List Item: Watch all of the “1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die”
Progress: 858/1009
Title: Picnic At Hanging Rock
Director: Peter Weir
Year: 1975
Country: Australia
Okay, so I purposely put a hold on watching Romper Stomper during my day off as I didn’t want to end up with two Australian films in a row. Also that was the Wednesday after the US Elections which, at the time, was rather stressful for pretty much all concerned – no matter which side of the vote you fell on. Watching a film about a violent racist gang just didn’t feel right… not sure I did much better with King of New York mind.
Anyway. I saw Picnic At Hanging Rock, which was recommended to me ages ago on a film forum that I frequent. It’s the latest in a number of films (alongside My Brilliant Career, Mad Max, Wake in Fright and The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith) falls into the area of Australian New Wave cinema. New Wave because of it being a renaissance in the country’s cinema, not because it had anything related to the New Wave cinema of France. Far from it really – this is a cinema that enjoys exploring the vast natural spaces within Australia and juxtaposes it something primal within human nature.
For most of those I have seen so far, the juxtaposition is done via acts of violence. With Picnic At Hanging Rock there is a spirituality found through sexuality and the repression of that sexuality. The central mystery of the film is that of the disappearance of three girls and one of their teachers at the titular Hanging Rock formation. It’s presented as if this actually occurred in 1900s Australia – but it’s based on a novel… which offered no solution to what happened.
I think it’s good to know in advance that there is no given solution to this mystery – otherwise you might have a bit of a negative reaction like one that supposedly happened upon on early screenings to a distributor. Knowing it remains a mystery means that you can enjoy the weird fantasy generated around how a turn-of-the-century private girls’ school ends up completely falling to pieces after this unknown tragedy.
This is not the last I will be seeing of the Australian New Wave – nor director Peter Weir. I am not sure if The Last Wave is going to be able to top Picnic At Hanging Rock, but I’m keen to see it try.
Before I Kick 