Long Weekend

Thriller / Horror / Mystery
Australia, 1978, 92 min

Directed by:

Colin Eggleston

Screenplay:

Everett De Roche

Cinematography:

Vincent Monton

Composer:

Michael Carlos
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Plots(1)

In the hope of saving their marriage a couple decide to take a break by the sea. Between the bickering and fighting they exhibit a callous disregard for the land and creatures around them - starting a fire, wildly firing a gun, scattering rubbish and injuring wildlife. Their obnoxious behaviour will not go unpunished. One of the seminal Australian films of the 70s, this remarkable, suspense-filled eco-horror builds on its man vs nature premise with an ever-increasing sense of dread and unease. (Second Sight)

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Reviews (3)

POMO 

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English The Australian Deliverance, in which the antagonists are not evil villagers, but wild tropical fauna. The two protagonists find themselves in a marital crisis and a situation that doesn’t entirely suit them. The animals help, but their main enemy is themselves and their unstable psychological state. This atmospheric thriller is surprisingly impressive given how little happens in it and the space in which it happens. The screeches of the animals, the discomfort of camping, the oppressive magic of the dark night. Reality turns into delusion as time passes and actions are committed without sound judgment. ()

Goldbeater 

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English To sympathise with the main characters of this flick is impossible. The sooner you get that fact, the better you will make sense of the developments in the second part and accept the very naturalistic ending. And even if all the dread from this horror tends to just be hinted, it’s enough to give you the chills. At the end, this movie might give you some sense of satisfaction, but it certainly won’t replenish your optimism. ()

kaylin 

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English Long Weekend is a film that, in Australia at least, caught the attention of so many that the film was remade in 2008. There's not much to redo, because the film is already perfect in its original form in its strange, oppressive weirdness. Environmental horror isn't for everyone, but it works very well in this version and has a great bizarre atmosphere that's worth the interest. ()