Like A Film School Movie

Ideologically Straitjacketed

Years ago, the Dude from Audio Darnok and I went through our own little hell at AFTRS. It was just one of those things where we wanted to make a science fiction action movie and the School Administration at the top level just didn't want us to make such a film. Flat out hated it. Wanted it buried - and they did just that.

I caught up with the Dude from Audio Darnok by phone tonight and had a long chat. He was particularly interested in pointing out the gap between Heath Ledger's performance in 'The Dark Knight' and the genral market malaise surrounding 'Australia' by Baz Luhrmann, which hasn't received much critical support for the Golden Globes.

The Dude pointedly said he hadn't gone to see 'Australia' exactly because, just looking at the shorts brought back bad memories of AFTRS.

He said, "It just looks like the sort of film that institution would back. It has an Aboriginal kid and a bucket loads of landscape shots and it's got Nicole Kidman playing a strong-willed woman and it would be exactly the kind of film the Film School powers that be would back, and give money to so that it would get shot on 35mm, and look glossy. You know the films I'm talking about - worthy on the surface, but dead boring to the masses."

Yeah, I know exactly what you're talking about, I told him.

"So these people got what? 40million dollars from Tourism Australia to do a tie-up and then Baz Luhrmann's production company is going to get a 40% rebate? But it's going to lose at the box office. It's the same old story. They keep making decisions on projects from a very parochial, narrow basis that has nothing to do with whether it s a good story or not or the sort of movie that would be thrilling or exciting or moving. None of that."

Yep, I said. It's pretty bad.

"Seriously, I'm not going to see that film. I'll wait until it's free to air on TV, and I'd still find a reason to miss it."

People hate 'Australia' the movie, not just  for what it is, but what it represents, and who it represents.