I found the casting of the fat, unattractive girl as the party-pooper shameful and cliche. Would a force of nature, which ostensibly claimed the other girls, care how a girl looked?
I was going to post a question later about why Edith wasn't claimed. As far as it being about young pretties, that wouldn't explain why Miss McCraw was spirited away as well.
Well, maybe you had to be properly receptive to whatever was lurking in the granite for it to take any interest in you. The math teacher seemed to be somewhat in awe of the rocks, as demonstrated by her explanation of their age and formation to the girls. Did you notice the sensual way she described the volcanic material as being "extruded" into the air. It's like she was talking about some cosmic ejaculation that had been frozen in time. And she was walking around without her skirt just before she disappeared! The other girls had a kind of sensual feeling for the experience of being on the rock, whereas Edith just seemed to be a big whiner who thought everything was a big bother.
Her fatness and unattractiveness (as defined by movie standards) seemed completely gratuitous and cliche. Why did she have to look like that? Couldn't a pretty girl have said her lines just as well? Was the director trying to make her represent the ugliness of an oppressed society that would keep these beauties all gloved and buttoned up?
If it were three Edith lookalikes who disappeared, would anyone — the townsfolk, the media, the audience — have found the story as compelling?
Would it be giving the director too much credit to say it's a negative commentary on the value of women in Australian society? If it is such a commentary, it would need to be talking about the 1970s (as a critique of contemporary society), even though it is set in 1900.
When the girls were asking for permission to wander off, did you notice that Edith lit up when she was selected to go? But then she began almost immediately to start complaining. She probably often gets left out and was glad that she wasn’t this time, but she took no pleasure in the company of the other girls. If that is her usual behavior, why would the others ever ask her along? If Edith hadn’t been such a cliche, she could have added an interesting richness to the film as a character on the boundary of this little group.
That whole scene was one of my favorites with Miss Lumley cowering behind the piano bench while the girls attack Irma. Finding Sara tied to the wall—because she slouches—sums up her predicament. Although she sorely misses Miranda, she wouldn’t have been taunting Irma even if she was not tied up.
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I was going to post a question later about why Edith wasn't claimed. As far as it being about young pretties, that wouldn't explain why Miss McCraw was spirited away as well.
Well, maybe you had to be properly receptive to whatever was lurking in the granite for it to take any interest in you. The math teacher seemed to be somewhat in awe of the rocks, as demonstrated by her explanation of their age and formation to the girls. Did you notice the sensual way she described the volcanic material as being "extruded" into the air. It's like she was talking about some cosmic ejaculation that had been frozen in time. And she was walking around without her skirt just before she disappeared! The other girls had a kind of sensual feeling for the experience of being on the rock, whereas Edith just seemed to be a big whiner who thought everything was a big bother.
Her fatness and unattractiveness (as defined by movie standards) seemed completely gratuitous and cliche. Why did she have to look like that? Couldn't a pretty girl have said her lines just as well? Was the director trying to make her represent the ugliness of an oppressed society that would keep these beauties all gloved and buttoned up?
If it were three Edith lookalikes who disappeared, would anyone — the townsfolk, the media, the audience — have found the story as compelling?
It goes back to what you said about all the characters being just a type. The unattractive girl is also the unpleasant one.
Also, I thought the same thing about the cosmic ejaculation.
Would it be giving the director too much credit to say it's a negative commentary on the value of women in Australian society? If it is such a commentary, it would need to be talking about the 1970s (as a critique of contemporary society), even though it is set in 1900.
Yeah, I don't see any indication of a feminist sensibility in this movie.
I didn't either. I'm just throwing it out there in case there was something I missed.
Aaack! I do think there are some feminist sensibilities. Post to follow soon.
Aack! You rock, cl.
(no pun intended)
Well, I think my sputtering, seminal theories need to back my affection for this movie, which you have probed with your pulsating critique.
Why can't the rock be a big vagina? From a distance?
Aack! Cl, despite my comments, I have a fondness for this movie that might surprise you. Post coming up.
When the girls were asking for permission to wander off, did you notice that Edith lit up when she was selected to go? But then she began almost immediately to start complaining. She probably often gets left out and was glad that she wasn’t this time, but she took no pleasure in the company of the other girls. If that is her usual behavior, why would the others ever ask her along? If Edith hadn’t been such a cliche, she could have added an interesting richness to the film as a character on the boundary of this little group.
Was Edith the one who was tied up in the scene where Irma is visiting the class before leaving for good? Or was that Sara?
It was Sara.
That whole scene was one of my favorites with Miss Lumley cowering behind the piano bench while the girls attack Irma. Finding Sara tied to the wall—because she slouches—sums up her predicament. Although she sorely misses Miranda, she wouldn’t have been taunting Irma even if she was not tied up.
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