Idea Fix - The Blog

Saw Indy 4 and while it had some good moments, the overall film sucks a little bit and the plot smells like Jar Jar Binks’ socks. George Lucas supplied the story and David Koepp wrote the ’screenplay’. The main problem is the story. While it has some scenes that spark up the imagination of the original, especially when it features direct references to the previous films, the new territory it explores is, unfortunately, stupid.

The main problem is Lucas adds Science Fiction into the Indy mix. Indiana Jones is about mythology and even has an odd religious sensibility that works for it. i.e. the religious truth behind myths. But this is all lost in the stupid alien crystal skull plot line. Its about as mysterious as Ray Winston’s toe and clearly bullshit. This manages to fuck the whole film up, basically.

Spielberg does a good job trying to make this work. He can be quite a good director of these kind of films, when he is on his game, and he is here. There is some good news. Lucas and crew do add an excellent chase through a University, with good lines, that is classic Indy. Also good are the subplot that brings Marion back into Indy’s life and the “I’m your son, Mutt” of the Shia Le Boufhead arc. Cate Blanchett does a pretty good semi comic villian as a Russian Stalinist, that I’m sure helped her at the 2020 conference. The Nuclear explosion scene is clever but unbelievable. The best stuff is at Indy’s classroom, the talk of mythology, in jokes about the cold war and the 50’s American Graffitti references, with swinging teen hipsters that keep popping into the movie. This stuff is all great.

The Tomb raiding stuff is a little lame and Temple Of Doomesque. The film is about as good as the second of the original trilogy, I’d say, which is my least favourite of the original films.

It basically needed a serious rewrite, these skulls could vibe on the whole Mayan mythology of Apocalypse, etc, not aliens! The film seems rushed, ala, cashing in for all concerned. The Harrison Ford age issue, is no biggie. He can do this stuff blindfolded and looks only about 55. He could do another one or two before he gets too ‘past it’. The jokes about his age counter intuitively remind us that actually Ford isn’t too old (yet) to do this shit. As to the hint of Shia Le Bouf becoming the new Indy, somebody save us! He’s ok in Disturbia, and could do similar light weight fare, but am I the only one that thinks this guy is a dick head? Give me Into the Wild, Speed Racer and Alpha Dog’s Amiel Hirsch any day over this boob.

Not according to her denials. But we all know denial is a river in Egypt. Tania Zaetta, some singing ding bat, who I have never heard of until this wonderful story, went over to ‘entertain’ the troops fightin’ hard on that ol’ chestnut - the ‘War on Terror’ in Afghanistan. And according to allegations in a leaked Army document, she did a little more than Bob Hope’s old school song and dance routine for the troops morale. The document claims she had time for a Soldier or Soldier’s to conduct a bit of an invasion of her own territory, whilst over there in sunny Afghanistan. She strongly denies the allegations, of course, but the army is still conducting an investigation into the facts of the case. Tour mate Angry Anderson added fuel to the fire as possibly being the source of the complaint. Surely, Angry was just jealous the strong, virile army jocks had all been taken, leaving none for him?

Will be interesting how this plays out. I mean who cares if she did do it? Soldiers can’t have sex, now? Good on her if she did, we say. See story here that mines this particular ethical vein.

And if she didn’t do the deed, as she claims, she should clearly sue somebody in relation to the issue. There are claims a tape or photos exists of the ‘act’. If they exist and hit the net, the whole landscape of this issue will change.

Idea Fix supports our Soldiers getting laid more often. Should we send over special comfort squads of patriotic hookers, in these difficult times of war? Sex and War go together, don’t they? War as an ‘idea’ is sexy, don’t you think? The reality less so, obviously. This whole PC war trip we are now on, is just a bit silly. Its war. Its not about manners, etiquette and sexual decorum.

The photo above is actually from the tour with Zaetta on left. Sexy leather dresses, digger’s camouflage kit…all sounds like good kinky fun to me.

Bobby Galinsky’s report on The Cannes Film Festival 2008. Enjoy! :

Well it’s 7am here in Cannes and an overcast morning. The normally endless sunlight that bakes Cannes from the promotional brochures is not shining. The weather has been a bit dodgy but overall a pleasant 20° and pretty sunny for part of each day and a tiny splattering of rain.

And that would pretty much symbolize the mood here at Cannes. Relatively steady but unimpressive sales for most people but some real bursts of success and promise. After that ham-handed segue that I’ll attribute to the 3 bottles of Cristal and 750ml of scotch on the yacht with some other film makers late last night, let’s really break this down into the Big Fours, including our own film PREY, and projects we’re developing :

a: business
b: celeb sightings
c: new trends in film and media
d: oh, yeah.. the films

It’s my first Cannes. (Technically my second…my parents brought me here in 1967 after my Bar Mitzvah for what was ostensibly a surprise poorly disguised as a holiday for them because they had gone through every baby sitter in the State but were nervous about leaving me alone in the house. They weren’t worried about me…they were worried about their new house.)

The business end of the scale for most films has been slow. Nobody is paying big bucks for art house films and most genre films aren’t finding the gold mine that was Cannes and the other markets but sales are steady as there is so much output potential for DVD and (legal) electronic media. From a personal experience, we’ve been absolutely blessed. PREY (starring Natalie Bassinghtwaighte, uber-hunk Christian Clark, and Yank phenom Jesse (yes my Dad is Don) Johnson is on the radar and getting a bit of heat because it’s not ‘low budget’ it’s not ‘horror’ (supernatural fantasy) and it’s going for PG13 rating or equivalent worldwide for a much wider market. We’ve guessed correctly that the trends are for sexy and groovy and original and that people are moving away from heavy hitting horror and the numbers are showing we guessed right and were spot-on for what our targets are for this coming financial year. We will open in Australia in October. Our Sales Agents DAMAGE FILMS are new here but will be wunderkinds to watch. I could rant for another month on why we’re achieving success and other Aussie films aren’t but that’s not what this is about. The other big business reality is that the cyclone in Burma last month blew about a billion Indians here to Cannes on it’s way. The Indian market is huge, and Westernizing. Not that Bollywood rubbish that makes you think you’ve sat through two hours on the Telstra support line but big US and UK development deals with Indian money and Indian studios. We’ll see how that pans out in about two years when either production prices level off or fall, or just don’t happen.

Celebs are everywhere without question. At a lunch yesterday our Sales Agent’s table was a matzoh ball’s throw away from Harvey Weinstein, Clint Eastwood, Harrison “no I don’t use botox” Ford and Calista Flockhart, and Morgan Freeman. I went to Monaco for a dinner with one of our key investors at his pre-Grand Prix launch. Dita von Teese stood next to use at a traffic crossing and smiled. I don’t know if she was smiling at us or just using my sunglasses to see how damn good she looked in them but I’d like to think the former. Lets face it, it’s about hot shiksas and successful yidden businessmen here and you don’t mess with a winning formula. Director Stephan Elliot (PRISCILLA) is staying on the yacht generously lent to our sales agent for the festival spruiking his new film and we couldn’t be in a better position (photos send separately). He’s also been the ticket to the hottest parties on La Croisette including the unbelievable Bujois blowout Sunday night that finished with this writer staggering out at 6:20am to walk about 30 minutes uphill in the drizzle from the beach as there were zero taxis avail. I don’t remember the walk but I remember channeling Moses’ frustration about having to stroll for 40 years after his last big party.. Of course JIMMY’z is still the old school killer night club. Drinks are a 2nd mortgage in Toorak or Vaucluse but the scenery is worth it. I don’t really care about global warming or 30 second showers to preserve water in Victoria when I can sit at a table full of supermodels and head back to a yacht to make phone calls about my film. Hell, I spent 30 minutes waiting to get into Embassy once in Double Bay and once I was inside it was being in the middle of the Palestinian peace talks. And look where it got Rene Rivkin?

NEW TRENDS The big package is back. Like the 80’s. Matching a star or director with a packaging firm that can bring the money to the project and then attract the missing pieces (director, other star) Our big budget dream project DUST & GLORY (set during the REDEX races/trials of the 50’s in Australia) has attracted Eric Bana’s management to discussions (as legendary Aussie larrikan Gelignite Jack Murray) and we’re trying to match a director (pref Aussie) with the money we’ve raised and get a US star to fit, and we’ve found two North American firms hot2trot with us so it’s been like the opportunity to compress 6 months to a years’s work in just six days here. That part is unbelievable! This IS where the films get made, so to speak, in many ways. And of course everything on the planet for viral marketing and digital media is here. Day / Date releasing has begun and will be more prevalent this next year with theatrical and DVD release almost simultaneous.

THE FILMS. Haven’t had time to see even one yet. Too busy. We’re going to some premieres/screenings tonight and tomorrow and Friday…now that business is slowing down a bit and the festival will gradually think out…but not much. Crowds at INDIAN JONES were like a mosh pit at Big Day Out… You could NOT move an inch and cars were driving through the crush and it was insane. Clint Eastwood’s THE CHANGELING is astonishing according to a friend who saw it. I don’t want to see all the art house blickitiwick which will end up at the Nova or Kino Dendy for a week later on, and I won’t want to see them then either. And short films…forget it. I personally hate them. Can’t be bothered. (NB: other than the one the French supermodel gave me in the banquette after 30 champagnes and made me promise I would watch before having coffee with her in Paris on the weekend. I can’t break a promise to another film maker..

OTHER BITS: The people are all wonderful here if you’re wonderful. The French are lovely, the scenery is lovely, the food is great, and if you are polite and patient and smile then everyone else is polite and quick and will smile. But that’s true everywhere. The only people who complain, complain everywhere they go. The chaotic restaurant service (or lack, thereof), the trains that don’t go to the final destination, the post office that closes because of a one day strike, etc, are all classically French and May is a big month here, historically, for Labor disputes. I think if we brought Chris Corrigan here to straighten things out like he did on the wharves back home it would be an interesting scenario..

Well, time to head out for a cafe au lait and get the day started. Meetings on the yacht at noon, and all day, and friends and investors in from Melbourne and Sydney for dinner in the evening.

It may be a Labor government back where you are, but here we’re working!

Shalom and au revoir…

Bobby Galinsky
YOUR MAN IN CANNES

Another similiar report exists here.

Photo below of Bobby stalking Malcom director David Parker on the Cannes Croisette.

I had the great pleasure to see John Foxx perform live at The Corner Hotel, a few weeks back. I have wanted to see him live for around 20 years and now have! All you kids that like the electro of Miss Kitten, FisherSpooner, The Knife and local acts Cut Copy and The Presets, should check Foxx out, he is the real deal. With his work with early Ultarvox!, to his first solo album Metamatic and his recent 00’s releases being equally as superd as his first three solo albums, Foxx is back in serious form and more relevant than ever. His new CD “From Trash” is a masterpiece of Ballardian electro and alienation.

Foxx’s number one Oz fan Colin Savage was there snapping away with his camera.

After the concert with Bruce Butler we spent some time chatting with Foxx and what an unpretentious nice guy he was.

See photo below of Foxx and Wolstencroft.

I would love to work with him one day on a soundtrack. His new instrumental CD “Tiny Color Movies” makes NIN’s recent non vocal album look like a joke. If you haven’t discovered Foxx you are missing out on some of the most intelligent and disquieting electronic music around.

Film Victoria held a conference a few weeks back called Mindshift, as a kind of official response to the on going Australian Film Industry Crisis, that we have long harped on about here at Idea Fix, and through my own prosetylising at MUFF. I have been biding my time to see other articles or discussions of the event, so as to respond to them, but so far I have found none! Yes, a conference on change in the Oz film industry that receives no media coverage. So, I thought I’d better publish my own humble thoughts before the whole event receives no review on the Internet.

I was a little sceptical about such events, i.e. as it is often organised by the very people who have made our industry so mediocre for the past while. But anyways I’m usually up for a bit of debate and that is always healthy. I bumped in to Steve Jennings, from Nothing But The Struth, who was brave enough to sit next to me, the Oz film Industry gadfly, at the forum.

Here was the guest list of official speakers at Mindshift:

* Robert Connolly, Director of Arenafilm and author of the excellent white paper Embracing Innovation.
* Joel Pearlman, Managing Director of Roadshow Films.
* Debra Allanson, Managing Director of Ishmedia.

Also:

* Pete Wilson - Director of Movie Measure. Pete works with investors, filmmakers and distributors to gather market research on the way audiences respond to films.
* Patrick McIntyre - Acting Executive Director of the Australian Ballet.
* Debi Enker - Chief TV Journalist for The Age Green Guide.
* Michael Padden - General Manager of BigPond Mobile Network.
* Paul Wiegard, Madman Films
* And others

The event was well attended with about 300 people from all aspects of the industry.

Robert Connolly was clearly the most interesting speaker, as he addressed issues raised by his extremely important paper, “Embracing Innovation”. See here. His main points are that the film industry in Australia is stagnating and going nowhere, unlike other Oz creative industries like the music industry, that all readily adapt to innovation and change. Connolly says the industry does not embrace new ideas, ways of making films cheaper, for example, and is stuck in a cumbersome mode of production and infrastructure at both Industry and Government funding levels. Basically, he contends that our beloved industry is outdated, incestuous with non-innovators and retrograde. Not only that, Connolly says the system is also corrupt! He says that it encourages established producers to raise their budgets into the millions to justify their producing fees. He says he has done so himself on Three Dollars that cost 6 million, but he admits should have and could have been made for much less! He calls this inflation of budgets ‘perverse incentives’ i.e. for producers to get a reasonable fee they have to inflate their budgets, thus creating vast wastage, excess and over spending in the industry. Gov bodies approve all this and turn a blind eye to the lot. Connolly suggests establishing decent Producers and Directors fees based on track record, innovation and talent and not related to budget. A brilliant idea! So even on a low budget film, the producer can still be well paid and fairly compensated for her time. This ‘perverse incentive’ he describes sounds more to me like official corruption in the Australian Film Industry…

That is why at the drinks afterwards I heard Connolly’s name being sullied by various anonymous sources as a ‘light weight’ and an ‘up start’, all because he had the guts and honesty to blow the whistle on the gravy train, that could easily be fixed with some common sense and lateral thinking. I spoke to Connolly after the event and gave him a copy of my own contribution to Oz film industry criticism “The 1st MUFF Manifesto”. I said that we are the only two people in this decade or more, from the industry, to have created an official paper or manifesto that had the guts to stand up and constructively criticise our local film landscape. Connolly is a wry chap and probably thought, ‘Who is this guy?’… but the point stands.

Back to the conference. I must say I felt many speakers had their heads firmly planted up their asses, talking in industry double speak about “creating critical mass” (whatever that is) and similar jargon that is totally meaningless and unproductive. It was clear that 80% of the speakers and audience had no clue about how to fix the film industry.

The exceptions were Joel Pearlman from Village, who espoused a theory of genre, especially Comedy. Paul Wiegard’s comments on finding niche markets and about there being no formula for success and that it comes from fragmentation, multiplicity and many different approaches to film making .i.e true diversity in movie making. The film tester and market researcher Pete Wilson also had some good points about content, that he gleaned from his research. And Bobby Galinsky’s questions concerning the quality of script writing, that has been so poor in recent examples of OZ cinema, like Esther Blueberger, et al. A Victorian College of the Arts Professor also asked why large corporations don’t contribute something back to the film industry in the development arena, which sounds a fair idea. There were other good speakers, but too few. What the head of The Australian Ballet was doing there as a guest, I don’t think even Socrates could enlighten me on?

You know me, I’ve more front than Myers, so I had no trouble asking/telling the panel about Genre being the main road out of our industry doldrums, about the fact everyone in the room but a few is over 45 or so and where is fresh new film making talent? I also stated that Australia needs to move away from the condescending PC story lines of most Oz films of late, and to (sometimes) allow a darkness to enter Australian cinema. When questioned by the clueless host as to how I came by this information? I used examples of recent OS hits No Country for Old Men and There Will be Blood being very dark and immoral hits and also pointed out local TV hits like Underbelly, as proof of my ‘theory of darkness’ in Oz cinema. The question was met by silence, as was Bobby Galinsky’s re: scripts, no one had the nerve to address any of these raised issues. The host quickly moved to the next question of a more non-threatening nature

This is one of the things that most sickens me about the Australian industry. The head in the sand approach. Just ignore the problem, if you hold a privileged position in the industry, and eventually it will go away. But it hasn’t and it never will. That is the problem, that is why we are at Mindshift. Its about ‘mind shift’, people, not a ‘head in the sand box’ meeting! This denial and repression of the problem is not Connolly’s innovation! Many have applauded Connolly’s paper and well they should. We need questions and more importantly answers, yes, and debate. Then decisions, real change and difference with lateral thinking, I can go on, and on. We are the most exciting wing of the creative arts bloc but the stuffiness, closed naturedness and ‘don’t rock the boat’ attitude is stifling, unproductive and destructive in our Industry. Until someone with real power makes change happen through innovation… its Esther Blueberger city, let’s be honest…

As Connolly said, “Innovation is what the industry should be about”. And he’s 100% right! He produced the excellent “The Boys”, one of my favourite Oz films of the last decade and he seemed to have his head firmly screwed on in relationship to the Film Industry Crisis. Journalists like Craig Mathieson from The Age and Bulletin were there and asked questions, but as far as I can tell, no official story from The Age has been published on this event? I hope I’m wrong…

Film Victoria should be congratulated for at least holding this event and acknowledging the problem. But the worry is, are the good ideas canvassed at Mindshift, going to be actioned upon? Unfortunately, I seriously doubt it.

The after party drinks sickened me a little, as I heard so many contrasting views from the usual suspects, the same ship of fools, who collectively have no idea about what to do about the industry. They have eked out their position in the industry and score big grants occasionally and they defend these ‘perverse incentives’ like rabid seagulls, from any criticism. The suggestion that the industry should be based on ideas like success, innovation, track record and performance made them all go pale, as many would be unemployed in two years. Not all obviously, but some.

From this multiplicity of contrasting opinion and double speak; will some equally clueless committee act on change? Even if they do, will it be the answer?

People like Robert Connolly need to be given Executive Power to make actual change in the industry. The new ‘Screen Australia’ amalgamate was raised. Connolly suggested seeing some filmmakers on the board of the FFC. This surely makes sense.

There are many other dynamic ideas that could be swiftly implemented.

Will ‘Screen Australia’ be just another name change to hide the fact that the Australian film industry is going down the toilet? Or will it give real power, not to clueless committees, but to a range of sensible innovative individuals at various levels of the industry, who can make varied executive decisions for change, vitality and innovation. This is the solution.

If this could be done, within a year or two this industry could be as dynamic, innovative and vital as it should be! Thoughts from the stalls?

The trailer for Baz Luhrmann’s Australia is up and running starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. The films supporting cast reads like a ‘who’s who’ of the Australian acting community with David Wenham, Bryan Brown, Bruce Spence, John Jarratt, Ben Mendelsohn, Jack Thompson, Barry Otto and many others.

I like Baz’s over the top style and theatrical approach to film making. Its fairly original and different to what other bigger directors are doing today.

The Trailer looks interesting. Baz is going for the great Australian myth with this story. And good luck to film in his search for it and for its success at the box office.

It looks a bit like the kind of film we used to make in the 70’s with Baz’s trademark campness and lush photography thrown in. It looks Epic and its too long since someone made an epic here and, more to the point, about our continent.

What you all think of the Trailer?

Someone brought this to my attention. An interview with Joel Edgerton on the set of Jon Hewitt’s up coming teen serial killer movie, Acolytes. I have had the privilege of seeing the rough cut last year and it was totally excellent then, so now it must be schmick.

In this interview see footage of Jon Hewitt directing. It has a brief moment of Jon caring for the well being of his cast. It brings back certain fond memories of our early days of collaboration on Bloodlust, our shared first feature. And Joel Edgerton is great in Acolytes. This is one of his best roles. A good actor should always always play a psycho early. Just ask Ryan Gosling and Christian Bale about that. I was impressed with Joel way back when he did the Henry plays with John Bell in the 90’s. He remains one of my favourite contemporary Australian actors.

Here is the interview from last year. Acolytes played at the Cannes market last week.

Andrew Bolt is a lot of fun. While I may not agree with a lot of his conservative trex in the Herald Sun, I can’t help but like the fact he is our answer to Bill O’Reilly… or even Stephen Colbert. This guy needs his own reactionary TV show! He used to be an arts writer too, so he has a stone in his shoe about the vast wastage of tax payer dollars in the arts community. Bolt should be taken more seriously as a writer, than many give him credit for, in my eyes. And occasionally on various issues Mr.Bolt is spot on. Like, for example, in this article about the Australian films industry here.

He rightfully attacks Esther Blueberger for being the piece of shit it was. Yes, I saw it, what a turkey.

Here is a choice Bolt quote from the piece,

“The badness of Australian films is now so firmly fixed in the mind of the public that you’d earn more money selling tickets to the opening of a leper’s scabs.”

Pretty harsh, but acknowledging there is now a firmly entrenched prejudice against Australian films in the public’s eye, after 20 years of the current ‘regime’ running the film industry.

Bolt goes on to attack film critics who go easy on Australian films. Pointing out Stratton and Pomeranz from At The Movies, for chastisement.

There is a certain truth here. If people praise shit like Blueberger, Oyster Farmer, Danny Deckchair or laud unworthy accolades on mediocre at best films like Somersualt and The Black Balloon. How will anyone know, for example, that Rats and Cats that opens next week in a limited release really is a good, if not great, Australian movie?

Jim Schembri and Leigh Paatsch tell it like it is, many times, and should be commended for doing so.

The issue of critical responsibility is all part of the on going Crisis in the Australian film Industry declared in The MUFF manifesto. The crisis appears to be getting more serious, as time goes on.

Intrepid Filmnet reporter Gawain McLachlan is in Cannes, making his yearly sojourn, and filing reports. I have a few friends over there this year. i.e. Jon Hewitt who had a market screening with Acolytes, Bobby Galinsky, same with Prey, Joe Connor who produced the short Jerrycan, directed by Julius Avery, that is in competition, so congrats there. And others. See some of Gawain’s pictures of the AFC drinks at Cannes, posted here.

Here is some (not so) highlights from Gawain’s first Cannes report:

“Usual suspects are over at Cannes Film Festival again this year.
Seems a little quieter this year as the low $US may have scared some
yank filmmakers and buyers away.

As usual Australia has done very poorly with Cannes Film Fest
representation with only 2 short films in the fest. A good indication
of the poor state of the industry and failure to deal with the
continuing structural problems (well discussed over the years)”

and

“LAZY OLD AFC
Unlike most countries the AFC didn’t even bother to open their office
on day 1 (Wednesday) of the fest unlike previous years. Which wasn’t

much help to any Aussies who had just arrived in town and needed to

urgently check emails / get organised etc.”

Doesn’t sound all that thrilling, really. Hopefully Gawain will have some more tres interesting news from the festival for us later. I’ll post it here, if he does.

Cannes is fun. I went twice in the early 90’s and look forward to a return sooner than later. I was the Cannes party crasher, par excellence. But that’s another story…

Just got home from the Rats and Cats Premiere at the Sun Cinema in Yarraville. Great comedy. One of my favourite Australian Comedy features of this decade, I’d say.

It starred Adam Zwar and Jason Gann from Wilfred and was directed by Tony Rogers. It is about a faded Australian movie and TV star Darren McWarren (Jason Gann) living a very odd life on the fringes of a strange town called Merickvillie (or something like that). Film Industry reporter Ben (Adam Zwar) comes to town, to do an in depth story on McWarren, falling into his strange and eclectic crew and world. The charismatic pairing of Zwar and Gann from Wilfred is again a hit in Rats and Cats. These two are funny in just about every scene, as the film explores the out of control ego’s of the film world, small humorous details of McWarren’s life and the shoddy reality of most TV ’stars’. There is a great scene with the two scuba diving, that is a treat. Also, the Father Roger gags are suitable politically incorrect and sick. Not only is Rats and Cats funny, the film has an excellent mise en scene, in this strange village, that looks like some seaside shanty town, only with McWarren as its hero. Filmed partly at Avalon beach, a truly weird location, where Mark Savage shot part of Defenseless with me, the locations generally are bizarre, original and well chosen. McWarren plays in a crap local band (ala Russell Crowe) and is fucking the town bikes, but really is in love with the local massage girl, Cindy. At Ben’s behest, a more serious relationship is pursued. The film is oddly affecting in its tale of a fallen star. The mood of the film is almost Lynchian surreal and odd, that moves the film from that of light comedy, to that of art, as well. It really is excellent.

It premiered at MIFF last year as a rough cut, which I missed, but this new version is a winner. It’s the best Australian movie I’ve seen at the cinema, so far this year. It had no government money and a budget of around 300 K. It’s criminal that expensive crap like Esther Blueberger gets 6 million $ lavished on it, while this film with established and award winning comedy actors, gets made with no government funding… and has to be self distributed theatrically!

This film could easily be a Kenny in the making, if it finds the right audience. If you dug Wilfred, you’ll really dig this! Thanks to producer Jen Livingston for inviting my good self, David Thrussell and Kristen along to the red carpet event.

The after party was cool, too. Caught up with many people as we all got mildly sauced. Jason Gann is a nice bloke in person, his performances was top notch in Rats. He would make an excellent gangster or crim in a film, he has this strange way of intimidating people on screen that is funny, mildly scary and real. I also had a good chat to Aran Michael, manager of some top local actors, who reminded me about how he acted in my short Off Season, from the late eighties. I congratulated Tony Rogers on his film and his daring to make a comedy with edge in this country. Spoke to some of the excellent supporting cast and to Adam Zwar, who has got to be Australia’s answer to Simon Pegg, don’t you think? Adam appeared in MUFF hit Narcosys, back in 2000, directed by Mark Bakaitis and we had a good chat about his time on that film.

Rats and Cats other Producer Jason Byrne came up to me and asked me if I knew him. I’d seen his face around, but I said I couldn’t name him, no. He said we went to school together (Ivanhoe Grammar) and that he was the year below me, with Craig Knuckey and others. He also said he remembers an incident when some school bully’s apparently crucified me to a statue with rope(!) and threw eggs at me. I said I have absolutely no memory of that event, but he was sure it was me. I was bullied at Ivanhoe, a hot bed of teenage sadism in the 80’s, but not too bad from memory. I escaped from Ivanhoe for various reasons, in 1984, at the end of year ten. To go to a coed school with Media Studies classes (and girls!), but couldn’t remember this incident. I wondered if I had repressed it or buried it?

But hey, if you ever wonder why I am, the way I am, you may now have one of the small keys as to why. Maybe, that’s where I get my God complex from. Hehe.

Psychic TV had a live LP titled from the late 90’s “Were you Ever Bullied at School? Do you want Revenge?”. My answer (in my mind) to that album, whenever I see it, has always been, “Yes”.

Rats and Cats opens next week at Cinema Nova in Melbourne and across Australia on selected screens.