Movie Loner

Peter Weir has been one of cinema’s consistently good Directors since the early 1970s. Before conquering U.S. markets with movies like Witness, Dead Poets Society, The Truman Show and Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, Weir cut his creative teeth in Australia directing such renowned films as The Last Wave, Gallipoli and The Year of Living Dangerously. One of his first projects, and in my opinion his best, was Picnic at Hanging Rock, an eerie puzzler certain to stay with you long after you see it.

On Valentine’s Day 1900, in Victoria, Australia, the girls of Appleyard College take a carriage ride to Hanging Rock for a picnic. Shortly after arriving, three girls and a teacher venture off to explore the paths surrounding the ancient rocks. A little while later, the four women vanish. The police are notified, a search party organized, and the area around Hanging Rock is thoroughly canvassed. Witnesses are gathered, students are interrogated, but no trace of the missing women is found. Is foul play involved? Did the girls simply fall into one of the many crevices? Or is an unnatural aboriginal force at work?

The repercussions of the disappearance ripple throughout the local community. Despite dogged efforts, the police remain perplexed. The future survival of Appleyard College is placed in jeopardy as frightened parents fear for their girls safety. Remaining students and faculty struggle with grief while desperately clinging to the small hope that the women will be discovered. And one young man, haunted by the vanishing, will risk his life to locate the lost girls. As shocking as the actual disappearance is, it’s the destructive aftermath that delivers the movie’s most profound moments.

Weir creates an ethereal atmosphere that perfectly fits a story steeped in mystery. Questions are abundant while answers are few. The psychological damage inflicted on the characters is both harrowing and sad. An ambiguous conclusion might disappoint some, but it adds to the veil of intensity that permeates the film. A mostly young cast provides very effective performances, and striking cinematography adroitly captures the mystical Australian outback. Peter Weir chooses his films carefully and therefore his catalog is relatively small, but his exceptional talent as a filmmaker is showcased in movies like Picnic at Hanging Rock.

A scene from Picnic at Hanging Rock: