Rent Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975)

A timeless classic - Picnic at Hanging Rock review by SN

The film feels like a blend of Nicolas Roeg's Walkabout (1971) and Luchino Visconti's Death In Venice (also 1971). The amazing cinematography by Russell Boyd is mixed with some beautiful classical music by Mozart and Beethoven, panpipes by Zamfir and an original score by David Appleyard. The music is perfect. I do like the fact a lot of films like these from the 70s used classical music instead of bland original scores.

Picnic in Hanging Rock will not be for everyone. The film can be described as slow, but I found the pacing to be just right because like Walkabout and Death in Venice, it tells a story through dreamlike imagery. The imaginative direction by Peter Weir creates a sense of other worldliness. The story straddles reality and an ethereal feeling of magic or spiritism. I like the fact you are trying to figure out what is going on as the characters on the screen.

I read that the ambiguous ending left many frustrated or annoyed, but the story really is not about the missing girls per-se, it is about the after-effects of their disappearance. The film is about how people deal with the consequence of a seismic event.

The casting is excellent. I especially enjoyed watching Rachel Roberts as the crusty Mrs Appleyard, Anne-Louise Lambert as the esoteric Miranda, Margaret Nelson as spooky Sarah, Wyn Roberts as Sgt Bumpher and Christine Schuler as Edith, a girl we have all met once in our life. They are all superb.

It is a haunting film and a credit to the Australian film industry.

A Mystery Drama, Beautiful, Enigmatic and Very Original - Picnic at Hanging Rock review by GI

This mystery drama with subtle hints of horror and a surreal and mystical vibe has garnered much admiration over the years despite a controversial ending. It remains a key Australian film and one that hooks you and keeps you attentive despite its quite languid narrative. The opening screen information strongly suggests the film is based on real events when, in fact, it's an adaptation of a novel and completely fictional and even knowing this the plot arc leaves you with an unsettled feeling that this may have actually happened. Part of the reason for that is the film asks more questions than it answers and it captures that aura of strange magic that oozes from the land and in particular the 'hanging rock' of the title. It's also an immensely beautiful film both visually and sensually, with a never revealed sexual tension running through it. The story is set in 1900 at a prestigious girls preparatory school. One valentines day a group of the girls are allowed to go on a picnic into the bush at Hanging Rock accompanied by two of their teachers. When three of the girls and a teacher mysteriously disappear no trace of them can be found despite a large scale search. The effects of the mystery has an effect on the owner and head teacher, Miss Appleyard (Rachel Roberts), the other girls and teachers and a local man (Dominic Guard) who is determined to find the missing party. The sensual beauty and enigmatic atmosphere of the film are enhanced by the beautiful soundtrack and the soft focus cinematography. This is rather a clever and mystifying film that is worth viewing a few times to try and unravel the imagery and riddles that the narrative sets for the viewer. It's unusual but a delight.