BIRGIT COMPTON'S
"PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK" film review - page one
"PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK" film review - page one
PICNIC AT
HANGING
ROCK
HANGING
ROCK
For long blonde hair Miranda, played by Anne Lambert, wins top prize and the camera loves her as she chats with the
grounded Sara in her room, prepares for the picnic, travels by horse drawn carriage and perspires under the Australian
Sun at the rock. Later she snoozes sprawled on the rock in the Sun, blonde hair cascading around her, before going
AWOL. This view even adorns the cover the box of our copy of the DVD. Gorgeous stuff. One of the most
common interpretations of the film is that these two have some kind of barely concealed lesbian thing going on
between them. If so, then good luck to them ! You can hardly blame them for it. Fantastic ! Can we watch ? And why
wasn't this expanded on in the much vaunted director's cut, rather than having lumps taken out if it. Sadly, on screen this
mooted lesbianism is limited to mutually knowing furtive glances and tearful partings.
All things considered, a beautiful film, haven't got a clue what it all means, but frankly, who cares ?
Continued next page . . . . .
grounded Sara in her room, prepares for the picnic, travels by horse drawn carriage and perspires under the Australian
Sun at the rock. Later she snoozes sprawled on the rock in the Sun, blonde hair cascading around her, before going
AWOL. This view even adorns the cover the box of our copy of the DVD. Gorgeous stuff. One of the most
common interpretations of the film is that these two have some kind of barely concealed lesbian thing going on
between them. If so, then good luck to them ! You can hardly blame them for it. Fantastic ! Can we watch ? And why
wasn't this expanded on in the much vaunted director's cut, rather than having lumps taken out if it. Sadly, on screen this
mooted lesbianism is limited to mutually knowing furtive glances and tearful partings.
All things considered, a beautiful film, haven't got a clue what it all means, but frankly, who cares ?
Continued next page . . . . .
Those of us who are fans of Alice in Wonderland primarily, (if not exclusively), because of the outfit that Alice is
wearing throughout, may well also be similarly enthused by the Australian 1975 Peter Weir film 'Picnic at Hanging Rock'.
While the plot line is somewhat minimal and indeed outright bonkers, it is beautifully photographed, accompanied by
delightfully atmospheric music, but again the principle attraction is the fact that much of the film comprises young girls with
long hair wearing gorgeous Victorian dress and pinafores. The fact that some of them go inexplicably missing whilst on a
St Valentine's Day picnic in the Australian outback in the year 1900 is frankly irrelevant compared to what they get to
wear throughout the film.
wearing throughout, may well also be similarly enthused by the Australian 1975 Peter Weir film 'Picnic at Hanging Rock'.
While the plot line is somewhat minimal and indeed outright bonkers, it is beautifully photographed, accompanied by
delightfully atmospheric music, but again the principle attraction is the fact that much of the film comprises young girls with
long hair wearing gorgeous Victorian dress and pinafores. The fact that some of them go inexplicably missing whilst on a
St Valentine's Day picnic in the Australian outback in the year 1900 is frankly irrelevant compared to what they get to
wear throughout the film.
The early scenes preparing for and leaving to travel to the picnic are frankly the best, with copious footage of pretty
girls lacing each other into corsets and flouncing about in voluminous white dresses in a state of high excitement and,
indeed it must be said, some arousal. What a fantastic school ! Who hasn't secretly dreamt of being ensconced in such an
establishment and to be compelled to wear delicious Victorian dresses and pinafores all day whilst surrounded by pretty
long haired adolescent girls ?That fact that the girl who gets to wear the best, and most Alice like, dress and pinafore is
compelled to stay behind and miss the picnic by way of a punishment is somewhat perplexing, but we are grateful for the
fact that at least she isn't one of those that mysteriously disappears from the rock.
girls lacing each other into corsets and flouncing about in voluminous white dresses in a state of high excitement and,
indeed it must be said, some arousal. What a fantastic school ! Who hasn't secretly dreamt of being ensconced in such an
establishment and to be compelled to wear delicious Victorian dresses and pinafores all day whilst surrounded by pretty
long haired adolescent girls ?That fact that the girl who gets to wear the best, and most Alice like, dress and pinafore is
compelled to stay behind and miss the picnic by way of a punishment is somewhat perplexing, but we are grateful for the
fact that at least she isn't one of those that mysteriously disappears from the rock.
Sara, for that is her name, played by Margaret Nelson, spends the day looking alternately grumpy or tearful in the
Victorian schoolroom wearing a white pinafore over a pale blue dress, ok pale blue blouse and black skirt, but that's close
enough for us. Sadly this punishment takes the form of extra schoolwork rather than being bent over a desk and being
thrashed with a cane, but hey-ho, you can't have everything perfect.
Later in the film she wears a white Victorian nightdress as she languishes restlessly in her bed and generally mopes about
the place tearfully, pining for the missing Miranda. Although not blonde, she does have agreeably tactile looking waist
length chestnut-brown hair and presents a most pleasing spectacle. Notice the rear view reflected in Miranda's mirror.
Victorian schoolroom wearing a white pinafore over a pale blue dress, ok pale blue blouse and black skirt, but that's close
enough for us. Sadly this punishment takes the form of extra schoolwork rather than being bent over a desk and being
thrashed with a cane, but hey-ho, you can't have everything perfect.
Later in the film she wears a white Victorian nightdress as she languishes restlessly in her bed and generally mopes about
the place tearfully, pining for the missing Miranda. Although not blonde, she does have agreeably tactile looking waist
length chestnut-brown hair and presents a most pleasing spectacle. Notice the rear view reflected in Miranda's mirror.
A trailer and more details of the film can be found at the beautifully presented site :
http://www.picnicathangingrock.homestead.com/FilmTrailer.html
and the DVD is available from all good stockists now.
http://www.picnicathangingrock.homestead.com/FilmTrailer.html
and the DVD is available from all good stockists now.
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