WHAT THE MOON SAW

Australia, 1990, 90 minutes, Colour.
Kym Gyngell, Danielle Spencer, Max Phipps, Pat Everson.
Directed by Pino Amenta.

What the Moon Saw is a pleasing children's and family film. It was written by Frank Howson, based on his own experiences as a child actor. Howson set up Boulevard Films in Melbourne in the '80s and produced such features as Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Heaven Tonight, Hunting. Director of this film is Pino Armenta, who also directed Boulevard of Broken Dreams.

The film focuses on a young boy coming to Melbourne, his staying with his grandmother (the large and lively Pat Everson). At the Athenaeum there is a pantomime of Sinbad the Sailor which he continually watches. He meets the cast, and eventually imagines himself as the hero of the pantomime and all the other members of the cast as part of it.

The film takes us into the world of a child, a child on holiday, a child with imagination. There is a very good supporting cast which includes Max Phipps, Danielle Spencer and Kym Gyngell.

1.Enjoyable family film? Children's enjoyment? Adults?

2.The blend of reality and fantasy? Imagination?

3.The opening sequences of country Victoria, the Great Ocean Road and Port Campbell? The authentic Melbourne atmosphere? The world of the theatre?

4.Stephen, his farewell to his parents, his father's accident, the bus ride to the city? Meeting his grandmother, hearing her stories? On the train - and his grandmother's attack on the boy with the loud radio? Going to the flat, the prim woman upstairs? Settling in?

5.In the city, Gran and her shopping, his feeling lost, meeting the girl and her kindliness? Going to the theatre, the lady at the box office, selling the sweets, giving him ice cream? The manager and his mannerisms? Permission to watch the pantomime?

6.Meeting the cast, Sinbad and his action, athletics? The rehearsals? The author and his disappointment? The director? The manager and his conditions? The eliminating of songs? The prim lady from upstairs and her taking the children, her walking out, discussing the moral tone of the pantomime with the manager? The arguments?

7.The performance, the stunts, the children in the theatre, their response, Stephen and his being rapt in the pantomime?

8.The pleasant atmosphere of the theatre - Gran, the lady with the ice cream, the cast, the girl and her wanting to get to the audition?

9.The manager and his tyrannical behaviour, his obnoxious nephew and his clash with Stephen, Stephen being forbidden to go to the theatre?

10.The last performance, Stephen's going to sleep, his imagining the pantomime with all the characters from his life? His becoming Sinbad? The confrontation with the manager and his nephew? The help of the author? The heroine?

11.The actress, the audition, the performance, pleading with the manager, his refusal? Stephen and his goodbyes, setting off the alarm - and the girl being able to go to the audition and be successful?

12.The background of the theatre, the people employed, the janitor and his friendship (and being in the pantomime)? The audiences?

13.The enjoyment of the film for children, identifying, imagining? Enjoyable for adults - and their memories?