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‘BUYING A SECOND LIFE ON THE INTERNET IS JUST PERVERSE.’
Feted Australian filmmaker Ray Lawrence talks to Paul Dale about movies and
moral dilemmas
ay Lawrence is being a bit testy today. ‘I know
some of the blog reviews said Jim/uhym' is
slow and boring. But they're 18-year-old kids sitting in their underpants in front of the computer and I‘m not interested. I have a very specific audience. They read. They can read a 4()()-page book and it doesn't faze them.‘ His voice is equal parts resignation and fatherly disappointment. You couldn‘t say that Lawrence (pictured) is a prolific filmmaker. having made just three films in 20 years. yet he is arguably one of the tnost respected and psychologically truthful filmmakers currently working in the Australian film industry. The 59—year- old Lawrence also seems to be the only one using his cinema as a kind of l‘reudian dialectic. 'I want people who struggle with relationships to see my films. The difference between men and women interests me. And people who stay or leave. what makes them stay and what makes them leave‘.’ Ilopefully. I'm talking to a thoughtful audience.‘
His new film .lim/uhyne is an adaptation of
Raymond Carver‘s short story So Mia-Ii Water .S'u Close to Home about some fishing buddies whose thoughtless actions cause a ripple of public humiliation and marital discord. Robert Altman already adapted the story back in l‘)‘)3 for Short ('in but by moving the story from the US to Australia and making the dead woman of Aboriginal descent. Lawrence and screenwriter Beatrix (‘hristian have opened it to ever more disturbing sociological interpretation. ‘When I read (‘arver‘s story it was that moral dilemma of responsibility which we seem to
36 THE LIST 211 May» l' Jun 700/
be losing now because we don't want to be responsible for each other — that really struck me. (‘ommunities are falling apart and that whole thing about buying a second life on the Internet is just perverse.”
As in his two previous films Peter (‘arey adaptation Bliss ( l985) and puissant Sydney—set multi character drama/thriller Laniunu (Zillll) Lawrence extracts great performances from a large ensemble cast that includes Laura Linney and (iabriel Byrne.
‘The actors are the conduit to the audience A how the story gets there. and I'm very interested in emotional truth. The actors are my instruments so I look after them; I try not to wear them out. When you see a truthful performance it is just something special. Audiences recognise that truth.~
For a man whose films generally tip the two hour mark it‘s surprising to learn that. until recently. Lawrence made his living between features making television commercials: ‘()h (iod. I’ve made thousands! liverything from sanitary napkins to milk. But just like cinema. that industry has become less fun. more corporate and less creative. The only thing about making coimnercials was that I‘d do it two or three times a month. where as a film director. I do it once every l8 years or something. But hey. my hero is Ken Loach and what is important to tne now is finding a truth. mystery and poetry in the way I make films and tell stories.‘
Jindabyne is on selected release from Fri 25 May.
Hit >i<
THE BEST FILM & DVD RELEASES
bl: Lights in the Dusk Finland‘s finest filmmaker Aki Kaurismaki rounds off his ‘Loser Trilogy' with another brilliant piece of miserablist comic cinema. See review, page 37. Fi/mhouse, Edinburgh from Fri i—Thu 7 Jun.
* Jindabyne Peerless Australian adaptation of a Raymond Carver short story about a bunch of friends on a fishing trip who make the wrong moral decision. See preview, left. Selected release from Fri 25 May.
* Joe Strummer: The Future is Written Overlong but interesting documentary about the Clash frontman. Great footage and enlightening interviews make this one of Julien Temple’s best documentaries to date. See review, page 38. GFT, Glasgow and Cameo, Edinburgh from Fri 7 Jun.
3% Zodiac David Fincher's absorbing policier based on Robert Graysmith’s book about the hunt for the real life Zodiac killer. General release from Fri 78 May.
>i< Wholly Communion/ Tonite Let’s All Make Love in London Excellent double bill of exceptionally fine 608 documentaries by British filmmaker Peter Whitehead. Wholly Communion captures an evening of Beat poet readings from Allen Ginsberg, Alexander Trocchi and friends at the Royal Albert Hall in 1965. Tonite. . . details swinging London in its prime. GFI'. Glasgow on Mon 4 and Tue 5 Jun.
=l< Mutual Appreciation Witness the rise of mumble- core comedy with this excellent US indie. See Also Released. page 39. Cameo, Edinburgh from Fri 25—Thu 37 May.
* Science is Fiction Great DVD selection of shorts by influential early naturalist filmmaker Jean Painleve. See
review, page 40. Out Mon 4
Jun (BFI).