I watched this film last night and loved it. Those early dreamlike scenes were so beautiful. The whole mood, the feeling, the soundscape, the imagery, the dual sense of underlying danger mixed with intoxicating beauty. The way the girls surrender themselves to the experience as it envelopes them and they merge with nature and its essence. The ethereal music is like the wind and the breath of life ~ mysterious yet strangely familiar. This was not just dreamlike, it was hallucinatory. A very potent cinematic experience.
@DaisukeBeppu
3 жыл бұрын
Hello Knightmare and thank you so very much for your comment on this film. Yes! And I love that distinction you make between the dream and the hallucination. Very interesting.
@TheWaynos73
2 жыл бұрын
Love the symbolism of shot of the ants devouring the leftovers of the Valentine’s Day cake - the creatures of the earth waiting to devour the virginal white of the girls and their clothing - what’s great about this film is the more subtle clues given to the mystery each time you view the film - Weir challenges you to watch the film again and again. My favourite scene in the whole film is Albert when he recalls to Michael the vision dream of the passing of his sister Sarah and the revelation of their connection that is hinted throughout the film. I also love the symbolism of the clocks stopping at twelve - the beginning and the end of the day - everything begins and ends at exactly the right time, and place.
@DaisukeBeppu
2 жыл бұрын
Hello and thank you again for this comment as well. Yes, there is much symbolism at work here as you suggest. And also this film is really remarkable in that the mystery remains even after multiple viewings, as you also suggest. Well done for this wonderful comment of yours.
@filmbuster2619
2 жыл бұрын
I'm making my way through this livestream recording, I watched some of it last night right after watching Picnic At Hanging Rock for the first time. I actually had to stop because the more I thought about the film, the more it started to scare me! Anyways, although it was past midnight, I ended up watching another film just to get my mind off of it. This is a fascinating film. It is so tragic and haunting yet beautiful in an old fashioned, nostalgic way. It's a new favorite.
@DaisukeBeppu
2 жыл бұрын
Hello my friend and thank you so much for this. Yes, it has a lot of scary qualities as well, almost like a horror film (and genuinely creepy moments). Cheers and I hope you are well.
@sebastiendesforges4861
5 жыл бұрын
Hi Daisuke! Greetings from Paris, France. I discovered your channel at the end of last year but this is my first time commenting. I wanted to thank you for this film club, it really is great for neophytes like me who wanted to discover the Criterion Collection catalog and, more broadly, classic films but didn't know where to begin. I won't be able to join you on the livestream very often (it airs on Saturday nights here and I'm rarely home at that time) but I'll try to post a comment afterwards every time. I had a blast with Good Morning last time, a wonderful little movie about small talk and social conventions (the 'lubricant of life', as one of the characters puts it). I especially loved the younger brother: the scene where he tries to explain to his parents he needs lunch money and fails miserably had me rolling on the floor laughing. Visually, it reminded me of Jacques Tati's style (static shots, bright colors, etc.) Picnic at Hanging Rock is...well...quite a different movie - but I liked it just as much. This one reminded me of Twin Peaks (a lot of people pointed that out in the chat): beautiful young girls disappearing, supernatural and mystical elements involved, teenagers' issues on the forefront (sexual awakening, grim violence), suffocating atmosphere, distinctive soundtrack... It ticked a lot of the boxes of a David Lynch film/series. Can't wait to watch Rebecca now!
@DaisukeBeppu
5 жыл бұрын
Hello Sebastien, my friend. How are you? Thank you so much for your really lovely comment. Oh yes, that scene in GOOD MORNING where the boy is trying to explain that he needs the lunch money, and she says something like: "The fireman put out a fire at the school so he drank some tea!" That was such a hilarious scene! I love it! And as for your observation about Picnic at Hanging Rock and Twin Peaks! Yes!! This is so right! You are so right! Thank you so much for your lovely comment and for your great enthusiasm. This is so inspiring to me. By the way, my friend, what are some of your favorite films? There is no hurry at all, but if you have a moment, I would really love to know. Cheers and I hope you are well.
@sebastiendesforges4861
5 жыл бұрын
@@DaisukeBeppu Well, I am ashamed to admit that my knowledge of movies is limited to recent western releases (American and European movies from the 90's onwards). I'm in the process of educating myself on classic movies from all around the world. Your channel has been incredibly helpful in that regard. I'm also using a book called '1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die' as a reference (you talked about it a few months ago) as well as several online rankings (Sight & Sound, IMDb). All of that is to say that my answer will probably be very different a few years from now. Plus, I don't really have favourite movies per say: I tend to love metteurs en scène with a unique and immediately recognizable style who develop bold and powerful narratives and thematics (I hope this makes sense). I adore Terrence Malick, for instance, but I would have a hard time picking only one of his films ('The Tree of Life' is my personal favourite but how could I leave 'Badlands' out?) I also have a great deal of admiration for Martin Scorsese, Guillermo del Toro, Denis Villeneuve, Alfonso Cuaron, Richard Linklater and Paul Thomas Anderson (the list is not exhaustive, of course). Nothing too original, I know... Ask me again in five years, I'll probably have a more interesting answer to give you! As far as the Criterion Collection goes, I think my favourite discovery so far has been 'La Jetée' (but, again, I've probably seen less than 30 movies in the entire collection).
@jaymanxyz2
5 жыл бұрын
Thank you Daisuke for hosting this- which was my first "film club" livestream. It was pretty exciting for me, since I'm not much of a "cinema guy." In fact, I never heard of this film until I watched it for the livestream (though I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Weir directed Witness- a favorite of mine). I'm looking forward to the future ones, especially The Red Shoes- I'm a massive Archers fan. By the way, if you see me again, please call me "Jay," if no one else is called that. Thanks again!
@DaisukeBeppu
5 жыл бұрын
Dear Jay, thank you so much for joining us! You had a lot of great things to say and so I really am so thankful to you for your participation and your great insights. You really helped me out, and so once again I hope to be able to talk to you again very soon. In particular, as you say you are a fan of the Archers, I would love to hear your thoughts on the Red Shoes! I can't wait! I hope you are well my friend, and take care and see you again, and hopefully very soon. Cheers.
@absoluteb22
2 жыл бұрын
Hi Daisuke, very much appreciate this discussion of Picnic at Hanging Rock. This film was and still is a hugely important film in Australia with an incredibly haunting score. I always assumed it was loosely based on real events?? Now i know otherwise! I'd also like to make mention of some of the supporting cast that have been well known to Australian audiences for decades. Jackie Weaver, John Jarrett, Garry Mcdonald and Helen Morse. Really enjoying sourcing through your numerous videos. Thanks!
@DaisukeBeppu
2 жыл бұрын
Hello again absolutebore and thank you so much for this comment. Yes, what a film this is. And yes the cast is really excellent.
@TheWaynos73
2 жыл бұрын
it’s interesting though, you might want to look at the history of Clyde college and its connection to Hanging Rock - Clyde was the school that Joan Lindsay had attended herself as a student - could it be the story is partly based on events in her own life?
@chandanrawal4137
4 жыл бұрын
just finished watching this movie...in short i'd say this movie is AMBIGUOUS.
@DaisukeBeppu
4 жыл бұрын
Thank you very much, and yes, ambiguous.
@Ruby_Kang
3 жыл бұрын
I know exactly what happened. The girls ate some funny mushrooms and in their confusion wandered off-course. They were abducted by a UFO that was hiding in the rock. Miss McCraw saw the UFO from a distance as it arrived and got so excited she lost her drawers when running to get a closer look. Sadly, she got there just too late and got vaporized in the blast when the UFO took off. The leaving UFO created a lovely red plasma cloud which the fourth girl witnessed. One of the missing girls was later returned, having being rejected because the aliens prefer blondes. Unfortunately, she cannot remember anything because her memory was wiped by the magnetism when the UFO took off again. Glad to be of help. 👍
@chandanrawal4137
3 жыл бұрын
@@Ruby_Kang that's a really weird weird thing going on here.
@Ruby_Kang
3 жыл бұрын
@@chandanrawal4137 The weirdest thing is that it was all based on a true story. In fact, if you visit the place today you'll be still able to see these strange markings carved into the rock: 🍄🛸👽🩲🦀 But who exactly was responsible for making those remains a mystery.
@chandanrawal4137
3 жыл бұрын
@@Ruby_Kang that's an interesting trivia. Oh i see you've a youtube channel...If you're on twitter as well then you can find me at chandanrawal316,i post film screenshots and clips (that i take while watching).
@hardsam68
3 жыл бұрын
The key to the whole story is the character of Marion Quade.....
@DaisukeBeppu
3 жыл бұрын
Thank you!!!
@TheWaynos73
2 жыл бұрын
it is probable.
@TheWaynos73
2 жыл бұрын
Mick Taylor from Wolf Creek was at the rock! mystery solved 😝
@DaisukeBeppu
2 жыл бұрын
Haha! Yes!
@Ruby_Kang
3 жыл бұрын
Perhaps Edith feared that she would be rejected (by the fold she had returned to) so she lashed out at Irma in order to secure her place within the group? I also get the impression she is untrustworthy as a witness. She doesn't express truth. She may even have killed everyone out of jealousy, then ate the bodies.
@DaisukeBeppu
3 жыл бұрын
That is a very interesting theory about Edith. She was one of the "witnesses" after all, but even so her testimony still leaves open a number of questions. I hope you are well and have a nice rest of your day.
@Ruby_Kang
3 жыл бұрын
@@DaisukeBeppu Thank you for the kind message. And I offer the same sentiment to you.
@uncleloof
5 жыл бұрын
I get a kick out of the fact that your analysis is longer than the film itself. :-)
@DaisukeBeppu
5 жыл бұрын
Haha! Thank you and a great point! cheers my friend!
@michaelivan9066
3 жыл бұрын
I just watched this film over the weekend. Great doesn't do it justice. When the three girls ascend into that crevasse it is as if some spirit is beckoning them. They seem possessed. It almost becomes a horror movie at times. Once one of the girls is found there is no resolution to the mystery which makes it even more frustrating for everyone involved at the school.
@DaisukeBeppu
3 жыл бұрын
Thank you so much Michael Ivan!!!!! Cheers my friend.
@TheWaynos73
2 жыл бұрын
Irma’s scene with the French teacher is amazing - you can tell that the girl completely remembers everything that happened - but what happened was so shocking and unreal that it was impossible to put into words. Instant repression of PTSD.
@brettconsolacion3027
5 жыл бұрын
It’s pretty wild that you know the soap show Neighbours
@DaisukeBeppu
5 жыл бұрын
Oh yes! I don't watch the show anymore, but when I was a little kid, I lived in the UK for a few years. During that time, Neighbours was on television, and around that time, I recall that the show Home and Away was just starting. These shows were broadcast in the UK in the afternoons and so I saw them. (I think I started watching Neighbours around the time the Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan were on.)
@brettconsolacion3027
5 жыл бұрын
Daisuke Beppu wow, you've just lived everywhere! My life is nowhere near as interesting
@Stealthborn
2 жыл бұрын
What happens when girls at a private school go missing while on a picnic while at a geological formation? What effect does it have on the students, the staff and the people in the area? And what can one take from the mysterious disappearances and what it really means in a supernatural context? And what about the impact this film had on Australian cinema? There are quite a few ways one could approach this movie which is the film that got Peter Weir first noticed as a director with his out-of-this-world masterpiece Picnic at Hanging Rock. It is one of the most intriguing works involving a mystery which makes one see the impact it has on a community and it makes us wonder what really happened. Possible SPOILERS ahead. The film starts off at Applewood College which is an all girls' private school around the town of Woodend in Victoria, Australia. The girls are taken to a local geographical formation called Hanging Rock on Valentine's Day, 1900. While there, a few of the girls, Miranda, Marion, Irma and mathematics teacher Miss McCraw go up to the top of the formation as if commanded by an unseen force and don't come back. This causes people to look for them which leads to much debate and mystery about what could have happened to them which results in an ugly fallout within the community. One of the main focuses of the movie is the impact of the missing individuals on the other student, staff and the local townspeople. It is understandable that everyone is distressed due to the unforeseen circumstances. The ones affected the most are the students who are terrified that classmates they knew are missing, but it is Sara who was a roommate of Miranda as well as Irma who gets found who take it the hardest. Sara also has an issue going on with her guardian not paying her tuition which results in her having to go through two situations at the same time which isn't helped by the stern and unfeeling Miss Appleyard. And Irma has to be dogged by questions about what happened to the other girls and teacher who were with her to which she doesn't have a concrete answer. This leads me to Miss Appleyard who is the headmistress of the school. She is all about keeping order which is a heavy burden of responsibility for anyone. But Miss Appleyard gives off these stone cold vibes that show she is an uncaring woman. How she treats poor Sara both before and after the disappearances is heart-wrenching. Also how she acts with the staff and adults like Mademoiselle de Poitiers shows that she is seemingly out of sorts and cares only about herself and the principles she lives by. A narcissist who one would have to have questions about running a school like this in the first place! But the real thing is how the people in the area react to the disappearances and what caused them to disappear in the first place. There is cause for concern as they send out search parties to look for them to no such luck. It gets crazier when they propose theories about what happened to the girls in the first place (which is something the audience watching as well as those who read the original novel are thinking about). And when they try to find them, some strange occurrences happen at Hanging Rock which results in them finding one of the girls but still leads to other questions. The fear of the unknown essentially! But then we get to Hanging Rock itself. Something strange is going on with the geological formation which gives off a sense of foreboding (which in real life has happened to a few individuals while visiting it). Supernatural occurrences happen here in the novel and film and they cause people to do strange things (like the trance that happens to the girls and teacher) as well as stop time on clocks. The excised chapter from Joan Lindsey's novel (published after her death) does give some idea of what happened to the girls and teacher which shows that they went into a portal/time warp, but it still leaves other things to speculate. And whether or not this is true or not, Lindsay never really said so it is up to the viewer to decide on that! But she did get inspired from Indigenous Australian beliefs so it played a bit of a role in how the novel shaped up. But most importantly is the impact of this film after being derived from the novel as well as the impact on Australian cinema. This is considered a part of the Australian New Wave which included such films as Walkabout, The Last Wave, Gallipoli, The Year of Living Dangerously (the last three directed by Peter Weir), the Mad Max series, Long Weekend, Crocodile Dundee and Crocodile Dundee II and even Dead Calm. It helped promote Australian culture and showed another side of cinema from the land down under! But we also have to give credit to the novel which is one of the best written novels from Joan Lindsay which was the big inspiration. I should also mention that there was a mini-series done recently as well though I would stick primarily to the novel and the Peter Weir movie since it changes certain aspects of the novel that some might not like (though it can still be viewed for curiosity purposes). Picnic at Hanging Rock is an enticing mystery that makes one really speculate what happened to the missing girls and the teacher. It also shows what a community does in terms of trying to figure out the mystery along with the desperation that accompanies it which is no different from what would happen in real life. but it is the disappearance itself which causes one to get mystical and supernatural vibes from this film which permeates one's thought process about what Hanging Rock itself really means. It is a mystery that will prod and haunt you long after the film has finished!
@DaisukeBeppu
2 жыл бұрын
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS!!! It has been a while since I visited this discussion, so thank you so much for this!!! Again, I am truly and very honored by your kind and detailed attention as always my dear friend.
@Margatatials
2 жыл бұрын
I don't agree that it is a Gothic romance, Gothic Horror perhaps but not Romance
@DaisukeBeppu
2 жыл бұрын
Thank you so much and great distinction you make.
@Margatatials
2 жыл бұрын
@@DaisukeBeppu I love how much thought you put into this analysis
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