Film Review: Picnic at Hanging Rock (AUS 1975) - The Mystery Cult Classic

Content:  In this podcast, we talk about Peter Weir's film “Picnic at Hanging Rock” (1975), based on Joan Lindsay's novel of the same name. In our discussion we take a deep dive into this mysterious Australian drama about the disappearance of four schoolgirls and a teacher during an excursion to an old volcano, with the focus less on solving the mystery than on the emotional consequences for those left behind.  The aesthetic design of the film, with comparative examples from painting and photography, is emphasized, as is the contrast between Victorian society and the Australian landscape.  The review compares the film thematically to the television show “The Leftovers”, with both works addressing the feeling of abandonment and dealing with inexplicable loss. Ultimately, the film is recognized as a milestone in Australian cinema.  Summary:  Based on the acclaimed 1967 novel by Joan Lindsay, the film is a gripping chronicle of the disappearance of students from an Australian girls' school.  On Valentine's Day in 1900, schoolgirls and teachers go on an excursion to Hanging Rock, a majestic rock formation of volcanic origin.  While most of the excursionists are exhausted from the carriage ride and the subsequent picnic, four schoolgirls explore the rocks.  Only one of the four girls returns screaming and distraught. Now a teacher also disappears without a trace. The four women seem to have vanished into thin air. What has happened at Hanging Rock?