BLACK SNAKE MOAN

US, 2006, 116 minutes, Colour.
Samuel L. Jackson, Christina Ricci, Justin Timberlake, S. Epatha Merkerson, John Cothran Jr, Michael Raymond- James.
Directed by Craig Brewer.

The poster for Black Snake Moan is lurid. It has a scantily clad Christina Ricci on the ground with Samuel L. Jackson standing, dominating, above her. He holds a chain which serves as a leash. One is tempted to interpret the title with some lewd meanings.

Which is a lesson in not judging books by covers or films by posters. Yes, Christina Ricci does look like this. At one stage she is chained. And Samuel L. Jackson dominates her. That still gives a false impression of the film.

Christina Ricci plays Rae, a young poor trash girl in Americas south. Abused by her father and not protected by her mother, she has developed a nymphomaniac psychological and physical condition. Her hope is in her boyfriend, Ronnie (Justin Timberlake) who himself has phobia problems and is going off for national service. In the meantime, Lazarus (Samuel L. Jackson), an old-time musician has given up his playing and is miserable and violent because his wife has been carrying on with his brother and is now walking out on him.

One doesn’t get a very hopeful picture of human nature as the film opens – the town also has some drug pushers and young sports players whose vision of life is crass.

When Lazarus finds an unconscious Rae on the road, he takes her in. What happens is rehabilitation, both for Rae and for Lazarus. This, then, is a moral and sometimes moralising film, showing that one should believe in, have hope in, the goodness of human nature and exercise some charity which must lead to positive results.

There are some fine characters as well. Lazarus has a friend, the Reverend R.L. (John Cothron Jr), who is strong in his advice and religious perspective, a man who supports Lazarus and is able to listen to Rae and Ronnie. S. Epartha Merkerson is a storekeeper who brings a sense of decency and kindness to the film.

Black Snake Moan is not the kind of film that many audiences may want to sit through. For those who do, and who can take this sometimes depressing picture of struggling human beings, it leads somewhere hopeful beyond the final credits.

1.The impact of the film? Audience expectations? Publicity and poster? The lurid touch? The moral tone of the film?

2.The title, the song? The introduction and the explanation of the blues, the explanation during the film? Lazarus and his music, the Black Snake Moan? The African American tradition? Music and frank lyrics? Themes?

3.The atmosphere of the southern states? The town itself, the bar, shops, the open places, the church? The carnival? An ordinary town?

4.The people, black and white, rough, prevalence of drugs, drinking, violence, sexuality?

5.The opening with Rae and Ronnie? Their love for each other? Sexual relationship? Ronnie going for his national service, diffidence? The nature of his fears? Her physical and psychological condition? Setting the tone for the rest of the film?

6.The grim perspective on human nature, Rae and her sexual problems, her relationship with Tehronne? Sexual relationship? The sports, with the sportsmen? The violence? Gill and his picking her up, saving her from the attack? His anger with her, violence, throwing her out? Thinking she was dead?

7.The grim picture of human nature with Lazarus, in the bar, the discussions with his ex-wife, his brother’s relationship with her, her leaving, his violence? His past life, career, music, giving it up? In the bar, with the bartender, the woman making advances? His friendship with Reverend R.L?

8.Lazarus and his finding Rae on the ground, understanding her condition, tenderly helping, her reaction, her presumptions about sexuality, his putting the chain on her, limiting her in the house? Her violent reaction, calming down? Feeding her? Talking to her? Going to buy the clothes, her cold and his getting the medicine from Angela in the shop? Her specially helping him, his story about his niece? The young boy going into the house, the sexual encounter and his violent reaction? Talking to Reverend R.L., bringing his son to the meal, their sharing the meal, an ordinary discussion?

9.The changes in Rae, the initial scene with her mother, giving her money? Her going to the shop, the clash with her mother, her mother’s violent denouncing her, saying she should have had an abortion? The fight in the shop? Lazarus and his being outside with Angela, hearing the commotion, going in to rescue Rae? Ronnie and his return, not being able to find Rae?

10.Lazarus, his friendship with Angela, the discussions, helping with the medicine, her singing, her discovering the truth about Rae? His later relying on her to prepare Rae for the wedding?

11.Reverend R.L. as a strong character, religious, his advice to Lazarus and discussions with him? Lazarus bringing him to talk to Rae? His son, the meal together?

12.Lazarus and the discussions with Rae, about the music, his explanations, taking her to the dance, his playing again, the success and joy?

13.Ronnie, discussions with Gill, his violent reaction, his being overcome by Lazarus? Their talking, his discovering the truth about Rae’s condition, acknowledging his own fears and his failure at military service? The decision to go home?

14.The reconciliation, Angela and the preparations for the wedding, Lazarus and his achievement for Rae, for Ronnie, for himself?

15.The final sequence with the car, the trucks overtaking the car, Ronnie and his fears, Rae and her support – their love, the fragility of their relationship, the film ending with hope?

METRO

US, 1997, 117 minutes, Colour.
Eddie Murphy, Michael Rapaport, Michael Wincott, Donal Logue.
Directed by Thomas Carter.

Many audiences will be reassured and glad that Eddie Murphy is back in uniform again, this time in San Francisco, but just as fearless as ever (no, even more so) and ever more determined to get the killers. This is formula material so you definitely know what you are going to get, although Michael Wincott, who is often seen as a sneering villain, is also even more so! San Francisco Cop.

1.A popular police thriller? Hostage negotiator? Robbers? Chases?

2.Eddie Murphy in the police role? The background of the Beverly Hills cop? A San Francisco cop? How well does he work as a policeman, negotiator? The blend of the comic and serious?

3.The San Francisco settings, the city, the bay, the bridges, the precincts, shops? Musical score and energy?

4.The focus on Scott Roper, his skills as a negotiator? In the initial example with Earl, going into the bank, Earl and the hostages, their fear? His smooth talk, discussing with Earl, taking the wounded man outside, getting the gun, his mode of acting – performance? Looking in the mirror in the door, shooting Earl? Saving the day? The response of the media? The congratulations of the police?

5.Roper and his work with the police, the officer in charge? The discussion about Kevin McCall? becoming his partner, McCall? lipreading? Their work together, the scenes where Roper instructed him, test cases, role-plays? Their work together, Kevin McCall? as a character, working with Roper, on the final siege, his being wounded?

6.Sam, friendship with Roper, their going to the apartment block, Sam and his discussion with Michael Korda? His being killed? Roper’s reaction? Pursuit? His wanting to be on the case, the intensity of his feeling, the officials forbidding him to be on the case?

7.Scott and his relationship with Veronica, tension? The humour of the dog? Veronica and her relationship with the baseball player? The dangers, their time together, the meal? Her being abducted, her being put on the machine in the factory? The split-second release?

8.Korda, his relationship with his cousin Clarence? The plans, the robberies? Clarence and his getting Korda under suspicion? Korda and the robbery, caught, hostages? Scott and the negotiations? Going back to the officials? The escape, the spectacular car pursuit through San Francisco? His eventually being caught? Korda in jail, discussions with his lawyer, with Clarence?

9.Clarence, the attempt to attack Veronica? In the apartment, the clash, Scott and his arrival? Clarence’s death? His showing the photo to Korda?

10.Korda, the escape from jail? The warehouse? With Veronica? His outwitting Scott? McCall? and his trying to get a shot at Korda? In the car, his finally being shot, crashing? Scott and his releasing Veronica?

11.The spectacular chase, the cars, the San Francisco streets, the cable car, out of control, Scott leaping onto it, the shootings? The car stopping the progress down the hill? The excitement of this kind of action sequence?

12.The happy ending – and Scott going about his work, better relationships?

JUNIOR

US, 1994, 106 minutes, Colour.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny de Vito, Emma Thompson, Frank Langella, Aida Turturro, Pamela Reed, Kathleen Chalfont.
Directed by Ivan Reitman.

A film with both Arnold Schwarzenegger and Emma Thompson seems rather unlikely. However, they were an entertaining combination in the 1994 comic-fantasy, Junior. And once again, Arnold Schwarzenegger is teamed with Danny Vito, his unlikely partner in Twins.

The film is amusingly written, directed by an expert in popular comedies, Ivan Reitman. Tthe three stars are scientists and conduct an experiment where a male doctor becomes pregnant. It offers the opportunity for men in the audience to imagine what it would like to be pregnant – and the women in the audience to get some satisfaction from this. There are a number of funny episodes, especially when the pregnant Schwarzenegger has to go into a maternity hospital – and has to explain that he is from East Germany and took steroids in the past!

The film proves Arnold Schwarzenegger has a sense of humour and is able to carry off this kind of comedy, especially with the support of his co-stars.


1.                  An enjoyable comedy, what if…?  Men and women?  Children? 

2.                  The San Francisco locations, the laboratories, homes?  Authentic atmosphere?  Musical score?  The songs and their irony?  Under your skin? 

3.                  The plausibility of the plot?  Men pregnant?  Biogenetics, bioethics? 

4.                  The title, the humorous tone?  Audience response to children?  The pro-life perspective of the film, the foetus, the growth of the foetus, the birth of the child?  Family values? 

5.                  Alexander Hess and Larry Abogast, the irony of Schwarzenegger and de Vito working together?   Alexander and his being very serious, the scientist, the researcher?  Abogast and his being more down to earth and humorous?  Their situation, the funding, the FDA and the refusal to approve their drug?  The fertility formula? 

6.                  Noah Banes, his severity, interfering, his personality?  His antagonism towards them?  The loss of the funds and his blaming them?  His appointing Diana Reddin? 

7.                  Diana, her project, fertility, her frozen eggs?  Her personal manner, the absent-minded scientist, awkward – especially at the restaurant, toilet paper on her shoe, the shell in the other person’s dinner? 

8.                  Abogast, his taking the eggs, the experiment with the sperm?  The pregnancy?  Abogast injecting Hess?  The pharmaceutical company and the possibility of funding? 

9.                  The discussions about the pregnancy, its seeming impossibility , the agreement to terminate the pregnancy after three months?  The effect of the pregnancy on Alexander, his changes, physically, emotionally, his wanting to carry the baby?  Their using the lab?  The help from Diana?  Hess and his attraction to Diana, vice-versa?  His explanation of the situation, her reaction, anger?  Her support, the decision about the future of the child?

10.              Banes, his interference, discovering the scheme, seeing he would take advantage?

11.              Alexander, dressed as a woman, the home for unwed mothers, the reception, his work, his explanation of his size because of East German steroids?  His going through the program, all the activities?  The unwed mothers? 

12.              Banes and his wanting to exploit the situation, calling the media into the delivery room, the irony of finding Angela, her pregnancy (and …... Smith’s personal trainer being the father)?

13.              Larry delivering Alexander’s baby?  Diana helping with Angela?  The caesarean section? 

14.              The humiliation of Banes, his having to change his attitude, the reaction of the media? 

15.              The year later, at the beach, the birthday, the couples, Angela and Larry reconciled, Diana and Alexander looking after their child?  The irony that Larry is to become pregnant with the next child? 

16.  The themes of conception, fertility, the roles of men and women, a man having to carry a baby to term? The celebration of life and of children?

EYES WIDE SHUT

US/UK, 1999, 159 minutes, Colour.
Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Sidney Pollack, Marie Richardson, Rade Sherbedgia, Todd Field, Vinessa Shaw, Alan Cumming, Fay Masterson, Leelee Sobieski, Thomas Gibson.
Directed by Stanley Kubrick.
 
Stanley Kubrick's last film, the end of a distinguished career and some extraodinary films inclluding Paths of Glory, Dr Strangelove, 2001 and Barry Lyndon.

This film was written by Frederic Raphael (Darling, Two for the Road).

It is something of a postscript about the New York of the 90s, Tom Cruise, a straightforward doctor, is so disturbed by listening to his wife's (Nicole Kidman) sexual fantasy that he wanders, with his eyes wide shut, a sexual Inferno that is bewildering and dangerous. He is lucky that he has an honest wife who can be a positive catalyst for his dealing with his shadow and building a deeper love with his wife. I don't think they're going to put that description on the poster - but then those who go would know a little of what they might see and those who are apprehensive about going might see that the film, a small-scale psychodrama has something to say.

1.             The impact of the film?  The work of Stanley Kubrick?  His meticulous filmcraft?  His last film? 

2.             The film as a psychodrama, acting out emotions, intellectual understanding?  The modest story, the length of the film, the detailed and lengthy treatment? 

3.             Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, their relationship at the time, the history of their marriage?  Audience knowing this?  The tension in watching a real-life couple on-screen?  (And the aftermath of their separation and the perceptions of their performance in the light of subsequent history?)

4.             Kubrick recreating New York City in the United Kingdom, the city itself, the city blocks, the apartments, the subway?

5.             Kubrick, his eclectic taste for music, the importance of musical background for the psychodrama?  The range of songs, ‘Bad Thing’…?  The music as the background for sexuality and violence? 

6.             The title, its ambiguity, play on words and phrases, its irony? 

7.             The work of Arthur Schnitzler and his stories of sexuality, his friendship with Freud?  His stories like La Ronde?  The European perception at the beginning of the 20th century on relationships, the merry-go-round of love and lust?  The work of Frederick Raffaele(?), his screenplays, the adaptation of Schnitzler, the application to the United States, for Kubrick’s American perspective from England?  The universal meaning of the film? 

8.             The cinematic style, the use of colour, close-ups, hotels and corridors, the black mask orgy?  A film of the 90s?

9.             The introduction to William and Alice, getting ready to go out, the sexual relationship, nudity, the role of the woman at home?  Their marriage, child, their professional lives?  Affluent?  The nature and quality of their relationship?  The audience’s identifying with them? 

10.        The party, the presence of the couple, the party’s set-piece style, camera and roaming around, décor, costumes, the range of people, the atmosphere?  Bill and the girls and his flirting?  Alice and the dancer, the seductive experience?  The musician – and his career?  Enjoyment, permitting freedom, the possibilities of relationships?  The reaction of each afterwards? 

11.        Victor Ziegler and the girl, the violence, the drugs, his dressing, the treatment of the girl, Bill, the secrecy, wealth able to do anything?

12.        The aftermath, the couple tired at home, the tensions, Alice and her telling the story, the visual flashbacks, her imagination, sharing?  Bill’s reaction?  The comment on the love of each for the other, the quality of their commitment, the different reactions?  Her honesty and love?  His shock? 

13.        The visualising of Alice’s sexual imagination and its effect, recurring, a motif for the film? 

14.        The phone call, Bill and his going out, his feelings about Alice and her story?  The visit, dying man, the daughter and the come-on, his reaction in the context of his response to Alice and her story?  The arrival of the fiance?  The beginning of Bill’s night journey? 

15.        His wandering New York City, the streets, the effect?  The nature of the journey?  The approach by the callgirl, his acceptance, going into the room, his motivation, his own sexual adequacy or inadequacy?  Reaction against Alice?  The money, his going with her, the talk?  The sketch of her character, his reactions? 

16.        The role of the phone, the mobile phone, communication and connection, lies? 


17.        Seeing the musician, the discussion, their talk about the party, the phone call and his getting another job, the address, Bill tempted to go? 

18.        The visit to the costume shop owner, the tensions, the young girl, the sexual advance, her father exploiting her, the double standards?  The other world, the police?  His later returning the costume and the mask missing? 

19.        Getting the taxi, going into the grounds of the mansion, masked, the password?  The visual presentation of the party, the orgiastic style, the costumes, black, set-piece and style?

20.        The house, security, the anonymous people, the religious rituals, the sacrifice, the girl as victim, her warning?  Bill and the confrontation, the danger, his being unmasked?  The shadow orgy, his being ousted?

21.        His return, the effect of his experience, with Alice, talking with her? 

22.        Going to Victor, the explanation, Victor explaining the dangers, reading the situation rightly or wrongly?  The warning? 

23.        The return to ordinariness, shopping?  A return to normality after the psychological and emotional implications of what was a psychodrama, especially for Bill?  His own inadequacy and seeming lack of connection with Alice, their future?

24.        Exploring relationships, sexual themes, honesty and commitment, temptation, shadow?  The dramatising and the psychodramatic aspects?

THE BATTLE OF THE V-1

UK, 1958, 100 minutes, Black and white.
Michael Rennie, Patricia Medina, Milly Vitale, David Knight, Esmond Knight, Christopher Lee.
Directed by Vernon Sewell.

The Battle of the V-1 is a small-budget war film from the late 1950s. It has been overshadowed by the prominence of so many British films with high profile actors like John Mills, John Gregson, Dirk Bogarde and so on.

Michael Rennie had appeared in a number of British films and had gone to the United States where he appeared in The Day the Earth Stood Still as well as portraying St Peter in The Robe. Patricia Medina was a British star who spent most of her career in the United States, generally in exotic roles. Milly Vitale, an Italian actress, had appeared with Kirk Douglas in The Juggle and had continued her career in Italy. The film shows Christopher Lee in a brief early role as a stereotypical Nazi guard.

The film is a tribute to the Polish underground, their ability to find out details about a pilotless plane which was to be used to bomb Britain. It was being manufactured in a Polish factory. Information was got to central Resistance headquarters in Warsaw and the information transferred to England. The British were then able to bomb the factory. The film also shows an example of the pilotless aircraft crash-landing, the local residents absconding with it and getting it transferred to England so that the British engineers could study it.

Vernon Sewell directed a number of small-budget films – and specialised in some horror films during the 1960s such as The Curse of the Crimson Altar.

1.The popularity of World War Two films? Re-creation of the era? Tributes? From the perspective of the 1950s? Now?

2.Black and white photography, the Polish settings, Warsaw, the labour camps? Britain? The musical score?

3.The title, the focus, the tribute to the Polish underground? The possibilities of this kind of experimental aircraft being used by the Nazis to bomb England? The Polish underground, discoveries, transferring the plane? Averting disaster?

4.The re-creation of the situation in Poland, Warsaw, the men reporting to work, being sent to the labour camps? The brutality of the SS? The Nazis? (The danger of stereotypical performance?) The transfer to the labour camps? The transfer of the women, children and older men to the concentration camps?

5.The Nowaks, Stefan and his teaching, Zofia and her not wanting him to report for work? His friend Tadek? Enrolling, the clash with the Nazis, Tadek and his being beaten? The contact from the underground and the codes? Their work, discovering the machine? Going to the dentist, making the transfer of information? Anna and her role? The other contacts in the camp? The information going to Warsaw, his indications of the code in his cards to his wife? The information going to England? The British discussing it, wanting more detail, photos?

6.The dangers in the camp? The men’s treatment? Their educational qualifications? The plan for them to be transferred to more intellectual work? The photos? Going to Britain?

7.Britain wanting a machine, the crash-landing, the locals absconding with it, concealing it? The little boy who discovered it, wanting the chocolate, the interrogation from the SS, his talking about it being found – and then flying off in the opposite direction? The ability of the Poles to get the machine and transfer it to England? The pick-up?

8.Zofia Nowak and her involvement, meeting Stefan again, his escape with Tadek? Anna and her being captured, tortured, not revealing anything?

9.Stefan as a hero, Zofia? The praise from the underground, the praise from Britain?

10.An interesting perspective on World War Two and central Europe?

L'AGE DES TENEBRES

Canada, 2007, 102 minutes, Colour.
Marc Labreche, Diane Kruger, Emma de Caunes.
Directed by Denys Arcand.

Best known for Jesus of Montreal, Montreal based Denys Arcand has made what is now a trilogy over the last twenty years. This is the final film. In 1987, he made The Decline of the American Empire. Keeping that historical perspective from the Roman Empire, he gathered the cast together in 2003 to make a story of what had happened to them in the preceding decade and a half. He called his film, The Barbarian Invasions. It won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language film.

After the barbarian invasions came the Dark Ages (which would be a better translation of the French title). This is a story of a very ordinary man, Jean-Marc?, ‘a man of no interest’ (which is the title of a make believe prize winning novel in the film), a middle aged man subject to all the present crises who symbolises the contemporary Dark Ages. He is played quite convincingly in look and manner by comedian Marc Lebreche.

There are two solutions to the Dark Ages. The first is to retreat into a fantasy world. Our hero regularly does this and these sequences have vitality and are also amusing. A glamorous star (Diane Kruger) continually appears to him to fulfil all his desires, including his sexual frustration. He also imagines himself as a celebrity, acclaimed by everyone. But, then it is back to earth, to his real estate agent wife always on her mobile, to his indifferent teenage daughters, to his humdrum job of mainly telling applicants for aid how their request will be denied, to the constant traffic jams…

To highlight the Dark Ages imagery and symbols, our hero meets a woman at a dating service who takes part in medieval pageants and jousts. The club members dress up, fight the battles and take rather fascist stances on nationalism.

The solution that Arcand espouses is another variation on flight from the world. This is the ‘fuga mundi’ that the monks of the times of the barbarian invasions and the dark ages advocated: to go to a centre where values, both human and religious, could be fostered and re-establish a values civilisation. (And, during the Dark Ages, it was from these centres that the missionaries went out.)

Arcand is suggesting a rediscovery of roots, of earth, of creation and creativity – it is a bit like the Gospel saying of being in the world but not of the world.

1.The impact of the film? Interest in Denys Arcand, his films, career? His interests, history – and history repeating itself?

2.His perspective on the 21st century and its prospects, the decline and fall of an empire, the Barbarian invasions, the dark ages? How pessimistic? How much hope? The suggestion of a solution in going back to one’s sources, flight from the world?

3.The Montreal settings, ordinary Montreal life, the crowded travvic in the streets, the homes, a heightened sense of a future world? The buildings, the government offices, the huge and vast halls? The TV studios? The musical score?

4.The humour pervading the film, Jean- Marc and his self-deprecation, the serious tones? The satiric attack on Canadian society, on the west? ‘A Man of No Interest’?

5.The opening, the song, Diane Kruger as the embodiment of beauty and celebrity? The fantasy in Jean- Marc’s imagination? Its tone, sumptuous and sensual? Yet his appearing transformed from the singer?

6.Jean-Marc and his age, experience of life, memory of his parents, his father? His relationship with his wife, the years of marriage, the children and their indifference, the ordinary details of life in the house, his attitude, in the car, travelling in the train, going to work, always being late? In the traffic, the people with road rage? His superior and her critique of him being late? The meetings, the various training sessions – and the satiric style of the presentation? The scepticism of Jean-Marc? His friends at the office, the woman, his black friend – and getting into trouble about political correctness with the authorities? The interrogation about negroes? His meeting with his clients, the range of clients, his having to refuse them their grants? The growing depression?

7.The clients, their range, their different stories, contemporary difficulties and hardships, the role of the law, regulations, refusals? Despair, coming back again – and his having to advise them that they had no hope?

8.His wife, the real estate agent, always on the phone, busy, the lack of sexual rapport, his daughters, teenage, listening to music, bored?

9.The insertion of the fantasies with Diane Kruger, in the shower (and the joke about the American censors)? Her presence as a person, glamour, as a star, celebrity? Listening to his woes? A projection of himself?

10.The fantasies of his success, winning the literary prize for a book called A Man of No Interest, his political victory, going on the television and the show not being continued? The repeated presence of the reporter, the sexual encounters?

11.The women at the office, the boss, his lesbian friend, the fantasies and their presence, their change?

12.His lack of self esteem, going home, going to the garage, the pornography, dreams of fulfilment?

13.His wife and her decision to leave, her attitude, her boss, going to Toronto, her career? His going to the dinner where she won the award? His being seen as her husband? The children’s attitudes? Her decision to return?

14.His decision to leave, going to the house at the seaside, his father’s house, the ordinary life, by himself, the sea and its tranquillity, the friendly neighbours, growing things in the garden? His wife and the children bringing his stuff? His decision to stay?

15.His changing, trying to leave the 21st century world behind? The kind of 21st century under critique, yet people having to live within it? Being in the world but not of it?

16.The resolution, his final fantasies, the women and their talk, his seeing them as projections of himself, the reality of their lives, the farewell? His being self-sufficient? Finding a solution – a solution that is possible in flight from the world of within the world?

17.Arcand’s interest in the background of the dark ages, the mediaeval style? The sequences of the dating room, Jean- Marc and his meeting the different women, the pathos of the women wanting dates? His meeting the woman who was Beatrice? Her participation in the mediaeval jousts? The picture of the jousts, the personnel? The fascist attitude of many of the people? The re-creation of the middle and dark ages? The crusades, anti-Islam, promotion of the west? St Bernard and his fiery speeches? Jean- Marc and his involvement in the jousts, his having to become the champion? The rivals? Presented to the authorities – and the possibility of marrying Beatrice? His refusal, his going home again? The use of this kind of imagery to highlight the parallels with the dark ages?

MUNYURANGABO

Rwanda, 2007, 97 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Lee Isaac Chung.

African films in recent Cannes Festivals focused on women and their issues, especially oppressive tribal traditions. This is a film about men’s issues, specifically revenge, forgiveness and reconciliation in the aftermath of the 1994 Rwanda genocide. While several powerful films have come from non-African film-makers, this is from Africa itself.

The origins of the film are particularly interesting. Korean American Lee Isaac Chung and writing partner, Samuel Anderson, conducted a film summer school at a Christian relief base in Rwanda, summer 2006. This film is a project for 15 Rwandan students, a film they can be very proud of.

The plot is straightforward. It is the performance and interpretation that count. The director fostered improvisation so that the characters and their interactions would ring true. Made simply but subtly, in beautiful countryside, the film takes us into Rwanda and the need for peace. This is especially powerful in the long poem about the country, its history and its culture at the end of the film.

1.The impact of the film? Insight into Africa? Rwanda? The genocide and its aftermath?

2.The perspective of the film-maker, an American Korean? His American partners? Teaching summer courses in Rwanda? The Christian relief centre? The students and their making this film as a project? The quality of the film as a project?

3.The small budget, the eleven days of shooting, the village location? The countryside, the house? The traditions and celebrations in the village? The musical score?

4.The language, the use of Kinya Rwanda language? The challenge for the director to direct in this language? The consequences of the film? Going back to Rwanda to establish a company?

5.The improvisation, the performers, their creativity in creating characters, in the dialogue, in the clashes? The re-creation of memories?

6.The background of the genocide, Tutsis and Hutus, the clash? The focus on the two young men in Kigali? Their friendship, support, in the markets? The decision to go back to the village? The Hutu returning home, wanting to see his family after three years? The Tutsi and his vengeance for his dead father, seeking out his father’s killer?

7.The journey on the road, their trekking together, their friendship, the use of the money, hitching? Getting to the village? The Hutu and the welcome from his mother, the delight of the family, his father? Accepting the Tutsi as a guest – but with reservations?

8.The presentation of village life, the family, poverty, work? The background of the genocide and the stances? The prejudices? The celebrations?

9.The focus on the Hutu boy, working, the possibility of his marrying, settling down? Relationship with each member of the family? Clashing with his father, his father being stern, ousting him from the house? Criticising him for his friendship?

10.The Tutsi boy, seeming lazy, in the village, his work, not pulling his weight? The machete, his bringing it with him, looking for vengeance? Suspicions of his friend’s father? His trying to achieve vengeance, his inability to follow through? The effect on him? His leaving the village, going to the house, the confrontation, finding the man dying of AIDS? The repercussions for him?

11.The two young men leaving the village, the Hutu wanting to remain friends, the Tutsi and his not doing this?

12.The aftermath of the vengeance attempt? Would the two friends get together – their going to the city, the markets, the possibility of reconciliation, forgiveness, a future?

__




SAVING SILVERMAN

US, 2001, 97 minutes, Colour.
Steve Zahn, Jack Black, Jason Biggs, Amanda Peet, Amanda Detmer, R. Lee Ermey, Neil Diamond.
Directed by Dennis Dugan.

Saving Silverman was also called Evil Woman, transferring the focus of attention onto Judith rather than onto Darren Silverman.

This is a fairly silly comedy, but often amusingly so. The preposterous presupposition is that school friends now having grown up (and with an obsession about Neil Diamond and even having a restraining order from going near him) are concerned when one of the three falls under the spell of an uptight psychologist played by Amanda Peet. She controls him, excludes them, they determine to use any means to stop the marriage and finally abduct her. The friends are played by Steve Zahn and Jack Black, both relying on their comic personas – although this is early Jack Black and he was emerging with his trademark anarchic humour. Steve Zahn has the ability to be both manic and charming. Silverman is played by Jason Biggs who had made a big impact in the American Pie films. He is good at light comedy (although he was serious in such films as Guy X and Eight Below). (Five years later he was to have a similar kind of role in Wedding Daze, being infatuated and obsessed, mourning a dead fiancée.) Amanda Peet was also emerging as a star at this time. R. Lee Ermey, the foul-mouthed sergeant of Full Metal Jacket, plays a manic coach.

The film focuses on Neil Diamond, his music, his concerts – and Neil Diamond appears as himself, coming to the rescue of everyone at the end.

Comedian Dennis Dugan, who directed a number of similar films, directed this one.

1.Entertaining? Silly? Comic?

2.The credibility – and incredibility of the plot? The three friends, growing up together, the Neil Diamond obsession, their failure as a group? Darren and his infatuation with Judith? The reaction of his friends? The devices they got up to to rescue Darren? The abduction? The enlisting of the help of the coach? Sandy Perkus and her becoming a nun, her becoming involved in the rescue? Neil Diamond and his concert? The happy ending?

3.The presence of Neil Diamond, his status, concerts, songs? His comic role? His performing songs? The finale with the whole cast performing on stage with him?

4.The boys when they were young, the voice-over describing them, J.D. and his awkwardness, Wayne and his gaucheness, Darren and his hopes? As adults?

5.The portrayal of Wayne, Steve Zahn’s comic style? Verbal, slapstick? The contrast with Jack Black, manic? Their reaction to Judith? Their working together to make things awkward for Judith, at parties, in the restaurants, attacks on her? The final abduction, looking after her? J.D. and his being very slow, revealing things? The mask, her doing a psychology session on him, discovering he was gay? Wayne, resistance, his becoming infatuated with Judith? Her background story, his being strong? Her finishing up with him?

6.Darren, his being completely subservient to Judith, her making him do things, his willingness? Their outings, his performance? His upset when she was abducted, going into mourning?

7.Sandy Perkus, the friend from school, her reappearance, her going to be a nun, the farcical presentation of life in the convent, the training, the exercise and push-ups, the preparation for vows, the ceremony, the questions, her being rescued? The reaction of the nuns? Her going to have a meal with Darren, trying to console him? The happy ending and going off with him?

8.The coach, at school, tough, throwing the javelin, killing the other coach, his time in jail, their going to visit him? His urging them to kill Judith? His escaping, coming to the house, the crass jokes? The fight with Judith and her defeating him? The joke about his being gay?

9.Neil Diamond, his involvement, the restraining order? The irony of the final rescue, colliding with him? His helping? The songs?

10.Judith, her back-story, the death of her fiancé, her control? The initial meeting with Darren at the restaurant, her using him to rescue her from advances? The infatuation? Her personality, her control, her reaction to the abduction? Her liking strong men? The attraction to Wayne?

11.The farce and slapstick of the rescue, the pursuit, the wedding, Darren standing Judith up? Her reaction, Wayne’s arrival? The three marriages – and the happy ending?

12.The popularity of this kind of exaggerated American farce?

LA SOLEDAD (SOLITUDE)

Spain, 2007, 130 minutes, Colour.
Sonia Almarcha, Petra Martinez, Miriam Correa, Nuria Mencia, Maria Bazan, Jesus Cracio, Luis Villanueva, Luis Bermejo.
Directed by Jaime Rosales.

Jaime Rosales directed a powerfully grim film about a killer, The Hours of the Day. This time his subject does include death but, in its almost three hours length, it looks at the intertwined stories of two women.

The film is long. Rosales uses a static camera, making us gaze at length on the characters (and compounded by a great number of the sequences having a split screen technique).

The plot is straightforward but the important factor is the characterisation. One story concerns a young woman who has left her husband, gone to Madrid with her child, moved in with a couple and then suffers a tragedy. The other story concerns the mother of three daughters who tries to cope with their moods and their trying to control her life. (One of the daughters is the owner of the apartment in Madrid.) The daughters squabble amongst themselves with sibling rivalry, one being bossy concerning her mother selling her apartment, another resentful and the third a woman who undergoes surgery for cancer.

The film is not always gripping and requires a willing concentration.

1.The work of the director? His visual style? The fixed camera, the focus on characters, long takes? The visual style of the split screen? Audiences watching two aspects of a sequence, people moving from one part of the screen to the other? The dramatic effect? For the plot, for the characters?

2.The Spanish settings, the town, offices, homes? The contrast with Madrid, the city, the apartments and homes? The musical score?

3.The title, the visual style highlighting solitude? The length of the film? The audience having time to watch the characters, reflect on them?

4.The structure of the film with chapters, the focus on Adela, on Antonia, on going to the city, the apartments and the crises?

5.The portrait of Adela, at work, deciding for a change, at home with her son, her ex-husband and his coming to the house? The decision, in Madrid, boarding with Ines, friendship with Carlos? In the bus, the bomb blast and the death of the child? The audience not knowing immediately what had happened? Her going to her father, her dilemmas, her injuries? Her being taken in by Antonia and the family, not wanting to be part of their squabbles? Her husband on her return, wanting to be with her? Her final decisions?

6.Antonia, at home, her daughters, her relationship with Manolo? Her wanting to get married? The issue of selling the house or not? The reaction of the daughters? Her daughter with the cancer and talking to the doctor? Her birthday party, her being upset, the different reactions of her daughters? Her being exasperated? Her love for Manolo? Her death?

7.The daughters, Helena and her husband, bossy, wanting the house to be rented, wanting a loan from her mother? Nieves and her cancer, in hospital, recovery? Ines as younger, cantankerous, taking Adela in, relationship with Carlos? Wanting the house to be sold? The clashes with Helena? Not coming to the birthday party?

8.The portrait of the daughters, credible, insightful? The clashes between themselves? The contrast with the men, the devoted men, the men who had broken with their wives? Adela’s father?

9.A portrait of contemporary Spain? Slow-moving, reflective, how insightful?

LITTLE CITY

US, 1997, 93 minutes, Colour.
Jon Bon Jovi, Penelope Ann Miller, Josh Charles, Annabella Sciorra, Jo Beth Williams, Joanna Going.
Directed by Roberto Benabib.

The Little City of the title is a restaurant bar in San Francisco. Characters played by Jon Bon Jovi and Penelope Ann Miller work there. This film is a portrait of thirtysomethings and their interconnections, relationships, break-ups.

The film is also a picture of young people who want to confide in others. Jon Bon Jovi as Kevin confides in a group. Annabella Sciorra’s Nina goes to confession. Josh Charles’s Adam confides in a taxi guide. Joanna Going’s Kate goes to a therapist.

The film is slight in some ways – although the cast is strong and each creates a strong character so that people who might dismiss this kind of casual relationship will find that there are depths, hurts, opportunities to cope, opportunities to change.

1.The impact of the film? As a portrait of thirtysomethings? In San Francisco?

2.The structure of the film: Nina and her going to confession, Kevin in his group, Kate and her therapist? The flashbacks, the filling out of the stories? The schematic nature of the interactions of the main characters?

3.The character of the city, San Francisco and its beauty, considered small, everybody knowing one another? The visuals of San Francisco? The score?

4.Thirtysomethings, their moral framework, their backgrounds, their coping with difficulties in relating, in break-ups, in betrayals, in fidelity? The lesbian affair? The presentation of these issues in a more serious way – even though the characters take on the lighter touch?

5.Kevin, his work at Little City, his friendship with Adam, betraying him in the relationship with Nina? Welcoming Rebecca to the bar, persuading the boss? Adam finding out the truth and his aggression? Nina feeling bad, wanting to break off, the scene in the church? The jogging? His change of attitudes? His taking on some sense of responsibility? The effect of the group? Nina’s pregnancy, willing to take on fatherhood, proposing to her? Marrying her?

6.Nina, in relationship with Adam, the affair with Kevin? Her feeling bad, going home to Adam? His finding out the truth from her, her bluntness, wanting him to blame her? Her going to Little City to see Rebecca? Her pregnancy, the jogging, meeting Kevin, telling him the truth? Adam’s discovery, wanting to help? Adam confronting Nina and finding that Kevin had proposed? Her sitting down with Adam, talking about the future, the friendship?

7.Adam, his artwork, driving the taxi? His love for Kate, her breaking up with him, lesbian relationship? His being hurt? In relationship with Nina, the infidelity, the break-up, his anger with Kevin? Meeting Rebecca, driving the taxi, their talking, friendship, confiding in each other? The relationship, Kate ringing him, his going to her, Rebecca being hurt, putting on a brave face? His shock about Nina’s pregnancy, wanting to take responsibility? With Kate, her break-up for the second time, his being hurt? Meeting Rebecca, laying the foundation for a more solid relationship?

8.Rebecca, coming to the city, looking for a job, Kevin getting it for her? Meeting Anne, going home with her, her embarrassment, Kate coming in? The relationship with Adam? In the taxi, the talk, with him? His going to Kate, her being hurt? Getting over it? Getting strength, a poor image of herself, no talent as an artist, her resentment of her body, her lack of self esteem? Beginning again?

9.Kate, the break-up of the relationship with Adam, her being with Anne, discovering Anne with Rebecca? Her ringing Adam, wanting to get back together, her manipulation, breaking again? Her going to the therapist? Relationships, getting a dog?

10.Anne, lecturer, the art, older, hitting on Rebecca, together, Kate discovering them? Later at the library, with Maria, Kate’s resentment?

11.A portrait of people – credible or not? Superficial and depths? The quandaries in relationships of contemporary young people?