The Tracker
| The Tracker | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Directed by | Rolf de Heer |
| Written by | Rolf de Heer |
| Starring | Gary Sweet David Gulpilil |
| Release date(s) | 2002 |
| Running time | 98 minutes |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
The Tracker is an Australian drama film produced in 2002. It was directed and written by Rolf de Heer. It is a set in 1922 in outback Australia where a racist white colonial policeman (Gary Sweet) used the tracking ability of an Indigenous Australian tracker (David Gulpilil) to find the murderer of a white woman. The tagline is "All men choose the path they walk.'
David Stratton described the film as "remarkable".[1]
Contents |
[edit] Plot
The film is set in the early 20th century Australian outback, where four men are following an Aboriginal man who has been accused of murder. The characters in the film are referred to by their characters rather than by names, they are:
- The Tracker (David Gulpilil),
- The Fanatic (Gary Sweet),
- The Follower (Damon Gameau),
- The Veteran (Grant Page) and
- The Fugitive (Noel Wilton).[2]
[edit] Production
The film was shot in the semi-arid, rugged Arkaroola Sanctuary, in South Australia's Flinders Ranges. De Heer used an intentionally small film crew, saying that “It's all a much better process ...”.[3] The film is intercut with paintings by Peter Coad which portray brutal actions not shown, while the lyrics of the soundtrack (written by De Heer) form part of the narrative, and are sung by Archie Roach with music composed by Graham Tardif.[4]
[edit] Cast
- David Gulpilil as The Tracker
- Gary Sweet as The Fanatic
- Damon Gameau as The Follower
- Grant Page as The Veteran
- Noel Wilton as The Fugitive
[edit] Reception
Film review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes assessed the film at 88% on its tomatometer with an average 7.1/10 rating.[5]
[edit] Awards and Nominations
[edit] Awards
- FCCA Award 2002
- Best Actor - Male: David Gulpilil
- Best Cinematography: Ian Jones
- Best Film
- Best Music Score
- AFI Award 2002:
- Best Actor in a Leading Role: David Gulpilil
- ASSG Award 2002:
- Best Achievement in Sound for a Feature Film
- Australian Writers' Guild Award 2002:
- Awgie Award - Feature Film: Rolf de Heer
- IF Awards 2002:
- Best Actor: David Gulpilil
- Best Feature Film
- Best Music: Graham Tardif
- Screen Music Award 2002:
- Best Original Song Composed for a Feature Film, Telemovie, TV Series or Mini-Series
- Ghent International Film Festival 2002:
- Best Screenplay: Rolf de Heer
- Valladolid International Film Festival 2002:
- Jury Special Prize: Rolf de Heer
- Venice Film Festival 2002:
- SIGNIS Award - Honorable Mention: Rolf de Heer
- Cinemanila International Film Festival 2003:
- Best Actor: David Gulpilil
- Paris Film Festival 2003:
- Press Award: Rolf de Heer
[edit] Nominations
- FCCA Award 2002:
- Best Director: Rolf de Heer
- Best Editing: Tania Nehme
- Best Screenplay: Rolf de Heer
- ARIA Music Awards 2002:
- Best Original Soundtrack Album
- Venice Film Festival 2002:
- Golden Lion: Rolf de Heer
- Ghent International Film Festival 2002:
- Grand Prix Award: Rolf de Heer
- Valladolid International Film Festival 2002:
- Golden Spike Award: Rolf de Heer
- IF Awards 2002:
- Best Cinematography: Ian Jones
- Best Direction: Rolf de Heer
- Best Script: Rolf de Heer
- Best Sound: James Currie
- AFI Award 2002:
- Best Cinematography: Ian Jones
- Best Direction: Rolf de Heer
- Best Editing: Tania Nehme
- Best Film: Rolf de Heer, Julie Ryan
- Best Original Screenplay: Rolf de Heer
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.abc.net.au/atthemovies/txt/s1285321.htm (accessed 2008-05-30)
- ^ Wilson, Jake (Winter 2002). "Looking Both Ways: The Tracker". Senses of Cinema. http://www.sensesofcinema.com/2003/24/tracker/.
- ^ "Production Notes (The Tracker)". Vertigo Productions. http://www.vertigoproductions.com.au/information.php?film_id=8&display=notes. Retrieved 2008-06-13.
- ^ Ebert, Robert (2006). Roger Ebert's Movie Yearbook 2007. Andrews McMeel Publishing. pp. 708–709. ISBN 0740761579. http://books.google.com/?id=LtJgv-f-nl8C&pg=PA708&lpg=PA709&dq=%22the+tracker%22+plot.
- ^ "Tracker (2002)". Rotten Tomatoes. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10001826-tracker/.
[edit] External links
- The Tracker at the Internet Movie Database
- The Tracker at the National Film and Sound Archive
- The Tracker at Vertigo Productions
