LONG WEEKEND (1978)

Film: I’m pretty sure I saw Long Weekend before I watched the amazing documentary about Ozploitation films Not Quite Hollywood by Mark Hartley. When watching the documentary I saw some bits of footage from the film and having it spark memories of seeing it. One thing I definitely remembered was Briony Behets, which is probably a reveal of my character more than anything. I was very thankful to that doco though as it brought this film (along with many other Australian films) back into my memory and I started actively pursuing them.

Special continuing thanks to Hartley for opening my eyes to the joys of cultural cringe!

I wanted to pick a film to review for the Australia Day weekend and the way my brain works is such: Australia Day, so it has to be an Australian film, and it’s a Long Weekend, so I guess now is as good a time as any to review this 70s classic, especially seeing how Umbrella Entertainment released this corker of a release as a part of their Ozploitation Classics collection (it’s number 12), and the fact that they kindly provided me with a copy.

Long Weekend was directed by Colin Eggleston, who directed Cassandra and Sky pirates, and was written by Everett DeRoche, who basically wrote everything in the cinema or on TV in Australia, including Patrick, Razorback and Harlequin.

Long Weekend tells of couple Peter (John Hargreaves) and Marcia (Briony Behets) whose marriage is holding on by the skin of its teeth. Peter organises a weekend away, getting amongst nature and enjoying the beautiful Australian bush.

We soon discover that these two are awful people who don’t even have any respect for each other, let alone the Australian outback, polluting the environment not just with their rubbish and cigarette butts, but also with their acidic and poisonous attitudes and as all good mothers do, Mother Nature starts to defend her green leafed, four legged, swimming and flying children against these interlopers.

This film is such a character piece that it really hinges on the performances and Hargreaves and Behets and disturbingly good in their roles. Their entire interaction for the whole film is like being a kid and a friends house and watching their parents argue. There is a persistent discomfort for the viewer the whole time, and you get to the point where you even start anticipating the cringe which makes for an uncomfortable and alienating time.

This is to a deliberate effect, I think. I feel the feeling of being witness to these private moment, of being an intruder upon the dissolution of their relationship has bearing on them being intruders onto the outback setting. The difference though is that we are distinctly aware of our interloper status and that we don’t belong, whereas they believe themselves to be masters of the situation, and have no issue stomping on their surrounding, unconscious of the fact that everything they do is simply dreadful, ignorant and imposing.

The film is shot beautifully and the outback looks as exquisite and as dangerous as it should. It really is a lovely travelogue of the bush as long as someone from another country doesn’t assume that all Australians are like Marcia and Peter.

This is a great Australian film, and this package is fantastic also. umbrella have really included a lot of exciting extras in the package… speaking of which…

Extras: Blimey! This disc has an absolute SLAB of extras!

Before we get to the extras on the disc, this Umbrella Entertainment release of the film has 8 miniature lobby cards, and the soundtrack on CD.

2021 Interview featurette with Behets and Eggleston’s sons, Toby Reed and Sam Reed is an interesting look at the film but a confusing ‘arty’ production. Some great anecdotes about the film’s production though.

2021 interview with executive producer Richard Brennan sees him talk about his history and the production of Long Weekend.

Extended Not Quite Hollywood interviews with director Everett De Roche, Behets and cinematographer Vincent Monton. Umbrella continue to milk the brilliant cow that is the Not Quite Hollywood for content and why not? It’s bloody bonza, cobber.

New audio interview with Executive producer Brennan, which further discusses the film.

2004 audio commentary with Brennan and Monton discussing the production of the film with some great anecdotes about film production of the time.

Nature Found Them Guilty: Examining Long Weekend panel discussion with film historians Lee Gambian, Alexandra Heller-Nicolas, Emma Westward and Sally Christie. Fascinating analysis of a film hosted by Gambin (who tragically passed away since) that dives deep into the film. Honestly I watched it twice because of the cool books in the house where it’s filmed and I’ve added about ten book titles to my Amazon book list.

Stills gallery accompanied by an interview with Hargreaves. Normally I’m a critic of stills gallery but putting an audio interview over it makes it worthwhile.

Long Weekend remake trailer with commentary by director Jamie Blanks (director of the remake, as well as Valentine and Urban Legend)

Colin Eggleston trailer reel features trailers for Long Weekend, Nightmares, Innocent Prey, Sky Pirates and Cassandra.

Excerpt from Whitsunday Ash – the lost Colin Eggleston film is a short piece of footage from a 1990 fiom that unfortunately remained unfinished due to Eggleston passing away.

Theatrical Trailer – it is what it says.

Film: 7/10

Extras: 10/10

Rewatchability: 7/10

Long Weekend was provided for review by Umbrella Entertainment