Our mysterious supplier, at The Abandoned Video Shop, Mr. Apollyon recently brought in a new batch of videos for National VHS and Beta Video Month.And I can't tell you how excited we are by it.
"Watch this one," he said handing me a video. "It's good."
If Mr. Apollyon says it's good, then it is.
"Wake In Fright?" I said looking at the vivid orange cover. "Don't think I've heard of it."
"It's an old 70's film. It was lost," Mr. Apollyon smiled. " And now it's found."
With that profound sentence still hanging in the air he left.
"This rings a bleedin' bell," Old Reg said reading the back cover as we sat to watch it. "But I think it was called somethin' else."
Wake In Fright is more than good, it is an unnerving classic. Gary Bond plays John Grant a school teacher in the Australian Outback, who sets off for Christmas in Sydney. But makes the big mistake of staying over night in the mining town of Bundanyabba. John reluctantly gets sucked into the dark world of the Yabba, as the locals call it. Firstly by gruff, hard drinking and unnerving local law Jock Crawford ( excellently played by Chips Rafferty. Who Old Reg said was a mate of his way back.) After losing all his money gambling John is stuck in the Yabba and ends up spiralling down in the company of Doc Tydon ( a fantastically creepy Donald Pleasence ). His days become booze fuelled and manic, and you do feel the heat, the flies, and decidedly hung over watching Wake In Fright. The mad thing is, John is not dragged down by cruelty, but by kindness. He is welcomed everywhere with smiles and copious amounts of booze. Try one of those film drinking games with Wake In Fright and you might not survive. At the dark heart of the film is a savage, nasty night time kangaroo hunt, that in any other film would seem vicious and unnecessary, but here it fits perfectly as we all spiral down together.
Wake In Fright deserves to sit with other rediscovered classics like The Wicker Man. The only thing, don't make the mistake I did and watch it just before you go to bed. If you do, a fitful night of disturbing dreams await.
The Owner.
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