The Sydney Morning Herald from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia • Page 14

14 KI5 www.smh.com.au THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 1999 Scowl, Ally -you're on candid camera German girlfriend, Greta (Patricia Clarkson), is not Greta, a leggy blonde who favours leather and scarlet lipstick and spends her few coherent moments fondly harking back to her heyday in Berlin working for the German director Rainer Werner Fassbinder, is the film's single flamboyant touch. She spends much of her time bordering on comatose, so Clarkson's is by no means a sustained performance, but whenever Greta's raised eyebrow, graceful lurch and Dietrich drawl are centre stage, they coalesce into a delicious exhibition of comic choreography. Greta calls Syd a watching in stoned dismay as Lucy not only falls for her but allows herself to be talked into supplying a photo spread for the nauseatingly pretentious Frame. Trying to fight its way out of all this torpor is the faint outline of a diverting idea. Cholodenko based Lucy on post-Warhol photographers such as Larry Clark who have used intimately candid photographs of friends and acquaintances in a way which helped, a few years ago, to infest fashion photography with so-called heroin chic.

So what we have here is a story about voyeurism and its consequences an angle that begins to sharpen whenever Cholodenko goes to work on the basilisk-eyed types at Frame. But her direction is so cool and uninflected, betraying such a fear of attracting that oh-so unfashionable description, judgmental, that High Art ends up being just as tedious as the world it's trying to take apart. tlf i M.i.nmii mi iwi iiii in' i fii fnatiT'-i iT am i m.i Ti WairMrri- f--vAn-'-- iiiniT-iiirinirWiiMfiiiiiM-irrtiiiili-iiifiiii HIGH ART Written and directed by Lisa Cholodenko Rated MA Chauvel; Hoyts Broadway; Globe, Stanmore Reviewed by SANDRA HALL The word "high" in High Art isn't exactly brimming with cultural content. It refers more to the effects of substances popped, snorted and injected. Writer-director Lisa Cholodenko's feature debut much admired on the festival circuit lands us in the midst of bohemian Manhattan, but don't expect speedy exchanges of razor-sharp wit, uninhibited bouts of iconoclasm, or even mildly disorderly behaviour.

When members of this crowd are tossed out of the city's fashionable watering holes, it's for conspicuous displays of drug-induced inertia, such as falling asleep at the table. They're a small coterie centred on Ally Sheedy's Lucy Berliner, a once famous photographer who has given up the celebrity whirl for reasons as vague as the script itself. "I liked the attention, but I couldn't handle the impact," is the only clue she's prepared to divulge. The rest is supposed to be discernible from Sheedy's haunted air and severe expression, which have already won her best actress awards from the Los Angeles and US national film critics' circles. Maybe it was just their way of rewarding her for re-inventing herself.

Certainly she's come a long way since her early days as a Bratpacker in the coming-of-age films 5 Elmo's Fire and The Breakfast Club. But can it be called progress, since Lucy does little more than wander around looking let down by life? At least I think that's what she's doing. It's not easy to tell. The apartment in which she has gone into seclusion with a few like-minded pals is so dimly lit that the conditions are just a couple of stops short of invisibility. Nonetheless, Radha Mitchell is fascinated.

As Syd, an ambitious young editor trying to swim with the sharks on an arty New York photographic magazine called Frame, the Australian actress from Love and Other Catastrophes brings a welcome touch of unaffected-ness to Lucy's hermetic world when she stumbles on it one night. Lucy is entranced. Her "Woah, dude, what do you think that is?" "I think it's, like, a Herald reader." "Man! They're not getting any prettier, are they. Let's go before it wakes up, eh?" Just one more peril for the Cube crew to negotiate. an American What do ouc 9 tn a Drain uanaaian ovie wi SANDRA HALL CUBE Directed byVincenzo Natali Screenplay by Andre Bijelic, Vincenzo Natali and Graeme Manson Rated Dendy George and Newtown Cube's special effects budget wouldn't be enough for a down payment on Godzilla's left eyeball, but this Canadian science fiction thriller packs 10 times the punch of that overfed Hollywood lounge lizard.

What's more, it has a brain. It's a Kafkaesque story set inside a prison without guards, food, water or windows a Rubic's Cube-like maze, built of connecting rooms where six people, all strangers to one Understandably, tempers are fraying fast. The six are also incompatible in ways that Hitchcock would have enjoyed enormously. Pick the psychopath is just one of the games you can play as you join in trying to unravel the puzzle which has hijacked their lives. Naturally, they all bring their particular gifts and prejudices to the task.

A muscular ex-cop (Maurice Dean Wint) immediately takes charge; a feisty left-wing doctor (Nicky Gau-dagni) decides they're in the grip of a fiendish plot engineered by "the military-industrial and the unlikeliest char sort of cyber-glow. Yet enclosed within these pulsing walls is an old-fashioned, well-made tale in the spirit of Agatha Christie and Edgar Allan Poe. Cube's creator is a young writer-director, Vincenzo Natali, a former storyboard artist, who completed the shoot in 21 days on a single set in a Toronto warehouse, where the rumble from a neighbouring train line handily enhanced the subterranean shudder which is one of the maze's cosier features. He and his collaborators, Andre Bijelic and Graeme Manson, have mulled over the story for years, but it was originally inspired by a claustrophobic apartment that Natali once shared with some fellow students. Basically, it's about paranoia, while broadening out nicely to accommodate the metaphysical.

Before the maze's prisoners are done, they have demonstrated the corruption of power, the politics of blame and the responsibilities of the strong towards the weak. They also grapple with life's fundamental questions. How did we get here? How does this thing work? And how the hell do we get' to the end of it without killing one another? acters happen to have talents crucial to survival. It's the youngest, for instance a high school maths wizard (Nicole deBoer) who emerges as the key intellectual player. It's an extraordinarily spooky set-up.

The judiciously employed special effects may be in the schlock horror class, but they are extremely elegant examples, their impact augmented by the care and concentration expended on the internal logic of the whole thing. Decorated with symbols suggesting the motherboard of a computer, the rooms of the maze are in assorted colours which give off a are trapped for no reason. They can't another, apparent remember who put them there and they have no idea how they're going to find the exit. For a start, many of the rooms are primed with ingenious devices involving razor-sharp wire, explosive substances and toxic gas. A woman of substances Suddenly if 1999, and The Big Breakfast seems a long time ago for Ally Sheedy.

Extra, extra, read all about it: the truth will set you free 3i Ji 9-1- f-- WHO'S ON FIRST? The new Australian film Passion is finished and ready for a tilt at the international festival circuit but there has been the odd hiccup. It is believed there have been ripples over who should have top billing in international territories. In the lead roles in the Peter Duncan-directed film about the flamboyant pianist Percy Grainger are Australian Richard Roxburgh and American Barbara Hershey (The Last Temptation of Christ). They play Grainger and his mother, Rose. While of little interest to the average film-goer, top billing is an important industry issue, especially in Hollywood, where it reflects an actor's status and earning power.

Representatives of both actors are believed to have claimed the right to the lead credit It is believed Roxburgh will take the lead credit in Australia; Hershey overseas. Passion producer Matt Carroll declined to comment. PUTTING THE 0Z IN OSCAR With little fuss, Australia has a new Oscar winner. Gary Tregaskis was presented with a scientific Academy Award on the weekend for the design of two visual effects tools, Flame and Inferno, that have been used on such films as Independence Day, Titanic, Armageddon, Godzilla, Small Soldiers and The Truman Show. Tregaskis divides his time between London, Canada, Los Angeles and Sydney, but he's due back here in a few days, with (we hope) his new friend Oscar.

MARKET FORCES As shown in that lively tussle over Baywatch new home, the links between tourism and film and television production are getting stronger all the time. Which is why Tourism NSW called a meeting with a handful of film industry representatives last week to discuss the possibilities for future events in Sydney under the banner Sydney Celebrates Cinema. Talks are at an early stage, but it is believed that one issue discussed, was whether Sydney could host an international film market film takes a special talent As part of the Valhalla's closing season last week, owner Chris Kiely programmed The Two Worst Films Ever Made. His choices were Ed Wood's Plan 9 From Outer Space aliens believe they can conquer Earth by resurrecting corpses," writes Leonard Maltin) and Robot Monster in diving helmet wipes out entire Earth's population save one Just to show how much Sydneysiders love a classic, the cinema was 75 per cent fulL Kiely makes special mention of another contender for worst film: Tlie Terror Of Tiny Town, "an all-midget singing REARRANGE THE BECKCHAIRS Next week, it's the northside's turn for a short film festival. CrowsFest at, strangely enough, Crows Nest includes open-air screenings of films by students at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School and film-makers from the 1 00-plus production companies in the area.

A section of Willoughby Road will be closed next Thursday for a program that includes "a strong serving of animated and digitally enhanced Tlie Movie Show Margaret Pomeranz will introduce the films from 7.30 pm. BYOdeckchair. KEY, SHE'S NO ANGEL Bemusing film story of the week The Hollywood Reporter says Drew Barrymore is in final negotiations to star in a film version of Cliarlie's Angels. RUSH BLOWS HOT AND COLD As Oscars night approaches, the Net site ReeLcom has named its Alternative Academy Awards. Geoffrey Rush picked up a gong for Most Cold-Hearted Performance in Elizabeth Best Performance by a Scantily Clad Teen an increasingly popular category in Hollywood was won by Christina Ricci in The Opposite Of Sex and Buffalo '66.

Smoothest seduction was George Clooney chatting up Jennifer Lopez in Out Of Sight And the Worst Ad For a Career in the Military Saving Private Ryan. Garry Maddox NOTICE OF COMMISSION OF INQUIRY Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 Proposed Future Land Use Planning of the Heritage Estates at Jervis Bay, Shoalhaven City Council The Honourable Craig Knowles. Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning and Minister for Housing, pursuant to Section 119(1) of the Act. has directed that a Commission of Inquiry be held with respect to the proposed future land use planning of the Heritage Estates at Jervis Bay. Shoalhaven City Council.

The terms of reference for the Inquiry are to: (a) determine the suitability for. and scale and density of. residential development on the land: (b) examine the environmental issues raised by. and the feasibility of providing the necessary infrastructure to support, any residential development: and (c) consider the 7 options identified in the report by Patterson Brifton and Partners Pty Ltd of April. 1998 titled "Heritage Estates.

Jervis Bay Total Water Cycle Management. Land Capability and Infrastructure Study" as well as any other options that might meet the appropriate environmental and development objectives for the land. Commissioner Kevin Cleland, Deputy Chairman has been appointed to hold the Inquiry. The Commissioners of Inquiry are independent of Government, its Departments and Council. The Minister will consider the findings and recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry.

The Commissioner's report will be publicly available and each party appearing before the Inquiry will be advised of the Commissioner's findings and recommendation. INQUIRY SESSIONS: The Inquiry will be held at Shoalhaven City Council Chambers. City Administrative Centre. Bridge Road. Nowra and will be open to the public.

The Inquiry will commence at 1.00pm, Monday, 31 May 1999 and continue as required. LODGING SUBMISSIONS AND REGISTERING FOR APPEARANCE: To make a submission to the Commission of Inquiry you are required to register. You register by sending FOUR COPIES of your submission in writing, together with any supporting submissions of witnesses to the Office of the Commissioners of Inquiry (GPO Box 3415 Sydney 1043) by 1.00pm, Monday, 3 May 1999. Please Indicate at the front of your submission if you wish to appear before the Commission of Inquiry and the time you require to submit your submission. INSPECTING DOCUMENTS: You may inspect the background documents from 1.00pm, Monday, 8 March 1999.

Submissions to the Inquiry may be inspected from 10.00am, Monday, 17 May 1999. The documents will be available for inspection at: The Office of the Commissioners of Inquiry, Level 13, 301 George Street. Sydney: Shoalhaven City Council. City Administrative Centre. Bridge Road.

Nowra; and Sanctuary Point Branch Library. Paradise Beach Road. Sanctuary Point (Mon-Fri 12.00pm-7.00pm. Sat 9.30am-12.00pm). QUESTIONS AND REQUESTING INFORMATION: Questions and requests for information directed to other parties' submissions are to be in writing.

Questions and requests are to be submitted to the relevant party and three copies to the Assistant Registrar. The due date for questions and requests for information will be determined by the Commissioner during the Inquiry. RESPONSES: Responses to questions and requests for information are required to be submitted in writing direct to the relevant party and three copies to the Assistant Registrar. The date for responses will be determined by the Commissioner during the Inquiry. You may obtain further information regarding the preparation of submissions and the conduct of the Inquiry from Mr Stuart Wilmot, Assistant Registrar on (02) 9299 2904.

BELINDA DAVIS 1 Registrar By PETER G0TTING Robert Carter believes that films should confront the darker side of life. "That is what I am interested in: the truth will set you free. Sometimes the truth is difficult in fact, very often. The truth we don't want to face," says the Australian writer and director. Carter practises what he preaches in his new film.

Based on his novel of the same name, The Sugar Factory was one of three films to be selected for full funding by the Australian Film Finance Corporation in 1996. It is his debut as both a screenwriter and director, something he has wanted to do for a long time. In the early 1970s, Carter requested information about the new Australian Film, Television and Radio School. If he had been accepted, he would have been in the inaugural year of graduates, alongside Gillian Armstrong and Phillip Noyce. But he couldn't afford to do the course.

So for many years, Carter worked as a registered psychologist. He began writing short stories while working at a hospital for terminally ill people. He won awards for some of these stories, moved on to novels (Prints in the Valley, The Collectors) and won more awards. Eventually, he returned to the film world he loved, and wrote some scripts one of the first was The Sugar Factory. In 1990 he did a screenwriting course at AFTRS.

At the time, the industry was concerned about the quality of local film scripts and was pushing for some novelists to be trained in screenwriting. And once he began writing for the screen, Carter found he wanted to direct. "I suppose I think of screenwriting as a means to direct," he says. "For me they're coupled together. Everything I write, I want to direct." He describes his directing debut as "very, very scary but at the same time very exciting.

On the first day of shooting when everybody turns and says, 'OK, what do you want to the stomach drops." (Scary? Tell me about it: I appeared as an extra in the film, playing a kid in a classroom scene. On a Saturday in March 1997, along with about 20 other young, ambitious actors, I showed up for a day's shoot at Mosman Public School. A few months previously, I had read for the lead role, a suffering but somewhat heroic teenager called Harris Berne, eventually played by Matt Day. I thought it went pretty well, but I never got a second phone call.) Carter's background as a psychologist shines through in the film. The Sugar Factory is a character-based work, following Harris Berne as he grows up in the suburbs, enduring tragedy after trauma after tragedy.

He is a slight rebel, refusing to conform to what his family demands and expects. The Sugar Factory is not a pleasant movie. It refuses to shy away from the traumatic and often shocking aspects of Berne's life. It is hard to divulge just how confronting it is without revealing some of the film's key moments, but Berne faces tragedies with details worse than most of our nightmares. "My main interest is people," Carter says.

"What motivates them, what choices they make. I want to know their dark side who they are, their personalities, what makes them laugh, cry. "I set the film up to make you think you are in this sort of 'happy, suburban, Matt Day, boy coming of age' film and suddenly it spirals down into something much darker and much more confronting." Sandra Hall's review of The Sugar Factory will appear in Spectrum on Saturday On top down under Dick and Babs, cooing and billing. LOVE YOUR WORK Australian Oscar nominees Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush and Peter Weir have a chance of a trans-Atlantic double after being nominated for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFT A) awards. Blanchett has been nominated as best actress for Elizabeth, repeating her Oscars nod.

Rush went one better with two nominations as best supporting actor, for Elizabeth and Shakespeare in Love. Weir was nominated for best director for Tlie Truman Show, which, unlike the Oscars, is also up for best film. Nominations were dominated by Shakespeare in Love (16) and Elizabeth 1 2). The only Australian disappointment was Rachel Griffiths missing out for Hilary and Jackie after BAFTA decided her role should be considered for best actress rather than best supporting actress the category she's nominated in at the Oscars. The BAFTAs will be presented on April 1 1.

IT C0ULLWE BEEN WORSE The best films ever made? Sure, Raging Bull, Citizen Kane, It's A Wonderful Life. Easy. Naming the worst films of all time is much harder. To make a really bad.