Outback
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Ted Kotcheff
Donald Pleasence
Gary Bond
Chips Rafferty
Sylvia Kay
Jack Thompson
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
In Australia, young John Grant, who is unhappy with his life as a schoolteacher in the desolate Outback village of Tiboonda, begins a thousand-mile train ride to Sydney to spend Christmas vacation with his girl friend. On his first overnight stop in the hot and dusty mining town of Bundayabba, he is offended by--and feels superior to--the perpetual drunkenness and coarse behavior of the townspeople, where the only recreations seem to be drinking, whoring and hunting. Learning soon that refusing a drink is considered an insult, he is convinced by the town constable, Jock Crawford, to join in. After becoming inebriated, Grant loses his vacation money by gambling in a coin-toss game. A local man, Tim Hynes, puts him up for the night, but the next day Grant joins several new friends, Dick, Joe, and the alcoholic physician, Doc Tydon, on another drinking binge, and when a local woman with a reputation as a nymphomaniac tries to seduce him, he passes out. When he regains consciousness, he learns that a kangaroo hunt is being organized by the men and, in his drunken state, feels compelled to prove himself by joining them. That evening, the men board a jeep, from which they track down, ambush, cripple and kill the frightened animals in a grisly fashion. Afterward, Grant again drinks himself into a stupor and is sexually abused by Doc. The next day, ashamed and humiliated, Grant attempts to hitchhike to Sydney, but is inadvertently returned to the mining town, where he at first intends to murder Doc, but then attempts suicide. After spending time in the hospital, Grant returns to Tiboonda.
Director
Ted Kotcheff
Cast
Donald Pleasence
Gary Bond
Chips Rafferty
Sylvia Kay
Jack Thompson
Peter Whittle
Al Thomas
John Meillon
John Armstrong
Slim De Grey
Maggie Dence
Norman Erskine
Owen Moase
John Dalleen
Buster Fiddess
Tex Foote
Colin Hughes
Jacko Jackson
Nancy Knudsen
Dawn Lake
Harry Lawrence
Bob Mcdarra
Carlo Marchini
Liam Reynolds
Crew
John Appleton
Howard G. Barnes
Anthony Buckley
Monica Dawkins
Dennis Gentile
Bill Harmon
Fred Hift
Robert Hynard
Evan Jones
Howard Rubie
John Scott
Maurice Singer
Hugh Strain
Tim Wellburn
Brian West
Ron Williams
George Willoughby
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working titles of the film were Wake in Fright and Bite the Bullet. According to Filmfacts, Australian journalist Kenneth Cook, who wrote the novel Wake in Fright, from which the film was adapted, stated that the story was based on a true incident in his life. Although Ted Kotcheff directed the final picture, a October 17, 1968 Daily Variety news item reported that director Richard Wilson had a "handshake deal" with American producer Bill Harmon to direct the film, which, at that time, was titled Wake in Fright. According to Filmfacts, before the property was sold to the Australian production company N.L.T. Productions and American company Group W Films, director Joseph Losey was interested in producing the film and wanted Dirk Bogarde in the role of "John Grant." According to a February 1970 Variety news item, Robert Helpmann originally was cast in the role of "Doc Tydon," but due to scheduling difficulties after shooting was delayed, he was replaced by Donald Pleasence. Outback marked the final film of Chips Rafferty (1909-1971), who died of a heart attack in Sydney, Australia on 27 May, shortly after completing his role as "Jock Crawford." Rafferty had appeared in numerous British, American and Australian films since the 1940s.
The Times (London) review reported that the two kangaroo hunt sequences central to the film, which showed the animals ambushed by cars and their testicles cut off, was not a "mock-up" for the film, but enacted by professional hunters. According to a June 1980 Village Voice article, Michael York stated that he turned down a role in the picture because of the kangaroo slaughter. Filmfacts reported that the film was shot in and around Sydney, Australia. The New York Times review mentioned that locals from Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia appeared in the cast and a February 1970 Variety news item confirmed that portions of the film were shot in Broken Hill. Outback was an Australia's entry for the 1971 Cannes Film Festival.
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States Winter January 1, 1971
Released in United States 2009
Released in United States 2010
Released in United States October 5, 2012
Released in United States October 19, 2012
Shown at San Francisco International Film Festival (World Cinema) April 22-May 6, 2010.
Released in United States Winter January 1, 1971
Released in United States 2009 (Shown at AFI/Los Angeles International Film Festival (Special Presentations) October 30-November 7, 2009.)
Released in United States 2010 (Shown at San Francisco International Film Festival (World Cinema) April 22-May 6, 2010.)
Released in United States October 5, 2012
Released in United States October 19, 2012
