RIP Len Helm MSC

Len died peacefully this morning while he was praying the Memorare with John Walker.

Len was one of the initial pioneer group in the mid-1960s and the accompaniment program for ‘late vocations’. Making their novitiate in 1967, first profession February 27^th 1968. They were the first group to study at St Paul’s National Seminary for Late Vocations, a new four year program. They were ordained, August 21^st, 1971.

Arthur Stidwill, Len Helm, Ed Travers, Terry Herbert and Laurie Bayliss (RIP, 2006).

In his over 50 years of ministry, he has worked in a number of parishes, parish supply – and served as Community Leader at Kensington Monastery. In recent years, he has been in retirement at St Mary’s Towers, Douglas Park.

May he rest in peace.

ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN

US, 20 1948, 83 minutes, Black-and-white.

Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Lon Chaney Jr, Bela Lugosi, Glenn Strange, Lenore Aubert, Jane Randolph, Frank Ferguson.

Directed by Charles T. Barton.

Bud Abbott (the straight man) and Lou Costello (often the patsy) were very popular movie comedians in the 1940s and 1950s, very much of that period. A parallel, more upmarket could be Martin and Lewis. But, though not in the same class as the comedy duo, Laurel and Hardy.

This was the first of their series of Meet the… While Frankenstein is in the title, it refers to the Monster, not Dr Frankenstein. However, the next film was Meet the Killer Boris Karloff. Then there was a series of popular encounters with characters including Captain Kidd (Charles Laughton) Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, The Invisible man, the Keystone Kops.

This one, in fact, should have been called Meet Dracula because Bela Lugosi reprises his famous role and is central to the film. A subtitle could be Meet the Wolf Man because Lon Chaney Jr reprises his role as Lawrence Talbot, transformed at full moon into the Wolf Man. And, the finale, indicating future horror excursions, Vincent Price’s voice is heard as The Invisible Man.

On the one hand, there is the local story, the bumbling duo unpacking cargo, warned not to open two coffins but, of course, the opening, one, with Dracula, the other with The Monster. While there are a lot of visual references to the famous horror films, there is also a whole lot of bumbling comedy involving the duo, Dracula’s femme fatale assistant, Lou Costello’s girlfriend who is hypnotised by Dracula, a nice doctor, and the frustrated entrepreneur who is exhibiting the horror relics.

Audience response was very favourable, praising the horror aspects of the film, but it was intended as a smaller enjoyable entertainment from Universal Studios for the wide audience.

DUCK SOUP

US, 1933, 69 minutes, Black-and-white.

Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, Chico Marx, Zeppo Marx, Margaret Dumont, Louis Calhern.

Directed by Leo McCarey.

A very early Marx Brothers film, many critics considering at their best. However, they were then to sign a contract with MGM and star in a series of very popular entertainments, A Night at the Operator, A Day at the Races, Go West, The Big Store.

The Marx Brothers were celebrated for their onstage comedy, a range of routines, Groucho, moustache and glasses, sloping walk, eyebrow raising, quips. And, Harpo, not speaking, mugging away, playing the harp when possible. Chico had his Italian accent and verbal mixups as well as his piano playing. Zeppo was the straight man and moved from films to business.

And, in seven films, the leading lady was the celebrated Margaret Dumont, tall, haughty, aristocratic, the butt of Groucho Marx’s jokes, but her continued devotion to his characters.

The screenplay, written by songwriters Harry Ruby and BertKalmar (as well as some songs here) takes up the popular theme of a European kingdom (think a 1930s style Prisoner of Zenda situation). The sets are quite something, re-creating the atmosphere of a European Castle and its interiors. And there is the pomp and circumstance of royalty, ambassadors, courts and judgements, political proceedings.

But, this is only a context for the comedy routines and performances with the Marx Brothers fulfilling all the above descriptions. They had already made Coconuts, Monkey Business, Animal Crackers so they had made the transition from stage to screen. In comparison with his other roles, Groucho is his usual self but a touch more subdued, on the edge of going full throttle. Harpo and Chico actually play two of the most inept spies and undercover agents you could find, Harpo finding a moment to play the strings on a grand piano.

Louis Calhern plays the insidious ambassador, terribly serious, the butt of a lot of the jokes, but going along with the proceedings.

Definitely for Marx Brothers fans but also a reminder of their early days.

PENINSULA/TRAIN TO BUSAN: PENINSULA/ Busanhaeng 2: Bando

Japan, 2020, 116 minutes, Colour.

Koo Kyo-hwan, Gang Dong-won, Lee Jung-hyun.

Directed by Yeon Sang-ho.

There was great acclaim for the original film, Train to Busan, 2016, a thriller set on a train, a zombie film, a population threatened by the living dead, trapped on a train, victims of the zombies, and the authorities fighting to save the people.

This film has the same director and cowriter. However, the link is the rise of the zombies but none of the characters from the original film reappear. Once again, the atmosphere is created and attention given to the zombies and their attacks on the humans. However, the emphasis in this thriller is on the humans themselves, an opening where the hero is driving through the countryside with children, refusing to give help to any of those appealing along the way, saved but, after four years, not going to the Peninsula where they hoped for safety but rerouted to Hong Kong and a squalid existence, isolated ghettos of humans, the continued menace of the zombies.

The dramatic focus when the leader in the ghetto learns that there is a vast amount of American dollars back on the Korean mainland and a squad, including the hero, travel back to the Peninsula to recover the dollars. While they run the risk of the zombies, there is also the threat of the gangs on the mainland, rogue military leaders, many prisoners, and the setting up of a gladiatorial system where prisoners are exposed to the pursuing zombies, bets being made on who will survive.

The hero encounters the two girls, expert drivers, with devices for lighting up situations on ground drone situations. We meet their mother, the woman who was refused help along the way, the hero then feeling guilty, eventually confessing.

In the ensuing confrontations, the freeing of a friend, the rogue military man and his attack with his thugs, the leader of the Fort and his associate, recovering the money and wanting to escape, it is the woman who becomes the chief protagonist of the film, stepping into the role that would be expected to be taken by the man. An indication of changing patterns in action films at this time.

For fans, this was a continuation, an enjoyable action zombie film. It also suffered the fate of sequels where many bloggers felt incumbent on them to declare that it was not as good as the original.

A HORSE NAMED WINX

Australia, 2024, 117 minutes, Colour.

Andrew Rule.

Directed by Janine Hosking.

At the end of her racing career, the horse named Winx – actually, THE would be better in the film’s title than A! – she was named the greatest racehorse in the world, 2018-2019.

Which means that audiences around the world, but especially audiences in Australia, know something of the career of Winx and her achievements, and the achievement of her trainer, New Zealander Chris Weller and her longtime jockey, Hugh Bowman, would be eager to see this highly interesting and entertaining look back into her racing past.

Actually, for audiences who have little or no idea who Winx was, they will be quickly drawn into this story, following step-by-step, listening to the range of interviews, getting to know the trainer well choose one, listening to the opinions of the owners, discussions with the jockeys. And, probably quite emotional, along with the racing fans, by the end of the film – and with the touch of tears as Winx loses her first foal.

We get to know Chris Weller very well also, his methods, his attitudes, and aspects of his biography. And, it is the same with jockey, Hugh Bowman. The audience is invited to identify very strongly with both of them.

Director, Janine Hosking, has been making effective documentaries for over 20 years, more recently into the world of Australian music, The Eulogy on pianist Geoffrey Tozer, Knowing the Score on Australia’s orchestra conductor, Simone Young. She knows how to tell a story well being her audience in.

The film is the biography of Winx, the stud background, birth, initial indications of success, taken on by her trainer, the markets and auctions, early promise, initial races, daring entries in prestige racing carnivals, their increasing wins… For the enthusiasts, plenty of racing sequences.

And, then, the recognition of Winx ‘s abilities, the beginning of the record-breaking long run of 33 consecutive wins, of the prestige races, breaking records, especially for winnings of the Cox Plate. (Any readers nunfamiliar with these races and the reputation of the Cox Plate will be on the edge of their seats not knowing whether Winx was going to break the winning record or not!). So, a very interesting documentary of Australian racing. And, so, a very entertaining portrait and drama of this champion racehorse.

EDWARD SCISSORHANDS

UK, 2024, 90 minutes, Colour.

Liam Mower, Ashley Shaw.

Directed by Matthew Bourne; screen version, Ross MacGibbon.

Edward Scissorhands, 1990, was one of Tim Burton’s most popular films, starring Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder. It was a fantasy, an inventor and his creature who had no hands but scissors. He goes down from his inventor’s Castle into the contemporary world, kindly people, exploitative people, made a fuss of with his ability to shape edges and hair. But, the people turn against him, persecute him, hound him out of the town.

Ballet choreographer, Matthew Bourne, has created many significant ballets, The Nutcracker, the Car Man and an all-male Swan Lake. He choreographed his version of Edward Scissorhands in 2005. Now his 2022 version has been filmed for theatrical release.

This is contemporary dance theatre rather than ballet. Matthew Bourne has choreographed quite a range of individual dances, ensemble dancing as in music theatre, a range of musical styles, especially from the 1950s and 1960s, and a range of dancing styles participated in by Edward himself, quite a moving performance from Liam Mower.

This production keeps the basic outline of Tim Burton’s film and Caroline Thompson’s screenplay with some variations.

The impact of this kind of production for the theatre audience is its view of the whole stage, the effect of distance from the stage, the audience choosing characters to focus on, individuals, but an ensemble experience.

This screen theatrical experience is quite different. There are many ensemble sequences, the audience viewing the whole stage. However, it is also very cinematic because of the camera work, the editing, the decisions for particular focus on characters, close-ups, some extreme close-ups, especially of Edward, choices made by the director but very effective for communicating the drama, the emotions, the development of the characters. Quite a different experience from that in the theatre.

For many, Tim Burton’s film has been a continuing favourite. So has the musical score by Danny Elfman, the main themes are incorporated into this score.  For those not familiar with Edward Scissorhands, a surprising experience. For those familiar, and different reliving of the film.

Our Lady of Pentecost parish, Melbourne.

Since 1988, we have had an MSC community in Kew, in the parish of Deepdene. Quite a number of confreres have lived there, often as a home while they participated in the Siloam program at Heart of Life. We have helped in supply in the parish and shared in various celebrations there.

Now there is a new combined parish.

                                                                                     Salt and Life Media

The amalgamated parish is to be called Our Lady of Pentecost, comprising Camberwell, Balwyn Deepdene, Surrey Hills Wattle Park.  This proposal is made on the following grounds. From the parish website -

First, three of the five parish churches have their patronage under a Marian title: Our Lady of Victories, Camberwell, Our Lady of Good Counsel, Deepdene and Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, Wattle Park.  The church at Balwyn is under the patronage of All Hallows (all saints) and Surrey Hills is under the patronage of Our Holy Redeemer.  The name alludes to Mary and the apostles (the first group of saints) gathering together in the upper room awaiting the gift of the Spirit, promised by Jesus (Our Holy Redeemer).

Second, Our Lady of Pentecost evokes the notion of something new coming about by the initiative of the Spirit.  It evokes the sense of continuity yet a calling to a new mission and a new direction being led by the Spirit.  It is also a call to the five worshipping communities who will make up Our Lady of Pentecost Parish to be guided by the Spirit in a prayerful, reflective and synodal way.

Third, Pente comes from the Greek word meaning ‘five’.  There is synergy with the ‘five’ worshipping communities coming together into a new Pente-cost.

The 30 Day retreat, India, Fiji, Dominic Gleeson MSC

In recent years, there has been a welcome collaboration between the Indian Province and the Province of the Pacific Islands.

The novices have been guided through their retreat by Dominic Gleeson.

In October-November, he will be directing our novices, Long and Nang, in their 30 day retreat at Douglas Park.

Krist Joyoti Ashram Namata Fiji

Future of St Mary's Towers, discussions and committee

St Mary’s Towers: John Walker informs us…“In the last Chapter, the new administration was encouraged to pursue and develop further the strategic plans for St Mary’s Towers.  A committee was brought together for this purpose and has met twice to contribute and listen to additional proposals.  Currently, a team of architects is working on a master plan for presentation at the next Council meeting, leading to strategic planning.  

An invitation was sent to the province inviting interested members to attend an open meeting, either in person or via Zoom, to listen to their thoughts and ideas for the ‘future of MSC spirituality ministries at St Mary’s Towers’.  

The meeting was held last Saturday in the Heart Room at the Towers.”

The redevelopment committee: Stephen Hackett (chair), Kimi Vunivesilevu (secretary), Clare Johnson, Sandy Abbey, Anne McAtomney, Amy Parish and John Walker.  The Photos are John Walker's.

Aged Care, Life’s Transitions Seminar, St Joseph’s

• And some photos of Terry Naughton, Noel Mansfield, Henk Bosman, outings from St Joseph’s

Supporting Others through Life’s Transitions: A report from John Walker. Recently Catherine Molihan, Fr Phil Hicks and Br John Walker participated in a seminar at the Christian Brothers’ Treacy Centre in Melbourne, convened by the CRA Health and Wellbeing Committee. 

The presenter was Sr Mary Pellegrino CSJ, an American Josephite.  The seminar allowed delegates to explore and reflect on life transitions that shape our human experience, focusing on navigating these transitions within the context of vowed life in a religious community.  The content and participation were impressive and thought-provoking. 

Still, whilst the seminar was well attended, there was a distinct lack of men in attendance, and of the seven, only five were religious, and two sat on CRA Committees.  The seminar was intended for both carers and religious.