Search - Romper Stomper [Special Edition] on DVD

MPAA Rating: NR Content Advisory: Violence, Nudity, Strong Sexual Content, Not For Children, Profanity Movie Release: 1993 DVD Release: 11/21/2000 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: English SwapaDVD Credits: 2 Number of Discs: 2 Studio: 20th Century Fox Total Copies: 6 Genres: Drama, Psychological Drama, Teen Movie, Urban Drama See Also: Romper Stomper, Romper Stomper

This controversial drama (which earned an NC-17 rating in the U.S.) was a major box-office success in its native Australia, and it made an overnight star of its leading man, Russell Crowe. Hando (Crowe) is a member of a gang of racist skinheads who lash out with violence against the growing number of Asian immigrants settling in the country. While Hando and his partner Davey (Daniel Pollock) lead a bunch of brutal, half-bright thugs, they have convinced themselves that what they do is the noble work of saving Australia for Australians (or at least the white Australians who drove the aborigines into the outback). Into this milieu comes Gabe (Jacqueline McKenzie), a troubled young woman who suffers from epilepsy and was raised in a sexually abusive environment. Gabe becomes something of a gang moll, dividing her time (and her sexual favors) between Hando and Davey, generating considerable tension between them. When the gang's favorite bar is purchased by a group of Vietnamese immigrants, Hando and Davey organize an all-out attack, little imagining that the Asians are ready and able to defend themselves. Romper Stomper was released in America in both its original, uncut form, and in an edited version that earned an R rating from the MPAA. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Russell Crowe - Hando
Daniel Pollock - Davey
Jacqueline McKenzie - Gabe
Alex Scott - Martin
Leigh Russell - Sonny Jim

Geoffrey Wright's controversial movie is quite powerful in this 1.85:1 widescreen Special Edition DVD. Anyone who's seen the film knows that Russell Crowe virtually explodes off the screen in his charismatic, ferocious potrayal of Hando, the leader of a group of skinheads, and this DVD allows the performance to dazzle and disgust equally. The DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 Audio and the stylized, edgy visuals give the DVD ample doses of cinematic oomph. Wright's commentary is quite informative and intriguing, though it sounds tinny and distant. Disc two contains most of the supplemental material. The "Widescreen Trailer" has style to burn and is just as shocking as the movie. The "Reviews" section presents three full-text movie reviews, one each from People Magazine, Rolling Stone, and The Los Angeles Times. The "Biographies" section includes extensive background information on the cast and filmmakers, while the "Interviews" area provides almost an hour and a half of interesting talks with Wright, Crowe, Jacqueline McKenzie, and Tony Lee. "Film Restoration" explains the transfer process of the new print used for the DVD and gives a comparison of the videotape and DVD editions. "Facts/Photos" is a stills gallery of 20 promotional photos, with the bonus of captions that tell some of the more interesting facts behind the movie's production, marketing, and theatrical run. Romper Stomper is a powerful movie that shines on this high-quality DVD. ~ Tim DiGravina, All Movie Guide