What’s fascinating about Picnic At Hanging Rock is that it can be viewed as a precursor to films like Cache (often referred to as a thriller without thrills), in that it is completely built upon atmosphere, and even without the traditional staples of horror, or even considered scary, it can create a completely overwhelming atmosphere of dread.
The sequence where the boy is slipping while trying to climb the rock is one of the most suspenseful scenes in movie history, and after this film, I’m always left feeling extremely disconcerted for at least a day.
There’s shots of the outback through a veiled lens that are infinitely more haunted than any windswept moor or old house. This is one of those movies I try to watch at least once a year to remind myself what horror can be if it tries to aspire to be art, since the genre has devolved over the past twenty, and especially past five years into what-can-shock-you rather than what can really be scary.
The original novel, which also purported to be non-fiction, though it was in fact, all made up, had a lost chapter, where you could find out what really happened. I’d recommend googling it, as I’d feel bad spoiling it here, but suffice to say, it’s infinitely scarier when the nature of the disappearance is entirely unknown.
I’ve been meaning to watch L’Avventura for years now. Maybe next week?
Writer in Los Angeles – Sucker for Melville and other well-done crime movies. I wouldn’t be upset with Criterion eventually releasing well-done dubs, seeing as the rest of the world goes that way, and reading subtitles can distract you from the amazing shots and details amazing directors put into their works, though I understand the cost involved, especially with older films with no separate audio tracks, can be astronomical (and we’re already paying a month’s wages for a single-disc DVD now).
Amen to that point Dave. Although Hostel simultaneously seems to deconstruct the genre it’s most famous for “inventing”, I’m just really not impressed with horror that shows you how you can be cut apart. I know these things already, what frightens me is how I can completely disappear without a trace, or how my headmistress can completely banish me from school because my parent’s are unable to make ends meet, precluding me from an education.
Haha, that’s the problem with Picnic, it’s amazing, and you want a copy to show people, but then you just loan it to them, cause watching it again means losing sleep.
If Furman really dug comics, he’d hate most of those movies.
The Dark Knight really bogs down when in the 5th act (in a movie structured in 3 acts) the writers decided to just leave the placeholder notecards in the script instead of changing it to real dialogue, and everyone began saying the theme of their character out loud. Plus, you know, uninteresting lead. Heath’s performance was great. Was it Oscar great? It was nomination great, but not necessarily win-worthy. Also, if you want to make Travis Bickle comparisons, you should be talking about Batman Begins, where Batman/Bruce Wayne is actually featured in the film as a main character, instead of an occasional set-piece.
If Furman really dug comics, he’d hate most of those movies.
The Dark Knight really bogs down when in the 5th act (in a movie structured in 3 acts) the writers decided to just leave the placeholder notecards in the script instead of changing it to real dialogue, and everyone began saying the theme of their character out loud. Plus, you know, uninteresting lead. Heath’s performance was great. Was it Oscar great? It was nomination great, but not necessarily win-worthy. Also, if you want to make Travis Bickle comparisons, you should be talking about Batman Begins, where Batman/Bruce Wayne is actually featured in the film as a main character, instead of an occasional set-piece.
One of the Scariest Movies I Know! over 3 years ago
What’s fascinating about Picnic At Hanging Rock is that it can be viewed as a precursor to films like Cache (often referred to as a thriller without thrills), in that it is completely built upon atmosphere, and even without the traditional staples of horror, or even considered scary, it can create a completely overwhelming atmosphere of dread.
The sequence where the boy is slipping while trying to climb the rock is one of the most suspenseful scenes in movie history, and after this film, I’m always left feeling extremely disconcerted for at least a day.
Go to Comment
One of the Scariest Movies I Know! over 3 years ago
There’s shots of the outback through a veiled lens that are infinitely more haunted than any windswept moor or old house. This is one of those movies I try to watch at least once a year to remind myself what horror can be if it tries to aspire to be art, since the genre has devolved over the past twenty, and especially past five years into what-can-shock-you rather than what can really be scary.
Go to Comment
Most Memorable "Open" Endings in Cinema over 3 years ago
Primer, hands-down. What is he building there? How big is that?
Go to Comment
One of the Scariest Movies I Know! over 3 years ago
The original novel, which also purported to be non-fiction, though it was in fact, all made up, had a lost chapter, where you could find out what really happened. I’d recommend googling it, as I’d feel bad spoiling it here, but suffice to say, it’s infinitely scarier when the nature of the disappearance is entirely unknown.
I’ve been meaning to watch L’Avventura for years now. Maybe next week?
Go to Comment
New to The Auteurs? You Belong Here over 3 years ago
Writer in Los Angeles – Sucker for Melville and other well-done crime movies. I wouldn’t be upset with Criterion eventually releasing well-done dubs, seeing as the rest of the world goes that way, and reading subtitles can distract you from the amazing shots and details amazing directors put into their works, though I understand the cost involved, especially with older films with no separate audio tracks, can be astronomical (and we’re already paying a month’s wages for a single-disc DVD now).
Go to Comment
One of the Scariest Movies I Know! over 3 years ago
Amen to that point Dave. Although Hostel simultaneously seems to deconstruct the genre it’s most famous for “inventing”, I’m just really not impressed with horror that shows you how you can be cut apart. I know these things already, what frightens me is how I can completely disappear without a trace, or how my headmistress can completely banish me from school because my parent’s are unable to make ends meet, precluding me from an education.
Go to Comment
One of the Scariest Movies I Know! over 3 years ago
Haha, that’s the problem with Picnic, it’s amazing, and you want a copy to show people, but then you just loan it to them, cause watching it again means losing sleep.
Go to Comment
Anybody else hate the Dark Knight? over 3 years ago
If Furman really dug comics, he’d hate most of those movies.
The Dark Knight really bogs down when in the 5th act (in a movie structured in 3 acts) the writers decided to just leave the placeholder notecards in the script instead of changing it to real dialogue, and everyone began saying the theme of their character out loud. Plus, you know, uninteresting lead. Heath’s performance was great. Was it Oscar great? It was nomination great, but not necessarily win-worthy. Also, if you want to make Travis Bickle comparisons, you should be talking about Batman Begins, where Batman/Bruce Wayne is actually featured in the film as a main character, instead of an occasional set-piece.
Go to Comment
Anybody else hate the Dark Knight? over 3 years ago
If Furman really dug comics, he’d hate most of those movies.
The Dark Knight really bogs down when in the 5th act (in a movie structured in 3 acts) the writers decided to just leave the placeholder notecards in the script instead of changing it to real dialogue, and everyone began saying the theme of their character out loud. Plus, you know, uninteresting lead. Heath’s performance was great. Was it Oscar great? It was nomination great, but not necessarily win-worthy. Also, if you want to make Travis Bickle comparisons, you should be talking about Batman Begins, where Batman/Bruce Wayne is actually featured in the film as a main character, instead of an occasional set-piece.
Go to Comment