DOCTOR SLEEP

US, 2019, 151 minutes, Colour.
Ewan M cGregor, Rebecca Ferguson, Kyliegh Curran, Cliff Curtis, Bruce Greenwood, Henry Thomas.
Directed by Mike Flanagan.

It took Stephen King almost 40 years to write his sequel to The Shining, published 1977, filmed by Stanley Kubrick, 1980. He seems to have been wondering what happened to Danny Torrance, the little boy at the Overlook Hotel in Colorado, terrorised by his father (as we remember Jack Nicholson). Doctor Sleep provides his answer. Director Mike Flanagan says that he wanted to link the novel and Kubrick’s film version with his interpretation of the sequel.

Actually, Danny (a sympathetic performance by Ewan Mc Gregor) is an alcoholic but trying to walk the road to recovery. And, traumatised by the events at the Overlook Hotel, he suppresses his ability, his extrasensory perceptions, his “Shining�. His adult life has been rather aimless.

To get the audience into the mood, the screenplay actually reprises some sequences from The Shining, especially at the beginning where Danny is seen riding his tricycle along the corridors of the hotel, passing Room 237, evoking the memories of his terror. Since childhood days, he has been living with his mother in Florida.

But, you can’t keep the shining down (or, at least, Stephen King can’t). There is a young boy with the gift but he comes to a brutal end, the victim of a gang of semi-immortals, called The True Knot, a very scungy looking and behaving lot, presided over by the sinister woman, Rose the Hat (Rebecca Ferguson). In the meantime, some peace for Danny with advice from an AA counsellor, Bruce Greenwood, and support personnel, Billy, Cliff Curtis.

But, he experiences even stronger shining, a young girl, Abra (Kyleigh Curran) is communicating, gets to Danny, and he and Billy go on a crusade to save Abra and confront The True Knot. This is where the film becomes quite violent – but, how else can one confront these savage would-be immortals who also kill in order to draw out the Shining breath and absorb it so that they can live?).

And, where else to resolve the Shining conflicts but for Abra and Danny to travel to Colorado and re-visit The Overlook? As Danny enters, movie memories Stirred as we go into the deserted hotel, to the boiler room which will have a sinister effect, travel the corridors, see the ghosts again, use the hotel covered in snow, encounter the man at the bar (Henry Thomas) and re--visit the axe-smashed door.

Danny versus Rose the Hat. Perhaps not quite the ending anticipated but Abra might actually shine again.

1. As a thriller in itself? As a sequel to The Shining? The links with the novel, the film version? Stephen King’s intention in writing a sequel to The Shining?

2. Stephen King and his imagination, the Overlook hotel? Special powers and connections? The Shining? The violence, the ghosts, the buried spirits, connections and knowledge? 40 years later?

3. The settings, the eastern states, Ohio and the Road, the farms, Alcoholics Anonymous? The coven of True Knot? Going to Colorado, Overlook Hotel, the snow Western Mark the musical score?

4. The opening, the sequences from The Shining, Danny and his tricycle, room 237, the creature in the bath, the repetition of the axe sequence, the glimpse of Danny’s mother, the pursuit by his father? The bar?

5. Danny, 40 years on, his experience, alcoholic, concealing the shining? The problems with the alcohol, giving up? AA, the director and the discussions, friendship with Billy, his support? Jobs? The temptations? The communication from Abra? Roy and his gifts? The True Not Group, overcoming Roy, his death after breathing his spirit, the burial of the baseball glove? The move to pursue Abra?

6. The ghostly presence from the past, reappearing, advising Danny, his return?

7. The True Not group, partially immortal, like a coven, the different personalities, spongy, Rose the Hat in charge, her domination? They’re searching for the spirit breath, their powers, possession, entering into minds? The sequence with Casablanca, watching Snakebite Andi, her hypnotic powers? The recruiting her? The scenes with the group and their way of life?

8. Abra, the communication, the effect on Danny? Billy helping him? The setup, Danny and his effective work with the patients, Doctor Sleep? The decision to find the glove, driving cross-country, setting up the siege with the True Not? The violence, the deaths? Billy overpowered and persuaded to shoot himself? The Crow and his escape, taking Abra, killing her father, driving and sedating her? Her communication with Danny, his presence in her, the crash and Crow’s Death?

9. The strategy, Abra and her age, character, powers, ability to contact? Escaping from Crow? Danny entering into her? The two of them going to Overlook?

10. The hotel dark, going to the boiler room, the lights and the hotel coming to life again? Abra on the lookout, Rose and her arrival? Danny touring the hotel again, meeting the bartender, the ghost of his father, communicating? Room 237, the figure in the bath? The tombs of those who had died?

11. Abra coming into the hotel, Rose pursuing her, the chase, the clashes, the ghosts from the past, descending on Rose, her death? Danny giving his life? The hotel ablaze?

12. The postscript, Danny and his appearing to Abra, encouraging her, her confronting the ghost in room 237?

SIBERIA

Canada/US, 2018, 104 minutes, Colour.
Keanu Reeves, Ana Ularu, Boris Gulyarin, Ashley St George, Veronica Ferres.
Directed by Matthew Ross.

This is an unenthusiastic review of Siberia. It has the potential to be an international thriller but is not very interesting – and there are so many complications that the audience may not be persuaded to unravel.

Basically, this is a thriller about diamonds. Keanu Reeves plays an international dealer, diamonds from South Africa, selling them on to other dealers, especially Russians. His partner disappears. He goes to Russia in search, the search which leads him to Siberia, to a worker in a diner with whom he sets up a partnership and a liaison, various tough men in the area as well as some international thugs.

While there are some interesting settings in St Petersburg and in Siberia, the complicated plot, despite Keanu Reeves efforts, does not demand the attention.

JUDY AND PUNCH

Australia, 2019, 105 minutes, Colour.
Mia Wasikowski, Damon Herriman, Benedict Hardie, Gillian Jones, Terry Norris, Lucy Vellik, Don Bridges, Tom Budge, Virginia Gay.
Directed by Mirrah Foulkes.

Quite a surprise, with some moments of shock, a real-life Punch and Judy show.

Who of us knows the origins of Punch and Judy shows. (So, off to that information shortcut, Wikipedia. Which century, what year? England 1662, the beginning of the Restoration period, some influence from Italian shows, especially the character of Puncianello, a marionette entertainment.�

Of course, we have all seen some actual Punch and Judy shows: the main two characters, literally sparring with each other, most of the memories being of each of them with what looked like a baseball bat having goes at each other - the children rollicking with laughter, even at the violence.

So, this is a film of origins. And, obviously writer and director, Mirrah Foulkes, wanted to make a point about the inherent misogyny in the shows. We see Mia Waskiowski’s Judy first rather than Punch (an eerie Damon Herriman whom we have seen as Charles Manson via Quentin Tarantino, smilingly sinister and the brutal soldier in The Nightingale.) The screenplay weaves a tale, touches of fantasy, touches of the supernatural and superstition, touches of myth, more than a touch of misogyny, a portrait of a very unpleasant community.

We have a fable about the village and the people in the village. We have a parable, inviting us into a world which, at first, we might seem to know, but then subverting all the expectations of how the village and the villagers should live. A shrewd opening in inviting the audience to follow the young girl, Scout, through the darkness to the village walls, past the women of the night, into the tavern, settling in to watch the entertainment, Judy wandering among the rough clients, impoverished, both men and women, trying to collect some coins and then Punch, introducing himself, vanishing with a puff of smoke behind the curtain and then Judy and Punch and the skilled puppeteering of their show. Judy was to say that it was rather violent, Punch replying that that was what the audience wanted.

Rural England of the 17th century not unlike their cousins across the Atlantic later in Salem and other towns, there was a fierce religiosity, belief in the devil and evil rather than in goodness and God, experiences of sin and, what often follows with allegedly good people, finding scapegoats on which to load malevolent burdens. Here you show an ousted community, mainly of women, condemned as witches. And the morose villagers eager for public denunciations, stonings and hangings, with Punch casting the first stone, certainly not innocent.

We gasp at a scene the death of a baby, Punch not only not grieving but ready for a cover-up, scapegoating the two elderly servants in the house, beating his wife and burying her in the forest.

A Punch and Judy show in real life.

But there is a transition to the woods with a group of women exiled as witches, healing power, welcoming Judy to community, but a community of no fixed abode.

British theatre in the 17th century had traditions of blood and revenge – and here as well, Punch tormented during the storm, a cloak hanging in the lightning light as a diabolical presence. Punch has elicited no sympathy for us, then his malice in sacrificing the servants, and then his rationalising, like so many self-righteous allegedly religious people, telling the vindictive crowd, eager for the hangings, that he was not guilty but it was the devil through the servants. And the crowd was relieved that the hangings could go on, Punch himself pulling the lever.

The climax is powerful, unexpected, vengeance on Punch – a padded cell and a bizarre picture of a Punch and Judy performance. Before we leave the cinema, the credits show a collage and collection of black and white clips of children enjoying the Punch and Judy show.


1. The impact? Surprises? Invention? Imagination? Punch and Judy and the origins of the act?

2. The village, Seaside, the setting – the tone and comment? The opening, following Scout in the darkness, the encounter with the prostitute, her going to the inn, the customers, rough and ready, Judy collecting the coins, the atmosphere for the performance? The music, the anachronistic music, classics while the performance went on, later use of music, Whiter Shade of Pale?

3. The performance, Punch and his introduction, the magic, puff of smoke, the puppets, the strings, Punch and Judy and their working them, the increasing violence, what the audience wanted, the responses, Judy and her reaction, commenting on the violence, not many coins, Punch wanting to theatre scouts to be there? His ambitions and hopes?

4. At home, the relationship, the baby, the life story gradually revealed, Judy and her background, leaving, going with Punch, pregnancy and the baby? Travelling with their puppet show?

5. Punch in himself, small, boastful, his moods, his eyes on the neighbour, later relationship with her and her children, going to the stoning, throwing the stone at the victims, Judy present, her walking away?

6. The atmosphere of the town, the mayor, toadying to Punch? The police officer, small, reticent, the letter of the law, his hopes? The crowds, at the inn, the stoning of the women, the ousting of the women as witches, belief in the devil, scapegoating the victims? Their fears?

7. Punch, with the baby, the dog, tripping, the baby flying out the window, his killing the dog? Judy’s return, his justification, bashing her, burying her?

8. The servants in the home, elderly, kindly, the old man, his collar, waking, comments? Punch accusing them, getting the police, the officer and his strictness with the law, the interrogation, suspicions? His assistance? The interrogations, the pressure from Punch, the decision to hang them?

9. Scout, finding the body, their taking Judy to the village, the wise woman and her potions, Judy’s recovery, life in the village, the variety of women, the presence of men, the children, sharing with them, recovering? Their way of life, the celebrations? The children wanting to settle?

10. Judy hearing about the hanging, riding to the town, the haunting sequence of Punch in bed, the hanging cloth, his thinking it a ghost, the devil, the thunder and lightning? His poor performance with the children as the puppet and the woman exasperated? The scouts leaving?

11. Punch and his fear, going to the gallows, the crowd and vengeance, the policeman and his regrets? Punch and his hesitation, saying that the couple did not kill the baby and Judy, changing his mind, blaming the devil, rushing to pull the lever? The ropes breaking?

12. Judy riding in, a somersault, impressing the crowd, confronting Punch, a passionate speech, getting Punch to lift his hands, their being severed?

13. Punch in his padded cell, his stumps, his putting coverings on them, as Punch and Judy? The performance?

14. The town, change of heart, the witches and others returning to the town, settling down, ordinary life?

15. The final credits and the idea of showing the black-and-white responses of children to the various Punch and Judy shows? Keeping the audience thinking during the credits?

DOLEMITE IS MY NAME

US, 2019, 117 minutes, Colour.
Eddie Murphy, Keegan-Michael? Key, Mike Epps, Craig Robinson, Titus Burgess, Da' Vine Joy Randolph, Kodi Smit -Mc Phee, Snoop Dogg, Barry Shabaka Henley, Tip "TI" Harris, Chris Rock.
Directed by Craig Brewer.

Not everybody is on the wavelength of American stand-up comedy. Not always easy to get the jokes. Not always easy to know the references. And, this is especially true for non-American outsiders, black stand-up is not always easy to comprehend – and, there is always the problem of the language, rough and explicit.

There was a flourishing of African- American stand-up in the 1970s, think Richard Pryor. It was also a period of what is called “Blaxploitation� in American cinema, the tough private eyes, the tough crime situations, think Shaft or Cleopatra Jones.

This is setting the setting for this film, revealed for those of us not in the know as a true story. And, the film offers an opportunity for Eddie Murphy to get back to his stand-up comic style, his movie comedy style, which has been less forceful in more recent years. With this performance as Rudy May Moore, Dolomite, he is back on top.

And, who was Rudy Ray Moore? We see him at first working in the store, with some songs, trying to get them played on air. But, he is a man of self-confident (plus) initiative and, with some kind encouragement from a group of friends at a club where he has been a compere for other stand-up comedians, he interviews an old comedian and records all his jokes and routines, absorbing them, making them his own, performing at the club to great acclaim, recording the routines, becoming a best-selling performer.

Non-American? audiences, especially non-African- American audiences, may have to breathe in in listening to the routines, the language, the innuendo (and the explicit), and Rudy’s capacity for self-exploitation, the nude poses for promotion, the covers of his LPs, his travelling all over America and becoming a celebrity.

And, just as when he was on top, the idea comes that he should join the Blaxploitation trend and the latter part of this film is his attempts to exploit his character, Dolemite, with very little money, with very little knowledge and know-how, with enthusiastic support from his friends, hiring a self-centred actor as star and director (Wesley Snipes), getting a young white kid, Kodi Smit Mc Phee, and his friends as the technicians, the film finally gets, exasperatingly, completed.

Needless to say, it is terrible. However, in real life, Dolemite made several films (clips during the final credits) and, with the black audiences, it became something of a cult film, sometimes played for laughs, but eliciting laughs and applause from its audience.

Rudy Ray Moore had a capacity with words, rapping away in the 1970s into the 1980s, and considered by many the father of rap.

1. A true story? A memoir and tribute to Rudy Ray Moore?

2. The tradition of African- American stand-up comedy, memories of Richard Pryor and comedians from the 1970s, Eddie Murphy himself?

3. Los Angeles, the 1970s, Rudy working in the store, selling the records, spooking the records at the radio station, the appearance of Snoop Dog? Comparing the clubs, the owner and not enthusiastic? Travel around the United States? Making movies, the hotel is the site for the movie? The screenings?

4. The musical score, the songs of the 1970s, rap?

5. Eddie Murphy, his screen presence, embodying Rudy Ray Moore, as a person, as a performer, as an actor, as entrepreneur?

6. The title, Rudy Ray Moore and wanting routines, taping the comics routines and incorporating them into his own act, his decision to go into movies, the popularity of Blacks and at the time?

7. Rudy Ray Moore as a person, a salesman, failures with the radio, his talent, recording the routines, using them, becoming a compere, dressing as a pimp, the manager giving him a turn, his change, gelling with the audience, his jokes and routines, his tone and success?

8. Audience response to African- American humour, Frank, explicit sex, innuendo, language?

9. The decision to record his routines, selling them, the agents, the deals, the group at the club, their personalities, helping him? Posing for the nude covers? The sales, breaking records?

10. His tours, meeting lady read, the bond with her, her character, her support? In the club, in the movies?

11. The decision about the movies, the popularity of Shaft and Fred Williamson and others, his decision, back to New York, the issue of money, his lack of knowledge about filmmaking, the group and the lack of knowledge? His presumption? The impact of watching Jack Lemmon in The Front Page, the wide audience, the black audience not responding?

12. His going to the theatre, the meeting with Jerry Jones, their discussions, Jerry Jones agreeing to work on the screenplay, interactions with Rudy, they collaboration, his presence on the set?

13. His contact with D’ Urville Martin, flattering him, his agreeing to be the Dir and star, the growing exasperation, his attempts at directing, performance, giving up?

14. Hiring Nick, his age, lack of experience, film school, his assistance, the lack of film, equipment, lighting? Using the hotel, improvising? Scenes of rehearsal, scenes of performance?

15. Improvisation, Rudy and his appeal to the agents for money, his interest in karate, the sex scene, deciding that it should be funny, response?

16. Nobody wanting to distribute the film, the terrible reviews, the interview in Indiana, the presence of Chris Rock, his publicising the film, Rudy and his promotion?

17. The crowd is coming to see the film, the midnight show, seeing it funny, the film becoming a cult film? His further films and career?

18. Photos and sequences of the actual Rudy at the end? The film as an in memoriam?

 

 

 

 

 

 

SAMSON & DELILAH

Australia, 2009, 101 minutes, Colour.
Rowan Mc Namara, Marissa Gibson, Mitjili Gibson, Scott Thornton.
Directed by Warwick Thornton.

A fine film from Australia by an indigenous writer-director and cast that should be seen widely at home and abroad.

Warwick Thornton has found the right pace, tone and empathy to make this a significant story about a young man and a young woman whom many would judge as insignificant.

At the beginning of the film, the same daily routine is emphasised as day-by-day, Samson wakes up, listens to music, sniffs his jar of glue then sits waiting for something to happen. Delilah wakes, rouses her Nana and gives her her tablets, joins her in dot painting, wheels her to the infirmary and to the chapel. They live in a small town-settlement in the Northern Territory bush.

Samson doesn't talk but Rowan McNamara makes him an engaging mischievous character who one day kills a kangaroo by chance and proudly carries it past all the houses. But he falls foul of his brother who plays in a little band on the verandah all day. Delilah (Marissa Gibson) is wrongly accused by the aunties of the town of neglecting her Nana and is beaten. Samson and Delilah leave in the communal truck.

This first part of the film shows conditions in the town, some poor and dingy, some mod cons and some music and painting and a lot of boredom.

The second part of the film takes Samson and Delilah to Alice Springs where the comfortable lifestyle of middle Australia is taken for granted, kerbside cafes, supermarkets, art dealers selling Nana's paintings for $22,000 each. Delilah wanders through a church, gazing at the images, while an eager young priest watches but is not able to say anything.

Samson and Delilah take refuge under a bridge in the dry Todd River bed where they are befriended and fed by a an alcoholic drifter, Gonzo (Scott Thornton) who has a sense of humour and loves singing.

Things go from bad to worse, Samson almost incessantly dependent on glue and petrol fumes. But, the final part of the film does offer hope, especially with the energies, initiatives and care by the woman, by Delilah. Women are the hope for the men.

The leads are naturals and Nana and Gonzo offer telling glimpses of the older generations. The white community is not presented in any complimentary way.

In the last eight years, there have been a number of films about, with and by aboriginal people, some using local language as does this one. One hopes there will be many more and as persuasive as this one.

1. The acclaim for the film, commercial success? At home? Abroad, festivals? The history of Australia's indigenous people, Aboriginal-themed films in Australia and overseas?

2. The biblical overtones of the title – who helped whom? No betrayal? The image of each of the characters cutting their hair?

3. The Northern Territory landscapes, their beauty, idiosyncratic beauty? The settlement, dusty, poor? Drab? The contrast with Alice Springs? Affluent? The cafes, the shops? The church? The bridge and the bed of the Todd River? Delilah’s country at the end? The natural beauty, trees, rocks, birds, kangaroos?

31. The range of songs, local, Spanish, hymns?

32. The opening, the successive wakenings, the routine day after day? Samson, the music, sniffing the petrol? Delilah, waking her grandmother, the tablets, the painting…?

33. The picture of Samson, his age, background, his brother, learning later of his father in prison and having six months to get out (and Samson's whoop of joy)? The band on the verandah, Samson wanting to play the guitar in modern style, the clash with his brother, their more traditional music? The later breaking of the guitar? His wandering around the settlement, watching Delilah, the love graffiti on the store wall, Delilah ignoring him, throwing him the packet? Washing, finding the kangaroo, swaggering back holding it? His dance and Delilah watching him? Bringing his bedding, her throwing it away, near the fire? The aunt and her giggling, the prospect of a husband for Delilah? Samson and his wheeling himself around in the wheelchair?

34. Delilah and her grandmother, giving her the tablets, the skill of the painting, the style of dot painting? The grandmother laughing at Delilah and Samson? Delilah wheeling her grandmother, to the infirmary, into the chapel for her to pray? Delilah sitting and waiting? The dealer, the cash for the paintings? Her reaction to Samson, the graffiti, throwing him the packet, watching him dance? Her grandmother's death and her grief?

35. The two beatings: Samson, with the guitar, his brother bashing him? The women and their beating Delilah, accusing her of neglecting her grandmother? Samson taking the truck and their leaving?

36. On the road, Samson driving, the truck, night, the getting of petrol, abandoning the truck, walking into Alice Springs?

27. Alice Springs, the people, the supermarket and the checkout, the girl wishing a nice day, the paintings and Delilah not able to sell any, her anger and throwing the black painting at the cafe, tourists? The dealer and the high charges for her grandmother's art?

38. The bridge, under the bridge in the Todd River, sitting, sleeping? Samson and the petrol-sniffing, constantly? Meeting Gonzo, a character, talking, offering them food, his songs, improvising? Wanting them to speak? Samson's only word with his name and his stammer? Delilah wandering, going into the church, looking at the art, the priest eager but not saying anything? Delilah being abducted by the young men, their brutality, her injuries? Samson not being aware of her being taken from behind him? Sniffing the petrol, Delilah's taking up the petrol? The accident and her going to hospital?

39. Samson getting worse, Gonzo going to rehabilitation and three meals? Delilah's return, her injured leg?

40. Delilah and her decision, packing up, coming home? The brother coming to get them? Her car, getting the wheelchair, the food, going to her own home in her own country, caring for Samson, setting him up, washing him? The wheelchair, the windmill and her getting it going?

41. Some hope for the future, the women and their being the hope for the men?

42. The impact for Australian audiences, Aboriginal conditions, white consciousness about Aboriginal issues and their dignity? The physical, material and social needs?

 

THE DA KATH & KIM CODE

Australia, 2007, 82 minutes, Colour.
Jane Turner, Gina Riley, Glenn Robbins, Peter Rowsthorn, Magda Szubanski, Barry Humphries, Michael Buble, Rove Mc Manus, The Wiggles, Rhonda Burchmore, Peta Brady.
Directed by Ted Emery.

Kath & Kim was a very successful television series, set in the Melbourne outer suburbs, satirising everything about suburbia, a combination of laughing with and laughing at. The mother and daughter were played by Jane Turner and Gina Riley. Their respective husbands were played by Glenn Robbins and Peter Rowsthorn. There neighbour, Sharon, perpetually turning up – and being put down by Kim was played by Magda Szubanski.

After several successful seasons, the decision was made to make a feature film, incorporating all the characteristics, the satire and exaggerations, the humour with misused words, the humour with all the fads and fashions of the time, especially down at Fountain Gate Mall. There was also satire with two characters working at a fashionable boutique, again played by Jane Turner and Gina Riley, fake accents, fake attitudes attitudes – although the background of their husbands was fraud and imprisonment.

Kath is a very likeable character, the personification of the Australian response to popular advertising and fashions, determined always to be “with it�. There is a lot of kitsch in her house. She is admirably supported by her husband, Kel, a local butcher. They do have their fallings out, but have the reconciliations.

Kim on the other hand is completely self absorbed, narcissist par excellence. She has married Brett and they have a baby. She is always complaining, her mother trying to urge her to better things, she is always making comparisons with Sharon. Brett is on the upper at this stage but is romantically eyeing Kelly (Peta Brady) who is his boss. This leads to excessive tantrums on the part of Kim, wanting a separation, ousting him to the local hotel, eventually persuaded to a reconciliation – although he does seem to have an eye for Kelly.

There is a subplot for Sharon, exercising to get her weight down, going online for dating and creating an imaginary Beau, even going to the airport to meeting, a wish-fulfilment in her mind. And providing Kim with another opportunity for jealousy and put down.

With the title, the film was made in the immediate aftermath of The da Vinci Code. The connection is very loose, Kath and Kel having made a tour of da Vinci Code areas and fallen foul of the albino, John Monk, who sends them messages, follows them to Australia, appears at the house, seemingly sinister. His played by Barry Humphries. However, he has been so impressed by them that he wants them to lead da Vinci Code tours in Australia!

Kath and Kel are great dancers and they go to salsa classes, are chosen to perform on television with singer Michael Buble – and Kath takes a shine to him, gifts, visiting his dressing room, Kel being very jealous which leads to the rupture and the reconciliation.

Ted Emery has a strong reputation for Australian television comedy – as do the two leading ladies who from the 90s were in a series of comedy programs which showed their skills and versatility, their ability to mimic any female characters.

Five years later there was another bigger-budget Kath and Kim feature film, Kath & Kimderella.

AGENT OF DECEIT

US, 2019, 90 minutes, Colour.
Chelsea Ricketts, Michael Welch, Bryan Lillis, Charis Santana, Shari Belafonte.
Directed by Michael Feiffer.

This is a conventional thriller made for the television audience. It has an alternate title which makes the point, Who’s Stalking Me?

However, the title really is a giveaway as to who the stalker is. There are two main possibilities, the detective investigating a home invasion case or the photographer, previously in a relation with his co-worker who was attacked.

The film shows the attack, the victim’s questioning by the police, the female officer pointing out that the male officer is going against regulations doing the interrogation. Various clues are given as to his being the perpetrator. And, there are visual clues and body language to indicate that it is the co-worker.

As the film goes on, it becomes clear that it is the police officer, infatuated with the victim, getting her confidence, guarding her house, installing surveillance material which enables him to know what is going on. He also picks a local criminal to make him the seeming perpetrator and then sets up a situation where he shoots him.

Things come to a head when the detective goes to a company party, makes an attempt on one of the hostesses, makes the best friend suspicious – and then murders her.

There is a final twist at the end. The detective has stolen his victim’s camera and has doctored the vague photo of him to resemble her co-worker who is then taken away protesting.

In fact, the plot has been done many times before, the nice but deadly agent of deceit.

BOTTLE GIRL /NIGHTCLUB SECRETS

2018, 90 minutes, Colour.
Kate Mansi, Rachel Hendrix, Gary Weeks, Nick Marshall.
Directed by Joe Menendez.

This is a conventional thriller made for the television audience. The original title, Bottle Girl, refers to women recruited to special services in a high flying but seedy nightclub. To that extent, Nightclub Secrets is a more accurate title.

The film opens mysteriously with a young woman writing a note and setting the club alight. Her sister, a teacher of creative writing, partial for crime stories, begins to investigate her sister’s suicide, having returned home after some alienation from her alcoholic mother.

She decides to go to the bar where her sister worked, receives good reports about her, makes some sympathetic connections. There is also a suspicious character, a wealthy man, who may have murdered her sister. He meets her and is sympathetic towards her. However, he has an agent in the club, who recruits girls and sets them up, especially for parties at a mansion he owns.

As might be expected, there are dangers with the sister taking on such a job and an investigation. She does meet a sympathetic private detective who helps her – and then it is revealed that her sister’s suicide was contrived and that she is still alive, working with the private detective to unmask the wealthy man and his agent. They are running an exploitative sex slavery project with the girls.

Needless to say, there is a file and confrontation, happy reconciliation with the two sisters, a number of dangers but the police arriving, having been urged on by the girls’ mother.

This is one of those television movies to while away some spare time.

LA VILLE DON LE PRINCE EST UN ENFANT/ THE FIRE THAT BURNS


France, 1997, 90 minutes, Colour.
Christophe Malavoy, Michel Aumont, Nael Marandin, Clement van den Berg.
Directed by Christophe Malavoy.


This film of 1997 is based on a play from 1951 by Henry de Monthalant and keeps that setting. This is a Catholic Church story, the setting in a boarding school for boys.

The atmosphere of Catholicism is that of pre-Vatican II. The clergy are on a pedestal although this is the kind of film that contributed to something of the toppling of pedestals.

The school is rather isolated. There is a superior, often seen watching the boys and the staff, an interesting performance and presence by Michel Aumont.

The film gives quite some attention to the boys in the school, the range of ages, classes, sports, a variety of activities. It also shows the priests on the staff but concentrates on the one, Abbe de Pradts, played by the director of the film, Christophe Malavoy.

The other focus is on two of the boys, a difference of age of several years between them, but a strong friendship, intimations of homosexuality, the older boy strong minded, the younger boy, even more strong minded and self-assertive, with the friendship and with the dealings with de Pradts.

This is the period of a number of stories about priests – and the story was published at the time of the release of Robert Bresson’s film Diary of a Country Priest.

There is very little background to de Pradt. He is moving into middle age, has been a priest for some time, takes his work very seriously, but devotes a great deal of his attention to the boys, the Superior thinking that he spends too much time with the boys. Towards the end of the film, there is quite some serious discussion between the two priests, psychological in many ways, but rather cerebral in terms of the language, the ideas, relationship between adults and children, the role of the male adult educator and the children, the demands of celibacy, spiritual aspects of priesthood.

The film does not reach dramatic conclusions but leaves the reflections for the consideration of the audience.

The film was made in France at the time, the 1990s, when there was more focus in the church, and more focus in films, on schools and sexual abuse.

47 METERS DOWN: UNCAGED

US, 2019, 90 minutes, Colour.
Sophie Nelissse, Corinne Foxx, Brianne Tju, Sistine Rose Stallone, Brec Basinger, John Corbett, Nia Long.
Directed by Johannes Roberts.

For audiences who enjoy underwater adventures as well is underwater terror, the original 47 Meters Down seemed to serve its purpose. Thrills and screams underwater, claustrophobic danger, rescue, enterprise and surviving

Whether this film was necessary would be a matter of debate. It is not a sequel. It just capitalises on the title and it was made by the same director.

There have been a number of films with the title Girls Night Out, designed for an empathetic female audience, to identify with the characters, adventures, enterprising girls and women. This one could be also called Girls Day Out.

The setting is Yucatán, Mexico, an international school where we immediately see some bullying, especially of the central character, Mia (Sophie Nelisse), an intelligent girl with a considerable amount of knowledge and sharing diving with her underwater engineering father (John Corbett). She does not get on well with her half-sister, Sasha (Corinne Foxx, daughter of Jamie Foxx). We see the tension between the sisters in a scene at a meal at home. The father wants his daughters to go on a boat to look at great whites while he does work in the tunnels under the city. He has also found a shark’s tooth which he interprets as from past history (and the tooth will have a key role at the climax).

However, Sasha’s friends urge the girls to come with them, to a beautiful swimming hole, where they enjoy themselves and Alexa, the leader of the group, urges them to swim and examine an old cave with altars and statues from the Mayan era. Screenplay-wise, big mistake.

The breathing apparatus of the girls enables them to speak – but critics have been harsh and comment on what equipment they had for hearing each other! One of the girls, Nicole (Sistine Rose Stallone, daughter of Sylvester) is impulsive and irresponsible which leads the girls to encounter some blind fish who are aggressive and, then, a number of great white sharks, also blind but not the least bit hesitant in aggression.

And the screenplay goes in the directions that it sets up, underwater claustrophobia, plenty of Jaws moments and leaps in fright for the audience, a number of deaths (especially the men), narrow escapes, seemingly trapped, the sisters helping each other – but not without some ultimate dangers in the ocean. (Instead of a violent comeuppance for the bullies, the chief bully has to be amazed at the enterprise that Mia has shown!).

The title indicates everything and audiences will know whether they enjoy this kind of underwater adventure or not.

1. The original 47 Meters Down and its impact? Underwater terror? This is a follow-on rather than a sequel?

2. Mexico, Yucatán, the tourist view, the locals, the international school? The sea, underwater, the caves? The fish and the sharks? The rescue boat? The musical score?

3. The introduction, school, the bullying girls, pushing Mia into the water, Sasha and her friends, the home sequence, meters mother dead, her father marrying again, Sasha, their not getting on, the tension at the meal? The father wanting them to go on the cruise to see the great whites? Sasha wanting to be out with her girlfriends? The next day, Alexa persuading them not to go on the boat, to go on the expedition?

4. The characters of the girls, Mia, intelligent, knowledge, picked on? Sasha, sassy? Alexa, leader? Nicole, irresponsible?

5. Going to the water site, the exhilaration, the decision to go for the expedition, the swimming, the masks and oxygen, the ability to speak – and the credibility of their ability to hear?

6. Underwater, the main city, the temples and statues? Nicole impetuous, the others caught, the decision to leave, and Nicole forcing them to stay, the fish, the attack?

7. The fish, no sight, heightened senses, the sharks? The attacks? The girls coping, and not coping? Fleeing? The air bubble? Mia going to get help? The boys, the encounter, the sharks and their deaths? The music, Mia and contact with her father?

8. The strategy, to get back to the hole, the lifting machine, Nicole and her anxiety, climbing on, the collapse of the machine? And Nicole taken by the shark?

9. The girls, their father taken by the shark, his advice, to go to the sea, the strength of the currents? Alexa taken by the shark?

10. The two sisters, the dangers, the risks, the tunnel, the currents, each helping the other, getting stuck? Into the sea, the boat, throwing the blood overboard? The fish in the sharks approaching? Each of the girls, almost rescued, malt? Mia and the weapon, firing into the shark?

11. The irony of the bullying girls on the boat, having to change their attitudes about Mia?

12. Something of a girls night out entertainment?