Nicolas Roeg's solo directorial debut is a haunting, unconventional narrative film that presents a bleak vision of civilized life as arid and unrewarding. Abandoned in the Australian outback, two young white children (Jenny Agutter and Roeg's son Lucien) stumble upon an adolescent Aborigine (David Gulpilil), who is performing a "walkabout." In this ritualistic six-month journey, the boy must learn to survive by himself in the imposing desert. Communication is a problem, although more for the girl than for her little brother, who still has a child's ability to communicate simply and directly. The two teenagers fail to connect for a variety of reasons, mostly due to the girl's lack of interest in a culture that is unfamiliar and different from her own. Ultimately, the differences become too much to bear, resulting in a tragic conclusion that adds an even more somber denouement to Roeg's already grim vision. Based on the novel by James Vance Marshall, WALKABOUT is a powerful commentary on pastoral simplicity versus cosmopolitan clutter, and features stunning cinematography from Roeg.

After a pair of British children are abandoned in the Australian outback, they join up with a young Aborigine who is performing his traditional, coming-of-age rite of passage, the Walkabout.

Shot on location in the Outback of Australia.

WALKABOUT premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 16, 1971.

The film received a theatrical rerelease December 1996 through February 1997.

WALKABOUT marked the solo directorial debut for Nicolas Roeg, following his first film, PERFORMANCE, which he directed in collaboration with Donald Cammell.

DVD Features

Region 1 Encoding
Keep Case
Audio:
Dolby Digital Mono - English
Additional Release Material:
Audio Commentary - Nicholas Roeg - Director, Jenny Agutter - Actor
Original Theatrical Trailers
Additional Product:
Essay by Roger Ebert

Chapters:

1. Logos
2. Credits "Hymnen"
3. The Wall
4. Pool by the Sea
5. Picnic
6. "Gasoline Alley" Bang! Bang!
7. Radio On
8. "It's the Sea!"
9. Oasis
10. The Boy
11. Ancient Camels of the Outback
12. The Dead Doll
13. The Limbs of Ghost Gums
14. Sunburn
15. The Story of the Boy on the Ladder
16. The Painting Wall
17. Heat and Desire
18. Ecstasy
19. "Los Angeles"
20. Plastic 'Roos
21. Home Sweet Home
22. Blood Lust
23. Last Dance
24. Suicide
25. The Road To...
26. In Her Mother's Shoes
27. "The Shropshire Lad" - Final Credits
28. Color Bars

Jenny Agutter: British Actress
Lucien John: Actor/"Walkabout"
David Gumpilil: 
John Meillon: Australian Actor

Nicolas Roeg: Director, PERFORMANCE (1970), DON'T LOOK NOW (1974)

Si Litvinoff: PRODUCER/EXECUTIVE

Antony Gibbs: British Editor, TOM JONES (1963), RONIN (1998), ROLLERBALL
Alan Pattillo: TV/Film Editor

"...WALKABOUT is a movie of restless images that are forever etched into one's consciousness..."
"...With gorgeous outback photography....The movie is sensual, even erotic..."