Displaying items by tag: Tom Burke

TROUBLED BLOOD

UK, 2023, 4 x 60 minutes, Colour.

Tom Burke, Holliday Grainger, Sophie Ward, Ian Redford, Linda Bassett, Fionulla Flanagan, Anna Calder Marshall, Cherie Lunghi, Kenneth Cranham, Robin Asquith, Michael Byrne, Ruth Sheen.

Directed by Susan Tully.

This is the film television series based on Robert Galbraith’s novels (a.k.a. J.K.Rowling). They have been a star vehicle for Tom Burke who embodies the central Detective, Cormoran Strike, and made the character his own. As does Holliday Grainger with her portrayal of Robin, his assistant and then his Detective agency partner.

The Galbraith novels are very long and writer, Tom Edge, has been able to reduce the core mystery and detection to 4 episodes. This is the fourth novel adapted by Edge. Many of the characters in the novel do not appear in the series, Edge has the ability to make very short sequences which introduce quite a number of the minor characters very effectively.

There is also a difficulty in Burke’s interpretation of Strike, the writing cutting back on a lot of his background as well has his leg injury so that he is not as distinct from other detectives as he might be. However, it is always interesting to see how he operates, interviews, deductions, contrasting with the liveliness of Robin and her ability to take on different characters, different names, different appearances.

One of the values of this series is that so many veteran British actors have significant roles, including Sophie Ward, Linda Bassett, Fionulla Flanagan, Cherie Lunghi, Ruth Sheen as well as Robin Asquith and Kenneth Cranham. Most interesting is the appearance of Anna Calder Marshall, especially in a final telling sequence, because she is, in fact, Tom Burke’s mother.

The series is a treat for fans of Robert Galbraith (Rowling).

1. The popularity of the Cormoran Strike and novels, the work of JK Rowling? The adaptation of large novels, keeping the key detection line, personal aspects of the characters? Readers, the omission of characters?
2. The personality of Cormoran Strike, background, rock ‘n’ roll singer father, seeing his son as a mistake, the flighty mother, Joan and Ted looking after Cormoran and Lucy? His Detective agency, skills and reputation? Working with Robin? The use of collaboration, partners, the staff? Cormoran and his methods, interrogations, interviews, backup connections, the police?
3. The personality of Robin, her background, the family scenes of Christmas, relationship with Matthew, his deception, the scenes with the lawyers, her defiance, the divorce? Her love for her work, working with Cormoran, her skills of detection, her taking different personalities, identities, clothing, accents…?
4. The basic investigation here, Anna and her partner approaching Cormoran, 50 years since the disappearance of her mother, the background story? The use of flashbacks of the 1970s to dramatise various aspects of story from the witnesses? Intercut with the investigation? Margot, mother and wife, with Oona at the club, her marriage to the respectable doctor, Cynthia as the nanny for her daughter, her practice, the other doctors, the staff? Her disappearance? Various possibilities, the serial killer Dennis Creed, the witness seeing two people struggling in the rain and the phone box, the clients at the surgery, the London gangsters seen at the Christmas party, the film of the violent attack on the woman, the ring, the later identification with the gangster, in the aged care home, his vicious relative?
5. The personal story, Cormoran going to Cornwall, Joan and her dying, Ted and his grief, the effect on Cormoran? Sadness? His sister, her insistence, demands on him? His brother trying to reconciling with his father? Phone calls from his father? His refusal?
6. The lead with the mother and son, the house, the limitations, the talk about magic and the death of Margot, social worker? The investigation leading back to their house, the truth of what happened, the body dragged there, the cement, burying of Margot, the burial place covered, the drugging of the family, the killing of the father, keeping the mother and son at the house?
7. Robin going to the aged care home, the gangster senile, encountering the nephew, his threats, using her wits?
8. The story of the young man, going to the doctor for help, his illness, running away, changing his name, the dead women associated with him? Cormoran and Robin finding him, the interviews, his angry wife, suspicions, and the revelation that he was a victim?
9. Brian Tucker, the grieving father, 50 years against Dennis Creed, Creed in his van, abducting, killing, his presence in the mental institution? Tucker supplying clues? In the background of the inspector who retired, probed all the cult connections – and the later vindication? Cormoran going to visit Creed, the games, the investigation about Margot, Creed giving the information about Louise Tucker,, defying him?
10. The author of the book, the meeting in the pub, his arrogance? The lead for Cormoran to go to visit Janice?
11. The interview with the doctor, his supplying the film, some happy scenes of Margot with her daughter, part of the happy ending?
12. Searching down Gloria Conti, her return to England, the story of the gangsters, the violence, Margot helping her, the significance of her witness about the chocolates? Her being willing to testify against the gangsters?
13. Tracking down Irene and Janice, the discussions, revisiting Janice, her information and stories? Cormoran eventually realising the inconsistencies, the return of the confrontation, her attempt to poison him, the truth, her personality, her satisfaction, the killings, the long talk and her explanation of all that she had done, her motivations?
14. The ending, the preparation for June’s funeral?
15. And the audience anticipating the continuation of the series?

FURIOUSA

Australia, 2024, 148 minutes, Colour.

Anya Taylor Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke, Alyla Browne, George Shevtsov, Lachy Hulme, John Howard, Angus Sampson, Elsa Pataki, David Field.

Directed by George Miller.

Back in 1979, Dr George Miller surprised Australian audiences with his small-budget futuristic action film, Mad Max. Two years later he surprised the world with the sequel, Mad Max two, The Road Warrior. Then Beyond Thunderdome, quite a heritage. But, there was to be more. 2015, Academy Awards, Fury Road. And, here we are in 2024, 45 years later, enormous expectations for Furiousa.

For most audiences, expectations fulfilled – and then some!

We are back in the Wasteland, the vast deserts (Broken Hill locations), once again a post-apocalyptic world, a glimpse of a world of green and fruit, by and large welcoming territory, by contrast, communities of bikie gangs, the remnants of industry and fuel with Gastown, and an attempt at some kind of “civilisation” in a regime, The Citadel. At times, the visuals of the vast Citadel are overwhelming.

But, we met Furiousa in the form of Charlize Theron in Fury Road. This is her origin story. At first she is played, quite tellingly by very young actress, Alyla Browne, then, as the young adult, by Anya Taylor Joy. The oasis is infiltrated by some bikies, conflict, abduction of young Furiousa, her determined mother in full pursuit, and the beginning of the many, many battles.

The young Furiousa is brought by her captives to a weird bikie community lorded over (rather than ruled or governed) by a kind of Aussie Viking, whose utterances are a mixture of classic literature and banality, aptly named Dementus, and played with relish by Chris Hemsworth. But, for this reviewer, at times played in over the top cartoonish style. And, as with the other films, some of the warriors, one eyed, maimed, disfigured, rogue caricatures. But, Dementus, with a sense of the classics has a vehicle designed like a Roman chariot. And, in attendance, he has his sage, The History Man, tattooed with words and learning, played by George Sheftsov as a kind of Gandalf figure.

But, there are over two hours of action to go. Dementus has territorial ambitions. There are sieges of Gastown. Dementus challenges the leadership of The Citadel. No lack of opportunities for continued battles, it confrontations…

Furiousa herself confronts Dementus and finds a home and a haven in The Citadel, grows up, becomes involved in the defence.

The latter part of the film dramatises the conflict between the three communities, convoys of food to be transferred to Gastown in return for fuel. Which offers the opportunity, of course, for the huge trucks to cross the desert, pursued on land, and even from the air. The driver is played by Tom Burke and bonds with Furiousa. Yes, shet has to fulfil her dynasty, confront Dementus, a visualising of all the ways in which she could destroy him but we could not imagine his strange, ultimate fate.

There have been some critics who found that this was too much, over and over. And they lamented that George Miller has relied on CGI whereas, in the past, he showed he did not need them. But, for audiences, there is never too much and the CGI produces, of course, extraordinary effects.

George Miller will be 80 in 2025 but has let the world know that he has a sequel in mind..

1. 45 years of Mad Max? The origins,, small-budget,, successful, the sequels, years passing, Fury Road, acclaim and awards? Now the prequel?
2. George Miller, writing and directing, in Australia, in the US, this film in his 70s? His writing, flair and directing, budgets, locations, action and special effects? Musical score?
3. Audiences for Fury Road, the character of Furiosa, her origins, the world and the wasteland in which she lived and grew up?
4. The importance of the locations, Broken Hill, Hay, New South Wales? The range of sequences, desert, mountains, dunes? Vastness? The communities, initial prospering community, the threats from the wandering bikies, the visualising of Gastown? The visualising of the Citadel, vast? The detail?
5. Costumes, the tradition of the Mad Max films, bikies, masks, uniforms, primitive, designed? For each of the communities? The visual impact?
6. The action sequences, ever more spectacular, and exclusions, noise, audience response?
7. The opening, Furiosa and her sister, the fruit, the bikies, interfering with the bikes, the attack and Chase, the capture of Furiousa, her mother’s response, the other women, the determined pursuit, bikes the visuals of the dunes, the tracks, the young girl, mother shooting, deaths, getting the bike, continuing the pursuit?
8. The bikies entering their centre, disputes, rivalries, the thugs look, fights? The introduction of Dementus, visually, his presence, Chris Hemsworth, the look, the voice? The blend of educated and ignorant? In command, his Roman chariot-like vehicle? The History Man looking and sounding like Gandalf? Dementus and his reaction, response to Furious, her mother, the attack, captured, tied tortured, her doing to watching? The motivation for revenge?
9. Dementus and his cohort, on the attack, and Gastown, those in charge, the petroleum, the need for fresh food? Finding the wanderer from The Citadel, his information, Dementus and his group, confrontation, the visuals of those in charge, the high towers, the walkways, ropes and communications, the challenge, the man falling?
10. Response to the leaders of The Citadel, the leader, his mask, his aggressive sons, paintings and his heart, The People Eater in his suit, his advice? The combat?
11. Furiousa, masked, captured, observing, her escape, the authorities of the Citadel questioning her, her telling the truth about Dementus and her mother, refuge in The Citadel? Time passing, the transition, her motivation, not speaking, her escape, disguising herself as male, relied on in the work?
12. The years passing, the establishing of the three centres, the rivalries, the ambitions? The various attacks – and the narrative of film interspersed with the battles in combat?
13. The arrangement for the transition of food from The Citadel to the other centres, to Gastown in return for fuel?
14. The introduction of Praetorian Jack, the driver, his skills, the visualising of the attacks, the bikes, the cars, trucks, the use of smoke, red and green, the aerial attack?
15. Furious, and the convoy, revealing herself, her work with Jack, the battles and her skills? The motivations? The further journeys, talking with Jack, her having the map from the stars on her arm, the seed and hope? Jack urging her to freedom?
16. Convoys, the visit to Gastown, the upset, not getting the fuel, the return, the decisions of the authorities of The Citadel?
17. Dementus, his ambitions, his attack on Gastown, planned attack on The Citadel? Burning Gastown? The authorities at The Citadel, some wanting to attack, the fire and decoy?
18. Dementus, the attack, the fights? The convoy, Furiosa in the back vehicle? The siege, the fight, the shooting? The eventual taking of Jack and Furiousa? Jack and his being dragged behind the vehicle? Furiosa watching? Her defiance of Dementus? The escape to the car, the pursuit?
19. The buildup to the confrontation between Dementus and Furiosa, in the desert, his escape, the tent, her capturing him? The verbal conflict? Dementus and his attitudes, his death? The visualising of the possibilities for his death? Yet the final reality, the seed planted in him, the tree growing from him, the taking of the apple reminiscent of the opening?
20. Furiosa, near ready for the action seen in Fury Road?