15 Most Underrated 1970s Movies You Must See

4. Walkabout

Walkabout has one of the strangest openings to a film I think I've ever seen. A seemingly ordinary father drives his teenage daughter and young son to the wilderness, ostensibly for a picnic. Only he then begins shooting at his children, before setting the car on fire and shooting himself in the head. Unexpected and suitably disturbing. Stranded deep in the Australian outback, the duo befriend an Aboriginal boy, with whom they cannot verbally communicate but befriend nonetheless. Working from a sparse, thirteen page outline, the cast and crew improvised much of the action, using whatever they encountered on the day of filming. Walkabout is typical of Nicolas Roeg's directorial style, utilising experimental editing techniques and emphasising visually stunning imagery through lush cinematography. It is a simple, yet extremely effective story of isolation and survival.
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Contributor

Student of film. Former professional wrestler. Supporter of Newcastle United. Don't cry for me, I'm already dead...