Neither silent or moving
Neither perceivable or imperceptible,
Neither nothing or everything
A state of mystery, paradox, ambiguity
That is what I tried to capture in this film
Clara Law, Director.
γAs
moody spectacle, The Goddess Of 1967 is a fascinating, superbly crafted work.
It occasionally threatens to turn into a conventional mystery-thriller, but
deliberately defuses these expectations ... The Goddess Of 1967 is undoubtably
one of the most exciting and groundbreaking Australian movies of the year.δ
Adrian
Martin, The Age.
γ Outstandingly original in both conception and realization·. the
direction and acting are excellent, and Byrneβs mesmerizing performance as B.G
brilliantly inflected and unpredictable. γ
Roderick
Conway Morris, International Herald Tribune
γThe Goddess of 1967 is touched everywhere by Clara Lawβs
wonderful whimsy, her gorgeous cinematic aesthetics, her ability to deal with
unlikely characters and her unerring sense of structureδ
Kay
Armatage, Toronto Film Festival.
RuntimeΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ 119 minutes
LanguageΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ English
ColourΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Colour
CertificationΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ MA (Australia)
New South
Wales Film & Television Office
PalaceΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Australia
Fandango ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Italy
Golden
Scene ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Hong Kong
Kairos
FilmverleihΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Germany
Panavision
Australia Pty Ltd ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Camera
equipment
The
Australian Film Finance CorporationΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Funding
DirectorΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Clara Law
WritersΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Eddie
Ling-Ching Fong & Clara Law
CastΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Rose
Byrne as BG (Blind Girl)
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Rikiya
Kurokawa as JM (Japanese Man)
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Nicholas
Hope as Grandpa
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Elise
McCredie as Marie
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Tim
Richards as Drummer Boy
Executive
ProducersΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Wouter
Barendrecht
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Akiko
Funatsu
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Helen
Loveridge
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Peter
Sainsbury
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Michael
J. Werner
ProducerΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Eddie
Ling-Ching Fong
Original
MusicΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Jen
Anderson
CinematographerΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Dion Beebe
EditorΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Kate
Williams
Casting ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Anousha
Zarkesh
Production
DesignΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Nicholas
McCallum
Costume
DesignΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Annie
Marshall
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Helen
Mather
Assistant
DirectorΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Chris Webb
Construction
CoordinatorΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Geoff Howe
Music
Score EngineerΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Ross
Cockle
Dialogue
EditorΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Livia
Ruzic
Post-production
AssistantΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Billy Browne
Promo
Reel EditorΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Laurie
Butler
Assistant
CameraΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Sally
Eccleston
Italy ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ 2nd September
2000 ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Venice Film Festival
CanadaΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ 8th September 2000ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Toronto Film Festival
USAΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ 7th November
2000ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Hawaii Film Festival
SwitzerlandΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ 21st December 2000ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ (German speaking region)
NetherlandsΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ 25th January 2001ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ International Film Festival
Rotterdam
ItalyΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ 26th January
2001ΚΚΚΚ
Hong KongΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ 14th April 2001ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Hong Kong International Film
Festival
AustraliaΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ 25th April 2001
NetherlandsΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ 17th May 2001
Czech
RepublicΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ 8th July 2001ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Karlovy Vary Film Festival
FranceΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ 18th July 2001
BrazilΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ 24th August
2001ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ
Hong KongΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ 5th September 2001ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Australian Centenary Film Festival
AustraliaΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ 5th September 2001ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ (Video Release)
Hong KongΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ 13th September 2001
BelgiumΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ 19th September
2001
Germany ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ 4th April 2002
Australia-
Opened on 5 screens week ending 30/04/01 $31 425
US Gross-
$12 677
Art Film
Festival 2001
Clara Law
Golden Key Award
Best Direction in Art Fiction
Chicago
International Film Festival 2000
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Clara Law
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Silver Hugo
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Best Director
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ
Tromso
International Film Festival 2001
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Clara Law
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Fipresci Award
Venice
Film Festival 2000
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Rose Byrne
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Volpi Cup
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Best Actress
ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ
Official
Palace website
http://www.palace.net.au/goddess/goddess.htm
Event
listings and film info from
http://www.popcorntaxi.com.au/Events.asp?Event_ID=78
Event Listing Deep Space: Sensation & Immersion Cinema
(VIC) 20/12/2002
http://www.if.com.au/tools/find.taf?fn=detail&id=3299
News from
In Film Magazine γItalian Producer & Australian Directors Set Up New Film
Companyδ 06/03/2002
http://www.if.com.au/tools/find.taf?fn=detail&id=0497
Urban
Cinefile
http://www.urbancinefile.com.au/home/view.asp?a=4792&s=Reviews
Internet
Movie Database, cast, production, reviews, awards
http://us.imdb.com/Plot?0255195
Internet
encyclopedia of cinematographers
http://www.beer1.freeler.nl/PaginasDoPh/beebe.htm
International
Cinematographers guild
Clara Law Biography
http://www.mostradelcinemadivenezia.com/cinema_e.html?main=ENGXYZfiles57XYZgoddess.html
Awards info
http://www.artfilm.sk/info2001/awards.html
Synopsis
and Director information
http://www.artfilm.sk/artfic2001/goddess.htm
Director
Biography
http://www.filmfestivalrotterdam.com/2003/en/person/697.html
Cast info
on Rose Byrne, Infilm Magazine 14/01/2003, press release
http://www.if.com.au/tools/find.taf?fn=detail&id=3362
Elise McCredie γClara Law: an impression of permanenceδ in Realtime Arts http://www.realtimearts.net/rt43/mccredie.html
Kathryn Millard, Interview with Clara Law in Senses of Cinema, Issue No. 13, Apr-May 2001
editorial
for Issue 13ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/01/13/law.html
David
Stratton,
Interview with Rose Byrne, audio file available on sbs website.
http://www.sbs.com.au/movieshow/interviews.php3?id=24
David
Stratton,
Interview with Clara Law, audio file available on sbs website.
http://www.sbs.com.au/movieshow/interviews.php3?id=21
No author
listed, Cast quotes from iF Magazine http://www.if.com.au
interviews inΚ
http://www.popcorntaxi.com.au/Events.asp?Event_ID=78
No author
cited, Interview with Clara Law on Palace films official site
Bruce
Nash, The
Numbers.
http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2001/0GDDS.html
Box
Office Summary 30/04/2001
http://www.urbancinefile.com.au/home/boxoffice.asp
Kay
Armatage from
Toronto Film Festival
http://www.palace.net.au/goddess/goddess.htm
Marcus
Chan γthe Goddess
of 1967δ 2002
http://www.naturalbornviewers.com/archive/g/goddessof1967/review.htm
http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll
Brad
Green 07/06/2001
http://www.urbancinefile.com.au/home/view.asp?a=4792&s=Reviews
Rick
Groen γLoves
Labouredδ 27/04/2001
http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/movie/MOVIEREVIEWS/20010427/RVGODD
Richard
James Havis in
The Hollywood Reporter
http://www.palace.net.au/goddess/goddess.htm
http://us.imdb.com/Plot?0255195
http://efilmcritic.com/review.php?movie=5154
http://www.canoe.ca/JamMoviesReviewsG/goddessof1967_kirkland-sun.html
Richard
Kuipers 07/06/2001
http://www.urbancinefile.com.au/home/view.asp?a=4792&s=Reviews
Steve
Kulak in The New
Internationalist
http://www.palace.net.au/goddess/goddess.htm
Rob
Lowing γGoddess
takes a familiar routeδ in The Sun Herald
http://old.smh.com.au/news/0104/29/features/features10.html
Tom
Lyons γCitroen
vehicleβs no lemon, The Goddess of 1967δ in eyeWeekly
http://www.eye.net/eye/issue/issue_04.26.01/film/onscreen.html#1
http://www.eye.net/eye/issue/issue_09.07.00/film/festival.html
Adrian
Martin in The Age
http://www.palace.net.au/goddess/goddess.htm
Roderick
Conway Morris
γSeeking a Goddess in the Outbackδ in the International Herald Tribune
http://www.palace.net.au/goddess/goddess.htm
(excerpt)
http://www.iht.com/IHT/RCM/00/ (full
text
Carmine
Pascuzzi γThe
Goddess of 1967δ
http://www.mediasearch.com.au/film/showreview.asp?id=212
http://www.sbs.com.au/movieshow/reviews.php3?id=682
Megan Spencer
http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/review/film/s286507.htm
http://www.sbs.com.au/movieshow/reviews.php3?id=682
Peter Thompson γFilm: The Goddess of 1967δ Sunday Online, Australia
27/04/2001
http://sunday.ninemsn.com.au/sunday/film_reviews/article_796.asp
Andrew
L. Urban 07/06/2001
http://www.urbancinefile.com.au/home/view.asp?a=4792&s=Reviews
Fiona
A Villella
γMaterialism and Spiritualism in The Goddess of 1967δ in Senses of Cinema, Issue No. 13, Apr-May 2001.
http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/01/13/goddess.html
http://www.geocities.com/sooguy2001/film_2000/2000_09_08.html
Movie
Review Query Engine
Various
user comments from IMDB
http://us.imdb.com/CommentsShow?0255195
http://us.imdb.com/Plot?0255195
Richard
Corliss γThe
Girls Night Outδ in Time
Europe October 2, 2000, Vol. 156 No. 14
http://www.time.com/time/europe/magazine/2000/1002/festival.html
Ross
Gibson γThe
Nature of Nationδ in South of the West: Postcolonialism and the Narrative
Construction of Australia, Bloomington, University of Indiana press, 1992,
pg 63-81.
Adrian
Martin γLetter to
Franceδ in Trafic, Issue no.43 (Automne 2002) pg 60-71 June 2001
http://www.otrocampo.com/7/letterfrommelbourne.html
Jane
Mills γ Prizes
and Projections 2001: the features. The struggle for cineliteracyδ
http://www.realtimearts.net/rt45/afi_mills.html
Tom
OβRegan Australian
National Cinema,
Routledge, London and New York, 1996
http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/01/12/autumn.html
Stephen
Teo γLocal and
Global Identity: Whither Hong Kong Cinema?δ in Senses of Cinema 2000
http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/00/7/hongkong.html
Articles
on Hong Kong cinema fromΚ γJump Cut. A
review of contemporary mediaδ
http://www.ejumpcut.org/currentissue/szeto/hongkong2.html
Film
information was sourced almost exclusively through the internet with searches
resulting in interviews, reviews, critical analysis, promotional information
and mentions in cultural and literary works.Κ
There was
quite an extensive online presence for The Goddess of 1967 (Law 2000),
due mostly to itβs release 2000/2001 after the internet became a popular
vehicle for promotion and many newspapers and magazines developed web mirrors
of their paper selves.Κ It also appeared
in articles on film and cultural studies.
A search
on the Movie Review Query Engine
revealed 19 reviews, 11 in English, 4 in French, 2 in German and 2 in
Italian.Κ This reveals the international
appeal of the film and reflects itβs distribution across the European Art
Cinema scene.
The
Goddess of 1967
(Law, 2000) is a fairly simple story; a Japanese man (JM- Rikiya Kurokawa)
comes to Australia to buy his γGoddessδ a 1967 Citroen.Κ When he arrives he finds the owner dead and
the car in the possession of a blind girl (BG- Rose Byrne).Κ She says they need to ask the owner if he
can have it and so begins a five-day journey into the outback.Κ The car is not only a vehicle for their
physical journey but it also allows the film to traverse memories of BGβs past
both bitter and sweet through a series of flashbacks.Κ We find that the Goddess is a Ξfamily carβ, once belonging to
BGβs grandfather and her aim in this trip is to take revenge on him for the
abuse she received as a child. The car itself is also a representation of
modernity and for JM, a commodity, a machine of beauty, an object to possess
along with his mobile and satellite phones and laptop.Κ It also alludes to JMβs past, like the hero
in the French film where he first saw the 1967 Citroen; he is a criminal on the
run, having committed some kind of computer fraud.Κ As they progress through this unusual road movie the two
protagonists learn to forgive, to trust and eventually to love.Κ This is not a revealing tale in itself, but
the way director Clara Law has chosen to tell this story makes for a complex
and unique film.
This film
is undoubtedly an art film, it wasnβt designed to appeal to everyone and this
is reflected in its reception. It was released to critical acclaim internationally
gaining Rose Byrne a best actress award at the 2000 Venice Film Festival and
Clara Law best director at Chicago International Film Festival in the same
year.Κ It also received acclaim in
Australia from many film critics, however it was not a runaway success at the
box office making $31 425 (Aus $) in itβs opening week in Australia and only
$12 677 (US $) gross in the U. S.Κ But
box office success is not the only criteria in judging a successful film,
especially a film that is not made for a mass-market audience. Unlike her
earlier films made in Hong Kong there was no ethnic language market to
guarantee this film a more extensive penetration into a smaller market. As an
English language film made within a medium sized cinema like Australiaβs, it needed
to ensure appeal to an international market or flounder.Κ So it emphasised itβs art cinema tendencies
and hence did very well in European markets, many of the reviews of the film on
the internet were in German, French or Italian and this reflects its distribution
across the European Ξart cinemaβ scene. Clara Law tried to make a piece of art,
she pushed her techniques towards the experimental and resulting film is by no
means flawless and it doesnβt always work, even for the intended audience.Κ Reviews varied wildly often criticising its
length, lack of linear narrative, sparse dialogue and emotional distance from
the characters, while praising the visual techniques and postmodern
sensibilities.Κ However it is a film
which has continued to garner interest since itβs initial release, appearing as
a reference point for several articles dealing with Australian film culture,
chosen as one of the films to be screened in a tour spanning the history of
Australian road movies in AFIβs Burning Rubber
in 2001, and cropping up in articles discussing both Australian and Hong Kong
culture.Κ Made for a worldwide
art cinema circuit rather than a local market it is
also an excellent example of the continued internationalisation of the
Australian film industry.Κ Clara Law is
a director who demonstrates emphatically the international melding of cultures
Australian cinema has been steadily undergoing since the 1990βs.Κ
The
Goddess of 1967
(Law, 2000) is Clara Lawβs second film since moving to Australia in 1995 with
husband and creative collaborator Eddie Fong.Κ
She was born in Macau in 1954, received a degree in English Literature
from Hong Kong University before moving to London in 1982 to study film.Κ On her return to Hong Kong she made several
films, The Reincarnation of Golden Lotus (Law, 1989), Farewell, China (Law, 1990), Autumn
Moon (Law, 1991) and The Temptation of a Monk (Law, 1993) to
critical acclaim including several with Fong.Κ
Her first Australian feature was Floating Life (Law, 1996), which
continued her theme of Chinese diaspora to Australian suburbia.Κ Themes of migration are less explicit in
Goddess, but a common thread of individuals trying to find themselves in a
strange land continues.Κ Clara Lawβs
body of work, though spanning two distinct national cinemas, Hong Kong and
Australia, are both concerned with identity and cultural myths of
belonging.Κ Through most of her films
she is preoccupied with identity in a new country, specifically the Chinese
diaspora as in Autumn Moon (Law, 1991) and Floating Life (Law,
1996).Κ In The Goddess of 1967
(Law, 2000) the characters are concerned with similar issues of isolation and
dislocation but their journeys are condensed to a migration across the
outback.Κ
The film is visually spectacular, each shot exquisitely
framed.Κ Dion Beebe who Clara Law worked
with on Floating Life (Law 1996) was the cinematographer; he was
recently awarded an Oscar for his work on Chicago (Marshall, 2001).Κ Born in Brisbane, he relocated to Cape Town
in South Africa with his family at the age of 5; he studied film first in
Pretoria and then graduated from AFTRS in 1990. Some of the features he has
worked on include Praise (Curran 1998), Holy Smoke (Campion
1998), and Charlotte Gray (Armstrong, 2001).
Another
person who contributed to the films overall success is actor Rose Byrne who won
best actress at the Venice film festival for her role in The Goddess of 1967
(Law 2000). She is probably best know in Australia for her role in Two
Hands (Jordan) but has also appeared in My Mother Frank (Lamprell,
), and her film debut was in Dallas Doll (Turner).Κ In an interview with David Stratton she
explained the process involved in making the film, there was a four week
rehearsal period and intense research into playing BG.Κ She explained that the hardest aspect for
her was learning to respond to sound cues rather than visual ones and to ensure
her facial reactions and movement were unselfconscious, explaining that people
blind since birth move differently, unaware of how it appears. By the time they
began shooting the film, she said that the physical had become habit.
As well
as the people who contributed to the filmβs look and feel there were certain
techniques that Law used to support her vision. Her use of non-linear
narrative, her treatment of sound and background music and the distinctive look
of the film all contribute to its complexity and ambiguity.
Not least
of these was the way different sections of the film are denoted using different
colours, Tokyo is overwhelmingly blue and grey, and dreamlike. The scenes with
BG and JM in the present utilised bleach bypass on the negative, this
transmuted the colour, γcorruptedδ it to use Clara Lawβs expression, resulting
in a more intense look and increased contrast.Κ
It is a visual representation of the inner world of the characters, a
harsh, emotionally distant realm. The high contrast results in scenes where
often the two characters seem to stand opposed, one in total light and the
other complete shadow further emphasising the emotional distance between them.Κ This technique was not used in the sections
set in the past, implying the existence of a moment when there is the
possibility of an undamaged BG. The flashbacks were designed as stories in
themselves, complete with distinct tonal and colour differences.
The
Ξstories within a storyβ structure reveals a narrative both linear and
non-linear. Linear as BG and JM travel in the Citroen from the city to the
outback and also more like a mosaic, jumping through time and space to delve
into the characters, we start in Tokyo, move to Australian suburbia and then the
Citroen and their journey to the outback, interspersed with flashbacks.Κ This betrays the fact that Clara Law did not
intend to make a narrative based film.Κ
Indeed the creative process began with the themes she wanted to explore,
moved on to the characters and then the story was developed.Κ
A film of
balance and contrast, the emotional intensity of scenes is balanced by the
objective beauty in the camera work and the colour.Κ Like when Grandpa stands on the step of his bus-come-house, glass
of red in hand and gives his speech about being able to love all his daughters,
revolted by his words you canβt help but be simultaneously amazed by the beauty
of the sky.Κ Or when BG at 7 runs from
the burning shack where Marie tries to call her back so that they can pay for
their sins together, a sickening death with flames leaping in slow motion,
again there is a visual feast of horror as the visual intersects with
meaning.Κ Sometimes there is a distinct
separation of meaning (narrative), vision and sound.Κ Clara Law said that she tried to use sound and music as separate
tools from the visual, not always working to towards the same goal at the same
time.Κ This is a different approach than
what we are used to, traditionally film keeps a more straightforward connection,
a γsee explosion, hear boomδ method.Κ It
is representative of the experimental aims of the director, lends the film
complexity and partially explains the vastly differing responses it received.Κ It explains why some people felt that though
the acting was good they felt they couldnβt engage much with the characters,
and that the film left them cold.
As an
Australian film the portrayal of the outback is an interesting one, not only
does the landscape make for a beautiful backdrop but it is also a potent Australian
symbol.Κ Landscape has several
simultaneous and sometimes contradictory meanings throughout this film. This
makes for an interesting examination within the tradition of Australian cinema.
In the Goddess of 1967 there is both a continuance of the traditional treatment
of landscape in Australian film and a departure.
There is
a contrast between the worlds inside and outside the car.Κ This is shown through the obvious
artificiality of the scenes moving beyond the car windows soft and blurred, the
characters are trapped within their own emotional worlds.Κ Part way through their journey they each
gets out of the car and walks in opposite directions, but both return, JM
saying as he gets back into the car, that heβs come home.Κ If the car becomes a home for the both of
them then the land they travel through can be seen to represent their
homelessness.Κ This reinforces an idea
of isolation and abandonment and continues the myth that γ every plot outside
the city limits has tended to signify one thing: homelessnessδ (Gibson, 1992) a
common use of landscape in Australian film.Κ
Just as
the landscape and the Goddess are used to contrast the inner and outer worlds
of the characters so too it contrasts between the characters themselves. The
vast expanse of Australian outback and the machinations of a blue and dreamy
Tokyo become a comparison between BG and JM.Κ
BG is synonymous with the land, she knows it intimately, and can direct
JM sightlessly, laughing when he gets bitten by the lizard, she knows it wonβt poison
him and is comfortable in this country, infused with the knowledge of
generations. She has connection to it, when threatened as by Drummer Boy or her
mothers intimidating god she runs to nature, and is seen clutching a tree,
refusing to let go, or sleeping curled foetal at the base of a tree, watched
protectively by dingoes.Κ Both are
construed as wild passionate, hard and unforgiving.Κ γit (Australian society) can portray itself as marvellous because
it has subsisted with all its flaws, in this grand yet unreasonable habitat.δ
(Gibson, 1992)ΚΚ This is how we come to
see BG, damaged yet admirable, again we can see a traditional use of landscape
in Australian film as a way to understand identity, in this instance the
personal identity of BG.
It is also
recalls γancient legends of hellish antipodesδ (Gibson 1992) the outback as a
place beyond society where perversion can manifest, as it does in the character
of Grandpa, and where belief can warp into sacrifice in Marieβs suicide.Κ This is the attitude of Grandpa, there is no
guilt or shame in his incestuous behaviour, and in the godless surroundings of
the desert he mines he finds support for his view, or at least no
contradiction.
What
marks this film as distinctive is its treatment of Australian landscape not as
a fixed element that functions simply as a realistic setting but its
willingness to treat it as a flexible symbol.Κ
It is this abstract representation, (through techniques like the bleach
bypass and the muted and blurred background when the car is moving), which
highlight the mythic role of landscape in the Australian imagination and
identity in a way few other films do.Κ
The landscape joins other aspects of the film as part of a larger visual
puzzle.Κ Maybe it takes a director who
migrated here via Hong Kong, with aspirations to art to make a film that
represents Australian landscape as the mythic, transmutable and contradictory
presence it is.
The
Goddess of 1967 (Law,
2000) is a fragmented feast.Κ Clara
Lawβs uncompromising vision means there is a definite sense of directorial
intent at each moment.Κ She melds the
elements of her film in a unique way, it can sometimes be a difficult film to
grapple with, by no means flawless, at times powerful, tedious, confusing,
emotionally distant and elusive, but intriguing none the less.Κ Certain scenes play over in the mind and
reaction is no more straightforward than the film itself.Κ Finally it is a unique and brave vision that
expands the definition of Australian cinema.Κ
Praise Κdir. John Curran,
1998.
Holy SmokeΚ dir. Jane
Campion, 1999.
Charlotte GrayΚ dir. Gillian
Armstrong, 2001.
The Goddess of 1967Κ
dir. Clara
Law, 2000.
Chicago Κdir. Rob Marshall,
2002.Κ
Two HandsΚ dir. Gregor
Jordan,1999.
My Mother FrankΚ dir. Mark Lamprell,
2000.
Dallas DollΚ dir. Ann Turner,
1994.
The Reincarnation of Golden LotusΚ dir. Clara Law, 1989.
Farewell, ChinaΚ dir. Clara Law, 1990.
Autumn MoonΚ
dir.
Clara Law, 1991.
The Temptation of a MonkΚ dir. Clara Law, 1993.
Floating LifeΚ dir Clara Law1996.