Frog Dreaming

Yes, this movie was peculiar. Yes, the plot was sort of strange and a bit difficult to follow the first time around ... that is why we watched it many times !

The boy is a great inventor, and goes exploring strange things in this lake... and I thought the movie was just very mysterious and exciting as a kid.

I just thought I would put out this little review, as the other voter quite disliked it, heh. I thought it was superb !

I got an IMDb account specifically to review this movie; if that tells you anything. Before the internet existed, and then before torrents become viable, I had no luck finding it after watching it once as a rental; the other "The Quest" kept getting in my way. I spent a lot of time searching for a copy of this. It's difficult to explain the movie to people who aren't familiar with it, and the premise isn't so hot on paper. Objectively, it's not an AAA title, but it just might be my favorite film. There is a mythic quality to it; some primeval fascination - from the standpoint of an evolutionary biologist, I would say that there was good reason for our ancestors to pay a lot of attention to strange bubbles and ripples in the water, and perhaps for that reason, the mystery at the heart of this movie is eerie and compelling. Dreamlike is the best word for this movie - it doesn't make a great deal of sense, but it is invested with some cryptic and deeply felt meaning; like a strange recurring dream.

Structurally it really is similar to both E.T., the Goonies and in a way Stand By Me; it has a little bit of star wars to it in terms of feel and aesthetic. The setting, the music, and the strange little premise take it away from those more familiar reference points and into a very strange place.

'Frog Dreaming' is a fun, light-hearted Australian kid's film about a boy named Cody who investigates the disappearance of a friend who was last seen near an unmapped pond deep in the Australian bush. His search for the truth soon brings him into the world of Aboriginal mythology. Is there something supernatural going on at the pond, or is there a simpler explanation?

While strictly low-budget, 'Frog Dreaming' compensates by being filmed in the depths of the Blue Mountains region of New South Wales, which is almost a character in itself, mysterious and ancient. This also gives the film a distinctly Australian flavour, accentuated by the romanticised image of a small-town community where everyone knows and looks out for each other, and relations with the European and native community (who live entirely separately) are sanguine. The cynicism of the modern world is far distant, and every character is imbued with an untouched innocence. The Americanisation of the culture is nonexistent, and many a line of dialogue is punctuated by an Antipodean colloquialism. The acting can at times be a tad theatrical as a consequence, but everyone turns in a competent performance, and the target audience won't even notice.

In any case, this rose-tinting hardly matters. This is an adventure film first and foremost, full of warmth and mystery that should keep children solidly entertained. The thrills are never gratuitous, and suspense is built up at a good pace, to a satisfying conclusion. This non-sensationalist down-to-earth approach should ensure enjoyment from adult viewers as well. I had the pleasure of enjoying 'Frog Dreaming' as a child, again as an adult, and can recommend it to both parties.

It's been many years since I've seen this movie but I'm working on making it a part of my collection. Basically, there's an eerie, spooky, creepy pond that perks a boy's curiosity. The boy, Cody, starts investigating an old legend about "Donkegin" and/or "frog dreamings," all this I don't quite remember but I do remember certain parts as being incredibly intriguing. As a kid, and even today, I've always been fascinated with lakes and ponds, always wondering what's at the bottom. I believe they even get some underwater footage at some point when Cody wears an old-fashioned dive suit! This is an excellent adventure movie that's great for the whole family! Highly recommended!

Let me start by saying it has been about 8 or 9 years since I last saw the Quest, but I still remember it fondly.

Henry Thomas, soon after his performance as "Elliot" in E.T., finds himself living with relatives in Australia after his parents pass on. He soon begins to investigate a local legend called the "Dahnk-a-gin" (or something like that...), a fierce loch-ness-monster style beast living in an old quarry that has been flooded.

As a child, I was always very inquisitive and imaginative, and loved to explore old buildings and creepy places, so this movie appealed to me greatly. The area surrounding the flooded quarry is littered with scrap metal, beat up shacks, and a cool broken down 50's car that just call to the exploring spirit.

During some scenes, Henry rides the railroad using a modified bicycle that could lock onto the railroad tracks... start pedaling, and off you go! I always wanted one of those...

Anyway, check out the Quest, and see if it doesn't sweep you up in it's imaginative spell!