picnic at hanging rock. a 1960s-pretending-to-be-victorian mystery film, chock full of gals with waist-length hair prancing around in frilly white dresses, black stockings, hairbows, and straw hats. this one is definitely a chart-topper for my illustration-inspiration archives.
the opening scenes are my favorite. corsets are tied. flowers are pressed. faces are washed in real rose water. valentines are exchanged. all sorts of unabashed girlish things that make my husband, and my sweet pete, cringe and roll their eyes.
the story takes place on st. valentine's day, where a group of school girls and a professor mysteriously vanish during a picnic at hanging rock. this movie is pretty dang creepy, which i love. the delicate balance between saccharine and spooky is my driving aesthetic, and this movie smacks you over the head with it!
a sunny blonde, wildly carving a cleaver into a supermarket-esque, heart-shaped cake. surreal layers of organ music. girls drifting in-and-out of a poppy-like slumber, as they climb hanging rock. peculiar, voyeuristic men in the distance, spying on the girls' ascent. shrill screams and almost paranormal disappearances. and plot-thickening mystery and misfortune at every turn.
an unsettling movie, to say the least, that leaves the viewer with a whole lot of unanswered questions and some serious head-scratching. personally, i prefer to watch the movie up until the girls disappear and the whole school falls apart at the seams. clue-gathering and crime-solving can be saved for a whole 'nuther day.
besides, i like to keep my valentine's chipper and cheerful, don't you?
10 comments:
omg!!
last weekend i went to emily's and she was watching this very bizarre movie, and about 10 minutes into complete confusion i asked what we were watching and when she said picnic at hanging rock i knew i had heard it once before- didn't you blog about this or maybe you just told me about this movie like 2 yrs ago!?? it is soooo weird. i could hardly stand watching and as soon as it was over- we watched a MUCH happier film, The Sound of Music!!
p.s.i love how much you love celebrating love.
i might have? back in the summer of 2008 i was really into movies like valerie and her week of wonders, daisies, and P@HR. all really beautiful, and extremly odd films.
sound of music is muuuuuuuch happier!
Haha, I was wondering when someone was going to post about this movie! Eerily enough it's been on my mind for the past week. My mother introduced me to it when I was very young and I have always loved it!!
hehehe. well, pretty at least. love the blog! xo
The rooms are all so perfect, seriously makes me want to go to an antique store and then buy a load of flowers after!
yes indeed, an unsettling film, but so full of beautiful, girly, soft, whimsical imagery. There are so many fantastic stills here!
hey miss ginny!
where have you been?
i hope you are well.
i miss you & i hope to see u this weekend.
xo
You do realise that it is loosely based on a true story right?!
I always thought it was based on a true story too, but apparently it isn't. I suppose that is a happy ending then. :)
just came across your blog and i love it <3
this film has been on my list of must sees for quite some time! the colouring reminds me of marie antoinette and virgin suicides.
www.jaymieocallaghan.blogspot.com
xxx
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