Customer Reviews

Cry in the Dark [VHS]

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Meryl Streep is firing on all cylinders in this brilliant portrayal (and movie) of Lindy Chamberlain. I can't believe she didn't get the Oscar for this one. Stripping away all possible mannerisms (twitchy eyes, flighty hands, dramatic pauses) and adopting a steeled gaze, Streep transforms herself into the most dislikable (and fascinating!) victim she has yet played. It's almost as if the bones of her face have been replaced by iron. People alway remark about her accents, but the accent is always the least of her characterizations. Her ability to adopt the look and simply the BEING of her characters is unparalleled. This is really screen acting at its best. And this is a great film, too, for its observations into how an entire culture can become caught up in the guilt or innocence of one person they don't even know (O.J., anyone?)

I wish to make a commentry on the Lindy Chamberlain Case in general and in particular what it revealed about Australia as a society - There was not one person in the country who did not have a deeply held opinion on what actually happened to the poor baby on that tragic night in 1980. Rearding the film, I thought it was a work of pure genious. Although I had a deeply held interest in the Case before I saw the film, which makes me biased I suppose, there is no doubt in my mind that Meryl Streep gave her best perfromance to date in this film. She played the part of Lindy Chamberalin so well that attention is soon deflected from Meryl onto Lindy very early on into the film. That was certainly the case for me. Meryl melts so well into her study that you actually forget about Meryl altogether and get totally wrapped up in the plight of this tragic woman who faces the double nightmare of not only losing her baby in horrific circumstances but then facing the trauma of being paraded before an accusing nation for two painful years before finally winding up behind bars for a crome she did not commit, which the blood thirsty, bigoted morbid folk of Australia relished no end. Let me assure people who were not in Australia during this extrordinary period - The Chamberalin Case was not viewed simply as a legal matter to be sorted out in the Courts, rather it was a campaign against those who did not fit the conventional stereotype and who were out of line with mainstream thought. Lindy was merely the symbol of such people It could so easily have been a black person, a gay person etc. As a member of a Religion which most Australians viewed as a dangerous Cult and as a woman who did not act in a way most people viewed as "normal", she did not stand a chance form the very start. From the moment those first questions arose - In the film we see the man in the bar straining as he holds a bucket in his mouth which he says carries the same weight as that of a 9 week old baby, to the woman at home watching Lindy's Ayers Rock Interview fuming that "you could crack wallnuts on her face", we know that Lindys ordeal has just begun. In short, Lindy Chamberlain was a dark evil witch to the vast majority of Australian people - Public Opinion had already convicted Lindy long before her Case came to Trial. Without wanting to take the high moral ground, it is a fact that I was one of the few who believed and continued to believe that Lindy and Michael Chamberalin were in fact victims of tragic ctrcumstances, tormented because of a nations intolerence to minority groups. The Film got all the ingredients that made the Dingo Baby Case truly the Trial of the 20th Century . What I loved about the film was the major emphisis it placed on the gossiping populace in the Cafes, Pubs Tennis Clubs etc. - detatched people who were not known to the two central characters in the film but who, by their opinions and views, influenced the Trial verdict to a degree never witnessed in another Trial before or since in any other country. The focus on Lindy's hairstyle, "those dresses" and the star sign of her Unborn baby, were commented upon and analysed Coast to Coast, Perth to Sydney, Darwin to Adelaide - everyone had something to say about a certain Lindy Chamberlain. The whole sage reached unprecentented heights in 1982 - the year Lindy had her 'official' Trial and one had to be exceptionally brave to defend a person who by this time was far and away the most hated woman in the Country. The Film captures this crucial aspect of the saga perfectly and because of this and also of course because of the powerful performances of Streep and Neill, I give the film full marks. Finally, just a few facts for those who still doubt Lindy's innocence (a survey in May 1998 revealed that a majority of Australians still believe Lindy murdered her baby! ) : 1 - It was impossible for Lindy to have killed her baby and covered it up in such a short period of time. Fellow Campers who had not previously met the Chamberalins gave evidence that Lindy was absent from the Barbecue Area for just 10 minutes! She left the Barbecue area with Azaria and her 6 year old Son Aiden to put Azaria to Bed in the Family Tent. Its incredible to believe what she was supposed to have done in this time - Put tracksuit pance over her dress,Brought Azaria to the front seat of Family car, slit her throat, cleaned up the Car, placed the body of Azaria in the Camera Bag (! ), changed back into her dress, made Dingo Tracks around the Tent and after all of this have time to pick up a can of beans and happily run back to the Barbecue area with her son. It just DID NOT happen Lindy doubters. Azaria was alive and kicking after Lindy returned from the Tent. 2 - Even if she the Time, how is it no traces of blood were found in the Car - the supposed murder venue. The Police claimed they found blood but this was later dismissed as engine noise dampner. So where did all the real blood go? 3 - The most conclusive fact that proves Lindy Innocent. How do the Lindy doubters explain the fact that the fellow Campers heard a sharp cry coming from the Chamberalin Tent while Lindy was standing in front of them at the Barbecue area! Afterall this Cry was heard just minutes after Lindy was supposed to have slaughtered baby Azaria and stuffed her body in a camera bag.. FACE THE FACTS AUSTRALIA!

The story of the baby who was taken by a dingo was perhaps the most newsworthy of the 1980's. I was at the time a master control operator at Channel Seven in Melbourne and on duty when the news of a missing baby at Ayres Rock in Central Australia came thru. I had the job of organizing the television signals from the Rock to our network in Melbourne.

It was quite a task and seeing the events unfold on the DVD, I again revisited my own part of the overall picture of history.

Further to this event, my 3 year old daughter [Nicolette] was eventually to play the role of Kahalia Chamberlain in Fred Schepschi's film and appears in the final 3 scenes.

I still work in the TV/Film industry and occasionally look back at this excellent piece of dramatised history as a genuine piece of work, accurately played out and presented.

History proved the innocence of Lindy and the incompetence of our forensic work, however, hindsight is a wonderful thing

Barry Minster
Technical Manager
Melbourne Australia

Michael and Lindy Chamberlain (Sam Neill and Meryl Streep) must endure the double horror of having their infant baby carried off by a dingo and then being convicted in a-- forgive me-- kangaroo court of the child's death. This movie, which grips you early on and never lets you go, sad to say, is based on a true incident that occurred in Australia in 1980. The Chamberlains, who are devout Seventh-Day Adventists, are guilty of being different. They are tried by both the public and media. Hysteria and rumor run rampant while reason and justice get lost in a rush to judgment.

With the possible exception of IRON WEED, Meryl Streep has never made a bad movie. She is perfect here as the mother who has hope against hope that the truth will out and she will be found innocent. With an awful haircut-- the old bowl over your head look-- and the additional weight she apparently gained (she is pregnant during her trial) she manages to almost look plain and frumpy. Sam Neill as her fundamentalist minister husband gives an outstranding performance as well. The scenes of the Australian outback are beautiful.

The theme is timeless: too often to be different is to be evil. If you are different, then you are not a person; and I can ignore the evidence and find you guilty of heinous crimes. Unfortunately, the Austalians in 1980 were not unique in this disease. One only has to remember the recent debacle of innocent inmates on death row in Illinois who were found to be innocent with new DNA evidence. Then there's Julius and Ethel Rosenberg in the 1950's. There's still questions about whether they were guilty of the crimes for which they were executed. The list goes on and on.

"Cry In the Dark" is based on a true story about a disappearing baby. The mother maintains her claim that a dingo carried her baby daughter through the woods and killed her. As the country listens, rumors circulate that she killed her baby. The family either stays tighter knit or almost separates. Much drama occurs during the turmoil of losing a family member and being called the antichrist. Regardless of what's said in interviews, no one listens.

Meryl Streep deserved her eighth Oscar nomination for Best Actress as the accused mother. Streep gives much of her own nightmare thoughts into the screen. Just her expressed emotions are enough to give the audience chills while causing them to almost cry. Sam Neill gives the best performance of his career as the accusee's husband. All 350 acting extras also give great performance.

The writers greatly informed the audience of the real events. It digs deep into every characters' raw emotions. The director and the producers wonderfully led the cast and crew to their highest potential. This is one of the top ten best movies released in 1988. Its compelling theme will leave the audience with a sense of joy by the movie's end.

Gather three Australians and turn the conversation from footy to the Lindy Chamberlain case. One of you is almost certain to survive the encounter. Although the survivor will almost certainly be only you. Still arousing the highest passions among Australians, the death of baby Azaria Chamberlain and the subsequent jailing of her mother for murder remains the most noted legal and social episode there. Even this film and new evidence has failed to clear the Chamberlain's name, indicative of the bizarre circumstances surrounding Azaria's death. "The dingo took my baby" remains a derisive expression in the Australian lexicon.

Spellbinding isn't a trite phrase in describing this film, even if you already know the story. Schepisi keeps the focus tight on the Chamberlains and their dilemma. A few departures showing Australian public reaction to the case are vivid and pointed. You are in no doubt as to the feelings engendered. Azaria's loss and the media's role in helping condemn the Chamberlains aren't wasted moments. The motivation behind the police desire to make this a murder instead of a dingo attack is strong. The reason for their intensity isn't clear, but it never was since their treatment of the case was incredibly poor. The inept handling of evidence by the Northern Territory police is only mildly presented during the courtroom scenes.

As Lindy, Meryl Streep's abilities soared to new heights in this film, as so many here have noted. Her talent for assuming the role, even that of a living person, is nearly matchless. Her dominant role in the film is only natural, since the case and the notoriety focused on her almost exclusively. Sam Neill, as husband Michael, appears almost distracted and confused. The scene in which she accuses him of virtually abandoning her to the law's persecuting assault on them is particularly vivid. Both knew the injustice they were suffering, but Lindy/Meryl was the one who lashed out in retaliation. In Australia, the concept of the "tall poppy," especially assertive women, being "cut down to size" is a cultural icon. Lindy Chamberlain became a "tall poppy" in the courtroom and the inevitable result transpired.

Other actors aren't given much space to show their talents. Lewis Fitz-Gerald, who gave a fine performance in Breaker Morant, is restrained here. He's no Perry Mason, but the usual lawyer's struggle for justice is reduced here to a visual whimper. Bruce Myles as the prosecutor is suitably sarcastic in his desire to convict. He harbours no doubts about the guilt of the Chamberlains. The conviction seems almost unreal in light of what we see in the film, but it must have been real enough to Lindy Chamberlain, who delivered her fourth child while incarcerated. The irony of the conviction was recently revived with a dingo attack on a young child on Fraser Island, off the Queensland coast.

Having recently returned from a month in Australia--with a visit to Uluru (formerly Ayer's Rock), I decided to buy the DVD version of this film, having not seen it since it's initial release. It's such a pleasure to watch a movie well-made. Meryl Streep and Sam Neill are both excellent. It's easy to overlook Neill's pitch-perfect turn, since Streep so dominates the film. This, in fact, may be one of Streep's best performances in a career of great performances. Again, she masters an accent, and she is particularly good at capturing the nuances of complicated women, who are not always our typical movie heroines. Lindy Chamberlain is such a character. Her unwillingness to cater to media expectations is, in part, what lands her in the slammer. The tragedy of this true story is not just that a family is destroyed, but--with the passage of time--we realize that we are still perpetrating such media circuses and trial by rumor at an accelerated rate(O.J., the Clinton scandals, the 'Elian' saga, and now Gary Condit). Seeing (and enjoying) the movie again has led me back to the source material, and I'm now reading "Evil Angels" to gleen more detail than the movie could possibly contain. I heartily recommend the movie--although I wish the DVD version contained the "extras" that we've learned to love about the new medium.

Goes to show how far a little prejudice will go. After warnings that Dingos were becoming a dangerous problem at Ayer's Rock, baby Azaria's tragic death was bound to happen to someone's child sooner or later. Unfortunately, many didn't realize just how powerful an animal the Dingo is. Like many here in the U.S. don't realize the dangers of our even smaller Coyote. And unfortunately for the Chamberlain family, smaller minority churches like their membership in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, made them subjects of suspicion and rumors. Their marriage was eventually destroyed over this crisis.

This film portrayed so well, how a little gossip and stereotyping can explode into hatred. Little known to most even today, is that there was a large cover-up from law enforcement, down to members of the local community, who were aware that a well known local Dingo was responsible for Azaria's death. Yet, many still refuse to accept Lindy Chamberlain's total innocence of her baby's death. The average viewer of this film would be totally sickened by the full revelation of this tragic event.

Meryl Streep's performance, is possibly the best movie portrayal of someone not actually born a native to the country of her character's origin. Her Australian accent is delivered to perfection. Very much worthy of the 8th Academy Award nomination she received. A strong argument for religious tolerance, and keeping cool heads till all the facts are in. And a great edition to any DVD collection, though some strong language for what essentially is a faith-based film may discourage some from viewing.

The film's now well known line, "the Dingo took my baby" would not have the least hint of humor if heard in its true context. Watch the movie and you'll see what I mean.

A sign of how convincing Meryl Streep was as Lindy is that Aussies who mock Lindy's "The dingo's got my baby" base it on the line from the film.

The twentieth anniversary of the disappearance of Azaria Chamberlain has just passed and the Chamberlain's separately (they are separated now and both remarried) fight for compensation from the Northern Territory Government. Hence the films and Schepsi's ulitmate success is in that it exists as a time capsule to early 80's terra australis. Evil Angels is as relevant today as it was when released.

Only in her portrayal of Karen Silkwood does Streep bring the same rawness to a role as she does here.

5/5

i'm a native australian and remember all too well the chamberlain case, which was as big as the o.j. case in australia. this movie, in particular meryl streep's amazing performance, really captures the tension that existed amongst australians as to whether lindy chamberlain was guilty of killing her daughter. forget crocodile dundee or other misconceptions - this shows australians and the australian mentality and readiness to judge people with razor-sharp precision.