What’s Love Got To Do With It? New unromantic comedies. Cannes Unplugged. Australians on the | French Riviera. A Monk’s Game. Bhutan’s first feature is directed by a Tibetan monk with a lust for life. Adrian Martin. Sacha Horler. Phillip Noyce. Dino Scatena. Madeleine Swain. Leigh Whannell. 9770311363019
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contents.
may.00
What’s Love Got To Do With It? Adrian Martin explores the weirdness
Reviews,
of a romantic com edy with a solo star.
40.Films. Sam ple People Looking For Alibrandi The Cup Me M yself I Pitch Black M uggers M ansfield Park
18
and it’s directed by a Tibetan m onk with a lust for life.
22
26
Cannes Unplugged. A glance at the new Australian films and where they may slot into the Cannes Film Festival.
29
Hard Act to Follow. Peter Greenaway, the arthouse director renowned for visual lushness and moral decay visits Adelaide with his latest work in progress.
Titanic Identifying H o llyw ood’s A udiences
Everyone’s Looking for Alibrandi. Looking for Alibrandi is a hot new Australian film featuring some hot new actors.
46.Books. The Oxford C om panion to Australian Film
A Monk’s Game. The Cup is Bhutan’s very first feature film production
36
Europe On 25 Frames Per Second. Barrie Pattison’s travel guide to European film sites.
British Cinem a of the 1990s Stanley Kubrick, Director A Visual Analysis
Regulars, 05. Editorial. 06. The Way We Were. David Parker recalls Cinema Papers early days. 07. Newsfront. Industry news. 08. Fresh Air. Letters and your email reports. 17. The Getting of Wisdom. Sacha Horler on cleaning up at the AFI awards. 21. Final Cut. Phillip Noyce in LA 25.The Box. Australians are a funny people - they love their comedies and enjoy a joke. 34. To Market, To Market. Alan Finney asks, “Where are the middleground Australian movies?” 39.Snapshot. Leigh Whannell reviews Cordelia Beresford’s short film Serenades. 49.Supplement. Studios. Locations. Travel. 55. InProduction. What’s going on in the industry? 58.The Sum Of Us. Local reviewers rate releases.
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C O N T R IB U T IN G W R IT E R S
ADRIAN MARTIN IS A FILM CRITIC FOR THE AGE. AN D AUTHOR OF PHANTASMS (PENGUIN, 1994] AND ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA (BRITISH FILM INSTITUTE, 1998],
MICHAEL HELMS IS WRITING AN
DINO SCATENA DENIES HE IS AUSTRALIA'S PREMIER ROCK JOURNALIST BUT AS THE DAILY
TELEGRAPHS MUSIC EDITOR, AND A WRITER FOR US ROLLING STONE AND NME. WE RECKON HE'S GOT MOST BASES COVERED.
ANNOTED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF EXPLOITATION CINEMA TO BE PUBLISHED BY MCFARLAND &C0.
MICHAEL BODEY, SHOWBIZ EDITOR FOR THE DAILY TELEGRAPH. IS A
IN HIS OWN WORDS: HE WEARS
FILM JOURNALISM RARITY - HE
ONLY SNAKESKIN WHEN ARGUING
DOESN'T HAVE ANY NOVELS. SCRIPTS
THE IRREFUTABLE TRUTH
OR TV SHOWS IN DEVELOPMENT.
ABOUT DEMONS.
BARRIE PATTISON IS A SYDNEYRUTH HESSEY IS A BONDI BEACH
BASED FILM DIRECTOR AND WRITER.
BASED ACTRESS AND WRITER. FOR EDITOR ON METRO AT THE SYDNEY
CEC BUSBY COVERS THE ARTS FOR SYDNEY'S REVOLVER MAGAZINE
THE PAST FIVE YEARS SHE WAS FILM
EMMA CRIMMINGS IS A REFORMED
LEIGH WHANNELL WORKS ON ABC
MADELEINE SWAIN HAS BEEN
PARKING TICKET ADDICT WHO
TV'S RECOVERY. HAS GIVEN FILM
ADDICTED TO SITTING IN DARKENED
WRITES ON FILM TO BACK-PAY HER
REVIEWS FOR TRIPLE J AND 3 RRR
ROOMS DEVOURING LARGER-THAN-
PERIN COURT APPEARANCES. CUR
RADIO IN MELBOURNE AND WRIT
LIFE IMAGES SINCE CHILDHOOD.
MORNING HERALD AND SHE HAS
AND WRITES ON ALL THINGS
RENTLY CO-EDITING A BOOK ON
TEN FOR JUICE AND RECOVERY
AMONG MANY OTHER THINGS SHE
JUST ACCEPTED THE JOB AS HOST
LITERARY FOR FHM. NOT A BAD
AUSTRALIAN SHORT FILM, EMMA
MAGAZINES.
REVIEWS FILMS FOR THE MEL
PRESENTER FOR THE PAY TV WORLD
FEAT CONSIDERING HER
WISHES SHE HAD MORE TIME TO BE
MOVIES CHANNEL.
VEGETARIAN DIET.
A FILMMAKER. WHO DOESN'T9
BOURNE WEEKLYAND THE EYE.
GROUP PUBLISHER NICHOLAS DOWER
ndowerldniche.com.au ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER STEVEN METTER
smette runiche.com.au
Welcome to Wood Wood
EDITOR MICHAELA BOLAND
->Well, that was a long intermission but as you can see
mbolandtdniche.com.au
Cinema Papers, Australia's oldest film magazine, is back and
DESIGN GLENN A MOFFATT
determined to be a vital part of the growing local film industry
gienn.atdniche.com.au
at the dawn of the second century of cinema.
ROB DAVIES
robdtdniche.com.au
Now owned by Niche Media and kitted-out with new staff
COPY EDITOR MICHELE FRANKENI
members, Cinema Papers retains a strong connection to its
mfrankenitdniche.com.au
roots through its many long-standing board members. We hope readers, old and new, will appreciate where we take
ADVERTISING MANAGER LARRY BOYD TEL: I03) 9525 5566
the magazine. - As we re-launch, Cinema Papers is reasserting its rock solid
lboydfdniche.com.au PRODUCTION AURORA OLIVER
commitment to the local film industry with a cover devoted to
aotivertdniche.com.au
the beautifully-crafted new release Looking for Alibrandi.
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS EMMA CRIMMINGS, LEIGH WHANNELL MADELEINE SWAIN, ADRIAN MARTIN MICHAEL HELMS, RUTH HESSEY DINO SCATENA, MICHAEL BODEY BARRIE PATTISON, CEC BUSBY EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD NATALIE MILLER, ROSS DIMSEY SCOTT MURRAY, SALLY-ANNE KERR LYNDEN BARBER, TED GREGORY SUBSCRIPTIONS TEL: 1800 806 160 em ail: subscriptionstdniche.com.au
Hopefully the recent Oscar wins for The Matrix and The Wog Boys box office success have provided the local industry with a much needed injection of optimism. The Wog Boy story shows distributing Australian films can be fulfilling and pay off financially. This subject is touched on by one of this issue's occasional columnists, distributor Alan Finney. Finney joins director Phillip Noyce, actor Sacha Horler and journalist Michael Bodey in an open brief playground. Their columns present an interesting range of opinions which should inspire further discussion. Emma Crimmings wrote our supplement exploring locations, studios and travel options for film
CINEMA PAPERS IS A PUBLICATION OF NICHE MEDIA PTY LTD ACN 066 613 529 TRADING AS NICHE PUBLISHING MANAGING DIRECTOR NICHOLAS DOWER FINANCIAL CONTROLLER STEVEN METTER MARKETING DIRECTOR MAL JONES SALES DIRECTOR BRETT JENKINS ART DIRECTOR GLENN A MOFFATT MELBOURNE OFFICE 165 FITZROY STREET, ST KILDA, MELBOURNE, VIC 3182 TEL: [03] 9525 5566, FAX: [03) 9525 5628 PO BOX 2063, ST KILDA. MELBOURNE, VIC 3182
crews wanting to shoot in Australia. Especially designed to enlighten Cannes readers, Emma was subsequently a shoe-in for the job of uncovering what actually goes on in that southern French city during the middle of May. Adrian Martin's exploration of Australian romantic comedies is emblematic of where we're taking Cinema Papers. From a contemporary perspective Adrian has sought to uncover why so few modern romantic comedies work. Readers are invited to disagree. Adrian also pops up at the back of the magazine in The Sum of Us, the popular re-named section tallying up scores from reviewers Australia-wide. Regular readers w ill notice some new faces amid the old favourites. Another new w riter is Leigh Whannel who has reviewed Cordelia Beresford's A.F.T.R.S. graduating short film. We want to develop this section into a regular forum where short filmmakers can have their work given serious consideration and national exposure. So send 'em in. And write. More than anything, we want Cinema Papers readers to engage with each other
SCANNING EASTERN STUDIOS, TEL: 103) 9587 6166
through this magazine. If attending festivals here or abroad please write us a brief email detailing
FILM & PRINTING SOUTHERN COLOUR, TEL: [03) 9701 5566
unique aspects, new stuff, unusual stuff, whatever. See Fresh Air for correspondence already received.
ISSN 0311-3639 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED. STORED IN A RETRIEVAL SYSTEM. TRANSMITTED IN ANY FORM OR BY ANY OTHER MEANS, ELECTRONIC, MECHANICAL, PHOTOCOPYING. RECORDING OR OTHERWISE. WITHOUT THE PRIOR PERMISSION IN WRITING OF THE PUBLISHERS. WHILE EVERY EFFORT HAS BEEN MADE TO ENSURE THE ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION IN THIS PUBLICATION. THE PUBLISHERS ASSUME NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ERRORS OR OMISSIONS OR ANY CONSEQUENCES OF RELIANCE ON THIS PUBLICATION. THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS PUBLICATION DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF THE EDITOR. THE PUBLISHER OR THE PUBLICATION. © 2000 NICHE MEDIA PTY LTD.
Enjoy your choc top, now for the main feature... Action!
Michaela Boland CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000 [05]
( IX E H A FA PETCS
,
“J u lia R o b erts RUNAWAY N O M IN E E . . . a lre a d y in s id e rs a re b u zzin g a b o u t a p o te n tia l b e s t a c tre s s no m inee fo r 2 0 0 0 ”, -L.A. TIMES
From Steven Soderbergh the director of “Out of Sight”.
Julia, Roberts IS
The way we were David Parker recalls Cinema Papers’ early days ->lt is no coincidence that the halcyon days of the so-called renaissance of the Australian film industry (ie, the 70s through to the mid-80s) parallelled the advent and the success of Cinema Papers. The film industry then, bolstered by new tax incentives and a wave of interesting young directors produced everything from Mad Max (1979) and Galtipoli (1981) to Don's Party [ 1976) and The Getting of Wisdom and, of course, many more. At the same time Cinema Papers was developing as a strong, critically astute journal which included production reports as well as comment on these exciting new films. When we made Malcolm in 1985 there was a sense that, within the flippancy and subjectivity of the review of Australian film in the daily newspapers, television and radio, there did exist a voice that was uncompromising, fair and informative. That informed critique is of paramount DAVID PA R K E R IS A FILM M A K ER W H O M ADE M A L C O L M AN D D IA N A A N D ME, A M O N G OTHERS.
performance to the filmmaker - in fact, it is an important part of the process of the development of the industry as a whole. We, the filmmakers, crave for the critique from the trained mind - we need a journal that reflects and informs and leads. We need a journal that gives the writers space, that gives a platform for an intelligent, objective voice. It is unfortunate that since the mid 80s, as economic rationalism and conservatism swept Australia, that platform was eroded and for the subsequent years there has been a dearth of substantial support for film from the media. So now we look forward to a new beginning and an opportunity to regain the old ground and hopefully surpass it. It is a new world out there; studios want big names and big stories; the independents are being bought by the majors, there are a plethora of screens but they are economically driven; the qualitative or niche film is struggling to find its rightful place and competition is at an all-time high.
At Cinemas April 13
These are indeed interesting and challenging times. It is timely that Cinema Papers is relaunching in this climate to again become a valuable part of the Australian film industry. •
schedule, coming between a batch of Oscar contenders and before the big US summer blockbusters. Releasing with sub-titles, it also .¡followed what Tatoulis described as a [very strong Greek release', Safe Sex. Beware of Creeks Bearing Guns is a offline editing system, rather than an
¡joint venture with Greek production
expensive online editing bay. The
company Mythos.
I result was a somewhat streamlined
■Local distributor Palace Films has not
workflow in some parts of the industry.
confirmed an Australian release date
: Now, said Green, the uptake of new
for the film which cost AU$3.5 million
technology was further simplifying
Ito produce.
workflows. Digital video cameras (that is, those labelled W , 'DVCPro' or 'Digital 8’)
SELECTION AT CANNES
now available were capable of ] would copy it. Next, it would work on
j->CHRISTINA ANDREEF'S SOFT FRUIT
the copy in an offline editing suite,
broadcast or transfer to film. Further,
(RUSSELL DYKSTRA, SACHA HORLER] HAS
producing an edit-decision list (EDL).
a single cable was all that was
(BEEN SELECTED TO SCREEN IN THE
Last, the team would grab the source
required to transfer these
INTERNATIONAL CRITIC'S WEEK AT
material, the EDL and a huge stack of
camcorders' output to a compatible
CANNES. EMMA CRIMMINGS REPORTS
money, and head to an online bay to
computer (this would be any system
INTERNATIONAL CRITICS' WEEK AND
output the final work.
sold as featuring 'FireWire', '¡.Link' or
FIPRESCI (INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION
The main reason for this convoluted
‘IEEE-1394’ ports, such as an Apple
OF FILM CRITICS) WILL SCREEN SOFT FRUIT IN A MOVE DESIGNED TO GIVE THE FILM MORE EXPOSURE IN EUROPE. SOFT FRUIT RECEIVED THE FRIPRESCI PRIZE AT THE SAN SEBASTIAN FILM FESTIVAL IN 1999. EACH YEAR FIPRESCI ELECTS ONE FIPRESCI PRIZE WINNER FROM EITHER MONTREAL, VENICE, BERLIN
|-^The Australian Film Commission
OR SAN SEBASTIAN TO SHOWCASE AT
l(AFC) w ill deliver a major information
CANNES. SOFT FRUIT WAS NOT READY FOR
program to the film industry about the GST, including 75 seminars nationwide
CANNES 1999 AND HAD ITS WORLD
and an information booklet and
SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL'S CLOSING NIGHT.
helpline (operating between May and December). The program is funded through the GST Startup Office and w ill be co-ordinated through the AFC’s Industry and Cultural Development Unit. Interested parties should register for the seminars and workshops through their relevant industry guild or association.
Aussie Euro-movie doing it Greek style Beware of Greeks Bearing Guns, directed and co-produced by Melbourne-based John Tatoulis has
generating video suitable for
workflow was the dramatic difference j between the price of offline and online editing systems - it makes financial
Power Mac or PowerBook, a Sony Vaio, or a Mac or PC fitted with a suitable card).
sense to reserve the latter for j producing the final cut of broadcast-
The result, said Green, "is a new
quality material. | Green said that as new film
one cable, and a computer". The
production paradigm: one camera,
technologies improved, some
immediate net effect of this rocket read is eerie in his own words, "a film
television stations came to accept
about and for our own personal...
| material exported directly from an
conscience".
PREMIERE WHEN IT SCREENED ON THE
Post-production simplified
Crowing for attention “Gladiator will complete Crowe’s arrival as a
radically simplify the film production
major action star,” recently purred a respected local reviewer about the pending release of director Ridley Scott’s Roman epic.
workflow, according to Adam Green, a
The reviewer joked later, “If you can make it in Coffs Harbour as an action
US-based film and music producer
star you can make it anywhere.” A sly reference to Crowe’s widely reported
-^New technology promises to
who toured Australia in March.
nightclub brawl in November 1999. Opening locally on May 5, Gladiator
Steven Noble, editor of Australian
features Russell Crowe as Maximus, a gladiator forced into exile and
Macworld reports Green spoke to
slavery by Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), a jealous heir to the throne. And
industry figures and journalists at
the buzz surrounding the film? At presstime favourable web reports are
venues such as Cinemedia in a tour
trickling in.
organised by Apple Computer Australia. He discussed the film
earned a very respectable AU$3.5
industry's uptake of a range of interrelated technologies, and
million in seven weeks from 39,000
demonstrated Apple products such as
admissions in Greece with a
Final Cut Pro (video-editing software)
26-screen release. The romantic comedy starring Lakis
and the Power Macintosh G4 (a
Lazopoulos and Zoe Carides is about a
To illustrate the changes made
desktop computer).
vendetta gone wrong. The original
possible by the uptake of new
composer of Zorba the Greek, Mikis
technology, Green began by describing
Theoderakis, composed the music.
what he called "a normal Hollywood
Tatoulis said it was relatively
workflow from a number of years
unprecedented for an Australian film
ago," adding "we still use this." First,
to open overseas before Australia but
he said, the production team would
the January release suited the Greek
acquire the source material. Then, it CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000 [07]
mail-»WHAT HAPPENED TO 131?
held at Sydney's Fox Studios, will include awards for: Best Performance by a male and female actor in a guest role in a television drama series (for a one-off role in a single episode], Best Performance by a male and female actor in a tele-feature or mini-series (for a lead or support performance), Television Open Craft Award (for excellence in crafts such as cinematography, editing, sound,
Contently Queer
costume and production design, screen composition, hair and make-up
-^Animator Adam Benjamin Elliot is
and special effects.
making news again. He recently won
Jones boldly claimed the AFIs carry
thecomedychannel Short Film
more weight than the television's
Festival's prize for Best Film, with his
night of nights: The Logies.
third effort Brother.
"The AFI awards are the serious film
The loosely autobiographical
awards in this country and they're the
Brother concludes Elliot's trilogy
serious television awards also. The
which began with Uncle and was
fact that they are peer assessed
followed by Cousin.
means they are taken very seriously.”
Other thecomedychannel prize
When reminded a number of Logies
winners include: Best Animation,
are also peer-assessed, Jones noted.
Michael Nicholson's The Etag Saga,
"The Logies have got a way to go with
AFI Distribution award, Christopher
that yet."
Benz's Noise, and the Open Channel
Deadlines for entry: Documentary -
Encouragement Award went to
April 28; Short Fiction - May 12; Short
Magic Happens.
Animation - May 12; Feature -June 30
Brother also recently collected the
Television Drama - July 28
Mardi Gras Film Festival My Queer Career Best Short. Cousin collected a
More Schtick
similar award in 1999. Though Elliot is openly gay, none of his films to date
-^Producers of the AFI award winning
actually contain 'queer' content.
documentary Original Schtick have
The Executive Officer of Queerscreen,
secured an SBS pre-sale and AFC
Richard King said, "I think it’s purely
development funding to make a
about quality. They're both wonderful
follow-up documentary, Schtick
films." He added that queer
Happens.
filmmakers often bring an unusual
Producers Peter George, Bronwyne
perspective to their work which is as
Smith and director Maciek Wszelaki,
valid as films which explore queer
recently returned from the Sundance
themes.
Film Festival where Original Schtick a film about the misadventures of art
New AFI Awards challenge the Logies -^The Australian Film Institute has introduced five new television awards
guy Robert Fischer was invited to screen. Schtick Happens w ill be a video diary of their journey with added material from elsewhere including the AFI awards, (see email this page.)
for 2000 in response to "changes within the industry". Announcing the new awards, AFI chief
Industry archival underway
executive Ruth Jones said, “the awards as they were gave insufficient
->Film Australia has launched an
prominence to performance and the
initiative to improve access to its
other crafts” .
library of archival and contemporary
“We thought television would be better
audio-visual and stills materials.
represented if the awards were
New library manager Bev Dalgairns is
structured to recognise the different
currently updating and expanding the
genres.”
databases for both sections to be
The November 18 ceremony, to be
available online later this year.
[0 8 ] CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000
reports from film industry types and buffs traveling to interni
You need to know about GST! The GST and changes to the current taxation system have serious ramifications for film industry practitioners. You cannot afford to bury your head in the sand and ignore these changes - they WILL affect you! A series of FREE GST information seminars will be conducted throughout Australia in April and May. The seminars will be presented by industry expert Jane Corden and tax specialist Maria Benardis from Moneypenny Services.
GST key dates GST commences on 1 July. You need to apply for your Australian Business Number (ABN) by 31 May to be GST ready at 1 July.
Who should attend? The seminars are vital for ALL practitioners across the industry, from producers, directors, writers, composers to technicians and actors.
Seminar schedule and registration The Seminar Schedule and information sheets, as they become available, will be posted on the AFC#s website. Contact your guild or association or the AFC NOW for the Seminar Schedule and registration details.
Contacts gst@afc.gov.au
Sydney
02 9321 6444, Toll Free 1800 226615
Melbourne
03 9279 3400, Toll Free 1800 338430
The GST Startup Office has provided funding to the AFC to deliver the major information program to the film industry about the GST.
ARM-CP116/2
http://www.afc.gov.au/resources/online/gst/ Email
Adrian Martin explores the weirdness of a romantic comedy with a solo star. [1 0 ] CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000
->Pip Karmel’s lively Me Myself I is being promoted as "a romantic comedy about oneself” - a strange, intriguing and thoroughly modern concept. Aren't romantic comedies meant to be about magnificent couples, like in the great screwball classics of yesteryear? It Happened One Night (1934), The Awful Truth (1937), His Girl Friday [ 1940), Adam s Rib (1949), Teacher's Pet (1958): these movies from Hollywood's golden era are about witty, feisty relationships built on an ideal of equality between the sexes. Mixing up sex and work, thought and feeling, elevated dreams and everyday tensions, these films have come to stand as one of the supreme embodiments of the notion of love - what it is and how it goes - in 20th century popular culture. Of course the plots are unreal and fanciful, the stars (Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Irene Dunne] glamorous, the sentiments proudly optimistic. None of that alters how deeply, how sweetly these films can move, inspire and instruct us. Me Myself I is not about two people destined to meet each other on the job, or in the street, or over a cup of coffee. As the title indicates, it is firmly centred on an individual, Pamela (Rachel Griffiths), and the life choices with which she is faced. These choices present themselves to Pamela’s consciousness in an unusual, supernatural way: a nasty bump one day sends her off to a parallel reality. Now, as well as the defiantly single, sometimes melancholic working girl she is in her 'real' life, Pamela is also the woman she once dreamed of being: a wife and mother, married to her teenage (sweetheart, Robert (David Roberts). In fact, Me Myself I is at heart a 'trading places' story: while unmarried Pamela visits the daggy world of domesticity, married Pamela disappears into the foreign land of serious work, casual dating and time ,alone. Wisely, writer-director Karmel does not attempt to frenetically intercut both of these life paths, à la the ^Gwyneth Paltrow hit Sliding Doors (1998) or, in art cinema mode, Kieslowski's The Double Life of left to right: Feeling Sexy / Me Myself 11 Cosi.
Véronique (1991). The plot sticks with Pamela 1, as she starts her new life with nothing to do but lay about and bonk her eternal beloved. But soon she finds herself stumbling through a minefield of
Australian cinema
unexpected truths, trials and intrigues lurking beneath the facade of suburban life. What does Me Myself I have to do with the great tradition of romantic comedy? Certainly this much: women in such plots have often been faced with the conflicting lifestyle options represented by two starkly differentiated men. For Pamela, this amounts to the equivocation between not-what-he-was-oncecracked-up-to-be David and sensitive-butapparently-already-attached New Age guy, Ben (Sandy Winton). It was a similar dilemma for Rosalind Russell in His Girl Friday, poised between staid, folksy Ralph Bellamy and fast-talking cityslicker Cary Grant; and the trend continues through to such Sandra Bullock vehicles as While You Were Sleeping (1995). The choice for the 20th century woman of romantic comedy often boils down to this: security on the one hand, adventure on the other. This was always Katharine Hepburn's problem, in classics such as Holidayl 1938) and The Philadelphia Story (1940). And no matter what preparations were in train for the old-style heroine - the marriage ceremony about to begin, the house already bought, the friends assembled at a party - it was always possible to CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000 [1 1 ]
[1 2] CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000
sex-and-gender politics. They were radical precisely because their whimsical plots and characters "dissociate marriage from reproduction, or the prospect of it” . Simply put, these heroes and heroines don’t need kids because they are still kids themselves - in a sophisticated, 'polymorphously perverse' kind of way. For Britton, these characters happily fuse qualities of child and adult normally kept separate in our world: “The partners engage in rough-house and in epigram and repartee; the anarchic consorts with the urbane; the infantile drives which precede maturity and civilisation are suddenly definitive of them.” In other words, the great romantic comedies delivered a fantasy image of the couple as whole and complete unto itself, unburdened by the larger, social obligation to procreate and all the values it drags in tow. These films needed to create a weightlessness, a lightness around their lovers because they dared to imagine some other, more passionate, more inspired way of living and behaving, of organising relationships. Contemporary romantic comedies, by contrast, often feel compelled to grapple with a certain dose of 'realistic' content - which almost instantly takes away the giddy edge and the utopian possibilities. The presence of kitchen disasters, uncommunicative
All M en are Liars and Bob Ellis’ The N ostradm us Kid (1993) are lazily, mindlessly misogynistic in their malecentred trajectories - no wonder so many films by and about women are opting for solitude as the best solution to the sex war.
children and a hideous circle of friends in Me Myself I is symptomatic. They indicate that, by the time the conventions of classic romantic comedy have breached the shores of contemporary Australia, so much seems to have changed; the balance of elements is out of whack. There's romance and there's comedy, sure, in local films of the past decade including Strange Fits of Passion (1999), Dating the Enemy (1996), All Men are Liars (1995) and Strictly Ballroom (1992). But the esteemed, magic formula of romantic comedy is much more than the sum of these two parts. If critics agree on one thing about romantic comedies, it is that nobody these days can quite seem to make them the way they used to be done by Flollywood between 1930 and 1960. We have lost, it seems, the crafty secrets of those old black and white classics - the star charm, the breezy air of artifice and fantasy, the richly inventive ways of
, . page /,,top: Love and Other Catastrophes. facing below left: My Best Friend’s Wedding. right: Paul Mercurio in Strictly Ballroom.
throw it all away3 and take a chance on love with the
merely suggesting (rather than showing outright)
wild guy in the wings. These days, however, the men who represent those
sexual matters, thereby slyly circumventing
twin options of security and adventure both tend to
collective values - those codes of discretion,
restrictions and taboos. Worse still, we have lost the
come with considerable baggage attached. In
sophistication, respect - which animated all the fun,
contemporary American comedies about love and
yearning and civilised progress that went on in those
relationships, such as One Fine Day (1996) and the dismal The Story of Us (1999], kids are ever present
movies. It is a problem of lost innocence - a problem that
- whether it is a question of a marriage in crisis or
filmmakers and writers find deliciously, irresistibly
single parents dragging themselves after a long
inviting. Contemporary wisdom tells us that we know
break back into the dating game. Modern romance,
too much, now, to make films like Frank Capra's It's
in these films, is instantly a question of family, its
a Wonderful Life (1966), films that believed, and
demands and responsibilities (and sometimes its
fought for the belief, in stuff like heroism,
delights, although Me Myself I has a tough time
individuality, honour, justice and the redeeming
imagining anything splendid about raising children in
power of love. The much-celebrated sexual tension
suburbia). In the classic romantic comedies, there were almost
that gave the classics of the golden age their zip has evaporated (except occasionally on TV, in special
never any kids around to get in the way of love's
cases like The X-Files): if films can talk about and
dream. Today's niche marketers might well
show sex, and if the social codes pressing us once-
conclude that it was a genre about single people and
upon-a-time to defer it or hide it have disappeared,
for single people. But this would be to miss precisely
what is left to get nervous and excited about?
what constitutes the fond fantasy of these movies -
These days (as the story goes] we are either
their wishful, 'utopian' aspect. British critic Andrew
melancholic realists or ironic postmoderns - or we
Britton argued in the 1980s that the best romantic
are just plain cynical and jaded. Romantic love, and
comedies of the past were an intuitively radical
its familiar scenarios, are regarded as myth, illusion,
bunch of films, anticipating the agenda of post 60s
ideology, wishful thinking of the worst and most CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000 [1 3 ]
left: Love and Other Catastrophes. facing page / left to right: Gérard Depardieu and Andie MacDowell in Green Card', Toni Collette in Muriel’s Wedding.
Filmmakers all over the globe are still touched by that dream damaging kind. We are too mindful of the muck and
biggest stars, the plushest production values, and
trouble of love, the disillusionment and the
unlimited clips from a vault of the old classics to
Road to Nhill (1998), jet black comedies such as
manipulation, to get carried away anymore by
come anywhere near the original charm of the
Shirley Barrett's Love Serenade (1996), or frankly
romantic ideals and fancies.
genre. But the result, quite often, is grotesque
misanthropic portraits in the vein of Monica
Nonetheless, filmmakers all over the globe are still
miscalculation - duds like Forces of Nature (1999)
Pellizzari's A Fistful of Flies (1996): for these films,
touched by that dream of trying, against all the odds,
with Bullock and Ben Affleck that ape the plot moves
love - at least in its conventional, patriarchal
to make a decent romantic comedy. In the history of
and character types of the older films while
construction - is a put-on, a lie that hides murky,
contemporary Australian cinema, these odds are
displaying little understanding of the authentically populist and generous sensibility behind them.
that women excel at stabbing at the heart of the
stacked pretty high: our national record of achievement on the romantic comedy front is not an especially worthy one, especially after such instantly
comedies. Droll ensemble pieces like Sue Brooks’
mundane, uncomfortable truths. Is it any accident
For countries like Australia that make cinema on a
classic romantic comedy and its underlying myths?
necessarily smaller scale, one sly, backdoor way of
At least, in the era of queer cinema, there is a new
infamous disasters as Hotel De Love (1996) and Dear
creeping up on the old romantic comedy formula is
avenue of escape: defiled and downtrodden
Claudia (1999). It is true that Australia has yet to achieve success
via an extravagant plot premise. Dating the Enemy,
youngsters can finally realise their love for each
by using the gender-switch idea on Claudia Karvan
other, and give up on the opposite sex altogether. Me
with a contemporary romantic comedy on the scale
and Guy Pearce, takes the recently popular
Myself I and Strange Fits of Passion arrive at a
of Sleepless in Seattle (1993). But, in many respects,
supernatural or'speculative' option. If Only, Lovers
somewhat gentler but no less level-headed
the prevalent responses among filmmakers to the
of the Arctic Circle, The Very Thought of You and
conclusion: that a woman’s relation to her own
question of how to make a movie in this genre today
many other films of this ilk show a love affair playing
development and self-esteem matters more than
are the same in most countries. Three dominant
itself out across several worlds or time-frames,
trends can be diagnosed; I think of them as retro,
each time with a different outcome. More earth-
desperate dependence on some dream-man to make her a whole person.
anti and neo romantic comedy.
bound but just as playful is the retro romantic
There are many kinds of neo romantic comedy - a
Only Hollywood - and even then, only occasionally -
comedy based on the conceits of masquerade or
form which usually refers, in a lightly mocking,
has been able to revive the romantic comedy in that
mistaken identity, such as All Men Are Liars.
tenaciously affectionate, bitter-sweet way to the
backward-looking, nostalgic, retro mode. It takes the
Australians are much better at making anti romantic
imaginary, magical world created within the classic
[1 4 ] CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000
trying, against all the odds, to make a decent romantic comedy. romantic comedies. In fact, the inaugural image of
In this bag we find the Australian movies in which
On one level at least, our national cinema must
this trend was probably Gena Rowlands and her
love, sex and relationships are inflected by
stand condemned. Whereas, in the great era of
older, best female friend in John Cassavetes'
something novel - whether the mingling of friends in
romantic comedy, men and woman on screen
Minnie and Moskowitz (1971) - watching
a share-house [Fresh Air, 1999), the non-stop
enjoyed a parity, a true give-and-take reciprocity of wills and wits, these days Australian filmmakers are
Casablanca at a revival house, then going home to
recording of a video camera (Video Fool For Love,
get drunk and have a good laugh or cry about the
1996), or the dizzying confusions and possibilities of
often too content to reiterate modish truisms about
distance between movie mythdom and their daily,
university student life (Love and Other Catastrophes,
the abyss between the sexes.
unglamorous reality. Australian filmmakers have often made films about
1996). Gay and lesbian romances are spotlighted in
The spark between lovers never quite happens in
many shorts, such as Kelli Simpson’s Two Girls and
Thank God He Met Lizzie (1998), Me Myself I or
this distance between ideal screen dreams and sad,
a Baby [ 1998). In fact, many viewers will rightly
Strange Fits of Passion. In Strange Planet [ 1999),
struggling real life. Brian McKenzie’s Stan and
conclude that same-sex love seems generally a
everyone comes on like a solipsistic, two-
George’s New Life (1992), John Ruane’s Dead
much sunnier and lighter topic, much more
dimensional poseur. All Men are Liars and Bob
Letter Office (1998), Paul Cox's Lonely Hearts
adaptable to the romantic screen formulae of
Ellis' The Nostradmus K7cM1993) are lazily,
(1982), even Strictly Ballroom in its quieter,
yesteryear, than hetereosexuality with its apparently
mindlessly misogynistic in their male-centred
melancholic interludes: these movies recall the
ceaseless rifts, guilts and torments.
trajectories - no wonder so many films by and about
sensibility of the contemporary Finnish master Aki
The question remains as to why so few Australian
women are opting for solitude as the best solution
Kaurismaki, whose plaintive films (such as Drifting
romantic comedies seem to really deliver the goods.
to the sex war.
Clouds, 1996) set inarticulate, wistful couples against the slow corrosions of quotidian, social life,
Yes, the world and its once innocent’ traditions of
Over in the realm of sombre drama, in the gruesome
popular cinema have changed. But does that mean that
social-issue tragedy The Boys (1998), there is not
at home as in the workplace. A more assertively joyous type of neo romantic
our filmmakers can entirely excuse themselves as
even the faintest echo of love or laughter left
mere victims of this history? That their only recourse is
between men and women. But why must we all be
comedy is the kind - spearheaded by films including
to dive for the pale sub-species of the genre, all those
so fatalistic - especially where love, and the screen
Four Weddings and a Funeral and Go Fish - which
bleak or ironic or facile forms offered by modern
dreams devoted to love, are concerned? •
celebrates new lifestyle options and arrangements.
romantic comedy in its retro, anti and neo modes?
* See: Me Myself I review on p43. CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000 [1 5 ]
Australia’s largest Arthouse Cinema com plex congratulates Cinema Papers on its re-launch. »MOW S H O W IN G
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Setting the record straight What really went on at the AFI awards
the getting of wisdom.sacha horler ->It’s a strange thing to be asked to
American stars; this is what the media
write a piece on the trials and
reported. Champagne flowing, gala
the message was apparently, 'We have
tribulations of winning two Australian
opening nights and gee, the Olympics
the casino - stuff the unemployment!'
Film Institute (AFI) awards. It must be
any minute now. Sydney was star
Like Bob, former premier Kennett also
my vague European superstitious
struck! And everyone was saying how
appointed himself arts minister. I could
A bit like Kennett was in Victoria where
nature that prevents me from really
good it was for our film industry. But,
cynically suggest the self
acknowledging it as a subject of any
please, a sparkling social calendar
appointments were designed to garner
interest. So instead some ruminations
and a brand new movie studio, does
invitations to champagne openings
on a theme.
not a healthy Australian industry
rather than any desire to tackle series
The night itself was fraught with the
make. There are many important
industry issues, but I won't.
insecurities and vanities of ‘The
ingredients, and the involvement and
Undoubtedly other major players in the
Frock'. My frock became more
presence of Fox is great - and
spreading of this propaganda are the
important than anything. Walking
welcomed, but naturally limited and is
media, and reminds me of what it's like
down the red carpet, hoping I'd
no substitute for subsidy.
to win two awards in one night. The
slapped on enough makeup,
Remembering that's how ALL the
question people, and the media ask of
deodorant and charm, I wrangled my
STARS of our industry got started - in
me, The first question is often... "So
scarf around my shoulders and
films that were partly or wholly funded
when are you going to America..." A
answered the obligatory question
by the Australian Government. Toni
question that mostly floors me. Not
'Wheredyagetyafrockfrom?'...
Collette in Muriel's Wedding, Russell
because I’m not interested, because of
But the night was about more than
Crowe in The Crossing, Geoffrey Rush
course I am, very interested.
awards and red carpets.
in Shine and Cate Blanchett in Oscar
Rather because of the implication of
When Bryan Brown got up to accept
and Lucinda, to name only a spattering.
the question. Not so long ago the question might have had more depth,
his gong, the night began to buzz!
On the night of the AFIs as I stumbled
We'd just lost the Referendum - the
up some stairs, to meet the press,
queen continued to reign her
longing for a glass of something, I met
pointless reign and Bryan wanted to
Bob Carr. The New South Wales
talk about it. He spoke about the
premier is said to be a man who likes
events of the previous weekend,
a good book, known to battle through
"...given that on Saturday evening, the
a great Russian or American history
country voted for an English monarch
tome. A man who as Minister for the
to long reign over us... and Sunday
Arts supports and respects the
saw a celebration of American Film
industry. That night I saw his eyes
Culture (the gala opening of Fox
glaze over as I discussed with him the
Studios)... A bloke, I suppose could be
dilemmas of our trade. How hard it is
forgiven for starting to wonder exactly
to get your first feature up, impossible
who owns this country..."
your second, how important script
Controversy. People were at the edge
development was, how distribution
of their seats. Then came the list of
and marketing was a specialised skill,
Aussie actors and (as the paper so
that few Australian films seem to
eagerly reported) a bit of a return
'cross over’... And the glaze in his eyes
serve from Russell Crowe. Both
had the shiny hue of a spotlight. Had
actors had valid points but I think
he too been fooled by the press and
they were essentially talking about
the glitz and the frocks and the studio,
different situations.
and the parties, and the stars flocking
I was disappointed that, apart from
to Sydney, into believing that our
one or two short blurbs, the media
Aussie industry was not only OK, but
didn't seem to want to run with
flourishing?
Bryan's theme. Photo spreads, fab
I’m by no means just pointing the
fireworks, politicians and media
finger at Bob, but rather the
magnates rubbing shoulders with
phenomenon of the Glitz perception.-
been more about the work. Like... Horler (and that frock) at the AFI awards.
“what's the quality of the scripts you're
Walking down the red carpet, hoping I’d slapped on enough makeup, deodorant and charm, I wrangled my scarf around my shoulders and answered the obligatory question....... | ‘Wheredyagetya frockfrom?’ >
inspiring? Done any auditions lately
reading, any good roles? Anything
CL
< o o o
(that you didn't get] where you were thrilled to meet the director. But the focus is clearly elsewhere. What effect does all this GLITZ have? How is any independent producer/distributor going to convince the papers, the tele, the mags, that their original Australian film deserves coverage and air time when, yes, the big man from The Green Mite is in town and he really wants to talk about losing some weight for The Oscars. There's some ratings! I drank a glass or three that AFI night, and it all became a blur. My frock wasn't faring much better, seafood bisque spattered on the front, tripping gracefully on my hem. I thought time to go home, get over the hangover, and get on with the work. • SACHA HORLER COLLECTED AWARDS FOR BEST LEAD ACTRESS AND BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS AT THE 1999 AFI AWARDS FOR HER ROLES IN PRAISE AND SOFT FRUIT.
CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000 [1 7 ]
-^The Cup
a fil m with a spiritui al message which is cap Turing Western audiences with its eart hy, humorous t(Dne? Ruth Hessey exp ores Khyentse Norbu’s contribution to s howbiz.
-> In Bhutan, a tiny impoverished country high in the Himalayas, where religion still means more than money, there are many charming legends. Over sushi on a glittering Bondi Beach packed with nubile Olympic backpackers from all over the world, film producer, Raymond Steiner, tells an old Bhutanese legend. Since co-producing Bhutan's first feature film, The Cup, Steiner has come to know a good deal more about the eastern mind than most film biz people. Once upon a time, he says, Bhutan was famous for its many nuns. But there were so many holy women, that God took pity on them and planted a field of penises. For those with western notions of prudish piety, this
Too outrageous and you can't fit in.
American sex industry. That conclusion hardly gives
The Tibetan monks of Bhutan, it seems, have much to
Norbu credit for the sophisticated mind his film indi
offer the world (and Hollywood) and The Cup, with its rough cinema verite charm, and unpretentious
cates. Exactly what is it about the West which makes
assembly of homespun characters, has found favour from Washington to Cannes, from LA to Noosa.
sex? Particularly in America, the populace seems to
First-time director Khyentse Norbu is an extraordi
people so obsessed with and yet so alienated from labour under peculiar attitudes loaded with guilt and
nary man too, but a quite typical Tibetan Bhuddhist. It
shame in connection with the body. And these values dominate western film culture.
was Rupert Murdoch who noticed that the Dalai Llama wears Gucci loafers. But of course to the Dalai
These are questions which would obviously intrigue a Buddhist monk who has made a film about a
Llama they are just shoes, "and that's the point Mur doch will never get,” laughs Steiner.
monastery in the grip of soccer fever (a rather gentler
frank, practical, religious tale comes as a bit of a shock. Certainly The Cup, which was directed by a
Similarly, Norbu can move in the western world,
"You go into these lap dancing clubs," explains Stein
reincarnated Bhuddist saint, Khyentse Norbu, will
through the crass tiers of consumerism and com
er, who has known Norbu for more than 20 years,
surprise those who imagine that a film set in a monastery should be rather earnest and slow.
merce, with his own spiritual grace quite in tact. “Oh we went to all the strip clubs in LA," says Stein
He s not allowed to drink, and he’s not allowed to touch as a series of beautiful women perform the
metaphor for East meets West than a lap dancer).
and the customer has to sit there in semi-darkness.
If Scorsese or Bertolucci had made The Cup, it would
er. "And Khyenste was quite determined to see some
have been - the one thing Hollywood never gets about
lap dancing too." The image of a high Tibetan Lama, in
lewdest gyrations right under his nose. The only way
eastern religion is the earthy humour which goes
his saffron robes, at a lap dancing club is enough to
hand in hand with devout religious practice and disci
make the mind wobble. "He had his girlfriend with
to get through that without exploding is to turn your self into a block of concrete."
plines. Norbu has puzzled western journalists, with
Well if it's not sex, what is it? A sort of self-flagella
"outrageousness".
him too," Steiner says reassuringly. “ Kyhentse has never taken a vow of chastity." Not all Buddhist monks do.
If you are too elegant, you become a slave of society.
Not that the monk wished to sample the wares of the
And the western psyche does fascinate the Tibetan
his talk of Buddhist principles such as "elegance” and
[18] CINEMA PAPERS MAY 2000
tion which Norbu finds a fascinating insight into the western psyche.
Bertolucci, on the film Little Buddha. A three-week
greatest supporters in the American entertainment
to make its mark on Hollywood as the big studios invest in arthouse cinema. As a result the recent
industry - one which has become increasingly domi
spate of American films are not only more indepen
nated by violent films, and backlit by a thriving porn
dently minded, they are often biting, satirical indict
industry. Indeed it is with some puzzlement that Steiner pulls
ments of western culture - look at American Beauty,
No-one has been more surprised by the past six
Being John Malkovich, The Talented Mister Ripley,
months on the road with this modest little film. As the
out two rave reviews from the American press. Sur
success of the film has run far ahead of the wildest
prisingly they don’t come from arthouse publications
and Dogma. Into this atmosphere of increasing frustration with
but the two biggest money papers in the US - The
materialism, and the urge to find a deeper meaning in
al film festivals has become increasingly hectic.
Wall Street Journal and the New York Times.
life and express it with more complex character dri
Through a strange serendipity, Norbu's key collabo
"Isn't it extraordinary?" marvels Steiner. "The film
ven films, comes a little film about a group of Tibetan
rators have been Australians - Bondi-based cine
seems to have touched these people more than any
monks and their struggle to obtain an television, in a
one else.” Perhaps it's not so surprising. After several decades
humble little country no-one has heard of. What is
matographer Paul Warren, Malcom Watson, one of Norbu's students and also his personal assistant who
that people are responding to?
became the film's co-producer, and Steiner, a sea
of physically energetic but emotionally bankrupt box
It is a spiritual message imparted with a lack of
soned American filmmaker who lived in India but is
office dynamite, the industry as it peaked in the 1980s
dogma and a humour which we don't associate with
now based in Australia.
is defunct. The audience too are weary of the Die
religious institutions in the west. Norbu's style is sim
The change in lifestyle - from a relatively sober and contemplative life to the intoxicating whirl of the film
Buddhist elite. They have after all found some of their
course at the New York Film Academy was enough to provide the basics as he mulled over his feature film idea - the story which was to become The Cup.
dreams, the circuit of publicity tours and internation
Hards, the Rambos and even that late flower of the
ple but not naive. Despite a demanding schedule of
action genre, the Tarentino picture. Perhaps it is a
duties as the chief administrator of several Buddhist
biz and the media - has taken its toll. Norbu has had
sign that cheesy, silicon inflated mega budget dross
monasteries, he has been thinking about cinema
to forgo the usual spells of solitude and contempla tion which allow him a respite from his responsibili
has had its day, when a low budget foreign film direct
since attending screenings of Satyajit Ray, Yasujiro
ed by a reincarnated saint, becomes a worldwide hit.
Ozu, and Andre Tarkovsky in London while he was
ties, and while he has two more screenplays, "the
The slew of successful indie films which took the wind
studying Buddhist philosophy at the age of 19. More
world will have to wait a couple of years," says Stein
out the big studios' sails in the late 1990s has begun
recently he served as consultant to Bernardo
er, "before he finds the time to make another film." • CINEMA PAPERS MAY 2000 [19]
Bond University Film & Television Awards Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s richest film & television competition for secondary students* * Your film career could start right here! Award winners receive study assistance at Bond University; work
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As well, Bond University's Film & Television Departm ent offers a one
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year M aster o f Film
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Film
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7 July 2000.
& Television
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degree and a two year Bachelor o f
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on 0 7 5 5 9 5 2524.
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Letter from the Dream Factory dot com auteurs
final cut.phillip noyce -^During the six to twelve months
wouldn t be the same today.
between shooting movies I pretend to
Boiler Room is the title of easily the
combine the lure of voyeurism with
regain control of my other life. In Los
most profound and spiritually
good old-fashioned Hollywood
Angeles I head for a little gym off
questioning movie so far this year.
entertainment values.
Melrose Avenue, in the heart of old
First time writer/director Ben
The "actresses" for example are all
view their site as an opportunity to
Hollywood, where I can huff and puff
Younger's portrait of a Long Island
"trained” (which in this place is not the
climbing a stair master right beside
college dropout who willingly drowns
same as NIDA], the daily routine
live TV sit-com actors. I also get to
himself in a fraudulent get rich quick
before the cameras w ill be partially
chew the fat with one or other of the
stockbrokering scheme perfectly
scripted, the camera positions have
black athletic trainers who work out
captures the current mood of
been chosen by a young video director,
recording executive clients at the gym.
America... of Hollywood... Indeed of my
the lay-out of the website has been designed by a fledgling TV writer.
It’s the only chance I’ll have all year in
little Melrose Avenue gymnasium -
this city to talk more or less equally
GREED. Maybe it’s the same where
Maybe I'm just romanticising a smutty
with an African American.
you live?
get rich scheme, but I like to consider
In this gym - like the rest of
Fuelled by daily tales of internet rich
my gym mates as 21st century movie
Hollywood - most everyone seems to
multi-millionaires, the new obsession
pioneers. Sure their voyeur web site
lead double and triple lives. This
involves continually speculating about
combines elements of Stiver, The
particularly pleases me as I've spent
how to claim a piece of the action for
Truman Show and Ed TV, except each
so much time shooting those big
oneself. Like a 21st century cargo cult,
of those movies described situations
screen adaptations of the Tom Clancy
the net is worshipped as a God who
where the cameras operated as
spy novels. Even though they arrive in
can be expected to reward devotees by
malevolent intrusions. My guys are
disguise, dressed as security guards,
ejaculating gold from the computer
improvising nothing less than a new
real-estate brokers, insurance sellers
screen. Just today a 25-year-old
or waiters, one doesn't need to be
assistant working in my office
Jack Ryan to identify these sometimes
remarked how taking the job had cost
flamboyant and excessively beautiful
her $850,000 US. This is the value of
people as would be actors, musicians,
stock options she forfeited by leaving
writers and producers. Or at least that’s why they came West in the first place, seeking the fame that will supposedly be followed by fortune.
i her former employer just before the company was absorbed by internet ! powerhouse Yahoo. In a community already traumatised by the perceived
Like a 21 st century cargo cult, the net is worshipped as a God who can be expected to reward devotees by ejaculating gold from the computer screen.
For most migrants Hollywood remains
gaps between winners and losers,
a mirage, mesmerising with its
she now fears that all chance to join
able to buy shares in - Sex.
form of movie, which changes the
opportunity. When I first came here
the victors' circle has been
Led by a black trainer called Terrell, a
relationship between viewer, actors
10 years ago an agency sent an
permanently lost.
group of workout mates in my gym
and technicians and rewrites the rules
octogenarian baby-sitter to look after
Given the abundance of column inches
have concocted a scheme to both
of distribution. The viewer assumes
my pre-teen daughter. Back in the
devoted to the phenomenon of
exploit their under utilised talents and
the role traditionally performed by
1930s a small-town beauty contest
Internet Billionaires by American
join the internet gold rush. For $50 a
both editor and writer, deciding which
prize had earnt Miss Dee a one way
newspapers and magazines, it's
year web subscribers w ill shortly be
story to follow and interacting with the
train ticket to LA and a screen-test.
perplexing to discover that very few
able to choose to watch one or all of
actors online. In theory the story itself
Fifty-eight years later she displayed
net companies are actually making
the 17 "voyeur" cameras the group
is set up to last forever. A vision of the
not a trace of outward dismay despite
profits. The wealth is generated by
have set up in a suburban house in
future, or just a reflection of the past?
still waiting for her first paid show-biz
selling the paper value of shares that
which five young actresses from the
High art or low porn? Time w ill tell. •
assignment. "So many actors, so few
bear little relationship to actual
gym wilt live. Of course the web is
roles," she says as she settled down
earnings. The share prices are driven
overflowing with sites like this. A very
to study the trade magazine
by speculation as to what might
unremarkable woman called Jenny
announcements of the numerous
happen. But right from the beginning
has turned herself into a worldwide
upcoming projects. Maybe her
the web enterprise that has
celebrity by broadcasting 24 hours a
patience was bred from depressed
consistently generated profits is the
day from her Washington DC
depression era expectations. It
same one that you'll probably never be
bedroom. But the folks from the gym
PHILLIP NOYCE IS AN AUSTRALIAN DIRECTOR LIVING AND WORKING IN LOS ANGELES AND NEW YORK. HIS FILMS IN AUSTRALIA INCLUDE NEWSFRONT AND DEAD CALM. HIS FILMS IN AMERICAN INCLUDE CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER AND MOST RECENTLY THE BONE COLLECTOR.
CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000 [21 ]
Looking for Alibrandi is Robyn Kershaw’s first feature film credit as producer but as she tells Michaela Boland it’s the culmination of many years hard work in the business of entertainment.
Everyone’s looking for ->When director Kate Woods discovered
Another cast stand out is Rome based actor Elena
-> Robyn Kershaw is at home in beachside Bronte
Cotta who portrays Josie's grandmother Nonna
with her two-year-old daughter pulling focus in the
Looking for Alibrandi was the 'most stolen' book
Katia. Cotta was cast just two weeks before pre-
background. Lydia was just four months old when
from school libraries she knew she wanted to direct
production after producer Robyn Kershaw hatched a
mum hit the ground running with Alibrandi.
the film.
madcap plan which involved travelling to Italy in
Robyn Kershaw: I was doing the little pre-bibles that
That was two and a half years ago. Now Aiibrandi is
search of their woman.
we gave to investors with her in a baby capsule underneath the desk. I had someone who would
ready for release and Wood's feature film directorial
The scheme more than paid off. Kate Woods says, "I
debut is garnering strong critical accolades.
was determined Nonna was going to be Italian.
come and look after her when we were doing the
Set in Sydney's eastern suburbs the story portrays
There is a group of fabulous ethnic (Australian] older
auditions and I would pump off (breast milk) while
three generations of Italian Australian women
women actors but they are not necessarily Italian
we were working out... "Yes I think we should see
as they struggle to accept events long-affecting
and I didn't think it was fair on them or on the story.
this group again and that group” .... laughs
their lives.
“We went away to Italy just blindly, knowing we were
Cinema Papers: As general manager of Sydney’s
Helmed by experienced actors Anthony LaPaglia
going to come back with Nonna and we did." But the
Belvoir Street Theatre you orchestrated tours to
and Greta Scacchi as the maladjusted parents of a
madness didn't stop there. Cotta doesn't speak any
exotic destinations including the USSR and
teenage schoolgirl, Alibrandi showcases a trio fresh
English, so once cast, she had to learn her role
facilitated the world premieres of stage plays
young talent.
phonetically.
which were subsequently made into feature films
Pia Miranda is Josie, a third generation Australian
With Scacchi and LaPaglia on board, Woods and
including Radiance, Cosi and the SBS teleseries
carrying the Catholic burden of her forbears'
Kershaw opted for an open call in their quest for the
Aftershocks, but this is your first film with a full
tragedies. Matthew Newton (son of Bert and Pattie]
younger actors. Three thousand auditions later
producer’s credit. How did you come to co-found a
portrays John Barton who is labouring beneath the
Gurry and Miranda were secured, with Newton
production company in 1997 with Tristram Miall
expectations of a high achieving father. And Kick
joining the cast literally the day he completed NIDA.
[Strictly Ballroom, A Little Bit of Soul).
Gurry is Josie’s love interest, Jocob Coote who
Though the casting was arduous, Woods says the
RK: When I left Belvoir I went to film school (AFTRS)
encourages her teen rebellion.
freedom to search for new actors was liberating. •
to do the one-year extension course. I was there with
[22] CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000
CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000 [23]
“Young boys and young girls relate strongly to it because it is the story of the outsider and at that age I think w e’re all feeling like w e’re the outsider.” Robyn Kershaw very large group because the previous year a lot
Scacchi and Anthony LaPaglia] being in place in order
understood that I wanted to be out on attachment. I
to secure our finance in part. (Then) it was necessary
und out through my friend that Tris had a film up,
Miranda) who would actually carry the film.
for quite some time, “You and Tris would get
CP: You needed confidence in them.
on really well” . So I went on attachment with
RK: That's exactly right. The character of what you
him on Children of the Revolution and he was
are working on really determines the way you
incredible. Because of my friendship with Baz
approach what process you engage in.
(Luhrmann) and Catherine (Martin] and
CP: The budget was $4.5 million.
because I’d worked with Catherine on Diary of
RK: But I don't publicise that because I think we
a Madman (starring Geoffrey Rush) he knew
pulled off a pretty amazing looking film.
about my work. He very quickly passed on a
CP: How did you secure co-opertion from so many
huge amount of responsibility and really early
schools including Kincoppal Rose Bay where
on Tris said to me, “ Look I've been working
Looking for Alibrandi was filmed?
with this project (Alibrandi! that I optioned a
RK: That was all personal approaches and a huge
few years ago and it doesn't seem to be
amount of support from companies to actually assist
coming together would you like to produce it?"
in making it possible to feed, bus and support those CP: It’s somewhat unusual to see big group scenes
RK: It was optioned before then but very quickly it
in Australian cinema.
won a huge amount of prizes. Young boys and young
m
■ss
T vm
outsider and at that age I think we're all feeling like
that Australia has. CP: You called Alibrandi a chick flick? RK: (laughs) Probably that's 'cause Kate and I are
: Through Andy Loyd James.
chicks and Melina. A lot of the energy around it was
: When he was at SBS.
very chicky and because Pia's the lead. It’s about
: Yes, they'd known each other for a long time and
three generations of Italian Australian women but I
s had two young daughters so his audience was
think its primary audience is women, young women
in his family circle. He was able to get instant
and older women.
back from them.
CP: What was it about director Kate Woods that
P: And the budget was about $4.5 million? RK: We did the bulk of our casting in October 1997 ut we were not financed by the FFC until February.
inspired your confidence? RK: She has an incredible vocabulary with actors. She is a gifted actor’s director so on set she is able to fine tune and crate nuance that absolutely refines
P: Isn’t it unusual for projects to be financed
performance. She changes with whoever she is with,
loser to script stage before the cast is brought in.
whether it was the less experienced actors or the
RK: We didn't want to be pushed into a situation
more experienced actors.
where we got the paperwork done and then raced
CP: How did you know that before working with her?
into pre-production. We wanted to have the comfort f knowing we'd searched Australia for all the actors
RK: I did my research and it was a very long courtship. Kate didn't come on officially until just
needed and then go into total financing. Obviously
before we started casting in October '97. Kate is very
were in dialogue with the FFC and with other
hard on herself, she strives for getting it right and I
nanciers but we didn't want to have to rush
love that tenacity and ambition. Making films is serial
ecisions that would compromise the final vision.
monogamy and you need to know that under the
CP: What are the advantages of having the key cast place before you apply for financing? [24] CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000
RK: They were very effective for what we were trying to put across which was the gallery of fabulous faces
we're the outsider. P: How did the book come to Miall’s attention? j
kids on set.
early 90s, was it already an HSC text?
iris relate strongly to it because it is the story of the
__
to secure the kids (Kick Gurry, Matthew Newton, Pia
Children of the Revolution. She'd been saying
CP: So he actually optioned the book in the above: Newcomers Kick Gurry and Pia Miranda get their break in Looking for Alibrandi. bottom Pia Miranda with Elena Cotta, who travelled from Rome for the role of Nonna.
RK: For us it was a case of our adult leads (Great
had fallen out, so within a very short space of time I
most extreme duress you can trust one another. • THIS CONVERSATION HAS BEEN EDITED FOR PUBLICATION.
Too much of a good thing Australians are a funny people - they love their comedies and enjoy a joke...
the box.michael bodey -^What a funny February for
knows the rule already. They’ve been
Australian cinema. The Wog Boy[d.
submitting one-gag films to
Vellis, 2000) smashes Crocodile
Australia’s short film festivals for
Dundee's (d. Cornell, 1988) local box
years now.
office record for an opening weekend
It’s the Tropfest Syndrome. Throw a
and makes The Craics (d. Emery.
pun in the title, a twist in the tale and
1999) success an old millennium
a gag to conclude and you’re Tropfest-
memory. Meanwhile, The Wog Boy
bound. It doesn’t matter if you can’t
careers past the audience numbers of
stretch the gag to the specified seven
the most popular Australian film of
minutes. Your set-ups can be as
the past five years, The Castle (d.
subtle as Adam Sandler and your
Sitch, 1997). And you can bet the three
punchlines just as predictable but
recent 90s comedies sharing the
Tropfest audiences love them.
definite article will definitely share
Other festival directors hate them.
only one Australian Film Institute
Australian film festivals are inundated
Award [The Castles screenplay
with hundreds of shorts
award).
indistinguishable from one another.
Yet Australian producers have just had
It's turgid viewing if ever you’re
explicit evidence thrust in front of
curating, previewing or judging
them that comedies work in this
the things.
country. Evidence too obvious to
The majority of our new short
ignore.
filmmakers blithely follow the rules of
A critical producer could argue quite
the Tropfest School for Crowd
convincingly they don’t even have to be
Pleasers or the Swinburne School of
great comedies to work. It’s not overly
Bleak Social Realism. That’s why our
brattish to suggest a couple of them
animators look so good today. They’re
looked as though they were shot and
the originals.
edited on Gladwrap.
But Tropfest shouldn’t bear the weight
And then the brattish director Stephan
of our bored festival directors.
Elliott admitted in the recent
Tropfest is a public, populist festival.
Tropfest manifests the madness of our film industry; it promises so much but delivers so little. Not that the Tropfest audience is bothered by such piffle.
J
above: The Castle’s Kerrigan family. (d. Sitch, 1997).
reality. Glamour or struggle? Ask the Tropfest entrant who spends the next
documentary, Killing Priscilla (d.
Its winners, by necessity, will be crowd
Gardiner, 2000), his comedy, The
pleasers. It’s just they get to win too
Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen Of The
easily. The competition is extensive
Desert [d. Elliott, 199-4), was overrated.
(Tropfest received more than 400
All these bad comedies done good.
entries this year) but hardly talented.
“It’s another avenue for showing
near a director who hasn’t gone to
Of course, it would be simplistic, even
No, the burden Tropfest should carry
Australian audiences Australian
film school or shot commercially,
suicidal, for all our filmmakers to
is this. It merely perpetuates the
i movies because, let's face it, they’re
rush out and make comedies (not that
Hollywood dream for the not-so
j
not exactly running out to every
Yet Tropfest's reality is of celebrities,
our filmmakers and financiers haven’t
talented. They love the whole idea of
j
Australian film that comes along. I
champagne and a ticket straight to
made simplistic or suicidal choices
Tropfest because short films are sexy.
think it’s a nice way to say, ‘Hey have a
Hollywood.
before).
And Tropfest is sexier. It promises a
look what we can do’ because we
Tropfest may be a pleasant Sunday
couple of years paying off her film. joy that comes from being associated
Ask the internationally known actor
with something so glamorous.
who told me he’s down to his last
J Tropfest director, John Poison argues,
$250. And ask producers who won't go
Tropfest winner or not.
But recent evidence suggests you can
creative, wealthy and famous life
spend most of our year watching
evening in the park but it isn't reality.
put one million dollars in your box
ahead. But it’s just a promise.
Hollywood movies.”
Then again, some canny comedy
office kitty before you roll the camera
Tropfest manifests the madness of
But Tropfest finds favour precisely
filmmakers have recently shown the
if you can find a solid comedy
our film industry; it promises so much
because of the glamour and its
reality can be lucrative and fruitful.
franchise. Sir Les Patterson Saves The
but delivers so little. Not that the
Hollywoodness. It's a long way from
You just have to be pragmatic about it, not wishful. •
World (d. Miller, 1987) is the exception
Tropfest audience is bothered by such
the homely cheapness of the White
that proves the rule.
piffle. Tens of thousands revel with the
Gloves Festival screenings.
But every Australian short filmmaker
celebrities, the alcohol and the naive
But ask the filmmakers about their
MICHAEL BODEY IS THE DA ILY TELEGRAPH’S SHOWBIZ EDITOR.
CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000 [2 5 ]
About this time each year the international film industry turns its attention toward Cannes in France, From May 10 through 21, La Croisette will be electrified with flowing champagne and well-coiffured air kissers, EmmaCrimmings spoke to festival scouts Pierre Rissient and Christine Ravet on their recent trip to Australia.about the structure of Cannes 2000 and the films likely to earn an official guernsey, Now she explains what the flesh pressing and endless standing ovations are really about,
try to discover young directors, it is mainly first films
good Asian films, the competition is very high.”
from unknown filmmakers that we are after. Ana
While dodging direct questions about which films
pilgrimage to our shores in search of titles to
Kokkinos' Head On is an example of what we have
she had recommended, Ravet said the festival has
recommend for official selection in - “ In
chosen in the past."
undergone considerable changes recently. Last year
Competition” and “ Un Certain Regard". Christine
A number of Australian films she had seen, "did not
Marie-Pierre Macia took the reigns of Directors’
Ravet, however, is on her first excursion to Australia,
have anything to say”. Flowever, there were a few
Fortnight following Pierre Flenrie Deleau’s 30-year
viewing films for the "Directors’ Fortnight". She
exceptions, two of which she intends to recommend
stint. Other major changes include the end of Pierre
confided her surprise at the number of films being
on her return.
Viot's 15-year reign as Festival President, with Gilles
produced here. Asked what distinguishes the Directors’ Fortnight
She cautioned, "even if I like a film and recommend
Jacob appointment as his successor.
-> For 15 years Pierre Rissient has made an annual
it strongly it does not necessarily mean it will get in.
Both selectors viewed close to 20 films with the
from the other sections at Cannes, Ravet said, "the
There are a number of scouts like me and there are
titles below tipped as the odds-on favourites for
Directors’ Fortnight is primarily a section where we
so many good films. Particularly with the increase of
a trip to Cannes.
E M M A C R IM M IN G S H A S N 'T S E E N T H E F IL M S B U T S H E H A S G R IL L E D T H O S E W H O H A V E THE OLD MAN WHO READ LOVE STORIES
INNOCENCE
YOLNGU BOY
PROD: JA N C H A P M A N
PROD: M A R K PATTERSON
PROD: PA TR IC IA EDGAR
DIR: SH IR LEY BARR ETT
PROD: M IC H E L LE DE
DIR: P A U L COX
AG: DR EA M W O R KS AU ST
BROCA DIR: R O LF DE HEER
MALLBOY
THE MONKEY’S MASK
A G :P A N D O R A
PROD: FIO N A EAGGER
W A L K THE TALK
■ -
PROD: RO BERT C O N N O LLY &
A U S T DIS: PALAC E
DIR: VIN C E GIARRUSSO
CHOPPER
AG: BEYOND
PROD: M IC H E L E B E N N E T T
JO H N M AYN AR D
THE GODDESS OF 1967
DIR: S A M A N T H A LANG
PROD: PETER S A IN SBU R Y
AG: LE STUDIO C A N A L +
D IR :C LA R A LA W
SERENADES
DIR: A N D R E W D O M IN IK
A U ST DIS: FO O TPRINT F ILM S
AG: FO RTISSIM O ,
PROD: S A N D R A LEVY
AG: BEYOND
DIR: M OJG AN K H AD EM
A U S T DIS: U IP
A U ST DIS: PALAC E
& ALCLARK
AG: SO U TH ER N STAR FILM S
"fistyt ' ^
¡
¡
¡
|
Australian product at Cannes [26] CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000
DIR: S T E P H E N JO H N S O N AG: BEYOND, AU ST
A U S T DIS: PALAC E
An unconventional road movie starring Rose Byrne and Rikiya „Kurokawa as BG and JM, The Goddess of 1967 is set in the Australian d esert JM ftas left his home city, Tokyo and is following a dream to buy his uftkn ^edar, i the Citroen Goddess OS 1967.
C IN E F O N D A T IO N
- ^ O F F IC IA L S E L E C T IO N
O U T O F C O M P E T IT IO N
Each year about 50 feature films and a dozen short
These are generally films by directors who have
In 1998 the Cannes International Film Festival
films are chosen for official selection at Cannes.
either previously won awards at Cannes or for other
announced a new section, the Cinefondation which
commercial and/or strategic reasons do not wish to
aims to uncover and encourage new filmmakers.
enter their films in competition. Films falling into
The Cinefondation, presents a program of graduate
IN C O M P E T IT IO N
this category also include those which require
films (short and medium length fiction and
Considered the most prestigious category, the films In
special programming such as a midnight screening.
animation films) selected from the best film
Competition are selected from around the world and
In 1999 An Ideal Husband starring Cate Blanchett
schools internationally.
compete for the following awards: The Palme d’Or,
screened in this section
There are three awards given in this section with
They are screened in the following categories:
the first prize winner provided with a guarantee
Grand Prize, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, Best Screenplay. The award winners are decided by a
U N C E R T A IN R E G A R D
screening of their first feature film. Last year the
jury of industry practitioners. Chosen by the Film
This section is non-competitive, however, there are
Australian Film Television and Radio School was
Festival Board, Cannes has two official juries: the
filmmakers within this section who are presenting
Feature Film Jury and the Short Film and Cine-
their first film and are therefore in competition for
represented with Mairi Cameron's graduating film Milk.
fondation Jury. Australian films which have screened
the Camera d’Or. Un Certain Regard selects films which expose a
S H O R T F IL M
In Competition include: Rolf de Heer’s The Quiet Room and Dance Me to My Song, Gillian Armstrong's
personal vision and are interesting by virtue of
Short films (under 15 min) selected internationally,
My Brilliant Career, Samantha Lang's The Well, Fred
subject matter and cinematic style. In 1996 Shirley
compete for the Palme d'Or Short Film Award.
Schepisi's Evil Angels and Jane Campion's The Piano
Barrett's first feature, Love Serenade screened in Un
Festival rules allow the Jury to select two short
(which shared the Palme d’Or in 1993).
Certain Regard and was awarded the Camera d'Or.
films for this award. CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000 [27 ]
Chopper
Yolngu Boy
Serenades
The Monkey’s Mask
Chopper follows the absurd life of notorious criminal Chopper Read. Featuring Eric Bana in the lead and Simon Lyndon as Chopper’s best friend, Jimmy Loughnan, the film is set both inside and outside Melbourne’s Pentridge Prison. It follows the mad struggles of the celebrity crim as he seeks power through chaos.
Produced by the Australian Children’s Television Foundation, Yolngu Boy follows three boys linked by ceremony, kinship and a common dream. Set in north-east Arnhem Land, it stars Sean Mununggurr, Nathan Daniels and Sebastian Pilakui, whose characters find themselves on the wrong side of the law in two worlds.
Serenades is a love story set in the desert a hundred years ago. Starring Aden Young as the son of the Lutheran pastor and Alice Haines as his friend, the daughter of an Afghan father and an Aboriginal mother. United by their love of music, the pair separate but meet up as again as adults.
Private detective Jill Fitzpatrick (Susie Porter) dives head-first into murder, manipulation and the consuming power of sex, as she falls hopelessly in love with Diana (Kelly McGillis), one of her suspects in a missing person’s case. Guided by Diana through a surprisingly sleazy Sydney poetry scene, Jill becomes a victim of her own infatuation when the missing person turns up dead.
IN T E R N A T IO N A L C R IT IC S ’ W E E K
films as well as first and second shorts. The two
Non-competitive, the Critics' Week is the oldest of
Australian films chosen for this section last year
the official side-bar sections at Cannes. Founded in
were John Poison’s Siam Sunset and Elise
1962 by Georges Sadoul, the section has been
McCredie’s Strange Fits of Passion, which was also
responsible for the discovery of filmmakers such as
in competition for the Camera d’Or.
Jacques Rozier, Chris Marker and Bernardo Bertolucci (who has recently agreed to become the
M A R C H E D U F IL M
first ever sponsor of the week event for Cannes
The Cannes Market is the commercial side of the
2000). Jose Maria Riba is the new director of the
film festival. Over 5000 participants attend and
Critics’ Week which brings to the screen directors’
around 1000 films are screened. The market has
first and second full length feature or documentary
been very effective for Australian films. •
OTHER FORTHCOMING AUSTRALIAN FILMS M O U L IN R O U G E
BETTER TH A N SEX
A W RECK , A TA NG LE
T H E D IS H
PROD: M A R TIN BR O W N ,
The official side-bar sections are part of the Cannes
PROD: B R U N A P A P A N D R E A
PROD: N IC K I RO LLER
PROD: M IC H A E L HIRSH
FRED BAR O N , BAZ
& F R A N K COX
DIR: SCOTT PATTERSO N
D IR: ROB SITCH
Festival, however, the films in these categories are
LU H R M AN N ,
DIR: J O N A T H A N TE P LIT ZK Y
AG: BEYOND
DIR: BAZ L U H R M A N N ,
AG: FR A N C E TV
AG: FOX IN T E R N A T IO N A L
A U S T DIS: N EW VISIO N
-^UNOFFICIAL SELECTION
not engaged in competition (with the exception of the Camera d’Or which is open to all first-tim e
A U S T DIS: 20TH CENTURY
feature films). They include: Directors’ Fortnight,
FOX
International Critics’ Week and Marche Du Film.
DO G W A TCH
PROD: R IC HARD B R E N N A N
D IR E C T O R S ’ F O R T N IG H T
Once again non-competitive, the Directors’ Fortnight
I
(usually first time) from around the world. This year
DIR: YAHOO SERIOUS
BE W A R E OF GREEKS
P H A E D R A VASS &
AG: U N IT E D AR TISTS F ILM S
B E A R IN G G U N S
JO H N W IN T E R
PROD: C O LIN SOUTH &
DIR: M A R K L A M P R E L L
R IS K
JO H N TATO U LIS
AG: BEYOND
PROD: M A R IA N M AC G O W AN
DIR: LA U R IE M C IN N E S
DIR: JO H N TATO U LIS
AG: IN TR A FILM S
AG: TR ID E N T,
K IN G O F T H E M O U N T A IN
AG: BEYOND
A U S T DIS: GLOBE
A U S T DIS: PALAC E
P R O D /D IR : D A R R E N LIN E S
A U S T DIS: ROADSHO W
H E D IE D W IT H A F E L A F E L
BO O TMEN
JET SET
R U S S IA N D O L L
IN H IS H A N D
PROD: H ILA R Y LIN S TE A D ,
PROD: RO BER T BR EW ER
PROD: A L L A N A H ZITS E R M A N ,
DIR: A L A N W H IT E
PROD: A N D R E W M C P H A IL
DIR: D EIN PERRY,
emerging as a product of the
[A N IM A T E D ]
& D O M EN IC O PROCACCI
AG: FOX S E A R C H LIG H T
D IR: J O N A T H A N OGILVIE
May 1968 "cultural revolution" in France which also
D IR: R IC HARD
A U S T DIS: FOX
managed to halt the festival proceeding for that year,
LO W E N S TE IN
Hogan’s Muriel s Wedding and Ana Kokkinos’ Head On have screened in this event. [28] CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000
ANGST C IT Y LO O P
PROD: BR U C E R E D M A N
D IR: D A N IE L N E TTH E IM
L O O K IN G F O R A L IB R A N D I
D IR: B E L IN D A CHAYKO
AG: BEYOND FILM S
PROD: ROBYN KER S H A W
AG: BEYOND
D IR: KATE WOODS A U S T DIS: RO AD SHO W
DIR: STAVROS K A Z A N T Z ID IS AG: BEYOND
AG: IN TR A FILM S
the section was originally claimed as a fortnight (quinzaine) for directors (réalisateurs). Both PJ
PROD: W A R W IC K ROSS
PROD: S U SAN VASS,
showcases the work of only feature filmmakers the Directors’ Fortnight w ill be in its 32nd year,
M R A C C ID E N T M Y M OTHER FR A N K
A U S T DIS: BEYOND
PROD: J O N A T H A N GREEN S IL E N T P A R T N E R
P R O D /D IR : A L K IN O S TS ILIM ID O S
Peter Greenaway visited Australia recently without a new release tucked safely under his arm. Instead he wore an opera directorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hat and a comty demeanour. The audiences clapped politely and the academics gushed but Michaela Boland walked away wondering.
[30] CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000
monologue about his life but it could have been shortened a bit". This student confides her teacher is a huge Greenaway fan who has screened Prospero's Books (1991) for the class, which also attended a dress rehearsal of Writing to Vermeer. "So I'm very familiar with his work", she added. So, Greenaway, who claims to have made 70-odd films including eight features, correctly picked the Level o f went
a u d ie n c e
familiarity with his work. He just
o n t o l § l o n g | J i S is
his signature.
As the lectuflemoves into question time Greenaway requests'challenging questions please! He thrives on conflict and the review culture is so dull and bland here in Australia. This broadside inspires a student to gleefully hail forth (inaudibly for Greenaway) 'That's because the media are dickheads!' Fabulous stuff. One of those dickheads, John Slavin opera critic for The Age, had recently described Writing to Vermeer as, “a kind of water torture for cast and audience alike". Though "saturated with visual gorgeousness" it was "difficult to define any
this page: The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover, facing page: Images from Writing to Vermeer.
narrative line in the production". Slavin's sentiments were echoed by a Flinders University student, who had seen the opera and was
For two hours the director describes his influences, his entry to film, his recent projects (mainly European operas) and his political perspective (anti-Thatcher).
buoyed by Greenaway's desire for conflict. She asked why there were no subtitles accompanying Writing to Vermeer to make it possible to follow a narrative. Greenaway responded that when the opera played in Holland it was accompanied by Dutch subtitles, though most Dutch understood English anyway. Vermeer w ill play in only one other marketplace, New
however, engage in media interviews solo to discuss
In time he comments that opera cannot be captured
York, later this year. "I acknowledge the problem, we
film exclusively. So exclusively film we w ill talk but
on film, then completes the lecture with a film clip
must work to (inaudible) that". The Adelaide Festival’s showcase event is a work
it's not that easy.
from his opera Rosa (1992).
Arriving in Adelaide Cinema Papers learns the
For two hours the director describes his influences,
in progress.
director has journeyed to Flinders University on the
his entry to film, his recent projects (mainly
As the lecture goes on and on, Cinema Papers
city's outskirts to deliver a lecture to students.
European operas) and his political perspective
interview with Greenaway is looking less likely. This
'Maybe the journalist would find it useful to sit in and
(anti-Thatcher).
evening he has a film to introduce, a Greenaway
then catch the director afterwards?'
We learn he enjoyed a "rather normal bourgeois
retrospective festival side bar is running concurrently
Dressed in a purple blazer and royal blue shirt
education" before disappointing his family with his
with the opera. The director has already presented a masterclass this morning, he introduced The
buttoned at the neck, Greenaway's usually dour face
aspiration, from an early age, to be a painter. He
brightens as he seeks to entertain and inform the
attended a minor art school and then discovered film
Draughtsman's Contract to a sell-out cinema
two hundred or so students and lecturers.
through Swedish cinema, dubbed as 'soft porn' by
audience last night and later this evening is the
Explaining he w ill address the audience as though
the prudish British.
fourth and final performance of Writing to Vermeer at
they know nothing of his work and life Greenaway
A first year drama student neatly summarised the
Adelaide's Festival Theatre.
confesses up-front he w ill inevitably be hypocritical.
lecture afterwards; "I understand why he did the
When the lecture finally wraps the interview CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000 [31 ]
appointment appears to be cancelled as the director vanishes from the auditorium. But at the Adelaide Festival club just after midnight, tabloid-style, Cinema Papers spots the director relaxing with his cast and celebrating the close of a sell-out season. Time to pounce (awkwardly) and the director graciously agrees to ten minutes in a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;quiet spotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. When Greenaway visited Australia in 1994 to promote The Baby of Macon he enjoyed the full gamut of publicity. Once dubbed 'The world's most controversial filmmaker', he conducted everything from soft popular press interviews to an interrogative session on ABC's The 7.30 Report. He even went a few rounds with scriptwriter and raconteur Bob Ellis on SBS. But this time he appears to be in a more comfortable space. Greenaway doesn't disagree, "I've never felt comfortable being described as a filmmaker. I started as a painter... I have an idea I'm going to end up as a writer, but now I'm wearing a different hat, I'm in the music world."
late 1970s and it's very important for us to find new ways of organising the cinema experience. My initial foray into operas and music theatre was to find new ways to revitalise centre stream cinema.” Outlining his many artistic and musical achievements of recent years the director confides he has an incredible 25 scripts waiting to be made, though "I will almost certainly never make them”. This predicament has lead him to consider, for the first time, various potential collaborations. He would consider another director taking over his script and he is also open to directing somebody else’s. Upon returning to Europe (Greenaway lives in Holland) he is poised to commence "a huge project called Tulse Luper’s Suitcases". A 52-part television series with variations for DVD, CD-ROM, cinema and the world wide web, it will cost "millions and millions of pounds” and take three years to complete. After that, "I plan an even bigger work called The Historians which will take another three years". He didn’t offer any more information but lunged enthusiastically forward, “It’s all a multimedia fest
this page/above: Prospero’s Books. below:Peter Greenaway met Scott Hicks (left) and Rolph de Heer (right) in Adelaide. facing page/top and centre: Images from The Pillow Book, bottom: Prospero’s Books.
we are pursuing greedily while the possibilities still exist." Despite the onscreen lushness of his various films, Greenaway told the university audience his feature
ENAWAY But as a self-confessed conflict lover has this trip to
walked out (she was head of the jury) saying how
film budgets rarely exceed two million UK pounds,
Australia been dull?
much it was a thoroughly disgusting and totally
"Everything has been very gentle, very kind... yes,
unacceptable film. It was about extreme forms of, as
with funding from television pre-sales facilitating their production.
maybe a little tedious. There's no conflict,
they saw it, misogyny."
An old-fashioned auteur, after training as an editor
antagonism, criticism. There's nobody saying 'Hang
The director suggests the film about a man and his
he moved into directing, "I’m a product of the 60s
on a minute, let's query your arguments'.
son who set up a private bordello, may have suffered
when European cinema was strong and progressing" but "the world now has seen the dearth of the
"The reviewing is bland and sweet and apologetic so
due to the mainstream success enjoyed by The
even if they find an issue they don't like they skirt
PiUow Book.
European independent movie".
around it. It's a bit like the Australian voice patterns
"We made 8 1/2 Women as a homage to Fellini, 'Who
Thanks in part to Miramax cannibalising the
which always are interrogative as though you make
the hell is Fellini?’ a lot of people say.”
'arthouse' genre?
an apology almost before you speak".
Greenaway loathes the restriction of market
"In some strange way they have shat in the nest and
Greenaway asks what the hell are young people
expectations and always refused to entertain
burnt the bridges because they have over-capitalised
talking about? "Sports and their mortgage? These
suggestions he consider making 'Son of a
on it in a most appalling way. They buy up product
Aboriginal kids are hanging themselves in Australian
Draughtsman's Contract' or ‘Belly of an Architect
deliberately so that nobody can buy it and never ever
jails... we'd have demonstrations out in the street!
Part 2. "I seek to go on new journey all the time”,
show it. They tend towards the Sunday Supplement
What is it about your complacent environment
he says.
end of the art market: coloured and daring, enough
among young minds?"
But he did suck from the Hollywood trough when he
frisson to excite but not too much over-excitement to
needed to buy his house or "pay off a car". He claims
send the audiences away. Shakespeare in Love is absolutely the ultimate Miramax production."
Greenaway’s’s most recent feature, 8 1/2 Women,
he was the first director invited to steer Who Framed
screened at Cannes in 1999 but has not been picked
Roger Rabbit? Um, he rejected the offer.
Here's hoping Miramax doesn't purchase one of
up for distribution in Australia.
"I have a great disenchantment about boring late
Greenaway's 25 scripts; who knows, we might never
"We had a great furor at Cannes where Holly Hunter
twentieth century cinema. Cinema for me died in the
get to see it. •
CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000 [33]
Is there an Australian cultural thought police? Of course that idea is misguided, inaccurate, paranoid and stupid.
to market to market.alan finney ->1 might be imagining it but some
Most Australian movies are labelled
movie. The vitriol is unbelievable.”
Australian films and there certainly
movie distributors appear slightly
as specialist and arthouse because
This point is central to the media’s
was no favoured nation treatment of
defensive about the Australian Film
the industry says the Australian public
attitude towards homegrown product.
our films by commentators.
Industry lately.
has been somewhat reluctant to see
Many commentators divide Australian
There was, however, an open,
In itself this is not bad. However, if the
local films, despite their admirable
filmmakers into three groups.
accepting and generally positive
creative integrity and quality.
There are the 'old farts’ who have had
attitude towards the possibility of us
But it doesn't have to be this way. Why
their chance and are no longer
delivering satisfying entertainment. There was not an absence of criticism
primary motivation for some distributors choosing to handle local titles is a desire to be seen supporting
can't Australian movies embrace
exciting or fashionable. There are
Australian films, the effects on the
populist values and conventions?
Aussies who have fled overseas and
or judgment. In fact, a common fear
local industry could be disastrous.
Why can’t Australian moviemakers
occasionally return providing
concerned the potentially negative
Furthermore this misplaced
have the freedom to embrace any
interesting news stories and feature
image that some of our movies would
motivation may be resulting in
genre or budget they wish and
coverage for the media. But if
present overseas. And there was very
inappropriate choices of titles,
therefore seek an audience as large
incorrect release strategies and a
as possible? Why not tell stories and
propensity to blame market forces
draw characters that reflect ordinary
when films fail at the box office.
Australians living in a complex and
Among distributors there appears to
ever-changing society?
be no lack of sincerity. Publicly they
Why don't we have more Australian
claim their decisions are guided by
films sitting comfortably in that
patriotic fervour and good intentions.
fantastic middle-ground somewhere
But the poor performance of local
between Head On (d. Ana Kokkinos]
films at the box office in 1999 causes
which earned just over $1 million and
me to question the depth of
The Castle (d. Rob Sitch) which earned
Why don’t we have more Australian films sitting comfortably in that fantastic middle-ground somewhere between Head On which earned just over $1 million and The Castle which earned $10 million plus?
professional knowledge and market
$10 million plus?
awareness within our industry.
The only recent films to earn over
Distributing Australian films is tough,
$5 million are Two Hands (d. Gregor
members of this group actually make
Jordan], The Craic (d. Ted Emery] and
an Australian film it is perceived
negative aggression so often observed
otherwise?] but the common industry
recently The Wog Boy{d. Aleksi Vellis].
as earnest and out of touch with
today.
responses these days seems to be:
Each of these films benefited from
current values.
To try was encouraged and to fail was
“Exhibitors take films off their screens
mainstream themes, actors and a
The third group comprises newcomers
permitted - that’s why some call them the good old days! •
(and when has it ever been
little vitriolic, partisan, nakedly
too early." "Multiplexes are not good
mainstream marketing focus.
who are supported and praised for
for our industry." "Exhibitors promote
If one was into conspiracy theories
their first film, which is usually low-
their cinemas rather than the films."
they might argue that an Australian
budget, edgy, provocative,
“Overseas films have massive
cultural thought police exists but of
unconventional and produced against
amounts spent on prints and
course that idea is misguided,
the odds. While not succeeding in
advertising." “The market has
inaccurate, paranoid and stupid.
every aspect, these budding auteurs
polarised into blockbusters versus
However a recent AFC Report* on the
display credible talent and promise of
IN T E R N A T IO N A L (A U S T R A L IA ). HE HAS
specialist films which disadvantages
industry states: "Almost without
things to come. Their second film is
W O R K E D IN T H E F IL M A N D T E L E V IS IO N
Australian product." "It's difficult to
exception, distributors expressed the
always a deemed a disaster due to
decide whether to release narrow
view that when Australian critics didn't
suddenly acquired arrogance and
or wide, it's costly and risky to
like a film, they frequently attacked it
over-confidence.
R O A D S H O W ’S A T T E N T IO N . T H IS A C Q U IS IT IO N
release wide.”
in a way which was personally
What is really interesting to me is the
LED TO T H E F O R M A T IO N OF H E XA G O N
Pardon me, but I thought this was how
insulting to the filmmakers and/or
contrast between the context into
it had been for the past 25 years?
vitriolic and extreme in the level of its
which our films now have to play and
D IS T R IB U T IO N E N T IT IE S IN C O N T E M P O R A R Y A U S T R A L IA N H IS T O R Y . AS T H E C O M P A N Y ’S
* A u s tr a lia n F ilm C o m m is s io n R e p o rt: D is trib u tin g A u s tra lia n F ilm s , A u g u s t 31, 1999 A L A N F IN N E Y IS V IC E P R E S ID E N T A N D G E N E R A L M A N A G E R OF B U E N A V IS T A
IN D U S T R Y S IN C E T H E 1 9 6 0 S . IN 1 9 7 1 , HE J O IN E D R O A D S H O W F IL M D IS T R IB U T O R S A N D B R O U G H T T IM B U R S T A L L ’S M O V IE S T O R K TO
P R O D U C TIO N S T H E F IR S T O NG O ING J O IN T V E N T U R E B E T W E E N P R O D U C TIO N A N D
Among distributors and exhibitors
criticism."
that of the early 1970s. At that time
there also appears to be an increasing
The report quoted a distributor
there was no real or substantial image
need to categorise films as either
commenting, “The media can be
of an Australian film. That’s an
A L V IN P U R P L E , P E T E R S E N , E N D P L A Y , A L V IN
mainstream or specialist and divide
incredibly vocal in their criticism,
invention of the 1980s and 90s. There
R ID E S A G A IN , E L IZ A F R A S E R A N D T H E L A S T O F
cinemas into either multiplex or
much more so with a ‘bad’ Australian
was no concept of a film industry in
1 9 9 8 F IN N E Y W A S M A N A G IN G D IR E C TO R OF
arthouse.
movie than with a ‘bad’ American
the sense of the ongoing production of
R O A D S H O W F IL M D IS T R IB U T O R S .
[3 4 ] CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000
E X E C U T IV E D IR E C TO R F IN N E Y A C TE D AS E X E C U T IV E P R O D U C E R ON F IL M S IN C L U D IN G
T H E K N U C K L E M E N . B E FO R E M O V IN G TO BV I IN
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AUSTRALIA !S Y S T E M S
— luiaesCovering ev w ifti it comes To jseeilg th a w o ra jy o j’fe pretty muclfon your cm n.Sar i this look at what’s out therein the nge world of cihema pitheme park. rv
6
i
.are inch of the globe h the eyes of a film buff ison plugs the gap with nd sometimes inspiring
H
H
l r.s m
inspection, it turns out to contain a video image
->The planet is dotted with places set up to attract, inform and distract film enthusiasts. The movie theme park may have been born when Universal decided to
(incidentally, running well under the original frame
recoup some of its investment in Steven Spielberg's mechanical shark from Jaws (1975), but it has now grown
rate).
to the point where it not only offers a major income stream to the studios but often operates as a profitable
The whole operation was thrown together in the
stand-alone venture. The cynical observer might even wonder if many movies these days aren't made simply
period when hands-on was all the go with museums,
to provide forthcoming attractions for the theme parks [and, of course, great merchandising opportunities].
and consequently it suffers from the effects of
But it s not all rides and souvenirs. The serious film buff is catered to overseas by museums with
thousands of customers having had a go. On the day I
complementary screening programs. In Australia, we have had no coherent screening program since 1979,
visited, several of the attractions had broken down,
when the National Film Theatre of Australia was closed. Since then, we've had to make do with the odd
and still others were not functioning at their best.
special-effects demo and collections of old costumes and Astro Boy teapots in glass cases. That will,
There are signs of change amid the chaos, with new
hopefully, change with the opening of Cinemedia's proposed Museum of the Moving Image in Melbourne's
temporary exhibits, like the Hammer event, moving
Federation Square (planned for 2001). But for now, the serious film fan has to look offshore for satisfaction.
away from the risk of mechanical failure. Sadly, they
The best sites of serious film culture integrate vigorous screening programs with the curatorial and exhibition work of museums.
The museum's critics worry about the shift from the
The cinematheque concept has blossomed over the past few years in Munich, and Bavaria Atelier, half an
activities on which enthusiast work depends, and
do so by opting for uninspiring static presentations.
hour from the town centre, offers a unique tour. These studios have a 79-year history of active production, and
observe that many of MOMI's problems stem from the
hosted Hitchcock's first movie, plus the work of Karl Gruñe, Wilhelm Dieterle, Max Ophuls and Hans Albers.
fact that it is a committee-designed attraction that
They have also been home to post-war Pabst, Kautner, Welles' Othello (1952), Kubrick’s Paths of Glory [1957),
tries to house incompatible aims under the one roof.
Cabaret (Bob Fosse, 1972), and various films by Wenders and Fassbinder.
The museum is reportedly now in danger of closure.
Despite this rich history, the tour developed almost accidentally. The submarine interior for Wolfgang
Also, disappointingly, the Bradford Museum of
Petersen's Das Boot (1981) had been built asoné life-size welded unit. The studio was about to have the thing
Photography in West Yorkshire was closed while I
cut up for scrap in 1981 when it found there was huge interest from school groups wanting to see the boat.
was in the UK, undergoing a £13 million renovation.
Quick to sense an opportunity, the studio's management started charging for tours of the hull. Soon the
A horror film event I'd planned on attending was
Berlin street from The Serpent's Egg [Ingmar Bergman, 1978) was added to the tour. In the first three
cancelled.
months, 100,000 visitors passed through.
The great attraction in the Bradford museum is the
Now Bergman's Berlin has been replaced by a much-used plaster-and-timber Munich standing street (with
Pictureville Cinema, a functioning three-strip
real cobblestones), but Wolfgang Petersen is still very much in evidence. The original Rock Biter from The
Cinerama theatre where the Cinerama camera
__________________________________________Never-Ending Story [Die Unendliche Geschichte, 1984) is there, though Fulchur has had to be renovated; so , J**\ ^
popular was he with young visitors that he was almost worn away by the touch of tiny fingers. A passageway
v
from the Enemy Mine (1985) spaceship has become *
both g'popular attraction and a favourite location-for'“■"^"“■“‘HTife for disco parties. There is also an exhibit on the German Marienhof television series, and an effectsminiature display from Smilla's Feeling for Snow (Bille August, 1997). For all the innovation, the submarine hull remains the prime reason to visit Bavaria Atelier. Up close, it seems even more claustrophobic than it did on screen. Moving around inside its impeccably detailed passageway is an unforgettable experience, which staff add to by swinging sailor-style through the hatches on the over-door handles. It's interesting to note that this hull has now lasted considerably longer than most of the genuine U-boats."What makes Bavaria Atelier unique is the fact that the attractions are real. Rather than being cooked-up in some theme-park workshop, these attractions are elements of actual productions, both historic and ongoing. O ld E n g la n d F o r e v e r
Britain has deterrhined to carve out its own slice of the
forms a crucial part of the permanent exhibition.
movfe*tour market over the past decade. The British
Faced with a choice between adopting modern
Film Institute's Museum of the Moving Image, butted
technology or going back to a screen of strips angled
onto its National Film Theatre in London's South Bank
towards the viewer, they chose the original louvred
arts precinct, is the centrepiece of this strategy.
concept, designed to minimise cross-reflection
MOMI is a hybrid of the Round House exhibition the BFI
within a 146° curvature. Directional sound booms
staged in the 1970s, with rooms devoted to different
out of five speakers.
aspects of film, and of Henri Langlois' Paris museum,
The limited choice of films is a handicap, but Big
replicas of whose Metropolis (Fritz Lang, 1926) robot
Screen enthusiasts make a pilgrimage to this
and three-dimensional-motion toy doves appear. The
location, now one of just two public Cinerama |
attendants are dressed in costume and play characters
presentations left on the planet (two more are run-' '
from film history, delivering commentaries aimed
privately, one of them in Australia).
primarily at school groups. I was warned that if nadn't been put togethe^with Big People in mind. «v ¿pm™ X ' The day I was there, the kids seemed to be having a
left. Watching pannels from Jeff Blyth’s From Time to Time, bottom right: Futuroscope’s Cyber Avenue.
|
/ i
C h a n n e l h o p p in g
The heart of the movie-enthusiast culture remains
good time designing their own Zoetrope strips and being .n — I choreographed to Busby Berkeley scores. What they
across the Channel in France, the birthplace of the
thought of the photos of Mabel Poulton and an avant-
argue that all of Paris is a cinematheque. You can
garde chamber one can only guess.-
still attend the Musee Grevin where^Emiie Reynaud
ollowing the Paris model, MOMI has extensive exhibits on the pre-history of cinema. There's an authenticlooking Edison Kinetoscope, though, on closer
first film societies and art cinemas. In fact, one could
presented his 1888 pre-cinema Theatre Optique shows and where Rene Clair set Fantc-me du Moulin Rouge in 1925. CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 7000 137]
At any one time, Paris's 250 cinemas run as many as
from me to run someone chattily through the
pitch, though the super-sharp image is the most
300 films. The museum shows alone get through as
wonders of their system while I was trying to follow
notable feature.
many titles as an entire Australian city in a year.
an untranslated Maurice Tourneur movie. The entire
Futuroscope has the world's only permanent IMAX
There were four 3D movies running, if you count the
place was hit by a breakdown halfway through, and
Magic Carpet installation, which was running
8mm simulator that operates under a McDonald's.
my tape ran out before the end. It turned out the
Flowers in the Sky. This traces the Monarch
The Cinematheque Francaise’s Henri Langlois
movie was held on two cassettes with a 20-minute
butterfly's amazing 3000-kilometre migration from
Museum, in the Trocadero’s Palais de Chaillot, was
overlap, though there was no indication of that in the
Canada to Mexico, complete with a snapping
the best permanent movie culture exhibition in the
system.
alligator scare, striking air-to-air shots of the
world, though, like all its maker's work, it was
The Videotheque's library of 6000 titles would take
Monarch in flight, and a Mexican butterfly festival
flawed, idiosyncratic and Eurocentric.
some getting through, but the collection is all
finale.
The museum has its difficulties, though. Henri
French - and even Paris-oriented, and not cheap at
One of Futuroscope's most impressive attractions is
Langlois used the first 14 rooms for pre-cinema
30 francs ($9) for two hours. The Videotheque also
the Wall of Images. Constructed of 850 video
materials and jammed everything post-1948 into just
has screenings, respecting the format in which the
monitors playing seven laser discs synchronised by
two. After his death almost two decades ago,
material was first produced - tape on monitors, film
five computers, this is the largest installation of its
everything was left pretty much as it was. Then the
projected - but I noticed that several other people
type in the world. La Vienne Dynamique is an
building caught fire about three years ago and the
did as I did and quit to walk up the road and see
industrial promotional presentation, which tries to
entire collection was flooded. Now, the management
films shown at the Cinematheque when the session
attract high-tech employers to the area by
is concentrating on reviving the cinematheque
time came up.
demonstrating just what the local area can do.
program; the larger fate of the museum was
At Euro Disney, the troubled theme park on the
Another attraction of particular interest was Jean-
undecided when last heard.
outskirts of Paris, the Francis Ford Coppola-George
Jacques Annaud's Wings of Courage (1995), the first
That other Gallic movie-culture enterprise, the
Lucas creation Captain Eo (starring Michael
fiction film to be made combining the Polaroid 3D
Videotheque, now has a decade to look back on. I
Jackson) is still in situ, even if the lasers that shoot
and IMAX processes.
may have caught them on a bad day, but it seemed
out from the screen in the Disneyland presentation
The film has not been too well received, but I was
to be an idea whose time had not yet come. The
in Anaheim, US, are not. This two-projector stereo
surprised to find that it impressed both as drama
staff, who had been conspicuously absent when I
film is a staple of the Disney parks, as is Star Tours,
and as an attempt to extend the range of the
needed them to set me up on one of their video
in which C3PO (voiced here, as in the Star Wars
technology. But it is not only the scenic material that
stations, miraculously appeared 18 inches away
movies, by Anthony Daniels) guides you through one
impresses. Much of the action takes place in small
nf the more jolting simulator rides.
decors whose roofs have been made to extend back
;rhaps the most notable attraction at Euro Disney
over the camera position (the same device is used in
From Time to Time (1990), the most ambitious of
Stephen Low's Across the Sea of Time, and creates
e Circle Vision 360 productions, in which nine
the impression that viewers are actually in the room
ovie screens surround a standing audience. This is
with the players).
le of the few screened attractions that still has a
The Lake of Images is a night-time presentation
e-show (cost-cutting has all but wiped them out).
using 35mm film and laser images on water and fog,
?fore viewers are marched into the circular viewing
complete with surround sound. I'd seen similar
iace, robotic models Timekeeper and 9-Eye set up
attractions and was all set to give this one a miss.
journey through time that culminates with the
I'm glad I didn't. Some of the sequences are
ne-lensed droid going out of control,
stunning and without precedent. A digital
iff Blyth has directed previous Circle Vision above: Filming Jean Jacques Annaud’s Wings of Courage
multicolour airship turns in three dimensions, a
productions, including Wonders of China and O
slow-motion dove rises from the water, coloured jets
Canada, and here works with specialist producers
of water pulse in time with the music. Whether this
Antoine Compin, Charis Horton and (something of a
is merely a blind alley of showmanship or an early
surprise) John Badham.
step towards a new form of cinema is hard to say,
t does offer the usual catalogue of tourist
but the effect is dazzling.
estinations, but it is the engulfing, detailed
I was lucky enough to spend some time with
reations of past times, peopled by crowds of
Futuroscope's technical director Thierry Lucet.
med extras, that make From Time to Time so otable.
I liked his description of the standard cinema version of Wings of Courage as being "dans deux Ds" (without two dimensions).
:u tu r o s c o p e
Parc Futuroscope, a little more than an hour out Paris in the town of Poitiers, is the ultimate
maintenance; the screens for the multitude of
Dviegoer destination. Here is just about every
systems are all made of the same material, even
ent movie system that has demonstrated viability: iant screen, circular projections, 3D, simulators,
[3 8 ] CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000
Lucet was forthcoming about the problems with the systems. Rolling loop mechanisms are high-
though it produces a dull image in the light-hungry 3D format. He pointed out that one of The Lake of
nd a video wall, all housed in gleaming, futuristic,
Images items was about to be deleted because it
urpose-built structures. There are special kids'
wasn't sharp enough.
areas, too, which allow the older buffs to indulge
It was clear that Parc Futuroscope has considered
their own interests in relative peace.
the philosophy of what it was doing as much as the
Shown in Circlevision is the 1997 Europe by
mechanics.
Trimaran, an in-house production that follows the
Futuroscope can afford to be confident. Overall, out
multi-hull yacht race from Venice to Marseille and
of its 20-odd hi-tech exhibits, each running a
London. This is a major undertaking, projected to a
screening every half-hour or so, fewer than one
standing audience of 450 people from nine 35mm
show a week is lost due to technical problems, a
projectors.
stunningly small number. What's more, having such
Another of the specially produced attractions is
a concentration of technologies and technicians in
shown in 70mm at 48 frames a second, with the
the one place now means that when something
audience in a hydraulic seat simulator system. Anita
breaks down it's fixed quickly.
Asal's 1996 Poitou-Charentes Emotions is a travel
The statement here is clear. This is a place where
piece in which comedian Michel Lepp is shown the
people daily work at redefining the moviegoing
attractions - markets, oyster farms, barrel making,
experience. The science park in which they are
fishing, cathedrals - by a girl narrator. The jokey
located has had less impact on its activities than
style offers a welcome counterpoint to the tourist
many pundits had predicted. •
Restoration
1999.35mm colour. 12 min. DIRECTOR CORDELIA BERESFORD
W RITER CHRISTINE HANSON (BASED ON A STORY BY CORDELIA BERESFORD) PRODUCER KATE RIEDL DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY CORDELIA BERESFORD MUSIC SCORE ANTONY PARTOS DISTRIBUTOR AFTRS
not intend her directing and writing debut to be one of those quirky, urban shorts with the really clever twists at
snapshot.leigh whannell
the end so favoured by film students -who’ve already written their Best
->The year was 1995 and it was
Picture acceptance speeches. What
January 30. This first day was to be my
she did intend was for the film to
introductory step into the big bad
showcase her skill at constructing an
world - a three year course in Media
image, and if this were the film's sole
arts at RMIT University in Melbourne,
purpose then she has succeeded
specialising in film. My three-year
admirably. In particular, her deft use
transformation from eastern-suburbs
of shadows to add a subtle menace to
Milo-boy into Fitzroy latte-boy at
the scene where the maid dreams the
university didn't much resemble the
photographer has come to seduce her,
big bad world either. I'm sure I did
shows off her very choreographed and
learn something in those 'uni' years
'placed' shooting style.
though, and it might well have been all
This said, however, the film
on that first day. You see, our head lecturer was going to show us a selection of short films from around the country. We sat through many short films, but one little batch stands out in my mind-the batch from this countries ‘finest film school', AFTRS. All their films looked great. Shot on 35mm, beautifully lit.
Cordelia is Bruce Beresford’s daughter... and even though I’m sure she doesn’t go around advertising it and she wants to be known as an artist in her own right and all that, let’s face it, everyone wants to know if Greg Norman’s son can play golf.
Very professional. That's the school I
is left for anything else. The relationship between the maid and the photographer is explored in such a rudimentary way, and the final outcome is so rote, that, condensed down to 30 seconds with only brief flashes of the film's best shots, this could well be a commercial for an
should be going to, I thought. I could make one great looking film.
concentrates so much on its atmo sphere and look that not much room
expensive European perfume. young photographer strolls over for
for whiffs of genius. Teeing off at the
Short films are always dangerous
In retrospect, I still think they were
the day to take some portrait shots of
first hole of a golf course is always
territory, like being asked to
great looking films - it's just that most
the family, but he ends up focusing on
nerve-racking - imagine a gaggle of
summarise yourself in three words.
of them didn’t have much content.
Regardless, they give filmmakers a
the sexually repressed maid, eventually
on lookers whispering "let's see how
They were mostly vapid exercises in
unleashing her passion and sealing
this Norman boy does." So try and
chance to display their skills in one
technical mastery - proof positive that
her fate with the family. The film
forget that fact for the rest of this
area without excelling in all others (the
just because you can afford to hire a
contains no dialogue, and the story is
piece. Got it? Nice.
short films with witty little story lines
zebra and it’s trainer, block off a city
rendered mostly through dance and
Whether through, ahem, said
that were crappily shot, for instance). Cordelia has abundant talent.
street to shoot it on, light it terrifically
movement, set to a fervent violin score.
connections or not, Cordelia has found
and then get an orchestra to write
Cordelia is Bruce (Picnic at Hanging
two top class dancers in Narelle
Restoration incorporates a wide range
your very own 'zebra' music for you
Rock) Beresford's daughter. I just
Benjamin and Solon Ulbrich to play
of styles. She has picked a subject
doesn't mean you shouldn't find some
thought I'd mention it, because even
the leads of the maid and the photo
matter (lust) and a medium (dance)
thing interesting for the zebra to do.
though I'm sure she doesn't go around
grapher. Their writhing, desperate
which will best allow her to give the
And in 1999, Cordelia Beresford, a
advertising it and she wants to be
movements on screen infuse the film
film the sharp, theatrical look she has
student at AFTRS, made a short film
known as an artist in her own right
with just the right amount of pent-up
ably given light to. Having deservedly
titled Restoration.
and all that, let's face it - everyone
lust, turning what could have looked
received last year's AFTRS award for
Of course it looks fantastic. It's from
wants to know if Greg Norman's son
very naff (dancing as a metaphor for
Cinematographer Of The Year - high
AFTRS. Does it have something to say?
can play golf. While some people may
sex, anyone?) into something vaguely
praise indeed since good looking films
...it says 'big future in
mutter that being the daughter of a
charged. However, their time on
are what they specialise in. Here's
cinematography’.
well-known filmmaker - read 'wields
screen cannot save the film from
hoping it isn’t too long before she is
Restoration is Cordelia's graduating
a lot of power in the industry' - means
adding up to not much at all.
behind the lens on a feature film. Who
film, and to call it simple story would
that everything right up to your first
What the film does display, however,
knows, it could even be one of dad's -
be like calling Gandhi bald. Set in
picture deal would be a proverbial
is Cordelia's real talent
and he'd be lucky to have her
1912, it revolves around a young
breeze. I believe in some ways it would
-cinematography. Having already
if it was. •
woman who works as a maid for an
actually make things harder. Oh, it’s
worked as director of photography on
RESTORATION W ILL SCREEN AS PART OF THE
old, wealthy family in country New
that Beresford girl's film. I’ll be
several other projects before
ST KILDA SHORT FILM FESTIVAL AT THE
South Wales. One day a handsome
watching this one extra close, looking
Restoration, it is obvious Cordelia did
PALAIS THEATRE AND GEORGE CINEMA IN MELBOURNE FROM MAY 30 TO JU NE 4.
CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000 [39]
(although he could have done without his character specifically verbalising the fact that he's simply a pastiche of every Robert De Niro and Al Pacino gangster that's beaten him to the big DIRECTOR
screen). While youngsters Joel
CLINTON SMITH
Edgerton (Sem) and Paula Arundell
CAST
(Cleo) are the most natural and
KYLIE MINOGUE, BEN M ENDELSOHN, SIMON LYNDON, DAVID FIELD, JOEL EDGERTON,
believable things in the mash.
PAULA AR UN DELL, NATHAN PAGE, NATHALIE
In the end, it all comes out feeling a
ROY, JUSTIN ROSNIAK, MATTHEW W ILKINSON,
lot like Starstruck (d. Armstrong 1982]
GHANDI MACINTYRE, DORIAN N'KONO
PRODUCERS
despite the producers obviously
EMILE SHERMAN AND BARTON SMITH
aiming at Pulp Fiction (d. Tarantino
DISTRIBUTOR
1994). If there's a "Drugs are bad"
REP
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
message in there - if that’s what
AUSTRALIA
Sample People is saying - then it sort
DURATION
of gets lost in the "Drugs are cool"
98 MINUTES
images which make up much of the -> What Sample People is trying to
film. Now, discussions about explicit
say to the world is ultimately as
drug-use in cinema are about as
confused as its cardboard characters.
boring as a psychedelic-scene-
It wants to be cutting edge, the
through-the-eyes-of-a-tripper (we get
modern face of Australian cinema, it
one of those here too], but surely no
wants to be beautiful, ugly, a comedy,
pusher in the world is going to be sad
a gritty drama, everything. But it ends
to see Kylie Minogue with a note
up not being much of anything at all.
jammed (literally) up her nose. Your
The elements which are supposed to shock or impress don't quite do the
business doesn’t get that sort of freeinteresting individual recordings (Kiley
Lush (Nathalie Roy) in spacesuit floats with decks
advertising every day.
job. It’s all too overwrought. "It's a
Gaffney doing Split Enz’s One Step
violent city," characters keep saying,
Ahead and The Mavis’s reviving Jim
urging us to believe this tale takes
Keays' bizarre Boy From The Stars).
place on "a magic day”. In the meanwhile, here, look at some more
The soundtrack sounds more suited to ; The rest of the ensemble of Sample People is a mismatch of stereotypes. a blue-light disco than a hardcore
shades of ultra-violet and infra-red.
modern nightclub.
And watch out for the slapstick:
So thank God for Ben Mendelsohn -
Whack! Bang! As funny as an iron bar
his camped-up, mischievous John
over the head.
easily steals the show. Not that the
(played by Ghandi Macintyre), the
laugh nervously, sweat as much as the
Even Sample People’s setting is
heavily-tattooed Kylie Minogue (Jess,
Indian proprietor of the kebab shop.
actors (all except a couple of the
confused. The background is Sydney's
the local gangster's in-house vixen]
He throws around proverbs such as:
characters are constantly covered in a
inner-city drug-infested underground
doesn't try her darnedest. But Kylie
“Decide what to serve and serve it
slight sheen of sweat for one reason
dance scene. But projected on to it are
was probably too busy trying to look
well." And: "You know, Len, milk is a
or another), well then, where was the
mostly two-dimensional near-cartoon
sultry in a drug-fucked way to notice
real mover. The customer will come
tension? It's just so bloody obvious so
figures that behave like they've just
she doesn't get many lines for a credits
for the milk but, seeing other
far out how all the story’s subplots
walked in off the history pages of
-topper (lines of dialogue, that is).
products, will also leave with the fizzy
would eventually meet up.
Australian TV soap, no matter how
Incidentally, even though they don't
pop.” Much like Apu from the Kwik-E-
So you sit there waiting for Sample
many drugs they're taking.
appear on screen together at any
Mart in The Simpsons, no?
The music doesn't fit either. The
point, this is the first time
Still, some of the actors manage to
People to surprise you. And it never does. •
People obviously had too many Misfortune (ABC) mini-series in 1985.
influences pushing and pulling at their thoughts while conceptualising this project. Maybe they should have
There's speeders, trippers, wankers,
listened to the character that shouts
Westies, roughs, dream boys, dream
out: "You're not in LA, bro."
I girls. There's even a local mystic: Phil
decision to record and remix classic
Mendelsohn and Minogue have
make something out of not-a-lot.
Australian songs in a pseudo club
worked together since The Henderson
Journeyman actor David Field plays it
style doesn't come off, despite some
Kids (Channel 10] and Fame And
straight and tough as the baddie TT
[40] CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000
The writers and producers of Sample
If their idea was to make the audience
D IN O S C A T E N A IS M U S IC E D IT O R O F T H E D A IL Y T E L E G R A P H A N D W R IT E S FO R U S R O L L IN G S T O N E A N D N E W M U S IC E X P R E S S .
top left to right: A hazy Ben Mendelsohn as John. Len (Nathan Page) and Lush (Nathalie Roy). TT (David Field) and (Kylie Minogue) starring as Jess. Simon Lyndon stars as Andy. below: Len (Nathan Page) and Lush (Nathalie Roy).
“Sample People is a mismatch of stereotypes. There’s speeders, trippers, wankers, Westies, roughs, dream boys and dream girls.”
iw ■asmm m i .i m-mmm
Me M yself I
Looking fo r Alibrandi DIRECTOR
DIRECTOR
KATE WOODS
PIP KARMEL
CAST
CAST
PIA MIRANDA, GRETA SCACCHI,
RACHEL GRIFFITHS, DAVID ROBERTS,
ANTHONY LAPAGLIA. KERRY WALKER,
SANDY W INTON, YAEL STONE, SHAUN LOSEBY,
ELENA COTTA, MATTHEW NEWTON,
TRENT SULLIVAN
KICK GURRY
PRODUCER
PRODUCER
FABIEN LIRON,
ROBYN KERSHAW
CO-PRODUCED BY AN DR ENA FINLAY
DISTRIBUTOR
DISTRIBUTOR
ROADSHOW
BUENA VISTA INTERNATIONAL
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
COMPOSER
AUSTRALIA
CHARLIE CHAN
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN AUSTRALIA
-> Early in Looking for Alibrandi a
RATING
character remarks that things are not
M
all quirky and cute. Fortunately this -> “0 God! That one might read the
observation could also be applied to the movie itself. So, after a long line of
book of fate, and see the revolutions of
Australian films falling into just that
the times" (Henry IV)... or more
category, the cinema-going public can
importantly the outcome of marrying
breathe a sigh of relief...
one’s childhood sweetheart.
Alibrandi is the first film from director
Put simply, Me Myself /is the colonial
Kate Woods after a long and
Peggy-Sue that never got married.
distinguished career in television
Rather, rejecting a premature
[Simone de Beauvoir's Babies,
proposal from a young love, this
Wildside, Janus). Adapted by Melina
destiny disrupting protagonist
Marchetta from her own novel, the
becomes a successful journalist called
film tells the story of Josie (Pia
Pamela who finds herself waking to a
Miranda) a young Italian girl growing
very freaky Friday. Adding another twist to the recent spate of fate-films,
up in Sydney and dealing with a host of various teen pressures including
Pia Miranda delivers a polished performance as Josie in Looking For Alibrandi.
exams, first love and parental
And it does so with a refreshing
Once one gets over the shock of
problems - the usual things.
amount of compassion and gentle
seeing Greta Scacchi playing the
Gaumont's Fabien Liron to create an
Despite an unpromising, rites-of-
humour. It also refrains from offering
mother of a teenager, it's possible to
existential homage to the 'what if phenomenon.
writer director Pip Karmel teamed up with producers Andrena Finlay and
passage-by-the-numbers beginning,
any easy answers, managing to
enjoy her wonderfully restrained
this is not another Anywhere But Here
advocate tolerance and compassion
performance. Anthony LaPaglia too
Me Myself I is the portrait of a single
(d. Wang, 1999). Things really get
without reverting to sickly
has a limited amount of dialogue but
30-year-old Cartesian Cogito, but this
interesting with the introduction of
sentimentality. It will come as no
manages to communicate a whole
time split three ways. “I think
Josie's teen crush, golden boy, John
surprise to anyone to learn that this is
wealth of information with just a look.
therefore I am”: Pamela Drury, an
Barton (Bert's little boy, Matthew
a school text - as we tread delicately
But maybe the older players had to
unhappy journalist who at the age of
Newton, looking for all the world like
across such minefields as cultural
raise their game. With such polished
30 wishes to die because she is unable
an Australian Leonardo DiCaprio -
clashes (Italians and Anglos), age
performances from the junior
to get a man; Pamela Dickson, the
must be the hair). Suddenly the film
clashes (Josie and her grandmother),
members of the cast (especially
multi-skilled mother of three who has
takes us into a very different but
teen suicide and the trials and
Miranda, Newton and the delightfully
a man, a dog and a Jeep Cherokee;
welcome terrain and keeps us there
tribulations of single motherhood.
named Kick Curry), perhaps they were
and lastly Pamela Drury, the now well
What prevents the whole thing from
feeling the next generation nibbling at
adjusted and happy journalist... I think? The identity crisis really starts
throughout. In around 90 economic minutes,
sinking into a worthy morass is the
their heels...
Alibrandi manages to explore a whole
quality of the writing and the above
• MADELEINE SWAIN
to gather momentum when Pamela
range of issues in surprising depth.
average performances.
See feature on page 22
Drury (unhappy journalist) is thrust
[4 2 ] CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000
A sturdy imagination with which to suspend disbelief is strongly advised when watching Me Myself I.
Pitch Black
audiences and succeeds in the most surprising way. After opening with a
DIRECTOR d a v id t w o h y
CAST VIN D E iS E ., RADHA M ITCHELL, COLE HAUSER. KEITH DAVID. LEWIS FITZ-GERALD. CLAUDIA BLACK.
PRODUCER ~0M FUGLEMAN
DISTRIBUTOR UIP
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN USA/AUSTRÄL1A
RATING M
DURATION 103 MINUTES
skull fuck joke, (the films’ only concession to humour), the story becomes increasingly grim. From placing a bunch of stranded space travellers on a planet bathed in total darkness to having male lead Vin Deisel’s eyes surgically enhanced for night vision, brilliant ideas flash through Pitch Black like lasers. One of Twohy’s main achievements is a credible humanist streak. Pitch Black is populated with heroes that fuck-up and fuck-ups that can’t hero.
^||f
Radha Mitchell [Love and Other Pitch Black comes crashing onto
into an unexplained parallel universe
Me Myself I is well made, with Graeme
inhabited by Pamela Dickson (multi-
Lind’s cinematography subtly
the big screen at a time when serious
latter. Rather than being unlikeable (and she may have well been if she'd
Catastrophes, High Art) is one of the
skilled mother) after marrying her
accommodating the trifecta of
sci-fi horror is all but dead. While it is
childhood sweetheart Robert Dickson
characters and moods that move
easy to stand-out with a semi-decent
kept an Aussie accent) Mitchell is
(David Roberts).
through the story. Perhaps more
product [as its nearest current rival
enigmatic, full of self-doubt and
A sturdy imagination with which to
importantly however, Me Myself I is
Supernova apparently is) we’re
consistently highly believable.
suspend disbelief is strongly advised
very funny.
talking major personal and long-term
Forget about any other strange
when watching Me Myself I. In addition
Thanks to Griffiths, and Karmel's
impact here.
planets Pitch Black's unnamed
to why an intelligent and successful
direction the humour is executed
Shot in Coober Pedy and Queensland,
asteroid is the one to visit.
young woman would wish to top
without the caricature or self-
director David Twohy sets out to scare
• MICHAEL HELMS
herself over her marital status, one
conscious delivery that is sometimes
question that continued to nag
evident in Australian comedy.
throughout this film was, what if
• EMMA CRIMMINGS
below: David
Twohy’s film Pitch Black
Muggers
Rachel Griffiths had declined the opportunity to play the plural Pamela. The answer is simple - the film may never have worked. Griffiths’ ordinariness is spectacular; one
DIRECTOR DEAN MURPHY
CAST MATT DAY, JASON BARRY, SIMON BOSSELL, NICOLA CHARLES. CAROLINE GILLMER, CHRIS HAYWOOD, N ATAU E JACKSON MENDOZA,
moment she reminds you of a painful
PETRA JARED, M ARSHALL NAPIER, ANTHONY
school friend and the next moment,
MORGAN, ROD M U LLIN A R , ROBERT MORGAN
she is long, elegant and sexy. Best known for her editing credits on Shine (AFI award Best Editor), Karmel's direction of Griffiths’ comic agility is well managed, permitting at once a playful and yet controlled style.
PRODUCER NIGEL ODELL AN D DAVID REDMAN
DISTRIBUTOR REP
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN AUSTRALIA
DURATION 93 MINS
There is one scene involving a diaphragm that should not be missed. Overall, the performances are strong
-> Muggers is one of those films that
with the supporting cast gallantly
starts off reminding you of one film,
attempting to abate the momentary
then swiftly switches to another, and
hemorrhages of absurdity erupting
another. Until eventually you find
from the script.
yourself thinking more of the films of
CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000 [4 3 ]
which it reminds you, than of the film
as appealing as ever, laying on his
in hand. And that's its chief problem:
usual crooked charm, and Barry
an unwillingness to choose a style and
matches him blow for blow. There is
stick with it. There's nothing wrong
also a lovely sequence where the boys
with being eclectic, but when it's done
go to town cleaning up their derelict
in a half-hearted fashion, the results
lodgings with no discernible effect. If
are naturally unconvincing. Which is a
only the rest of the writing had been
shame because the film opens with
this sly.
such panache. The bold title
•
MADELEINE SWAIN
sequence, featuring a wild ride through the night streets of
The Cup
Melbourne, is certainly stylish (even if it does smack of The Naked Gun (d. Zucker 1988)] but what follows doesn't
DIRECTOR KHYENTSE NORBU
KEY CAST
live up to this promise.
JAMYANG LODRO, ORGYEN TOBGYAL,
Brad and Gregor (Matt Day and Jason
NETEN CHOKLING, LAMA CHONJOR.
Barry) are a couple of med students,
PRODUCER MALCOLM WATSON AND RAYMOND STEINER.
nearing their final exams but finding
DISTRIBUTOR
themselves in all sorts of hot water financially. Their future careers as
DENDY FILMS
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN BHUTAN/AUSTRALIA
cigar-smoking, golf-playing,
DURATION 93 MINS
secretary-fondling medical men are under serious threat if they can’t come up with cold hard cash to pay their
There’s no doubt about it - soccer
true story. Fleeing the oppression of
top: The young monks are punished for sneaking out at night to watch football, above: Orgyen (Jamyang Lodo) gets up to mischief during a puja (ceremony).
debts, buy text books and get the local
fans are among the most diehard
the Chinese government in Tibet, two
gangster off their backs.
sport fans in the world - they cram the
young Tibetan lads make the
So there's computer hacking to be
stadiums, paint their faces and even
hazardous journey across country to a
done. But before we find ourselves
riot upon occasion. Fanaticism
small Tibetan monastery nestled in
dish, or for that matter, even a TV?
marooned in Love and Other
reaches a fever pitch at World Cup
exile at the foot of the Himalayas.
Will Buddha smile upon them?
Catastrophes (d. Crogan 1996)
time. So it's no surprise to find that
Expecting hallowed halls and dignified
First time filmmaker, Khyentse has
territory, the film whips out its funny
someone has had the nous to make a
chanting the duo are instead thrown
woven a story that reveals as much
bone (sorry) and delves into the
film about it.
into an unexpectedly haphazard
about the touchstones of Tibetan
charming world of the illegal organ
What is surprising, however, is that
environment where soccer slogans
culture as he does about humanity's
trade. Despite the pleasantly amoral
The Cup was made in Bhutan by the
adorn the walls and World Cup fever is
passion for sport.
slant employed by Murphy, it’s here
country’s first feature filmmaker,
running high.
The film was shot entirely on location
the film falls down. This is the thing
Tibetan lama Khyentse Norbu.
The antics stem in most part from one
in a fully functional monastery and
about black comedy: it has to be black
Khyentse is the incarnation of
truly obsessed fan, novitiate Orygen
cast with monks who had no acting
(naturally), but more importantly it has
Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo; a great
[cheeky performance by Jamyang
experience, speaking dialogue in
to be funny. Look at Eating Raout (d.
religious reformer. A man you'd
Lodro], whose brazen behaviour and
English, for scenes which they learned
Bartel 1982] where the outrageous
expect more at home studying with
passion for the game soon has
on a day-to-day basis.
plot saw victims lured to their deaths,
the Dalai Lama [which he has) than
everyone in the monastry caught up in
The Australian contingent, led by
robbed blind and their carcasses sold
fronting a film. We all know what a
the fervour. Everyone except Geko
director of photography Paul Warren,
for dog food. All the while audiences
hotbed of vice Hollywood can be. Yet,
[Orgyen Tobgyl] who wants the boys
and editor John Scott ensure the film
cheered for the murdering Paul and
The Cup is one of the most delightful
expelled for their antics.
looks crisp and the Himalayan
Mary Bland. Muggers seems to be
and even cheeky flicks you’ll see,
Orygen's soccer madness peaks when
countryside makes for a beautiful backdrop.
aiming for a similar effect, but it lacks
largely in part to Khyentse's intelligent
he suggests that the final match be
the crazy wit and imaginative
story-telling and eye for drama.
shown in the monastry itself. This time
The Cup should warm the cockles of
excesses. It's not all bad news, however. Day is
The premise is fairly simple and,
has he gone too far? Will he see the
even the most jaded filmgoer.
believe it or not, apparently based on a
final, where will they find a satellite
• CEC BUSBY
[44] CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000
Rozema really takes Austen to the dark side with the inclusion of a sex scene (at last a Jane Austen film loses its virginity) and strong hints at lesbianism and incest!
M ansfield P ark DIRECTOR PATRICIA ROZEMA
CAST FRANCES O'CONNOR, EMBETH DAVIDTZ, JOHN LEE M ILLER, ALESSANDRO NIVOLA, HAROLD PINTER, LINDSAY DUNCAN, SH EILA GISH, VICTORIA HAMILTON, JU STIN E W ADDELL, JAM ES PUREFOY, HUGH BONNEVILLE
PRODUCER SARAH CURTIS
DISTRIBUTOR ROADSHOW
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN ENGLAND
COMPOSER LESLEY BARBER
RATING PG
DURATION 150MINS
-> Canadian-born Patricia Rozema's
character or on the book as a whole?"
existed more as textual watermarks in
Just as the book’s literary merit has
the original source material. The
corseted themes in Jane Austen's
divided scholars and enthusiasts, so
corrosive realities of the slave trade
period England. With a quiet and
too will its screen adaptation.
remains a strong motive throughout,
contemporary radicalism woven into
A general warning should be extended
casting a weighty shadow over the
her films, which include When Night is
to dyed-in-the-wool Austen fans as
indolent folly at Mansfield Park.
Falling (1995) and I've Heard the
they may find themselves offended by
However Rozema really takes Austen
Mermaids Singing (1987), Rozema's
some radical changes to the original
to the dark side with the inclusion of a
style is renowned for its seductive and
story. In streamlining the screenplay,
sex scene (at last a Jane Austen film
challenging terrain; a reputation
scenes and characters from the
loses its virginity) and strong hints at
which makes her recent Austenisation
original text have been eliminated and
lesbianism and incest!
as writer/director of Mansfield Park
existing characters given more range.
Shot over a period of eight weeks in a
Miller [better known for portraying
all the more confounding.
Arguably Austen's most
variety of spectacularly English
Sickboy in Trainspotting and probably
Considered Austen's most difficult and
autobiographical work, Rozema takes
locations, Mansfield Park is the story
better forgotten for his role in
controversial work, Mansfield Park
this insight to its most logical
of the underprivileged and socially
Plunkett & Macleane). Also worth a
has not enjoyed the level of screen
narrative conclusion, which is to make
inferior Fanny Price and her
mention is world renowned playwright
adaptations imposed on her other
the main character Fanny Price
experiences with the decadent and
Harold Pinter, who manages to inject
more popular works. Rather, apart
(Frances O'Connor) a writer not unlike
overprivileged Bertram Family of
a satisfactory level of lechery into his
from a BBC production, the book has
Austen herself. As indicated in the
Mansfield Park. Christopher Hobbs'
character of Lord Bertram.
hitherto received little visual attention.
opening credits, the film uses excerpts
production design is brilliant in its
For the record, Rozema's collision
In addition to being considered one of
from Austen’s journals and early
refusal of clutter so often displayed in
with Jane Austen was at the
directing pedigree is at odds with the
Frances O’Connor stars in Mansfield Park.
convincing earnestness by Jonny Lee
her more wordy books, Austen's
writings in the script (they are the
the surfeit of Austen pics. For the
suggestion of Miramax’s Harvey
Mansfield Park boasts a main
material for Fanny's letters, stories
most part, performances in Mansfield
Weinstein. The result of the
character that is at once self
and direct monologues to the
Park are well directed and true to the
‘colloboration’ is a film that loosens
excruciating restraint that we have
the strings on the corseted interpretations of Austen’s texts, while
righteous, introspective and difficult
audience). Rozema’s direction results
to like.
in a strong and erudite lead cleverly
come to expect from Austen plots. Of
Rozema comments: “Why would
imbued with a feminist sensibility.
the two stand outs are Love and Other
at the same time still providing for
somebody like Austen, with her
With Rozema’s selective elisions
Catastrophies O’Connor, and her
those who love a good walk in the park
famous capacity for charm choose not
comes a collection of thematic
mutually unrequited love (and cousin)
of English manners.
to expend much of it on her main
additions and enhancements that
Edmund Bertram who is played with
• EMMACRIMMINGS
CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000 [4 5 ]
->The market for film writing is
Brian McFarlane's introduction
lags way behind.
their own films but this collection of
voracious. You've barely broken the
hopes for a "lively, readable and
This one wallows in that sludge
essays is wishy-washy. It doesn't quite
scholarly record". One out of three
between easy academia and try-hard
know what to say other than 'anything
With..., compendium or a now trendily
is not good enough.
populism with an alphabetically
can happen'. It is introspective and
ubiquitous anecdotal history before
The British Film Institute has an
arranged list of entries concerning the
useful only if you see parallels
the next one craves your attention.
enviable approach to its industry -
film. There is no narrative or flow,
between the Australian and British
This unforgiving environment will treat
more, broader and livelier. Its Modern
just paragraphs or essays on
film industries. Britain's enormous
The Oxford Companion to Australian
Classics series is a lively addition to
pertinent entries.
National Lottery Fund distribution to
Film harshly. In another era, it might
film reading, albeit a pricey one, at
Some entries, such as one dedicated
film funding suggests you shouldn't
have been welcomed.
$25, for Australian readers.
to The Black Swan, the pub in the
see any parallels.
film's opening sequence, are not so
-> Stanley Kubrick, Director - A
spine on the latest Conversation
The factual errors in this extensive
David M. Lubin’s Titanic is typical.
volume have been well documented by
It is a smart dissection of the film,
pertinent. An analysis of co-directors
Visual Analysis could be useful for a
the daily newspapers. They can be
sometimes drolly academic and at
Nic Roeg and Donald Cammell or its
budding director but for other readers
fixed but its tone can't be.
other times stridently contentious.
star Mick Jagger would have been
it is no more than a listless
The Companion perpetuates the
Lubin is sharp enough to acknowledge
less trivial.
hagiography. It falls for a common
plodding, workmanlike ambition that
the hype surrounding the film yet he
-> At first glance, Identifying
film writing trap by not exercising the
damns much of this country's film
writes accessibly of the pop hit's
Hollywood's Audiences also struggles
clarity or dignity of its subject. Worse,
scholarship and writing. It's too timid
visual aesthetics and psychology.
with format, looking like footnotes in
its author Alexander Walker was
to be great. Pedestrian writing,
He even points, convincingly, to
search of a thesis. But it is an
Kubrick's friend. This is fandom
gutless qualifications and colourless
Titanic's screwball comedy origins. It's
intriguing sideways move by the BFI's
dressed up as scholarship - as it
comment litter the text.
almost enough to excuse James
publishing arm, from analysis of films
would need to be to gain full
Nor does it provide context beyond
Cameron for his un-ironic 'king of the
as text to analysis of what the
authorisation from Kubrick and stills
facts, the only reason a book like this
world' exclamation. A sprightly read
audience wants. This collection of
direct from prints.
should be a valuable in our
and I look forward to the BFI's
essays on film research, particularly
And if you wade through the
information age.
upcoming series profiling directors.
its 1930s genesis, is an eye-opener
sycophantic analysis, all you're left
The volume is also damned by the
The BFI shouldn't be concerned about
and a marvellous addition to film
with are some foggy reproductions and
absence of crowd-pulling, exciting
its new, upstart competitor, the British
knowledge.
only eight pages of colour. And the
writers, by an absence of vitality, and
Bloomsbury Movie Guide series.
-> The BFI’s British Cinema of the
epilogue is little more than a 'My Part
the inexcusable absence of facts (for
On the strength of author Mick
1990s is less successful than
in Stanley's Career'. It defiles what
instance, no mention of Tropfest
Brown's analysis of Performance (d.
Identifying Hollywood's Audiences. The
could have been a marvellous book.
under the entry for John Poison).
Roeg/ Cammell 1970], Bloomsbury
Brits really know how to celebrate
•
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S T U D I OS. L O C A T I O N S . T R A V E L .
Studios.Locations.Travel. Australia is increasingly becoming a popular destination for international productions. Fuelled in part by the o p e n in g
of Fox Studios, this attention has also been generated through a c o m b in a tio n of the c o u n try 's re p u ta tio n for a high level of exp e rtise and its s p e c ta c u la rly diverse range of lo ca tio n s. In order to provide an overview of the country's studios, locations and travel services available Emma Crimmings spoke to just a b o u t everyone involved in m oving, housing, a c co m m o d a tin g , p ro m o tin g and locating just a b o u t anything. CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000 [4 9 ]
S T U DI OS. L O C A T I 0 N S . T R A V E L .
S tu d io s . With the attractive bait of Sydney’s Fox Studios Australia (“ Fox”) and the Gold Coast’s Warner Roadshow Movie World Studios bringing major productions onto our shores and alerting others in the process, the demand for studio space continues to increase. -^According to Fox’s communication manager, Victoria Buchan t,he facility has
facilities that are currently enjoying the flow-on effect generated by the boost in
constant bookings up until later in the year. With Bazmark's Moulin Rouge booked
international productions. Max Studios, located in Alexandria (near Fox Studios)
in until April and the first of Lucasfilm’s Star Wars pictures pushing into hyper-
has been enjoying the spill-over from its attractive neighbour with productions
space’ until the Olympics, Fox's schedule is looking tight. However, according to
such as the ICON Television/Story Entertainment/Columbia TriStar TV production
Buchan there are often gaps in the slated production that can prove particularly
of The Three Stooges using much needed studio space.
advantageous for productions such as the SBS Independent/Australian Film Com
Mentmore Studios in Roseberry enjoyed a constant stream of bookings, including
mission million dollar movie, La Spagnola. With Fuhrman's Moulin Rouge
feature films such as Red Planet, Birthday Girl and Holy Smoke, despite being
occupying five of the six sound stages La Spagnola managed to negotiate a deal
damaged by last year's hailstorm. (However, the damage provided the studio with
with Fox to shoot in the remaining spare stage.
the opportunity to upgrade and refurbish.) Barcoo Studios, located in Sydney's
In terms of new developments, Fox has recently opened its construction work
northern suburb of Roseville, has two studios. South Australia’s Hendon Studios recently enjoyed a busy 12 months with Barron
shop which, according to Buchan, will free up the sound stages where previously construction had taken place. Other recent features include a 747 plane set.
Entertainment’s children series Chuck Finn using the space for most of last year.
Production Liaison for Fox Studios, James Bramley, enthusiastically details how
Also left with very little breathing space is Victoria’s Melbourne Film Studios
the aircraft was originally built for Paramount Picture's Mission Impossible 2,
('MFS ). Owned by filmmaking team Nadia Tass and David Parker, the MFS has
however, since its arrival the plane has already attracted a number of productions
recently undergone extensive renovations following a fire that damaged the site
including a US movie of the week, Nowhere to Land. Costing $10,000 a day or
last April. Studio Manager Rasa Zdanius explained once the studio re-opened it
$30,000 a week productions can access the low flying feature at Homebush Bay
was booked until November.
Waterfront Estate where it is housed.
Funding problems has resulted in Studio City, the production complex which was
Beyond the tinsel on offer at Fox, Sydney also boasts a diverse range of smaller
to begin construction in March at Melbourne Docklands, being put on hold. Mark
[50] CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000
S T U D I OS. LO C A T I O N S . T R A V E L .
Triffit, spokesman for the consortium says discussions are underway to finance
Planet Weird (Television) and Rip Girls (Pictures).
the project through private equity. The Docklands Studios has been a much debat
In addition to a wet set feature in studio 5, Warner Roadshow has also construct
ed and anticipated project which, if and when realised, would become a major
ed an exterior tank on the lot (outside Stage 5), which has been successfully used
force in feature film and television production - consequently increasing Victori
for Flipper and Village Roadshow's television mini series 20,000 Leagues Under
a's market share of total Australian production.
the Sea.
Located within a 45 minute drive south of Brisbane or 15 minute drive from the
Apart from the onsite facilities provided at Sydney's Fox Studios and Warner
Gold Coast, the Warner Roadshow Studios continues to enjoy a constant stream
Roadshow, both sites house tenants who independently lure work from all over
of international business. With companies such as Coote/Hayes/UNP Pictures
the world. Fox Studios boasts industry specialists such as the digital post produc
currently shooting the second telemovie in a series of four, space is at a premi
tion house Animal Logic, Spectrum Films editing facility, sound post producers
um. The first telemovie Max Knight: Ultra Spy, finished shooting late last year The
Soundfirm and stunts and pyrotechnics specialists AET.
Product is currently shooting while the third, Rubicon is in preproduction, says
Warner Roadshow has companies such as special effects and armoury Film FX,
Lynn Benzie the studio manager. Other productions in the pipeline include
model makers The Model Smith, Panavision equipment hirers and visual effects
Coote/Haye's series Beast Master and the Disney productions Stepsister From
and design specialists Photon. •
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CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000 [51]
S T U D I OS. L O C A T I O N S . T R A V E L .
Locations. If it Is locations you are after, Australia offers an incomparable diversity of options. Whether you are in search of a fully equipped ground-bound 747, a horizon tank large enough to accom m odate Moby Dick or the lunar landscape of the interior, this country has either got it, built it, dug It or filled it. With the global film and television industry generating more than $50 billion Income each year for the communities where filming takes place it has naturally become a local priority to encourage and support the constant flow of International produc tions electing to shoot here. ->The organisations established to provide production support and encourage
Coppel also suggests that it is important to highlight that organisations such as the
ment are a number of state-based film commissions including Cinemedia's
MFO don't try to take the place of the industry professionals whose role it is to pro
Melbourne Film Office (MFO), the Pacific Film and Television Commission (PFTC),
vide those specific services.
NSW Film and Television Office and the South Australian Film Commission (SAFC).
production company to employ location managers, a production team. Plowever, if
"Once a project has been wooed we expect the
Providing valuable production liaison services to existing international and nation
there are difficulties at any time or the project's producers want introductions to
al productions, these organisations are the best place to begin any preliminary
Victorian creative and technical people, we certainly offer all the help we can. Part
location research.
of the task of attracting people to town is to ensure that they have the opportunity
Flaving recently attended the Association of Film Commissioners International
to access as many of the services [such as post production, facilities etc] and peo
(AFCI) Locations 2000 held in Los Angeles in February 2000, the MFCs Director,
ple as possible to make the best choice of who they'll work with, and to give our
Louisa Coppel explains that around the world there are about 300 film commis
industry the best chance to 'sell themselves'."
sions, most of which are members of the AFCI. The AFCI is the official association
Also in LA promoting their unique locations to location managers, producers and
of government film contacts worldwide. In Australia there are organisations fulfill
directors from all over the world was Queensland's Pacific Film and Television
ing these functions in Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia.
Commission. PFTC's chief executive officer, Robin James says, "Through the
Also indicating a desire to have their locations promoted, the state governments in
Queensland Government's range of industry incentives, the PFTC aims to max
Tasmania, Western Australia and Northern Territory have all joined AusFILM, a
imise the value of film, television and commercial production in Queensland and to
national consisting of local public and private sector organisations with business
assist in the further development of infrastructure to service such production.” The
interests in the expansion of film and TV production in Australia.
industry incentives offered by the PFTC to productions include payroll tax rebates,
According to Coppel, MFCs primary task is to attract film and television produc
Queensland crew wage rebates, no charge fire and police services and advice and
tion to Victoria, thereby providing work to members of the industry and export film
assistance on Queensland's diverse locations.
dollars to the state. In Victoria productions can access anything from subtropical
"Added to all these are a perfect climate and a breathtaking variety of spectacular
rainforest to snow drenched mountains... and everything in between. “We also
locations, many of which are accessible within 60 minutes of an international air
work with our industry here, and authorities such as the police, state government
port - there are coral reefs and tropical beaches, mountains, waterfalls,
and councils, to ensure that filming works in the state." Organisations such as the
rainforests, rivers, jungles and deserts, cityscapes and towns, freeways and
MFO, SAFC and PFTC provide a broad range of location and information services
fields," continues James. According to PFTC marketing manager Casey O'Hare,
including location advice; assistance and liaison; initial location surveys; access to
the commission offers filmmakers in Queensland professional advice and assis
location library; access to publicly owned locations; web sites and a local produc
tance at every stage of production, from initial inquiry through to completion of the project. •
tion directory.
[52] CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000
[ f o r the w i d e s t wi de s h o t ]
th e
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biggest
• the
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• the
h ig h e s t in
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jnelbourne film studio 117 Rouse Street Port Melbourne 3207 Victoria Australia Telone: 613 9646 4022 Facsimile: 613 9646 6336
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TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS jr ' Ì$M ■■■•s
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:.
Shane McKechnie ;fsfS4®#| ■i
Specialist Courier & Freight Services to the Film & Television Industry •
L o c a l • In te r s ta te • In te r n a tio n a l (A ir, R o a d , S e a , R a il) • T r u c k H ir e , C o n t a in e r H ir e • C u s to m s C le a r a n c e • P a c k in g , C r a tin g & S to r a g e • C a r n e ts • O n S ite C o -o r d in a tio n & A f t e r H o u r s A s s is t a n c e
Ph: (02) 9666 9699 Fax: (02)96666906 Mobile: 0418 611799 Email: mckechni@ozemail.com.au
S T U D I OS. LO C A T I O N S . T R A V E L .
Travel. What would a production be without the exotic and spectacularly remote location that must house a cast and crew of no less than a thousand and offers no accom m odation within a 700km radius. Add to this a belligerent custom official who is in no rush with the rushes, and a second unit running way behind schedule? The answer is simple: an inter esting challenge for one of Australia’s growing film travel, freight and logistic companies. ->For any visiting productions, travel, transport, freight and accommodation are
with the airlines, find accommodation and get everyone into the Middle East."
crucial factors in the overall planning. Australia is host to some of the world's
The entire production was in the Middle East for a five week shoot followed by
most competitive and experienced production travel and freight companies.
two days in Sydney and then to the modestly equipped Coober Pedy for another
Those on offer range from companies geared toward servicing multinational
five-week shoot.
mega-shoots such as industry rivals, Stage and Screen Travel and Freight Ser
With the cast and crew virtually outnumbering the population of the remote out
vices and Showfilm Services Australia, to smaller companies catering to the more
back town, finding accommodation was far from a simple exercise. Cruse recalls
independent market, such as TRAVELTOO.
how she herself had to visit the town a number of weeks beforehand in order to
Independently owned and Sydney based, TRAVELTOO's general manager Greg
solve the accommodation crisis. “I put advertisements in the local paper to find
Helmers suggests that the company owes its success to the highly personalised
private accommodation. We had the local's private homes rented for the crews. It
and individual service it provides. Helmers explains how accounts are handled by
was mad." According to Cruse the project may have been one of their biggest -
one consultant only. "We don't just 'leave you in the air'.” The consultant assigned
providing international air, domestic air, cars, accommodation, transfers, in fact
to the account is dedicated to maintaining close communication in order to meet
anything you can think of to do with movement they did it. Currently servicing the
a production's every requirement and negate every concern. Covering all produc
NRL and national Cricket Board accounts, Showfilm had just scored part of the
tion travel and accommodation needs (not freight], TRAVELTOO has worked with
Star Wars contract.
films such as: Holy Smoke, The Thin Red Line, Shine, Heartbreak High, Paradise
Having recently been bought by Flight Centre, Stage and Screen is by no means a
Road, Birthday Girl and the soon to be completed Walk The Talk.
stranger to remote locations either. Providing the travel and freight for Bill Ben
When examining the services and reputation presented by local industry competi
nett's In A Savage Land, the company had to negotiate fictional airport timetables
tors Stage and Screen and Showfilm, it is difficult to identify major differences.
with tropical realities. "You don't get much more out of the way than the Trobian
According to Showfilm’s national travel manager Ingrid Cruse, the fundamental
Islands... now that was an interesting project for all those concerned,” reminisces Tony Miles, manager of Stage and Screen.
difference between the two companies is that Stage and Screen is a Qantas pre ferred agency while Showfilm is part of the Ansett and the Star Alliance group.
In addition to portions of the major production pies, Stage and Screen enjoy a
Showfilm, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ansett Australia Holdings, has recently
solid slice of the Victorian film and television market. Some of the productions
established a network of film dedicated travel and freight offices at Fox Studios in
serviced by the company include: The Matrix, Mission Impossible 2, Moulin
Sydney, Warner Roadshow Studios on the Gold Coast and in Los Angeles.
Rouge, Babe 2, Jacky Chan's Mr Nice Guy, the TV miniseries On The Beach,
According to Cruse, Showfilm knows no bounds. Warner Roadshow's Red Plan
Noah's A rk, Moby Dick, and Journey to the Centre of the Earth, Halifax, and Good
et was one of the company's major clients last year. A huge project involving
Guys Bad Guys.
multiple locations, Cruse recalls how the film went into preproduction and had
In conclusion, it important to highlight that the companies mentioned above are
six weeks before the first shoot was due to start in Iceland. "Approximately two
by no means the only film travel, locations and studio service providers available.
weeks into the shoot the producers (without pushing back dates) pulled Iceland
A more comprehensive coverage of companies offering services in this area can
and decided to go into Jordan in the Middle East instead. In a period of fourweeks
be gained from the Production Book, Encore Directory or state based film com
we had to pull everything that had been put in place out of Iceland, resign deals
missions such as those mentioned under locations. •
[54] CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000
InProduction Feature film s in pre-production S T A R W A R S E P IS O D E II - T H E R IS E OF T H E E M P IR E
JAK Productions/ Lucasfilm Ltd P rin c ip a l C re d its
D ire cto r: G eorge Lucas P ro du ce r: Rick M cC allum Cast: Ewan M cG regor, N atalie P o rtm a n , S a m ue l L Jackson, Liam Neeson, Ian M cD iarm id S y n o p s is
Set 10 years a fte r S ta r W ars Episode One (o r I], The P hantom Menace, D arth Sidious, ta ke s o ve r the R epublic, tu rn s it into an e m p ire and c o n tro ls everything. The Clone W ars reach th e ir p in n a cle as the Jedi K n ig h ts s tru g g le to defend the galaxy fro m th e fo rce s of evil. M eanw hile, A nakin S k yw a lke r fa lls in love w ith Queen A m ida la but begins to su ccum b to the D ark Side of the Force.
P ro d u c tio n C r e w
P roduction m anager: K e rry L am m ing & Annie Robinson P ro du ctio n c o -o rd in a to r: K e rry Lam m in g & R obert Luppino P roduction a d m in is tra to r: M argie W e n tw orth Location m a na g e r: Raelene M e tlitzky & Annie Robinson A sse m bly e d ito r: B a rry L e ffle r C /- L e ffle r P ro du ctio n accou n ta n t: J e ff P ails C /- Page H arris o n & Co, & M argie W e n tw orth In s u re r: GIO C om pletion g u a ra n to r: GIO and FIUA L egal se rvices: John M c D e rm o tt
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Outback Legend Productions P rin c ip a l C re d its
P roducers: B ill Leim back, T roy Dann S c rip tw rite rs : M ichael M cGennan, Troy Dann S y n o p sis
A h e lic o p te r p ilo t w o rk in g in Sydney re tu rn s hom e to A lice S prings to help his fa m ily fig h t fo r the p ro p e rty th a t is a bout to be sw ep t aw ay fro m th e m by u n s c ru p u lo u s a ctivities. S E C O N D D R IL L
Verdict Pictures P roduction p eriod: F rom May 2000 P r in c ip a l C re d its
Executive p ro d u ce rs: O scar S cherl, John M o rrow , Ja m es Podaridis P ro du ce r: C am eron Ja m es M ille r D ire cto r: C ha rles 'B u d ' T in g w e ll S c rip tw rite rs : A nthony Langone, R oger Dunn Cast: B ill H unter, P aul M e rcurio S y n o p s is
Second D rill is a d is tu rb in g and v io le n t p o rtra y a l of te rm in a lly ill Sunny C linsm an, w ho pays tw o estra n ge d a rm y re c ru its to kidnap his o nly son s gay love r to lu re his son, Evan, into a cat and m ouse gam e fu e lle d by a hidden agenda of suicide and s e lf-re trib u tio n . It is the c ru e l s to ry of a m ilita ry m an so g u ilt-rid d e n th a t he fo rce s his o nly son into k illin g him . THE BANK
Arenafilm Pty Ltd P ro du ctio n p e rio d :F ro m J u l 2U P r in c ip a l C re d its
D ire cto r: R obert C onnolly P ro du ce r: John M aynard S c rip tw rite r: R obert C onnolly D ire c to r of P hotography: T ristan M ilani P ro du ctio n D esigner: Luigi P itto rino E ditor: N ick M eyers Sound D esigner: Sam Petty C asting: M u llin a rs S toryboard A rtis t: Tam M o rris Cast: David W enham
F irs t a s s is tan t d ire c to r: Sy M ilm an Second a ssistan t d ire c to r: Annie Robinson C ontinuity: Louise K erry Playback o pe ra to r: Pirn K ulk Boom o p e ra to r: Johnathon Hughes, David T ru m p m a n is , John Cross, B ill N ielson, & Guy Lem berg. M ake-up assistan t: N icki Dargie, Jacqui B u ffe tt Special fx m a k e-u p : N icki Dargie S tunts c o -o rd in a to r: Eric H alil S till photography: S am uel Tang C atering: Petra K lein R unners: John Cross, A n d re w Thom pson, David T ru m p m a n is & Rebecca A nderson.
A n im a ls
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D ire c to r: S tu a rt M cB ratney P roducers: Jon Silver, M ichel B ouskila, S tu a rt M cB ratney S c rip tw rite r: S tu a rt M cB ratney Based on the n o v e l/p la y /s to ry /o rig in a l screenplay by: S tu a rt M cB ratney D ire c to r of photography: A n d re w S tra h o rn P roduction designer: G eorgina G re e n hill E ditor: Rachel G rierson and C heryl P o tte r C om poser: S tu a rt M cB ratney and Troy M enyw eather Sound re c o rd is t: C hris C rom e Sound a ssistan t: Leigh C olem an P la n n in g an d D e v e lo p m e n t
S c rip t e d ito r: Tom B etts C asting: Tim Wood |
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P ro d u c tio n C r e w
P roduction m a nager: V ickie Gest P roduction c o -o rd in a to r: L ib e rty M e ltzer P ro du ce r s assistant: C arl B a ke r Location m anager: C arl B aker U nit m anager: Ju s tine H atcher P roduction ru n n e r: K ris tine H anger C a m e ra C r e w
Illum ination Film s and MusicArtsDance film s
& A nnie Robinson
Budget: Low P roduction period: 22 January - 28 M arch, 2000 P r in c ip a l C re d its
S y n o p sis
N IJ IN K S K I
P la n n in g a n d D e v e lo p m e n t
D ire cto r: Steven Jacobs P roducers: A n n a-M a ria M o ntice lli, P hilip H earnshaw S c rip tw rite r: A n n a-M a ria M o ntic e lli Cast: Lola M arceli, Lourdes B artolom ĂŠ
Spudmonkey Films Pty Ltd
M usic p e rfo rm e d by: John M eagher T itle s : B a rry L e ffle r S hooting stock: Panavision D igital O ff-lin e fa c ilitie s : L e ffle r Post C am era Equip: JVC fro m D igihire and John B arry's.
Centaur Enterprises Pty Ltd
S c rip t e d ito r: M argie W e n tw orth & Dez W a te rm a nn C asting: B edford & Pearce C asting co n su lta n ts: M athew N ix c /- B edford & Pearce S hooting sch ed u le by: K e rry Lam m in g
Wild Strawberries Pty Ltd
D is trib u tio n com pany: S h a rm ill F ilm s and W TVIU S] Budget: 1.2 M illion P ro du ctio n : Ja nu a ry 2000-M ay 2000
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P r in c ip a l C re d its
D ire c to r: Paul Cox P roducer: Paul Cox, Aanya W hitehead Executive p rod u c e r: Kevin Lucas, W illia m M a rs h a ll S c rip tw rite r: P aul Cox Based on the d ia rie s of Vaslav N ijinsky C om poser: P aul G rabowsky
Focus p u lle r: Travis T rew in C la p p e r-lo a d e r: Evan B u rro w s Key g rip : Adam M cP hail A s s is ta n t g rip s : Evan O ldm an and M a rk French G affer: Glenn Jones B est boy: Luke R idley and Tim Wade E lec tric ia n : Luke D illon A s s is ta n t e le c tric ia n : Ben Fry, Darin L anfranco and Vanessa T ro w e l
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O n -s e t C r e w
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1st a s s is ta n t d ire c to r: C hristy Beard 2nd a s s is tan t d ire c to r: D aniella Rigby 3rd a s s is tan t d ire c to r: M arco S inigalia C ontinuity: C heryl P o tte r and Rachel G rierson Boom o p e ra to r: C lin t B rice and Luke Hayward M ake-up: T iffany B e c k w ith -S k in n e r M ake-up a s s is tan t: Em m a Louise
P la n n in g a nd D e v e lo p m e n t
R esearchers: Leonie Verhoeven, M a rgo t W iburd Dance C on su lta nt: A lida Chase
M O U L IN ROUGE
Bazmark Productions D is trib u tion com pany: T w entieth C entury Fox P r in c ip a l C re d its
D ire c to r: Baz L uh rm a n n P roducers: Baz Luh rm a n n, M a rtin B row n, Fred Baron S c rip tw rite rs : Baz L uh rm ann, Craig Pearce DOP: Don M cAlpine Cast: N icole K idm an, Ewan M cG regor, Richard Roxburgh, John Leguizam o, G arry M cDonald S y nopsis
A young m an casts aside the shackles of his m iddle class society to becom e a w r ite r and jo in the ra n k s of the fre e living a rtis tic u n d e rw o rld of Paris.
SPUD M O NK EY
P o s t-p ro d u c tio n
C R A C K IN G ON
D ire c to r: John M eagher P ro du ce r: John M e ag h e r/ M argie W e n tw orth S c rip tw rite r: John M eagher D ire c to r of p hotography: Ray H enm an P ro du ctio n d esig n er: George M entis E d ito r: B a rry L e ffle r C /- L e ffle r Post C om poser: C olin B lack S ound re c o rd is t: P aul K a lin ski
C on te m p o rary com edy a bout a pizza d e live ry boy w ho achieves his dream of d ru m m in g in a su c c es s fu l ro c k band, only to be replaced by c o m pu teris e d d rum s .
A vivid and e nergetic p o rtra y a l of im m ig ra n t life in a dry and dusty A u s tra lia n tow n in the 1960s.
In production P r in c ip a l C re d its
S y n o p sis
Sy nopsis
Scenic a rtis t: J a rro d G raham C arpenters: C hris Lindem an
W hen a h a p p ily -m a rrie d , m idd le-a g e d couple w ith c h ild re n re a lis e passion has gone, they agree to date others. The hubby sets o u t on a m ission to find a g irlfrie n d -w ith o u t lying.
S y nopsis
Vaslav N ijin s k y w as p robably the g re a te s t d an ce r of a ll tim e -th e God of the D ance-and his C ahiers' (Diaries) m u s t be one of the m ost e xtra o rd in a ry and m oving lite ra ry w o rk s ever w ritte n . The film uses the w o rd s of N ijinsky, w ritte n in 1919 in St M oritz w here he had re tire d , su ffe rin g extrem e m e nta l agony.
P r in c ip a l C re d its
C o n s tru c tio n D e p a r tm e n t
John M eagher, C olleen Cook, Peta Johnson, Les Snell, Eric H alil, Rocco Pachi, Tony Davis, Ken M orton, M a tth e w M ariconte, M a rtin H aig-Loyd.
C ast
Greg P ow ell, A lis ta ir To m kins, S am antha F itzgerald, D am ien Garvey, K athryn Liste, V ernon Johnson, Liz P err, E rro ll O 'N eill, P aul P u rn e llWebb, M ichael D orem an.
Post P roduction: U n til N ovem ber 2000 I j
W a rd rob e s u p e rv is o r: J acinta B ritto n W a rdrobe buyer: P e te r W rig ht, Lois Prys and M iche lle Manson W a rdrobe a ssistan t: Joanne W rig h t
D evelopm ent: South A u s tra lia n Film C orporation P roduction: South A u s tra lia n Film C orporation, A u s tra lia n F ilm Finance C orporation, SBS Independent
In post-production
C o -p ro d uce r: Des Pow er Executive p ro d u ce r: M ika e l B o rg lu n d A ssociate p ro d u ce r: Peta Law son P ro du ctio n d esig n er: A dam Head Sound re c o rd is t: Bob C layton P la n n in g a n d D e v e lo p m e n t
C asting: Suzie M aizels and A ssociates C asting a ssistan t: M ichael B oland P ro d u c tio n C r e w
W ard ro b e
G o v e rn m e n t A g e n c y In v e s tm e n t
LASPAGNOLA
A n im a l h a n d ler: J ill B urnside
Cast
A rt d ire c to r: Suzie B lac k s h a w A s s is ta n t a rt d ire c to r: Tim A lla n P rops buyer: David M ackie, M ark E lder
W ardrobe D esigner: J illy H ickey |
W ard ro b e
W ardrobe supervisor.- B re tt G rant W a rdrobe s u p p lie r: Tony B a raka t C/G e n tle m an 's Club W a rdrobe a ssistan t: Je re m y Szypura
A r t D e p a r tm e n t
In s u re r: C inesure C om pletion g u a ra n to r: F ilm Finances Ltd Legal services: M a rs h a lls and Dent
W a rd ro b e
A r t D e p a r tm e n t
A rt d e p a rtm e n t c o -o rd in a to r: Sophie W asley A rt d e p a rtm e n t ru n n e r: Dorota Bona Set d res s e r: Sophie W asley P rops buyer: M argie W entw orth Standby props: Dorota Bona A rm o u re r: Keith H ulm e C /- Stockade
P ro d u c tio n C r e w
C ho reographer: A lida Chase, Leigh W arren U nit p u b lic is t: C atherine Lavelle
O n -s e t c r e w O U T B A C K LE G E N D
Safety o ffic e r: C h ris ty Beard U n it n urs e : V ickie Gest U nit p u b lic is t: Tom B etts
O n -s e t C r e w
C a m e ra c r e w
C am era o p e ra to r: Ray H enm an C la p p e r-lo a d e r: N ick P ollack C am era a ssistan t: N ick P ollack, Pirn K u lk Key g rip : Paul N iccols A s s is ta n t g rip s : Leroy Page G affer: N ick P ollack, J o el K lin g e r E lectricia n : J o e l K lin g e r
Shooting schedule by: Aanya W hitehead Budgeted by: Aanya W hitehead
Telefeatures In pre-production
P ro du ctio n m a na g e r: L o ri F le s k e r P ro du ctio n c o -o rd in a to r: Jo Friesen P ro d u ce r's a ssista n t: N aom i W enck P roduction se cre ta ry: K ate Kennedy Location m a na g e rs: C hris Betts, H a rry Yates U nit m anager: M a tth e w Jones U nit a ssista n ts: Greg R efield, Gavin Evans, Sim on B uckley P ro du ctio n ru n n e r: Jam es M u lle r P ro du ctio n accou n ta n t: Nadeen K ing sh o tt In s u re r: W illis A u s tra lia Ltd C om pletion g u a ra n to r: F ilm Finance C orporation C a m e ra C r e w
Focus p u lle r: Jo E rskine C la p p e r-lo a d e r: M elinda R ickm an Grip: G rant N ielsen D olly g rip : John 'A xe l' Dolan G rip a ssistan t: A n d re w S andford G affer: G raham R uthe rford Best boy: A n d re w Saul G e n e rator o p e ra to r: M att Fergus O n -s e t C r e w
F irs t a ssista n t d ire c to r: Bob H ow ard Second a ssista n t d ire c to r: Vera Biffone T h ird a ssista n t d ire c to r: Rebecca K elly S crip t a ssistan t: K airen W aloch C ontinuity: Joanne M cLennan Boom s w in g e r: P h il S tirlin g H a ir/ M ake-up su pe rviso r: Lynne O 'B rien M ake-up a rtis t: M iche lle R itchi S tunts c o -o rd in a to r: C hris A nderson Safety o ffic e r: Lana D arby U nit n urse: M iche lle G regory S till photography: Greg Noakes U nit p u b licist: Deb W ith e rs C atering: P acific F ilm C atering A r t D e p a r tm e n t
IH A K A
Screentim e/ South Pacific Pictures D is trib u tio n com pany: C olom bia In te rn a tio n a l P re -p ro d u c tio n : F ro m May 8, 2000 P rin c ip a l C re d its
A rt d ire c to r: B re n t T a ylor A rt d e p a rtm e n t c o -o rd in a to r: J e n n ife r desC ham ps A rt d e p a rtm e n t ru n n e r: Rod B rennan S cenic a rtis t: A dam S m ig ie lski Standby props: S tu a rt P o lkin g ho rn e A rm o u re r: Bob Parsons
D ire c to r: P e te r Fisk P roducer: Ian B radley Line p rod u ce r: Glenda C arp e n te r-M cK ech n ie Executive prod u ce r: Des M onaghan S c rip tw rite r: Paul Thom as
C ostum e d esig n er: M elody C ooper Standby w a rd ro b e : C arina C alderone W ardrobe a ssistan t: Jay M ansfield A skew
P la n n in g an d D e v e lo p m e n t
P o s t-p ro d u c tio n
C asting: M aizels C asting C asting c o ns u lta n ts : Suzie M aizels
E ditor: A n d re w M acneil A ss is ta n t e d ito r: B rad L in d e nm a ye r D ire c to r's a tta ch m e n t: P e te r W rig h t
S y nopsis
A stre e tw is e M aori cop and a sophisticated Sydney cop team up to solve a fo u r-y e a r-o ld m u rd e r m ystery.
W a rd ro b e
C ast
Screentime Pty Ltd
M att Day, A lex D im itria d is, Nadine G arner, Steve V idle r, G raem e B lu n d e ll, C aro l B u m s, C hris B etts. H ea th e r M itch e ll, C atherine M ille r, P aul Denny, Joelan Reti
P re -p ro d u c tio n : From May 2000
S y nopsis
P rin c ip a l C re d its
L io n e l B u rke is co n te n t w ith life in the s m a ll Q ueensland tow n o f Gundeeba. H e's got his m ates, his jo b at the m ine, his dependable dog Fuggly, and a d ream to re -op e n the to w n 's old m ovie th e a tre . And rom ance? N ot lik e ly in th is to w n. B ut an u nu su a l corresp o n de n ce w ith Lena, a young w om a n fro m th e city, leads to an im p ro m p tu m e etin g . And a frie n d sh ip th a t tu rn s a s m a ll tow n u pside-dow n.
M Y H U S B A N D ... M Y K IL L E R ?
P roducer: David Gould Executive p rod u c e r: Des M onaghan S c rip tw rite r: M ichael Cove S y nopsis
A tru e s to ry of greed, m oney and passion, w oven into a tangled m u rd e r plo t. A n d re w K alijzich w as a m illio n a ire h o te l ow ner. His life w as th ro w n into tu r m o il w hen his w ife w as sh ot dead in th e ir bedroom . E ventually the c o u rts found K alijzich g u ilty but he alw ays m ain ta in ed th a t he w as innocent.
S T E P S IS T E R FR O M T H E P L A N E T W E IR D
The Disney Channel P r in c ip a l C re d its
In Post-production
D ire cto r: Steve Boyum
T H E LO VE OF L IO N E L â&#x20AC;&#x2122;S L IF E
Liberty & Beyond Productions Pty Ltd D is trib u tio n com pany: Beyond In te rn a tio n a l Post P roduction: A p ril 3-Jun e 26, 2000 P r in c ip a l C re d its
D ire c to r: John Ruane P ro du ce rs: Tony Cavanaugh, S im one N orth
CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000 [55]
Docum entaries In production
A N IM A L X - S E R I E S 2
Series D ocum entary
S toryteller Productions P r in c ip a l C re d its
Exec P roducers: M ike Searle, J e n n ife r W ilson P roducers: M ike S earle, N igel S w etenham , J e n n ife r W ilson, M elanie A m brose, Linda Searle, C aroline B e rtra m S y n o p sis
As w ith se rie s one, A N IM A L X SERIES 2 investigates a n im a l s to rie s fro m around the w o rld . From ghostly phenom ena to lake m o n ste rs and m yste riou s sigh tin g s to unknow n creatures. 13 x 30 m inutes P roduction fro m 1/5/00 A U S T R A L IA N S A T W A R
Series docu m e n ta ry
Beyond Productions Pty Ltd in association w ith M u llion C reek P roductions. S upervising P roducer: Stephen A m ezdroz P roducer: M ichael C aulfield D ire cto rs: Geoff B urton, David Goldie, Steve Best, Tim C la rk W rite rs : Geoff B urton, David Goldie, Steve Best, Tim C la rk S y nopsis
A u stra lia n s at W ar exam ines the effects of w a r on the lives of A u s tra lia n s and how th is nation has been shaped by those experiences. 8 x 55 m inutes P roduction fro m 1/4/00 FO RE IT ’S TOO LA TE 10: T H E FO RG O TTEN S P E C IE S
S h o rt D ocum entary S to ry te lle r Productions Executive P roducer: Mike S earle P roducers: M ike Searle, B ill Clough, Sam M cDonaugh, Linda Searle D ire cto r: M ike S earle W rite r: M ike Searle' Sy nopsis
Episode ten in the BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE se rie s looks at the fo rg o tte n species; India's lions, ele phants, crocodiles and rh in o s - a ll c ritic a lly endangered and over-shadow ed by th e ir A frica n cousins. 54 m inu te s P roduction fro m 1/4/00
Post-production C ITY OF D R E A M S
55 minutes A Film Australia National Interest Program. Produced with the assistance o f the ABC. N etw o rk: ABC P rin c ip a l C re d its
Executive P roducer: M a rk Flamlyn P roducer: Gaby Mason D ire cto r: Belinda Mason W rite r: Gaby Mason, B elinda Mason E ditor: Jam es M anche P roduction M anager: Gina Twyble P ublicity Contact: Susan W ilson, phone: 61 2 9413 8635 P rin cip a l Photography: Shoot period: 7/2-7/4/2000 Sy nopsis
W hen the b r illia n t and fie ry M arion Mahony, the fir s t re giste re d w om an a rc h ite c t in the w o rld and the longest serving d esig n er in F rank Lloyd W rig h t's practice, m a rrie d W a lte r B u rle y G riffin, it w as the beginning of one of the m o st outstanding a rtis tic co lla b o ra tio n s of the 20th century. This visionary A m e rica n couple w on a c o n tro v e rsia l in te rn a tio n a l co m pe titio n in 1912 to design the new A u s tra lia n ca pita l in C anberra. A lth o ug h the city of th e ir drea m s w as never b uilt, the G riffin s chose to stay in A u stra lia . This fascinating d ocu m e n ta ry explores th e ir u nconventional approach to life and a rc h ite c tu re , and th e ir lasting im pact on A u stra lia n cu ltu re .
W rite r: N ick Place, Kate L a tim e r D O P /C inem atographer: Jenni M eaney E ditor: B ill M urphy Sound R ecordist: M ark Tarpey P u b licity Contact: Susan W ilson, phone: 61 2 9413 8635 P rin c ip a l Photography: Shoot period: 14/2-25/2/2000 S y nopsis
In one hundred years of the Davis Cup, a sim p le tru th em erges: A u s tra lia has changed the Davis Cup, and in a ta n g ib le way, the Cup has changed A u s tra lia . We firs t entered the c o m pe titio n a fte r Federation and w on the Cup soon after. Since then A u s tra lia has dom inated the com pe titio n . Only A m e rica has w on the Davis Cup m ore often, an e x tra o rd in a ry feat given the size of A u s tra lia 's population. Through its te n n is players, A u s tra lia becam e know n in te rn a tio n a lly fo r its s p orts m an s h ip and fa ir play. A t the sam e tim e , A u s tra lia w as gripped w ith a te n n is obsession - and the gam e w as no lon g e r a rich p ersons' sport, but a gam e fo r everyone. This p rog ra m explores the sym biotic re la tio n s hip between A u s tra lia and one of the m ost fam ous s porting cups in the w o rld .
B IR T H R IT E S
52 x m in u te A ccord D ocum entary
S T E E L CITY
A Film Australia National Interest Program. Produced with the assistance of the ABC.
Executive P roducer: Stefan Moore Producer: Denise Haslem , Gina Twyble D ire cto r: C atherine M arciniak 2nd U nit D ire cto r: Aviva Z iegler W rite r: C atherine M arciniak D O P /C inem atographer: Joel P eterson/B ob H um p h rie s /P h ilip B u ll/P ie te r de Vries E ditor: Kim Moodie P roduction M anager: Gina Twyble Sound R ecordist: M artin H a rrin gto n/Le o S ullivan/G raham W yse/Andy Postle P ublicity Contact: Susan W ilson, phone: 61 2 9413 8635 P rinc ip a l P hotography: Shoot period: 8/9-10/11/1999 S ynopsis On 30 S eptem ber 1999, 2000 s te e lw o rk e rs w alked out of N ew castle's BHP s te e lw o rk s fo r the last tim e. The shutdow n of the plant m arked the end of an era fo r a city th a t had b u ilt its e lf on steel. Now, the local p oliticia n s and the C ham ber of C om m erce are s elling a new vision, p rom ising a fu tu re of h igh-tech in d u s tria l parks and flo u ris h in g to u ris m . The com pany's s p in -d o c to r is w ork in g o vertim e w h ile the w o rk e rs c o n fro n t th e ir fu tu re - som e have big plans to sue th e ir payouts to set up th e ir own businesses, others are s tru g g lin g to a djust to a life that w ill never be the same.
Synopsis
The D iplom at d ocum ents the fin al y ear of fre e d om fig h te r and N obel Peace Prize w in n e r, Jose Ramos H orta's epic cam paign to secure independence fo r East T im or. It is a tim e ly record of the tu rb u le n t eventsof 1998-99, fro m the fa ll of P resident S uharto to the carnage th a t fo llo w e d the East T im orese vote fo r independence, and H orta's eventual re tu rn hom e a fte r 24 years in exile. TE N M IL L IO N W IL D C A T S
55 minutes A Film Australia. Wild Visuals Co production. Produced with the assistance of the ABC. N etw o rk: ABC P rin c ip a l C re d its
Executive P roducer: Stefan Moore Producer: Gary Steer, Tina D altonHagege D ire cto r: Gary Steer W rite r: Gary Steer, Tina D altonHagege E ditor: Ju lia n R ussell P roduction M anager: Kay Schubach P ublicity Contact: Susan W ilson, phone: 61 2 9413 8635 P rinc ip a l Photography: Shoot period: 21/11/1998-26/12/1999 Synopsis
It is estim ated th a t each ye a r in A u s tra lia fe ra l cats k ill as m any as 3.8 b illio n native a nim als. W ith the n um b e r of d om estic cats in the w ild now out of co n tro l. Ten M illion W ildcats reveals the s ta rtlin g h istory of how the cat a rrived on o ur shores and the am azing s u rviva l s k ills th a t have enabled these a nim a ls to m u ltip ly in such in hospitable te rrito ry . The film also fo llo w s the race to save one p a rtic u la r little cre atu re , the m ala, fro m e xtinction.
O UR TO W N
Film Australia in association with Media Giants and Screensound Australia. Produced with the assistance of the ABC.
85 m inu te s
A Film Australia National Interest Program in association with Camerawork Pty Ltd Produced with the assistance of the ABC.
P r in c ip a l C re d its
N etw o rk: ABC
Executive P roducer: Franco di Chiera P roducer: C ristina Pozzan, Kate L a tim e r D ire cto r: Sue Thom son
P r in c ip a l C re d its
Executive P roducer: Stefan M oore P roducer: D ennis O'R ourke D ire c to r: Dennis O'R ourke
Recent funding decisions
Executive P roducer: M a rk H am lyn P roducer: Liz W atts, A ndy N ehl D ire c to r: A ndy N ehl W rite r: C linton W a lker, A ndy N ehl D O P /C inem atographer: W a rw ick Th o rnto n E ditor: Karen Johnson P roduction M anager: A nita Sheehan Sound R ecordist: Leo S ullivan P u b licity Contact: Susan W ilson, phone: 61 2 9413 8635 P rin c ip a l Photography: Shoot period: 27/9- 13/11/1999
P r in c ip a l C re d its
Executive P roducer: Stefan Moore, Megan M cM urchy P roducer: S ally B row ning C o-P roducer: W ilson Da Silva D ire cto r: Tom Zubrycki W rite r: W ilson da Silva D O P /C inem atographer: Robert H um phreys, J o el Peterson E ditor: Ray T hom as P u b licity Contact: Susan W ilson, phone: 61 2 9413 8635 P rinc ip a l P hotography: Shoot period 6/7/1998-6/12/1999
N e tw o rk : SBS
D irected by Dennis O'R ourke, one of A u s tra lia 's leading docu m e n ta ry film m a k e rs , O ur Town p rese n ts a stra n g e and com passionate p o rtra it of a s m a ll isolated c o m m un ity in outback Q ueensland - a tow n w h e re b la c k and w h ite A u s tra lia n s live to g e th e r but are a part. T here are s h ea re rs and kangaroo s hooters, tow n poets, d run ks, the m a yor and the lo c a l taxi d riv e r. T h e re's M arto, a w hite boy raised by an A b o rig in a l fa m ily w ho plays heavy m e ta l on the loc a l radio sta tio n ; th e re 's Paul, w ho has ju s t tu rn e d 18 and is p reparing to go to ja il fo r the firs t tim e ; and Cara and K e llyAnne w hose only w ishes are not to get p regnant and to escape to the big city. T ogether in the b lis te rin g d ese rt heat, th e ir s to ries create an unexpectedly u nive rsa l p o rtra it of s m a ll-to w n life.
Film Australia National Interest Program in association with Emerald Films. Produced in association with SBS Independent. N etw o rk: SBS/NRK (Norway]
A Film Australia National Interest Program. Produced in association with SBS Independent.
co n flic t, and id e a lis tic young a nth ro p o lo g is t nam ed Donald Thom son w e n t to live w ith A b o rig in a l c o m m un itie s.
P r in c ip a l C re d its
N etw o rk: ABC
P r in c ip a l C re d its
B U R IE D C O U N TR Y
74 m inu te s
Sy nopsis
76 m inutes
55 m inu te s
[56 ] CINEMA PAPERS.MAY 2000
phone: 61 2 9413 8635 P rin c ip a l Photography: Shoot period: 29/6/1998-2/5/1999
T H E D IP L O M A T
T H E F IF T H S E T
N e tw o rk: ABC
D O P/C inem atographer: Dennis O 'R ourke P u b licity C ontact: Susan W ilson,
T H E M U S IC SCHO OL
90 m inutes
A Film Australian National Interest Program produced in association with Arundel Productions Pty Ltd. Produced with the assistance of the ABC. N etw o rk: ABC P rin c ip a l C re d its
Executive P roducer: Stefan Moore P roducer: Bob C onnolly, Robin Anderson D ire cto r: Bob C onnolly, Robin Anderson P u b licity Contact: Susan W ilson, phone: 61 2 9413 8635 P rin c ip a l Photography: Shoot period: 1/2-20/12/1999 Synopsis
F ilm m a k e rs Robin A nderson and Bob C onnolly (Rats in the Ranks, F irs t Contact, Joe Leahy's N eighbours, B lack Harvest) e xplore the serene beauty of cla s s ic a l m usic in a fa r fro m serene setting. P rofessor A nn Boyd is fig h tin g to preserve h e r m usic d e p a rtm e n t's basic sta n d ard s a fte r n ea rly a decade of re le n tle s s budget cu ttin g . Boyd is an in te rn a tio n a lly recognised co m po se r and a b rillia n t teacher, but sh e's also e m otional, m e rc u ria l and prone to o verreact in a c risis. And th e re 've been p lenty of those lately. G round dow n by o v e r 50 y ears of b u re a u c ratic s tru g g le , Boyd is fin a lly faced w ith a s ta rk choice: keep up the d eb ilitatin g fig h t to p ro te c t h e r beloved d e p a rtm e n t o r try to preserve w h a t's le ft of h e r creative w e lls p rin g as a co m po se r by re lin q u is h in g the reigns of a d m in is tra tiv e pow er.
Sy nopsis
B uried C ountry reveals the hidden s to ry of A b o rig in a l c o u n try m usic, its s ingers and the songs th a t have expressed the lives, id e n tity and s tru g g le of A u s tra lia 's indigenous people. The film tra c e s five decades of this ric h m u s ic a l tra d itio n , using rare a rc hiv a l im ages and firs t-h a n d intervie w s w ith sing e rs and s ong w rite rs - fro m J im m y L ittle w ho topped the c h a rts in 1963 w ith Royal Telephone to m odern c o un try m usic s ta r T roy C assar-D aly. W hat e m erges it not only the s to ry of the m usic its e lf, but a poignant record of being an indigenous A u s tra lia n in the 20th century. TO SC A
85 m inutes
A Film Australia National Interest Program. Produced with the assistance o f the ABC. N etw o rk : ABC P rin c ip a l C re d its
Executive P roducer: M ark H am lyn P roducer: P atricia Lovell D ire cto r: T revor G raham W rite r: T revor G raham, Rosem ary Hesp D O P /C inem atographer: John W h itte ro n E ditor: Denise H aslem P roduction M anager: Rosem ary Hesp Sound R ecordist: B ronw yn M urphy P ublicity C ontact: Susan W ilson, phone: 61 2 9413 8635 P rinc ip a l P hotography: Shoot period: 31/5 -28/6/1999 S ynopsis Mid w in te r and m oney is tig h t at Opera A u s tra lia as re he a rsa ls begin fo r P uccini's p ere n n ia l favourite Tosca, a to rtu re d tale of love, betrayal and m u rd e r set am id the p o litic a l tu rm o il of 19th ce ntu ry Rome. P opular loc a l diva Joan C arden has played the passionate title ro le m any tim e s but h e r tw o c o -s ta rs are firs t tim e rs . W ith only th re e w eeks before the cu rta in goes up, not everyone is sure they w ill m ake it. The film m a k e rs w ere granted n o-h o ld sb arred access to film behind the scenes - fro m day one of re he a rsa ls to opening night at the Opera House. Dram a backstage equals the soaring em otion of Tosca its e lf as tension builds and com es to a head. The re s u lt is an in tim a te and honest p o rtra it of a rtis ts at w ork .
TH O M S O N OF A R N H E M LA ND
55 m inutes
A Film Australia National Interest Program in association with John Moore Productions Pty Ltd. Produced with the assistance o f Cinemedia's Film Victoria and the ABC. Developed with the assistance o f Film Victoria and Museum Victoria. N etw o rk: ABC P rin c ip a l C re d its
Executive P roducer: Franco di Chiera P roducer: John M oore, M ichael M cM ahon D ire c to r: John Moore W rite r: M ichael C um m ins D O P /C inem atographer: Kevin A nderson E ditor: A ndrea Lang Sound R ecordist: M a rtin K eir P u b licity Contact: Susan W ilson, phone: 61 2 9413 8635 P rin c ip a l Photography: Shoot period: 1/11-6/12/1999 S y nopsis
In 1993, five Japanese fis h e rm a n and th re e E uropeans w ere k ille d by • A b o rig in a l clan sm e n in A rn he m Land. In an a tte m p t to resolve the ensuing
Jag Films Pty Ltd P r in c ip a l C re d its
P roducer: Jenny G herardi W rite r/D ire c to r: Linda R aw lings P resale: SBS Sy nopsis
B irth rite s p ortrays the experience of pregnancy and c h ild b irth fo r the N gaanyatjarra w om en of the re m ote ce n tra l d e se rt region of W estern A u s tra lia . In s ta rk co n tra s t to the ie a rly days?, N gaayatjarra w om e n now b irth in isola tio n fro m th e ir fam ily, c o m m u n ity and c u ltu re . This co n tra sts again w ith the su ccessfu l tra d itio n a l m id w ife ry p rog ra m im p le m e n te d re c e n tly by the In u it w om en of n o rth e rn Canada. D O L P H IN M A N IA
62 x m in u te A ccord D ocum entary Singing N om ads P ro du ctio n s Pty Ltd P r in c ip a l C re d its
P ro d u c e r/D ire c to r/W rite r: S ally Ingleton P resale: ABC D is trib u tio n : Beyond D istrib u tion Synopsis
The s to ry of a co asta l co m m u n ity outside M elbourne, w h e re a s m a ll n u m b e r of o p e ra to rs w ith d iffe rin g philosophies are licensed to run d olphin sw im to u rs. This film w ill explore the via b ility of e co -to u rism , the possible healing of people th ro u gh d olphin in te ra ctio n , and the explo ita tion of both p artie s th ro u gh greed and u n re a lis tic expectations. D R A M A S C HO O L
8 x 22 m in u te D ocum entary H ilton C o rd e ll & A ssociates Pty Ltd P r in c ip a l C re d its
P roducers: C hris H ilton, M ichael C ord e ll D ire cto r: R achel Landers W rite rs : Rachel Landers, C hris H ilton, M ichael C ord e ll P resales: N etw o rk Seven, TV3 D istrib u tion : M in o ta u r In te rn a tio n a l Sy nopsis
A d ocu m e n ta ry se rie s th a t close ly fo llo w s the p rofe ssio n al and p erso n a l jou rn e ys of acting s tu d e nts at the p restig io us N atio n a l In stitu te fo r D ram a tic A rts (NIDA), the d ram a sch oo l th a t has produced such in te rn a tio n a l s ta rs as M el Gibson, Judy Davis and Cate B lan ch e tt. G UNS U N D E R T H E IR B U M S
52 x m inu te D ocum entary
Emerald Film s Pty Ltd P rin c ip a l C re d its
P roducers: S ally B row ning, David Max B row n D ire cto r: Tom Zubrycki P resales: SBS, YLE2, eTV D istrib u tio n : G reat N o rth e rn In te rn a tion a l, Foundation Jan V rijm a n Fund Sy nopsis
A ta le of courage, cunning and deception. It te lls a s to ry of the m ost su ccessfu l and audacious p ro je ct in the fig h t a gainst apartheid. YVONNE
52 x m in u te A ccord D ocum entary
Documentary Film s Pty Ltd P r in c ip a l C re d its
P ro d u c e r/D ire c to r/W rite r: B arbara Chobocky P resale: SBS S y n o p sis
This d ocu m e n ta ry is a b e h in d -th e scenes lo o k at th e life of A u s tra lia is b est-kn ow n in te rn a tio n a l soprano. It ce ntre s on how, having a lready achieved outstanding success, Yvonne Kenny m a in ta in s it, p a rtic u la rly in the face of incre a sin g p re ssu re s in the a rts w o rld .
WWW
^Bûïtep^'vëTiehdôn^Êom m on Hendon South Australia 5014 8^48^9300 Facsimile: (+61 8) 8347 1320 E.mail: safilm@safilm.com.au
Digital Film Recording 2K&4K to 35mm Intermediate 5 2 4 4 plus Eastman Colour Neg & High Contrast Title Design and Production, 12 bit Scanning, Digital Optical's & Kines 5 Chuter St McMahon’s Pt (North Sydney) NSW 2060 Tel: 61 2 9922 3144
U nit 4, 200 Toorak Road, South Yarra 3141, Australia
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Email: ogteam@og.com.au
Phone (03)9826 9077 Fax (03)9826 1935
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One of Australia's most established distributors of arthouse films. Currently distributing The Dinner Game (Le Diner De Cons) and Comedian Harmonists. New titles for late 2000 include Nijinsky (Paul Cox) and No Ball Players Here (Monique Schwarz). IN CANNES: Gray D'Albion Hotel - May 11-21 L Natalie Miller (Executive Director) Shaun Miller (Distribution Manager)
I Jacques Villeret ft- «fcMS (The Dinner G am e)H
The sum of us
The Oscar Contenders
The gurus rate recent releases.
THE SIXTH SENSE
THE GREEN MILE
THE CIDER HOUSE RULES
THE INSIDER
AMERICAN BEAUTY
BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB
THE WOG BOY
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STRANGE FITS OF PASSION
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THE CUP
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MAGNOLIA
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THE HURRICANE
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THEBEACH
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OÍR REVIEW GURUS HÂVE RATED A SELECTION OF THE LATEST RELEASES ON A SCALE OF 0 TO TO, THE LATTER BEING THE OPTIMUM RATING - A DOT MEANS NOT SEEN. [58 ] (JtNEMA IflpERS.MAY 2000
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Cinemedia is an Australian encourages and assists the exhibition and knowledge of film. Cinemedia @ Federation Square
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In 2001, Australia will see its first cultural institution solely dedicated to screen culture.
Provides public access to A ustralia^ collection of film , video and d o c u m f
Cinem edia @ Federation Square, in the heart of Melbourne, will showcase the moving im age in all its wondrous form s. C inem edia @ Federation Square is a new cultural institution devoted to screen culture events, educational program s, digital m edia exhibitions and new screen technologies. Cinem edia @ Federation Square celebrates the art and culture of cinem a, television and the interactive screen in an interactive environm ent.
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CAN DO! Whatever you need, we’ll help you find it. Need a ramshackle town or a gleaming metropolis? We’ve got them. Need perfect weather? Queensland Isn’t called the Sunshine State for nothing. Government assistance? Just ask. Need a unique, convenient location that hasn’t been done to death? We can show you thousands - deserts, jungles, mountains, swamps, giant dunes, beaches, countless tropical Islands and the world renowned Great Barrier Reef. Contact us for a free copy of the Pacific Film and Television Commission production guide. It contains everything you need to know about Queensland’s amazing locations, world class studios, production specialists and film crews. We’re passionate about filmmaking - and we’re here to help.
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