The Spectrum Files : Long Weekend

 

     As I have stated before, Spectrum was my film school, or at the very least, submersion into cinema.  I've credited the programmer as being some sort of genius.  The first-run films obviously were what sold the subscriptions, but many, many films they broadcast became cult classics and legendary pieces of cinema in the present day. Spectrum: Ahead of the competitors known as SelectTV, ONTV, and ahead of its time.

     In this case, we're venturing into Oz-ploitation.

     For those not in the know, that's a term for horror films made in the 70's in Australia, and Spectrum exposed me to more than one.  Patrick, The Last Wave, Razorback, etc.   But the one that hit home was actually not just Oz-ploitation, but Nature Run Amok.  Two genres in one.  This film was remade a few years back with a different title, but since Jim Caviezel was the star, I refuse to discuss here. What a massive disappointment of a human being he turned out to be.  Damn fine actor, but a weird Ted Nugent homo-sapien.  Join the James Woods cult, I guess.   Plenty of room.

     I may be immature in this sense, and will probably get over it, because Frequency and Count of Monte Cristo are brilliant, and he wasn't the only person involved in those movies' film making process, so I'll grow up.  Give me a minute.

     Anyway, Long Weekend features a youngish married couple who decide to get away from it all, and do some outdoorsy attempts at bonding which they fail miserably at, because they totally despise each other.   Let's be honest.  They're complete twat waffles, as well.  So they take their tempers and hatred for each other out on their surroundings, a gorgeous woodsy soundscape that doesn't deserve their desecration and pollution and bullshit.  So, naturally, it bites back. 

     So, if the woods, animals and creatures who have suffered abuse fight back, has nature truly run amok? 

     As a youngster, not ensconced in understanding, they were victims of animals who lost their shit.  You know, Jaws, Grizzly, Kingdom of the Spiders, ad infinitum?  As the sun dipped under the horizon outside like a cruller into my mom's Maxwell House, I sat there in my parent's living room compelled, and then horrified at the abrupt and FINAL ending. 

    But I know now that people are turds.  And sometimes we reap what we sow. 

    This movie is available now from Synapse films, distributors of some truly awesome cult classic horror, and some scuzzy shit you probably want to avoid.  I only know that from the catalog. 

     Anyways, you can react two ways to this film.  Depressed is one.  Feeling better about yourself as a person is the other.