One of My Favorite Movies

The Man From Snowy River

A few nights ago Bob and I watched one of my favorite movies (a Western!) and I was just as impressed with it as I was when I first saw it in the movie theater in Fort Collins in 1982.

Some of the reasons I like it are first, the gorgeous scenery of those Australian mountains and the camera work that went with them. The scenes with Jessica on that cliff and the storms coming over the mountains are breath taking. I also love the scene where the ranchers are all gathering to go after the brumbies. Their costumes and their authentic looks are how I always have envisioned Australian "cowboys". That guy with the beard and the big curvy pipe is my perfect Australian rancher!

The photography is beautiful in this movie.

Another thing I love about this movie is the music. The piano and French horns, oboes, and just the whole thing is beautiful. I even went to youtube and listened to some of the compositions from the movie on it!   From Fuer Elise to Jessica's Sonata to the background music while viewing the horses and mountains, it really sets the mood.

http://youtu.be/PMR7oHJoXTA

This is Jessica's sonata with some lovely slides to go with it.

This really is a steep cliff.  Notice that the trees are straight.

My favorite part of the movie and the most famous part is when Tom Burlinson rides that horse off the cliff. The first time I saw this scene I figured it was trick photography but after watching it many times and reading notes on the movie I now know it was actually done! I had heard that Tom had done his own riding for this movie but I found the following quote that really surprised me.

Tom Burlinson had never ridden horses much before making this movie and when he took Denny over the cliff to go after the brumbies that was a one-take shot at full gallop down the cliff face.

Jim and Jessica up on the mountain.  Spectacular scenery!

I am not really a true horse person and never watched many Westerns until recently but this film also has excitement, romance and a good story. The horses are beautiful and so are the Hereford cattle (I had to mention them, hehehe.)

The horse scenes are beautiful!

I have included the chase scene and the "descent" over the cliff below. The camera work of the horses crossing rivers, running down a steep cliff, and running through snow is spectacular!



Now I think I need to go get out our video of "Man From Snowy River" and it's sequel and have an evening of visiting Australia once again!

The final scene of the movie.  The Man From Snowy River.