The Night, the Prowler

When a live-at-home spinster (Walker) turns the tables on her would-be attacker by moonlighting as a leather-clad midnight menace to all men with whom she crosses paths, it causes friction with her deeply conservative parents (Cracknell & Frawley) who feel they've not only failed in her upbringing, but also blighted their social standing. Offbeat black comedy depicts a fractured convergence of conservative inner-city urbanity with rising 'radical' non-conformity in late 60s Sydney, as Walker's character resists the domestic obligations of traditional nubility which her parents and their social class have come to expect on her behalf.

The characters are well-articulated, their dialogue droll whilst the scenery in which they co-exist is a lavish postcard of its contemporary upper-middle class suburban Australian setting. Aside from the cunning (and highly perverse) plot, what really struck me was the tremendous fluidity in the movement and timing of the actors, brought to life by creative cinematography (e.g. PoV, 360 degree and other clever depth of field perspectives) enhancing also the meticulous set design and quaint props.

Whilst the plot lacked a strong narrative structure and does meander at times, the attention is held as our 'femme fatale' encounters an array of nighttime folk from whom she begins to reconcile her emotional conflict and the eccentric persona she's chosen to adopt.

Unconventional to say the least, if you're partial to black comedy and can appreciate the quirkiness of 70s Ozploitation you should be entertained.