GODZILLA

US, 2014, 115 minutes, Colour.
Aaron Taylor Johnson, Bryan Cranston, Ken Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen, Juliet Binoche, David Strathairn,
Directed by Gareth Edwards.


‘Gojiya’, says veteran scientist, Ken Watanabe.

And he is entitled to say this because Godzilla is actually a Japanese creation. and, in 2014, Godzilla is 60 years old. He has appeared in many Japanese Cinema and television productions. He also appeared in 1998 in a film of the same name, directed by Roland Emmerich, which received negative reviews and failed at the box office. On his 60th anniversary, Godzilla has been well honoured by this version.

Within the first 15 minutes, we are very much impressed by the production designl, excavation sequences in the Philippines, with giant skeletal bones, then a move to Japan with a nuclear station, quite an elaborate plant. We are introduced to an American scientist, Bryan Cranston, his wife, Juliet Binoche, also a scientist, and the young son who is at school on a fatal day when the nuclear power plant is threatened, collapses and the whole area is sealed off. And that’s just the beginning.

The screenplay moves on 15 years, the young boy has grown up and is now Aaron Taylor Johnson (not the most charismatic of movie leads, his performances becoming woodener and woodener).he is married to Elizabeth Olsen and they have a son. He is also in the army and has been working on weapons.

He gets a call from the police in Japan to say that they have interned his father. He has been living in Japan since the disaster, obsessed with what happened with the collapse of the plant, certain that it was not a fault within the plant and now relying on communication with various scientists who posit some kind of disturbance in the ocean. It should be noted that the film indicates that there were the nuclear tests in the 1940s and 50s but that was not just to test the weapons but rather to destroy Godzilla! Big cover-up.

Yes, Godzilla is certainly on the move again, but initially overshadowed by two enormous mutant creatures, with wings, who are hellbent on destruction and who are determined to meet and to mate. While this begins in Japan, it moves over the Pacific Ocean, to locations in Nevada and finally to San Francisco. The mutations are to do with nuclear energy, this being absorbed by the creatures, and Godzilla himself thriving on this kind of energy.

There have been suggestions and brief of glimpses of Godzilla but, finally, he emerges, huge and scaly, leaving a fair amount of destruction in his wake as well, but Godzilla has good intentions, to destroy the mutants, which, spectacularly, he does.

In the meantime, there is more than enough destruction to fill several disaster movies, with Honolulu, Las Vegas and, finally, San Francisco experiencing vast destruction.

The military keep Godzilla and the mutants under surveillance, have a variety of plans for destruction, including nuclear warheads.

So, plenty of action, less on character, plenty of special effects, plenty of stunts, enough to keep most audiences entertained.

Some of the critics after the film remarked that it was an impossible plot, especially with the danger of nuclear weapons in San Francisco harbour. That should have been the least of their worries. The whole idea of Godzilla himself goes far beyond the possible and we accept that, so what about bombs and explosions, especially when so much of San Francisco is already destroyed!

Director, Gareth Edwards, made the small budget film, Monster, an entertaining chase film to destroy a powerfully special effects monster. He obviously impressed powers-that-be in Hollywood who offered him this film to direct. He shouldn’t have much difficulty in getting another job.

If you are ever going to make a film about Godzilla, all stops out, then this is how it would turn out.


1. 60 years of the history of Godzilla? In Japan, internationally? 20th century – and now for the 21st century?

2. The mythology, the background of the monster, in the sea, the nuclear explosions of the 1950s, consequences? Destruction? Creating new creatures? Creating mutants? Government reactions? Explosions trying to destroy the creatures?

3. 21st century summer blockbuster? Action, aspects of the disaster films, issues of ecology, the international interest, heroics?

4. The production values, the design, vastness, the Philippines and the skeletons, Japan and the plant? The explosions? And experience of the 1990s?

5. Action, disaster, 21st century style, the MUTO, their destruction, Godzilla and the pursuit, the destruction of the cities? Musical score?

6. The opening, travel to the Philippines, the excavations, fast, the skeletal remains, the speculations? The two scientists and their research? Japanese and British?

7. The transition to Japan, the nuclear power plant? The tremors, radioactivity, the scientists and their work? Joe Brodie, his presence in Japan, speaking Japanese? The family home? Love the central, for Ford? Forget his birthday, Ford going to school? Sing the plant from the school window, the collapse? Sandra and her team, going into the reactor, the explosion, the attempt to escape, in contact with Joe, the door shouting, the group being cut off, their deaths? The eruption and the collapse? The site being closed down?

8. 15 years passing, the area completely closed off? The announcement that it was radioactive? Joe Brodie still in Japan, obsessed, his range of contacts, fisherman, studying the ocean, their various theories, the readings? The parallel to 15 years earlier? His wanting to prove that the plant was not effective at that there was an outside course? His arrest?

9. Ford and Elle, their son Sam, living in San Francisco, Ford in the military, expertise with bombs? The message from Japan, is going, his attitude towards his father, a new with him, thinking him obsessed mad? In prison, his getting out, going to the plant, the masks? The birds, Joe realising that the care was saying, going to the house, the photo, the disks, the police arriving in taking them? The issue of the readings?

10. The Japanese professor, his research of the Dickens? His British associate? Is giving the history of Godzilla? His concern, the repetition of the findings, listening to Joe, Joe and his being interrogated, the disruptions?

11. The Japanese professor, wanting Joe to work with him, the eruption and Joe’s death?

12. Ford, caught in the eruption, trying to get home, going to the airport, Hawaii, the child in the transit carriage, the emergency, his saving the child, taking its to the enquiry Centre? Reunited with his family?

13. San Francisco, Elle and Sam, and school, Elle and her work, contact with her husband?

14. The creation of the mutants, the visual impact, they wings, flying, this speed? Male and female? Wanting to meet and to meet Western Mark the Adml, the military tracking the mutants? The Japanese professor? The theories?

15. The military, Ford in Hawaii, the rampage, destruction, getting back to the United States? Going into military action? The train, the bomb, the obstruction on the bridge, the bridge collapsing, the train falling, the mutants, Ford and his falling into the water, surviving, is being rescued?

16. The mutants, going to Las Vegas, the destruction and the irony of people enjoying themselves?

17. Godzilla himself, the glimpses, his size, the scales, his mouth and eyes? Finally appearing fully? The result of the nuclear tests? His nuclear energy? Godzilla and the realisation that he was keeping a balanced and had to destroy the mutants? His journey?

18. The meeting, the effect, the mutants and the pursuit, evading pursuit, to San Francisco, their destruction? Godzilla, confronting them, breathing into them and destroying them? The radioactive energy?

19. San Francisco, the destruction, people taking refuge in the subway, Elle and her work, separated from her son? The workers in offices, the rampage through the city?

20. Godzilla, in San Francisco, causing destruction, confronting the mutants, saving the city – or at least what was left of it?

21. The team, the bomb, the theory of it being on the boat, pushed out to sea? The squad, searching the ruins, finding the bomb, going to the boat, the mutants and the deaths? Ford, the extent of his heroics, to defuse the bomb?

22. The aftermath, the city acknowledging what Godzilla had done, Elle and heard searching for her son, finding him, seeing forward?

23. Godzilla and 60 years, a symbol for nuclear issues, environmental issues, mutations, monsters, destruction? Humans and nature resilient?

DUTCH

US, 1991, 17 minutes, Colour.
Ed O’ Neill, Ethan Randall, Jo Beth Williams, Christopher Mc Donald, E.G.Dailey, Kathleen Freeman.
Directed by Peter Faiman.


Dutch is the name of the main character, played with rough charmed by Ed O’ Neill (Married with Children, Dragnet, Modern Family). It was written by the prolific John Hughes, with echoes of Planes, Trains and Automobiles, uncle buck Uncle Buck. Hughes had become famous for his teenage dramas, The Breakfast Club, 16 Candles, Pretty in Pink.

The film was directed by Australian Peter Faiman, most famous for having directed Crocodile Dundee.

Dutch has to bring a snobbish boy home from a parrot preschool for thanksgiving. Dutch is in love with his mother, played by Jo Beth Williams, who is divorced from her arrogant husband, played by Christopher McDonald? (the same year that he played the of noxious husband in Thelma and Louise).

Nothing new, and we know how it will end up, despite the unlikeliness in the initial portrait of Doyle, played by Ethan Randall (later known as Ethan Embry) who gives extraordinarily forceful performance – and US had a prolific career not the star status that might have been expected of him.

It is enjoyable, often funny, sometimes quite sharp rather than sentimental.


1. An entertaining and popular film about family, especially young boys and their need for a true father figure?

2. The work of the writer, John Hughes and his films about teenagers, his films about family? Family values? Attentiveness of parents to children?

3. The situation, Natalie, the divorce, custody of Doyle? The tense relationship with her ex-husband? The relationship with Dutch, the possibility for marriage? Doyle at private school, his snobbish attitudes, his disdain for his mother and blaming her for the marriage breakup? Idealising his father? His dislike of the Dutch, the interactions?

4. The film as an American road movie, from the south back to Chicago, the range of states travelled through, landscapes, people, diners, motels, the open road, truck drivers, call girls, angry waitresses, kind people giving lifts?

5. The opening, Natalie at the party, the snobbish women, Natalie explaining her situation of becoming pregnant, abandoned, with the boy? Dutch outside, the dog at his leg, his gauche behaviour, people’s reactions, flicking the caviar off the cracker? Meeting Reed, Reed, the dislike? Reed’s disdain? His speaking to Natalie, the trip to London, wanting her to ring Doyle? Natalie actually doing it?

6. Dutch, his love for Natalie, his offer to go to pick up Doyle?

7. Doyle, at school, his sense of superiority and his expressions, the phone call from his mother, his rudeness to her and hanging up? The boys and their challenging him, his unpleasant retorts? His martial arts practice? His being left at the school by himself? The janitor cleaning and Doyle knocking over the rubbish? Symbolic of him and his behaviour? At age 12, pride in his father, blaming his mother?

8. Dutch and his arrival, Doyle mistaking him for his father? The beginning of the clashes? Verbal, physical? Dutch on the receiving end? Packing up Doyle and putting him in the car?

9. The war between them on the journey? Doyle as passive aggressive, then as aggressive, verbally, physically? His looking down on Dutch, words about his mother? The variety of episodes, the physical fights, Doyle’s superiority over Dutch? The fireworks and his curiosity? His complaining, Dutch putting Doyle out in the snow? Going to the motel, waiting fir him to turn up, eventually his coming, the revenge with the car, Dutch thinking Doyle was in the car, the truck driver and his concern, the empty car, Dutch coming up the siding, Doyle standing there with superiority, Dutch reprimanding him about the effect on the driver and getting home to his family? The story of the accident for the police? Their having to hitchhike? The girls, the talk, their being hookers, Doyle and his sexual curiosity, talking in the back of the car, the sexual effect on him? The girls stealing the wallet? Dutch giving Doyle a lesson? The continued hitchhiking, on the bus, Doyle getting the men to turn the music down but their taking his sneakers? Eventually going to the shelter, being seen as father and son, Doyle and his prissiness in preparing the cutlery for his meal, everybody looking on, in the dormitory, Dutch’s bed collapsing, Doyle talking with the woman whose husband had lost his job, the little girl at the table, giving her the role, his admitting some affection for Dutch? Going to the restaurant, their being reprimanded because they were so dirty? Doyle and the fight with the two guards, his victory, his wounds, the waitress at the restaurant ousting them? The offer of the lift from the kind couple?

10. The effect of the journey on each of the two? Doyle, surly, aggressive, wanting to defeat Dutch, comparing him with his father? The physical exchanges, the psychological exchanges? Dutch, not perfect, not winning every round? Doyle and the care that Dutch showed him despite everything, his being listened to, finding some bonding, the contrast with his father?

11. Arriving home, Natalie preparing the Thanksgiving dinner, the cook? Reed suddenly turning up, the phone call from Doyle and Reed’s not being in London? Dutch and Doyle arriving, Reed and his commanding manner, getting Doyle to make the choice, his decision to stay with his mother?

12. Dutch, the confrontation with Reed, hitting him, getting Reed to agree that his mother should have the boy for six months?

13. The happiness of the dinner, the affirmation of family values, of love, of lonely and fearful boys being wrongfully assertive, learning their lessons?

14. The humour of the gun, shooting, Doyle going to get the gift, and his being shot!

BUSHFIRE MOON

Australia, 1987, 87 minutes, Colour.
Dee Wallace, John Waters, Bill Kerr, Bud Tingwall, Nadine Garner, Kim Gyngell.
Directed by George Miller.

Bushfire Moon is a pleasant Australian family film of the 1980s, directed by George Miller, director of The Man from Snowy River.

It is a variation of Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol. The setting is the Australian bush in the 1800s, the selectors on their land, the difficulties and hardships, the lack of water, the bushfires. It focuses on the O’ Dea family, the mother, Dee Wallace, from America and the father, played by John Waters. the Scrooge character is played by Bill Kerr and Bud Tingwall is the Father Christmas character.

The film was geared for an Australian audience as well as an American audience, and pleased family audiences around the world.

1. A Christmas film? The family audience? For the Australian audience? The worldwide audience?

2. The location photography, the terrain, the re-creation of the period, in Australia? The musical score?

3. An equivalent of Dickens, A Christmas Carol?

4. Family drama, wholesome, hopes, despite difficulties? Spirit of Christmas?

5. The O’ Dea family, the mother in California, selectors? Sheep, money, the hard life? Roses and gardens? The children, the shopping? Celebration of Christmas? The storm and the sheep? Cleaning the house? Asking Watson about the water, the search for water, the take on the men? Christmas and the fires? Reconciliation? How typical? A family struggling and having to leave things behind?

6. The father, stern, the gifts? For? The wind, the sheep, the dusty land? Watson and the request? The men, the water? His wife, the bush and the fire? The meal? The mother coming from America? Shopping, no toys? The supportive wife? The roses? The hardships and suffering? The meal?

7. Ned and his age, the equivalent of Tiny Tim? The bank toy, Father Christmas? The work, dusty? The mess? The flowers on Watson’s place? His sister, being good, or meeting Father Christmas? The water and the fires? With Watson? The gifts? The pudding and the coins?

8. His sister, her age, place in the family, work? Angus, the meeting, the story, the flowers?

9. Watson as Scrooge? Memories, his son, the housekeeper? The English traditions? Buying the decorations? No water? Father Christmas, catching him, Angus and the money, the party and the heat, the songs? The Yule log? The collapse, anger, bending and the visit?

10. The old man, Father Christmas, from out of the town, dead in his associations, the talking, Watson? The robbing of the shop? The confrontation at the party? Money, gifts? The workers, put off? The ball, the jobs?

11. Australia in the 19th century, ideal, homely, nice?

EAT THE RICH


UK, 1987, 90 minutes, Colour.
Lanah Pellay, Kathy Burke, Katrin Cartlage, Dave Beard, Nigel Planer, Paul Mc Cartney, Rik Mayall, Derren Nesbett, Sue Lloyd, Jools Holland, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, Koo Stark, Bill Wyman, Sandy Shaw, Fiona Richmond, Miranda Richardson, Peter Richardson.
Directed by Peter Richardson

In the vein of the screenplay of the film, one might say that this film is an acquired taste.

A great number of British comedians and stand-up comics appeared in this somewhat anarchic story of a dissatisfied waitress who decides to do something about life and is mixed up in a plot by an odd general who is targeting the campaign of the would-be Prime Minister. The film came out in the Thatcher years and the atmosphere of British politics in the 1980s – the Spitting Image era.

The film was directed by Peter Richardson, a director of The Comic Strip Presents… From 1988 to 2012.

1. A social comedy, anarchic? The points to be made? The Comic Strip style?

2. The London setting, the city, restaurants? Politics and the civil service? the country? Real/stylised? Credible?

3. The Comic Strip? Exaggeration in style, farcical, black and outrageous, offensive? How much insight?

4. Bastards, the name of the restaurant? The staff, entertaining, the style of the clientele? Behaviour and comment? Eat the Rich, the clientele, hypocrisy? The cannibalistic attitudes? Comeuppance?

5. Alex, actor, race, androgynous? Behaviour and relationships? The terrorists? The coat, the gun? Ron, the hold-up? Anti-Nosher? The group, Jimmy, Fiona, the tactics, the slaughter? The commander? Fortune? Deaths and Alex?

6. Ron, the tramp, friend, action, Eat the Rich? Killed?

7. The commander, blunt, sympathy, home, the spider? Powell, the tactics, Fiona? Waiting? Eat the Rich, the photo? The baby? Ironic?

8. Nosher Powell, crass? Sandra flaunting? The Who Secretary? Israeli ambassador? The role of Fiona? The popularity, the banquet? The Queen? Nosher and Ron? Ugly faces of Britain? Sandra’s death?

9. The Queen, the mockery?

10. Fiona and Nosher, the purging, the cause? Both? Jimmy, the escape?

11. Jimmy, the farmer, quiet, joining in, the survivor?

12. The important of the wide range of guests, their cameo spots, contribution to the film? Society, clientele, servants?

13. Britain in the 1980s?

JACK TAYLOR: THE DRAMATIST

Ireland/Germany, 2012, 90 minutes, Colour.
Iain Glen, Nora- Jane Noone, Killian Scott, Niall Buggy.
Directed by Stuart Orme.

In this fourth film in the Jack Taylor series, there is more emphasis on Taylor’s mother, recovering from her stroke, spending time with her son who is now six months without a drink. There is pathos when his mother collapses and dies, commiseration from friends, his personal grief, her funeral. The film also continues the association with Kate, the new head of the police, Griffiths, who is keen on Kate and wants her off association with Taylor.

The mystery story this time concerns a girl who dies of an overdose in the quadrangle of the College, as well as the disappearance of another girl and her being dead from drugs. Taylor is asked by one of the lecturers to investigate the girl’s death, all linked with John Millington Synge’s play Deirdre of the Sorrows. Throughout the film there are many references, quotes, videos of performances – and, finally, the threat to Kate, made up and dressed like Deirdre.

There are various suspects, including a permissive lecturer who introduced the girls to drugs. There is a disturbed young man who Taylor had blinded in one eye after an altercation.

The film blends the personal story, and Taylor’s work with Cody, sending him undercover as a student to get information about the lecturer. Taylor also has a night with Cody’s mother, Cody is shocked. There is quite a melodramatic finale, where Kate is asked by the murderer to make a choice between Griffiths and Taylor. There is a final rescue, with the help of Cody.

1. The further Jack Taylor murder mystery, a further development of his personal story?

2. Jack and his relationship with his mother, the information from The Magdalen Martyrs? His mother’s past, in the laundry, her hardness, relationship with her husband, her son leaving home, the meeting again, the stroke? His keeping company with his mother in this story? Her collapse and dying? His grief, the memories of his talks with her, quoting Deirdre of the Sorrows and her not knowing literature? The importance of the parish priest, his bringing Jack and his mother together in the previous film, his grief at her death, Taylor suspecting that they had an affair, his comment about people not expecting decency of the clergy at this time, his platonic relationship with Mary, his love for her and missing her?

3. Kate, reinstated, urged to follow the letter of the law, the friendship with Griffiths, going out with him, kiss, discussions, his warning about Jack? The discussions with Jack, giving him photos and the notes? Following leads, going to the bookstore, pretending to want drugs, the man attacking, the knife, the fight, escape? Jack and his concern for Kate? Her being taken by all, make-up and dressed like Deirdre, the throne? The drugs, the death of Griffiths in front of Jack and is trying to make her breathe, the rescue by Cody?

4. The background of Deirdre of the Sorrows, the play, John Millington Synge, quotes, the performance, the whole mythology, Deirdre’s spreading sorrow, the choices? The interpretation with the men causing the pain? The visuals of the performance, Professor Gorman directing, his wife? Her being Deirdre, affairs, infidelities, with Doyle, the one night with Taylor? The madness of Gorman?

5. Gorman, concerned about Sarah and her death, his coming to Taylor, paying for the investigation? The meetings, the payment? Going to his home, his drinking? His memories, his being concerned, seeming sanity?

6. Cody, with his mother, the lack of cases, eagerness, going to the classes, taking notes, the puzzle about Oedipus, the young girl helping him, documents, information? Checking with Jack, finding him with his mother, hitting Jack, apologising? His being an item with the young woman? The concern about the young man with one eye? The rescue at the end?

7. The man with a blind eye, the story about the Swans, Taylor hitting him with his laser, his loss of his eye, his dealing marijuana, his disappearance, attack on Jack, Jack controlling him? Suspect?

8. Doyle, lectures at the University, Cody listening to him? His relationship with the girls, the evidence against him? The arrest, the interrogations? His dealing drugs, buying them at the bookshop, introducing them to the girls?

9. The bookshop, linked to the girls, the bookseller and his dealing drugs, clash with Kate? His being interrogated?

10. Life at college, drugs, relationships? Deaths?

11. All the pieces of the puzzle coming together? Gorman and his madness, pretending that he was bashed by Jack? Going to the police? His murder of the girls, his motivations? The influence of the play, the influence of his wife, getting revenge on Jack for the one night stand? The finale, Kate, his plans thwarted?

AND GOD CREATED WOMAN/ ET DIEU CREA… LA FEMME

France, 1956, 90 minutes, Colour.
Brigitte Bardot, Curd Jurgens, Jean- Louis Trintignant, Christian Marquand.
Directed by Roger Vadim.

And God Created Woman is one of the earliest films by French director, Roger Vadim. Vadim is known for the sexuality of his films and the promotion of the stars, several of whom he married, including Brigitte Bardot, Annette Stroyberg, Jane Fonda.

This film promoted Brigitte Bardot in France, making her a household image and name, although she had appeared in small roles in a number of films, including the second Doctor film, Doctor at Sea.

This is a highly melodramatic film. the femme fatale turning one brother against the other. But Bardot has a very strong associate cast, especially with her leading men, the solid Curd Jurgens, the ever-reliable Jean- Louis Trintingnant and Christian Marquand who was to direct Candy, the 1968 version of Terry Southern’s novel.

Vadim re-made the film in 1988 in the United States with Rebecca De Mornay in the central role
Brigitte Bardot appeared in quite a number of films in the succeeding decade and is still remembered as the 1950s-1960s cinema sex symbol.


1. The impact of Brigitte Bardot? In the mid-1950s? And this film as her first major appearance? The response in France? Beyond France?

2. The films of Roger Vadim? His leading ladies? Presenting them, exploiting them? The sexual impact?

3. St Tropez, the Riviera, the sea, the beaches, the atmosphere of the coast, the boats, fishing, industry?

4. The title? The focus on Juliette, her background, her femininity, her sexuality? The effect on Eric, Michel, Antoine?

5. The basic plot? Familiar? The company, the rich executive and his plans, the casino, buying the land, the family refusing? Persuasion, the deal? His interest in Juliette? Her being on board, tantalising him? His focusing on the deal, on her? Her wanting to be married, Antoine and his putting her off? Michel and the marriage, the failure?

6. Juliette, orphanage, foster care, not wanting to go back to the orphanage, flirting with Eric, her love for Antoine, the meetings, his promise, in the bus and her walking on the road, the rabbit, letting it go, a disappointment? Michel and his infatuation with her? The decision to marry, the wedding, the aftermath, the sexual relationship? The tensions, her wandering, going out, going to the prostitutes’ bar? To Eric’s boat? Toying with Eric? Making Michel exasperated? Antoine and his return, his regrets, the sexual experience? Michel and his reaction, wanting to forgive, yet upset? Her going to the bar, the band, her dance, the increasing frenzy, Eric watching, Michel watching, the gun and the attempted shooting? Her future?

7. Eric, the businessman, older, interest in Juliette, his plans, discussions, associates? His not following through with Juliette? His success with the deal, the family selling? His casino enterprise? His watching Juliette, the dance, the threat with the gun, Michel?

8. Michel, young, infatuated with Juliette, watching her, her not marrying Antoine, proposal, winning, the early times, satisfaction, response to her wandering, the confrontation with Antoine, the gun? Going to the bar, his desperation? Shooting?

9. Antoine, the older brother, his work in Toulon, returning to the town, promising Juliette but failing, leaving the house? His resisting the deal, final acceptance? Will Juliette and her advances, the sexual encounter, the consequences, the mother telling Michel, his talking with Michel, the conflict, at the bar?

10. The atmosphere of St Tropez? The town, industry, the bars, the families?

11. The beginning of Brigitte Bardot’s career?

DOGS OF RIGA/ WALLANDER

UK, 2012, 90 minutes, Colour.
Kenneth Branagh, Soren Malling.
Directed by Esther Campbell.

Dogs of Riga belongs to the third series of wall and television movies with Kenneth Branagh. It is a particularly grim story.

Two dead men are found in the harbour of Ystad and Wallander investigates, going to Latvia where the dead men came from, contacted by a Latvian policeman who is killed. It emerges that his notes were not shared with the police force in Riga, because he was investigating corruption in the force. The story also involves a Latvian journalist who is frame for murder and is also found hanged. Wallander is also in danger of his life.

Ultimately, Wallander solves mystery and receives help from the relations of the dead men.

Wallander is becoming much more serious as he grows older, pessimistic about human nature.

1. The popularity of the Wallander novels? the character of Wallander? His manner and investigations?

2. The Swedish settings, the coast, the wharves, police offices? The Riga settings, the atmosphere of Latvia, the city, a tools, police offices, cemetery? The musical score?

3. A more contained Wallander story than usual? Restricted locations in Sweden, in Riga?

4. Wallander and his work, his life, alone, age, brooding? Stimulated by a case? The finding of the bodies, the torture? The investigation identifying them? The code on their bodies? Leading back to Russia? To Latvia?

5. The investigator coming from Riga? Taciturn? Information about drugs, looking at the raft, finding the hidden drugs? The photos, his faxing them to Riga? The bond with Wallander? Wallander giving him the book? His wife’s later comment about the gift?

6. The inspector and his return to Riga? The news of his death? Torture? The search for his files? His suspecting police involvement with the gang for drugs? Wallander going to Riga? Meeting the police, the letter of the law policeman, the Russian and his disheveled look? Suspicions?

7. Wallander in Riga, hotel, his phoning being bugged? Meeting Inez? The encounter with the widow? The cemetery? Collaboration for the files? The arrest of the widow, the torture with the acid? The rogue policeman? The warning of the fisherman on the wharf, shooting?

8. Wallander returning to Sweden, then back to Riga, documents, information?

9. The rogue policeman, the gun, the standoff at the wharf, the strict policeman being the villain? Talk with the Russian policeman, his status in Latvia, under suspicion, his completing the case?

10. Wallander and the widow, the bond, his return or her coming to Sweden?

11. An interesting contribution to the series?

THE STRENGTH OF WATER

New Zealand, 2009, 86 minutes, Colour.
Isaac Barber, Hato Paparoa, Melanie Mayall- Nahi.
Directed by Armagan Ballantyne.

The Strength of Water is quite moving New Zealand film, set among marry communities.

The particular focus is on a brother and sister, small children, as well as the background of mythologies and stories that families tell. And the sad accident, the little girl dies, and the brother refuses to believe that she has dead, seeing her at her sharing in his life. Ultimately, he has to come to terms with reality.

The film also tells the story of a community, focusing on families, hardships, brokenness. One of the key characters is a young man returns to the community from Australia, is connected with the little girl’s death, is hard done by by the community, but is able to help the little boy who admires him.

The New Zealand settings have an important feel about them, as well as portraying the natural beauty of the areas.

A modest but interesting New Zealand film.

1. A New Zealand film? Locations, characters, situations, spoken accent? Maori world?

2. The total, the visuals of the sea, Melody’s death?

3. The New Zealand coast, the sea, the cliffs, the beach? The town, the homes, the sheds, the chickens? An authentic realism? The musical score?

4. The twins, the bonds between them, age, experience, shared life, the sadness of death, the connection continuing, the sense of the other, sharing after death, learning to accept death?

5. Kimi and Melody, the performances by the child actors, realistic, their age, place in the family, the interactions, love for each other, the clashes, the different moods, with the chickens, in the shed, playing, their work, delivering the eggs, Tai and his arrival, their liking for him, interactions with him? His key role in the death of Melody?

6. Tai, walking into the town, his story, being in Australia, his experience there? The old house and his trying to settle in? Meeting the twins and going to their house, the welcome, hospitality, staying the night? His relationship with Mary, the growing bond, the jealousies in the town? The experience with the dog, protecting Melody, hiding in the chest, his hurrying, the door locking, shouting but unable to get out, Melody and her need for the inhaler, her death? There being found? The funeral? The young men and their bashing him? Her sharing with Mary, the discussions, her drug-taking, the decision to go?

7. Kimi at the funeral, upset, his grief, seeing Melody, moods and Angers, resuming his ordinary life, the family not seeing Melody, wondering, the chickens, taking her in the cart? Going to the hall, her photo, Kimi angrily and taking it down? Putting it in the chest? The talk between the two, his asking Tai about Melody and her breathing and death? Embracing Melody of the cliff, her disappearance, his restoring the photo to its place, with the Band-Aid? on the glass?

8. The port of the family, at home, the mother with the baby, the father and his work, their care for the twins? Mary and her guardian, the story of her parents leaving, the guardian and his strict control over Mary?

9. The young man at home, with the twins, with his parents, the violent streak, the bashing of Tai, his being idle?

10. The chickens, the work, the workers?

11. A picture of New Zealand, community, characters, tough and earthy, yet a sense of humanity?

SIGNIS STATEMENT

February 10th 2014



KREUZWEG/ STATIONS OF THE CROSS




This is a film of particular Catholic interest.


The title, of course, refers to the traditional devotion to the passion of Jesus, the Way of the Cross, 14 steps of contemplation from Jesus being condemned to death by Pontius Pilate to his burial. (In more recent times, Pope John Paul II added a further contemplation of the resurrection.)

This German film, screened at the 2014 Berlinale, winning the main jury prize for screenplay and the ecumenical award in the main Competition.

The film opens with a priest, young, clerically dressed, teaching five children about the sacrament of Confirmation which they are about to receive. His words are plain and clear. He then says to them that the church has had 2000 years of tradition – and then asserts that along came the Second Vatican Council which ruined everything. He is critical of such things as Communion in the hand, female altar servers, music, a worldly spirituality.

We are being taken into the life of a group which resembles the Society of St Pius X, followers of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, here called the Society of St Paul. What the film has to offer is a portrait, according to the writer-directors, of a traditionalist Catholic Church, often extreme in its attitudes, fostering an austere spirituality, an isolation from the mainstream which it fears and condemns.

At the centre of the film is the young girl, Maria, part of the Confirmation class. She is urged by the priest to greater holiness, her hoping that she could be a saint. But this requires a great deal of asceticism on her part, not protecting herself against the cold, not eating, much praying – with the motivation that her little brother, who has not spoken, will be able to speak because of her mortification. Maria becomes the character who goes on her own stations of the cross. This is emphasised by the priest who points out that the children are now to become warriors of Christ, warriors for Christ, battling themselves and evil in the world. To be fair, he does point out that the children’s battle is also for good in the world.

In this way Maria becomes a Christ-figure, following the pattern of Jesus in his suffering. While there is some talk of heaven, it really does not loom large in the horizons of the Society of St Paul. This is made very clear in a powerful confession sequence, where she talks frankly about herself from the perspective of a young girl, and allows herself to be questioned about all kinds of issues, including sexual temptation.

One of the features of depiction of Christ-figures is the selection of characteristics of the Jesus of the Gospels for understanding the parallel character. The depiction is a challenge to appreciate what criteria are important to the viewer in establishing a Christ-figure, what is included, what is not included.


Maria is an intelligent girl and makes friends with a boy at her school who invites her to sing in the choir at his own church. She is tempted, but his choir includes some rock music and her mother is horrified. In fact, the film’s focus on Maria’s mother shows us a woman who is extremely rigid in her perspectives, fearful of temptations in her daughter’s life, very critical of her when they walk in the mountains, go shopping, buy a dress for her Confirmation, humiliating her at the table after Maria pretends that her friend is a girl and then confesses and admits this to the family.

This means that the audience is very sympathetic to Maria while not understanding the devotion in her motivations. It also means that the audience is quite unsympathetic to the mother, even at the end when she is so haughtily hostile to the doctors and nurses, but decides that her little girl is a saint and should be beatified. In these days of awareness of abuse of children, psychologically as well as sexual, it appears that the training of Maria, the encouraging of her penances, assuming that she understands these matters as an adult, is a warning against spiritual abuse.

Mainstream Catholics and mainstream Christians will be dismayed at this particular portrait of Catholicism, its joylessness, its awareness of God as punishing more than loving, its focus on the sufferings of Jesus without looking to the resurrection, its rigidity of belief, intellectual understanding of faith without a personal pastoral dimension. Life is governed by puritanical attitudes in the Jansenist traidition in the Catholic church.


There is one friendly character in the film, the au pair from France, Bernadette, who brings to the household something of a more humane and sympathetic perspective on life, a support for Maria, offering some alternative way of looking at life, Maria relying on her more than the mother that she strictly obeys. It is Bernadette who speaks positively of Heaven and love for the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

One caution. Catholic viewers may be taken aback at a scene in the hospital where Maria expresses a desire for Communion. The priest brings the host but Maria cannot swallow it and it has detrimental effects on her breathing – and the nurse, matter-of-factly, simply takes the host out of her mouth and puts it on a towel. The scene is to highlight the unreality of the members of the sect in terms of illness and treatment.

There is a Spanish film of 2010, Camino, which has some similarities to Kreuzweg, the story of a little girl who is ill, a member of Opus Dei as is her family, who are unrealistic in her medical treatment, even brutal in their devout approach to religion, wanting her to be a saint.

Members of the society of St Pius X may find the film too critical, but mainstream viewers will find that this particular community, its beliefs and its spiritual practices are brought to life.

WAJDJA

Saudi Arabia, 2013, 98 minutes, Colour.
Waad Mohammad, Reem Abdullah.
Directed by Haifaa Al Mansour.

A very interesting film, a portrait of a young girl, precociously forward, with ambitions – which, however, are not considered appropriate for a girl growing up in Saudi Arabia. She is the Wajdja of the title.

Saudi Arabia does not have a film industry and this is one of its first films, and the first to be directed by a woman, who did her studies in cinema at Sydney University. She had some difficulties in making the film, especially in associating with men in the workplace, she doing her direction from inside a van, watching a monitor, with walkie-talking communications with her cast. That she has made such a well-crafted as well as interesting film is to her great credit.

This a significant film about life in Saudi Arabia. It is particularly significant as regards the place of women in society, the restrictions, the prohibitions for activities as well as for communication, especially with men.

Wajdja lives at home with her mother – and inside the house, there is a certain freedom, especially in dress, make up, conversation. But this changes when the women go outside, the importance of the woman covering herself, being cautious in the presence of men, and not being allowed to do such ordinary things as drive. Wajdja has a great ambition at this stage of her life to have a bike and to ride it and to race her friend down the street. But, if the women come into the eye line of men working outside the house, they have to hide…

Wajdja is at school, something of a mischief maker, but decides to learn more about the Koran and enter a competition about references and texts from the sacred book. There is prize money which she intends to use to buy the bike – but, when she wins, the teacher thinks it more appropriate for her to give the money as a donation for Palestinians.

In the meantime, her father who works away from home, is disappointed that his wife has not given him a son and is unable to do so. He is in the process of marrying again and moving out of the house, despite his declarations of love for his wife and daughter. Again, women as victims of marriage traditions and expectations of others to have sons.

The film was very cheerful for most of the time despite the sad and sometimes grim undertones. Wajdja herself may be engaged in the future in transitions in the status of women in her country. In the meantime, she offers an entertainment, the story of a young girl, and, especially for Western eyes, quite a different cultural experience.

1. The impact of the? From Saudi Arabia? The feature film from a country without an industry? The woman director – for the first time? Oscar-nomination from Saudi Arabia?

2. Saudi Arabia and women, their being silent, more freedom in the home? The contrast with men, out and around? The women having to cover themselves when going out? Possibilities for change or not?

3. The difficulties for the from-, the director not being seen with men, filming in the van, looking at the action on a monitor, walkie-talkie connections with the performers?

4. Long traditions in Saudi Arabia, the rules, the law? In the 20th century? Possible developments in the 21st century? New generations, social media, connections with the Western world?

5. The story of the status of women via the portrait of a little girl? The actress and her screen on screen presence? The initial singing and movement with the group, her being highlighted, with the other girls school, classes, the teachers, her being cheeky, the touch of independence? Her absent father but his phone calls, the visits, his love for her, going out, the shops, his leaving? Her mother, the difficult birth, unable to have more children? The bond with her mother? Things normal at home? The contrast with going out? Her friendship with the boy, riding his bike, the hopes, the shop with the bike, his helping her selling things to raise cash for the bike? Her writing, falling down, daring him for a race? Her friends and their company, the visits and sharing?

6. School, the lessons, going to the course on the Koran, the teacher and her severity, the silence of women? Building up to the test? The quiz show, her doing well, winning the prize, getting the money, and the teacher saying it would be for Palestinians and certainly not for the bike?

7. Her mother, stylish at home, covering to go to work, her relationship with her husband, fears, sadness, his message of love, but his leaving her?

8. Father, his work, the visits, his wanting a son, searching for another wife, the ceremonies in celebrations, visiting home, taking his daughter out, leaving the message of love to his wife while abandoning her?

9. The teachers, their attitudes?

10. The screenplay and its finding opportunities to insert statements about men and women, showing sequences for the oppression of women, going out, covered, clashes with the driver, and the daughter challenging him to take her money her mother to work? Men seeing the women, the workers, the women having to hide? The effect on them?

11. The mother buying the bike, her daughter and her joy?

12. The film’s contribution to changing attitudes, traditions, social interaction? Interpretations of the Koran?