Otages vers l'enfer

Set in Australia of the 1950's. After bungling the theft of the visiting crown jewels the robbers take off for the Outback to escape. As they go along, they prey on the friendly and open - and isolated - Outback settlers they meet. A sort of "Heart of Darkness," as the true evilness of the robbers is revealed the further they progress into the Outback. The tension builds to an incredibly high level as their evil begins to seem unstoppable. A very well made, well paced film.

People who live in the "bush" (no matter what country) have to be hardy, resourceful self-sufficient people. And of course this applies to both the "good" and the "bad". This movie shows that very well, without "preaching" it.

This movie is quite long. It was shown in Australia as a mini-series, spread out over two nights.

The bathing scene at the waterhole is very sensuous and beautiful. Quite erotic without being the slightest bit pornographic; and with no nudity as such!

Finally, a truly spectacular scene near the end, with the truck crossing the flooded Diamontina river.

This was a made-for-Australia TV movie made back in the mid-'80s, a film that runs just over three hours. I liked it and found very few lulls in it, although, it could have been trimmed down a bit. I'm sorry I traded in my tape years ago because I assume it's nearly impossible to find a copy nowadays, at least outside Australia.

What I remember most about this film, and I am writing this about 15 years after last seeing it, is the driving beat of the music. It's very repetitive but it works and adds suspense to the story. I remember the miles of desolate country in which much of the long adventure tale takes place. It painted an interesting picture of the big desert area that, I believe, is in the middle of the country.

John Waters was excellent as the lead in the film, playing the villain of the story. You keep guessing how is this guy going to get it in the end, which he surely must. It's good suspense and a film I gather not many of us in North America know about. Maybe we'll get lucky and someone will produce a DVD of this.