HERE ON EARTH

US, 2000, 96 minutes, Colour.
Chris Kline, Leelee Sobieski, Josh Hartnett, Michael Rooker, Annie Corley, Bruce Greenwood, Annette O’ Toole, Stuart Wilson.
Directed by Mark Piznarski.

Here on Earth is a teenage romance story – which did not get much release around the world.

The film stars Chris Kline as a college hero, a spoilt young man who challenges the local non-school champion, played by Josh Hartnett. Chris Kline is a very stolid screen presence (American Pie, Rollerball) and it is surprising that he is the romantic lead compared with Josh Hartnett who had only made Halloween H20 and The Faculty at this stage but was soon to make Blackhawk Down and Pearl Harbour. The parents are played by Michael Rooker and Annie Corley in more sympathetic roles and Bruce Greenwood as the sheriff and Annette O’ Toole as his wife. The heroine is Lili Sobieski, torn between the two young men – and the screenplay rather than charism making her fall in love with the Chris Kline character. She also has a terminal illness. At one stage she remarks about her romance that it is heaven here on Earth.

1.A youth film for the 21st century? Its lack of popularity? Story, performances?

2.The American town, the school, Ivy League? The small town, the diner, homes? Realistic atmosphere? The musical score?

3.The plausibility of the plot: the introduction to Kelley Morse, at school? Sam at school? Jasper and his place in the town, in relationship to Sam? The rivalry, the car chase, the crash, the burning of the diner, the court case, the sentence, the work on rebuilding, the personal clashes, Sam and her relationship with Jasper, Sam and her falling in love with Kelley? The rivalry? Her illness, hospitalisation? Romance and death?

4.The character of Sam, sensible, working at the diner, her school background? The bonds with Jasper? Her family and easy relationship with her mother and father? The attraction towards Kelley, going to visit him, falling in love, the lyrical interludes with the two in the countryside? The decision to go with him to Boston? The relationship, Kelley’s family? Her return, running, her knee, in hospital, the last months, with the two young men, heaven on Earth and ready to die?

5.Kelley, arrogant, his friends, at the diner, the clash with Jasper, the race, the crash, the court case, the damages? His having to work, set up in the apartment? His tantrums and not eating? The work, clashes with Jasper? Sam and her visits, falling in love, the criticism of her sister? His own change? Going to Boston, his father? The return, the heaven on Earth?

6.The contrast with Jasper, the local boy, more personality than Kelley? The chase, the work, the clashes with Kelley? His not understanding Sam, discussions with her, letting her be?

7.The sets of parents, the builder and his wife, their concern with Jasper? The sheriff and his wife, their relationship with Sam?

8.The building of the diner, the new opening? The young men and the sentence – appropriate to rebuild rather than go to prison?

9.How satisfying as a modern-day romance?

CIDADE DOS HOMENS (CITY OF MEN)

Brazil, 2007, 106 minutes, Colour.
Douglas Silva, Darlan Cunha, Jonathan Haagensen, Rodrigo Dos Santos.
Directed by Paolo Morelli.

Several years ago, Fernando Mireilles’ City of God made a huge impact on world audiences with its taking them into the barrios of Rio de Janeiro and introducing them to the gangs, the individuals and the groups, and the hard lives they led and the violence that was their way of life.

There was a spin-off television series, City of Men, that continued the stories of the barrios.

Now, there is a feature film which is a spin-off of the television series.

After showing us the kingpin of the hill and his entourage (and the second-in-charge whom he cavalierly treats as a servant), the film focuses on two young men, friends from childhood (shown in flashbacks) and connected by family ties to the gang leader. One of them has a young child, the other is still looking for his father.

While the film continues to show the gun warfare (with a steady supply of arms getting into the barrios), especially when the second-in-charge leads an uprising, the personal drama and interest in the film is what happens to the two young men: the wife leaving one with their baby as well has his being forced to become involved in the fights; the other finding his father through his friend, some bonding with the father and discovering disturbing stories from the past (also in flashback) which threaten to wreck the friendship.

The film presents the tensions in the area, the macho bravado of the gang members, their violence and vindictiveness. But, this time, with the two young men and their stories, there are some suggestions of hope.

1.Brazil in the 21st century? Rio de Janeiro? The city, the barrios? Crime and gangs? A portrait? Insight? Society? Redemption and possibilities of hope?

2.The impact of the film City of God? The subsequent television series, City of Men? This film following on from that, with the same characters and performers?

3.Rio and its vistas, the mountains, the beaches, the sea? The wealth?

4.The contrast with the barrios, the vistas of the hills, the streets, the buildings, the steps, shops and homes? The musical score?

5.The title, its evocation?

6.The feel of Brazil, colour, sunshine, night and days?

7.The backgrounds, the gangs, the guns, drugs? Midnight as the leader of the gang? Group loyalties? The cousins, the girls? The second-in-charge and his being humiliated by Midnight? At the beach? His treachery, the beginning of the warfare? The second-in-charge, his own loyal group? The set-up of the warfare, the decisions?

8.The warfare and the shootings, the guns, deaths, fears, people hiding? Reprisals, the girl and her hair being cut?

9.Ace and Wallace, their place in the barrios, their friendships in the past, the flashbacks? Their being related, sharing loyalties to Midnight? Yet not wanting to be involved in the warfare? Their discussions, prospects? Ace and his memories of schooling, leaving school, marriage, the child? His relationship with his wife? His age? His wife’s father and family and the repercussions of the warfare? The clash with his wife, her going to work, his taking the baby to the beach, leaving it at the beach, its being taken back to Midnight’s house, the search and finding it? The wife deciding to leave?

10.Ace and Wallace in the war, their loyalties, their options, their personal clash, the killing of people dear to them? The dangers, the girl and her cut hair?

11.The role of fathers, the memories of the two boys? The two fathers and the flashbacks? Criminals? Ace’s father, the stories about him, their being visualised, tough, giving guns to the boys, to Midnight? His being set up, shot? Wallace’s father shooting him? Ace and his finding Wallace’s father, approaching him? The celebration of the birthday? Wallace going to see his father, talking to him? Bonding? The father wary? Allowing his son to stay? Wallace’s return, nowhere to go, staying at the house, talking with his father, the father going shopping, the preparation of the meal? His seeing Ace in the meantime, getting the truth about his father killing Ace’s father? His leaving?

12.Ace and the information, his father, the enmity after the friendship? Wallace seeing his father arrested for his deals?

13.The return to the war zone, the gunfire, hiding, getting the gun, Midnight and the others and the shootouts?

14.Ace’s wife, the phone call, her staying away?

15.Ace and Wallace and their future, the discussions? Turning their back on the gangs?

16.The portrait of the other members of the gangs, relatives, guns, macho stances, the killing of the 2IC?

17.Themes of poverty, lack of opportunity, lack of education, peer pressure? Macho styles and wanting to be big men? The effect on relatives and families? An insight into the social problems of Rio?

BEFORE THE RAINS

UK/India, 2007, 98 minutes, Colour.
Linus Roache, Rahul Bose, Nandita Das, Jennifer Ehle, Leopold Benedict.
Directed by Santosh Sivan.

This is an old-fashioned film for those who are not into fast and slick action. It is reminiscent of many of the films of the 30s, 40s and 50s, often based on stories by W. Somerset Maugham, stories of colonial plantation owners, affairs with the locals and presenting a presumptuous picture of British settlement, trade and exploitation of the colonies. Before the Rains certainly does this.

The plot is developed in a rather low-key way but it is presented amid beautiful Kerala scenery. The time is 1937 and there are more than rumblings all over India for independence. In the meantime, British planters are developing roads for transport of spices for further trade benefits. The local men are given opportunity for work on the new roads – which must be built strongly and securely before the rains come.

Linus Roache portrays Henry Moores, a seemingly thoughtful man who is securing bank loans for a new road. We see him involved, quite lyrically, with his servant (Nandita Das) who is in love with him. And then we discover that he has a wife and son and that she is married, albeit to a brutal and unloving husband. When she runs away from him, expecting to be taken in by Henry Moores not only do complications ensue but tragedy for her.

Further complications arise because of the unwilling involvement of Moore’s British-school educated foreman, T.K. (a sympathetic Rahul Bose) who has to face a moral decision in giving information to the village elders, led by his father. He undergoes a traditional ritual like a medieval ordeal to test whether he is telling the truth or not.

The tragedy reveals the lack of moral courage and integrity in Moores and the dismay of his wife (Jennifer Ehle).

This means that the familiar enough story serves as an allegory of the British presence in India and other colonies. They are dominant when they are in control but exploit both the land and the people (including sexually). They cannot face up to their responsibilities and should be ousted.

Before the Rains was directed by renowned Indian cinematographer Sandosh Sivan who also wrote and directed the thriller, The Terrorist (1999).

1.The world of the 1930s? The British Empire, colonial attitudes? Somerset Maugham’s stories of colonial exploiters, affairs?

2.The 1930s and 40s style, melodrama, sexuality, violence?

3.The Kerola locations, the beauty, the village, the colonial house, the building of the road, the mountains and river, the musical score?

4.The title, indication of drama, hopes, the seasons, the monsoons and rains, floods and destruction? The end and the coming of the rain? A deluge for Henry Moores?

5.1937, India, Kerola, the plantations, the roads, spices? People with British education? The village workers? Traditions and law, justice? The British police and the local police?

6.Anti-British sentiment, the teacher, his speeches, the students, lying down in front of vehicles for protest, protests in the village, demonstrations? Vocalising opposition to Britain?

7.Harry Moores and his life, the building of the road, the loan from the bank, his very British background, the people at the club, the local workers? His friendship with T.K., relying on him? Well organised? Prosperous on the surface? His final hard work, seeming success?

8.Sanjani and Henry’s bond with her? The drive, her hiding, getting the honey, the nature of the affair? T.K. bringing her home? Her home, her husband, his violence, her eventually leaving him? Taking refuge at the house? T.K. and his putting her on the boat, the money from Henry? Her dismay, her return, desperation, nowhere to go? Getting the gun, killing herself?

9.T.K. and his education, the criticisms of his father, the traditions of the village, his work, loyalty to Henry, the foreman of the making of the road? His love for Sanjani? Her brother? Taking her away, putting her on the boat, her return, Henry and the gift of the gun, Sanjani’s death? His helping Henry to sink the body in the river?

10.Laura and her return with Peter? The British holiday, their home in the colonies, their way of life, Henry’s deceit? Sanjani and her work, her disappearance, Laura’s concern? The brother and his search? Laura offering to help? The realisation of what had happened? Her spurning Henry, leaving him? The pain for him and his bond with his son?

11.Henry and his lies, a weak man, the group coming to search the house? T.K. and his letting him be arrested?

12.The two boys, at the waterfall at the beginning, the river, discovering the body? People’s reaction, the ceremonial burning of the body? The suspicions on T.K. because of the gun? His arrest? Henry letting him go? The trial in the village, his declaration of the truth, his being put through the traditional ordeal, the heating of the spoon, his tongue on the spoon? His being proven innocent? His being persuaded by his father to tell the truth?

13.The men away from building the road, the search for Sanjani’s body, their return? The police interrogating Henry? His lies? Going to the club, the withdrawal of the money? Going back to work? T.K. confronting him, the gun, letting him live? Henry losing everything?

14.T.K., the traditions, the justice and his being forced to confront Henry with the gun?

15.The allegory of colonialism, authorities, the police, the plantations, the work, the club, the work of the native-born, violence and exploitation, everything being undone – and the consequences?

PIGALLE

France, 1994, 93 minutes, Colour.
Vera Briole, Frances Renaud, Raymond Gil, Blanca Li.
Directed by Kareem Dridi.

Pigalle is a short film about the district in the city of Paris, the district of the Moulin Rouge and better known for being a rather seedy section of Paris. This film highlights this. Rather dark, literally, in its presentation, it shows a world of clubs, brothels, prostitutes, transvestites, drug dealers. It is very grim indeed.

The film focuses on four characters who interaction with each other but are also victims of pimps and drug dealers. When two of them are murdered, one of the transvestites is to be set up to become a hit-man to avenge them on behalf of the drug lords.

Vivid in its detail, a picture of an ugly and amoral and immoral world.

1.A portrait of Pigalle, the experience of Pigalle, the perspective of the film?

2.The location photography, the streets, the clubs, night scenes? The musical score?

3.The title and expectations, life in Pigalle, the range of people there, involved in vice industries, struggles for survival?

4.The pessimism of the film, people trapped in this world, prostitution and drugs? Any way out?

5.The focus on Fifi, the boy and their friendship, the robberies? His attraction to Vera? To Divine? To Pacho and Malfait? To Polo? Sexual behaviour, prostitution, drugs? Relationships? The power exercised over him, the incitation to violence, to be persuaded to be a hit-man?

6.The shop, Fernande, his relationship with Fifi and Vera? Customs? Elegant Roger and the guns? The clients? Sexuality?

7.Vera, her life, the pimp in charge of her, Gypsy Jesus? As a performer, avoiding being a prostitute? Divine’s death? The rape, her being persuaded to work on Fifi to become a hit-man? Revenge?

8.Fifi and grief, the rape, Fernande? The shooting? Prison?

9.The drug lords, the customers, the moving of drugs, exercises of power?

10.The world of sexuality, heterosexuality, homosexuality, points in between? Transsexuals, transvestites? Part of the underbelly of Paris?

11.The tourists and the clients, their curiosity, exploitation?

12.The moral perspective of the film – a portrait, withdrawing judgment on innocent victims, judgment on exploiters?

JAMES DEAN

US, 2001, 95 minutes, Colour.
James Franco, Michael Moriarty, Valentina Cervi, Enrico Colentoni, Edward Herrmann, Joanna Linville, John Pleshette, Barry Primus, David Proval, Samuel Gould, Amy Rydell, Mark Rydell.
Directed by Mark Rydell.

James Dean is one of several films about the famed actor of the 1950s who died tragically in 1955 in a car accident. He appeared in three films as a star: East of Eden, Rebel Without a Cause, Giant. They are still some of the most significant Hollywood films of the 1950s.

James Franco won a Golden Globe award for his performance as James Dean. There is a slight resemblance and he recreates the character and his life and work quite credibly. Michael Moriarty won an Emmy for his role as Dean’s father from whom he was alienated. The film is peopled with a number of real-life directors and stars including a potential relationship with Pier Angeli, work with Elia Kazan and Raymond Massey in East of Eden, work with Nicholas Ray in Rebel Without a Cause. Mark Rydell, the director (The Rose, On Golden Pond) appears as Jack Warner.

Many people commented that the film was not entirely accurate about the details of Dean’s life. Rather, it is an interpretation.

1.Audience interest in James Dean? His reputation after many decades? A cult and mystique about him, as a star, his films, his love of cars, speed and his death? Raising the question, what if he had lived?

2.The film as made for television, its television style?

3.The film about a film, the portrait of actors, auditions, a study of acting, ambitions and pressures? The issue of personal life of a star? Relationships, sexuality? Dean and the background of Method Acting?

4.The scenes of making East of Eden, his relationship with director Elia Kazan? The interviews, the scenes with Raymond Massey? With Julie Harris? The influence of Jack Warner? The build-up to the premiere? Nicholas Ray and the stars for Rebel Without a Cause, the fight scene? George Stevens and the moods and arguments for Giant? The image of his father, the oil? Jack Warner’s interest in him, happy after the success of East of Eden, the conracts? Love-hate relationship? The suddenness of his death?

5.The variety of characters and film stars and directors including Daniel Mann, Geraldine Page and a young Martin Landau? The names, the filming of The Silver Chalice?

6.The portrait of James Dean as a little boy, love for his mother, her illness, the poems, his father? His mother’s death and the funeral? The farewell? Going to Indiana? With his relations? The bike, growing up, going to California? His father and his wife? Wanting to act? His father’s distance from him, alienation? His being by himself, with Martin Landau, going to New York? Christine White and the audition? The glasses, eating? Television and the litter – and the phone call to his father? The play, the meeting with Kazan?

7.The relationship with Pier Angeli, Pier Angeli’s mother and her interference, the relationship, marriage and issues?

8.Elia Kazan as a father figure, fame, going to the hills, truth and the effect? The talk?

9.The portrait of Dean’s father, in himself, the grief at his wife’s death, alienation from his son – and the fictional final meeting?

10.Dean and his love for cars, speed, with Pier Angeli, the staging of his death?

11.Dean’s achievement, a Hollywood icon, the strength of his talent, his method and style, his being a rebel image, his personal life, selfishness, bisexuality, the hurt that he experienced, that he inflicted? The impact of a short life?

RED CORNER

US, 1997, 122 minutes, Colour.
Richard Gere, Bai Ling, Bradley Whitford, Byron Mann, Peter Donat, Robert Stanton, James Hong.
Directed by Jon Avnet.

Red Corner is a popular and quite entertaining thriller with a very serious underlying issue. An entertainment lawyer is caught up in a Beijing political conspiracy and accused of murder. Chinese law and Chinese courts are not what he is used to and he is frustrated trying to prove his innocence. The state appointed defense lawyer is unsympathetic.

Richard Gere relies on his screen charm for eliciting our concern. But Bai Ling as the lawyer gives a more skilled performance and embodies for us the dilemmas of a state-controlled trial, her memories of the Cultural Revolution and the desire to take a stand for human rights. An elaborately staged chase sequence turns the drama into action melodrama so that the result is a film which looks at Asian issues through Western eyes and opts for an emotive identification rather than a thoughtful one. Human rights action thriller.

1.An interesting thriller? The Chinese setting? The relationship between China and the US by the late 1990s? Subsequent changes? The developments of the media in China? The portrayal of Chinese law and its administration? Racial prejudice? The criticisms of China – and the fact that Richard Gere is a supporter of the Dalai Lama?

2.The re-creation of the atmosphere of China, of Beijing City? The musical score?

3.The title, its ironies?

4.The introduction to the theme, Jack Moore and his visit to China, his work with the media, American business and global enterprises, the setting up of satellite television stations? The attitude of the Chinese? Jack Moore as a person, the meetings, the discussions, the meeting with the model, going to the hotel, the sexual encounter? His waking up, finding her dead?

5.The world of companies, the personalities in the companies, money and deals? China’s changing? The framework for violence?

6.Richard Gere as Jack, his skills, the deals, the discussions, the celebration? The encounter with the girl, the sexual encounter, the set-up and the framing? The explanations of what had happened – satisfactory solution to the mystery?

7.Jack’s arrest, his being imprisoned, the treatment, Chinese law, the interrogations? The general and the daughter? The restrictions? Wanting a confession?

8.The personnel from the United States, the embassy, the limitations of their help, the needs for diplomacy?

9.The court sequences, the difficulties of language? The president, the advocate? Jack referred to as ‘the accused Moore’? The loss in sound and translation? The handcuffs? The plea?

10.The introduction of Shen Yuelin as the lawyer? Her background, memories of the cultural revolution, her experience of Chinese life and society? Her use of English? The clashes, the severity? The keeping of face, private morality? Sex partners? Alcohol in China?

11.Jack, his experience, helpless, the frustration, the memories, piecing together what happened? The people who helped?

12.The development of the case, the revelation of the framing, the effect on Jack, on Shen Yuelin?

13.A satisfactory ending, the perspective from the United States, the perspective from China? The seen in the retrospect of developments in relationships with China, the Olympic Games and the 21st century?

DR MONICA

US, 1934, 64 minutes, Black and white.
Kay Francis, Warren William, Jean Muir.
Directed by William Keighly.

Dr Monica runs the length of a modern episode for a television series. In fact, the plot is very similar to this kind of episode – and is a perennial.

Kay Francis was very popular in the 1930s, especially in Warner Bros films. Here she plays a dedicated doctor who is unable to have a child. However, she takes initiatives in developing medicine and home care. Warren William plays her author husband. Jean Muir portrays a friend, a pilot.

However, it emerges that the author has had an affair with a friend who is pregnant. The doctor discovers this, has to help with the birth of the child. She tries to make the marriage work – but decides that she should go to Europe for developmental work in hospitals. On the other hand, the mother leaves a note, gives the child to the doctor, crashes into the sea. The husband, happy to have an adopted child, knows nothing of what has happened.

Direction is by William Keighly who made many films at Warner Bros including The Adventures of Robin Hood.

1.The impact of the film? Brevity? Human issues?

2.1934, black and white photography, score? The hospital, the apartments?

3.The moral issues of the film, Monica and John and their relationship, no children, his affair, the friendship with Mary? The hospital issues? The birth of the child? The mother rejecting the child? Monica supporting her? The adoption? The suicide? John not knowing about the child?

4.Monica, strong character, at the party, friendship with Mary, support, her plans for medicine? Her love for John, his writing, his going abroad? Anna and the hospital? Mary’s pregnancy, Monica’s concern? Overhearing the phone call? Farewelling John? Her upset about Mary, her being persuaded to do her duty as a doctor? The birth, encouraging Mary to feed the baby? John’s return, not telling him the truth, going away with him, the plan to go to Austria, to separate? Mary’s death? The baby, Monica’s love for the baby? The adoption?

5.Mary, the pilot, from the country, the relationship with John, her upset, at the party? Flying home, the horse riding – and her pregnancy? The confinement, trying to ring John? The birth, her rejection, Monica knowing, the note, the suicide?

6.John, his writing, self-assured, the relationship with Mary, deceiving Monica? Abroad, writing? Renewing his love for Monica, their week together? The adoption?

7.Anna, friendship, trying to reconcile people?

8.The TV episode kind of story, the treatment, 30s-style? In retrospect?

ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE

UK, 1969, 133 minutes, Colour.
George Lazenby, Diana Rigg, Telly Savalas, Bernard Lee, Lois Maxwell, George Barker.
Directed by Peter Hunt.

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is a notorious James Bond film – especially as it is the only film starring Australian George Lazenby. After five films with Sean Connery, Connery wanted to opt out of the role – though he did return for Diamonds are Forever in 1971 (and an alternate Bond film in 1983, Never Say Never Again).

George Lazenby is genial but doesn’t have the style or panache of Sean Connery – and seems a little wooden in comparison (though many said Roger Moore was rather wooden in his performance).

The film is not as well written as the other films although it keeps to Ian Fleming’s story in large part. The first half of the film tends to be rather too much dialogue-plotted. The latter part of the film is mainly action.

Diana Rigg, just after her success on television in The Avengers, is the leading lady whom James Bond eventually marries. Gabriele Ferzetti is her father. This time Blofeld is played by Telly Savalas. The first part of the film has action centring on a health clinic in the alps – with a number of British starlets of the time (including Joanna Lumley). The sequences of skiing, car chases through the snow, tobogganing are quite effective. Perhaps this is because the director of the film was Peter Hunt, the second director on several of the earlier films and later a director of some action features with Sylvester Stallone and Charles Bronson.

1.The sixth James Bond film? The tradition of the films, of Ian Fleming’s novels? The films during the 60s, espionage, action, Blofeld and SPECTRE? This film as spectacular, the mountain locations? The musical score, the songs, the James Bond theme?

2.George Lazenby as James Bond, success or not? Why?

3.The locations, the Swiss Alps, the Swiss cities? The action in the mountains, skiing, toboggans? The special effects?

4.The dramatic emphasis in the first half, action in the second half? Audience interest in the plot, the villain, Bond’s romance with Tracy?

5.James Bond and his work, style, M as his control, put off the job, his holiday searching for Blofeld? His going to Sir Hilary, explanation about coats of arms? Blofeld as a count? Learning from Sir Hilary, impersonating him, the Sherlock Holmes look, weary after his travel, his going to the anti-allergies centre, the girls, the discipline, his breaking it, going to the girls’ rooms?

6.M and his role, putting Bond off the case, confirming his mission? The flirting with Miss Moneypenny? Q? Sir Hilary and the aspects of coats of arms and lineage?

7.Telly Savalas as Blofeld, appearance, accent? The clinic, his style, strict rules, his plot for getting power, control of the women by his voice?

8.Tracy, meeting Bond, their initial clash? Her father, his criminal activity? His role? Discussions with Bond, friendship, proposing that Bond marry Tracy? Meeting Tracy again, their being together, her falling in love? Her absence for a length of the film? Her return, Blofeld taking her? Her father and Bond and the rescue? Her being tough, the pursuits?

9.The Blofeld staff? The strong Germanic woman? Her underling? The welcome to Bond? The discussions at the table? Her being in the girl’s bed? Unmasking Bond? The trap, Bond imprisoned, his escape?

10.Bond on the cable car, the pursuits, car, ski, toboggan? The final chase with Blofeld – and his being held in the tree branch?

11.The build-up to the wedding, the happiness, Tracy, Bond, everyone at the wedding? The theme song and the repetition: All the Time in the World?

12.The shock of Tracy being shot, Blofeld and the Germanic woman in the car? The sadness of the ending of the film?

13.How effective as a Bond film? Now seen in retrospect?

YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE

UK, 1967, 115 minutes, Colour.
Sean Connery, Donald Pleasence, Charles Gray, Bernard Lee, Lois Maxwell, Desmond Llewellyn.
Directed by Lewis Gilbert.

You Only Live Twice is one of Ian Fleming’s most serious novels. It is one of his later works, focusing (as in several other of his novels) on an aspect of the Seven Deadly Sins. This one is sloth – accidie, the vice of indolence associated with a weariness of life and suicide, prevalent in Japan. Blofeld is an embodiment of this sloth. However, this is mainly eliminated from the film which concentrates on action and the basic plot of the novel.

The film anticipates 2001: A Space Odyssey by a year but shows the effect of space exploration of the 1960s. It is also a film of the Cold War, the clash between the US and the Soviet Union with attempts at the UK to mediate.

The first four James Bond films followed the novels more closely. This film indicates a widening of popular appeal, locations especially in Japan, with more spectacular action. This was the last of Sean Connery’s James Bonds in the initial series. George Lazenby appeared in the next, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service with Connery doing Diamonds are Forever in 1971.

The film was also interesting in its presentation of martial arts on screen, quite extensive before the popularity of Bruce Lee and martial arts films in the early 1970s. The film also uses a Ninja attack for its climax.

As with the other James Bond films, the climax is with Bond infiltrating the secret lair of the arch-villain, a down to the final second stopping the destruction of the world.

The theme, by John Barry, sung by Nancy Sinatra, is one of the most popular of the James Bond songs.

1.James Bond in the 1960s, action, espionage, representing the United Kingdom, his personal reputation?

2.Sean Connery as James Bond, Scots accent, style, tough, his drinks shaken not stirred, his relationship with women, the quips?

3.M and his role, the control, Miss Moneypenny and the flirting, Q and the various gadgets? Audiences expecting this?

4.The musical score, the theme song, the credits and the tone? The James Bond musical theme?

5.Space, the exploration in the 1960s, rockets? The Soviet Union and America and the rivalry? The role of the United Kingdom? A film before the moon landing? Issues of power, wealth? The siting of the film in Japan? The film’s credibility concerning rockets, war, ransoms? Blofeld as the arch-villain?

6.The title, James Bond and his dying in Hong Kong, the shooting, the newspaper reports, the burial at sea, his being saved, going to the submarine, M and his mission? Blofeld quoting the title for Bond?

7.The mission, the time element, Blofeld and his control, going to Japan, the girls, the office of Osatu? The European femme fatale? Osatu and his orders to kill, the sexual relationship with Bond? Plotting with her? Her flying the plane?

8.Tiger, his role in Japan, his assistant, Tiger’s aplomb, his work, supporting Bond? His various assistants and their help? With the cars, the escape?

9.The plan with Bond as Japanese fishermen, his wife, in the village, the work, the diving?

10.The volcano, Q and his small helicopter, the surveillance, the chase, Bond firing the variety of weapons at the planes? His “wife” and her getting back to Tiger, the message about the volcano?

11.Blofeld, stroking the cat, his underlings, the pool with the piranha, the woman and her death, his shooting Osatu, his henchman and Bond pushing him into the piranha pool? Blofeld and his eyes, his power hunger?

12.The Ninja, martial arts on screen during the 1960s and 70s, the fights, the techniques, the final attack? The range of training?

13.The rockets, going into space, devouring the American and Soviet rockets? The confrontation between Bond and Blofeld, the countdown, the staff, the technicians?

14.The final fights, Tiger and the attack, the Ninjas, the deaths, the battles? The US at the ready to attack the USSR? Bond and the last moment saving the world?

15.The ending, the submarine?

16.Using Ian Fleming’s basic plot – but not developing the deeper meanings about the deadly sins? This screenplay was written by novelist Roald Dahl.

BEDTIME STORIES

US, 2008, 96 minutes, Colour.
Adam Sandler, Keri Russell, Guy Pearce, Courtney Cox, Richard Griffiths, Jonathan Price, Lucy Lawless.
Directed by Adam Shankman.

The word that some reviewers use to describe this kind of off-beat comedy which, if you are in the mood and get caught up in it, is 'a hoot'. It is not for the curmudgeonly or those who would not be seen dead (let alone alive) in a multiplex.

Adam Sandler's comedy is an acquired taste – and, for the last thirteen years or so, many audiences have been happy to acquire it. The comedies are often hit and miss but that is the nature of popular comedy. Try a gag and move on to the next one.

Sandler himself has become somewhat more sympathetic, or plays more sympathetic roles than he did in his earlier 'airhead' comedies. He is now over 40 and has children. Which obviously attracted him to this story where he can play zany father-figure and still be the clown.

Speaking of attraction, he has attracted quite a large cast of actors rather than comedians, especially from the UK and Australia. The film opens with Jonathan Pryce confiding in the audience about his son, Skeeter, to whom he loves to tell bedtime stories. He manages a hotel, or, rather, he does his best which, business-wise, is not good enough. And the buyer, the rotundly eccentric Richard Griffiths, does not honour his promise to make Skeeter a manager when he grows up. Instead, he is the local handyman.

His rival for a try at persuading the owner to give him the job is the supremely arrogant, without-a-moment-of-self-doubt, ambitious Guy Pearce, obviously enjoying himself playing a hiss the villain prig. He is aided and abetted by Lucy Lawless as the hotel receptionist. Skeeter, on the other hand is aided and abetted by Russell Brand, a hotel waiter, doing his shtick of obnoxious behaviour and amusingly literate talk. And there is the boss's Paris Hilton-like daughter, flirtatious and seemingly the princess of the piece (Australian Teresa Palmer). But, of course, she isn't.

Oh, the plot and the hoot content. When Skeeter's sister, Courtney Cox, has to travel away for a job interview, Skeeter has to look after her little children who have been brought up environmentally correctly. Skeeter takes babystitting in turns with his sister's best friend, Keri Russell. Needless to say, the kids are introduced to burgers and fries, television and all that they should not eat or do. They also possess a scene-stealing guinea pig called Bugsy because of his large, gazing eyes (the guinea pig is real but his eyes are special effects!).

When Skeeter tells the kids bedtime stories, and they intervene with plot details, the stories are variations of Skeeters' struggles with this rival and, the best part, is that they come alive: in medieval times, in the wild west, in ancient Greece and in space, parodying all those kinds of films, with all the cast included in the story to amusing effect. Then, they have a twist fulfilment in real life.

Sandler is genial. His friend Rob Schneider makes some funny appearances as he usually does in Sandler's films. The romance works out. The hotel is renovated (though that is too stylish a word). The villains get their comeuppance but more nicely than not. A critic walking out of the cinema said that it was his worst film of the year. Objectively, he was quite wrong!

1.Adam Sandler comedies, the jokes, the characters, this film as family-friendly?

2.The introduction, Skeeter’s father, a good man, genial, running the hotel, love for his son, hopes, the guests, his inability with money, telling his son stories? The stories coming to life? Skeeter inheriting his father’s skill with stories?

3.Mr Nottingham and his takeover, the leering type, his promise to Skeeter’s father, the father’s death? Skeeter growing up, Adam Sandler’s style? Doing odd jobs, maintenance, relationship with the customers, their demands? Mr Nottingham and his television, Mr Nottingham? and his being fastidious, health conscious and germ conscious? His rival and his manner, the ‘hiss the villain’ type?

4.Skeeter as a personality, his relationship with his sister, her political correctness, her children, his mistaking the names for the boy and the girl, bringing the gifts? The school closing? His sister a school principal, her going interstate for the interview, wanting to leave the children with him, Jill and her help? Skeeter and his having to cope?

5.Mr Nottingham, in himself, Richard Griffiths’ appearance and style, manner of speaking? Ambitions for the hotel? Expanding? The school property and its closure? His relationship with the daughter, her being spoilt, his prospective son-in-law, the plans for the new manager? The daughter and her Paris Hilton style and manner?

6.The manager, as a villain, his treatment of people, arrogant, tasting the food, his ambitions, his flirtation with the woman at Reception? The challenge for the job?

7.The children, their upbringing, their lack of experience of hamburgers etc? Their friendship with Jill? Wary of Skeeter, his beginning to tell the stories, their listening, entering into them, altering the stories?

8.The stories coming to life: the characters being in all of them, each character representing real life? The real-life parallels? The mediaeval story, the Greek story and the chariot race, the western and the rescue, the space adventure?

9.The parallels with Skeeter’s life, his rivalry, with Jill? The elements entering into his real life – the gumballs and the rain, the paparazzi with Mr Nottingham’s? daughter…? The children and their influence on the stories?

10.The children, going to school, the outing, going to the hotel, enjoying the hotel, his sister’s return, her motives for leaving the children with Skeeter, expanding their horizons?

11.Jill, her studies, the clashes with Skeeter, looking after the kids, the change of heart, going out with Skeeter, liking him, her different roles in the stories? Heroine and romance?

12.The plan, the presentation, the rival and his drama with the Hollywood musicals? The response?

13.Skeeter, his voice and tongue(, his speech, everybody listening, wanting a hotel for families and the family experience?

14.Skeeter's success, getting the job? The information about the school, reporting Skeeter to the board? Jill turning against him?

15.The town council, the scene with the dinner, the women from schooldays and their memories, his going to the supervisor, his friend the supervisor, her decision against Mr Nottingham?

16.The new hotel, nice for families, the receptionist and the rival being the servants?

17.A blend of comedy, fantasy – and Americana messages?