NOT QUTE HOLLYWOOD: THE WILD, UNTOLD STORY OF OZPLOITATION! (2008) - Mark Hartley

I love a good documentary. And I love documentaries about filmmaking or the film business in general. SO when I got tickets to Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story Of Ozploitation!, I didn’t know what I was in for, but I was sure it’d be pretty entertaining.

Not Quite Hollywood kicks off at a time when the Australian film industry was on par with that of Iceland and Venezuala. In other words, there were few films that ever came out of the country. Sure, some productions shot there. But they were films that used the Australian landscape as a backdrop. They weren’t Australian made films. And then, taking a leaf from Russ Meyers and bawdy English films of the sixties, Australians started doing it for themselves. Comedies gave way to horror and the Australian film industry was born. It went through it’s ups and downs, but never gave in and did it all with a sense of humour that only the Aussies have.

The documentary itself is highly entertaining. Essentially, the film is a bunch of talking heads interspersed with clips from the films the filmmakers are talking about. But it never once becomes a dull, boring affair. The people involved in the making of these films are in themselves entertaining characters. And while a few names will be unfamiliar, their stories are no-less hilarious. Some of the films that crop up are recognisable, notably, Razorback and Mad Max. But a great many of the films are obscure films few of us will have seen. Having said that, there were a few curiosities mentioned that I wouldn’t mind checking out!

Of course, there are a few familiar faces. Quentin Tarantino pops up with his encyclopedic knowlege of exploitation flicks and offers a few insights. Jamie Lee Curtis, the star of the Aussie horror, Roadgames has some things to say. And crazy old Dennis Hopper provides a lot of laughs as his antics on and off the set of Mad Dog Morgan are recounted with a wry grin. But it's the many unfamiliar faces of the Australian exploitation scene that provide most of the entertainment.

It’s not a documentary that will set the world on fire. Nor will it be mentioned at the Oscars. But Not Quite Hollwood is the perfect balance of information and entertainment. It never takes itself too seriously and provides us with a view into a part of the film industry we’d probably never see. A great documentary that’s well worth checking out.


8/10

THE KING OF KONG (2007) - Seth Gordon

Documentaries can tend to be dour affairs, dealing with issues that provoke, shock and even enrage. Even Michael Moore’s documentaries, which go for laughs more than facts are about issues that show the worst in humanity. But occasionally you get something that is completely different in tone. Something that deals with something more light hearted than the war in Iraq or the state of the US health service. The King Of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters, released last year is a documentary that deals with a gravely important issue: Who is the greatest person ever to play Donkey Kong?

On one hand, you would think that a documentary about two ‘athletes’ competing for a video game record wouldn’t exactly make for compelling watching. But, you’d be wrong. The King Of Kong isn’t simply about gaming. It’s about rivalry, jealousy, paranoia and the will to succeed. On one hand we have Billy Mitchell. He’s the number one Donkey Kong player of all time. He holds other records, but this one is the daddy of them all. He owns his own hot sauce company, wears a US flag tie and pulls his pants up towards his nipples. He is a legend in his field, has a cadre of lesser gamers who bow to his every whim. As the film starts, he is the king of Kong. And then we have the underdog. Steve Wiebe. Failed athlete, high-school teacher, with a loving family and a passion to succeed in Donkey Kong. And when these two go head to head, the drama comes thick and fast.



While it deals with a subculture, the drama caused by the rivalry is utterly compelling. The characters, who are real people are totally unique and how these people interact with each other makes for bizarre and amazing viewing. If the film were fiction, it’d be a fun, quirky comedy. The kind of film that would be similar to Napoleon Dynamite. The fact that the film is real is both amazing and baffling. From the get-go you’re drawn in by who these people are and why they’re so unique. You have the heroes and the villains. The winners and losers. And with that comes the drama. And comedy.

The film balances sentimentality in a way that gives you a real emotional investment in what happens. It’s easy to dismiss the whole idea of the Donkey Kong record as pointless. In the bigger scheme of things, it really means nothing to anyone but those with an interest. But that shouldn’t stop anyone from watching the film. While having an interest in games provides with a little more interest, there’s plenty for those who have no interest at all in Donkey Kong. After all, this is a film about human interaction.



The King Of Kong wont change the world. Nor does it ever seek to do that. It just presents a unique situation and the crazy characters who are involved with the situation. It’s a film that deals with universal themes within a small sub-culture. But it’s incredibly compelling and never for a second gets tedious or dull. One of the better documentaries I’ve seen, The King Of Kong will have you gripped from the moment it opens. It’s bizarre, hilarious and incredibly entertaining.


9/10

MAN ON WIRE (2008) - James Marsh

While it was still standing, I had the opportunity and good fortune to stand on top of the World Trade Centre. It’s not exactly the most exhilarating thing for someone who has an intense fear of heights to do. It was terrifying. So frightened was I, that my legs stopped working properly and I had to be helped around the observation deck by my parents. So I know how high the World Trade Centre was. So you’d imagine seeing a film about a crazy Frenchman who had the insane ambition to tight-rope walk between the towers wouldn’t be something I’d jump at. However, James Marsh’s documentary, Man On Wire was released last week, so I checked it out.

In 1974, Frenchman Phillipe Petit and a few accomplices managed to find a way to sneak themselves and a load of equipment to the top of the almost complete World Trade Centre. Petit had the crazy ambition of setting up a wire between the towers and walking from one tower to the other. Having tight-rope walked between the towers of Notre Dame Cathedral, and two of the towers on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, The World Trade Centre tight-rope walk was to be Petit’s most ambitious and dangerous stunt.

James Marsh’s documentary really is an inspirational piece of work. Through interviews with Petit and his friends and accomplices, we are given a picture of how crazy this stunt really was. It was a different time in the world. Something as dangerous and illegal as breaking into the towers and setting up a stunt over night could never be achieved with today’s strict security measures. This was a once in a lifetime attempt. If anything went wrong, if there was any mishap, the best the men could hope for was to be arrested. But even despite this, Petit’s friends had their doubts about the stunt. They feared for their friend’s life, and some abandoned the challenge, wanting no part in what could be his death.



Marsh recreates the events of the day in question very well. The fact that we know Petit survives in no way takes away from the suspense of the film. Petit’s quite an eccentric character and is extremely energetic in the way he recounts his adventure. And in this, you can’t quite help but like the guy. His accomplices, some French, some American, one Australian are a little more subdued in the way they tell their story, yet this just adds more to Petit’s character. Even in his sixties, Petit retains the energy of his thirties, gesticulating wildly, and leaping back onto the high wire.

While there is no actual footage of the high wire walk, there are plenty of photographs. And they are no less terrifying than footage. Suffering from an intense fear of heights, with every shot of the ground from the top of the tower, I felt a little wave of nausea. Every shot of Petit on the wire made me cringe. Marsh’s direction is absolutely successful in this respect. There’s no moment where the film becomes dull. Petit’s passion for not only his wire-walking but for life in general keeps the film fresh throughout the running time. And at ninety minutes, it’s brief, but rightfully so. We don’t feel bogged down in exposition or post-walk fame, despite both these aspects being covered.



While Man On Wire seems to be overlooked in terms of documentary this year, it’s a very interesting, compelling and inspirational film. And even though I had fears going in, it was great to see such a terrifying and daring stunt covered so extensively.


8/10

IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOON (2007) - David Sington

In April 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first human being in space. It was a monumental achievement. The Americans needed to one-up their Russian counterparts. To this end, in 1961, President Kennedy announced the Apollo program with the goal of putting the first man on the moon. Unfortunately, it was something the president would never live to see. But on July 20th 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first man on the moon. David Sington’s documentary, In The Shadow Of The Moon charts the progress of the Apollo program, through a series of interviews with the men involved, spliced with footage of the program itself.

After I finished watching In The Shadow Of The Moon, I found myself realising how much we take this achievement for granted these days. In this age, the technological achievements are so many and happen so quickly, it’s easy to forget how little technology they had merely forty years ago. Yet they managed to fly three men over 380,000 miles and land them on that little glowing ball that sits in the night sky. As you watch the footage on the screen, and listen to the astronauts recount their tales, you really begin to appreciate what a monumental achievement it was.



The astronauts involved, Buzz Aldrin, Mike Collins, Alan Bean, Jim Lovell, John Young, Harrison Schmitt, and most of the other astronauts involved in the Apollo program appear, telling of their experiences in the Apollo program, in space, and (for those who managed to get there) walking on the moon. They speak of the experience in awe, and you cant help but get sucked in. While, in terms of space, the moon is merely a small footstep away from us, in terms of human achievement, it’s a massive achievement, and none of these men take it for granted. There is a humorous section during the credits for the film where the astronauts present their rebuttal to the claims that the moon landing was faked. And watching the documentary just proves how ridiculous a claim this is.

Sadly missing from the documentary is the first man on the moon, Neil Armstrong. The reclusive astronaut refuses to promote his historic achievement and thus is missing from everything but archival footage. Yet the other astronauts tell his story through their own experiences. And thus, Armstrong seems even more of a legend. He seems to have some mythical status among these other legendary figures.



The footage from the period is astonishing. Despite the technological limitations, the footage is of extremely high quality, due to the measures take to preserve the film. And it’s a comforting thing to know that the footage will live on. The shots of Earth from the moon, and seeing how small it really is is a humbling thing. While on the moon, the white surface contrasting to the pitch black sky is gorgeous to observe. While it’s finished it’s run in the cinema, see this film on as large a screen as you can. The footage of the space flight is stunning and deserves a large canvas.

The documentary is a fascinating watch. In terms of human achievement, landing on the moon is really one of the greatest things we have done as humans. And despite it happening nearly forty years ago, it really is a monumental moment in human history. In The Shadow Of The Moon pretty much gives you a comprehensive look at the moon landing. It is humorous, tense, and fascinating to watch. A brillian documentary.


9/10

A PERSONAL JOURNEY WITH MARTIN SCORSESE THROUGH AMERICAN MOVIES (1995) - Martin Scorsese

Charting the entirety of the history of American film would be an extremely difficult task. Tackling one genre alone would be a mammoth task. The British Film Institute instead asked one of the greatest living directors to discuss American cinema from a personal point of view. So in 1995, Martin Scorsese wrote, directed and introduced his own personal look at the history of American film in A Personal Journey With Martin Scorsese Through American Movies.

We’re all perfectly aware of how good a filmmaker Martin Scorsese is. For the last four decades he has created some of the greatest movies the art form has ever produced. What he gives us in this four hour documentary is a look at the films that have influenced him ever since he first sat down in a cinema. One of the great aspects of the documentary is that Scorsese doesn’t discuss the obvious films (Gone With The Wind for example) that you’d expect to pop up in documentary. Instead, the films that Scorsese chooses range from the very obscure like King Vidor’s 1928 film The Crowd, to the well known, such as Orson Welle’s Citizen Kane.

The film is broken into chapters, which, if you plan on watching it in stages, makes it very easy to follow. In these chapters, Scorsese examines the role the director takes in bringing a movie to the screen. He examines the studio system and how certain directors broke the conventions of the studio system and changed the face of cinema. Scorsese lavishes praise on the pioneers of cinema including D.W. Griffith, Orson Welles and F.W.Murnau and Stanley Kubrick while introducing films by less well known directors such as Delmer Daves and Jacques Tourneur.

In three chapters, Scorsese takes a look at three genres that define American movies. The western, the gangster movie and the musical. Scorsese looks at each of these genres in great detail, exploring the evolution of each of these genres in terms of American movies. One very interesting examination is about the western, focusing on three films by John Ford. Using 1939’s Stagecoach, 1949’s She Wore A Yellow Ribbon and 1956’s The Searchers, Scorsese looks at how the protagonist in each film (all played by John Wayne) changed from optimistic good guy to shady anti-hero with the evolution of the genre. It’s this kind of detail that makes this documentary so compelling.

If there’s one criticism I have of the film is that it’s (despite it’s 225 minute running time) too short! Scorsese ends the film during the 60’s, explaining that it would be unfair of him to dissect the evolution of American cinema during his own career, and the career of his contemporaries and friends. It kind of leaves you wishing for a sequel, which will examine the period of cinema we might be more familiar with. However this is a tiny criticism.

For anyone interested in film in any form, A Personal Journey With Martin Scorsese Through American Movies is essential viewing. Scorsese’s love and enthusiasm for the art form is infectious, and it gives you great ideas for films to hunt down and watch. It’s impossible to cover everything in the documentary, it’s that extensive. Over 100 movies are mentioned in some capacity, so it takes some watching to take it all in. I’ll probably watch the documentary again some time in the future. But it is a fantastic documentary and something for film fans and casual watchers alike.


9/10

SUPER SIZE ME (2004) - Morgan Spurlock

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that fast food doesn't exactly fit in as part of a healthy, balanced diet. Yet it seems that, despite various news reports, advertisements and, well, common sense, some people still consume large quantities of quick, easy, hideously unhealthy food. Hell, I'm as guilty as anyone of occasionally indulging in a quarter pounder with cheese. In 2004, documentary film maker Morgan Spurlock undertook an experiment to see just how detrimental to a person's health a 30-day diet of only McDonald's food would be. Cutting out all food except that purchased at McDonald's, Spurlock would test the effects of this diet on his body and document the journey in Super Size Me.

At the beginning of Super Size Me, Spurlock enlists the help of three doctors who will test the effects of his crazy diet on his body. His first group of tests prove that he is in very good health. His cholesterol, body fat and blood tests all prove that he is a man without much to worry about when it comes to health. Spurlock eats one last healthy meal, cooked by his vegan girlfriend, and begins his grand experiment. He sets himself a few rules to stick to during the experiment. He must eat all items on the McDonald's menu at least once during the 30 days. He must eat three McDonald's meals a day. And whenever he is offered, he must accept the 'Super Size' option. But while Spurlock enjoys the immediate effects of the McDonald's only diet, as the experiment progresses, it's effects begin to take their toll on his mind and body.



Super Size Me was a hit at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival, and allegedly caused McDonald's to become a lot more health conscious. It's easy to see why having witnessed the effects of Spurlock's self-destructive and crazy diet. While it would be very far fetched to believe that anybody would actually have a diet that only consisted of McDonald's food, there are a great many people who eat in McDonald's many times in the week. This is something the Spurlock points out himself in the movie, and it's this one point that sums up his approach to the film. Spurlock never comes across as preachy or holier than thou in the film. He puts himself in the firing line. He's the guinea pig. He never attacks or approaches his targets aggressively. While he does have points to make, he makes them even handedly. It's an approach that is different than Michael Moore's, who's approach always seems more aggressive.



Spurlock intercuts his personal story with a series of talking heads, experts who give us the facts and figures when it comes to the problem of obesity in the United States. The corporations (who, again are the evil overlords, but then, they're behind everything, aren't they?) target the population in school, before the kids can decide for themselves what is healthy. Getting them at this age sets them up as customers for life. It's an alarming idea and while the schools in this country, at least, don't approach childrens' nutrition in the same manner as the States, you do wonder how long before this becomes standard practice here. One thing that I'm sure of, is that fast food will be a rare treat in my own kids' diets. Spurlock's wit helps keep you interested and entertained. While facts and figures can get monotonous after a while, Spurlock's film making ensures the film doesn't become boring. A very interesting documentary with a message all of us can learn from.


8/10