John Grant, a bonded teacher, arrives in a rough outback mining town planning to stay overnight before starting his holiday. But one night stretches to several and with the aid of alcohol he plunges headlong toward his own destruction.
Few films were ever so bright and so dark at once.
A well-warranted remastering of his Aussie new wave classic.
Shocking, credible and hard to forget.
Perhaps slightly schematic in charting the descent of man, but it induces a sweat that’s hard to wash off.
There is queasy undercurrent of sentimental kindness and indulgence beneath the violence.
Brilliantly directed by Kotcheff, the film has the disorienting and menacing quality of Joseph Losey films such as Accident and The Servant; its screenwriter, Evan Jones, worked with Losey.
A welcome re-release of Ted Kotcheff's controversial "Ozploitation" thriller.
Edinburgh Filmhouse, Edinburgh from Friday March 7, 2014, until Thursday March 13, 2014. More info: www.filmhousecinema.com
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