My Review- The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart
Streaming on Amazon Prime
My Rating 8/10
Based on the international best selling novel of the same name which I haven't read by Holly Ringland who is a writer, storyteller, and television presenter this seven part series apparently extends the characters involvement and the landscape depicted in the novel.
From the beginning of Part One one titled Black Fire Orchid it was obvious to me that the elements of nature Earth Wind and especially Fire would be a vital component of this series as well as the Australian native botanical motifs that every episode is named after including Wattle, Lantern Bush, River Lily, Desert Oak ,Wheel of Fire and Sturt's Desert Pea .
For me The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart's strength is in it's visual imagery as well as it's emotional intensity and while any series or movie has to be visual to a degree to succeed the camerawork of Sam Chiplin the cinematographer and his team is exceptional in capturing the red desert outback scenes as well as the glorious flower gardens of Thornfield Flower Farm where June Hart the austere Grandmother of Alice Hart provides a refuge for her human flowers all the victims of domestic violence and injury both mental and physical that they have experienced by male perpetrators .
I won't spoil the plot as it needs to unfold except to say the title of the 1996 film Secrets and Lies comes to mind .
Young Alice Hart played so intelligently by Alyla Browne through horrendous circumstances as the result of a devastating homestead fire is taken to her Grandmother's flower farm Thornfield which is a totally male free environment not by accident but by design.
Sigourney Weaver is mesmerising as her Grandmother June Hart who's overprotective but well intended manipulation and deceit regarding who has access to young Alice becomes more understandable as the series progresses.
The entire ensemble cast are equally impressive especially Asher Keddie as Sally Morgan who like every character in this series has secrets and lies that directly affect Alice Hart. Asher Keddie's character is the polar opposite to June Hart she is a generous warm hearted woman who also wants and is entitled to a part in Alice's life but is thawted at every turn by Grandmother June.
A lot of scenes feature the residents of Thornfield flower farm a standout performance for me is from Leah Purcell as Twig .
Twig is June Hart's significant other they have a common bond of love and loss . However Twig eventually comes to the realisation that June has intentionally deceived Alice and when the now grown Alice leaves Thornfield after finding out that her Grandmother has lied to her Twig also leaves .
Adult Alice Hart is beautifully cast with Alycia Debnam-Carey who portrays this vulnerable adult child a product of inter generational domestic violence and dysfunction that so often is repeated until if lucky , the victim realises the pattern of violence is being repeated by their attraction to partners who repeat the same chain of abuse .
Truth telling or the results of not truth telling is a vital part of this story and there is a very strong thread of our First Nations culture in The Lost Flowers Alice Hart especially in the stunning outback locations .
The symbolism of Fire and the regeneration of life that we see after severe bush fires came to me in the positive changes that occur in all the damaged characters after the truth is revealed to each one and the process of forgiveness and acceptance takes place after the emotional burns they have experienced.
My only small criticism of this seven part series is my usual rant about its length I would have condensed it to four or five episodes plus the continuity for me was at times confusing especially when after episode 3 Alice has suddenly aged at least ten years in episode four I had to watch episode 3 twice as to be honest I did doze off and lost the plot a little.
I know the trend now is flashback scenes to answer plot questions but I personally prefer a reasonably flowing narrative timeline.
Already this series has been incredibly successful worldwide reaching the top five in 78 countries, and top 3 in 42 countries, since its launch in August .
The series locations include Harwood Island and the small town of Ulmarra in the Clarence River Delta in New South Wales plus the beautiful outback scenes that were filmed west of Alice Springs at Janglay Waterhole and Standley Chasm a spectacular gorge within the West MacDonnell National Park. Thornfield, the women's farm where wildflowers bloom, is actually the historic Bickham homestead at Blandford in the Hunter Valley near the towns of Scone and Murrurundi.
There is a warning before each episode about behaviour that may be triggering and I was reminded about my personal childhood trauma regarding domestic violence as a few of the scenes do portray explicit alcohol violence but I'm so glad I stuck with these beautiful flowers to the end of the series.
Based on the international best selling novel of the same name which I haven't read by Holly Ringland who is a writer, storyteller, and television presenter this seven part series apparently extends the characters involvement and the landscape depicted in the novel.
From the beginning of Part One one titled Black Fire Orchid it was obvious to me that the elements of nature Earth Wind and especially Fire would be a vital component of this series as well as the Australian native botanical motifs that every episode is named after including Wattle, Lantern Bush, River Lily, Desert Oak ,Wheel of Fire and Sturt's Desert Pea .
For me The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart's strength is in it's visual imagery as well as it's emotional intensity and while any series or movie has to be visual to a degree to succeed the camerawork of Sam Chiplin the cinematographer and his team is exceptional in capturing the red desert outback scenes as well as the glorious flower gardens of Thornfield Flower Farm where June Hart the austere Grandmother of Alice Hart provides a refuge for her human flowers all the victims of domestic violence and injury both mental and physical that they have experienced by male perpetrators .
I won't spoil the plot as it needs to unfold except to say the title of the 1996 film Secrets and Lies comes to mind .
Young Alice Hart played so intelligently by Alyla Browne through horrendous circumstances as the result of a devastating homestead fire is taken to her Grandmother's flower farm Thornfield which is a totally male free environment not by accident but by design.
Sigourney Weaver is mesmerising as her Grandmother June Hart who's overprotective but well intended manipulation and deceit regarding who has access to young Alice becomes more understandable as the series progresses.
The entire ensemble cast are equally impressive especially Asher Keddie as Sally Morgan who like every character in this series has secrets and lies that directly affect Alice Hart. Asher Keddie's character is the polar opposite to June Hart she is a generous warm hearted woman who also wants and is entitled to a part in Alice's life but is thawted at every turn by Grandmother June.
A lot of scenes feature the residents of Thornfield flower farm a standout performance for me is from Leah Purcell as Twig .
Twig is June Hart's significant other they have a common bond of love and loss . However Twig eventually comes to the realisation that June has intentionally deceived Alice and when the now grown Alice leaves Thornfield after finding out that her Grandmother has lied to her Twig also leaves .
Adult Alice Hart is beautifully cast with Alycia Debnam-Carey who portrays this vulnerable adult child a product of inter generational domestic violence and dysfunction that so often is repeated until if lucky , the victim realises the pattern of violence is being repeated by their attraction to partners who repeat the same chain of abuse .
Truth telling or the results of not truth telling is a vital part of this story and there is a very strong thread of our First Nations culture in The Lost Flowers Alice Hart especially in the stunning outback locations .
The symbolism of Fire and the regeneration of life that we see after severe bush fires came to me in the positive changes that occur in all the damaged characters after the truth is revealed to each one and the process of forgiveness and acceptance takes place after the emotional burns they have experienced.
My only small criticism of this seven part series is my usual rant about its length I would have condensed it to four or five episodes plus the continuity for me was at times confusing especially when after episode 3 Alice has suddenly aged at least ten years in episode four I had to watch episode 3 twice as to be honest I did doze off and lost the plot a little.
I know the trend now is flashback scenes to answer plot questions but I personally prefer a reasonably flowing narrative timeline.
Already this series has been incredibly successful worldwide reaching the top five in 78 countries, and top 3 in 42 countries, since its launch in August .
The series locations include Harwood Island and the small town of Ulmarra in the Clarence River Delta in New South Wales plus the beautiful outback scenes that were filmed west of Alice Springs at Janglay Waterhole and Standley Chasm a spectacular gorge within the West MacDonnell National Park. Thornfield, the women's farm where wildflowers bloom, is actually the historic Bickham homestead at Blandford in the Hunter Valley near the towns of Scone and Murrurundi.
There is a warning before each episode about behaviour that may be triggering and I was reminded about my personal childhood trauma regarding domestic violence as a few of the scenes do portray explicit alcohol violence but I'm so glad I stuck with these beautiful flowers to the end of the series.