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Archives For November 30, 1999

Housewife Pornographer Doco Launches Kickstarter Campaign With a Bang

August 23, 2017 — Leave a comment

Perhaps all of us at some time have wanted to reinvent ourselves; to be reborn a new person. For former housewife Morgana Muses, the desire came when she was at her absolute worst. Recently divorced and feeling isolated from her conservative community, Morgana, sadly, wanted to end her life. Before doing so, she hired a male escort for one last stab of intimacy. It was from this point onwards her life took on a whole new meaning. Seizing a later opportunity to make an erotic film about her experience, Morgana lit the touchpaper to a new life as a feminist adult actress.

The documentary, Morgana, follows the titular subject as she takes ownership of her sexuality and identity and is directed by Melbourne filmmakers, Josie Hess and Isabel Peppard. Isabel is an award-winning animator whose short Butterflies won great acclaim on the festival circuit. Josie, along with writing and producing the short film Sunroom, has worked on numerous indie erotica projects including Morgana’s Permission4Pleasure label.

“Josie had approached me to direct Morgana’s 50th birthday present to herself, which was to be suspended in a giant bondage installation,” Isabel explains. “It wasn’t something I would have directed, because I only direct my own visions and the stories I write. However, Josie told me about Morgana’s story, that three years ago she was a housewife from rural Australia and now she’s a pornographer and I thought ‘wow, that’s an incredible story’.”

Read the rest of the interview here.

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The Space Between Australian and Italian Cinema (Interview)

August 22, 2017 — Leave a comment

The Space Between is the feature length debut from director Ruth Borgobello and the first to come out of the Italian/Australian co-production treaty signed way back in the ‘90s. A potent blend of second chances, love and stunning scenery, the film is likely to resonate with the Europhiles of Australia.

Filmmaker Ruth Borgobello hadn’t always wanted to be a director. Growing up she had her heart set on being an actress or a writer. Discovering films like A Clockwork Orange and The Graduate in her teens, led her to wanting to study film at VCA. A word from her careers guidance counselor led her down a different path however.

“He gave me a disapproving look,” Ruth explains “and said, ‘if you want to study arts, then at least do Arts/Commerce so you have a back-up.’ I took his advice to heart and ended up at Melbourne Uni studying Commerce, sneaking in a few cinema subjects and getting involved in theatre. Marketing was the most creative of the majors on offer so I did that.”

Read the rest of the interview here.

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We Go On (2016)

August 21, 2017 — Leave a comment

Miles Grissom (Clark Freeman) is a freelance editor and full-time walking bag of phobias. There’s not much that he isn’t scared of – cars, heights, clowns (probably) –  but the phobia that weighs him down the most is his fear of death; a fear crystalized after he witnessed his father dying in a car accident at the age of three. Deciding he can no longer be ruled by his fears, Miles sets out to find out what happens when we die. Are we food for the worms? Or is there something bigger out there? After all, with definitive proof of whether there’s an afterlife or not, we would probably all do more with our lives, wouldn’t we? Whether you’re a hardcore atheist or lifelong believer, the answer to the ultimate question would most certainly alter your world view. In Miles’ case, it would mean his fear has no control over him.

Read the rest of the review here.

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Life (2017)

August 20, 2017 — Leave a comment

Life was a film that limped into theatres, rather than one which kicked the door down and demanded we all take notice. Its faltering movements perhaps brought on by the baggage it carried. Take, for example, the strange rumor that began to circulate which suggested Life was a really a covert Marvel movie about everyone’s favourite symbiote, Venom.

Taking into account that Life is written by Rhett Reese and Paul Vernick of Deadpool fame, and stars Ryan Reynolds of Deadpool fame, you can see why some were quick to call this was comic book film. However, that wasn’t what crippled Life before it came out. If anything, that probably got a lot of people frothing at the mouth more than they should have. And whilst nothing hurts a film’s reception than disappointment, that wasn’t its main problem.

Read the rest of the review here.

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The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother (1975)

July 12, 2017 — Leave a comment

1974’s Young Frankenstein is one of my favourite films. Everything about it works. Mel Brooks manages to get the tone right, the jokes are spot on and the lead actors, Gene Wilder, Madeleine Khan and Marty Feldman, are never beaten. In fact, I want it confirmed here that I think Madeleine Khan is one of my favourite comedy actors. She plays it straight faced with the best of them.

Anyway, I’m beating around the bush because what I’m going to say isn’t easy for me. The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’s Smarter Brother just isn’t that funny. Oh, it has its moments. Marty Feldman’s photographic hearing is a lovely little detail. Only being able to repeat what he’s heard from the very leads to a great scene as Feldman is constantly interrupted by Wilder making him a cup of tea. What could have been played with building frustration is all the better for Feldman reigning it in and refusing to get angry at Wilder’s interruptions. Other highlights include Dom Deluise and Madeleine Kahn performing an opera in English and gloriously over the top.

The rest of the film suffers from the curse of zany equals funny. Too many jokes fall flat or go on too long. The ballroom scene, in particular, with Feldman and Wilder unaware their arse cheeks are hanging out should be funny. Arses are generally funny but this scene, with added homophobia, just irks a little.

Having worked with him so much, it’s no surprise that that Wilder would emulate Mel Brooks in his directorial debut; Brooks even makes a tiny cameo. It’s just a shame this is more Dracula: Dead and Love It, than Blazing Saddles.

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