Blackrock (film)
Encyclopedia
Blackrock is a 1997 Australia
n film
directed by Steven Vidler and written by Nick Enright. Internationally, it is best remembered as the first prominent role of actor Heath Ledger
.
(1950–2003). It was inspired by the real-life rape
and murder
of schoolgirl Leigh Leigh in Stockton
near Newcastle
, Australia
on 3 November 1989. Enright subsequently developed it into another play, Blackrock
(1995), directed by David Berthold
for Sydney Theatre Company
.
), where surfing
is popular among youths like Jared (Laurence Breuls). He has his first serious girlfriend, Rachel (Jessica Napier
), who comes from a much wealthier part of the city. One day Ricko (Simon Lyndon
), a local surfing legend, returns from an eleven-month odyssey and Jared gives him a 'welcome home' party at the local surf club. Unsupervised and with alcohol
freely available. Jared climbs a big rock and sees Toby (Heath Ledger
) having consensual sex with Tracey (Bojana Novakovic
). He later witnesses three males raping Tracey, yet he does nothing. The rapists leave her crying - but alive, on the beach and Jared too flees the scene and heads home. Later that night Rachel, arriving at the party late and looking for Jared, finds Tracy beaten to death on the beach.
The incident - and the community - are soon being scrutinized by news bulletins across the nation. The locals react differently: The surfers continue their lives as if nothing has happened; Tracy's grieving best friend Cherie (Rebecca Smart
) resorts to violent behaviour; Rachel has to face the news that her brother is one of the accused. Jared is torn between the need to reveal what he saw for the sake of justice, and the desire to protect Toby and the other rapists in the name of 'mateship'. His silence eventually leads to the breakdown of his relationships, not only with Rachel, but also with his mother Diane (Linda Cropper
), who has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Eventually Ricko confesses to Jared that he killed Tracy, but claims it was an accident - that she hit her head on a rock when he attempted to have sex with her. He asks Jared to back up his story to the police that they were together when the murder happened, despite the fact that Jared has already told the police he was alone at the time. When he goes back to talk to the police, they show him the photos of Tracy's battered body and it's clear that her injuries were not accidental. Jared finds Ricko at the beach and confronts him, and Ricko finally admits the truth. He found Tracy on the beach after the rape and she sought comfort from him and asked him to take her home. He agreed, but wanted to have sex with her first. She tried to fight him off and bit him in the process, which enraged him enough to beat her to death.
As Ricko finishes his confession the police arrive and he realises that Jared has turned him in. He attempts to escape but the police give chase and corner him on a cliff. Rather than go to jail - and ignoring Jared's screams of protest, he jumps to his death. In the weeks that follow, Jared's life collapses - he leaves home (despite finally finding out about his mothers illness and her recent mastectomy), buys Ricko's panel van
and takes up residence in a stack of concrete pipes on a vacant block. He eventually confesses his role in the events to his mother, and the film ends with him joining Diane and Cherie in cleaning graffiti from Tracy's grave.
s, where it was well received in Australia. It was less enthusiastically received overseas where people were unfamiliar with the Leigh Leigh murder. It debuted to unfavourable reception at the Sundance Film Festival
. Variety
said the film "should score with kids the protagonists' age, but its soap-opera-style plotting and overwritten dialogue will limit wider acceptance". Commenters noted that without prior knowledge of Leigh's tragedy, the film was judged as shallow and clichéd.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
directed by Steven Vidler and written by Nick Enright. Internationally, it is best remembered as the first prominent role of actor Heath Ledger
Heath Ledger
Heath Andrew Ledger was an Australian television and film actor. After performing roles in Australian television and film during the 1990s, Ledger moved to the United States in 1998 to develop his film career...
.
Origin
Blackrock had its origin in 1992 as A Property of the Clan, a theatre-in-education piece written by Australian playwright Nick EnrightNick Enright
-Life:He was drama captain of St Ignatius' College, Riverview in 1964, where, like Gerard Windsor and Justin Fleming, he was taught by Melvyn Morrow. At that school, he won the 1sts Debating Premiership in both 1966 and 1967....
(1950–2003). It was inspired by the real-life rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
and murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
of schoolgirl Leigh Leigh in Stockton
Stockton, New South Wales
Stockton is a suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, located from Newcastle's central business district. It is the only suburb of Newcastle that lies north of the Hunter River.-Geography:...
near Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
on 3 November 1989. Enright subsequently developed it into another play, Blackrock
Blackrock (play)
Blackrock is a play by Australian playwright Nick Enright. It was inspired by the real-life rape and murder of schoolgirl Leigh Leigh in Stockton, near Newcastle, Australia on 3 November 1989.It won the 1996 AWGIE Award for Best Play.-Origins:...
(1995), directed by David Berthold
David Berthold
David Berthold is a leading Australian theatre director. He has directed for most of Australia's major theatre companies, as well as internationally. Since November 2008, he has been Artistic Director and Chief Executive Officer of La Boite Theatre Company...
for Sydney Theatre Company
Sydney Theatre Company
The Sydney Theatre Company is one of Australia's best-known theatre companies operating from The Wharf Theatre near The Rocks area of Sydney, as well as the Sydney Theatre and the Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre....
.
Plot
Blackrock is set in a fictional Australian beachside working-class suburb called Blackrock (not to be confused with the Melbourne suburb of Black RockBlack Rock, Victoria
Black Rock is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 18 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Bayside. At the 2006 Census, Black Rock had a population of 5796.-History:...
), where surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
is popular among youths like Jared (Laurence Breuls). He has his first serious girlfriend, Rachel (Jessica Napier
Jessica Napier
Jessica Napier is a New Zealand born actress. She has been working consistently in Australian film and television for the past 15 years...
), who comes from a much wealthier part of the city. One day Ricko (Simon Lyndon
Simon Lyndon
Simon Lyndon Simon Lyndon Simon Lyndon (born February 1971, in London is an Australian actor who grew up in Fremantle, Western Australia. He is a WAAPA graduate. He played Jimmy Loughlin in Chopper with Eric Bana, for which he won an AFI award for Best Supporting Actor and a Film Critics Circle...
), a local surfing legend, returns from an eleven-month odyssey and Jared gives him a 'welcome home' party at the local surf club. Unsupervised and with alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
freely available. Jared climbs a big rock and sees Toby (Heath Ledger
Heath Ledger
Heath Andrew Ledger was an Australian television and film actor. After performing roles in Australian television and film during the 1990s, Ledger moved to the United States in 1998 to develop his film career...
) having consensual sex with Tracey (Bojana Novakovic
Bojana Novakovic
Bojana Novakovic is a Serbian Australian actress who works in Australia and the United States.-Early and personal life:Novakovic was born in 1981 in Serbia. She moved to Australia in 1988, at the age of seven. Novakovic was initially interested in becoming a social worker or doctor, but after a...
). He later witnesses three males raping Tracey, yet he does nothing. The rapists leave her crying - but alive, on the beach and Jared too flees the scene and heads home. Later that night Rachel, arriving at the party late and looking for Jared, finds Tracy beaten to death on the beach.
The incident - and the community - are soon being scrutinized by news bulletins across the nation. The locals react differently: The surfers continue their lives as if nothing has happened; Tracy's grieving best friend Cherie (Rebecca Smart
Rebecca Smart
Rebecca Elizabeth Smart is an Australian actress born in Tamworth, Australia.Smart has performed in movies like The Coca-Cola Kid, Violet's Visit and Blackrock as well as television shows and miniseries like Elly & Jools, The Shiralee and Water Rats.She won the Most Popular Actress in a...
) resorts to violent behaviour; Rachel has to face the news that her brother is one of the accused. Jared is torn between the need to reveal what he saw for the sake of justice, and the desire to protect Toby and the other rapists in the name of 'mateship'. His silence eventually leads to the breakdown of his relationships, not only with Rachel, but also with his mother Diane (Linda Cropper
Linda Cropper
Linda Cropper is an Australian television actress.Her credits include the lead role in Melba as well as roles in Palace of Dreams , an ABC mini-series, Edens Lost, Ring of Scorpio, Bordertown, Wildside, Water Rats, All Saints, White Collar Blue and The Pacific, and more recently she has starred in...
), who has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Eventually Ricko confesses to Jared that he killed Tracy, but claims it was an accident - that she hit her head on a rock when he attempted to have sex with her. He asks Jared to back up his story to the police that they were together when the murder happened, despite the fact that Jared has already told the police he was alone at the time. When he goes back to talk to the police, they show him the photos of Tracy's battered body and it's clear that her injuries were not accidental. Jared finds Ricko at the beach and confronts him, and Ricko finally admits the truth. He found Tracy on the beach after the rape and she sought comfort from him and asked him to take her home. He agreed, but wanted to have sex with her first. She tried to fight him off and bit him in the process, which enraged him enough to beat her to death.
As Ricko finishes his confession the police arrive and he realises that Jared has turned him in. He attempts to escape but the police give chase and corner him on a cliff. Rather than go to jail - and ignoring Jared's screams of protest, he jumps to his death. In the weeks that follow, Jared's life collapses - he leaves home (despite finally finding out about his mothers illness and her recent mastectomy), buys Ricko's panel van
Panel van
A panel van is a form of solid van, smaller than a lorry or truck, without rear side windows...
and takes up residence in a stack of concrete pipes on a vacant block. He eventually confesses his role in the events to his mother, and the film ends with him joining Diane and Cherie in cleaning graffiti from Tracy's grave.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Laurence Breuls | Jared Kirby |
| Simon Lyndon Simon Lyndon Simon Lyndon Simon Lyndon Simon Lyndon (born February 1971, in London is an Australian actor who grew up in Fremantle, Western Australia. He is a WAAPA graduate. He played Jimmy Loughlin in Chopper with Eric Bana, for which he won an AFI award for Best Supporting Actor and a Film Critics Circle... |
Ricko |
| Linda Cropper Linda Cropper Linda Cropper is an Australian television actress.Her credits include the lead role in Melba as well as roles in Palace of Dreams , an ABC mini-series, Edens Lost, Ring of Scorpio, Bordertown, Wildside, Water Rats, All Saints, White Collar Blue and The Pacific, and more recently she has starred in... |
Diane Kirby |
| Jessica Napier Jessica Napier Jessica Napier is a New Zealand born actress. She has been working consistently in Australian film and television for the past 15 years... |
Rachel Ackland |
| Rebecca Smart Rebecca Smart Rebecca Elizabeth Smart is an Australian actress born in Tamworth, Australia.Smart has performed in movies like The Coca-Cola Kid, Violet's Visit and Blackrock as well as television shows and miniseries like Elly & Jools, The Shiralee and Water Rats.She won the Most Popular Actress in a... |
Cherie Milenko |
| Bojana Novakovic Bojana Novakovic Bojana Novakovic is a Serbian Australian actress who works in Australia and the United States.-Early and personal life:Novakovic was born in 1981 in Serbia. She moved to Australia in 1988, at the age of seven. Novakovic was initially interested in becoming a social worker or doctor, but after a... |
Tracy Warner (as Boyana Novakovich) |
| Leeanna Walsman Leeanna Walsman Leeanna Walsman is an Australian actress. She is perhaps best known for her role as Zam Wesell in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones , for playing Carly Bishop in the Australian film Looking For Alibrandi and for her starring role in the mini-series Jessica.She has been nominated for two... |
Shana |
| Nichole Stewart | Leanne (as Nichole Avramidis) |
| Justine Clarke Justine Clarke Justine Clarke is an Australian actor and singer. She has been acting since the age of seven and has appeared in some of Australia's best-known TV shows... |
Tiffany |
| Heath Ledger Heath Ledger Heath Andrew Ledger was an Australian television and film actor. After performing roles in Australian television and film during the 1990s, Ledger moved to the United States in 1998 to develop his film career... |
Toby Ackland |
| Cameron Nugent | Jason |
| Brendan Donoghue | Dave |
| Jade Gatt Jade Gatt Jade Gatt is an Australian actor who appeared in TV commercials, films and TV shows, and has hosted many Australian TV specials.... |
Scottie |
| George Basha | Kemel |
| Shayne Francis | Glenys Milenko |
| Jeanette Cronin | Lesley Warner |
| David Field David Field (actor) David Field is an Australian actor who has appeared on television and in films. Some of the films he appeared in include Chopper, Two Hands and Gettin' Square. His most notable roles are as Keithy in Chopper and as Acko in Two Hands... |
Ken Warner |
| Geoff Morrell | Stewart Ackland |
| Julie Haseler | Marian Ackland |
| Chris Haywood Chris Haywood Chris Haywood is an English-born, Australian-based film and television actor/producer.-Early life:Haywood was born in Billericay, Essex, England. He spent his early childhood in Chelmsford before moving to High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire where he attended High Wycombe Royal Grammar School from... |
Det. Sgt. Wilansky |
| Essie Davis Essie Davis Essie Davis is an Australian actress. Born and raised in Hobart, Tasmania, she is the daughter of locally famed artist George Davis.She emerged from the Old Nick Company at the University of Tasmania in the late 1980s and has gone on to appear in Hollywood movies. She is a graduate of the National... |
Det.Gilhooley |
| John Howard John Howard (Australian actor) John Howard is an Australian stage and screen actor. Howard is best known for his appearances in the film The Club, and the television series SeaChange, Always Greener, All Saints and Packed To The Rafters.-Film:Howard's first role was in 1978's My Boys Are Good Boys, in a minor role... |
Len Kirby |
Awards and nominations
- Australian Film Institute AwardsAustralian Film Institute AwardsThe Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award, known as the AACTA Award , is an accolade presented annually by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts . The awards recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry and television industry, including directors,...
- Best Achievement in Cinematography - Martin McGrath (Nominated)
- Best Film - David Elfick (Nominated)
- Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role - Simon LyndonSimon LyndonSimon Lyndon Simon Lyndon Simon Lyndon (born February 1971, in London is an Australian actor who grew up in Fremantle, Western Australia. He is a WAAPA graduate. He played Jimmy Loughlin in Chopper with Eric Bana, for which he won an AFI award for Best Supporting Actor and a Film Critics Circle...
(Nominated) - Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role - Rebecca SmartRebecca SmartRebecca Elizabeth Smart is an Australian actress born in Tamworth, Australia.Smart has performed in movies like The Coca-Cola Kid, Violet's Visit and Blackrock as well as television shows and miniseries like Elly & Jools, The Shiralee and Water Rats.She won the Most Popular Actress in a...
(Nominated) - Best Screenplay Adapted from Another Source - Nick EnrightNick Enright-Life:He was drama captain of St Ignatius' College, Riverview in 1964, where, like Gerard Windsor and Justin Fleming, he was taught by Melvyn Morrow. At that school, he won the 1sts Debating Premiership in both 1966 and 1967....
(Nominated)
- Australian Writers' GuildAustralian Writers' GuildThe Australian Writers' Guild is the professional association for all performance writers, that is, writers for film, television, radio, theatre, video and new media. The AWG was established in 1962 and is recognised throughout the industry in Australia as being the voice of performance writers...
- Feature Film - Adaptation (Nick EnrightNick Enright-Life:He was drama captain of St Ignatius' College, Riverview in 1964, where, like Gerard Windsor and Justin Fleming, he was taught by Melvyn Morrow. At that school, he won the 1sts Debating Premiership in both 1966 and 1967....
) Won
- Feature Film - Adaptation (Nick Enright
Controversies
Blackrock had attracted considerable controversies when it was screened in 1997, partly because of its fictionalisation of a real-life rape and murder without the consent of the victim's family. Leigh's family were vehemently opposed to the film, saying the filmmakers were "feasting on an unfortunate situation". They also objected to naming Leigh's character Tracy, as 'Tracey' was the name of Leigh's cousin and best friend. The community of Stockton opposed filming in the area, citing that the memories of the events were still fresh and the details of the script were too close for comfort. Complaints about the film were exacerbated by the film makers denial that the film was specifically about Leigh, despite the choice of Stockton for filming. Many locals from the town where the actual murder occurred were also hostile to the film, believing it to have portrayed the community in a slanderous way.Reception
The film received a limited release in Australia at independent cinemas and drive-in theaterDrive-in theater
A drive-in theater is a form of cinema structure consisting of a large outdoor screen, a projection booth, a concession stand and a large parking area for automobiles. Within this enclosed area, customers can view movies from the privacy and comfort of their cars.The screen can be as simple as a...
s, where it was well received in Australia. It was less enthusiastically received overseas where people were unfamiliar with the Leigh Leigh murder. It debuted to unfavourable reception at the Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
. Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
said the film "should score with kids the protagonists' age, but its soap-opera-style plotting and overwritten dialogue will limit wider acceptance". Commenters noted that without prior knowledge of Leigh's tragedy, the film was judged as shallow and clichéd.