Review of Wake in Fright (1971) by Ted W — 09 Sep 2014

I first saw this classified as a horror/thriller and that's just not valid. In fact, I'm not sure there is a classification for this movie. It's a story of obsession that goes way beyond the normal boundaries or society.

Gary Bond (who is a dead ringer for Peter O'Toole) plays a school teacher anxious to leave provincial Australia behind yet finds himself immersed in the very thing he's trying to avoid. Donald Pleasence is simply amazing as the person who at first seems rational but turns out to be his worst nightmare (even satanic).

This was different and compelling.