Frog Dreaming

Frog Dreaming

Year: 1986

Runtime: 93 mins

Language: English

Directors: Brian Trenchard-Smith, Russell Hagg

FamilyDramaAdventure

Cody, an adventurous American boy living in Australia with his guardian Gaza, is imaginative, inventive and inquisitive. When he encounters mysterious happenings in Devil’s Knob National Park, he discovers they are tied to an Aboriginal myth called the frog dreamings. Determined to uncover the truth, Cody investigates the legend’s depths.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Frog Dreaming (1986)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Frog Dreaming (1986). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

The story unfolds in a contemporary rural Australian setting, where a guardian watches over a child and local authorities confront a mysterious lake. Modern equipment and communication intersect with enduring Aboriginal legends, driving the investigation.

Location

Devil's Knob National Park, Australia

Devil's Knob National Park is a rugged, water-adjacent landscape in rural Australia centered on a mysterious lake. The lake sits in a flooded quarry, surrounded by reeds and algae, where locals recount Aboriginal myths of the bunyip and the Kurdaitcha Man. The park's wild shores blend natural beauty with a latent menace, inviting curiosity seekers to explore what lies beneath the surface.

🏞️ Australian wilderness 🌊 Lakeside setting 🧭 Folklore influence

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:45

Main Characters – Frog Dreaming (1986)

Meet the key characters of Frog Dreaming (1986), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Cody (Henry Thomas)

An imaginative, inventive, and inquisitive American boy living in Australia after his parents' death. He builds devices in his garage, including a railbike, and pursues the strange events at Devil's Knob Lake with fearless curiosity, showing resilience even when danger looms.

🔎 Curious 🛠️ Inventive 🧭 Persistent

Gaza (Tony Barry)

Cody's guardian and practical ally who balances protection with encouragement of Cody's experiments. He supports the boy's projects and helps navigate the community's concerns while maintaining a wary skepticism about legends.

🛡️ Protective 🤝 Guardian 🧰 Resourceful

Mrs. Cannon (Katy Manning)

A local resident involved in the community's response to the unfolding mystery. She contributes to the sense of local life and provides practical support as the events develop.

🗺️ Local 🫶 Community figure 🧭 Practical

Mr. Cannon (Dennis Miller)

A local figure connected to the town’s daily life and the investigation. He participates in the community effort to understand the strange events around the lake.

🗺️ Local 🗣️ Authority 🛠️ Practical

Wendy (Rachel Friend)

Cody's friend who aids in the investigation and helps notice crucial signals. Her bravery and quick thinking contribute significantly to mobilizing support and keeping the group safe.

🧭 Observant 🤝 Loyal Friend 💡 Quick-thinking

Jane (Tamsin West)

Another member of Cody's circle who participates in the exploration and shares in the local legends. Jane brings curiosity and a collaborative spirit to the group's efforts.

🧠 Insightful 🤝 Loyal 🧭 Curious

Charlie Pride (Dempsey Knight)

A young member of the adventuring group who joins Cody in the quest to uncover the truth behind the lake’s mysteries. He contributes energy and loyalty to the team's efforts.

🧒 Young 🧭 Curious 🤝 Loyal

Wheatley (Chris Gregory)

An official involved in the investigation, coordinating aspects of the search and liaising with the divers and locals. He represents the procedural facets of solving the mystery.

👮 Official 🧭 Investigative 🛠️ Practical

Henry (Mark Knight)

A local boy who participates in the events surrounding the lake investigation. He adds to the group’s dynamic and shares in the kids’ sense of wonder and risk.

🧒 Young 🧭 Curious 🛡️ Loyal

Ricketts (John Ewart)

A local authority figure involved in the inquiry, representing the official response to the unusual happenings and the safety concerns of the town.

🗺️ Authority 🧭 Investigative 🧰 Practical

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:45

Major Themes – Frog Dreaming (1986)

Explore the central themes of Frog Dreaming (1986), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🔎 Mystery

The film centers on a puzzling phenomenon at a lake in a national park, blending local folklore with real clues. Cody's experiments and risky dives push the boundary between superstition and science, as the Donkegin myth is gradually revealed to be rooted in forgotten history. The pursuit of truth requires careful balance between curiosity and caution, since danger lurks both underwater and in the town's reactions.

🤝 Friendship

Friends rally around Cody as he pursues the mystery, highlighting loyalty, teamwork, and courage. Wendy notices crucial signs that the others miss, proving that collaboration is key to solving the puzzle. The group’s dynamic—bravery, trust, and shared goal—keeps hope alive even when the search seems perilous.

🌊 Environment

The lake environment holds remnants of past industry, including the donkey engine at the bottom and various debris, revealing how human activity shapes nature. The mystery exposes how landscape memory stores both danger and history, blending ecological concerns with myth. The resolution redefines the lake as a palimpsest where myth, memory, and material reality intersect.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:45

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Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Myth hunting adventures like in Frog Dreaming

Curious kids or teens unravel a supernatural mystery linked to local folklore.If you liked the investigative mystery in Frog Dreaming, you'll enjoy these movies where youthful protagonists explore ancient folklore. This section features similar adventurous stories with curious kids solving supernatural puzzles tied to local legends.

curiousmysteriousadventurousyouthfulwondrousatmosphericinvestigativefolkloric

Narrative Summary

The narrative follows a youthful protagonist, often curious and inventive, who becomes fascinated by a local mystery. Their investigation leads them deep into an ancient myth or legend, blending reality with folklore. The journey involves puzzle-solving, moments of suspense, and a deepening understanding of the legend's true nature, culminating in a discovery that resolves the mystery.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their central premise of a young hero investigating a supernatural or folkloric mystery. They share a tone that balances childhood wonder with genuine intrigue, a variable pacing that shifts between investigation and adventure, and a focus on the power of curiosity.

Dreamlike folklore adventures like Frog Dreaming

Journeys into dreamlike landscapes where myth and reality beautifully intertwine.For viewers who enjoyed the atmospheric blend of Australian myth and reality in Frog Dreaming, this section collects movies with a similar dreamlike quality. Find other adventurous stories where the setting itself feels alive with ancient folklore and mystery.

dreamlikeatmosphericwondrousmysteriousmythicfolkloricadventurousyouthful

Narrative Summary

Stories in this thread are defined by a powerful, atmospheric setting—often a wild natural landscape—that is deeply connected to a local myth. The plot is a journey into this world, where the protagonist experiences the legend firsthand. The narrative unfolds with a sense of wonder and mystery, suggesting that some truths are felt rather than explained, leaving a lingering, atmospheric impression.

Why These Movies?

This thread groups films that share a specific mood: a dreamlike, atmospheric adventure centered on folklore. The connection is based on a unique blend of whimsical tone, a palpable sense of place, a medium emotional weight, and a narrative that treats the myth with reverence and wonder.

Unlock the Full Story of Frog Dreaming

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Frog Dreaming Summary

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Frog Dreaming Summary

Frog Dreaming Timeline

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Frog Dreaming Timeline

Frog Dreaming Spoiler-Free Summary

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Frog Dreaming Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Frog Dreaming

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