Review of Walkabout (1971) by James-Masaki R — 24 Nov 2010

An English father brings his teenage daughter and young son far into the middle of the Australian outback by car. After he suddenly tries to kill them, he is accidentally killed, and the 2 kids must now somehow survive and try to get back to civilization. On route, they meet an Aboriginal boy on his Walkabout, and possibly the only one who could help them.

Nicholas Roeg's "Walkabout" is really an amazing look at primitive culture vs developed culture in the simplest terms. Although the kids come from a sophisticated well educated area, it is still prone to violence, alienation, and abandonment. The children learn so much from the aboriginie boy, and it is remarkable what Roeg acccomplishes. Like Malick, the mood and tone are set in so much of the landscape, it's astounding to watch.