Product Description Sound Quality: English 5.1 Surround Sound Subtitles: English for the Hearing Impaired Aspect Ratio: 16 x 9 1.85 From .co.uk Richard Linklater goes off-kilter with his sixth film, Waking Life. Without a linear plot line, stable images and offering the kind of conversations you normally only find in a University seminar, it's clear that Linklater--despite his commercial success with independent films--is determined not move into the mainstream. By taking Wiley Wiggins away from his Dazed and Confused life into a dream which has no structure, and flitting from one philosophical question to another, Linklater presents a filmic discussion into the nature of physical awareness, consciousness and unconsciousness that most surrealist artists would be proud of. However, Linklater goes one step further and removes all notions of the real world by filming the actors then transferring them into animation, employing 31 artists to input their vision onto the film. The result is a startlingly honest portrayal of the confusion we all face about the difference between life and death, dreaming and awareness, and the unknown as a whole. All the characters Wiggins meets seem to have their own thesis on the unknown, just as in life we are all aware or feel differently about our own self. In addition there are discussions regarding film as a dream-like form, with theorists aligning the sensation of watching a film to that of dreaming, taking your own consciousness into the lives of others. This is what makes Waking Life such a brave and well-structured film. By breaking down the barriers of narrative and reality, Linklater has probably made one of the most realistic films in recent history. On the DVD: Waking Life transfers well onto to DVD but disappointingly has no extra features. With just a language selection, scene selection and play all section the only real added advantage of the DVD format is the ability to play back the dream sequences to allow for greater understanding, something impossible to do in the "waking life". --Nikki Disney
L**S
A work of art.
One of my all time favourite films. I saw it many years ago before I began lucid dreaming and is unlike any of the many levels/ degrees of lucidity in dreams I have experienced but I find it so fascinating still). I had to re-download it to watch on the tail end of an acid trip (a good contender for that time if your head-space is clear enough) then decided I had to finally buy it and own a proper copy.The last couple of times I've put it on after 10 minutes or so (forgetting how brilliant it is) I have been tempted to say, I've seen this several times now and don't feel like it, and turn it off for something else. I don't. I become engrossed in the ideas put forward and the stringed music and wildly expressive animation style add to its beauty.
K**T
Language sometimes over-complicated and pretentious.
One of the weirdest films I've seen in my life. Parts I can connect with were really good.But... sometimes I felt like whoever made this was trying the find the most complicated philosophical mumbo jumbo and it seemed quite pretentious. I feel it could reach out to a larger audience if the language was more simple.I'm a veterinary student, and it was a bit like if I made a programme, I wouldn't use all the medical mumbo jumbo as most people wouldn't know what that meant. E.g. If I said someone's dog had pruritus, most people wouldn't know what that means, so I would say the dog is itchy and seems to be scratching a lot.
T**N
Different and Good
I like this film, its different...dreamy and thoughtful. Even if I didn't like it (but I really do) I wouldn't criticise it in case readers thought I was shallow or that I don't understand philosphical movies, whereas of course I do. Maybe other reviewers are the same as me in that respect and thats how the film has so many 5 star reviews but it is more likely becuse it is so unique, well made, different, clever and thoughtful :-)
S**R
It never arrived
The film itself is great but my order never arrived and I couldn't find out how to complain!
A**R
Recommend.
This is something new for me and I loved it.
J**S
Fantastic - recommend to everyone
As a philosopher myself, I absolutely love this and watch it many times, which is unusual for me, but that is because it is not just a film story, but an amazing presentation of animated story and a huge lot of philosophy. You have to watch it several times really to get everything out of it. Wow. My son actually recommended it to me - he loved it too.
R**N
Five Stars
Waking Life – one of Linklater's best, witty, sometimes funny and always on target.
C**N
Waking Life
Waking Life is the type of film you need to watch over and over, and each time you do, you get something new out of it, you completely missed the first time.This film is thought provoking, and needs your full attention to get the most out of it, it isnt really a film you can half watch.It is cleverly animated and just a very good film if you like quirky films =]
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