Film
Randi Cuts
Film news [ust to keep you amused
I As part of a near complete retrospective at this year’s excellent Renault French Film Festival (1 - 30 Mar), the dedicated cinephile, producer, scriptwriter, and director Bertrand Tavernier (pictured, left) will be giving masterclasses in Glasgow (GFT, Mon 6 Mar, 12.30pm, $23.50/$21.50) and Edinburgh (Playfair Library in the Old Quad, Tue 7 Mar, 12.30pm, free tickets from 11 Buccleuch Place, 0131 650 4400). frenchfilmfestival.org.uk
I Anyone who is anyone knows that the coolest place to live in Edinburgh is Leith and now. as part of the Leith Festival in June. the area will have its own short film Festival. Called ‘Secret Cinema“ the event will feature short films made by local filmmakers. But they need your movies people. Films of all genres and budgets will be considered. The deadline for entries is Mon 27 Mar. Films should be 15 minutes or less and entries must be submitted in DVD format. For application guidelines please send an email to pbruce@freezone.co.uk
I Don’t miss the Oxfam Film Music Night at the Cameo Cinema Bar on Thursday 9 March from 9pm with DJ’s Babes (Snatch Social) and Beefy (Stereotype, Trade Union) playing a widescreen blend of film music. Entry is free but donations of music, films or indeed money to Oxfam Music will be gratefully received.
I Alright already here comes another great festival. As part of city wide festivities the Grosvenor Cinema. Glasgow is hosting a Jewish Film Festival from Thu 2—1 5 Mar. There will be Q&As. short films and some great features. Highlights include Lajos Koltai's heartbreaking Fate/ess. Pearl Gluck’s fun documentary Divan and Danny Verete‘s funny Meta/lice Blues.
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Htin—NGE Wl’SthN THE PROPOSITION (18) 103min coco
‘l'l/hnt else can England expect? Is there not hit; fat necked tin/(:o/ns enough paid to torment (1nd (ii/ye me to do things which / (lon't Wish to (lo. Without the pool/(r (’if§f§/Sllll_(} them l have never interfered With any person unless they deserved it, (1170 yet there are (trial/(ins who take firearms against me, for lt’lh'il reason / do not Anew' Ned Kelly from The .Jerildeiie letter. 1879.
‘Australia, what fresh hell is this?‘ Sighs Captain Stanley (Ray Winstone) at the beginning of John Ghost of the Civil Dead Hillcoat’s first released feature film in over a decade. This is the late 18005 and we are in Bushranger country — a hardly civilised part of the outback where the British colonial forces constantly battle with the pro-squatter, Catholic hordes who had fled the early penal settlements to support themselves (by whatever means necessary) in the Australian wilderness.
When Stanley one day captures two estranged members of a famous band of outlaws, he offers the oldest Charlie Burns (Guy Pearce) a proposition that he cannot refuse — the trade of one brother for another. And so begins a vicious and visceral parable that leads Charles to the cave entrance of his deeply psychopathic older brother Arthur (Danny Huston), and Stanley and his sweet natured new wife Martha (Emily
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Written by Nick Cave with the kind of simplistic abandon of one who is proud to have nothing to do with the film industry (his last feature writing effort was with Hillcoat back in 1988), The Proposition is a flawed, infuriating but ultimately fascinating proposal.
Built, unsurprisingly, around the themes that limp their way through Cave’s musical work, namely the barbarity of the bush, collective madness, revenge, violence and all consuming passions, The Proposition sometimes groans under its own ominous, ponderous weight and awkward characterisation (not helped by the fact that nearly everyone in the film is cast against type). Yet Hillcoat’s control of the blood soaked proceedings is leisurely, unkempt and wholly fitting (reminiscent in its unconventionality to Monte Hellman's two brilliant 19605 revenge westerns Ride in a Whirlwind and The Shooting). This morality fable from a godless land is greatly enhanced by Benoit Cyclo Delhomme’s unforgiving cinematography and Cave and Warren Ellis’ baroque, gothic score. It's difficult to think of another recent Australian film that is so flyblown and out of its time, or one that puts one more in mind of American journalist Mignon McLaughlin’s supposition that ‘there's an awful lot of blood around that water is thicker than’. (Paul Dale)
I General release from Ffl 70 Mar.