Wednesday, June 25, 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm
Instructor: Rachel McCabe, Ph.D., LaSalle University
Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) has a reputation for frustrating its viewers. At the heart of the film is an unsolvable mystery, one that toys with the boundaries between fiction and reality. The film, based on Joan Lindsay’s 1967 novel of the same name, follows the disappearance of several young women and their chaperone during a school outing into the Australian bush. The ripple effects of the girls’ disappearance illustrate the fragility of the social order of their boarding school. Set at the turn of the twentieth century, director Peter Weir explores questions of sexual repression, class, and colonization through a haze of sun and heat, creating a film that feels as gorgeous as it does haunting.
This seminar will look at Picnic at Hanging Rock as the launching point of Weir’s internationally successful film career, which would later produce films like Gallipoli, Dead Poets Society, and The Truman Show, many of which grapple with crises and their aftermath. Picnic at Hanging Rock‘s themes and style also illustrate the hallmarks of the Australian New Wave of the 1970s and 1980s. As we explore its mysteries, the seminar will discuss the legacy of this disquieting film and its continued resonance today.
Are you interested in “just” seeing this movie? Visit the public screening page here.
Cinema Classics Seminars offer an entertaining and engaging way to learn more about some of the true classics of world cinema. All students receive an introductory lecture before the film and a guided discussion after the film. In addition, those in attendance receive a ticket to see it on the big screen, as well as popcorn and a drink. Please note: the screening associated with this seminar will be open to the public, as well.
Please contact BMFI Programs and Education Manager Jill Malcolm with any questions.
$25 for members, $35 for non-members
Schedule