Rating: 
Summary: I Saw A Different Film
Review: Apparently I saw something different than the rest of you, because this movie is a slasher movie. At least, that's what I wanted to do to my wrists. Utter boredom and no payoff. The best thing about this film was that it broke during the screening.
Rating: 
Summary: A work of Art
Review: People used to laugh at the Australian film industry, and frankly, there had been some stinkers, but this is the one that put them on the map, for all time.
Picnic At Hanging Rock, with its stunning cinematography and otherworldly hybridized forays into classical mythology, simply blew everything else out of the water, the year of its release.
There have been a number of good reviews, so I won't re-hash anything, I would just implore you to do yourself a favor and see this utter work of Art.
I would like to have seen a bevvy of extra features, but this is worth having come what may.
It really is as good as you have heard.
Rating: 
Summary: Eeery, excellent score. But DVD is director's cut
Review: Love it, or hate it, PAHR is one of Peter Weir's absolute classics. The story of a private school for ladies in the early 1900's in Victoria, Australia. On an excursion one day, several of the girls go missing, and the mystery of hanging rock sets in ... It contains a beautiful, yet haunting soundtrack which helps add the right atmosphere.
Sure, its boring in parts, but it's Australian cinema at its finest. Stellar performances from Helen Morse and Rachel Roberts, among others.
The problem I have, is that there is no DVD release which contains the entire film. All releases are the short director's cut. Let's examine them:
Region 1 (US) - The very first DVD release of the film by the distributor Criterion way back in 1998. It's the director's cut, and while in widescreen, is not 16:9 enhanced.
Region 2 (UK) - A more affordable DVD which was released in 2003 by Pathe. It's a bare bones release (not even a trailer), but it does contain a 16:9 widescreen transfer. Well done, just a pity that it is once again the Director's cut.
Region 4 (AUSTRALIA) - Released in August 2004 by UV Channel, this is a 2-Disc very special edition DVD with more extras than you can imagine. However, it's once again the Director's cut and is not 16:9 enhanced (as you have guessed, a big no-no in the DVD world of today).
So as you can see, the uncut film, which many of us are familiar with, remains unavailable on DVD anywhere in the English speaking world (that I know of). Even Australia can't get it right when it comes to releasing this DVD properly. What chance is there of ever getting the full version then?
Rating: 
Summary: Tedium ad infinitum, avec mademoiselles
Review: "Picnic at Hanging Rock" is a beautifully shot movie about the mysterious disappearance of 4 women on a geologically intriguing exposed volcanic plug. This occurs in the first 35 minutes. It is a slow and steady decline from there on out to the unusual ending an hour later, and requires determination to stick it out.Nice score which includes the pan flute. Nice photography. Mostly pretty women dressed head to toe who use formal proper speech. I don't know what to recommend it for, though. There is no message or answers, here.
Rating:
Summary: Overrated, pretentious, but interesting
Review: I came to this film fully expecting to like it because of the many glowing reviews I'd read over the years. While it has its positives (evocative photography; haunting atmosphere; rich, overblown sets; some strong performances) it's essentially a tedious exploration of Victorian psycho-sexual dynamics, seen from a very 1970s perspective. The plot is so thin it's constantly in danger of floating away. I had to force myself at regular intervals not to turn it off because of shear boredom. The film leads you to believe it's based on a true story, which, frankly, was one of the reasons I stuck with it. But it's not. The story's a total fabrication, which makes the film even more ridiculous in retrospect. Unless you're a devotee of Peter Weir, Australian cinema, or 1970s costume and hair design trying to look "Victorian," I suggest you watch The Beguiled instead.
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