Typist Artist Pirate King

 

New Carol Morley film based upon Audrey Amiss released by Modern Films on Friday 27th October 2023

Carol Morley is one of Britain's most creative film-makers and yet she remains for the most part unknown to the mainstream film watching public. From her debut feature, she has navigated a career of unique features building upon real life stories, autobiographical content and the role of women in modern society. This is not a filmmaker looking to the past to explain the now, this is the here and now, best to understand it as best you could.

Her influence for the new feature is the similarly unknown avant-garde artist, Audrey Amiss (Monica Dolan) whose diaries inspired Morley's film. Incorporating the tropes of the road trip genre as Amiss seeks recognition for her career, she convinces her psychiatric nurse Sandra Panza (Kelly Macdonald) to escort her back to where it all began with many a diversion in place.

Amiss documented her experience of the world and how she saw it through the prism of her own self-proclaimed lunacy; this is a road trip between an eccentric and a reluctant chauffeur.

What is so pleasing about the this film - apart from obviously passing the Bechel Test - is that you get two top notch performances at the helm of the film. Dolan, so often the ensemble player and erstwhile supporter, is given free rein to go for glory and she sinks her teeth into the role of Amiss with aplomb and relish. From the outset, she plays her as a firebrand and rebel and yet one who has been misunderstood for much of her adult life and artistic career.

The partnership of Dolan and Macdonald is key to the film's success and how it will translate to the mainstream, how refreshing to see a film led by two females and in Macdonald returning from Hollywood, willing to play second fiddle to Dolan's lead. The medium shot set-up of the two head on as they drive on their road trip is indicative of this partnership in a moving vehicle, the fondness for the two initially frosty is slowly one where warmth grows similar to that of Jimmy and the Duke in Midnight Run. 

NB (I as a male writer realises this is stupid to write and compare this to an all-male bond when the ultimate companion to this film would be Thelma and Louise surely, where both women's roles alter from the film's beginning and find themselves upon the journey.)

As they drive around, the everyday people they encounter become conduits or people from her past who Amiss use to vent her frustrations with her misgivings and incidents. The constant conflict and unease Amiss creates could be unnerving were it not for the performance of Dolan who incorporates equal rage and equal vulnerability.

The story untangles as more about Audrey's past culminating in the admission that she suffered a major fall when she was 19 leading to her mental health issues and the estrangement between her and her sister Dorothy (Gina McKee) who is the ultimate goal of the journey.

Interspersed with pictures/drawings from Amiss' extensive archive and featuring music she would have wholeheartedly approved of upon the soundtrack, this is a call to arms of a film questioning roles of female artists in general and the biases we may have towards those with mental health issues, everyone is capable of something and that the support they receive is what matters. 

A winning formula with strains of British film-making history from the absurdity of Audrey hitting upon an Anglo-Saxon v Viking re-enactment which smacks of Monty Python to the influence of Ken Russell in the melding of an artist's life with dramatisation, this is a film shot with a softness and a kindness to the crippling nature of mental health, Morley should be applauded for this film that is sympathetic and energetic to a character she is quite fond of.

This is a film that should be commended and enjoyed by a wider audience.

TYPIST ARTIST PIRATE KING is released in UK/Ireland cinemas on Friday 27th October.

OUR RIVER...OUR SKY

 Out Friday 20th October on limited release, a new film by Maysoon Pachachi

Distributed by Tull Stories and produced by the BFI and the National Lottery, Pachachi is a Baghdad born, British raised female director who has returned to her roots to create an intertwining narrative about the individuals who live within the cloud that pervades them in Baghdad in the days leading up to the death of former leader Saddam Hussein.

This is a period of deep transition for the whole region as the rule of Saddam is coming to an end, the various characters we encounter are going through changes themselves and others are still seeking answers for solace amidst the surrounding madness.

The veritable lead Sara (Darina Al Joundi) is the well meaning woman who pervades everybody and she is mostly worried for the future of her daughter Reema (Zainab Joda), for instance how is she going to get to school if the driver has been shot and she gets asked questions is she Sunni or Shia, Sara's response is, 'You are Iraqi'.

Shot beautifully by Jonathan Bloom in actual locations, the film is a wonderful and stirring embodiment of the human spirit. The power with which these characters have to go about their every day business is commendable as bombs go off so unexpectedly and without warning. 

However, the notion of an intertwining story was perhaps not the best means to tell this story. If the film had focused solely on Sara and her family with the periphery characters intruding upon her life may have served the story better. The film is an achievement in being made and yet it could have been so far-reaching and universal if the script was a bit tighter.

It reminded this viewer of a film called Heights (2005) by Chris Terrio, a 24 hour film set in New York again when five characters lives collide and remember that film failed to nail the drama despite having good actors at its disposal. In this instance, the film was unable to nail the message despite the drama and performance being present.

Released by Tull Stories, the film is memorable for existing and yet the final image of the film following news of Saddam's death is one of less of optimism but the fact that the cloud that they live under may never totally rescind - the pessimism is there for all to see. And following recent atrocities in a not too distant location from Baghdad in the last few weeks, we are no nearer to peace in the Middle East which makes this film all the more poignant.

OUR RIVER...OUR SKY is out on limited release in UK/Ireland from 20th October

My thanks to AR-PR for the review link.

PAX & THE MISSING HEAD

 

New YA book from David Barker PAX AND THE MISSING HEAD out via Tiny Tree Books 19th October

This reader, has followed David Barker's career since he returned to writing following a career change from economics to literature. He wrote a series of espionage thrillers with adults at the helm involving the threat of water levels to the world and this was pre-pandemic and Greta Thunberg bringing notions of climate change awareness to the reader that others might be wary of.

However, Barker has again changed course, now writing for young adults. In the first of a new series, this is the tale of Pax, virtually a slave in a dystopian future London that is encased by a new London wall, draconian rule is enforced yet Pax is a young man of initiative and industry who yearns to be an engineer and not dwell in the nefarious mines forever.

By chance, he gains a place at a prestigious and mysterious school and from there the book follows the the template of Tom Brown Schooldays mixed with the boarding school tropes from a certain wizard storyline with a dash of science fiction tomfoolery abounding.

Barker has always been able to write with a zip and thrust to his narrative, maintaining good character arcs and believable dialogue, luckily the transition to the young adult genre has not diminished any of this quality. A book that is under 300 pages it has that same cut and dash this reader recalls from his Gold trilogy and it was a pleasure to read.

While the influences are somewhat obvious, Barker is keen to embrace with great effect those narrative motifs to enhance his own world-building which nails the landing like a drone capturing a flag. 

Aimed at the pre-teen market by the publishers, this is an enticing read for capable readers between the ages of 9-12 and is a good gateway into the world of dystopian science fiction.

PAX AND THE MISSING HEAD is out from Tiny Trees on 19th October

Follow David Barker on Twitter 

CRY, THE BELOVED COUNTRY

 

New 4K Restoration for little seen anti-apartheid film set in South Africa

This 1951 release was directed by Zoltan Korda (The Four Feathers), based upon the novel by Alan Paton and starring Sidney Poitier and Canada Lee, in his last film role while being photographed by Robert Krasker, who shot The Third Man, this is a welcome addition to the StudioCanal library

The film follows the story of a black priest Kumalo portrayed by Lee, who leaves the township he resides over to go to the big city, in this case Johannesburg to search for his estranged son, played by Poitier. Each step on his journey, much like Joseph Cotton's he is blindsided by sudden revelations that leave him shattered, from the discovery that his sister is a prostitute to finding his son has been charged with death for the murder of a prominent white figure in the community.

Meanwhile, back in the village white farmer Jarvis (Charles Carson) who is indifferent to the injustices of apartheid, hears of the murder of his son who was an activist combating the oppression of Black South Africans and so learns more of their struggles and begins to understand.

This is a story adapted from Alan Paton's novel of the same name, and it marks out as a key text in the unification of grief and the admonishment of the apartheid rule, two fathers dealing with the death of their sons and how this could bring peace amidst the turmoil.

Shot on location in South Africa, this is a deeply poignant political drama and it is a marked segway between two different styles of picture. The white farmer scenes are shot like the dressing room dramas that is reminiscent of Ealing Studios perhaps while the location shots of Johannesburg shows a new brevity and bravery in film-making, shooting on location makes the city a character and with illustrious actors such as Lee and Poitier being so prominent shows a production unafraid to comment on racial injustices by putting the oppressed front and centre instead of this becoming a white saviour narrative; unfortunately that would become the norm in Hollywood cinema such as Mississippi Burning or A Time To Kill but British cinema has never been afraid to voice the stories of black characters such as Horace Ove.

Extras on the Blu-Ray and DVD include an interview with Mona Z Smith - biographer of Canada Lee, archive footage of the production, a documentary on cinema under apartheid and interviews with African filmmaker Lionel Ngakane and writer Alan Paton as well as a fascinating 16 page booklet.

CRY, THE BELOVED COUNTRY is out 9th October on Blu-Ray/DVD from Studiocanal UK

BEWILDER - From the Eyrie

 

New album by Southampton duo Bewilder from Tiny Engines label

The duo comprise of vocalist/guitarist George Brooks and multi-instrumentalist Thom Wilkinson, whom have been performing as Bewilder for over a decade now. The LP From the Eyrie showcases a sophisticated more mature focus of the pair due to the nature of its genesis.

Demos for the songs started to appear in 2019, where the pair would send demos to each other. This had to continue during the global lockdown of 2020. For example, 'Twin Lakes' was finished in May 2020 and with the sweeping violins enwrapped in the final track, the intention was to create a full long playing album. Brooks, a long time fan of emo bands such as Jimmy Eat World and American Football, the goal was to make an album of feeling but remaining fresh and original.

Songs that are full of originality, it is somewhat befitting the film that has this warmth and good-feeling running through the sequencing is released during the late period Indian summer we are experiencing in the UK currently. While the political landscape may seem murky and unchartered, the release of music such as this from the South Coast offers hope and sunshine, as Brooks and Wilkinson channel these notions of nostalgia (as the album cover attests to) and nature. 

From album opener 'Heavy Sweater' there is a warmth from the opening arpeggios, strings soar on 'Breaking' and in 'Home' you have acoustic traditional folk. This all marks the album out as one that is a gateway to your new favourite band, and yet a duo that seemingly has so much left in the locker to explore and discover.

FROM THE EYRIE is out via Tiny Engines on all platforms from October 6th 

OINK - Fragments Festival

 

OINK, the first stop motion animation film made in the Netherlands

The first animated film to win the Golden Calf (Netherlands Oscars) in 2022, tells the story of a young girl Babs who is granted the birthday present of a pig by her eccentric grandfather. Based upon the book Revenge of Oink by Tosca Menten and directed by Mascha Helberstad.

Following in illustrious footsteps of Aardman and Burton, the animation says as much about human life as any live-action depiction could do. Acerbically satirical yet endearing towards the human relationships it depicts there is so much to admire in the production here.

Babs at the film's beginning is a sort of vegan who bemoans the meat industry, and yet when she is bestowed the gift of Oink it is love at first sight for her. 

Entertaining for all the family (with some scenes that may be unsuitable for young ones), this is a wonderful film that translates across many languages about belonging and responsibility.

OINK is part of the Fragments Festival at Genesis Cinema this weekend, screening at 10.45am 

www.twitter.com/FragmentsFest

My thanks to them for the screening link

Unidentified Objects - Fragments Festival

 

Premiere at Fragments Festival, directorial effort from Juan Felipe Zuleta

An off-beat indie road trip movie about two people who start off as strangers and are en route to an alien pick up point in Canada.

Winona has the belief she is to be abducted and convinces her neighbour, to borrow his car and they drive to the abduction site together. Together the two forge to find their place in the universe.

Using distinct details such as the hot pink car in which they travel, the pair encounter some oddballs on their journey such as a nefarious border agent and two admirers of Winona who is a sex worker. Interspersed with odd vignettes and side-tracks that can be disruptive in other hands, yet Zuleta shows a deftness in handling proceedings throughout.

The film has an unusual energy thanks in part to the casting of small person actor Matthew August Jeffers as Peter and Sarah Hay as Winona making the odd couple. The chemistry between the two of them make for good viewing as they come to terms with their lot in life, overcoming the difficulties the planet in this galaxy has thrown them forcing Winona to seek answers elsewhere and smart Peter to question the rationale of it all, in a dwarf body he struggles to come to terms with his place as he feels he does not belong in this world.

For any road movie, the journey is always forward it is only when the characters stop and talk in diners or in the car, when those periods of calm arrive they get the opportunity to reflect and understand themselves and each other. The destination as ever is not the goal, the journey is the reward for these two outcasts on this world as they seek the answers on some other strata.

Unidentified Objects screens as part of the Fragments Festival on Friday 29th September at 9pm in Genesis Cinema 

Fragments Festival

www.twitter.com/FragmentsFest