Change Your Image
leggatt
Reviews
The Woman in Black (2012)
Hammer is back!
The first British horror film to bear the "Hammer" banner in 35 years doesn't disappoint.
It's a masterpiece, but not by exploiting sentimental, schlocky nostalgia or by trading on a once great name in the hope of appealing to rusted-on fans of the original Hammer Films. This is a trend-setter in it's own right.
Radcliffe pleasantly surprises. I assumed he'd be typecast as the perennial schoolboy from the Potter films before witnessing his unexpected ease and charisma in this production. So believable as an anxious father - effectively relating the primal fears of any parent - I had to google his age to assure myself he wasn't older than I'd thought!
He makes it, but a classy supporting cast adds lustre. The child actors deserve acclaim for their unsettling stillness; accented by their pallid makeup and costumes.
And as for the setting itself, a formula as old as time comes across as fresh as paint! But there's nothing fresh about this eyesaw - a once grand house at the end of a snaking causeway and periodically cut off by tides and sea mists, the stately but decrepit pile offers a widescreen, HD wonderland of dark nooks and crannies, dusty drapes and brocade dressing screens. Production designer Kave Quinn has gone to town with the creepy Victoriana, and whoever was in charge of props deserves kudos for the marvellous selection of eerie toys alone --cymbal-clanging monkeys, leprous dolls, a sinister zoetrope -- that populate the abandoned nursery.
As Radcliffe's character Kipps settles in for several nights of terror, despite warnings from the believably terrified local villagers, the shocks are duly delivered with a perfect sense of horror timing, accompanied by huge jolts of discordant noise.
All the Hitchcock tricks are dusted off and polished to perfection.
The special effects are more than adequate, but they aren't nearly as impressive as the perfect sense of horror timing and the truly unsettling blend of shadows and light. I approached the whole film with an air of cynicism, solely because those hoary old chestnuts - haunted houses and all the stock characters that we find within and around them - have been done a thousand times over, and often badly. Had they been one fraction out, what was a highly effective unsettling viewing experience could have descended into laughable schlock. They weren't, and it didn't.
Only shot-by-shot analysis can reveal whether there really are figures and faces lurking, barely seen, at the edge of the frame, which contribute very subtly to the atmosphere of unease... or are just figments of the imagination? The more obviously visible spectres, meanwhile, including the titular Woman in Black owe a particular debt to recent Asian horror movies, (especially Hideo Nakata's "Ringu,") in the unsettling, fast-gliding way they move and appear.
It's a film to be viewed on the big screen, and more than once to be fully appreciated. Full stars!
Marking Time (2003)
Leftist bias and innuendo... yet another painful "message series" from "our" ABC...
"Our ABC" (aka; the Australian Bolshevik Collective) has done it again in offering yet another shallow "message series" brim-full of leftist political bias and innuendo (oh-so-cleverly masquerading as a modern-day antipodean Romeo and Juliet themed love story).
A painful box ticking exercise with all those tired old reoccurring themes covered.
White Rural Australians - Racists (tick) Refugees - wronged innocents and vulnerable victims (tick) Coalition (conservative party) supporters - evil or ignorant (tick) Mainstream Australian culture - xenophobic (tick) Ethnic culture - whimsically exotic, tolerant and ethically superior (tick) Promoted as a coming of age tale amid the backdrop of the Sydney Olympics and turbulent domestic politics, the hidden motives of director and producer are easily identifiable.
Hal's dad - a former Olympian in the story (who better to play a morally righteous character in sport-living Oz?), Rania - Hal's love interest - played with the dexterity and complexity of a Carmelite nun (she even draws this comparison herself, to make doubly sure we all get the point!) And Hal himself, a bloke so disillusioned at the victory of the morally repugnant Howard government that he up and leaves for Afghanistan at the end of the series (an painfully obvious gesture of support to the convicted Aussie-born terrorist David Hicks), in pursuit of the woman he loves.
And on and on it goes.
Some of the supporting characters, particularly Hal's friends, are well-written and clearly identifiable, but ultimately remain cartoonish stereotypes.
Far from this series serving as a historical source for a particular era in Australian history, I am confident it will be remembered as just another example of the ABC's all to familiar leftist bias, (one which makes "Triumph of the Will" seem balanced in comparison!).
So hostile towards the Howard Government back in 2003, in hindsight it's easy to comprehend now how one of it's own (former ABC journalist Maxine McKew) was inspired to defeat John Howard himself in the most recent general election.
In no other country (certainly not a developed one) have I seen a more painful display of political bias from a national broadcaster. AVOID marking time like the plague (unless you enjoy blindingly conspicuous and badly written left-wing propaganda).
Jindabyne (2006)
REALLY not worth it... PC propaganda!
This isn't art, it's inner-urban, politically-correct propaganda! Jindabyne's political intolerance is beyond unforgivable... it doesn't see people as individuals, but rather, as members of categories.
This is the most patronisingly offensive Australian movie I can recall ever (and it's up against some pretty stiff competition!). A message movie, every tired theme beloved of the trendy left is there: Aborigines are victims; white men are violent or alcoholics; white women aren't that bad -particularly if they are lesbians - but they're most likely of a depressive nature.
Four men who go away fishing, find the body of a murdered woman (Aboriginal, naturally) and leave her in the river for several days while they catch trout. It's a strange decision taken with almost no discussion, as if the men are animals. The one man who briefly demurs is the goodie... we know this because he's living with a bisexual woman - he likes to hold his baby a lot - and eventually moves to a more fashionable costal location (away from all these beastly bush-dwellers).
This is a film made by those trendy urbanites who live in fear of the Australian landscape and those evil rednecks who reside within. It's ignorance of country life is almost as shocking as its contempt. The film is shot through with long-distance views of the bush backed by foreboding, mysterious music. It's made very clear by the end that Aboriginal people are the only ones at home in this landscape. It concludes with an excruciatingly implausible scene of black-white reconciliation.
In Jindabyne, country life is reduced to little more than a backdrop for a story that by implication proclaims the superiority of the values of enlightened leftist urban dwellers over those of other Australians.
This film was not made by people with real jobs but funded by the Government's Film Finance Corporation. It's a product of the artsy set, that soulless void populated by the beautiful people for whom lavish government funding sustains these patronisingly offensive projects (which are as detached from real life as possible), as opposed to actually making popular films people want to see. It doesn't matter if the film is a stinker, they still get paid.
Spare yourself from wasting time, avoid it like the plague. More jaded social commentary than actual entertainment, this film deserves to pan!
Changi (2001)
"There's a bloke, on a crate"... creating and unforgettable viewing experience.
When I heard there was to be an ABC [Australian Broadcasting Corporation] mini-series based on life in Changi [WWII POW] camp... with a focus on "elements of comedy", I was deeply sceptical and somewhat critical.
My father had served in the second world war. Such was the barbarity of the Japanese, he was able to talk about the horrors in and around Labuan (where he was stationed), until only quite recently. Along with my father, I had been awarded the fortune of knowing many great men (of stronger character and spirit than I shall ever have), who had witnessed acts of unspeakable barbarity at the hands of the Empire of Japan, and had never completely recovered. The name 'Changi' is destined to conjure horrific images for ages to come...
But upon viewing, I was highly impressed with the cast, the characters and the complex plot-lines of this wonderful series. I now regard 'Changi' as the highlight of my week, (bear in mind, I have viewed only three episodes so far... I hope the remaining episodes adhere to the standards set by the first three).
The black humour works uncannily well (however, the flatulence jokes are a little overdone), and while much of the horror has been suppressed, the series comes quite close in relaying the undaunted spirit of the survivors who were able to later continue with their lives in spite of the inhibiting memories.
The 'flashback' format of this series will be difficult for some to follow,
but I can not think of no better way to do adequate justice to the men who suffered deep emotional scarring proceeding internment... when painfully suppressed experiences are remembered, sometimes years after the horror.
One of the darkest chapters of the Second World War, the 20th century, and, (I would go so far as to say), in the history of mankind, is being relayed to a new generation through this series, and I hope it serves to relay the overwhelming adversity borne by the wartime generation.
Proceeding 'Changi', I don't think I shall ever be able to listen to the poignant tune 'on the road to Gundagai' in the same way again. Tune in...
Mame (1974)
Often criticised, but a thoroughly enjoyable musical comedy!
I thoroughly enjoyed 'Mame', though I admit to being a biased Lucille Ball fan.
Set during the late 1920's and early 1930's, an orphaned nine year old boy goes to live with his wealthy and highly eccentric socialite aunt (Lucille Ball), who delights in teaching him to live life to the fullest. A repertoire of spirited, memorable songs accompany a complex story chronicling the relationship between a boy and his aunt.
Unfortunately, the darker side of human nature dominated within the hostile critiques of 'Mame' at the time of it's release... offensive reviews which deeply hurt Lucille Ball personally. Indeed, 'Mame' was maimed by the critics in 1974.
Had 'Mame' been released in the 1940's, 50's or even the 1960's, (with Lucille Ball in the leading role), this delightful musical would have been a major success and Lucy would have won critical acclaim. Unfortunately, by the 1970's the golden era of the Hollywood movie musical was over (in my humble opinion, the film musical died not long after 'Thoroughly Modern Millie' in 1966 ... hopefully, ' Moulin Rouge' will bring it back, or at the very least restore it's dated image, fingers crossed!).
Techniques and tastes had changed by the time 'Mame' hit the screen. Audiences were no longer accustomed to leading characters bursting into song spontaneously, ('Cabaret' in 1972 being the only memorable success of this period, complete with it's own different musical style). Therefore, 'Mame' was doomed from the very beginning.
To make matters worse, Lucille Ball had been (and remains) solidly typecast as a comedienne [albeit a highly talented one], and would always encounter difficulty in winning over hostile critics who refused to positively endorse her as anything else. Yet Lucy could act, (as had been proven within her touching portrayal of a homeless woman in 'Stone Pillows'), and despite being judged from her somewhat deeper, slower vocal renditions within 'Mame', she **could** sing (her musical talent was showcased within 'Sorrowful Jones' in the 1940's). I personally believe she would have been awarded a 'lifetime achievement' academy award had she survived past 1989, (also, I believe she would have done justice to the portrayal of the older 'Rose' character in 'Titanic', but I digress)...
The sets and costumes are sumptuous. In fact, after viewing the film I decided to re-decorate my home in the art-deco style which was the height of fashion within the period in which 'Mame' was set.
I first viewed 'Mame' late at night, when I was half asleep, on the ABC (that is, the Australian Broadcasting Co-operation) about three years ago and mistook it for a much earlier production owing to the filming techniques. Of course, a much older Lucille Ball gave the age of the film away, but the filming technique gives this film an 'authentic' feel. Because Lucy happened to be in her 60's at the time of production (somewhat older than Angela Lansbury, who starred in the Broadway stage production and, to her credit, would have also made a *great* Mame), the 'soft' lens was used in some of her close-up shots to make her appear younger. While criticised from time to time, I found the lighting and image texture to closely imitate similar techniques commonplace within the 1920's and 1930's. The film comes across 'authentic', complimenting the art-deco sets and flamboyant costumes.
In short, I **love** this film. Don't let the critics rain on Mame's parade. Even the stuffiest cynics *must* concede that the film has it's moments...
The 'moon lady' sequence had me in stitches, (as Lucy ascended upon a stage before a theatre-going audience clumsily perched on a cardboard crescent moon). And who can forget Mame's demands for "straight scotch" when shocked by her nephew's [proposed] in-laws and her revolting, belching Southern 'mother-in-law'!? Bea Authur (a one-time 'golden girl'), also steals a number of scenes before the memorable finale.
A must see... indeed, let Lucy's Mame "coax those blues right out of your heart"
The Ghoul (1933)
What was lost has been found... a rarity from the 30's
If you can locate a copy of this exceptional talkie you are indeed fortunate. It took me years to find, yet it was well worth the wait.
The history of this Karloff gem is fascinating. 'The Ghoul' had completely disappeared, not even the trailer survived. Yet in the 1980's (if I remember correctly), a lone nitrate print turned up in Prague, (with Hungarian subtitles) in *appalling* condition. Apparently, the nitrate film had shrunk to a mere third of it's original width, was exceptionally brittle and in a number of pieces yet was effectively restored... albeit not to the quality of it's release. Therefore, I was prepared to overlook the graininess, variable contrast and sound-track distortions.
'The Ghoul' belongs to Karloff. Had the film not vanished it would have become a hardy perennial of late night television horror alongside the Lemalle classics. As for the cast, sets and script (in that order), the film is superior to other horror classics of the period.
The story-line is vaguely reminiscent... an eccentric, terminally ill man (of Egyptian ancestry) decrees that a rare artefact must be entombed with him otherwise trouble will befall. As to be anticipated, the scarab jewel is removed from the hand of his corpse by a tomb robber not long after internment providing the impetus to wreak revenge in the signature fashion.
The quality of the film may distract some viewers, but the atmosphere retains most of it's inaugural impact. Definitely an eight and a half!