Cult film fans on Cinema Threads may be familiar with Australian Eco-Horror movie LONG WEEKEND, a minor classic of the genre from the late 70s new wave of Australian Cinema. The story of Aussie horror and exploitation is told to great effect in the documentary Not Quite Hollywood, which is a must see for fans of offbeat cinema so it's not something to go into detail with here.

I'm delighted to see a remake of a real obscurity, as opposed to rehashing already successful and note perfect movies for a fast buck. Remake films that were a botched job first time round by all means, or drag a minor movie into the spotlight with a high quality remake, as in this case, because it helps to educate the audience about corners of the film world that are... Not Quite Hollywood I suppose.

Anyway, soapbox moment over, here's the press release for LONG WEEKEND



A true Aussie horror cult classic and one of the most memorable movies of the early 1970s to mid-1980s New Wave of Australian Cinema, Colin Eggleston’s atmospheric 1978 shocker LONG WEEKEND (originally starring John Hargreaves and Briony Behets) gets a contemporary makeover courtesy of director Jamie Blanks (Valentine; Urban Legend) and the original film’s screenwriter Everett De Roche (Link; Razorback; Roadgames; Patrick).

Coming to DVD on 8th February 2010 as a two-disc Ultimate Edition, this new version of LONG WEEKEND stars Jim Caviezel (Jesus in Mel Gibson’s “The Passion Of The Christ” and soon to be seen starring in the highly anticipated remake of cult 1960s TV series “The Prisoner”) and Claudia Karvan (Daybreakers; Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith) and cranks the chilling eco-horror theme to the max producing that rare thing in cinema – a remake that is as good as, and arguably scarier and more effective than, the original.

When unhappily married and recently estranged city couple Peter (Caviezel) and Carla (Karvan) set off for a long weekend camping in a remote but picturesque spot on Austalia’s North Coast with Peter’s friend Luke and his girlfriend, they are hoping that a few days of sun, surf and solitude will help heal their marital wounds. After getting lost in the dark and spending an uncomfortable night in their car, Peter and Carla awake to find themselves parked mere yards from their intended destination and, despite the mysterious non-arrival of Luke and his partner, set up camp. In stereotypical city folk style they immediately begin to show a complete disregard for their beautiful, untouched environment by nonchalantly discarding rubbish, breaking glass, chopping live trees for firewood and taking pot shots at the wildlife.

As the weekend progresses and their personal relationship deteriorates ever further, they become increasingly aware of an unseen, almost malevolent force of nature acting against them. But are the bizarre occurrences they witness merely coincidental events whose effects are heightened by the couple’s isolation or is something else at work?

A highly effective shocker that topically pits man against nature in a deceivingly beautiful setting, LONG WEEKEND comes to DVD boasting a host of extra features that include an exclusive interview with screenwriter Everett De Roche.

The two disc LONG WEEKEND (cert. 15) will be released on DVD (£17.99) by Showbox Entertainment on 8th February 2010. Special Features include: Director’s Production Diary; Interview Gallery (Claudia Karvan; Everett De Roche; Tobey Eggleston); Deleted Scene (Jim and the Ducks); ‘Making of’ featurette; ‘Taming the Wild’ featurette; Peter’s Death – Behind the Scenes with Grant Page and Roger Ward; English 2.0 and 5.1 audio options; chapter selection; trailer.

Remake Trailer

YouTube - Long Weekend Trailer

Compare and contrast (original 1978 trailer)

YouTube - Trailer: Long Weekend (1978)

Here's some stills from the movie to whet your appetite for Mondays release...

LONG WEEKEND IS OUT NOW ON UK DVD

Check out this review (under an alternate title):

Review of LONG WEEKEND remake (aka NATURE'S GRAVE)