WALKABOUT
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 1997 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): ****
Nicolas Roeg's mesmerizing 1971 film WALKABOUT exists on a different and higher plane than traditional films. Until very recently this classic film was not available on tape and the theatrical version available in America did not have the nude scenes which are essential to the show's almost spiritual essence as they illustrate the girl's becoming one with nature.
We were privileged to see the full length version recently at a local repertory theater, but the video version, released by Home Vision Cinema, is also the complete Australian original.
Although director and cinematographer Roeg approaches the material as if it were a dream, the actions have a poetic truth as well as a lyrical beauty. Some may find parts of the story confusing, but all of them make sense if you think about them long enough. Unlike today's typically transparent films, WALKABOUT expects that the viewers will be so engrossed by the story that they will be willing to invest the energy to think through what is happening. We certainly were.
The simple yet powerful movie opens with a family, known only as the girl, the brother, and the man, about to leave for a picnic in the Australian outback. They take their black Volkswagen bug off the road and stop literally in the middle of nowhere.
The girl spends much of the film listening to educational programs on her portable radio. On the way to the picnic she learns the correct etiquette for table setting. The family is immaculately dressed with the girl and brother in their school uniforms. The six-year-old boy has on his coat and tie even though the heat is scorching. The sixteen-year-old girl wears proper white pantyhose under her miniskirt.
The small role of the man is played by John Meillon. His glassy stare speaks of an inner and unspoken torment. Luc Roeg (then using the professional name Lucien John) is the little boy. He plays him with all of the unquestioning naivete of a child. The best performance is by Jenny Agutter. She oozes a natural charm and sexuality without ever being flirtatious. At that age where she has the body of a woman but the limitations of someone still a schoolgirl, she displays remarkable resilience and maturity. Her acting leaves an impression on you long after you leave the theater. Why she has only gotten small parts in dozens of minor films since remains a mystery.
The unusual camera angles and Antony Gibbs' and Alan Patillo's editing immediately put the audience on notice that this is no ordinary film. Desert animals, especially ominous lizards, are shot in extreme close-up and then there is a fast zoom out. Sometimes shots are frozen so that the images left have the blur of motion. One of the many themes of the picture is the duality of human life as part of both the civilized world and the animal kingdom. This is illustrated in many ways but most frequently by dwelling on animals eating other animals, in nature as well as in the city. Cuts between a butcher chopping meat and an animal devouring its kill are typical.
At the picnic, the father goes subtlety berserk. Without warning he slowly begins shooting at his kids and then he immolates himself and their car. The girl then calmly takes her brother by the hand and together they attempt to return to civilization.
Soon, however, their water has run out and their carefully scrubbed faces are pock marked with serious sunburns. Exhausted, the little boy is ready to give up. "Please try," insists his sister politely. "It's silly to give in now. It can't be much further." Of course, it is. The vast, and gorgeous desert is surrounded by red rocky mountains, and the city might as well be a million miles away.
Their savior appears in the form of an aborigine (David Gulpilil). His character, known only as the "black boy" in the credits, is sixteen-years-old and on his mandated "walkabout" where he must leave the tribe to wander in the desert for months. Armed only with a self-made spear and wearing just a revealing loin cloth, he has to live off the land.
The girl cannot believe the aborigine does not speak English. "We want water," she says demanding his help. "That's as simple as I can make it. Anybody can understand that." This time it is the brother who solves their predicament. Using his hands and his mouth, he communicates to the aborigine and soon the aborigine, sticking a reed into a muddy creek bed, has the blessed water for them.
Most of the movie occurs during their journey back to the city with the aborigine as their guide. Along the way, the sexual tension between the two teenagers builds until you are sure it will explode, but it doesn't. Roeg uses revealing camera angles and various flashbacks to tell the teens' story of repressed desire. The result is a beautifully erotic movie where not even a kiss is exchanged.
One could easily write a long essay on this richly textured movie, but words cannot fully express what is mainly a visual experience. The script by Edward Bond, based on the novel by John Vance Marshall, uses images for dialog. Words are rarely spoken except for the brother who sometimes starts babbling, but these words are more background noise. The interest in the show is the focus on the girl and the aborigine. The chemistry between them is strong, and their few words are more than sufficient.
To complement the sparseness of the spoken word, the music by four time Academy Award winner John Barry has a majesty reflective of the film's beautiful landscapes and charming wildlife. The movie even includes my favorite Australian animal, the cute little wombat.
After a surprising but effective ending, the show wraps up with a sentimental epilogue. Like the rest of the show, both are quite confusing until you think about them some. In the day since I've seen the film, I cannot put it out of my mind. Its images continue to be savored, and I will never forget the three travelers through the desert.
WALKABOUT runs 1:40. It is not rated but would be an R. The film would be excellent for teenagers. I strongly recommend this fascinating piece of filmmaking to you and give it my top rating of a full ****.
**** = A must see film. *** = Excellent show. Look for it. ** = Average movie. Kind of enjoyable. * = Poor show. Don't waste your money. 0 = Totally and painfully unbearable picture.
REVIEW WRITTEN ON: June 15, 1997
Opinions expressed are mine and not meant to reflect my employer's.
The review above was posted to the
rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup (de.rec.film.kritiken for German reviews).
The Internet Movie Database accepts no responsibility for the contents of the
review and has no editorial control. Unless stated otherwise, the copyright
belongs to the author.
Please direct comments/criticisms of the review to relevant newsgroups.
Broken URLs inthe reviews are the responsibility of the author.
The formatting of the review is likely to differ from the original due
to ASCII to HTML conversion.
Related links: index of all rec.arts.movies.reviews reviews