitney and David Michael Brown on the film, its background, the inspirations, and more. There is also a text interview with designer Stefan G. Butcher on his contributions and thoughts on the film. There are also multiple stills and international poster artwork included. The artcards are printed on thick stock and have stills from the film. The reversible poster has new artwork by Zapanta on one side that takes art from the slipcover and slipcase together, and the other being a still featuring the character of the masked bandit. The poster is folded and held in the keep case which has a slipcover, which is held in the rigid slipcase with new artwork also holding the book and the artcards. 
Overall
"The Fall" is a monumental spectacle of visuals and an unforgettable experience, with its making-of being just as fascinating. Tarsem's independently made film is truly one of a kind and almost twenty years later, still feels fresh. The 4K restoration looks absolutely wonderful, and Umbrella Entertainment's 4K release is one of their best releases, with a stellar transfer with the image and audio, with a lengthy selection of extras both vintage and newly created. Easily one of the best UHD releases of the year. Umbrella Webshop link (standard edition) Umbrella Webshop link (Collector's Edition
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