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AbstractHistoryArchive Description
'A beautiful young woman, Ruth, falls under the spell of an Indian guru. Desperate to rescue her, her family tricks her into returning to Australia, where she is forced to submit to deprogramming. A tough battle of wills ensues.' (Publication summary)
Adaptations
-
form
y
Holy Smoke
( dir. Jane Campion
)
1999
United States of America (USA)
:
Miramax Films
,
1999
Z1604122
1999
single work
film/TV
During a backpacking holiday in India, Ruth, a young Australian woman, experiences a spiritual awakening at an ashram. Convinced that she has found peace, harmony, and purpose, she decides to stay on with her newfound guru, much to the horror of her family in Australia. Luring her back to suburban Sydney on false pretenses, they employ the services of P.J., an American 'cult-exiter'. The deprogramming encounter that takes place over three days in a shack on an isolated outback farm becomes a battle of wits and wills over spirituality and sexuality.
Returning to the themes of dysfunctional family life that Jane Campion focused on in her first feature film Sweetie, the Campion sisters employ cultural stereotypes to contrast the exotic appeal of Eastern spiritualism for the idealistic Ruth with her family's lack of understanding and crassness. The narrative's central concern with the search for the meaning of life is juxtaposed with moments of high melodrama and with comedic elements drawn from the repertoire of cliched Australian 'types' that were a commonplace of Australian cinema in the nineties. Though Campion clearly demonstrated her cinematic and technical proficiency as a director, some critics consider the story to be somewhat clumsy and overambitious.
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Other Formats
- Sound recording.
Works about this Work
-
Demon Baba
1999
single work
review
— Appears in: The Times Literary Supplement , 23 July no. 5025 1999; (p. 23)
— Review of Holy Smoke : A Novel 1999 single work novel -
Books in Brief
1999
single work
review
— Appears in: The New York Times Book Review , 27 June 1999; (p. 21)
— Review of Holy Smoke : A Novel 1999 single work novel -
Om, Om, Om the Story Goes
1999
single work
review
— Appears in: The Weekend Australian , 10-11 July 1999; (p. 12)
— Review of Holy Smoke : A Novel 1999 single work novel -
Paperbacks
1999
single work
review
— Appears in: The Age , 10 July 1999; (p. 9)
— Review of Holy Smoke : A Novel 1999 single work novel -
A Trip that Takes Us into Disturbing Territory
1999
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 10 July 1999; (p. 10)
— Review of Holy Smoke : A Novel 1999 single work novel
-
Question of Faith
1999
single work
review
— Appears in: Australian Book Review , August no. 213 1999; (p. 30-31)
— Review of The Inquisitor 1999 single work novel ; Holy Smoke : A Novel 1999 single work novel -
A Trip that Takes Us into Disturbing Territory
1999
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 10 July 1999; (p. 10)
— Review of Holy Smoke : A Novel 1999 single work novel -
Paperbacks
1999
single work
review
— Appears in: The Age , 10 July 1999; (p. 9)
— Review of Holy Smoke : A Novel 1999 single work novel -
Om, Om, Om the Story Goes
1999
single work
review
— Appears in: The Weekend Australian , 10-11 July 1999; (p. 12)
— Review of Holy Smoke : A Novel 1999 single work novel -
Books in Brief
1999
single work
review
— Appears in: The New York Times Book Review , 27 June 1999; (p. 21)
— Review of Holy Smoke : A Novel 1999 single work novel -
Devoted Rivals
1999
single work
biography
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 3 July 1999; (p. 9)
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cAustralia,c
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cIndia,cSouth Asia, South and East Asia, Asia,