The Devil's Playground is a 1976 Australian drama film written, produced and directed by Fred Schepisi. It is a semi-autobiographical film which tells the story of a boy growing up and going to school in a Catholic juniorate administered by De La Salle Brothers. Its focus is on the trials of the flesh and the tensions that arise, for both Brothers and students, from the religious injunction to control one's sexuality. It is considered part of the Australian New Wave film genre.
In August 1953, the 13-year-old Tom Allen attends a Catholic juniorate in Melbourne, Australia. Students and Brothers face individual challenges of faith and self-restraint.
The screenplay was based on Schepisi's own experience attending a Catholic juniorate and took him five years to write.[2] The film financing took three years to arrange,[3] eventually coming from the Australian Film Commission ($100,000) and the Film House, Schepisi's own company ($154,000), with the balance coming from private investment.[4]
The Devil's Playground was initially not released in theaters in the United States, but after director Fred Schepisi acquired greater overseas fame with The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith and Barbarosa, it was brought to the U.S. in 1982.[8] Reviewing the film on the American TV show Sneak Previews, Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert said it remained a compelling example of Schepisi's work, and gave it two "yes" votes. They commented that it stands out from similar films in that it does not focus solely on the subject of sex, and that it addresses the struggles of the brothers at the school as well as the students.[8]
Box officeEdit
The Devil's Playground grossed $334,000 at the box office in Australia,[9] which is equivalent to $2,157,500 in 2020 dollars. According to Schepisi, the movie almost got its money back.[4]
Home mediaEdit
The Devil's Playground was released on DVD with a new print by Umbrella Entertainment in November 2008. The DVD is compatible with all region codes and includes special features such as the theatrical trailer, an interview with Fred Schepisi, and audio commentary with Fred Schepisi.[10] This film was released on Blu-ray by Umbrella Entertainment in June 2014, with extras.
^French, Lisa; Poole, Mark (2009). Shining a Light: 50 Years of the Australian Film Institute. Australian Teachers of Media. p. 165. ISBN978-1-876467-20-3.
^. AFI.org.au. Archived from the original on 21 July 2008.
^ ab"Tron, The Secret of NIMH, The Devil's Playground, Gregory's Girl, 1982". Siskel & Ebert Movie Reviews. Retrieved 21 April 2023. Event occurs at 8:18-13:46.
^(PDF). Film Victoria. 27 September 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 March 2011.
^"Umbrella Entertainment – Devil's Playground, The". Retrieved 8 May 2013.
The Devil's Playground at the National Film and Sound Archive
October 20, 2023
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This article is about the 1976 Australian film For other films by this title see Devil s Playground disambiguation The Devil s Playground is a 1976 Australian drama film written produced and directed by Fred Schepisi It is a semi autobiographical film which tells the story of a boy growing up and going to school in a Catholic juniorate administered by De La Salle Brothers Its focus is on the trials of the flesh and the tensions that arise for both Brothers and students from the religious injunction to control one s sexuality It is considered part of the Australian New Wave film genre The Devil s PlaygroundVideo coverDirected byFred SchepisiWritten byFred SchepisiProduced byFred SchepisiStarringArthur Dignam Nick Tate Simon BurkeCinematographyIan BakerEdited byBrian KavanaghMusic byBruce SmeatonProductioncompanyThe Film HouseDistributed byFred Schepisi Umbrella EntertainmentRelease date12 August 1976 1976 08 12 Running time107 minutesCountryAustraliaLanguageEnglishBudgetA 306 000 1 Box officeA 334 000 Australia Contents 1 Premise 2 Cast 3 Production 4 Recognition 5 Box office 6 Home media 7 See also 8 References 9 External linksPremise EditIn August 1953 the 13 year old Tom Allen attends a Catholic juniorate in Melbourne Australia Students and Brothers face individual challenges of faith and self restraint Cast EditArthur Dignam as Brother Francine Nick Tate as Brother Victor Simon Burke as Tom Allen Charles McCallum as Brother Sebastian John Frawley as Brother Celian Jonathan Hardy as Brother Arnold Gerry Duggan as Father Hanrahan Peter Cox as Brother James Thomas Keneally as Father Marshall Sheila Florance as Mrs Sullivan John Diedrich as Fitz Alan Cinis as Waite Richard Morgan as Smith Jeremy Kewley as ThompsonProduction EditThe screenplay was based on Schepisi s own experience attending a Catholic juniorate and took him five years to write 2 The film financing took three years to arrange 3 eventually coming from the Australian Film Commission 100 000 and the Film House Schepisi s own company 154 000 with the balance coming from private investment 4 It was shot in 1975 mostly at Werribee Park near Melbourne 1 Recognition EditThe film won the 1976 Australian Film Institute Award for Best Film 5 6 Best Direction 7 Best Lead Actor for both Simon Burke and Nick Tate Best Screenplay Best Achievement in Cinematography and the Jury Prize 5 The Devil s Playground was initially not released in theaters in the United States but after director Fred Schepisi acquired greater overseas fame with The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith and Barbarosa it was brought to the U S in 1982 8 Reviewing the film on the American TV show Sneak Previews Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert said it remained a compelling example of Schepisi s work and gave it two yes votes They commented that it stands out from similar films in that it does not focus solely on the subject of sex and that it addresses the struggles of the brothers at the school as well as the students 8 Box office EditThe Devil s Playground grossed 334 000 at the box office in Australia 9 which is equivalent to 2 157 500 in 2020 dollars According to Schepisi the movie almost got its money back 4 Home media EditThe Devil s Playground was released on DVD with a new print by Umbrella Entertainment in November 2008 The DVD is compatible with all region codes and includes special features such as the theatrical trailer an interview with Fred Schepisi and audio commentary with Fred Schepisi 10 This film was released on Blu ray by Umbrella Entertainment in June 2014 with extras See also EditCinema of Australia Devil s Playground TV series References Edit a b Pike Andrew Cooper Ross 1998 Australian Film 1900 1977 A Guide to Feature Film Production Melbourne Oxford University Press p 303 Malone Peter 22 December 1998 Fred Schepisi Signis interview Archived from the original on 9 July 2019 Retrieved 22 December 2013 Stratton David 1980 The Last New Wave The Australian Film Revival Angus amp Robertson p 134 a b Stratton pp 131 132 a b AFI Award Winners Feature Categories 1958 2009 Australian Film Institute Awards Australian Film Institute Retrieved 13 December 2013 French Lisa Poole Mark 2009 Shining a Light 50 Years of the Australian Film Institute Australian Teachers of Media p 165 ISBN 978 1 876467 20 3 Past Winners AFI org au Archived from the original on 21 July 2008 a b Tron The Secret of NIMH The Devil s Playground Gregory s Girl 1982 Siskel amp Ebert Movie Reviews Retrieved 21 April 2023 Event occurs at 8 18 13 46 Film Victoria Australian Films at the Australian Box Office PDF Film Victoria 27 September 2010 Archived from the original PDF on 12 March 2011 Umbrella Entertainment Devil s Playground The Retrieved 8 May 2013 External links EditThe Devil s Playground at IMDb The Devil s Playground at Oz Movies The Devil s Playground at the National Film and Sound Archive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Devil 27s Playground 1976 film amp oldid 1165529967, 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