In particular, these closing comments in the article lead me to not take Coulter seriously:
Mind you, I agree that we don't need any more mediocre films made to the same old tired formula that we've been pumping out for the last few years. But does Coulter really think we should be producing films like Transformers? I'd rather spend that money on MICA paramedics. The world does not need more mindless trash movies.Personally, I'd be more than happy to see the Australian Film Commission's funding handed over to, say, MICA paramedics, who are at least delivering a demonstrable benefit to society.
Until then, I'll stick with the majority of Australians and vote with my feet - which will take me, likely as not, straight into the next session of Transformers.
10 comments:
The Sunday Age (at least the "news" section) simply isn't worth reading. Ignore it: this article is simply trying to get a rise out of its reader with some empty populism.
Having just left a screening of Samson and Delilah I can confidently state that there is nothing wrong with Australian filmmaking.
Samson and Delilah is easily my favourite Australian film of the year so far, Trent, but one film doesn't make an industry. As I said above, this year's offerings are definitely an improvement on recent years, so let's hope we can grow on these gains. As I've posted elsewhere on this blog, the main improvements this year have been (primarily) diversity and (secondarily) scripts. The latter still has much room for improvement.
Ugh, empty criticism, empty writing and empty thoughts. Nothing of any value in the piece and as the writer admits he hasn't even seen any Australian films since 2004 (or, that's the gist I'm getting from it) and so, really, hasn't any ability to comment on it.
Exactly, Glenn. BTW, does anyone know what the hell a 'production editor' is? I suspect Coulter's article is just a gratuitous piece, jumping on the band-wagon, as there's been a number of articles in the press lately on just this subject. Most of them have been more thoughtful than Coulter's.
Glad we can have a grumble about it here on your forum Paul.
A letter to The Sunday Age would only encourage rubbish like this. It was the "oh well, I'll go and see the Transformers" line that really got my goat.
Like Trent, I also visited the Museum yesterday. I went before S & D to see the Warwick Thornton short films. And as I'd heard, each of them are excellent in their own way, and all telegraph the potential borne out in Samson and Delilah. I am hanging out to see what Thornton turns his hand to next. The guy's a gun!
And for band-wagon jumpers like Coulter, and the deadbeat editors who publish works like his, enjoy the next Transformers. It's bound to be, erm, whatever you need it to be.
Via (is that your first name?), I'm glad Thornton's shorts are getting more exposure. I was also impressed by them when they screened at the Nova and they confirm that Samson and Delilah is no accident. I'm more than interested to see what he puts his hand to next. Of his shorts, I particularly liked Green Bush, which you may know is semi-autobiographical (Thornton once had a DJ job in a similar community).
I don't think Coulter's article can be taken too seriously at all.
Hi Paul,
Via is first name, yes.
I thought there was more cinema ideas in the 3 or 4 minutes of Payback than most features I've seen. The film I'd seen just the day before was Von Sternberg's "Shanghai Express", and the way that he uses light for expression of Marlene Dietrich is remarkably similar to Thornton's light out of darkness in the opening scenes of Payback.
Green Bush over-reached just a bit for me, but do you recall how jaw-dropping the opening set-shots of bush, sky, and cycling were? I nearly fell of my seat!
I was initially really angry when I read that article on Sunday but then I just got depressed that this is the type of thing that The Age and The Sunday Age now feel they have to print in order to remain competitive. If I wanted to read this kind of rabble-rousing 'writing' then I wouldn't be reading The Age in the first place. It's all a bit sad really. Next thing you know they'll be regurgitating the old Reds Under the Bed story about left bias at the ABC. Oh wait...
Thomas, I kinda gave up on The Age years ago.
Via, I don't specifically recall those details in Green Bush. My recollection is mainly of being impressed and realising that Samson and Delilah didn't come from nowhere.
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