BATTLE FOR TERRA

US, 2007, 85 minutes, Colour.
Voices of: Evan Rachel Heard, Justin Long, Chad Allen, Rosanna Arquette, Brian Cox, David Cross, Beverley D' Angelo, Chris Evans, James Garner, Danny Glover, Mark Hamill, David Krumholtz, Laraine Newman, Amanda Peet, Ron Perlman, Dennis Quaid, Danny Trejo, Luke Wilson.
Directed by . Aristomenis Tsirbas

Another animated film about another world and an invasion. This time it is the planet Terra and the invaders are Earth people who have a colonising and colonial attitude towards this planet as a refuge because Earth is collapsing. They have little or no regard for the residents of Terra and are prepared to conquer, even destroy them.

In fact, that sounds more than a little familiar with the release of Avatar where the human exploiters are doing something similar. to the inhabitants of the moon Pandora (which, as many have noted, is the story of the British and Pocahontas). Another similar film is Planet 51 which offers the same message but more entertainingly – the aliens are living a lifestyle familiar from the US in the 1950s and, while they are initially afraid of the humans, one of them becomes their rescuer and hero. In Terra, we don't see much of the life of the aliens (who are designed something like tadpoles) in their strange, thin city, except those who fly around happily, along with blue whales in the sky. The humans are aggressors except for one who is hidden, just as in Planet 51, and then helps the aliens against the humans.

Made in 3D, there are some good effects in visualising space and the universe. There is also a huge familiar cast list of voices.

However, it is not particularly gripping and much of it plays like the equivalent of a space action video game.

1.The impact of the film? For children? For adults? Action? Message?

2.The style of animation? The planet, Terra, the habitation, the buildings, the towers, long and thin? The animation of the creatures, the tadpole look? The contrast with the humans as humans? Strong-jawed and American types? The impact of the animation? The images of space? The effect of the 3D? The rousing score?

3.The presentation of the inhabitants of Terra, their studying, their heritage, the young people and their air vehicles, the blue whales in the air? Enjoyment? Competitiveness, friendship? The danger of the wind tunnel? The rescue? The peaceful times, the families?

4.The attack by Earth? The background of Earth and its sterility, the Earthlings needing another planet? Their ruthlessness and colonial attitudes? Wanting to change the atmosphere? Not caring about the inhabitants and the different breathing gases, oxygen? The invasion?

5.The visualising of the battles? The planes, the response of the Terrans? The video game style of the battles?

6.The pilot being downed? Rescued by Mara? Cared for? His coming to health, his indebtedness to the Terrans?

7.The general, his ruthlessness? Orders? The men and obeying orders? His death, the changing of the situation?

8.The Terrans, the technicians, the scientists, the interrogators?

9.Jim and his recovery, his confrontation with the general, his support of the Terrans?

10.The happy ending, the Terrans resuming their ordinary life? The humans retreating?

11.The message about space exploration, aliens, creating empires, survival and destruction, the futility of war?

THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK

US, 1997, 129 minutes, Colour.
Jeff Goldblum, Julieanne Moore, Pete Postlethwaite, Richard Attenborough, Vince Vaughn, Arliss Howard, Vanessa Lee Chester, Peter Stormare, Richard Schiff, Joseph Mazzello, Ariana Richards, Camilla Belle.
Directed by Steven Spielberg.

A re-working of Jurassic Park though Steven Spielberg seems to be influenced as well by his old classic, Jaws, and his Indiana Jones adventures. Poor old Richard Attenborough makes another gigantic mistake about DNA restored dinosaurs and the dinosaurs are not taking it lying down. In fact, they spend most of the film pursuing some hapless humans and quite a few horrible humans with some ghastly results. Finally, everybody thinks of King Kong as a T Rex ravages San Diego.

Jurassic Park has some ideas about DNA experimentation and meddling with the environment. Here, the idea is that humans intrude and ruin the environment - and deserve their destructive dinosaur destinies. Compendium of menace movies.

1.The popularity of Jurassic Park? The need for a sequel or not? Reworking the old material? The quality of the film compared with the original?

2.The San Diego locations, the offices, the zoo? The contrast with the Caribbean, the tropical islands? The musical score?

3.Audience interest in dinosaurs? The impact of Jurassic Park? The history of dinosaurs? Their appearance? Their being brought to life again, cultivated? The scientific interest? The commercial ambitions? The comeuppance with interfering with nature?

4.The introduction, the island, the little girl and the family, surrounded by the minute dinosaurs? Terror? Setting the mood?

5.Ian Malcolm, his past experience with the dinosaurs? Kelly and his caring for her? His friendship with Sarah Harding? The interview with John Hammond? Hammond and the past, Jurassic Park, his change of heart, losing his company, Peter Ludlow taking over? Lack of scruple? Hammond and the information about the alternate island, his concern? His reappearance at the end, his examination of conscience? Ecological moves rather than economic moves?

6.The information about the expedition, Ian not wanting to go, hearing that Sarah was already there? His packing up, his concern? Kelly stowing away? The arrival on the island, with Nick Van Owen as photographer? The other members of the team? Eddie Carr and his assistance? Finding Sarah, the encounters with the dinosaurs, their beauty, the photographs? Their moods, turning on the group?

7.The hunting group? Roland and his ambitions to hunt the dinosaurs? His guiding the group?

8.Peter Ludlow, the ambitions for a new Jurassic Park? His staff, lack of scruple? Dieter Stark and his bullheadedness, not taking orders, wanting to hunt the dinosaurs?

9.The chases over the island? On foot, vehicle, helicopters? The dinosaur pushing the caravan over the cliff? The literal cliff-hanger? The rescue, Eddie Carr losing his life for the others?

10.Roland, his guidance, his thoughtfulness? The contrast with Dieter Stark, his being attacked by the dinosaurs? Ludlow and his encounter with the creatures?

11.Kelly and her being on the island, stowing away, cooking, setting the fire, attracting the dinosaurs? Her athletic skills, her kicking the dinosaur out of the building? The chases and the rescue?

12.The rescue, Ian and Sarah and Kelly getting off the island, the role of Nick, his help, his photos?

13.San Diego, Ludlow and his press conference, the ambitions for the new Jurassic Park in San Diego? The shock of the ship crashing into the land, the dead crew, the dinosaurs escaping?

14.The dinosaur on the loose in San Diego, threatening homes, the little boy and his family with the dinosaur in the garden, the driver backing on the roads, the crashes, the destruction?

15.Ian, his coping with the difficulties, Sarah helping? The baby dinosaurs, the rescue? The final confrontation? Ludlow and his death? The comeuppance for the humans, the triumph of the dinosaurs?

16.The continued popularity of dinosaurs and the Jurassic Park stories?

SINBAD THE SAILOR

US, 1947, 116 minutes, Colour.
Douglas Fairbanks Jr, Maureen O’ Hara, Walter Slezak, Anthony Quinn, George Tobias, Jane Greer, Mike Mazurki, Alan Napier.
Directed by Richard Wallace.

Sinbad the Sailor is a lavish 1001 Nights film from the immediate post-war period. It is filmed in very bright, even lavish and garish Technicolor. It is also a film of dialogue rather than action.

Sinbad, Douglas Fairbanks Jr in the vein of his father and his action films, is Sinbad, boastingly telling stories to his followers. One of his stories comes alive, an encounter with the Kurdish Princess Shireen (Maureen O’ Hara), a confidence man who has been in all kinds of employment, Walter Slezak, and an Emir who is after the same treasure as Sinbad (Anthony Quinn).

While there are some action sequences and some swordfights and pirate action, the film is mainly dialogue – especially at the end where the two seekers after treasure find the hidden island and encounter the Aga (Alan Napier) who gives some moral reflections on greed.

1.The popularity of pirate films, 1001 Nights, the Middle East?

2.The Hollywood treatment, costumes and décor, lavish Technicolor? The cast? The rousing score?

3.Douglas Fairbanks as Sinbad, his father’s tradition of swashbuckling heroes? His son keeping the pace, even outdoing his father (with the benefit of sound)? His derring-do, laughter, storytelling, romance? His telling the stories to his followers, inventing, the fabled treasure?

4.The visualising of Sinbad’s story, on board his ship, the auction, his followers and getting the money? His encounter with Melik? Melik and his stories, being trustworthy? Sinbad pretending to be the prince? The chain around his neck and its symbolism? The encounter with Shireen, falling in love, the romance, the attempt on his life? His encounter with the Emir, pretending to be Prince Ahmed? Being welcomed? His magician’s tricks? His abducting Shireen? The voyage, the romance, her urging him on with the treasure? The image on the boat of the mountain? His chain? Being rammed by the Emir’s ship? Prisoner? The mutual quest? Arriving at the island, the Aga, Sinbad telling the truth about himself? The attack by the Emir? The greed? His defending the Aga, fighting the Emir, the final romance with Shireen? A dashing hero?

5.The Emir, wealthy, ambitious? With Shireen? Wanting the information from Sinbad? His court? On the ship, torturing Melik? The island? The truth? His greed, his death?

6.Shireen, the Kurdish princess, Maureen O’ Hara’s glamour? With Sinbad, the stories about him, romance? With the Emir? Her trying to get the information? Abducted, on the ship, with the Aga? The happy ending?

7.Melik, his appearance, his stories about his employment? Trying to poison people? His being tortured? The island, the poison and his death?

8.The characters in the crew, their being foil to Sinbad, listening to his stories, the comic touches? Piracy and action adventure?

INCENSE

Armenia, 2006, 95 minutes, Colour.
Michael Dovlatyan.
Directed by Gevorg Gevorgyan.

The incense of the title is what a newly released prisoner in Armenia, 1953, the year of Stalin’s death, searches for to pay honour to his dead mother. Incense is forbidden by law.

While the Armenian people are trying to raise consciousness of the 1915 genocide, there is also the story of the country during more than four decades of Soviet domination. Armenia can boast that it was the first nation to accept Christianity (in 301 AD). Commentators say that it was the church which kept hopes alive during the Soviet era. However, this picture of life in a country village, where simple people are made to live in fear and religion is a crime against the state (and where the people have to gather as the local church is to be blown up and listen to jingoistic, idealist socialist rants) reminds its audience that this was a period of repression of freedoms.

Director Mikayel Dovlatyan, a tall, almost gaunt and commanding figure plays Pogos, a local worker who has spent time in gaol as a young man because of a friend’s betrayal and who returns in the late 1940s, the era of the church explosion – which he stops by cutting the burning fuse. He also secretly buries the school teacher who is hanged because of his opposition to the destruction. However, a spy reports him and his school companion is now the local police officer who basks in puffed-up position and power. He arrests Pogos and he is sent into exile. He comes back in 1953 only to find himself again in conflict with the policeman and the powers that be.

The ending is not what we might expect. More hope than we anticipated.

The film is straightforward though it moves back and forth between the two returns of Pogos. The style is also straightforward, how the film might have been made in the era in which it is set. But, it is an opportunity to go back and experience what the Soviet era was like in the Armenian countryside.

1.An Armenian production? Story? Nationalist? Religious issues? Atheism and its imposition? The Soviet domination, persecution? Mistreatment, injustice?

2.The impact for an Armenian audience, wider? The style of the film, as if made in the 1950s? The title, the filial devotion of Pogos for his mother, her funeral? The religious dimension? As a symbol of the issues of repression?

3.The prologue, the boys, the donkey, the bandits coming at them, their lives being saved, the memory of the grandfather? Their arrest, the boy having to make a confession, writing it under dictation, prison?

4.The structure of the film: Pogos, the two returns from his imprisonment, the 40s and the first return, 1953 and the second return? The parallels?

5.The character of Pogos, quiet, austere? The 1940s? His relationship with his mother, helping her? His friendship with Nho, the dwarf? The relationship with the officer, his success, the administration of the village? Having been with him at school? The contrast of success and failure between the two? Pogos and his life in the village, the stonemason? The church, about to be blown up? The patriotic speeches? His cutting the fuse? The hanging of the teacher, going to the coffin maker and getting the coffin in the night? Mathos and his witness, spying? Signing the document? The officer, his subordination to the Soviet authorities? The speeches in the town, the woman and her rabid speech? The officer and his catching Pogos, marching him through the desert, the taunts, the horse, not allowing him to see his mother? Pogos going into exile?

6.The second return, seeing the child being bathed, pouring the hot water? Finding his mother dead? The burial, the stone, working with Nho? The grave? The authorities and making him report in? Nho and his bashing the officer – and demonstrating how he did it by standing on the chair? The quiet life, the teacher’s wife and her child? His being summoned to Yerevan? Stalin’s death? The officer and the horse, his taunts? Yerevan, the officials, his being declared innocent? The officer arrested and being taken to Siberia? His long plea for Pogos’s mercy? Pogos and his angry reaction? Walking back to the village, finding the horse? His return, the smoking of the cigarette – and the irony that Nho had used his official paper for the cigarette paper?

7.The portrait of the officer, his success, kowtowing to superiors? The Soviet domination, the pictures of Stalin? Blowing up the church? The antagonism with Pogos? The death of the teacher, the burial, his molesting the wife, the rape? The final taunts, his plea to Pogos – and his being taken to Siberia?

8.Religion, the closing of the church, setting it up for explosion, the patriotic speeches about socialism? The priest and his ranting, going? Pogos and his watching, cutting the fuse? His devotion for the dead teacher?

9.The details of village life, the range of people, peasants, Pogos’s mother, her neighbours, generosity? Yet Pogos’s reputation, enemy of the state? His friends? Nho as a cheerful character?

10.The film as a re-creation of a period, Stalinist repression? A memoir?

THE NINES

US, 2007, 99 minutes, Colour.
Ryan Reynolds, Hope Davis, Melissa Mc Carthy, Elle Fanning.
Directed by John August.

The Nines is an intriguing film. It focuses on contemporary media. It focuses on philosophical and even theological questions about the world, human identity, creation, and the role of God.

John August was a writer on such films as Minority Report. However, in reflecting on the role of the writer, the writer's creation of characters, the writer giving them a life of their own and having to let them go, he decided to be a director for this film and also to ponder about the nature of his control of his characters as director.

The film has three parts with Ryan Reynolds, Melissa Mc Carthy, and Hope Davis having three different roles.

The film opens with the Ryan Reynolds’ character in despair, setting fire to his girlfriend’s possessions, going to find some crack, driving and drinking, finally being arrested because the house is burnt down. The film then moves into the three sections.

The first is called Prisoner where the same character is confined to house arrest. The film shows him meandering around the house. It also shows the role of his agent, Margaret (Melissa Mc Carthy), and her supervising him. He also has a curious next door neighbour played by Hope Davis. He does get out and finds a young girl who is mute and uses sign language. However, he is returned to his home and confined with a leg brace, which will indicate his going beyond the barriers set down. This section of the film, which was made on 16mm film, starts to raise questions about the identity of the character as well as of the two women.

The film then makes a transition to the second part in which Ryan Reynolds plays a screenwriter for television. Hope Davis is the production manager. Melissa Mc Carthy is the star (playing herself, with her real life husband playing himself). The film was made on ordinary digital video. With a crew of five, there is an intensity and immediacy about this story. The film traces the preparation of a pilot, its filming, the testing of the pilot with an audience and the decision to change the main star. The film also is a documentary about all of this. Everything is being filmed and sometimes the characters turn to the camera. The film is also a critique of the use of testing for the success of pilots - adapting, as the author suggests, the film to the stupidest people in the room and their understanding. In this part of the film, the same questions of that identity are raised and a kind of parallel universe has been created with parallel characters.

The third part of the film is filmed in 35mm with all the best technical equipment. This time Ryan Reynolds plays a family man who is a creator of video games. Melissa Mc Carthy is his wife, Elle Fanning his daughter, Hope Davis a stranger he meets on the road when the car breaks down in the forest and he seeks help. In this part of the film, something of the mystery is unravelled.

What John August is intending is that one can understand something of the nature of God and the best of all possible worlds with the image and analogy of the screenwriter. While God might be a number ten, the screenwriter is a number nine. There are many illusions, real and mystical to the number nine throughout the film.

The philosophy of the writer is that everybody does the best that they can, creating a world, trying to understand, but failing to create the best world. In this sense, the film is an analogy about God and incarnation because Ryan Reynolds’ three characters have also been on earth for many, many years, the characters are being called back out of the world which will then self-destruct - or will it?

Ryan Reynolds, best known for action films like Blade or many comedies in which he plays a slacker, is a complete surprise in his skill in these three roles. Melissa Mc Carthy uses the reality of her size and weight to advantage in her characters. Hope Davis has proven over many years that she is a strong performer in independent films.

A film, which raises a lot of questions. It also entertains as well as intrigues.

1. A film about cinema, about television, reality and fantasy? The role of writers? Directors? Their characters? God equivalents?

2. The meaning of the title, the writers as number nines? Not quite perfect or in control? God as a ten? Humans as sevens? (The koalas as eights?) The use of the number nine throughout the film? Its mystique?

3. The prologue, three stories following, the range of performances, the interconnection of the stories, themes?

4. The underlying themes: the notion of creativity, creation, control of characters, being able to let them go, living their own lives? The author alive in the characters? The nature of this kind of incarnation? The hesitations of the writers - that they are not God? Creating possible worlds? The best of all possible worlds or not? Creation of good and evil? The characters who understand that they are characters, and what this means? Those who do not? The possibility of changing the world, alternate worlds? Leaving the world? The world collapsing or not?

5. The prologue, Gary, his collecting the clothes to burn, driving, drinking, getting the crack, with the woman, his high? The arrest? The burning of the house? The introduction to the themes?

6. The first story: the prison, Gary and the police, Margaret and her role as PR, her presence? Controlling Gary? House arrest, the owner absent, the lavish furnishings of the house, making himself at home, the isolation, reading, sexual activity, sensing the presence of others - and Margaret saying it was rats? Sarah next door, her baby, the sound of the baby crying? Their discussions, her visit, her sexual advances, the personal crisis? Gary going out, seeing the little girl, her muteness, signing? His arrest, the leg-iron on him? Margaret and her explanations? His unease? Sensing there was something else about the house? Margaret and her comment that they had communicated from age twelve? Sarah and suggestions of something beyond the present?

7. Taylor, the writer, his appearance, Ryan Reynolds' different performance? His hopes, writing of the pilot, the filming of the pilot? Susan, her role as an executive, Roger and the decision-making? The various discussions, the TV world? Melissa as the star, her auditions, performance, with the little girl? The scenes in the car with the little girl? The fact that everything was being filmed as reality television? The actual use of video? The characters, the crises? The nature of friendship, broken friendships? Melissa and her being let go, Taylor going to tell her, her saying she understood, her reaction? The loss of trust? The various bosses? The screening, the audience testing, the man confronting through the one-way mirror? he interviewing of the new star? The mystery of the house?

8. The third story, the family, again a different performance from Ryan Reynolds? His wife and daughter? Travelling, the breakdown in the forest? His walking to the highway, meeting Sierra, her fears, her return, helping? Their being lost? The confrontation? Mary and her daughter, the repetition of the television scene? Sierra confronting the husband? The revelation of the truth, the explanations? Sierra and her menace? Mary and her knowledge? The issue of destroying the world or returning home to normality? Changing the world?

9. The film's comment on media, reality television, reality itself, film as edited, testing reactions to film and television, the pursuit of the truth?

10. The philosophical and theological analogies used throughout the film - especially for God, writers and directors – being like God, "playing God"?

THE MOLE PEOPLE

US, 1956, 77 minutes, Black and white.
John Agar, Cynthia Patrick, Hugh Beaumont, Alan Napier.
Directed by Virgil W. Vogel.

The B Feature was a popular aspect of the double bills, especially in English-speaking countries. They were churned out by the American industry as well as by the British from the 1930s to the 1960s. The coming of television did not immediately halt their production or popularity but, at the beinning of the 1960s, with the big-budget widescreen films that were becoming more and more popular, there was little place for these films.

When the Americans began making telemovies in the late 1960s, these became the alternative to the B films.

However, there were still a number of film-makers who made genre pictures during the 1970s, often Z budget in production and imagination. Later, the successors of these films were the straight-to-video and straight-to-DVD films of the 1990s and into the 21st century.

In the United States, especially with the popular serials that took on themes of science and even space exploration, the 1950s saw a proliferation of short science fiction films, some of them now considered excellent examples of their type, others were just schlock.

One of the features of these films was the atomic age and many of the films were warnings about radiation dangers and the possibilities of mutations and monsters. Godzilla emerged from this period. Space also fascinated film-makers and audiences at this time. The first Sputnik was launched in 1957 and soon after the first astronauts went into space. The moon landing was in 1969. Many of the films (even Kubrick’s 1968 2001: a Space Odyssey) tried to imagine what space travel would be like. There was a huge spate of space films.

Unfortunately, special effects were quite limited at the time and many audiences would find these quite risible. However, taken in their time, they had their impact.

This was the period of Ed Wood and his Planet 9 from Outer Space but also the beginning of the career of Roger Corman and his many protégés who became top-class directors.

There had been a Hollywood tradition of horror since the 1930s which led to many spoofs. However, all kinds of horror made a comeback in the 1950s, not only in the shockers from the US but also from Hammer Studios in England. These films also continued throughout the 1960s and 1970s and influenced some of the poorer directors like Ted. V. Mikels with films like The Corpse Grinders. These films, along with the popularity of the blaxploitation films now show their age with their characteristic costumes and hair styles, the touch sometimes of the psychedelic and the grainy film stock.

The Mole People is one of many science fiction B-budget features of the mid-1950s. It was the first film directed by Virgil W. Vogel who had been an editor at Universal Studios and who was to make a Ma and Pa Kettle film and then work for thirty years in television. John Agar had been a star of the 1940s.

The film uses imagination in terms of archaeological investigations in Mesopotamia. A group of scientists investigating religious beliefs 5000 years BC, find a glacier and evidence of a civilisation. As they fall into the caverns, they discover people surviving from a disruption in the past, living under the mountains.

The film focuses on the strong personalities of the scientists, the dangers they experience and their coping in the underground caverns. It also focuses on the religious rituals preserved from the past, especially the vengeful high priest. A young woman is considered an alien in the community and she wants to escape. Needless to say, there are various aspects of horror, terror, the destruction of the civilisation and the priest and the final escape.

1.Popular B-budget material? The mid-1950s?

2.The black and white photography, the Mesopotamian settings, the mountains and the glacier, the underground city and its rooms? The special effects? The musical score?

3.The plausibility of this kind of exploration and excavation? Of civilisations underground? Of a civilisation being threatened by mutants?

4.The expedition, the personalities, their interactions, the dangers on the mountains? The caverns? The death of the older professor? Coping with the underground, the darkness? The encounter with the high priest and the civilisation? The use of the torch as a light and overpowering the people, who considered them Divine?

5.The background of the civilisation, the origins, the earthquakes, the underground caverns? The mutants and the Mole People and their threats to the civilisation?

6.The high priest, his vengeful attitude, the prince? Dealing with the newcomers?

7.Adad, her role amongst the people, her being out of place, her wanting to escape?

8.The build-up to the confrontation, the defeat of the Mole People? Getting out of the caverns, bringing Adad to safety?

9.Indication of the popular mentality for this kind of entertainment in the 50s?

IN THE LAND OF WOMEN

US, 2007, 97 minutes, Colour.
Meg Ryan, Olympia Dukakis, Adam Brody, Kristen Stewart, Jo Beth Williams, Makenzie Vega.
Directed by Jonathan Kasdan.

The title sounds far too solemn and serious for the actual film. It is about the land of women, both geographical in a small suburban setting as well as psychological in families and neighbours.

Adam Brody portrays a young screenwriter (who writes softcore pornography as well as children’s stories) who is dismayed when he is dumped by his film star girlfriend. He takes refuge at his grandmother’s house – as played (as usual) by Olympia Dukakis, she is a comic blend of death wish, offhand humour and worldly wisdom. However, it is the women in the neighbouring house who have an effect on him.

He first comes across the teenage daughter of the house (Kristen Stewart) and her precocious younger sister. He serves as something of a sounding board for them while being caught up in their home and school problems. Then he meets their mother, Meg Ryan, who is upset by her husband’s infidelity, her inability to communicate with her daughter, her regrets concerning the life she might have led in New York. This is complicated by a diagnosis of breast cancer and her chemotherapy and hospitalisation.

There is nothing particularly new here. What holds the interest is the dialogue and the working out of the tensions among the characters. The film is a first for writer director, Jon Kasdan (son of director Lawrence Kasdan and brother of Jake Kasdan).

1.A contemporary drama? Families? Relationships? Change?

2.The title, the focus on the different women, the generations of women?

3.The Michigan settings, homes, outings, the streets? Ordinary suburbia? The musical score? The range of songs, their lyrics and comment on the action and characters?

4.Carter Webb, his age, career, soft porn writer, children’s stories? With the celebrity? Sofia, the talk, the break-up? Talking with his mother, her support? His concern about the script? His boss? The decision to go to Michigan, be by himself, stay with his grandmother and care for her? The encounter with the Hardwicke family? Lucy, Sarah, Paige? The set-up for the Land of Women?

5.Phyllis, her age, cantankerous, friendly? Alone? Talking about death? Hungry? Sarah and her cookies? Listening to Carter, giving him advice?

6.Lucy, her age, her sister, relationship with their mother, at home, the father? The alienation? The anger? Sarah and her telling about the lump in her breast? The need for surgery?

7.Carter, his relationships, taking his computer, Sarah and the cookies, meeting her, walking and talking, confidential about relationships, his talk about letters and emails and his break-up with Sofia? Whether he was a good listener or not? Jogging? His memories?

8.Sarah as a character, Meg Ryan’s style? The details of her ordinary life, her explanations, wanting to have a last word? Affirming Carter? Her husband, his affair?

9.The issue of cancer, discussion of it, the family, the parents, the daughters? Sarah and her talking with her husband, reassessing her relationship? Her dependence on Carter? Hugging him, her enthusiasm about her New York past – hopes or not for the future?

10.The date, the poster of Sofia, meeting Eric, in the club, Paige and her talk, the talk about school? Lucy wanting him to go out with her? Confiding about her father’s affair, her mother being old, not able to kiss her?

11.Sarah and her response to the cancer, the rain, the kiss – the post-chemo experience? Seeing Carter with Lucy and kissing – and her anger?

12.The party, Gabe as Lucy’s boyfriend, her inhibitions with him? The fight and the punch? Eric stepping in? Lucy confiding to Carter about what had happened to her when she was eleven? He saying it was no big deal? Getting her to wake up? Her kissing him?

13.Sarah and her painting, cutting her hair, the scenes in hospital, the talks with Lucy and the reconciliation?

14.Carter, the phone call to Sofia? The party? Her previous phone call and wanting to reconnect? Phyllis’s advice? His writing the letter to Sarah – and the voice-over of his reading it aloud?

15.Lucy, a future with Eric?

16.Discovering Phyllis dead, the book for her? His realisation what had happened, his change? The discussions with his mother?

17.Sarah, having the final word? The word about herself, her husband, her children? With Carter? Carter’s final word – and his future?

MOLIERE

France, 2007, 120 minutes, Colour.
Romain Duris, Fabrice Luchini, Laura Morante, Edouard Baer, Ludivine Sagnier.
Directed by Laurent Tirard.

Moliere is in the vein of Shakespeare in Love and Becoming Jane, films which speculate about the lives of famous authors. This film is done with the light touch, taking its cue from Moliere’s own treatment of society and individuals in his plays. Specifically, this film uses The Bourgeois Gentleman and Tartuffe.

The film is set in 1644 when Moliere disappears from history. The writer-director, Laurent Tirard, makes up a story where Moliere has a touring company, is in debt, is unsuccessful in putting on plays, goes to debtors’ prison. He has an affair which leads him to think more deeply about his writing and the need for satiric comedy. He also acquires a patron who pays off the debts, brings him to his home, asks him to be the tutor for his daughter whereas he really wants Moliere to write a play which will enable the nobleman to seduce a young woman.

These elements of the story come from Moliere’s own plays.

Romain Duris is Moliere, a rather unsubtle and flamboyant performance. On the other hand Fabrice Lucchini (so sinister in so many films) is the complex patron. Italian actress Laura Morante is the nobleman’s wife. Ludivine Sagnier is the object of his intentions and affections.

The film creates an atmosphere of 17th century France and gives some playful insights into Moliere’s career as well as his transition from actor to serious playwright observing the follies of French society.

1.Moliere? His reputation? Theatre, French literature? The 17th century? An innovator in drama? Language?

2.The production values, the re-creation of the 17th century, sumptuous, costumes and décor, locations, the French countryside, Paris, the theatre, the mansions, the salons? Audience response to the affluence, the colour? The musical score?

3.The introduction to Moliere himself, Romain Duris’ performance, its intensity? The troupe arriving in Paris, thirteen years on the road, the members of the troupe, going to the theatre, Moliere’s ambitions, wanting to write a tragedy, the arguments with the troupe, the arguments for comedy, going to see the king, the king’s demand for a comedy? His attempts to write, failure? The situation for the flashback?

4.Moliere as an actor when young, improvising, composing, farce? The performance on stage? With the two creditors? The audience laughing and applauding? As a tutor, learning, the experience, the story of Jourdain, Elmire? The influence on his career?

5.Moliere and the troupe, the characters, the creditors, the farce, Bonnefoy, getting him out of prison, his going to meet Monsieur Jourdain? The mystery, the explanation, the plan? Jourdain’s play? Moliere pretending to be a tutor, Tartuffe? Elmire, her despising him, the daughter and her geometry classes, poking out her tongue? The scepticism about religion? The older daughter and her suitor? The situation for future plays? Moliere and taking all these characters for the future, their words, actions, problems? Himself pretending to be Tartuffe?

6.Celimene and her salon, a precocious young woman, her wealth, wit and intelligence, the wordplay and the delight of the women in the salon?

7.Dorante as the go-between, as a character, wooing Celimene, his lies to Jourdain, taking the jewels and keeping them? Flattering Jourdain? His own house, his needs, the possibility of getting money for cancelling his son’s wedding? His ambitions for his son, his not wanting to be thought of as a merchant? His background? His smooth talk to Jourdain about the play’s performance?

8.Moliere in the house, Jourdain taking his advice, the clashes with Elmire? His observations? Falling in love, her discovering the truth about him?

9.As the tutor, helping Jourdain with his performance, the return after the play, his contrived entrance to Celimene’s salon, Jourdain disguised as a woman, observing? Hearing the truth in her bitter speech? His own speech in reply – the speech about the donkey? The effect on Celimene?

10.Jourdain as wealthy, his infatuation with Celimene, his alienation from his wife? At home, the debtor and the money, his safe full of money? His wanting a title? Severity with his daughter, dismissing her suitor? His wife, seeing the daughter and his anger? The issue of the marriage, the discussions with Dorante and his son, the son and his not being like his father, dry business discussions? The issue of the piracy, the ransom? His anger, demanding that the wedding take place? His discovering his wife’s infidelity, his reaction?

11.The pirate story, Elmire and her performance, his belief, change when he saw his daughter?

12.Moliere, Elmire, the plan to leave, getting the money? Her performance for the pirate story?

13.Jourdain discovering his wife’s infidelity, hearing the sounds, his fall? Moliere and his questions – admission of guilt, a plan for helping the situation? Jourdain accepting it?

14.The wedding, the improvising to save the daughter, the performance, Bonnefoy and the news about the warehouses burning, Dorante and his hesitation, taking his son away?

15.The farewell to Elmire? His saving the marriage? His saving Jourdain?

16.The return to the troupe, the coming to the present, writing the play, the success, the applause of the king, the laughter? Going to Elmire, her death, the forgiveness? His tears? Tears at the play?

17.A portrait of the playwright, part fiction, part truth? A genius in his times?

THE LARK FARM

Italy, 2007, 125 minutes, Colour.
Paz Vega, Angela Molina, Tchecky Karyo, Moritz Bleibtrau.
Directed by Paolo and Vittorio Taviani.

For decades the Taviani brothers have made films of the land, the Italian land, its history, its revolutions (Allonsanfan), World War II (The Night of San Lorenzo), the people who have made Italy, even its migrants who went to the US and worked on Griffith’s Intolerance sets (Good Morning, Babylon). Their cinema style has been colourful, bold, often larger than life – at times, operatic in an emotional Italian way.

They bring this style now, especially its operatic emotions, to an entirely different world from Italy: Armenia. This is a disturbing film about the 1915 Armenian genocide, the massacre of over a million and a half Armenians by the Turks, a national trauma that has not been healed and which is officially denied by the Turkish government (and passed over by others).

A prologue with a dying grandfather creates an idyllic family which is suddenly shattered by a nightmare of death and a glimpse of a wall spattered with blood.

The Tavianis create life in a town where the officials are from the almost defunct Ottoman Empire, yet the two peoples, Turks and Armenians, live side by side. This is the period of World War I and the Turkish alliance with Germany. We are then introduced to the family with a great attention to domestic detail. They are well-to-do, live a genteel way of life, and get on well with the local commandant. Into this context, the plans for the extermination of the Armenians are explained by ruthless visitors from the Turkish government and, as in other massacres, the reasoning that ‘orders are orders’ takes over.

Warned about the impending attack, the family and people from the town take refuge in the country at The Lark Farm. Suddenly, and without warning to the audience as well as to the characters, the killing is upon us. The Tavianis do not spare the audience. The action is appalling but the Tavianis have the skills to blend some extraordinary graphic moments with suggestion, mood and implications.

With the male population dead, the troops march the women and children out into the desert where they are to be exterminated. The screenplay brings some tension into this merciless trek by having a Greek servant combine with a local beggar who repents the role he had in betraying the family, raising money and finding the means for the survivors to escape by night. It almost works but graphic tragedy occurs again.

The aftermath offers some court sequences of what were momentary show trials (and which were peremptorily terminated) and tribunals of justice have not taken up the wrongs of what occurred almost a hundred years ago.

Based on a novel by Italian Armenian, the film has an international cast of well-known actors: from France, Tcheky Karyo as the father and Andre Dussollier as the commandant; from Spain, Paz Vega as the central sister and Angela Molina as the servant; from Canada, Arsinee K, as the mother; from Germany Moritz Bleibtreu as a sympathetic solider, plus a number of Armenian performers acting out the destruction of their ancestors.

1.A portrait of Armenia? Its impact? History, the genocide, truth, politics? Impact now, consequences of the genocide?

2.The impact for Armenian audiences, wider audiences? Action?

3.The Tavianis and their Italian background, the films: history, people, social concerns? Their attention to detail, creating a world? Operatic and emotional style?

4.The locations: 1915, costumes and décor, way of life, homes, the farm, the desert, the city of Aleppo? Musical score?

5.Audience knowledge of the genocide, the information given in the film, the effect on minds, hearts?

6.The treatment: the Armenians, their history, way of life? The Ottoman empire, its centuries of rule, attitudes, racist attitudes towards the Armenians, suppression? The plan, its detail, the massacre of the males, the looting of the properties, the trek of the women and children into the desert for death? Eradicating the race?

7.The prologue, the young boy, his dying grandfather, the bond, the death, the dream, the wall spattered with blood?

8.The aftermath of the death, the family gathering, the boys, the girls being informed? The husband and wife, the sister, Ismene? The funeral, people’s response? The friends? The sister and her love for the Turkish soldier?

9.The commander and his wife, friends with the family, the issue of orders despite personal beliefs? The commander’s wife, overhearing the information about the massacre, not wanting to go to the party, forced to go, her drinking, her fainting, her talking about the mirror, coveting the goods? Indications of what was to come?

10.The Turks, their plan, the detail, the massacre of the men, the orders? The fierce captain and his violence and racism? His men? The soldier in love with the sister, his friends helping, the rendezvous, the beggar informing, the commandant and giving the young man options, the young man taking the commission?

11.The sister and her love, Ismene and her warnings, telling her the truth, her waiting, sad?

12.The party and its preparation, the dinner, the doctor arriving and giving the information about the attack? The decision to go to the Lark farm? The people gathering, going to the countryside? The women staying, the soldiers arriving – and the hot bowl of soup being left, indicating the flight of the men?

13.The beggar, his character, friends with the family, spying on the soldier, telling the commander, as a guest with the family? His motivations? Giving the information about the Lark farm? The troops, the confrontation? The arrival, the separation of the boys from the girls, hiding the boy as a girl – and the beggar telling the sister that he should wear earrings? His being saved?

14.The confrontation of the soldiers, the interrogations, the sudden decapitation of the father, his head falling in the lap of his wife? Audience response? Dismay, disgust? The scenes of the slaughter, the corpses of the men and the boys? The doctor, his help for the Turks, the castration? The vicious nature of the soldiers? The commandant arriving, seeing the doctor, his past indebtedness to him, the mercy shooting?

15.Audience sympathies for the Armenians, for the father of the family, the good man, the doctor? The wife? The children being killed?

16.The rounding up of the woman and the girls, the plan, the details of the trek through the desert? Their being dispossessed, only a few goods, the harshness of the treatment? The mother sending Ismene to Aleppo? The beggar going to Aleppo?

17.The stories of the deaths on the road, the old aunt, the flashbacks to her party, her defiance and her death? The wife, emaciated, with the children, their hunger? Her grief? The sister and her gaunt appearance?

18.The soldiers, their brutal behaviour? The brutal captain? The rapes? Sex and food? The sympathetic soldier? His interest in the sister? Her giving herself to him, the relationship? The food for the family? The woman who escaped, her being burnt, decapitated?

19.Ismene and the beggar in Aleppo, going to the brotherhoods, their discussions, the need for money? Going to the Spanish diplomat? The wealthy dance? His help?

20.The brother in Italy, his family, the previous visits and the Lark farm? His grief, selling his goods, his wife supporting him? Getting the money, the lawyer? Hiding the money in the book? The Spanish connection?

21.The sister, her going to farewell the soldier, the discussion about staying with him? Her fearing the torture but not death? The details of the escape, the little girl wanting the apple, the sister going back, her being caught, the others being able to escape, the soldier, her nodding to him, the decapitation?

22.The aftermath with the trials, the soldier and his telling the truth, the captain and his men and their defiance? The racist tone? The sudden calling off of the trials?

23.A portrait of a genocide? Hitler’s statement that everybody had forgotten the genocide of the Armenians? The consequences, Armenia and the Soviet occupation, the republic? The need for acknowledging the genocide?

GRAFFITI

Russia, 2005, 125 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Igor Apasyan.

This film starts in a tour-de-force swirl of camerawork and editing. A young art student has put up his signature graffiti all over Moscow and is challenged by a gang. He defies them and races off, setting up an exciting chase (which defies realism as he continually outruns bikes) – but is finally caught and bashed. We know nothing about him – and learn nothing of his background except that he is surly young man with chips on his shoulder.

To get a pass grade, he travels to a decaying small town – which, as in all films where the city slicker meets the country citizens (no matter how hayseed or hillbilly they might be) leads to his change of character. He is commissioned to paint a mural in the renovated club, featuring the leading citizens. However, more and more people turn up with photos of those killed in war, especially in Chechnya, and he has to readjust – and start again. It is as if he is the same kind of blank wall and the citizens imprint themselves on him and bring him to life.

There are the usual types: the alcoholic rogue who becomes a sage father figure, the simple young soldier who has been wounded and disfigured in the war and who is the sewage disposal man, the larger than life prostitute (rather Fellini-like) with whom he is infatuated, the local authorities (some overweight and over-important) who have employed a geologist to find oil to revive the economy, plus some villains, especially a farmer who breeds ostriches.

This is a cross-section of Russian characters presented in a raucous, not too subtle way, who portray human nature, human foibles and some moments of tragedy. And the young man, despite himself, is transformed.

1.A Russian film? With an Armenian perspective? For home audiences? Universal?

2.Moscow, the opening, the streets, action? The countryside, the old town, decaying? The hall, homes, the river? The musical score?

3.The title, the opening, the young artist, his painting on the walls, as a painter, the group accosting him, the fight, the chase? His being wounded? Escaping? The tour-de-force of the filming and the editing of the chase?

4.The artist, going to class, surly in his attitude, his professor, the others going to Italy, his poor grades, the possibility of improving them? The farewell to his girlfriend? Going to the country?

5.The artist as a character, no background being given to him? A blank wall to be painted – as he did – with local characters?

6.His arrival in the town, the bar, the range of people, the authorities? With Clesio (Ecclesiastes), the drinks, the talk, the bet? His staying? Meeting the authorities, the discussion, the wall, the plan, the agreement, the design, the sketches, the achievement of the mural? The Soviet style? The further photos, characters, his reaction, unwilling to include the others, staying? Continued adjustment of the painting? People’s reaction? His having to start again? The emotional moment with everybody standing there when the mural was finally revealed?

7.The characters in the town: Clesio and his story, drinking, wise, his caravan, his ex-wife? Supporting the artist, advising him, old and raucous, the money and the drinking? His ex-wife, her shop? The authorities, their appearance, country types, their roles, the meetings, the prospects about oil being discovered, a dying town?

8.The geologist, his search, his boring talk, hitting the pipe instead of finding oil, hunted at the end?

9.Mitri, his work, his going the rounds, collecting the sewage? His smell? Young, being in the war, his disfigurement, simplicity, friendly, with the artist? His work, Maria and his infatuation, her reputation, as mad, prostitute, her not responding to him? The support of the artist and Clesio, the money, buying the necklace, giving it to Maria, the bond between the two, the love, his inabilities and his injuries, her gentleness, dancing? In the caravan and its being attacked?

10.The farmer with the ostriches, Clesio and his fascination, finally letting them go? The group attacking the caravan, beating Clesio, his death? The reaction of the artist? The wedding ceremony – and setting the house on fire?

11.The artist and the effect of all these people, the incident with the girls, Clesio arranging the line-up?

12.His going to the bus, reflecting, the farewell? His decision to return? His change? The memories of Clesio, at the grave? Mitri and Maria? The future – and a revival of the town or not?