The Naked Bunyip + Q&A

The Naked Bunyip (John B. Murray, Australia, 1970)
In 1970, when The Naked Bunyip was released, I was too young to see it. However, the film cast a long enough shadow throughout the 70s for me to be vaguely cognisant of it having some kind of cultural significance, a significance that I only realised yesterday at the film’s screening at ACMI.

ACMI’s weekly Australian Perspectives, screenings of little Australian gems from the past, are on most Saturdays and unfortunately often don’t get the attendances they deserve. This tends to confirm the point that director John B. Murray was making when he set about to film The Naked Bunyip nearly 40 years ago. The event was co-hosted by the Australian Film Critics Association (AFCA, of which I am a member) and a Q&A session was held after the screening with Peter Kraus (AFCA chair), Jake Wilson (a film critic from The Age, and one of my favourite Australian media film critics) and John B. Murray himself.

What a surprise the film was. I like to know as little as required before seeing a film, and I didn’t know that it was largely a documentary. But what a documentary! I wonder if John B. Murray had visions of it encapsulating the zeitgeist for posterity in the way it has. I did speak with him shortly after the screening, but I didn’t get the opportunity to ask this specifically.

My perceptions of The Naked Bunyip before seeing it were that it was a low budget pioneering film that was big on tits and genitalia (requiring John Russell-Clarke’s famous images as a censorship device to cover up the bits the masters of morality deemed too offensive) and low on narrative. The film received a nod in Mark Hartley’s recent Not Quite Hollywood (which is still screening at the Nova), which raises awareness of the historical significance of The Naked Bunyip.

Murray’s work is not another so-called Ozploitation film, but rather a very considered, intelligent attempt to both analyse and stir the Australian psyche, to get Australians to look at themselves in the mirror and define and find their own identity. Because of the distribution and exhibition system in this country since the 1920s, Australia had become almost solely a consumer of foreign (ie, US and UK) cinema and The Naked Bunyip was Murray’s attempt to address this, to get Australians to look towards their own film-makers and support a local industry. Oh my god, doesn’t this still sound so familiar today?! Nearly forty years later, this subject is very much in the psyche of those who care about Australian cinema.

Murray uses a cinema verité style of interview, with interviewees directly addressing the camera. Reading Murray’s significant essay The Genesis of the Naked Bunyip on Senses of Cinema, it is clear that he was aiming for the same effect that Errol Morris later achieved with his invention of the Interrotron.

Other than a couple of skits, one the setup in a social research organisation, the other a fake interview between Graeme Blundell and Dame Edna Everidge (Barrry Humphries, complete with gladioli), the bulk of the film consists of interviews with various people, investigating attitudes to sex and sexuality.

The sheer number of people who appeared in the film is awesome; many are now household names: Barry Humphries, Beatrice Faust, Barry Jones, Jackie Weaver, Harry M. Miller, Graeme Blundell of course, Fred Schepisi (who was directing commercials and hadn’t yet made a feature film), Russell Morris (performing “The Real Thing”, perhaps as window dressing, but alluring nonetheless), Dr. Bertam Wainer, Senator John Button and Keith Dunstan, among others.

Blundell is used for comic release, a clever device to make the subject matter more palatable. He remains largely mute, though sometimes his thoughts are narrated. His parts are interspersed throughout the film. His character was further developed in Alvin Purple (which I was also too young to see). Murray’s use of comedy in his film was very innovative, preceding by many years a style of documentary film-making that has become very popular perhaps since Michael Moore’s Bowling For Columbine. Today we see many documentaries getting released that combine the idea of uncovering facts with other narrative and cinematic devices, such as Morgan Spurlock’s Super Size Me and Ari Folman’s Waltz With Bashir (currently on release).

The film initially explores sexuality in popular culture and after the intermission (the film has one, but screened without break at ACMI) it heads into darker territory with abortion, homosexuality (then illegal) and prostitution. Some of these subjects were very much taboo at the time, much more so than now, and Murray had difficulty in finding homosexuals who would speak on camera. He mentioned during the Q&A that during post-production he eventually found a couple who would speak on camera about their homosexuality and it was a rush to get this material included in the film.

Q&A
The question and answer sessions are what really adds value to these Australian Perspectives screenings. Each Q&A is unique; this one because John B. Murray is such a lucid and intelligent speaker that his answers were detailed to the extent that there was time for only three questions. Each of the panel members asked one and I asked the only audience question. This took about 45 minutes and we then had to vacate the cinema for the following screening.

Peter Krausz asked how the film came about. I can’t even begin to recount a fraction of the detailed answer, but basically Murray revealed:

• It was driven by Murray and executive producer Phillip Adams, who was then a partner in a public relations firm, where perhaps the idea of the social research organisation in the film came from.
• It cost $40,000 to make, had a crew of three and was filmed in three states over ten weeks. There was seven weeks of pre-production and a long post-production.
• It was very difficult to meet homosexuals, and harder to get any to speak on camera.
  
• The censors were very accommodating but demanded 36 cuts totalling five minutes. To the chagrin of the censors, the cuts were replaced with the bunyip cartoons or beeping, which gave some indication of what was being censored.
• Prowse was the chief censor and Don Chipp was the minister responsible.
• If anything, the censors had been too lenient, and allowed material that would not be passed today.
• No-one had much faith in the film and so Murray marketed and distributed it himself. The local exhibitors showed no interest whatsoever, due to the US and UK strangehold on the industry. The only venue Murray could find was the Palais in St. Kilda, with 3500 seats. By closing the upper circle, this was reduced to 2300 seats. Murray basically hired that facility, foregoing any rights to income from sales of food and drinks (the major source of income for theatres) for $1750 per week. He arranged for flyers, brochures and, with Natalie Miller (currently part-owner of the Nova) doing publicity, arranged party bookings. Confounding all the sceptics, some 2,000 people arrived on opening night, forming a queue that went all the way down the street round the corner and down to the Esplanade. Murray described it as a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and he counted only 12 walkouts during the film.
• The film was initially booked for 2 weeks, but it was extended to 7 weeks. But he still couldn’t get any local cinemas to screen it, but found a live theatre in the city that he fitted out and booked for 6 weeks, where it sold out 2-3 times each week.
• Murray then went on tour with the film to each of the capital cities, screening it wherever he went. He calculates he saw the film 600 times before taking the film to regional areas. He ended up touring with the film for two and a half years. He says he succeeded in breaking down prejudices against Australian films. Indeed, Tim Burstall was so encouraged by Murray’s success (they had worked together on the earlier 2000 Weeks, a complete flop which had Burstall fall into depression) that he went on to great success a couple of years later with Stork, Alvin Purple and other landmark Australian films. After the success of The Naked Bunyip, Stork screened for only two weeks at the Palais before Village agreed to distribute it.
• The idea of the bunyip images came about when Murray actually researched the relevant censorship act to determine what was and wasn’t allowed.

Jake Wilson asked how much of the film was intended to connect with audiences and how much of it was intended to challenge them. Murray answered by saying that all directors want to connect with their audiences but his specific intent was to challenge them. He wanted to hold a mirror to Australian audiences, to open up a taboo subject. There was very little reading material on the subject (does anyone remember The Little Red School Book?), the subject confronted people and you couldn’t speak of homosexuality. According to Murray, the film needed to confront people. We hadn’t thought things through and what we spoke was simply rote.

Jake Wilson also asked where the idea of using Graeme Blundell came from. Murray said he cast him but didn’t want him to speak, as this would distract from the flow of the film. Murray wanted him to be a Buster Keaton-like character. He has the right physical attributes, isn’t quite with it, but always tries his best. Murray also mentioned that Humphries’ appearance was his first on film, and that his part was scripted by Phillip Adams.

When I asked a question from the audience, I mentioned that Murray’s example of distribution was quite inspirational and that this is still topical and relevant today. I asked what comments he could make about how young film-makers could get their films distributed and what issues he sees in the current system (alluding to funding practices). Murray mentioned that this is something he has been discussing in different roles for years. I don’t know if he adequately answered my question or if, indeed, this was possible in the time constraints. In passing, though, he mentioned that film-makers these days are much more specialised and don’t have the range of skills that earlier film-makers needed to possess: understanding film as art, film as a product to be marketed and distributed.

Murray says it’s a lot harder now, since John Howard opened up Australia to foreign commercials. Production equipment is very expensive but with the input of foreign commercials, the local industry has been seriously weakened, and the money isn’t there.

Peter Krausz asked about Murray’s opinion of Not Quite Hollywood’s inclusion of The Naked Bunyip. Murray replied that he was initially sceptical as he didn’t see his film as fitting into the category of Ozploitation. Hartley convinced him that the film would be treated with respect, and Murray says Hartley honoured his commitments. When asked why he wasn't interviewed for the film, Murray replied that it's probably due to his initial scepticism.

The Naked Bunyip was both an extremely bold (in subject) and extremely ambitious (in breadth) project, and one we can be thankful that Murray was passionate enough about to embark upon. He has left ours and future generations a legacy, a document of a point in time that might otherwise be forgotten. It is entertaining, insightful, revealing and infused with a sense of importance of its time. If you get the opportunity to see it on the big screen, take it. Otherwise, it is available on DVD from Umbrella Entertainment and includes the deleted visual and audio scenes and a 20 minute featurette.

Links: John B. Murray’s website / Genesis of The Naked Bunyip / Refused Classification

The Week in Review - 14/9/08

It's been a remarkable week of films, with the highlights being three films by Satyajit Ray and Jean Eustace's La maman et la putain.

• Beyond Our Ken (Luke Walker & Melissa Maclean, Australia, 2007)
• La maman et la putain (The Mother and the Whore, Jean Eustace, France, 1973)
• Pather Panchali (Song of the Road, Satyajit Ray, India, 1955)
• Ghare-Baire (The Home and the World, Satyajit Ray, India, 1984)
• Apur Sansar (The World of Apu, Satyajit Ray, India, 1959)
• Piano, solo (Riccardo Milani, Italy, 2007)

La maman et la putain
I simply don't have the time to write sufficiently about this extraordinary film. I don't believe I've ever sat for three and a half hours in a cinema without a break, but I did without any problems during this screening at Melbourne Cinémathèque. I'd been anticipating it since Isaki Lacuesta, Spanish director of Le leyenda del tiempo (The Legend of Time, 2006) brought it to my attention after the screening of his impressive film at ACMI earlier in the year. I believe he described it as his favourite film, and I can see why. I may write on this in more detail after watching it again. I have been participating in an online discussion at the At The Movies discussion board. Or check out Jonathan Rosenbaum's piece.

Pather Panchali
Now, I don't want to go into a rant about how important films like this, screening as part of a partial-retrospective of India's most celebrated film-maker, should be shown in their original ratio (4:3, rather than the 16:9). Nor do I want to whine about the air-conditioning failing, leaving us to swelter in 29 degrees Celsius (but thanks to the staff who gave us two tickets for the price of one). So I'll just proceed with stating that this is probably the best Indian film I have ever seen. Not that I've seen many, but this is seriously impressive cinema.

The child's perspective, the beautiful cinematography, the amazing characters, the austerity and restraint of dialogue, the Ravi Shankar score, the heart-breaking story all combine to produce a film that just has to be experienced. This was Ray's first film and the beginning of his Apu trilogy. Unfortunately, the middle of the trilogy is not screening as part of the retrospective.

I've been to rural Bengal on six occasions, the last being 1990. I was struck with how authentic this film is, and how recognisable it's look is. At least as at 1990, the essence of what is depicted in Pather Panchali, could still be seen in Bengal, a land that has largely remained unchanged. Check out the 105 second clip at this site.

Apur Sansar
The final installment in the Apu trilogy, and another remarkable piece of output by Ray, though not quite at the same level of accomplishment as Pather Panchali, in my opinion. Ray shows great compassion for his characters, depicting the struggles of one character across three films - childhood in Pather Panchali, adolescence in Aparajito and adulthood in Apur Sansar. But it's not just the struggles of Apu, but also those around him. In doing so, Ray is tapping into the greater themes of human struggle. I hope to see these again without the projection issues that have dogged the sessions I attended.

Ghare-Baire
Another Ray film, based on a novel, and it shows. I enjoyed it in the context of a Ray retrospective and as a serious film from India (I hate Bollywood cinema), but it's not on the same level as the Apu films. Or maybe it's just that I'm not particularly taken by melodrama.

Beyond Our Ken

Beyond Our Ken (Luke Walker and Melissa Maclean, Australia, 2007)
Cult - an evocative word, one that perhaps is more closely associated with popular culture, like “that film has a cult following". In the 70s, Western societies were inundated with cults and various groups. There was then a sense of a new wave of social change and people - youth in particular - were keen to reject the ways of their parents and adopt a new paradigm, paradigms offered by groups like Rajneesh, Transcendental Meditation (TM), Hare Krishna, Children of God, Scientologists and others. While many of these groups have dispersed or disappeared, some have adapted and live on.

Beyond Our Ken is an examination of one of these groups, Kenja. Incorporated in 1982 and founded by Ken Dyers and Jan Hamilton, whose first names are joined in the group's name, Kenja projects itself as a self-empowerment training organisation but has been widely criticised as a secretive cult, with allegations of sexual assault. Directed by Luke Walker and Melissa Maclean, access was given within the organisation up to the highest level.

I like the way the documentary is structured. Unlike the recent spate of entertaining and often unashamedly one-sided documentaries, in a more traditional manner, this film examines its subject by interviewing current and former members, parents of members, psychologists and others with an interest in such groups. Some of the most insightful glimpses into the group comes from the crew's access to the leaders themselves. Dyers and Hamilton appear to bask in the attention the documentary affords them.

The film's by-line, “You wouldn't know a cult, even if you were in one”, is quite poignant. As is pointed out, most cults attract members of above average intelligence, often with professional occupations. Those who are somehow restless and dis-satisfied, who have money to pay for “energy conversions” and other sessions, these people are primed as they are shopping for something.

What I consider important about the film is that - while it deals with a specific group - it reveals tactics and qualities that are common to most. By revealling how this group operates, one can see a common thread through many. Such groups are still alive and well in the form of Hare Krishna, Exclusive Brethren and Scientology. One could argue that even the Roman Catholic Church is a type of cult (with it's ascribing of divine powers to the Pope, and the followers' devotion to him). I tend to agree, though that's an aside that I don't wish to pursue here.

I'll state here that there's no doubt in my mind that Kenja is a cult. This is because of the group's focus on its leaders, who appear to enjoy a status akin to a high priest and priestess, a divine couple whose every needs are supplied by compliant members. Most revealling is the groups use of the leaders' names in the group's name. How self-promoting and self-absorbed is that? A genuinely spiritual organisation would name itself on that which it is promoting. But then, Kenja appears to be all about Ken and Jan.

Having taken an interest in alternative religions and teachings in the 1970s and 1980s, I recognised many of the teachings and techniques of Kenja. They appear to be distilled from a variety of sources, with teachings similar to Hare Krishna and New Age spirituality (including Louise Hay's “inner child” concepts), the use of pseudo-psychology with the more rigorous and aggressive business acumen of groups like TM and the Scientologists.

Like any self-respecting cult, Kenja has devised a fairly routine set of mantras or standard responses to claims it is a cult. “Isn't football a cult?” asks Ken indignantly? All these groups have such responses, which I find tired and self-serving. You can never get a straight answer, and the answers are always embellished, denied or avoided. The straightest answers come from those who were once on the inside and now, for various reasons, find themselves outside the group. The group's deflection of these people as a kind of jilted lover doesn't wash.

The group's lecturers/preachers often use catch-words and phrases that are clearly designed to sound meaningful and attractive, though it's never quite clear what they actually mean. “Energy conversions”, “energy”, “free personal consultations”, “attached entities”, “wonderful technology” are some of the words that caught my attention, reminding me of Scientology. And like that group (and virtually every other cult), the adherents have justified why one should break free from existing friends and family, unless they support the group.

As one former member points out, group members don't just hang out with each other like normal people. There is a kind of camaraderie, but if you leave Kenja, all your friendships with the group are over. There is a constant implant of phobias - if you leave, something terrible will happen (such as “I will be lost”, “I'll go mad”, “I'll have no friends”). These are all common traits of cults.

For those who are not familiar with the history of Kenja, I won't spoil it with the ending. Needless to say, it's dramatic and unexpected. I found Beyond Our Ken compelling and highly recommend seeing it on the big screen while you can. It is screening exclusively at Cinema Nova until Wednesday 24 September, and is being released by Hopscotch Entertainment on DVD on 18 September.

Link: Kenja in the news recently (Warning: this article contains spoilers)
Other reviews: Stale Popcorn / Toronto Screen Shots

News and Bits

This post is about nothing in particular, but there's a number of news items I thought were worth sharing.

Disgrace-ful
Lynden Barber from Eyes Wired Open has posted about Steve Jacobs' (director) and Anna Maria Monticelli's (writer) latest film Disgrace winning the prestigious FIPRESCI Prize at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by celebrated author J.M. Coetzee. I was a big fan of the same team's previous film, La Spagnola, which had the great misfortune of opening on September 11, 2001. It received very little attention, though it has appeared on SBS television a couple of times since.

I, for one, look forward to Disgrace, which stars John Malkovich. Glenn at Stale Popcorn has assembled a few reviews of the film. Icon Films are distributing and have indicated the film will be released in early 2009.

Even more disgraceful...
... is news that the Australian Film Critics Association is hosting a screening of The Naked Bunyip at ACMI this Saturday at 4pm, followed by a Q&A with a panel discussion with AFCA members and the director, John B Murray. From AFCA:

In his first feature film, Graeme Blundell stars as an innocent young market researcher assigned to report on sex. In this raucous documentary he gets up close and personal - but too personal in fact for the censors of the time who demanded cuts to the film. Rather than remove the offending footage, however, Murray instead inserted bunyip caricatures and bleeps over the objectionable segments, infuriating the censors but making a bold statement about censorship. With a guest appearance by Barry Humphries (amongst many other prominent Australians) The Naked Bunyip helped to revive the Australian film industry.

I'll definitely be going to see this, not just because I happen to be an AFCA member, but because I find these Australian Perspectives screenings at ACMI a great opportunity to see these little gems on the big screen, even more so when there's a Q&A session with the director. I still remember being too young to see this film when it came out, and there being much controversy at the time. It was featured in Mark Hartley's Not Quite Hollywood. You can find film-maker notes on ACMI's website.

Palace goes digital
Palace Cinemas have moved into the 21st century with the announcement that two of their cinemas have installed digital projection:

Palace Cinemas is delighted to announce the recent installation of state-of-the-art 3D projection technology at two of its leading locations, Palace Balwyn and Palace Dendy Brighton Cinemas.

Committed to delivering the best possible cinema experience to audiences, Palace Cinemas have made the transition from 35mm prints to digital projection at the select locations, using the superior DOLBY 3D digital system.

This innovative new projection system delivers an immersive and unbeatable sensory experience, with outstanding picture quality, colour balance, clarity and the highest level of overall viewing comfort.

Also, with the increasing availability of digital 3D titles, starting with Journey to the Centre Of The Earth on September 25, and followed by the animated Fly Me to the Moon and James Cameron’s eagerly anticipated Avatar in 2009, Palace’s installation of the DOLBY 3D digital projectors will take movie-watching to the next level, allowing audiences to view breathtaking scenery, true-to-life action, and spectacular special effects like never before.

Executive Director of Palace Cinemas, Benjamin Zeccola, says, “3D and DIGITAL projection technology are exciting developments in the history of cinema and Palace is excited to be at the forefront of digital technology and state-of-the-art projection. We invest in superior technology to deliver the best; that's what Palace patrons have come to expect.”

I find this an exciting development and look forward to seeing the results on-screen.

Beyond Our Ken at the Nova
Beyond Our Ken is a local documentary about the Kenja cult that is definitely worth seeing. It is screening in Melbourne exclusively at the Nova. It is currently scheduled to screen until Wednesday of next week, so see it on the big screen while you can. Check out my review.

Ana Kokkinos' Blessed
No commentary from me, just the media release, which says it all:

From the director of HEAD ON and the writer of LANTANA comes BLESSED, a hauntingly evocative new feature film, to be shot on location in Melbourne Australia from October 6 until November 21.

BLESSED will mark the third collaboration between director Ana Kokkinos and writer Andrew Bovell, who previously teamed on HEAD ON and THE BOOK OF REVELATION, and will also reunite Kokkinos with producer Al Clark (PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT, CHOPPER), who produced THE BOOK OF REVELATION, and with internationally esteemed editor Jill Bilcock (MOULIN ROUGE, ELIZABETH), who cut HEAD ON. Additional key crew include award-winning cinematographer Geoff Burton, production designer Simon McCutcheon, costume designer Louise McCarthy and line producer Barbara Gibbs. Executive producers are Marian Macgowan, Ana Kokkinos, Phil Hunt and Compton Ross.

Based on the critically lauded play WHO’S AFRAID OF THE WORKING CLASS?, which writers Andrew Bovell, Melissa Reeves, Patricia Cornelius and Christos Tsiolkas have adapted for the big screen, BLESSED interweaves four profoundly moving stories which follow the poignant and compelling misadventures of six children as they wander the city streets through a day and a night. It’s a film about the depth of love between mothers and their young, and the life force that ultimately connects us all.

Kokkinos and Clark have assembled a remarkable array of acting talent to bring this contemporary urban odyssey to the screen, including Frances O’Connor (ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: AI, MANSFIELD PARK), Miranda Otto (LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING & THE TWO TOWERS), Deborra-lee Furness (BEAUTIFUL, JINDABYNE) and Victoria Haralabidou (BRIDES aka NYFES), who head a powerful ensemble cast.

Remarkable newcomers Anastasia Babouassouras, Sophie Lowe, Eamon Farren, Eva Lazzaro, Reef Ireland and Harrison Gilbertson star as the children. William McInnes, Wayne Blair, Monica Maughan and Tasma Walton complete the key cast. Casting director is Jane Norris (Mullinars).

Twelve Canoes
Yet another media release:

12canoes.com.au

We are proud of our community. We are proud of our history and our present.

We are proud of our children, and our artists, and our songmen,

we are proud of our whole place.

Because we are proud of all these things, we are sharing them with you.

We live in Arnhem Land, in Northern Territory of Australia.

For long time our people been wanting to show our culture to the world.

We made that film, Ten Canoes. That was really beginning of it.

So now here is our culture, our place, our history...here is 12 Canoes.

Different stories, 12 of them...Creation, and First White Men, all different parts of our history...The Swamp, and The Seasons, and Plants and Animals, all about where we live...Kinship and Language and Nowadays, how we live today.

And more than that. Everything put together is one story.

It is us, like a painting of our story.

Twelve Canoes is a website which paints a compelling portrait of the art, culture, history and place of the Yolngu people whose homeland is the town of Ramingining and the Arafura Swamp of north-central Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory.

The high-end site is a work of art in itself; honouring the people of the Arafura swamp, and built around twelve filmed “visual poems” describing and illustrating many aspects of Yolngu history, life and culture from Creation, Our Ancestors, The Macassans, First White Men, Thomson Time, The Swamp, Plants and Animals, and Seasons, to Kinship, Ceremony, Language, and a slice of contemporary life in Nowadays.

Other features of the site include galleries which showcase Ramingining art and artists, music and songmen, language and common terms, and photographs that capture the essence of life in the region.

The website has been created and developed by filmmaker Rolf de Heer and Molly Reynolds in conjunction with a consultative committee from the Ramingining Community including Peter Minygululu, Richard Birrinbirrin (associate producer on Ten Canoes), Philip Gudthaykudthay, Peter Djigirr (co-director of Ten Canoes) and Bobby Bunungurr, all community elders and artists in their own right.

“Back in 2003, while collaborating with the Indigenous Yolngu people of Ramingining to devise a story line for the film "Ten Canoes", a lot of material, of greatly varied subject matter, was brought in for discussion, with the individual Yolngu contributors each very keen to have their ideas incorporated, and that the film in some way should reflect the entirety of their lives, culture and history,” said filmmaker Rolf de Heer. ”There was soon general recognition that no film could achieve all that, and the idea of a website was born."

“Twelve Canoes has been developed with the aim of showcasing Yolngu culture, in particular the people of the Arufura Swamp, to the world. They are proud of their culture and homelands, and they are proud to invite the world to share this knowledge,” said project director Molly Reynolds.

The Twelve Canoes website was designed and built by Wanted Digital. Wanted Digital is a creative digital agency who specialises in high quality planning, design and execution of digital communications. Their ambition with the Twelve Canoes site was to create an immersive digital experience in which the design and navigation enhances, but never overpowers, the superb content.

Mark Eland, Wanted Digital Creative Director says “we saw this as a real opportunity to leverage the online environment's strengths by providing a experience that challenges DVD and cinema status quo by offering a more immersive state of engagement.” The site was designed to take advantage of engaging with high end video content through broadband access now and in the future.

12canoes.com.au is being hosted by the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia through their website. The National Film and Sound Archive is Australia's national cultural institution committed to safeguarding and making as accessible the national collection of audiovisual cultural heritage to the widest possible audience.

Paolo Cherchi Usai, NFSA’s Executive Director said, “The NFSA is pleased to be the access and hosting partner in 12 Canoes as part of our commitment to support creative propositions using new technologies and to work in collaboration with Indigenous communities to support their cultural self-determination.”

TWELVE CANOES

Twelve subjects, each of which deals with a particular key aspect of Yolngu culture, place, or history, were developed, incorporating works of art, video material, stills, music and sound.

These twelve stories, poetic in nature with strong, sometimes ethereal imagery, are accompanied by words from different Ramingining story-tellers.

Creation tells of when the people of the area came into being. As there are many creation stories, this is the story of Dog Dreaming and his travels from the Swamp to the sea.

Our Ancestors describes the way the Yolngu used to live, in the old times, before the arrival of any visitors from the outside world, and how this society used to operate.

The Macassans, from the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia, were the first who came from another place. Long before the coming of the white man, the Macassans were trading partners of the Yolngu, who were introduced to cloth, metal, tobacco and sea-faring skills.

First White Men tells of the various wars, ultimately won at great cost to them, fought by the Yolngu to protect their lands and people from the encroachment by white man, including the Americans who tried ranching the land.

Thomson Time speaks of Dr Donald Thomson, the anthropologist who came to solve the turmoil in Arnhem Land in the 1930's. Thomson learnt language, lived with, studied and befriended the people and was a great advocate for them to government.

The Swamp describes the World Heritage listed Arafura wetlands just south of Ramingining. The Swamp and its people have a historical, cultural, economic and spiritual relationship which is now threatened by a number of factors.

Plants and Animals is about the diversity of plant and animal life of the Arafura wetlands and surrounding areas, and their continuing but fragile existence in a changing world.

Seasons is about how the blooming of a flower can tell you the sharks are being born in the sea; it is about the interaction of the changing life cycles that punctuate the weather patterns of the Yolngu year.

Kinship highlights the complexity and historical importance of family structure and ancestral relationships. The expression of kinship today has evolved, but its importance and complexity remain.

Ceremony is about the rites and rituals that describe aspects of the Yolngu inner life, the ceremonies that bind the community together and keep the people and their traditions strong.

Language tells the story of how the different languages were given to the different clans of people of the region and describes the relationship of the clan groups and the people as a whole to their languages.

Nowadays captures a slice of the contemporary way of life for the Yolngu in the township of Ramingining.

A two-disc DVD version of the 12 stories and selected video extras will be released through Ronin Films.

A study guide for schools is also available.

Twelve Canoes was produced with the assistance of the Christensen Fund, Screen Australia, the South Australian Film Corporation and the National Film & Sound Archive. The site has been developed by Wanted Digital.

CINEMA/DVD VERSION

The twelve stories screen together in a cinematic version which takes the viewer on a powerful and compelling journey over 66 minutes. This cinematic version world premiered at the NFSA’s ARC cinema in Canberra on 1 July.

Italian Film Festival Preview

The Italian Film Festival opens Wednesday 17 September. I’m divided about Italian cinema. On the one hand it has greats like Marco Bellochio, whose Buongiorno, notte (Good Morning, Night, 2003) displays all the austere aesthetics of the best of European cinema, and on the other it seems to be eternally infatuated with family melodramas that use every cliché in the book, much like daytime soap opera. The more serious cinephile has to wade carefully to find ‘the good stuff’. But it can be found.

I'm limiting my research of films to see by excluding anything that looks too conventional, namely comedies and family dramas. I'm not saying that some of these may not be good. It's just that I haven't had a good track record with these genres from Italy. Excluding these and the three films I've seen already (reviews below), this leaves me with the retrospectives (12 films) and four contemporary titles, namely:

• Hotel Meina (Carlo Lizzani, 2007)
• L'ora di punta (Rush Hour, Vincenzo Marra, 2007)
• La sconosciuta (The Unknown Woman, Giuseppe Tornatore, 2006)
• Valzer (The Waltz, Savatore Maira, 2007)
  

The retrospective titles are:

• Tutta colpa del paradise (All the Fault of Paradise, Francesco Nuti, 1985)
• Amarcord (Federico Fellini, 1974)*
• Anonimo Veneziano (The Anonymous Venetian, Enrico Maria Salerno, 1970)
• Banditi a Orgosolo (Bandits of Orgosolo, Vittorio De Seta, 1961)
• Lo chiamavano Trinità (They Call Me Trinity, E.B. Clucher, 1970)**
• C’eravamo tanto amati (We All Loved Each Other So Much, Ettore Scola, 1975)
• Il ladro di bambini (The Stolen Children, Gianni Amelio, 1992)*
• Matrimonio all’Italiana (Marriage Italian-Style, Vittorio De Sica, 1964)*
• La viaccia (The Lovers, Mauro Bolognini, 1961)*
• Il magnifico cornuto (The Magnificent Cuckold, Antonio Pietrangeli, 1965)
• Serafino (Pietro Germi, 1969)
• Tre fratelli (Three Brothers, Francesco Rosi, 1981)*

* I know nothing about any of the retrospective selections, though those marked with an asterisk have been recommended to me by others who have.
** On face value, more fun than anything.

Visitors, if you have any recommendations, feel free to leave them in the comments.

Il resto della notte (The Rest of the Night, Francesco Munzi, 2008)
“Straight from the Director’s Fortnight of the 2008 Cannes Film Festival comes this biting & poignant drama from Francesco Munzi, who displays a level of deft sophistication and power only hinted at with his debut prize-winner Saimir.” So read the promotional notes to this intriguing film that is clearly a cut above most Italian dramas.

In one sense, it is three stories in one. The first is the story of an affluent upper-middle class family. The second is a story of some down-and-out struggling Romanian migrants, one of whom is fired as the maid of the family when she is suspected of stealing. The third is the collision of these two worlds. Each part has a different aesthetic.

The Rest of the Night is an ambitious film and Munzi is attempting to weave a web that will attract a wide audience. The affluent story is pure contemporary Italian cinema (at least, what we see of it here). There’s the selfish and demanding husband, there’s the beautiful but fading wife and the cute and spoilt teenage daughter. Perhaps Munzi’s intention is subversive, because this aspect of the film acts like a hook for a conventional audience.

I say “hook”, because the migrant story is more in the realm of social realism á la 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days. Indeed, Laura Vasiliu (Marja, the maid) played the pregnant student seeking an abortion in that film. Dismissed at short notice, Marja in her desperation returns to the low-life. This part of the film is effective, though perhaps there is a lack of subtlety in differentiating the high- and low-lives. Nonetheless, the aesthetics of the bleakness is a welcome change to the bland and mostly middle-class stories that Italy exports.

These two worlds collide in the film’s third act, and the film’s tone changes to one of a crime drama. For my taste, I don’t think Munzi has been wholly successful in weaving these three stories together. I’d have preferred that he stick to one aesthetic or another. But then, perhaps this is not intended for an arthouse audience. I think it works best as a film for mainstream audiences who like quality drama, with a few surprises. As I often say, I prefer a film to take risks and not be completely successful, than one that aims low and succeeds. Munzi has taken risks and this film is worth a look.

La ragazza del lago (The Girl by the Lake, Andrea Molaioli, 2007)
Am I detecting a pattern? Media previews of films festivals seem to screen the gutsier film first and the populist one following. Such was my experience with the two films I saw (I’m writing about them in the order I saw them).

The Girl by the Lake has impressive credentials: two Venice Film Festival awards (best actor and best director) and no less than ten David di Donatello awards (best film, director, first-time director, screenplay, producer, actor, cinematography, editing, sound and special effects). Well, it certainly sounds impressive and I believe that this should be a popular film with festival audiences. I was completely underwhelmed.

Yes, it does look beautiful, perhaps self-consciously so. The film certainly kicks off with a compelling start. Genuine tension is built quickly, but not maintained. Unfortunately, the film sticks to tried and tested stereotypes that admittedly look much better than television, but ultimately does little to differentiate itself from classic BBC whodunits. If you’re looking for a good night out with friends and a bit of light entertainment, you can’t go wrong with this one.

Piano, solo (Riccardo Milani, 2007)
Piano Solo is based on a true story of a gifted jazz pianist, Luca Flores, following his rise and descent into darkness. It might sound bleak but is a polished story - the cinematography is beautiful. It's designed for a mainstream audience who should enjoy the conventional drama. While it depicts a person's mental decay, everything is sanitised and simplified to make it digestible. In fact, with the film's use of melodrama, I'd even go so far as to say this is an appealing 'chick-flick'. It's not to my taste personally, but this is a film that should do well with Palace's target audience.

The Italian Film Festival screens from 17 September to 5 October at Palace Como, Westgarth, Balwyn and the Kino. Check the official website for other details and screening dates for other cities (Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide and Perth).

2008 AFI Voting

I was asked by the AFI to contribute a small piece about how I judge one film from another, in the context of voting for the AFI Awards. I'm more than a little chuffed that they included me along with a number of reviewers and critics, and you'll find the full article on their website. I'd like to say I'm the only non-professional writer there, though technically that's not correct, as I have been paid for writing one article in The Big Issue (issue #299, on Paranoid Park).

The article starts out with:

It’s time to think about voting

As an AFI member it’s your right, and your privilege, to decide who the winners will be at this year’s AFI Awards.

Technically, voting has never been simpler: visit the AFI homepage, click on the voting button, make your preferences and hit ‘send.’ It should take less than five minutes.

But arriving at those decisions has been the work of many weekends sitting in the dark, watching and evaluating this year’s crop of Australian films – as many of them as you can manage. But how to judge them? How to compare a lavish international co-production with a grimy no-budget drama? Or a frenetically fun documentary with a seriously disturbing one? What makes a film worthy of a gong?

These are the questions that professional film critics must answer on a regular basis, as they compare, contrast, praise and damn the films that pass across our screens. Loved and loathed, perhaps in equal measure, the film critic performs the function of stimulating debate and offering informed judgement. So here we asked some experienced film reviewers to offer hints and tips; some things to keep in mind when you the voter, are playing your role as the ultimate critic in the Australian film industry.

My article is at the bottom of the page:

“A sense of humanity.”

Cinema is for me the most fantastic experience, the most important and complete art form, the opportunity to enter into another world and experience emotions that otherwise I wouldn't. To rate one film against another is easy, even if it's a case of comparing apples and oranges. Ultimately, the main criterion is "how did this film move me?” If I've nodded off during the last two hours, that's not a good sign. If I sat enthralled, that's a good start.

So, how to differentiate one film from another, in the context of the AFI Awards, such as best film? My rough criteria – and it is rough, because there are so many variables – are: to what degree does the film engage me, to what degree does it move me? I don't mind who the actors are, but could I believe in the characters and their performances?

Does the film take risks? I'd prefer a film that aims high and doesn't completely succeed than one that aims low and hits its mark. Sub-consciously, the risk-taker always wins bonus points. Similarly, I'll give bonus points to film that challenges an audience. Perhaps it opens us up to a different perspective, or in some way allows us to view the world differently. It's rare, but I’m looking for something transformational, something that leaves the viewer with a slightly broader or changed view.

When I look at the types of films I am most consistently drawn to, I see that what a director invests of him or herself is absolutely critical. The ability to construct a story that not only engages, but conveys a sense of humanity, of sharing some aspect of the human condition – in all of its glory AND wretchedness – with compassion, subtlety, intelligence, humour, complexity and without being preachy; this is perhaps of most importance to me.

The technical aspects then assume secondary layers of appreciation. The lighting, settings, camera movements and cinematography, music and sound production, editing and so on all enhance the cinema experience. But they're all for naught if there is not a good underlying story. I don't have an aversion to big budget films, but I find these most often disappoint. There is nothing so frustrating as a film that looks good but the story sucks. Unfortunately, very many big budget films make populist compromises that alienate me.

In any field of major endeavour, it is important to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of those who have given their blood, sweat and tears to getting projects off the ground and into the cinema. Each year we get the opportunity to reflect on the past 12 months of Australian films and have a say in who gets the gongs. This is democracy in action and every film-goer should take the opportunity.
Celebrate!

I'm always fascinated to hear what significance cinema has for others, and how one values one film over another. Anyone care to offer their 2 bobs' worth?

The Week in Review - 7/9/08

• Scarlet Street (Fritz Lang, USA, 1945)
• Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler - Ein Bild der Zeit - pt.2 (Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler, Fritz Lang, Germany, 1922)
• Waltz with Bashir (Ari Folman, Israel/Germany/France, 2008)
• Za'am V'Tehilah (Rage and Glory, Avi Nesher, Israel, 1985)
• Kung Fu Killers (Brian Trenchard-Smith, Australia, 1974)
• Bitter & Twisted (Christopher Weekes, Australia, 2008)
• Three Blind Mice (Matthew Newton, Australia, 2008)
• All My Friends are Leaving Brisbane (Louise Alston, Australia, 2007)
• The Tragedy of Hamlet Prince of Denmark (Oscar Redding, Australia, 2007)
  

The first week of Spring and it really feels like we've turned the corner on winter. Sure, we've still got cold weather coming, but there's a very noticeable change to the seasons. MIFF 2008 is now trailing off into the distance, though I had a post-festival meeting at MIFF HQ on Thursday. Every other MIFF Screen Legend member was there (all six of us) and MIFF staff, Carly Griffen and David Collins. It was a good opportunity to give some feedback and contribute some ideas.

We learnt that next year's festival is likely to be 9 July - 16 August 2009. We also heard that MIFF membership quadrupled this year (from 300 to 1200), thanks to members' priority queuing. This is going to cause problems for future free MIFF screenings during the year; which may not be able to accommodate the numbers. Either there'll be multiple simultaneous screenings, or limits based on RSVPs first-in, best-dressed. Apparently, the next screening is The Grocer's Son on Sunday 21 September. I'm not sure of the location, but given that Jump Street Films have indicated that it's being released at the Rivoli, Nova and Classic cinemas, my guess is it'll be at the largest cinema MIFF can secure.

It should be pouring rain this time of year, instead we have clear skies and it's raining film. I've seen two films at Melbourne Cinémathèque, two Israeli films (though only one at the Israeli Film Festival) and five Australian films (four as part of the free AFI member screenings). This is intense.

Scarlet Street
I probably saw much film noir and Edward G. Robinson as a child in the 60s and 70s, with all those old classics screening on Channel 9 on a Sunday afternoon. But I've had little exposure as an adult. This Lang film screened at Melbourne Cinémathèque and I found it thoroughly enjoyable. Robinson played the vulnerable and aging fall-guy with heartfelt conviction. The film looks fantastic and is a lot of fun.


Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler
Dr. Mabuse works so well precisely because it is a silent film. The visuals are simply fantastic and it looks as if the participants (especially Rudolf Klein-Rogge, who played Dr. Mabuse) had a fun time making it. The range of disguises Mabuse assumes allows for all sorts of almost comic situations, that are grounded or counter-weighted by the constant menace of Mabuse's character. Melbourne Cinémathèque really provides a great opportunity to see these amazing and rare prints on the big screen.

Waltz with Bashir
I'd planned to see Just Like Your Dad at the Como as part of the Israeli Film Festival, but was running late so decided to see an advance screening of Waltz with Bashir at the Nova instead. As it turned out, the woman in the queue ahead of me had a free double pass to the same film and offered it to me. I was happy to accept, and I've done the same for others in the past. And by chance, I had replaced one Israeli film with another. What a great film it is!

Waltz with Bashir would make an excellent companion piece to Persepolis, another personal recollection from the 80s. Both are animations, both screened at MIFF and both are now screening in Melbourne (well, Waltz with Bashir opens Thursday). Both have other things in common, while remaining distinctly different films. I'd like to do a more detailed analysis of these as companion films (and they are equally compelling and worth seeing), but I can't spare the time for this post (which means it's unlikely to happen at all).

Waltz with Bashir is a searingly honest story, a pursuit of the truth, one man's search for his lost memory. When Israel invaded Lebanon in 1982, the director Ari Folman was there as a 19 year old soldier. In spite of recurring dreams that haunt him, Folman remembers very little of that period. The film represents his search for those memories, tracking down his old comrades and recounting their stories as well.

While Persepolis uses a beautifully stylised artwork consistent with the graphic novels it's based on, Waltz with Bashir has employed a look more in common with Richard Linklater's Waking Life. This works really well as the film partly adopts a documentary style. The characters are life-like but morph as required as reality, fantasy, memories and dreams merge. And like Persepolis, this is an effective means of involving the audience in a compelling story that might otherwise be too alienating (ie, war, revolution, politics, etc).

The film's success can be attributed to a number of factors that all work well in tandem. The animation serves the narrative. The narrative is well-written. While political and other readings may be made from it (ultimately, it can only be seen as anti-war), the story is fiercely personal. In one respect, it's like Alice in Wonderland, as Ari descends the rabbit hole trying to find his lost memories. He visits friends, shares stories, attends counselling and we feel we're there with Ari, on his journey. I was moved by his underlying, almost existentialist attitude. Don't miss it.

P.S. Unlike Persepolis, this is NOT suitable for children (sex and violence).

Rage and Glory
This is the only film I managed to fit in for the Israeli Film Festival, and it was an excellent choice. The IFF website fairly describes it as "possibly the best Israeli film ever made". This may or may not be true, but I have no issue with that claim. How ironic to see it straight after Waltz with Bashir. One film documents the struggles of a people, the other documents how the government of these same people have become aggressors towards others.

Rage and Glory had me on the edge of my seat for all of it's 118 minutes of running time. It instantly recalls Jean-Pierre Melville's L'armée des ombres (The Army of Shadows). There is a constant sense of danger and mistrust, engendered by an ongoing war of terror by Jewish freedom-fighters against the ruling British who created all kinds of obstacles to those seeking asylum from the European Holocaust.

Like Waltz with Bashir, the film's impact is strong because of the personal perspective that the film adopts, rather than the over-arching political big picture.

Kung Fu Killers
I entered the cinema mistakenly thinking I was going to see The Man From Hong Kong. Not that it mattered, as I found this documentary (or sorts) about stuntman Grant Page going to Hong Kong to learn something about Kung Fu, enjoyable enough. Riding on the crest of the Ozploitation wave, this is a good companion piece, and is a humorous (often in ways unintended at the time) for its documentation of times past. I still remember those days when Bruce Lee and Kung Fu were immensely popular, and I might have to get myself a copy of Enter the Dragon for the benefit of my son.

Bitter & Twisted
This is an Australian drama, a bleak-ish story that is a cut above most. A family is trying to come to terms with the death of the oldest son and we follow each family member and their personal challenges as they attempt to get their lives on track. Needless to say, the basic story resonated with me, and I felt the depictions of grief to be authentic.

This is mature film-making by a young crew. The characters are believable and non-glamorous (which is a positive). While the film is not completely successful in conveying its narrative, it's an impressive first film and I look forward to seeing future endeavours by Christopher Weekes.

Three Blind Mice
This is quite an accomplishment by the young Mr. Newton. Not only has he written and produced a film that is ambitious, contemporary and original, but he also dominates the screen with confident yet understated performances whenever he is in a scene (and his character is not a minor one).

Opening without music, the film immediately recalls European realist dramas, though as the story unfolded, it seems to have more in common with the improvisational works of John Cassavetes. In fact, once I drew the Cassavetes connection (about 2/3 into the film), some of the cinéma verité aesthetics that might have bothered me until then, actually enhanced the cinematic experience. I'm referring to things like the sometimes shaky hand-held camera (which was never excessive, for those of you who, like me, might find that distracting and off-putting) and a slight lack of narrative coherence.

Basically the film follows three young navy officers (played by Newton, Ewen Leslie and Toby Schmitz) in Sydney for a night's shore leave before being deployed to the Gulf for six months. Boys will be boys, and there are other dynamics at play as these guys get in and out of different situations as the night wears on.

There are some gripping and unexpected yet realistic turns in the film that manage to surprise an audience. The dialogue is sharp and well-written. There is a confidence in the writing that doesn't require everything to be spelt out.

Newton has assembled a really strong cast of supporting actors, most notably Gracie Otto (daughter of Barry, who also appears in the film) whose character is really sassy and charismatic. Other notable supports include Marcus Graham, Alex Dimitriades, Bob Franklin, Pia Miranda, Brendan Cowell, Bud Tingwell and Jacki Weaver.

Leslie's lead performance in 2005's Jewboy (one of my favourite local films of that year) was very impressive and was convincing in this film. Schmitz's performance felt a bit wooden in comparison to the others. Nonetheless, I enjoyed this film a lot and hope it gets a theatrical release. It deserves an arthouse audience, at least. Newton shows some skill as a writer and director and is a talent to watch out for.

All My Friends are Leaving Brisbane
This is not my kind of film, but for what it is - a romantic comedy - it is well-made, and I'm surprised that I've heard nothing of it getting a theatrical release. The film has a protagonist who looks remarkably like Toni Collette's character in Muriel's Wedding (and another who is strongly reminiscent of a younger Dave Hughes), and there are parallel themes about being stuck in one's hometown and getting married (as a solution to one's problems). I don't find All My Friends are Leaving Brisbane as smart a film, but it does cater well to its target audience, namely twenty-somethings. It's narrative has much in common with the many Hollywood high school comedies that find their way onto our screens, but aiming at a slightly older demographic.

Essentially the film is a romantic comedy and is understandably riddled with clichés, yet manages to remain fresh, with some clever comedic devices and with a definite Australian flavour that for once is not cringeworthy. This film deserves to do well with a mainstream audience and is better than most of the imports in its genre.

The Tragedy of Hamlet Prince of Denmark
By my calculation, 41 people attended this screening, and 26 stayed until the end. Most who left, did so in the first 30-40 minutes. I can't say I got much from it, being a word-for-word reading of Shakespeare's play. It may just as well be in another language without subtitles. I think one needs to be a theatre person to appreciate it. If one has read the play and understands the meaning of the language, it would certainly enable one to understand it more. Filmed in fairly dreary dogme-style, it did little for me, no matter how accomplished the performances may have been.

The Week in Review - 31/8/08

• You Only Live Once (Fritz Lang, USA, 1937)
• Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler (Fritz Lang, Germany, 1922)
• Il resto della notte (The Rest of the Night, Francesco Munzi, Italy, 2008)
• La ragazzo del lago (The Girl by the Lake, Andrea Molaioli, Italy, 2007)
• Son of a Lion (Benjamin Gilmour, Australia/Pakistan, 2007)
• The Grapes of Wrath (John Ford, USA, 1940)
  

You Only Live Once
Hmmm... Henry Fonda playing an ex-crim trying to break free from the past and make a new life for himself. With The Grapes of Wrath below, what a coincidence. These two films could make good companion pieces. Ford's film is superior in every respect that I can think of, but Lang's films is very good, too. I'm going to cop out and leave it at that.

Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler
Part I is two and a half hours. This is great film-making. I'll have more to say after the conclusion of Part 2 next week.

The Rest of the Night
Comments coming with a preview of the Italian Film Festival

The Girl by the Lake
Comments coming with a preview of the Italian Film Festival

Son of a Lion
This film is an impressive accomplishment by Gilmour. Sure, it's a little rough around the edges, but that also has its appeal, especially given the extremely difficult circumstances under which the film was made. Gilmour travelled to the North West frontier of Pakistan, where foreigners are not allowed. At great personal risk (and with ongoing risk to the local villagers), Gilmour filmed in a clandestine manner using nonprofessionals.

It's a simple story, not unlike many Iranian films. An eleven-year old boy, Niaz, works for his father, Sher Alam, an old Mujhadeen who fought against the invading Russians during the long war against Afghanistan. Sher Alam makes guns but Niaz just wants to go to school. I love the way the film assumes the child's perspective. Niaz doesn't want much, but he wants it bad. There's a heart-breaking struggle to achieve his seemingly unattainable goal, and the cultural aspect woven into the film is beautiful.

My seven year old also enjoyed Son of a Lion. There is one brief scene where an animal is slaughtered and we covered his eyes (and ours) for it.

All kudos to Gilmour for making this film. This is an example of world cinema made with passion and commitment, with respect for both the subjects of the film and the audience. Gilmour has no background in film-making. He spent time with these people and decided he wanted to tell a fictionalised version of their story. I highly recommend it. It's screening in Melbourne exclusively at the Nova.

The Grapes of Wrath
What a magnificent film this is, and how timeless it is. It's as relevant today as it was - nearly seventy years ago - when it was made. I read John Steinbeck's book (1939) at high school, though it didn't impress me at the time as much as other novels like To Kill a Mockingbird, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and 1984. Note the common themes in these books? I wonder if social injustice and inequity have the same level of importance in contemporary English classes.

Watching the beautifully restored film at an encouragingly crowded Sunday evening session at ACMI, I was in awe of the beauty of the cinematography, the grittiness of the story and how things have changed little since the times depicted (the great depression of the 1920s). Indeed, one could convincingly argue that it's been the same since feudal days.

The Grapes of Wrath is a fiercely angry film, and I'm not playing on the film's title. There's real indignation at the maltreatment of 'ordinary folk', and how the rights of the individual in the so-called 'free world' have been usurped by faceless corporate interests. I love the way Henry Fonda's Tom Joad seems to delight in telling the truck driver he hitched a ride with that he'd been in jail for homicide. He's such an attractive anti-hero.

The film is overtly political, much more so than could have been done a decade later (with McCarthyism and the hunt for 'the reds'). It seems that the so-called conservative side of politics usually takes the high moral ground on issues of patriotism. Grapes of Wrath clearly places the average Joe, the working families as the foundation of a free society, fighting for a fair deal against the corrupt and criminal corporate class.