Jonathan auf der Heide, the director of colonial cannibal movie Van Diemen's Land, is currently developing an Australian western, chronicling the life and times of one of the country's most notorious bushrangers, Ben Hall.
Immortalised and romanticised in folklore, bushrangers are Australia's equivalent of outlaws like Jesse James. In similar fashion, bushrangers stole from farms, homesteads and banks, and also robbed travellers and mail coaches.
Auf der Heide told Twitch Film he is writing a new script with Van Diemen's Land co-writer and lead actor Oscar Redding, and both want to try something different so they aren't pigeonholed by their arthouse debut feature.
"Oscar and I were joking around about making a comedy as we don't want to be pigeonholed into making these serious art movies. But for our next one we're starting to write a Western, something closer to The Proposition, an Australian bushranger story," he said.
"There are so many Australian stories such as William Buckley and Matthew Brady, but the bushranger story that we're looking at is the Ben Hall one. He was the most prolific bushranger; he did something like 300 robberies and was known as the 'gentleman bushranger' and girls dug him.
"He's a good basis but I think for the next film we won't be so caught up in the true events, and will make it more action-packed."
Bushrangers have been a favourite subject of filmmakers, poets, artists and authors throughout Australian history, while the country's most famous outlaw, Ned Kelly has been portrayed in cinema by people as diverse as Mick Jagger and Heath Ledger.
More from Van Diemen's Land:
- Galleries: Van Diemen's Land
- Reviews: FF 2009 Review. Van Diemen's Land
With Van Diemen's Land being my favorite film at FF then I'll be keeping a close look at this guy.
G'day,
This production should be shelved.
"He's a good basis but I think for the next film we won't be so caught up in the true events, and will make it more action-packed."
These blokes obviously have no idea of the topic.
Besides, there is already a production well underway telling the FACTUAL story of Ben Hall and his accomplices/pursuers. They won't need to change the facts to make a compelling, exciting, romantic, emotional, action-packed film with gorgeous scenery.
Jonathan and Oscar should make that comedy flick instead.
Cheers,
Craig
I love the idea for this film. Australians SHOULD celebrate their legends and NOT be tied down to too many boring facts as we have done in the past. Hollywood bends the truth with history to deliver exciting films and in turn they inspire those who are further interested to actually read up on history and learn the real facts. They make learning exciting by providing a bridge between entertainment and facts.
We've been inundated with action/adventure films from America's pioneering days (the western genre) and yet we have such a rich history of our own which has barely been tapped. I say "good on these guys". I'll be first in line to check out any bushranger film.
Some guys in Queensland are actually planning on shooting what they are calling a "vegemite western" in which they hope to emulate the great Sergio Leone films. I can't wait for that one either. I only hope the Australian public shares my enthusiasm or films like this will only be remembered as valiant attempts.