Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975)

Director:

Peter Weir

Writers:

Joan Lindsay (novel)
Cliff Green (screenplay)

Release Date:

2 February 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Mystery

Tagline:

Australia's First International Hit! [Video Australia]

Plot:

A story about the disappearance of several Appleyard College students, and a teacher, from Hanging Rock.

Plot Keywords:

Hanging | Teacher | Student | Hanging Rock | 1900s

Awards:

Won BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Rachel Roberts	...	Mrs. Appleyard
Vivean Gray	...	Miss McCraw
Helen Morse	...	Mlle. de Poitiers
Kirsty Child	...	Miss Lumley
Tony Llewellyn-Jones	...	Tom (as Anthony Llewellyn-Jones)
Jacki Weaver	...	Minnie
Frank Gunnell	...	Mr. Whitehead
Anne-Louise Lambert	...	Miranda (as Anne Lambert)
Karen Robson	...	Irma
Jane Vallis	...	Marion
Christine Schuler	...	Edith
Margaret Nelson	...	Sara
Ingrid Mason	...	Rosamund
Jenny Lovell	...	Blanche
Janet Murray	...	Juliana
Vivienne Graves	...	Pupil
Angela Bencini	...	Pupil
Melinda Cardwell	...	Pupil
Annabel Powrie	...	Pupil
Amanda White	...	Pupil
Lindy O'Connell	...	Pupil
Verity Smith	...	Pupil
Deborah Mullins	...	Pupil
Sue Jamieson	...	Pupil
Bernadette Bencini	...	Pupil
Barbara Lloyd	...	Pupil
Wyn Roberts	...	Sgt. Bumpher
Kay Taylor	...	Mrs. Bumpher
Garry McDonald	...	Const. Jones
Martin Vaughan	...	Ben Hussey
John Fegan	...	Doc. McKenzie (as Jack Fegan)
Peter Collingwood	...	Col. Fitzhubert
Olga Dickie	...	Mrs. Fitzhubert
Dominic Guard	...	Michael Fitzhubert
John Jarratt	...	Albert Crundall (as John Jarrett)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Faith Kleinig	...	Cook (uncredited)

Directed by
Peter Weir

Writing credits
Joan Lindsay		(novel)
Cliff Green		(screenplay)

Produced by
A. John Graves	....	executive producer: South Australian Film Corporation (as John Graves)
Patricia Lovell	....	executive producer
Hal McElroy	....	producer
Jim McElroy	....	producer

Cinematography by
Russell Boyd		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Max Lemon

Art Direction by
David Copping

Costume Design by
Judith Dorsman		(as Judy Dorsman)

Makeup Department
Elizabeth Mitchie	....	makeup artist
José Luis Pérez	....	makeup supervisor (as Jose Perez)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Kim Dalton	....	second assistant director
Mark Egerton	....	first assistant director
Ian Jamieson	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Neil Angwin	....	assistant to art department
Mont Fieguth	....	property master (as Monte Fieguth)
Mont Fieguth	....	stand-by property (as Monte Fieguth)
Bill Howe	....	construction manager
Martin Sharp	....	artistic advisor to director
Graham 'Grace' Walker	....	property buyer (as Graham Walker)
Graham 'Grace' Walker	....	set dresser (as Graham Walker)
Christopher Webster	....	assistant to art director

Sound Department
Sherry Bell	....	assistant dubbing editor
Greg Bell	....	dubbing editor (uncredited)
Don Connolly	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Joe Spinelli	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
David Kynoch	....	still photographer
Geoffrey Simpson	....	electrician
Tony Tegg	....	gaffer
Trevor Toune	....	best boy
Geordie Dryden	....	key grip (uncredited)
David Foreman	....	clapper loader (uncredited)
David Sanderson	....	photographer: nature (uncredited)
John Seale	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Phil Warner	....	assistant grip (uncredited)
David Williamson	....	focus puller (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mandy Smith	....	wardrobe assistant
Wendy Stites	....	associate costume designer

Editorial Department
Margaret Cardin	....	negative matcher
Andre Fleuren	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Bruce Smeaton	....	composer: additional original music
Gheorghe Zamfir	....	musician: pan flute

Other crew
Gilda Baracchi	....	continuity
Tom Downer	....	wrangler
Steve Knapman	....	production assistant
Joan McIntosh	....	accountant
Pom Oliver	....	production secretary
Gordon Rayner	....	assistant wrangler
Phil Smythe	....	accountant: SAFC
Sidney L. Stebel	....	script consultant (as Sidney Stebel)
Jill Wishart	....	production secretary: SAFC

Production Companies

• Australian Film Commission, The
• McElroy & McElroy
• Picnic Productions Pty. Ltd.
• Z

Distributors

• Greater Union Organisation (GUO) (1975) (Australia) (theatrical)
• G.T.O. Films Ltd. (1976) (UK) (theatrical)
• V.O. Films S.A. (1977) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Atlantic Releasing Corporation (1979) (USA) (theatrical)
• Tuschinski Film Distribution (1979) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Dianafilmi (1981) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Rosebud (2008) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Sandrew Film & Teater (1977) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Aquarius TV (2004) (Greece) (TV)
• Criterion Collection, The (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (1998) (USA) (laserdisc)
• Criterion Collection, The (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Electric Pictures Ltd. (1993) (UK) (VHS)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• LW Editora (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Look Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Pathé Distribution (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• PolyGram Video (1999) (UK) (VHS)
• Roadshow Entertainment Video (1995) (Australia) (VHS)
• Roadshow Home Video (1985) (Australia) (video)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2004) (Australia) (DVD)
• Vestron Video (video)
• Z

Other Companies

• Australian Film Commission, The  funding
• M & L Casting Consultants  casting
• Optical & Graphics  titles and opticals
• Tony Tegg Lighting  lighting equipment
• United Sound  sound post-production

Runtime:

115 min | Australia:107 min (1998 director's cut)

Country:

Australia

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Brazil:12 | Iceland:L | Netherlands:12 | Sweden:11 | USA:TV-PG (cable rating) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Norway:11 | UK:PG (video rating) | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | UK:A | Australia:G | Spain:T | Spain:X | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia

Company:

Australian Film Commission, The

Trivia:

Christine Schuler, who played Edith, had her entire voice dubbed over by actress Barbara Llewellyn.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The bridge of Marion's eyeglasses sets near the top of the frame; prior to the 1920s, eyeglass frames were manufactured with the bridge vertically centered between the lenses.

Quotes:

Edith: I think I must be doomed. I don't feel at all well.
Marion: I do wish you'd stop talking for once.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "On Location with 'Robbery Under Arms'" (1985)

Soundtrack:

Eine kleine Nachtmusik

Picnic....

This film is magnificent! From the storyline, the settings, the atmosphere, the cinematography, the Victorian repression, the music throughout, the sense of the ordinary, the epic and the bizarre all clashing together to make something altogether superb from such disparate parts.

Whether it is supernatural, otherworldly, plain disappearances, a murder scene, or who-knows, no one ever really finds out. And what might seem important, might not be, and what might seem trivial might not be either! It is the imagination made reality on film, and the most dreamy and atmospheric film I have seen.

The fact that it is in Australia as well, at the turn of the century counts for a lot. The story in the movie could be read in countless ways; as symbolic of the horrors and hypocrisy of Victorian society; as a criticism of European ideals imposed on an alien landscape; as the end of one society, that of Victorian, to the beginnings of the modern world we all now live in. It is this that is the crux for me; the appearance of something new from something so old; the old landscape, the passing values of Victorian society, the passing values of class deference in English-speaking societies, and obviously Australia.

There is another thing that gets me about this movie; the down to earthness of Australians up against the bizarre and epic nature of an ancient landscape that refuses to be tamed.

There is for me a sadness in this film, and repression of every kind, but, somewhere, in tiny glints throughout the movie, the future is glimpsed when ordinary people can be free of such repression, and somewhere the story of Oz itself is in this movie. I don't know how or why, but it is! I think! Whatever, I love this movie and can't get it out of my head.