THE EARTHLING
Australia/US, 1979, 107 minutes, Colour.
William Holden, Ricky Schroeder, Jack Thompson, Olivia Hamnett, Alwyn Kurts, Willie Fennell, Ray Barrett, Pat Evison.
Directed by Peter Collinson.
The Earthling is an American production, attractively photographed by Don Mc Alpine (director of photography for many of Bruce Beresford's films) in New South Wales mountain-forest locations. A variation on the little boy lost in the bush, the screenplay contrives to have two American accents adrift in the wild. Once there, a gnarled William Holden and pleasant Ricky Schroder (The Champ) sustain almost the whole film and cope with surviving in a rugged individualist way - the old man returning home to die, the boy on the verge of making something of life.
The landscapes star; while too frequently contrived, the themes are appealing; the bush (often scary) extraordinarily alive with flora and fauna, and sentiment more geared for American audiences rather than local appreciation - and also for younger audiences. Director Peter Collinson's films have generally tended to be short and tough: Innocent Bystanders, Open Season. This is a change of pace and feeling for him.
1. The appeal of the film? For what audience was it made?
2. An American production - Australian credits, technical credits and actors? The blending of American and Australian styles? The impact for an American audience, Australians? Two American accents amongst all the Australians and within the Australian landscapes?
3. The contribution of the landscapes and their beauty to the film? The overviews of mountains and forests? The flora and fauna of the Australian wilderness? The atmosphere of bush and wilderness? Animals? Nature, conservation? Surviving in harmony with the bush and nature? The contribution of the musical score to the atmosphere?
4. Themes of survival, rugged individualism for survival, harmony with nature, the harshness and toughness of nature and human existence? The old surviving, the young surviving? The confrontation of man and nature?
5. The screenplay and its introduction of Patrick Foley, the revealing of his story through the comments of the people? An introduction to his character and preparation for his journey towards death and how? The interweaving of Shawn and the story of the Daleys? The interweaving of the introductions? Bringing the strands together? The old man and the young boy sustaining the whole film?
6. Themes of journey: the old man and his reminiscing about his opportunities, lost chances, search for identity, false hopes? His need to return how to die? His illness? A seeking of harmony with nature - the heritage of his parents and grandparents who were buried in the land? The atmosphere of pioneers? The challenge to him to help, even when unwilling? A deliberate journey contrasting with the accidental journey of the young boy? His grief? His having to survive. to become tough, use his resources? Allow himself to be helped but also to stand on his own feet? To learn respect and love? His setting out on a journey for life?
7. The film and its sentiment, feeling? The focus on the two characters - setting them within the group at the beginning and then having them alone throughout the film? The sentiment of the situations especially of death, survival, interaction, love? Foley's death and burial? Was the film sentimental?
8. The audience entering the film with Foley? Foley being enveloped by the atmosphere of mountains and forest and the audience likewise? The bus ride, the lift in the truck, the town itself? Foley and his wandering the town, his quest? His journey by foot, the ride on the horse, the climbing of mountains? The town and the variety of’ people, the old people at the pub, the men in the bar? The reminiscing about Foley? The importance of his visit to Christian and the audience seeing the bonds between the two men over many years, Foley's love for the woman? Their need for Foley to stay? The old man and the horse? The sentiment and warmth and human feeling for the rest of the film when other characters were absent?
9. The contrast with the Daleys' arriving, city people, the American background, the modern camper? The clash of personalities? Having a drink in the bar? The petrol and Shawn watching the girl? The parents arguing? Shawn and his reaction to people? The gift of the Indian cloth - and its protective significance, used throughout the film? The journey? Shawn going to the edge of the cliff and the irony of his parents going over? The fight and the pettiness? The ugliness and unnecessary death? The repercussions?
10. Foley and his journey - tough, caring and not caring, hard and soft, ill and strong? Making Shawn act? Their talks together, growth in understanding and love? His purpose, the arrival back home and its ruins? The sentiment of the finale - the bath in the hot springs, the bond and the embrace? Foley’s’ death? The achievement of this life in the last part of his journey?
11. The film's focus on Shawn: his parents, his love for them, the grief at their death, being beside the camper, trying to dig them out, the fear In the sounds of the forest, the rats? His following, hunger, learning how to fish, walking, climbing the mountains? The pursuit by the dogs? Stalking food, learning how to survive? The arrival at Foley's old homestead? The bond between the two - the expressions of hate and love? His burying Foley and the final comments as he set out on his own journey of life?
12. The importance of the flora and fauna and the landscapes? Visual beauty? The animals and birds - fear, during the night, the contrast with the day? Eating and survival? The pursuit of the dogs? The hardship of nature and learning to survive ruggedly? This bush journey as an image of life?
13. Australians and learning harmony through this story of survival in environment? Americans identifying with the characters - similarities to the United States, their observing American characters in a foreign landscape and surviving?
