When a suburban couple go camping for the weekend at a remote beach, they discover that nature is not in an accommodating mood.
If the credits are to be believed, the crew was quite small. Considering the budget was no higher than $300,000, this is entirely possible. Interestingly, the movie is shot in widescreen, which was unusual for such a low budget.
The investment paid off, as this film is not just a winner for its scares and its acting, but also for its use of landscape. With much of the action taking place on the beach, or in the woods, you really want to have your view as wide as possible. This further creates a sense of being "alone", showing no one lurking in the margins. Just as a tight picture creates a sense of claustrophobia, though here it is just the opposite -- no human to run to for safety is in sight.
"Long Weekend" was a bit of a flop upon release in Australia, but after going to Cannes in 1978 it was picked up for distribution around the world and was quite successful. Producer Richard Brennan speculates that this may be because the Australian landscape was less scary and foreign to the natives.
The movie gained a renewed relevance in 2008 when a remake starring James Caviezel was unleashed upon the world. Those who had not previously been aware of the classic were now having their eyes opened. This is indeed the beauty of remakes: likewise, the Australian cult film "Patrick" (also written by Everett DeRoche) was fairly obscure until it was remade, boosting the original's profile.
Unfortunately, lead actor John Hargreaves and director Colin Eggleston died prematurely and could not contribute to the DVD release. The Blu-ray release (brought to you by the impeccable Synapse Films) rectifies this by having an audio interview with Hargreaves, which is the next best thing. A full-length commentary is also provided by producer Richard Brennan and DP Vincent Monton, who have no shortage of stories to tell and are worth the price of the disc by themselves. Incidentally, the film looks and sounds great, and the widescreen presentation is the only way to see it -- those made-for-TV pan-and-scan cuts are dreadful.
The Synapse disc is no doubt the last word on "Long Weekend" and any fan would be wise to pick up a copy. Actress Briony Behets would have been nice to get for an interview, but she likely would have little to add that Brennan and Monton left out -- their commentary, again, is priceless.
If the credits are to be believed, the crew was quite small. Considering the budget was no higher than $300,000, this is entirely possible. Interestingly, the movie is shot in widescreen, which was unusual for such a low budget.
The investment paid off, as this film is not just a winner for its scares and its acting, but also for its use of landscape. With much of the action taking place on the beach, or in the woods, you really want to have your view as wide as possible. This further creates a sense of being "alone", showing no one lurking in the margins. Just as a tight picture creates a sense of claustrophobia, though here it is just the opposite -- no human to run to for safety is in sight.
"Long Weekend" was a bit of a flop upon release in Australia, but after going to Cannes in 1978 it was picked up for distribution around the world and was quite successful. Producer Richard Brennan speculates that this may be because the Australian landscape was less scary and foreign to the natives.
The movie gained a renewed relevance in 2008 when a remake starring James Caviezel was unleashed upon the world. Those who had not previously been aware of the classic were now having their eyes opened. This is indeed the beauty of remakes: likewise, the Australian cult film "Patrick" (also written by Everett DeRoche) was fairly obscure until it was remade, boosting the original's profile.
Unfortunately, lead actor John Hargreaves and director Colin Eggleston died prematurely and could not contribute to the DVD release. The Blu-ray release (brought to you by the impeccable Synapse Films) rectifies this by having an audio interview with Hargreaves, which is the next best thing. A full-length commentary is also provided by producer Richard Brennan and DP Vincent Monton, who have no shortage of stories to tell and are worth the price of the disc by themselves. Incidentally, the film looks and sounds great, and the widescreen presentation is the only way to see it -- those made-for-TV pan-and-scan cuts are dreadful.
The Synapse disc is no doubt the last word on "Long Weekend" and any fan would be wise to pick up a copy. Actress Briony Behets would have been nice to get for an interview, but she likely would have little to add that Brennan and Monton left out -- their commentary, again, is priceless.