GEMMA BOVERY

France/UK,, 2014 99 minutes, Colour.
Fabrice Lucchini, Gemma Arteton, Jason Flemyng, Isabelle Candelier, Neils Schneider, Mel Raido, Elsa Zylberstein, PiP Torrens, Edith Scob.
Directed by Anne Fontaine.


Possibly a lot of people looking at the advertisements of this film will think that publicists and poster designers have made quite a mistake in spelling Bovary as Bovery. But, it is not a mistake, This Bovary is Gemma, rather than Emma. And it is a 21st century story based on a graphic novel – with acknowledgements to Gustave Flaubert and his 19th century classic, Madame Bovary.


All the way through audiences might be wondering how seriously to take this story, with its parallels with the 19th century, similarities and differences.

The focus of attention is on Martin, who has worked with a publishing firm but has retired to take over his father’s bakery in a quiet Normandy town. He is married and has a son whom he considers a fool. While he enjoys his work, his dissatisfied in his marriage so that when an English couple move in as neighbours, and his and their dogs become entangled, he is pleased to have made the acquaintance of Gemma Bovary who is there with her husband, Charlie, a restorer of antiques. Martin lets his eye rove, becomes preoccupied about Gemma, often intervening for her well-being.

This is all rather credible because of the performances. Fabrice Lucchini is Martin. He is one of France’s best actors, always worth watching, often performing quite different roles, a subtle interpreter of his roles. Gemma Arterton portrays Gemma and Jason Fleming is her husband.

The husband has to be back in England at times and Gemma, feeling restless and alone, begins a sensuous affair with a young student, Herve, Neils Schneider, whom she encounters by chance. Of course, this has an extraordinary effect on Martin, who goes to some lengths to stop the affair, writing a letter to her in the name of the student, while copying it from the text of Flaubert’s novel. When the couple have broken valuable porcelain owned by the young man’s mother, Gemma enlists the help of Martin to write a letter to the lawyer about the damage.

Charlie returns, there is a crisis, with Gemma having to decide whom she really loves – complicated when she goes to visit some friends to do some decorating work and finds a previous lover visiting them.

Feature of the film is a rendezvous in Rouen, with attractive vistas of the Cathedral, exteriors and interiors, when Martin hopes to meet Gemma, imagines her in the Cathedral, but then finds that the car she was travelling in has broken down, and the fantasy dissolves.

There is a climax which combines the tragic with the mundane, including bread, field mice and arsenic – even eliciting titters of laughter from some of the audience, which again somewhat undermines the seriousness of the plot.

And, just when we are accepting what has happened to Gemma, to Charley, to Martin and his wife, the son who is considered a fool plays a very amusing trick on his father, who falls for the trick and will be humiliated.

Someone commented that the end of the film seems rather daft. It does. But, while many audiences will be charmed by the story, by the character of Gemma and her experiences, others might think (as does this reviewer) there is a touch of the ado about very little.




1. The title? The parallels with Flaubert’s novel, the similarities, the differences? The same Normandy countryside?

2. The parallels, real, contrived, explicit, implicit?

3. How serious the treatment? Martin, his infatuation? Gemma as ordinary, relationships, her affairs, her husband? Action off the screen? The joke at the end? The 21st century treatment of relationships and sex rather than 19th-century treatment?

4. Cast, French and English? The use of both languages?

5. Martin, working at the publishers, returning to Normandy, seven years, his father’s bakery, the detail of his work, the different breads and croissants? His wife and love for her, calling his son dumb? Seeing Gemma? A sexual awakening for him after 10 years?

6. Charlie, burning the goods, the diary, Martin taking it, reading it, the flashbacks?

7. Memory of the Bovery’s arrival, the English neighbours, the dogs chasing each other, his helping with carrying things? The language, the visits to the baker’s shop, Martin’s growing preoccupation? With his wife?

8. Charlie, restoration work,Gemma and her work, loving each other, tensions rising, Gemma and her boredom?

9. The chance encounter with Herve, his life, age, study, beginning the affair, passionate? The breaking of the statue? His mother, her demands? Gemma visiting, her encounters? His love for her, her enjoyment rather than love? Martin writing the letter from Herve, using the novel? Gemma upset, phone calls, going to the house, Herve’s mother coming to Charlie’s house, demanding the statue, accusing him of stealing? Gemma the discussion about the statue?

10. Charlie hurt, Gemma wanting to talk, the phone call and the message in London, his happily returning?

11. Gemma, the visit to the friends for work, meeting Patrick, the memories? The past relationship? Going to Rouen, his coming to the house, his request, Gemma and the bread, her choking?

12. Gemma and Martin, his visits, the episode with getting out the sting? Going to Rouen, the catherdral, like Madame Bovary, his vision of her praying, seeing the van and Patrick?

13. The request to write the letter,his being tongue-tied?

14. The mice, Gemma’s fear, arsenic and his forbidding it, her buying it, his killing the mouse?

15. The death, his presumption of arsenic, the truth his bread?

16. Charlie and his sense of guilt for attacking Patrick?

17. The banality of death by bread? Each of the flashbacks, Patrick trying to save her, Charlie assuming Patrick was accosting her?

18. The diary and her final entry, decision to return to Charlie?

19. The funeral contrast with the fireworks?

20. Herve, grief and the flowers?

21. The new neighbours the joke about Anna Karenina?

THE BABY OF MACON.

UK, 1993, 133 minutes, Colour.
Julia Ormonde, Reith finds, Philip Capstone.
Directed by Peter Greenaway.

A Peter Greenaway film is not to everyone’s taste. Perhaps he was born in the wrong century. He seems so at home in the past, its looks, its style, its issues. He belongs to a more earthy and graphic culture than our own (at least in what is usually represented in art forms) so that even allegedly robust audiences find him too much. This will be the case with The Baby of Macon.

However, for those who are able to sit through it (and the blood may be too much for some, as may the cruelly vengeful execution of the woman), there is much to observe, much to appreciate and, as regards religion, much to think about. A useful parallel would be Ken Russell’s films, especially The Devils, although Greenaway is far more disciplined in excess.

Set in 17th century France, and looking sumptuous and sounding exquisite, this morality play, performed in a cathedral, dramatises the use and misuse of religion and church authority, superstition and false miracles and relics and their consequent gross environments.

This is an intelligent and demanding film that requires attentiveness and thought rather than a quick look and superficial dismissal. It is archetypal Greenaway.

1. The impact of the film? Pageant, history, civil authorities, ecclesiastical authorities? Sexuality, birth, rape? The desire for miracles and excesses for relics?

2. The career of Peter Greenaway, his interests, style, art, photography, dialogue?

3. A play of the 17th century, with actors, as characters, as themselves? Providing some distance for the audience as well as involvement?

4. The division of the film into various acts, theatrical?

5. The situation, the palace, the benches, the rooms, the audience, ordinary people, costumes and decor, the ecclesiastics? Civil authorities? Watching the birth, responding with counting the number of contractions? The consequences?

6. The title, the baby as a saviour-figure, echoes of the Virgin Mary’s conception? The monstrous mother, the midwives, the suffering of birth, action? Audience curiosity and participation?

7. The clergy, the hierarchy, in vestments? As real clerics, as actors allegedly portraying clerics? The Dean of the cathedral his son?

8. The prologue, the strange character, speaking, stuttering, and his appearance at the end, providing a frame?

9. The commentary, the confessor, the behaviour of the clerics and supervising? The aristocracy, the old and the young, observing?

10. The emergence of the young woman, as an actress, as mother, loving the baby, caring for it, protecting it?

11. Servants, soldiers, the contribution? The actors looking for casting roles and being employed?

12. The benefits the draw, his character, his concern about his son, about the church? The son, his character, observing, his encounter with the woman, sexual, graphic, nudity, the attack on him, the blood?

13. The Dean, his reaction, wanting vengeance?

14. The authorities and condemnation of the woman, taken, on the bed, her defiance, victim? Her continually protesting virginity? The rapists and their affirming it?

15. The men, getting ready, the queue, vicious, environment, the huge number?

16. The child, the role, the symbol? Death, no miracles, the crowds wanting the relics and tearing from limb to limb?

17. The critique of the contemporary society, of the church? As applicable to the present day?

18. An all-out morality play?

SEEDS OF YESTERDAY

US, 2015, 100 minutes, Colour.
Rachael Caparni, James Maslow, Jason Lewis, Anthony Konechni, Sammi Hanratty, Leah Gibson.
Directed by Shawn Ku.


Seeds of Yesterday is the fourth in the series which began with Virginia Andrews Flowers in the Attic. It was followed by Petals on the Wind and If There be Thorns.

One of the main focuses of the third film was Cathy’s son, Bart, who was possessed by the spirit of his grandfather, Malcolm, self-righteous with some religious indignation, especially about his family. When his grandmother, Corinne, moved in next door, he became her favourite and she left everything to him.

With the opening of the present film, Bart is turning 25 and there is a reading of his grandmother’s will, with him expecting to take possession of his fortune, but this is not to be the case, because his grandmother was concerned that he would go to an institution, and so the money is managed by Chris.

Bart has reconstructed the family mansion and invites the family to join him, with the ballet presentation by Jory, without his wife Melodie who is pregnant. Jory’s spine is broken in an accident. Bart pays all expenses but has an affair with Jory’s wife. The adopted daughter, Cindy, also arrives, dances in the ballet in place of Melodie, manifests an infatuation with Bart but leaves.

Melodie’s children are born, twins, but she cannot face being a parent. There is also a Nanny whom Bart seduces then rejects her. When Chris has an accident and Bart shows sinister signs but Cindy returns and they become evangelists. Cathy returns with her memories to the attic.

1. The novels of V.C.Andrews? The film versions? The continuity of the story throughout the novels and films? Audience interest, curiosity?

2. Bart and the rebuilding of the mansion? Lavish interiors? The ballet performance, meals, the chapel? The grounds of the house? The clubs in the city? the musical score?

3. The title, the effect of the different generations, Bart and his history? Bad seed?

4. Bart at 25, a Christian Grey type, wealth, the inheritance from his grandmother, Chris and his administration? Bart’s resentment? His restoring the house, lavish? As a character, wilful, using his wealth, using women, his relationship with the family? Malcolm and his diary and the continued influence, malevolent? His expectations? That he would inherit his money at 25 and manage it? His frustration that his grandmother had deceived him? And her thought that he might go to an institution?

5. Chris and Cathy, their past, more serene, love, Jory? Their interactions with Bart? The administration of the property? Love for Jory, Melodie and her pregnancy? Their happiness? The ballet, the accident, Jory in hospital, Melodie unable to go, using her pregnancy as an excuse? Her own grief at not being able to dance, not being able to dance with Jory? With Bart, the relationship? Cindy and her arrival, the attitude towards Bart, the sexual flirtation, his resistance? The hiring of the Nanny – and Bart’s approach to her, callous? Cathy and Chris, the decision to move, to buy the new house? Chris killed in the accident?

6. Jory, the ballet, Melodie pregnant, not dancing? Cindy substituting? The dance, the crush of the columns, Jory and his spine being broken, going to the hospital? Melodie not visiting, the others covering for her? Bart paying, the installation of the lift? Melodie and her sexual needs, with Bart? Hurting Jory? His despair, going into the pool, the rescue? Melodie, the birth, those assisting the birth, Cathy reassuring her? The decision to leave, unable to be a mother, leaving the note?

7. Cindy, the history with Bart, adopted, the arrival, sluttish behaviour, appearing sexually in Bart’s dream? The ballet, the dance? The interactions with Bart, his spurning her, her leaving, returning?

8. The Nanny, care of the babies, attracted to Bart, sexual relationship, his callous dismissal of her?

9. Bart, becoming mad, the baptismal ceremony in the chapel? His losing his grip and mind?

10. The decision to move, fears about Bart, that he should go to an institution?

11. Cindy, her return, Bart and Cindy becoming revivalists?

12. Cathy, alone, going back to the attic, her memories?

13. The end of the saga?

SPEED RACER

US, 2008, 135 minutes, Colour.
Emile Hirsch, John Goodman, Susan Sarandon, Roger Allam, Matthew Fox, Christina Ricci, Kick Gurry, Hiroyuki Sanada, Benno Fuhrmann.
Directed by The Wachowski Brothers.

With the developments in technology for film-making and the creative inventiveness for storytelling which means that beginning, middle and end do not necessarily have to appear in that order, it seems that many young viewers (and critics) are so fascinated by the form of a film that the way a film looks and the clever way a film is constructed becomes as important as or more important than the plot and the values dramatised.

This is true of Speed Racer. It is an extraordinary cinematic creation in its style. Based on a Japanese comic and animated television series, the Wachowski Brothers bring the skills they showed for The Matrix series and create a world of human beings with touches of realism in a setting of bright colour, videogame settings and shapes, adrenalin action that are intended to grip the audience and keep them there for over two hours. And, in entertainment terms, that will happen for many audiences.

However, much of it was a dead loss for this reviewer. While there was some fascination with the creativity and the imaginative use of comic book landscapes and styles as well as reasonable performances from Emile Hirsch as the young racer with an innate genius for cars and John Goodman and Susan Sarandon as his parents (and a pantomime-style villain in British stage actor, Roger Allam), the theme was not all that interesting and the thundering action and emotion was in the ‘sound and fury’ vein of much ado.

1. The original graphic comic? Japanese? The visuals transferred to moving actions? The story, characters? Cars, racing, business, intrigue?

2. The Wachowskis and their career? Action films, special effects? a different kind matrix? The style of animation, backgrounds, realism, surrealism? The live action with the animation? The effect of the touch of psychedelic? Credible?

3. Speed, Rex, the different ages, little boy, at school, and admiring his brother drive, going to special places? Intercut with Speed as an adult? His driving, with his parents, his achievements, memories of his brother, his little brother, the monkey, Sparky, the household?

4. Rex, walking away, the reasons, his father, and anger, harsh words? Speed upset?

5. The picture of the parents, the father and his designing cars and engines, mother and her support? Their being an independent company? The mischief
of the little boy and his monkey?

6. The visit of Royalton, unctuous style, entry, the pancakes, friendly, the offer, Speed to think about it, the tour of the elaborate factory, amazement, the father’s reaction, the corporation, expectations? Speed and the gift of the velvet suit?

7. The Japanese racer, the other drivers, his sister? Wanting to win and vindicate himself? Speed helping, dangerous and difficult race, dangers along the way, we? His triumph? The irony of the betrayal, with his father, deal with Royalton and the price of the shares?

8. The inspector, his assistant, the mask? Audiences suspecting that it was Rex? Speed and his enquiries, asking, the man to take off his mask? The fact that he was Rex and accepting the fact that he had deceived his family and hurt them? The flashbacks and his funeral and facial surgery?

9. The inspector, his work, corruption in the race world, fixed races? Information statistics? Trying to persuade the Racer family to collaborate?

10. Trixie, friends with Speed at school and their friendship, love, her support, part of the family, racing and driving? The helicopters and the guidance?

11. The dangerous race, Rex’s death, the father not wanting Speed to race? Royalton’s alarm?

12. The aftermath of the race, the triumph? The sister and her giving Speed the ticket to enter the championship? The family working day and night? Sparky and his help Speed’s gratitude?

13. Royalton, his being upset, officials’ insistence on obeying the rules? Royalton and his wanting Speed dead, fixing the weapon on his car? Speed and his tactics, exposing the sabotage, Royalton excluded?

14. The race, the detail, Speed and the car, his contemplation, able to work out how to start the question again? The thrill of the race, the support? Is it?

15. The Inspector and Rex, congratulating Speed?

16. The background of corruption industry? The portrait of the other drivers?

17. The role of the commentators throughout, their personalities, observations, commentary?

SMILLA’S SENSE OF SNOW/SMILLA’S FEELING FOR SNOW

UK/Denmark, 1997, 121 minutes, Colour.
Julia Ormond, Gabriel Byrne, Richard Harris, Tom Wilkinson, Robert Loggia, Jim Broadbent, Bob Peck, Vanessa Redgrave.
Directed by Bille August.

Feeling, sensing, intuiting... snow?

A quibble about titles and translations. The film is Smilla's Feeling for Snow (1997). Apparently, this relates more closely to the original Danish title of Peter Hoeg's novel, Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow. However, the title for the film in the U.S. is Smilla's Sense of Snow. Feeling? Sense? If we were to be exact, I think the film might be better titled Smilla's Intuition for Snow.

Peter Hoeg's novel has been brought to the screen by Bille August (Pelle the Conqueror, House of the Spirits, Ingmar Bergman's Best Intentions, Les Miserables). It is a Scandinavian ecological murder mystery, focusing on Greenland, with an intense scientist who loves mathematics, Smilla, obsessed with finding solutions.

Julia Ormond brings Smilla to life, an outsider, abrasive and single-minded but whose feelings for people, especially after the mysterious death of her six year old friend, are beginning to emerge. Her investigation takes her to political and corporation cover-ups, threats on her life and a spectacular climax in Greenland. Perhaps there are too many coincidences and plot gaps, but Smilla is an entertainment with something to say and a different feel from familiar conspiracy movies.

Smilla's response to snow is that of a woman with Greenland Eskimo heritage who is a research scientist. She is not particularly subjective in her approach to snow, nor is she particularly sensing about snow. She is better at describing snow structures and systems than its sense properties. Her response is an overall sixth sense insight into snow and what is associated with it. She is intuitive about snow.

Not having read the novel I was interested in a friend's comments on the book character of Smilla. She was older than Julia Ormond in the movie but my friend found her a male character in female guise, Peter Hoeg not doing a good job in imagining himself into a female character. This, of course, runs the risk of seeing and reading characters according to received stereotypes.

However, the Smilla of the film is very feminine. But, I would suggest that she is more comfortable with being objective than subjective.

Some of the film reviewers at the preview I attended had some difficulties with the structure of the screenplay which had been adapted by fellow-Dane, Bille August. Towards the end it moves to what one called `sub-James Bond territory'. And, just as we were thinking there were too many plot coincidences with characters being almost impossibly in the right place at the right time, Richard Harris, who plays the villain, is given some remarks about coincidences and our noticing them -he might have gone on to discuss synchronicity. While these leaps of coincidence did not particularly appeal to me, it was overall looking at the big picture without being too preoccupied with detail.

One of the conclusions from this is that we should not expect every audience to enjoy the same film. Different films have an in-built style which will mean that they will not necessarily appeal to opposite types. (This can be easily verified by comparing the appeals of slapstick farces with those of Woody Allen comedies.)

Smilla is an outsider. She is a scientist, a mathematician, who has several speeches lauding the qualities of maths, its precision, its theoretical appeals, the nature of numbers. But she is unemployed. Is this because she is a scientist, because she is a woman, because her mother was from Greenland?

However, her life is changed when a young Eskimo boy falls to his death from the roof of her building in Copenhagen. At first, she had rather hostilely rebuffed his childlike offers of friendship but had come to like him and had some sympathy for his alcoholic Eskimo mother and her plight and some empathy for her alienation. She is not satisfied with the sensate evidence of an accident and sets out on a detecting quest.

Making connections, interviewing a range of people, putting her mind to the problems, she moves towards uncovering a conspiracy that takes her back to Greenland and the 1990s conflict between greed, exploitation and the environment. She is able to achieve a solution as well as put the pieces of the big picture together.

But, in her initial isolation, she ran the danger of being stuck in her type. The continued friendship of the boy and her finding the beginnings of a loving response meant that she was being challenged. She was being forced out of her ivory tower into the world of sense. She was also forced to relate and discover a more subjective world. This is compounded by her relationship to the mysterious mechanic (Gabriel Byrne) who seems to be something between spy and guardian angel.

Her sexual response to his has more `masculine' characteristics of abrupt satisfying of needs rather than `feminine' tenderness also makes her discover more of her own tenderness. And the danger brings them closer together.

Smilla had some mainstream release, but it was considered more of an art-house movie.

1. Danish- British film, a story of the 1990s?

2. Adaptation of the novel, complexity of plot, locations? Universal?

3. Greenland, the ice and snow, during the credits, the meteor and the avalanche? The later sequences, the snow, the ships? The musical score?

4. Smilla, her heritage, parents, love of science and mathematics, the cold personality – snow?

5. Copenhagen, the streets, offices, restaurants, and morgue, homes, the boat? The feel of the city?

6. The structure of the film: prologue, the 19th century, the focus on Smilla, the flashbacks to the friendship with the boy, the investigation, relationships, threats, the expedition, the solution? The story and detection?

7. Smilla, her character, cold, mathematics, lack of emotion, relationship with the boy? The Mechanic? With her father, his young wife? The clash? Her being relentless, the autopsy, the discussions with the man at the morgue, his hints and information, the doctor? The police, the blind man, the club owner, the captain and his son?

8. The situation, the boy, the encounter with him and his mother, a growing compassion? Going to the roof, the footprints in the snow, his run, fall? The antagonism of the police? The flashbacks to her memories, with the boy, the stories, the bath, friendship, the mother and her drinking? The concern about the autopsy, the discussion with the conductor of the autopsy, with the doctor, the discussions with The Mechanic, the revelation about the truth, the medical information, the strange worm and his destruction? The boy’s father, going to work in Greenland, his death, the payoff to his wife, the boy jumping into the water, the monthly inspection of his health? The jab after his death to find his physical condition?

9. The Mechanic, his friendship, stammering, helping Smilla, her initial wariness, the love, the kiss?

10. Dr Tork, Smilla and her suspicions, seeing The Mechanic with Dr Tork? His link with the owner of the club?

11. Dr Tork, the truth, Greenland, the expedition, the meteor, his wanting to make money, his ruthlessness, the flashback showing him and the death of the boy? The captain, his anger towards Dr Tork, attacking him, the wound in his arm?

12. The doctor, participating in the plot, the information, the worm, the expedition, his presence at the end, Smilla’s attack and his falling into the water, drowning?

13. The captain, the ship and the crew, his son, the death of his son and his reaction, the confrontation with Dr Tork, the attack, his death? The son, sex and drugs, brash remarks to Smilla, helping her, his death?

14. Smilla’s father, his marriage, the past, in Greenland, love for his wife, for Smilla, his marriage, the character of his new wife and her moods, not wanting to be associated with Smilla? Smilla confronting her, almost choking her?

15. The owner of the club, the connections, his driving Smilla, helping her, to the boat?

16. The teacher, the report, the boy?

17. Smilla going to the blind man, his boat, the tape, his technology, discerning what was on the tape? His death, the boat exploding, Smilla almost killed?

18. The police, the interrogation, Smilla and her experiences, the threats?

19. On the ship, hiding, going up in the lift, seeing the videos, the information? The captain and his henchmen, chasing Smilla, her going over the side, reliance on the captain’s son?

20. Going across the ice, to the site, the doctor, Dr Tork, the captain and his attack on Dr Tork, The Mechanic and his arrival, saving Smilla? Her walk across the snow?

21. An interesting example of science, the touch of science fiction, murders, the mystery, solving the mystery?

ONE EYED GIRL

Australia, 2014, 103 minutes, Colour.
Mark Leonard Winter, Steve Le Marquand, Craig Behenna, Tilda Cobham- Hervey, Matt Crook,
Directed by Nick Matthews.

One Eyed Girl is a film about a cult, set in South Australia, distinctively Australian tone and interesting in comparison with films from overseas about this kind of community.

Mark Leonard Winter is Travis, first seen in a suburban train, earphones on, ignoring the girl offering pamphlets to passengers, asking them to think about their lives and meaning and inviting them to come to a meeting. Travis begins to shuttle his memories, thinking of his work as a psychologist and meeting with his patients, a variety of interviews, their mental health, his response, paying attention but distracted, some of them challenging him. His memories also include a disturbed young woman called Rachel. She comes to his apartment, plays the violin, makes advances affecting his insecurity. He also has memories of his supervisor questioning him about Rachel’s death and her advice that he take several weeks off and to deal with his pill addiction.

Travis does go to the meeting, watches the video of a military veteran from Iraq, his speaking about the effect on him of shooting someone, his use of drugs, three years of his life lost and his setting up The Farm, which gathers together people who are in need of therapy. He calls himself Father Jay (Steve Le Marquand), gathering his disciples, trying to heal, wanting their complete loyalty.

Travis takes an overdose and collapses, is rescued by the meeting leader, Tom, and the girl, Grace. He is taken to The Farm, goes through a process of detox, gradually becoming part of the community – though he still has troubles with his self-image (a fearful little boy) and some questions about the way Father Jay operates. When he witnesses a situation of sexual abuse, there are more questions and doubts, talking with the victim who is in denial, challenging Father Jay who responds with all kinds of rationalisations.

Travis also befriends, Grace who makes advances which he rejects.

As expected, this leads to a crisis Travis wanting to leave Father Jay giving him the keys of a car. But, he returns. Travis is allowed to leave by Tom who seems disillusioned. It is not long before there is violence, confrontations, and drastic behaviour which may remind viewers with long memories of Jim Jones and his hold over his community in Jonestown, Guyana, in the 1970s, which led to mass suicide.

The film does not end easily, an exposé of what had happened, Travis trying to save Grace, Travis having to face himself and what his life means.

The title? “in the land of the blind, the one-eyed girl is queen”.

The film looks good, capitalises on locations, has interesting performances. And it does challenge an audience sympathetic to those with mental health problems but also challenging audiences to be concerned about self-proclaimed leaders, their behaviour, their hold and demands for loyalty, and the exploitation of this loyalty



1. A film about cults, leaders and followers, problems?

2. South Australian settings, the city, medical and psychological practices, apartments, hospitals? The countryside surroundings? Credible situation? Musical score?

3. The title, “in the land of the blind, the one-eyed girl is queen”?

4. The introduction to Travis, in the train, Grace and the pamphlets, his ignoring her, the blend of memories, shuffling the memories? As a psychologist, the collage of his patients the symptoms, mental health, talking, problems, challenging Travis? His encounter with Rachael, her coming to his apartment, his interview, the sexual approach, misconduct, wanting her to play the violin on the balcony? The later visuals of her suicide, falling from the roof? Travis signing the document about her health and mental condition? The interviews with the nurse and supervisor, the issue of suspension? The effect of the pills, his addiction, self-image despair, the overdose, the phone call, Tom and Grace coming to help him?

5. Hs going to the session, the video with Father Jay, Tom running the meeting, Grace present? The discussion, Jay and his experience of the war, Iraq, the glimpse President Bush, three years loss of life, getting clean? Setting up The Farm?

6. Travis being transported to The Farm, alone, the detox, Jay talking with him, Grace, Tom, the steps of his recovery? The need for painkillers? Sleeping, dreams? Going out of the room?

7. The sessions, the group, the cult atmosphere, love for Father Jay, loyalties, offering a sense of freedom?

8. Jay and his personality, leadership, dependence on him? His exploiting this but seeming good and charming?

9. Travis walking, Seeing Marcus and Jay, the sexual encounter, the aftermath with Marcus, Jay and his rationalising his behaviour, exorcising Marcus of his problems? Travis talking with Marcus, his denial, yet his sadness?

10. The gathering, supposed to be celebrating Marcus and his happiness, Marcus sad, Travis talking to him, the challenge to Jay, Jay’s explanations,? Giving Travis the car, Travis stopping, return?

11. Tom urging Travis to go, shooting himself?

12. Grace, her sexual advance Travis stopping her?

13. Travis in the van with Marcus, Marcus getting out, the gun, Jay trying to reason, Marcus shooting him?

14. The group against Travis, the young men bashing him, his offer to help Jay as a doctor? Jay dying, saying that he was happy and had fulfilled his life?

15. The happy families, the celebrations, the children? The aftermath of Jay’s death, Jay on the chair, Travis seeing all the dead bodies and their having drunk poison?

16. Travis following Grace into the city, the underground station Travis following her?

17. Grace, the carriage, the pamphlets, her preaching, the man and his scoffing, Grace and the gun, the reaction people, challenging? Grace and the
pamphlets, urging everyone to sing? Travis coming into the carriage, reasoning with Grace, taking the gun, pulling the alarm?

18. Grace, her sense of self, the crisis?

19. Travis, taking the gun, emptying the bullets, the police arriving, his holding the gun, the shooting? His death, his achievement his sense of self?

20. How incisive a portrait of cults, leaders, hypocrisies, destruction?

LAS BRUJAS DE ZUGARRAMURDI/WITCHING AND BITCHING

Spain, 2013, 112 minutes, Colour.
Hugo Silva, Mario Casas, Carolina Bang, Carmen Maura.
Directed by Alex de la Iglesia.


This is a film to check out before you see it. It is very much a cult film.

It is the work of director Alex de la Iglesia, who since the 1990s has built a reputation for films which are often quite over the top, blends of comedy, satire, films of horror all with a vivid visual style. This is definitely the case here – and the English language title, Witching and Bitching, is more over the top than the original Spanish title, The Fires of Zugarramurdi.

The film begins more than eccentrically with a robbery in broad daylight in the city square. Audience attention is arrested by the figure of Jesus carrying his cross, one of those life statues, motionless mime, that are seen frequently. In the square are quite a number of other motionless mimes as well as comic characters including Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Suddenly there is Jesus taking a mobile phone from his loincloth and running across the street, all the characters converging on the jewellery shop where there is a store of gold rings which are taken by the thieves. Also implicated is the little son of the thief who is Jesus, a little boy who makes contact with his father, who should be doing his homework at home with his father instead of being in the getaway car.

All kinds of absurdities happen along the escape route from the city, the thieves making their way for French border to cross over into France, and to visit Disney Euro. They take a car from a terrified stranger, putting the him in the boot. There is a taxi driver who is afraid at first but is so impressed that he wants to join the group. And there is also the associate who becomes more wary as they escape the city.

Meantime, the police contact the wife of the leader, reveal what has happened, where her son is – and she sets out in pursuit. Two rather slow policeman also follow.

The group becomes a bit concerned when they arrive at the town os Zugarramurdi. It has a reputation for having a coven of witches, and a witch trial took place there back in the 18th century.

The audience has been prepared for this because they have seen the witches, with a nod to Macbeth, with the witches, their cauldron and their prophecies and curses.

And this is where the film becomes even more absurd, and the horror of begins. The witches are still in the town – three generations of them, an eccentric old mother, Almodovar actress Carmen Maura as the middle-aged witch wedge, and the director’s companion, Carolina Bang, as the young seductress. There is also a strange old man in the shop who also appears on the road, almost being run over.

The last part of the action takes place witches’ house, the men tied up, the young which fascinated by the thief, Carmen Maura walking on the ceiling as they all sit at the dining table. There are rather mysterious caverns.

And all the time, the little boy is seen to be the fulfilment of prophecy, the chosen one and is ritualised taken up by the witches. The screenplay becomes more and more confusing to the audience as it moves towards its finale – with the touch of apocalyptic.

The film fits in with the tradition of Alex de la Iglesia and his films, reminders of Guillermo del Toro – but not quite so straightforward! Definitely for a select audience

LOVE, ROSIE

UK, 2014, 102 minutes, colour.
Lily Collins, Sam Claflin, Christian Cooke, Jamie Winston, Sukio Waterhouse, Tamson Egerton.
Directed by Christian Ditter.


It was only after the film was over that this reviewer realised that we are present in Dublin. Everybody speaks with such clear British accents. Half of the film is located in Dublin, the other half in Boston.

This film is based on a 2004 novel, Where the Rainbow Ends. Perhaps the film does end at the end of the rainbow but the film could have been called Long Years Journey into the Evident. So, this is the story of Rosie and Alex, childhood friends, teenage best friends, adult distant friends and the ups and downs of their lives.

Rosie and Alex are shown as young kids, bonding, sharing experiences with each other, each at home with the other. But, at Rosie’s 18th birthday, she drinks too much, flirts, can’t remember anything afterwards. In the meantime, Alex, for some reason that he (and we) can’t quite work out, does not see Rosie romantically and enters into a relationship with the vain Bethany. On a kind of rebound, Rosie has a one night stand with Greg, satisfying to him after a few moments, unsatisfying to her, when she has to go to hospital because of her not being able to find the condom he used.

The best played laid plans… Alex has a scholarship to Harvard to study medicine and off he goes. Rosie was intending to go to America to do a hotel management course but, morning sickness, and…

Supported by a wonderful and wise father, and her mother, Rosie gives birth but instantly bonds with her daughter and decides not to put her up for adoption.

Years pass, Rosie gets a cleaning job at a hotel, works with her best friend and confidante, Ruby, brings up her daughter, with the usual bouts of colic, sweetness, first steps, and the years pass. Greg come back on the scene and, for some moments, we hope that all will be well and Rosie, Greg and the daughter will become a family. But.

In the meantime, Alex gets tangled with a supremely snobbish young woman, invites Rosie to visit Boston, a visit which is a disaster. And so on…

By the time 12 years have passed, the daughter is verging on teenage and disagreeing with her mother, there is a death in the family which brings grief, Bethany arrives on the scene as a top model and goes to Boston to see Alex. Nothing ever seems to go right for either Rosie or Alex.

Lily Collins and Sam Claflin portray Rosie and Alex over a period of 12 years, from 18 to 30, and have a good on-screen rapport. So, what begins like one of those raucous teenage films, drinking, loud music, fumbling sex, gradually becomes the story of adolescents moving into adulthood. Which means that it turns out better than might have initially been expected.

1. The title, the tone?


2. The Dublin settings, homes, school, workplaces, clubs? The English accents? The United States, Boston?. The city? The musical score?

3. Rosie and Alex from age 18 to 30? Rosie and the relationship with Alex? Friendship, love, others in their lives, change? Meeting throughout the years? Again at 30?

4. Rosie’s attitudes, wilful, the nature of the relationship, trust? The ;possible scholarship to the US for hotel management, unable to go? Their lives, Rosie’s parents, strong characters and their influence on her, supportive, a wise father?

5. Rosie’s, her personality, going, the party, Greg, her pregnancy, the secret?

6. Alex, hesitant, the relationship with Rosie, going to the University, reticent? With Rosie, unable to commit? Going to Boston, with Sally?

7. The years passing? The effect on each? Rosie and her work in hotel cleaning, friendship with Ruby?

8. Greg, Rosie, marrying, the ups and downs, their daughter? Bringing up the baby, childhood, growing up – problems and joys?

9. Rosie the visits to Boston? Sally, Alex and his life, the separation, Bethany and her arrival, the marriage? Her character, self-centred?

10. Greg and his infidelity, his keeping Alex’s letter, his moving out? Attempts to reunite?

11. Rosie, getting the hotel, the daughter? Making a life for herself? Her daughter and teenage tensions?

12. Bethany, her career, behaviour and motives? Alex, the separation?

13. Return, meeting Rosie, at last together, drawing on their experiences?

BOTTLE ROCKET

US, 1996, 91 minutes, Colour.
Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson, Robert Musgrave James Caan, Lumi Cavazos.
Directed by Wes Anderson.

Two years before this feature film, director Wes Anderson and writer-actor, Owen Wilson, made a short film of the same name, shot in black and white, starring Owen Wilson and Luke Wilson. The feature film marked the beginning of Wes Anderson’s very successful career. The Wilson brothers would also have successful careers, particularly Owen.

This is as a comedy about two men who aspire to be criminals, enjoy a criminal reputation, but are hopeless at the crimes, especially the robberies.

Apart from the situations of the dialogue has its moments of the humorous situations – and some romance.


1. A comedy of the 1990s?

2. The career of Wes Anderson, of Owen Wilson? Their particular style and humour?

3. The title?

4. Texas, mental institution? Homes, countryside, the store, the prison? The musical score?

5. Cast, screen presence of the two Wilson brothers?

6. Anthony, his breakdown, leaving, climbing down the sheets, Dignan, the plans, friendship, the details of the plans, Bob, his being slow, picked on by his
brothers, staying at the motel, meeting the the attraction, conversations? The robbing of the school, comic touches with the staff, the sense of triumph?
Going with Dignan to the restaurant, meeting Mr Henry, the other members of the? The intrusion of the brothers humiliating Bob? The plan, you, the details,
the execution things going wrong, and getting the, Dignan going back? Visiting Dignan in prison? The phone calls to find Inez? The response of love? At the end?

7. Dignan and urging Anthony to escape from the institution, his obsessions, fine details of plans, for many years? Wanting to be a criminal? The idea of being a criminal? His friendship with Bob, clashing with Bob’s brothers? Fired by Mr Henry, joining the vcrew in the restaurant the robbery of the store with the comic touches, the plan for the robbery, the uniforms, the disguise, the bungling, his going back inside to save the wounded man? Arrest and prison, making gifts for his visitors…?

8. The crew, the different characters, Mr Henry, dominant, his confronting the brothers and humiliating them? Not participating? Emptying the house?

9. Anthony and his finding Inez?

10. A zany comedy?

SO RED THE ROSE

US, 1935, 82 minutes, black-and-white.
Margaret Sullavan, Walter Connolly, Randolph Scott, Elizabeth Patterson, Dickie Moore, Robert Cummings.
Directed by King Vidor.

So Red the Rose was released four years before Gone with the Wind. There are many similarities but this is a comparatively small film.

It opens with the slaves in cotton fields, the singing of songs, the large plantation, the comfortable life of the owners. The film shows the outbreak of war, enthusiastic enlisting, the progress of the war and the gradual defeat of the South, the invasion Union soldiers, the ultimate burning of the plantation mansion.

The film is a star vehicle for Margaret Sullavan, a much more sympathetic character than Scarlet O’ Hara, spoilt, indulging in fashion, insulting her cousin, Duncan, Randolph Scott, with his initial union sympathies, but apologising. As the story progresses, she has to take charge of the plantation, quell an uprising of the slaves.

One of the features of the film in retrospect is its attitude towards the slaves, a more benign administration yet the desire of the slaves to be free, their uprising, some looting, the singing of Negro Spirituals.

The director is King Vidor, a veteran of the silent era, like The Big Parade, continuing well into the sound era, War and Peace being one of his last films.

1. Civil War? From the opening in 1861 to the end in 1865?

2. The perspective of the South? Life in the South, plantations, slavery? The challenge? The end of the way of life?

3. Black-and-white photography, the plantation, cotton fields? The interiors of the mansion? The musical score?

4. The credits, the cotton is, the slave’s singing? Spiritual is saddened throughout the film? The contrast with the Stephen Foster and other songs from the white people?

5. Malcolm, age and experience, the easy, Whisky, his good relationship with William, his house slave? His love to his wife? So, Valette, Middleton? The management of his house, the plantation? The character of his wife, Miss Mary and her prejudice?

6. Some of, the way of life dressing up, French fashions? Little boy and his games?

7. Duncan, the cousin, the buying the rules seeming to ignore some of? His sympathies for the North?

8. The sun coming home, studies, bringing his friends, the from Texas, the attraction to Valette, proposing?

9. The news of the war joining?

10. The title, the mother’s dream about blood and roses? Love…, The blackboard bulletins black ball is in the progress of the war? The mother hearing the voice of her son going to the battlefield, finding him dead?

11. The defeat of the South? The reputation of the? The slave uprising, Cato and his leadership? The reaction of the family? William the friendly house slave?

12. Malcolm his return, we, dying? Valette, confrontation as slaves urging them to work? The reactions? The appeal to the relationships in the past?

13. Duncan, his, the deaths, the attack by some of some of her apology? His return, as she will be the soldier, is vindictive attitude wanting to kill him?

14. The union soldiers taking her, confiscating the dress, wanting to hang the looters ? The occupation, the decision to burn the house?

15. The women moving out to a more simple life, Duncan returning home?