TEMPLE GRANDIN

US, 2010, 103 minutes, Colour.
Claire Danes, David Strathairn, Julia Ormond, Catherine O’ Hara, Barry Tubb, Stephanie Faracy.
Directed by Mick Jackson.

Temple Grandin is a fine film. It is a strong drama, a portrait of a woman who was diagnosed as autistic, did not speak until the age of four, had great difficulties in relationships but was an expert in imagining, learning by photographic memory rather than words, who was expert at geometry and measurements and translated this into building machines as well as designing mechanisms for the humane treatment of livestock. The actual Temple Grandin said she would not want not to be autistic because it was part of her and what she had achieved. The tagline of the film is what made her different made her exceptional. Temple Grandin continues lecturing at universities and is a fine example of how an autistic person can cope in the world. (There have been several films about autistic persons, especially Rain Man, and some films about Asperger’s syndrome including Adam and My Name is Khan.)

Claire Danes gives an exceptional performance as Temple Grandin. Julia Ormond is strong as her mother, Catherine O’ Hara sympathetic as her aunt. David Strathairn is the teacher who understands her and encourages her in her scientific studies.

The film moves backwards and forwards in time, explaining what it was like for the four-year-old to be autistic, for the secondary school student to be boarding and to experience the laughter from fellow students while being encouraged to pursue her studies. It shows Temple Grandin at college, the criticisms and ridicule, her achievement and her graduation – where she could bring herself to hug her mother, having the autistic repulsion to human touch.

The film shows how Temple Grandin was at home on a property, with cattle, learning from them and their comfort zones and ways of making themselves comfortable especially when herded together. This led to her understanding to organise and design mechanisms for dipping cattle as well as for abattoirs.

Temple Grandin continues to lecture at universities on humane treatment of livestock.

The film was directed by the British director Mick Jackson (A Very British Coup) who went to the United States and made a range of films including LA Story, The Bodyguard, Tuesdays with Morrie. The film was written by British writer and director Christopher Monger (Just Like a Woman, The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill…)

1. The quality of this film? The story, the humanity and achievement?

2. A true story, contemporary story, the collaboration of Temple Grandin with Claire Danes for the performance?

3. Audience response to autism, knowledge and ignorance, emotional response, ability to deal with autistic personalities, learning the story of autistic persons?

4. Temple Grandin and her comment about not wanting to change, what made her different making her exceptional?

5. The re-creation of the period of the 1960s and 70s, look, clothes, décor, styles? Schools and homes, college? The farms, Arizona and the rodeos, the abattoirs, the cattle yards? Authentic feel? Musical score?

6. The structure, the shifts of time, each period illuminating the other for Temple’s growth? Helping understand her life?

7. The credits, the eye, the optical illusion, perspective? The reality? Temple and her photographic observation, the page in French, visualising Jesus for miracles, the astronaut for Professor Carlock? The importance of images, the geometric diagrams? The way the film visualised these – and for such sequences as the movement and circular aspects of the cattle moves? The response to too many words, sounds, colours? Not wanting to be touched? Temple surprised that others didn’t work in knowledge in this way?

8. Her geometric and mathematical abilities, engineering talent, the processes, imagination, building the machines?

9. Temple at four, not being able to speak, the concern of her mother, her mother trying to teach her, her mother’s belief in her, the pressures? The needs, explanations, especially about affection? Inability to touch and hug? The doctor and the straight speaking to her mother, about the absence of maternal affection? Her mother trying to teach her to speak with the images of cats and dogs, Temple looking away?

10. Temple growing up, speaking, very direct, no subtlety, not understanding jokes, her literal understanding and questions of similes and metaphors? Thinking in pictures? Understanding her feelings via photos of herself angry, happy, satisfied? People touching her and her reaction?

11. Going to the farm, the bus ride, arrival, confusion? Aunt Ann and her husband, the workers, their reactions, welcoming her?

12. Temple more and more at home on the farm, the empathy with the cattle, watching them, their upset, the squeezing of the cattle, their calming down, her imitating this, building the squeeze machine and using it to calm down? The work on the farm, enjoying it? Her wanting to stay?

13. Aunt Ann, her understanding, discussions with Temple’s mother? Temple wanting to stay, her memories of school, not wanting to go to school, boarding, the admissions board and their behaviour, the reaction of the other students and their mockery? Doctor Carlock, his background, NASA? His interest in Temple, persuading her mother that she should stay? His support? The optical illusion, encouraging Temple to build the box, Temple’s frustrations, wanting a clue, succeeding, the achievement, the encouragement?

14. Temple going to college, not wanting to go, the board and their critique? The French class, her sitting alone, the teacher and his reaction, her memorising the page instantly? Her repetition? Her room, the roommate and her hostility, the calming machine, the girl calling her a pervert? The reaction of the authorities, the assumed sexual implications? Her machine taken, trashed, her being upset? The blind girl sharing the room, support, the complementarity of sounds and images, their friendship? Her taking on the project, testing the girls, the collage of their responses, her statistics, questions? Her seeming to fail the exam, going to the professor, explaining what she had done, the recognition of her achievement?

15. Graduation, her speech, Ann and her mother in the audience, the blind girl and support, her embrace of her mother, however tentative?

16. The job with the cattle, Arizona, the men and their reactions to her, taunting her? Her observations of the cattle, the experience of the dip, the possible drowning of the calf? Realising the semi-circular and circular movement of the cattle? Writing up her observations, the articles, talking to the editor, getting the press pass, her success?

17. The visit to the east, the social party, talk, bluntness, people being wary? Needing her comfort machine?

18. The design of the dip, the articles, the readers and their reactions, the machine and its design, the workers and their not understanding it, pulling it down, drowning the cattle, her angry reaction?

19. The editor, the men who supported her, her buying better clothes, being more sociable? The press pass?

20. The abattoirs, the design, the arguments, her pointing out the saving and costs of labour? Her meeting Betty in the shop, her fear of going through the automatic doors, Betty helping her, introducing her to her husband, the achievement?

21. The symbolism of doors opening, people helping her to go through doors? The background of popular media like The Man from UNCLE and its influence on her and her imagination?

22. The achievement, Temple Grandin as a person, her particular intelligence, contributing to livestock and humane treatment, her contribution to the world? A film of deep humanity?

TOWELHEAD

US, 2007, 124 minutes, Colour.
Summer Bishil, Peter Macdissi, Aaron Eckhart, Toni Collette, Maria Bello.
Directed by Alan Ball.

Towelhead is based on a novel by Alicia Erian. The film was released initially with the title Nothing is Private (which relates to the experiences of the teenage girl, Jasira, Summer Bishil, at the centre of the film). However, the producers decided to return to the title of the novel, Towel Head, despite its controversial use in the US and in Iraq and the Middle East, a derogatory term. However, this heightens the aspects of racism and prejudice that are dramatised in the film.

Summer Bishil is very effective as the precocious, sometimes naïve, sometimes too knowing young woman whose father is a Lebanese Christian and whose mother is a white American (Peter Macdissi and Maria Bello). The mother is a carefree woman, though disciplinary with her daughter. The daughter goes to live with her father, experiencing his traditional strictness, especially about the place of women, about sexuality and modesty, though he himself becomes involved with a co-worker.

The film focuses on the experiences of the young girl, her awakening to sexuality, her curiosity, her indulgence. This gets her into a great number of difficulties, especially with the husband of the family next door (Aaron Eckhart) who crosses boundaries in his sexual relationships with her. The film highlights the willingness of the young girl in the relationship, yet her ignorance and age, and his criminal behaviour.

Toni Collette portrays the pregnant wife, also a neighbour. She is sympathetic to the young girl, defends her against the aggressiveness of her father, gives her wise advice.

The film ends with the birth of Toni Collette’s child, the presence of the father and his behaviour, the presence of Jasira and indications of her transformation into a responsible young woman.

The film is not easy to watch, being very direct in its presentation of sexuality and issues which are not usually the subject of films. It is not particularly graphic in its presentation, but is very challenging to American audiences who tend to be reticent. It is a demanding film. It was written and directed by Alan Ball, who wrote the other film about American suburbia, American Beauty, as well as creating the television series Six Feet Under and True Blood.

1. The title? The emphases? The alternate title, Nothing is Private?

2. The work of Alan Ball, his perspective on American society, suburbia, tensions, the family, sexuality, the influences on teenagers? Race issues? His not shirking or skirting any of the serious issues?

3. Suburbia, homes, streets, school?

4. The background of the Gulf War, President George Bush, Saddam Hussein? Attitudes towards the Middle East? American ignorance of the 80s and 90s? The patriotism, the US, flags? The role of the army reservists? The migrants and their wanting to become full Americans?

5. The story of Jasira, thirteen years old, her appearance, hair, shaving, the influence of her parents, her American mother, her scattered attitude, her demands, her moods? Her example? Her boyfriend and his leaving? Jasira and puberty, the issue of tampons, her father’s reaction, not wanting tampons, embarrassment? Her going to live with her father, the Lebanese background, Christian, patriarchal? Both parents stressing obedience? The criticism of her clothes? Her father hitting her, commands? Her confusion, school, the insults at school? Denise and her friendship? Thomas and his initial hostility, making friends? Her father’s relationship with Thena? Thena’s friendliness?

6. The family next door, their visit, the welcoming gift, sitting and talking, the job of looking after the boy, playing shuttlecock, her hitting it over the fence, his spite, the arguments? Finding his father’s sex magazines, reading them? Her response, arousal? Her being aware of what was happening to her, unaware, her behaviour in class, repeating the arousal, talking frankly? Travis and the magazines, discovering the children looking at them, his talking to Jasira, the attraction, the gift of the magazine, the sexual encounter, her blood, his reaction? Her response to this experience? The pressure on Travis and his behaviour?

7. Jasira and the magazines, the sexy models, their coming alive in her imagination, her dreams? Later Denise and herself posing for the photographer? Explaining she was only thirteen?

8. The character of her father, in himself, age, Lebanese, Christian, rigid in his attitude towards his daughter, more permissive with his relationship to Thena, staying with her? His job, wanting security in the US? His reaction to prejudices, dislike of Travis and the family? His racism towards Thomas, towards African Americans? Trying to protect his daughter? His patriotism, the defence of American values? His being more humane with Thena?

9. Thomas, his age, the insult, the apology? Inviting Jasira to his house, the meal with his parents? The sex talk between them, the phone call? The relationship, the sexual encounter, the discussions for each? His shock about what had happened to her? Her father’s prejudice against him? The sexually active teens and their portrayal of this activity, their lack of any moral reflection?

10. The outbreak of the Gulf War, the talk, Travis as a reservist? Jasira interviewing him for the school magazine? Asking about his condoms? Jasira searching in his belongings? Her father listening to the interview?

11. Her mother’s visit, cheery, the issue of the gifts, the father not giving any? Talking with her husband? Her staying with Jasira, Jasira wanting to stay with her father? The mother’s neediness? The boyfriend walking out?

12. The relationship with Malina and Gill, as neighbours, her pregnancy, kindness and concern, talking with Jasira, frankness, the anatomical book, Jasira reading it, staying with Malina to escape her father? Thomas’s visit, the sexual relationship, the father discovering it? Malina’s reaction? The truth? Malina and her combing Jasira’s hair? Her father’s shock at her behaviour, the challenge from Malina, the change?

13. Travis, being arrested, Jasira talking over what had happened, her father’s reaction, Malina’s reaction? The background of the cat, its death, in the fridge? Malina and her fall, going to hospital?

14. Malina’s fall, Travis calling 911, the hospital, Jasira’s father and his going to the hospital, declining to be present at the birth, Jasira staying, the birth of the little girl?

15. The end, Jasira present at the birth, bringing home the reality of sexuality, children?

16. The film as a moral fable, observation of young people, adults, realism? Explicit but not graphic? The various viewpoints, the conflicting adult role models, the sexualisation of children? The background of racial prejudice?

THE CRY OF THE OWL

UK/Canada, 2009, 100 minutes, Colour.
Paddy Considine, Julia Stiles, James Gilbert.
Directed by Jamie Thraves.

The Cry of the Owl is based on a novel by Patricia Highsmith, best known for her Ripley novels and Strangers on a Train. Claude Chabrol had made a film of this novel in 1987, with a French setting.

The film focuses on a design scientist who has undergone a divorce, is depressed, watches a woman in her house and is accused of stalking. The woman herself, played by Julia Stiles, is enigmatic and strikes up a rapport with the designer. Her boyfriend creates trouble – and is linked with the designer’s ex-wife.

The film is a drama, focusing on the mental and emotional states of the two central characters. It then becomes something of a murder mystery with a fight between the designer and the ex-boyfriend, his disappearance. However, there are some twists in the plot before the end, quite unexpected.

1. A psychological thriller? The work of Patricia Highsmith?

2. The settings, the countryside and house, the woods and the river, the small town? The contrast with the large plant, the offices, the design? Scenes in the city, lawyers’ offices, apartments? The different worlds? Musical score?

3. The title, the owl as the harbinger of death? Jenny and her stories about owls, fate? Greg and Nikki as harbingers of death? Robert as the harbinger of Jenny’s death?

4. The atmosphere, realistic, the workplace, the divorce? Surreal in the woods, the house, the conversations between Robert and Jenny, their intensity, the developing relationship, his resistance? The stylised aspects, the fights, deaths, investigations, the plot against Robert? The ending?

5. The introduction to Robert, driving, watching Jenny outside the house, the house itself, the kitchen, ordinary? Jenny’s relationship with Greg? The contrast with Robert’s workplace, his friend, the boss? The story of his breakdown, medication, the story about the knife and his wife? The divorce proceedings, his wife’s joke at the table? The pressure on him?

6. Audience change of perspective on Robert, his seemingly being odd, stalking, return to the house, his protest to Jenny, invited in, the discussions about fate and death, the owl, destiny? His being stalked by Jenny, his growing anxiety? The freedom from the divorce? The party, the irony of his being introduced to the nurse and her later treating him? His worry, the friendly neighbour, the hostile landlord? Jenny and her always being present, Nikki and her calls, during the night? Greg and his hostility, the fight, Robert dragging him out of the river? The police, suspicions, Greg’s father and his violence? Robert being suspended, no prospect of promotion? His friend abandoning him? The police, the interrogations, not finding a body? The kind neighbour, the talk, taking him in? The sadness of Greg killing him? The shooting, police protection? Greg and his being at the house, the police taking Robert by mistake? Robert as desperate?

7. Jenny, eccentric, pleasant, sensible, her work, relationship with Greg, inviting Robert in, conversations, her turning up, the meals, the restaurant, the phone calls, visits, staying the night, the intimacy? Robert and his wariness? Her being determined, Greg and his attack on her? The confrontation, meeting Nikki? The fight and the anger? Robert and his situation, her interpretation, fatalistic, leaving the note, killing herself?

8. The plot against Robert, the wrong body being found in the river, Greg and Nikki and their conspiracy, the shooting, Nikki and her pleading with Robert, Greg and the knife, wounding Nikki?

9. The detectives, their personalities, their role?

10. The finale, Robert and his comment about looking in the mirror and not recognising himself? The final look, the distorted mirror, his fear, framed in the mirror? The ending?

MUSIC FROM ANOTHER ROOM

US, 1998, 104 minutes, Colour.
Jude Law, Jennifer Tilly, Gretchen Mol, Martha Plimpton, Brenda Blethyn, Jon Tenney, Jeremy Piven, Vincent Laresca, Jane Adams, Bruce Jarchow, Jan Rubes, Judith Malina.
Directed by Charlie Peters.

Music From Another Room is an unusual romantic comedy. It was written and directed by Charlie Peters (who wrote some not particularly startling films like Blame It On Rio, Hot to Trot, Krippendorf’s Tribe, though he wrote the interesting The One and Only, based on George Hamilton’s life, in 2008). The cast is eclectic, Jude Law and Brenda Blethyn coming from Britain to play central roles. Jude Law is a mosaic worker who encounters a family that he had met as a little boy. Brenda Blethyn and Bruce Jarchow are the parents, the children include Jeremy Piven who was a bully when he was young, and his fragile wife, Jane Adams. Martha Plimpton is a strong feminist. Jennifer Tilly is blind. Gretchen Mol is the young woman whose birth he assisted in – in one of the oddest birth sequences in film, as a little boy, helping to unloosen the embryo as it was about to be born, causing the mother, Brenda Blethyn, to be laughing at the absurdity of the situation. As he returns, he falls in love with the young woman, Gretchen Mol, who is engaged.

The film shows some of the oddities of this family, the melodramatics. It also shows the young man in love, his pressurising the young woman, her succumbing, and then their having to sort things out, thinking they should separate, but finally deciding to be with each other.

The performances are interesting, especially since the characters are so eccentric.

The meaning of the title comes from a comment by Jude Law about what love is like, hearing music in another room, singing along with it, the melody remaining inside the person even when they can’t hear the music.

1. A light drama? Serious and comic?

2. The Los Angeles setting, light and airy, bright, the city and the suburbs, homes, workplaces, the bakery, the bookshop, the theatre?

3. The title, the music, singing and love?

4. The Swann family, the mother and her exuberance? The father and his professorial abstract style? Billy and his snide remarks, Karen as tough, Nina and her blindness? Anna and her taking responsibility? The opening with Danny and his father, the death of Danny’s mother, his age, the reasons for his coming, the family’s expectations, the setting?

5. The jovial family, Billy and his bullying? The importance of the birth sequence, his hand, Anna’s birth? The comments, Grace laughing? Danny’s father and his pride?

6. Twenty-five years later, Danny returning, his girlfriend, the suddenness of the separation, the job opportunity and his being asked to wait, seeing the notice in the bakery, the baker and his wife, their kindness, his renting the room, helping with the deliveries?

7. The Swann family, the changes, Danny asking directions, Anna and her offhanded manner? Nina and her meeting Danny, her blindness?

8. The delivery of the cake, crashing into the car door, the family taking him in, reviving him, the welcome, their reactions to seeing him again?

9. Grace and her illness, Richard and his continuing abstract and detached? Billy, the doctor, irresponsible, his daughter, the behaviour of his wife, her becoming hysterical, pulling the gun? Karen, trendy, comments on food, feminism? Her putting on the play? Nina and her coping with her blindness? Anna and her responsibilities, for her mother, for Nina? Her relationship with Eric, the announcement of the engagement at the meal?

10. Danny and his infatuation, everybody realising it, his behaviour, the poem? Talking things over with the baker and his wife? The cake?

11. Nina, Danny reading to her, Anna Karenina? Going to the park to get the atmosphere, Nina’s fear, the bee and her hysterics, calling Anna? Her going to the dance with Danny, the atmosphere of the ball in Tolstoy’s novel, her fears, sitting things out while Danny was forced to dance? The Hispanic types, forcing Danny, the girl, the knife and the cut? Jesus and his looking across the room, his approaching Nina, not realising she was blind, talking, getting her to dance, her confidence? Their going to the hospital? Anna and her upset, Nina choosing to go home with Jesus, Jesus courting her? Their talking, his taking her to the kitchen? The bike, her reaction, her riding the bike along the streets, the family’s reaction? Her sudden marrying Jesus? Telling her mother? The message to Anna, showing her the mosaic that Danny had worked on?

12. Karen, her sardonic comments, putting on the play, Anna doing the costumes, the character that Danny was playing, being persuaded to go on stage, the mask, his being bashed by the women? Chasing Anna, adrift in the street?

13. Billy, his manner, warning Danny? His wife, the gun, the final confrontation, actually shooting him?

14. Anna and Eric, Eric and his money, helping the family, formal? Anna and the discovery of passion? Her overhearing Danny and Eric talking about the book gift? Eric and his accepting Anna’s decision?

15. The mosaic workers, giving Danny the two-headed coin, Danny talking, confronting Anna, her calling tails? Later use of the coin, heads?

16. Grace’s death, the emotion, her love for Richard? Anna absent, blaming herself? The importance of Grace in her illness, saying she was talking to Nina about Anna, urging Anna to change?

17. The future for Anna and Danny? At the station, the reconciliation? The happy ever after, after the crises?

TOY STORY 3

US, 2010, 103 minutes, Colour.
Voices of: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty, Don Rickles, Michael Keaton, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Estelle Harris, John Morris, Jodi Benson, Emily Hahn, Laurie Metcalf, Timothy Dalton, Whoopi Goldberg, Bonnie Hunt, R. Lee Ermey, Richard Kind.
Directed by Lee Unkrich.

Once upon a time (well, way back in 1995!), Pixar Studios created a contemporary fairy tale about a boy and his toys and the rest is not history because it is still going on in this third sequel to Toy Story.

Actually, this one has a lot to commend it because, while it relies on familiarity with characters and some repeats of plot about lost toys, it has some interesting new plot developments. Andy is now 17 and on his way to college, more than a little off-hand with his mother and sisters and referring to his toys as ‘junk’. Needless to say, he has the opportunity to repent and redeem himself before the end!

This is the adventure of the toys who are nearly collected by mistake as trash (instead of being stored in the family attic, except for Woody who has been put in a college carton) but who escape and find that they are donated to a child care centre (child care being one of the least things going on there as the rampaging tots wreak havoc on toys). The toys are presided over by a large pink bear, Lots O’ Huggin (voiced by Ned Beatty) who is not what he seems and has a back story which puts a more sinister light on his benign welcome (and his comeuppance). The toys feel imprisoned and stage something of a coup but their adventures are further complicated by extreme peril, not only in a garbage truck and crusher but in a blazing furnace to deal with land-fill. The adventures are quite exciting for adults and for children.

Most of the old toys are back again, led by Tom Hanks’s Woody (who does get a little tiresome in his persistent declarations of loyalty and urging the toys to go home to Andy). Recently this reviewer took the opportunity to watch the original on a plane and found that Woody was fairly one-dimensional then compared with Buzz Lightyear and his ingenuous pomposity. Tim Allen’s Buzz is the same here only more so and more endearingly so as the leader of the toys who don’t want to go home and as the hostage in the coup. The scene where they try to restore his buttons and they turn on his Spanish version which leads to Buzz’s dialogue in Spanish along with songs and tango and romancing Jessie is good fun.

Also good fun is the introduction of Barbie and Ken (one of Lots -O’ Huggins henchmen, voiced by Michael Keaton) and poking fun at the Ken image, especially, in some sly dialogue.
The film opens with the toys involved in a re-enactment of the old west and the runaway train, the cliffs... and that is good fun as well.

Probably worth repeating, this second sequel is good fun.

1. An enjoyable film? In itself? As a sequel?

2. The power of imagination, the toys and their variety, their personalities, voices, interactions? The new story and their adventures?

3. The animation style, the drawing, the characters, the layouts, home, action, the Sunnyside Care Centre, the landfill tunnels, the fire?

4. The musical score, the songs, the familiar ‘You Have a Friend in Me’, the Spanish version?

5. The qualities of the voice cast, the variety, characteristics?

6. Andy, at seventeen, going to college, some surly attitudes towards his sister, towards his mother? Packing, working on the computer, the toys going into the attic, taking Woody to college? Referring to the toys as junk? The final change of attitude, Woody writing the note, his care for the toys, going to Bonnie’s house, the explanation about the toys, urging her to treasure the toys and play with them, the happy ending?

7. The theme of play, toys – beyond artificial entertainment and technology?

8. The action adventure in the west, the conventions, the way they were used, excitement, the train, the cliff, the fall, the heroism? The humour?

9. The toys and their belonging to Andy, their being boxed, the plan to alert Andy, the mobile phone, the failure of the ruse? Woody accepting this? Andy selecting Woody? The box, for the attic, his going off with Molly, his mother picking up the bag by accident, their being put on the kerb, the truck coming, Woody trying to get the scissors to let the toys out, Rex and his point bursting the bag, their escape?

10. Woody and his tenacity, strident, loyalty to Andy, in action for him? His speeches? His being taken from the day care centre, at Bonnie’s house, meeting the other toys, the English toy, their explanation about Lots O’ Huggin? His fears, his return, the difficulties, the strategy, Buzz as hostage, the approach of the garbage truck, his heroics, in the truck, in the tunnel, stopping the toys from being crushed, the magnets? Lots O’ Huggin and his presence, Woody going to save him, Lots O’ Huggin’s betrayal? The restoration of the toys? Going home, Woody leaving the note for Andy about giving the toys to Bonnie?

11. Buzz Lightyear, the same, loyal to Woody, his siding with the toys against Woody, being a leader? Going to the day care centre, his being caught, held prisoner, the rescue, trying to fix him, the Spanish button, the Spanish song, dancing with Jessie, Hispanic romantic? Back to himself? His bewilderment about what had happened? His place in the finale? His performance during the final credits?

12. Jessie, her background, in the re-enactment of the western? Her attraction towards Buzz, concern about him, the romantic aspects with Buzz?

13. Mr and Mrs Potato Head, their voices, Mr Potato Head and his strategy, being crushed, putting himself together? Mrs Potato Head and her eye? The little potatoes, their heroism and saving the day? The dinosaur and his attitudes? Stretch, Slinky Dog? The other toys?

14. The three little potatoes and their heroism and saving the day?

15. Lots O’ Huggin, the bear, the welcome, imprisoning the toys, domination, his resentments? Bonnie’s toys explaining the background story and its being visualised for Woody? Ken as one of his henchmen, the octopus? Their frightening tactics? Ken, the confrontation with Barbie, his decision?

16. Ken and Barbie, the humour at their expense – the images of each, Barbie and her glamour, the poking fun at Ken and his vanity? His being on the side of Lots O’Huggin? Barbie and her appeal, his decision to rescue her, to be with the other toys?

17. The children at the day care centre, their rough treatment of the toys? The contrast with Bonnie?

18. The final donation, Andy and his speech, Bonnie’s mother, Bonnie and her playing with the toys, the exhilaration of the toys wanting to be played with? A happy ending for the toys?

THE CAT’S MEOW

US, 2001, 114 minutes, Colour.
Kirsten Dunst, Edward Herrmann, Eddie Izzard, Cary Elwes, Joanna Lumley, Jennifer Tilley, Claudia Harrison, Victor Slezak, James Laurenson.
Directed by Peter Bogdanovich.

A film which has had a strange history of release and non-release. Seen on television in some countries before cinema release, it found a UK distributor, for instance, only in mid-2004. A pity, because it is more interesting and better written and acted than many a quick release.

Based on a play by Steven Peros, it is of great interest to movie buffs. We are taken back to a weekend in November, 1924, a cruise from San Pedro, California, to San Diego, with high-powered guests, a trip which one character refers to as The Cat’s Meow. Despite the disclaimer at the end of the film that it does not portray real characters, it does. It also dramatises a speculation about the weekend and the death of one of the guests, Thomas Ince, a celebrated producer, a force in the establishing of Hollywood (Cary Elwes).

The ship is owned by media magnate (the basis for Citizen Kane), William Randolph Hearst. He is accompanied by his mistress, actress Marion Davies. Edward Herrmann gives a powerful performance as Hearst and Kirsten Dunst reminds us once again of what an excellent actress she is. Other guests include a somewhat lecherous Charlie Chaplin (Eddie Izzard), the young and ambitious gossip columnist Louella Parsons (Jennifer Tilly, very effective) who was to be Hearst’s champion, especially in the denunciation of Citizen Kane and British writer, Elinor Glyn (‘It’ referring to sex appeal was attributed to her) (Joanna Lumley).

The film shows the glitter and surface glamour covering the Jazz Age combination of emptiness, ambition, deals and the wielding of power along with sexual liaisons - and letting everything out with the Charleston.

Peter Bogdanovich has had a very mixed career over thirty years, reaching his peak with The Last Picture Show and What’s Up Doc in the early 70s. This, however, is one of his better films and an interesting, if reasonably speculative, look behind the Hollywood facades.

1. Images of Hollywood, the 1920s? Celebrities, morals, lack of morals, media world? Cover-ups?

2. 1924, costumes and décor, the lavish boat, at sea, the interiors of the boat, luxury?

3. The musical score, the large medley of popular songs of the period, sung, in the background, creating atmosphere? Audience familiarity with the songs?

4. The title, the reference to the voyage?

5. Audience knowledge of William Randolph Hearts, Marion Davies, Charlie Chaplin, Thomas Ince? Elinor Glynn, Louella Parsons? Personalities, influence, subsequent careers?

6. The introduction, the voice-over by Elinor Glynn, Joanna Lumley’s vocal style, sardonic? Information, perspective?

7. The 1920s, special events, Hearst and his creating events, managing the cruise? Hearst and his newspapers, influence on the police, on doctors, the lies and cover-ups? The cremation of Thomas Ince’s body? The contradictions? The contracts for the potential witnesses?

8. The life of glitter, wealth, luxury, food and banquets, alcohol and prohibition, drugs, sexual morality? Private and public lives?

9. Hearst and the media, his power and wealth, in the light of Citizen Kane? His family, wife and children? Relationship with Marion Davies? Infatuation with her, not recognising her lack of talent, not realising her flair for comedy? His jealousy of Charlie Chaplin? The relationship with Thomas Ince, the potential deals, his putting Ince off? Managing the event, his charm, his irascible aspects, watching Chaplin, suspicious? Ince and the deals? Chaplin’s poem, letter? Seeing the man with the hat, his hearing Marion Davies talk about not loving? Shooting Ince?

10. His handling of the situation, initial upset, gaining control, the calm phone calls, to Ince’s wife, managing the doctors, the police, the media, the contracts?

11. Marion Davis and her reputation as an actor, light personality, the film clip of her acting and her fooling around, her aware of Hearst’s response to her, her hold on him? The interactions with Chaplin, Chaplin and his own life, the pregnancy of Lita Grey, his advances towards Marion, the poem, the letter? His advising Hearst about Marion’s style? Urging him to put her in comedies? Ince asking her advice? Her singing, dancing, Hearst and the serious sequences? With Ince, Ince’s death, her reaction? How substantial a character?

12. Charlie Chaplin, his reputation, by 1924? His public persona, real-life personality, the background of poverty, sexual relationships, the young pregnant woman that he married? Infatuations, behaviour, taunting Hearst, his discussions about The Gold Rush, trying to be inventive, testing people out for comic routines, eating the shoe…? His becoming the target for Hearst, his reaction to Ince’s death and Hearst’s management of the situation?

13. Thomas Ince, reputation, film-maker, difficulties, wanting a deal to combine studios, his manner, snide remarks about Chaplin, Hearst rebuffing the invitation to the deals, his birthday party, the cake, Marion’s toast? His trying to plant Chaplin’s note? His succeeding? The irony of its backfiring on him? His relationship with Margaret Livingston, her possessiveness, his priorities of business?

14. Louella Parsons, young and ambitious, fawning on Hearst, wanting to talk business, her being a witness to the killing, hysterical, her growing calm, the iciness of her lifelong contract and deal?

15. Margaret Livingston as an actress, the liaison with Ince, upset that she wasn’t informed about his illness? Her later increase in salary?

16. The doctor, a hanger-on, doing Hearst’s wishes about Ince?

17. The girls, exploitative? Eyeing the musician in the band, their behaviour? The contrast with the rather staid couple and their moral stances?

18. The information about the characters and the aftermath? Of the event and the lack of evidence? A glimpse of Hollywood life, and a speculative interpretation?

WHEN BILLIE BEAT BOBBY

US, 2001, 90 minutes, Colour.
Holly Hunter, Ron Silver, Matt Letscher, Bob Gunton, Jacqueline Mc Kenzie, Elizabeth Berridge, Vincent van Patton, Caroline Aaron.
Directed by Jane Anderson.

When Billie Beat Bobby is the story of Billie Jean King and her feminist championship of equal rights and pay for women tennis players. It is also the story of her confrontation with Bobby Riggs and the match which she won.

Holly Hunter executive produced this film as well as starring as Billie Jean King – an entertaining and strong performance. The surprise is the performance of Ron Silver as the eccentric Riggs, fifty-five at the time that he challenged Margaret Court and Billie Jean King. Silver impersonates Riggs – but looks and acts very much like Michael Myers as Austin Powers.

The film focuses on Wimbledon, the matches, the American team at Wimbledon and other tournaments. At the time, Australian Margaret Court (Jacqueline Mc Kenzie) was world champion. However, she was beaten by Riggs. Eventually Billie Jean King, at the urging of her husband Larry, took up the challenge and won three sets against Riggs.

The film is interesting in its background of the tennis world, the supremacy of the men, the challenge by the women, the stuffiness of the establishment, especially at Wimbledon. Fred Willard appears humorously as the commentator Howard Cosell (not unlike his commentator in Best in Show).

Direction and writing are by Jane Anderson, writer of such films as If These Walls Could Talk II and How to Make an American Quilt.

1.An entertaining telemovie? Characters? Sports? Tennis? Women’s issues and equality?

2.The re-creation of the period, the 60s and 70s? American tennis? British tennis? Wimbledon? The Houston Superdome? The background of the world of Bobby Riggs, of Billie Jean King? The tennis sequences and their editing and pace?

3.Holly Hunter as Billie Jean King: appearance? The childhood sequences, the tomboy, her parents not wanting her to be like this, her determination to be the world’s greatest tennis player (and the recapping of this sequence right at the end)? Her achievement? Her practice, tournaments, skills? Her winning Wimbledon? Her relationship with other players, the issue of equal payment for women, the campaigns, the interviews with the Wimbledon executives? The media interviews? The meetings with the tennis players, their hesitations? Margaret Court not understanding it? The final meeting, her achievement? Her relationship with her husband, his being her manager, his joy at her winning Wimbledon? The phone call and her sleep? The nightmare about Bobby Riggs? The encounters with Riggs, the games, the wordplay, the television interviews, the commercials? The media exploiting this confrontation, ABC Sport televising it, Jerry Perenchio and his organising of the match? Howard Cosell and Rosie and their comments? Billie Jean King’s achievement?

4.Ron Silver’s performances as Bobby Riggs, the eccentric, the comic touch? His being a champion, the memories of the war?

5. Bobby Riggs’ comic touches, his interviews, his playing tennis, doing the rounds, his continued hustling? The challenge by the women? His reaction, the challenge to Margaret Court? The preparation, the interviews, the press conferences? His beating Margaret Court? His arrogant attitude? The challenge of Billie Jean King? The preparation, the clashes at the press conference, his really looking down on her? The build-up to the game?

6. The presentation of Larry King, his personality, his devotion to Billie Jean King, the management, his promoting her, supporting her?

7. Howard Cosell, the actual sports commentator, the impersonation? His manner, style? His presence on the sports circuit? His interviews with the personalities – and drawing out insights into their lives and techniques?

8. Margaret Court, the Australian background, championship, her relationship to Billie Jean King, the issues of women, rights, salaries, Wimbledon? Her playing Bobby Riggs and losing? The glimpses of other tennis players of the time?

9. The women players, gathering together, their discussions, women’s rights, salaries? The stuffy authorities at Wimbledon? The bases for their attitudes?

10. The matches themselves, the visual styles, the use of news footage? The imitation of television transmissions of sports events?

11. The match itself, the effect on Billie Jean King, on Bobby Riggs? The tension in the match, the skill of the play? Editing and pace? Billie Jean King winning?

12. The world of sport, the atmosphere of the 70s? The feminist movement? Women asserting themselves?

13. The comic touches – especially with the visualisation of Billie Jean King’s nightmares?

14. The final focus on women, listing them, indicating their achievements? The match between Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King as symbolic of changes?

V FOR VENDETTA

UK, 2006, 132 minutes, Colour.
Natalie Portman, Stephen Rea, Stephen Fry, John Hurt, Tim Piggot Smith, Rupert Graves, Roger Alum, Ben Miles, Sinead Cusack.
Directed by James Mc Teigue.

More graphic novel adaptation, this time from British author (From Hell, ) who seems to have disassociated himself from the film. Hoever, it has very interesting credentials, produced by Hollywood action mogul, Joel Silver, and written by the creators of The Matrix, The Wachowski Brothers, and is directed by James Mc Teigue, one of the assistants on the series, who worked on many Australian films.

Audineces have become used to adaptations of comic book heroes presented in the American style. This one is very British. Caracters are British. Situations are British. The tone is British. V for Vendetta begins with a historical prologue about Guy Fawkes and the plot to blow up Parliament in 1605. In the near future, a masked character (Guy Fawkes’s style) begins a series of terrorist explosions in London leading to a manhunt.

Now this might be routine science future material but it is handled differently. One of the pleasures of watching the film is to identify the influences that have been absorbed into it. V is in the line of many masked avengers like Zorro. However, the mask and cape means that we remember the phantom of the opera, especially when V imprisons the plucky herone, Evey (played by Natalie Portman with a very English accent) – a touch like Beauty and the Beast. However, one of the major debts is to George Orwell and 1984. (With John Hurt (who played Winston Smith himself in the 1984 version of 1984) as the new Big Brother. There is also some relentless police work.

Making further difference is a supporting cast of some British actors one doesn’t expect to find. Stephen Rea is (as usual hang-dog look) the pursuing detective. Tim Piggot Smith is the Police Chief, Roger Allam is the conceited TV personality, Sinead Cusack a doctor, John Standing a double standards bishop and, of all people, Stephen Fry as a character who seems to resemble Stephen Fry (or at least Stephen Fry’s popular image). (It will be interesting to see whether this all goes down well in the US.)

There was some concern at the end of 2005 about the production, especially since it seems to have an open mind on aspects of terrorism, on critique of government and its double dealing, on power to the people to rise up against lying governments. The climax is quite explosive and, for those who live in London or who hold London in sacrosanct regard, more than a bit shocking. However, Guy Fawkes would be delighted (and, maybe, George Orwell too).

V himself is a tantalising figure with mixed motives. His treatment as a child recalls inquiries into institutional physical abuse of children. His imagination is quite dangerous but he indulges in cod-Shakesperean ‘quotations’, especially with v alliterative rhetoric. Though he never comes out from behind the mask except in a moment of deceit, we do not see Hugo Weaving’s face as V but only hear him.

Some touches of graphic violence, especially in prison scenes and the final confrontations, but, on the whole, a rollicking British variation on the heroes theme.

1.A film version of a comic strip? Conspiracy theories? The world of the near future?

2.The visual impact of the film, wide screen? The opening with the 17th century and Guy Fawkes’ plot? Execution? The 21st century? London, the interiors of the studios, the chancellor, V’s house, prison? The exteriors of London locations? The Houses of Parliament? The use of communications, screens, the Big Brother effect? The special effects and stunts? A world of masks? The musical score?

3.A British story, a British narrative? The basis in Guy Fawkes and the 17th century plot? His desire to blow up the parliament? His being killed? Seen as a traitor? His appearance and mask? The transition to V, his choice of the Guy Fawkes mask? The British way of telling the story (even though the writers were American)? The world of the chancellor, the rise to power? The party politics? The police and control, brutality? The world of media, spin? Lies? Satire and its presentation on television? Censorship? Freedom and exploitation? Rebellion? The revolt and explosion at the end?

4.The Guy Fawkes plot, the politics, Protestant and Catholic (but this not emphasised)? The hanging? V and his mask? Oppression, vengeance? Fears of death? His philosophy of facing death, enabling freedom?

5.The title, V (and the verbal humour and the wordplay)? Room V? The heroine as Evey, EV and the wordplay? The Shakespearian background, the quotations, V and his elaboration of words starting with V?

6.Evey, her visit, the fingermen and the assault on her? Her fear? V, his arrival, the violence and the rescue? The play, the music – and the Old Bailey and the explosion? Justice? Her wanting to escape?

7.The portrait of Evey: her mother, Shakespeare, the raid, the arrest, her parents killed? Her brother ill, dying? Evey alone – and everywoman? At work in the television channel? The police, her association with V, suspected as a rebel? Going to her flat, to the television station, the alarm? Her capture and V rescuing her? His looking after her, the toad-in-the-hole for breakfast? Talk? Her appreciation, wondering about his life? His explanations, his philosophy? Her agreeing to act for him – especially with the bishop? The bishop falling, his execution? Her going to Dietrich, her reliance on him? The prison, the torture – her being faithful? The lesbian and the story, the notes under her cell door? The visualising of this story? Her finally being able to face death? V freeing her? Her anger with him? The background of her reliance on Dietrich, talking with him, the bond, going to his flat, his saving her, watching the program, the satire on the chancellor (and audiences around England laughing)? The background of his being gay and this being a crime? (And the parallel with Stephen Fry?)

8.V and his story, as a child, his experience, weapons? The plague? The role of government, the institution and the cells, its destruction? The experiments on humans? His being in room V? The burning of the institution? His escape? Waiting twenty years? His appearance? Exploding the Old Bailey? His warning to people, intervening on the television? The television commentary on him? The bond with Evey? The issue of Hell? Prothero as the television personality, V and his exposing him, threatening, his death? The bishop and his sexual abuse? His going to visit Delia? More sympathy, confronting her with her conscience, her decisions, the more merciful death? The confrontation with Creedy and the other police? The importance of the encounters with Finch, greater sympathy? The final confrontation with the chancellor – and his cowardice? His death? The final rescue of Evey, the gory deaths of the policemen? His orchestrating this change in society? The blowing up of Parliament House? Achieving his vengeance? The vendetta?

9.Evey and the influence of other stories in developing this plot: Big Brother, 1984, The Phantom of the Opera, Beauty and the Beast? Her relationship with Finch, helping him? The march and the masks? Everybody disguised as V? Her experience of torture, V and his philosophy, freedom – and people taking off their masks?

10.The chancellor, his background, the party, his demands, his rise to power, manipulation, the 1984 situation, the television screens, surveillance? Big Brother of 1984? His knowing the story of the experiments, concealment, the files, the secrets? The satirical program on him? His final cowardice, his death?

11.Finch, conscientious, his fellow workers, the domination of Creedy? His interrogations? His believing the propaganda? Under orders? The investigation of Evey, the search? The interview with William Rookwood (the alter-ego of V)? The arrest of Dietrich? Prothero’s death, the bishop, Delia? The role of the police, V and the discussions with Finch, his understanding the truth, his being on the side of good?

12.Stephen Fry as Dietrich, the TV personality, his manner, not unlike that of Stephen Fry? Articulate, living alone, his comments about the persecution of gay people? His support of Evey? The humour of the satirical program?

13.Creedy, Dominic and the other police? Creedy and his being involved in the politics? The other police under orders? Investigations, files, secrets? The final confrontation – V and the death of the police?

14.Prothero, the right-wing demagogue on television, his self-assured manner? His vanity at home? The confrontation, the truth about his past, exploitation and the institute, his death?

15.The bishop, the comments on clergy and paedophilia? His abuse of the children? Evey’s arrival, his wanting to seduce her? His death?

16.Delia, the scientist, her ambitions, in the institute, the flashbacks, her decisions for science rather than for integrity and truth? Her knowing that she would be on the end of vengeance? At the morgue? The confrontation, her conscience, her acceptance of death?

17.The institute, the visualisation, the children, victims? The cover story about plague? The political cover-up? The people involved and the confrontation of conscience?

18.Ordinary people, the glimpses of people living their lives? Their watching the media? The media personalities and the fronts, the news, the manipulation of news, the emotional manipulation? People believing it – yet laughing at the satire?

19.An allegory of contemporary society? 1984 and manipulation, government surveillance, government control, government and police not being accountable? Taking the law into their own hands? The role of terrorists – and the film being released in 2006 in the atmosphere of post-9/11 and terrorist outbreaks? The credibility of terrorists and their beliefs, their rebellion against corrupt society?

20.An entertaining comic strip film, comic strip style, yet action adventure, with political and philosophical undercurrents?

HIP HIP HORA (THE KETCHUP EFFECT)

Sweden, 2004, 93 minutes, Colour.
Amanda Renberg, Bjorn Kgellman, Ellen Fjastad, Lynn Persson, Filip Berg, Marcus Hasselborg, Carla Abrahamsen, Josephine Bauer.
Directed by Teresa Fabik.

The Ketchup Effect is a different Swedish film. It is a film about teenagers – but something of a more hopeful kind, a counterbalance to such American films as Larry Clark’s Kids.

The film focuses on a thirteen-year-old girl who drinks too much at a party and falls asleep. Mischievous boys take compromising photos of her and circulate them. She gains a reputation for being easy and loose, her friends from school avoid her, she seems doomed to become an outsider.

However, she has good support from her father, she decides to stand up for herself – and to vindicate herself as a person who has values.

The film was written and directed by Teresa Fabik, who brings a female sensibility to the portrait of a young girl. The film is interesting in its picture of school, the role of the principal of the school, the school welfare officers, teachers as well as friends. It shows the contemporary way of life for teenagers, the difficulties that they can get themselves into – and the need for family support, parental affirmation as well as support from the community.

1.The director, her age, drawing on her experience, empathy for young teenagers? A film for teenagers? (The difficulty of the adult treatment and scenes for a lower classification?) For adults, for parents?

2.The Swedish setting, the city, homes, flats, the streets, schools, the railway stations? The social realistic presentation of an authentic atmosphere?

3.The musical score, the range of songs, the music for teenagers?

4.The titles, the Swedish title and the play on words for cheering as well as implication of a girl being a whore? The visual jokes about the ketchup?

5.The girls, age twelve, their families, the end of primary school, the prospects of high school, their talking about boys, parties, about Mouse? Chatting at home, reading the pornography but not understanding it? Their not understanding a lot of words about sexuality, even about a catwalk for models? The girls and their age, lack of experience?

6.Sofie as the focus, her age, her thirteenth birthday? Her mother leaving when she was eight, and her father’s angry taunts? Her relationship with her father, travelling in the bus, the kick for good luck, her wanting to disown him at the school, a pretty girl, her provocative clothes and manner, unconscious provocation? With Amanda and Emma, the contrast with them? At school, the boys, her gawky manner, the teacher and the roll call, the references to her father and her embarrassment, her anger at the teacher, the meal in the dining room, wanting to talk to the boys, going to get the ketchup, awkwardness? The set-up for what was to follow?

7.The party, Sofie preparing to go, Amanda not being allowed to go, Emma and our not seeing any of her family, her going? Being awkward, the teenagers all around drinking, kissing? The boys and their taunt, Sebbe and his being drunk, taking Sofie to the room, the issue of the blow job, her not understanding, his exposing himself, her hitting him? Her upset, drinking, collapsing, the cruelty of the boys and all the photos that they took, everybody standing round, Emma watching and going home, Sebbe and his powerlessness? The consequences?

8.Sofie and the photos, the graffiti on her locker, everybody spurning her? Amanda abandoning her? Emma and her not knowing what to do, following leads? Sebbe and his being mocked? The class, the girls and their response? Her father and his questions, his eventually seeing the photos, his anger and upset, his hurting her with his words? The fight with Mouse in the dining room, the teachers having to pull them back? The teacher celebrating the birthday, trying to do the right thing, Sofie’s fight with her? Sebbe and the visit, the Timbuktu record, their talking, walking near the station, his pass and her misinterpretation, her running away? Phoning Amanda during the night and being put off? Wandering, seeing the party, going through, jumping from the window? Her concussion, hospital, her father taking her home?

9.Amanda and her prim style, Beatrice and her friendship, sitting next to her in class, their talking, the model school, the catwalk, the rumours? The phone call and Amanda’s reaction? Seeing her at the party, feeling of guilt at the fall? With Emma, the phone calls, the reconciliation? Emma and her being fat, her taunts to Beatrice? Her being stood up? Wanting to be Sofie’s friend? Her finally telling Beatrice off? Amanda pouring the drink over her? Saying that she was the boring person?

10.Mouse, the photos, his behaviour? The girls looking up to him, the boys following? In the dining room, the invitation to Sofie, the photos? The aftermath? The confrontation, the fight, Sofie and her taunts and people laughing at Mouse?

11.The teacher, three weeks from graduation, her earnest way of teaching, guiding the children, the clashes with Sofie after trying to help, the discussions with her father, the humiliation of the teacher and her wanting to give up?

12.Sofie’s father, his being abandoned by his wife, both mother and father to his daughter, trying to communicate (and reading the book about how to communicate)? His hurting her by his words, the reconciliation, their talking and sharing, the collage of their being together?

13.The effect of her fall, feeling that she was worthless, that her father blamed her, the memory of her mother? His coming and the reconciliation? The phone calls from the girls, her turning them away? The final coming together, her strength of character? A hope for her future?

THE PROPOSITION

Australia, 2005, 104 minutes, Colour.
Guy Pearce, Ray Winstone, Emily Watson, Danny Huston, David Wenham, John Hurt, David Gulpilil, Leah Purcell, Richard Wilson, Tommy Lewis, Robert Morgan.
Directed by John Hillcoat.

A striking film with the power to disturb.

Music video director, John Hillcoat, has made only three films, the 1988 grim prison drama, Ghosts of the Civil Dead and the 1996 New Guinea melodrama, To Have and to Hold. With each of them he has collaborated with musician Nick Cave. Cave has written the screenplay for The Proposition as well as its score and poetic lyrics.

On the one hand, the makers had the traditions of the American Western in view, the films of Sam Peckinpah as well as the Italian films of Sergio Leone. On the other hand, they were making a film about outback Australia in the 1880s, a frontier certainly with similarities with the west but with its own life and problems. Far north western Queensland was still part of the then burgeoning British Empire no matter how different the desert, the rocks and the ranges were from the mother country. British authorities were brought in to keep law and order, not an easy thing with alienated Irish families (think also Ned Kelly in Victoria who was executed in 1880) taking up brutal crime as well as a generally humiliating racist attitude towards the aborigines, especially when they were considered to have ‘rebelled’.

All this is present in The Proposition.

The photography of the landscapes and the skyscapes create a distinctive Australian atmosphere. The sometimes iconic close-up contemplation of faces of both officers of the law and the outlaws suggests a mythical tone for the film. The range of speeches about empire, about Darwin’s Origin of Species as applied to aborigines (in a powerful speech by bounty hunter John Hurt who appears so effectively in only two sequences), about justice and imprisonment, about wealth and poverty offer a great deal of food for thought in what is a very physical and visceral film. This latter is very true of the flogging sequence where the people want vengeance and become disgusted. (Hillcoat has forty lashes while intercutting reactions and a song voiceover making its greater reticence as disturbing as The Passion of the Christ).

Ray Winstone gives his most sympathetic performance as a hard man with a soft side, trying to maintain law and order at the behest of the foppish, wealthy and merciless landowner (David Wenham). Emily Watson impresses as Winstone’s wife, trying to maintain some English gentility, afraid of the brutality and of her own spirit of vengeance. Hillcoat directs a moving scene where she describes a disturbing dream by focusing on the movements and gestures of her hands.

Guy Pearce, gaunt as ever, is the outlaw brother who wants to save his simpleton brother from hanging by going after his older brother, the leader of the crimes of robbery and rape (Danny Huston).

The Proposition is something of a revisionist look at the colonies in the 1880s, especially Queensland. On the frontier life was not easy. One had to be rugged and tough to pioneer settlement and survive. The violence was brutal, towards women, towards the aborigines some of whom were troopers, some of whom rode with the gangs and others were servants – one of the latter, still in his buttoned up attire, wishes his masters a merry Christmas as he removes his boots and walks out of the gate barefoot back into his land.

1.The acclaim for the film? Awards? Impact in Australia? Worldwide?

2.The importance of the visual impact of the film: the locations, the desert, the colours of the sky? The composition of shots? The characters as icons? The editing, the special effects?

3.Nick Cave’s contribution: the screenplay, the musical score and its range, the lyrics, the comment on the action? The religious language in the opening song and at the end?

4.The strength of the cast, Australian and British?

5.The background of the American westerns, the patterning of this film on the westerns, the work of Sam Peckinpah, Sergio Leone?

6.The credits and the stills, at the beginning and the end? Information, illustration of themes? Recapturing history?

7.The prologue, the editing of the gunfight? The mystery about the cause? The deaths, the prostitutes, Charlie and his being caught, Mikey and his wounds? The police and their treatment of the prisoners?

8.Stanley and Charlie, sitting at the table, Mikey wounded? Stanley’s proposition about the killing of Arthur? The anticipation of Charlie’s going, the riding scenes during the discussion?

9.The 1880s, Queensland, the outback, the small town, the desert around it, the fertile areas? The rocks and the ranges, the caves? Life in the town, in its detail? The heat and the flies? Costumes and décor? The prison and the cells? The homes, the affluent home, the garden? A rounded picture of how people lived in this place, in this time?

10.Arthur and the mystery of his background, his violence? Charlie separating from him and his gang? The concern about Mikey? Arthur and his reliance on Sam and his Aboriginal friend? Seeing people as the enemy, the violence of the robberies and the rape? His way of life, out in the cave, people fearing to go near him? His background, literate? The attack on the Hopkins family, the deaths (as seen in the stills), the rape of Mrs Hopkins and her pregnancy? The attack on the captain, and killing him because of his killing of the Aborigines? Going into the town, the disguise as troopers? The violence towards the troopers, beheading them? The attack on the Stanley’s, Sam and the attempted rape, Charlie’s arrival, shooting Sam, shooting Arthur? His finally sitting outside looking into the sunset with Charlie, asking the final question about what Charlie would do?

11.Charlie, his place in the brothers, sharing the violence, the crime? The Irish tradition – and his angry reactions to Lamb and the Irish jokes? In the shootout, concern about Mikey, listening to the proposition, going out to get Arthur? Travelling through the desert, the days passing, the poetic voice-over in his consciousness? The first meeting with Lamb? The taunts, disguise? His being speared? Sam saving him by shooting the Aborigine? Interaction with Sam, Sam singing? His being healed, especially in the Aboriginal way? Meeting Lamb again, their being tied up? Arthur saving him? The ruse to go into the town, Arthur knowing from the captain that Charlie was going to kill him? His burying Mikey, his grief, his return to the Stanleys’ house, confrontation of the scene, his conscience, saving Martha and shooting Sam, shooting Arthur? Sitting with Arthur dying? The final question and his future?

12.Mikey as a simpleton, the bond of family, Arthur and his forever saying family was important? Being wounded, weeping, used for the proposition? Fletcher and his reaction, wanting Mikey flogged, the thirty-eight lashes (and the way this was filmed, intercutting with the song, with the Stanleys, with the people watching, with Charlie riding? The reactions of the people and their gradually leaving? In prison, the pathos, being taunted by the troopers about his being hanged, with Stanley? The escape, his death?

13.Stanley and his work, the English background, his memories? The house and garden? Fletcher and his orders? Stanley wanting to bring law and order and impose civilisation? His personality, first seeing him discussing with Charlie, the proposition? His reaction to Martha coming to the jail, wanting to protect her from the news about the Hopkins? His interactions with the captains and the captains’ insubordination? With Mikey, the prison, his not wanting the flogging, dropping the key to the cell? Trying to protect Martha, his shock with her coming to the flogging? His continual headaches and taking the powder? His trying to do the right thing as he saw it? The elegance of the Christmas dinner, dressed up, the meal, carving? The jolt of the intrusion, his being shot? Martha and the attempted rape? Charlie coming and saving them?

14.Martha, her British background, elegance? Her friendship with the Hopkins family, her being hurt and angered by the rape? The visit to the jail and her husband sheltering her? Fletcher’s visit, offering the cup of tea, listening outside and getting the information? Taking sides, wanting Mikey flogged? What if it had been her…? Her being horrified? Fainting, leaving? The aftermath and Maurice offering her the soup? The bath sequence, relating her dream – and the director focusing on her hands and the gestures communicating the dream about the child and holding on? Her feeling that this was real even after she woke? The Christmas gentility, the suddenness of the rape? Her being saved?

15.Fletcher, landowner, the foppish style, the dandy dressing? His way of speaking? Being demanding, in the town,the prison, his orders to Stanley, the visit to the house, the cup of tea, his ruthlessness? His presence at the flogging, relentless? Stanley tossing the whip at him and his bloodstained suit?

16.The picture of the police, the different types, callous, their taunting of Mikey? Insubordinate and critical of Stanley? Antagonism towards the Aborigines? The captain and his killing and massacring the Aborigines? Arthur killing him – and his telling Arthur about Charlie and the proposition? The troopers beheaded by the Burns family? The Aboriginal trackers who worked with the whites?

17.The portrait of the Aborigines, of racism at the time, superiority, Lamb’s explanation of Charles Darwin and evolution, his taunt about monkeys, about the Aborigines? The servants, Toby taking off his boots as he went on his holiday? Jocko and his working with the whites, his being killed? The rebel Aborigines, the arrests, the massacre? Arthur’s Aboriginal friends, the woman healing Charlie, the friend and his participation in the killings, the pretence of being a prisoner and getting into the town?

18.Jellon Lamb, John Hurt’s two scenes, drinking, the knife at Charlie’s throat, wanting his name, literate, the discussion about Charles Darwin’s work and his spurning of the Aborigines, his travels? Australia as godforsaken? The second scene and his being sober, tying up the Aborigines and Charlie? His being shot by Arthur, his speech as he died?

19.The townspeople, the trades, the butcher, the men standing round, the women in the street, the flogging and their presence?

20.Colonial period, the formation of the British Empire, the flying of the flag, Australia and its colonies in the 1880s? A revisionist view of Australian history?