Cinema Papers No.107 December 1995

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CINEMA PAPERS

co te ts NUMBER

DECEMBER 1 99 5

SCORING BABE

Nigel Westlake B y S c o t t M urray

A c c la im e d c la ssic a l c o m p o s e r N ig el W es tla k e h a s h it th e big tim e w ith his d a z z lin g film s c o r e f o r Babe.

THE GLOVES COME O FF

Jonathan Rosenbaum and New Trends in Criticism B y A d ri an M a r t i n

T w o n ew b o o k s by A m erica n J o n a t h a n R o s e n b a u m h a v e A d rian M artin e x c ite d by th e w o n d erfu l p o s s ib ilitie s o f w ritin g o n film , a n d d is a p p o in te d by so m u c h o f w h a t is b ein g o ffe r e d

TH E RISE OF TH E B O U T IQ U E CINEMAS

Life Lessons

New Trends in Cinema Exhibition B y M i chael K i t s on

is the best Australian film in a long time.

Producer George Miller and director Chris Noonan tell S M why they fell in love with a talking pig, and what Babe has to teach us about living life well. PAGE 6 Babe

cott

M ic h a el K itson e x a m in es th e ev o lu tio n o f th e b o u tiq u e m u lt is c r e e n cin em a , a n d w h a t th a t m e a n s to th e ch an g in g fa c e o f d istrib u tio n a n d e x h ib itio n in A u stralia

urray

ANTONIO ZEC C O LA B y P aul K ali na

T he fo r c e b e h in d P a la c e P ictu res d iscu sses th e P a la ce-V illag e ex h ib itio n -d is tr ib u tio n d e a l a n d h is e x p a n d in g c in e m a n e tw o r k

NATALIE M IL L ER

Inbits

3

Inreview

39

B y P aul K ali na

N a t a lie M iller, o f L o n g fo r d a n d N o v a

N e w M edia

26

Legal Ease

51

Technicalities

31

Inproduction

59

History

34

Tenebrious Ten

64

John Conomos lectures at the College of Fine Arts, University of Sydney; Philip Dutchak is the editor and publisher of the monthly newsletter,

Convergence (those interested can contact him at pdutchak@geko.com.au); Jan Epstein is the film reviewer for The Melbournian;

fa m e , ta lk s a b o u t h e r a p p r o a c h to b o u tiq u e c in em a s

Fincina Hopgood is an Arts-Law student at MelbournejJriiversity and a former editor of Ormond Papers, Michael Kitson is a film buff with a passion for good cinema presentation; Chris Long is a Melbourne filprfiistorian; Adrian Martin is a film reviewer for The Age, Brian McFariane is an Associate Professor in the English Department at Monash UniversityyBaul Vietti is an aspiring filmmaker and fan of Michael Tolkin; Raymond Younis is a lecturer at the University of Sydney; Monica Zetlin is a producerYassistant and a writer on film.

cin em a decem ber 1 9 9 5 n u m b e r 1 0 7

116 Argyle Street , F itzroy , V ictoria, Australia 3 0 6 5 .

Postal

address:

PO B ox 2 2 2 1 ,

F itzroy M DC, V ictoria 3 0 6 5 .

AWARDS

P

roducer and director Richard (Dick) Mason was awarded the

inaugural Cecil Holmes Memorial Award. The Award will be presented annually by the Australian Screen Directors Association to a filmmaker whose contribution to the industry warrants recognition.

Distinguished Achievement i

who've nurtured the art of direct­ ing, so to speak. There are so many people in our community and they are rarely rewarded for their w o rk ... [Dick] has helped so many directors, worked in such diverse areas. He was a rebel, an encourager, a risktaker, a stirrer ... He was a good director himself and probably frustrated his own career by developing the careers of others.

Documentary Association Awards.

Technical Editor: D ominic C ase

mentary to win an IDA Award is

Advertising: T erry H aebich

Black Harvest (Robin Anderson

DIARY DATES I the title of the 1996 Ade­

Ansara) and the John Duigan-directed One Night Stand (1984), Far East (1982) and Winter of our Dreams (1981).

Office Cat: O ddspot Legal Adviser: D an Pearce

which will screen at the Mercury

(H olding R edlich, Solicitors)

Cinema from 7-14 March. The M TV Board o f Directors:

programme of 40 international

C hris S tewart (C hairman ),

films takes the theme of archi­

Patricia Amad , R oss D imsey ,

tecture to explore structures as

D iana G ribble, N atalie M iller

they are used in cinema. Pre­

Founding Publishers:

miering at the Festival will be Rolf de Heer's latest feature. The by the renowned British animators, the Brothers Quay. Films by Chantal

makers, will also screen.

P eter B eilby , S cott M urray,

O bituary

Quiet Room, and Institute Benjamenta

as shorts by various Australian film­

Pursuit of Happiness (1988, Martha

Proofreading: A rthur Salton

laide Festival's film programme

Lee Robinson's production assistant

Highway (Laurie Mclnnes, 1993), The

M ina C arattoli Accounts: T ory T aouk

# # I n Spaces Unsuspected" is

Moffatt and Mikael Dovlatien, as well

documentaries. He produced Broken

Subscriptions & Office Assistance:

and Bob Connolly, 1992).

Mason started out in the industry as

producer and director of innovative

Assistant Editor: Paul Kalina

The only other Australian docu­

Akerman, Moufida Tatli, Tracey

and fast established himself as

Editor: S co tt M urray

in the 1995 International

commented:

have helped and inspired directors

F ax : (03) 9416 4088.

Johnston's Eternity won the

ASDA President Stephen Wallace

W e want to recognize others who

T el : (03) 9 4 1 6 2 6 4 4 .

in September. Lawrence

Philippe M ora Design & Production:

In early October, Ivan Hutchinson, one of Cinema Papers’

Parkhouse Publishing pty ltd

greatest friends, died.

Ivan started writing for the magazine in July 1975 and contributed regularly until 1994, when illness put his much-loved “Soundtracks” column, then in its twentieth year, on hold.

T el : (03) 9662 9992 Printing:

F rank D aniels

pty ltd

Film:

Ivan’s contribution to Cinema Papers went far beyond his words in print: he enthusiastically supported the magazine whenever he could, and helped create an environment where love for film was

C ondor G roup

12-20 January, before touring to

cherished.

N etw ork D istribution .

Byron Bay, Alice Springs, Perth,

M TV PUBLISHING LIMITED.

the first time in its five-year history,

Ivan represented the best of populist discussion on film.

He never sought to appear clever, being instead informed and caring. When he saw a bad film, he felt no need to be damning,

Flickerfest will award cash prizes for

but his often acutely-felt disappointment would be clear.

The Flickerfest '96 international out­ door short film festival will screen at Sydney's Bondi Beach Pavilion from

Melbourne and regional areas. For

Small Treasures, a 15-minute

Best Film, Best Student Film and Best

animation by Melbourne-based Sarah

Animated Film, and will be open to

Watt, shared the award for Best

video and multi-media formats, as

Short Film at the Venice Film Festival

well as 35mm and 16mm film under

Ivan’s gifts saw him successfully review and write about films and filmmakers for The Sun (and then the Herald-Sun) in

The Fourth International Documentary

Melbourne for several decades. He also presented films on Network 7, where his honesty never allowed him to over-hype a film he knew to be lacking, and was a radio critic on the ABC, where his passions (not only for film, but music and crime fiction)

Conference will be held in Melbourne

found full voice.

40 minutes in length.

from 23-7 November. Guests of this year's Conference include John Pilger, Allie Light and Irving Saraf [Shadow of the Stars) and Kim Longinotto (Dream Girls). The AFI will

Distribution:

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articles represent th e views

O F T H E AUTHORS AND N O T NECESSARILY TH O SE O F TH E E D ITO R AND PUBLISHER.

W h ile

every care is taken w ith

MANUSCRIPTS AND MATERIALS SUPPLIED T O TH E M AGAZINE, N EITH ER TH E E D ITO R N O R TH E PUBLISHER CAN ACCEPT LIABILITY FO R ANY LOSS O R DAMAGE W H ICH MAY arise .

T his

m agazine may n o t be

REPRODUCED IN W H OLE O R PART W ITH O U T TH E EXPRESS PERM ISSION OF TH E CO PYRIGH T O W NERS.

But for all his many accomplishments (and it is to be regretted Ivan had time to pen only one book), Ivan will be remembered for being the finest and most loving person one could ever know.

He was one of God’s finest gifts and I miss him.

C inema Papers

is published every tw o

MONTHS BY M T V PUBLISHING LIMITED,

116 Ar g y le S t r e e t , F itzr o y , V ic to ria , A ustralia 30 6 5 .

Scott Murray

tour nationally a selection of local and international documentaries during November and December following the Conference.

CO VER:

Babe # 2 7 in George Miller and Chris Noonan’s Babe.

2

TELEVISION PRODUCTION FUND HEAD ANNOUNCED

C

hris Fitchett has been appointed

Chief Executive of the Commercial Television Production Fund. Fitchett

takes up the position after more than

industry and it is expected the first

five years at Film Victoria as Deputy Director and Project Manager.

allocation of funds will take place in

The Fund, to be based at the Melbourne office of the AFC, will

December.

Fitchett said:

lines for investment by the Fund are

The Fund is a wonderful opportunity to increase the amount of range of quality Australian drama broadcast on the three commercial networks and I am looking forward to being

currently being circulated to the

involved in its formative years.

provide $60 million over the next three years for the production of quality Australian drama. Draft guide­

CINEMA PAPERS IS PUBLISHED WITH FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE AUSTRALIAN FILM COMMISSION, FILM VICTORIA AND FILM QUEENSLAND.

C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

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MULTIPLEX BOOM CONTINUES

o f the Desert (Stephan Elliott, 1994), Annie's Coming Out (GW Brea ley, 1984), Australian Dream (Jackije] McKimmie), Ayers Rock (Paul Winkler, 1981), The Back of Beyond (John Heyer, 1955), Backlash (Bill Bennett, 1986), Backroads (Phillip Noyce, 1977), Backyard (Paul Winkler, 1976), Bad Boy Bubby(Rolf de Heer, 1993), Between Wars (Michael

joint venture between Village Roadshow, Greater Union and Warner Bros, will see the construc­ tion of seven new multiplexes in Westfield Shoppingtowns around Australia. The seven complexes will add 92 screens and 27,000 seats to the final 1994 tally of 1028 cinema screens in Australia.

"Megaplexes" housing 16 screens each will be built at Marion in Adelaide, at Doncaster and Southland in Melbourne, and at Bondi Junction in Sydney. A 12-screen complex will be built in Sydney's Liverpool, and eight-screen complexes at West Lakes in Adelaide and at Burwood in Sydney. Construction of a 15-screen complex comprising 3,000 seats at Melbourne's Southbank Casino has also been announced.

This venue will operate daily around the clock.

Village Roadshow also recently opened an eight-screen complex at the Jam Factory in Melbourne's South Yarra and, through its partner­ ship with Palace, the four-screen Verona in Sydney's Paddington.

A

FILM FUND TO CONTINUE ichael Lee, Minister for Com­ munications and the Arts, has confirmed the continuation of the Film Fund in 1996. Funding of S8 million for the 1996 Fund has been approved by the Board of the FFC. Selection criteria for the 1996 Fund will be announced shortly.

Commenting on the revised terms of eligibility and selection introduced for the 1995 Fund, John Morris, chief executive of the FFC, said:

M

Although the film selection process for the next Fund is yet to be decided, the 1995 process proved successful and it is expected an industry panel will again be con­ vened to select projects for 1996.

The three films approved under the 1995 Fund were Dead Heart, Fistful of Flies and Idiot Box. The FFC has also announced the renewal of "Accords" with the ABC and SBS. Under the new agreement, the ABC w ill provide the balance of funds for 20 hours of documentary which have pre-sales with the ABC. SBS will offer ten successful appli­ cants a cash pre-sale, which repre­ sents a licence fee for three runs over five years. The budget ceiling is set at S200,000 and must include all FFC cost requirements. Two of the ten SBS documentaries in this round of Accords may be considered at bud­

4

gets of up to $250,000 provided they are based on international stories or ideas with a demonstrated Australian perspective.

BIG NEW SITES LAUNCHED he works of 12 Australian contemporary artists will be pre­ sented on Greater Union and Village cinema screens throughout Australia until the end of August 1996. Located in the advertising segments prior to the feature, each artist's sequence involves four slide images and a soundtrack.

The project is produced by The Performance Space in conjunction with the AFC and Pearl and Dean, with assistance from Visions of Australia, the Australia Council, ABC Radio and ANAT (Australian Network for Art and Technology).

The artists involved in the project are: Rea; Hewson/Walker/SchmidtSistermanns; Simon Hunt, Stephen Cummins and Brad Miller; Pat Hoffie; Brenda Croft; VNS Matrix; Robert Ambrose Cole; Ted Colless; Mathew Jones; Paula Dawson and Linda Sproul.

T

MAD MAD FILM SEARCH ilm Search and Preserve is seek­ ing footage of It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad l/Vor/W(Stanley Kramer,

F

1963) and numerous other films, in particular 70mm and Cinerama block­ busters of the 1960s. Many of these films were cut prior to U.S. release; however, in many instances, the com­ plete, uncut version was seen in Australia. Australia was allegedly the only country to see the 70mm version of Nicholas and Alexandra (Franklin Schaffner, 1971) in its entirety. Forty minutes of footage is missing from It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, including the "intermission" audio tracks which disappeared more than 30 years ago. James Sherlock at Film Search and Preserve can be contacted on (03) 9427 7933.

MUSEUM OF MODERN ART

T

he Museum of Modern Art in New York began in October a

season of 100 Australian films, which will run to February 1996. It has been curated by Larry Kadish, Curator, Department of Film and Video.

The first comprehensive history of Australian film presented in the U.S., it is the biggest such event since the Australian season at the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris in 1991.

The season is presented in con­ junction with the Australian Film Commission, and with the help of the National Film & Sound Archive.

The films are: The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen

Thornhill, 1974), Bingo Bridesmaids & Braces (Gillian Armstrong, 1988), Bliss (Ray Lawrence, 1985), Bondi (Paul Winkler, 1979), Caddie (Donald Crombie, 1976), Camera Natura (Ross Gibson, 1986), Cane Toads: An Unnatural History (Mark Lewis, 1988), The Cars that Ate Paris (Peter Weir, 1974), Celia (Ann Turner, 1989), The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith (Fred Schepisi, 1978), The Cheaters (Paulette McDonagh, 1930), Custody (lan Munro, 1987), Dad and Dave Come to Town (Ken G. Hall, 1938), Dead to the World (Ross Gibson, 1991), Death in Brunswick (John Ruane, 1991), Death of a Soldier( Philippe Mora, 1986), Devil in the Flesh (Scott Murray, 1989), The Devil's Playground (Fred Schepisi, 1976), Don's Party (Bruce Beresford, 1976), Dusty (John Richardson, 1983), Eternity (Lawrence Johnston, 1994), For the Term of His Natural Life (Norman Dawn, 1927), War] (Glenda Hambly, 1985), The Getting of Wisdom (Bruce Beresford, 1977), Getting W et(Paul J. Hogan, 1989), A Girl's Own StoryiJane Campion, 1983), Goodbye Paradise (Carl Schultz, 1983), Hang Up (Pauline Chan, 1990), Heatwave (Phillip Noyce, 1982), Hightide (Gillian Armstrong, 1987), Holidays on the River Yarra (Leo Berkeley, 1991), In the Wake o f the Bounty (Charles Chauvel, 1933), In This Life's Body (Corinne and Arthur Cantrill, 1984), It Droppeth as the Gentle Rain (Bruce Beresford and Albie Thoms, 1963), Jedda (Charles Chauvel, 1955), Kangaroo (Tim Burstall, 1987), The Kid Stakes(Tal Ordell, 1927), The Last of the Knucklemen (Tim Burstall, 1979), The Last Wave (Peter Weir, 1977), Lonely Hearts (Paul Cox, 1982), Long Weekend (Colin Eggleston, 1979), Mad Max (George Miller, 1979), Mad Max 2 (George Miller, 1981), The Man from Kangaroo (Wilfred Lucas, 1920), Money Movers (Bruce Beresford, 1979), Monkey Grip (Ken Cameron, 1982), Mull (Don McLennan, 1989), My Brilliant Career (Gill Armstrong, 1979), Newsfront

(Phillip Noyce, 1978), Night Cries: A Rural Tragedy (Tracey Moffatt, 1990), Now You're Talking (Keith Gow), On Our Selection (Raymond Longford, 1920), On Our Selection (Ken G. Hall, 1932), One Hundred a Day (Gillian Armstrong, 1973), Only the Brave (Ana Kokkinos, 1994), Orphan of the Wilderness (Ken G„ Hall, 1936), Palace Cafe (Andrew Lancaster, 1993), The Passionate Industry (Joan Long, 1973), Passionless Moments: Recorded in Sydney Australia Sunday October 2nd (Jane Campion and Gerard Lee, 1984), Pair/c/r (Richard Franklin, 1978), Patrick White's The Night the Prowler (Sim Sharman, 1979), Peel (Jane Campion, 1982), A Personal History of the Australian Surf, Being the Confessions of a Straight Poofter (Michael Blakemore, 1981), Picnic at Hanging Rock (Peter Weir, 1975), Pictures that Moved (Alan Anderson, 1968), The Plumber (Peter Weir, 1979), Proof (Jocelyn Moorhouse, 1991), Razorback(Russell Mulcahy, 1984), Return Dome (Ray Argali, 1990), Scars (Paul Winkler, 1972), The Sentimental Bloke (Raymond Longford, 1919), Shame (Steve Jodrell, 1988), The Singer and the Dancer(Gillian Armstrong, 1977), Sons of Matthew (Charles Chauvel, 1949), The Space Between the Door and the Floor(Pauline Chan, 1990), The Story of the Kelly Gang (Charles Byers Coates, 1906), A Street to Die (Bill Bennett, 1985), Strictly Ballroom (Baz Luhrmann, 1992), Strikebound (Richard Lowenstein, 1984), Sumner Locke Elliott's Careful He Might Hear You (Carl Schultz, 1983), Sunday Too Far Away (Ken Hannam, 1975), Sunshine Sally (Lawson Harris, 1922), Sweetie (Jane Campion, 1989), Sydney Harbour Bridge (Paul Winkler, 1977), Three in One (Cecil Holmes, 1957), Unfinished Business (Bob Ellis, 1986), Violence in the Cinema ...

Part 1 (George Miller, 1972), Waiting (Jackie McKimmie, 1991), Warm Nights on a Slow Moving Train (Bob Ellis, 1988), Winter of Our Dreams (John Duigan, 1981).

CORRIGENDUM everal pieces of incorrect infor­ mation were recorded in the Production Survey of the last issue of Cinema Papers.

Don Catchlove and Terry Hayes are the scriptwriters of the Nadia Tass-directed feature My Entire Life.

Fistful of Flies is the title of the Film Fund feature to be produced by Julia Overton and directed by Monica Pellizzari.

Love Wise is the correct title of the feature in post-production direct­ ed by Emma-Kate Croghan and Stavros Efthymiou.

S

C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

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I t is t h e f i n e s t f i l m m a d e b y

A u s t r a l i a n s at h o m e in a l o n g t i m e .

1Producer George Miller director Chris interviewed by Scott Murray

A brilliant Babe wasn't the expectation of many commentators when they first heard George Miller and Chris Noonan were making a film about a talking pig.

But they should have had more faith in a pairing that gave us The Cowra Breakout (mini-series, 1985), Vietnam (mini-series, 1987)1 and The Riddle o f the Stinoon (tele-feature, 1988), let along their many achievements as individuals.

Babe is a wondrously rich and nuanced film that works on so many levels a review could well end up a long list of themes cleverly raised and resolved.

It is devilishly entertaining and deeply profound at the same time. interviewed producer and co-writer Miller by phone in Los Angeles, where he is preparing Contact from the Carl Sagan novel. Director and co-writer Noonan was interviewed m Sydney, where he is sorting through a mass of offers. The two conversations were then intercut.

SCOTT M u r r a y

Jffe

Miller begins with how he first come across Dick King-Smith s The Sheep-Pig, on which Babe is based.

Miller: In 1 9 8 5 ,1 was flying to London - my third trip in a matter of months - to record the score of M ad Max B eyond Thunderdom e with the London Philharmonic. By sheer luck, I awoke bolt upright in the middle of the night, somewhere over India. I surfed the audio and came across the Children’s Pro­ gramme. A woman was reviewing children’s books and when she came to one called The Sheep-Pig, she laughed uncontrollably. There was something in the way she laughed that made me wonder, “What is it about this book that really got to her?”

The moment I arrived in London, I walked into a shop and there was the book, staring at me. I read it and had the same response as the woman.

The book is about a lot of things. Not only is it a wonderful little allegory about prejudice, it also deals

included them in their telexes. And the jokes haven’t stopped to this day, right down to the puns people are using in their reviews.

Noonan: After George had purchased the option on the book, he approached me. I read it and was imme­ diately and strongly taken with the story. It has a classic feel. At its heart, it is very close to the uni­ versal hero story that Joseph Campbell talks about in his writings on myth.

The concerns of the story, as I read them, had great resonance with me. One concern is a major issue facing societies today - the issue of prejudice while another is a major philosophical challenge fac­ ing individuals - the coming to terms with their mortality. And all of this is contained within a plot which is very whimsical and fun.

Does your interest in Campbell come from working with Kennedy Miller?

Noonan: I discovered Campbell through the enthu-

with that moment when we come to adulthood by finding out the real truth about the world, how harsh it can be, and how you deal with that.

The book also has a spirit and charm which is really great. I really liked its sensibilities, and I liked the way it is understated.

But, from the start, I felt very strongly that it shouldn’t be made as a conventional animation.

I didn’t think it was something that would lend itself to the flamboyant character animation that Disney is able to do so well. I remember thinking, “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could really make it feel as if real animals were talking?”

I then discussed it with [joint producer] Doug Mitchell. We started trying to find the rights to the book, and then the pig jokes began. Even the lawyers

siasm of both George and Terry Hayes2. Campbell is almost a religion with George, and deservedly so, because he is one of the greatest thinkers about the function that drama plays in the lives of people throughout history, and today.

The

Script

Noonan: George and I began by dissecting the book.

We looked at the way the book told the story and examined how we might put that into dramatic form.

It was a simultaneous working out of the broad scheme of the story and the details of the story.

We actually spent a month just talking through theoretical scene breakdowns. I then went away and came up with a draft. It was then systematically unravelled in discussion between us - not an easy process for a writer. Out of that came new schemes to solve the problems that had emerged. I’d then go away and write another draft.

We went through a great number of drafts over a 12-month period. But it wasn’t the only thing that was going on at the time. There were huge techno­ logical problems to overcome, and I was doing a lot of work on that at the same time.

Why do you say it is not an easy process for a writer?

Noonan: The challenge is having your work com­ pletely pulled apart. That is something that happened on the Kennedy Miller mini-series as well. The writ­ ers would each come up with drafts for their episodes, and then the group would set about maul­ ing them and finding the flaws in them, and discussing possible ways of solving those flaws.

Some people don’t respond terribly well to that sort of process. If you have a fragile ego, it can be a very ego-destroying process. However, that process is a way of solving a script’s problems before it gets to production stage.

In the case of Babe, that meant inventing some additional characters and scenes.

Miller: Yes. Dick King-Smith’s original story has a m ythological com ponent, but it needed to be expanded. So we added the prologue in the piggery,

Ç I N E M A P A P ER

OEBLMBtB

the Ferdinand character, the alarm clock heist and Rex, the male dog.

Noonan: Ferdinand was invented very early on as a means of introducing some overt humour. In many ways, he is the odd character out in that farm. He doesn’t subscribe to the ways of the world and he tries to escape them. He also has a modern way of looking at things and at life.

Ferdinand also graphically illustrates the threat to Babe by bringing it right to the forefront and mak­ ing it overt.

Ferdinand is a real tonic to the film and gives a modern young audience access to this story. At the start, we had felt there was danger it was going to be too quaint and old-fashioned.

Rex was invented much later, after a number of drafts. Rex was actually the idea of Terry Hayes, who suggested that we needed a greater symbol of the authority of the status quo within the organiza­ tion of the animals in the farm. The idea was so obviously right that Rex took on a life of his own and became a major character.

Miller: Fly, although a delightful character, is very generous. We needed someone who could declare that dogs’ world with a little bit more authority than Fly, who seemed to be guided by her maternal instincts much more than by her hubris, by her sim­ ple pride of being a solid, noble worker. So this rather patrician and fairly dignified figure was added to give it a little bit more weight.

Actually, we based Rex on the Christopher Plum­ mer character in The Sound o f Music [Robert Wise, 1965], Halfway through, I felt Rex might finally get his chance to win a sheepdog trial because Babe would be unable to compete, which is a Hollywood-style ending. But, instead, Rex chooses to help others and, through that, frees himself from his own pain, which is much more Campbell.

Miller: [Laughs.] Oh, yes. Campbell always has a hand in all this stuff.

It’s also great because Rex has to deal with the sheep for the first time. He goes into the world of the creatures he despises and has to find some com­ mon ground in order to help the little pig. I think that works pretty well.

It does seem to suggest, though, that if you know how to talk to anybody, you can have them do what you want!

Miller: Perhaps. But it’s more about an unprejudiced heart. Even though the device that Babe uses is very simply to be polite, he has to not carry with him any prejudice when he addresses the sheep. He finds it is very simple to talk to them when he assumes that they are not stupid.

When you first read the book, did you see it as a children's film, or one equally for children and adults?

Miller: It’s a children’s film, but for the child in all of us. We wanted to invite adults and children into the world of the film as equals, and that’s been con­ firmed by the response in America, where you find a lot of couples going at night.

One thing we were all determined to do was not “kiddify” the film, though we were determined to make it accessible to children. And to really enchant children, you have to use all the weapons you have.

The dark elements in the film are very strong, from the opening scene in the piggery, with its revisionist view of heaven. How do you feel chil­ dren would respond to such darkness?

Noonan: I believe that children love the dark, love being scared a little. That’s based on my own mem­

P A P E R S • r>h

-19-95

ories of watching films as a child. I remember being terrified by Fantasia [Ben Sharpsteen, 1940] and lov­ ing the sensation - at least once it stopped.

In recent years, Hollywood, in particular, has been scared of the dark side of things for films where chil­ dren are a substantial part of the audience. But if you look at the classic old Disney films, like Fantasia, Disney did not shirk from going the whole way with the dark side of things.

At its deepest level, Babe is about a character com­ ing to terms with his own mortality and being enriched by that knowledge. You have to see the darkness before you see the light for that part of the sub-text to have any resonance with an audience.

Miller: I don’t think I would have been involved in Babe had I not had a child. At an incredibly young age, kids want to know about the nature of death and God, and whether there is a heaven. You don’t sit down and have an intellectual discussion about it, because children learn about it and experience it through metaphor. All fables and allegories are storytelling in the form that can appeal in a poetic way to children. Through them, children process some of the larger questions in life.

The most impactive films we see, the most

impactive stories we remember from childhood, deal with the dark, subterranean issues of what it is to be human. I think we can all remember when we first saw Bambi [David Hand, 1942] If you start talking down to children, the degree of cynicism is picked up very quickly and they don’t buy it. One of the successes of Babe is that we stren­ uously avoided that.

That is particularly true of the moment where Babe asks Fly, the wonderful mother figure, if there is any purpose for a pig other than to be eaten. Her answer is chillingly direct.

Miller: For me, that is the biggest moment in the movie. That’s the moment Babe becomes an adult.

His life has been based on a lie and, although he has been protected from pain, Babe has to understand the essential truth about his mortality and, ultimately, his purpose. What makes him heroic, I believe, is the way he is able to overcome that realization. But it’s a tough moment.

You say you haven't talked down to children.

In a sense, you haven't talked down to animals, either. Terrence Rafferty in his New Yorker review talks about how, even though the animals

are given human voices, they are not humanized.

They remain animals with a profoundly different view of the world.

Miller: That comes very much from Dick KingSmith, who had been a farmer all his life and only decided to start writing children’s books when he was in his fifties or sixties. He is obviously someone who loves animals and is able to see them as such.

He doesn’t try to turn them into humans.

Actually, that was one of the hardest things to achieve. Even though the animals speak English, howdoes one deal with their knowledge of the world, particularly Babe’s? Maybe we cross the line on that several times, as when the animals watch television.

Some people’s pet dogs and cats may watch televi­ sion, but Em not sure what they are actually seeing.

On the other hand, we certainly were aware when we made the film of how children perceive films. I remember being surprised as my daughter was grow­ ing up by how much she enjoyed detail. If we went walking in the bush, she picked up every small detail which I’d missed.

The mice came directly out of that - throwing in those little things from time to time to keep the eye engaged as much as possible. It seems to work with adults, as well, but, had we been making it for adults, I probably wouldn’t have pushed for some­ thing like that.

When we had to do test screenings in the States, the only change we made as a result was to add the mice reading the chapter headings. We noticed that parents would lean over and whisper them in the ears of any children too young to read. We thought it would be good to have the mice do that.

How did your approach to portraying the ani­ mals affect the way you wrote their dialogue?

Noonan: The dialogue was a different thing, really.

It was possible to have the animals say almost any­

thing. In the case of Ferdinand, the dialogue is very audacious, and almost caricatured. I had Woody Allen’s voice going in my head the whole time I was writing his dialogue.

We didn’t feel restricted over what we could put into their mouths. But the animal characters did have to be treated exactly as human characters. In other words, they had to be consistent. Their characters had to hold together through the process in a believ­ able way.

My aim, I guess, was that within 15 minutes of starting to watch the film an audience would for­ get entirely that they were looking at animals; they would just be drawn into the characters. Whether they were watching human characters or animal characters was irrelevant. The characters had to work with the same level of consistency and believability and interest as human characters.

The ending is very interesting and unHoIIywoodian. Even though Babe gets three perfect scores, and the crowd cheers, it doesn't energize one in the way that a football or a basketball team might with a victory at film's close. That subse­ quent moment between Babe and Farmer Hoggett [James Cromwell] is profoundly more important than all those people jumping up and down screaming.

Miller: Yes, the usual Hollywood ending is where everybody wins and you cheer. What I think makes the scene so full of power is that Hoggett and Babe go from complete derision, as Hoggett walks out there with a pig on a leash, to transforming the crowd by the combined feat of scoring the perfect score. It requires Fly, Rex, Hoggett and Babe to do that.

Ultimately, though, and this is in the book, it is the moment in which the incredibly-laconic Hoggett and Babe stand out there, listening to the roar of the crowd, and Hoggett’s very simple words at the end.

Coming down to that very small moment is some­

thing one would normally not do. But, ultimately for me, it is the most exquisite moment in the movie.

Noonan: Two things are paid off at the end. It’s a victory of faith in one’s instincts, and faith that you can do what you want to do. It’s also the resolution of the relationship between Hoggett and the pig.

Throughout the film, Hoggett has continually shown an understanding beyond words of what is going on in the animal world. He has found a way to sense what is going on beyond the membrane that separates the world of the humans and the ani­ mals. The very final moment in the film resolves that aspect of the film, of dealing with the two separate worlds and the separation between those worlds.

It also is a resolution in that you know that Hoggett will never kill Babe now, which, because it has been unstated, has always been somewhat in doubt.

So, in classic storytelling terms, the ending is the classic pay-off, in that the tensions of the movie are resolved and released. And Hoggett, who is in some ways an ambiguous character, in that he does­ n’t state himself many times definitively, finally does state himself in a way that I regard as definitive.

You say the resolution is a victory for trusting one's instincts. Is the scripting process at Kennedy Miller, with its constant deconstruction of draft screenplays, at odds with trusting one's creative instincts?

Noonan: Sometimes that can be the case with cer­ tain personality types. The process of collaboration with others necessitates being able to justify one’s instincts, to be able to argue for what you want to do. You have to be able to find a reason for the direc­ tion that you want to take a scene or a whole story.

We all know that truth doesn’t necessarily __ ^ reside in those sort of intellectual and verbal justifications. p53

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Nigel Westlake is one of Australia's major classical composers. His feature film (Candy Regentag, 1989, and Back*)tiding, 1992) and television (Celluloid Heroea, 1995) work has been less known.

That changed with Babe, which has one of the most luscious, varied and engaging scores of recent memory. It has catapulted Westlake to the very forefront of world film composers, and his phone has been rarely quiet since.

Westlake, interviewed by S C O T T M U R R A Y , begins with describing how he became involved with a pig that spoke.

Westlake: I was approached by George Miller in January 1995. George and Chris had commissioned Jerry Goldsmith to compose a score for the film, but they had decided his score was not really what they were after. As Jerry was not in a position to make any changes, they went looking for a com­ pletely different approach.

George had just seen some of my work for a tele­ vision series, Celluloid Heroes, and must have liked what he heard, because I was one of six people who were invited to submit ideas for Babe. We were all given a video with three or four very different scenes. We were then invited to submit a synthe­ sized rough guide-track for those scenes. About a week later, I was chosen to do the score.

How similar to the finished music is what you did as a guide-track?

I don’t spend a lot of time or money producing a crash-hot guide-track, because I don’t see the point.

You do one simply to give the director an idea of where you’re going with the music, and approxi­ m ately what it will sound like when the orchestration is finalized.

The track in this case was identical in terms of sync, and virtually note for note, as the final orches­ tral version. However, the orchestral version is your full-blown, beautifully-recorded thing, where all the music comes to life. That is what you do it for, really.

When you first saw Babe, what were your feelings in terms of the music it needed?

The first rough-cut I saw had little bits and pieces of music placed there by the editors - Saint-Saëns Symphony No. 3, a bit of Grieg and so on. It seemed very obvious to me that the music should underscore the emotional content of what was happening with the animals, in the animal world. Obviously, you have certain limitations in terms of ‘actors’ deliv­ ering their lines with emotional content. [Laughs.]

However, I did see a lot of openings for elements o f whimsy in the score, especially with the Hoggetts, who are quite comical characters. For

instance, Farmer Hoggett just had to be represented by a bassoon melody.

Although we have to a certain extent represented each character with a musical m otif or theme, I don’t think that element is overdone.

Basically, the music can be broken down into three or four basic ideas, in that you’ve got your animal world, which has sub-worlds within it. Babe, for instance, has his own theme. The dogs have a couple of motifs that recur for them, while the odd tragedy that perm eates the anim als’ life from time to time has a motif.

Many films and documentaries on animals have irritating music which sends up their move­ ments and antics. In Babe, there is not a frame where the music is not loving and respectful of the animals.

Yes. I think it’s very important for the credibility of the story for the animals to be treated with the utmost respect - even, in fact, with more serious­ ness than the humans.

How did the use of themes by other composers come about, particularly the Saint-Saëns?

For a long time during the production, George had the idea that the eight-bar melody from Saint-Saëns’ Symphony No. 3 would make a wonderful theme for Babe. It has a certain innocence to it and it is also very adaptable.

That adaptability was made clear to George when he heard the 1970s reggae version of the theme which became a bit of a hit. George thought if the Saint-Saëns could cope with that and still retain its integrity, it had to be very versatile. So, that stuck as Babe’s theme.

It actually never really appears in its original Saint-Saëns orchestration. It is an organ symphony and the organ in the original features very promi­ nently. For me, the organ was far too gothic for this film. I felt it needed something much lighter.

So, the theme goes through many different per­ mutations and appears for a total of about five minutes in the 75 minutes of original orchestral score.

of fun conceiving the music from scratch.

O f course, the challenge on other films, when there is ‘temp’ music, is to come up with something that’s better. I enjoy that.

Usually, you can see why the editors have used a particular piece of music in a section of a film.

But, inevitably, there is a problem of continuity: How can you have that tune appearing only once in a film? It usually doesn’t bear any relationship to anything else in the film.

It’s important to have your themes, which are treated in different ways for different scenes, devel­ oped throughout the film. That is a time-honoured process and it works for me. I’ve yet to find a another system that is better to work with.

Where was the music recorded?

At the new ABC Southbank studio in Melbourne, which, from my experience, has to be the best room for this purpose in the country. It was recorded with the Victorian Philharmonic Orchestra, which is basically the M elbourne Symphony under the guise of a freelance band.

Robin Grey was the engineer. The whole thing was virtually done straight off the stereo pair, using a bit of the room ambience for the surround. We did a little bit of mixing in terms of bringing up the odd solo here and there, but it was basically mixed straight to tape, which is a good way to do it and saves a lot of time. If the musicians are performing the music as a balanced organism, then it makes a lot more sense.

How long did it take to record?

Five days and we spent about four days doing final mixes and editing. There was quite a bit of editing in some spots. It didn’t take too long, really.

Is Babe one of those rare films where you actually had the time and the resources to do things the way you wanted?

Yes. I was fairly specific in my requests in terms of how I wanted it done, the time and the amount of players that I needed. George was adamant that it should have a very big, lush sound and, of course, I wouldn’t have wanted any other way. Kennedy M iller never questioned that, and were totally forthcoming in terms of supplying everything that was needed, which I was very grateful for and which of course has paid off.

How does it feel to have written a score for so successful a film?

The Grieg was originally a Grieg piano piece [Lyric Piece No. 28 Spring (Norwegian Dance)], which the editors had cut in for one of the round­ up scenes. They had become very attached to that, so I just reorchestrated it. I think it works quite well.

There is one other section where Babe and Fer­ dinand the duck go into the house to steal the alarm clock, where the score is an adaptation of the pizzi­ cato from Sylvia by Delibes.

Apart from that, all the score is original and was conceived at the offices of Kennedy M iller from about January through to April.

One of the most striking aspects of your score is the richness and variation of the orchestration.

I think it’s necessary when you write orchestral music to use as much colour as you possibly can, and incorporate subtle variants of colour in the orchestration. T h at is what draws the ear into orchestral music. Without that, it can become very boring, bland and monotonous.

Were you also involved in the songs sung by the mice?

N o. T h e song over the end cred its [“If I Had Words”] is actually the 1970s reggae version, but

sped up to sound like mice. It was just taken straight o ff the CD and sped up, which was an idea of George’s.

George and I toyed with the idea of re-recording it, but I couldn’t find a way to make it work that I was happy with.

There are also the little bursts of "Blue Moon" and the Toreador Aria.

They were put together by Julius Chan, one of the sound editors. He spent a bit of time getting a bunch of things together, multi-tracking them and speeding them up.

As I discovered in my attempts to record mouse­ sounding music, it’s not as easy as you first think.

You have to not only worry about the pitch, but the pronunciation and so on.

Is it difficult for a composer to come onto a film and find the editors and director already attached to bits of other people's music?

That’s an interesting dilemma. I can see why editors do it, and there’s only been one film I’ve worked on where they haven’t. That was C ellu lo id H ero es, where the tape they gave me of episode one was totally silent [it deals with the silent era]. It was a lot

It was a very satisfying project to be part of and really wonderful working with George and Chris.

I learnt a lot from both of them about working with film. I’ve never worked so intensively with direc­ tors before.

I worked in their offices at Kennedy Miller. They gave me a room of my own, and they’d come to visit me two or three times a day. George would sit down and ask, “Well, what have you got for me today?” [Laughs.] I’d play him the roughs and we’d discuss it.

In a way, it’s strange being over here while it is doing so well in the States. It feels a bit removed, because the week it opened the phone was running hot here with old friends and cousins, and the odd director ringing up from LA raving about it. O f course, no one here has seen it or anything, and they don’t have a clue really what the fuss is about.

So, it has been tremendously satisfying and, of course, it is already generating other work, which is fantastic.

Miller on the Music The music was always going to be a full orchestral score. W e had to under score

The publication of two volumes of Jonathan film criticism that has been absent for the past first film book in a long time to break the sorry: appreciations of cinema, and many English-lanj

r e a d s more like a eulogy than a critique, the reason is simple: I have been an avid reader of Jonathan Rosenbaum’s film crit­ icism almost as long as I have been a cinéphile.

Indeed, when I look back now at the monu­ mental “My Favourite Films/Texts/Things” poll assembled by Rosenbaum in the November 1976 issue of Film Comment, I see that several of the films I have come to treasure most over the past twenty years - such as Jacques Rivette’s Céline et Ju lie vont en bateau (Celine and Ju lie Go Boating, 1974), Jacques Tati’s Playtime (1967) and Robert Bres­ son’s L a n celo t du L ac (1974) - were probably first brought to my attention through his fierce championing of them. And some of my more recently-developed pas­ sions - for Râûl Ruiz, Jon Jost or Chantal Akerman - are inextricably tied up with Rosenbaum’s ongoing critical illuminations of these artists.

Placing Movies, Rosenbaum’s latest book of criti­ cism, has appeared in tandem with a reprint of his earlier, far less conventional work, Moving Places.1 Placing Movies is an exceptionally fine anthology of essays and reviews. This is not only because the indi­ vidual pieces gathered in it are of such an enormously high quality. As a whole, the book is organized so as to illuminate the diverse facets of what Rosenbaum sees

I

F THIS ARTICLE

14

as the “practice of film criticism”. So, alongside atten­ tion to “touchstone” films (from G en tlem en P refer B lo n d es, IToward Hawks, 1 9 5 3 , to G ertru d , Carl Dreyer, 1964) and particular filmmakers (from Orson Welles and Jerry Lewis to John Cassavetes and Alain Resnais), there are sections devoted to “The Critical Apparatus” and “Provocations”.

At least one already published review of Placing Movies2 has tended to minimize - or disparage - Rosen­ baum’s tenacious attention to the institutions and situations of criticism. And some readers might pre­ fer to savour the friendlier, more agreeable and “appreciative” aspects of the book - such as Rosen­ baum’s remarkable gifts as a writer, and his rare ability to make accessible and appealing even the least invit­ ing avant garde epic. Since this elision (or evasion) does a grave disservice to Rosenbaum’s project, I would like to reverse these priorities for a change, and celebrate his political “provocations” before savouring the cinephiliac insights.

For his part - while conceding “a certain intolerance and belligerence” in some of his earlier writings — Rosenbaum still stands up for the value of angry provo­ cation and even passionate hatred, especially in our present “cowardly” period. The issues he gets worked up about are, to my mind, exactly the right issues; and his jabs are invariably spot-on.

Andrew Sarris once referred, presumably with some irritation, to Rosenbaum’s “boringly • relentless pugnacity” - and the quote is duly preserved for posterity in Placing M ovies, as well as appearing in a more allusive way in M oving Places.

A random list of Rosenbaum’s pet hates and recur­ rent worries can be quickly racked into focus. He is against the “philistinism and xenophobia” of critics (in his experience, especially New York critics) who dis­ regard anything but the m ost sanctioned and well-distributed mainstream and arthouse cinema. In

]

Even a casual reader of American film criticism may have gathered that Rosenbaum regularly gets up the nose of entrenched, powerful critics such Sarris, Pauline Kael and Vincent Canby. And he irritates authority fig­ ures in other spheres of film culture, too, such as the avant garde scholar P. Adams Sitney, who testily com­ plained (in a review of the book Film - The Front Line 1983) about Rosenbaum’s whining about the denseness of other critics, the lack of distribution for ambitious European films, and the difficulties he has had seeing films all over the West­ ern world.3

C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

Rosenbaum’s writings has witnessed a buzz in two decades, argues Adrian M artin. It is the division between journalistic and intellectual i^uage writers on film could take a cue from it.

a superb essay on why the films of Leos Carax have not yet been “Miramaxed” in the U.S., Rosenbaum asserts: A few selected examples of what used to be regarded as alternative choices [...] have been smeared across public consciousness like low-fat margarine.4 Rosenbaum is against the wilful ignorance - the “breathtaking” lack of curiosity - that increasingly shapes the consciousness of both popular reviewers and cinema academics as they face the entire breadth of world cinema: films from all countries, from all peri­ ods, on all gauges and formats.

Rosenbaum disapproves o f distributors and exhibitors who no longer take chances on important, “difficult” films, such as those by Jean-M arie Straub and Danièle Huillet or Marguerite Duras, and who do everything in their power to stifle proper critical and cultural debate. He is wary of any claims implying the pristine “freedom” or divine “authority” of critics, since it is usually the institution to which they belong (a newspaper, say) which dictates the particular tastes, protocols and “rigid formats” to which they must con­ form. And he is incensed at the rising influence of the infernal publicity/hype machine that more and more determines (through press kits and other means) what under-achieving reviewers actually manage to write about films.

C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

A book so personal and candid - and often very touchingly so, as in its magnificent essay on Manny Farber, written especially for this volume - nudges one into divulging similar confessions. Some Cinema Papers readers may be aware that I temperamentally (and politically) share Rosenbaum’s “gadfly instincts”, and his determination to provoke some kind of dialogue with neighbouring members of film culture. So, I should be brave enough to inquire: Does anything of what he says of these sorry situations in America or England find its echo here?

O f course, a certain polite niceness rules over the film reviewing scene in Australia - certainly far more so than in Europe, where bloody, polemical fights between critics (and critical “positions”) are a regular, healthy occurrence - and a completely “gloves off” consideration of these issues would not be a wise professional move on the part of anyone who is (or aspires to be) a practising “insider”. Nonetheless, a lot of what Rosenbaum challenges us to think about and engage with is clearly relevant to local conditions.

Such as? Australia, like America, certainly has its lazy “Woody Allen cult” among reviewers (brilliantly dissected by Rosenbaum in “Notes Toward the Deval­ uation of Woody Allen”) - this strange twist of film culture and history whereby Allen (an interesting,

enjoyable but very minor director) is furiously pro­ moted and debated as if the future of cinema depended on his every latest release. And one could extend this thesis to many of the so-called “independents” from Am erica (John Sayles, Hal H artley, maybe even Quentin Tarantino) who are pushed down our throats by the brokers of local film distribution and exhibition.

Such selective saturation bombing arguably makes it very hard for any of us to have a wider apprehension of cinema. D idn’t I hear, at the recent Australian Film Commission conference on low-budget filmmaking, the pronouncement that “independent feature filmmaking” began in the U.S. with Jim Jarmusch’s Stranger than Paradise (1984), thereby obliterating all trace of Shirley Clarke, Jon Jost, M ark Rappaport, Yvonne Rainer, et al?

H ere’s another pertinent echo. In “A Bluffer’s Guide to Béla Tarr”, Rosenbaum introduces a Hun­ garian film m aker little known (at least yet) in English-speaking film cultures. He takes the opportu­ nity to dismantle the assumption that one needs to know a lot about certain foreign cultures in order to even approach certain foreign films - since (as this spu­ rious logic goes) what these films mainly talk about, or reveal, is their own country’s history (or even “soul”), often in a disguised, allegorical form. Rosenbaum cracks

15

a good joke in passing about the “veritable cottage industry” that has grown up interpreting the elaborate camera movements in Miklos Jancso’s films as “a direct or indirect statement about the rigidity of life under Hungarian communism”.

This constipated mode of criticism is wildly preva­ lent in Australia, both at journalistic and academic levels.

It gets used, strikingly, on most “Eastern bloc” films (including Krzysztof Kieslowski’s) and Latin American films, almost all Chinese art films (especially Zhang Yimou’s), and on Russian movies such as Burnt by the Sun (Nikita Mikhalkov, 1994). Personally, I believe that it functions as a way of “policing” the interpretation of these films - most often enforced by those “experts” who claim to have privileged, inside knowledge of the nations and cultures in question. The method hides a curious double standard: most critics would not dream of taking La Séparation (Christian Vincent, 1994) as an allegory of the French nation, or Nanni Moretti’s brush with cancer in C aro D iario (D ear D iary , 1994) as a “symptom” of the Italian condition.

What is at stake here is not whether films do or do not “reflect” their national origin (a banal debate, really). It is more the sort of question which Rosen­ baum first asked in Film - The Front L in e in relation to the baleful A m erican recep tio n of Andrei Tarkovsky’s Stalker (1979), and that he continues to explore in various ways here

catch all manner of films (and ideas) before they drop completely away from public notice. The guardians of this marginal film culture - themselves often relentless, pugnacious types - also constitute a sort of voice of con­ science that nags away (one hopes) in the minds of our more hype-driven public commentators.

In his response to the P. Adams Sitney review quoted above, Rosenbaum argued: The reason for forcing myself into the picture is quite simply to make the criticism more u sable, by con­ textualizing my positions and showing where they come from - refusing to resort to hidden agendas, and respecting the reader’s right to disagree.6 Placing M ovies extends that argument into the design of an entire book. Rosenbaum’s exposure of his “sub­ jectivity” is always refreshing, and never pointless. And his book is “usable” in many other ways as well particularly for anyone who is entertaining a career in

16

Jonathan Rosenbaum is a terrific writer. I mean far more by this than the usual compli• m ent: th at the prose style is w itty, racy, eloquent, accessible, sharp, and so on, a good way to “dress up” or communicate the intellectual content of the pieces. For in Rosenbaum, more than in most crit­ ics I can think of, “style” (or form) and content are inextricably bound together. A beautiful section of M oving Places is addressed to his mother, about her absence and the letters he wrote to her as a child:

Z

The more I wrote, the closer I felt to you. Even my long sentences nowadays seem motivated by a desire to cross similar distances.

work which could actually address the conditions of people’s lives [...] is never being read as such; it’s invariably translated into something else - something with a distant, “foreign” relevance.

Third comparison. Australia, in an odd and dis­ tressing fashion, inherits the “xenophobia” of the American critics: all they seem to care about over there, principally, is American movies^, and so do we. Rosen­ baum is withering about those critics who spend all their time making small cults out of, say, Brian De Pal­ m a’s œuvre, while they blithely ignore even the important “world cinema” events that do make it into their hometown theatres. Local case in point: How many newspapers and magazines said boo about this year’s Michael Snow retrospective, with Snow in atten­ dance at every session? More to the point: How many of our paid reviewers have ever seen a Michael Snow film, or even know who he is?

Of course, the blame for these kinds of monstrous gaps should not always be laid at the feet of struggling (and/or clueless) individuals. The logic of the “system” - the institution - often dictates what can be achieved in certain situations, thereby making even the most pugnacious gadfly com plicit. (This is a factor that Rosenbaum always concedes - for instance, by reprint­ ing even the “star ratings” that must go with his reviews in the Chicago Reader, where he currently works.) Even a local critic who really did want to plug a Snow or Ruiz retrospective in a newspaper might find their copy whit­ tled down and shoved into an “entertainment/events guide” - somewhere off the arts pages proper - or see the assignment given to a staff writer to cover as a “pro­ file”, puff piece. This is exactly how the Museum of Contemporary Art’s recent Paul Winkler retrospective was covered in our media (print and television); no one actually “reviewed” the films that comprised it.

From another angle, I’d have to say that Australia doesn’t look so bad when compared to the nightmar­ ish American film scene that Rosenbaum conjures. SBS gives us regular, in-depth access to many filmmakers such as Hou Hsaio-Hsien and Abbas Kiarostami - who seem much harder to come by in the U.S. And the interknit sites of our more “marginal” film culture including the National Library, the various film festi­ vals, the N ational C inem atheque, independent filmmaking groups, small magazines and pockets of uni­ versity departments devoted to cinema study - provide a relatively sturdy net, in a relatively small country, to

“p ro m ote”. M ore im portant for Rosenbaum , one senses, is the individuality and seriousness of genuine cinéphile passions, and the ideas, understandings and frames of reference that these passions can generate.

One feels that, among the major critics, Rosenbaum is the least interested in having acolytes and protégés who parrot his tastes and emulate his positions - unlike, to take the most obvious example, Pauline Kael. He honours an aphorism from Jean-Luc Godard: “I’d like to regard myself as an airplane, not an airport.”

"It's a cinch th a t, if M oving Places appeared fo r the firs t tim e today, it w ould receive th a t ugly, fasionable label of 'ficto -criticism '.

Yet I find this book superior, certainly fa r freer, than most o f the careful, selfconcious exercises in ficto -criticism th a t have fo llo w ed it." film criticism . It offers handy tips (and frontline anecdotes) on everything from dealing with distribu­ tors and relating to colleagues, to getting started writing each day (retype your last page is Rosenbaum’s sug­ gestion), to the sticky problems of reviewing filmmakers who are one’s friends.

Rosenbaum is extremely relaxed when it comes to the question of “taste” - and especially the matter of taste-making or taste-breaking, which I believe many practising critics are obsessed with, secretly or not so secretly. O f course, he has his favourites and his pethates, his tw in legions o f the overrated and the underrated. He is com pletely upfront about these biases, and about the identities of those he wishes to

In Rosenbaum’s work, the “action” of a sentence - and he is an enviable master of sentence construction - mim­ ics, or (more strongly) constructs, the coming together, the formation, of an idea. The process is always intel­ lectual and sensual at the same time. It’s the jazz legacy in his style, a legacy he often alludes to, and nowhere expresses itself more fully than in his discussion of Clint Eastwood’s B ird (1988). This piece begins with the description of a Charlie Parker performance which Rosenbaum sees as “a fusion of passionate acrobatics and spontaneous formal patterning”: During a live radio broadcast from Birdland on 31 March 1951, there’s an electrifying moment when Parker leaps into his solo on ‘A Night in Tunisia’, combining cascading machine-gun volleys of notes - wailing sixteenth notes and dovetailing triplets into what sound like two successive melodic somer­ saults, each one in a separate d irectio n , that miraculously turn the rhythm around with shifting accents - an awesome tumble in midair over four free bars until he triumphantly splashes into the next chorus [PlacingM ovies, p. 265], Rosenbaum then digs further into this moment - into the context in which it was performed, involving Park­ er’s expression of contem pt towards the radio host immediately before playing - and concludes that the quick transfer to music from speech allowed him to unfurl his anger in one dazzling, unbroken string of invective, transform ing his three words into four asymmetrical bars of breathtaking invention.

Rosenbaum is a great “describer”, which is part of what he has taken and adapted from a more specific filmcritical legacy, that of Manny Farber. Materiality and concreteness are his watchwords; from his earliest pieces in the early 1970s he was railing against critics who abstract movies into “transcendental mystifica­ tions [...] rather than anything so mundane as their own ingredients”. And the attention to the action of form in the films finds its exact correspondence in his writ­ ing. Long before the current vogue within the literary world for “the essay”, Rosenbaum was writing critical pieces based (sometimes quite subtly) on the intricacies of their own literary form. “Orson Welles’s Essay Films and Documentary Fictions: A Two-Part Speculation”, for instance, weaves all manner of lists, aphorisms and speculative possibilities into a baroque montage that is authentically Wellesian.

“Alain Resnais and M élo ” is for me the absolute highlight of Placing Movies. Rosenbaum takes Resnais’ 1986 film - woefully underrated in this country as else­ where - and, in another beautifully-constructed essay, C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

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offers ten successive “vantage p o in ts” for under­ standing and experiencing it, rather as Resnais’ own films usually offer a sort of elegant, constructivist mosaic of positions and points-of-view. Rosenbaum tests the proposition that “Resnais’ handling of light­ ing and camera movement in conjunction with speech resembles the scoring and conducting of music” against the long opening scene, in which one character, a musi­ cian, tells two others about how one of his relationships ended while he performed a concert. As Rosenbaum receives it, in this scene, Resnais’ masterful mise en scène contrives to give us the effect of a flashback without once cutting away from the characters in the present and the sounds in the garden.

Camera movement, staging and the careful direction of the speaking actor’s gestures are the keys here. We experience aspects of the narrated performance - the “steady flow” of the music, and the character’s “agi­ tated scanning of the concert audience” - as if the past had stealthily invaded the present. Resnais’ stylistic decisions in this scene also prefigure important aspects of the (melo)drama to come - thus superimposing “three separate tenses and experiences at once [...] in a manner that is simple, fluid, and mesmerizing”.

Rosenbaum is as good at producing sudden, strik­ ing insights as he is at sculpting expansive analyses. He has the knack of being able to encapsulate or condense the project of a film in a catchy sentence. Of Chantal Akerman’s Jean n e D ielm an, 23 Q uai d e C om m erce 1080 Bruxelles (1975) he comments: The film’s paradoxical fascination is that it’s both naturalistic and non-naturalistic; everything is a clue and nothing offers a solution.

Across the range of inclusions in Placing M ovies, we observe Rosenbaum’s growing facility as a journalist a context where the need for such epigrammatic (or

telegram m atic) conciseness is m ore pressing and challenging. Here, for instance, is the comparison of the comic personas of Woody Allen and Jerry Lewis (the latter being a special love of Rosenbaum’s):

refusing to play by m ost o f its academ ic rules indeed, flou tin g its pu ritanical resistances to pleasure and its institu tional avoidances o f the

Why are the French so crazy about Jerry Lewis?

Well, for one thing, some of them see him as being very much like America: infantile, hysterical, uncon­ tro lled , giddy, un inhibited , tacky, en erg etic, inarticulate, obnoxious, sentimental, overbearing, socially and sexually maladjusted, and all over the place. (By contrast, at least on the surface, Allen is adolescent, neurotic, controlled, whiny, inhibited, preppy, lethargic, articulate, cynical, wormy, socially and sexually maladjusted and confined.) [p. 241]

Just as this autobiography-of-sorts conjures a subject who seems oddly displaced or misplaced between starkly different formative life-periods - a childhood in the A m erican South spliced w ith the cou n tercultural hedonism of post-’68 France, for instance M ovin g P laces, as a book, seems stranded between certain, exhibitionistic “all-American” impulses and a more British form of powerfully politicized selfanalysis.

This is a special and unique book - one that has lasted and improved with the passage of time. It’s a cinch that, if M oving Places appeared for the first time today, it would receive that ugly, fashionable label of “ficto-criticism”. Yet I find this book superior, certainly far freer, than most of the careful, self-conscious exer­ cises in ficto-criticism that have followed it. There is more to the action of this book than a simple two-step “between fiction and criticism” - such as one finds in many current (mainly academic) publications in the field of “cultural studies”.

One final observation about Placing M ovies. I have noticed, in an informal way, that “non-specialist” read­ ers - even non-cinephile readers, who may never have heard of or seen a Manoel de Oliveira film in their lives - are buying this book and enjoying it. In fact, I haven’t witnessed such a generalized buzz around a film book since the era of James Monaco’s H ow to Read a Film in the ’70s. What happened after Monaco - the splitting of the market into coffee-table publications on the one hand and academically-slanted works on the other, such that most publishers now flatly state that “film books don’t sell” - has been, to risk an overview, a pretty sad state of affairs. Placing Movies is really the first film book in a long time to decisively break this sorry division between “journalistic” and “intellectual” appreciations of cinema.

W hen it was first published in 1 9 8 0 , M ov­ ing Places was a book way ahead of its time.

• Then, it may have seemed to some an imper­ tinent hybrid, an “untimely meditation”. It was a book that fell mightily between stools: heavily influenced by the film theory of the ’70s, but (as Rosenbaum reflects in his new introduction)

cinesure

personal.

Quite unabashedly, and more in keeping with the aspirations of a novelist than with those of a critic, I wanted somehow to “do” everything, comments Rosenbaum in retrospect, citing models as diverse (and radical) as James Agee, William Gass and Viktor Shklovsky. It’s not hard to see the influence of the later Roland Barthes, too - although Rosenbaum was perhaps the only critic of his time who actually walked the plank and wrote as daringly as Barthes, as opposed to pulping the m aster’s “ideas” into neat, applicable schemas (a point trenchantly made ^ in Placing M ovies’ “Barthes & Film: 12 Suggestions”). p55

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C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

17

It was like the theatre then. You used to have to book if you wanted to go to the pictures on a Friday or Saturday night. In those days, you couldn’t see a first release anywhere but at a city cinema. You’d get dressed up and have a meal at one of the restaurants. There weren’t restaurants everywhere like there are today. The suburban cinemas competed for the film after it had finished its city season.

(David Lean, 1965) ran for three years at the Metro.

I remember watching (Terence Young) in 1 9 6 2 ,1 think, at the Regent with three thousand people. Now that was a cinema experience. Not like today: they’re like sausage factories.

Doctor Zhivago Dr. No

T he cinema experience is changing. It always has.

Melbourne’s cinema experience begins at the turn of the century, in little more than cattle sheds on the banks of the Yarra. In this, the hundredth or so year of cinema, the French are taking credit for invent­ ing the camera-projector, but they cannot claim the cinema experience as their own. The Australian cin­ ema experience is unique. Just like Australian films, the cinemas we view them in are now also a healthy export.

Cinema in Australia has been through them all: flood, fire and cyclone. The recession hasn’t been kind, either. Cinema has a tendency to spawn prog­ eny that always threaten to consume their parents.

Australian cinema has been threatened by new tech­ nology every decade. C D -R om and Pay T V are merely the latest threats. There was television in the 1960s, drive-ins in the ’70s, video and computer games in the ’80s. The introduction of the talkies in the 1930s is said to have closed as many doors

18

as it opened. Somehow, through all this, enough of cinema’s magic has withstood demolition.

In the 1980s, we applauded “the Greeks” - or, more precisely, Cosmopolitan Films - for preserving a handful of the picture palaces through one of cin­ ema’s worst declines: that of the late 1960s and early ’70s. The ’60s and ’70s saw the en masse demolition of the picture palaces. M ost of them occupied big blocks in the middle of prime commercial real estate.

Ironically, it was the cinemas’ presence that over the years had made the sites such drawcards for retailers.

The cinema was usually replaced with an equivalent commodity, like a shopping mall.

In this period, other picture palaces were changed irreparably. The Capitol, Swanston Street, designed

by Marion and Walter Burley Griffin, lost its impres­ sive entrance foyers. The magnificent auditorium, along with the whole building, is now heritage. M ak­ ing a heritage site saves a building from demolition, but it can also condemn it to ruin. Everybody loves

the Forum, with its Arabian-nights, fantasy-orna­ mentation, but it just isn’t viable to try and run two screens of such a size, with the sort of overheads incurred on such a site.

In the m id -1990s, the picture palace is under threat again, this time by “tripling”. In the 1980s, there was a similar period of twinning. Twinning, like tripling, divided up an existing large single screen, as at the Rivoli, Camberwell, and the Brighton Bay. The independents like the Valhalla Glebe recently com­ pleted this process.

Tripling is the process of dividing the vast audi­ torium spaces of the picture palaces into three smaller screens. The Balwyn, Melbourne, has recently com­ pleted this process. The V alhalla, M elbou rne, is considering it. Picture palaces are becoming boutiques.

There has been a proliferation of new screens, and there are more people going back to the cinema.

The distributors are making a fortune and cinema is said to be booming - so much so that somebody con­ secutively robbed three of the arthouse cinemas. It didn’t start a trend. The armed robber was disap­ pointed. The figures relating to audience growth are deceptive. When a single film makes big money you can guarantee it is screening in at least four cine­ mas. There has been a change in the marketplace; there are now many more smaller screens.

A boutique cinema is small by definition and is found nestled among other boutiques offering flow­ ers, designer clothes and, of course, sophisticated cafés. They are part of the shoppers’ experience; just as you peruse a product, you can “browse” a film.

Like the product around them, the boutique is sophisC I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

by Michael Kitson ticated, “talked about” and packaged as exclusive.

Their M elbourne originator was the Longford in South Y arra, w hich occupies a hum ble frontage amongst designer clothes, bookshops and cafés. Open­ ing fo r private business in 1 9 8 4 , the L on g fo rd ’s success can almost wholly be attributed to its current owner, N atalie M iller - a brilliant and formidable presence in Melbourne cinema and film distribution.

The boutiques, like their operators, are smart, were previously known as arthouses, and screen films written off by multi-plexes as catering to minorities.

Village now wants a piece of the arthouse.

In M elbourne, following in the footsteps of the Longford, was the Kino. The Kino opened in the late 1980s as a twin, offering subtle European product, which, like SBS Television, made no apologies for subtitles. Following New Vision Distribution’s suc­ cess with the Kino, a partnership between the owner of the Longford and the Valhalla was begun. In 1992, Natalie M iller and Barry Peake opened the Nova, in cosmopolitan Carlton.

The Nova is the purest distillation of the boutique.

The Nova is a purple velvet shoebox, decked with gold leaf. The Nova has polite customer service and an excellent, if cramped, projectionist. It is also very smart about its overheads. The Nova has successfully inte­ grated its p atron s’ requ irem ents, m aintained an intimate and sophisticated atmosphere, and stream­ lined its operations to what is called penny pinching by some and brilliant management by others.

C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

The boutique cinema requires less staff. Many are set up to run with only a ticket seller and a single pro­ jectionist. Both are required to be multi-skilled. If the ticket seller is inundated with late patrons, the pro­ jectionist will tear tickets.

T o avoid costly double tim e at the end o f an evening, the projectionist takes over from the man­ ager. The projectionist keeps an eye on the in-house television which monitors all its screens. This will alert the projectionist if anything has gone wrong in the bio (or projection) box. The projectionist can answer the phone, let the audience out and close up at the end of the night.

The independent boutique cinemas have been so successful even the mainstream wants a piece of the action. Village has gone into partnership with Palace Pictures, a distributor and growing cinema chain.

Antonio Zeccola, who heads Palace Pictures, gets the pick of the product through Village’s buying power.

O ver C hristm as 1 9 9 4 , Z ecco la unveiled his em pire. In addition to the Balwyn T w in, Dendy B righton, Brighton Bay and Cam eo Belgrave, he opened the George Twin and the Como Triple. He held all the winning cards that summer: he opened with Dangerous Game (Abel Ferrara), Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino) and Interview with a Vampire (Neil Jordan). Palace-Village has purchased Sydney’s Academy Twin, the Verona and the Walker cinemas.

As well as the Village-Palace alliance at the Jam Fac­ tory, they have plans for Brisbane.

In M elb ou rn e, the Ja m F a cto ry , Prahran, is intended as a boutique complex, screening a mix of arthouse and mainstream. The boutique is a hybrid of

Melbourne’s cinema. It is not only a national export to Sydney, Brisbane and Perth, but an international one. The combined outfitters of the boutiques, Greater Union Village Technology and Michael Smith, have now won jobs in South East Asia. There is further work in Europe for Smith supplying and installing cur­ tains and soundproof fabrics. Greater Union Village Technology, which supplies the hardware such as the fully-computerized and -automated platter systems, is also finding more work outside the country.

The Rise of th e B outique How did it all begin? In the 1960s, films were getting bigger. W idescreen and 70m m brought the block­ busters like Bridge on the River Kwai (David Lean, 1 9 5 7 ), Law rence o f Arabia (Lean, 1 9 6 2 ), D octor Zhivago, Oliver! (Carol Reed, 1968) and The Guns ofN avarone (J. Lee Thompson, 1961). You had to book for Lawrence the same way you have to book for an Andrew Lloyd Webber. The cinema reflected its product. This was the time that is remembered fondly as “the cinema like theatre”. W ith the decline of the international epic and the collapse of the Eng­ lish film industry, the cinem a went into its worst slump. It was only relieved in 1 9 7 7 , when George Lucas made his epic Star Wars for a lean million.

Repertoire or independents didn’t really exist before the Valhalla. The few that did were limited, like the M elbourne Cinem atheque, to small festi­ vals and once-weekly screenings. The history of the independent is one written parallel to the corporates like Hoyts and Village and Greater Union. The inde­ pendents w ere reactionaries shaped by what the

19

m ainstream w ouldn’t supply, but they w ere also visionary and truly independent.

T h e V alhalla rode the wave o f its tim es. Like the Carlton M oviehouse, it was born out of youth culture. Its owners were in their twenties when they opened the doors. While the Carlton was a product of its times, the Valhalla was a reaction to them.

In 1976, the youth complained of boredom and tiredness with the bread and circuses supplied by the establishment. Punk broke in the U.S. and to greater media attention in Britain. The Valhalla is a prod­ uct of that era.

The Valhalla Cinema opened its doors in R ich­ mond, Melbourne, in 1976. While the proprietor of the Valhalla, Barry Peake, claims no connection to punk, it is worth remembering that they were express­ ing similar sentiments. They were the sentiments of the time - boredom and dissatisfaction that were expressed in ‘silly days’ and anarchic, 24-hour movie m arathons. It is also no coincidence that Richard Lowenstein’s infamous shared household, portrayed in Dogs in Space (1987), was on Richmond Hill, and it was the Valhalla which screened the Sex Pistols movie, The Great Rock ’n Roll Swindle (Julien Tem ­ ple, 1980), to anarchic and sometimes violent youth.

The Valhalla, with its allegiance to Monty Python, outlived punk fp sa u sP Ir the cinema,'Vthing irboth loved and disrespected.

Soon after the Valhalla came the re-opening of the Carlton Moviehouse, iu 1978. Affectionately know a$ the f bug house”, it is one of the first suburban cin-B emas built in Melbourne. It, like the Valhalla, catered to a dissatisfied and over-educated youth. While Rich­ mond was punk, Carlton was cosmopolitan and hip.

This was the birth of the independent spirit.

In the early 1 9 8 0 s, George Florence, a young Greek projectionist, left Village to re-open the Astor in St Kilda. It ran briefly and sporadically as a venue for bands until settling into its old role as a nightly cinema. W ith Kentia palms, a grand piano and after years of restoration, it is like stepping back into the 1930s. It is no wonder it has been the main venue for the Melbourne Film Festival for the past five years.

One of the grand old picture palaces (based on an Art D eco ship), it to ok a num ber o f years and the stylish influence of David Murray (now deceased) to turn the Astor into the cinem a experience it is today. N ot only is it a beautiful old cinema, it has all the charm and declasse glamour that is now more St Kilda than there is left of the old St Kilda.

The Astor learnt from the ingenuity of the Val­ halla. It offered double bills and began to supply a cinema calendar with a quarterly breakdown of its screenings. The Astor, like the Valhalla and the Carl­ ton Moviehouse, found its local market and catered accordingly. It also gained an audience willing to travel from as far away as Geelong and the Dandenongs. Its high watermark was the return season of Lawrence o f Arabia in the summer of 1989, when for

20

m ore than a week audiences o f 1 1 0 0 filled every screening. The Astor offered itself as “Fine Films, Fine Music and Atmosphere”.

The Astor as reinvented picture palace came to its peak at the close of the 1980s. The rest of the pic­ ture palaces buildings have fallen by the wayside. The Forum, one of the greatest pieces of cinema as civic architecture, has languished until recently as a Chris­ tian R evival C en tre. O th ers w ere bulldozed or occupied as warehouses by carpet and furniture com­ panies, while still more were transformed irreparably into nightclubs, video stores or reception centres. The few unoccupied, remaining picture palaces are either so time-worn and vandalized, like the Sun Cinema, Yarraville, or in need of such costly repairs, like the Old Greek, that they can only afford, like the Regent in Collins Street, to be restored, according to some sources, at indirect government expense.

Don't Shoot the Projectionist The independents’ history is written parallel to the mainstream, but the boutique in the m id-1990s is a fusion o f these two histories. T en years later, the independents, with their cham@leopj|atures, are trans­ forming themselves into mini-complexes and reducing their projection staff. p In the r f SOs, Ffbyts s e n r fe p r e s a r a a t^ ^ e a d projectionists to the U.S. to examine the new “com­

plexes” and their running. In the U .S., consum er reports revealed that what people;really wanted from cinema was the ease to pick and choose what they saw, just as they did with Pay T V and their local video store. The'complexes were a consumer’s dream. Huge by comparison, they ran sometimes as many as 30 screens in the single building. They were always con­ nected to vast con su m er-cities, like a sh op p er’s paradise in the A rizona d esert or its equ ivalent metaphor of endless suburbs. The complexes would run the same movie at stilted times, so that a shop­ ping audience who were passing and had an hour and a half to kill could “browse” a film. The idea was that there would always be a film starting within fifteen minutes or so of the last session. To engineer this feat of the “cinema of choice”, the previously integral part of the cinema mechanization was found to be impos­ sible to afford. The mechanic who showed the films was too expensive. It has never really been docu­ mented whether the companies moved against the p ro je c tio n ist or w h eth er he was sim ply pushed aside by progress. Either way, he fell by the wayside.

A p rojectionist who works five nights and the weekend with all the after-hours loading in Australia takes hom e somewhere around and above $ 8 0 0 a week. Unless he is also the owner and is willing to fil­ ter m ost o f th a t back in to his business, the projectionist can appear to an accountant as a terri­ ble drain on the takings. It is an overhead equal to, or more expensive than, rent.

The com plex embraced the demise o f the pro­

jectionist. It is inconceivable that anywhere could afford to employ 3 0 projectionists. The U.S. complex tested and engineered the platter system, which is now common in both independent and mainstream M elbourne cinemas. The platter system uses a juke­ box technique, where the entire film lies on flats, just like a record or a CD does on a stack.

In the “old days”, it was the projectionist who maintained the illusion o f cinem a’s seamless magic.

The projectionist’s job was the film’s presentation in conjunction with the cinem a’s own lights and cur­ tains. During a session, he would keep the film in focus, remove hairs and adjust the gate tension, “ride” the sound levels and maintain the equipment and the booth. H e would also prepare the new film s and repair old ones, and make the changeovers. A film was often ten spools, which meant a changeover every ten minutes or so. During each ten-minute period, a used spool would be rewound and a fresh spool fed into the other projector.

The platter displaces the need for changeovers, since the whole film is now held on a single platter.

W ith a com puter-aided system, the platter system completely displaces the projectionist. All it needs is for a human to thread the film into the machine. The platter system can even shut itself down and close the curtains a f mfe end of the snow.

The platter also has a series of pulleys and rollers

which can feed the film into subsequent auditoriums.

If you add extra pulleys and feed the film through other auditorium projection booths (ignore the strain on the projector motor), you can stilt the times between ses­ sions of, sayJurassic Park (Steven Spielberg, 1993).

T he platter system is both brilliant and fatally flawed. W ith the removal o f the projectionist from the projection booth, no screening is ever properly monitored. Should anything go wrong in the booth, the projectionist is usually the last to know. Films slip out of focus, sound levels are too loud or too soft, and p rin t damage is alm ost m andatory. Stargate (Roland Emmerich, 1994) in its second day of screen­ ing had a scratch that ran from start to finish.

Even with customer dissatisfaction and the thou­ sands of dollars that must be spent to replace a new print, the complexes argue that it’s still a hell of a lot cheaper than em ploying a licensed , and thereby unionized, projectionist.

Australia’s introduction of the platter system was a sordid little event in the annals o f E m ployerEmployee relations. There’s hardly a projectionist who doesn’t have something unpleasant to say about Hoyts (p o st-1 9 8 8 ) or about his treatm en t by that com ­ pany. A few found work at Village, but many of these projectionists spilled over into the Independents.

Besides a brief scare in 1 9 8 0 , when the Health D epartm ent tried to bring an end to the V ictorian projectionist licence, what the Projectionist Union w anted it always got. T h ro u gh its alliances with various building unions, the Theatrical Employees’ C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

Union was able to stall the construction of the Hoyts Chadstone com plex and strongarm agreements with management. This leverage was sometimes less than scrupulous. In 1 9 8 8 , internal strife within the T h e ­ a trica l E m p lo y e es’ U n ion b ro u g h t an end to its self-confessed, heavy-handed tactics.

In 1 9 8 8 , H oyts installed the platter system at Chadstone. It im m ediately to o k advantage o f the Union’s division and set out to construct another three com plexes. It was advised to re-em ploy its current projectionists under a shelf company called Delarene, and the rest of its staff under another. M any of the projectionists had felt the grumblings from manage­ m ent and w ere w o rried ab o u t th e ir liv elih o od s.

Mutiny was afoot. M o st refused to sign their evermounting pile o f inform al agreem ents. Those that refused weren’t re-employed.

Over the next year, the Union failed to negotiate a deal with Hoyts or the projectionists. Some of the remaining projectionists were being offered deals, others w eren’t. The Union worked hard but failed.

For both parties its outcome was a lamentable affair.

As expected, the $2 shelf company, Delarene, went under and Hoyts culled the last of its trained projec­ tionists last year. T h e w h ole cin em a is now fully automated. It is run by a computerized platter system a n a aided b^uon-um o'n clfin y bar Boys. I n n o y f speak, a “C V # 2 ” goes up to the projection booth,

received a cent in compensation.

T h e independents learn t from this. T h ey had nothing to lose. M ost cinemas only employed a few p ro jectio n ists and, w ith the availability o f eager C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1 995

the econom ic clim ate. In the U .S., the com plexes removed all competition. This lost them the yardstick of the local culture around them. W ithout the inde­ pendents to act as a measure for public fads and tastes, they stopped being able to cater. Shoddy presenta­

a single projectionist. Two cinemas are easy for a pro­ jectionist to look after.

tio n and ov erexp an sio n in advertising have also contributed, including a reliance on expensive and often inaccurate market research. A good indication should have been the sim ple ro u tin e o f lo o k in g

Over Christmas 1 9 9 4 -5 , the Kino cinema hired two other spaces in the Collins Street “great space”.

By placing a single front-of-house staff member on each door, they could expand as well as cut back.

T h a t is negative gearing. By expanding their net i.e., the number of cinemas - they can offer more ch o ice and fo r the “b row sers” a film beginning around every 25 minutes. O f course, they have to employ another usher (circa $ 1 0 p/h), but the Kino, by stilting the tim es o f starting fo r each session, was able to continue with four screens run by the same projectionist.

T h e projectionist is w orking harder than ever before. The Kino is a good example. The projectionist has to cross the “great space” to get to Cinema 3 and go up a lift to get to Cinem a 4 . Projectionists still receive what some managements consider an “out­ rageously high” pay, but they work up to four times

through a newspaper’s listings and talking to a few different distributors. They didn’t give themselves the option. A number o f com plexes have closed their doors, leaving some towns without a cinema at all.

Ironically, the last big push by the American complex was Jurassic Park.

Moving into these wildernesses are young inde­ pen d en ts, rid ing in old T ra n s Ams and even on bicycles, a 16mm portable projector under one arm and a can of film under the other. The entrepreneur sets h im self up in the local hall or even bar. T h e pictureshowperson is back. The overheads of renting or being tied to a place are dispensed with. A door charge for using the bar is sometimes imposed.

In M elbourne, similar screenings occurred in St

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case was told by the Industrial Relations Commission that he was simply a victim of the recession and there was nothing they could do to reinstate him. This pro­ jectionist recently fought his case in the highest court in the land. T h o u g h he w on his case and d id n’t have to pay the costs o f vindication, he has never

evolving according to even the minutest changes in

est technology, which is, of course, the platter system.

A few have th e co m p u ter-aid ed system b u ilt by Greater Union Village Technology. The twins employ

m m

doesn’t re-enter the projection booth unless a cinema patron complains about focus or sound levels.

A number of projectionists are still trying to get compensation for their “unfair dismissal”. Forced to accept the instatement of enterprise bargaining, when the projectionist bargained they were sacked. Hoyts’ bargaining incentive was a pay decrease for running more screens (as many as ten), as well as increased duties such as cleaning and ice-cream making.

Hoyts employed a full-time Q C to fight the com ­ plaints. This meant a number of projectionists backed down. One projectionist who continued to fight his

big has proved itself a hazard. T h e boutiques are extrem ely quick-witted and adept at manoeuvring,

employed less front-of-house staff. By being a twin with a single projection booth, they only need one projectionist. All the boutique cinemas run on the lat­

"The boutiques, like their operators, are smart, were previously knowrifasarthouses, and screen filtps written off by multi-plexes as catering to minorities.

threads dig film in the projector and presses the but­ ton corresponding to the film to be screened in that auditorium, let’s say “Show # 2 ”, and then the “G obutton. (A CV # 1 is an usher w ith cleaning duties; a CV # 2 is a male candy bar operator or a female ticket seller.) The C V # 2 may check the focus and possi­ bly the sound levels on the opening credits of the film.

He/she then returns to the floor to clean and restock, while the film hopefully runs its merry path. He/she

W ith the recession easing, just like the dinosaurs,

staff form erly em ployed by H oyts, they began to sh rin k to exp an d . By going sm a ller, th e K ino

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as hard. You won’t hear them complain. There are now .so few projectionist jobs they could easily be replaced, even overnight.

The Nova in Carlton lias followed the Kino’s lead.

This was made possible by the availability of reces­ sion-hit boutique space in the plaza where the Nova is situated.

The Kino ran as a quad over the Christmas period and made use of already outfitted theatrettes. It has since dropped back to being a triple. Should the times pick up, the Kino can expand to a quad again. O f course, if the Kino finds itself overextended, it can drop back to being a twin and carry on as it has done since it began. The Nova, on the other hand, is con­ fident in its position and has outfitted and remodelled available space in Lygon Court.

In the U.S., the complex was as aggressive as The Terminator. The complex, like The Terminator in the war between the machines, was the top of the range.

Its deadly accuracy was also its own downfall. It moved into large shopping centres and set itself to the task of effectively killing every and all competition. W ith its availability of screens, it could impose on arthouse, independent and nationality-related cinem as. By deploying three of its screens, as well as the strength of its distribution buying power, it could stifle any other cinema catering to what it considered a minor­ ity. The cinema com plex modelled its management and also its sometimes-unscrupulous operations on the multi-corporate fast food chains. An under-15-yearold receives A $3.50 per hour.

Kilda under the name of the Bombora Cinema, at the Army and Navy Club. Outdoor screens are also pop­ ular and, after all, wasn’t the night sky the original pleasure dome?

Stripped back to its bare bones of projector and film, and the wits of the showman, the cinema proves once again that there is still life in repertoire. T he boutique is blooming, after what has been a very cold recession. W e’ve all cut back, both on the screen and in the cinem a screening industry. Perhaps now we can all take a sigh of relief.

The boutiques offer courteous service, and they have good projectionists, all of whom care for their presentation and the atmosphere o f cinem atic illu­ sion. The Australian Film Television & Radio School is teaching 35m m and 70m m film projection to any and all who want to learn this soon-to-be-forgotten craft. F or the arthouse punter th ere’s m ore prod­ uct, in more theatres. Its only drawback is possibly the need to be more discerning.

M y sadness is understanding that new cinemas can’t afford to run unless they’re smaller and offer several screens. I realize the 1980s may have merely been a reprieve for the remaining picture palaces. Peo­ ple want atmosphere, but space and atmosphere aren’t necessarily synonymous. The evolution of the bou­ tiques have proven this, and the last big cinemas may not see their way into the new millennium. However, the uniquely Australian cinema experience, with all its peculiar histories intertwined, is now an export, making valuable export dollars. ©

21

Can you give practical examples of your boutique cinemas, the number of screens and sizes of the cinemas?

Boutique cinemas are cinemas that don’t have 500 seats or that sort of capacity, and play films that are attractive to the boutique audience. It is the size of the venue, the décor and the films you are playing.

I would call the new Como a boutique cinema because of its size and charm; the Brighton Bay, too, because of its style and because it’s been there a long time showing a particular type of film. W ith the George, the intention was to make an intimate cin­ ema, which Cinemas Two and Three are, but Cinema One is quite a large cinema.

Why do you think this demand for boutique cinemas has arisen?

It’s a natural occurrence. Things are getting bigger bigger marketplaces, bigger supermarkets. But there’s a group of people who don’t like going to huge supermarkets, who prefer to shop in other areas or go to smaller cinemas where the product is differ­ ent. The attention to detail is there; the service as well. We are catering to people that don’t want to be treated like a herd.

W hat do they get at these venues that they wouldn't get at multiplexes?

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Antoni®

Z ecco la

Antonio Zeccola is managing director of Palace Pictures which, in partnership with Village, owns and operates Melbourne's Balwyn Cinema, Brighton Bay Twin, Dendy Brighton, the George, Cinema Como and Cameo Belgrave, as well as, m Sydney, the Academy Twin and Walker Street Cinema. In October, Palace-Village opened the four-screen Verona Cinema m Sydney s Paddington.

Interviewed by Paul Kalina How many staff will you have operating the four-screen Verona in Sydney, for example?

Depends on the night. At the Como, which has three cinemas, we have up to 10 staff, and 12 on busy nights. It will be the same number of staff at the Verona. We have numbered seating and that takes more manpower.

Apart from the difference in programming, it’s also Do all the cinemas have automated projection? an ambience, a place to be seen. Because of a bou­ tique’s size, you are talking about a smaller number Yes. of people, rather than a multiplex where there’s 2,000 seats; on a Saturday night, at the change-over How many projection staff do you require? from the end of one session to the beginning of One. It’s very simple to operate. In multiplexes today another, there can be 3 ,0 0 0 -4 ,0 0 0 people there. with 12 screens, it takes one person.

T h a t’s more like going to a football match than How do you ensure the standard of presentation? going to a cinema. [Laughs.] You’d be surprised how many people like to be amongst a limited crowd It’s very simple because it’s automated. Basically, rather than a faceless large crowd. automation closes the curtains, and the music and We take a lot of care with the presentation of our lights come on. If you had three people on duty, you staff and how they answer the telephone and talk to wouldn’t do it any differently to what you are doing people. We try to be more personal than in the larger with one person. complexes.

In fact, the number of problems encountered now

is far less than before, when there was a p ro jec­ tionist and an assistant projectionist with the old machines. The machines would break down, the film would break up. The fact that we only have one pro­ jectionist doesn’t mean the service on the screen is any different.

Is there a ceiling to the number of boutique cine­ mas a city the size of Melbourne can support?

I think we have just about reached that level. We are going through a period when there’s a lot of very good films. I’ve been in the business many, many years; it’s like a cycle and we are on the up of the cycle. We just hope it will stay there all the time. But I’d be wor­ ried if all of a sudden there was a lack of product.

And other cities?

Sydney needs cinemas, most definitely. It could do with one or two more complexes. Perth is doing well; Adelaide I’m not so sure about. Brisbane is rea­ sonably well catered.

How do you account for there being so much good product at the moment?

People are getting better at making films. I see it as a natural growth. If you’d have asked me three or five years ago, I would have given you the same answer. I’m not being a smarty in hindsight. The fact is you don’t get up one morning and say, “I’m going to build a cinema”, and it’s there. It takes about three to five years’ planning. What you see today is what I planned a minimum of three years ago. It was a gut feeling at the time. You could see there was a trend happening, that people were becoming more sophis­ ticated in their tastes.

Also, there was a lot of very good films I was buy­ ing and had difficulty getting screens for. There wasn’t enough screens to play these sorts of quality films.

Has the advent of these cinemas changed the way distributors think about the films they buy, and how they release them?

I can’t speak for the other distributors. The only thing that has changed is they can finally bring in more films and know they will be distributed in appropriate houses. Five or seven years ago, when I was solely a distributor, I was buying lots of films but it was very difficult to get specific dates.

Is there a future for single-screen venues?

Yes, if they are run properly. Look at the Astor: it is a very successful single screen. It’s all in the oper­ ator and what they are trying to do.

W hat are your predictions, in view of the expansion in the arthouse market?

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FOR FLAME

GARNER MACLENNAN DESIGN

61- 2 - 43 8-1 00 2

"M iller

Natalie Miller is the operator of Melbourne s Longford Cinema and, in partnership with Bariy Peak, the Nova Cinema, which opened in Carlton in 1993 and recently doubled its number of screens to four.

Why did you and your partner add extra screens to the Nova?

We had the opportunity with the space and it was too good an opportunity to miss. Plus, there is plenty of product out there to play.

Is there an ideal mix of the number of screens and sizes within a boutique venue?

I don’t think there’s anything that’s ideal. At the end of the day, even for the arthouse cinema market, more screens allow you to run product longer.

In any boutique complex, you’d obviously want to have at least one big screen, and a small one to run something on after several months. We feel that having two larger ones and two smaller ones at the Nova is rather ideal, but it’s all new to us still.

W hat's your definition of large and small?

W e have a 3 0 0 and a 2 4 0 , one at 160 and one at 1 3 0 .1 think large can be anything between 200 and 230-plus. Small is 150, but you could go down even smaller, to 130.

Having the four screens works well in being able to run a good mix of product: independent, Englishlanguage, foreign and Australian.

At a venue like the Nova, how many staff would you have working at any given time?

It varies; different things happen on different days.

Including a projectionist, you’d probably need at least five on any night, and a lot more on weekends.

A stor - and then along cam e the K ino and we thought, “Goodness, what’s going to happen?” But, if anything, all of our businesses grew and I think that taught us a lesson.

The more venues, the more product that gets brought in, because distributors have to have some­ where to play their product. Prior to that, there was a bit of holding-back with the films that got bought.

At the moment, I feel fairly optimistic that we can probably cope with a few more screens because, as more films get bought, we might turn over the prod­ uct quicker if it’s playing in more places. I think so far the city is coping. Whether we get to saturation will depend on what happens in the future.

W hat about Sydney and other centres?

Interviewed by Paul Kalina W hat about the venues themselves? Do you see a difference?

I think Sydney needs more screens. It’s very hard as a distributor to get on a screen in Sydney. When the four cinemas at the Verona open, that will help a bit, but that’s Palace-Village and so it depends.

Brisbane is probably okay so far from my obser­

W e’d like to think so. T hat’s why we put a lot of money into the design of our cinemas. We try to cre­ ate a more boutique atmosphere, by the interior design, the comfort and the service. We like to feel that our cinemas give people those extra things - like booking on Saturday nights - that will attract peo­

You say that the expansion of cinemas means more films can be distributed. But that has not

ple to our cinemas.

films being released remains fairly level.

Any other differences?

vations of trying to get in.

necessarily been the case. So far, even w ith the expansion of arthouse cinemas, the number of

I think you’ll find it different this year, since Cannes.

Going to a smaller place instead of a larger place where there are large carparks. A lot of women feel more comfortable going to boutique cinemas.

Then there is the general atmosphere of being with people. Very often people come out and discuss films

Look at the package Globe has come in with from Ciby, and both Newvision and Dendy have a lot of

with each other.

Having said that, there is this blurring of arthouse and commercial product these days. Sometimes we straddle the two.

Como, the George, the Jam Lactory and the Rivoli, there are possibilities for its films to play on

Is there a ceiling to the number of boutique cine­ mas that a city the size of Melbourne can support?

People have felt this, but I’ve been here for a long time with the Longford Cinema. There was a time when arthouse was just the Longford and the Brighton Bay Twin - apart from the Valhalla and

films.

Add to that Roadshow with its enormous amount of product. Even though its supply will be at the

the other side of town.

UIP and Lox-Columbia-Tristar are getting more and more product.

Lor us, as exhibitors, it’s very encouraging. And, if you extend that further to boutique cinemas in general, I guess we’re all in the same position.

So, some of these distributors would have bought different types of films before?

p54

How many projectionists operate the Nova?

One, and on some occasions two. W e’re on automa­ tion, but on Saturday nights it’s much better to have two working so that everything works like clock­ work, not that it isn’t like clockwork other times.

Saturday is a busy night.

How do you ensure the quality of the presentation?

There’s just two boxes and the projectionist goes from box to box checking. After the projectionist starts one film - we stagger the starting times enough so that when one film starts he can be checking everything’s fine - he goes to the next box and checks that. There are also television monitors. Worst comes to worst, someone comes and tells you.

W hat, in your words, is the difference between a multiplex and a boutique cinema?

On the whole, we aim to run films that are on o n e-, tw o- or three-print release, as opposed to films that are on a multi-release of 20 screens. It’s the more specialized product you don’t get in a multiplex, though we break that rule from time-to-time.

As a whole, the definition of boutique cinemas is those that play what one considers to be the qual­ ity arthouse product. I think it will be a long time before you get many foreign films playing at the mul­ tiplex.

24

C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

HeadOffice 434 Clarendon St., South Melbourne Victoria, Australia 3205 Tel: (03) 9699 3922 Fax: (03) 9696 2564

16 Conyngham SL, Gienside South Australia 5065 Tel: (08} 338 2611 Fax: (08) 338 3090

The Finest Motion Picture Rental Equipment

NSW FILM & TELEVISION OFFICE There have been a few changes in our staff over the last few months, and it is time for some new blood. The FTO is determined to stay responsive, skilled, accessible and non-bureaucratic. We want to continue to spend our time considering and discussing projects, with the object o f getting the best into production.

With that in mind we need four special, hard working and committed people.

Projects Administrator:

$37,015 - $38,183

Industry Promotions Officer: $37,015 - $38,183

This position involves considering development applications, assessing and recommending pro­ jects for development or investment, and liaising with applicants. The position requires a person fam iliar with investment procedures in film and television production, good communication skills and organisational abilities. A knowledge of Apple M acintosh co m puter program s w ould be an advantage.

This is a new position, created to assist in the marketing and promotion of NSW as a film pro­ duction centre to local and overseas producers.

W orking to the Manager Location Liaison, the position requires a strong prom otional back­ ground, a thorough working knowledge of the film and television industry in NSW and strong com­ m unication skills. We are looking fo r a person who can sell the abstract as well as the physical.

Experience in production and pre production would be an advantage.

Project Officer:

$37,015 - $38,183

This position requires a person capable of pro­ viding adm inistrative support to the Script and Project Development department. The applicant needs to be fam iliar with Apple Macintosh com ­ puter programs such as Claris Filemaker, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Word. Good communication skills and organisational abilities are required together with a working knowledge of the film and television industry and its production and con­ tractual characteristics. Some film accountancy experience would be an advantage.

Project Officer: (Part Time) $37,015 - $38,183 (pro rata) This is a part tim e position (3 days per week) which will involve considering development appli­ cations, assessing and recommending projects for development or investment, and liaising with applicants. The position requires a person fam il­ iar w ith in vestm en t procedures in film and television production, good communication skills and organisational abilities. A knowledge of Apple M acintosh com puter program s w ould be an advantage.

Further inquiries can be made to Ian Walker at the FTO. Applications close 17 November 1995 and should be addressed to the Director, Greg Smith at: NSW Film & Television Office GPO Box 1744 Sydney N SW 2001.

Tel: (02) 380 5599, Fax: (02) 3601095.

C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

All FTO staff are appointed on a renewable contract basis.

The FTO is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.

The FTO is a non-smoking workplace.

NSW FILM AND TV OFFICE 25

n e w m edia

Australian Multimedia Enterprise and Smartcards Philip Dutchak investigates the newly-formed Australian Multimedia Enterprise (AME) and the revolution in Smartcards.

A M E opens for business C onceived as one of the central planks of the Keating Government’s C reative N ation statement in October 1994, the AME has been a long time in opening for business. It was April 1995 when Michael Lee, Minister for Communi­ cations and the Arts, announced the members of the AME board. And it was m id-July before M inister Lee appointed Martin Cooper, a Sydney media lawyer with work experience with the Ten Network, News Corpo­ ration and film production (notably co-associate producer on G a llip o li [Peter Weir, 1981]), as the new Exec­ utive Officer of Australian Multimedia Enterprise.

There then were the tasks of find­ ing op eration officers for the government-created company, form­ ing a business plan and establishing funding guidelines.

M ost of these d eliberations becam e public with release of the A M E’s C o rp o ra te Plan 1 9 9 5 /9 6 to 1 9 9 8 / 9 9 in late Septem ber of this year. In doing so, the AM E also announced: Ian Knox, formerly gen­ eral m anager at Prime M edia Developments, as CFO; Tony Blackie, formerly managing director of Blackie M cDonald, as Marketing Manager; Kym Anderson, formerly a consultant at Macquarie Library Press, as Devel­ opm ent M anager; Jo n a th a n G ill, form erly legal counsel for A TV 10 Melbourne, as Business Development Manager; Eric Lemon, formerly direc­ tor business development commercial services for the NSW Government, as Investment Manager; Liz Rankin, for­ merly advanced media manager at HarperCollins, as Investment M an­ ager, and Liam Kelly, formerly general m anager business developm ent at Shomega, as Project Manager. Martin Cooper is Chief Executive Officer and a Board member for AME. The members of the AME Board include Chairman Mark Burrows, with Directors Rodney Martin, Hilary McPhee, Alfred Milgrom, Bruce Moir, Cass O’Con­ nor, Daniel Petrie and Ian Reinecke.

A M E ’s C o rp o ra te Plan gives its

26

thumbnail sketch to the current Aus­ tralian multimedia market. These include: • Australia was estimated to have 30 CD -RO M publishers in 1994 out of 1,300 worldwide; • the volumes needed to achieve break-even on development costs of $200,000 to $300,000 are between

• on-line multimedia publications; and • increases in traffic over telecom ­ munications networks related to the delivery of on-line multimedia pub­ lications.

• the revenue earning by publishers from multimedia CD-ROM titles in 199 4 was estimated at $1 billion and is expected to reach $2 billion in 1 9 9 5 ;and • best-selling multimedia titles sell between 100,000 to 5 0 0 ,0 0 0 units with hit titles selling 5 0 ,0 0 0 to

The Ovum report continued: “These rev­ enues will grow at an average rate of 38 percent per year from US$931 mil­ lion in 1995 to U S $ 3 1 .2 billion in 2 0 0 5 .”

Yet another multimedia report published earlier this year, Excellence in C on ten t: the focu s fo r Australian investment in multimedia content, pre­ pared by Coopers & Lybrand for the Department of Industry, Science and Technology, the Department of Com­ m unications and the Arts and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, recommended that the AME and the multimedia industry body, AIMIA (Australasian Interactive Mul­ timedia Industry Association), work together.

Another organization in multimedia is the A ustralian Film Commission. AFC chief executive Cathy Robinson described the AME as a “bold initiative”. She expressed relief that, with the AME now on the scene, the AFC would no longer have to carry the entire burden of multimedia funding. Robinson added that unlike AM E’s guidelines, which are strictly for commercial funding, the AFC would be prepared to fund multimedia projects which either should be made or whose co m ­ mercial return might occur further out from a title’s release and distri­ bution. ( -

30.0 0 0 to 100,000 units on a typi­ cal publisher royalty base; and • explosive growth of Internet con­ nections in Australia (approximately 5 00.000 in June 1995) would indi­ cate a bright future for on-line services as a platform for multime­ dia in Australia.

Against these points, the AME C orp o­ ra te P lan set the world m ultim edia market as:

1 0 0,000 units. A few titles are earn­ ing the majority of revenue with about 200 titles out of 3,500 inter­ active C D -RO M titles released in 1994 being profitable.

The UK research firm Ovum Ltd in its recent M ultim edia Publishing: M ar­ k et O pportu n ities predicted that total revenues for multimedia in the U.S. and Europe would come from: • multimedia titles on CD-ROM ;

Speaking at the AME’s official launch on 19 Septem ber, AM E Chairman Mark Burrows said,

By July 1998, an annual Australian output of between 600 to 1 ,0 0 0 multimedia titles would be delivered through C D -R O M , C D I, games machines, kiosks and on-line services.

However, Burrows added, An industry of this size means Aus­ tralia’s minimum investment will need to increase dramatically to $300 mil­ lion by 1998-99 from current levels of $50 million to $60 million per annum.

Burrows stressed, “the AM E Board’s

C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

fundamental goal is to attract as much private investment into the industry as quickly as possible”.

AME has already enticed state gov­ ernments to up the federal government’s initial investment of $45 million by an additional $15 million, so that, on 26 September, Martin Cooper said that the A M E now had $ 6 0 m illion to invest over 3 years.

Cooper stated that funding would be equally split with $ 3 0 m illion for concept development and $30 million for project development, respectively.

Cooper went on to list four key points concerning AME funding guidelines.

First, projects must have a strong business plan and high level of com ­ mercial viability. Second, the AME was positioning itself as a successful venture capitalist wanting submitted business plans to the AME to indicate a not less than 25 percent return per annum on the AM E investment. Third, unless a proposal has a publisher attachment, the AME will only invest in a project where, in its view, the business plan shows sub­ stantial interest internationally. Fourth, an AME investment in product should promote growth of the Australian mul­ timedia infrastructure.

Speaking at a luncheon organized by the Communications and Media Law Association on 20 September, Cooper said the AME liked multimedia projects which could be serialized over time, such as Microsoft’s digital encyclopae­ dia E n carta, which had appeared as a number of CD -RO M editions.

Cooper added: The company [AME] is also very pos­ itive about the use of icons in a multimedia title. Obviously, the inclu­ sion of, say, an icon like Mickey Mouse in a multimedia project increases its chances of commercial success.

This is really about interactivity and not the form at used such as a CD-ROM . For example, a UK com­ pany created a m ultim edia game where children could colour in an on­ screen picture. But the child ren quickly became disinterested with it.

So the company brought in a inter­ active developer who changed the game so that when the child correctly coloured in a picture - the sky blue, the hills green, etc. - a train lighted up and puffed across the screen. The result was that they couldn’t stop the kids from playing with the product.

The AM E is currently tendering law firms to establish a set of standard mul­ timedia contracts and hopes to have decided on its first round of investments before the end of the year.

For more details and written mate­ rial concerning funding guidelines, readers should contact the Australian Multimedia Enterprise on (61 2) 3 2 6 9099, or fax (61 2) 3 2 6 9680.

C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

Smartcards: a new media or technology looking for a home? h i s i s a s t o r y about “smartcards”, a credit card with a com puter chip or “wafer” embedded in its plastic. This begs the question: Why should a Cin­ em a Papers reader be interested in this article when the link between films and smartcards is less than obvious (or per­ haps interesting) ?

Smartcards are the access point for pay television in Australia. Inserting a smartcard into the set-top box that Foxtel or G alaxy install n ext to your television set when you subscribe to their respective Pay T V services gives you access to Foxtel and Galaxy program m ing. And it allows F oxtel and Galaxy to accurately bill you for the services.

Optus, through its Optus Vision ser­ vice, does provide a set-top box, but it is operated without the use of a smartcard. An Optus Vision spokesperson did not rule out the possibility that “as tech­ nology evolved” the Optus Vision set-top box would include a smartcard slot and internal reader. The spokesper­ son did go on to state that the General Instrument (Gl)-made set-top unit “had provision” for such an inclusion.

Smartcards are not new. They were invented by Italian Roberto M oreno in 1974 and, through the efforts of the French government, became commer­ cialized during the 1980s. Since then, especially in Europe, smartcards have flourished.

How big the industry has become was addressed by Peter Cook, Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, when he opened the Asia Pacific Smart Card Summit in Sydney on 18 Septem­ ber. Cook stated:

T

Projections put forward by industry experts indicate world growth [for smartcards] is to move from 320 mil­ lion cards this year to 2 billion cards by the year 2000.

He added that projected growth for the Asia Pacific region was from eight per cent of the world mar­ ket share, some 25.6 million cards, to 25 per cent of world market share or 5 0 0 million cards by the year 2000.

C ook’s address reflected his govern­ ment’s view that smartcards become an Australian industry. T o facilitate this, Cook then released the smartcard capa­ bilities study, A ustralian Sm art C ard C ap ability D irectory, and announced the establishment o f the Asia Pacific Sm artcard Forum . T he Sm artcard Forum held its inaugural meeting on 28 September in Sydney, attracting more than 50 industry representatives.

n e w m ed ia

Foxtel cable receiver

But wait, there's more The uses for smartcards are not confined to what is known as “conditional access” for Pay TV services. Smartcards can also be used as a stored value card (SVC).

The oft-cited example for SVCs is as an “electronic purse”. This means instead of using cash for across-the-counter pay­ ment of everyday goods from your local store, or for paying fares on public trans­ port systems (buses, trains, ferries), people would have a smartcard which they could load up with money from a card terminal in a shop. When they had spent that amount, they could again go to a terminal to replenish the amount on the card.

T h ere are four sm artcard trials under way or about to start in Australia.

The Reserve Bank of Australia in its A ustralian P aym ents System C ou n cil Inform ation Paper: Stored Value Cards writes: In March 1995 both Visa and M as­ terCard announced their intentions to trial a global card scheme, includ­ ing in Australia, in the second half of 1 9 9 5 . V isa will launch its pilot scheme on the Gold Coast and Mas­ terCard in the Canberra suburb of Belconnen.

Tw o lim ited, cental-pooled schemes are being trialled in Australia.

Transcard [a company owned by Cabcharge Australia and private bus industry interests using Card Tech­ nologies Australia (CTA) technology] has been developed to be used by taxis, buses, etc., and at merchants such as newsagents specialising in small cash sales. The pilot scheme has been in operation for some months [launched 13 March 1995 in W est­ ern Sydney] and the experience is being evaluated.

QuickLink is a scheme based on specifications developed by the New South Wales Government’s Commer­ cial Services Group. The QuickLink card was designed to improve ticket­ ing efficiency on trains and other transport. Subsequently, a range of other merchants, including fast-food retailers, have agreed to participate. A contract has been let to build an oper­ ating scheme and it will be trialled in Newcastle around the end of 1995 [the winner was the QuickLink con­ sortium composed of ERG Australia, Fujitsu Australia, Optus and a number of financial institutions].

Then there is the telecommunications angle. For a digital mobile phone to

28

sealed digital st on micro<bhipj[ R ÎT * card', a c your computer, w ing sprees at th work, a smartcard called a SIM (sub­ scriber identification module) must be inserted into the back of the phone.

What happens if Telstra decides to offer a re-chargeable payphone card by bond­ ing a “chip” into the card to replace or supplement its current offering of disposable, non-chip, payphone cards?

Last year, Telstra sold about 12 million of its non-chip payphone cards and NZ Telecom sold about 3 million.

W hat all these uses add up to are numbers. Excluding the potential for the smartcard to be the card for the “infor­ mation superhighway”, they are then a market opportunity to promote a com­ pany’s services or products. Smartcards are not “from outside” the media indus­ try. The current clim ate of large telecommunications companies such as U.S. long-distance carrier M C I’s buying into content companies like News Cor­ poration, or the U.S. West/Time Warner deal, demonstrates that technology, film and communications are increasingly bound up together.

Disney, through its films The Lion King (Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff, 1994) and P o ca h o n ta s (M ike Gabriel, Eric Goldberg, 1995), and George Lucas with his Star W ar trilogy have shown that there are huge returns for successful films when aided by clever merchandising and marketing. A glance at some of the pay­ phone cards and smartcards currently

available show that the cards can be eye­ catching in themselves.

made a priority of “developing an indus­ try code of conduct to safeguard the interests of the community”.

Privacy The privacy issue concerning smartcards has been driven by The Privacy Com­ mittee of New South W ales’ report, S m art C ard s: B ig B r o th e r ’s L it tle H elpers, which was released in August 1995 and picked up by the press. Chris Connolly, L ittle H elp ers author and NSW Privacy Committee research offi­ cer, said that part of the reasoning in doing the report to “was to stir up the debate on privacy regarding smartcards” and “that before the release of the L it­ tle H e lp er s report there was little discussion on privacy and smartcards”.

A slightly less dramatic approach has been followed by Federal Privacy Com­ missioner Kevin O’Connor. In an issue of the Jou rn al o f L aw and Inform ation Science in 1994, O ’Connor noted, It would be much better, both for those developing smart card systems and for the private citizen, if privacy concerns are addressed in a timely way.

Industry representatives rightly point out they are as keen as anyone to have the public confident in smartcards to ensure its commercial success. The first Smartcard Forum meeting on 28 September had O’Connor give the keynote address.

Following on O’Connor’s suggestion for an industry code of conduct, the Forum

The Future The August issue of the Siemens Aus­ tralia newsletter, T alking T echnology, talked about Siem ens in G erm any developing a computer memory chip that could hold 64 million bits (64Mb) of data which would make possible “a multimedia card containing thirty to sixty m inutes of high quality co m ­ pressed audio or video data”. This is supposed to be ready by 199 7 with a 256 Mb card by 1999.

Then there is the smartcard and the Internet. Steven Levy, the author of Hackers, in an article ,“E-Money (That’s What I W ant)”, stated: Those dollar bills you fold up and stash away are headed with inexorable certainty toward cryptographically sealed digital stream s, stored on microchip-loaded ‘smart card’, a palm­ sized ‘electronic wallet’ or the hard disk of your computer, wired for buy­ ing sprees at the virtual mall.

And so the predictions go on.

W hat is certain is that smartcards are in Australia. For instance, the Com­ monwealth Bank has had a smartcard system for internal use only in opera­ tion for over five years, and smartcard trials are soon to happen. © C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1 995

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te c h n ic a litie s

Australian Centenary of Cinema Trailer

Paul Vietti looks at a recently-completed celebration o f Australian cinema.

n m id -1 9 9 4 , the A ustralian C en ten ary of C inem a Inc. voted to com m ission a tw om inute th e a trica l tra iler celebrating one hundred years (or so) of Australian cinema.

T h e com m ittee chose film ­ m aker and C in em a P a p ers editor Scott Murray to research and direct the trailer, and John B. Murray to produce it.

I

The Aim

Scott was very clear from the start what he was trying to achieve: I w anted to make a tra iler w hich would appeal to the average person who saw m aybe one or two Aus­ tralian films a year. I wanted to find images that would be easily recog­ nizable and w hich would help engender a sense of pride in the country’s cinematic achievements. In no way did I want the trailer to rep­ resent or reflect my tastes, or what films I felt were important.

When I was first approached to do the tra ile r, I h alf-jo k in g ly said I wanted to make it for the people who went to the football on Satur­ day. I had no idea at the time that the trailer’s first public airing would be on the scoreboards of the M CG dur­ ing the AFL Grand Final.

Selecting the Clips In Ju ly 1 9 9 4 , the task of selectin g images began.

The Committee had supplied a list of 100 suggestions, compiled by vari­ ous advisers. W hile very help ful, nothing could ultimately replace the time-consuming task of watching more than 150 features.

Scott and Fred Harden, former edi­ tor of “Technicalities” and now a new media consultant at M urdoch M aga­ zines, did the selecting by ‘time-shifting’ sequences and images from VHS copies of Australian films to Super VHS. However, by late 1994, when about 30 features had been done, some of the promised backing for the project failed to eventuate and the project was closed down.

T h ere seem ed little hope o f its rebirth for m ost of 1 9 9 5 , but in late June the go-ahead was given. The only problem was a 12-week schedule: the C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

trailer had to be ready for the half-time entertainment at the AFL grand Final in Melbourne on 30 September 1995.

As Fred was now living and work­ ing in Sydney, Alissa Tanskaya became the new researcher and assistant.

Problems with the print-out of timecodes for the previous tim e-shifted selections meant starting all over again.

This tim e, tim ecodes (based on first frame of image) were recorded by hand.

Three weeks later, nine hours of clips had been selected on tape from more than 80 films. The oldest was the VRC D erby o f 1896 (the oldest surviv­ ing piece of Australian film) and the m ost recent M u riel’s W ed d in g (P. J. Hogan , 1994).

It was then John Murray began the laborious task of tracing the rights hold­ ers to these films and securing licences.

The m ost d ifficu lt to track down proved to be W alkabout (Nicolas Roeg, 1971) and W ake in Fright (Ted Kotcheff, 1 9 7 1 ). W on d erfu lly , everyone co-operated, except for MGM/UA in the U.S. {Evil Angels, 1988).

The Edit The nine hours of clips were then taken to The Joinery, where editor Tim Lewis loaded his L ightw orks. T he handrecorded timecodes were then typed in for each clip.

It took two weeks to cut and finetune the two-minute theatrical trailer, as well as a one-minute version for tele­ vision community services spots and for the head of com m ercially -released video cassettes. In the process, some 30 odd films were watched again, or for the first time, to find clips that more suited their position in the chronolog­ ically-structured trailers. Scott: Images that spring to mind as iconic m om ents o f A ustralian cinem a -=climbing the rock in Picnic at H ang­ ing R ock [Peter W eir, 19 7 5 ], going down the river by raft in J e d d a (C harles Chauvel, 1 9 5 5 ) or M ax Rockatansky [M el Gibson] on the loose in M ad M ax [George M iller, 1979] - are not necessarily those that work as a one or two-second grab.

Often there is dialogue - a ‘no-no’ in such a trailer — or the sequence is cut in such a way that a short grab makes a d ifficu lt e x cerp t. M ick “C rocodile” Dundee [Paul Hogan]

m esm erizing the w ater buffalo in C r o c o d ile D u n d ee [Peter Faim an, 1986] is a case in point: most of the action happens out of frame.

One tricky clip was from M alcolm [N adia T ass, 1 9 8 6 ]. T h e quirky humour of the sp lit-car sequence needed just the right lead-in - in this case, the right-to-left movement of the charge from Simon Wincer’s The Lighthorsem en [1987].

Finally, there was the problem of too much of a good thing. Mel Gib­ son ’s presence tends to dom inate Australian cinema of the late 1970s and early 19 8 0 s - so much so, we had to push G a llip o li [Peter W eir, 1981] a little out of chronological sequence so that section wouldn’t look like the M el G ibson Show.

Archive Once the trailers were fine cut on Lightworks, Jo h n inform ed the N ational Film & Sound A rchive, w hich held more than half of the 43 films finally selected. (Two - The Piano and M uriel’s W edding - were overseas at the Tech­ nicolor lab in London. Five films were at Cinevex in Melbourne, which did the duping work required. Others were in private storage or at Atlab.)

Accessing the selected films from the N FSA needed to be done in advance as the film s have to be removed from cold storage and need 24 hours to ‘defrost’, so to speak.

Tim then flew to the NFSA in Can­ b erra, w here he w ent through the accessed reels to find the selected images and prepare a shot list with footages for Atlab (using the original timecodes as a guide).

John has nothing but praise for the efforts of the NFSA: Meg Labrum, Senior Manager, Access Branch [C anberra], organized the Archive’s full support of the project.

Practically, it was Helen Tully in Melbourne whose knowledge of mate­ rials stored at the Archive and of its database and retrieval systems played the greatest role by far. Everything was co-ordinated through the Melbourne office with great efficiency.

Moving Back to Film Atlab immediately began the duplica­ tion process of the available negatives,

in terp ositiv es, internegs, C R Is and release prints. (As there were no origi­ nal materials available for T h ose w ho L o v e [P. J . R am ster and Paulette McDonagh, 1926], W ake in Fright and W a lk a b o u t, the dupe negs had to be done from release prints.) John: W e co n ta ct-p rin te d in the lab as much of the original material as we possibly could in order to maintain the maximum definition. We mini­ mized the use of the optical printer at that early stage.

The optical printer had to be used, of course, on some of the old footage, but it was used mainly once we needed to do the interpos and, th erefore, compose and position images for the 1:1.85 format we had adopted for the trailer. In all cases, we tried to main­ tain the compositional aesthetic of the original. The anarm orphic images weren’t, however, altered until the dupe negative stage.

From the resultant reel of dupe neg - our original - we did a full-frame low-contrast print for telecine. It was printed full-frame, as that is the only way to give the freedom required in telecine for different formats.

This low -contrast print was the source of the subsequent video ver­ sions.

Atlab then did a one-light workprint of the ‘print’ takes only, which was matchedited by Tim on a Steenbeck to the Lightworks cut. This was then projected double-head to ensure the pacing which felt right on Lightworks also felt right in a cinema. Scott: Editing non-linear is very exciting.

There is certainly a range of benefits, not the least being the ability to pre­ serve many cuts at the same time and not having to go looking for single­ frame trims.

One disadvantage is that non-lin­ ear leads one to cut sequences more quickly than on a Steenbeck. This is apparent in some m odern cinem a where the fast jumble of video-clip editing is replacing the measured skills of a Reginald Beck or Ruggiero Mastroianni.

Certainly, when the edit was first projected, it was too fast. The spe­ cialness of some shots was lost. So, it was back to the Steenbeck and a care­ ful re-appraisal of those cuts.

31

te c h n ic a litie s

H ow ever, provided one always cuts a workprint as a back-up, non­ linear editing is clearly the future and a stunning editing tool.

The Score Acclaimed Australian composer Peter Best was chosen to write the score for both versions of the trailer. Peter has scored some 25-odd Australian features and here was faced w ith resco rin g some of his finest success (including C rocodile D u n d ee and H igh tid e [Gillian Armstrong, 1987]).

P eter and S c o tt decided on an anthem -like approach w hich would build to various plateaus, thus mirror­ ing the changes from black-and white to co lo u r, and from the end o f the chronological section to the climbing montage. Peter also suggested a tone perhaps a did gerid oo - behind the opening “I had a dream” introduction.

Peter was at this stage finishing his score for Michael Jenkins’ mini-series, Blue M urder. The schedules left little time, but, after the usual period of frus­ tration and doubt about his ability to find the right approach - an anxiety decades of success in the business has done nothing to lessen - Peter hit on the approach. From then it was find­ ing the right orchestration.

All those who hear the score with the correct acoustics will realize how brilliantly Peter has achieved his goal.

Doing the Release Prints The cut secured, the music recorded, Atlab set about doing the release prints.

In all, Atlab contributed $ 1 0 ,0 0 0 in kind to the trailer. (Kodak matched that with stock to the same value and Complete Post also became a contrib­ utor in kind.) John is full of praise for their generosity and for the efforts of all those who helped at Atlab: Under general manager Murray For­ rest, Peter Willard, the lab manager, co-ordinated the whole process at Atlab, ably assisted by Kim Priest.

R oger C ow land did the op tical printing and composing of images, accord in g to the fo rm a t, w hile Arthur Cambridge and Tony M an­ ning did the grading.

Despite the tough deadlines, Atlab met every one and was in fact ahead of schedule most of the time.

Television Version Once the theatrical version was at the lab, the one-minute fine cut of the tele­ vision version moved to C om plete Post, where managing director Chris Schw arze discussed the co n c ep t at length and allocated Complete Post’s resources.

The grade and transfer was com ­ pleted by senior colourist Les Rudge on the Ursa Gold and re-composed to the 1 :1.33 television format.

32

The Launch

I’m very happy with how the climb­ ing montage works and to see a hint of the greatness of Charles Chauvel on the big screen. W ith this trailer, many people are seeing in cinemas glimpses of some of Australia’s ear­ liest and finest films for the first time.

Still, if I had to choose a single image, it would be o f Jo h n H arg-

The trailer was officially launched on 29 September 1995 by Bud Tingwell at the Kino Cinemas, M elbourne. It went into cinemas across Australia in the week ending 4 November.

So, a fter d ealing w ith all those images, what are Scott’s favourites in the clip?

0

reaves from Sumner Locke Elliott’s C areful H e M ight H ea r You [Carl Schultz, 1983]. I find it truly iconic and very moving. © E d it o r ' s N o t e :

Dominic Case, who has been overseas, will resume his column next issue.

€KG€K HT I R I A I I I L I E I R 3

Jedda (dir: Charles Chauvel; dop: Carl Kayser;

The Back of Beyond (dir: John Heyer; dop:

1955) Marbuk (Robert Tudawali) calls out from on the cliff edge

Ross Wood; 1954) One of the 'lost girls' in the desert

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (dir: Stephan Elliott; dop: Brian J.

Jedda Marbuk (Robert Tudawa Ii) draws Jedda

Crocodile Dundee (dir: Peter Faiman; dop: Russell Boyd; 1986) Sue Charlton (Linda Kozlowski) and Mick 'Crocodile' Dundee (Paul Hogan) kiss

(Ngarla Kunoth) to the edge of the cliff

The Lighthorsemen (dir: Simon Wincer;

Breheny; 1994) Felicia (Guy Pearce) tells Bernadette (Terence Stamp) and Mitzi (Hugo Weaving): | | had a dream" T."

W ake in Fright (dir: Ted Kotcheff; Brian West; 1971) The car skids during a kangaroo shoot

dop: Dean Semler; 1987) Man falls off horse during Light Horse attack on Beersheba

The Naked BUnyip (dir: John B. Murray; dop:

Malcolm (dir: Nadia Tass; dop: David Parker;

Bruce McNaughton; 1970) Edna Everage (Barry Humphries) and Researcher (Graeme Blundell)

Hightide (dir: Gillian Armstrong; dop: Russell

Picnic at Hanging Rock (dir: Peter Weir; dop: Russell Boyd; 1975) Miranda (Anne Lam­ bert), Marion (Jane Vallis) and Irma (Karen Robson) on rock:"... a dream within a dream".

The Adventures of Barry McKenzie (dir: Bruce

1986) Malcolm .(Colin Friels) in split car Boyd; 1987) Ally (Claudia Karvan) on the beach; Lili (Judy Davis) watches her daughter run off

'Newhaven' paraded after victory

Beresford; Don McAlpine; 1972) Barry McKenzie (Barry Crocker) spits his English beer at Curly (Paul Bertram) and Man (Bruce Beresford)

The Story of the Kelly Gang (dir: Charles

Alvin Purple (dir: Tim Burstall; dop; Robin Cop­

Byers Coates; dops: Nillard Johnson, Orrie Perry, Reg Perry; 1906) A policeman fires gun; Ned falls in the final shoot-out

ping; 1973) Alvin (Grame Blundell) and Samantha (Kris McQuade) paint it up

Duigan; dop: Geoff Burton; 1987) Freya (Loene Carmen) hands hay bale; Danny (Noah Taylor) lifts bail

Don's Party (dir: Bruce Beresford; dop: Don

Dead Calm (dir: Phillip Noyce; dop: Dean

McAlpine; 1976) Mai (Ray Barrett) points, while Don (John Hargreaves) watches

Semler; 1989) Rae Ingram (Nicole Kidman) on boat; John Ingram (Sam Neill) watches boat explode .

VRC Derby (Walter Barnett, 1896)

The Man from Kangaroo (dir: Wilfred Lucas; dop: Robert V. Doerrer; 1920) John Harland (Reginald 'Snowy' Baker) jumps from a bridge onto a moving cart

The Sentimental Bloke (dir: Raymond Long­ ford; dop: Arthur Higgins; 1919) Doreen (Lottie Lyall) and Bill, the Bloke (Arthur Tauchet) hug on the Manly sand

Those Who Love (dirs: P. J. Ramster, Paulette McDonagh; dop: Jack Fletcher; 1926) Girl dances on a rock, watched by partying beachgoers

For the Term of His Natural Life (dir: Nor­ man Dawn; dops: Len Roos, William Trerise, Bert Cross; 1927) Rufus Dawes (George Fisher) and Sylvia Vickers (Eva Novak) embrace in his cabin during a storm

Uncivilised (dir: Charles Chauvel; dop: Tas­ man Higgins; 1936) Beatrice Lynn (Margot Rhys) struggles with wildman Mara (Denis Hoey)

Forty Thousand Horsemen (dir: Charles Chauvel; dop: George Heath; 1940) Members of the Australian Light Horse jump a trench during the attack on Beersheba; Red Gallagher (Grant Taylor) kisses Juliet Rouget (Betty Bryant)

Sunday Too Far Away (dir: Ken Hannam; dop: Geoff Burton; 1975) Foley (Jack Thompson) and the Cook fight it out; Foley drags in a sheep to be sheared

The Delinquents (dir: Chris Thomson; dop: Andrew Lesnie; 1989) Lola (Kylie Minogue) smashes glass

Picnic at Hanging Rock The girls run through

Romper Stomper (dir: Geoffrey Wright; dop:

the bush

Ron Hagen; 1992) Davey (Daniel Pollock) and Hando (Russell Crowe)

Storm Boy (dir: Henri Safran; dop: Geoff Burton; 1976); Boy (Greg Rowe) and pelican play on the beach

The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith (dir: Fred Schepisi; dop: Ian Baker; 1978) Jimmie (Tommy Lewis) smiles

Newsfront(dir: Phillip Noyce; dop: Vincent Monton; 1978) Len Maguire (Bill Hunter) winks at Chris Hewitt (Chris Haywood)

My Brilliant Career (dir: Gill Armstrong; dop: Don McAlpine; 1979) Sybylla Melvin (Judy Davis) whips suitor Harry Beacham (Sam Neill)

'Breaker' Morant (dir: Bruce Beresford; dop: Don McAlpine; 1980) Lt. Peter Hancock (Bryan Brown) rides up on a horse

Mad M ax 2 (dir: George Miller; dop: Dean Semler; 1981) Max (Mel Gibson) in truck crash; track in to Mel

Dad and Dave Come to Town (dir: Ken G. Hall; dop: George Heath; 1938) Dad Rudd (Bert Bailey) and friend wave in panic; Dave (Fred McDonald) tries to control an out-of-control car

The Man from Snowy River (dir: George

Sons of Matthew (dir: Charles Chauvel; dops: Bert Nicholas, Carl Kayser; 1949) Girls wave from a window; the men wave back as they head off to de-timber the wild Lamington plateau

The Overlanders (dir: Harry Watt; dop: Osmond Borradaile; 1946) Dan McAlpine (Chips Rafferty) strides forth boldly; Mary Par­ sons (Daphne Campbell) rounds up the cattle

The Year My Voice Broke (dir: John

The Piano (dir: Jane Campion; dop: Stuart Dryburgh; 1993) Flora (Anna Paquin) joins Ada (Holly Hunter)

Strictly Ballroom (dir: Baz Luhrmann; dop: Steve Mason; 1992) Scott Hastings (Paul Mercurio) and Fran (Tara Morice); Scott and Fran twirl

Muriel's Wedding (dir: Paul J. Hogan; dop: Martin McGrath; 1994) Muriel (Toni Collette) goes after the wedding bouquet; Muriel and father Bill (Bill Hunter) at her wedding

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert Bernadette, Mitzi and Felicia walk up cliff

Walkabout (dir: Nicolas Roeg; dop: Nicolas Roeg; 1971) Brother (Lucien John) and Girl, f (Jenny Agutter) walk up a cliff

Miller; dop: Keith Wagstaff; 1982) Jim Craig (Tom Burlinson) rides the horse downhill

Picnic at Hanging Rock Miranda, Marion and Irma continue up Hanging Rock

Gallipoli (dir: Peter Weir; dop: Russell Boyd;

Young Einstein (dir: Yahoo Serious; dop: Jeff

1981) Archy (Mark Lee) and Frank Dunne (Mel Gibson) laugh in Cairo

"Ace" Darling; 1988) Albert Einstein (Yahoo Serious) climbs a mountain

Sumner Locke Elliott's Careful He Might Hear You (dir: Carl Schultz; dop: John Seale;

Sons of Matthew Shane (Michael Pate)

1983) Vanessa (Wendy Hughes) runs to curtain? ; Logan (John Hargreaves) cries

Man of Flowers (dir: Paul Cox; dop: Yuri Sokol; 1983) Lisa (Alyson Best) strips for Charles Bremer (Norman Kaye)

helps Mickey (John Ewart) to the top of the mountain

Jedda Marbuk and Jedda reach the plateau The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert Bernadette, Mitzi, Felicia on top of cliff

C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1 995

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33

h is to ry

Australia’s First Film s: New Light on the Limelight Department Chris Long

In part 16 o f this series, examines equipment used by the Salvation Army's Limelight Department and records its film production in 1902-4. ^

n the quest for Australia’s earli­ est film production records, this series has exam ined w ritten material, photographs and the film s them selves. Tw o other artefacts are worthy of perusal.

First is the building which was the centre of Australasian pro­ duction in its first decade of activity. The Salvation Army’s old headquarters at 69 Bourke Street in Melbourne still contains relics of its film m aking branch, the L im elight Department. There, special equipment was devised for the production and exhi­ b ition of A ustralian films - and this technolog}' is also worthy of examina­ tion. It permitted local production on a profitable corporate scale from 1897 to 1 9 0 9 . In particular, the Salvation Army produced Australian films prolifically from the time of its release of Under Southern Skies (1902) to the end of 1904. No other producer was locally active at the tim e.1

I

A Federation Survival The attic of the Bourke Street building is an eerie ruin. Originally a caretaker’s residence2, by 1901 it was part of the Salvation Army’s expanding Limelight and Printing Departments.5 An operat­ ing room with extensive glass skylights, it contained an array of process cameras, arc lights and solar enlargers. There was a light-proof booth in which glass slides could be back-lit while they were handcoloured. A well-equipped chem ical laboratory occupied another room .

Other corners were devoted to photo mounting, proofing, photo-engraving and film storage.4 Of course, there was a dark room for processing motion-pic­ ture films, glass-plate negatives and slide transparencies.

The passage to the attic was blocked decades ago by the construction of a plant room for the building’s lift. Today, the room s behind it are abandoned.

Entry involves scrambling across the roof and descending through a skylight.

Inside, it survives much as it was while it was occupied by the Limelight Depart­ ment (see photos). The original brown wallpaper is crumbling slowly onto the dust}' floors. Distant traffic sounds filter up from the busy streets below, inter­ rupted occasionally by the flapping of

34

pigeons’ wings. There’s no electric light, and we had to take the photos for this article with exposures of a minute or two. The skylights are all covered with corrugated iron, and the interior is in perpetual semi-darkness. Painted signs on the walls betray the place’s original function.

Here the Salvation Army film pio­ neers adapted and developed equipment for local movie production and exhibi­ tion. It had to suit the unique requirements of Australian film shows on tour, there being no permanent cinemas at this time. Distances covered by tour­ ing companies were vastly greater here than in England. Salvation Army Biorama film exhibition companies could be away from their M elbourne base for months on end. Equipment had to be transportable and rugged. Exhibitors in the bush could not rely on any better technical support than a local black­ smith’s shop. Few towns had reticulated electrical supply. Even fewer had gas.

You had to have your own independent source of illumination for projection.

Before 1906, that usually meant gener­ ating oxygen in a retort and gas tank beside the p ro je c to r.6 Afterw ards, it increasingly involved carting around an engine and electric generator.6

Similarly, portable film processing gear was necessary for travelling show­ men to produce and exhibit films of local interest while on tour.

The Salvation Arm}' pioneered the manufacture and usage of this equip­ ment m Australia. With it, the}' produced Australian films prolifically between 1902 and 1904, an otherwise inactive period. The technical limitations of its equipment circumscribed the content of its films and the D epartm ent’s subse­ quent profitability. An examination of the technolog}' developed at 69 Bourke Street indicates the wide-ranging activ­ ity of the Limelight Department.

The “Limelight” which gave the Sal­ vation Army film department its name was developed by Lieutenant Thomas Drummond in 1826. It was produced by directing a blow-pipe flame of min­ gled oxygen and hydrogen onto a small cylinder of limestone. The lime glowed white-hot, producing the most intense light of any kind known to that time. By the late 19th Century, it was used in most professional slide projectors as the standard illuminant.

W hen motion pictures arrived on the scene, limelight was still the standard projection illuminant. In Australia, cylin­ ders of com pressed hydrogen and

oxygen appear to have been less readily available than in England.15 Gas-produc­ ing apparatus unique to A ustralian cinema practice was patented and man­ ufactured. Here, the oxygen was more often produced by roasting mixed crys­ tals of potassium ch lo rate and manganese dioxide in an airtight retort.9 A spirit lamp provided the heat. The crystal m ixture was sold by the M e l­ bourne company of Alex Gunn and Sons as “oxygen mixture”.10 A standard half-pound “charge” of mixture for the retort cost eightpence and produced about three cubic feet of gas.11 After leaving the retort, the oxy­ gen bubbled through water in a “wash b ottle” or “purifier”.12 It resembled a large wine bottle, and allowed gas to pass to the outfit’s oxygen reservoir gas­ om eter (or “Rusby ta n k ”), w hile preventing any back-flow to the retort.

The gas reservoir tank consisted of two nested galvanized-iron cylinders about a metre across and more than a m etre ta ll.13 One cylinder could rise within the other by means of a waterfilled gas seal. Alex G unn’s son later recalled that: W hen a boy, [I] used to fill the gas tank [seals] which held 8 to 10 buck­ ets of w ater which often had to be carried over a distance. It was no uncommon thing for the buckets to be half empty when I got back to the gas tank.14 The gas tank usually travelled in a wicker basket, with the wash bottle and a couple of bricks resting on the upper cylinder to pressurise the gas.16 The gasometer’s oxygen outlet divided into two rubber tubes. One ran straight to the limelight burner. The other fed an “ether saturator”. Where hydrogen or coal (town) gas wasn’t available, the sat­ urator provided a substitute. It was a series of brass tubes lightly packed with sawdust or flannel rags.16 Joseph Perry’s son, Reg, later recalled the operation of this lethal device: You filled the [saturator tubes] with ether or gasolene, then you drained off the surplus by standing it up on its end. That was very vital, because if any gasolene got up in the tubes it could go up into the [limelight] jet and cause a fire.1 C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

By passing oxygen through the sat­ urator, gas saturated with combustible fumes could be mixed with the jet of pure oxygen at the limelight burner.

The ends of the saturator tubes were lightly stoppered. These could pop out if the contents ignited.18 If the seal was too tight, one ran a risk of showering the audience with brass shrapnel!

There were various configurations of limelight jet. All of them combined com­ bustible gases at or near the lime block (see photo). A pin holding the lime was rotated manually via a shaft extending through the back of the projector. The ether jet would be ignited first, and the lime was rotated until it was evenly redhot all o v er.19 Then, the oxygen was C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

turned on, until the lime became whiteh o t.20 If the lime was not rotated, it would heat unevenly, with the potential for cracking and stopping the show.

The system was bulky, hazardous and laborious. The operation of every component, not just the projector, had to be constantly monitored and carefully controlled.

The retort had to be fired up at least a half hour before each show.21 The addi­ tional set-up time involving unpacking equipment, connecting the tubes, cartage of water for seals, charging the retort and filling the saturator could delay show times interminably. Nevertheless, the sys­ tem provided independence from mains gas and electrical supplies. It also had a softer and cooler light than the later elec­

tric (carbon) arcs22, so that nitrate film had less chance of ignition if it acciden­ tally stopped in the projector gate.23 In some smaller cinemas, limelight persisted into World War I.24 A ustralian L im e lig h t E qu ipm ent The fabrication of gas-generating gear for limelight was one of the first cinemarelated manufacturing activities pursued in Australia.

At least two Australian concerns, both based in Melbourne, were manu­ facturing this gear at the turn of the century. Alex Gunn and Sons had been in the slide projection business since the 1880s.25 On 10 June 1896, Gunn filed a V icto ria n C olonial P aten t26 on an improved form of oxygen reto rt for

lim elight purposes. It was a simple device, rather like a pressure cooker, with an inner rem ovable tin dish to accept the charge of oxygen mixture.

When the chemicals inevitably began to attack this dish, it could be replaced for a few pence rather than having to replace the whole retort.2_ By 1898, Gunn had manufactured com plete lim elight plants for clients including the M elbou rne W orking M en’s College (now RM IT), Geelong’s Gordon College and the Salvation ArmyLim elight D epartm ent.28 The outfits included Gunn’s Patent Retort, which was progressively improved by the inclu­ sion of asbestos gaskets and changes to the pan shape.29 A diagram of Gunn’s retort from his 1896 patent, and a photo

35

Headquarters of the Salvation Army Limelight Depart­ ment, 1897 - 1908, at 69 Bourke Street, Melbourne, the Australasian Territorial Headquarters of the Salvation Army (photo c. 1905.) The Limelight Department occu­ pied a studio at rear and the attic seen at the top of this photo. Courtesy Salvation Army Archives, Melbourne.

69 Bourke Street, Melbourne, today: City Temple of the Salvation Army. The abandoned attic still contains relics of the Limelight Department.

Operating Room of Limelight Department in the attic of 69 Bourke Street, Melbourne. Process camera in fore­ ground with reversing prism and arc lighting (for making printing plates and copying from documents or artworks). On the right are solar enlargers and reducers for producing lantern slides from large-format glass negatives. From The V ictory, September 1901. Courtesy Salvation Army Archives, Melbourne.

The same scene today (September 1995).

The newly-amalgamated Limelight Department and "GBM" ("Grace Before Meat") Scheme staff, from W a r Cry, Melbourne, 21 March 1903, p. 2. Major Joseph

Perry, Captain John Brodie and Adjutant Sidney Cook, all in the second row, were the principal filmmakers in this group. Orizaba "Orrie" Perry, then aged 15, would become the chief cameraman for Amalgamated Pic­ tures before embarking on cinema management in 1913. Courtesy Salvation Army Archives, Melbourne.

of Gunn’s complete gas-generating out­ fit from his 1898 catalogue, appears with this article.

By 1900, the Salvation Army Lime­ light D ep artm ent’s d irector, M ajor Joseph Perry, had been touring with limelight plants for almost a decade.30 With practical experience of the short­ comings of Gunn’s retort, Perry took out a patent on an improved version on 13 N ovem ber 1 9 0 0 .31 Perry’s “T r i­ umph” retort had already been placed on sale in July 1900 through the agency of the photographic retailers, Baker & Rouse.32 Perry’s design eliminated the defec­ tive hermetic seal of Gunn’s retort with an elegant screw-down bracket, also eliminating the need for lugs to hold down the lid.33 These had a tendency to break off Gunn’s cast-iron retort, with dire consequences for the touring exhibitors using them. Perry’s retort was of more durable gun m etal.34 His streamlined contrivance was used for several years by the various Salvation Army Biorama Companies37, and sold quite well to exhibitors. It was one of the few items of equipment commercially produced by the Limelight Department for the cinema industry at large.

Joseph Perry’s son, Reg, recalled in 1976 that: The gas was made in a retort which my old man invented. He had a row with Gunn’s, then prominent in Mel­ bourne, because they lived opposite one another and they were compar­ ing notes in the making of this [...]36 The implication by Gunn was that he should have been credited as co-inventor. Consequently, Gunn filed a virtually identical patent to Perry on 18 July 19 0 237 before Perry’s provisional speci­ fication was granted. The outcome of this legal battle is not known, but neither of their provisional applications appears to have been followed through to a full pub­ lished patent. In any case, the matter did not impede the commercial production of Perry’s retorts. One can be seen in the photo of Sidney Cook’s “New Biorama” outfit in July 19 0 3 38, apparently being used with gas-generating equipment oth­ erwise manufactured by Gunn’s.39 Som etim e later, perhaps about 1905, the Salvation Army’s Limelight Department progressively changed over to the use of compressed oxygen gas in cylinders.40 The cylinders were sup­ plied by Johnson and Gibson’s Boracic Acid and Oxygen Works in St Kilda,

MAJOR PERRY AND THE STAFF OF THE C.B.M. AND LIMELIGHT DEPARTMENT. 0*det Gore.

C a p t a i n T ir o d ie

Sketchedfrom a piloto

36

Lieutenant Carriok.

Mrs. Perry.

Orizaba Perry.

Major Perry.

Captain Wiffen.

Captain Southall.

Lieutenant Sutton.

Adjutant Cook.

Mrs. Adjutant Cook.

Corps-Cadet McPheo.

Captain Driscoll.

where they were made chiefly for the usage of the M elbourne hospitals.41 These took up much less space than the earlier gas-generating gear, and the oxy­ gen was immediately available for usage at the turn of a tap.

Today, theatrical xenon arcs can p roject 35m m film onto a fifty-foot (15m) screen with blinding brilliance and absolute reliability - at the flick of a switch. W e forget that light itself was a hard-won commodity in pioneer cinema.

Film Production "O n The Run" Until 1901, Salvation Army films shot during exh ib itio n tours had to be processed and printed in Melbourne.

The Limelight Department’s inventive­ ness soon overcame this problem, just as it had with the special problems of gas generation on lengthy Australian tours. The Department built a portable rack and tank processor and printing machine.42 It allowed the Department to shoot films of rural locales, and then show them in those locales before mov­ ing o n .43 This becam e a specialist attraction of Salvation Army film shows.

Few other exhibitors had the facilities to compete. After the debut of the Sal­ vation Army’s feature documentary, Under Southern Skies, in August 1902, the excellen t takings induced the Department to incorporate its films in new fund-raising schemes.

At the start of 1903, the Limelight Department was combined with the Sal­ vation Army’s “Grace Before M eat” fund-raising schem e.44 Under this scheme, a money box was distributed

by Limelight Department exhibitors to any member of its audience willing to take one. The idea was to put the box on the fam ily dinner table. It was a reminder to put a penny aside for the poor before each meal - the “grace” before the “m eat” . W hen operators revisited the district, the proceeds would be co lle cte d .45 W ith the Lim elight Department’s film shows as an induce­ ment to participate, donors felt that they were getting value for their investment.

Touring companies were soon exploit­ ing the “GBM ” scheme in each state.46 The largest touring com panies were M ajor Joseph Perry’s “Biorama Com­ pany” and A djutant Sidney C o o k ’s “New Biorama Company”, each con­ C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

taining about six musicians, a projec­ tionist and supporting staff.47 Perry and Cook were the Salvation Army’s prin­ cipal cameramen in this 1902-4 period.

Perry spent the later halves of both 1902 and 1903 touring New Zealand and shooting film s.48 In Perry’s absence, Cook produced most of the Australian films of the period. Touring Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia within easy reach of the facilities of the M el­ bourne studio, Sidney Cook emerged as a filmmaker of distinction and prolific output. Today, he’s an unjustifiably for­ gotten pioneer of Australian production.

He eventually resigned from the Salva­ tion Army in 190549 and founded one of Queensland’s earliest cinema chains.50 Perry’s Australian film output was restricted to a few productions made during his Biorama Company tours of Queensland and New South W ales.

However, these were highly signifi­ cant for a number of reasons. Perry was obviously being influenced by the imported narrative films he exhibited, like A tta ck on a C h in a M ission (W illiam son, 1 9 0 1 ), T h e L ife o f An American Firem an (Porter, 1902) and T he G reat T rain R o b b ery (Porter, 1903).51 Although none of Perry’s films from the 1902-4 period survive today, press reviews indicate that their content and construction were increasingly com­ plex.52 He moved from actuality to what we now call documentary, “the creative treatment of actuality”. The internal visual narrative component of each film improved to make them selfexplanatory, less reliant on spoken commentary by a lecturer. Instead of isolated coverage of fragments of bush life, Perry assembled Adventures o f An Australian Stock Rider (1903).53 He had shot coverage of Aborigines in a “march past” at D eebing Creek Station in 1901.54 He now incorporated Aborig­ ines into a narrative with The Tragedy in the Bush and the Pursuit o f the Blacks Responsible (1904).55 This staged battle between Aborigines and settlers was obviously influenced by The Great Train Robbery and Attack on a China Mission, where elements of conflict and chase sequences conclude in “the triumph of good over evil”. One suspects that this portrayal of Aborigines would not pass muster today in terms of political cor­ rectness! (See filmography for synopsis.)

In the light of subsequent events, Perry’s Bushranging in N orth Q ueens­ lan d (1904) might be considered the most significant film of the period.56 Shot during a single day in the out­ back Queensland town of Winton57, the first Australian bushranging film was well received-58, but it must have been less than ten minutes in duration (see filmography).

By the end of 1903, plans were set for the Salvation Army’s International Congress in London to occur in mid1 9 0 4 .59 Perry and D utton of the Limelight Department were selected to go to London and demonstrate its film achievements. They embarked with a full projection and production outfit in May 19 0 4 .60 Many of the narrative films of Australian life made immedi­ ately prior to this were planned to impress the hierarchy at the Salvation Army’s London International Head­ quarters.61 In London, Perry and Dutton were to join a British Salvation Army Officer named Howse in producing a film of the International Congress.62 In this way, the first Australian production unit in Britain made a 1 0 ,0 0 0 -fo o t (167minute) documentary of the event.63 Parts of this survive. The saga of this, and the collapse of Australian Salvation Army film production that followed, are examined in our next issue.

L im e lig h t D e p a r t m e n t F ilm o g r a p h y : S e p t e m b e r 1 9 0 2 S e p te m b e r 1 9 0 4 1 N e w Zealand Scenic Films [series of at least 11 films]

Shot by Perry while on tour with his Biorama Company between 9 August and 14 November 1902. Details from local New Zealand papers soon to be published by Clive Sowry. Each film probably around 150 feet (about three minutes) in length.

2 Distributing Clothing to Poor of Sydney Exhibited by Perry’s Biorama at Tim aru, New Zealand, N ovem ber 1902. Refer Timaru Herald, 4 Novem­ ber 1902, p. 4.

3 Hobart Scenic Films [?]

Adjutant Sidney Cook announced

his intention to shoot these in The Mer­ cury, H obart, 27 May 1 9 0 3 , but no confirmation of exhibition has been located.

4 Yachting Scenes [Sydney Harbour?]

Shown by Cook, and advertised in Launceston Examiner, 28 May 1903, p.

1. May not have been an Australian film.

5 Cataract Gorge In Flood, Launceston Shot by Cook on 20 May 1 9 0 3 .

Refer L aunceston E xam iner, 28 May 1 9 0 3 , p. 4. Exhibited by Cook on a return visit to Launceston. Refer Launceston Daily Telegraph, 2 Novem­ ber 1903, p. 2. The earliest positively confirmed film shot in Tasmania. Prob­ ably included footage of the C liff Grounds.

Photo engraving equipment in the attic at 69 Bourke Street in 1901. A corner or the Limelight Department's accommodations and equipment. From The Victory,

6 Sensational Rescue from Drowning at Queenscliff [Victoria] An early dramatic narrative film, first mentioned in Bendigo Advertiser, 13 July 1903, when it was exhibited by Cook. According to the Geelong Adver­ tiser, 29 September 1903, it “showed a gallant rescue from drowning at the Queenscliff jetty, the patient - an angler - being subsequently revived by the cus­ tomary artificial means”.

September 1901. Courtesy Salvation Army Archives, Melbourne.

The same corner today.

Attic, 69 Bourke Street, Melbourne, September 1995.

Sign above doorway to lightproof booth for hand colouring lantern slides. The sign dates from the Lime­ light Department days.

Joseph Perry's "Triumph" Oxygen Retort for Limelight, as produced by the Salvation Army Limelight Depart­

7 Bendigo View s Cook exhibited “three Bendigo views” in Bendigo on 13 July 1903, according to the Bendigo Advertiser of that date. p56

ment and retailed by Baker & Rouse Limited. From The A u s tra la s ia n P ho to g ra p h ic R e vie w , 21 July 1900, pp.

21-2, showing removable pan for receiving the "oxygen mixture" crystals and mechanical arrangement of parts and spirit lamp.

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Two schizophrenics find love and tragedy in an inhuman, uncaring world. J ohn C onomos delights at the perform ances o f Jacqueline McKenzie and John Lynch

40

i

i i i I

Sidney Lum et is M aking Movies

M e rc h a n t Iv o ry 's E n g lis h Landscape

Sidney Lum et pens a m em oir

delights in the

J an E pstein

which is short on personal

coffee-table glories o f this look at four o f

detail but rich in film m aking revelation. B rian M c F arlane is

M erchant Ivory’s best films, but

suitably impressed

proves elusive

47

47

perform ance

45

is disappointed that real insight

B R

Film

M ercurio (Tom), Dee Smart (Charlie), Colin Friels (Connor), John Poison (Nick), Rebekah Elmaloglou (Susan), Bob M aza (Gilbert), Terry Serio (Lucky).

Australian distributor: Fox Columbia Tristar. 35mm. 89 mins. Australia. 1995.

BACK OF BEYOND Directed by M ichael Robertson.

Producer: John Sexton. Executive producers: Douglas Yellin, Gary Hamilton. Scriptwriters: Paul Leadon, Anne Brooksbank, Richard J. Sawyer.

Director of photography: Stephen Dobson. Production designer: Ross Major. Costume designer: Louise Spargo. Sound: Gary O'Grady.

Editor: Tim Wellburn. Cast: Paul

spectacular and shown to striking effect, thanks to Stephen Dobson’s hard-edged cinem atography. But the story is cliched and predictable, and

S

takes itself too seriously.

panache to Back o f Beyond.

mechanic who returns to his

H ow ever, this outback fantasy

garage in the desert, 15 years

called the Yellow Unicorn, is

starring Paul M ercurio needs

after an accident on his

dusty and abandoned, but T om

\ highlight the film’s basically

m ore than visual flair to lure

m otorbike which killed his sister,

is soon busy with customers.

I pedestrian ideas, which are

audiences into theatres.

Susan (Rebekah Elmaloglou).

tylish photography and snappy editing give some

Filmed at Ross River, east

ook

e v ie w s

M ercurio plays T om , a

that he wore the day of the

\ television com mercials, seen at

accident? The service station,

i their best in the film’s opening

First up is Lucky (Terry

sequences, serves only to

gleaned less from the riches of

T om is something of a mystery.

Serio), a rock star in a red

j the Aboriginal dream tim e than | the celluloid factory that

of Alice Springs, the haunting

W here has he been all these

Cadillac, whose catchphrase,

beauty of the red desert’s

years, and why has he returned

“Gotta go - gotta gig!”, provides

limitless horizon and blue sky is

now, wearing the same leathers

some rare humour. N ext comes

(Jerry Zucker, 1 9 9 0 ) and Always

Gilbert (Bob M aza), an

(Steven Spielberg, 1 9 8 9 ).

Aboriginal elder on a camping

produced such films as Ghost

Robertson’s concept of a

trip with his two grandchildren.

love story set in the middle of

H e acts as T o m ’s spiritual guide.

nowhere, where a mechanic

Last up is a trio of crooks from

expiates a penance by fixing souls

the city whose car has broken

of travellers who pass through his

down in the desert: the beautiful

service station, is a promising

con-artist Charlie (Dee Smart),

idea which doesn’t ignite on the

her dangerous boyfriend, C onnor

screen. M ercurio has Latino good

(Colin Friels), and the ineffectual

looks, and there are times when

Nick (John Poison), the boss’s

his movem ents light the screen

son who has been sent along to

with flashes of poetry, but he’s

protect his father’s interests.

w ooden and out of his depth

Back o f Beyond seeks to capitalize on the mystique of

here, in a tale that needs the skilled whimsy of a Johnny Depp

outback Australia, and the

to work. The film works best

dream tim e, but the screenplay by

when magic is left behind, and

Paul Leadon, Anne Brooksbank

the plot concentrates on the

and Richard J. Sawyer is

tensions between three city

frequently clumsy and lacking

slickers, who bring drive and

in genuine originality. The

energy to the script.

deliberate use of the finesse and rhythms of videoclips and

Dee Smart (Lucinda in the television series Hom e and Away)

An Awfully Big Adventure sees H ugh G ran t at his finest.

With his nicotine-stained fingers and acerbic put-downs, Meredith Potter is the quintessential temperamental director, vacillating between endearing charm and breathless cruelty [...] it is to Grant's credit that he is able to bring a degree of pathos and vulnerability to such a repulsive, manipulative character.

M eredith Potter (Hugh Gra\t\.

p

40

An Awfully Big Adventure.

C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

39

Films continued

H

arry (John Lynch) and Kate (Jacqueline McKenzie),

who suffer from schizophrenia, fall in love - much to the disapproval of the medical

is impressive in her first screen

fraternity, friends and siblings

role as Charlie. She has a strong

alike - and decide to have a

presence, and handles the

baby.

transition from being tough and

The tragic outcome of this

streetwise to tender and

uneven love drama is couched in

vulnerable as she falls in love

the all-too-familiar idiom of a

with Tom with much aplomb

streetwise, nitty-gritty realism.

Directed by Mike Newell. Producers: Hilary Heath, Philip Hinchcliffe.

Executive producers: Mark Shivas, John Sivers. Scriptwriter. Charles Wood, based on the novel by Beryl Bainbridge. Director of photography: Dick Pope. Production designer: Mark Geraghty. Costume designer: Joan Bergin. Cast Alan Rickman (P. L. O’Hara), Hugh Grant (Meredith Potter), Georgina Cates (Stella), Alun Armstrong (Uncle Vernon), Peter Firth (Bunny), Prunella Scales (Rose), Rita Tushingham (Aunt Lily). Portman productions with the participation of British Screen in association with BBC Films and Wolfhound Films. Australian distributor: Fox Columbia Tristar. 35mm.

112 mins. UK. 1995.

and conviction. This plausibility

Mercifully, A ngel Baby is a

evaporates in some silly love

watchable, compassionate and

scenes by a river with Tom, and

energetic movie (despite its

when the plot becomes juvenile

occasional rambling) that

and she leaps onto the motorbike

unquestionably speaks of writer-

for some engaging performances by

with him to rescue Gilbert’s

director Michael Rymer’s

the ensemble cast and the film's

grandchildren. Friels puts a

promise as a filmmaker. It has

characteristically interesting spin

clearly-delineated scenes of

three stars.

The film is an adaptation of a

on Connor, the jealous lover and

confusion, love, humour and

arch villain, while John Poison as

pathos. These include some

novel by Beryl Bainbridge, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize

Nick and Bob Maza as the wise

notable scenes at the lovers’

in 1990, and this seems to have

man both put in creditable

apartment, in their more tender

placed a number of restrictions

performances.

private moments, and at the day­

I

t would be tempting to describe Mike Newell's latest film, An Awfully Big Adventure, as "an awfully tedious film”, were it not

care centre where they meet, as

upon the film's narrative, which scriptwriter Charles Wood and

don’t make up for a more

well as certain scenes that take

director Newell struggle to

credible script, where lovers of

place between Harry and his

paranormal romance can

brother, Morris (Colin Friels),

willingly suspend disbelief and give themselves up to soul-

and his wife, Louise (DeborraLee Furness), at Morris’ house,

clumsy and rather misleading title.

Obviously, the novel's original title

nourishing flights of fantasy.

where Harry lodges.

A ngel Baby succeeds because

was retained for marketing

Back o f Beyond is haunted by

nothing so much as the sense that

of Rymer’s ability to create two

antithetical to the story's gloomy,

the film’s fine array of talent has been underused. © J a n Epstein

interesting human beings who

But these performances

mirror back through their topsy­

overcome.

Not the least of these is the

purposes, but its optimistic tone is ponderous nature. Potential viewers would be justified (but mistaken) in expecting a light comedy, and this is

Awfullt

Meredith Potter, Bunny (Peter Firth) and Stella Bradshaw (Georgina Cates).

An

partially attributable to Newell's previous success with Four

turvy, existential lives our own complex feelings, frailties and

Directed by Michael Rymer. Producers: Timothy White, Jonathan Shteinman.

Scriptwriter: Michael Rymer. Director of photography: Ellery Ryan. Sound: John Phillips. Production designer: Chris Kennedy. Costume designer: Kerri Mazzocco. Editor: Danby Cooper. Cast John Lynch (Harry), Jacqueline McKenzie (Kate), Colin Friels (Morris), Deborra-Lee Furness (Louise), Robyn Nevin (Dr Norberg), David Argue (Dave), Geoff Brooks (Rowan).

Australian distributor: REP. 35mm.

104 mins. Australia. 1995.

40

than young girls, he has no qualms

repertory theatre in Liverpool, An

in letting Stella fall in love with him,

the fact that Hugh Grant also stars in

Awfully Big Adventure is the story

despite the cautious advice given by

Adventure. While the change in style

of 16-year-old Stella Bradshaw

Bunny (Peter Firth), the stage

was probably a welcome challenge

(Georgina Cates), who dreams of

manager and Potter's loyal

for both men, and may prove

becoming an actress. She prances

companion,- Irtifact, it would seem

critically rewarding for Grant's

around her bedroom "playing

that everyone in the company is in!;.:

upsetting of his own stereotype (the

ladies" as she talks into an

some way in love with Meredith, and it is to Grant's credit that he is

audiences may come to the film with

imaginary telephone, and eventually gathers enough courage to audition

very different expectations if they

for a company run by the lecherous

and vulnerability to such a repulsive,

haven't read the book. (I'd certainly

Meredith Potter (Hugh Grant). Stella

manipulative character.

never heard of it; I suspect its

lands an "apprenticeship" with the

popularity may be confined to

company — basically, she does all

in Julius Caesar. Her first rôle is

Britain.)

the dirty work from taking notes and

accompanied by her first seedy

delivering messages to scrubbing

sexual encounters, in which she is driven by sheer curiosity rather than

&clumsy but lovable Englishman),

ANGEL BABY

Set in a post-World W ar II

Weddings and a Funeral (1994), and

The schism between the film's

able to bring a degree of pathos

Stella finally makes her début

hope in an increasingly-mediated,

title and its content is reflected in its

mirrors and banging nails into sets.

technologized world where

marketing campaign. While the

But with this apprenticeship comes

any delusions of romance. She wants

intimacy and understanding is

Disney-esque title is accompanied

the promise that one day she will

to gain as much experience as

have her chance on the stage.

critical. Above and beyond this,

by the mawkish slogan, "In love as

there is Lynch and McKenzie’s

in life, destiny is always waiting in

finely-tuned performative

the wings", the poster and visual

fingers and acerbic put-downs,

Meredith. Throughoutthe film, we

alchemy as the lovers: Harry,

iconography are shrouded in blue-

Meredith Potter is the quintessential

see Stella recounting her adventures

who strives to make a “normal”

grey and a gothic black. In hindsight,

temperamental director, vacillating

— both theatrical and sexual— to

life and is tormented by voices;

the slogan is particularly tacky given

between endearing charm and

"hei mother", whom she calls from

and Kate, who receives messages

the plot "twist" at the end. This is

breathless cruelty. While Potter's :

public phone boxes. It is only later in

from another world through a

definitely not a film for the kids.

head is turned by young boys rather

the film that we learn that she never

With his nicotine-stained

possible, in preparation for what she believes is her inevitable union vvith '

television quiz show (aptly The

C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

Ultimately the film is torn between presenting a series of vignettes on life in a rep theatre company and portraying the rite of passage of a starstruck, motherless teenager. mature and capable young actor—

are no similar concessions to film

character of Stella fails to connect

production offered by the UK

with the audience: in the end, we

government Liverpool was also

don't really care about her as much

considered too modernized and

as, perhaps, w e should. This could

"clean" to recreate the post-World

well be a weakness in the script we

W a r II atmosphere of decay and ruin.

never actually find out why she was

inform us that, throughout filming,

That's quite a fundamental aspect of

“newcomer" Georgina Cates was

character portrayal to leave out. In

leading a double life. In truth, she was

contrast, the character of Meredith

Clare Woodgate, an experienced

is more successfully drawn and this

actor who was appearing in The Bill

helps Grant produce the most

(television) at the time of casting.

Ultimately, the film is tom

knew her mother and was brought up

had to leave Liverpool, but he never

portrayal of the characters drawn to

by her Uncle Vernon (Alun Armstrong,

saw the baby. Obsessed with finding

rep theatre. The ensemble cast

in a sympathetic portrayal of a man

hisenly child, O'Hara has spent

including Prunella Scales, Nicola

struggling to cope with his niece's

years cruising the countryside on his

Pagett and Carol Drinkwater,

burgeoning sexuality). It is

motorbike on this impossible quest.

recreate both the thrills and

Significant, then, that her audition

It is Meredith's call to play Hook that

hardships of theatre life: the opening

piece was as a lady speaking

finally returns him to the stage.

anxiously into a telephone receiver: “ Hello?... h e llo ... is anyone there?"

W hen the actor playing Caesar takes a fall mid-performance, the

A curious menage-a-trois develops between the actor, the

between presenting a series of

deterred by the casting agent's initial

vignettes on life in a rep theatre

rejection of her. She put on a wig,

company and portraying the rite of

adopted a Liverpudlian accent,

passage of a starstruck, motherless

completely rewrote her curriculum

teenager. In short, Bainbridge's

vitae and family history... and created

material sits uneasily on the screen.

Georgina Cates, who impressed

The narrative feels fragmented, and,

Newell with her commitment and

when it finally "comes together" in

remarkable performance in auditions.

the last half hour, the viewer is not

The truth didn't come out until after

overcome by a moment of revelation;

the film had been shot, by which time

rather, the dénouement is welcomed

Woodgate seems to have won

with a feeling of indifference — "ah,

everyone over with her talent and

now it makes some sense".

was beyond reproach. It appears the

P o s t s c r ip t :

The making of

Demidenko syndrome is not confined

Adventure is perhaps more

to the literary world! Georgina Cates

interesting than the film itself! It was

is now Woodgate's legal as well as

filmed in Dublin, despite being set in

professional name.

Liverpool, due to the Irish

® Fin c in a H opgood

night, the bitchiness, the human failed relationships. Particularly

apprentice and the director. O'Hara

impressive is Peter Firth as Bunny,

is immediately attracted to the naive

who looks out for Stella and

but precocious Stella; she considers

attempts to shield her from some of

Captain Hook for Peter Pan, the next

him simply another sexual conquest

the cruelty of Meredith's world.

O'Hara is an extremely troubled

show of the season. By this stage,

on her w ay to snaring Meredith,

w e are halfway through the film and

who in turn is attracted to the

character; in fact, he is Ham let

w e finally g e tto m eet P. L O'Hara

magnetic presence of O'Hara on

one of the roles upon which his

(Alan Rfckman), a former ensemble

stage but hides this beneath his

reputation as a consummate

member who is spoken of in hushed

spiteful jealousy of the actor's skill

performer is based. W hile Rickman's

tones. Clearly, this man w as not only

and popularity. There is always an

portrayal is a sensitive and

an awesome theatrical presence,

emotional victim in these scenarios,

convincing one, ironically he is most

but'he has a "history" as well. It

but in this case it is surprising which

engaging as Captain Hook (that is,

[turns out that O'Hara leftthe

one comes to a tragic end. Certainly,

O'Hara playing Hook). It's as if the

! company in scandalous

no one ends up with whom they

Sheriff of Nottingham, Rickman's

really w a n t

scene-stealing performance in Robin Hood: Prince o f Thieves (Kevin

a womanizer, he inevitably got a girl

W hile this plot may sound like

pregnant The gossip m eant he had

something out of a soap opera, the

Reynolds, 1991), has resurfaced in

to (pave the company and the girl

film's strengths lie in its humorous

Liverpool! While Cates is obviously a

C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

Having read the book and determined to play Stella, Woodgate was not

tragedy of false expectations and

ensemble finds itself without a

circumstances. W ith a reputation as

The production notes also

so determined to become an actress.

impressive performance of the trio.

Big Adventure

government's tax incentives. There

she is in most of the scenes — her

41

review

Films

continued

named Astral), they make a collective decision to let go of their medication so the child will be born healthy.

There is a two-level form

and perform ed; those depicting

approach to subject m atter,

! K ate’s introspective dialogue with

which could have easily (in less-

her guardian angel through the

capable hands) been rendered as

| television show have credible

a maudlin soap opera, reflects a

pathos; and the ones that show

pronounced form of dram atic storytelling savvy.

the mentally ill. Kate miscarries

of dram a conflict in the movie

H arry rescuing a com atose Kate

their child in the damp, drab

that gives it a particular, palpable

from her hospital bed are

confines of a new building site,

emotional charge. Both Harry

particularly gripping in terms of

Angel Baby is entertaining. Lynch

where she has sought refuge.

and Kate have their own inner

dram atic storytelling.

and M cKenzie make a highly-

Notwithstanding the obvious

struggles with society, and a

On a perform ative level,

This is a soaring, sensitively-

believable, fated pair - their

Wheel o f Fortune), giving Angel

research colour that Angel Baby

new, ill-fated fighting of their

told movie that encapsulates the

sensitive, energetic, individual

Baby that welcomed extra edge

exhibits in terms of the mentally-

existential demons without

changing fate of H arry and Kate’s

perform ances m otor the movie

as cinema.

ill lovers and secondary

medication.

lives in a palette of intense

for its entire duration. Their

emotional colour. The bridge

alchemy as two figures going against the grain of one­

K ate’s intense, roller-coaster

characters at the day-care centre,

Angel Baby, despite its

belief in another world besides

it is im portant to observe that

problematic emphasis on the

above society, with its

our everyday one - where the

the film does not exclusively

quirky characteristics of its main

institutions, rules and illusions,

dimensional society works in

mentally ill wander our streets

focus on H arry’s and Kate’s

and secondary' ch aracters1, is

where H arry and Kate are placed

many interesting dram atic and

unsheltered like confused

mental illness as such. The film

cinematically alive with some

(literally and metaphorically),

narrative ways. They are not

characters out of a 1 9 4 0 s W arner

concentrates on H arry and Kate’s

exceptional moments that reflect

suggests a very intimate symbolic

cardboard cut-outs; they have

Bros, film noir - significantly

mutual belief that it is important

the filmmaker’s and the

representation of their closeness

great em otional depth as the two

hints at one of the major

to take risks and let go of our

perform ers’ understanding of the

in a world which is indifferent to

main characters. This makes

thematic premises of the movie.

safety nets (so to speak), and to

material at hand. Rymer presents

them. And, despite the

Angel Baby, flaws and all, all the

Both H arry and Kate desperately

seek love and happiness where

his two troubled, doom ed

predictability of the tragic final

m ore rewarding as a movie.

seek an elsewhere to their

possible.

characters with raunchy, moving

present world - a place where

The early scenes where

: scenes at the bridge, from which

and intimate dramatic colour (the

a grief-stricken Harry is about to

© J

ohn

C on om os

they can live together

H arry meets Kate and pursues

sex scenes between Harry and

jump, Angel Baby is a movie that

undisturbed by the intrusive,

her have a raw, edgy vitality to

Kate are powerfully alive,

takes some considerable creative

condescending interventions of

them. They denote that these

indicative of their love for each

risks in the right kind of direction

m a r k e ta b l e /p r o g r a m m i n g

m ainstream society. H arry and

characters are alive to their own

other); the scenes depicting

as far as Australian cinema goes.

emphasis on our film and tele­

Kate have compassion and love

feelings and out of tune with the

H arry’s fighting his auditory

Angel Baby's occasional

for each other, and this leads,

rest of society. W hen H arry and

hallucinations at work are

J awkwardness as a film story does

tragically, to H arry’s rescuing

Kate decide to live together and

particularly vivid in the way they

! not spoil our overall appreciation

Kate from a hospital ward for

have a child (touchingly to be

have been audiovisually rendered

I of its undeniable merits. R ym er’s

1 W hy is “quirkiness” becoming such a desired, borin g, tw ee

vision screens these days?

BABE Directed by Chris Noonan. Producers: George Miller, Doug M itchell, Bill Miller. Scriptwriters: George Miller, Chris Noonan. Based on the book by Dick King-Smith. Director of photography: Andrew Lesnie.

Production designer: Roger Ford.

Editors: M arcus D'Arcy, Jay Friedkin.

Composer: Nigel W estlake. Animatronic characters by Jim Henson's Creature Shop. Cast: James Cromwell (Farmer Hoggett), M agda Szubanski (Mrs Hoggett), Zoe Burton (Daughter), Paul Goddard (Son-in-law), Marshall Napier (Chairman of Judges). Voices: Christine Cavanaugh (Babe), Miriam Margoyles (Fly), Danny M ann (Ferdinand), Hugo W eaving (Rex), Miriam Flynn (M aa). A Kennedy M iller film presented by Universal Pictures. Australian distributor: UIP. 35mm. 91 mins.

Australia. 1995.

S

om ewhere within us all is not only a child, but also the

yearning for recognition and belonging which belies expectations - a piglet which wants to be a sheep dog. In Babe, scriptwriters George M iller and Chris N oonan have recognized m ythic narratives which will strike a chord in all. Pre-em inent is the need to be special above and beyond our predestined station in life. This is the impetus for the journey which Babe, a precocious, young, Large W hite Yorkshire pig, must undertake as he starts life in the com m unity of the H oggetts’ farm . Babe upsets the natural harm ony of the farm,

42

C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

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ill

review

anthropomorphized as in Look W ho’s Talking (Amy Heckerling,

Films

uncertainties, to successfully compete as a sheep dog at die

mythical, revelatory atmosphere.

region’s dog trials. To do this, he

The effect is drawn significantly

continued

must bridge the gap between

from the ¿esthetic special effects.

feuding breeds and fully gain the

Filters, hyper-real sunsets and

and, in doing so, happily

trust of Farmer Hoggett, who is

tableaux of soft-focus farm

invests the “nature vs. nurture”

the first to recognize the unusual

animals contribute to a feel of

argument with added

capacities of his fated friend. Babe

other-worldliness. And, of

significance.

is the wise fool who bewitches the

course, the characters are imbued

sheep into friendship and

with fairytale traits of complete

fate and of magic. As a runt

mediates between Rex, who feels

acceptance, blind faith and trust

piglet, Babe is singled out by

the pig has gone against the

and a holistic lifestyle.

Farmer Hoggett (James

sanctity of farm life, and Fly, who

Cromwell) at a country fair,

feels torn between her love for

where Babe is offered as a prize

him and hesitation in overcoming

as children and young adults is

meant for fattening up and

her natural scorn for sheep.

accurately captured. Never

The fable of Babe is one of

Christmas eating. Their eyes

A sense of predestination

1989).

Babe is infused with a

The true essence of the fairytale and fantasy books read

condescending, the film manages

meet and in an instant they

comes through all aspects of the

recognize their shared destiny.

animal community. Except the

to maintain a fine balance between wide-eyed wonder and a

Hoggett takes the piglet back to

dogs and sheep, all animals are

slightly cynical, darker tone.

his farm, an idyllic pastoral space

essentially equal; however, they

Unlike other children’s films

where the pig is met by joy from

also recognize their eventual fate

which aim to be appreciated by

Mrs Hoggett (Magda Szubanski), seeing a potential Yuletide feast,

as meals for humans. Instead of

adults as well, Babe doesn’t

feeling the need to take over a

condescend to making “in” jokes

and mixed feelings from the

man-made model of social

which adults will get at the

other farm inhabitants.

organization as in George

expense of younger viewers. All

Orwell’s Animal Farm , or railing

audience members are invited to

Primary among the farm community is Fly, a matriarchal

against the inevitable, each

participate in the film on an

border collie, and her boisterous

animal calmly accepts that this is

equal level, and enjoyment is

pups. They sense Babe’s

gained from this egalitarian

loneliness and need for family as

their role in life, and therefore concentrates on quality and

they try to make the pig one of

harmony of life before meeting

message of the film is thankfully

them. Among those initially

their end at human hands. The

not presented in a simplistic “all

suspicious of Babe is Fly’s

effect is one of creating a

animals are equal” manner. The

partner, Rex, the patriarch of the

community more closely aligned

animals themselves must

farm, and Maa and Old Ewe,

with our own and, at the same

negotiate social contracts within

sheep who sense Babe’s affiliation

time, entirely unlike our own.

their own community - entirely

with their natural enemies, the

The film is a curious and

approach. The egalitarian

removed from human

sheep dogs. Another of the main

wondrous mix of live action,

intervention - whereby they

never have to deal with being

itself was Australia’s eminent

characters in the farm is the

review prejudice, ignorance and

upstaged. James Cromwell is

Kennedy Miller.

film’s jester, Ferdinand, an Indian

puppetry, animatronics, and computer graphics. The result is

social convention in a gradual

perfect as the quiet and stoic

Runner duck, who believes that

a totally seamless world where

and hard-won process.

gentleman farmer, while Magda

feature to his multi-genre film

Szubanski provides the perfect

career by co-writing and -

George Miller adds another

if he can usurp the barn rooster

animals communicate across

as the announcer of daybreak he

breeds through believable

a fanciful and often manic sense

temperament to lovable Mrs

producing the film, and

will save his neck from the

expressions, body language and

of humour. Like a child’s

Hoggett.

Australian Chris Noonan makes

chopping block.

spoken word.

storybook, its narrative is divided

A strong sense of pre­

44

Clyde Geronimi, 1961), or even in films where humans are

Unlike most other

Above all, Babe is a film with

The production of Babe

his début as a theatrical feature

into chapters, bookshelved

attests to the success of multi­

director. Up until this point,

visually by bizarre yet hilarious

national filmmaking and gives an

Noonan’s 25-year filmmaking

ordained social order becomes

anthropomorphized animal films,

clear among the animals. The

whereby talking animals are

little mice who break into song

indication of the sizeable budget.

career was distinguished by

dogs are top of the pecking

really metaphors for humans and

with “Chip” and “Dale”-like

The two leads are American and

directing the acclaimed

order, by virtue of their

their actions a moral allegory,

spontaneity. Ferdinand the duck

Australian, while Americans,

documentary Stepping O ut

seemingly superior intelligence

Babe creates a world where the

involves Babe in all sorts of

Britons and Australians provide

(1980), half of T he Cowra

and mastery over the sheep.

unexpected happens, where

slapstick-inspired mischief, while

the animals’ voices (Hugo

Breakout (mini-series, 1984) and

They lord their position over the

animals act in ways humans

muttering sarcasms under his

Weaving provides the voice of

Vietnam (mini-series, 1987), and

sheep, who are considered dumb

wouldn’t necessarily do in the

beak. The triumphant last scene

Rex). Shot entirely in New South

all of T he Riddle o f the Stinson

animals of little consequence.

same circumstances. The

holds no surprises as Babe makes

Wales’ Southern Highlands, post­

(tele-feature, 1988).

The sheep, meanwhile, fully

filmmakers idealize the animal

good as a champion sheep pig;

production took place here, and

realize their own importance and

world of Babe , but it also has

however, cliches are avoided as

throughout the event

by British author Dick King-

significance among the animal

more integrity than other anthropomorphized worlds such

the plot throws a whimsical

animatronics and special effects

Smith, is a film unlike any other

world, and carry deep-seated

aspect to the methods a pig must

experts worked on aspects of the

in recent memory. It celebrates a

hatred and resentment against

as Charlotte’s W eb (Charles A.

employ to gain the trust of the

film in the UK, the U.S. and

sweet, idealistic world where the

these “wolves”.

The main narrative thread

Nichols, Iwao Takamoto, 1973),

suspicious sheep.

H om ew ard B ound (Richard

of the film is whether Babe can

Michaels, 1980), O ne H undred

wonderfully individualized and

overcome the prejudices of the

and O ne Dalmatians (Wolfgang

other farm animals, and his own

Reitherman, Hamilton Luske,

have unique personalities, the two main human characters

While the cast of animals are

Babe, based on T he Sheep-Pig

I Queensland. Key crew members

values of humour and friendship

! were Australian, the animal

are recognized without ignoring

i i1 trainers were flown from the U.S. \ and New Zealand, and, of

course, the production company

the nasty surprises life - even on Hoggett’s farm - has in store. © M

o n ic a

Z etlin

C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

I

“exotic” lap dancer to whom

i as well as involve detachment or

Francis is attracted. Eric, an M C

i distance.

in the club, is also attracted to Christina; he also turns out to be the person who found Francis’

i Chinatown for one Chan Hung

I

The analogy seems to link

\ the characters’ preoccupation, even obsession, with artifice as a surrogate form of life with the

i $ 4 ,0 0 0 cash. Made with a total

viewer’s desire for filmic artifice.

j cash outlay of $ 2 3 ,0 0 0 , the film’s

when the film opens). Thomas

The cinema becomes seen as a

| appropriation of genre, its profile

(Don McKellar) sells exotic

form of artificial sustenance, a

animals and meets Francis. The

form which is stylized, exotic,

“take” on contemporary, urban

owner of Exotica, Zoe (Arsinee

distant (in a literal sense), just

America gave W ang immediate

Khanjian), is an enigma: she is

like the club in the film. Egoyan,

and impeccable credentials as a

himself a filmmaker, and, as a

“U.S. indie”.

to Christina in sexual ways.

consequence, someone who

A Little Bit o f Heart (1 9 8 4 ), a

represents a world of rituals and

no doubt aware of the irony

sensitive portrayal of the

proscriptions. The lap dancers

which is apparent in such

relationship between a Chinese-

come to one’s table for $5 and

analogies. These are layers which

American widow and her

strip. They can touch customers

seem to fascinate him.

daughter, was well received on

The films of Egoyan will not be to everyone’s taste. They

one was reliant on a well-stocked

Egoyan sets up a very strong

subvert conventional

video shop to keep track of

source of ongoing tension: the

chronologies; the characters, at

W ang’s career in the decade that

dancers are sexually alluring but

least most of the them, are likely

separates that film from his

there can be no consummation

to alienate the viewer; the tone

widely-distributed The Joy Luck

for the customer; the fantasy is

is cool and restrained; the camera

Club (1993). Inexplicably,

private but the event is public -

is controlled (pans are rarely

W ang’s career had become a

a ritual which is overtly sexual

completed, tracking shots are

non-event, even for those

cannot result in sexual fulfilment.

minimal - much is revealed even

journals and writers that had championed his early career.

Indeed,the iconography

as much is withheld or

amplifies the notion of artifice:

suppressed from the viewer’s

the club is an elaborate set which

gaze. In this way, the tensions

Egoyan presents as a shadowy,

between distance and

interpreted as the awkward

somewhat labyrinthine and

involvement, arousal and

m oment when an indie “sells

To make matters worse, The

Joy Luck Club was generally

highly-stylized world. It

frustration, viewer and viewed,

out” to big-budget, politically-

resembles a jungle in many ways.

are maintained). Egoyan’s view

conservative Hollywood

of human relationships is limited

production. Yet, even if the film

aspects is the positing of

and, in a sense, obsessive; the

had been produced by Disney

analogies and the idea of the

style is dispassionate. Indeed, it

subsidiary Hollywood Pictures, it

metafilm (that is, the film which

may be argued that some of his

is difficult to think of another

is concerned with its own

films serve to perpetuate the

recent mainstream melodrama

procedures, rhetoric and artifice).

very sorts of problems that they

that so skilfully deals with

For example, there is an implicit

explore. But having said this,

complexities of narrative (the

too, with the ways in which

analogy between the lap dancers’

they are distinctive and

film, based on Amy Tan’s

relations between characters and

bestseller, deals with eight

club and the rooms full of exotic

provocative evocations of

fish-tanks that Thomas owns. In

distancing voices and fragmented

relations between viewer and

both places, exotic creatures are

lives.

photography: Paul Sarossy. Production

cinematic image. Indeed, this

found; in both, the exotic can be

designers: Linda Del Rosario, Richard

aspect, what one might call the

pursued and, in a sense,

Paris. Costume designer: Linda Muir.

Editor: Susan Shipton. Sound: Ross

metafilmic aspect, adds a

purchased; in both, the viewer

sophistication and, at times

witnesses loneliness, separation,

provocation, to his cool, measured,

frustration and various attempts

though somewhat fractured,

to find a refuge from pain and

visions of contemporary life.

unhappiness. M oreover, Egoyan

(Tracey). Australian distributor:

the art-house circuit. However,

touching them. In this way,

artifice can be used to reflect

(Eric), Bruce Greenwood (Francis), Don McKellar (Thomas), Sarah Polley

Chan’s next film, Dim Sum:

trades in images and artifice, is

Atom Egoyan, Camelia Frieberg.

Scriptwriter: Atom Egoyan. Director of

Mia Kirshner (Christina), Elias Koteas

of ethnic Americans and its

pregnant yet seems to be drawn

One of the most striking

Redfern. Cast: Arsinee Khanjian (Zoe),

j trope of CHinese AmericAN?), I who has disappeared with

(though Francis is unaware of this

but customers are forbidden from

Directed by Atom Egoyan. Producers:

1 (a relative of Charlie Chan? a

missing daughter many years ago

The Exotica Club clearly

EXOTICA

! recesses of San Francisco’s

Exotica is concerned with

on occasions implicates the

® Raymo nd Y ounis

Chinese and Chinese-American women spanning three generations) or one that is so

SMOKE

caustic in its anti-materialism.

Hopefully, Smoke will help

Directed by Wayne Wang. Producers: Greg Johnson, Peter Newman, Hisami

the critical resuscitation of W ang’s

Kuroiwa, Kenzo Horikoshi. Executive producers: Bob Weinstein, Harvey

the refinement and embellishment

career.1 His latest film represents

Weinstein, Satoru Iseki. Director of photography: Adam Holender.

of themes and stylistics that have career: “open-ended” narratives;

figured throughout W ang’s

a group of lonely individuals

viewer in the process of

whose lives, one learns eventually,

voyeurism which pervades the

Editor: Maysie Hoy. Production designer: Kalina Ivanov. Costume

tom Egoyan has built up a

intersect in quite surprising ways.

film. Just as the characters enter

designer: Claudia Brown. Music:

highly-distinctive series of

Francis (Bruce Greenwood) is a

the club and observe the

films, from Speaking Parts (1 9 8 9 )

tax auditor who frequents the

dancers/strippers through cavities

and Family Viewing (1 9 8 6 ) to

Exotica club at night. He has lost

in walls and through openings, so

The Adjuster (1 9 9 1 ) and

his wife in a car accident and

too the film viewer glimpses such

Calendar (1 9 9 3 ). Exotica is his

discovers that she had been

scenes through cavities and

sixth feature and extends many

unfaithful. He has been betrayed

openings. In other words, the

of his concerns.

by his brother, Harold (Victor

viewer watching images in a

Garber), whose daughter now

cinema, where distance, ritual

interested in lives shaken by

babysits for him. Francis has had

and attachment are salient,

trauma and which are maintained

“too many special things taken

becomes analogous to the

ago with the startlingly

or supported by ritualized modes

away” and turns to fantasy and

characters in the film who desire

distinctive Chan is Missing

apocryphal, anecdote about Sir

of existence, fantasy, illusion or

ritual in order to restructure his

exotic things but from a distance,

(1 9 8 3 ), a film about two taxi

Walter Raleigh, the man

artifice. He has been concerned,

life. Christina (Mia Kirshner) is an

who value rituals which enforce

drivers searching the deepest

responsible for bringing tobacco

NewVision. 35mm. 105 mins. Canada.

1994.

A

Egoyan has been consistently

C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

Rachel Portman. Cast: Harvey Keitel (Auggie Wren), William Hurt (Paul

families and generational conciliation; characters searching for their ethnic and spiritual

Benjamin), Harold Perrineau (Rashid

roots; the rituals of storytelling; a

Cole), Forest W hitaker (Cyrus Cole), Stockard Channing (Ruby McNutt),

commitment to personal

Ashley Judd (Felicity). Australian distributor: NewVision. 35mm.

108 mins. U.S. 1995.

W

filmmaking.

Smoke is built around the act, art and rituals of storytelling. It starts, appropriately, in Auggie

ayne W ang burst onto the

W ren’s tobacco store where

scene more than 10 years

novelist Paul Benjamin (William Hurt) relates a delicious, possibly

45

Films

writer, continues to grieve for his

bank robbery. A more “fortunate”

continued

“crack child”.

W ang’s film is shot through

Smoke. As Rashid prepares

desperadoes, seems to be an

himself to be reunited with his

opportunity to evade more

with compassion and humour,

father, Cyrus, his aunt seeks

involving and demanding

bystander at such a heist is Rashid

yet whimsy never betrays the

knowledge of his whereabouts

challenges of plot construction,

Cole (Harold Perrineau), a

wistfulness of much of what is

from Paul, who only met Rashid

dialogue and characterization,

to England. Queen Elizabeth

teenager from a Brooklyn housing

told. “Y ou ’ll never get it if you

a day or two earlier after saving

or probing the m oral fibre of

asked Raleigh to measure the

project, who is now in possession

don’t slow down”, Auggie tells

him from a near fatal accident.

contem porary life. In an interview about The Joy Luck

weight of smoke. Raleigh weighed

of a bundle of money courtesy of

Benjamin as he leafs dumbstruck

Only after Auggie has resolved to

a fresh, unsmoked cigarette. He

butter-fingered thieves from

through page after page of his

help Felicity (Ashley Judd) is it

Club, W ang explained why the

then smoked it, taking extreme

whom he is hiding. After the

neatly-arranged photos of a street

revealed that she may not be his

parent figures in that film

care to place every ash as well as

death of his wife in the car he

corner, before the jolt of seeing

daughter. The family units here

w eren’t portrayed as idiots, as

the remaining butt in an ashtray.

was driving, Cyrus Cole (Forest

his dead wife in one of the

are delineated by self-respect,

they are often in the films of,

He subtracted the weight of what

Whitaker) is re-building his life at

images. After Benjamin has had

affection and individual m oral

say, John Hughes, and that such

was left in the ashtray from the

a newly-acquired, but seriously

his arm broken by the thugs who

choices. Interestingly, Auggie’s

a depiction well serves the self-

original cigarette, and ingenuously

out-of-the-way, service station,

saw Cyrus enter his apartment,

pose as the son of a complete

interest of his generation. Some

concluded that the difference was

unaware of the son he is soon to

he tells Auggie that if he sells a

stranger (the old woman is blind)

of what he portrayed is old-

the weight of the smoke.

be united with. And last, there’s

story about the incident he can

is one of the rare instances in the

fashioned, he argued, but in understanding the essence and

W ritten by Paul Auster

Ruby M cN utt (Stockard

claim the d o ctor’s bill as a tax

film where a legacy of family

(whose story, “Auggie W ren ’s

Channing), who seeks Auggie’s

deduction.

carries positive values, which are

origins of these characters there

Christmas Story”, provides one

help to rescue her pregnant,

rendered in the film as a kind of

A value.

of the film’s key incidents),

crack-addicted child who may

film, one that allows five souls to

Smoke centres on five characters,

also be Auggie’s daughter.

retrieve the missing links of their

each of whom , like Charlie

46

wife, the victim of crossfire at a

It is also a deeply-melancholic

©P

au l

Ka l i n a

fairytale fantasy.

Smoke, together with the

Then there is the paper bag

broken lives. W ang’s portrait of

trajectory of its director’s career,

M eadows (John Goodm an) in

containing $ 5 ,0 0 0 in bank notes

N ew Y ork as a place marked by

represents the recovery of a

Barton Fink (Joel Coen, 1 9 9 1 ),

to contend with. Like the baton

the tragedy of casual violence but

strand of the American

has a hell of a story to tell. For

that gets passed to each new

where immutable bonds are

independent cinema. It may also

1 A n oth er featu re, Blue In the

Face, was shot over several days during the making of Smoke.

Blue in the Face continues many

Auggie W ren (Harvey Keitel), it’s

runner in a relay race, it’s the

forged by sheer chance of

be a refreshing break from the

an obsession with photographing

narrative tool that causally links

coincidence - or fondness for a

American independent sector’s

of the sub-plots and characters featured in Smoke, as well as a handful of newcomers such as Madonna as a singing telegram

the same Brooklyn street corner

each character and provides a

particular brand of a soul-

recent cycle of films in which the

at the same hour of the day,

witty com m entary of social and

sustaining, if deadly and almost

undifferentiated “m other-fucker”

which has its genesis in a bizarre

econom ic justice as it finds its

illegal, indulgence called tobacco

sprinkled dialogue of a Quentin

Jim Jarm usch and Lou Reed.

incident that happened to him on

way from “undeserving” thugs to

- is profoundly touching.

Tarantino-styled film, or the

NewVision Films also has Aus­

Christmas Day several years

deserving welfare kid, only to

“fascination” with low-life, white

tralian distribution rights to the

earlier. Benjamin, a successful

end up saving the birth of a

trash, machine-gun wielding

companion film.

There are various constructions of “family” in

girl, M ichael J. F o x and Lily Tom lin, as well as cam eos by

C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

again be the all-powerful entities

between the studio and the

recordist. H e makes their

they had been in the preceding

independent com pany, between

functions clear in general term s

decades.

the m ainstream (Murder on the

and draws with well-chosen

Orient Express , 1 9 7 4 ) and the

specificity on his own films to

Lum et claims not to be “anti-studio”, though he

arthouse (Long Day’s Journey

illustrate a directo r’s interaction

dreads the m om ent of handing

into Night , 1 9 6 2 ), between Old

with these personnel. So, one

the movie over to the studio.

H ollyw ood (too young to be a

reads of his w ork with

contem porary of Haw ks or even

cam eram an Ossie M orris on The

“after months of rigid control

of Ray) and N ew (too old to be a

Hill (1 9 6 5 ), production designer T ony W alton and music director

| At this m om ent, his picture,

MAKING MOVIES Sidney Lumet, Bloomsbury, London, 1995, 220pp., hb, rrp S39.95.

I

n a m arket saturated with the

m em oirs of movie luminaries,

[...] is now being influenced by

classmate of Scorsese or

people with w hom I have very

Spielberg). It is a career that has

Richard R odney Bennett on

little influence”. H e is grateful

had its ups and downs. H e has

Murder on the Orient Express or

enough for the financial

had his box-office successes, but

editor Dede Allen on Serpico

backing of a studio but, at least

often his films have seemed too

(1 9 7 3 ).

in these later years, he is

literary, too actorish, for massive

sceptical about the way studio

popular success.

operatives seek to second-guess

I advance this notion because

T here is a chapter devoted to each of these - and to each of several other - aspects of

it is unusual to com e across a

public attitudes, about the way

Making Movies shows a

filmmaking, such as the viewing

book by a director which talks

they “go with stars” and about

particular sensitivity to the

of the rushes and “T he M ix: the

sensitivities of writers and actors.

Only Dull Part of M oviem aking”.

about the art and craft of his

the “blatant insanity” of the way

profession rather than his love

M en , his first feature, in 1 9 5 7 .

life. Making Movies is not, in

Both the origin and the date

H ow ever, this book is not the

fact, a m em oir. It is both less and

m ark him as transitional. U.S.

lam ent of a quivering artist who

m ore than that: less, because the

cinem a of the 1 9 5 0 s is full of

sees his delicately w rought fabric

life is entirely subordinated to the

names like Daniel M ann, Delbert

unravelled and hacked by brutish

w ork ; m ore, because it goes

M ann and Fielder C ook , whose

philistines. H e accepts that film is

beyond his ow n w ork to a

careers began with television, and

both art and industry, and insists

consideration of how movies at

it is also the decade in which the

that it must be part of the m ovie­

large are put together.

great H ollyw ood studios began

m aker’s skills to negotiate and

som e of his films have been sold.

their terminal crumbling. Their

reconcile his or her often-

me a transitional figure. H e cam e

logos would persist for a while

conflicting demands.

from television to make 12 Angry

longer, but they would never

Lum et has always seemed to

Lu m et’s career is pitched

All the kev collaborators are given their due: Lum et seems genuinely non-auteurist in his approach to a collaborative art form : he is, however, at his m ost impressive in writing about his w ork with, say, Chayevsky or D octorow , or Paul N ew m an or Katharine Hepburn. Some of his accounts of working with actors in particular are as revealing as

FREELANCE DIGITAL ARTIST CAN : PROVIDE WORK BASED FROM STILLS, SINGLE FRAMES OR VIDEOTAPE, SENT BACK TO YOU FOR COMBINATION WITH YOUR ORIGINAL FOOTAGE.,.

Anyone interested in a movie d irector’s approach to “The Best Job in the W o rld ”, or to the Lum et’s ow n individual strategies, is likely to find this book entirely engaging and inform ative. F o r him, m ovie­ making is a m atter of putting together a m osaic, of “polishing every tile”, with everyone having his/her function in a series of

anything I’ve read in this line. H e

very com plex, inter-related

recognizes that their drawing-

processes. Lum et has been

pow er can lead to their getting “a

making films for nearly 4 0 years;

sense of pow er that can hurt

he is w orth attending to, by

their w o rk ”, and he is scornful of

aficionados, film students and

their sycophantic hangers-on

interested layman alike.

(make-up persons, in fact, vie

© B r ia n M

c Far la n e

with team sters for his m ost ironic asides). H e has kept, though, a sense of w onder at what great

MERCHANT IVORY'S ENGLISH LANDSCAPE ROOMS, VIEWS, AND ANGL0SAX0N ATTITUDES

film acting can achieve.

Lum et is perfectly lucid and jargon-free about the

John Pym, with a Foreword by

contributions made by other key

James Ivory, Pavillion Books Limited,

collaborators, such as the editor,

London, 1 9 95,131pp., illus., index,

the cam eram an (“ph otographer”

rrp $55.00

he calls him), the art director (now, “production designer”), the music director and the sound

M

erchant Ivory’s English Landscape is an elegantly-

produced coffee-table book for

47

!r review Books

i social structure where great

continued

Pym’s book, reinforce and

It matters little to the viewer

and mourning the passing of the

the perquisites of high privilege,

that the wedding reception from

past has always been a sweet

but M erchant Ivory have literally

which the newlyweds have so

sorrow .

translated this cliché to the

recently departed is a sham, just

screen.

as in Maurice it m atters little to

pander to this sweet sorrow ,

our vicarious relishing of the

Pym ’s book includes in the

Like the television series

Fo r those who need to

pleasures of life at Cambridge

“ G azetteer” sections a voyeur’s

films reviewed in Pym’s book

that hypocrisy stalks its cloisters.

guide which explains to acolytes

reflect the growing trend towards

The élite know how to survive

how to make their way to the

legitimate post-m odern neo­

inequality, whilst at the same

and maintain their privileges.

M erchant Ivory shrines in

M erchant Ivory film buffs.

conservatism. Viewers can

time exploiting the aesthetic and

And in The Remains o f the Day,

southern England, where the

Subtitled Rooms, Views, and

indulge unabashed a nostalgia for

existential longings of all classes.

the darkest of the four films, it is

AngloSaxon Attitudes, the text is

i privilege and poverty co-existed.

M erchant Ivory’s films, and

Brideshead Revisited, the four

Nostalgia is a pleasant pastime,

the underlings who are

written by John Pym, and

only in literature, an England

whether watching films or

condemned to suffer the shame

lavishly illustrated with almost

which was only ever available to

flipping through this luxuriant

and indignities of serving masters

one hundred high-quality colour

less than one per cent of the

book. Nostalgia is also part of

who preserve their class position

stills from M erchant Ivory’s four

population. But a full and

the search for “hom e”. All this

whilst holding reasonable views.

best films: A Room with a View

comprehensive understanding of

comes together on the cover

A familiar and ironic process

(1 9 8 5 ), Maurice (1 9 8 7 ), Howards

the global appeal of M erchant

(as well as inside the book, on a

is at work here. The dramatic

End (1 9 9 2 ) and The Remains o f

Ivory films needs to go beyond a

double-page spread), where high

events that expose the flaws in

the Day (1 9 9 3 ).

social and political explanation.

privilege, beauty and the illusion

these artificially created universes,

Sight and Sound front 1 9 8 0 to

impulse to read stories, believed that deep in every m odern soul is

films, and is the author of a

a longing born of envy for the

book, The Wandering Company:

life one imagines all others to

21 Years o f Merchant Ivory Films,

have - a life of unity, integrity,

as well as the producer of two

and control, free from the

documentaries about their work.

capriciousness of fate. At this still

Thus, for those who like to do

point is born the need for the

m ore than look at pictures,

novel. Novelists, Camus argued,

Merchant Ivory’s English

cater to this need by spinning

Landscape makes a worthwhile

stories that create a destiny made

director Jam es Ivory (an Am erican), producer Ismail M erchant (an Indian) and scriptwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala (a German-Jewish emigre who m arried an Indian) feel so drawn to recreate on screen the appurtenances of upper-middle-class English life, Pym’s book gives only the barest hint.

M erchant Ivory films are a phenomenon. They have successfully colonized the visual imagination of filmgoers around the world with their particular representation of upper-class Englishness. The book’s biggest disappointment is its failure to explore the reasons for the success of M erchant Ivory’s formula.

A key com ponent of this

LAUGHING HYSTERICALLY Ed Sikov, Columbia University Press, N ew York, 1994, 282pp., illus., index, rrp $49.50.

I

s it correct to say that the 1 9 5 0 s constituted an essentially

Rebelie {The Rebel) about the

aficionado of M erchant Ivory

an explanation about why

© JA N EPSTEIN

Albert Camus, writing in La

1 9 9 1 . H e is a com mitted

read. H ow ever, for those seeking

“hom es” used in all four films are located.

an England that existed really

Pym was associate editor of

to order.

N ow here is destiny made to order m ore than in a M erchant Ivory film. This is apparent in even the most cursory glance at Pym’s book, where each exquisitely-detailed photograph reflects the yearning to escape to an imaginary world where beauty is ubiquitous, ugliness is banished, and sumptuous lives are lived in an ordered and controlled universe.

N o architecture in the world is m ore beautiful or satisfying than English domestic architecture, with its stately mansions, gravel drives and wisteria covered “cottages”.

Set in a benign and nurturing landscape, these “hom es” project a sense of com fortable stability, and no filmmakers have captured it m ore ravishingly than

success lies in their audience’s

M erchant Ivory. It is a world

generally unchallenged

where beauty and aesthetics

acceptance of class inequality, an

transcends class, and the light

acceptance that cannot be

clothes of m oney and the dark

separated from the worldwide

clothes of threadbare poverty-

of a world in control are

in their very depiction reinforce

“humourless decade” (p. 7) in

rise of the respectable neo­

com plem ent each other in a

depicted in a quintessentially

and proclaim the values and

H ollyw ood film? Ed Sikov does

conservative right since the

world made to order, where

evocative still from Howards

appeal of the M erchant Ivory

not think so. An account of

19 7 0 s. W ith their gentle

everything is in its place,

End, where cheering hat-waving

world.

com edy in the 1 9 5 0 s which does

exposure of hypocrisy and sham,

including the poor.

wedding guests farewell the bride

M erchant Ivory’s “English” films

48

longing in the hearts of many for

The crunch of w ooden (later

and groom on the gravel

In The Remains o f the Day,

not take into account the films of

the past is m ourned for it can

M ankiewicz, Minnelli, Sirk,

imply that the ills of society-

wire) wheels on the gravel of an

driveway as they depart in their

never return. H ow ever much it is

Chaplin, H al W alker and so on,

derive from failure of character,

English driveway may be a

m otor car, in a blur, from the

shown to be flawed, corrupt and

or which does not take into

rather than being the result of a

i hackneyed expression of the

W ilcoxes’ country mansion.

empty, we grieve for its passing -

account developments in Europe,

C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

V

u m

e lí ^

t § | H p f p 21

ri PA TM E M E g i i i i i kThî TTi

is likely to be seen as eccentric or at w orst partial. Sikov chooses to

i the subversive or deconstructive i content of the films of each

concentrate on just four

director in turn.

filmmakers, som e of whom are

Sikov begins with an

words, such films express the

Sikov often confuses the persona

seen to embody sexual tensions

very sexuality which American

with the actor) incarnates

and concerns which undermine

culture and law were actively

hom osexual desire which is

norm ative m oral codes. The Big

trying to suppress. Art provides,

subversive and cannot be directly expressed or fulfilled (hence the

H ow ard Haw ks’ films are

not generally associated primarily

\ introduction which suggests to

Sky (1 9 5 2 ) is praised for its

then, what life disallows.

with com edy: H itchcock,

i the reader where his sympathies

hom oeroticism ; other comedies

Ultimately, according to Sikov,

repetition of the signs).

H ow ard Haw ks, Billy W ilder and

j lie. Clearly, Freudian

of the 1 9 4 0 s and ’5 0s involve,

sexuality emerges as something

M oreover, the persona doubly

i

Frank Tashlin. His rationale is

psychodynamic theory has had a

according to Sikov, a union of

that cannot be contained by the

subverts this desire by presenting

that these directors made “some

profound influence. One finds

com ic strategies and sexual

imperatives and norm s that

it as mad or deranged or

of the funniest and m ost com plex

the full panoply of concepts here;

anxieties. M uch of the analysis is

Am erican culture and law erect.

films of the decade”. This is a

repression, reaction formations,

concerned with Monkey Business

claim that can be questioned, but

eros and thanatos, neurosis,

(1 9 5 2 ). Genres are loosened;

With Harry (1 9 5 5 ) is analyzed to

manifestation of his culture’s

the choices would seem to be

psychosis and hysteria are aired

m oral conventions are subverted;

show three things, at least: that

failed repression” (p. 190).

justifiable.

again. Little is added to the

respectable characters are

the people of the ’5 0s were, in

often imaginative and

H itchcock’s The Trouble

“retarded”. In short, Lewis’ persona becomes the “hysterical

The readings in the book are

content of these concepts.

com prom ised, stability is

one sense, puritanical; that sex,

just to discuss funny and com plex

Generally, Sikov assumes that

superseded by chaos - all signs

repression and death are linked;

stimulating. Sikov writes for the

films. His aim is also to

they are sound and in no need of

on Sikov’s reading that normative

and that the preoccupation with

m ost part clearly and coherently.

“confront a history of critical

critical evaluation, and proceeds

and repressive codes are being

death could be studied in terms

It is evident that post-m odernist

discourse” which relies on

to apply them to selected scenes

challenged, that rigid structures

of mass entertainm ent or as a

discourses have had an impact.

norm ative standards and, in

and images. Hollyw ood in the

are loosening under the pressure

source of amusement and

These are understood in three

Sikov’s view, on “repressive

1 9 5 0 s is characterized as “an

of the deconstructive gaze. Ideas

diversion on a massive scale.

senses: they involve frequent

tendencies” in “the can on ” of

entertainm ent m atrix from which

of physical shape, narrative

H arry is an awkward presence,

quotations and appropriations

film writing on the subject of

conform ism , com placency,

structure and ideological

an emblem of perversion and

(intertextuality), repetitions (as

H ollyw ood com edy. Just what

single-minded corporate

representations are challenged.

sexuality, as well as a memento

ways of subverting notions of

this “canon” is, or why it

ambition and tattle-telling

(The operative metonymy

mort. (Of course, the film

linear progress), and a dispersion

deserves to be labelled thus, is

anticommunism em anated”

concerns the attempt to control

suggests that H arry had been

of signs of anxiety and repressed

not really explained in the book.

(p . 2 ).

the breasts of buxom women: the

incapable of consumm ating his

sexuality which simultaneously

Sikov’s aim, however, is not

The diagnosis is unsurprising

cantilever bra of 194 3 allowed

marriage - so H arry is a double

resist any attem pt to impose a

written in order to subvert and

given the interpretive framework:

the generous proportions to be

failure: sexually inadequate

single stable or fixed meaning.

deconstruct so-called master

“Anxiety flourished, psychiatry

highlighted while simultaneously

husband and sexual deviant. It is

The reader is in a labyrinth of

narratives of Am erican com edy in

boom ed, and alcoholism was

suggesting tight control and

thought provoking, in

signs where meanings multiply,

general. The primary targets

ram pant” (p. 8). This is also an

stability. The authority of the

m etaphorical terms to say the

it seems, incessantly. The

becom e som ewhat clearer as one

age when martinis and

imposing breast, Sikov would

least, that he keeps reappearing!)

readings themselves are intended

reads further.

tranquillizers abounded,

have us believe, was related to a

The film becomes a m etonymy, it

to show just where and how

according to Sikov, in order to

hysteria of almost clinical

is argued, of nervous disorder:

repression and suppression have

films which express or embody a

control incipient hysteria.

proportions: the preoccupation

repression is so pervasive that the

been deployed in order to

rebellion against “conservatism ”,

Hysteria, neurosis, perversion,

with large breasts, with the

beauty of the setting masks an

subvert or dismantle the

especially in a sexual and

anxiety and repression become

highlighting and suppression of

underlying world of psychosis,

operative structures. The task is,

political sense. T he films he

sources of com ic release. Their

them suggests anxieties and

anxiety and sexual neuroses.

in a sense, deconstructive: that

chooses are risky films, he

role in the culture of psychiatric

neuroses which pervade

asserts, which were not afraid to

crises is explored against the

representation). Hawks’ films do

especially with Jerry Lewis, is

’5 0s culture which is often

challenge m oral conventions,

background of an age when the

not always provide resolutions.

analyzed. Sikov argues that

missed or ignored, and to show

even though they were fashioned

econom y was booming and

Anxieties, then, are expressed

Tashlin’s comedies, for example,

how the repressed erupts in

everyone was “supposed to be

indirectly through the

Artists and Models (1 9 5 5 ) and

various disguises through the

Will Success Spoil Rock Hunterf

barriers erected to keep it out

(1 9 5 7 ), present themselves as

of sight.

Clearly, though, this book is

Sikov’s main interest is in

within the artistic and ethical constraints of H ollyw ood

content” (p. 2 3 ). Key personas,

preservation of structural and

fram eworks. So, it is time, he

which are apparent in the

narrative tensions.

believes, to reconsider just what

perform ances of actors such as

the norm s of the time were and

M ontgom ery Clift, Jam es Dean,

In Billy W ilder’s comedies, especially Sunset Boulevard

Finally, Tashlin’s work,

recognizable Hollywood

is, to highlight the “flip side” of

It must be said, however,

products while simultaneously

that Sikov substitutes opinions

just how the w ork of these

Brando, M onroe, W idmark,

(1 9 5 1 ), satire and melodram a

questioning or subverting two

for insights and is dismissive of

directors subverted or

M arvin and M itchum , manifest

combine in perverse ways to

things: the “reactionary moral

im portant films on numerous

interrogated these stipulative

the crises and tensions of the

evoke a perverse culture. A world

rhetoric” (p. 182) of the time and

occasions: for exam ple, Le R oy’s

codes. T w o agendas are made

psyche. M oreover, the films of

which is only “superficially alive”

the very econom ic and

Quo Vadist (1 9 5 1 ), though it

explicit: first, these directors

the 1 9 5 0 s, it is argued, were

(p. 10 2 ) is dismantled; laughter

psychological conditions that

only gets one mention, is called

made com edies which involved

preoccupied with the

becomes hesitant, meaning

made the Hollyw ood system

“ridiculous” (p. 3 ); On the

responses to sexual repression as

iconography of the “abnormally

becomes insecure and unstable;

possible. Jerry Lewis is read as

Waterfront (Elia Kazan, 1 9 5 4 ) is

well as sources of liberation for

huge” ; for exam ple, “whopping

histrionics become com ic in spite

the anxious or neurotic

treated simplistically in one or

the critic; second, Sikov is

hooters” (p. 3 3 ) - the breasts of

of intentions. M odernism, it

“protogay” (p. 18 9 ) figure who

two sentences; High Noon (Fred

interested in the expression and

Barbie, Jayne Mansfield and Jane

seems, is inseparable from

in genres other than com edy

Zinnemann, 1 9 5 2 ) is dismissed as

repression of sexuality, especially

Russell are mentioned as evidence

anxiety, neurosis, madness. In

would have been the object of

“pretentious” (p. 6) and merits

hom osexuality, through the

as are the films of Russ M eyer.

other films like Stalag 17 (1 9 5 3 ),

fear, scorn or hatred. In the

no m ore than a handful of words

Sikov finds a “polymorphous

figure of Jerry Lewis, a sign of

in the entire book. It seems that

perversion and lunacy of various

and repressive films, and finds

sexuality” (p. 11 8 ) which he

lunacy, according to Sikov,

films which do not share Sikov’s

kinds. His view is that a full

quite a few examples. In short,

believes is at the basis of the

Am erican culture finds its own

agenda are not w orthy of

restoration of “mental and social

com edy facilitated the return of

human psyche (even though he

repressed history: Lewis’ persona

detailed or even carefully-

health” can be effected through a

the repressed, and actually

expresses this in the

activates ambivalence towards

considered com m ent. Also,

process of analysis and evaluation

encouraged this in order to

interrogative). In films like Some

stipulative and rigid codes of

Sikov’s thesis, as interesting as it

- a “talking cure” - in which the

stimulate otherwise suppressed

Like It Hot (1 9 5 9 ), it is argued

behaviour towards proscriptions

is, is inadequately defended at

m etahistory of traum a and

pleasures and desires. Against this

that hom osexual desire is

against homosexuality. Lewis, on

numerous points. Fo r exam ple,

frustration is repeated by the

canvas, so to speak, the films of

appropriately embodied in

Sikov’s reading, is a “jester in a

even though he is scathing in his

critic or the historian. It is in

each of the four directors are

com edy (which has a disruptive

court of sexual panic” (p. 19 0 ):

com ments on some films and

these contexts that he discusses

exam ined in turn.

or subversive function); in other

his persona (not Lewis himself -

critics, he is quite uncritical in his

iconography of hysteria, neurosis,

Sikov looks for reactionary

C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

49

review

W h at is impressive about

the airport tarm ac as his parents

film terms: brute, bloop and lap

departed for the filming of

dissolve, etc. The book also tries

The African Queen. They were

Books

to be fair to major players other

inform ed of the tragedy during

Australian Film 1978-1992. Two

than directors, but bizarrely

a stopover in Chicago several

additional years have been added,

ignores one of the w orld’s

hours later, but did not return.

a few m inor corrections silently

continued

greatest, and the first of

made and the appendices revised.

Australia’s Academ y Award­

producer for C ourt TV and a crime novelist, but he has little to say

Authors of the new entries

winning, DOPs, Robert

adoption of psychodynamic

include Adrian M artin, Jim

Krasker.

theory. A vast body of literature

Schembri, Jan Epstein, Raym ond

which is critical of Freud is

Younis, Joh n Conom os and

largely ignored. Alternative

Geoff Gardiner.

BREWER'S CINEMA

And there are numerous cases of

A PHRASE AND FABLE DICTIONARY

essentialist simplification (“the fifties” are described many times

Foreword by David Attenborough,

in one-dimensional terms).

Cassell, London, 1995, 617pp., hb, rrp S34.95.

M oreover, the selection of films

sufficient-enough sample to

T

he first check of any book pretending to worldwide in

its scope is to see how well it

generalizations. But this is a book

covers on e’s own territory. After

which will stimulate often and no

all, the duskjacket promises

doubt lead many readers to

“coverage of the flourishing film

reform ulate their understanding

industries of Australia, India,

of ’5 0 s com edy. In this sense, it

China and Jap an ”. W ell, I found

deserves a wide audience.

the entry on Indian cinema, but the ones on Oz, China and Japan still have me looking.

In terms of individual entries, Australia does little better.

Book¿ Received

O ur two greatest home-based directors, Charles Chauvel and George M iller, get no m ention, and John F arro w ’s entry is frustratinglv brief. One of those Australians who do get a mention is Gillian Armstrong, but several of the film dates and titles are wrong. At least it is up-to-date enough to include Little

Women. (This is not always the case elsewhere. Miklos Jan cso’s entry stops at 1 9 8 7 , which is crazy given he keeps making movies. SBS has even shown some of the m ore recent ones.

AUSTRALIAN FILM 1978-1994 A SURVEY OF THEATRICAL FEATURES Compiled and edited by Scott Murray, Oxford University Press, in association

M arks off for laziness here.)

Jane Campion is only an

BOGART

THE BRITISH CINEMA SOURCEBOOK BFI ARCHIVE VIEWING COPIES AND LIBRARY MATERIALS

Stephen Bogart (with Gary Provost), Elaine Burrows (editor), BFI Publishing,

286pp., Index, illus., rrp S35.00.

London, 1995, 216pp., Illus., hb

S

tephen Bogart was born

THE CINEMA OF MAX OPHULS

shortly after Lauren Bacall

fourth wife. H e was eight years old when his father died in 1 9 5 7 .

This book is Stephen Bogart’s

Press, 1994, hb, rrp S35.00

DEATH AND THE MAIDEN

thumbnail sketch of the life and

1995,76pp., Illus., pb, rrp S14.95.

Script of the Polanksi film.

screen could have been taken

and the reader doesn’t fare

NO PICNIC Patricia Lovell, M acm illan, Australia, 1995,321pp., Illus., hb, rrp $35.00 Autobiography by producer Patricia Lovell. T o be reviewed by

PRODUCING AND DIRECTING THE SHORT FILM AND VIDEO Peter W . Rea, David K. Irving, Focal Press, 1995,325pp., index,

QUOTABLE USTINOV

ROBERT ALTMAN HOLLYWOOD SURVIVOR

FILM BUSINESS

London, 1995,144pp., index, Illus., hb, rrp $37.95.

A HANDBOOK FOR PRODUCERS One of a few new books on a Edited by Tom Jeffrey, Allen and Unwin,

director with a roller-coaster

Sydney. 386pp., index, pb, rrp S29.95.

career. Few , if any, have been m ore supported by critics and

T o be reviewed next issue.

less by audiences. A full review

m uch better with insights to

FILM INTO VIDEO

the Bogart cult or phenomenon.

A GUIDE TO MERGING THE TECHNOLOGIES

Potentially interesting facets of cinema history, such as B ogart’s

will appear in the n ext issue of

Cinema Papers.

relationship with John Huston

Richard H. Kallenberger, George D.

SCREEN MEMORIES

(with whom he made five key

Cvjetnlcanin, Focal Press, Boston, 1994.

HOLLYWOOD CINEMA ON THE PSYCHOANALYTIC COUCH

369pp., illus., index

films), and the establishment

Harvey Roy Greenberg, Columbia

of his own production outfit,

FRANK SINATRA

Santana Pictures Corporation between 1 9 4 9 and 1 9 5 1 : Knock

On Any Door, Tokyo Joe, In a

277pp., index, Illus., rrp $28.50.

Stan Britt, Carlton Books, London. 1995,

SEAN CONNERY

160pp., Illus., Index, hb, rrp $39.95

Lonely Place, and Sirocco), are left by the by or simply glossed over. T o make matters worse,

HOLLYWOOD'S OTHER BLACKLIST

Bogart is not a particularly

UNION STRUGGLES IN THE STUDIO SYSTEM

colourful raconteur.

R ather, the main thrust of the book is B ogart’s confession

University Press, N ew York, 1993,

A CELEBRATION

(which produced four films

A BIOGRAPHY M ichael Freedland, Orion, London, 1994, 374pp., index, Illus., pb, rrp $14.95.

THE STUDIO SYSTEM

Mike Nielsen and Gene Malles,

Edited by Janet Stalger, Rutgers

BFI Publishing, London, 1995,178pp.,

University Press, N ew Brunswick, 1995,

illus., index

333pp., Index, Illus., rrp $31.00

of the neglect he experienced on account of his parents’ absence on film locations, his father’s disinterest in his son, the desparation of “sharing” his grief with hordes of anonymous

THE LOST WORLD

THE SUM OF US

M ichael Crichton, Century Books,

David Stevens, Currency Press, Sydney,

London, 1995,393pp., hb, rrp $35.00

1995, 80pp., illus., pb, rrp $14.95

Moments: Recorded in Sydney

fans and the legacy of a life

Cinema Papers, Melbourne, 1995,

Australia Sunday October 2 and

lived as “Bogie’s son” rather

448pp., illus., index, pb, rrp S39:95

T

followed it with After Hours, not

than an identity in his own right.

C richton, the science and the sociology are m ore interesting

with Australian Film Commission and

1995,80pp., Illus, pb, rrp $14.95 The original screenplay.

Daniel O'Brien, B.T. Batsford Ltd,

father’s life on stage and on

from a standard reference book,

P. J. Hogan, Currency Press, Sydney,

London, 1995,192pp., hb, rrp $26.95

Ariel Dorfman, Currency Press, Sydney,

his father’s life is enshrined is, at best, tepid. The details of his

MURIEL'S WEDDING

Peter Ustinov, M ichael O'M ara Books,

historian, and his interest in the culture of the movies in which

780pp., illus, Index, pb, rrp $19.95

hb, rrp $74.95.

Hollywood lore, as well as a

Stephen Bogart is not a

M ichael Holroyd, Vintage, London, 1995,

Susan W hite, Columbia University

account of how he came to terms

entry is full of small bloopers.

only co-directed Passionless

MAGISTERIAL VISION AND THE FIGURE OF W OMAN

with being the son of an icon of

career of his actor-father.

LYTTON STRACHEY

Ken Berryman in the next issue.

Sldgwlck & Jackson, London, 1995,

honorary Australian, but her

Peel is not her first short, she

© P a u l K a l in a

M urray

became Hum phrey B ogart’s

support the ensuing

© Ra y m o n d Y ounis

cott

IN SEARCH OF MY FATHER

and hysteria are largely ignored.

does not always provide a

Stephen Bogart is a television

about this, too.

© S

theories of neurosis, psychosis

50

sudden death of his nanny on

the book is its many entries on

ihe sequel to C rich ton’s

Jurassic Park. As with all

T he original screenplay.

A THOUSAND SMALL WISHES

A

s Cinema Papers has a policy

2 Friends (a title the book gets

In this respect, the book delivers

of not reviewing any books

w rong - but this is a book, like A

a som ewhat familiar account of

than the plotting, and makes for

it has had involvement with, all

Century o f Australian Cinema,

the lot of a celebrity child, with

easy reading. Anyway, his books

that should be said is that this is

which puts an apostrophe in

some genuinely affecting,

are always better than the films

A filmmaking novel set in India

the second edition of the sell-out

Dead Poets Scoiety).

heartfelt jolts as he recalls the

made from them.

by the film critic of The Bulletin.

Sandra Hall, Allen & Unwin, Australia, 1995,240pp., pb, rrp $14.95

C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1 995

7 h is is a m e tic u lo u s ly re se a rc h e d re so u rc e b o o k u s w e ll a s a s p le n d id re a d . A c o m p re h e n siv e o v e rv ie w , a n d in d is p e n s a b le f o r a n y o n e w ith th e : s lig h te s t in te re s t in A u s tra lia n c in e m a /

Ivan Hutchinson /A u s tra lia n F ilm is a m a jo r a ch ie v e m e n t a n d a n e s s e n tia l ~ re fe re n c e f o r th o se w ith a s e rio u s in te re s t in A u s tra lia n f ilm /

Bruce Molloy, Courier-Mail Fully

revised

A u s tra lia n

F ilm

and

expanded«;. th is

new

edition

of

includes- 41 new film s released during

1993-94. These include B a d B a y B u b b y , M u rie l's W e d d in g , S p id e r a n d R o se v The S u m o f U s, and of c o u rs e P r is c illa , Q u e en o f th e D e s e rt. Each entry includes fu ll credits and

cast details, a critical description, and at least one photo s till.

The

book

contains

a

detailed, bibliography,

film ographies of the two George M illers, and a fu ll examination Of the animated features of Yoram Gross.

This major new reference book showcases Australian film and its most vibrant and innovative period to date. 't h is is a m ig h ty a c h ie v e m e n t, h ig h ly d e s e rv in g o f it s s u c c e s s '

Ken Berryman. Metro Magazine ISBN

Edited by

u r ray

0-19-553777-7

Paperback

$49.95

OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND PHONE: (03) 9646 4200 FAX: (03) 9646 3251 FREEFAX: 1800813 602

25Î NORMANBY RJTSÔ U TH MELBOURNEY 205. G rO BOX 2784Y MELBOURNE AUSTRALIA Î 001

Number 1 (January 1974) David Williamson, Ray Harryhausen, Peter Weir, Antony Ginnane, Gillian Armstrong, Ken 6. Hall, The Cars thatAte Paris Number 2 (April 1974} Censorship, Frank Moorhousej Nicolas Roeg, Sandy Harbutt, Film under Allende, Between the Wars, Alvin Purple Number 3 (July 1974) Richard Brennan, John Papadopolous, Willis O'Brien, William Friedkin, The True Story of-Eskimo \Nell Number 4 (December 1974) Bill Shepherd, Cliff Green, Werner Herzog, Between Wars, Petersen, A Salute to the Great MacArthy Number 5 (March-April 1975) Albie Thoms on surf movies, Charles Chauvel filmography, Ross Wood, Byron Haskin, Brian Probyn. Inn o fthe D arned Number ¡6 (July-August 1975) Steve Spielberg, Glenda Jackson, Susan Sontag, Jack Thompson, Bruce Smeaton, The Removalist Sunday Too FarAway Number 7 (Nov-Dee 1975) Francis Ford Coppola, Paul Winkler, Dusan Makavejev, Caddie, Picnic a t Hanging Rock Number 8 (March-April 1976) |9 H § ,e ll, Richard Zanuck, Sydney Pollack, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Phili ns, Don McAlpine, O o n f l H j Number 9 (June-July 1976) Milos Forman, Max Lemon, Miklos Jancso, Luchino Visconti, Caddie, The Devil’s Playground Number 10 (Sept-Oct 1976) Nagisa Oshima, Philippe Mora, Krzysztof Zanussi, Marco Ferrari, Marco Bellocchio, gay cinema Number 1 luary 1977) Emile De AfflmmyJill Robb, Samuel Z. Arkoff, Roman Polanski, Saul Bass, The Picture Show Man Number 12 (April 1977) Ken Loach, Tom Haydon, Donald Sutherland, Bert Deling. Piero Tosi, John Dankworth, Johij Scot, Days o f Hope, The GetljnaofW isdom Number 13 (July 19 Bis Malle, Paul Cox, John Power, JeanineSeawell, Peter Sykesjiemardo Bertolucci. In Search o/AnnaN um ber 14 (October 1977) Phil Noyce, Matt Carroll, Eric Rohmer, Terry Jackman, John Huston, lake’s Kingdom, The lest Wave, Btoefm Q ady N u m b e r l b (J a n u a ry [8) Gunnel Lindblom, John Duigan, Steven Spielberg, Tom Jeffrey, The Africa Project, Swedish cinema, Da w rili'fatricfM H i b e r ^ ^ K i g - ^ H 9 7 8 ) ' iner, Indian cinema, Dimboola. Cathy’s Child Number 19 (Jan-Feb 1979) Antony Ginnane, Stanley H a w f l H e m y I M I | ^ H B Sarr is.spcn so rod doc um [[ 21 (May-June 1979) Vietnam on Film, the Cantrills, French cinema, M ad Max; Snapshot, The OddAngry Shot, Frinklin on Hitchcock Number 22 (July-Aug 1 rs, Japanese cinema, Crawfords, M y Brilliant Career, The Plumber Number 2 4 (Dec-Jan 1980)Brian U H a i f n , l a n S K , A Ihur Hi ■ jJ H H e p I ion. S tir Niunlber 26 (Aprij-M ay 1980) Charles H. Joffe, Jerome Heilman, Malcolm Smith ¡Australian nationalism''Japanese cinema eter Weir Water Undei Trendel Grendel Number 28 (Aug-Sept 1980) Bob Godfrey, Diane Kurys, Tim Bums, John

\A Guide to W hat s in Stock I Q!S & ,B ^^ o e re s io r^i^T im m g m a d g a m e s is(lS m e t 29 (I supplement The Chain Reaction, Blood Money Number 31 (March-April 1981) Bryan cinema. Public Enemy Number One, The Alternative Number 33 (June-July 1976) Johi

om a| Sonia Hofmann, Michael Rubbo, Blow Out, ’Breaker" Morant, Body Heat, The Man from Sni lean , Jacki W e i ^oyefi, Joan Fontaine, Tony Williams, law and insurance. Far East ||M nber39 (August 1962) Helen Morse, Richard ¡{avid hJilljJJsap, D | PaulilS aulfrje Kael, Wendy Hughes, Ray Barrett M y Dinner with Andre, T ^ ^ ^ m n o fCaptain h » * f l f l f l f l f l B (December gnee, Varda, copyright Strikebound, The Man from Snowy River I M g n r 43 (May-June.1983). Sydney Pollack, De. e Clifford, The Disi Kids I W M M | M y 1984) Paul CamBppel Mulcahy mal I iio iy in ( ima radbury, SophiaTurki n. Robbery Under Arm Number 48 (Dcf-Nov 1984) Ken ( B o ia ampion, horfyrfajns, I T 50 (Feb-March 1985) Stephen Wallace, Ian Pringfe^^Nj ill Còliti, ß f l H a y , f l •yond Ihonderdom e, Roboery Under Arms Number 52 f l f l l 9 8 £ W estis The m B Ê C om orig, H H a r k e i f l___ licolas Roeg, Vincent Ward, Hect oid Emir K irinncd NZ film and TV Return to Eden Number 54 (November 1 ráeme ( J ^ H B u r iH f lb o h n Boorman, Gè ames Stowart. Debbie Byrne Bi ipsqn, Paul Vorboeven, Derek Meddinga, tie-in marketing. The P i^^H a n d Man, mber 56 (March 1986) Fred Schepisi Denn (July 1986) Woody AlldOtliaiiihard^^BB/son Welles, the fçaise; thefrin ge Dwpllprs;-Ereat Expectations- ite . 1 Awards, The Movers Number 60 ( N o v O m l^ ^ ^ M ^ y ^ a n t e M f l l ^ f e f e ^ e f f i r a j M H H H f e ^ i n B flB iD u tc jd B H F a , movies l ^ ^ i b c l |ii|. Otello Number 61.(J III Number 62 (March 1987) Screen violence. David Lynch, Cary Grant ASSA conference production barometer, film finance Ti e Story o f f l j B y Gang Number 63 (M ay 1987)_ Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, Jilted Number 6 f l B 1987) Nost tlgia Dennis Hopper! Metfjibson, Vladimir Oshetoy; B fldnjrenchard Smith, c l m j f l p i M m h N im b e B ' Awards, PoorM an’s Orange Number 66 ( N | I B | e r s, c f l f l p n d China, J a m « |H W H L I a n ie s Clayden, H m | ) e Laurenbis, New W o rld !

Sovietcinema, women in film, 70mm, filmmakinjg in Ghana. The YearM y Voice l lO ke, S v 'A E ^ lB IN u m ber 68 (M uFcbJO BJlM artha A n s a M H m i ^ ^ | v i e ^ H K e H ^ J i a l ly films, Cannes '88, film composers, Vincent W ^ B s u i^ ^ S \a ^ ^ ^ ^ leasure'Domes Number 70 (November IS ^ ^ ^ ^ A u s tr a lia , Gillian Armstrong, Fred Schepisi, Welcrai [1988 in retrospec t film sound. LastTem p ta tjo ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ to p ^ ^ P m m t 72(M arch 1989)£rfffe0omf, - f l M m scHPl Number 74.(Ju(y 1989) The D elint/uetits, Australians f^ ^ W w o s ^ ^ H k K jts m a ji f S t Petersburi Frank Piersi Sematary, MgrtinScorseseand Paul .r a d ^ flw r e s s in ^ H m B M m (November 1989) SimratWincsr^Guigfe)' DownUrid In IflH H fa , Don "C rocodile’’ Dundee overseas H ^ r 7 8 ( l ph ’ 'O ath D in x Whdbum [Number 80 (August 1990) fB jp poIB M B Schepisi careeggM BjieH lBgpr W eir and Greencard P mime Chan, Gus Van Sant and Drugstore Co ;r 82 (March 1991) TI Godtad P a rtlll, Bar bttSchrneder fft t e rsa lo f Fortune B l ck Robe Rrymond Hollis I m dfellas PresumedInnocent I f p w o o d .N lim b e r 8 p [A u |^ H 9 9 1 ) ^ ^ & C a m e r o n and Tannina ta r i Judgem ent Day, Dennis O'Rourke, Go ¡¡g irf to the World, A nthony Hopkins itd^^m ciir, CallielS m K Them iS ¿oors'e;ifidependent exhibition anddistiibutran, FFC part 2'Number 8 6 l j 8 w i r y 19921 Hook, George Negus and The Red Unknown, f m H H M H B t a ly a little Prayer Je wish cinema Number 88 (May-June 1992) S trictly i Lynch, Vital! Kanievski, Gianni Amelio, F o rtre sU m m t e r a t ^ ^ J n e ^ ^ f f t e e n piowes debate Number 90 (October 1992) The Last Days ok o f the Gun Number 91 (January 1993) C lim ^ R v o o d and U r'c '-jiv e rr Raul Ruiz Gc orge Miller and Gross M is& tnduct Daw) Elfick's lo v e in i women in film and television, Australia's first fflH B m rt 2 Number 93 (M ay 1993) Jane Campion a n tL Ih e P ia n ^m k ^S S m e s and Broken | Dogs, Paul Cox, Michael Jenkin's The H e a r t h r B f l f l b o a i f l f l K ) e ' f l f l t o b j f l H t films- part 4 Number 95 (October 1993) Lynn-Marie I

B I R

(Déc

t Richard l on, Bnan Ke jer James Ivory. Phi Safran, M ic n a te ^ ffiw Ian Pringle,

'Susan Lambert; a per puffers, Street Hero Number 47 (August 1984); Richard Lowenstein, Wim Wenders, David iber 1984) Alain Resnais, Brian McKenzie, Angela Punch McGregor, Ennio Morricone, Jane Lino Brocka, Harrison Ford, Noni Hazlehurst, Dusan Makavejev, Emoh Run, Winners, Morris ‘a ll M e Girlie, For love Alone, Double Sculls Number 53 (September 1985) Brian Brown, lurke; The Great Bookie Robbery. The lancaster.M illerA ffair Number 55 (January19861 Smith, John Hargreaves, Dead-end Drive-in, The M ore Things Change _ , Kangaroo. Tracy [timber 59 (September 1986) Robeit Altman, Paul Cox, Lino Brocka, Agnes Varda, the AFI film in South Australia, Dogs in Space. Howling [ray Kennedy Martin, The Sacrifice,, landslides.

Derek Jarman, Gerald L'Ecuyer, Gustav Hasford, AFI mes Bond: part 2, George Miller.Jim Jarmusch

[umber 69 (M ay 1988) Sex, death and familary 1989}Yahoo Serious, David Cronenberg, I) CanneS'89, Dead Calm, Franco Nero, Jane Campion, 7hc Prisones Number 75 (September 1989) Saily Bongers, the teen movie, animated, Edens lo sl. Pe; ennis Hopper, Frank Howson, Ron Cobb N um ber77(Januaiy 1 990 ) John FarrowmonoThe Cook.... Michel Ciment, Bangkok Hilton, Barlow and Chambers Numbers 79 SOLD OUI Ian Pringle Isabelle Eberhardt, Jane Campion, An Angel A t M y Table, Martin Scorsese and at Cannes, Gillian Armstrong, The LastDays a t Chez Nous, The Silence o fthe lambs, Flynn, rater, Cannes report FFC Number 85 (November 1991) Jocelyn Maarhouse. Proof, Blake

•h 1992) Multi-cultural cinema, Steven Spielberg, umber 89 (August 1992) Cannes *92, David

’A ustralian Cinema; John Frankenheimer's Year ¿1 Lorenzo's Or/, Megan Simpson, Alex, The lover, [993) Cannes *94, Steve Buscemi and Reservoir Zubricki, John Hughes, Australia's first films part 5 Number 96 (December 1993) Q u e f l B f l B B i r v i e f l f l B P M B t o r i i ^ f l a ^ S ^ i n d c i f l H a s o i f l f l ^ j m d Dorj lie issue with New Zealand supplement, Simon jWincer and Lightning Jack, Richard Franklin on leaving America, Australia’s first films: part 7 Num ber 99 (June 1 994) Krzysztof Kieslowski, Ken G. Hall Tribute, cinematography supplement Geoffrey Burton, Pauline Chan andTraps, Australia's first film s Part8^Number 100 (August 1994) Cahrie^ 94, NSW supplement, Bernardo Bertolucci's little Buddah, The Sum o f Us, Spider& Rose, film and the digital world, Australia's first films: part 9 ; Num ber101 (October 1994)7Yrscr//a, Queen o fthe Desert Vjctoriansupplement P.J. Hogan and M uriel's Wedding, Ben Lewin and Dicky Break Australia's first films: Part 9 Number 102 (December 1994) Once Were Warriors, films we love. Back of Beyond, Cecil Holmes, Lindsay Anderson, Body M e lt AFC supplement SpiderS Rose Australia's First Films: Part 10 Number-163 (M arch i995) Little Women, Gillian Armstrong, Queensland supplement) Geoffrey Simpson, Heavenly Creatures, Eternity, Australia's First Rims: Part 11 Number 104 (June 1995) Cannes Mania, Billy's Holiday, Angel Baby, Epsilon, Vacant Possession, Richard Franklin, Australia's Rrst Rims: Part 12 Number 105 (August 1995) M ark jp ife 's C ost Jacqueline McKenzie] Slawomir Idziak, Cannes Review, Gaumont Retrospective, Marie Craven, Dad & Dave Number 106 (October 1995) Gerard Lee and John Maynard on AH \Men are liars. Sam Neill. The Small Man. Underthe Gun. AFC low budoet seminar

Sfifi tear-nut SUBSHRIPTIDN FORM tn nrripr

C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

51

legal ease

Don’t Forget the Rights!

Tom Spira and Richard Silverton look at the acquiring o f rights to underlying works on which films can be based

t is surprising how often the issue of acquisition of rights is overlooked. We cannot stress enough that the first consider­ ation fo r a produ cer when embarking on a film project is whether any rights need to be acquired. At a time when the making of the film could not seem fu rth er away, and the producer would rather spend time atively consulting with either the writer and director on the development of the script, the acquisition of rights is often placed to one side.

The rights-clearance process is a necessary part of m aking a film . An example we recently encountered was a first-time producer who came to our offices for a conference in relation to a film about to be made. The project had already been substantially devel­ oped; around $150,000 had been spent on preparing the project, including the signing of a writer, the signing of stars and the signing of some investors. How­ ever, when we enquired about the rights, we were met with a blank stare.

In this case, the produ cer had not turned his mind at all to the acquisition of rights which placed the project at serious risk. The level of panic the pro­ ducer felt for the next brief period until all was fixed took years off his life.

T oo often entertainm ent lawyers are engaged by producers only when questions relating to chain of title are asked by funding bodies or distributors.

This is usually because it is the only time producers feel they need representation and they have the money to pay legal fees. At this point, the project, being so far advanced, has a life of its own and the task for the lawyer becomes one of unravelling and patching. The person referred to in the previous paragraph had been a producer of other forms of media and had managed to avoid the issue of rights clearance for 17 years.

This was certainly a case of good luck rather than good management.

The law relating to the acquisition of rights is now complex and will con­ tinue to evolve with emergence of new technologies. While the above example is rare, it is not uncommon for projects to be partially developed before rights are cleared. Producers must acquire rights, before they do any work on the project, otherwise much effort, time and money could be wasted.

It is com m on for a film script to

I

52

be based on an underlying work, such as a novel or stage play. Recent exam­ ples include L ilia n ’s Story (novel) and Six Degrees o f Separation (play). In such cases, the film rights in the novel or play had to be acquired by the producer to enable the film to be made and exploited throughout the world. N at­ urally, if a script is the original idea of the producer, then the acquisition of cre­ rights is not required.

For the purposes of this article, we will assume that a producer proposes to make a film based on a novel. In this case, before pen is put to paper on a synopsis, treatment or first-draft script, contact should be made with the pub­ lisher of the novel. Usually, the publisher acts as the author’s agent;

however, rarely does it have authority to sign the option agreement.

Once consent in principle has been obtained (from the author/publisher), a deal should be negotiated and clearly documented. The usual practice is for an exclusive option to be granted to the producer to acquire the film rights to the novel. The granting of an option, rather than an outright assignment, at this early stage saves the producer money and protects the author/pub­ lisher from giving away rights in the novel to a producer who may never ulti­ mately make the film. Option fees vary in price: sometimes as little as $1, some­ times thousands of dollars. The option period w ill usually be betw een six

months to two years. It is common for there to be a right to extend the option period.

The funding bodies usually require as a pre-condition to script funding a producer to hold an option for up to say three years (inclusive of extension peri­ ods) to protect both the interests of the producer and the funding body. Pro­ ducers may be required to renegotiate deals with authors and publishers to meet the requirements of the funding bodies. If you intend applying for devel­ opment money from a funding body, then it is advisable to negotiate the option and acquisition of rights with this in mind.

Although the producer does not acquire the film rights in the underlying

work until the option is exercised, the producer does have some limited devel­ opment rights during the option period.

The producer usually has the right to develop a script based on the novel, and to approach funding bodies and dis­ tributors for finance. If the producer obtains finance for the project, then the option will be exercised and the film rights acquired pursuant to the acquisi­ tion agreement. There have been cases where this has been overlooked by overzealous producers. The terms of the acquisition agreement should be nego­ tiated between the parties at the time the option is granted, and should be annexed to the option agreement.

If the option is not exercised, then

the film rights in the novel revert to the author/publisher (or owner). Any script based on the novel would continue to belong to the producer, but cannot be exploited in any way follow ing expi­ ration of the option.

Where the film rights are acquired the cost may be substantial, depending on the reputation of the particular novel and author. For example, the film rights to Jo h n G risham ’s latest novel were acquired for US$6 million. In the usual course, the producer agrees to pay the author/publisher a fee on exercise of the option and the balance on commence­ ment of principal photography, plus a share of producer’s profits.

Negotiations between the author/ publisher and producer can be particu­ larly difficult if there is a gap between the requirements of investors and dis­ tributors and what the author/publisher is prepared to offer. The most obvious illustration is new technology rights.

Financiers generally require the pro­ ducer to own the new technology rights in respect of the film , which in turn requires the producer to acquire new technology rights in respect of the novel.

The publisher/author is disinclined to grant these rights due to the uncertainty associated with the value of these rights and their potential exploitation.

The scope of so-called “new tech­ nology” rights is not static. The FFC ’s definition is: T o com bine all or any part of the W ork [the novel], cinem atograph film s using the W ork [the novel] (“Films”) and any other works and subject m atter created for the pro­ duction of Films with other works or subject matter in a digital format and accessible by com puter technology which allows all of the above to be stored, reproduced, or simultaneously and interactively, presented to a user.

The other area which is causing diffi­ culties in negotiations is moral rights.

This is increasingly becoming a sticking point for authors, especially with the degree of interactivity and manipulation available to consumers with new tech­ nology. While the UK has introduced legislation acknow ledging and p ro ­ tecting the moral rights of authors, no such legislation exists yet in Australia.

However, the government is proposing to introduce legislation next year, which would provide authors with a right of integrity and a right of false attribution.

C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

Once passed, the industry and investors will need to resolve the issue.

There is a long shopping list of noncontentious rights which make up the “film rights” in say a novel: for exam­ ple, the right to reproduce the novel by means of the film; the right to exploit the novel by means of the film in all media throughout the world (with or without the soundtrack of the film); the right to adapt the novel by means of the film; and publication rights enabling the producer to publish synopses of the film for publicity purposes; merchandising rights; publicity purposes; and to use the name and likeness of the author for and the right to make a film about the production of the film. The producer may also seek to acquire the right to make sequels, remakes and spin-offs; however, these rights are not always agreed to by the author/publisher.

Rights reserved to author/owner may include: stage rights, straight read­ ings on radio and o f course book publication rights. ©

HART

L

SPIRA

Life Lessons How ever, the benefits out­ weigh the negatives in that, p10 when there is a process of col­ laboration, the ideas of many can be distilled into seemingly one vision. It benefits from the multiple minds being placed on the solution of problems.

You sound as if you are describing the discussion and consensus between Babe and the sheep, and all the others, in finding the res­ olution at the sheep trials.

Noonan: [Laughs.] There is a cer­ tain parallel with the way Babe relates to the other characters on the farm.

I don’t really subscribe to the idea that one mind should be paramount in a creative endeavour, though many great things have been constructed that way.

That is an attitude attendant with all your films, even pre-Kennedy Miller, like Stepping Out? Noonan: That is very true. A lot of the stuff I’ve worked on has had that notio n of co -o p e ratio n tow ards a common good running through it.

Technicalities W hat happened once the script was to a point where you could show it to people?

Noonan: We knew by then that the cost of the film was going to be quite high in Australian terms, and believed that the only way of getting it financed C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

was with American money. So, Doug Mitchell and George set about raising the money.

At the same time, I set about the job of investigating the processes which we would need to bring to bear to cre­ ate the illusion of animal dialogue and animal expression. That was basically a search over three continents for the best and most flexible methods of ani­ mation.

Very broadly, we came down to a combination of computer graphic ani­ mation of live-action images that had been shot on film [CGI], plus the use of animatronics. We knew that was a dangerous way to go because quite a number of films that had used ani­ matronics had ended up wasting a lot of money and throw ing away the footage. It is so very hard to create a realistic illusion of an organic creature using inorganic materials.

It was additionally dangerous here in that most of the anim atronic work done in feature films had been to cre­ ate fantasy characters rather than existing live species. But we knew we would have to be constantly inter­ cutting between the live animals and the animatronics. The viewer would have constant reminders of what the real animals looked and behaved like.

And you are happy with the level finally achieved by the film?

Noonan: I ’m very happy with the results. Very few people pick what techniques are used where.

Miller: I think we did a good job of making it relatively seam less. O f course, we know every shot, we know ever flaw. But audiences seem to find it convincing.

There was some brilliant work done

by John Cox and Robotechnology, who did all the sheep animatronics.

That meant that we didn’t have to use as much CGI. The animatronics sheep were so successful that we couldn’t tell in the cutting room which were the real sheep and which weren’t. Indeed, the sheep themselves couldn’t tell. The sheep would often respond to the mechanical sheep exactly as if they were real sheep.

It was a big logistical effort on every level. There was a lot of planning that went into the film , m arshalling so many forces and preparing every detail, particularly the animal train­ ing, so far ahead. I think a huge amount of credit needs to go to Doug Mitchell on that.

Noonan: The training of the real ani­ mals is another area of achievement in the film w hich really deserves recognition.

W e invited Karl Lewis M iller to be our sort of head animal trainer, and that turned out to be a w onderful

decision. Karl is not only an interest­ ing character in himself [laughs], but also someone with the most refined instincts about how to handle the ani­ mals and how to get a fineness in the performance of the animals which I didn’t expect to get. I expected to have to rely on music more heavily than the film does.

Was the studio responsible for the unusual accents in the film, some of which seem Irish, and others American?

Miller: Given the large budget, the stu­ dio w anted the film accessible to American children. Initially, they said they didn’t really mind what the accents were as long as they were accessible.

Unfortunately, during the first part of production, the accents were too thick. When the studio started to get nervous about the film, they heard some of the accents and said, “We can’t understand it.” So, I had to go over and negotiate the level at which they would work.

W hat we should have had was British accents. D ick King-Sm ith comes from Yorkshire, and the story is set in England. But we didn’t want to shoot it in Britain, or in the United States. We wanted to shoot it where we live.

O f course, had we not had the accents as neutral or as clear as they are now, we certainly would not have ended up with 1800 cinemas in the middle of the American summer. We would have been a nice little children’s film with a platform release, probably opening in 300 or 400 cinemas. The film would never have earnt its sub­ stantial budget back.

You say the story is set in England, but the film, while having AngloCeltic elements, seems set in a fairytale world of its own creation.

Miller: Exactly. The biggest regret is that we didn’t put at the end, “Shot entirely on location in storybook land”, because that was certainly our intention. Even though in America they perceive the film as set in Aus­ tralia, it very consciously has a storybook look. We wanted to shoot the film as if it came out of the pages of a storybook. Hence, we pushed the design of the house.

I remember telling Andrew Lesnie, the DP, “You know you’re shooting T he P ian o, not shooting some kids’ film. Shoot it as if you are working with Greta Garbo rather than pigs.”

Lesnie has given the film a wondrously lush and rich look. It is unusual to see such visual and tonal consistency within a film.

Noonan: I think it is very rare to have a look that is so bold and so consistent in a movie, yes, and that is a huge trib­ ute to Andrew.

If you look at most movies with ani­ mals in them, like The Adventures o f Milo and Otis [Masanori Hata, 1989], because of the nature of the demands of working with animals, it is extra­ ordinarily difficult to maintain any tonality and look. Anim als’ m ove­ m ents are less pred ictable than people’s, and most filmmakers aspire to a much smaller, much narrower goal with movies that are difficult to shoot. In fact, most animal movies tend to look like half-dram a, half­ w ild-life docum entary, with no control over the look.

Andrew’s achievem ent is double that of a normal DOP, in that not only has he managed to come up with a look that is perfect for the movie, and maintain it consistently, but he was able to do that under the most trying of conditions.

Marketing % Response Miller: We had a lot of luck in many ways. It shows that, even though a film might be very good, it has to be very carefully distributed.

The first bit of luck came when I sent an early tape to the studios not long after we finished shooting. The cut was quite crude and it had the very thick accents in it. The studio was less than happy. They were caught up in the whole W aterw orld [Kevin Reynolds, 1995] thing, so they just kind of dis­ missed Babe.

That did three things: it got the attention off Babe-, it made us more aware of making the accents clear; and, most im portant, it bought us time.

W e n ext showed them the film when it was alm ost com plete, and with the new accents, but without the film score. They still weren’t sure of the movie.

Then a movie called Gordy, which was directed by [Australian] M ark Lewis, came out. It seemed to have stolen a lot of our thunder. [It is also about a talking pig.] They had cut the trailer which was very similar to the trailer we were going to cut. As a result, the studio decided to delay the release of B abe from early summer to late summer. That was the best thing that happened.

Then we got two really great mar­ keting people, Buffy Shutt and Kathy Jo n es, who had com e across from Columbia. They were fresh at the stu­ dio, and when they saw B abe they fell in love with it, as did all their sales team. They had a good two to three months to sell the film.

Initially, they couldn’t get

53

any of the critics to see it, but they were very crafty. They had a big ju n ket for A p o llo 13 [Ron Howard, 1995] down at Houston. All America’s leading media were down there so they could meet Tom Hanks and so on. The critics saw A pollo 13 on a Friday night and on Saturday m orning the publicists insisted all the media get in the buses. “We are going to show you a surprise film ”, they said. But when the press heard it was going to be a film about a talking pig, a lot of them revolted. However, the studio said, “Look, you are down here. You have to see it. Besides, there is nothing else to do.”

So, the m edia saw the film , and loved it. That was the beginning of the word of mouth that slowly built. Had it not been for that screening, I doubt whether the film would have been as embraced in America.

(=—^.

What has pleased you most about the response to the film so far, and is there anything that surprised you?

Noonan: It’s incredibly pleasing to keep reading such positive reviews, even from reviewers in America who I’m told are long-term cynics. The film just tends to win people over. There have been very few negative com ­ ments and that has been incredibly pleasing.

I suppose what surprised me is the range of audiences that the film has attracted. I was told the other day that the movie has become a bit of a gay hit in the U.S., in that a number of the gay publications have come out say­ ing that this is a film which campaigns against prejudice and we should all support it.

The demographics of the audience are extraordinary. There has been a big response amongst late teenage audiences, w here I would have thought, if we missed out on any audi­ ence segm ent, that was the one as there is no sex in the movie. The num­ ber of positive comments from that sort of audience segment is astonish­ ing to me.

Miller: My favourite review is a critic who w rote, “Kids, all you need to know you’ll find in B abe. Take your fo lk s .” T h ere are some good life lessons in B abe. © 1 Phillip Noyce was N oonan’s co-director on The Cowra Breakout and John Duigan on Vietnam. T here were many writers.

M ille r’s fellow p ro d u ce rs w ere D oug Mitchell and Terry Hayes.

2 T e rry H ayes c o -scrip te d and scrip ted many of Kennedy Miller’s finest films and

Scoring Babe an2mal emotions and I thought it needed someone like Jerry P Goldsmith, who had done an excellent score for Twilight Zone: The M ovie.12 Jerry came at B a b e very enthusi­ astically, and perhaps a little bit too enthusiastically. The score he was sending us on synthesizer just was­ n’t working. We all had a different take to what he had.

I then heard a snippet of Nigel W estlake in C e llu lo id H e r o e s , in w hich he had underscored some silent movies. So, we asked him to do an audition tape, and he just nailed it.

Nigel’s music supports the movie superbly, without forcing it. These are the most difficult kind of scores to do well, and for him to sort of do a score which enhanced the movie so much is a great achievement. Considering it is his first major film score, I think he is a great find for film . He is already highly regarded in the music world, but to turn his considerable talents to cinema is just fabulous. No doubt he had to struggle with it, but he seemed to find the movie straight away, and then did it so effortlessly.

jVoonan on the Music The music plays a hugely important role in the film. There is far more music in this movie than there is in many. A lot of the time, we are rely­ ing on editing and music to encourage the audience to put emotion into the minds of the animals. You can get nuances from human performances that it is impossible to ask an animal for. Very often, the visual represen­ tation of animal emotion that we had to work with in the editing is more vague and less precise than what you might have from a human actor.

The music is the guiding hand, if you like, through the whole movie. It sets the tone. There is a whimsy to the music, which reflects the whimsy in the storytelling-style of the film, and in the dialogue. There is also a sort of light touch to the music, I believe, where it never gets extraordinarily heavy-handed.

In many ways, Nigel is the one who had to give expression to the tone of the movie. He had to give expres­ sion to those moods which we were hoping to have the film express, to refine that tone of the movie. And, to me, he has just done a superb job. I don’t believe that there is a composer in the world who would have done a better job. ©

mini-series. He left for the U.S. after Dead

Calm (1 9 8 9 ), but returned as co-w riter

54

1 Twilight Zone: The Movie (John Landis,

on N adia T ass’ My Entire Life , now in

Steven Spielberg, Jo e D an te, G eorge

post-production.

Miller, 1 9 8 3 ).

Antonio Zeccola P^2

I t ’s always hard to predict because it’s a really volatile industry. One thing w e’ve

achieved is a new benchmark as far as the number of people coming to see boutique films in boutique cinemas.

Take a film like Priest [Antonia Bird, 1995]. Under normal circumstances years ago, it would have played in one cinema in one location. Thousands of people would have gone to the cinema on a Saturday night and wouldn’t get in. Y ou’d have more people disap­ pointed because they couldn’t get in than did get in. Those people were lost to the industry at the time, and that always annoyed me a lot. It’s good to have a full house, but it’s not good when people walk away from the cin­ ema because they couldn’t get in.

This year, P riest played at the Como, George, Brighton Bay and Rivoli. The film has done excellent business. That film wouldn’t have taken the money back then that it has taken now, thanks to the new cinemas.

I feel I ’m not losing custom ers to restaurants or other entertainments.

We are capturing them now, and that’s great.

T his is the benchm ark w e’ve reached, and I doubt very much it will ever go back. How much further we will go is to be seen. I think there will be a natural growth of maybe 7% or 8% each year for the next five years.

It will continue to grow, but perhaps at a more reduced growth than what we’ve seen in the past few years ... as long as the product is there.

The example of Priest is of more people coming to see the one film.

Do you think we will see an increase in the number of films being released?

Yes, definitely. That’s why cinemas are being built.

As a film buyer, I remember pass­ ing on a lot of films. I’ve been going to Berlin and Cannes for many years, and I’d sit down and watch films and think this would be a great film to play. Now I know I can play the film at the George, or the Academy.

Does each of these venues have its own style or identity?

You have a style, definitely, but the wrong style is difficult to maintain because the type of product may or may not be available. If you stick to one style, it could be that there are no films you can run that have that style.

So, what do you do? Do you close down?

You do have a style, th e re ’s no question of that. There are certain things that work at the George that wouldn’t work at the Como. That’s part of the science. That’s our job. ©

Natalie Miller The arthouse market is seen as market-share. It’s nothing P 2 -4 compared to putting on B at­ man Forever [Joel Schumacher, 1995] or Casper [Brad Silberling, 1995], but the majors see the arthouse market as product-share and market-share, and they want to be part of it.

W hat has been the effect of the Palace-Village development on your cinemas?

The only effect has been that Road­ show product won’t be available to us. I accept that’s part of life and have to live with it. But, as I said before, there are a lot of other people buying film s, and I think in the end our strengths will be dependent upon the films we have.

If you were building a cinema today from scratch, would you build a single screen?

No, not a single screen.

W hat would be the minimum number?

We had the opportunity to build four at the Nova, so that was fine. But I think three screens fo r arthouse would be good. If you turn yourself into a sixplex, maybe you start to look too much like a m ultiplex. I don’t know. [Laughs.] What I’m most excited about having four screens is the opportunity to run lots of films.

Can you predict w hat type of films will be in the boutique cinemas in the near future? For instance, U.S. independent films have been quite popular in these cinemas during the past few years. W hat will be the next attraction?

I just believe that audiences know what they are putting their $11 into.

Quality is terribly important. Audi­ ences know that if a film has that critical quality they’ll deal with any subject matter. O nce W ere Warriors [Lee Tamahori, 1994] proved that is it too tough for the audience? - but they came. I think that applies to any genre across the board.

If they keep making that sort of quality film, and we keep program­ ming it, I think the market will grow and grow. Chinese films are a very good example of that. Here we were last year running a Chinese film , Zhang Yim ou’s To L iv e [1 9 9 4 ], at Christmas time. A few years ago you wouldn’t have run a Chinese film at Christmas. There’s a growing audi­ ence for the quality produ ct, no matter its nationality.

I’m very optimistic about every­ thing. You have to w elcom e competition, and say it’s good to be in an expanding industry and not a shrinking one. W e’re taking our cus­ tomers on bigger adventures. © C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

The Gloves Come O ff

television and pop music. One of the best things about the book, however, is that

Rosenbaum is at pains to let us know - both before the book and inside it, since this is a work

it is constantly embroiled in an agonized

that is constantly thinking aloud about itself, trying to figure out its project -

specific “memory stain”, a radical moment of insight, or just another speck

th a t M ov in g P la c e s is n ot “a b o u t”

of “m ediatized autobiography” (as Jacques Aumont once called it)?

p17

movies in any direct way, and not a work of film criticism, despite the fact that two particular, almost randomly selected, movies {On M oon lig h t B a y , Roy Del Ruth, 1 9 5 1 , and B ird o f Par­ adise, Delmer Daves, 1951) provide the p re te x t for many pages o f feverish, exp loratory w riting. It is not about movies but the memory of movies, the experience of movies; as the new intro­ duction notes, it belongs to a peculiarly “p re-V C R ” era of film consumption, when movies were less materially attain­ able - and thus m ore p o ten tially phantasmatic, slipping into the uncon­ scious - than they are now. (In this it crosses paths w ith the w ork of the Czech surrealist Petr Král, and partic­ ularly his book Private Screening, which is also devoted to moments and sites of recollected movie-going experiences, not to mention “the potential resonance in any mass-produced object”.)

For the Rosenbaum family, as M ov­ ing Places often reminds us, films were a kind of muzak, a constant backdrop or atmosphere weaving itself in and out of the routines and upheavals of daily life. This is because both Jo n a th a n ’s father and grandfather were involved in owning and running a theatre chain. But this is not a book of simple, innocent filmgoing reminiscences, or solely a tes­ tim ony to the business o f movie exhibition as seen and lived by a child who grew up to be a film critic. As in all great works of art, the real “theme” of Moving Places is more secret, more cam­ ouflaged and certainly more intense.

This book is not a straightforward, subjective effusion of personal memory, but an impassioned, perplexed, some­ times angry exploration of a politics of memory. It tries to navigate a difficult, treacherous path between two pasts, two kinds of memory: on the one hand, a swagload of “unofficial pasts”, the mod­ est, largely unrecorded and unpreserved past of one person or one family or one town or one business; and, on the other hand, the sort of past that is embalmed by the clichés and learn t reflexes of “dirty old nostalgia”.

Moving Places intuits and jazzily per­ form s a d ialectic that came to be theorized by media studies in the mid’ 80s - a d ialectical sway betw een “creative memory”, with all its jolts and circuits of desire, illum ination and epiphany (the “poetic politics” envisaged

by W alter B en jam in); and the dead “techno m em ory” served up by film, C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

(and often hilarious) process of self­ doubt: Is this flash of memory here, this

Rosenbaum’s subject is stronger than

tionship is and how many brilliant possibilities we still have in a shop-

more along the lines of a Resnais con­

ping-m all w orld th at perpetually suggests otherwise; to look and see

Acker collage. Its most virtuosic sec­

structivist m osaic than a wild, Kathy tion is the chapter “On M oonlight Bay

that there are m any possibilities and that the play between them, activated by the dance of our gaze, can become

constructs himself as multiple personae,

a kind of com ic ballet, one that we both observe and perform as we nav­ igate our way through P aris’

same, unfolding film in starkly differ­

as Tim e M achine”, where the author each one fixed in a different moment of history and biography watching the ent situations. Another chapter strolls

movies. It is more about life as a movie,

imprisoning patterns, reflections, and deceptions.

given at the Venice Biennale in 1979

a life lived and remembered through the

The evocation in that passage of our

- while yet another explores a hom e­

imaginative co-ordinates of the cinema

“shopping-mall world” as both an infi­

experience. It is about the thrill of living

nite playground and an appalling prison

grow n m u rd er m ystery fro m childhood, in an effort to “speculate

that way, and also about the struggle not

is central to the meaning and force of M ov in g P la ce s. T h e book offers a

the subtitle would have it - a life at the

to live that way - or at least to live it dif­ ferently, consciously, radically. In this arena, Moving Places has its most intense rendezvous with the “cultural studies” of the past decade - and surpasses most

refreshingly indirect commentary on the

about the unknowable”.

On the first page of M oving Places, Rosenbaum breaks into an italicized,

mass or pop culture that now exhausts m ost scholarly w ork on the media.

Fau lknerian G ertrud:

Rosenbaum is full o f an u n fashion­

of it, too. Here is one description of life

able, Frankfurt School-style despair

as a movie:

about capitalism, consumerism, and the media industries: these monsters form a conglomerate devil, reaching into the

[...] I wanted there to be a movie of my life, a movie that moved where I moved, saw what I saw, spoke and

deepest recesses of private life, that

sang what I heard, said, or wanted to hear. Like a camera, I would record

the book calls the Conquistador. Yet the child who grew up on M ad comics and

this movie faithfully as I walked down the hall from my room to the front of

became the adult who could write so appreciatively of W ho F ra m ed R oger

my house or back; a movie that didn’t stop, that recorded whatever I saw

R abbit (Robert Zemeckis, 1988) is not, of course, anti-p op ; how could any cheeky, vital, engaged citizen of the 20th

from the toilet or in the bathroom mirror and carried everything that

Century be anti-pop?

The point, for Rosenbaum, is not to

happened to me along with a softly flowing rhythm, each thing leading to another. [Moving Places, p. 40]

fall into an easy, reflex celebration of any kind of cultural form - be it the purist

And here is another description, more dramatic, about the interrelationship of

rigours of the avant garde or the fanci­ ful pleasures of popular art. One section

cinema, space, architecture and family

of Moving Places confronts today’s “sub­ versive” reading of the films of Douglas Sirk with the world of the ’50s that Rosenbaum rem em bers and vividly evokes, the world with which these

emotions: I realize now that James Dean [...] must have influenced my defiant gesture of twisting my torso in a contorted rage until my ill-fitting white shirt began to tear. Projecting myself back into this rectangular space, I wonder whether those even lines intersected with your anger in such a way that I wanted rebelliously to bend that cumulative line of force, and flexed my body into an expressionist agony of angularity out of, say, The Cabinet o f Dr. Caligari or Ivan the Terrible (or East o f Eden, the only example of expressionism I’d seen by then)... [Moving Places, p. 105] R osenbau m ’s journey through such spaces, imagined and real, leads him eventually to an epiphany before Tati’s Playtim e (1967) that uncannily prefig­ ures the cultural theory of M ichel de C erteau con cern in g “strategies of place”: The film’s strategy, lesson and advice are the same: It directs us to look around at the world we live in (the one we keep building), then at each other, and to see how funny that rela­

into the discursive - the text of a talk

movies were fully complicit: a world of squashed libido, cramped family rela­ tions, and a thousand daily, petty humiliations that contrived to keep peo­ ple in their place. But all culture is,

reverie

on

D re y er’s

Only D reyer cou ld fashion a Gertrud n ot classifiab le as saint o r m onster, fo o l or genius, victor or victim but all th ese things a t o n c e o r in ta n d em , with equ al intensity.

Re-reading these words today, 13 years after I first encountered them, sent me straight to Placing M ovies and its mag­ isterial essay from 1 9 8 5 , “G ertru d as N on n arrative: The D esire fo r the Im age”. A sudden confluence of ele­ ments from both books struck me, for the idea of “nonnarrative” is for Rosen­ baum not simply a theoretical or formal one. Nonnarrative figures as a kind of haven or utopia in his work: it is the time outside of capitalist-techno-Conquistador time, the time where all times meet (as in M élo), where dialectical con­ traries unite and fabulous possibilities are glimpsed. This is a theme that runs through much of his critical writing, but it reaches its fullest, most deeply embod­ ied expression in the literary liberation of M oving Places. ® 1 Jo n ath an R osenbaum , Moving Places:

A Life at the Movies and Placing Movies: The Practice o f Film Criticism, Univer­

ultimately, a deeply ambivalent and con­ tradictory thing, clearly neither progressive nor reactionary; and it’s this

2 Philip Lopate, “The Integrated Picture”,

insight which Placing M ovies' essay on

3 “Books: Notes From the Underground”,

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes explores with exceptional sensitivity and panache.

In his introd u ction, Rosenbaum

4 “The Problem with Poetry: Leos C arax”,

candidly confesses that M oving Places

5 Leonard M altin’s recent encyclopedia of

“was - and I suppose still is - supposed to make up for my unfulfilled am bi­

American film, although this fact is never

tions as a fiction writer”. He remains

acknowledged. The disgraceful third edi­

disappointed that it has been largely prom oted and received as a work of

Dictionary o f Film contains entries on

film criticism. O f course, the fact that this very article was com m issioned

sity of California Press, California, 1 9 9 5

Film Comment, July-August 1 9 9 5 .

American Film, April 1 9 8 4 .

Film Comment, M ay-June 1 9 9 4 . film is essentially an e n cy clo p ed ia of

tion of David T hom son’s A Biographical

Molly Ringwald and Rebecca De M ornay, but not (to take a random sampling)

by C inem a Papers rather than M eanjin

K u stu ric a , K au rism ak i, K ia ro s ta m i,

or the literary pages of a newspaper is another symptom of that situation. But

Sergei Paradjanov, Jost, Akerman, Ruiz,

M ov in g P laces is unarguably a w on­

Yang, Hou Hsaio-Hsien ...

d erful litera ry w ork - co n stru cte d

Philippe Carrel, Ritwik Ghatak, Edward

6 “Letters”, American Film, June 1 9 8 4 .

55

h is to ry 8 Sluicing Operations at Campbell's Creek [near

Castlemaine, Victoria] Hydraulic open-cut gold mining operations on film. Shown by Cook at Castlemaine. Refer M ou n t A lex an d er Mail, Castlemaine, 21 July 1903.

9 The Troubles of a Bush Photographer Presumably a local narrative film, but may have been an import. Shown

by Cook at Creswick. Refer C resw ick Advertiser, 28 July 1903, p. 3.

10 Adventures of an Australian Stock Rider No further information available.

Show n by C ook at Cresw ick. R efer Creswick Advertiser, 28 July 1903, p. 3.

May be the same film mentioned in the Tim aru Post, 21 July 1903, p. 3, as “A Brisbane Stock Rider Crossing a Swollen R iv er” (exh ib ited by Perry in N ew Zealand).

11 N e w Chum M ilkin g a Cow [or, The

Kicking Cow] First mentioned in W ar Cry, M el­ bourne, 8 August, 1903; see also Torres Straits Pilot, Thursday Island, 29 August 1903, p. 2. A comic film, probably shot in Australia, exhibited by Cook in Vic­ toria and Dutton in Queensland.

12 Flamingoes in the A delaide Zoo Exhibited by Cook at Warrnambool on 12 August 1903. Refer W arrnambool S tan d ard , 13 August 1 9 0 3 . See also M arlborough Express, New Zealand, 2 October 1903, p. 2.

13 Hamilton Show Cook attempted to film the crowd at the Hamilton (Victoria) Agricultural Show on 19 August 1903, “but the light was too unsteady to get a good result”.

Refer H am ilton S pectator, 20 August 1903.

14 Log Hauling By Oxen Shown by Cook at Ballarat, 3 Sep­ tember 1903. Refer B alla ra t C ourier,

ken Hill, 17 September 1903. Refer The Barrier Miner, 16 September 1903, p. 3.

18 The Port Pirie Sm elters at W ork Shown by Perry’s Biorama at Bro­ ken Hill, 17 September 1903. Refer The Barrier Miner, 16 September 1903, p. 3.

19 Turnout of the Broken Hill Fire Brigade Shown by Perry’s Biorama at Bro­ ken Hill, 21 September 1903. Refer The Barrier Miner, 22 September 1903.

20 Pall M a ll, Bendigo Shown by C o o k ’s New Bioram a Company at Bendigo, 23 October 1903.

Refer B endigo A dvertiser, 23 O ctober 1903, p. 1; 24 October 1903. Film pos­ sibly shot in 1899.

21 M itch ell Street, Bendigo Shown by C o o k ’s New Bioram a Company at Bendigo, 23 October 1903.

Refer B endigo A dvertiser, 23 October 1903, p. 1; 24 October 1903.

22 R ailw ay Picnic Excursionists at Bendigo Shown by C o o k ’s New Bioram a Company at Bendigo, 23 October 1903.

Refer B endigo A dvertiser, 23 O ctober 1903, p. 1; 24 October 1903.

23 Panning Off [for Gold] on the M clvor Road [near Bendigo] Shown by C o o k ’s New Bioram a Company at Bendigo, 23 October 1903.

Refer B endigo A dvertiser, 24 October 1903.

24 Sydney Scenes Shown by C o o k ’s New Bioram a Company at Z eehan, Tasm ania, 8 N ovem ber 1 9 0 3 . R efer Z eeh a n a n d Dundas Herald, 9 November 1903, p. 2.

25 N e w Zealand Scenes A great number of short films of New Zealand coaching scenes and films of geysers were made by Perry while touring New Zealand between July and December 1903. Details will soon be published by Clive Sowry.

5 September 1903.

15 Panorama of B allarat Botanic Gardens Shot by Cook at Ballarat, 3 Sep­ tember 1903. Refer B allarat C ourier, 5 September 1903.

16 Sturt S tre e t-C a m p H ill [Ballarat] Shown by Cook at Ballarat, 3 Sep­ tember 1903. Refer B allarat C ourier, 5 September 1903.

17 The Great Change of Shifts at the Broken Hill M ines Shown by Perry’s Biorama at Bro­

56

26 Staff Captain Head and the Collie Boys H ay-M aking [series] Shot by Staff Captain James Dutton at the Collie Boys’ Home, Western Aus­ tralia. Refer W ar Cry, M elbourne, 13 February 1904, p. 6.

27 M ount M organ Gold M ine [series] Shot by Perry. T h e M ary borou g h Chronicle, Queensland, on 15 February 1904 states: “The Major [Perry] is col­ lecting a series of Australian views for his tour of the United Kingdom [for the 1904 International Salvation Army Con­ gress], and by the kind permission of the

Hon. A. Morgan he has secured a num­ ber of Q ueensland v iew s.” T h e R o c k h a m p to n B u lletin , 23 February 1 9 0 4 , states: “M ajor Perry hopes to obtain while [at M t Morgan], through the courtesy of the management of the Mount Morgan Gold-mining Company, as complete a set of pictures descriptive of the mine and its workings as he pos­ sesses [sic] o f the great B roken Hill mines.” The shoot would have been on or about 25 February 1904.

28 Bushranging in North Queensland Australia’s first bushranging film, shot by Perry at W inton, Queensland, on or about 9 March 1904. Refer North Q u een sla n d R egister, Tow nsville, 14 M arch 1 9 0 4 : “W in to n N otes - 9 March”. N orth Q ueensland H erald, 26 March 1904, p. 8, reports, “the depar­ ture of the coaches [from Winton] on Tuesday reminded Major Perry, the Sal­ vation Army kinematographist, that he desired to get a picture of an old-time ‘sticking-up’. He spoke of the matter at the performance on Tuesday, and on Wednesday the scene was arranged. The Longreach mail coach was secured, and the scene of the bushranging ‘outrage’ was laid at Mistake Creek, just this side of the racecourse. There were several passengers in the coach, including Mr. Holmes [of the Post Office] on the box seat, and two ladies inside. The bushrangers were represented by M essrs. W oods and Copeland [mounted] and G. McCall on foot. The M ajor having arranged his kinematograph camera, two pictures [reels?] were taken. The first was a scene of fearful carnage, in which the passengers, includ­ ing the ladies, were shot, and the mails rifled. In the second picture the tables were turned, the coach going at full gal­ lop past the bushrangers, whilst the coachman emptied his revolvers and incid entally the saddles on the bushrangers’ horses.” The foregoing report was syndicated to Townsville from the [lost] W inton newspaper of that period, the Gregory News. The film was later exhibited extensively in Aus­ tralia, particu larly by W eisb a ch ’s Salvation Army “New Bioscope Com­ pany” in Queensland during the latter part of 1904. The R ockham pton R ecord of 10 October 1904, p. 2, reports: “The [bushranging] film is an excellent one, and gives one a very good impression of scenes that took place in ‘the good old days’ when lawlessness of that descrip­ tion was much more prevalent than it is now. The sticking up of the coach was witnessed with considerable interest, and the film was greeted with great applause.” The “two pictures” com ­ prising the film may be a reference to two camera loads of film. As the most likely camera on hand to shoot this was the Warwick Model “L”, with 150-foot

loads, the whole film was probably 300 feet long, or about five minutes’ dura­ tion.

29 Loading Bananas at North Queensland Shown by Perry’s Biorama at New­ castle, 11 April 1904. Refer N ew castle H erald, 12 April 1904.

30 An A ustralian Poultry Farm Shown by Perry’s Biorama at New­ castle, 11 April 1904. Refer N ew castle H erald, 12 April 1904.

31 B allarat Crack Fire-Fighters At W ork Shot 7 May 1904, probably by Sid­ ney Cook. Reports of filming in Ballarat Courier, 6 May 1904; 9 May 1904. The “series of photographs” was taken near the fire station in Eastw ood S treet, where they demonstrated the brake in action, the eights and hose and ladder teams “in full action at a burning build­ ing”. They were first shown in Ballarat on 3 June 1904. Refer Ballarat Courier, 4 June 1904.

32 The 7th Battalion M arch Past

[in Ballarat] According to B a lla ra t C ou rier, 4 June 1904, the film was shot “some two or three months ago” (M arch 1904?) and showed the local Ballarat militia under Colonel Williams.

33 The Interior of N e w South W ales Probably a generic title for a series of films shown by the Biorama Com ­ pany at Launceston, Tasmania, 28 May 1 9 0 4 . R efer Launceston D aily T e le ­ graph, 30 May 1904, p. 4.

34 Beautiful Corio Bay and Shipping

[Geelong] Show n by C o o k ’s New Bioram a Company at Ballarat, 6 June 1904. Refer Ballarat Courier, 7 June 1904, p .5.

35 The Tragedy in the Bush and the Pursuit of B lacks Responsible Shown by Salvation Army projec­ tionists in Albury, 13 June 1904. Refer Albury D aily N ew s, 14 June 1904. An early fictional adventure narrative pro­ duction. By that time, a second print of this had already been sent to London with Perry en route to the International Salvation Army C ongress. Perry screened the film en route to London aboard the S.S. “Afric” on 2 June 1904, and the report of this appears in the War Cry, Melbourne, 6 August 1904, p. 12: “The murder of some early Australian settlers by blacks, the police tracking them by means o f a b lack track e r, stealthily creeping upon their ‘whurley’, the arrest, recovery of property, and burning the ‘whurley’ to the ground: all these are very fascin atin g fo r th eir mechanical and artistic effects.”

C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

36 North Queensland Picnic and Goat Races [probably at M ackay] Exhibited by Salvation Army pro­ jectio n ists at Albury, 13 June 1 9 0 4 .

R e fer A lbu ry D a ily N ew s, 14 Ju n e 1904. Probably the same film that was shown at Mackay, Queensland, on 12 November 1904. The stilt race and goat race was shot at the Boys’ School at M ackay. R efer M a c k a y S ta n d a rd , 9 November 1904, p. 3; M ackay C hron­ icle, 9 November 1904, p. 3.

37 Sugar Cane Cutting and Planting at Te K ow ai [near Mackay, Queensland] Shown by Salvation Army projec­ tionists at Albury, 13 June 1904. Refer Albury D aily N ews, 14 June 1904. The shooting locale was revealed in promo­ tion for a screening at M ackay on 12 November 1904. Refer M ackay Stan­ dard, 9 November 1904, p. 3; M ackay C hronicle, 9 November 1904, p. 3.

38 M oorabool S treet and Square, Geelong [Victoria] Screened by Cook’s New Biorama Company at Geelong on 25 June 1904.

Refer G eelong Advertiser, 25 June 1904.

39 Lions at A delaide Zoo Screened at Broken Hill by the Bio­ rama Company on 24 July 1904. Refer The Barrier Miner, Broken Hill, 25 July 1904, p. 2.

40 Scenes at M t. Gam bier and M t. B arker [South Australia] Screened by the Biorama Company at Broken Hill, 28-9 July 1904. Listed on a Salvation Army film advertising poster found under the hall at Broken Hill West during 1988. M t Barker was the site of the Eden Park Boys’ Home, run by the Salvation Army, and this may have been one of the subjects o f the film/s.

M ost of the material in this instal­ ment was kindly provided by George

plement o f Apparatus, Dissolving Views

Ellis of Salvation Army Archives, rear 69 Bourke Street, Melbourne. Others pro­ viding information were Clive Sowry of W ellington, New Zealand; and Phil Grace of Melbourne. Ian McFarlane of the Public Records Office, Laverton, Vic­ toria, provided access to Alex Gunn’s 1898 catalogue. Newspaper research was undertaken at the State Libraries of Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland.

My wife, Prue Long, tolerated my preoccupation with this article as we underwent a house move, the Brisbane Film Festival and business trips to Tas­ mania!

torian Public Records Office, V 3 181/63 8.

Screen ed by the N ew Bioscope Com pany at N ew castle, 14 August 1 9 0 4 . R efer N e w c a s tle H e r a ld , 15 August 1904.

42 The Ladies' Fire Brigade at W o rk at A rm idale [N ew South W ales] Screened by the Salvation Army’s New Bioscope Company at Newcastle on 15 August 1 9 0 4 . Refer N ew castle H erald, 16 August 1904.

Financial support for this series was pro­ vided by Pat Laughren, G riffith University (Brisbane), and the Australian Research Council. When one needs to undertake solid original research, finance delineates the “bottom line”.

Many thanks!

C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

tricts.

42 Local processing is certainly implicit in the

11 Ibid.

shooting and presentation of a film of chil­

12 Ibid, p. 2.

dren atten d in g a B io ram a C om p an y

13 Ibid.

m atinee at Bundaberg on 1 0 O cto b er

14 Everyones, Sydney, 15 December 1 9 2 6 ,

1 9 0 1 . Refer Bundaberg Mail, 9 O ctober

p. 126, “The Early ‘Bioscope’ Days in Vic­ toria”, by Alexander Herbert Gunn.

15 Reg Perry, oral history interview, 5 July

1 9 0 1 , p. 2.

43 Ibid.

44 War Cry, Melbourne, 31 January 1 9 0 3 , p. 15; 21 M arch 1903 p. 2.

1976.

4;> War Cry, Melbourne, 21 M arch 1 9 0 3 , p.

16 Ibid., also reference (10).

17 Reg Perry, oral history interview, 5 July

2.

46 War Cry, Melbourne, 2 5 July 1 9 0 3 , p. 8;

1 976.

1 August 1 9 0 3 , p. 11.

18 Ibid.

19 Ibid. Also Cassell’s Popular Science, loc.

47 Ibid.

48 War Cry, Melbourne, 23 August 1902, p.

cit., p. 2 9 9 .

10; 2 0 September 1 9 0 2 , p. 10; 31 Janu­

21 It was necessary to build up a reserve of

ary 1 9 0 3 , p. 1 5 ; 13 June 1 9 0 3 , p. 1 4 ;

1 None producing great quantities of film,

oxygen in the gasometer before the pres­

2 0 June 1 9 0 3 , p. 3 ; 11 July 1 9 0 3 , p. 16;

anyway. H erbert Wyndham of the Aus­

sure could build up and the show could

1 August 1 9 0 3 , p. 1 1 ; 17 October 1 9 0 3 ,

commence.

p. 10; 16 January 1 9 0 4 , p. 10.

tralian Animated Picture Syndicate was just commencing his production of docu­

22 Arthur Forecast, projectionist, in conver­

m entary m aterial at the tail end of this

sation with the author, 1 9 7 8 . Forecast

period (1 9 0 4 ).

2 The building was erected by the YM CA

began his work as a projectionist with a

23 Ibid.

but sold to the Salvation Army in a “fire

24 Ibid.

ing three th eatres in Brisbane, similar

25 The Optical Magic Lantern and Photo­

1 8 9 0 s , at a fraction of its construction

graphic Enlarger, L o n d on , D ecem ber

cost. It is doubtful whether the Salvation

1 900, pp. 155-6, “Prominent Men in the

Army ever had a caretaker in the attic.

Lantern W orld, N o. 2 0 , M r. Alexander

26 Victorian Colonial Patent 13174, com ­

appears to have joined them in 1 9 0 1 .

plete specification, dated 18 June 1 8 9 6 ,

Refer The Victory, Melbourne, Septem­

copied on to m icrofiche M F 3 6 7 , State

ber 1 9 0 1 , “Five Conquering Years”, plate

Library of Victoria.

labelled “some interesting corners of the

27 Ibid. See also ref. (10), p. 1.

28 See ref.(10), pp. 2-3.

ment”.

29 See ref (10), supplement, p. 9.

30 Cinema Papers, April 1994, p. 3 4 et seq,

view, 5 July 1 9 7 6 . See also the film, Reg

“Screening the Salvation Army” by Chris Long.

5 The Limelight Department first adopted

31 Victorian Colonial Patent 16945, provi­

an electric generating plant and arc light­

sional specification received 15 February

ing in Ja n u a ry 1 9 0 6 . R efer War Cry,

1900, copied on microfiche M F 367, State

Melbourne 2 7 January 1 9 0 6 , pp. 8-9.

Library of Victoria.

32 The Australasian Photographic Review, Sydney, 21 July 1 9 0 0 , pp. 20 -1 .

to r was made by the electrical firm of

33 Ibid. See also reference (31).

34 The Australasian Photographic Review ,

7 Charles Kent, The Modem Seven Wonders

Sydney, 21 July 1 900. p. 21.

36 Reg Perry, oral history interview, 5 July 1976.

37 Victorian Patent 19505, provisional spec­ ification, dated 18 July 1902, copied onto

Speaking of the use of retorts in Britain,

microfiche M F 3 6 7 , State Library of Vic­

equipment in use here.

9 Dr Luigi Sassi, Le Proiezioni, U lrico Hoepli, Milan, 1 8 9 7 , pp. 85-9.

10 Alex Gunn and Sons: Catalogue and Sup­

Tow nsville, 14 M arch 1 9 0 4 , “W in ton Notes - 9 M arch”.

M arch 1 9 0 4 , p. 8.

58 Rockhampton Record, 10 October 1 904, i9 War Cry, Melbourne, 16 January 1 9 0 4 ,

Queensland, 15 February 1904.

“W ith the Congress C ontingent Bound

1 9 0 3 , pp. 2 9 7 -3 0 5 , “The Magic or Opti­

p rov en by p h o to g rap h ic evidence of

Gang was to follow it two and a half years later. Refer North Queensland Register,

War Cry,

C o m p an y ” o u tfit,

cal L a n te rn ”, by T . C . H ep w o rth .

the case in Australia for some years, as is

12.

56 Important, in that The Story o f the Kelly

60 War Cry, M elb o u rn e, 2 5 Ju n e 1 9 0 4 ,

Melbourne, 1 August 1 9 0 3 , p. 11.

bottled gas became available. Such was not

p. 6 ; 3 May 1 9 0 2 , p. 15.

War Cry, Melbourne, 6 August 1 9 0 4 , p.

them. Refer photo of Cook’s “New Bio­ ram a

practice has become quite obsolete” since

filmography in this issue.

p. 9 ; The M aryborough C hronicle,

35 All of the com panies up to 1 9 0 6 used

o f the World, George Routledge and Sons,

to r), Cassell and C om p an y, L o n d o n ,

note 50.

52 For typical examples of his films refer the

p. 2, “The New Bioscope”.

London, 1 8 9 4 , p. 2 8 3 .

8 Cassell’s Popular Science (A. S. Galt, edi­

51 Cinema Papers, October 1995, p. 55, foot­

57 North Queensland Herald, Townsville, 26

M a cd o n a ld B ro s, o f H a w th o rn , w ho

film, Living Hawthorn.

ing companies in rural Queensland, and a further one permanent and four touring

54 War Cry, Melbourne, 23 November 1901,

4 Ibid. Also Reg Perry, oral history inter­

appear in the February 1 9 0 7 advertising

Maryborough, a further five electric tour­

53 Filmography, item (10).

etching branch of the printing dep art­

pp. 9 -1 0 . Their first engine and genera­

show s in T o o w o o m b a , G ym pie and

companies in New South Wales.

Gunn.”

tion by 1 9 0 0 . The Limelight Department

Perry Remembers (1977).

held at Salvation Army A rchives, M el­ bourne.

broadsheet of 1 9 1 1 , listed Cook as hav­

sale” during the depression of the early

3 The Printing Department was in occupa­

49 Cook’s staff record card for this period is

;>0 C ook’s Courier, a B risbane th eatrical

limelight plant in 1915.

as its M elbourne headquarters in 1 8 9 1 ,

Hepworth states in this article that “the

Acknowledgments

shows in Melbourne and surrounding dis­

20 Ibid.

6 War Cry, M elbourne, 3 February 1 9 0 6 ,

41 The N ew castle M in e r Coming Home from W o rk [N ew South W ales]

etc., 1 8 9 8 , p. 3. Copy preserved in V ic­

toria.

38 War Cry, Melbourne, 1 August 1 9 0 3 , p.

11.

39 Compare with the photo of Gunn’s plant in reference (10), p. 1.

40 Reg Perry, oral history interview, 5 July 1976.

41 Ibid. John son and Gibson by this time were also giving limelight outdoor film

for L o n d o n ” ; 16 January 1 9 0 4 , p. 10, “Biorama Excitem ents”, 3 0 April 1 9 0 4 , p. 4 , “A u stralia’ s C o n tin g en t for the W orld’s Salvation Army Congress - Bring­ ing the Congress Back”.

61 War Cry, Lon d on , 16 July 1 9 0 4 , p. 6, “Australian Biorama - Splendid Scenes of Life and W ork ‘Down Under’”.

62 War Cry, Melbourne, 6 August 1 9 0 4 , p.

1 1 ; 10 September 1 9 0 4 , p. 8, “Our Cos­ m opolitan C ongress on C anvas” . War

Cry, London, 2 6 Decem ber 1 9 0 3 , p. 9, “Cinematograph Campaign”.

6j War Cry, Melbourne, 8 October 1 9 0 4 , p.

16; 2 2 October 1 9 0 4 , pp. 9 -1 0 . @

57

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Film in - filft k o u f b u re a u s e r v ig e ^

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M o tio n tra c k in g

- V id e o to film tra n sfe rs w ith A C M E 's p ro p rie ty im a g e e n h a n c e m e n t system

W id e ra n g e o f filte rin g to o ls; -im a g e b lu rrin g , s h a rp e n in g , re -g ra in , d e -g ra in C o m p re h e n s iv e p a in t p a c k a g e w ith full 1 0 b it p e r c o lo u r sa m p lin g

5 1 A Hume Street Crows Nest

N S W 2 0 6 5 A ustra lia

- A ll fo rm a t v id e o a n d c o m p u te r m e d ia tra n s fe rre d to slides - Im a g e s ta b ilis a tio n

Telephone (02) 4 3 6 1 4 6 6

Facsimile: (02) 4 3 6 1833 BG&D Df1453

FC C Funding Decisions

!

Features

I j

Love Serenade

59

.

Television The Women of Drover’s Run 59 The Silver Brumby Animation Series 2 5 9

Features Production Dating the Enemy Dead Heart

Rosenberg’s Goanna Kosky in Paradise

59 59

Dr Anderson’s Cache of Curiosities Silk and Steel

59 59

The Liners Next to Nothing and Neck to Knee

59 59

59 60

i

Fistful of Flies I Floating Life

60 60

River Street Road to Nhill I The Zone j Under the Lighthouse Dancing

60 6 1 61 61

I

Documentaries

I

Production Survey

I

Features Post-production

j

i i i

i i i i i i

1 i 1 i

Children of the Revolution . Cosi

6 61

I David Williamson’s Brilliant Lies I Lilian’s Story

6 62

Love Wise Lust and Revenge My Entire Life The Quiet Room Race the Sun Shine The Island of Dr. Moreau The Small Man The Story of C.I.A.

Shorts The Coolbaroo Club The Mother’s Requiem Words in Action

i

Rolf de H eer's The Quiet Room

EIGHT FEATURES S CREAM

FFC Funding Decisions Following a Board meeting on 25 August, the F F C has entered into contract negotiations with the producers or the following projects:

Featured

PRE-SALE: ABC DIST: Beyond Distribution

M

d o c u m e n ta ry w ill f o llo w th e life h is to ry

s e r ie s e n d fu lfils h is d e s tin y to b e c o m e K ing o f a ll th e C a s c a d e b ru m b ie s .

ro m a n tic s h ip s e v e r b u ilt.

e c o lo g y a n d b e h a v io u r w h ic h h as

T h e film p re s e n ts a v e r y d if fe re n t an d

b e e n , u n til r e c e n tly , n e it h e r r e c o rd e d

e n g a g in g v ie w o f c o n te m p o ra ry

n o r u n d e rs to o d .

KOSKY IN PARADISE (52 mins, Accord) G eneration Films M elissa Rymer Bob W eis C o -P : J onathan Green W: M elissa Rymer D:

P:

P R E -S A L E : A B C D IS T :

Generation Films

ra d io p e rs o n a lity . A b la c k c o m e d y w ith

w e n t y - e ig h t y e a r - o ld B a rrie K osky

T

h a s b e e n ro c k in g th e c u ltu ra l

w ith h is d a rin g a n d c o n tro v e rs ia l m o s t r e c e n tly , w ith h is a p p o in tm e n t as d ir e c to r o f th e 1996 A d e la id e A rts F e s tiv a l. T h ro u g h K o s k y 's w o rk , t h e film w ill e x a m in e his id e a s a n d g a in in s ig h t in to th e c re a tiv e m o tiv a tio n s an d in s p ira tio n s w h ic h d riv e th e m a n .

M ille n n iu m P ictures

A

K ey

(26 x 25 mins) M edia W

EP Executive Producer P Producer Co-P Co-Producer

orld

Features

LP Line Producer D Director

Information is as supplied and adjudged as of 30/10/95.

Featured Production DATIN G THE EN E M Y

h o m e to th e fa m ily p ro p e r ty a fte r 19

P R E -S A L E : A B C r C h ris to p h e r A n d e rs o n ,

D

a n th ro p o lo g is t a n d D ir e c to r o f th e

S o u th A u s tra lia n M u s e u m , is a p a s s io n a te a d v o c a te o f c lo s e r r e la tio n s b e t w e e n A b o r ig in a l p e o p le a n d m a in s tre a m s o c ie ty . T h e film

f o llo w s h is jo u rn e y a s h e re tu rn s s o m e o f th e m u s e u m 's c o lle c tio n o f s e c r e t /s a c r e d o b je c ts to t h e ir

P iper F ilms

c o m m u n itie s o f o rig in , a lo n g th e w a y

D: M ike Piper P: M ike Piper Ws: Dr Rob M orrison, Dr Peggy M iller, M ike M cKelvey

e x p lo rin g t h e ir m e a n in g a n d m y s te ry .

A n d e rs o n q u e s tio n s tra d itio n a l m u s e u m p o lic y a n d a rg u e s f o r " h u m a n re la tio n s h ip s b e fo re s ta tic c o lle c tio n s " .

C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

T

M artin Fabinyi, J ohn Luscombe W: M elissa H oyer PC: Kate Fischer Pre- sale: N ine N etwork D IS T : B eyond Distribution , M ushroom Records

h e film w ill f o llo w th e h is to ry o f lin g e rie a n d s w im w e a r a n d th e

im p a c t its d e v e lo p m e n t h a s h a d on e x is tin g id e a s o f m o ra lity a n d w o m a n h o o d in o u r s o c ie ty .

AS Associate Producer

Production company: DATING THE Enemy Distribution company: T otal Film and TV (A ustralia), Pandora Cinema (I nternational) Production: 2 3 / 1 0 / 9 5 .. .

Post-production: 1 8 /1 2 /9 5 ...

D: J im Roberts Scott M cDonald EP: M ike Piper W: T ony Cox

M ushroom P ictures Ps:

Production Survey

S E Story Editor

t w o d a u g h te rs . A y o u n g w o m a n c o m e s

ROSENBERG'S G O A N N A (27 m i n s )

THE SILVER B R U M B Y A N IM A T IO N SERIES 2

WD Writer-director

P:

NEXT TO N O TH IN G A N D NECK TO KNEE (2x45 mins)

TeLevidion

M ills S treet P roductions

b in d in g to g e th e r a f a t h e r a n d his

Documentaried

Peter Butt Rob M cA uley W s: Rob M cA uley, Peter Bun P R E -S A L E : A B C , Channel 4 (U K ),

Documentary

D:

P:

PC Principal Cast

N etwork

h o s tile s is te r s h e d o e s n o t k n o w .

THE LINERS (4x55 m i n s )

SW Scriptwriter

s to ry o f lo s t a n d r e g a in e d lo v e ,

y e a r s in th e c ity , to th e f a t h e r a n d

In d o n e s ia .

Following a Board meeting on 29 September, the F F C has entered into contract negotiations with the producers of the following projects:

DR A N D ERSO N 'S CACHE OF CURIOSITIES (55 mins, Accord)

the assistance of

S A F C and 9

w h o re v e a l t h e ir c u r r e n t s ta tu s in

e s ta b lis h m e n ts f o r th e p a s t e ig h t y e a rs

t h e a t r e a n d o p e ra p ro d u c tio n s , a n d ,

D eveloped with

In d o n e s ia n s o c ie ty th ro u g h a f a s c in a tin g c ro s s -s e c tio n o f w o m e n

Developed with the assistance of Film V ictoria

M ichael Offer P: Posie Graeme-E vans EP: A ndrew B laxland W: Ro Hume

a d v e r tu r e s o f T h o w r a ,t h e b ra v e

a n d q u ic k -w itte d s ilv e r b ru m b y .

A u s tra lia n p o in t o f v ie w a b o u t th e m o s t

n e ig h b o u r, a b ro o d in g a n d s e lf-c e n t r e d

D:

s e c o n d s e r ie s fo llo w in g th e

d ic ta to rs h ip a n d th e ru le s o f Is la m ?

t o w n d e v e lo p a f ie r c e a n d

THE W O M E N OF DROVER'S RUN (95 m i n s )

te c h n o lo g ic a l, s o c ia l a n d g lo b a l

A

w ill e x a m in e th e a n im a l's re p ro d u c tio n ,

w o s is te rs In a n A u s tra lia n c o u n try

Televidion

in flu e n c e s o f w o m e n in In d o n e s ia .

w e r e a ls o t h e c o n d u it f o r e n o rm o u s

T h o w r a h a s n o w m a tu re d a n d by

NSW FTO

o n e t h a t d id n 't q u ite g e t a w a y .

T

his d o c u m e n ta ry e x p lo re s th e

o c e a n lin e rs h a v e b e e n f a r m o re

th a n s im p ly p a s s e n g e r s h ip s ; t h e y

re s tr ic tio n s o f a d o m in a n t p o litic a l

the assistance of the

a s m o u ld e rin g s o u n d tra c k a n d lo ts o f

P R E -S A L E : A B C

in c e t h e ir d e v e lo p m e n t in th e 1 850s,

S

m o s t u n u s u a l v a r ie t y o f th e m o n ito rs . It

Shirley Barrett P: J an Chapman W : S hirley Barrett D IS T : B eyond Films

fis h in g , Love Serenade is a s to ry o f th e

D: Sally I ngleton Susan Fleming, A ndrew Ogilvie W : Sally I ngleton

the assistance of

NSW FTO

c u ltu ra l c h a n g e . The Liners is an

D:

c o m p e titiv e c ru s h on t h e ir n e w

P:

D eveloped with

Colin S outh, J ohn T atoulis Steve French, Paul W illiams S D : J ohn T atoulis W s : J on Stephens , J udy M almgren Pre- sale: N etwork 10 D IS T : Daro Film Distributors Ps:

ADs:

in te rn a tio n a l s to ry to ld fro m a u n iq u e ly

J an C ha pm a n P roductions

T

E lectric P ictures

T he Learning Channel (US) D IS T : Primetime /THA I nc

H o w do t h e y p ro g re s s w ith in th e

o f R o s e n b e rg 's g o a n n a , o n e o f th e

LOVE SERENADE (95 m i n s )

D eveloped with

SILK A N D STEEL (55 mins, Accord)

o n ito rs a re a n im a ls o f th e tro p ic s a n d w a r m te m p e r a t e z o n e s . T h is

"ACTION"

C Cast

DIST Distributor

NO TE: Production Survey forma now adhere to a revised form at.

Cinema Papers regret) it cannot accept infonnation received in a differentform at.

Cinema Papers does not accept responsibility fo r the accuracy o f arty information dupplied by production companies. This id particularly the cade when information changed but the production company makes no attem pt to correct what had already been dapplied.

P rincipal Credits Director: M egan Simpson Producer: S ue M illiken Executive producers: Phil Gerlach, Heather Ogilvie Scriptwriter: M egan S impson Director of photography: Steve A rnold Sound recordist: Leo Sullivan Editor: M arcus D'A rcy Production designer: T im Ferrier Costume designer: T erry Ryan Planning

and

Development

Casting: Sue M aizels

P roduction Crew Production supervisor: A nne BRUNING Production co-ordinator: JULIE SlMS Producer's assistant: Chris Gordon Production secretary: MICHELLE RUSSELL Location manager: Phillip Roope Unit manager: S imon Hawkins Production runner: Paul Sullivan Financial controller: M oneypenny SERVICES Production accountant: J ames Bramley Accounts assistant: David B enn Insurer: ClNESURE Completion guarantor: Film Finances Inc .

Legal services: Lyndon Sayer-J ones Camera Crew Clapper-loader: Robert A gganis Camera assistant: M ichelle Cloete Key grip: Greg M ollineaux Assistant grip: Paul Reddin Gaffer: J ohn M orton Best boy: Paul S elgren Electrician: A lan Y ork On - set Crew 1st assistant director: CAROLYNNE Cunningham 2nd assistant director: Guy CAMPBELL 3rd assistant director: T om READ

59

¡¡Il

production

Production Survey continued Continuity: NlCOLA MOORS Boom operator: N icole Lazaroff Make-up: Viv M epham Make-up assistant: Robvn A ustin Hairdresser: TONI FRENCH Special fx: ANIMAL LOGIC Still photography: Robert M ac Farlane Unit publicist: T racey M air Catering: M arike

A rt D epartment Art director: MICHELLE M cGahey Art department co-ordinator:

Heidi Oosterman Art department runner: JAMIE H owe Props buyers: Faith Robinson , Karen Harborow Dressers: Faith Robinson , Karen Harborow Standby props: George Zam mit W ardrobe Wardrobe supervisor: M el Dykes Standby wardrobe: I sobel Carter Wardrobe assistant: M elissa M ontague Construction D epartment Construction manager: JAMES M cKay Carpenters: PHILLIP ASCOT, J ulian V an W el Set finisher: Peter Collias Post- production Assistant editor: J ane M aguire 2nd editing assistant: ALISON WHEELER Sound editor: J ulius Chan Laboratory: A tlab Laboratory liaison: DENISE WOLFSON Grader: A rthur Cambridge Film gauge: 35 mm

Assistant construction manager:

A shley Holt

Screen ratio: 1:1.85

Driver: J im Davidson

Government A gency I nvestment Development: AFC, NSWFTO Production: FFC, NSWFTO Cast Claudia Karvan (T ash ), Guy Pearce (B rett), Lisa Hensley (Laetitia ), M att Day (R ob), Pippa Grandison (C olette), Christopher M orsley (P aul ), Heidi Lapaine (C hristina ), J ohn Howard (D avis ), S cott Lowe (H arrison).

Post- production Laboratory: A tlab Laboratory liaison: Ian Russell Shooting stock: KODAK Government A gency I nvestment Development: NSWFTO Production: FFC M arketing International sales agent: V illage Roadshow International Sales Cast B ryan B rown (Ray ), Ernie Dingo (D avid ), A ngie M illiken (K ate), A aron Pedersen (T ony), Gnarnayarrahe W aitaire (P oppy), Lewis Fitz-G erald (L es), A nne T enney (S arah ), J ohn J arratt (C harlie), Lafe Charlton (B illy), Stanley Djunawong (Tjulpu ).

y^m odern romantic comedy.

DEAD HEART Production company: D ead Heart

Productions Distribution company: Roadshow Production: 2 3 /1 0 /9 5 -1 2 /1 1/95 (ALICE S prings), 1 3 /1 1 /9 5 -6 /1 2 /9 5 (Sydney)

Principal Credits Director: N icholas Parsons Producer: B ryan B rown Co-producer: H elen W atts Scriptwriter: N icholas Parsons Based on the play titled: Dead H eart Written by: NICHOLAS PARSONS Director of photography: JAMES BARTLE Sound recordist: Phil T ipene Editor: Henry Dangar Production designer: B rian Edmonds Costume designer: Edie Kurzer Composer: Steven Rae P lanning and D evelopment Casting: Faith M artin & A ssociates Extras casting: Kris W allis Production Crew Production manager Lesley Parker Production co-ordinator: ÏRISH Foreman Production secretary: J ane Healy Location manager: M ason Curtis Unit supervisor: Deb Hanson Unit assistant: Steve Salotti Production runner: T im Faulkner Production accountant: Lyn J oner Insurer: H. W. W ood A ustralia Completion guarantor: Film Finances Legal services: Hart & S pira

60

Base-office liaison: BELLA Camera Crew Camera operator: JAMES B artle Focus puller: Damien W yvill Clapper-loader: M argaret M cClymont Key grip: Paul T hompson Assistant grip: B enn Hyde Gaffer: N ick Payne Best boy: A ntony T ulloch Assistant electrics: G reg de M arigny On - set Crew 1st assistant director: JAMIE CROOKS 2nd assistant director: A dam S pencer 3rd assistant director: Kate T urner Continuity: SUSAN WlLEY Make-up: J ose Perez, Paul Pattison Hairdressers:J ose Perez, Paul Pattison Safety officer: W ally Dalton Unit nurse: J enny B ischard Still photography: LlSA T omasetti Unit publicist: T racey M air Public relations: M aria Farmer Catering: Steve M arcus A rt Department Art director: Richard Hobbs Set decorators: Sue M aybury (S ydney), B rian Dusting (A lice S prings) Standby props: IGOR Lazareff W ardrobe Costume supervisor: T racey Richardson Costume assistant: Fiona Holley Construction D epartment Scenic artist: David T uckwell Construction manager: Larry Sandy

death in the community and a defiant and doomed love affaire bring tribal law and Australian law into explosive conflict.

A

FISTFUL OF FLIES Production company: Long B lack Productions Pre-production: 2 8 /8 /9 5 -2 8 /1 0 /9 5 Production: 3 0 /1 0 /9 5 -2 2 /1 2 /9 5 Post-production: 0 2 /0 1 /9 6 -1 6 /6 /9 6

Principal Credits Director: MONICA PELLIZZARI Producer: JULIA Overton Scriptwriter. MONICA PELLIZZARI Director of photography: J ane Castle Sound recordist B ronwyn M urphy Editor: J ames M anche Production designer: Lissa Coote Costume designer: Louise W akefield Composer: FELICITY FOX Planning and Development Script editor: M arion Ord, A lison T ilson Dialogue coach: Cath Leahy Production Crew Production manager: Helen Panckhurst Production co-ordinator: Gina T wyble Production secretary: Pru S mith

Location manager: Robyn BERSTEN Unit manager: Edward D onovan Production runner: Lara ESDEN Production accountant: CHRISTINE MORAN Insurer: ClNESURE Completion guarantor: Film Finances Legal services:

M ichael Frankel & A ssociates Camera Crew Camera operator: J ane Castle Focus puller: T im T hornton Key grip: ROBBIE MORGAN Gaffer: M ichael W ood Best boy: David Holmes On - set Crew 1st assistant director: Chris W ebb 2nd assistant director: T anya J ackson 3rd assistant director: PHILIP JOSEPH Continuity: VICTORIA SULLIVAN Boom operator: Steve V aughan Make-up: T rish Glover Make-up assistant: SHERRY HUBBARD Hairdresser: T rish Glover Hairdresser's assistant: SHERRY HUBBARD Still photography: SlMON CARDWELL Unit publicist: T racey M air Catering: Out TO Lunch A rt Department Art department runner: JONATHAN TIDBALL Set decorators: K errie B rown, Glen W J ohnson Standby props: MALCOLM GREGORY W ardrobe Costume buyer: MlCHELLE MORRIN Standby costume: Gary J ones A nimals Animal trainer: Stephen A ustin P ost- production Assistant editor: J ane Cole Sound editors: ANDREW PLAIN, J ane Patterson Mixed at: A tlab Laboratory: A tlab Laboratory liaison: DENISE WOLFSON Grader: A rthur Cambridge Film gauge: 35 mm Screen ratio: 1:1.85

Government A gency I nvestment Production: Film Finance Corporation M arketing International sales agent:

S outhern Star Film Sales Cast Dina Panozzo (G race), T asma W alton (M ars ), J ohn Lucantonio (J oe), M aria Louise A batz Gentile (M agda ), Giordano Gangl (E rcole), Eamon Davern (J ohnny), M ario Gam m a (E no ), Rachel M azza (D r Powers), Franca S enise (N onna ), Catherine M ichalak (I nnocentina ), T ony Poli (P riest). ixteen-year-old Mars Lupi is the only daughter in a conservative Catholic Italo-Australian family struggling to come to terms with her sexuality. She clashes with her sexually-repressed mother and her philandering father. A comedy/drama about a young girl and her quest to be treated as a mature woman.

S

FLOATING LIFE Production company: HIBISCUS Films Distribution company: Footprint Films Pre-production 7 /8 /9 5 -2 2 /9 /9 5 Production: 2 5 /9 /9 5 -1 /1 2 /9 5 Post-production: 4 /1 2 /9 5 -4 /9 6

Casting: Liz M ullinar Casting Casting consultants: AN0USHA Z arkesh Extras casting: SUSAN WELLS i Dialogue coaches: K erry W alker, Elina W ong Production Crew Production manager: Elisabeth Knight 1i Production co-ordinator: SUSAN WELLS i Director's assistant: Samantha Lang i Location manager. PATRICIA B lunt Unit manager: CAMERON WlNTOUR Assistant unit manager: A ndrew M atthews Production runner: M ark Olive Production accountant: B en Grant | insurer: T ony Gibbs - HW W oods Completion guarantor: FACB i Legal services: M ichael Frankel & Co Travel Co-ordinator: S howtravel Freight Co-ordinator: SH0WFREIGHT Camera Crew Camera operator: DI ON B eebe Focus puller: S ion M ichel Clapper-loader: B en J asper Playback Operator: Philipa V eitch Key grip: Roy MlCO i Assistant grip: J ohn B albi Gaffer: Paul B ooth Best boy: M att INGLIS Electrician: RUSSELL Fewtrell i Generator operator: RUSSELL Fewtrell On - set Crew i 1st assistant director: Greg Stitt i 2nd assistant director: Stefanie K leinhenz 3rd assistant director: QuEENY Lo, Habib M assad Continuity: Heather Oxenham i Boom operator: Fiona M cB ain Make-up: Chiara T ripodi | Make-up: Clea "W izzie " M olineaux Hair supervisor: Chiara T ripodi i Hair assistant: Clea "W izzie " M olineaux Still photography: HEIDRUN Lohr Catering: CAMERA COOKS A rt Department Art director: Luigi Pittorino 1 Art department liaison: Kai T ai Chan i Props buyers: T rish Ryan , Catherine M ansill , Ian M cGavock Set dressers: T rish Ryan , Catherine M ansill , Ian M cGavock i Draftsperson: Robert H erbert i Art department assistant: Robert Herbert \ Standby props: Robert " M oxy" M oxham 1 Action vehicle co-ordinators: M arco PlNESl, i Darren Loveday i W ardrobe i Wardrobe supervisor: CORDULA A lbrecht Standby wardrobe: N ina Parsons i P ost- production i Post-production supervisor: HELEN LOVELOCK Assistant editor: BRONWEN GOWER Editing assistant: ADRIENNE S haw i Sound transfers by: SOUNDFIRM SYDNEY Sound post-production: SOUNDFIRM M elbourne Titles: Optical & Graphic Laboratory: A tlab Laboratory liaison: I an Russell, D enise W olfson Film gauge: 35 mm Screen ratio 1:1.85 Shooting stock: Kodak Editing facilities: SPECTRUM Films Video transfers: Frame S et & M atch

i

\

P rincipal Credits Director: Clara Law Producer: B ridget I kin Associate producer: Helen Lovelock Scriptwriters Eddie Ling -C hing Fong,

Clara Law Director of photography: D ion B eebe Sound recordist: M ark B lackwell Editor: Suresh A yyar Production Designer: Chung M an Yee Composer: Davood Tabrizi

Pu n n in g

and

Development

\

| i

|

Government A gency I nvestment Development: Film V ictoria, NSWFTO Production: FFC, NSWFTO, SBS Independent M arketing International sales agent: S outhern Star Film Sales Publicity: S outhern Star Film Sales Cast A nnie Yip (B ing ), A nthony W ong (Kar M ing ), A nnette Shun W ah (Y en), Cecilia Li (M um ), Edwin Pang (P a ), T oby W ong (Yue), T oby Chan (C hau ) B ruce Poon (C heong), J ulian PULVERMACHER (MlCHAEL), CLAUDETTE Chua (M ui M ui ), Darren Yap (L one)

Chinese family migrate from Hong Kong to Australia and find i themselves caught between two : cultures.

A

!

RIVER STREET

i 1 Production company: House & M oorhouse i Distribution companies: Cl By

i

! j

i | i

i i

| 1 i

(I nternational), V illage Roadshow (A ustralasia ) Pre-production: 2 4 J uly 1 9 9 5 ...

Production: 13 S eptember 1 9 9 5 ...

Post-production. 10 N ovember 1 9 9 5 ...

Principal Credits Director: TONY MAHOOD Producer: Lynda House Associate producer: CATHERINE BISHOP Scriptwriter:pHILLIP Ryall Based on an original story by: T ony M ahood Director of photography: M artin M cGrath Sound recordist: Lloyd Carrick Editor: Dany Cooper Production designer: PADDY REARDON Costume designer: KERRI MAZZOCCO P lanning and D evelopment Casting: PROTOTYPE Casting (M elbourne), A lison B arrett (S ydney) Additional casting: D ina M ann Extras casting: Kate Finsterer Extras casting assistant: VlCKI KROMER Storyboard artist: ROBERT STEPHENSON Production Crew Production manager: Catherine B ishop Production co-ordinator: Fiona S chmidberger Production secretary: Edwina FOWLER Location manager: RUSSELL B oyd Unit manager: A ndy PAPAS Unit assistant: N ino N egrin Production runner: KEVIN CAMPBELL Production accountant: MANDY CARTER Accounts assistant: Stephen T aylor Insurer: ROLLINS Hudig Hall Completion guarantor: FILM FINANCES Limited Legal services: Roth W arren Camera Crew Camera operator: M artin M cGrath Focus puller: Laurie B almer Camera assistant: T rish K eating 2nd camera operator: M urray W are Camera type: PANAFLEX Gold Camera equipment: Panavision Samuelson Film S ervices Key grip: BRETT M cDowell Grip: J ohn T ate Gaffer: David Parkinson Best boy: Greg Rawson 3rd electrics: A dam Hunter 4th electrics: SCOTT COPELAND On - set Crew 1st assistant director: M onica Pearce 2nd assistant director: T ony GILBERT 3rd assistant director: M ichael A gnew Continuity: J oanna M cLennan Video split attachment: Dam ian CHURCH Boom operator: Craig B eggs Make-up: A manda Rowbottom Hairdresser: Cheryl W illiams Special effects: Peter Stubbs Special effects assistant: J eff Little Stunts co-ordinator: Z ev Eleftheriou Safety officer: B rett A nderson Assistant stunt co-ordinator:

B rett A nderson Unit nurse: BARBARA Datson Still photography: JENNIFER MlTCHELL Catering: SWEET SEDUCTION Chaperone: Rob B ailey

A rt Department Art director: H ugh B ateup Assistant art co-ordinator:

Christina N orman Set dressers: S imon M cCutcheon,

Z latko Kasumovic Props buyer: M arian M urray Standby props: D ean SULLIVAN Vehicle co-ordinator: JOHN ALLAN

W ardrobe Standby: K eryn Ribbands Construction Department Construction manager: S yd Hartley Carpenter: J an VAN Olphen Post- production Assistant editor: ROCHELLE OsHLACK Editing assistant: B elinda Fithie Sound editor: Glenn N ewnham Laboratory: ClNEVEX Tape transfers: AAV Rushes theatre: Lemac T heatre Sound transfers: Eugene W lLSO N Sound post-production: EUGENE W lLSON

C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

Music co-ordinator: CHRIS Gough Stock: Kodak Government A gency I nvestment Production: FFC, Film V ictoria Cast A den Y oung (B en ), B ill Hunter (V incent ), Essie Davis (W endy), T am my M acintosh (S haron ), J oy S mithers (M arcia ), Sullivan Stapleton (C hris ), Lois Ramsey (E dna ), M atthew D 'B rass (L eon) n ambitious, unscrupulous young real-estate agent tricks his way into buying a valuable plot of land occupied by a community centre, but is redeemed into a gallant attempt to save it.

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ROAD TONHILL Production company: Gecko Films Distribution company: Ronin Films Budget: $ 1 .8 5 M illion Pre-production: 0 4 /9 /9 5 -2 6 /1 0 /9 5 Production: 2 7 /1 0 /9 5 -1 5 /1 2 /9 5 Post-production: 1 5 /1 /9 6 -2 7 /7 /9 6

Shooting stock: Kodak G overnment A gency I nvestment

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i 1i i1 I1

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Development:

A ustralian Film Commission Production: Film V ictoria, AFC Cast B ill H unter (B ob ), T ony Barry (J im ), Lynette Curran (M argot), M onica M aughan (N ell), Patricia K ennedy (J ean ), Lois Ramsey (Carmel), Paul Chubb (M aurie ), A lwyn Kurts (J ack), M att Dyktynski (B ret), B ill Young (B rian ), T erry N orris (T ed) his film is in the tradition of the Aussie yarn. It is a comedy about a fictitious small country town and the day a car accident happens which ends up involving the whole town.

Bowling ladies, husbands and fire engines go in all directions. And everyone has a different version of events.

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THE ZONE Production company:

P rincipal Credits

M edia W orld Features

Director: SUE B rooks Producer: S ue M aslin Scriptwriter: A lison T ilson Director of photography:

Pre-production: 2 8 /8 /9 5 -2 0 /1 0 /9 5 Production: 2 3 /1 0 /9 5 -8 /1 2 /9 5 Post-production: 1 1 /1 2 /9 5 -3 /5 /9 5

N icolette Freeman Sound recordist: M ark T arpey Editor: T ony Stevens Production designer: Georgina Campbell Costume designer: Louise M cCarthy Composer: Elizabeth Drake

P lanning and D evelopment Casting: Prototype Casting Production Crew Production manager: Elisa A rgenzio Production co-ordinator: Sandi Revelins Production secretary: A nna M olyneaux Location manager: Charlotte S eymour Unit manager: S ean T ennant Production runner: Emma M oroney Production accountant: G ina H allas Insurer: Richard Oliver Completion guarantor:

M otion Picture Guarantors Legal services: Roth W arren Camera Crew Camera operator: Robin Plunkett Focus puller: W arrik Lawrence Clapper-loader: A ndreww Commis Key grip: I an B enellack Assistant grip: T om JANNIKE Gaffer: Paul J ohnstone Best boy: Graham Cook Electrician: B rett Cooper Rushes runner: Christopher Davenport On - set Crew 1st assistant director: Chris Lynch 2nd assistant director: Paul Rogan 3rd assistant director: T oni Raynes Continuity: Cate Lapham Boom operator: MALCOLM HUGHES Make-up: P eggy Carter Make-up assistant: JODI LOCKE Special fx: Peter Stubbs Stunts co-ordinator: CHRIS PETERS Stunts: Russell A llan Safety supervisor: Peter Culpan Unit nurse: H elen Cox Still photography: J ennifer M itchell Unit publicist: M iranda B rown Catering: H elen Clarke - Red Star Cafe A rt D epartment Art director: A llison Pye Props buyer: Peter Foster Standby props: A ngi VELICK0VIC Action vehicle co-ordinator: Ralph Price W ardrobe Standby wardrobe: A manda S edawie Wardrobe assistant:JILL J ohanson P ost- production Assistant editor: Ronnie Reinhardt Edge numberer: Film Sync - O liver Streeton Sound transfers by: Eugene W ilson S ound S ervices Sound editor: A Room W ith A Vu - Craig Carter, Livia Ruzic Narrator: Phillip A dams Musical director: Elizabeth D rake Laboratory: Cinevex Laboratory liaison: I an A nderson Film gauge: 16mm (35 mm blow - up)

Principal Credits Director: J ohn T atoulis Producer: J ohn T atoulis Co-producer: Colin SOUTH Associate producer: PETER Ba in -H ogg Scriptwriter: DEBORAH PARSONS Director of photography: PETER Zakharov Sound recordist: JlM DUNWOODIE Editor: Peter B urgess Production designers: Phil Chambers , Stan A ntoniades Costume designer: Clare Griffin Composer: B urkhard Dallwitz P lanning and D evelopment Casting: Greg A pps (P rototype) Extras casting: BERNADETTE RYAN (P rototype) Storyboard artist: PAUL WILLIAMS P roduction Crew Production manager: YVONNE COLLINS Production co-ordinator: M angus M ansie Assistant production co-ordinator:

Kim T ravis Production secretary: Fran Shepherdson Location manager: T im S cott Unit manager: M ichael B atchelor Unit assistants: Ian Lloyd, M erv T ucker Production accountant: J udy M almgren Accounts assistant: Fran Stphenson Insurer: H. W. W ood Completion guarantor: Film Finances Legal services: M arshalls & Dent Travel co-ordinator: S how T ravel Freight co-ordinator: S how T ravel Base-office liaison: Louise Cheslett

Camera Crew Camera operator: Harry Panagiotidis Focus puller: Peter S cott Clapper-loader: B runo Doring Aerial photography: PETER ZAKHAROV Camera hire: CAMERAQUIP Key grip: Freddo D irk Grip: Gene V an Dam Gaffer: Rory T imoney Best boy: CHRIS SHANAHAN Electrician: Robbie H echenberger Assistant electrics: Robbie H echenberger Generator operator: Robbie Hechenberger On - set Crew 1st assistant director: B rendan Campbell 2nd assistant director: Christian Robinson 3rd assistant director: Emma J amvold Continuity: JULIE Feddersen Boom operator: T ony Dickinson Make-up: B ill J ackson -M artin Hairdresser: B ill J ackson -M artin Special fx co-ordinator: A aron B eaucaire Special fx assistant: L loyd FlNNEMORE Stunts co-ordinator: A rch Roberts Safety officer: A rch Roberts First aid officer: JEANETTE GREENFIELD Safety report: Peter Culpan Still photography: B rian M cKenzie Unit publicist: Sandy Kaye Catering: Stuart B rinkworth , Doug Costello (S ilver S creen) Runner: G reg Capurso A rt D epartment

C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

Art department co-ordinator: CHRISTOPHER Gogos Dressers: Roland Pike, T oni Forsyth, T ony X eros Buyers: Roland Pike, T oni Forsyth, T ony X eros Standby props: B rian Lang Action vehicle co-ordinator: JOHN CHASE Action vehicle mechanic: Barry B ell W ardrobe Wardrobe supervisor: Sandi ClCHELLO Standby wardrobe: Rachel N ott Designer glasses: PETER COOMBS

A nimals Lizard wrangler: W arren B lake Construction Department Construction manager: B ob H ern (W oomera), Gerry Powderly (M el­ bourne) Foreman: Paul Pocok Set finisher: M ark Stewart Studios: Crawfords Post- production Post-production supervisor:

Peter B a in -H ogg Assistant editor: Sam V enning Sound editor: Ian M cW illiams , Peter Palankay (Labsonics ) Mixer: JAMES CURRIE Digital effects: David N elson (U nreal Pictures) Laboratory: ClNEVEX Laboratory liaison: I AN ANDERSON Film gauge: 35 mm Shooting stock: Kodak Video transfers by: AAV Off-line facilities: T he Facility Government A gency I nvestment Development: SAFC Production: Film V ictoria, FFC M arketing International distributor: B eyond Films Cast Peter Phelps (L ieutenant Leo M egaw ), Carolyn B ock (A nne/N ovan A nne ), B rad B yguar (B oas), A lex M englett (T ito), J eff K ovski (P agett). he Zone is a futuristic thriller.

Lieutenant Megaw works forthe Army (NTU) and is posted to the stark, barren salt-mines of Zone 39. There he discovers that large tracts of land have been mysteriously contaminated. A mystery unfolds as Megaw finds out what really happened to the Zone.

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UNDER THE LIGHTHOUSE DANCING Production company: S ilver T urtle Films Production: 16/10/95 ...

Principal Credits Director: GRAEME RATTIGAN Producer: David Giles Line producer: J ane SCOTT Scriptwriters: David Giles, Graeme

Rattigan Director of photography: Paul M urphy Editor: David Stiven Production Designer: Laurence Eastwood Finance: Backed by A sian investors Publicity: Fiona S earson, DDA Cast J acqueline M cK enzie, J ack T hompson, N aomi W atts , A den Gillett, Phillip Holder, Z oe B ertram n uplifting romantic comedy based on the true story of three couples who visit Rottnest Island to stage a magical wedding.

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Featured Pod¿-production and Awaiting Releade CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION Production Company: Rev Kids Distribution Company:

Roadshow Film D istributors Production: 3 /7 -1 /9 /9 5

Principal Credits Director: PETER D uncan

Producer: T ristram MlALL Associate producer: Greg RlCKETSON Scriptwriter: P eter Duncan Director of photography: MARTIN M cGrath Sound recordist: Guntis SlCS Editor: S imon M artin Production Designer: Roger Ford Costume Designer: T erry Ryan Composer: N igel WESTLAKE

P lanning

and

D evelopment

Script editor: SlMON M artin Casting: Peter D uncan , Robyn Kershaw Casting consultants:

Liz M ullinar Casting Consultants Extras casting: Gabrielle H ealy Storyboard artist: Dan Potra P roduction Crew Production supervisor: Greg RlCKETSON Production co-ordinator: Sandy Stevens Producer's assistant: T rish Cameron Production secretary: Sarah M ilsome Location manager: M aude H eath Unit manager: WILLIAM MATTHEWS Assistant unit manager: Laurie Pettinari Unit assistants: PETER KODICEK, Damien W oods Production runner: PAUL SULLIVAN Production accountant: J ames B radley, M oneypenny S ervices Accounts assistant: Chris M oran Insurer: F .I.U .A .

Completion guarantor: F.A.C.B.

Legal services: M ichael Frankel and Co. Travel co-ordinator: Showtravel Camera Crew Camera operator: Danny B atterham Focus puller: I an PHILLIPS Clapper-loader: M ichele D uval Camera assistant: Dam ian Church Camera type: PANAVISION Key grip: B rett M cD owell Assistant grip: J ohn T ate Gaffer: David Parkinson Best boy: GREG Rawson Electrician: Clive Rippon Assistant electrics: A dam H unter Generator operator: M anfred Hnilica On - set Crew 1st assistant director: P. J. VOETEN 2nd assistant director: J ohn M artin 3rd assistant director: JENNIFER Leacey Continuity: Kate D ennis Boom operator: FIONA M cB ain Make-up: K irsten V eysey Make-up assistants: W endy Sainsbury , B eck T aylor Special fx make-up: NlK DORNING Hairdresser: YVONNE SAVAGE Choreographer: JOHN O'CONNELL Stunts co-ordinator: Richard B oue Still photography: Phillip Le M asurier Photographic consultant: Lorrie Graham : Catering: Eat and S hoot T hrough A rt D epartment Art director: LAURIE Faen Assistant art director: Sarah T ooth Art department co-ordinator:

T racey M oxham Art department runner: JONATHAN TlDBALL Set dresser: Kerrie BROWN Graphic Artist: Charlie Revai Props buyer: Faith Robinson Standby props: George Zam m it Armourer: J ohn B owring Action vehicle co-ordinator: A dam PlNNOCK

W ardrobe Wardrobe supervisor: Helen Dykes Standby wardrobe: ISOBEL CARTER Wardrobe assistant: A ndrew I nfanti Costume construction: Suzanne H ead

Construction D epartment Scenic artist: Frank Falconer Construction manager: Danny B urnett Leading hand: ANDREW STAIG Carpenters: PATRICK THOMPSON,

M urray S immance , J eremy S parks Set finisher: Richard B aldwin Greensman: T he Greens D epartment Studios: M entmore Studios P ost- production Post-production supervisor: S imon M artin Assistant editor: M artin CONNOR Editing assistant: J ohn Lee Sound transfers by: SPECTRUM Sound editor: A ndrew Plain Musical director: N igel W estlake Laboratory: A tlab Laboratory liaison: Ian RUSSELL Negative matching:

N egative Cutting S ervices Film/Video gauge: 35 mm

Screen ratio: 1:1.85 Shooting stock: Eastman Kodak

Government A gency I nvestment Development: NSWFTO Production: FFC & NSWFTO M arketing International sales agent: B eyond Films International distributor: M iramax Cast J udy Davis (J oan Fraser), Richard Roxburgh (J oe), Sam N eill (N ine ), Rachel Griffiths (A n n a ), Geoffrey Rush (W elch), F. M urray A braham (S talin ). ew knew that Joseph Stalin spent his last night on the planet in the arms of a young Australian woman.

Fewer still know that their love child brought Australia to the brink of civil war. Until now ...

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COSI [S ee previous issue for details]

DAVID WILLIAMSON'S BRILLIANT LIES Production Company: BAYSIDE PICTURES Distribution Company: ROADSHOW Budget: S3.5 MILLION Production: 24/7-2/9/95 Post-production: 3/9/95 ...

Principal Credits Director: RICHARD FRANKLIN Producers: Richard Franklin, S ue Farrelly Assistant producer: Kim McKlLLOP Scriptwriters: Peter Fitzpatrick,

Richard Franklin Based on the play: B rilliant Lies Written by: David W illiamson Director of photography: GEOFF BURTON Sound recordist: LLOYD Carrick Editor: David Pulbrook Production designer: T racy W att Costume designer: Roger Kirk Composer: NERIDA T yson-C hew

Planning

and

D evelopment

Casting: Greg APPS

P roduction Crew Production manager: Ray H ennessy Production co-ordinator: Sandi Revelins Production secretary: KlM TRAVIS Location manager: NEIL M cCar [?]

Unit manager: M ichael B atchelor Unit assistant: Frank M angano Production runner: EMMA MOLONEY Production accountant:

Sophie S iomis -M oneypenny Completion guarantor: Film FINANCES

Camera Crew Focus puller: Leilani Hannah Clapper-loader: L iza M cLean Key grip: SCOTT BROKATE Assistant grips: PETER STOCKLEY,

J osh M oore Gaffer: B rian A dams Best boy: T im M orrison Electrician: Greg D e M arigny On - set Crew 1st assistant director: Chris W ebb 2nd assistant director: T anya JACKSON 3rd assistant director: M ichael A gnew Continuity: A nny B eresford Boom operator: Ray Phillips Make-up: A manda Rowbottom Flairaresser: CHERYL WILLIAMS Safety officer: B rett A nderson Unit nurse: A lex Drapow Still photography: JENNIFER MITCHELL Unit publicist: ANNETTE SMITH Catering:

M ichelle Gibson -S weet S eduction A rt D epartment Art director: B rian A lexander Art department co-ordinator:

M iriam J ohnson Art department runner: HELEN SAXTON Set dresser: J ILL Eden Standby props: B arry K ennedy

W ardrobe Wardrobe supervisor: KERRY THOMPSON Standby wardrobe: Rachel N ott

Construction D epartment Construction supervisor: W alter S perl Set finisher: COLIN B urchall Studios: H orizon Films

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production

Production Survey continued Post- production Assistant editor: ROBERT HALL Laboratory: ClNEVEX Laboratory liaison: Ian A nderson Film/Video gauge: 35 mm Screen ratio: 1:1.85 Shooting stock: EASTMANCOLOR Video transfers by: AAV Off-line facilities:

Lightworks-H orizon Films M arketing International sales agent: BEYOND Cast Gia Carides (S usy Connors), A nthony La Paglia (Gary Fitzgerald), Z oë Carides (Katy Connors), Ray Barrett (B rian Connors), Catherine W ilkin (M arion ), N eil M elville (V ince), M ichael V eitch (Paul Connors). study of sexual harassment about a young woman who tells a mediatorfrom the anti-discrimination board that she was harassed and wrongfully dismissed by the insurance broker for whom she used to work.

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LILIAN'S STORY Production company: CML Films Pre-production: 23/1/95-19/3/95 Production: 20/3/95-14/5/95 Post-production: 15/5/95 ...

Principal Credits Director: J erzy Domaradzki Producer: M arian MCGOWAN Co-producer: M ike W ilcox Executive producers: David Court,

J eremy B ean Scriptwriter: STEVE WRIGHT Based on the novel by: Kate Grenville OOP: S lawomir I dziak Sound recordist: B en Osmo Editor: Lee S mith Production designer: ROGER Ford Cast T oni Collette (L ilian ); Ruth Cracknell; B arry Otto (L ilian ' s Father); M organ S mallbone (F. J. Stroud); S usie Lindeman , J ohn Flaus, A nne Louise Lambert . he unconventional life of a legendary eccentric who recited Shakespeare for a dollar on the streets of Sydney and rode taxis for the price of a sonnet. Lilian's story is a celebration of being alive. Based on a novel by Kate Grenville.

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LOVE WISE Directors: Emma-Kate Croghan, Stavros Efthymiou

[No DETAILS supplied .]

LUST AND REVENGE Production company: I llumination Films Production: 8/5-9/6/95 Principal Credits Director: Paul Cox Producers: J ane Ballantyne, Paul Cox Executive producer: W illiam T. M arshall Scriptwriters: PAUL COX, JOHN CLARKE Director of photography: N ino M artinetti Production designer: N eil A ngwin Editor: JOHN SCOTT Other Credits Production manager: David Lightfoot Distribution guarantee: SEAWELL Films (France), A d Film (A ustralasia ), Classic Films (B elgium ).

Finance: FFC, SAFC. Gauge: 35 m m .

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Cast N icholas Hope, Claudia Karvan , Gosia D obrowolska, Chris Haywood, Pamela Rabe , V ictoria Eager. n erotic satire of an heiress who, after a failed marriage and a corrupt family environment, decides to occupy her mind with artistic endeavours. She commissions her friend, an internationally-recognized sculptress, to create a work in the vein of Michaelangelo's David.

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MY ENTIRE LIFE Production company:

Hayes M cElroy-S pecific Films Distribution companies: PolyGram Filmed Entertainment (UK, France, S pain , A ustralia, B enelux), PolyGram Film International ( rest of world) Production: 31 J uly 1995 ...

Principal Credits Director: N adia T ass Producers: J im M cElroy, M ichael Hamlyn , T erry Hayes Line producer: D ennis K iely Scriptwriters: T erry Hayes, D on Catchlove Director of photography: David Parker Sound recordist: JOHN SCHIEFELBEIN Editor: PETER CARRODUS Production designer: J on DOWDING Costume designer: TESS SCHOFIELD Music supervisor: Chris Gough (M ana M usic) Planning and D evelopment Casting: Liz M ullinar Extras casting: A nnie M cEvoy Production Crew Production co-ordinator: Debbie A tkins Producer's assistant: Samantha Lukis Director's assistant: SARAH N eal Production secretary: HEATHER MuiRHEAD Location manager (Brisbane): Harry Yates Location maanager (Sydney):

Richard M ontgomery Unit manager: Graham "B ricks" Ellery Asst unit manager: JlMMY Davidson Production runner: KATHARINA Kiel Production accountant: J ohn M ay Assistant accountant:

J ennifer Des Champs Completion guarantor: FACB Insurer: H. W. W ood A ustralia Travel and acommodation: SHOWGROUP

A rt D epartment Art director: Philip D rake Set dresser: LlSA THOMPSON Action vehicle co-ordinator: Harry W ard Props buyer: T im Sanderman Standby props: Harry Z ettel Art department assistant:

Daniel M app -M oroni W ardrobe Costume designer: T ess S cofield Costume supervisor: CHRISTELLE CORONEOS Costume standby: Lisa Galea Costume assistant: Cheyne Phillips Costume supervisor: Lyn A skey Costume maker: J amella Hassan Buyer: M ary-L ou DA ROZA Costume cutters; S heryl P ilkington , M arsha Lidden Wardrobe assistant: K elly M ay Construction Department Draftsperson: J ohn A ndersen Construction manager: JOHN Pickering Leading hand no. 1: Ross Donoghoe Leading hand no. 2: JOHN ROGERS Carpenters: David Franks, Robert Kolkka Labourer: Russell Gardiner Trades assistant: N oel B eckman Scenic artist: B illy M alcolm Set finishers: Peta B lack, A thol J ohn Gill Brush hand: Stephanie Rowe Greensperson: BRAD PlMM Armourer: A llan M owbray A nimals Trainer for "Nipper": S ue THOMPSON Post- production Assistant editor: STRUTTS PSYRIDIS Sound post-production: SOUNDFIRM Film lab: ClNEVEX Telecine tape house:

AAV V ideo S ervices A ustralia Film stock: Kodak (B risbane ) Camera equipment: CAMERAQUIP M arketing Publicity: Fiona S earson (DDA) Cast Colin Friels (W ally M ellish), J acqueline M cKenzie (B eryl); Paul S onkkila, Frank Gallacher, Barry Otto . ased on the true story of the experiences of Wally Mellish who, in 1968, achieved Australian and international notoriety as an extraordinary folk hero when he successfully conducted a bizarre eight-day siege with his girlfriend, Beryl, in a house in a sleepy, semi-rural area on the fringes of Sydney.

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Assistant to Mr Hamlyn-London liaison:

L izzie T odman Camera Crew Camera operator: David W illiamson Focus puller: DAMIAN WYVILL Clapper-loader: M argie M cClymont Gaffer: Ian DEWHURST Best boy: Lex M artin 3rd electrics: ANDREW SAUL Key grip: W arren GRIEEF Grip: J ason Parry Assistant grip: Leith Klaffer TV playback unit: LESTER Crombie On - set Crew 1st assistant director: B ob Donaldson 2nd assistant director: N aomi Enfield 3rd assistant director: Rob BROWN 4th assistant director attachment:

S ophie Stawaruk Continuity: Jo WEEKS Boom operator: Chris Goldsmith Key make-up artist: M argaret Styevenson Key hairdresser: SASH Lamey Assistant to make-up-hairdresser:

Peter W oodward Stunt co-ordinator-safety officer:

Greg S kipper Unit nurse: Patsy B uchan Caterer: Dave and Sandy M arshall Unit vehicles: CLARK FILM SERVICES Cast driver: Liz Edward Stills photographer: J ason B oland

THE QUIET ROOM Production company: VERTIGO PRODUCTIONS Budget: 3590,000 Pre-production: 17/7/95-25/8/95 Production: 28/8/95-30/9/95 Post-production: 2/10/95 ...

Principal Credits Director: Rolf de H eer Producers: Rolf DE H eer, Giuseppe

Pedersoli Co-producers: S haron J ackson, Fiona

Paterson Executive producer: Domenico Procacci Scriptwriter: ROLF DE HEER Director of photography: T ony Clark Sound recordist: Peter D. S mith Editor: T ania N ehme Production designer: Fiona Paterson Costume designer: B everley Freeman Composer: Graham T ardif

Planning

and

Development

Casting: AUDINE LEITH Shooting schedule by: David Lightfoot Budgeted by: S haron J ackson,

David Lightfoot P roduction Crew Production manager: David Lightfoot Production co-ordinator: NlCOLA M ill Unit manager: Christopher Corin

Production runner: CHRISTOPHER CORIN Production accountant: S haron JACKSON Insurer: Rollins H udig Hall , Lee Deane Completion guarantor: Film Finances I nc .

Legal services: B ryce M enzies, Roth

W arren Camera Crew Focus puller: Darryl W ood Clapper-loader: COREY P iper Camera type: A rriflex BL 4 AND M otioncontrol Key grip: M arcus B osisto Assistant grips: T odd TELFORD, CHARLES Kiroff Gaffer: CHARLES KlROFF On - set Crew 1st assistant director: David Lightfoot 2nd assistant director: JULIE BYRNE Continuity: B everley Freeman Boom operator: YVONNE VAN GYEN Make-up: B everley Freeman Hairdresser: BEVERLEY FREEMAN Still photography: SlMON CARDWELL Unit publicist: Fiona PATERSON Catering: Food N oir (Evangeline Feary) A rt D epartment Art director: BEVERLEY FREEMAN Set dresser: BEVERLEY FREEMAN Standby props: M ichael W ollenberg Construction D epartment Construction supervisor: PAUL SPENCER Construction: Charles K iroff, Phil S urry, A rron Clarke, M ark Griffin Post- production Assistant editor: SlMOlN WHITTINGTON Sound editor: PETER D. SMITH Assistant sound editor: YVONNE VAN Gyen Foley: JOHN SlMPSON Mixer: PETER D. SMITH Mixed at: Hendon Studios Opticals: D Film S ervices Laboratory: ATLAB Laboratory liaison: DENISE WOLFSON Film gauge: 35 mm Screen ratio: 1:1.85 Shooting stock: KODAK Government A gency I nvestment Development: SAFC M arketing International sales agent: I ntra Films (R ome) Publicity: Fiona Paterson Cast Chloe Ferguson, Celine O’ Leary, Paul B lackwell, Phoebe Ferguson

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marriage breakdown seen through the eyes of a seven-year-old child.

RACE THE SUN Production company: Race the S un Productions Distributor: Columbia -T ristar Production: 6/4-9/6/95 Principal Credits Director: CHARLIE KANGANIS Producers: Richard Heus, B arry M orrow Executive producer: David N ichols Scriptwriter: B arry M orrow Director of photography: David B urr Production designer: Owen Paterson Costume designer: M argot WlLSON Editor: W endy Greene B ricmont Other Credits 1st assistant director: B ob Donaldson 2nd assistant director: Richard M cGrath Cast J im B elushi, Halle B erry, Casey A ffleck, Eliza Dushku. he attractive new science teacher at Hawaii's Kona High takes on a bunch of bored and disillusioned school kids and gives them the inspiration to design and build their own solar car. What begins as a Senior Science project becomes an entry in the World Solar Car Challenge that takes them across the Australian desert from Darwin to Adelaide.

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P rincipal Credits Director: SCOTT HlCKS Producer: J ane S cott Scriptwriter: JAN SARDI DOP: Geoffrey S impson Editor: PlP KARMEL Production designer: SALLY CAMPBELL Costume designer: Sally Campbell Musical director: David H irschfelder

P lanning

and

D evelopment

Casting consultant: Liz M ullinar

P roduction Crew Production manager: ELIZABETH SYMES Insurer: H. W. WOOD (A ustralia ) Completion guarantor: Film Finances Legal services: M arshalls & D ent Publicity: D ennis Davidson A ssociates

Government A gency I nvestment Production: FFC, SAFC, FILM VICTORIA

Cast Geoffrey Rush (D avid ), N oah T aylor (Young David ), S ir J ohn Gielgud (P arkes), Lynn Redgrave (G illian ), A rmin M ueller-S tahl (D avid ' s Father). fter succumbing to the pressure of his father's obsessive love and the fierce competition of the concert world as a child prodigy, David Helfgott makes a new beginning in London inspired by his passion for music and the woman he loves.

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THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU Production company: N ew Line ClNEMAPressman Films -M oreau Productions Production: 1 A ugust- late October 1995 Principal Credits Director: J ohn Frankenheimer Producer: Ed PRESSMAN Executive producer: T im Z innemann Scriptwriters: RICHARD STANLEY, M ichael Herr, W alon Green Based on the story by H. G. Wells Director of photography: Darius W olski Production designer:

Graham "G race" W alker Costume designer: N orma M oriceau Editor: T im W ellburn Art dirtector: Ian Gracie

Cast M arlon B rando (D r. M oreau), V al K ilmer (M ontgomery), Fairuza B alk (A issa ), M arco Hofschneider (M 'L ing ), T emuera M orrison (A zazello), Ron Perlman (S ayer of the La w ). tale of obsession, adventure and technology out of control. The year is 2007, the world teeters on the edge of nuclear conflict and genetic engineering has become a frighteningly exact science.

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THE SMALL MAN Production company:

S mall M an Productions Distributor: SOUTHERN STAR Production: 12/6/95-4/8/95 Principal Credits Director: JOHN HlLLCOAT Producer: DENISE PATIENCE Associate producer: Richard H udson Line producer: Sally A yre-S mith Scriptwriter: Gene CONKIE Director of photography: ANDREW DE GROOT Production designer: Chris K ennedy Editor: Stewart Y oung Composers: N ick Cave, M ick Harvey, B uxa Bargeld Other Credits Production manager: Yvonne Collins 1st assistant director: COLIN Fletcher Art director: HUGH Bateup Gauge: 35 mm Government A gency I nvestment Production: FFC Cast T cheky Karyo, Rachel Griffiths. he story of an expatriate living in Papua New Guinea, who falls in love with a woman who rekindles memories of his dead wife. When he takes her to his tropical home, she discovers that he has a past - a past that he can neither forgive nor forget.

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SHINE Production company: M omentum Films Distribution companies: PANDORA ClNEMA, Ronin Films , BBC Entertainment Budget: $6 MILLION Production: 7 A pril 1995 ...

C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1995

u n io e r e r g u s o n in

Unit publicist: T racey M air Catering: Camera Cooks

THE STORY OF C.I.A. Production company: GOLDEN HARVEST

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Art department co-ordinator:

J ackie Chan

T racey M oxham

alls Creek doubles for Russia in this Jackie Chan actioner.

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Art department runner: M arco PlNESl Buyer-dressers: A licia W alsh ,

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A ndrew S hort Standby props: Robert " M oxy" M oxham Armourer: K en J ones I i Vehicle wrangler: Paul A nderson W ardrobe 1 Costume supervisor: Emily S eresin Standby wardrobe: GABRIELLE DUNN Costume assistant: B ernadette M cCall A nimals Animal wrangler: JULIE Lorrimar i Construction Department Scenic artist: M artin B ruveris Construction manager: B ob Paton Painter: ANDREW ROBINSON Post- production !

Post-production supervisor: Gregor H utchinson | 1st assistant editor: NoELLEEN WESTCOMBE ; 2nd assistant editor: Cleo M yles Laboratories: A tlab (S ydney), T he Film House (T oronto) | Shooting stock: Kodak. i Cast T ushka B ergen (A pril), A aron B labey (L eif), Dee S mart (K yra), T ayler Kane i (D onny), J ustine Clarke (Rose), B radley Byquar (C harlie), Christopher M orsley (C happie), K enneth W elsh (Father), J udi Farr (M other).

TURNING APRIL

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Camera Crew Camera assistants: M ichael Fogharty, J ames Kerr On - set Crew 1st assistant director: V icky Barr Make-up: Liddy Reynolds Make-up assistants: Libby Robertson, T ony Lazic Hairdresser: Liddy Reynolds Still photography: David Dare Parker Catering: B on M arche Cafe A rt D epartment Props buyer: TlSH Oldham W ardrobe Wardrobe supervisors: Liddy Reynolds, Gail Pether Wardrobe assistant: Fiona Harrison P ost- production Edge numberer: Film Sync Sound transfers by: Eugene W ilson S ound S ervices Sound editors: Roger S choles, T ony Stevens Mixer: SOUNDWAVES - PETER WALKER Laboratory: ClNEVEX Film gauge: 16mm Shooting stock: Kodak 7248 Government A gency I nvestment Development: SCREEN W est, AFC Production: FFC M arketing International sales agent: TBC Cast Lois Olney (G ladys), M ichelle T orres (H elena), I gor Sas (G eoff), Derek N annup (R on ), Faith Clayton (M rs N a n )

he young wife of an ambitious bureaucrat, April is accidentally kidnapped by an inept street gang i during a bungled robbery. Confinement j turns to liberation as she comes to realize her young captors offer her a first taste of personal freedom and sexual awakening.

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Production company: T he COOLBAROO Club Distribution company: RONIN Films Budget: $360,000 Post-production: 2/10/95-1/3/96 P rincipal Credits Director: Roger S choles Producer: PENNY ROBINS Co-producers: STEVE KlNNANE, Lauren M arsh Scriptwriters: STEVE KlNNANE, Lauren M arsh Director of photography: ROGER SCHOLES Editor: TONY STEVENS

C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1 995

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Production: 4 / 3 / 9 5 - 5 / 3 / 9 5 Post-production: 6 / 3 / 9 5 - 7 / 4 / 9 5

Development

Script consultants: M oya W ood, J an

Principal Credits !

Director: ANGELO SALAMANCA

Chapman , A lison T ilson

ProducerANGELO SALAMANCA

Casting: Faith M artin and A ssoc.

Shooting schedule by: M oya I ceton Budgeted by: M egan M cM urchy,

Executive producers: Rosa COLOSIMO,

M oya I ceton Production Crew Production supervisor: M oya ICETON Production assistant: GORDON W eSTMAN Production accountant: M ichele D'A rcey Insurer: ClNESURE Legal services: Lyndon Sayer-J ones and A ssociates Camera Crew Camera operator: Erika A ddis Camera assistant: CAROLINE CONSTANTINE Gaffer: N ick D elaine On - set Crew Make-up: Roslyn Camuglia Still photography: Sandy Edwards , CORALIE KRONENBERG Catering: Gordon' s Gordon B leu Catering S ervices A rt Department A n director: A nnie B eauchamp

A ngelo Salamanca Scriptw riter: ANGELO SALAMANCA Director of photography: N adia COSSICH Sound recordist: WILL SPENCER Editor: N adia Cossich Production Designer: A ngelo Salamanca

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Planning Development Researcher: ANGELO SALAMANCA Script editor: JUDITH WOMERSLEY Casting: THE AUSTRALIAN ClNEMA

Ensemble Budgeted by: ANGELO SALAMANCA

P roduction Crew

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Production assistant: Rosa COLOSIMO

Camera Crew Camera operator: N adia COSSICH Camera type: D X C 5 3 7 S O N Y Gaffer: N adia Cossich Best boy: W ill Spencer

On - set Crew Boom operator: W ill S pencer Make-up: J ane Ormond Hairdresser: JANE ORMOND Catering: Hanover K itchens

Post- production

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THE COOLBAROO CLUB

a t i n e A d e la id e h im F e s tiv a l, 7 - 1 4 M a r c h 1 9 9 6

Costume designer: ANNIE BEAUCHAMP Composer: A ntony Partos

Production manager: D ebra A nnear Production secretary: M andy CORUNNA Production runner: Ken H eyward Production accountant: MONIKA Gehrt Completion guarantor: FILM FINANCES Legal services: Roth W arren

A rt D epartment

C ast

Production company: T urning A pril P roductions Distribution companies: T otal Film & T elevision, A lliance Production: 27/2/95-7/4/95 Principal Credits Director: Geoff B ennett Producers: Heather Ogilvie, Lael M cCall Co-producer: JOHN WINTER Executive producers: PHIL Gerlach, Robert Lantos Scriptwriter: J ames W. NlCHOL DOP: Steve A rnold Sound recordist: B ronwyn M urphy Editor: S usan S hipton Production designer: M ichael Philips Costume designer: Clarrissa Patterson Planning and D evelopment Casting: Faith M artin & A ssociates Extras casting: KRISTIN WHITFIELD Storyboard artist: A nnie B eauchamp Production Crew Production manager: Cathy Flannery Production co-ordinator: J acquie Fine Location manager: Robyn B ersten Unit manager: Paul M alane Production assistant: Sarah M ilsome Production runners: Claire Davidson , A usland I smail Production accountant: Di B rown Completion guarantor: Film Finances Legal services: Lyndon Sayer-J ones Camera Crew Focus puller: Robert A gganis Clapper-loader: MICHELLE Cloete 2nd unit DOP: W olfgang Knochell 2nd unit focus: P eter T erakes Key grip: ROBIN MORGAN Assistant grip: Paul Hamlyn Gaffer: Paul JOHNSTONE Best boy: Graeme Cook 3rd electrics: M iles J ones On - set Crew 1st assistant director: V icki S ugars 2nd assistant director: A dam SPENCER 3rd assistant director: Kate T urner Continuity: SUSAN WlLEY Boom swinger: B ob W illiams Make-up: Lesley Vanderwalt Additional make-up: W endy Sainsbury Special fx make-up: N ick D orning Hairdresser: Paul W illiams Stunts co-ordinator: Grant Page Safety officer: Robert S imper Still photography: T racey S chramm

P roduction Crew

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THE MOTHER'S REQUIEM

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Production company: A nandi Films Budget: 5282,000 Pre-production: 25/9/95-10/11/95 Production: 13/11/95-25/11/95 Post-production: 28/11/95-5/4/96 Principal Credits Director: JENI ÎHORNLEY Producer: JENI ÎHORNLEY Co-producer: M oya I ceton Associate producer: L ilias Frazer Scriptwriter: J ENI ÎHORNLEY Director of photography: Erika ADDIS Sound recordist: Pat Fiske Editor: JAMES BRADLEY Production designer: A nnie B eauchamp

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Assistant editor: A nnette M cLernon Edge numberer: Chris Rowell Sound editor: Paul Healy M usical director: A ntony Partos Laboratory: A tlab Laboratory liaison: A nthos SlMON Negative matching: Karen Psaltis Grader: T ony M anning Film gauge: 16mm Shooting stock: KODAK 7245 Video master by: VlDEOLAB

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Government A gency I nvestment Development: AFC Production: AFC Marketing: AFC

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Cast A nne T enney (the W oman ), Lynette Curran (the T herapist), J udi Farr (the M other), X enia N atalenko (G rethel), M ay Howlett (the Grandmother)

A personal compilation film exploring birth, motherhood and death. It is a story told by the filmmaker in a multilayered composition of image, sound and music drawn from many sources including her own film diary material.

A rt D epartment A n director: A ngelo Salamanca Assistant art director: Paul T ower

Post- production Post-production supervisor: J ustin PERKINS Sound editor: N adia COSSICH Video gauge: B etacam SP Screen ratio: 1 :1 .3 3 Off-line fa cilities: V ideo Grapho

M arketing

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Cast M arie -L ouise W alker, N ic Caraffa, W ayne Condo, Daniel S cibilia , Guy Rogers.

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n exploration of the various facets of poetry.

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i WORDS IN ACTION Production company: VIDEO GraphO D istribution company: VIDEO CLASSROOM Pre-production: 6/2/95-3/3/95

Marketing consultant: Rose Reich

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See previous issue for details on: CENTENARY OF AUSTRALIAN CINEMA ( t r a i l e r )

Tele vir ion Full round-up in next issue

63

IL C O N F O R M IS T A W I N S EA’SILY, T H E '-flG SCORES A PERFECT TEN A N D S H O W G IR L S B O T T O M S OUT All Men Are Liars G

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A panel o f nine film reviewed had rated a detection o f the latedt releaded on a dcale o f 0 to 10, the latter being the optimum rating (a dadh meand not deen).

The criticd are: B ill Collind (D aily M irror); B arbara Creed (The Age); Sandra H a ll (The B ulletin); P aul H orrid (JRRR; “The Green Guide”, The Age); Stan Jamed (The Adelaide Advertider); A drianM artin (The Age; "The Week in F ilm ”, Radio N ational); Scott M urray; Tom R yan (The Sunday Age); D avid Stratton (Variety; SB S); and Evan W illiam d (The Audtralian).

64

C I N E M A P A P E R S • DECEMBER 1 995

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