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The opening caption of the film describes a "walkabout" as a ritual in Australia where a 16 year old has to live for months alone from the land, "stay alive, even if it means killing his fellow creatures". The ritual is specific to males and is supposed to be one of spiritual growth as they transition into adulthood; and although it is applied to the Aborigine "Black boy" (David Gulpilil) in the film, one can say the ritual applies to the "Girl" and the "White boy" (Jenny Agutter and Luc Roeg) he stumbles upon.
This Walkabout starts when the "girl" and the "white boy" are forced to flee from their father who tries to kill them in the middle of the Outback, and then ends up shooting himself. As the kids aimlessly wander the wilderness, they come upon the "black boy" who starts teaching them how to survive. The three start an interesting relationship that begins as a simple means to survive but evolves into something more as the film progresses and they all adapt to their new situation in different ways.
Communication plays a key role in their relationship, which you can see in the above quote. The "black boy" only speaks in his native language, while the "girl" unsuccessfully tries to communicate through English. The "white boy" on the other hand is quickly taken by the "black boy", and they learn to communicate through gestures and signals. The contrasting ways that both the "girl" and the "white boy" react, adapt, and interact with the "black boy" is a common thread through the film as one seems to embrace the customs of the Aborigine more easily, while the other seems more reluctant to abandon her "city ways".
This is not only seen through the way they communicate, but also by the way their clothes "transform" or disappear through the course of the film. The "white boy" is quick to lose his shirt and is often seen wearing decorative paint in his skin, like his Aborigine counterpart, while there is an iconic skinny-dipping sequence with the "girl", which can be seen as a way to forget about the comforts and restrains of civilization, even if it doesn't last long.
Some minor issues I had with it is that the direction in the first act features a decent amount of awkward leering of the "girl". Once they meet the "black boy", things sorta balance themselves since there is a decent amount of leering of the "black boy" as well, which I can accept as a way to signal the sexual awakening and tension between both characters. But those first act shots seemed a bit unnecessary since we still haven't met the "black boy", so we're not seeing things from his perspective yet.
Overall, Walkabout is a powerful snapshot of Australian wilderness and the clash between the "civilized" and the "savages". Its dreamlike vibe is mesmerizing, and reminded me of other Australian films of the same era like Wake in Fright and Picnic at Hanging Rock. It's almost like we are in a trance watching this interactions unfold and we're captivated by it all, even if we can't fully understand it.
Grade:
WALKABOUT
(1971, Roeg)
A film that starts with the letters W, X, Y or Z • A film from the TSPDT 1,000 Greatest Films list whose ranking includes the #12 (#712)
(1971, Roeg)
A film that starts with the letters W, X, Y or Z • A film from the TSPDT 1,000 Greatest Films list whose ranking includes the #12 (#712)
"I don't know why you are telling him all this. He can't understand. He doesn't know what a ladder is. I expect we're the first white people he's seen."
The opening caption of the film describes a "walkabout" as a ritual in Australia where a 16 year old has to live for months alone from the land, "stay alive, even if it means killing his fellow creatures". The ritual is specific to males and is supposed to be one of spiritual growth as they transition into adulthood; and although it is applied to the Aborigine "Black boy" (David Gulpilil) in the film, one can say the ritual applies to the "Girl" and the "White boy" (Jenny Agutter and Luc Roeg) he stumbles upon.
This Walkabout starts when the "girl" and the "white boy" are forced to flee from their father who tries to kill them in the middle of the Outback, and then ends up shooting himself. As the kids aimlessly wander the wilderness, they come upon the "black boy" who starts teaching them how to survive. The three start an interesting relationship that begins as a simple means to survive but evolves into something more as the film progresses and they all adapt to their new situation in different ways.
Communication plays a key role in their relationship, which you can see in the above quote. The "black boy" only speaks in his native language, while the "girl" unsuccessfully tries to communicate through English. The "white boy" on the other hand is quickly taken by the "black boy", and they learn to communicate through gestures and signals. The contrasting ways that both the "girl" and the "white boy" react, adapt, and interact with the "black boy" is a common thread through the film as one seems to embrace the customs of the Aborigine more easily, while the other seems more reluctant to abandon her "city ways".
This is not only seen through the way they communicate, but also by the way their clothes "transform" or disappear through the course of the film. The "white boy" is quick to lose his shirt and is often seen wearing decorative paint in his skin, like his Aborigine counterpart, while there is an iconic skinny-dipping sequence with the "girl", which can be seen as a way to forget about the comforts and restrains of civilization, even if it doesn't last long.
Some minor issues I had with it is that the direction in the first act features a decent amount of awkward leering of the "girl". Once they meet the "black boy", things sorta balance themselves since there is a decent amount of leering of the "black boy" as well, which I can accept as a way to signal the sexual awakening and tension between both characters. But those first act shots seemed a bit unnecessary since we still haven't met the "black boy", so we're not seeing things from his perspective yet.
Overall, Walkabout is a powerful snapshot of Australian wilderness and the clash between the "civilized" and the "savages". Its dreamlike vibe is mesmerizing, and reminded me of other Australian films of the same era like Wake in Fright and Picnic at Hanging Rock. It's almost like we are in a trance watching this interactions unfold and we're captivated by it all, even if we can't fully understand it.
Grade: