One of my all time favorites.

Best movie of this year hands down!

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

This has been on my "To do" list at this site for a while now. It's finally time to cross that off my list now! It may have been as a child that I saw some or all of this movie and the plot reveal near the end has stuck with me all these years. Seeing this movie on the weekend (06/09/2014) makes me realise that perhaps I may have been too young to watch to this film all those years ago...not exactly suitable for a young audience.The basic plot concerns a teacher called Simon Robinson (played by Nick Tate) coming to an isolated community to replace a teacher called Peter Flynn who has gone missing and left his belongings at the guest house where he lodges. Simon now lodges in the same room. Nobody seems particularly concerned that Peter has gone missing.For most of the film, nothing much happens, apart from Simon's curiosity being piqued about what happened to Peter. He also gets pulled into the orbit of the family of one his students, Sally Abbott (played by Michelle Jarman). Sally's mother is the elegantly beautiful Jennifer Abbott (played by Elizabeth Alexander). Simon slowly also becomes curious about the Abbott's, who live on an isolated island, with the only entrance being a wooden bridge, which has a locked gate and a sign to keep outsiders out.For most of the movie, it was tracking to score 70+% but I particularly liked the ending. For some people the leisurely pace may be off-putting. For others, the ending may be too.The reason why I bumped up my score due to the ending is because it haunted me. The entire end sequence of the movie both answers mysteries and leaves new mysteries to arise. My main question is whether the ending could have been resolved differently or whether something like that was inevitable. E.g. the scene where Jennifer's brother, David Abbott (played by John Waters) calls out to Simon. Was Simon's response leading up to that moment a consequence of him drawing together the issue of what happened to Peter and the position he now found himself in?There is a resolution to the mystery of Peter's fate. It occurs to me that perhaps the filmmakers wanted the viewer to come to some sort of realisation about what had happened earlier (I also wondered if this related to Sally's father as well). I'm not sure if that is explicated well enough to come into play though. In searching for this title at this site, I was surprised to see a listing for "Secrets of Summerfield: The making of 'Summerfield'" (2005, video). Am definitely curious to see this now, with regard to my own questions about the haunting ending. Hopefully my suspicions can be confirmend (or not!). The existence of this follow up film is good news, in the sense that the original movie must have resonated with people for it to be created.If you like movies with mysteries, this is definitely worth checking out. The film itself does provide subtle hints and allusions to the mystery.General observations: * I really enjoyed the score for this movie and will try to seek it, but not holding much hope for that! The music was composed and conducted by Bruce Smeaton. The into score has Japanese strings playing, as well as some symphonic instruments. It creates an eerie mood, pensive at times. There is a lovely melody throughout this movie. At times there seems to be a subtle nod to music from a Hollywood movie (I think), which I just can't place...maybe something by Bernard Herrmann? * Geraldine Turner has a touch of Gillian Anderson in her looks (obviously vice versa), in the part of the lodge's management.* I don't think I've seen the star, Nick Tate, in other Australian productions...what happened to him? Apart from John Waters ("All the rivers run" and "Play school"!), the only other actor I could say I've watched before was Charles "Bud" Tingwell (I'd seen him in the great British children's series "Catweazle"). I think Tingwell may be credited as "Bud" at the start and "Charles" at the end credits! Max Cullen is a familiar name and I've probably seen him before too. The cop in this film looks familiar too, but I probably haven't seen the TV shows where he regularly appeared...probably in the role of a cop too! * Not sure that I found Doctor Miller's (Charles Tingwell) revelations always plausible...i.e. often they just seemed to function as narrative exposition more than something that someone in his position would actually divulge. There are two examples of that: what he says to Simon one time, on the beach, and something he tells David at Summerfield.* The cop says that "hundreds" of people have gone missing...I really hope he means in the state, not just their locale! Small town and all! * Apart from the terrific music, I also liked the hues of the sky at times...but my television isn't the best...perhaps it looks even better on a good screen! There is plenty of 1970's fashions as well...short shorts, shirts etc.* Just by the by, you can make out two newspaper headline posters at the milk bar, giving an idea of when it was filmed: The Sun "Fraser clamp_ on Lea_" (hard to read clearly as it is obscured) and the Herald's "Pop man hurt in stage blast"...curious who that was! Viewed from my PVR from a recording made on ABC 20/12/2013 at around 12:35 a.m. Running time of 91:25.This film seems to have been repeated more than once in recent years...which was good for me, seeing as I wanted to rewatch it!

'Summerfield' is 3/4 a great little movie... well, 5/8. But all the good work is somewhat negated by the payoff.As my fellow reviewers have noted, the technical qualities are excellent: evocative cinematography, haunting score and sound design, sensitive direction. All of the performances are good but I particularly liked John Waters as the brooding brother and Geraldine Turner as the rubenesquely sexy landlady. The townsfolk have those wonderfully earthy, naturally idiosyncratic faces that seventies Australian cinema is full of.The problem lies with the script. After a great build-up where clues are laid with nuance and subtlety, the revelation about the Abbott's relationship is lacking in the necessary emotional force. And the final scene just doesn't work for me. I was left puzzled and irritated.On second thought, maybe its partly the script and partly the execution of the final moments. Maybe it worked better on paper than director Ken Hannam captued it on screen. I dunno. At any rate I was disappointed.See the film if you can. There's an awful lot of good stuff happening before the climax. In fact, it's because the build-up is so good that the finale comes off as such a let-down.

A richly atmospheric mystery with a light sprinkle of eroticism and a slyly ironic epilogue.There is strict attention paid to justified camera movement and exquisite composition in this tale of blood secrets.Mike Malloy, who shot the movie, is to be commended for the beautiful, warm veneers of this subtle drama. Bruce Smeaton, who scored PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK, turns in another hypnotic score that expresses the inner workings of its characters. Cliff Green, who scripted PICNIC, wrote this mildly haunting piece.Performances are above par. Nick Tate, a vastly underused Australian actor, is superb as Simon Robinson, a replacement teacher in the midst of a mystery. Elizabeth Alexander, as Jenny Abbott, delivers an extraordinary performance which is a cocktail of ice poured over steamy passion. John Waters, as her peculiar brother, achieves just the right note. Most affecting of all is little Michelle Jarman's performance as Sally Abbott. An impossibly beautiful child, she has shattering on-screen charisma and conveys an ethereal otherworldliness that contributes so much to the film's success as a mood-ridden mystery.The film is deliberately paced, but it is also quietly enchanting and seductive.

A great story yes but the real winner here is the photography. Even on a 23 year old video tape the sunsets, beach colours and water shots still look magnificent. John Waters is understated but nonetheless powerful. Nick Tate is rock solid as usual. Geraldine Turner never looked better!