CAME A HOT FRIDAY

New Zealand, 1980, 90 minutes, Colour.
Peter Bland, Philip Gordon, Billy T. James.
Directed by Ian Mune.

Came A Hot Friday is an excellent New Zealand black comedy. Set in 1949, the film focuses on New Zealand's growth after World War Two. The emphasis is on a small country town, a conman and his sidekick, greed and double-dealing.

Peter Bland and Philip Gordon are very good as the confidence trickster duo. Billy T. James is also very good as a mad Maori who believes he is a Mexican. However, the film is entertaining in its comic sit6ations as well as its witty dialogue. The screenplay was written by Ian Mune with Dean Parker and Mune has directed with verve.

1. An entertaining New Zealand comedy? For New Zealand? Universal appeal?

2. The atmosphere of New Zealand, the roadside, the countryside, the town? The audience immersed in the atmosphere of the town? Special effects - especially for the climaxes? Musical score?

3. 1949, Post-war prosperity and austerity? Greed? Confidence tricksters? The relevance of the film for later decades?

4. Wes and Cyril and as a comedy pair? Confidence tricksters? The initial set-up, Cyril and the glasses, the bets, the phone? The codes? The time for getting the phone call through, the running of the race, hearing it on the radio? Tensions? Wes and Cyril and their successes and failures? Travelling the roads? Wes and his superior style, manner,(yet failing)? Cyril as the small spiv? The introduction to the pair? How attractive, engaging?

5. The town and their arrival, the racetrack and the phone? The new set-up? Seeking out Donald and persuading him to participate? His drinking, and the set-up? Success? The phone call and the wins? The tension for Donald? Wes and Cyril coming after the money? Watching the fire, Maurice and his heroism?, The clash with the Maori S.P. bookie? The car-salesman and his wife? The dance, Wes and his flirting? Being caught by the salesman? Cyril and his dancing style? With Esmeralda? Sel and the big betting? The chase, the river? Wes and Cyril and their recovery? The encounter with the Tainula Kid? His Mexican style? The plan, the defeat of Sel? Wes's bluff? Caught in the freezer? The escape, the explosions? The spectacular finale? The comic styles of the two men?. Their personalities?

6. Don as the young man in the town, slow, drinking, relationship with his father, the gate, running for the bets, his success, the lack of the phone call, his dilemma, the irony of winning? The clash with the Maori bookie? His love for Esmeralda and her help? The dance, the car, sex? Chased with Wes and Cyril? the plan, his participation? His father? His changed life? Esmeralda and her relationship with Donald, her verve?

7. The Tainuia Kid and his appearances, the spoof of cowboys, dress, talk, appeasing the river, the siege, the rifle, the dynamite, throwing all the money to appease the river?

8. Sel as the villain, nastiness? Relationship with Claire and pushing her? Maurice and his drinking? The burning of the building, his responsibility for the death of the old man? Maurice's disappearance? The dance, the gambling, Wes and saving face? The pursuit, the clash with Claire? The explosion and poetic justice for Sel?

9. Claire and Maurie and their relationship; dependent on Sel, turning against him?

10. Donald's father and his leg, the falls, his presence at the Anzac Day ceremony at the end?

11. Norm and his S.P. bets, losses, chase, stranded on the bridge?

12. The nurse, a battleaxe, calling the police?

13. Life in the town, style, interests, values? final Anzac ceremony? The point of the piece?

14. A black but good-humoured look at aspects of New Zealand? Of human nature?

COMEBACK (LOVE IS FOREVER)

US, 1983, 96 minutes, Colour.
Michael Landon, Laura Gemser, Jurgen Prochnow, Edward Woodward, Priscilla Presley.
Directed by Hall Bartlett.

Comeback was conceived as a long telemovie for American audiences but was abbreviated for cinema release throughout the world. It was based on Australian journalist John Everingham's story of his time in Laos, his work as a journalist, his rescuing his Laotian fiancee from the Communist regime.

A postscript of the film indicates that Everingham's life has been threatened three times - even during the filming in 1982 in Thailand. The atmosphere of South East Asia is suggested - but is placed in a context of-cold war confrontation between Them and Us.

The stars are television-popular stars, especially Michael Landon~ Edward Woodward has an enjoyable role as a British naval officer who trains Everingham. Priscilla Presley makes her acting debut.

The film was written, produced and directed by idiosyncratic Hollywood director, Hall Bartlett, responsible for a range of offbeat films from Unchained in the 50s to Jonathan Livingston Seagull in the '70s. The film was not well received - critics thought it too simplistic and old-fashioned in its propaganda and confrontational style.

1. Entertaining film? 'Based' on a 'true story'? A story of the 1970s? The film made originally as telemovie? The telemovie style, home audience? its treatment? Television stars and their popularity? The style of writing? The facts of John Everingham's story? In the context of South East Asia and the 70s, Laos and Thailand? The Vietnam war? The West and its attitudes toward Communists? Russian aid for, Laos? American for Thailand? The Australian connection - underplayed? Reference at the end? The 'them and us' style of antagonism? Heroes and villains painted larger than life? The old style propaganda film?

6. The structure of the film: introduction to Everingham, the first attempt to save his fiancee, the flashbacks? The use of dates, times and places?

7. The initial attempt, the techniques of swimming under the Mekong River, the dramatic tensions? His arrival, the signals, the failure of the attempt, the flashback within this context?

8. John Everingham and his journalist background, presence in Laos, quality of his work, articles and information for American magazines like Time and Newsweek?

9. The boat raid? The antagonism towards the Russian officer? Suspicion? Keo and her work with him? Spying? Shared experiences together? The martial arts fight and the humiliation of the officer, arrest, torture, deportation? His decision to rescue Keo, his training, supplying of information
to Keo, the attempt, the second attempt and the success? The
strong love story?

10. The Russian officer, his sinister style and portrayal, the echoes of the Nazi villains of the '40s? His place in Laos? The Secret Police, spies and information? Torture? The raid on the boat? The humiliation by Everingham? The arrest and deportation? The hold over Keo? Sexual attraction? Setting her up as mistress? His being thwarted?

ll. Keo and her place in Laos, her work, her skills, the brochure and the photographs by Everingham? Shared experiences? Falling in love? The lyric romantic touches? Her family? Everingham's deportation? Her playing games with the officer? Receiving messages from Thailand? The failure of the first attempt? Waiting, fear?

12. Edward Woodward and his British style and the training of Everingham? Priscilla Presley and her presence, her character - abbreviated for the cinema version?

13. Laos and the South- East Asian Wars, Communism, freedoms, escapes, the boat people? Massacres? An accurate picture of the situation? Sufficient for the film?

14. The filming of the escape, the underwater photography, reality, dangers, Keo's panic etc.? The pursuit by the Laotians? The firing?

15. The film as an adventure love story for television audiences? Its relationship to fact?

THE CHEATERS

Australia, 1930, 80 minutes, Black and white.
Marie Lorraine, Arthur Greenaway.
Directed by Paulette Mc Donagh.

The Cheaters was the last silent film of the Mc Donagh Sisters (The Far Paradise, Two Minutes of Silence). The Mc Donagh Sisters were effective film-makers in the '20s and '30s, in this film focusing on a melodramatic and popular theme but giving it an eerie intensity with the arch criminal operating in Sydney. Some commentators have seen echoes of European, and Fritz Lang's German influence on the film.

While the film was completed in 1929, it had some talkie sequences added, including a song. However, these segments are missing from the extant print.

While the material is rather conventional, the film stands up as an interesting example of late '20s Australian film-making.

1. The work of the Mc Donough Sisters? Production, writing, direction? Their sensibility? Silent techniques? Achievement?

2. Transition work from silent to sound? The use of silent melodrama styles, drawing-room romance, crime action?

3. The popular style plot and melodrama? Resemblances to European crime dramas of the 20s? Adaptation to Australia? Content, style? Moralising?

4. The focus on Marsh and his embezzling? His being humiliated by Travers? The intensity of his humiliation, vengeance? The long prison years and his being consumed by hatred? His release? His being found as the mastermind of the criminal group in the city? The impact of the arch criminal? His plots, gang? Headquarters and secret passages etc.? Palatial home? His relationship to Paula, using her in crime? The build-up to the confrontation with Travers? The truth? The hatred between the two men? The complexity of Paula's falling in love with Lee? What had he achieved in vengeance?

5. Travers, big business, ruthlessness, lack of compassion for Marsh? The passing of the years? Business success? His adoption of Lee? The robberies? His being victimised by Marsh? The build-up to the confrontation?

6. Paula and her father, his participation in the robbery set-ups? Her skill? Falling in love with Lee? The holiday and her posing? Her robbing the house and being discovered by Lee? Expose?

7. Lee as romantic hero, relationship with his father, falling in love with Paula, the confrontation with Paula?

8. Marsh and the personalities in his gang? Their experience? The set piece of the woman posing as aristocracy, the set-up for getting the jewellery, the police?

9. Marsh and his relationship with the group? His hold over them?

10. The working out of justice, the intervention of the police?

11. The complexity of relationships, responsibilities, revealing of identities in father son and -daughter relationships?

12. The sombre style of the fates and human destiny, justice and vengeance?

THE CARS THAT ATE PARIS

Australia, 1973, 91 minutes, Colour.
John Meillon, Terry Camilleri, Kevin Miles, Max Gillies, Bruce Spence, Chris Haywood, Max Phipps, Melissa Jaffer, Tim Robertson.
Directed by Peter Weir.

The Cars That Ate Paris was Peter Weir's first full-length feature film, made after the short features Holmesdale and Toula in the portmanteau film Three in One.

It is a black comedy, a focus on an isolated community in outback New South Wales who prey on visitors, luring them from the highway, killing them or keeping them prisoner and confiscating all their goods, especially their cars. John Meillon appears as the mayor, the hero is Terry Camilleri - who was to have a cameo role as the viewer in the bath twenty-five years later in The Truman Show.

Weir showed his command of film-making but surprised everyone when his next film was Picnic at Hanging Rock and he found a place in the Australian film industry in the renaissance of the 70s making such films as The Last Wave and Gallipoli. After The Year of Living Dangerously he went to Hollywood with such films as Witness, Mosquito Coast, Dead Poets' Society. He also made Fearless, The Truman Show and was nominated for an Oscar as best director for Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World in 2003. Weir is one of the great directors of the Australian film industry.

1. What genre of film did this film fall into? Drama? Satire? horror? A blend of each? Audience expectations from the title and the impact of the film?

2. The contribution of Panavision, colour, New South Wales country locations, the authenticity of scenery and town? The background music?

3. How particularly Australian was the film? How universal in its theme and values? The ambiguous title of Paris? The significance of the final song in French?

4. The dramatic impact of the opening of the film and the impact of the accident? The atmosphere of car accidents and personal involvement in blood and injury? A violent tone for the film?

5. How did the film make the audience enter the town with Arthur and George? The initial scenes of their relationship, seeking employment, decision to go to Paris?

6. The impact of Paris? As a country town in New South Wales, old. old traditions? The portrayal of the people, the way they spoke, dressed, acted? The presentation of typical country people? The particularly Australian flavour of Paris and its people?

7. The historical and background of Australian heritage? The pioneers and the people of Paris with the sense of the pioneers? The pioneer heritage gone selfish and cruel?

8. The portrayal of the generation gap in Paris? The status quo of the old and the hierarchy and rituals they went on with? The rebellion of youth, the violence, the use of the cars for the revolution of youth? The defiance of confrontation?

9. The revolution which culminated in such destruction? What brought about the final revolution in the attitudes of the old? The defiance of the young? The embodiment of the destruction in the voracious cars? Their physical appearance, the eating and destruction of the town, swallowing it up? The old with their false values of murder and greed, scientific experimentation and violence and the violence of the young?

10. The central character of the Mayor, typical Australian mayor, John Meillon and his suave performance? The Mayor's hold over the town? The parody of ordinary dealings in council meetings? The town the planning? The bestowing of the Order on Arthur and his ribbon for Parking Supervisor? The portrayal of the Mayor at home? The lies that he told, the hold over his stepchildren and the way they were adopted, his greed at the stripping of the car? A picture of suavity and corruption?

11. Arthur as the hero of the film? A weak kind of hero? Why was he saved? His role in the town and the Mayor and the townspeople allowing this element of destruction? The hospital and his tour of the hospital? His feeling at home with the family? His attempts to leave? The creating of the job of parking officer and his administration of it? The defiance of the youth of the town? His attempt to confide in the minister? The Mayor pursuing him through the bush? His being forced to stay? What happened to him when he got into the car and started to drive? His murdering of the hospital attendant? The fact that he could drive and his complete callousness? How had Paris transformed him?

12. The portrayal of strength and weakness? A weak hero becoming brutally strong? What was he searching for? The effect of the killing of Darryl?

13. How important were the characterisations of the others in the town? The members of the council, the shop assistants?

14. The sinister significance of the hospital? Darryl taking Arthur on tour? The doctor and his mad experimentations? The matron? Charlie and his madness? Charlie and his violence? A product of Paris?

15. The Reverend Mulray as an outsider? The significance of his sermon? The way that he conducted the funeral rite and his offhand addressing of God? Arthur trying to confide in him? A victim of the murderous Parisiennes?

16. The portrayal of society as a microcosm? The formalised attitudes, the slothful way of life, destruction, greed?

17. The importance of the dance and the old-time country dance? The costumes? The piano player? The people who wore there and the way they greeted one another etc.? Culminating in destruction? The Mayor and his wife?

18. How abrupt was the ending? A culmination of mayhem and abruptness?

19. The importance of cars, technology, society? How was the film a political allegory of the modern world and its status quo, decadence, revolution, collapse? The portrayal of a political allegory via images?

THE CHANT OF JIMMIE BLACKSMITH

Australia, 1978, 122 minutes, Colour.
Tommy Lewis, Freddie Reynolds, Ray Barrett, Jack Thompson, Angela Punch, Arthur Dignam, Peter Carroll, Robin Nevin, Don Crosby, Elizabeth Alexander, Ruth Cracknell, Peter Sumner.
Directed by Fred Schepisi.

The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith is Fred Schepisi’s second film feature. He had directed the episode, The Priest, in Libido. This screenplay was written by Thomas Keneally. Schepisi's autobiographical The Devil's Playground won acclaim at the Directors' Fortnight at Cannes in 1976. The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith was chosen for presentation within the competition at Cannes in 1978. Visually the film is extraordinarily beautiful and Ian Baker's photography is excellent. The performances are also excellent, especially the very natural performances by Tommy Lewis as Jimmie and Freddie Reynolds as Mort. A fine gallery of Australian character actors and actresses take supporting roles.

Thomas Keneally's novel is followed fairly closely. One of the difficulties with the film is that while the themes are important and have great impact in Australia in the 1970s, the portrayal of Jimmie at the beginning is of a gentle kind of person. Although the audience can feel the exploitation and injustice, the sudden eruption of vengeance in Jimmie does not seem to square with what has been presented of his character and his reactions. In some ways his rage seems to be presupposed. This does seem to lessen the impact of the film. However, the film would probably have far more impact on second viewing when audiences understand the direction of the plot and have confronted the themes for the first time.

1 How well did the film live up to its reputation and advertising? Audience expectations from the film-makers, the novel, themes and treatment?

2. The significance of the title? The emphasis on the chant? The change of name to "Blacksmith" from the real name of "Governor"? (The change in status of names?)

3. The quality of the Panavision photography, the emphasis on scenic beauty, on the flora and fauna - as symbols of the aboriginal way of life? The close-ups of insects etc. and their insertion at dramatic points of the film? The contribution of the music? The importance of the editing for so many brief sequences and their cumulative effect for character, issues and themes?

4. The violent aspects of the film and their visual presentation? Appropriate for the theme and for audience response? For audience sympathies for white, for black? The language? The explicitness of the sexual scenes? The stylised aspects of the film and its editing compared with the realism of the plot? An appropriate blending of style and realism?

5. The portrait of Australia at 1900? The effects of the 19th century on Australian culture and civilization? The place of the aborigines and their lacking rights? The build-up to Federation and its implications for white and black? The discussion of the Boer war and Australians being killed there? The relevance of the social and political issues to the major themes of the film?

6. The formulation of the White Australia Policy at the time? The presuppositions of white supremacy and the repercussions for the whites themselves, their assumptions for the treatment of the aboriginals? The presentation of these issues in the perspective of 1978? Audience response to these issues in 1978? The portrait of the aborigines as dispossessed? Their questions as to what they have done to deserve this? The memories of the past? McReady's facts and figures as he talked to Jimmie at the sacred shrine? (How appropriate was the preaching tone of McReady's speech?) The visual presentation of the aborigines in their rituals, in the outskirts of the towns, drinking? Degradation, swearing and drinking, imprisonment? The humiliation in the ordinary way of speaking and acting of the whites? The film's criticism and pleading for the status of aborigines?

8. The visual presentation of the shanties, the drinking, the families depending on aborigines with money and the whites considering them as 'hangers on"? The status of money? moral standards? Adapted from ancient traditions and civilizations? Contaminated or affected by Christian and white civilization?

9. The effectiveness and significance of the opening sequences? The visual portrayal of the initiation and its implications? The contrast with Mr Neville and the Christian implications of Jimmie's upbringing? The highlighting of his being a half-caste throughout the film? The religious significance? The nature religion and its use later, eg. his dance at the birth of his child, the shrine and clearing it of stones and rubbish, his later rejection of it? The contrast with Methodist religion, Mr. Neville's teaching and style, the racist tones of Christianity, the quoting of the Bible, especially in the final jail sequence? His final hiding in a convent and being arrested in a convent?

10. The theme of the whites not understanding Jimmie throughout the film? His answer at the beginning about the possums? The evasiveness of the aborigine and white questions? The importance of the dinner sequence and the tracking style when Mr. Neville was explaining the situation, especially about his children and a white wife? Mrs. Neville's racist attitudes? The contrast in portraying Jimmie well dressed and educated at the white man's table compared with his aboriginal background?

11. Jimmie's character? His strengths and his weaknesses, as understood within his background, with Mr Neville’s training? How much did he absorb white attitudes? The episodic build-up of his character and the influences on his life: his being sent off by the Nevilles full of hopes, his attempts at fencing and his ability with his work, his being cheated and humiliated, being refused a lift etc., his work with the police and his sharing in white brutality, the reaction to Farrell and to the aborigine's hanging himself? His burning his police uniform? The effect of all this injustice and exploitation and humiliation on the audience? Was it strong enough to communicate the sense of injustice within Jimmy? The Newbys and his experience there as the final straw? Thematically strong, dramatically?

12. The portrait of the whites in the film: the Nevilles and their attitudes and behaviour, Mr. Healy and his wife, the other farmers, Farrell and his bashing and his drunkenness, the Newbys at the picnic and Miss Graf and her superior attitudes? Which scenes illustrated this best? The attitudes of arrogance, the fact that whites expected the aborigines to be bad? Their wanting the aborigines to be bad?

13. The portrait of Gilda and the cook? The cook and his comments on the English, the Boer War and the Australians? The men in the cookhouse? Jimmie's glimpse of the cook and Gilda? The irony with the birth of the child? His courting of Gilda and the scene of intercourse? The importance of his building a house, the help with the horse by Mr. Newby? Gilda and her devotion to Jimmie, her travelling with him, the house and her reaction, the build-up to the birth? The vividness of the birth sequences and Mrs. Newby's reaction? Jilmirde’s reaction with the dance, the knowledge that it was white? The cynicism of the atmosphere and the effect on Jitwy?

14. The film's presentation of the Newbys as ambiguous? The humour of the picnic and yet Miss Graves sarcasm? The help with the birth, with the horse? And yet the condemnation of the relations as 'hangers on'? Mr. Newby's harsh attitudes, the snobbery of his children? Allowing the aboriginals to go hungry and standing his ground?

15. was there sufficient build-up to the massacre? The sudden eruption? How much violence really was within Jimmie7, The visualising of the massacre and its effect? By suggestion? were Jimmie’s motives clear? Did they have to be? Did his uncle join in the violence his later fear, explanation in the court? Mort's involvement? Gilda’s involvement and her decision to go with Jimmie? Why did the massacre continue?

16. The focus on Jimmie’s uncle and the pursuit, the scenes of his fear, his being left behind, his appearance in the court and his speech? Themes for aboriginal guilt, responsibility, victimisation by the whites, retribution?

17. Mr. Newby and his grief and public sympathy? How well did the audience share this grief? The reaction of Mrs. Newby in her dying, the picture of the dead children? The build-up to the trial? The importance of Miss Graf's fiance and his attitude of vengeance? (And his later admission that he was glad that he did not have to marry her?)

18. The posse atmosphere and the pursuit? The atmosphere of violence within the men? Their violence in killing Mort? Their jabbing and punching Jimmy? Their pride in posing for the photos?

19. The significance of the hangman and the scenes in the butcher's shop? The visitor and his questions and comments? The effect of a chorus? (The use of meat and its recurrence as a symbol throughout the film?) The M.B.E., the political discussion? The ambiguity of the attitude towards the hangman? The hangman himself and his sense of duty? His reaction to the visitor? How did the visitor's questions reflect Australian attitudes and prurient curiosity?

20. The patterns in the film as the chase began? The portrayal of the bush in all its majesty and harshness? Jimmie and Mort and their having to survive? The picturing of their surviving, their hardships? Their covering their tracks? The significance of Australian landscapes and the bush?

21. The presence of Mort? His cheerful disposition, full-blood aboriginals? His character and his bond with Jimmie in the early sequences, and after his arrival at Newbys? His being fully within the aboriginal tradition and his recurring to these in times of stress? The importance of his conscience and his questioning Jimmie? The episode in the camp and the sex relationship with the aboriginal woman and their escape? His reaction to the teacher and Jimmie clearing up the desecrated shrine? His decision to remain behind? His help with the teacher? The submissiveness and humiliation of his death? An image and symbol of the treatment of the aborigines by white Australians?

22. The chase and the taste of blood and Jimmie’s indiscriminate killing, especially the woman and her baby? (The visualising of this through Mort's facial reactions?) The contrast with Mort only wounding? The decisions about killing and not killing any more women? The contrast with the white glee at deaths, especially Mort's?

23. The dramatic significance of the encounter with Mc Ready and his wife? The significance of looking at the bullet and the cartoons? Mc Ready as a hostage? As a teacher, as an ill white man? His being forced to submit to the aboriginals and the irony of this? Adapting to the bush? The visualising of the sacred shrine with all the graffiti and the crude vulgarity? His helping them clear it? His facts and figures about aboriginal history and the preaching tone? His being brought back?

24. How sympathetic was the audience by the time Jimmie was alone? His being shot and wounded in the river? The fact that he was waging war? The sequence under the tree and the whirling world around him? The rest in the convent and the irony of his capture?

25. The effect of the prison sequence, the guard and the peephole and his disregard of Jimmie? Mr. Neville and his sympathy, assuaging his conscience and blaming himself?

26. The suddenness of the ending, its dramatic form? Leading to execution?

27. Comment on the values of the Australian production and the technical skills?

28. Themes of Australia; the land and its harshness? The particular study of Australian people and the universal message? Racial themes, education, violence and cruelty, conscience? The political overtones and Federation? The significance of this story for the present? The significance of the final flight of birds after the prison sequence?

CENTRESPREAD

Australia, 1981, 82 minutes, Colour.
Paul Trehair, Kylie Foster, Ivor Louis, Mark Watson, Jack Neate, Carmen McCall?.
Directed by Tony Paterson.

Centrespread was unexpectedly entered in the annual competition for the Australian Film Institute Awards 1981. It was principally made as a soft-core sex film for the 'adult cinemas'. As such, it is more carefully made than the general churned out project although in essence it resembles these. It thus has an exploitive intent which detracts from any serious intentions it might have.

Centrespread does have serious intentions: it is set in a futuristic Australian society with an emphasis on computerised organisation. Computer readouts punctuate the film to give it this 1984-type flavour. The focus of the future is on the magazine, a girlie magazine which entertains people who have forgotten what independence, creativity, literature and art are like. The film also has all the trappings of the 1984 futuristic totalitarian society - many of these quite effectively done and worth noting. In his quest for a fresh girl for the new century, the photographer hero is shown at his regular work. This gives the occasion for many long sequences of the soft-core type. They are filmed in the plush and colourful styles of Vogue Magazine, Penthouse and other glossy expensive magazines.

The film is one of those which has its cake and eats it at the same time. The exploitive material is definitely there - and with great variety. However, it is set in this serious framework in which we are intended to be asking ourselves about the value of pornography and about a dehumanised future existence. There is a self-sacrificing romantic ending to reinforce this. The interiors and many of the incidental locations are reminiscent of Mad Max and its futuristic society. The photography sessions are reminiscent in content and style of Michelangelo Antonioni's Blow Up. It is therefore disconcerting in the final sequences to see contemporary Adelaide basking in tranquil sunlight as the location for this future society.

If Centrespread is pruned for television screening, it may appear as a highly moralising film because all its exploitive exaggerations will be taken out - quite an irony. As having a footnote in the development of the Australian film industry, the film is certainly attractively made, has a mixture of good performances and very poor, some effective music. Its science fiction and futuristic touches are certainly worth some consideration.

COSH BOY

UK, 1952, 72 minutes, Black and white.
James Kenney, Joan Collins, Ian Whittaker, Hermione Baddeley, Hermione Gingold, Betty Ann Davies, Laurence Naismith, Sid James.
Directed by Lewis Gilbert.

Cosh Boy was the first film directed by Lewis Gilbert who went on to direct HMS Defiant, some of the James Bond films, a number of dramas and comedies right up until the early 2000s. The film is based on a play, focusing on juvenile delinquents in London in the late 40s, early 50s. It is very melodramatic in style, not particularly well acted, coming from another era (which did produce such criminals in London as the Krays).

The film focuses on a group of young men, street devils, house angels. They use coshes to bash unsuspecting passers-by to rob them. The police are after them, but they often get probation and promise to behave well. James Kenney is the leader, passing the dirty work on to his friends, trying to date Joan Collins (in one of her earliest roles) and then getting her pregnant where she jumps into the river to kill herself.

The film focuses on this young man, Roy, and his being spoilt by his mother while his grandmother is very critical. The other lad, Alfie, has a rather more strident mother. The film shows various people in the neighbourhood, especially a prostitute named Queenie, played Hermione Gingold.

In supporting roles are Sid James as a police officer and Laurence Naismith as an inspector.

The film focuses also on the mother, her marriage to a Canadian, her inability to face the reality about her son. When he is confronted by his new stepfather, he shows just how cowardly and fearful he is.

Considered a bit shocking in its time, it seems dated now. However, it is a reminder that this kind of street crime, especially amongst young people, is a constant in the life of any city.

COURAGE UNDER FIRE

US, 1996, 111 minutes, Colour.
Denzel Washington, Meg Ryan, Lou Diamond Phillips, Michael Moriarty, Matt Damon, Bronson Pinchot, Scott Glenn, Seth Gilliam, Regina Taylor.
Directed by Edward Zwick.

This war movie begins as a very gung-ho actioner set in the Gulf War. By the time it is finished we have watched something of what happened but we have been taken behind the facade of glorious patriotism and made to look at the
realities of war, of heroism and cowardice.

Denzel Washington is an army man through and through who is burdened by deaths in `friendly fire' who has to conduct an enquiry for the awarding of a Medal of Honour to a dead helicopter pilot, Meg Ryan. It becomes his own journey to truth and a plea for integrity. There are intense performances from Lou Diamond Philips and Matt Damon. A thoughtful war movie.

Although director, Edward Zwick, is well-known for his series, thirtysomething, he has shown a special interest in different aspects of war and its meaning (and meaninglessness) with such diverse projects as Glory, Legends of the Fall, The Siege and The Last Samurai.

1. The film issued five years after the end of the Gulf War? American retrospect in the 90s? The war itself, Saddam Hussein and the Iraqis, the oilfields, Kuwait, the action of President Bush? The role of the military, gung-ho attitudes? The issue of friendly fire, the admission of the truth, the media? Cover-ups?

2. The film seen in the retrospect of the 2003 Iraqi war? Repetition of the same action, the conduct of George W. Bush, the Americans and their gung-ho attitude, friendly fire, cover-ups?

3. The title, its reference to the central characters: Nat Serling and his participation in the war, his decisions in the tank, his investigation, admission of the truth? To Karen Walden, as perceived by the other members of her command, as objectively seen? Monfriez and his fears, shooting, cowardice, not admitting the truth? Suicide? Ilario and his fear, the cover-up?

4. The re-creation of the period, the re-creation of war in Iraq, the desert, the tanks, the night lights, daylight, napalm, shootings and explosions? The confusion of battle? The training? The mistakes?

5. The opening episode and the revelation of the character of Nat Serling, his command? The initial prayer, the confidence that God was on their side - and the disasters which followed? The gung-ho attitudes of the men in the tank, wanting to kill the enemy? The gunners, those using the sights? The confusion, the joy when they hit a tank, Serling and his command - and his seeing that the enemy had infiltrated the lines, his shooting at his best friend's tank? His being relieved of his duty, the recording taken by the inquiry and his being exonerated? His being relegated to investigations about medals? The experience of the inquiry, his going to his friend's parents and admitting the truth and asking forgiveness?

6. The story of Karen Walden: Nat's discovery that she was a woman, the first woman to be awarded the Medal of Honor? The nature of the investigation? The PR man and his wanting to promote it? Nat and his reaction to the spiel of the PR man? His relationship with General Hershberg? Being rescued from oblivion, reporting to him, the demands that Hershberg made to get the inquiry finished? Moving Nat away from it? The ultimate revelation of the truth with the help of Tony Gartner? General Hershberg accepting this?

7. The Rashomon-like perspective on what actually happened? The memories of the men? The young men who were rescued, the re-enactment of their attack, injuries? The meeting with Nat, their enthusiasm about the helicopter? Their relief at being rescued? The facts of the helicopter coming, the dropping of the petrol, the crash, the gunfire and the identification of the type of gun, the morning rescue?

8. The personality of Karen, as portrayed by Meg Ryan (unexpectedly)? The officer praising her and his wife complaining how butch she was? Her being in command, flying the helicopter, her decisions? The throwing over of the petrol to destroy the tank? Their being hit, the crash-landing? Her relationship with the men? Her dependence on Ilario for medic official analyses? The encounter with Monfriez? On the ground, Monfriez's version that he was the hero, made all the decisions, that she was a wimp, crying, and wounded and dying? Ilario and his version, similar? Nat going to see Altameyer and his being injured, upping his medication? Nat and his pursued of Ilario? Finding out the truth? Her being a strong leader, her making the decisions, her confronting Monfriez and his cowardice, throwing the book at him, pulling the gun, the attack and Monfriez thinking she was shooting him and his shooting her? Her vigil in the night, wanting to take the rescued man to safety, making sure that he went, sending Ilario away? Her death, the napalm on all the tanks and helicopters? The flashbacks, her role as a mother, divorced, career, her parents? Her training, her graduation, her ability in command?

9. The presentation of the Medal of Honor, the long speech about patriotism and service, courage under fire, the medal presented to her daughter with her parents present?

10. Nat and his own personal problems, his feelings of guilt, drinking, withdrawing? The military handling it? The detail of investigation, his abilities, genial attitude towards the men? The discussions with the wounded man and his wife, building up a picture? Ilario and his downplaying Karen's role, his being three years with her? His work, the pharmacy, his being on the run? Meeting Monfriez, at the gym, tough? His presentation of the truth and glorifying himself? The issue of the type of gun? Nat pursuing him, Monfriez getting him in the car, pulling the gun on him, parking on the railway lines, forcing him out, driving and crashing to his death? Altameyer and his not being able to contribute? Nat finally finding Ilario and Ilario telling him the truth? The portrait of Ilario as a good man, weak under fire? Monfriez and his cowardice, the assertions of the cowardice, menacing towards Nat, his suicide?

11. General Hershberg, the military command, helping their own, making demands on them, the golf course scene, dismissing Nat? His having to listen to Gartner and the truth?

12. Tony Gartner, the Washington Post, the investigations? Meeting Nat in the bar, giving him a drink, Nat's shunning him? Later calling him, wanting to locate people? His willingness to help? The issue of the tape? Nat and Gartner going to the command, playing the tape? His contribution to Nat's vindication?

13. Meredith Serling, the tension with her husband, the children? His being at home, ignoring her, packing and going off? His sitting in the car around the block and her going to him? His return home?

14. A portrait of America in the mid-90s? The traumatic effect of the Gulf War? The challenge to authority, political, military? The importance of honesty and the theme of truth? The finale with Ilario giving the letter from Karen to her parents? Nat going to visit his friend's parents and asking their forgiveness?

LA CASA DEL LOS BABYS

US, 2003, 96 minutes, Colour.
Marcia Gaye Hardin, Maggie Gylenhaal, Mary Steenburgen, Daryl Hannah, Lily Taylor, Susan Lynch, Rita Moreno.
Directed by John Sayles.

La Casa del los Babys is a very personal film from John Sayles, director of many striking films with a social concern (Matewan, Eight Men Out, City of Hope as well as personal films like Limbo, Passion Fish). In 1997 Sayles made a film in Mexico, Men With Guns, a focus on a doctor in Mexico who goes to visit his graduates and finds that almost all of them have been killed by the army or by rebels. Sayles has gone back to Mexico and filmed this story about American women wanting to adopt babies in an unnamed Latin American country. The film is partly in English, partly in Spanish.

The film focuses on babies, the question whether they would be better off staying in their own country (and we see a lot of the street kids of the city, stealing, open to prostitution) or to be adopted within their own country (and disappear from their mothers). Or would it be better for them to be adopted by wealthy American women, experience the love of family? What are the risks in each case?

The film shows a group of mothers, a cross-section of six women, coming from the United States and waiting for up to two months to receive a baby. There is a great deal of paperwork, the necessity of pay-offs to move things along. In the meantime, a government official lets his sister know what is happening - and she runs a hotel for these mothers, making money out of their delayed stay.

Rita Moreno plays the manager of the hotel. The other American women form the cross-section of the group, each having a strong personality, Sayles delineating their personalities, and providing edge with all of their characters, making us wonder about the references for their suitability as adoptive mothers. Marcia Gaye Hardin is striking as the dominating woman amongst the group, pretending to be more than she is, stealing petty items from the cleaning carts in the hotel. Daryl Hannah is a woman very much given to physical exercise. Mary Steenburgen is a born-again reformed alcoholic, the nicest of the characters along with Susan Lynch's Eileen, an Irish mother from Boston. Maggie Gylenhaal is the young naïve, wealthy mother-to-be. Lily Taylor is a New York editor, very sarcastic, soured on relationships, critical of the other women.

The film also shows a range of characters from the country itself: the young woman who minds her children, comes from the mountainside into the wealthy city to work in the hotel, her friends, their discussions about pregnancy and adoption forming a background to the discussions with the women. There is a young out-of-work man who acts as a tour guide, wants to win the lottery to get to Philadelphia - and who has learnt his English from watching films. There are the young children in the streets, the officials.

The film is certainly one of values, exploring the different cultures of northern and central America in the context of human life, motherhood and adoption.

1. The work of John Sayles, his interests, the American perspective, the Latin American perspective?

2. The use of Mexican locations for an unknown country? The contrast between affluence and poverty? The mountainside and the poor homes, coming down the mountain and seeing the wealthy city buildings, the bus, the streets, the markets, the monuments? An authentic feel? The musical score?

3. The title, the focus on adoption, the American women going to the house, their needs, wealthy backgrounds, offering family love? Adoption in Latin America? Asuncion and her story about her baby, its being adopted in the north? The young pregnant girl, the mother and her concern about the pregnancy, the clinic and the discussion about abortion? Is adoption in the United States better than for the children to live in Latin America?

4. The credits, the long tracking scenes of the babies? The nurse and her holding the baby, singing? The rather sour comments of the nun? The discussion about wet nurses? The nun fearing that the children would be spoilt? The nurse and her tenderness, holding the children? The finale with the babies ready to be adopted?

5. The role of the government, red tape, the documentation, references? Extra money being paid? The mothers waiting, the phone calls, the influence? The prerequisites for their being mothers, how important the documentation, screenings?

6. The hostess, her son, the house for the women? The staff? Their seeing her as arrogant and a princess? The young man, his politics, meetings with friends, their discussions? His mother's criticism? The man calling in looking for a job, his being put off, the hostess watching the television, her make-up and jewellery? Service in the hotel, the complaints, especially from Nancy? Her talking with her brother, the government official? Keeping the women there, their paying extra?

7. The group of women, their backgrounds, American, affluent, their being friendly and unfriendly? At the meals, their orders? Their treatment of the staff? Their whims, demands, complaints? Talking to each other, talking about each other? Wanting babies, their prospects?

8. Nancy and her strength of character, her continued complaints, arrogance, her treatment of the servants? Talking about her husband, giving different information? Truth and falsity? Her continued criticisms, criticisms of the other women, especially Lesley? Her calling her a lesbian? Her own expectations? Her discussion about bringing up her child, discipline? Her suspicions of others, the revelation that she was stealing the items from the trolley, Gayle having seen her? Her visit to the official, her demands, promising extra money? Waiting at the end with Eileen to receive the baby?

9. Gayle as the nice person, going to the AA meeting, her being a born-again Christian, her faith, her friendliness, her being with Jennifer?

10. Jennifer, her wealthy background, being young, her husband being away, bringing him, wanting him there? The name and calling him Junior and Lesley ridiculing this? Her reading the books? Pleasant, her friendship with Gayle, the tour with the young man and his being the guide?

11. Skipper, her swimming, running, weights? The straightforward woman, on the tour with the guide? Others being jealous of her?

12. Eileen, her Irish background, living in Boston? Her not being good at languages, polite to the staff, in her room? Buying the book for the boy in the market, her long telling of her story of imagining her daughter in years to come, picking her up, taking her out, giving her treats? Listening to Asuncion's story but not understanding any of it? The bonds between the two women, empathy but not understanding the stories? Her going to get her baby, her decision to call it Esmeralda after Asuncion's child?

13. Lesley, her talk, clothes, her work as an editor, her continued criticisms, loneliness? The accusation of being lesbian? Her prospects for having a baby, talking about bringing the daughter up, going through the phases, her daughter hating her? A cover for her own feelings? The New York style?

14. Asuncion, looking after the children, getting the bus, chatting to her friend about pregnancies, her protection of her younger sister? At work, with the boss, her story of the adoption of her child and its name Esmeralda?

15. The young girl and her being pregnant, the interview with her mother, the suggestion about the abortion? Her care, going to see the father of the child, his ignorance, her future - buying the jeans at a bigger size, going to Florida?

16. The young boy, being the father of the child, his flirting with the American women, wanting to take them to nightclubs? The young macho attitude?

17. The out-of-work man, learning his English from the cinema, friendly, being a guide, watching the lottery and his throwing away his ticket when not winning? The women watching the same television and the various shows - and the condemnation of the triteness of television?

18. The official, the red tape, the interview with Nancy, his excuses, pretending to phone authorities, ringing his sister, getting the extra money, arranging for the baby?

19. A particular view of Latin America versus the United States?

THE CHILL FACTOR

US, 1999, 100 minutes, Colour.
Cuba Gooding Jnr, Skeet Ulrich, Peter Firth, David Paymer.
Directed by Hugh Johnson.

The Chill Factor is a chase thriller with a theme of weapons of mass destruction. The prologue shows American experiments in toxic warfare and the experiments going wrong. The commander of the enterprise is jailed in Leavenworth. When he gets out, he is determined on vengeance.

The screenplay plays to audiences enjoying being scared, asking what if? The critique of human fallibility, especially in scientists? The heroes are a delivery man and a young man who serves at a bar. The young man is a friend of the scientist who invented the weapons. He finds himself with the material, forces the delivery man to take it on his truck and a chase ensues. The American military also enter in, as well as do the local police. The Chill Factor can be seen as an action chase film as well as a drama about conspiracy theories and Americans and renegade military.

1. Comedy action thriller? Military conspiracy theory? Weapons of mass destruction and secrecy?

2. The settings, the initial island and the experiments, the laboratories? The open road, the mountains, lake? Special effects for weapons and explosions? The musical score?

3. The title, the reference to the chemicals, the temperature at which they should be kept? The danger of heating?

4. The plausibility of the plot, the experimentation? Experiments going wrong? Cover ups? Court martials and imprisonment?

5. The initial experiments, the doctor, Brynner? The explosions, the deaths? The cover up? Brynner being sentenced to Leavenworth? Dr Long continuing his work?

6. Ten years later, Dr Long and his fishing with Mason? Their friendship? Their breakfast? The news of the escape? Dr Long and his entrusting the chemicals to Mason? His death?

7. Arlo, his driving the truck, the deliveries? His ambitions, study, taking the truck? The encounter with Mason, at the diner? Mason taking over the truck?

8. Mason, his reputation, the sheriff and his antagonism? The sheriff and the pursuit? The murderer investigation? Linking up with Brynner? Holding up the convoy? His ignorance?

9. Arlo and Mason, the desperate ride, the chase, the ice? Having to get more ice? The confrontation with the sheriff? With Brynner? The crash? Their being taken? Mason and his shrewdness with the chemicals? The switch?

10. Brynner, malevolent, killing of Long? His henchmen? His assistant? The pursuit? Confrontations, the bids and the international terrorists? The confrontation with Arlo and Mason, about to kill them?

11. The American military, the background of Vietnam, the confrontation? Arlo and Mason, their pursuit, having the chemicals, the tunnel, the ultimatum that it be blockaded? The sheriff and his pigheadedness? The man with the ice, the reduction of the temperature?

12. The inevitable ending: the enemy being vanquished, the world safe from terrorism, the military winning? Arlo and Mason and the Secrecy Act, their future? Silent heroes?