KADAICHA

Australia, 1988, 88 minutes, Colour.
Zoe Carides, Tom Jennings, Eric Oldfield, Kerry Mc Kay, Debra Kennedy, Sean Scully.
Directed by James Bogle.

Kadaicha was written by Ian Coghlan, a prolific writer for television, especially of popular serials. During the 1970s he directed a few films and television series, the most prominent of which was Alison’s Birthday. The film was directed by James Bogle who made the small-budget Mad Bomber in Love and wrote and directed an adaptation of Tim Winton’s In the Winter Dark with Brenda Blethyn.

Kadaicha are stones said to have the power of a curse, reaching from beyond the grave. They are ancient Aboriginal stones – but, in this film, they are given an imaginative interpretation. The film has overtones of the horror genre as some teenagers have similar nightmares about a cave, paintings, evil dwelling within the caves and in themselves. When they awake they find the evil stone next to them. The film is both an exploration of Aboriginal themes as well as using the conventions of the teenage horror genre.

1. The title of the film? The Aboriginal stones? Cursed stones?

2. The credits, the Dreaming? The corroboree? The elder and his skull face? The musical score?

3. The stone, crystal, the music accompanying the crystal? The stone given into the hands of the dreamers? In bed? Beside the bed?

4. The explanation of the Kadaicha stone, the pointing of the bone? Only if handled by Kadaicha men? The teacher’s explanation? The girls: “It’s only some dumb stone,” explaining theatre dream away?

5. The dark, the park, the animal eyes – and the steadycam pursuit? Teeth and screams? The throat torn out? Tracy’s death?

6. The stone, Gail’s explanation to the police? The crystal on the boy’s pillow?

7. The kids talking, coincidences, the hex, the boy producing the stone? Kangaloola? The girls asking the teacher for an explanation? Frankie? The site, the old Aboriginal ground? The teacher protest? Gail’s father as a co-developer? The relics turning up – and the mystery disappearing? The devotion and the wild dog scare? Gail asking her father, the protest? Standard hassles – the father’s doubts about the sacred site, his complaint about arguing about every bit of dirt in the country as sacred?

8. The research in the library? The animal watching the library? The papers and the condemnation of mindless desecration? The photos? The warnings about the curse, the full-blooded Aborigines, Billy? The argument against taking the Kadaicha seriously? A conspiracy concerning the father’s business enemies? The suggestion that the old Aborigine is a nut case and planted the crystal? The advice not to stay awake all night worrying about curses? The girls and their saying they were freaked out? But no sense in getting into a panic?

9. Billinudgel, warning Gail? Moving out? His stilted English? Frank and the spider – and the light into the eye?

10. Gail dreaming, the dancers, care, the repetition? Gail explaining? The Aborigines knowing the curse on the land, warning people to do the right thing?

11. Back to the early 19th century, the young Aborigines attacked by the bushrangers, raped and killed, the tribe burying the children, the whites? The bushrangers and the people pursued and massacred? The desire that history not repeat itself?

12. The girl, the fears, police speculation?

13. The stormwater drain seen in the dreams, the exploration, going to the wall? Swimming and drowning? The snake/octopus?

14. The nightmare and the animal pursuit, the noises, the echo of Tracy’s death? Gail following the girls, going through the wall? The fire, the dancer and the crystal?

15. Going into the cave, breaking the wall? The wall paintings and the skeletons? Someone else in the cave? The father on guard?

16. Gail and the boy threatening to ring the Heritage Commission? The working crew around the cave, the cover-up to avoid the redesigning development? Gail wanting to talk to Billinudgel? The father condemning him as crazy? The police search but his not being there?

17. Mr Fitzgerald, sceptical, the crystals, mass hysteria? School going on as normal, life goes on?

18. Billinudgel’s house, the girl, Gail’s visit? The granddaughter talking? Hesitant, helping? Persuading Billinudgel to speak? The Kadaicha man dead a hundred years earlier? The power of the curse, unable to undo it? Killing the teenagers because of an eye for an eye in the 19th century massacre? Billy offering the counter-artefact? Gail not revealing Billinudgel to the police? The granddaughter telling this to Billy?

19. The poltergeist experience in the toilet, the dead girl’s appearing, talking normally to Gail and the hand coming through the drainpipe?

20. Matt trying to persuade Billy to help? His driving? Gail waiting and with her father?

21. Billinudgel going with Matt to the cave? Alex locked in the garage? Billinudgel doing the ritual dance in the cave, painted, the sticks? The skeletons?

22. The dog killed, Matt taking possession of the knife? The intercutting of Billy with the ritual? The skeletons, the burning? Matt trying to strangle Gail, Matt burning? Billy and his statement that it was up to them now? “If you want more people dead, stay here”?

23. The father giving in, the cover-up, the street to be pulled down and the people relocated? The workers, the snake winding round the trowel?

24. How well did the film explore Aboriginal themes – with respect? Work them into a teenagers’ story? Nightmares and horror?