By Travis Johnson
First Picnic at Hanging Rock, now this. Kenneth Cook’s searing, merciless novel, Wake in Fright, has already been adapated by the big screen by Ted Kotcheff (First Blood) in 1971. Now it’s being transposed to television, with Channel 10 announcing a two-part adaptation to screen some time in 2017.
Cook’s 1961 book follows the moral degradation of a school teacher (Gary Bond in the ’71 film) who finds himself caught of up the violent, alcoholic, sexually perverse macho culture that pervades the mining town of Bundanyabba when he is waylaid their on a return trip to Sydney. Kotcheff’s film, long considered a lost classic, has risen to prominence due to a recent home release and reappraisal, and is now viewed as one of the key films of the Australian New Wave. Donald Pleasance, Chips Rafferty, John Meillon and Jack Thompson co-starred.
Kriv Stenders (Red Dog) will direct the new version, from a script by Stephen M. Irwin (Secrets & Lies). Helen Bowden and Kristian Moliere produce
Are we looking at a contemporary or period setting?
There’s the potential for a lot of darkness in this tale.