Displaying items by tag: Tasma Walton

THE TWELVE 2

Australia, 2024, 8X 45 minutes, Colour.

Amy Matthews, Errol Shand, Kris McQuade, Tasman Walton, Josh McKenzie, Anthony Brandon Wong, Stefanie Cacama, Luke Pegler, Feysall Bazzi, Sam Neill, Frances O'Connor, Anthony Hayes, Gerard Lebowski.

Directed by Stevie Cruz Smith, Jocelyn Moorhouse, Ben Young.

The television series, The Twelve, made quite an impact on television audiences, a focus on a trial, some quite significant members of the jury, others on the periphery. And, the trial lawyers, played by Sam Neill and Marta Dusseldorp, as well is the accused, played by Kate Mulvaney, were well written roles. And, there was always the mystery of the guilt or innocence of the accused.

This is the second series. The only continuing character is that played by Sam Neill as a defence lawyer, always self assured, charming, the touch of the ruthless. In this version he has a co-worker, played by Frances O’Connor. There are two accused, Amy Matthews and Errol Shand, the lawyers defending one each. Prosecutor is portrayed by Fayssal Bazzi.

The setting is Western Australia, a country town, the death of an elderly woman farmer, rather a harridan, played effectively by Kris McQuade. Her daughter and her lover are accused of her murder.

The screenplay this time, after a prologue indicating the setting and the characters, focuses on the trial, meetings outside the courtroom, but mainly flashbacks indicating the different perspectives on the situation, the death, possible scenarios, and unexpected aspects in the final solution.

And, as with the original series, there is strong focus on several of the jurors, a young woman caring for her sister who, in fact, is her daughter, a young man, on drugs, involved in money deals, an ageing and dying Asian character clashing with his children, a woman caring for her elderly mother discovering aboriginal connections…

The court scenes and cross examinations are always very interesting, there are twists and turns on the prosecution and the defence, some tense human relationships.

The series has several directors especially Jocelyn Moorhouse.

1. The popularity of the first series? The series based on an original Dutch program?
2. The adaptation to Western Australia, the country town, the streets and buildings, the courthouse, hotels and motels, the countryside and the farms, homesteads? The musical score?
3. The structure of the series, the introduction to the crime situation, the investigators, the arrests, the lawyers and visits to the accused, the selection of the jury and the discussions about who should be on the jury? The judge? The flashbacks to Bernice, Sasha and Patrick? The cumulative effect of the flashbacks, and the development of the story of particular genres? The dramatic effect? The twist at the end, Thelma and her intervention?
4. The dramatic impact of the court proceedings, the prosecutor and his stances, less experience than Colby and Meredith, their skills, interrogations? The wide range of witnesses and testimonies? Dramatic interactions? The focus on the jurors and their responses? The assistance to the prosecutor and offenders?
5. The core of the plot, Bernice, age, hard work, harsh personality, mean minded, the response of the town, hostility? Sasha, her age, working with her mother, her mother’s control over her? Yet her daughter’s love? Patrick, the breakdown, getting the lift, the relationship with Sasha, Kelly and the children and his visits to them, the relationship with Sasha, passionate on her side, his response to her? Bernice’s disapproval, criticisms of Patrick, criticising her daughter, observing, getting Sasha to withdraw the money, the $50,000, visiting Patrick at the motel, giving him the money, his taking it? His giving it to Kelly?
6. Audience response to the personalities of Sasha and Patrick, during the affair, side-by-side in the prison, the advice to look straight ahead in the court? The reality of the pregnancy, the birth of the baby, Sasha wanting to visit, the visit to the prison?
7. The death of Bernice, in the well, the possibilities, the issue of the well and it repairs, the company manager, his presence, confronting in the court, hostility towards Bernice, Colby surveying his back entry, his admission of changing the lights?
8. The neighbours, farming, lesbians and attacks, the death of the dog, the visit, the visit, questioning in court?
9. The focus on the genres, in court, the discussions, Winston as foreman, the range of men, the range of women in, behaviour, friendships, out-of-court meetings?
10. Winston, his wealth, the mill, terminal cancer, the nurse, weary, friendship, the marijuana, the visit of his son and daughter, their neglect, his severity, his daughter reporting the nurse, the substitute nurse? The visit to the club? The friendship? His reaction to criticisms about parents and their treatment of children, wills? His final decision, selling the company, dividing the money, the final scene with his son?
11. Joey, young, his father, friendship with Pete, his girlfriend, the drugs, money needs, the drive, the crashing of the sign, the repairs, the payout to the mechanic, borrowing from the bank, Peter and his drinking, giving him the drugs, people dying, the interrogations, his lying, his girlfriend and her finally walking out? Pete’s father, asking him to be the football coach? His behaviour with the other jurors? The owner of the pub, genial, on the jury, the night of celebration at the pub? His father and the money for buying the ring, for reconciliation? Continuing the drugs, in the bar, the bartender, his being overcome, going to the police, his confession, driving with his father, not participating in the jury?
12. Thelma, looking after her mother, dementia, the neighbours, killing the hens, throwing the eggs, the punctured football, Thelma and her friend, the confrontation with the neighbours, challenge about her mob, issues of racism, questioning her mother, the mention of Bernice, going to the former home, getting the documents, photocopying them, her reaction? Her outbursts against her mother, her partner coming him down, her feeling of her to discovering the truth about her origins, racial prejudice?
13. Claudia, at home, with her sister, working at the bar, severe father, severe mother, the issue of the rollerblades and the little girl envious, Claudia and her age, with the jury, serious, going out with the gay couple, drinking, admitting the truth about her daughter? Later at the party? Her mother forbidding her to go to the holy communion ceremony? The little girl leaving? Claudia confronting her parents? The continued anxiety, the confrontation with her mother, her daughter overhearing the truth, running out, hit by the car, hospital, the visits, Claudia inviting her to go rollerskating?
14. The Muslim nurse, at work, comments, the invitation to her home, her concern about Winston and his harsh reaction to her?
15. The young woman, her ex-husband, the interactions?
16. The smug character, knowing all about the town, the money deals, presumption of guilt, reactions to his assertions?
17. The range of people interviewed, their comments, their opinions, Sasha is close friend and her outburst against Patrick? The doctors and their opinions, the detective from Perth, the manager of the motel and his playing computer games and accuracy of memory?
18. The revelation about Bernice, the affair, the family reaction, going to the Centre, giving birth, giving up the child? Her knowing that Patrick was the child? The flashbacks to the confrontation, the revelation of the truth, the reason for Bernice giving Patrick the money, wanting the child destroyed, Bernice and the gun, Sasha and her defiance, Patrick hitting her, going for the ambulance, Sasha, the body, her ability to carry a heifer, carrying her mother’s body, putting her down the well, her motivations, anger, love for Patrick, the baby?
19. Meredith, Colby and further information, the estrangement, her visiting Sasha, the cross-examination the court, Colby and the revelation about the relationship, defensive Patrick? Sasha and her anger at Meredith? Meredith and the phone call to Chris and the children, his filing separation papers? Her defeat?
20. The prosecutor, the attack on Sasha, her breaking down, the adjournment?
21. Colby, reconstructing the situation, exonerating Patrick?
22. The audience, the added accumulation of flashbacks, what might have happened, what did happen, changing loyalties, jewellery, the details of the discussions, orderly, good arguments? The decisions?
23. The audience seeing the truth, Patrick being freed, his attempts to save his mother’s life? Sasha, sympathy for her, but her decision against her mother? Her going to prison, the prospect of her child? And the revelation that she was guilty? But the final irony of Patrick saying he had given the money to Kelly, his digging it up and disappearing?
24. A satisfying mystery, life in Western Australia and community, relationships, violence, the crime, the evidence, the flashbacks, the jury’s decision?

KID SNOW

Australia, 2024, 127 minutes, Colour.

Billy Howle, Tom Bateman, Phoebe Tonkin, Mark Coles Smith, Hunter Page-Lochard, Nathan Philips, Jake La Torre, Robert Taylor, Tristan Gorey, Vito de Francesco, Tasma Walton.

Directed by Paul Goldman.

Once upon a time in Australia, there were travelling fairs, including a boxing troupe, with a boxing tent, featuring boxing stars ready to take on the locals as part of the show. They were popular during World War I and continued. In fact, the story opens in 1961, the main action taking place in 1971. The fairs were very popular, beginning at the time of the introduction of radio, before television, certainly long before social media. In fact, in one sequence here, a boxing bout is watched on television, black-and-white, even in 1971 before the coming of colour TV.

A reviewers noted that this is the kind of film we used to make in Australia. It is a story of ordinary people, very ordinary people, often referred to in the past as “battlers”, and not just because of the boxing, but of the struggles in making a living. The characters here all have these stories, Irish migration, fixed fights and betting, returning from Vietnam, single parents, dancing in Kings Cross nightclubs, aboriginals involved in the boxing troupes, sometimes hand-to-mouth subsistence…

In 1961, we are introduced to two boxing brothers, Rory and Kid. Their father manages them, bets, tough fights, setups, knockouts, Kid knocked down, giving way to his brother – drinking, driving, a disastrous car crash.

1971, Rory, with a limp from his leg injured in the crash, runs the touring fair, Kid being the featured boxer, the backup from some of the aborigines travelling with them. British actor, Billy Howle, plays Kid, looking unkempt, often bewildered, his brother dominating him. British actor Tom Bateman plays Rory. Mark Coles Smith and Hunter Page-Lochard feature in the entourage. Haunting them is the memory of the defeat by the national champion, Hammer (Tristan Gorey) who runs a boxing training centre.

An American journalist, played by Robert Taylor, from Life Magazine is following Hammer, interviewing Rory and Kid, trying to get a story about the boxing world in Australia, such travelling troupes not part of the American boxing scene.

A further complication is Sunny (Phoebe Tonkin), battling with her young son, Darcy, her husband has been wounded in Vietnam, time in jail, slyly picking pockets of the boxing audience, confronted by Rory, becoming a dancer with her own tent, able to survive with her son, a strange relationship with Kid who become something of a babysitter for the boy, creating a bond.

In the background the entrepreneurs are trying to organise a bout between Kid and Hammer (who hates Kid), a set up, betting and profit, Rory indebted to these entrepreneurs, forcing Kid to train.

Which means there are a number of boxing sequences, especially that final fight. However, a lot of the film focuses on personal struggles, the two brothers, resentments, yet brotherly feelings, Sunny and her situation and background, concern for Darcy, the interventions of the American journalist, a truth confrontation between the two brothers.

We know where the story is going but, satisfyingly, it is not exactly what we might have expected and the final, perhaps inevitable, visualising of the meeting leaves the audience satisfied.

1. The title and the focus on Kid? In the context of his family? In the context of boxing and the troupe?
2. An Australian story, the travelling boxing troupes, the fairs and the fairgrounds, the small country towns, the tents, the shows, boxing, the dancing? The audiences? The tradition from the First World War years to the 1970s?
3. The West Australian settings, the small towns, the range of the countryside, deserts, farmland, the coastal sequences? Atmosphere? Musical score?
4. The opening fight, the introduction to Kid, Rory, to their father? To Hammer and his trainer, Frank? The situation of the fight, the competition, the bets, the arrangements for knockouts? Kid, his fight, falling? Rory and the arrangement to win? Hammer and his dominance?
5. The aftermath, the drive, Kid and his drinking, the arguments, the oncoming truck, the accident? The father’s death? Rory and his leg injury?
6. 1971, Rory and the setting up of the travelling fair, the visuals of the tents, exteriors and interiors? The dance tent, the eyes, the lascivious sketches of the women?
7. The entourage, Rory as the boss, unable to fight? Kid, the fighter, the locals and taking them on, the bets? The other members of the group, the aboriginal men and their presence, Bill and his being a follower? His later taking Kid’s place in being brutalised by Kid’s antagonists? The atmosphere, their characters, performances, the crowds?
8. Sunny, coming into the tent, Rory watching her, picking the pockets, his confronting her, her concern about Darcy in the car? The interactions, the job, her dancing, the money, costumes, the tent and its style, the increasing audiences, their responses to her? Her suspicions of Kid, mellowing, letting him be babysitting for Darcy? The growing attraction? Darcy and his wariness, memories of father, the father and his Vietnam experience? Sunny, her explanations of herself, growing up, jail, dancing at Kings Cross, Betty teaching her? With the bigger audiences, better dresses, more elaborate performances, popularity? Rory and his approach, her resisting, Darcy attacking, her being sent away? Going to the coast, meeting Betty again, the ice cream parlour for the tourists?
9. The journalist from Life Magazine, visiting Australia, comparisons with the US, his interviewing Hammer, Hammer at his gym? Interviewing Rory? Interviewing Kid? Rory’s attack on him, typing the story, present at the finale?
10. Darcy taking the money, kid in pursuit, Darcy not knowing the money was Kid’s? Returning it?
11. Rory, the entrepreneurs, the setting up of the fight against Hammer, Rory and his memories, Kid and his abilities, fixing the match but not telling Kid? Kid the training, the aboriginal trainers and his running, exercise? And continuing with the bouts with the locals?
12. The buildup to the confrontation between Kid and Rory, the accident, Rory and his limp, the fixing of matches, treatment of Sunny? Kid leaving, driving, finding Sunny and Darcy, reuniting? The prospect of the fight?
13. The decision to fight, going into training, the return, his visit to the entrepreneurs, the bet to win that he could last three rounds? The visuals of the fight, hard, collapsing, lasting the three rounds? Going to the fourth, throwing in the towel, the fans, Rory’s reaction? And the entrepreneur making money, money for Kid?
14. The reconciliation with Rory, his going to find Sunny and Darcy, the ice cream parlour, and the way that the final sequence was handled, expected but controlled?