'Wake In Fright' digitally restored - Film critic Bill Collins comments

[davechestwig]

AWESOME FILM.

[figbat1]

a truly disturbing movie.....right up there with "romper stomper"....had to turn it over....not a horror movie....not a thriller.....just a drama......a very sick disturbing one.

[latenightlogic]

Filmed in Broken Hill. No one mentions that. I was born in 1985 and the film was filmed in 1970...despite the difference in years it's still very clear it's Broken Hill. The Post Office, the street names, the pubs, etc. Most amusing though, is in a scene early on theres a band playing in the background where the main protagonist is, I paused the film as my father explained his dad (my pop) was playing in there. I paused the film. There he is. Joe Keenan in his debut performance haha. Great film.

[jerepah]

@latenightlogic Thank you! It is a great film, almost lost to us forever, saved in a nick of time. One of the interior pub scenes was actually filmed in the Members' bar at the SCG. If you can still get hold of the newly digitised dvd version, it's worth every penny. An Australian classic.

[retrooldcommercials]

I have to say after watching this report that the 1980s airing on Channel 10 wasn't the only time this film was aired on television as I so happen to have an incomplete Philips N1500 videocassette recording of this movie from on CTC-7 Canberra in 1978 with original commercials. From the bits I've seen, I have to say this movie is well worth watching n will soon be buying me a copy of it. It wouldn't surprise me if some of the boys in the bush are indeed rough n tumble like in this film.

[jerepah]

@retrooldcommercials - thanks - you can get the dvd online at either ezydvd or jbhionline, among others, prbably also at sanity. i have it and it's a great aussie film, almost lost to us forever if not for the inquiries of a few devoted folk. it would've been a travesty if it had've been lost, and the redigitised version is superb, well worth the $35 or $40... i'd even pay $50 for it, and it shouldn't be long before it reemerges on our tv screens.

[Losemyillusions]

@parksy010101 I'll watch the movie soon. Do I have your permission?

[beugnen]

hey jerepah, ive not seen 'Sunday Too Far Away' so i cant say. i shall keep an eye out for it. wake in fright was mr jack thompson's debut as a film actor having come from much TV roles. good on him! i guess thats one reason why this film could be slightly more important. im sure both are generally just as good. have a good weekend

[beugnen]

seems like this film was way ahead of its time. as an Aussie, i can understand how perhaps the film industry or Aussie tourism bureau (did we have one back then?) might have been embarrassed by it...by showing us a truth Australia didn't want to see.

i suspect though that many countries have embarrasing skeletons in the closet, it is interresting to see the story told.

thanks for posting jerepah! will look out for it!

[jerepah]

@beugnen thanks for commenting, but isn't Sunday Too Far Away just as relevant a slice of Australiana as Wake? I really believe it is. You can get Wake on dvd or blu-ray from either ezydvd[.]com[.]au or jbhifionline[.]com[.]au - It's interesting that Gary Bond the English lead actor who plays John Grant the teacher perished from AIDS.

[sparkmouse]

this film is brilliant!

[jerepah]

@sparkmouse Agreed! Great film.