Leofwine_draca FROG DREAMING is one of those films that always seemed to be showing on TV in the UK in the 1980s. I remember in the early days of the Internet, everybody ALWAYS used to ask the question, what's that movie with the mechanism under the pond that people think is a monster? I was one of them and it took me many years to figure out the movie and then track it down in order to finally watch it. I'm glad I made the effort, because this is a highly decent children's adventure film. It's certainly ahead of THE GOONIES in terms of quality and it's the kind of film that the recently-made SUPER 8 could only dream of being. The reason FROG DREAMING is so good? It's full of character. Australian films don't get more Australian-feeling than this. The characters are quirky and interesting, and the film is full of natural humour that never feels forced or out of place.FROG DREAMING also has the benefit of being directed by the one and only Brian Trenchard-Smith, one of my favourite B-movie directors who always knows how to make entertaining produce on limited budgets. The resultant film is snappy, fast-paced, and packed with mysticism, atmosphere, and spooky scares. Okay, so the central conceit of the Aboriginal monster is augmented via a rather obvious twist which will be guessable soon after starting viewing, but that doesn't stop the story being eerie and engaging. I love movies that engage with local folklore like this. Henry Thomas, child star of E.T., is a delight as the imported American lead and future NEIGHBOURS actress Rachel Friend (she played Bronwen) is suitably fitting as the would-be love interest. I particularly enjoyed Tony Barry's heartfelt turn as the father figure.

Muldwych 'Frog Dreaming' is a fun, light-hearted Australian kid's film about a boy named Cody who investigates the disappearance of a friend who was last seen near an unmapped pond deep in the Australian bush. His search for the truth soon brings him into the world of Aboriginal mythology. Is there something supernatural going on at the pond, or is there a simpler explanation? While strictly low-budget, 'Frog Dreaming' compensates by being filmed in the depths of the Blue Mountains region of New South Wales, which is almost a character in itself, mysterious and ancient. This also gives the film a distinctly Australian flavour, accentuated by the romanticised image of a small-town community where everyone knows and looks out for each other, and relations with the European and native community (who live entirely separately) are sanguine. The cynicism of the modern world is far distant, and every character is imbued with an untouched innocence. The Americanisation of the culture is nonexistent, and many a line of dialogue is punctuated by an Antipodean colloquialism. The acting can at times be a tad theatrical as a consequence, but everyone turns in a competent performance, and the target audience won't even notice.In any case, this rose-tinting hardly matters. This is an adventure film first and foremost, full of warmth and mystery that should keep children solidly entertained. The thrills are never gratuitous, and suspense is built up at a good pace, to a satisfying conclusion. This non-sensationalist down-to-earth approach should ensure enjoyment from adult viewers as well. I had the pleasure of enjoying 'Frog Dreaming' as a child, again as an adult, and can recommend it to both parties.

Scott I first saw this movie when i was 3 or 4, I'm 18 now, but i can still remember the first time i rented it with my mom and sister. We had picked it up simply by just looking at the box cover, it looked like a movie i might like, or so my mom thought. Back then, i thought it was just a plain old "cool" movie, i looked up to Cody's character in fact, but now when i look back, i find this to be one of the more interesting ideas in movie history, to me at least. See the movie and you'll see what i mean. ****

Paul Emmons Cody Walpole (Henry Thomas) is a scientific, mechanically-minded, and ruggedly individualistic 14-year-old loner. He is also brave to the point of foolhardy, quite the daredevil-- except that he doesn't let anyone tell him what to do. Extremely inner-directed, what he dares and endures are come out of a quiet but fierce determination of his own prompting.He stumbles upon a seemingly haunted, God-forsaken spot in the Australian wilderness, a long-abandoned mine or quarry flooded with filthy brown water. He knows of an old hermit who spends his vacations living alone in the area. After seeing none-too-recent evidence of this man's presence, he calls out and searches for him and eventually finds his skeleton. It looks as though the man was literally scared to death. This place is not on any map and, after some further investigation, he hears that the local aborigines shun the spot as the legendary lair of a monster living in the murky pool, a being so horrible that the mere sight of it kills. The place seems to exude bad luck and gives everyone the creeps who goes near it. Cody believes that there must be a rational explanation for this phenomenon and becomes obsessed with the site and discovering the true nature of the creature in the water. This mission requires him to defy and disobey everyone in the local village, even his guardian, another individual so laconic and independent as to be a soul mate, who usually lets this resourceful boy do whatever he wants. Cody's steps in solving the mystery are breathtakingly lonely and dangerous. As much as I admire individualism and independence, it is difficult for me to sympathize with courage carried to such an extreme for no compelling reason. Although others have recommended this film for children, I can't agree. It is the stuff of which nightmares are made-- I think it could even give me some. And Cody's reckless behavior, despite his admirable traits, makes him something of an anti-hero.There is no denying, however, that the filmmakers have done a superb job with atmosphere and have captured some gorgeous wilderness scenery. I can understand this being among someone's favorite films. It is certainly different.