HAUTE TENSION (SWITCHBLADE ROMANCE)

France, 2003, 91 minutes, Colour.
Cecile de France, Maiwenn le Besco, Philippe Nahon.
Directed by Alexandre Aja.

Haute Tension starts out as a routine thriller which turns into a slasher film. It is very bloody indeed, brutal at times. Just when audiences think there could be no more, there is. However, there is what seems an extraordinary twist towards the end of the film which makes a lot more sense of what has gone on before and gives it an even more eerie feeling. The film was directed by Alexandre Aja, the son of film director Alexandre Arcady. His mother was a film critic. After making several smaller films, he made this film which had quite an impact around the world. He was then invited by Wes Craven to the United States to direct the remake of The Hills Have Eyes.

The film stars Cecile de France who appeared in such films as Russian Dolls and I Was a Singer. She is very effective in the central role – especially when the twist occurs.

Many audiences will find it far too much to watch the film, the murder scenes being particularly gruesome and there is for many, too much blood.

1.The impact of the film? As a drama? Thriller? Slasher film? With a twist?

2.The focus time in which the action takes place, the afternoon, the night? The opening with the feet dangling – and reappearing at the end given all the meaning?

3.The photography style, in the car, the close-ups, the flexibility of camera movement in the travels? In the home? For the brutal scenes, the murders? For the switching back from one character to the other? The musical score?

4.The title and its impact? The English translation and its suitability, Switchblade Romance?

5.The ordinariness of the opening except for Marie’s dream, her being chased, stopping the driver on the road, her explaining that it seemed she was running from herself? Her relationship with Alex, their travelling together, going to Alex’s home, Marie sleeping, playing the records, their talk? The bonds between the two? The character of Alex – as driver, friend, studies?

6.Their arrival at the house, the parents waiting for Alex to arrive, the young boy in his cowboy suit, having the bath – perfectly ordinary? The meal, the bonds within the family, the welcome to Marie? Going to bed, an ordinary night?

7.Audience glimpse of the brutal killer, the brutality of the death of the woman, hearing the voices, the scene with the truck and the head? Anticipation of brutality to come?

8.The tension in the filming of the intruder, his age, appearance, seemingly ordinary, the audience knowing his brutality? The father going downstairs, the violent confrontation with the father, his death? The murder of the mother – and her survival for some time, confronting Marie in the closet? The boy running from the house, in the cornfields, the man pursuing him? The irony of the cornfields where Alex played a joke on Marie chasing her? Alex being tied up, gagged? Marie, her waking up, observing what was happening, her fright, hiding, under the bed, the murderer not finding her despite his looking everywhere, the bathroom, the other rooms? Marie and her going to Alex, not untying her, not wanting the murderer to see that there was anyone else in the house?

9.The murderer, Alex as victim, her being put in the truck, Marie and her hurrying after the truck and getting in with Alex? Trying to comfort her?

10.The stopping at the service station, Jimmy alone, his serving the man, the petrol, the whisky? The man killing him – and commenting on what Jimmy was glancing at? Marie and her fear, hiding? Their going on their way, Alex in the truck?

11.Marie, ringing the police, their arrival, looking at the video footage – with Marie killing Jimmy?

12.The effect of the twist, Marie as the killer, her imagining herself as the brutal man? Her pursuit of Alex, Alex realising that Marie was mad? The emotional and sexual attachment? The stopping of the vehicle, the crash, Alex trying to escape? Alex running onto the road in the way that Marie did in the woods, the same driver? His bewilderment, inability to start the car, Marie approaching with the chainsaw? The death of the driver? The pursuit of Alex on the road, her pleading? Alex killing her?

13.Marie in the asylum, Alex observing outside, Marie’s look? Her dangling feet?

14.The echoes of the tradition of the American horror film, Scream, Friday the 13th, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre…? Transformed into a French context? How well did the film, in retrospect, work as a psychological thriller about a schizophrenic woman?

BEOWULF

US, 1999, 99 minutes, Colour.
Christopher Lambert, Rhona Mitra, Oliver Cotton.
Directed by Graham Baker.

This version of Beowulf is almost unwatchable – unless one is a rabid fan of Christopher Lambert and his Highlander films and the mixture of science fiction with history.

While there is some delineation of character, the film is very dark, focuses on Beowulf and his struggles, and consists of a great number of battles. The villain of the piece, as in the old Nordic sagas, is the creature Grendl and his vengeful mother.

While the film is based on the epic poem Beowulf, it is really a contemporary concoction – especially with moving from the past into the future with modern weapons and science fiction aspects.

Christopher Lambert has done this kind of thing many times.

The film was directed by Graham Baker who made the third in the Omen series, The Final Conflict in 1981 and Alien Nation in 1988. He has made comparatively few features.

Around 2006, several Beowulf films were in production including a Swedish Beowulf with Stellan Skarsgaard, a popular American film called Beowulf: The King of the Geats and a more upmarket Beowulf with live action animation, directed by Robert Zamakis, with Ray Winston is Beowulf, Anthony Hopkins as the king, Crispin Glover as Grendl and the voice of Angelina Jolie as Grendl’s mother. It would well worthwhile looking at these films rather than this version of Beowulf.

BLACK JACK: SWEET SCIENCE

Australia, 2004, 100 minutes, Colour.
Colin Friels, Marta Dusseldorp, David Field, Vince Colosimo, Alex O’ Loughlin, Anthony Hayes, Lara Cox, Russell Dykstra, Steve Jacobs, Nina Landis, Tony Llewellyn- Jones, Doris Younane.
Directed by Peter Andrikidis.

Black Jack: Sweet Science is the second in a series of Channel Ten productions focusing on a detective, Jack Kempson, played by Colin Friels. Sweet Science is the second in the series.

Jack Kempson is in charge of cold cases and opening up investigations and solving them. This film focuses on a shooting at a kids’ football match, then transfers to a big security guard robbery. The two crimes are interconnected, evidence emerging, the solution found by the end. The film is very interesting in terms of the presentation of Sydney police at work, rivalries in the department, pigheadedness on the part of ambitious superiors, collaboration between the detectives and those presenting forensic information.

Colin Friels is at home in this kind of role after his starring in the series Water Rats. Marta Dusseldorp, who appears in many of the films, is an engaging assistant. David Field is the obtuse police commander. Vince Colosimo is the villain of the piece and there are two brothers played by Alex O’ Loughlin and Anthony Hayes (who won Best Supporting Actor AFI award for Look Both Ways). There is an interesting supporting cast of character actors from Australian television.

The film, as with a number in the series, was directed by Peter Andrikidis who has worked in television direction since the late 1970s.

1.The entertainment value of this kind of film? The series? Familiarity with the central characters?

2.The Sydney settings, the city itself, landscapes, buildings, streets? The interiors for the police precincts, shops, warehouses, garages? Authentic atmosphere? The score?

3.The team investigating: Jack Kempson in charge, a loner, abrupt, hard on Sam? Sam and her decision to work for the police, her dentist father? Kavanagh as ambitious, obtuse, lacking imagination? Buchanan and his investigations – and his shady associations from the past? Christine, forensic evidence, the background of her training for boxing and her bout? An interesting team? The superiors giving consent to Kempson to continue his investigations?

4.The opening murder, Peter Anderson, with his kids, their playing football, seeing their father gunned down in front of them? Their age, Brad giving the emblem to Jack? Their mother and her grief? The years passing, Luke having spent time in jail? The absent father? Turning out like their father? The money enabling the mother to set up a café? Brad and Luke, their involvement in the robbery, the execution of the robbery? The partnership with the various members of the group, with Nick? Their denying their involvement? The subsequent links to their father’s death?

5.The investigation of the robbery, Kavanagh and Buchanan, interrogations? The cross-examination of Nick, Jack and his casually meeting Nick, sharing the hamburger, suspicious of him? Following through and finding the connection, the DNA on the hair and in the balaclava, the people on the building site finding the gun and that leading to further evidence? Kavanagh and his anger, short-sightedness, preoccupation about wasting taxpayers’ money?

6.The investigation of Peter Anderson’s death, opening it up again, Kavanagh forbidding it, Jack leaking it to the newspapers? The mother and her wariness, her boys not wanting her to talk to Jack? Her further information, the interviews with Luke and Brad? The information about the video of the match? The DNA, the gun, the balaclava, the association of the gun with Wayne Tippett? Information about Tippett as a possible killer – leading to his meeting with Luke, Luke’s anger and shooting him?

7.Jack, his abruptness, single-mindedness, working with Sam, her trying to make him express his gratitude? His shrewdness, following up, ease at meeting people? The information, trying to save the day, Nick and the confrontation with Brad and Clare, his saving them? His giving the emblem back to Brad at the end?

8.Sam, age and experience, the feminine touch? Jack and his ignorance of computers and her having to work hard? Her investigations? The subplot about her teeth, her father as the dentist, his not wanting her to work in the police? The shots and her mouth being injured, her making a decision to defy her father?

9.Christine, the boxing, the relationship with Jack, working partnership, at home, the training, the bout, her being knocked out, Jack’s sympathy, taking her home, the bath, the relationship?

10.The world of petty criminals, Wayne Tippett and his background, his lies? Nick, the connections, his shooting Peter Anderson? His part in the security van robbery? The other members of the gang, dividing up the money? Hiding it – and the police discovering it?

11.The subplot of Brad, his relationship with Clare, her pregnancy, wanting him to reform, his trying to reform, his relationship with his brother, suspicions of Jack, love for his mother? Nick pressuring for the money, his confrontation, the shoot-out?

12.Popular murder mystery material, police investigation material? Good television entertainment?

VIGIL

New Zealand, 1984, 90 minutes, Colour.
Penelope Stewart, Frank Whitten, Bill Kerr, Fiona Kaye, Gordon Shields.
Directed by Vincent Ward.

Vigil is a very sombre New Zealand film, set in the mountains, an isolated community, stark characters and stark relationships.

The film was written and directed by Vincent Ward, his first feature film. He was to go on to great success and awards with The Navigator: A Mediaeval Odyssey but made only a few films afterwards: Map of the Human Heart, What Dreams May Come, The River Queen. He contributed to the screenplay of Alien 3.

This film relies on atmosphere rather than a plot-driven story. The focus is very much on characters, especially a young girl, her mother, her grandfather. The scenery is beautiful, photographed by award-winning cinematographer Alun Bollinger.

1.The impact of the drama? New Zealand drama?

2.The creation of atmosphere, the countryside, the mountains and fog, the farm and the rain? Nature and the mysteries of nature? Rugged beauty, ugliness? Destruction? The details of farm life? Photography, stark and striking? Human characters seen against these locations? The variety of shots, heights and distance? The musical score?

3.The focus on time, the story as timeless? Human struggles? Humans, animals – with the touch of the modern with the car?

4.The title, the focus on Lisa and her nickname ‘Toss’? The balaclava and images of knighthood, the eagle, blooded and rites of passage? Chivalry, her emerging as a woman, images of knighthood, the religious overtones: a vigil?

5.Her life, the family, the different members, the work on the farm and their jobs, relationships, the ordinary course of life, death and change?

6.The portrait of Toss, a girl of twelve, relationship with her mother, grandfather, her father accompanying her? Lost in the fog, found? Deaths? Her running and her grief, the funeral? The religious background yet the mystery, nature, grief? Relating with her mother? The ballet, sex and observing? The stranger and hostility, her change? The relationship, the possible molestation? Her grandfather, the car, the collapse? The mine contraption? Her growing up? going? What happened to her? Her future?

7.The portrait of her father, his relationship with his daughter, the fall?

8.Her mother, her life of drudgery, relationship with her father, the death and the funeral? Hiring Ethan, strict, her care concerning Toss? The sheep? Her dominance, the sexual relationship, changing, going away?

9.The grandfather, his age, work, the mine? His love for Toss? Ethan’s arrival, the building? Collapse, the tractor? Grief?

10.Ethan as sinister, the hired hand, the separate quarters, his masculine presence, the mediaeval overtones, the work, his being bossed about, drinking, the relationship with Toss, the grandfather, the sexual encounter and the change? His leaving?

11.People in this New Zealand context? The overtones of gothic storytelling, elemental? New Zealand, the land, survival, people – and the symbolic nature of the characters, the landscapes and the story?

THE WOODLANDERS

UK, 1997, 95 minutes, Colour.
Emily Woof, Rufus Sewell, Carl Macaninch, Tony Haygarth, Jodhi May, Polly Walker.
Directed by Phil Agland.

Another version of a Thomas Hardy novel, beautiful to look at with its village and woodland settings. A rather brief running time compared with other adaptations, it quietly shows an isolated 19th century community, its customs but, especially, its tensions in relationships because of the changing status of wealth and education at the time. Rufus Sewell is the noble workman hero and Emily Woof the daughter of an ambitious father who makes greedy and fatal decisions for his daughter. The treatment is generally low-key. Thomas Hardy and fatalism.

1.The work of Thomas Hardy? A celebrated 19th century novelist, echoing his times? The films made from his novels?

2.The re-creation of the period, the late 19th century, the isolated town, the cider, the logs, the doctor’s house, the woods? Authentic atmosphere? Score?

3.The title, the visuals, the country and the town, the people seeing themselves as woodlanders?

4.The presentation of a particular way of life, isolated rural England?

5.A focus on relationships, love, devotion, commitment? 19th century arranged marriages, divorce? The role of the law? Experience, honour, destruction?

6.The focus on Grace, the religious significance of her name? Her being away, her relationship to her father, anticipation of her return, Giles being sent to meet her, her education, her change? People seeing that she was above them, possibly looking down on them? Giles and his devotion? Thinking that she was better? Their past love, childhood? Her father talking with her, his explanation of why he wanted her to be better educated, people laughing at him? His ignorance about the Trojan War story? His wanting her to marry above Giles? The decision about Giles? The household, Gran? People invited to the dinner, the dance, the issue of Gran, selling her skull to the doctor? The doctor, upper class, the possibility of his marrying? Grace and the deal with him to give the money back, let Granny off her commitment for her skull for science? Mr Maybury and his interest in the doctor, allowing him to court Grace, the marriage? The issue of not being married in the church, Grace’s reluctance, his agreement? The wedding, the consequences?

7.Marty and her work, the hard work, her father, Giles and her devotion to him, love and care? Her background, frustration, having to cut her hair and sell it? Her response to the doctor’s marriage? Her relationship with Grace? The funeral? Unrequited love?

8.Rufus Sewell as Giles, a woodlander, the cider, his relationship with Marty, hard work, his hopes for marrying Grace? Going to the station to meet her? In the town, their talk, reminiscences about their childhood, arriving at the dinner? The desire to marry her, his being hurt? Working, the separation, his relationship with Maybury? His sense of honour? His having to move house, Mrs Charmond and her arrogance? His not moving his logs out of the road? His being evicted, having nowhere to stay? Grace’s return, the relationship, in the woods, out in the rain, his death?

9.The doctor, his skills, upper class, discussions about the soul and science, Granny’s skull left to science? His class, the proposal, getting permission to court Grace? Disagreement about the church, final consent? The wedding? The honeymoon abroad? The return? His going to treat Mrs Charmond, the visits, the horse, staying? Cause for divorce? The return, the fall from the horse? Maybury, Giles’s illness, the doctor visiting him, Grace’s stern attitude? Giles’s death? Feeling nothing?

10.Grace, the marriage, her true feelings, the pressure from her father? Mrs Charmond, the trip, class? Not meeting the guests? Her being deserted, the divorce? Her father’s attitude? Visiting Giles again, his being in the rain, bringing the doctor? The end?

11.Mr Maybury, his memories of his past, wanting his daughter to be educated, a reverse snob, his interference?

12.Mrs Charmond and her life, going on tour, the confrontation on the road? Evicting Giles? Talk with him? The doctor?

13.Granny, her support of Grace, the issue of the skull, the dinner?

14.Life in the village, its detail, the shops and stalls, meals, the dances?

15.Thomas Hardy’s insight into human nature, the atmosphere of the 19th century, British? Society, relationships, experience, the law?

THE OLD MAN WHO READ LOVE STORIES

Australia/France, 2005, 115 minutes, Colour.
Richard Dreyfuss, Timothy Spall, Hugo Weaving, Cathy Tyson.
Directed by Rolf de Heer.

The Old Man Who Read Love Stories is based on a novella by Luis Sepulveda. It was adapted and written for the screen by its director Rolf de Heer.

Rolf de Heer has a strong reputation in Australian cinema with a variety of films including Dingo, Incident at Raven’s Gate and, especially, Bad Boy Bubby. Later films include The tracker.

This film was made on location in French Guiana, boasting beautiful cinematography of the Amazon jungle and rivers.

Richard Dreyfuss is the star, a strong central performance of a Campasino who is settled in the Amazon, loses his wife, remains isolated in the jungle, befriending the Indians, learning from them and by his mistakes. He also reads very slowly but decides to read the love stories that he can borrow. He relishes the words, the sounds, the sentences as well as the meanings of the stories. In all of this, and with his memories of the past (inserted in flashbacks), he becomes a wise man. This is especially the case in the confrontation with a jaguar who is avenging the death of her cubs by terrorising the jungle.

The supporting cast includes Timothy Spall as the vain mayor of the remote town and Hugo Weaving as the visiting dentist. Cathy Tyson is the woman, living with the mayor, but who chooses the old man who read love stories.

1.The impact of the film? Art-house? The visual beauty? The sound? Poetic, mythic?

2.The work of Rolf de Heer, his adaptation of the story? His perspective on Latin America and the Amazon way of life?

3.The French Guiana locations, the jungle, the river, its beauty, the terror?

4.The jungle as a mythical location, its isolation and remoteness? The resources and lack of resources? Government and law? Primitive and civilised? The nature of primitive society, barbaric society, civilised society?

5.The range of people in the jungle, the Indians, the settlers, the government officials, travellers, the dentist?

6.The structure of the film: the opening with the voice-over narration, seeing the book, the book as a love story come to life? The linear development of Antonio Bolivar’s story by the end of the film? The superimpositions on the screen, Antonio’s memories, dreams, fears and visions? The insertion of these and the flashbacks?

7.The character of Antonio: Richard Dreyfuss’s style, strong presence? His age, the story of his being settled in the jungle, the long tracking shot up the river as this was described? His marriage (and the photo with him and his wife coming alive)? His comments on her not kissing, her death and burial? The short time of their marriage? His beginning to read, savouring the words, the sentences, the stories? The adverbs? The gondola? His relationship with Josephine, knowing she was with the mayor, with the dentist, borrowing the books from her? Her lending him love stories? Her giving him the gift of the magnifying glass? Her moving in with him at the end after leaving the mayor? Offering him love? His friendship with the dentist? The issue of the hunt, the jaguar, the deaths, the mayor? The background of his giving the mayor his vote and his reading? The hunt, the culmination of his life? Growing in wisdom?

8.The Indians, their friendship with him, the tribe, the welcome? The Gringos and their attack? His remembering the presence of the chief and his welcome? His being shot? Antonio and his anger, pursuing the Gringo, killing him, dragging him back across the river? The rituals of the Indians? Their turning their backs? The chief’s speech about power, the unworthiness of the way that Antonio killed him? The impact on Antonio, learning about the power of the dead, absorbing this power?

9.The influence of the chief, on his hunting the jaguar? The victims, the claw marks, the mayor and his rash judgment, attack on the Indians? The autopsy? The six going on the hunt, the mayor and his gathering people together? Antonio and his savvy, his respect for the jaguar, the cubs and their pelts and throwing them in the river? The mayor and his brashness, the quicksand, the scorpions, shooting the scorpions, the light of the fire, the scent of the jaguar? Antonio and his letting the others go, hiding, the confrontation with the jaguar, making the poison, making the blow reed? Killing the jaguar, his being wounded, sending it down the river?

10.The dentist, his life, friendship with Antonio, his work as a dentist, the people watching, the boasting man getting his fifteen teeth removed to win the bet? His revolutionary attitudes? His joining in the hunt?

11.Josephine, her place in the jungle, with the mayor, the prostitution on the side, the money for the mayor? The relationship with the dentist? Giving the love stories? Her leaving the mayor, moving in with Antonio, giving him the magnifying glass?

12.The mayor, his self-importance, ignorance, saying he was educated? His reaction to the jaguar? The flashback to the voting? With Josephine? His plan, going in the jungle, the boots, not being able to be told, wanting to give orders, shooting the scorpion?

13.The men in the hunting party? The outsiders coming into the jungle – and Antonio warning them off? Antonio’s life, a life of dignity, potential, wisdom?

DARK OF THE SUN

US/UK, 1968, 102 minutes, Colour.
Rod Taylor, Jim Brown, Yvette Mimieux, Peter Carsten, Kenneth More, Andre Morrell, Calvin Lockhart.
Directed by Jack Cardiff.

Dark of the Sun is based on a novel by Wilbur Smith. Smith had a successful writing career over almost fifty years. During the 1960s and 1970s several film versions of his novels were made including Dark of the Sun as well as Shake Hands With The Devil, Gold and The Wilby Conspiracy. Smith is the major world-popular novelist on African issues.

The film is set in the Democratic Republic of Congo during the 1960s. In retrospect, it is interesting to look at this perspective on Africa and the battles for African independence, especially in the hindsight of the history of the period as well as the history of the subsequent decades. Listening to some of the dialogue, one realises that many things have not altered in some of the African countries over forty years. From 1997 onwards the newly-established Democratic Republic of Congo had the civil war which killed more people than in any other war since World War Two.

Rod Taylor was a popular leading figure in Hollywood in the late 1950s and during the 1960s. He appeared in some memorable films including Wedding Breakfast, Raintree County as well as Hitchcock’s The Birds. Yvette Mimieux appeared with him in The Time Machine. There is a cameo role for Kenneth More, towards the end of his career, before he suffered from Parkinson’s Disease.

The film was directed by veteran cinematographer, Jack Cardiff, responsible for such classics as Black Narcissus. He also directed Rod Taylor in a collaboration with John Ford for Young Cassidy.

The film has some strikingly violent sequences, images of African soldiers, high on drugs and alcohol, going berserk, with violence and rape. (Also images in some countries of Africa and civil wars in the ensuing decades.)

Of interest as an action adventure of the 60s, a glimpse into perspectives by film-makers on Africa, interesting in view of African history and the work of Wilbur Smith.

1.The title, its significance, symbolism? An alternate title was The Mercenaries.

2.The African location settings, the cities and towns, the countryside, the beauty and ruggedness? The action sequences? Effects? The train, the crashes? The musical score and its atmosphere?

3.Africa in the 1960s, the independence movements? Congo and its history? Colonial history? The emerging leaders? Dictators? Freedom fighters? The militia? The use of mercenaries? The presence of the United Nations troops? Codes of war – and the breaking of the codes?

4.The mercenaries, their being used in Africa? The nations they came from? The Americans? The money, idealism, practical, cynicism?

5.Congo, the president, his leadership, his need for arms and money? The diamonds? The presence of the United Nations? The turmoil on the streets of the capital, the overturned cars, burnt-out buildings? The people fleeing to the airport to escape? The arrival of the plane? Curry and Rufo and the president? The mission?

6.Curry, his personality, his background? The reason for his being in Africa? Getting through the soldiers and the airport? Paid by the president? His conditions for the mission? With Rufo, their strategies? Getting the whisky and plying the doctor to get him to come? Henlein and his Nazi background, the swastika, getting him to come with the crack troops? Their learning about the diamonds?

7.Getting the train ready, the beginning of the expedition, the visuals of the train going through the countryside? The dangers, the plane, the bombardment, the plane crashing? In the tunnel? Going to the rescue of the refugees? Claire, her hysterics?

8.The continuing of the journey, Claire and her relationship with Curry? Calming down? The background of the others in the Congo, the expatriates?

9.The diamond merchant, the adviser of the president? The merchant in the town, getting the diamonds? The dangers?

10.The rebel soldiers, the attack on the train, the crash of the engine, the breaking up of the lines? The taking of the diamonds? The merchant and his killing his wife and himself?

11.The escape from the train, the soldiers, Claire and the refugees, hiding?

12.Curry, Rufo and the plan to go into the town, the drunken soldiers, the drugs, the brutality, the young officer and his initial cowardice, Curry making demands of him, his being captured, the rape? The missionaries, the attack by the soldiers? Chaos and mayhem?

13.Rufo and his carrying Curry through the hotel, getting the diamonds, the guns, Henlein and his getting the trucks? The escape – despite the crashes and the explosion of the fuel tanker?

14.Gathering the refugees together, getting them in the trucks? The lack of petrol? Curry and his decision to go, the officer and his mistrust, going with him? Claire and her overhearing, getting Curry to trust Rufo?

15.Rufo, his being a Congolese man, his patriotism, his work for the president, his education background – and the snubs by the racist journalists at the beginning? His loyal support for Curry? Carrying him through the hotel? The drive, the importance of his speech about ideals, about cynicism, about feelings? About patriotism and the emerging nations? The pathos of Henlein killing him?

16.Henlein, his troops, the Nazi attitudes, his swastika, the shooting of the young children so that they wouldn’t report back to the rebels? Curry telling him to wear his swastika? His participation in the mission, getting the trucks? His wanting the diamonds, killing Rufo, going down the rapids, Curry in pursuit, the fight with Curry?

17.Curry, his grief at Rufo’s death, the truck and his pursuit of Henlein, the chase, the fight, hanging on the vines? His throttling him – and his killing him? The officer watching, his disdain, his denouncing this kind of revenge? Curry and his decision to hand himself in to the court martial?

18.Claire, Henlein trying to kill her? Her support of Curry?

19.Wilbur Smith’s perspective on Africa, the combination of politics with the action adventure? As viewed from hindsight, from the history of Africa in the last decades of the 20th century?

DECALAGE HORAIRE (JET LAG)

France, 2002, 85 minutes, Colour.
Juliet Binoche, Jean Reno, Sergi Lopez.
Directed by Daniele Thompson.

Jet Lag is a frothy romantic French comedy, very Gallic. It focuses on an odd couple, Juliet Binoche as a beautician whose family is communist and has objected to her profession, who prides herself on her skills, applying the beauty techniques to herself (which Jean Reno then remarks that it would need Ajax to scrub it off). Reno plays a chef who has become an entrepreneur with specialty frozen foods.

They meet at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris during a period of strikes, school holidays, overcrowding and angry travellers at airports – which gives the impression of authenticity. By a series of accidents they get to know each other. She loses her mobile phone and borrows his. He delivers a message to her – too late in an embarrassing situation. They finish up sharing a room overnight as well as some work in the kitchen of the Hotel Hilton. Their antagonism emerges – but also some understanding and, because this is a French film, they fall in love.

The film opens with Juliet Binoche’s character talking about the unreality of American films, the fact that her parents forbade her to see them, that they have a happy ending. Ultimately, this film has a happy ending as the two stars understand themselves better, realise their mutual attraction and how they had helped each other. Portuguese actor who works in many films in France, Sergi Lopez, has a brief cameo as Juliet Binoche’s erratic and angry husband.

1.Popular romantic comedy? In the French style? The Gallic qualities?

2.A French film with emphasis on talk, food, sex, and a critique of France?

3.The airports, the hotels, a sense of authenticity? Audiences identifying with the airport scenes? The contrast with the beauty of Burgundy, Mexico? The musical score – and the use of cinema themes, especially from Midnight Cowboy?

4.Rose, her comments about American films, happy endings, her parents forbidding her to watch them? The ending of this film – and the fulfilment of Rose’s wishes?

5.The airports, the reality, the authentic feel, the strikes, the school holidays, the crowds? Difficulties with fogs? With computer malfunctions? Angry customers, the attendants doing their best? Hotels, cafes, room service?

6.Rose and her glamour, her appearance – her job, her mirror, her continually adjusting her make-up, Felix’s comment about Ajax taking it all off? Her personal problems, the twelve years with Sergio? The phone calls, losing it in the toilet? Sabine, her mother? The warning about Sergio and his anger? Her borrowing Felix’s mobile phone? The return calls? Her being nice to Felix, his disregard? His collapse, getting the doctor, the tablets (and answering Nadia’s call)?

7.Felix, tired as he landed in France, his work in North America? His background as a chef, the frozen foods, the promotion and the launch? His phone calls, getting celebrities? Going to Nadia’s grandmother’s funeral in Munich? Caught in Paris? His collapsing? The doctor’s advice? Lending the phone, giving Rose the message about Sergio and the clash with him?

8.Sergio, Felix delivering the message, Sergio’s hostility, arguing with Rose? Felix taking her away and saving her?

9.The offer of the hotel, Felix suggesting that Rose take advantage of the room? The hotel, the room, their questions of each other, going through each other’s bags? His criticism of the food and room service? Collapse in the bathroom, trying to sleep with his legs raised as the doctor advised? The towels arriving, Rose discovering him? The food, the smells, opening the window? Their stories – and the mutual criticism? Rose and her emotionality, watching the communist film, the Marsellaise? Felix and his lack of feeling, his comments about his wives, the relationship with Nadia?

10.Rose, her work as a beautician, the communist background, her tears, emotions? Her winning the award? Mixing the vinaigrette, her being splashed with it, taking off the make-up? The challenge to change?

11.Felix, his crankiness, breaking Rose’s mirror? The issues about his father, leaving home, never seeing his father again – after preparing the meal, the different menu and his father’s offhand comments? His personal success? His curiosity about sexuality and Rose? Splashing her? Then praising the vinaigrette?

12.Their going to the kitchen, talking, the food? Felix in his element? The discussions about his inability to face breakfast? Rose looking plain but beautiful?

13.Back to the airport, the café, her decision to leave, his inability to face breakfast, his leaving the airport? The future and a happy ending?

14.Rose and her trip to Mexico, getting Felix’s message, turning around and going back?

15.Felix and his trip to Burgundy, seeing his father in the distance, his father recognising him?

16.The blend of froth and intensity? Love-hate? Hope and change?

RUMOR HAS IT

US, 2005, 97 minutes, Colour.
Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Costner, Shirley Mac Laine, Mark Ruffalo, Mena Suvari, Richard Jenkins, Kathy Bates, Christoher Mc Donald.
Directed by Rob Reiner

Rumor Has It is based on an interesting idea. It posits the theory that a real family was the basis for the 1967 film The Graduate.

This film was directed by Rob Reiner who had great success in the 80s and the 90s with such films as This Is Spinal Tap, Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally (all in the 80s) then Misery, A Few Good Men, The American President and Ghosts of Mississippi (in the 1990s). After that he had less success with such films as The Story of Us, Alex and Emma and Rumor Has It.

Jennifer Aniston plays a woman who learns that her family was the inspiration for both the book and the film of The Graduate. She discovers that it involved her grandmother, played acerbically by Shirley Mac Laine, who was the Mrs Robinson character, and Kevin Costner who was the equivalent of Dustin Hoffman character. She goes in search of Kevin Costner, has something of a relationship with him – and then, there is the sinister implication, that she may be his granddaughter.

The film also stars Mark Ruffalo as Aniston’s fiancé, a rather thankless character for this kind of film. Richard Jenkins, however, is particularly good as her father. Christopher Mc Donald and Mina Suvari also appear in the supporting cast.

The film was not well received, somehow or other Jennifer Aniston was not persuasive in the central role although Kevin Costner in pleasing laidback. Shirley MacLaine? has done this kind of role a number of times – but it was done more effectively and more sympathetically just before this in In Her Shoes.

While the hypothesis is interesting, the film is less so.

1.A popular romantic comedy, the romantic comic style? The background to The Graduate? The star presence in the film?

2.A film based on a true rumour, the plausibility or not? The history of The Graduate? The theme of The Graduate in reverse, the next generation? The point about the seduction, the marriage, the affairs? Mrs Robinson in her later years? Benjamin Braddock (as Beau Burrows) in his later years?

3.The collage of the 60s, the memories of the 60s, Barry Goldwater, J.F.K., the events of 1963?

4.The story of The Graduate, the Pasadena background, Charles Webb and his publishing the book, the glimpses of the gossip about who the characters were? The impact of the movie, the scene of Mrs Robinson and the seduction? The use of Simon and Garfunkel music? Audiences familiar with The Graduate?

5.The introduction to Sarah, Jennifer Aniston and her style? On the plane, talking to Jeff, hiding her engagement ring, her upset, their talk, going to the toilet, the fumbling sex and the accident? Her dread of meeting her family? A woman of feelings? Her age, her journalistic job, obituaries? The contrast with Anne and her excitement about the wedding? Her distance from her father, his driving, talk about sport, holding breath through the tunnel? Her relationship with her grandmother – and her not being allowed to call her that? With Aunt Mitzi? The talks with her grandmother and her aunt, the stories about her mother, her mother being away before the wedding, away with Beau Burrows? Her relationship with Jeff, loving him, hesitant about marriage, afraid and uncertain? Getting in to get the video? The wedding, her nervousness, phone calls, finding out where Beau was, the touches of anxiety and hysteria?

6.The wedding, the family assembling, Anne and her shrill excitement, tennis partner with Scott, Scott as a decent young man? Her making the decisions? The ceremony, the aftermath, her delight in being Mrs? The honeymoon and her collapse, the return, the hysterics, wanting Sarah, their talk, sharing and understanding? Sarah’s explaining how Anne related with Scott – the basis for a marriage? The reconciliation of the two sisters? Confiding secrets? Anne and Scott going to start again?

7.Jeff, lawyer, his relationship with Sarah, loving her, the proposal, helping her, on the plane, the turbulence, the episode in the toilet? Keeping the engagement a secret? His being genial with her father, the sport, the tunnels? Getting the video? Getting the approval of the rest of the family? The wedding, allowing Sarah to go to San Francisco? Her taking his phone? The call? His seeing her kissing Beau? His being hurt, the return to New York?

8.Sarah and her going to San Francisco, listening to Beau’s talk, being charmed by him? His personality, the speech, his popularity? The pressure for him to do the business deals? Her frank asking the questions, the explanation of his sterility (and the later irony that Sarah’s father had caused the injury)? His son suddenly turning up and Sarah’s anger, the embarrassment, his not having let his son know about the in-vitro? The business deals? The night with Sarah? Her fears that he was her father (and the table conversation and the discussions about Chinatown and its themes)? Her upset, seeing Jeff, her returning to Los Angeles? Beau following her, the acerbic encounter with Grandmother, the memories of the past? His telling her the truth about Jocelyn, his love for her, but her returning to her husband? A nice man?

9.Shirley Mac Laine as the grandmother, Mrs Robinson thirty years later? Smoking at the party, drinking, sardonic, brewing a pot of gin? Her place in the family, the secrets, the information about her daughter, the wedding? Her relating to Sarah, to Anne and treating her with her hysterics? The talk with Beau, the clash? At the end at the wedding?

10.Kathy Bates as Aunt Mitzi, the gossip, the chat with Sarah?

11.Sarah’s father, a nice and good man, with his daughter, the wedding, his speech? Beau and the tackle and the memories? Yet his knowing about his wife? The final talk with Sarah, the truth, his talking about her mother’s love for him, her conception on the night of her return?

12.Sarah and her finally going to Jeff, his shutting the door, her shame, her going out, his running down the stairs, the happiness? The end?

13.The American hysterics, Sarah, the episode with Anne? Grandmother and her becoming involved in the hysterics? The contrast with the father, a good man – especially his final talk with Sarah?

14.The background of The Graduate and folklore about it? As the context for a romantic comedy, with its expectations and happy ending?

FUN WITH DICK AND JANE

US, 2005, 95 minutes, Colour.
Jim Carrey, Tea Leoni, Alec Baldwin, Richard Jenkins, Ralph Nader.
Directed by Dean Parisot.

Perhaps some readers used the Fun with Dick and Jane books as texts for learning how to read. The credits of this comedy, use the books’ illustrations style to introduce the father, Dick, the mother, Jane, their young son and the family dog. This is a typical family unit, comfortable, happy and, as far as the future is concerned, prosperous.

How wrong they are!

The present screenplay is based on one written for the 1976 film with George Segal and Jane Fonda. As I look at notes I made for the review at that time, I am surprised just how apt they are for this 2005 movie. Have things not improved over thirty years? 1976 was the immediate post-Watergate era and the aftermath of the resignation of President Nixon. Recession mixed with corporate fraud (as with vice-president Agnew) made headlines then. This time, we see President Bush making speeches on prosperity. The film finishes with satiric comments on Enron and other companies whose disgraced executives are now in court.

It is best to point out that the theme of Fun with Dick and Jane is unemployment amongst the middle classes and how they cope and fail to cope with the consequences. This is a particularly American problem. Audiences in Africa and parts of Asia may not be so interested in Dick and Jane and their plight. They have far more important and deeper problems to deal with.

However, for those of us in western cultures, we know that retrenchment, restructuring and downsizing are a significant part of our experience. My past notes refer to the ‘nouveau poor’.

The trouble is that Dick is an enthusiastic and effective worker. It is just that he has been chosen as the fall-guy for corporate crooks to get away with huge profits as their company goes bankrupt – and he is trapped on a typical TV finance interview trying to put on a brave face while being shocked at discovering what has happened. He has just persuaded Jane to give up her travel agent job to spend more time with their son.

The black comedy shows them trying to salvage their dignity and their possessions. Then it shows Dick’s failed attempts to find a job. Finally, they are so desperate that Dick and Jane set out on a series of armed robberies to make ends meet and regain their status.

Some of these episodes – holding moral judgment in abeyance until we see how they emerge from these activities – are quite funny, especially when Dick is arrested and deported with Mexican illegals and when Dick’s robberies go wrong and he meets a friend and helps an old lady with her groceries to her car.

Since Jim Carrey is the star, we can expect some broad comedy and some of his mugging and impersonations - a little of which can go a long way. He is matched very well by Tea Leoni as Jane.

Alec Baldwin is the creepy criminal executive who offers smooth rationalisations and jocose television answers. Richard Jenkins is very good as the vice president of the company who finally collaborates with Dick and Jane to rectify the situation and move the goings-on to a moral high ground – a nice trick to get back the ill-gotten gains and try to see justice done.

Fun with Dick and Jane is not a comedy masterpiece. Rather, it is a piece of popular entertainment that reaches the widest audience (in American, European and G8 societies) and by satire and funny situations, not realism, remind us that there are greedy exploiters who manipulate world finances and who have no scruples in easily permitting the family in the street to be their victims.

1.Entertaining, comedy, satire – serous tones, social tones?

2.The update of the 1970s film, the changed economic situations and political situations in the US from then till now?

3.The political context of the film, the television appearances of President Bush, the speeches about prosperity, the American dream?

4.The background of corrupt corporations, Enron and its failure (and the final credits and jokes concerning Enron)? Jack and Frank and the Globodyne company, the schemes, the bankruptcy, the shares falling (and the presentation of the television program and Dick’s appearance on it, the statistics, the charts, the collapse)?

5.Different audience attitudes towards the film – depending on age, experience, salaries, unemployment, social status? Impact for American audiences? Audiences outside the United States?

6.The title, the title for the book helping children to learn to read? The credits and the introduction to Dick, Jane, their son, the dog? The captions straight out of the reader? The humorous way of introducing the characters?

7.Jim Carrey and his screen presence and style? As Dick? The blend of the serious and the comic? The touches of his mugging, impersonations, pratfalls? Tea Leonie and her complementing his style? Matching him in the comedy stakes?

8.The portrait of Dick, age, experience, job, family, family life, relationship with Jane, with his son? The maid? The putting down of the new lawn? The digging of the pool? The neighbour with the Mercedes? The jokes? At the office, his rivals? The nature of his work, going to the fifty-first floor? The bizarre meeting with Frank? Going to Jack’s house, the eggs, the promotion, vice president, going on the show? Arriving at the studio, his being embarrassed on air, the reality of Globodyne’s failure? His return, the office fights? The discussions with Ralph Nader on television? Jack’s escape and watching it on TV?

9.Jane, at work, the travel consultant and the complaints? The harassing nature of her job? Her life at home, the domestic work, giving up her job?

10.Their son, his age, the maid, his speaking Spanish – and this backfiring when Dick was arrested with all the illegals?

11.Dick as jobless, the range of phone interviews, going to the interview, meeting his friend from the company, the devices to keep everyone out, his being taken into the office, the group mocking him, taking the photo? His trying to get a job, going to the supermarket, welcoming people into the supermarket, his failing? Jane and her being an instructor at the gym – and the neighbours and her friends there? Her pretending about the digging up of the lawn? Dick and the maid giving him some help, trying to get on the truck to get a job, being punched? Playing cards? The illegals, his being rounded up, interrogated by the police, his broken jaw giving a bad accent? Phoning his son? Having to get back over into the United States, Jane coming with the car? In the meantime, experiment gone wrong with the Botox?

12.Their having to sell everything, sitting in the hole, the message about the repossessing of the house?

13.Dick and his anger, trying out the robberies, the squirt gun? Jane watching, bemused and amused in the car? Meeting his friend, helping the old lady with the groceries, trying to do robberies, getting the muffins and the coffee? The final success?

14.Robbing the banks, the disguise, his going into the vault, the other robbers arriving, their being arrested and his escaping? Their coming to their senses? Trying to decide what to do?

15.Frank and his drinking, the prospect of his going to jail for a short time, getting a payoff? Dick going to the bar, performing, finding Frank?

16.The plan, the exchange of the document, the visualising it with Jane, losing the page, Jack’s arrival, the encounter with Dick, his mocking him? The tactics, Frank and the car and the crash, getting the woman out of the office, the standover tactics to get the signature, getting the cheque out of Jack?

17.Jack, his character, selfish, escaping with the helicopter, on TV, shooting? His plan to get the money into the Cayman Islands? His comeuppance, on TV, Dick prompting him, giving him the text? All his money given to the fund?

18.The collage of all the people – first of all down and out, then helped by the fund?

19.The blend of comedy, the serious, jokes, pratfalls, commentary songs? How effective a way of commenting on social situations for the wide audience?