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Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975)

Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975)
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Peter Weir's haunting and evocative mystery is set in the Australia of 1900, a mystical place where the British have attempted to impose their Christian culture with such tweedy refinements as a girls' boarding school. After gauzily-photographed, nicely underplayed scenes of the girls' budding sexuality being restrained in Victorian corsets, the uptight headmistress (Rachel Roberts) takes them on a Valentine's Day picnic into the countryside, and several of the girls, led by the lovely Miranda (Anne Lambert) decide to explore a nearby volcanic rock formation. It's a desolate, primitive, vaguely menacing place, where one can almost feel the presence of ancient pagan spirits. Something -- and there is an unspoken but palpable emphasis on the inherent carnality of the place -- draws four of the girls to explore the rock. Three never return. No one ever finds out why. The repercussions for the school are tragic, and of course Roberts reacts with near-crazed anger, but what really happened? Weir gives enough clues to suggest any number of explanations, both physical and supernatural. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi

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Starring:
Rachel RobertsDominic Guard, (more)
Director(s):
Peter Weir
Theatrical MPAA Rating:
NR
Format(s):
DVD
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Synopsis of Picnic at Hanging Rock

Peter Weir's haunting and evocative mystery is set in the Australia of 1900, a mystical place where the British have attempted to impose their Christian culture with such tweedy refinements as a girls' boarding school. After gauzily-photographed, nicely underplayed scenes of the girls' budding sexuality being restrained in Victorian corsets, the uptight headmistress (Rachel Roberts) takes them on a Valentine's Day picnic into the countryside, and several of the girls, led by the lovely Miranda (Anne Lambert) decide to explore a nearby volcanic rock formation. It's a desolate, primitive, vaguely menacing place, where one can almost feel the presence of ancient pagan spirits. Something -- and there is an unspoken but palpable emphasis on the inherent carnality of the place -- draws four of the girls to explore the rock. Three never return. No one ever finds out why. The repercussions for the school are tragic, and of course Roberts reacts with near-crazed anger, but what really happened? Weir gives enough clues to suggest any number of explanations, both physical and supernatural. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi

Theatrical Feature Running Time:
107 mins

Complete Cast of Picnic at Hanging Rock


Director(s):
Peter Weir
Writer(s):
Clifford Green
Producer(s):
Hal McElroyJim McElroy
Theatrical MPAA Rating:
NR(Adult Language, Not For Children, Adult Situations)
Categories:
Mystery & Suspense
Picnic at Hanging Rock Awards:
  • 1976 - British Academy of Film and Television Arts - Best Cinematography
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Member Reviews
 
Bruce C.

First half is interesting, then it drags. Lots of gay overtones that are not developed, unfortunately. The music is quite good.

Yes   |   No

 
David Z.

I don't agree with the Member Rating of 4 Stars. While I know that this movie is 35 years old, it went entirely too slow and took forever to come to a conclusion.

Yes   |   No

 
Barton C.

Great beginning and good ending but the storyline in-between is cumbersome. Is the movie about the school, the head mistress, or the missing girls. Drags quite a bit until the end and then you don't really get all the answers.

Yes   |   No

 
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