Wake in Fright

Based on Kenneth Cook’s classic novel, this film about bored schoolteacher John Grant getting caught in an outback nightmare of booze, racism, misogyny and bloodlust was made in 1971 and lost until 2004.


In this insightful monograph, Tina Kaufman discusses what lies behind Wake in Fright: the genesis of the film, how it was made, how it was allowed to get lost, and the long path of its rediscovery; how it was restored and received on its re-release. Tina Kaufman recounts how this film that is, in essence, all about survival, has itself survived.