JOUR DE FETE

France, 1947, 76 minutes, Black and white/Colour.
Jacques Tati.
Directed by Jacques Tati.

Jour de Fete is a comedy by Jacques Tati. While he had written and acted in some films in the 1930s, his breakthrough in France as well as internationally came with this film.

The film is a portrait of a simple postman, who is teased by the people in the village but does not recognise it. When they make him drunk on a feast day and get him to watch a film about American postal delivery methods, he tries them out himself – with little more success than his teasing friends anticipated. His attempts provide an opportunity for Tati’s particular brand of comedy, gentle satire, slapstick satire – often wordless. Tati himself was a master of mime.

After this he went on to make a number of classics: M’sieur Hulot’s Holiday, Mon Oncle, Playtime, Traffic.

Jour de Fete was made with a particular colour process, Thomson Colour, which went out of use before the film was released. Tati’s daughter restored Jour de Fete to its original colour during the 1990s when the film was re-released.

1. The quality of Jacques Tati's comedy? This film as showing its origins, the French tone and style, social awareness and observation, the humour concerning the individual as well as the group, the focus on humorous situations and their detail, visual jokes? The quality and strength of the observation, the good-natured observation as well as the mirroring of folly? The appeal of this film?

2. The quality of the film as a first feature, the skill in direction, photography, editing, the acting? Its capacity to entertain over the decades?

3. Black and white photography, the atmosphere of the village of St. Severe? The people, the way of life, day and night, the day of the fair, the aftermath? The animals and their being symbols for the people? The editing and the pace and the technical flair of the film?

4. The presentation of the town itself, the audience being able to identify characters and situations, identifying with them? The structure of the setting up of the fair, the day of enjoyment, the involvement of the postman and his being the centre of attention, the aftermath in the evening and the packing up of the fair? The audience participating in the day? The old lady and the goat and her observations, her recurring presence and its significance? The cafe and the wet paint, the proprietor and his reactions to people, the showmen and their setting things up, the conduct of the fair, eyeing the girl on the balcony? The shooting galleries, the merry-go-round? The postman and his assistant within this context? How pleasant an observation of a short time in a French provincial town?

5. How accurate the portrait of the people, seeing them at work, enjoying themselves, happy, angry, cranky, drunk etc.?

6. Jacques Tati's performance as Francois? His first appearance as postman, his bike, going into the cafe and out again? His awkwardness, sighs? How funny a character, what was being mocked in his portrayal, yet the hero of the film?

7. Francois as the postman, his work, his bike and all the comedy with the bike as a machine to be ridden and to be fought with, humorous incidents such as his saluting? A strong personality while awkward, kindly?

8. The humour at the expense of the United States with the presentation of the postman in America? The humorous usage of film footing with the dubbed- commentary about the post? What was the film saying about America, the contrast with Europe? The spectacular aspects of America, speed?

9. Francois and his watching the film, everybody's comments and the effect that they had? The irony of this?

10. How effective was the filming of the night sequence - Francois in the cafe, drinking? Ten minutes of the film taken up with the night sequence with the comedy and the bike?

11. The change of atmosphere with the next day, Francois waking up with the train, his humorous emulating of American efforts? The portrait of the post office, the sorting the letters on the back of the truck, his speed, delivery? The visual humour of the long sequence of his delivering the mail and its culmination in the river?

12. How valuable is this kind of observation of human beings? Gentle mockery? Gentle self-acceptance through humour?

JOURNEY AMONG WOMEN

Australia, 1977, 93 minutes, Colour.
Jeune Prichard, Nell Campbell, Diana Fuller, Jude Kuring, Lisa Peers, Ralph Cotteril.
Directed by Tom Cowan.

Journey Among Women: an unappealing film which raises many questions about Australian history, our heritage, women's status and man-woman relationships. Taking us back to an isolated and squalid convict group of women, showing a basic equalizing of well-to-do and oppressed, portraying their capacity to survive, excelling in expected masculine skills and symbolically aided by an aboriginal woman to cope with the Australian bush, the film makes us admit that history is not always nice, nor are human beings and their use and abuse of each other. Often striking and beautiful to watch as well as depressing, the film is not always technically tidy. But this is a male response to the journey.

1. How enjoyable a film, interesting? Its particular qualities?

2. Interest in and impact for an Australian audience, non-Australian? How much knowledge of history was presupposed? How much feeling for Australian themes treatment?

3. Impact for a masculine audience. feminine? The response of women who were very much pro-Women's Liberation? A fair treatment of men and women?

4. The significance of the title? The significance of the journey as real and symbol, the journey amongst the women themselves made by the audience? By Elizabeth? By the audience identifying with Elizabeth? 'With the pursuing soldiers?

5. The importance of the colour, the bush location photography, the contrast with the convict squalor and the natural beauty? The 19th century costumes and period locations? The blending of beauty and ugliness, isolation and groups, pioneering and surviving, prison and freedom, attitudes towards prison and freedom? A visual presentation of an aspect of the Australian heritage?

6. The portrayal of men and women and the relationship between them? A 19th century presentation as viewed by a 20th century screenwriter and director, by a 20th century audience? How particularly Australian the presentation of men and women and their relationship? The British heritage. British rejects in a foreign and isolated distant prison? How universal was the presentation of men and women? This group and their journey as a symbol for universal application? What did the audience learn by this symbolic presentation? About the equality of men and women, the inferiority of women? Man's treatment of woman? Audience expectations of the behaviour of men and women and their relationships? As contrasting with the expectations of the characters in the film?

7. The impact of the initial setting: the bush, the soldiers, Elizabeth preparing to be dressed? The contrast with the novel in which the women were prisoners, the filth, their grovelling for food, the sexuality and brutality, the background of crime and condemnation, social outcasts? The impact of so many women in the group and the audience understanding them and knowing them as individuals? Their characters and impact as individuals, the effect of the women on each other? Their lack of expectations of good treatment, survival. brutality from the soldiers? Was their bitterness comprehensible, their hopelessness, their determination to escape? How real did this portrayal seem? Historically accurate?

8. The contrast with the soldiers, the men chosen for this kind of work, the types who would volunteer and survive in it? Survival, power, abuse of power, domination of the women, lack of supervision, brutal sexuality? Bribing the women? The shook that even the hopeful leader was as bad as his men? He was exalted as a possible pioneer of the country but was degraded by his behaviour? The soldiers' use and abuse of the women?

9. Audience identification with Elizabeth? Her place in Australia, her place in an isolated society, with manners and behaviour? The elaborate preparations for her dressing, washing, her maid? Elizabeth as a lady, her manner, relationship with her father? The visit of the doctor and his piano playing, proposals? Her compassion, her visit to the convicts? Her experience of the colony and her hopes for the future? The prospects of freedom and marriage? Her visit to the convicts, the importance of her compassion for the maid and her sister, the shook of seeing her suitor abusing the convicts? The horror of the leading officer trying to rape? was it comprehensible that she should shoot him? The symbolic shooting of her suitor? The inevitability of her joining the women?

10. The film's symbolizing of the men as pursuers, men with power, soldiers, firearms, domination and lack of freedom? Their search? The portrayal of the men whose boat was taken by the women and their courteous treatment? The two tinkers and their abusive attitude? Their raping and murder of the girl later in the film? The bloodthirsty violence of their death? An execution? The men coming on the women and trying to dominate and capture them? The leader and his strategy, the ordinary soldiers and their violence, their being ambushed and killed? Women dominating men, violently?

11. How important was the journey of the women? The fact that it was a group of women convicts going on the journey, surviving? The dramatic impact of their escape, their taking of the boat, their encounter with the tinkers, their moving through beautiful landscapes and wanting to be free, to hope for some kind of settlement? Their hopes and dreams of a place to settle? Their experience of the heat, eating and drinking, survival capacity? The temptation to despair? The building of the hut, their learning how to hunt, the rituals for the funeral of the murdered girl, painting themselves? The bonds between them, their social and educational backgrounds? Intellectual approach to their survival, instinctive and emotional? Their relationships amongst themselves, emotional sexual? The various pairings and liaising? The effect on each of them of freedom, survival and relationship? The importance of Elizabeth within this context and the equalizing of the women? The emphasis on nudity and their equality? dirt, washing, the equal work? Elizabeth compassionate and understanding? Their fear that she would betray them?

12. The importance of the aboriginal girl and her presence? Realism, symbolic? The equality of women, no matter what race or class? Sharing, communicating, the happiness? The importance that the black woman taught the educated white women how to survive, to build a house? Racial equality themes and their treatment? The newcomers learning from the original Australians?

13. The build-up of Elizabeth's presence in the group? The contrast by editing of scenes at home, with her suitor, with the doctor? Elizabeth and her remaining with the group and the sudden presence of the soldiers? Being confronted naked. the confrontation of the two and the bitterness behind Elizabeth's attitude? Her decision to return, the effect on her when she returned? How would her life be the same, different?

14. The build-up to the siege? The motivation of the soldiers? The motivation of the women to repel them? The primitive warrior style that they took on? The resistance techniques and ambushing and sniping? Their defying the men and outwitting them? The violence of the killings?

15. The effect of all this on Elizabeth? The further history of Australia through Elizabeth and her descendants in the light of this background? Women's heritage in Australia?

16. The value of the themes explored? The value of the visual presentation?

JEDDA

Australia, 1955, 101 minutes, Colour.
Ngarla (Rose) Kunoth, Robert Tudawali, Betty Sutter.
Directed by Charles Chauvel.

Jedda was the first film made by an Australian director in colour. It was made by Charles Chauvel with his wife Elsa, pioneer directors from the 20s with such films as Heritage, Sons of Matthew. Charles Chauvel died a few years after making Jedda.

The film starred Mary Rose Kunoth, who later became a nun and a political activist. The star was Robert Tudawali. In the 1980s, Steve Joddrell directed a feature film about Robert Tudawali starring Ernie Dingo. Frank Wilson portrayed Charles Chauvel. This film showed the tribal origins of Tudawali, the effect of filming Jedda, the aftermath and his drinking and his being used for political purposes in the Northern Territory.

Jedda is a classic tragic story – with more than a touch of the operatic about it, especially in the Northern Territory settings, the beautiful ochre-coloured backgrounds for the action. It shows Jedda living with a family, her being lured to walkabout by the attraction of the tribal man. They are pursued, the film ends melodramatically on a clifftop and in tragedy and death.

Jedda was not such a box office success on its first release, Australian audiences not being accustomed to watching films about Aboriginal issues (which was the case into the 70s and the box office failure of Fred Schepisi’s The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith). By the 1980s and 1990s, with many more films on these themes, the topic was acceptable. Bruce Beresford made The Fringe Dwellers in 1986, Philip Noyce, who had made the short feature Backroads with activist Gary Foley in 1977, made Rabbit-Proof? Fence which was a success in 2002. Other films on Aboriginal themes released that year included Black and White, The Tracker, Australian Rules, Beneath the Clouds.
1. Interesting, entertaining? Its impact in the '50s? Later? Its importance in the portrayal of aborigines in the Australian film industry?

2. The tradition of treatment of aborigines in films? Subordinate roles? The 'enemy'? The questions of comparisons of civilisation? Treatment since the '50s? During the '70s and '80s? The film as an important watershed in the portrayal of aborigines?

3. The work of Charles Chauvel? His nationalism? Sense of the history of Australia? His epic touch? The range of his interests? This film as a climax to his career? His contribution to Australian cinema?

4. The quality of the colour photography? The first colour film by an Australian company? The use of light, bright colours? Authentic location photography? The desert and its colours? The desert bush? The mountains, the rivers? The flora and fauna? The contrast between the cattle stations and the outback? The environment as a character - the living world of the aboriginal?

5. The importance of the landscape: its appearance, colour, life, environment, influence? Life and death? The relation to aboriginal myth, religion? Dreamtime?

6. The structure of the film in two parts: Jedda's birth and her upbringing as a white; the second part with her fascination by Marbuck and her abduction? The contrast between the two parts in presentation, dramatics, mood? The balance between the two different styles? Insight into Jedda’s experience?

7. The style of the screenplay, dialogue and bold characterisation and highlighting of situations? The operatic style of the film? Of the acting - gesture, camera shots, locations - the staging of larger-than-life events?

8. The opening in the Outback: the death of Jedda's mother, the death of Sarah McMann's child? The immediate highlighting of the white child and the black child? The dead white and the living black? The two mothers - the dead black and the living white? Grief, helplessness, help? Resentment and love? The dramatics of the situation? An image of the black and white encounters in Australia?

9. Sarah McMann?, her grief, the death of the child, reaction against the blacks, resentment and jealousy, attachment to Jedda, naming her after the bird? Her taking the place of her own child? Sarah's needs, treating Jedda as a white girl, education and culture, civilisation? Her a prior! ideas on education? Her patronising Jedda - without realising it? Refusing to let Jedda go to her own people? isolating her and not understanding her deep feelings? The worthiness and unworthiness of her motives? The eventual having to face reality? Her love for Jedda actually causing the ultimate tragedy? The portrait of an Australian outback wife? Relationship with her husband? Her managing of the household?

10. The character of Jedda: as a baby, the circumstances of her birth, growing up in a white household in a white style, the wealthy home, letters and learning, music and piano, civilised manners, English language and not learning her own traditions, heritage? Her yearnings the way these were visualised and communicated? The stirrings, passion,' the music, the language? The strain and tension in Jedda?

11. The narrative device about Jedda's growth, education, half of Jedda in two worlds? Her being in charge, work etc.?

12. The background of the Australian cattle station: details of work, the cattle, the white workers, the black?

13. The portrait of the aboriginals: their being domesticated, their domestic work around the house, the men working for the cattle? The presentation of the walkabout the shedding of clothes. the going out into the desert? White ignorance about the meaning of the walkabout, the religious significance? The arrival of Marbuck at the station and the repercussions for the aborigines? The whites?

14. The presentation of walkabout: the visuals, the significance, the comments, the women going on the walkabout, Jedda's desire to go on the walkabout?

15. Jedda and the fascination with Marbuck?, Looking at him, watching him, her imagination, her wandering the bush, her being taken by him, her willingness and unwillingness? The transition in the dramatic structure of the film in her association with Marbuck and her being abducted? Robert Tudawali's strength and presence as Marbuck? The silent aboriginal? The strong masculine type? A potential hero - or villain? The way that he was filmed, like an icon, statue? A passionate man? The symbol of aboriginal traditions?

16. The dramatics of the fire, the panic? The repercussions of the fire? The news about Marbuck, the assumption that he had abducted Jedda? The rounding up of the posse and the chase?

17. The flight and chase structure of the second part of the film: the antagonism between Marbuck and Jedda? Their inability to communicate by language, the communication by gesture? Jedda's fear? The range of terrain through which they passed, the desert, the sand, the river. the crocodiles and Marbuck's fight with the crocodile - a symbol of the heroics and the protection of Jedda? Marbuck's skill in eluding the posse? The arrival at the mountains, the climbing of the mountains? His ability to deceive his pursuers?

18. Marbuck's arrival amongst his tribe? His status? His reputation as a killer? The elders and their council? Disapproval of Marbuck? The men condemning him, the women and their disapproval? The pointing of the bone and its effect on Marbuck? The women and the violent attack on Jedda?

19. Jedda's fear. her being taken back into her traditional world? The fascination with Marbuck? Her having to rely on him? For survival? His ability to save her and give her sustenance in the desert? The condemnation by the tribe and its effect on her? The build-up to the sexual encounter? The sacredness as well as the violence in the sexual encounter? The impact for Jedda?

20. The counterpoint of the pursuit of the posse? The white men pursuing the black? Their antagonism towards him? Wanting to protect Jedda? Their being tricked by Marbuck? The growing closer and eventual arrival? Their discovery of the tragedy?

21. Marbuck gradually growing madder? The effect of the pointing of the bone? His inability to cope? Jedda as his victim? The operatic climax at the edge of the cliff, the tragic pair dying falling from the cliff?

22. The tragic elements in the story? Symbol of the interaction between black and white, the repercussions of the aboriginal girl trained in white ways and becoming the victim of the traditional black? How pessimistic the story and its message? Indications for relationships between black and white?

JEEPERS CREEPERS 2

US, 2003, 104 minutes, Colour.
Ray Wise, Jonathan Breck, Eric Nenninger, Nicki Aycox, Justin Long.
Directed by Victor Salva.

Jeepers Creepers was a very successful horror film of 2001, giving new life to the horror genre, especially people being pursued on the open road. The film focused on a brother and sister travelling home being pursued by a mysterious creature, called the Creeper (Jonathan Brack). The film created its atmosphere of horror on the road as well as in caverns under the ground where corpses of victims were buried. The film was written and directed by Victor Salva (Powder, The Peacemaker).

Salva has written and directed this sequel, keeping the same mysterious creature, the Creeper, again played by Jonathan Brack. This time, the victims of the Creeper are a group of university students coming home from a sports event. Like the couple in the first film, they experience trouble on the open road.

However, while he Creeper is responsible for the breakdown of the bus carrying the students, the film focuses on a farmer, played by Ray Wise (Twin Peaks) and his son who sense that they have a mission to destroy the Creeper. A mythology is created about the monster, from the dreams of one of the victims from the early film, transmitted by one of the girls – involving mysterious and apocalyptic numbers and twenty-three days for the Creeper to feed on human flesh.

There are many scares, an atmosphere of evil and fright. The film complements the original Jeepers Creepers. Star Justin Long has a cameo role in this film.

1. The unexpected popularity of the initial film? The motivation for a sequel? The initial team working on creating the sequel? Its success?

2. The popularity of this kind of horror film, the eerie mystery, the monstrous character, the people under threat, the cosmic significance - and the monster feeding on people? The group of young people in a confined situation, the bus? The chases, the threats, the deaths, the success in confronting and defeating the monster?

3. The Midwest settings, the initial farm, the barn, the bus on the road, the fields, the isolated countryside? The musical score?

4. The Creeper, reprised from the initial film? Giving him a more exotic setting, the initial information about every 23 years, the 23 days of feeding before he disappeared? (Audiences accepting this as some kind of fact.) The Creeper and his visual appearance, like a scarecrow in the field, the ability to fly through the sky, devouring, being destroyed, re-creating himself? The vindictive and vengeful nature of the monster?

5. The opening, the farm, the farmer and his two sons, the young boy and the clash with the older brother, the boy disappearing in the field and being taken by the Creeper? The effect on the brother, on the son? Their determination to get the boy back, to destroy the Creeper? Their waiting, making their own harpoon? The phone call, going to the bus (without the police) in order to confront the Creeper? The hardships of the fight with the Creeper, with the harpoons and his strength, dragging the truck, their trying to rescue some of the young people?

6. The bus and the victorious team, their interactions, the boys and their rivalries, Scott and his clash with Double D? The girls, cheerleaders, their not sitting with the boys, disgusted with their rivalries? The bus driver, the coaches? The normal trip back from the victory, the personality clashes?

7. The Creeper and the attack on the bus, the punctured tyre, the weapon? The investigation, trying to get along the road? The other tyre going? The coaches and Betty trying to help? Their being taken?

8. The young people on the bus, their fears, trying to make contact, the phone calls to the police, getting the Taggert family? The horror bringing out all the fears? The rivalries? The Creeper and his looking at individuals to take them? The reaction of the young people, Scott wanting to put the potential victims out of the bus? The reaction against him? Having to collaborate with Double D? the attacks on the bus, the ripping of the roof, the young people being locked in, ways of getting out, running through the fields? The monster taking the people in the bus? Pursuing them? The range of victims? Scott and his hostility and his being taken?

9. Minxie and her dream, the protagonist of the original film appearing to her and explaining about death? Her interpretation, her fears, her running away with the group? Her survival?

10. The build-up to the climax, the destruction of the bus, the pursuit through the fields? The arrival of the Taggerts, the harpoon, the bus? The destruction?

11. The Creeper, visually, the eyes, the scarecrow hat, the demonic nature of its evil? Its finally being destroyed?

12. Twenty-three years later, Taggert as an old man, the tourists paying their money to come and look, the Creeper pinioned on the wall - and the twenty-three years almost being up?

13. The psychological effect of watching this kind of horror thriller? Excitement? A modern bogeyman story? A visualising of subconscious fears and evil?

UN VIAGGIO CHIAMATO AMORE (A JOURNEY CALLED LOVE)

Italy, 2002, 96 minutes, Colour.
Laura Morante, Stefano Accorsi, Alessandro Haber.
Directed by Michele Placido.

A Journey Called Love is the story of a poet, Sybilla Aleramo, who lived in Italy in the early part of the 20th century. The film is based on her letters as well as the letters of her lover, Dino Campagna. The film is romantic in its tone, a portrait of people involved in an excessive and mad love – amid attractive settings and with a background of romantic literature.

The film was directed by actor Michele Placido who directed a number of films and followed A Journey Called Love with the ghostly romantic story, Where Are You as well as the portrait of Roman gangs, Romanzo Criminale.

Sybilla is played by talented Italian actress Laura Morante who has appeared as the wife in The Son’s Room. Actor Stefano Accorsi appeared in many films in Italy from the 1990s onward. He was to appear in the subsequent two films directed by Placido. He won the Best Actor award in Venice in 2002 for his performances as Dino Campagna.

1. The title, the focus on the relationship between Sibylla Aleromo and Dino Campana? Their correspondence, their meetings, their passion? The aftermath? The line from one of Campana's poems?

2. Italian literature in the 19th and 20th centuries, centred on Florence, the quality of the literature, the groupings and friendships? The heritage for all Italian literature?

3. The re-creation of the period 1916-17? The footage of World War One and the Italian troops, the campaigns? Florence and the Apennines? The city itself? The homes? The trains, the countryside? Costumes and décor? The film's attention to detail? The musical score and its operatic style? The film akin to the operas being written at that time by Puccini and Verdi?

4. The use of the letters, the voice-over? The revelation of characters? Motivations and moods? The love?

5. The focus on Sibylla, the flashbacks to her early life, her name of Rina? Age, experience, place in the family, devotion to her father, her working for him in the salt factory? Her mother, and her mother's failing mind? The meal sequences? The dinners and the dancing? The two boys? The father and the revelation of his infidelity with the widow? The mother's deterioration and attempted suicide? Her looking after the children? Her being a strong person? At the seaside, enjoying the swimming, with the children? Admired by the men? At the factory, Sebastiano and his attentions, forced, telling her the truth? Her marrying him at a young age, their son? The separation from Sebastian and his taking her son away from her?

6. The correspondence with Dino, the revelation of himself in the letters, his reputation as being mad, his experience, his antagonism towards those in Florence, their losing his manuscript, his accusations of envy? His friendship with Emilio and the letter-writing? The visit, Sibylla and the train, walking in the countryside, the restaurant, the meal, the first encounter, the walk in the mountains, his stripping naked to reveal himself? The beginning of their affair?

7. Her return to Florence, the attentions of Sebastiano, her leaving him and his anger? Her going to Leonetta and Emilio in the morning, their leaving, their giving her the house? Their discussions about Dino and his reputation? His arrival? Life in Florence, the passion between the two? The decision to go to the seaside, the fear for his health? The lyrical scenes in the water? His composing the poems? His sudden outbursts, his violence, turning against Sibylla? The landlady and her friendliness, asking them to leave?

8. Sibylla and her decision to go to his home, meeting his parents, his guardian? The explanations about him? The happy times together, the tensions, his mood swings? The creativity, their confiding in each other?

9. The progress of the war, Leonetta and her grief that Emilio had to go, her anxiety? Sibylla's return and preoccupation with herself, Leonetta's accusations? Sibylla and her finding herself in a mad passion? The background of her feminism, her novel, her writings? Her going to the literati in Florence and accusing them of envy and losing the manuscript? The background of her relationships and affairs with these writers?

10. The aftermath of the war, Emilio and his return? The visiting couple, Karen and Amedeo? Supporting Sibylla? The suddenness of Dino's arrival, their dreading it? The meal together, his giving them the presents? His remembering the poem? Sibylla and her urging him to remember the roses poem, her inability to see that she was goading him, his reactions, the violence against her?

11. The passionate relationship between the two? The love? His madness, his turning to jealousy and violence, his physical brutality towards Sibylla? The final rejection? The final letters?

12. The aftermath and his being put into the institution, dying in 1932? Sibylla and her continued work, writing, member of the Communist Party, dying in 1960? A piece of Italian history and Italian literary history?

JULIE WALKING HOME

Canada/Poland, 2002, 118 minutes, Colour.
Miranda Otto, William Fichtner, Lothaire Bluteau, Ryan Smith.
Directed by Agnieszka Holland.

Julie Walking Home was written by writer-director, Agnieszka Holland. Agnieszka Holland had begun to directs films in 1970 in her native Poland. She worked with some of the major directors in Poland including Kzrisztof Zanussi. One of her major works in Poland at the end of the 1980s was To Kill a Priest, starring Ed Harris, the story of the Solidarity Priest who was killed by the communist regime, Jerzy Popolesko.

She made films at a European level at the beginning of the 1990s including Europa, Europa and Olivier, Olivier. She then made The Secret Garden and had an entrée into British and American film-making with such films as Total Eclipse, with David Thewlis and Leonardo di Caprio as Verlaine and Rimbaud, as well as a version of Henry James’ Washington Square. She finished the 90s with an interesting exploration of faith, sainthood and the Vatican with The Third Miracle, also starring Ed Harris. In the following years she spent a lot of time directing television films as well as television episodes.

This is a strange film – which doesn’t quite click. The focus is on Julie, played by Australian actress Miranda Otto. She finds that her husband is unfaithful to her as well as her son with terminal cancer. She decides to go to Poland where there is a reputation for a faith healer. He is played by Lothaire Bluteau, the star of Jesus of Nazareth and Black Robe. She finds faith for herself, a cure for her son – but the faith healer becomes infatuated with her and follows her back home to Canada.

The film explores themes of relationships, family love, children and illness, death, healing. However, it does not quite jell in the way that one expects it to given the talent making the film.

1. The prologue, the people, in the accident, the hospital, deaths, the man screaming, the young boy and his standing on him and healing him, wanting to go to raise people from the dead? The indication of faith and miracles?

2. The transition to Canada, the Halifax settings, the homes, the wharves, the sea? The contrast with Poland and the places where the people gathered for the healings? The musical score, heavy, orchestrated, light?

3. The title and the focus on Julie: her relationship with her children, love for them, coming home to surprise Henry, finding him in bed? The emotional impact of her reaction, taking the children, driving, Henry pursuing? Her going to her father? The decision she had to make? Going back for her son? Henry and his apology, her refusal? Talking with her friend in the bar, singing? The selling of the house, the visitors coming to look at it, Henry's outburst? Nicholas saying that he should be ashamed of himself? Her relenting, laughing?

4. The possibility of reconciliation? Their backgrounds, her Catholicism and giving it up? His Jewish background but training in science? The decision to live together, their love for the children? Henry and his relationship to his parents? Scientists and doctors? Julie and her relationship to her father, reminding him of his infidelities, his age, the woman coming from Poland? Her arrival, the night together, her father's happiness?

5. Nicholas and the ski holiday, the accident, his illness and collapse, going to the hospital, the diagnosis, the tumour? The possibility of chemotherapy, the discussions with the young boy in the ward, playing the video game? His blunt talk about death? Nicholas's violent reaction to the chemotherapy?

6. The Polish woman and her talking about the healer? The discussions about whether they should go, the family's stances, the scepticism on the part of Henry, the scientist who wanted everything proved, the suspicion of superstition? Julie and her desperation? The question of baptism and her going to church, listening to the priest praying, her disgust when he mentioned the possibility of death? The baptism of the two children? The decision to go to Poland?

7. Julie in Poland, the people gathering, the crowds, Alexy and his touching people, the assistants discerning whether it was spine or head? His seeing Julie, inviting them to come forward? Touching Nicholas, the different meetings? His being healed? Alexy and his attraction towards Julie, her response to him? Together, falling in love, out on the mountains by themselves? The kiss? His decision to go to India, her sending the shirt, the address? In India, opening the present, ringing (with Henry listening in)? His arrival in Canada?

8. The portrait of the two children, Nicole as very strong-minded, Nicholas and his illness? Their doing everything together? The effect of the initial fight, the possibility of selling the house? Nicholas and his experience in Poland, wanting to teach the young man baseball? Nicole at home? Their return and the joy?

9. Henry and Julie and the possibility of a reconciliation, their love for each other, his asking forgiveness? His double standards with anxiety about Julie's relationship to Alexy? Julie's double standards in falling in love with Alexy?

10. Their being together, going to the holiday home, in the woods? The sexual initiation? Her pregnancy?

11. Coming back to town, Nicholas being sick again, Alexy's hands being cold and not able to heal? His departure - and not heard of again?

12. Julie's pregnancy, her going back to Henry, her being with the children?

13. The ambiguity of the ending - so many themes opened up but not resolved? The relationship between Julie and Henry, whether Nicholas would get well again, the child to be born - if Nicholas could not be saved, Alexy giving her another child?

JOHN Q

US, 2002, 117 minutes, Colour.
Denzel Washington, Robert Duvall, James Woods, Ray Liotta, Laura Harring, Anne Heche, Shawn Hatosey.
Directed by Nick Cassavetes.

John Q is one of those films that should be much better than it is. The writer, James Kerns, was the writer for such series as Highway to Heaven for television. The director is Nick Cassavetes, son of actor-director John Cassavetes and actress Gena Rowlands. He has made some films from his father’s screenplays, especially She’s So Lovely. His mother appears in most of his films including Unhook the Stars and The Notebook.

The film is one of those overly melodramatic American films where a father, who hasn’t money, lacks the insurance to pay for his son’s heart transplant. So desperate is he, that he takes over the hospital’s emergency room, taking hostages until the doctors will perform the operation on his son.

What gives the film strength is the central performance of Denzel Washington as the distraught father. He had just appeared in his Oscar-winning Training Day. The film has a very strong supporting cast with James Woods as a doctor, Robert Duvall as the police officer and Ray Liotta, Laura Harring, Anne Heche and Shawn Hatosy in the supporting cast.

The film is very earnest in its approach to the story. However, it dramatises the high emotionality of Americans who extrovert their feelings – and which flow over into violence.

1. The impact of the film as drama? As crusade about health care for the poor in the United States?

2. The emotional impact of the film? For Americans? Non-Americans? Americans wearing their heart on their sleeve, going into action, dramatic and melodramatic to make a point?

3. Issues of health, hospital care, insurance, the work of the staff, the work of the administration? Liaisons with patients and with relatives? The film as a critique?

4. American culture and the gun culture, the desperation of many citizens, sieges and hostages, the role of the police, shooting? The mayor, the police chief, the politics? The role of the media? Everybody seeing it live on TV? The crowds on-site?

5. The Chicago setting, the homes, industry, the hospital? The people of Chicago? Ordinary citizens, workers, health care personnel? The police? The musical score , the songs?

6. The title, the focus on John Q. Archibald, as an ordinary citizen? Denzel Washington and his status as a film star, giving credibility to the character and plot?

7. The supporting cast, the veteran actors, audience respect for them?

8. The prologue and the accident on the highway, the woman wanting to overtake, the crash? The recurring images in the middle of the film? At the end, the rescue, the cutting out of the victim from the car, the helicopter? The early scenes foreshadowing the solution of the film?

9. The Archibald family, at home, the car being repossessed and the callous attitudes, exasperation, breakfast, Mike and his bodybuilding, discussions about continents and continental breakfasts? The tensions in the kitchen, the car, John's wife and her anger? Driving to school, the games in the car, not saying "goodbye" but "See you later"? The church and the hymn-singing? The baseball game and Mike's collapse?

10. The hospital, the immediate treatment in Emergency, Dr Turner and his advice? Rebecca Payne and her administration, her assistant? The information to John and his wife, the list for heart transplants, the options, the money, insurance, the decision to be made?

11. John and his desperation, part-time work, seeing him at work, the various forms, the wrong queues, the growing frustration, the money gifts, the church, the donations from friends? Giving the money to the hospital - yet not enough for the operation and to get his son on the list?

12. John's friends, Jimmy and his wife, at work, picnic, helping, the church?

13. Michael and his character, age, health and bodybuilding, the sudden collapse, John and his reactions? His wife desperate?

14. His wife demanding that he do something, the growing desperation, Dr Turner talking to the rich patients, John talking with him, pulling the gun, the siege? His motives? In the world of American violence and guns? His reaction, handling the situation? The security videos? Frank and the phone calls, the negotiations? Getting food and drink from the machines? The issue of releasing hostages, the woman about to give birth and his letting her go, letting her husband go? The Hispanic woman and her baby? The importance of the time deadlines? Seeing it all on television?

15. Dr Turner and his attitudes, professional understanding, the rich clients, his reaction to the siege, fear of guns, his views during the crisis, his being changed only by violence? His assistant and her dedication, trying to help John? The pregnant couple and their reaction, the assistant trying to help, the going into the surgery? Their being released? Max, the security guard, his being overpowered? Mitch and Debbie, their story about the accident, the truth, Mitch and his surly attitudes, Debbie and her growing resentment, the mace, shooting it in his face, taking off her wig, kicking him? The black man in the emergency room and his being like a chorus, commenting, laughing? His role at the finale and his going out with people thinking it was John? The Hispanic woman and her inability to speak English, concern about her baby? Dr Maguire and his collaboration?

16. Frank and his techniques, discussions, phone calls, negotiations, the view from the security cameras? Monroe and his arrival, the rivalry with Frank, taking over, getting the sniper in? Dismissing Frank? The final confrontation and his telling John the realities of the situation? At the end in court and his supporting John?

17. The police chief, his arrival, the media, his rash decisions, the pressure of the mayor, wanting the sniper to go in, not considering John as a person, allegedly wanting to save other innocent lives? His having to admit that he made a mistake and that the attempted shooting went out on TV?

18. The television, the people watching, various reactions? The setting up of John's wife, her grief and standing boy her boy's bedside, exasperation with him? The phone call, the sniper lining him up, going in and out of focus, John seeing the set-up, bringing the sniper down, humiliating him and taking him out, the bargaining? His wanting to get Mike downstairs?

19. His decision to kill himself, the various reactions of the hostages to his decision, Dr Turner and his reaction? The witnesses to his will? The phone call to his wife? The discussions, going into the room, the safety catch on? The split-second timing and his not shooting himself?

20. His wife, standing by the son, Rebecca Payne called in from her day off, the discussions, her hard-hearted attitudes, confrontations with Frank? Going upstairs, watching the television, her change of mind? The heart being available, the sympathetic doctor running the corridors, getting John's wife, hurrying downstairs?

21. The ploy, John being able to stay and watch the operation, the black man going out in his place? Frank seeing this?

22. The trial, justice, the verdicts? John seeing his son, urging him to be a good man (as he did in his final speech to him in the hospital)?

23. The television celebrity, John and Jimmy going to appeal to him, his not doing anything, trying to take advantage of the situation, getting the television line into the police information? Issues of American health, protest? The desperate way to go? In the climate of the beginning of the 21st century and the gun culture and terrorism?

HERE COMES MR JORDAN

US, 1941, 93 minutes, Black and white.
Robert Montgomery, Evelyn Keyes, Rita Johnson, Claude Rains, James Gleason, Edward Everett Horton?, John Emery, Donald Mac? Bride, Halliwell Hobbs, Don Costello.
Directed by Alexander Hall.

Here Comes Mr Jordan was one of the very popular films of 1941, with many Oscar nominations including Best Film, Director, Star and Supporting Actor, James Gleason. It won an Oscar for its original story, by playwright Harry Segall. (Segall also wrote Angel on my Shoulder.)

The film was a popular fantasy from wartime, the ordinary citizen who encountered death and angels and devils. Other films of the period include The Devil and Daniel Webster, Death Takes a Holiday.

Robert Montgomery is a boxer who dies in an accident, is not meant to go to heaven until 50 years later and so gets a chance to come back to earth - in other people's bodies. This is arranged by the very suave Mr Jordan, played unctuously by Claude Rains. His bumbling assistant is Edward Everett Horton?.

James Gleason is amusing as the bemused coach. Evelyn Keyes is the heroine.

The film has the touches of the screwball comedies of the '30s. It was remade, with great respect for the original screenplay, using many of its lines and jokes, by Warren Beatty?, Elaine May and Buck Henry as Heaven Can Wait (the original title of the play).

1. The popularity of films about angels, devils and death in the '40s? An example of the genre? Its popularity in 1941?

2. The original title of Heaven Can Wait, the emphasis on Mr Jordan? here? The black and white photography, special effects? Musical score?

3. Max Corkle and his telling the tall story? From his point of view?

4. Joe and his boxing, his hopes, reliance on Max for the training, the build-up to the bout, his enjoying flying the plane, the saxophone, the plane accident and his death?

5. The messenger and his meeting Joe, in the transition station, the argument, the plane and the travellers, Mr Jordan? to resolve the problem? The truth, the dilemma about his body?

6. Max, seeing the children, hearing about the cremation? Joe and Mr Jordan not being seen by others? Searching the world for a suitable body?

7. Bruce Farnsworth, his business deals, Julia and Tony Abbott? and their plot to kill him, Betty as their alibi? Betty arriving, wanting to see Farnsworth? Julia's reaction and fainting?

8. Joe and his unwillingness to be Farnsworth, seeing Betty, concerned about her, the tension, the time, his making a choice? Getting dressed, the inner person - and Farnsworth's body like an overcoat? His assuming Farnsworth's life?

9. Betty, her plea, concern about her father? Farnsworth and his reaction? The board meeting, the change, giving the money back? People's reactions?

10. Joe and his concern about boxing, getting Max, the argument about his identity, persuading him, training, the cheque to arrange the bout? Max and his discussions with Mr Jordan - whether he was there or not?

11. Julia and Abbott, their continued conspiracy, the shooting of Farnsworth?

12. Betty, her visit, in love with Farnsworth, looking into his eyes - and his telling her to be alert for a boxer in the future?

13. The messenger and Mr Jordan returning, the investigation, the police, the saxophone? The collapse of the boxer, his death, Joe taking his place and winning?

14. The aftermath, the crooked manager, Max taking over, Joe giving his identity? Max explaining everything? The exasperation of the police - but ultimately the finding of the body?

15. Joe not remembering anything, Mr Jordan's farewell, Joe's destiny as Murdoch, employing Max, the meeting with Betty, her looking into his eyes? A future?

16. Enjoyable '40s comedy? the touch of the screwball? The '40s fantasy? Encouragement in wartime?

DRAGONBALL: EVOLUTION

US, 2009, 84 minutes, Colour.
Justin Chatwin, Chow Yun- Fat, Emmy Rossum, Jamie Chung, James Marsters, Ernie Hudson.
Directed by James Wong.

With a title like this, it is no secret that this is one of those sword and action shows designed for a younger audience. It is an American adaptation of a Japanese Manga book.

The opening gives the usual explanation of how there was a battle between good and evil in time immemorial. The villain, Piccolo, was imprisoned under the earth. But, seven orbs,dragonballs, containing supreme powers are loose in the universe. Only by collecting them could someone restore order or (as is Piccolo's intention, aided by his minions) to destroy order.

Move to the present and a neo- Karate Kid situation where a teenager, Goku, (Justin Chatwin) is being trained by his grandfather in martial arts. For his birthday, he is given one of the dragonballs without realising its power. What follows are the standard adventures, presented vigorously but undemandingly. Our hero is joined by an Asian American girl with some smart martial moves, an agent for the good who is suspicious of him, and, eventually, a very mundane version of the supreme wise man (Chow Yun Fat).

Special effects, stunts, final battles and who knows what possibilities for sequels.

1.The Manga origins of this story? The Japanese perspective transferred to the United States? How effective?

2.The prologue, the history of the battle between good and evil, the imprisonment of Lord Piccolo? The transition to 21st century US? Homes, high schools? The contrast with the world of fantasy, seeking out the wise masters, Piccolo arriving in the world? The battles, stunts, special effects? Musical score?

3.Goku, his age, birthday, training with his grandfather? His skills? Going to school, the students, his friendship with Chi Chi? His interaction with the other students, looking down on him? Restraining his powers – and exercising them? Sneaking out for his birthday party? The party and the fiasco? The return home? The gift of the Dragonball?

4.The grandfather, his training his grandson, his knowledge of the mysteries? The gift of the Dragonball? Piccolo and the attack on the home, burning the home, killing the grandfather? His fatalistic attitude, handing on his heritage to Goku?

5.Bulma, the young woman, the minion of the good, trying to get the Dragonball, the clashes with Goku? Their eventual alliance? Chi Chi and her joining the group?

6.Lord Piccolo, his appearance, evil intentions, imprisoned, loose? His minions?

7.The young people, their adventures, fights, the clashes with evil? Each using their own skills? The final confrontation for Goku, the collection of the balls? Seeking them around the world?

8.Master Roshi, rather mundane? Genial? His suspicions, his joining the group, advice, his seeming to be killed, revival?

9.The visit to Sifu Norris? His ancient knowledge? His support?

10.The credibility of the search, the quest, the battles, the ingenuity of the young people, their physical skills? The effect on each of them?

11.The restoration of order to the world – and the possibility of sequels?

FIFTY DEAD MEN WALKING

Canada/UK, 2008, 117 minutes, Colour.
Jim Sturgess, Ben Kingsley, Kevin Zegers, Natalie Press, Rose Mc Gowan.
Directed by Kari Skogland.

Just as this film was about to be released in 2009, there were several sectarian killings of military personnel and of police in Northern Island, the first for many years. Since the Peace Accord of Good Friday 1997 and the sharing of power between past rival sectarian factions in the Stormont government, the people of Northern Ireland seemed to be on the road to quieter times and prosperities. In fact, arrests were made very quickly and it was hoped that this was an occurrence that was not typical.

Watching Fifty Dead Men Walking, one realises just how deep some of the hostilities are and why they are so powerful and malignant.

This is the story of a young Catholic man who became a member of the IRA but was recruited by British Intelligence to be a mole and provide them with information about planned IRA raids and bombings. It has been inspired by the book by the man himself, Martin Mc Gartland, who was hurried into a witness protection program but eventually was tracked down in Canada and shot at point blank range. However, he did not die and is still on the run.

This is quite a grim film, not your action adventure like The Devil's Own, with Brad Pitt. We are provided with information about what happened in Northern Ireland in the period of the 1970s to the 1990s. After bombings, the British military move in (with that air of superiority and bullying contempt that we are reminded of with American troops in Iraq after the invasion). There is bitterness between Catholics and Protestants, the Catholics tending to be poor and wanting union with Ireland, the Protestants tending to be more prosperous and determined to stay connected with the mainland.

Martin Mc Gartland is a bit of spiv, selling black market lingerie and clothes from door to door. He dates Lara. She becomes pregnant,which mellows him a little. He doesn't betray IRA gunmen during a chase or during interrogation. His school friend encourages him to become part of the IRA and he rises quickly through the ranks.

However, British Intelligence, through an agent handler, Fergus, keep an eye on him and decide that he is very suitable for recruiting as a mole. They are right and for some years he is able to keep friends on both sides while being invited to important meetings with important information about raids and bombings and passing this material on to Fergus. He observes torture of traitors but cannot bring himself to kill a victim.

Eventually, of course, he is unmasked.

Jim Sturgess made a mark in Across the Universe and 21 but this is his film to convince us how well he can act. He fits the part of Martin Mc Gartland perfectly and communicates what it could have been like for the real Martin. Kevin Zegers is Sean. And Fergus is played with some quiet intensity by Ben Kingsley.

Not a definitive portrait of the period and its issues but an interesting, at times an alarming immersion in the Troubles.

The week that the film opened in cinemas, British television screened Five Minutes of Heaven, a powerful story of a teenage assassin in the Troubles encountering the brother of the young man he killed in front of him, Liam Neeson playing the former and James Nesbitt the latter – a psychological and moral confrontation of bitterness and regret that questions violence solutions.

1.The history of the Northern Ireland Troubles? The situation in the 80s and 90s? The explanation of this history given at the beginning of the film? Subsequent to the action of the film, the peace discussions, the Good Friday Agreement, 1997?

2.The film as a memoir, the Canadian writer, inspired by Martin Mc Gartland’s book, not based on it, not approved by him as such?

3.Audience knowledge of Northern Ireland, the Troubles, the clashes, sectarian issues? The British military presence? The rule from Westminster? Audience interest, sympathies? From inside the situations? Or observing? Judgments about the characters, moral issues, violence?

4.The sectarian history and the clash, the impoverished Catholics, the contrast with the unionists, being part of Great Britain? The militaries for each side of the sectarian clash? The British presence, military, harsh, the bigotry of the soldiers? The significance of having moles?

5.The structure of the film: Martin and his being shot, the flashback, the audience knowing it was leading up to his being shot, the end, the final information about his still being on the run decades later?

6.The portrait of Martin as a young Catholic, his ideology – or not? Family, support of his mother, his brother? Religion and its presence and absence? His values? Selling lingerie, his patter, knocking on people’s doors? His overseer and his being a mole for the British? The information about Martin, his being watched by the British? His friendship with Sean from schooldays, his other friends? Sean persuading him to join the IRA? Meeting Lara, selling clothes to her mother? Her initial reaction, antagonistic? The dates, the sexual encounter on the roof of the Europa Hotel? Her pregnancy, her reaction, his surprise and joy? An easygoing young man? His being chased by the military, not revealing the IRA? His being recruited after the chase? The interrogations, the discussions with Fergus? The IRA and his becoming part, not betraying them? Being given jobs, his rise, his finally being a volunteer, his declaration of the oath? Meeting Fergus, Fergus recruiting him? His agreement to live a double life? The meetings with Grace? Delivering messages? Fergus and the photo? His going to hospital, the birth of his son? Fergus coming to the hospital, Sean coming? The visit by Grace and her associates to the house, seeing all his practical goods, the expenses? His motivation and wanting to stop deaths, going to Scotland, the Libyan arms deal? His observing the torture, its cruelty, his being asked to shoot the victim? His being unable to? The build-up to the bomb in the pub, going for the rehearsal, the information, the raid and his being betrayed? His anger at Fergus? His being shot, going to the hospital, Grace coming into the hospital but being warded off? Transferred to the safe house of Fergus’s home? His going to watch Lara and the child, Lara being pregnant again, his being willing to sacrifice being with her so that she would be safe?

7.The IRA, its cause, the military action, organisation, the ranks, the jobs, deaths? The reaction to the army? The shootings, traitors and torture, shooting the young man’s knees? The volunteers and their oaths? The various members of the hierarchy? Michael and his taking a shine to Martin, supporting him, like another son?

8.The British, the troops and their orders, behaviour, with the Irish holding them at gunpoint, the orders from London? The argument that London saw the bigger picture?

9.Fergus, his personality, his recruiting methods, managing, surveillance, the various meetings with Martin, the information, motivation, thwarting IRA action? His liking Martin? His trying to save him, the final deals to save Martin? The discovery of the IRA mole in the surveillance hierarchy?

10.The ordinary Irish people at the time, in the streets, shops, the children, families, knowing or not knowing what was happening with the IRA? Martin’s mother? Lara’s mother?

11.The particularly Irish story – but universal application, divided communities? Issues of violence or not? The motivation of the double agents, the moles, the difficulties of their lives? The consequences – even having to be hidden for the rest of their lives?