Ladies of Burlesque: PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK
608 College St, Toronto, ON M6G 1B4, Canada
43.6553504
-79.41458169999999
Celebrate Halloween with Ladies of Burlesque as we present a haunting thriller that turns girlhood into a Gothic mystery—Peter Weir’s iconic PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK. An arthouse darling that nevertheless perplexed and even enraged some powerful film critics with its now notorious, mysterious ending, PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK is a beguiling, revisionist quasi-horror film. Visually stunning and featuring a memorable pan flute-infused score, it has captivated audiences for decades and continues to inspire obsessive investigations into its distinct blurring of the line between fact and fiction, as well as a recent television reboot.
Based on real life events and set in 1900 in the untamed landscape of Australia, Weir’s film focuses on a group of upper class schoolgirls attending a private school for girls run by the stern Mrs. Appleyard (Rachel Roberts). On St. Valentine’s Day, a picnic field trip is arranged and the girls along with two of their teachers journey to Hanging Rock, a former volcano and geological wonder. Amidst lizards and the blazing sun, four students led by the cherubic, Botticelli-esque Miranda (Anne-Louise Lambert) set off on their own to explore the rock, never to return. The frantic ensuing search scandalizes Appleyard’s school and the surrounding community, calling into question notions of feminine adolescent innocence.
Featuring a Victorian schoolgirl-infused burlesque by Loretta Jean, this promises to be one of the more unique screenings of the Halloween season!
Presented in 4K