Really Surprised!

an ambitious but ultimately ineffective debut endeavor.

The story-telling is good with flashbacks.The film is both funny and heartbreaking. You smile in a scene and get a soulcrushing revelation in the next.

Blistering performances.

Nice to be able to pick up the DVD of this recently."Summerfield" is a remarkable film in that not very much happens, yet the viewer's attention is gripped from the first frame. The lead character is Simon Robinson, a supply teacher (played by the excellent Nick Tate of "Space 1999" fame) sent to replace another teacher who has disappeared from a remote township in Victoria, Australia.Simon almost immediately falls in with the Abbott family – brother and sister David and Jennifer, along with the latter's daughter, Sally – who live on the isolated island estate of Summerfield. The Abbotts and other locals all seem to know something about something, but nobody is saying anything beyond dropping a few obscure hints here and there.The film is a mood piece. We see shots of lonely coastline, dark clouds looming over gloomy waters. Against this ominous background, Simon comes across information about his predecessor and the Abbotts. He follows up on it, with disastrous results, leading to a doozy of a conclusion, full of savage irony. If only, if only…"Summerfield" had a very mixed critical reception on its release, but in an interview included on the DVD Nick Tate calls the film a "minor classic". Despite an irritating and superfluous side story where Simon makes love to his landlady, I certainly don't disagree.Recommended, unless you like a lot of physical action. Rating: 8/10.

Simon Robinson is a teacher who arrives at a isolated seaside community to take over the local school. This when he discovers that his predecessor has disappeared without a trace and strangely no one seems overly worried about it. So Simon decides to take it on his own to find out what had happen to the teacher and this leads him to a estate called 'Summerfield' where he feels there's something not quite right going on.Every now again you stumble across a film that it's hard to take your eyes off and think "Why haven't I heard anything about this flick before?". Well, that's the case here. I accidentally happen upon this DVD when I was checking out my library's selection. Seeing that the screenwriter of "Picnic at Hanging Rock" was involved and the plot's outline looked like an intriguing mystery, I had no hesitation in checking it out. And what an uniquely, brooding mystery it was! I was compulsively, attached to this pretty well crafted, enigmatic piece.The screenplay is done by Cliff Green and he incorporates an thought-provoking script here that generates a mystery, where there are many dense levels and hidden symbolic messages implied. The complex story plays around with the idea that something is not right on the surface and it evolves around our central character putting his nose where it's best left out off. The way the plot plays is hauntingly, still and there's a sensuousness feel running underneath the context. Underlining the mysteriously, quiet air is an ominous feel that's just hard to shake. Although, I thought the one of the revelations is rather predictable because you slowly put the pieces together and film's climax is plain unsettling thanks to the eerie score, but the final straw to the story is where it knocked me off my feet. Man, I didn't see that cunning conclusion coming! The thing is that the picture just sticks in your mind after it's finished. The set-up of the story leisurely strings you along with some plodding moments, but I found it refreshingly engaging and how could you dismiss the flourishing backdrop. Simply it's glorious in detail and its gives the film an dreary, off-putting cloud that showers the air with a heavily moody vibe. The scenery might look ravishingly, breathtaking, but it's the isolation of it that streamlines the film and it embodies itself into subtext of the plot. What captured the backdrop was the well-defined, but graceful camera-work that freely moved about in such a soothing fashion. One thing that also screams out asking you to pay notice is Bruce Smeaton's (Picnic at Hanging Rock) highly prolific, titillating score that just raises harrowing chills. He was able to bring out the emotional element out of the characters in a very subdued, but precise manner. The production is professionally handled with such skilled brushes by all involved. The lead performances were just magnificent that I couldn't help but become infatuated by this versatile cast. Nick Tate is faultlessly, believable as the naive teacher Simon Robinson. John Waters goes low-key, but still manages to make himself a force as David Abbott. Elizabeth Alexander, plays the delicate sister Jenny Abbott. Which, she is totally beautiful, but still she holds her own with striking penetration in such a passionately, protective way. While, the child of the piece played by Michelle Jarman, just has a certain glow about her and she seems so natural in her performance as Sally Abbott. The shadiness about her seems to lead into the mystery very well. The supporting roles are equally good by an alluring Geraldine Turner as Betty Tate, Charles 'Bud' Tingwell as Dr. Millar and Max Cullen as the unwelcoming Jim Tate.If you enjoyed "Picnic at Hanging Rock" this flick might also tickle your fancy. A very atmospheric mystery tale that stages the central notion impeccably well and leaves you with a bittersweet conclusion.

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!

Strange little drama about a replacement teacher, who begins to suspect foul play in the disappearance of his predecessor. Nicely shot, and a good performance from Nick Tate, a sadly underrated actor in Australia.