Corroboree (2007)

A beautiful young man has been summoned to an eerie meditation retreat by a dying theatre director. The young man has been given a tape of instructions; over a weekend he must perform ... See full summary »

Director:

Ben Hackworth

Writers:

Ben Hackworth, Peter Savieri

Stars:

Conor O'Hanlon, Rebecca Frith, Natasha Herbert

Cast

Credited cast:
Conor O'Hanlon	...	Conor
Rebecca Frith	...	Dr. Elsja
Natasha Herbert	...	Lena
Susan Lyons	...	Verna
Margaret Mills	...	Anne
Ian Scott	...	Director
Jethro Lazenby	...	Little Joe
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jethro Cave	...	Little Joe

Storyline

A beautiful young man has been summoned to an eerie meditation retreat by a dying theatre director. The young man has been given a tape of instructions; over a weekend he must perform scenes from the director's life. He visits different rooms encountering five actresses who all portray key women in the director's life. They rehearse the boy to play the lead role in an as yet 'unmade film'. The dying director watches young boy's progress as he searches to inhabit the director's identity. It's an Alice in Wonderland tale and an unpredictable journey of self discovery for all concerned...

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Plot Keywords:

dying | theatre director | bed | surreal | commune | 

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery

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Details

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 June 2007 (Australia)

Also Known As:

I Won't Grow Up

Filming Locations:

Hepburn Springs, Victoria, Australia

Company Credits

Production Co:

Valarc Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby (original release)

Color:

Color

User Reviews

Visually beautiful but lacking important elements.

Corroboree, Ben Hackworth's first feature length movie, is a visually stunning film about self-discovery and a journey into the magical mind of artistry. Similar in atmosphere to "Picnic at Hanging Rock", Corroboree follows the main protagonist, Connor, as he journeys through a house of mystery and intrigue, reliving the life of a dying film director.

However stunning the setting or the atmosphere of the film, it doesn't make up for the lack of credible acting, scriptwriting or composition. There is no doubting that this film looks beautiful. Katie Milwright, the cinematographer, has photographed the film with grace and beauty. However, Ben's choice of shots and framing do not make full use of her talents. We are unable to relate to the characters, or see their emotional struggles, as Ben chooses not to show us close-ups. The camera seems to be locked into one position every scene and we are unable, as an audience, to intricately follow Connor's mysterious journey. We feel detached, as if we are intruders that shouldn't be there.

This film had so much more to offer than what it did. As a film student, I could see what Ben Hackworth was trying to convey, it is just a shame that he couldn't pull it off. Australian cinema has so much potential to offer the world. We are right up there among the rest when it comes to cinematography and aesthetic. However, Corroboree is a fine of example of what we lack. Until we can find our own unique voice and convey that in script and storytelling format, Australia will always be a small blip on the international film radar.