program available - Melbourne Underground Film Festival

Transcription

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www.muff.com.au
THE AUSTRALIAN FILM
INDUSTRY IS IN CRISIS
IT’S TIME FOR
A CLEAN OUT!
KINO DENDY
LOOP
POP SHOP GALLERY
GLITCH BAR
Festival Image by Parca | www.parca.com.au
2
6 TS
F
STATEMENT 5 INFO+CREDITS 6 MUFF MANIFESTO
UF TEN 210DIRECTOR’S
SPECIAL
EVENTS
11 OPENING & CLOSING NIGHTS 12 MUFF NEU
M ON
14 MINI MUFF 19 OLE EL STUMPO 20 MUFF SESSION TIMES 22 JIM
C
VANBEBBER 24 ED WOOD 26 FREE CINEMA 27 FILMS AROUND THE
WORLD+FRITZ PERLS B4 SWINE 28 AVANT MUFF 30 FEMME DENTATA
31 OZ CINEMA 32 FAMOUS DIRECTORS 34 THE ATROCITY EXHIBITION
36 SEXY MUFF 38 THREE TIMES TERROR 40 SPONSORS
RICHARD WOLSTENCROFT’S
DIRECTOR’S
STATEMENT
THE OUTSIDER IS THE NEW INSIDER
MUFF 6 | JULY 2005 | THE AUSTRALIAN FILM INDUSTRY IN CRISIS
“It’s so dainty in its style that no one could ever be offended by it.
They are harmless stories in a harmless style. Only topics which
everyone can agree are taken up. Like for example Gummi Tarzan (a
film about a bullied boy who finds a friend in a manual labourer).
“Ah…that’s a shame for that boy” we all say in unison. That is
precisely the kind of preconditioned reaction I will go against.”
Are these the words of a MUFF filmmaker? No, they are words of
Lars von Trier appearing in the journal Politken from 1982, but they
sum up pretty much what we want to say here at MUFF in 2005.
Enough polite coming of age Australian movies, enough already
with this insistent and incessant political correctness. That is
precisely the kind of cinema we intend to go against. We have had
enough! So... The 1st MUFF Manifesto is born and fills a portion of
our largest catalogue and best festival yet. Do you dig it, Oh my
Brothers and Sisters?
Welcome to the 6th Melbourne Underground Film Festival. That’s
right six! From 2000 to 2005, we have created from nada, six
festivals of groundbreaking cinema, cutting edge retrospectives all
filled with confrontational, iconoclastic and controversial ideas that
have sparked many a local debate... in the underground, in the
mainstream, in the industry and in the media. So what can we
expect from MUFF 6? Well, we are on message after all these
years…read on.
All along at MUFF we have been championing independent, low
budget and underground cinema in Australia. We have long said it
holds the key to a path of palingenetic (i.e Phoenix like...hence the
MUFF logo) renewal for the Australian Film Industry. And time has
proven us right. With the success of many filmmakers who received
their first screenings of their work anywhere in the world at MUFF
like James Wan and Scott Ryan (see our Congratulations on line
www.muff.com.au
and in our press releases), to the continuing support we give longer
established figures like Mark Savage, Bill Mousoulis, Matthew
George, Jon Hewitt, Paul Moder and a host of others to the
showcasing of great new comers like Shannon Young, Jason Turley,
Anna Brownfield, Mark Bakaitis, Gregory Pakis…we could go on
but you get the idea. MUFF is fast becoming an essential incubator
and exhibitor for a new movement in Australian film.
So with everyone in the media talking about the dire state of the
local industry and catching up with our yearly assertion that the
current status quo in the Australian Film industry is in a bad way, (or
in French “Totally fucked”). We thought what better year than this
to focus on the Local film industry as our theme. That’s right…The
Australian Film Industry is in Crisis.
With our eye on constructive criticism we suggest something to do
about the industry crisis in our first ever Manifesto. This colonic for
the local film industry is long overdue and should we hope provide
much food for thought and fuel for debate in the whole film
community.
I realise for many years I have been my own worst enemy at MUFF
filling its pages with personal philosophical interpretations of
Heidegger or rants on this and that allowing my own personality
and ideas to get far too much in the way of the real purpose of this
festival. The real purpose of this festival is to play the best new
independent, guerrilla and underground cinema with a special focus
on local Indy product (but still playing many OS highlights and
retros), that are often ignored elsewhere. The reticence of larger
festivals to embrace the paradigm shift in filmmaking and local
production has allowed MUFF to grow as one of the true champions
of authentic Indy cinema in this country. All this with little or now
NO support from government funding bodies.
There is another type of person in the Industry we call the Industry
Crisis Denier. David Michod, from IF magazine initially revealed his
card carrying status as an Industry Crisis Denier. Here is what
Mr.Michod had to say when we asked why he would not cover
MUFF pre-festival, “Beyond that, my feeling is that MUFF’s theme
this year is one that we don’t have an affinity with. I don’t believe
the Australian industry is in crisis - at least no more so than any
other non-Hollywood industry and no more so than the fragile state
it has always been in (in its own fluctuating way). The whole ‘crisis’
line is one run most vociferously by the mainstream media and
doesn’t really reflect what’s actually happening on the ground and is
certainly one we have endeavoured to distance ourselves from if
“This colonic for the local film industry is
long overdue and should we hope provide
much food for thought and fuel for debate in
the whole film community. “
not counter”. That might explain why MUFF has had no coverage in
IF magazine, except for our paid and contra ads. Now I really like IF
Magazine and didn’t get this at all...Just keep silent about the
industries problems, no debate, no intelligent discussion outside of
mainstream papers? Crisis talk doesn’t reflect what’s happening on
the ground? We at MUFF beg to differ, our festival couldn’t be more
on the ground, under it actually, and we see plenty of cause for
concern, debate and action. We wrote back to Mr. Michod asking
some questions we will put online later and got this, “While I
wouldn’t be game to say that the industry is as healthy as it might
be, you would have to agree that the ‘crisis’ discourse has become
such a regular feature of the mainstream media’s entertainment
sections as to be somehow forewarning of a state of emergency. It’s
not that I don’t think the industry has mountains to climb - it always
does - it’s just that ‘crisis’ talk in the media is getting tired (and,
when read closely, is almost always ill informed). Our distance
therefore is not about absolute disagreement - it’s simply about
perspective.” David Michod sounds confused here… there is no
crisis but he wouldn’t be game to say the industry is as healthy as it
might be? So there is something wrong then. The Mainstream
media is forewarning a State of Emergency? We agree with the
media and actually declare a State of Emergency in the MUFF
manifesto. The industry has mountains to climb, as it always does?
Did it have mountains to climb in the 70’s? No, but it does now if
we are to grow the Second Australian Film Renaissance. What we
3
need is for magazines like IF to take up the debate and give it the
intelligent coverage they say is lacking in the mainstream press.
Perspective? It is certainly about perspective and how some
perspectives need to be reconsidered…Maybe it was the
Somersault Sucks T-shirt that got the IF crew a little peeved with
MUFF and I, who knows?
The “Somersault Sucks” thing at the IF awards in Sydney 2004,
while being a trivial prank, should be explained a little more. Now
at MUFF we know Somersault is not the worst Australian film by
any stretch of the imagination. Even I will say it was well shot, had
an OK score and Abbie Cornish could be interesting with a different
character, in fact she was good in the short film, “Everything Goes“
- Opening Night at St.Kilda Film Festival. Many Australian films
have been worse of late - many, many. But the point I was trying to
make is that Somersault was not that great either. It was being held
up as some great work of genius but was mediocre at best. This to
me smelt of something rotten in the state of Denmark or the old
Emperor’s clothes deal again. Well, we say No…Both Tom White
and The Man Who Read Love Stories were better films and I
thought a Somersault Sucks T-shirt might shake things up a bit. As
usual it did…
Well, most people in this community all know that never before has
so few people watched Australian films and never before has the
industry performed so poorly financially… both locally and
overseas. We have been merely the messenger of the industry’s
decline over the years at MUFF and we say to all concerned… what
is the saying of antiquity about not shooting the messenger? Well,
as mentioned, we have been shot from behind by the AFC this year
removing our only government grant. But, it will take more than that
to silence this festival, of that we can assure you. These folk know
the basic charter of MUFF they cannot critique. Well from now we
will keep our critiques and controversies industry related and
hopefully be an oasis of authenticity in a sea of bullshit.
Who cares about my opinions on various other topics of philosophy,
politics and whatever? The real issue here is - the Australian Film
Industry is in crisis and what we can ALL do to save it. The ideas in
this festival deserve to be debated and discussed at all levels of the
industry in the hope we can save this once great Industry from the
decline that is here now. Debate must be conducted, forums and
action committees must be formed. Read the Manifesto for more
MUFF ideas on this. What are yours?
We are not just messengers of doom and gloom at MUFF, we are
here to tell you this industry could be turned around with half of the
current government funding levels. Yes that’s right, we say to
Liberal Politicians in power Federally…why do you go on funding
these left wing champagne socialists who do nothing constructive
to help the industry and despise your every utterance, who openly
criticise the Liberal Party at every industry function in unashamed
party bias? Government officials why don’t you shake things up a
www.muff.com.au
MUFF 6 | JULY 2005 | “IT’S TIME FOR A CLEAN OUT!”
For all this hard work without pay from all our festival volunteers
and my own blood, sweat and tears over the years we have been
made outsiders in the industry. Those who wish to marginalise
MUFF are amongst others; cultural gate keeper Adrian Martin
whose unfair attacks on our festival every year in The Age betray
some form of grudge and some members of the established funding
bodies, film schools and festivals we sometimes constructively
criticize. All this amounts to is a general desire of those in power
(whether as critics, festival heads or in funding bodies), like those
anywhere in power, for things to stay the same in the industry,
despite mountainous contrary evidence from many sources that the
Australian Film Industry is disintegrating all around us. The Emperor
has no clothes!
DI
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bit, form a crisis committee, appoint an Ombudsmen…you have the
real POWER, you have the money! We suggest in our Manifesto
and elsewhere, if simply the right people with creativity and
passion for filmmaking had a hand in these committees of exclusion
(like the one who rejected our MUFF proposal for funding in
2004/2005), and make them committees of inclusion… the industry
could be transformed quick, snap. It only takes a few filmmakers
with exciting new projects to break out and become bastions of the
industry... to turn this famine into a feast.
We may be Outsiders, but what the dull ineffective establishment
Industry and those giving us our Outsider status don’t realize is…
really we Outsiders are the new Insiders. We are the cutting edge
exponents of cinematic innovation, who create new shorts and
features from the very passion of our souls with generally little or
no government funding. From this grass roots revolution, a new
industry is forming and building that will one day be the mainstream
Australian Film Industry. And while people in power knock us now,
they are… as we say… in a temporal sense, History. Those
“From this grass roots revolution, a new
industry is forming and building that will one
day be the mainstream Australian Film Industry. “
filmmakers who we help to exhibit, who are the industry of
tomorrow, will know and remember MUFF fondly for its support and
welcome us into the mainstream industry of the future.
This year’s festival with our program and Manifesto is our
contribution to making active and constructive change occur in the
industry and for once we would like to see it acknowledged and
perhaps shown the respect its thankless task and over arching goal
deserves in the here and now… as well as in future times.
Speaking of Outsiders, my decision to make Frank Howson
President of the Jury may raise some eyebrows but it was a simple
decision to make. Frank Howson and Peter Boyle’s Boulevard films
ran into financial trouble about ten years ago. I have heard different
stories from different people about this. Frank has assured me of
his own at the time naive but overall good intentions in the whole
collapse of Boulevard films. Howson has said that “...even though I
was not involved in the financial side of Boulevard I have paid more
than enough for those who were.” But frankly the details don’t
interest me. I’ll tell you why I choose Frank Howson as El
Presidente. I am simply returning a favour, the favour of belief in
someone. In1991 Frank Howson took an unheard of chance on a 22
year old director to make a slasher film he wrote called “The
Intruder” (the rough cut screens this year in our Oz retro). We met
strangely enough at the MIFF Opening Night 1991(!) and he called
www.muff.com.au
me into his office the following week. We spoke for an hour and he
seemed to like me. Then out of nowhere he said “You’re hired” and
gave me my first paying job as director. I was 22 and about to direct
and helm a 35mm feature with full crew and professional cast. That
experience was worth more than ten years of film school and was
an amazing experience. Now with Frank returning to Oz from OS
recently it was a pleasure to offer him the top Jury seat this year.
He believed in a young naïve 22 year old and I now believe in him.
Say what you want about Boulevard films implosion but Frank was
an ambitious visionary of the industry who nearly pulled off a local
Miramax or Alliance Pictures. He may have some controversy in his
past, but if there is ever a festival not to worry about controversy it
is MUFF. Frank Howson helped launch the careers of many in the
Australian film industry, myself included, and most especially that
of Guy Pearce (though…who I think considering his meteoric rise
owes Frank Howson an appearance in a new film or some
assistance at the very least). There is an old concept out of fashion
these days called Honour and helping out a wounded digger in the
trenches of the culture wars is all part of this concept. MUFF is a
festival of Redemption with a capital R and we happily welcome
Mr. Howson back to Australia as our Jury Head and wish him all the
best for the future.
Enjoy MUFF 6 in 2005 and remember the film industry belongs to
you the passionate filmmakers of tomorrow and don’t let anyone
else ever tell you different. You may be outsiders now, but in the
coming years you will be the Australian Film Industry and then we
can laugh about these dark and dull local times of cinematic
oblivion and how we all struggled and helped to change them.
Best Regards
Richard Wolstencroft
PS. Festival highlights in this year’s program from my own point of
view are: Jim VanBebber (sorry we mucked spelling of his name on
poster folks, doh!) retro with the bad man himself in person, Femme
Dentata our chick flick focus, Mini-MUFF, Ivan’s XTC, Tarnation
preview, Free Cinema especially Lindsay Anderson’s If…, Famous
Directors early shorts, our go-nude nudist movie event in SEXY
MUFF, our MUFF Symposium: prelude free forums, Ed Wood retro,
three brilliant new features Wait Means Never, Spring Rhapsody
and Welcome to Greensborough in MUFF Neu, The Money Shot on
Closing Night and more I have forgotten on deadline.
P.P.S Please could someone, anyone else, at The Age besides Adrian
Martin please review MUFF in 2005. Phillipa Hawker, Jim Schembri
where are you when we need you? Pretty please anyone but Adrian.
We don’t want to silence him, he can publish his opinions online at
Senses of Cinema or his own site or we will happily publish them
online at MUFF. But Adrian’s cultural gate keeping ways in The Age
must be brought to an end (a view many industry professionals both
mainstream, underground and in the distribution and exhibition
business share!).We will send a letter to the Editor of Metro in The
Age requesting a little diversity in reviewer of our festival is long overdue.
P.P.P.S On the topic of MUFF having all its funding taken away by the
AFC and other bodies see our online press releases and be sure to
vote on our special “Sabina Wynn Holiday Committee” open to all
who have access to the Internet to decide which exotic location she
acquits her leisure time…see it online at: www.muff.com.au.
FE
CONTACT
Melbourne Underground
Film Festival
PO Box 822, South Yarra VIC
3141 AUSTRALIA
e: info@muff.com.au
www.muff.com.au
Opening Night $25
Closing Night $15
Single Session
$12/$10 concession
Festival Pass* (6 sessions)
$45/$40 concession
BOX OFFICE
Advance tickets will be
available from the Kino
Dendy Cinemas and multiple
session purchases available
12-5pm daily, all other venues,
tickets available at the door.
VENUES
KINO DENDY CINEMAS
45 Collins St, Melbourne,
P: +61 3 9650 2100
www.kinodendy.com.au
*FESTIVAL PASS VALID AT KINO DENDY
CINEMAS ONLY.
Do you want to drive to MUFF?
Kino Dendy Cinemas have two
hours free parking for Kino
customers plus 2$ per hour
afterwards at Collins Place
Carpark, Flinders Lane. Present
Parking Ticket at Box Office.
LOOP
23 Meyers Place, Melbourne
P: + 61 3 9654 0500
POP SHOP GALLERY
18-20 Corrs Lane, Melbourne
P: +613 9659 4431
GLITCH
318 St. Georges Rd.
North Fitzroy 3068
P: +61 9489 9799
5
AFTER PARTY VENUES
Opening / Closing Nights
FESTIVAL CLUB
DALE AND DANNY’S BLUE
8 Whiteman St, Southbank
Crown Casino
P: +61 3 9292 7007
ED WOOD PARTY
FRIDAY JULY 8
GLITCH
BOND BAR
24 Bond Street, Melbourne
P: +61 3 9629 9844
MUFF CONDITIONS
No reserved seating. Due to censorship requirements, entry to films is restricted to persons 18 years and over. (sorry, kiddskies) Concessions apply to
full-time students, unemployed, pensioners. Proof of concession eligibility must be supplied. All ticket prices include GST. KINO DENDY passes and
other complimentary passes are not valid for festival screenings. Festival tickets, once acquired, are non-refundable and non-exchangeable. The festival
reluctantly reserves the right to withdraw, change and replace programs without notice. Any changes are regrettable, and the festival apologises for any
inconvenience. Note: Purchase your tickets from the venue. Enquiries only, phone bookings cannot be accepted. Please note: Details correct at time of
printing. Check website for updates.
DEDICATED TO ALL MUFF FILM MAKERS
SPECIAL THANKS TO Dale Reeves at Dale and Danny’s Blue. Also special thanks to Kristen Condon, Director of Teknikunst.
THANKS: Carlo Mazzarella, Danny Philips, Peter Pellegrino, Andy, Chich Tabacco, Gemma Hahn, Liesel Elnor, PK Entaxi!, Artie Jones for being a sport,
Jack Sargeant. Andrew Levold, Lynsey Hagen, Paul Elliott, Rebecca Sutherland, Jim VanBebber, Andrew Groves, JP Nickel, Mark Savage, Colin Savage,
Jon Hewitt, Boyd Rice, Clarles Powne at Soleilomoon, Michael Goss, Nigel Wingrove, Miss Kitten, Fredrik Carlström, Gaby Darbyshire, Alexander Kogan,
Jr., Rudolph Grey, Philip R. Frey, Morton BugsThe Hacker, Peaches, Felix, Thom, Johnny, Frank, Andrew Leavold, Jack Sargeant, The staff of the Berlin Film
Festival, Douglas P, Lisa Hutchinson, Rebekah Kay, Bill Mousoulis and his MIF site (check it out on line!), Michael Helms, John Harrison, Charles Manson
(in a strange kinda way again), Richard Metzger (Disinformation), Trevor Johnson (Palace), Karen Cochrane and the staff at the Kino Dendy Ciaemas Alex,
Adam & George (Loop), Marcus and Adrain (Glitch), Denis Ropar (Pop Shop Gallery), Dale reeves and Danny at Blue, Phil Anderson (Bond Bar), Briony,
Michael, and crew (Vice) David Butcher (Cinevision), Nick Swinton (In Your Face), Shane (Panasonic), Dustin at Madman Printing, Rob, Ronnit, Melanie
(Beat), Matt, George (Lucky) Ant Hampel (Think Creative), Sarah (IF), Nevin Smart, Stu (Platypus), Jeff Harrison, Peter Davey, Mar5k Pennell, Isadora Van
Camp, Robert Fraresso, Robert Pascoe, Thelma Wolstencroft, Pam and David Wolstencroft, Robert Galinsky, Frank & Amanda Peppard, Gawain MacLachlan,
Anna Reeves, Amigos, Readings in Carlton… all MUFF crew past + present. All filmmakers, volunteers, supporters, jury members and friends of the
festival. Dedicated to the memory of William T. Marshall. And as for the rest of you... you should be thanking us!
No Thanks to Penny, Sally and Sabina at the AFC! Come on guys get behind MUFF! What’s your problemo!
Or ambivalent feelings to Joseph Alessi and Film Victoria. We will wait and see…
www.muff.com.au
FESTIVAL DIRECTOR RICHARD WOLSTENCROFT
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR EUGENE GROBBELAAR
FESTIVAL CO-ORDINATOR NIK VUKCEVIC
PROGRAM DIRECTOR RICHARD WOLSTENCROFT
ADDITIONAL CURATORS EUGENE GROBBELAAR,
JAKE WILSON, MICHAEL HELMS, JACK SARGEANT,
& ANDREW LEOVOLD
ALL CREATIVE STUFF FOR MUFF
PARCA ADVERTISING DESIGN / NEW MEDIA
CARLO MAZZARELLA, DANNY PHILIPS,
PETER PELLEGRINO + ANDY
MUFF LOGO SPIKE HIBBERD
PROOF READERS REBECCA SUTHERLAND, EUGENE, RICHARD & NIK
FESTIVAL IMAGE BY CARLO MAZZARELLA AT PARCA
ST
I
+ CVAL
RE INF
DI O
TS
THE 1ST MUFF
MANIFESTO 2005
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This Manifesto was written by
Richard Wolstencroft
in May/June 2005 with the
advice and consultation
of many industry professionals,
who wish to remain
anonymous.
www.muff.com.au
M
AN
2. We are concerned in this Manifesto with strategies and
ideas for saving the Australian Film Industry - not to
specifically advocate, recommend, dogmatise or promote a
style, technique or method of making films - apart from
some general recommendations and suggestions on the
subjects of genre and local avant-garde cinema.
3. We will into Being the Second Australian Film
Renaissance.
4. We will into Being a more diverse, interesting, daring,
confronting and challenging Australian cinema.
5. We will into Being a more cost effective, cheaper more
responsible Australian cinema.
6. We acknowledge our fore-runners and benefactors in
Australian cinema from Ken G Hall to the filmmakers of
the first Australian Film Renaissance, Peter Weir, Bruce
Beresford, Fred Schepsi, Tim Burstall, Brian Trenchard
Smith, Gillian Armstrong, George Miller (both of them),
Philippe Mora, Richard Franklin, Phillip Adams, Bert
Deling, Phillip Noyce and John Duigan. Also we salute the
great underground and avant garde filmmakers of this
country Arthur and Corinne Cantrill, Paul Winkler, Albie
Thoms, David Perry,Michael Lee, Dirk de Bruyn, Chris
Knowles, Marcus Bergner and James Clayden. We also
acknowledge the more recent contributions to Australian
Film from Andrew Dominik, Geoffrey Wright, Baz Luhrman,
Richard Lowenstein, Jocelyn Moorhouse, Rob Sitch, Jane
Campion, Alkinos Tsilimidos and Rolf De Heer. We call on
all these filmmakers to use their profiles, talents and
cinematic passion to help younger, newer and struggling
filmmakers in the fight to save the Australian Film Industry
by donating their time and energy, where and when they
can, to projects, schools, events and festivals of their
choosing.
7. We call for drastic change in the Australian Film Industry
as a reaction to the State of Emergency, particularly the
attitudes and processes of funding bodies at Federal and
State levels, as well as changes at film schools and major
Film Festivals.
7
8. We call for an End to the Political Correctness that has
been stifling creativity in Australian film for close to
twenty years.
9. Let us again see Australian films made with passion,
unfettered by the attitudes of stale committees and
backward aesthetic standards and tastes.
10. We say lets remember the audience once again in
Australian film. Australian audiences should not be
expected to ‘support’ a local film purely for that reason.
The industry of late has been misguided believing
Australian films will be supported simply out of some
misplaced notion of cinematic patriotism. Australian
audiences must feel compelled to attend the cinema
based on the quality, excitement, buzz, contemporary
relevance and entertainment value of the film itself, and
also from a fundamental desire to see great stories told
from all corners of the globe - including their own country,
Australia.
11. Let us see an acceptance of more diversity in Australian
film by the embracing of Genre filmmaking at all levels of
development, funding, production and distribution. When
we say genre we are talking about Horror, Crime, Science
Fiction, Thriller, Action and Erotic cinema added to the
already prevalent Comedy genre (that needs to be rethought
for Australian audiences and made more contemporary ala
“Curb Your Enthusiasm”, “Little Britain”, etc).
12. We suggest a path to saving the Australian film industry
lies through a greater diversity of the type and style of
films in this country. For example the production of Genre
films that people actually want to see both locally and
internationally (along the lines of recent Aussie helmed
horror films “Wolf Creek” and “Saw”) therefore supporting
and paying for more funding in avant-garde /underground
film circles. This in turn we hope will create a Yin and Yang
effect of creative and commercial alchemy. We envisage a
Quentin Tarantino or Peter Jackson style of filmmaking,
backing and supporting through their commercial success,
a Stan Brakhage or Kenneth Anger style of filmmaking ( …
this is just a broad sketch of our meaning).
13. We suggest a temporary banning of all ‘coming-of-age’
stories from Australian filmmaking - at least temporarily
until we learn a new approach in making these kinds of
films. Also we suggest banning along similar lines ‘the
beautiful shot Australian road movie’ and ‘the quirky
www.muff.com.au
1. We declare the Australian Film Industry to be in a State of
Emergency requiring immediate and on going action and
debate, some of which we hope will be sparked by this
very Manifesto.
IFE MUF
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Australian comedy’. Replace these dull cinematic concepts
with original, cutting edge and daring explorations of the
Horror genre, the Crime/Thriller genre and the Action
genre, or many other vicissitudes of such and other genres.
14. We say NO to the status quo of committees, application
forms, funding rounds and all the bureaucratic minutiae of
the current Australian federal and state government
funding system. These need to be revolutionized,
simplified and streamlined. One should not need a degree
in filling-out-funding-applications to be successful in the
Australian Film Industry. The funding bodies need to be
more proactive in their search for new talent and in
streamlining/explaining their procedures for funding.
15. We say to funding bodies like the AFC and Film Victoria
that you need to act like producers, pursuing film projects
and filmmakers with the same passion that they possess
and helping them complete your paperwork and
bureaucracy with as little interruption to the creative
spirit, authenticity and integrity of the film project and
filmmaker as possible. We want creative, high-profile,
award-wining or simply talented filmmakers called into
your offices for meetings about their future projects and
ideas for the industry.
16. We call for an end to the ‘Professional Australian Film
Industry Funding Bureaucrat’ who has been driving this
industry into the ground for close to twenty years. If you
don’t have vision, cinematic passion and a daring taste for
film then go work for another government department
where such lack of inspiration is a bonus. The film industry
is not for you.
17. We say that a large percentage of staff who hold senior
positions at the AFC or state funding agencies need to
have written, produced or directed at least one feature
and/or four or five shorts. We are sick to death of talented
filmmakers going ‘cap-in-hand’ to a film industry
bureaucracy who understand nothing about the practical
reality of making films (and especially nothing about
cinematic passion and the distributing and marketing
thereof). If necessary, filmmakers between projects should
hold rotating senior funding positions (depending on
availability) to enforce this general rule.
18. Some professional non-filmmaker staff may be necessary
and should be selected from industry and film enthusiasts,
cinephiles and intellectuals who best understand the spirit
www.muff.com.au
of The MUFF Manifesto and other cutting edge critiques of
the current industry. Some staff within the funding agencies
are already excellent and show the right spirit. These
people should be promoted to positions of power immediately.
19. We call for the establishment of a body that will bring
about said changes. We call on State and Federal
governments to establish carefully selected Film Industry
Crisis Ombudsmen in reaction to the State of Emergency
to investigate the current industry dilemma and act upon
the findings of such an investigation.
20. We call for the establishment of a special committee of
Filmmakers (Writers, Directors, Producers), Exhibitors and
Distributors from both old and new schools to be headed
by aforementioned Film Industry Crisis Ombudsmen to
assess, evaluate and make changes inside both State and
Federal funding bodies.
21. We believe without the establishment of these
Ombudsmen (one federally and one in Victoria, NSW, SA,
QLD and WA) that the industry will continue to labour
under a crisis or a failure of mid level bureaucratic industry
management and never achieve its true potential again
which in turn will perhaps terminally deflate the industry
for years or decades to come.
22. We can make films cheaper and more efficiently in this
country by reducing the size of crews, streamlining
industry union guidelines, shooting on location and
utilising new technologies like HD DV.
23. We welcome the recent AFC industry initiative of
Indivision, but we ask the AFC and local funding bodies to
go further in this area. We call on funding bodies to
establish ultra low budget film grants of $250, 000 to
$500,000 a piece and make 10 to 20 of such projects per
state per year. The talent should be pooled from the best
local talent as exhibited at independent festivals and film
schools around Australia and also from existing talent
prepared to work at low budgets. These funding
suggestions should be financed by immediately stopping
production on any of the three above mentioned
temporarily banned Australian Film tropes (see section 13).
In addition to supporting the AFC’s development of
IndiVision, a call for local distributors and exhibitors to
open more opportunities for independent films to
penetrate the market place. Coupled with government
support in promotion and advertising, access to more
M
AN
24. In regard to low budget films we call on the funding bodies
to understand that the writer/director often acts as a
producer and to support and acknowledge this low budget
industry fact.
25. The FFC should continue supporting a diversity of larger
budget productions, especially those that have strong
overseas potential, through speaking the universal film
language of Genre.
26. The industry could look into establishing a Film Lottery
Fund like those established in the UK, as a further source
of income.
27. A possible small local production industry tax could be
placed by the Federal Government on the distribution and
exhibition of US movies and Entertainment products in this
country. The smallest 0.5% or .25% tax on foreign films
and entertainment in Australia would reap millions for the
local industry, to give it a financial kick start in all areas of
production.
28. We call an end to forced, trite and token Australian
content in movies. The fact that any film is made in
Australia with Australian cast and crew will make it
Australian enough. We do not need to force our culture on
to any one. Australia is filled with artists, inspired
business people, new agers and hippies, gangsters,
politicians, murderers, perverts, right wingers, left
wingers, Feminists, Aborigines, occultists, Queer
advocates, introverts, extroverts, dandies, charismatic
personalities, soldiers and psychopaths. Let’s see their
real stories told with as much passion and style as
possible to fascinate, entice and transfix the world.
29. Will a return to a commercial style of filmmaking lead to
the lack of support of the true underground and avant
guard filmmakers in this country as some say it did in the
70’s? We advocate it paying for a resurgence in real avantgarde/ underground filmmaking. We call for the incestuous
mixing of avant-garde underground and commercial genre
filmmaking at subversive and subplot levels. A special
action committee of the best independent underground
and avant-garde filmmakers needs to be established to
9
work out appropriate budgets, projects (at least ten
features a year and many shorts in each state) and special
needs for our most ignored cinematic artists. The success
of the ‘turn to Genre’ at the commercial end will fully fund
this new nurturing of the underground and also make it
possible for underground avant-garde filmmakers to make
the crossover to larger budget productions and ideas if
they so desire. Thereby launching our best avant-garde
filmmakers onto the world stage.
30. The points in this manifesto are not dogmatic or dictatorial
but are merely suggestions and recommendations for
further discussion. They form a rhizome of thought strands
that if debated and actualised correctly could have
profound and positive effects on the industry.
31. We call for the restructuring of the OFLC into the establishment of a new ratings board along the lines of the
American MPAA. The new body should rate films but not
censor them. Filmmakers and distributors should as they
do in the States have the option to release their films
unrated. England has relaxed its draconian censorship
laws recently, it is time for Australia to do the same.
32. We call for the Establishment of “The MUFF Academy” in
2006, a guerrilla, low budget independent film course to
be held potentially in conjunction with a major University,
College or Tertiary Institution over a two year four
semester period. Classes to be held two nights a week,
outside normal hours in the Evening and consist of
practical lessons in making low budget films, experiences
with reflections of filmmakers themselves on their art and
video works to be critiqued, deconstructed and examined
in class. It will also include tutorials on classic low budget
films and anything else the selected charter of MUFF
Academy filmmakers wish to include in the course. It will
be a course that demands Action above all else and part of
the assessment criteria over the two years will be the
production of small or miniscule budget mini feature.
Graduates will receive a MUFF Academy Diploma at the
end of a two-year course, a diploma that will be a mark of
practical excellence and innovation in the industry of the future.
33. We hope this manifesto can be openly and constructively
discussed and debated.
www.muff.com.au
venues and flexibility in ticket pricing at the box office,
independent film culture MUST be championed in this
country as it has been in the US, UK and Europe, with
great results.
IFE MUF
ST F
O
SPECIAL EVENTS
SPECIAL MUFF PREVIEW AND FUNDRAISER SCREENING THANKS TO KINO
DENDY CINEMAS, DENDY FILMS RELEASE AND KAREN COCHRANE | TARNATION
TARNATION
10
SCREENING FRI 1ST JULY | 9PM | KINO DENDY
TICKETS ON SALE THROUGH KINO DENDY
Dir Jonathan Caouette | USA | 2005 | 95 mins
This amazing new film executive produced by Gus Van Sant and
directed by the films second central character Jonathan Caouette.
Tarnation follows the biography of Caouette’s mother who now has
mental problems due to years of electro shock therapy and abuse
from her parents and the psychiatric industry. We also see the
effect this dysfunctional family has on a young and maturing
Jonathan, who is the films maker and semi narrator. Tarnation uses
home movies starting around Caouette’s 11th year ( with amazing
youthful narcissistic drag performances) charting his own descent
into 1980’s hair crisis and drug experimentation counter pointed
against his mother’s worsening mental condition. All edited MUFF
style using the Apple editing program iMovie this film has an
incredible 80’s new romantic soundtrack and features scenes from
many of Caouette’s underground movies made over the years. Plus
special scenes from Jonathan Caouette’s high school musical
version of David Lynch’s Blue Velvet....Wow or what? This film was
a real toss up for Opening Night at MUFF and we are truly proud to
be able to bring you the preview screening MUFF fund raiser one
week before the festival begins… to get you all in the mood for
brilliant indy cinema. Tarnation is a must see…its that simple.
FREE!MUFF SYMPOSIUM...PRELUDE
Welcome to the MUFF Symposium: Prelude, a series of free, yes you heard right completely FREE forums, debates and discussions as a sidebar event in
2005. We apologise this side bar was meant to be bigger and include about ten forums over 3 days, but due to Film Victoria finding no value in these
forums to consider funding it, we have had to scale back the idea and provide a mere prelude or orchestra warming its strings of what we will bring you
next year. Rest assured though what we do have is great, free, informative, challenging and fun. And for zero dollars you are guaranteed your moneys
worth. I don’t get Film Victoria’s reticence on the idea…I mean philosophy and film…who is interested in that, right? Well we at MUFF are and we
suggest everybody in the Film Industry should be. The idea for the MUFF Symposium is simply the interaction and praxis of philosophy and film. We use
the concept of the ontology of film as our clue. We have four forums for you… so check them out:
Forum One
Philosophy and Film
The thinking of George Bataille
and Martin Heidegger: For those
with long memories MUFF 1 used
the headless symbol of Batialle’s
Acephale for our first festival as
our founding festival image. We
have been deeply influenced at
MUFF by the ideas of both Bataille
and Heidegger and thought we
would get together an interesting
collection of speakers to engage
the thought of these two giants
of 20th century thought. We want
to explore what relevance these
two philosophers have for film and
filmmakers. Speakers include Tim
Themi, Dr. Robert Farrell, Ali
Rizvi, Jack Sargeant, Richard
Wolstencroft and others from the
philosophy program at La Trobe
University. There shall be some
www.muff.com.au
addresses from each speaker
followed by a general question
time and debate about our topic.
Everyone is encouraged to join in.
Bonus: some free drinks care of
MUFF will be supplied to the
early and thirsty.
with a major producer and a long
career of groundbreaking
electronic music under his belt
(including the controversial Snog
album “Third Mall from the Sun”
which is banned in Australia).
The timid should beware!
Forum Two
David Thrussell
- A Dragon Slayer speaks from
inside the Belly of the Beast.
An anarchic soul reflects on the
battle to make great film music and
great music while battling the
somewhat dopey two-headed Hydra
of the lifeless Australian Film
Industry and the moribund
Australian Music Industry.
Thrussell has scored a number of
Australian films (The Hard Word,
Thunderstruck etc), has his own
feature script in development
Forum Three
“How you market an underground
movie on a world stage”
Forum and discussion on how to
get that indy movie of yours out
there into the real world w/ Jim
VanBebber speaking forth on his
experience with The Manson Family
and Deadbeat at Dawn as the case
studies, other speakers include
Andrew Leovold, Mark Savage,
Shannon Young… all hosted by
English film critic and theorist
Jack Sargeant. Essential resource
for local indy filmmakers.
Forum Four
Simon Strong on Ed Wood.
Ed Wood has been the joke of
many film industry discussions
over the years, but as Tim Burton’s
film reveals Ed was a passionate
and zealous filmmaker whose work,
while hampered by his budgets,
reveals rather a subversive genius
than the aforementioned gag line
of ‘worst director in the world’.
Film critic and theorist Simon
Strong will tackle the subject of
Ed Wood to coincide with our retro
at Glitch Bar. Will include some
music, open discussion and
possibly even a live band?! Cost
zero bucks folks, just turn up and
be part of the fun and frivolity
discussing and celebrating Ed
Wood, a great passionate
filmmaker who would have loved
MUFF.
IVAN’S XTC
HONOUR
Dir Dale Reeves
A tale of a young mans confrontation with a mysterious hit man. It
is a riveting new short from Dale Reeves, the creator of MUFF hit
“Night clubber”
Dir Bernard Rose | 95min | 2003
Ivan’s XTC is the story of a successful agent living the LA high life
of substance abuse, celebrity parties, film premiere’s and back room
deals who lands super client in superstar actor Don West (portrayed
with slimy malevolence by Peter Weller). The agent Ivan is played
to perfection in a charismatic star making turn by Danny Huston,
son of director John Huston, who recently turned up in films Birth
and The Aviator. Ivan’s XTC marks ole Danny boy here as a new
comer to watch. Support cast is equally impressive with both Lisa
Enos and Peter Weller stealing scenes respectively. Bernard Rose
who directed the Clive Barker adaptation “Candyman” turns out one
of the best Dogme style made on video features ever in this adaptation
of the Tolstoy short story “The Death Of Ivan Ilyich”. This is the kind
of movie we love at MUFF and the kind of movie we need to make
through the AFC’s Indivision fund. Ivan’s XTC is simply one of the
best American films of the new Millennium- period. MUFF is proud
to present the Australian Premiere of Ivan’s XTC.
RINGTONE
Dir David Thrussell
David Thrussell (Snog, Black Lung and many soundtracks) has a
great new short film. Don’t touch that mobile!
WOODEN HEART
Dir Jason Turley
Jason Turley’s latest short about a man who is disgusted with
himself when he travels to Melbourne and has a wild night with a
hooker is amazing. Full of misanthropy and nihilism, not to mention
very well made on mini DV. Jason Turley should have any feature
project he wants to do funded immediately. A great talent to watch!
IVAN’S XTC >
HONOUR
RINGTONE
WOODEN HEART
11
OPENING NIGHT
THUR 7TH JULY | 7PM | KINO DENDY
LOSING NIGHT
SUN 17TH JULY | 7PM KINO DENDY
< THE MONEY SHOT
WHAT IS ROPAR?
GRIM
& THE 6TH ANNUAL MUFF AWARDS
Dir Anna Brownfield | 78min | 2002
The Money Shot is a flick about a young woman who graduates film
school and wants to get into the film industry quick, snap. She decides to try and make a porn film and convinces a business minded
Uncle to front the cash for exploits in the porn arena. The film deftly
exposes the difficulty and problems this young woman must face
to get into the industry. The Money Shot is a brilliant post-feminist
exploration of female identity and comedy of manners that we all
love here at MUFF. Great direction from Anna Brownfield, excellent
performance from Fiona Parker (yes of Beat fame! See Fiona jerk
off! See Fiona perv on porn! See Fiona have sex! It ‘s all here) and a
great supporting role from the male porn stud who is a real scenestealer. Be part of our own local Boogie Nights style production and
porn themed after party at Dale and Danny’s Blue!
WHAT IS ROPAR?
The film is an intimate portrait of local artist Denis Ropar, a shameless
self-promoter and egotist extraordinaire! We love Denis Ropar here
at MUFF he is a wild business minded artist out their in the local art
scene making waves with his kitsch Warholesque pulp pictures of
1950’s cheesecake. This doco is a special chance to see inside the
world of Ropar and find out what all the fuss is about. Ropar makes
Ego an art form, yes it is part of his performance art that is linked to the
Ropar persona, most people misunderstand this local art genius’
passion and drive. This film encapsulates the man’s work and life style.
GRIM
Dir JP Nickel
How does the Grim Reaper get a date? This thesis is explored with
great humour and panache from director and star JP Nickel. His film
‘Why we had to kill bitch’ won the encouragement award in 2004
and it must have worked because this short is really great. A sort
of lowbrow Kevin Smith tripping on death and pestilence in a light
hearted manner. Funny stuff. JP Nickel will be here from the US of
A for this screening so remember to say “Hi”.
www.muff.com.au
THE MONEY SHOT
JURY EL PRESIDENTE
STATEMENT
FRANK HOWSON
12
F
UF ! ON
M EU TITI
N PE
Presented by
M
CO
JURY MEMBERS
PRESIDENT - FRANK HOWSON
SCOTT RYAN - FILM MAKER
DIANE CHARLSON - RMIT MEDIA COURSE
JOHN LUCAS - FILM MAKER
JACK SARGEANT - FILM CRITIC
AMADEO MARQUEZ PEREZ - 15/15 FILM
FESTIVAL DIRECTOR
SHANNON YOUNG - FILM MAKER
AWARDS
TECHNICAL AWARDS
· BEST FILM
· BEST DIRECTOR
· BEST MALE ACTOR
· BEST FEMALE ACTOR
· MOST GRATUITOUS SEX
· MOST GRATUITOUS
VIOLENCE
· BEST USE OF THE
GUERRILLA AESTHETIC
· SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
· BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
· BEST SCREENPLAY
· BEST SOUND
· BEST EDITING
MORE AWARDS
· BEST SHORT
· RUNNER-UP BEST SHORT
· BEST DOCUMENTARY
SPRING RHAPSODY KINO DENDY | Thu 14th 9pm
Dir Bill Mousoulis | 84min | 2004 | Drama | Australia
A portrait of Melbourne in Spring 2004 - a mosaic of different stories:
an angel desires to be human; a young couple cope with long-distance
relating; a novelist unexpectedly falls pregnant; a woman from
London discovers Melbourne; and a disenfranchised man with a
gambling debt, becomes involved with an underworld gang.
Featuring Q/A with Bill Mousoulis and selected cast and crew.
WAIT MEANS NEVER KINO DENDY | Sat 16th 9pm
Dir Andrew Groves | 90min | 2005 | Drama | USA
This film deals with the explosive convergence of the personal and
the political, in protest at the complacency of the U.S. Today, four
activists kidnap the head of an international oil corporation. When
the government refuses to negotiate for the hostage, tensions
within the group rise as they have to decide between compassion
and evolution. One of the best entrants in this year’s Muff Neu.
Q/A with Andrew Groves joining us all the way from the U.S.
IN BLOOD POP SHOP | Sat 9th 7pm
Dir Matt Moss | 79min | 2004 | Horror | Australia
Ultra-extreme guerrilla filmmaking on a $500 budget shot in Sydney
and Brisbane, this hardcore exploitation horror film has a 70’s drive-in
style. Think Last House On The Left meets Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
With vampires! And zombies! A morbid, Gore-splattered shocker!
www.muff.com.au
When I started making movies in Australia it was at a time
when “Commercial” was a dirty word. Seemed strange to me
because I never set out to make bad films, only ones I thought
a few people may enjoy. I can’t tell you the resentment hurled
at me for having such a plan. It became a little bizarre and as
a result clouded some people’s objective view of my work.
I found that my movies received far greater respect outside
of my homeland which saddened me as I’d always been a
staunchly proud Australian. It compounded my feeling of being
an outsider. Probably not a bad thing for an artist but a weight
nonetheless.
As the years rolled by and I became disenchanted with my
business associates and their agendas my films became more
and more personal. They turned inward. A reflection of my own
frustrations and isolation. With a good dose of anger thrown in
for good measure.
I was honoured when my dear friend Richard Wolstencroft
asked me to be President of the Jury for MUFF this year. This
is truly the Festival for the Outsiders. The mavericks. People
who’ve made their movies on their terms without wilting to
the cocktail set of decision makers in the industry. It’s the
people on the sidelines who kill your boldness. Once you lose
your identity and begin to make movies for your peers, your
voice is lost.
So, I salute all the brave, original outsiders who have contributed
this year to what I know will be an exciting celebration of film
and guts. I lead the applause in your honour.
ELEVATOR MOVIE KINO DENDY | Sat 9th 1pm
Dir Zeb Haradon | 95min | 2004 | Comedy | USA
Surreal and claustrophobic tale about Jim, a Socially inept pervert and
Lana, an Outgoing Born-Again Christian, who get stuck in an elevator
together one afternoon. What happens next defies the hackneyed
use in Hollywood movies of a stalled Elevator as a temporary plot
device – as the Minutes turn to hours, days, weeks and Months...
HARRY KNUCKLES AND
THE PEARL NECKLACE KINO DENDY | Sun 17th 11am
Dir Lee Demarbre | 116min | 2004 | Horror | Australia
A valuable pearl necklace has gone missing and Harry Knuckles is
on the case. Armed with a lethal arsenal of Kung Fu, Harry is ready
to knuckle up!
TIED UP POP SHOP | Sat 9th 7pm
Dir Jeremy Rubin | 88min | 2004 | Narrative | USA
One night will change the course of their lives forever. Case persuades his friends to help him steal some cash. Soon after, Case’s
real pain is revealed: Revenge! Relationships are tested and bonds
are broken. No one will be the same by Sunrise!
PRISONER QUEEN KINO DENDY | Sun 17th 5pm
Dir Timothy Spanos | 60min | 2004 | Drama | Australia
When an aging actress who appeared in women’s Prison drama
series gets leukemia, her son goes mad and believes that he is
living in the show.
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BONDI TSUNAMI KINO DENDY | Tue 12th 9pm
Dir Rachael Lucas | 91min | 2004 | Drama | Australia
Bondi Tsunami follows the psychedelic adventures of four punked-up
Japanese surfers that venture “Up the East Coast in a 1961 EK Holden.
Described as MTV meets Kalsuki meets Monkey Magic Meets the
Wizard of Oz. Rachel Lucas does a great job directing this music
video inspired feature. Featuring Q/A with Lucas and cast and crew.
THIRTY|EIGHT KINO DENDY | Sat 9th 11am
Dir Kieran Morrissey | 103min | 2005 | Experimental | Australia
A worn out administrative worker is troubled by increasingly sinister
daydreams as he resists the slide into corporate automatism.
Meanwhile, he is investigated for a psychotic episode he hasn’t had
yet by a committee of five bureaucratic automatons, and two old
friends who know better.
SEX AND SENSITIVITY KINO DENDY | Sun 17th 3pm
Dir Brett Eagleton | 84min | 2004 | Drama | Australia
Good in bed, bad in love, we see his relationships - ferocious,
masochistic, absurd – collapse under the weight of his fractured
egotism. When a woman he truly loves decides to leave, his choice
is clear: Die alone or learn how to listen!
WELCOME TO GREENSBOROUGH KINO DENDY | Sat 9th 7pm
Dir Tom McEvoy | 2003-4 | Australia | 110 mins
The rise and revenge of Youth! The Australian answer to “Kids”,
“Gummo” and “Ken Park”. The first Australian film I know of to
have been refused a classification from the OFLC (…a first film
historians?). Why? Because this film is about young people, made
by young people…that actually dared to have scenes of late teenagers
having sex. Shock Horror…that doesn’t go on does it? This is no
Larry Clark drooling over teenagers here; this is young people
reflecting their world, where in that world sixteen year old girls fuck
sixteen-year-old guys. Well not anymore, director Tom McEvoy had
to reshoot his love scenes with actors over 18. So the MUFF version
will be ok with our masters and betters at the OFLC. The film features
angst-ridden teenagers partying, getting wasted, being bored and
generally wondering who sold the youth of the world down the river.
Film ends in a gang bang cum rape scene…now that’s how they
should have finished Somersault!
THE CAPTIVES KINO DENDY | Sun 17th 5pm
Dir Mark La Rosa | 57min | 2004 | Experimental | Australia
Two individuals attempt to rescue their partners from a cult-like theatre
troupe. Self-doubt and a stubborn director stand in their way.
MEAT PIE KINO DENDY | Sun 10th 11am
Dir Garnet Mae | 90min | 2005 | Comedy | Australia
Jono Smith hopes he is settling down to a nice Romantic afternoon,
until it all goes hilariously wrong. From there on, the film takes
us into the highly sexual World of Jono, his close friends, and his
dysfunctional family.
MAX: A CAUTIONARY TALE KINO DENDY | Sat 16th 1pm
Dir Nicolas Verso | 84min | 2003 | Horror | Australia
After moving house with his family, Damien Wilson becomes
convinced there is something lurking at the end of the corridor...
STRANGE JAMES KINO DENDY | Sat 9th 3pm
Dir David Reid | 96min | 2004 | Thriller | Australia
In order to escape a violent step dad, James and his family move
from Sydney to Canberra. Things don’t go well for James in Canberra.
But then, something happens that will change his life forever...
THE ACTRESS KINO DENDY | Wed 13th 9pm
Dir Zak Hilditch | 90min | 2005 | Drama | Australia
When femme fatale Emma enters the share house of supermarket
manager Tom, office drone Kevin and uni student Clair, she begins a
game of jealousy and possession that escalates out of control!
X, Y KINO DENDY | Sat 16th 11am
Dir Vladimir Vitkin | 90min | 2004 | Narrative | USA
The lives of a young woman and her boyfriend spiral out of control
after she loses her memory and becomes convinced that she is a man!
A WICKED TALE KINO DENDY | Tue 12th 9pm
Dir Tang Merwyn Tong | 45min | 2005 | Fantasy | Singapore
A Wicked Tale is a dark psychological and erotic Singapore
reincarnation of the Little Red Riding Hood story.
13
OUT OF COMPETITION:
THE GARTH METHOD KINO DENDY | Fri 8th 9pm
Dir Gregory Pakis | 2004 | Australia | 90 min
The hit of The MUFF jury in 2004, The Garth Method makes a return
screening. This film is fantastic. It won Best Actor and Director for
Gregory Pakis in 2004 at the MUFF awards and missed out on Best
film by a pinch. The Garth Method is about an out of work actor who
tries everything to make it big on the local thespian scene. When
all else fails in a “King of Comedy” style move he abducts normal
citizens at gun point to act in his underground movie with hilarious
results. Directed with assurance by Gregory Pakis using very effective
flashback sequences that displace the narrative, this flick really
packs a humorous subversive punch that is consistently entertaining.
Pakis lead performance is reminiscent of a young De Niro…no we
are not kidding. He will be here to intro film and do a Q&A.
BROWN BUNNY KINO DENDY | Fri 8th 11pm
Dir Vincent Gallo | 2004 | USA | 90 min
The follow up to Buffalo 66 from one of the world’s coolest actor
directors is a meditative road movie that deals with the eternal
themes of love, loss and anguish. Gallo, New York’s hipster narcissist
is in fine form as he tears up the screen driving cars and bikes all
over the US. Features a scene of Chloe Sevigny giving our man
Vinnie head that is long and for real. She sucks his cock folks, no
digital effects, no trickery. The line dividing porn from art film has
officially been crossed by a new generation. A subtle but brilliantly
powerful film. A must see at MUFF 2005.
www.muff.com.au
Wait Means Never
Brown Bunny
Spring Rhapsody
Presented by
Dracenstein
Cadence
Local and International Short films selected and programmed by Eugene Grobbelaar.
SESSION 1 LOOP | Sun 10th 7pm
SESSION 2 LOOP | Mon 11th 7pm
SESSION 3 LOOP | Mon 11th 9pm
BROADCAST 23
Dir. Tom Putnam | 2005 | USA | 8 min
Officially selected by the Sundance film
festival, this comedy (disguised as a horror
film) tells the story of an anthropologist’s
misadventures in the woods.
THE ORIGIN OR HOW I LEARNED
TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE
THE J.O.I.N.T.
Dir. Jimmy James & Sara Bond | 2004
USA | 25 min
J.O.I.N.T. Is a secret agency dedicated to
protecting stoners from “justice”!
SEVEN YEARS BAD LUCK
Dir. Briony Davis | 2004 | Aus | 25min
Alcoholism and family problems plague a
young netball team.
VIEW
Dir. John Chatwin | 2005 | Aus | 6min
While Chester is trying to kill Esther, their
neighbour Lester is trying to kill a fly.
THE BOMB (SIXXX LEGS)
Dir. Eddie White | 2003 | Aus | 4min
A perverted scientist peers into a
microscope to view his own private insect
peep show.
10 WAYS TO INSTALL A BETTER DAD
Dir. Zzalgern0n | 2004 | USA | 3 min
Schizophrenic memories from the future!
ANIMATION STATION PARTS I, II & III
A series of animation films, edited into a short.
Smacked Out Kisses - DON’T MISS!
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CAT GOES SPLAT AND
THE STORY OF POLKA
Dead cats and the story of modern polka.
FALLING
(FROM MY HUMAN DISGUISE)
Dir. Nicholas Tripodi | 2004 | Aus | 6min
A young woman turns her back on
everything she knows in an attempt to find
her true self.
TOUCHED
Dir. Owen Elliot | 2005 | Aus | 2 min
“An upturned skull cupping Atlantic”.
OAKLAND RAIDER PARKING LOT
Dir. Jason Blalock | 2005 | USA | 23 min
As poet Dorothy Parker once wrote about
Oakland: “There’s no there there”. That’s
until the Raiders came along!
www.muff.com.au
LIFE & DEATH OF ASH BOY
Dir. Alex Bryant | 2004 | Aus | 15min
This partly animated short deals with the
life and times of a cigarette.
GRIM
Dir. JP Nickel | 2004 | USA | 16 min
From the director of the cult comedy hit
‘Why we had to kill Bitch’ (screened at
MUFF last year) comes this black comedy
that turns the “honey-there’s-something-Ineed-to-tell-you” genre on its ear!
MEN OF METAL
Dir. Adam Ciancio | 2004 | Aus | 14min
A young mechanic is thrown into battle to
fight for his country.
PREY
Dir. Trevor McBain | 2004 | Aus | 20 min
A frightening but mysterious beast terrorises a
small group of park rangers.
HERMAN THE LEGAL LABRADOR
Dir. David Blumenstein | 2004 |
Aus | 22 min
An adorable dog named Herman is also a
criminal defence lawyer!
JAKE RAMSEY & VAMPIRE ARCANUM
Dir. Daniel Inglese | 2004 | Aus | 16 min
A detective has to solve a mystery involving
supernatural forces.
FLOW
Dir. Jason Christou | 2004 | Aus | 11min
A girl in a share house mysteriously
disappears. What happened?
SMACKED OUT KISSES
Dir. David Mazzarella | 2004 | Aus | 30min
A butcher’s life is heading in the wrong
direction. Is Rose the answer to his dilemma?
DO NOT MISS THIS QUALITY SHORT
FROM A PROMISING YOUNG DIRECTOR.
FOLEY FOIBLES
Dir. Lara Del Arte | 2004 | Aus | 18 min
Fed up with a director’s behaviour, a postproduction crew decide to sabotage a film’s
pre-screening.
DRACENSTEIN
Dir. Tom Priestly | 2005 | Aus | 7 min
A mad scientist accidentally installs a
vampire brain in his monster-creation.
THE FINNISH DREAMER
Dir. Altsi Toiviainen | 2005 |
Finland | 9 min
A loner whose only friend is a sled has a
life-altering crisis.
SIX SEX SCENES IN TWO MINUTES
Dir. Iqbal Barkat | 2005 | Aus | 2min
From porno mag, to peepshow, to cybersex
to phone sex. Welcome to the modern world!
SEXY CRIMES: MAID TO ORDER
Dir. Jean-Luc Syndikas | 2005 | Aus| 5min
A young maid decides she’s had enough
of the treatment she receives from her
mistress and takes action!
M
M INI
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SESSION 4 LOOP | Tue 12th 7pm
SNAP
Dir. Kurt Breitenmoser | 2004 |
Aus | 13 min
A film goer is pushed to the edge by
inconsiderate audience members.
A BRIEF CASE OF ANONYMITY
Dir Murray Londen | 2005 | Aus | 5 min
A man wakes beneath a bridge with a
briefcase cuffed to his wrist. He must
now go on a hunt for his identity, and his
freedom.
LATE SHIFT
Dir. Ben West | 2004 | Aus | 9 min
“Have you ever had a shift in your
perception and was it too late?”
CADENCE
Dir James Aitchison | 2004 |
Aus | 16 min
A man can see time codes that foretell a
person’s fate.
UNLOCKED
Dir. Tahnee McGuire | 2004 | Aus | 9 min
A lonely mother tries everything to get
her son to leave his locked room, until
she decides to explore his secret world
for herself.
INSIDE
Dir Brian Philip Davis | 2005 |
Northern Ireland | 7 min
A man living in a manufactured world is
forced to take drastic action to return to a
more natural life.
WAITING ROOM
Dir. Sophia Sovriss | 2004 | Aus | 7 min
An innocent but impatient man crosses
the line.
DEVINE RETRIBUTION
Dir Allyn Laing | 2004 | Aus | 10 min
A bloke wakes up next to a shallow grave,
with all evidence pointing to him. Did
he do it?
1982S
Dir Despain & Vainwad | 2004 |
Aus | 7 min
Subject: History. Lecturer: A puppet (or 2).
EXIT
Dir Hil Bayer | 2004 | Aus | 10 min
Two misfits, stuck on a deserted country
road, talk about their lives.
A QUIET DRINK
Dir Darren Clark | 2005 | Aus | 4 min
Two blokes having a beer complain about
their relationship problems.
ROAD TO REALITY
Dir Shaun Franklin | 2005 | Aus | 7 min
Girl attempts becoming part of a reality TV show.
SNAP!
Dir Arlene Textaqueen & Anna Helme
2004 | Aus | 1 min
When two women play a game of Snap, the
cards start coming alive.
15
SESSION 5 LOOP | Tue 12th 9pm
FRITZ NIEDSONE IS THE NEW BLACK
Dir. Andrew Iser | 2005 | Aus | 10 min
Believe the hype! Fritz Niedsone is the
most famous celebrity ever! The “It” man
of 2005 and beyond! Metrosexuals, eat your
hearts out!
CLOWN
Dir. Karl Hirsch | 2004 | USA | 20 min
A man is terrorised by an evil clown after a
visit to a strange liquor store.
TOP SHELF
Dir. Marta Tesoro | 2004 |
Aus | 6 min
A moving account of Abigail Whine and her
last few hours at the down town toy store.
MOUNTAINFOLD
Dir. Renee Boucher & Ben Steele
2004 | Aus | 5 min
It starts with a seed in a fruit, or a voice
that is muffled but not yet mute. Ignored by
a man of paper and folds, if he can’t learn,
this story revolves.
SOME PEOPLE
Dir. Sputnik | 2004 | Aus | 3 min
We meet some people who find happiness
where most of us would not dare to go.
SMACKED!
Dir. Brendan Ray | 2005 | Aus | 7 min
Two junkies try to rob an adult store.
When you dare to dream a heartbreak is not far behind...
FINNISH DREAMER
a short film by Altsi Toiviainen
screening at Mini Muff Monday 11th 9pm
Loop 23 Meyers Place, Melbourne T: 9654 0500
*Send us your dreams at dreamsequencefilms@rushpost.com
www.muff.com.au
1982s
Snap
Clown
THREE NATIONAL MOMENTS
Dir. Doug Mason | 2005 | Aus | 4 min
Three issues related to Australian
nationalism are explored.
COLOUR BLIND
Dir. Kurt Breitenmoser | 2004 |
Aus | 30 min
Two racists hospitalise a petrol station
attendant, with unexpected consequences.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE
REVOLUTIONARY GEORGE POCKET?
Dir. Jules Nemcich | 2005 | Aus | 8 min
This film follows the invention of a very
special raincoat.
LIGHT CYCLE
Dir. Lara Yawno | 2005 | Aus | 8 min
Two kids break into a primary school and
get trapped inside. A young girl’s spirit
starts to haunt them.
BROKEN JOYSTICK
Dir. Sverre Fredriksen | 2004 | Aus | 3 min
An experimental film exploring a subjective
concept of time and control.
SESSION 6 LOOP | Wed 13th 7pm
SPOONMAN
Dir. Daniel Dimarco & Heath Davis | 2003
Aus | 22 min
Jerry’s job is spooning: Cuddling up to
women whose husbands do not have the
time or enthusiasm to do this for their wives.
THE WORD
Dir. Sue Wicks | 2005 | Aus | 5 min
The word “cunt” is spray-painted on a
garage door, causing both outrage and
fascination.
SHAMEFUL LEGACY
Dir. Travis Earle | 2005 | Aus | 7 min
A man on his deathbed finds the energy to
get up and do one last thing: Destroy his
collection of pornographic magazines.
ESMERELDA VIDEO
Dir. Yasmin Sabuncu | 2004 | Aus | 5 min
Esmerelda is a character in flux, always
evolving to disgust and entertain you.
www.muff.com.au
The Finnish Dreamer
First Fleet Back
16
I
IN FF
M U
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THE DENTIST
Dir. Signe Baumane | 2005 |
USA | 10 min
Meet an enthusiastic dentist and a
reluctant patient...
FIVE INFOMERCIALS FOR DENTISTS
Dir. Signe Baumane | 2005 | USA | 4 min
In five bizarre infomercials, dentists are
introduced to the tools of their trade.
JUST DO IT
Dir. Tim Purdie | 2005 | Aus | 7 min
When Doug’s much-loved television explodes,
he explores what is behind the screen.
CINEMA VERITE
Dir. Jarrod Factor | 2005 | Aus | 2 min
Filmed using a mobile phone, this short
plays on the concept of “truth cinema”.
CRAP: THE THIRD ATTEMPT
Dir. Bart Sammut | 2005 | Aus | 21 min
This documentary deals with the Short
Crap Film Festival. After all, one man’s crap
is another man’s treasure!
THE GIRL WHO FELL
Dir. Monica Burtscher | 2004 |
Aus | 5 min
There is a myth about a woman who
fell, and fashionable “it” boy Charlie is a
suspect...
LIVE WITHOUT DEAD TIME
Dir. Kat Barron | 2004 | Aus | 6 min
An experimental exploration of consumer
angst and cultural numbness.
STARDUST
Dir. Gregory Godhard | 2004 | Aus | 3 min
Stardust is an experimental animation that
explores the colours of the universe. All
optical effects were made in-camera.
GAI YAANG (FRIED CHICKEN)
Dir. Bjorn Turmann | 2005 |
Thailand | 5 min
Twins, split personalities, fried chicken and
a corpse! See you at the beach!
Herman the legal Labrador
SESSION 7 LOOP | Wed 13th 9pm
JET POP
Dir. Stefania Sepe & Vanessa
Robinson-Conlon | 2004 | Aus | 7 min
In the tradition of visual music, this
abstract animation serves as a visual interpretation of a music concrete rhapsody.
THE ANGRY PENGUIN
Dir. Tom Vogel | 2004 | Aus | 11 min
This horror-comedy about a childless
couple who adopt a penguin comes highly
recommended. Well, it had us in stitches!
RAFFUS PISTOFFICUS
Dir. Josh & Sam Reed | 2005 | Aus | 5 min
Hilarious, partly animated comedy about a
rat that’s cute enough to rival Stuart Little!
FIRST FLEET BACK
Dir. Lyons-Reid & Kuddell | 2005 |
Aus | 22 min
Uncle Kevin vs. the Queen in this hilarious
Australian political satire.
SUNDAY SMUGGLER
Dir. Larry Lawson | 2005 | Aus | 13 min
After a failed attempt to escape from
prison, Russell lies bloodied, bruised and
broken on his cell floor.
SWITCH
Dir. Maziar Lahoori | 2004 | Aus | 6 min
A prisoner has an opportunity to escape
when his guard has a heart attack.
WHERE THERE’S SMOKE…
Dir. Simon Walshe | 2004 | Aus | 5 min
Ken’s life is turned upside down when 2
men enter his house. Pyromaniacs or a
force of nature?
CHAISE CHARADE
Dir. Caleo & Davies | 2004 | Aus | 18 min
Through a series of brief scenes, the chair
as an object of investigation and catalyst
for the following scenes is played out.
ALAINA
Dir. Adam Stolfo | 2004 | Aus | 15 min
Alaina wishes that the world would go
away. And one day, it does...
M
M INI
UF
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SESSION 8 LOOP | Thu 14th 9pm
SCREENS WITH FEATURES
BYTE ME
Dir. Rob Budinski | 2005 | Aus | 12min
Imagine dating your computer! Need we
say more?
THE ROAD TO ATHENS
Dir. Rob Budinski | 2005 |
Aus | 7 min
Despite the history, Greece is incapable of
doing a decent job when it comes to hosting the Olympic Games. This Australian
propaganda film will show you why!
Screens with “Spring Rhapsody”
BEING TED CALAWAY
Dir. Richard Hyde | 2005 | Aus | 4 min
Don’t miss this rare look into the exciting
life of the famous Ted Calaway!
ENTERTAINING COUNTESS DRACULA
Dir. Nathan Godkin | 2004 | Aus | 30 min
In 17th century Hungary, the infamous
blood countess is convicted of bathing in
the blood of her servant girls.
BIRDHOUSE ASYLUM
Dir. Tony Condon | 2004 | Aus | 22 min
This black comedy is set in and around a
mental asylum. It deals with a series of
bloody murders that a totally incompetent
detective can’t seem to solve.
MANGO JUICE
Dir. Jeff Herbert | 2005 | Aus | 29 min
A bisexual woman struggles with her
private life.
BIG WILLY
Dir. Owen Elliot & Joe Hanlon | 2005 |
Aus | 3 min
Meet a local surf legend, inch by inch!
HOW DO YOU HAVE IT?
Dir. Morgan Evans | 2005 | Aus | 7 min
Someone special is coming over for coffee
but poor Paul can’t quite get the beans to
his percolator.
Screens with “Meat Pie”
BRITNEY POUNDS JUSTIN
Dir. Von Munt | 2005 | Aus | 6 min
A neglected housewife is offered something a little bigger than usual.
Screens with “Wait Means Never”
ROMEO AND JULIET
Dir. Ian Waldrow | 2004 | Aus | 7 min
This dark comedy asks the question:
After the passion fades, what keeps an
elderly couple together after a life long
relationship?
Screens with “Thirty|Eight”
UMBRELLA CONDITION
Dir. Tim Holland | 2005 | Aus | 7 min
A film about an English teacher’s quest for
purity, in spite of his own sweet tooth.
Screens with “The Final Stage”
TOP SPEED OF A RABBIT
Dir. Kim Miles | 2004 | Aus | 10 min
Two women pick up a bloke for a night of
sex, drugs, rock and roll, chess and blood.
Screens with “Brown Bunny”
THE CRIMOND
Dir. Andrew Carter | 2004 | Aus | 7 min
Mr Blackout runs a radical funeral home.
He insults an elderly couple while sending
SMS messages to the embalmer.
Screens with “Kangaroo”
ALBERT LOST THE GROUND
Dir. B.J. Power | 2005 | Aus | 7 min
A deadly assassin is about to be betrayed
by the only man he thought he could trust.
Screens with “The Actress”
RUBY
Dir. Josh Burns | 2004 | Aus | 8 min
Ruby awakens bloody and disoriented,
when she discovers that there is more to
her situation than meets the eye...
Screens with “Strange James”
17
BACKSTAGE
Dir. Kelly McGillivroy-Brown | 2004 |
New Zealand | 7 min
Strippers talk about their double lives.
Screens with
“Harry Knuckles and Pearl Necklace”
BLURRED PERCEPTIONS
Dir. Frank Candiloro | 2005 | Aus | 3 min
A boy with a bullet in his head experiences
severely altered vision.
Screens with “Elevator Movie”
THE GARTH METHOD
a short film by Gregory Pakis
www.thegarthmethod.com
Winner MUFF 2004 - Best Director, Best Male Actor,
Best Screenplay, Best Editing
screening at Muff Friday 8th 9pm
Kino Dendy Cinemas, 45 Collins St, Melbourne, P: 9650 2100
www.muff.com.au
Top speed of a rabbit
Umbrella Condition
Blurred Perceptions
WHAT IS ROPAR? SCREENING 7:30PM AWARDS NIGHT
17TH JULY @ KINO DENDY CINEMAS 45 COLLINS ST CITY
www.dennisropar.com
!
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TRASH VIDEO
ANDREW LEAVOLD: OWNER-MANAGER OF BRISBANE’S CULT MOVIE STORE TRASH VIDEO AND SUBJECT OF THE RECENT SBS
DOCUMENTARY ESCAPE FROM THE PLANET OF THE TAPES, UNDERGROUND FILM ARCHIVIST, WRITER AND RESEARCHER,
FILMMAKER, CABARET PERFORMER, MC, MASKED WRESTLER AND MOST RECENTLY MOVIE TRIVIA QUIZMASTER. LEAVOLD
HAS JUST COMPLETED HIS MAGNUM OPUS: A 35,000 WORD CHAPTER ON CHRISTIAN RAPTURE AND APOCALYPSE CINEMA
FOR JACK SARGEANT’S NEW ANTHOLOGY SUTURE 2, TO BE PUBLISHED EARLY 2006.
THE BEAST OF TRASH VIDEO
Compiled by Andrew Leavold | 120 mins | 2005
A two-hour compilation of the wildest, the weirdest, and the most
requested stuff from over five years of Trash Video’s notorious weekly Film
Club screenings, hosted by Andrew Leavold. With Filipino midget
superspies, amputee kung fu, the near-criminal fun of Kid’s Show, a
vintage McDonalds training film, net-only animation, real-life strangeness,
culture-jamming and just plain cultural terrorism! A hilarious brain-inneutral party tape for MUFF’s final night festivities.
LOOP | Sun 17th 5pm
THAT’S GODSPLOITATION TOO!
Narrated live by Andrew Leavold | 90 mins | 2005 | Compilation
An in-name-only sequel to “That’s Godsploitation” from MUFF 2003,
Trash Video’s new 90 minute compilation delves even further into the
outer fringes of Christian paranoia and propaganda cinema. We shine the
torch on Thalidomides for Jesus, Johnny Cash on the long-haired Jesus
Freak trail in Israel, the burnt Elephant Man gospel stylings of Merrill
Womach, an 80s MTV clip from scary cult The Children Of God, the rapping
pirate puppets of Captain Hook (featuring a real-life double amputee
“hooking children for Christ”), and the most unnerving evangelists you
will ever meet: a farting Robert Tilton, petulant public access TV host and
suspected pedophile Jonathan Bell (known affectionately as “Screaming
Boy”), and former child preacher and later LSD-addled exploitation
star Marjoe Gortner who blows the lid on the whole Baptist tent-show
caper! Plus tips on avoiding the slippery slope to Hell, and we revisit the
Christian gore-fest shock tactics of Estus W. Pirkle and the Ormond Family
Organization. Sweet dreams, sinners!
KINO DENDY | Fri 15th 7pm
LESBO-A-GO-GO
LESBO-A-GO-GO
Dir Andrew Leavold | Brisbane | 2003 | B&W/Colour | 52 mins
Trash Videos no-budget film tribute to Sixties adult filmmaker Doris
Wishman, Lesbo-A-Go-Go is the tawdry story of a young innocent girl’s
unwitting descent into drug addiction, delirium, depravity and damnation.
After being raped on the grave of her murdered wrestler boyfriend,
beautiful but naive Sugar (Cari Withercy) is taken in by the predatory
Kitten (Eileen Surepuss) and soon descends into a sin-soaked underworld
of lesbianism, madness and psychedelic violence. Filmed in Bris-Vegas
in seedy b&w (except for a saturated colour hallucination sequence) over
six months for $700, LESBO A-G-O-GO is a delirious homage to vintage
exploitation cinema (or “porn without porn”), featuring a gloriously fake
60s soundtrack from over ten Australian bands including The Gammarays,
The Hekawis and The Standing 8 Counts. Special appearances from
Geoff Corbett (singer for The Tremors and Sixfthick), Brisbane bands The
Aampirellas and Gazoonga Attack, Melbourne filmmaker and MUFF director
Richard Wolstencroft as “Dr Geese”, and St Kilda’s own Fred Negro as the
“Vision From Hell”.
LOOP | Sat 16th 7pm
Features LIVE DIRECTOR’S COMMENTARY
with writer/director Andrew Leavold, DOP Jarret Gahan, 2nd Unit Director
Rohan Pugh, and stars Fred Negro and Richard Wolstencroft PLUS the
Rohan Pugh/Fred Negro collaborations Fred Sounds (2003) and Fred’s Love
(2005) introduced by the filmmakers themselves.
WHAT THE CRITICS SAID ABOUT LESBO-A-GO-GO
“Either the tackiest film ever made or the most
infantile piece of cheap trash cinema...also is
one of the funniest low-budget films to come
out of Brisbane.”
Alison Mason, Courier Mail
“More entertainment value in its minuscule
budget than a hundred Matrix Reloadeds...”
Boris Lugosi, Girls Guns And Ghouls
“Ugly, reprehensible and morally repugnant.
And I made the film.”
Andrew Leavold, writer/director
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SAT 9/7
SUN 10/7
11am
THIRTY|EIGHT
MEAT PIE
1pm
ELEVATOR MOVIE
3pm
STRANGE JAMES
FRI 8/7
AVANT MUFF:
STAR GAZERS
SESSION 01
AVANT MUFF:
STAR GAZERS
SESSION 02
FREE CINEMA:
SATURDAY NIGHT AND
SUNDAY MORNING
AVANT MUFF:
STAR GAZERS
SESSION 03
THE FINAL
STAGE*
WELCOME TO
GREENSBOROUGH*
THE VANBEBBER
FAMILY
+ SHORTS
LINDSAY
ANDERSON’S
IF…*
9pm
THE GARTH
METHOD*
VANBEBBER:
THE MANSON
FAMILY*
3XTERROR:
ROJO SANGRE*
THE INTRUDER/
MAKING OF PEARLS
B4 SWINE
11pm
VINCENT GALLO’S
BROWN BUNNY
3XTERROR:
AB NORMAL
BEAUTY
IVANS XTC *
HONOUR, WOODEN
HEART, RINGTONE
5pm
FEMME DENTATA:
THE LOVELESS
MUFF SYMPOSIUM:
DAVID THRUSSELL
7pm
FEMME DENTATA:
THE VIRGIN
MACHINE
MINI MUFF 1
9pm
P
OP
H
PS Y
O
P ER
LL
GA
CH
IT
GL
TY
AR
RP
TE
www.muff.com.au
MON 11/7
TIM BURSTALL’S
KANGAROO
5pm
7pm
O
LO
AF
THUR 7/7
MINI MUFF 2
MINI MUFF 3*
5pm
MUFF SYMPOSIUM:
SIMON STRONG
7pm
AVANT MUFF
IN BLOOD/ TIED UP SUPER 8 PROGRAM*
9pm
HENRY PARIS
DOUBLE FEATURE
5pm
MUFF SYMPOSIUM:
VANBEBBER “HOW
TO…” FORUM
7pm
ED WOOD
GLEN OR GLENDA
ED WOOD
LOOK BACK IN
ANGORA
9pm
ED WOOD
NECROMANIA*
ED WOOD
PRETTY MODELS
GLITCH BAR
ED WOOD PARTY
BOND BAR
VAN BEBBER DRINKS
DALE & DANNY’S
BLUE OPENING NIGHT
EXTRAVAGANZA
CHICKFIGHTS +
BEATDOWNS
SEXY MUFF:
NUDE PROGRAM…
SO GO NUDE
BLOODTHIRSTY
BUTCHERS/RATS
ARE COMING
DALE & DANNY’S
BLUE
SLEEPING…
VENUES
KINO DENDY CINEMAS
45 Collins St, Melbourne,
P: +61 3 9650 2100
LOOP
23 Meyers Place, Melbourne
P: + 61 3 9654 0500
TUE 12/7
WED 13/7
POP SHOP GALLERY
18-20 Corrs Lane, Melbourne
P: +613 9659 4431
GLITCH
318 St. Georges Rd.
North Fitzroy 3068
P: +61 9489 9799
THUR 14/7
AFTER PARTY VENUES
FESTIVAL CLUB
DALE AND DANNY’S BLUE
8 Whiteman St, Southbank
Crown Casino
P: +61 3 9292 7007
FRI 15/7
BOND BAR
24 Bond Street, Melbourne
P: +61 3 9629 9844
* Festival Director’s Picks
SAT 16/7
SUN 17/7
X.Y
HARRY KNUCKLES
MAX: A
CAUTIONARY TALE
JAMES CLAYDEN’S
WITH TIME TO KILL*
THE LONELINESS OF
THE LONG DISTANCE
RUNNER
SEX AND
SENSITIVITY
GESTALT SESSION
01
GESTALT SESSION
02
AYN RAND:
A SENSE OF LIFE
DARYL DELLORA’S
AGAINST THE
INNOCENT
PRISONER QUEEN/
THE CAPTIVE
3XTERROR:
BOY MEETS GIRL
THE BFI FREE
CINEMA TOURING
PROGRAM*
KUBRICK:
FEAR AND DESIRE
+EARLY SHORTS*
THAT’S
GODSPOLITATION
W/ ANDREW LEOVOLD
JOHN LAURIE’S
STROKER*
THE MONEY SHOT
PLUS MUFF
AWARDS*
BONDI TSUNAMI/
A WICKED TALE
THE ACTRESS*
VANBEBBER:
BILL MOUSOULIS’
SPRING RHAPSODY* DEADBEAT AT DAWN
+ SHORT W Q&A*
PETER WEIR’S
THE LAST WAVE*
WAIT MEANS
NEVER*
VIRGIN BEASTS
THE HIDDEN
FUHRER
LESBO AU GO GO:
SCREENING
& EVENT
MINI MUFF 4
MINI MUFF 6
MINI MUFF 5
MINI MUFF 7
DAVID CRONENBERG
SHORTS*
BUMFIGHTS 3
& BLING BLING:
BLING A LONG
TIEFLAND
POLANSKI
SHORTS*
DESPERATELY
SEEKING SEKA
DAVID LYNCH
SHORTS*
MONSTROSITY/
GRAVE ROBBERS
WISHMAN DOUBLE:
INDECENT DESIRES,
DEADLY WEAPONS
VON TRIER
SHORTS
BETTIE PAGE:
DARK ANGEL +
BORN IN A BARN*
MUFF SYMPOSIUM:
PHILOSOPHY
AND FILM
THE SEDUCTION
OF INGA
ED WOOD
CLASS REUNION
ED WOOD
DROP OUT WIFE
BLAIRBITCH/COCKSUCKER BLUES
ED WOOD
ONE MILLION
AC/DC
ED WOOD
THE SINISTER
URGE
GLITCH BAR
DRINKS
DALE & DANNY’S
BLUE
STILL SLEEPING…
MORE SLEEPING…
BEST OF TRASH
FILM CLUB
MINI MUFF 8
DALE & DANNY’S
DALE & DANNY’S
BLUE INTER. GUEST BLUE CLOSING NIGHT
DRINKS
AWARDS PARTY
www.muff.com.au
Presented by
Jim Van
Blood and Celluloid by Jack Sargeant
Jim VanBebber makes films about
blood. Not the bright red blood of
Hollywood blockbusters. In a VanBebber
movie the blood is at best the dirty
sticky brown of rotting organic matter,
more often it is dark black dried and
crusty. It is the blood that soaked into
the furnishings and left ugly human
stains. So often in movies blood is
meant to be bright crimson. It is
intended to be titillating, exciting, even
heroic. Jim VanBebber ignores the
niceties of such cinematic conventions.
In his films blood represents the
physical evidence associated with
decay, crime, torture, and death.
VanBebber’s subject matter is grim,
unpleasant and swirling darkness.
VanBebber has directed two films
rooted in true crime. Not cases told via
the agency of those august individuals
who protect and serve, not crimes that
are solved by rigourous detective work,
but cases that under VanBebber’s
direction explode the veneer of the
American suburban middle classes,
families whose children are exposed
through their actions as the dark
underbelly. In VanBebber’s dramadocumentaries the focus is on the
process of willfull exclusion that these
teens engage in via drugs, sex, violence,
and Satanism (the kind of cultishSatanism that the tabloid media
salaciously indulge in).
The first of these films – My Sweet
Satan (1993) – loosely follows the Long
Island Satan Teens who gravitated
around loser and stoner Ricky Kasso.
Near-mindless drug-fucked metal heads
who have nothing to do but get more
drug-fucked and do whatever comes to
mind, including murder.
And then there’s VanBebber’s epic, his
Charles Manson / Family movie. Fifteen
years in development, Manson (2004) is
a film that follows the drugged-up killcrazy teen-femme runaways who
gathered at a decrepit movie ranch, a
few stunted miles from the dog-shit
stained stars - the footprints of celebrity
- on Hollywood Boulevard. Amongst the
dirt and shrubs and the aged wooden
buildings, and in the streams and caves
that punctuate the hills around the
Spahn Ranch these teens spent the late
sixties planning the apocalypse. Driven
by conspiracy politics, millennialism and
English pop music to form the end time
philosophy that helped transform the
‘groovy’ sixties into the gory seventies.
VanBebber doesn’t just recreate the
sixties - including meticulously observed
mise-en-scene – but follows the media
myth of Manson through to modern
devotees. Satan teens.
23
Bebber
In Roadkill: The Last Days of John
Martin (1988) VanBebber turns his
attention to the classic couples-lost-inthe-middle-of-nowhere scenario, but
avoids the camp humour of so many
horror movies, spinning his tale into a
genuinely unpleasant bloodthirsty
celebration of cannibalism. In fifteenminutes VanBebber single-handedly
takes the grim vibe of the truly great
seventies horror movies – Texas
Chainsaw et al – and takes them on a
detour that owes more to crime scene
forensic photography than the oh-sofunny postmodern humour of Scream
and its ilk.
Finally, VanBebber’s first movie,
Deadbeat At Dawn (1987) an homage to
youthsploitation, gang movies, action movies,
and martial arts movies. Started during
his third-year at college, the film lacks
some of the stylistic invention of Manson
but makes up for it in shear velocity.
Contrary to the belief fostered by most
mainstream cinema, films do not have
to operate on one level. They don’t have
to be cast with the daughters of hotel
magnets, former (manufactured) pop
stars, or ex-models. Films don’t have to
make hip references to the detritus of
pop culture, they don’t have to inspire
sequels, they don’t have to be weighed
down in a quagmire of special effects.
VanBebber uses the low-budget
confrontational aesthetic of the eighties
underground movie as articulated via
Richard Kern and mixes it with the
sensibilities of independent horror
movies and exploitation movies.
SESSION 1 KINO DENDY | Sat 9th 9pm
THE MANSON FAMILY
CHUNKBLOWER
With intro and Q&A with director
moderated by Jack Sargeant
SESSION 2 KINO DENDY | Sun 10th 7pm
ROADKILL: THE LAST DAYS
OF JOHN MARTIN
MY SWEET SATAN
THE VANBEBBER FAMILY
DOCUMENTARY UNCUT!
Intro by VanBebber
and Jack Sargeant
SESSION 3 KINO DENDY | Fri 15th 9pm
DEADBEAT AT DAWN
With intro and Q&A with director
moderated by Jack Sargeant
Jack Sargeant 2005
VanBebber in Deadbeat at Dawn
Presented by
ED WOOD
RETROSPECTIVE
Programmers: Eugene Grobbelaar and Adrian Maiolla
MC: Adrian Maiolla
MUFF is proud to present 8 films related to Plan 9 from Outer Space writer-director Edward D. Wood
Junior, whose struggle as an independent filmmaker was documented in the Tim Burton film Ed Wood.
For more information on Ed’s work, be sure to visit http://home.netcom.com/~hunt_for_ed_wood/MAIN.
html. For exclusive Ed Wood merchandise, check out http://www.cafepress.com/hunt_for_ed. Special
thanks to talented artist Philip R. Frey, who designed the brilliant Ed Wood caricature you see here.
DOUBLE FEATURE:
GLEN OR GLENDA (A.K.A. I CHANGED MY SEX)
Dir. Ed Wood | 1953 | USA
Glen or Glenda needs no introduction. Released under
about 5 different titles, and described by critic Leonard
Maltin as the worst film ever made, this was Ed Wood’s
one from the heart. This unintentionally hilarious film, shot
on a non-existent budget, stars an aging Bela Lugosi (of
Dracula fame) as a god-like-figure telling the story of Glen
– a transvestite who transforms into Glenda by wearing a
wig and an angora sweater. Should Glen tell his wife about
Glenda, or keep her in the closet? That is the question! This
ahead-of-its-time pseudo-documentary stars Ed Wood (as
Glen) opposite his then real-life girlfriend Dolores Fuller.
Friday 8 July 7pm | Glitch Bar
NECROMANIA – A TALE OF WEIRD LOVE!
MUFF presents the Australian premiere of the newly discovered uncut version of this long-lost skin flick by Ed Wood.
Necromania’s plot concerns a young couple (Ric Lutze and
Rene Bond) who visit a necromancer in an attempt to cure
a male impotency problem. When all else fails (including
steamy sex set to surf guitar music), lovemaking in a coffin
seems to do the trick just fine. (Now who needs Viagra?)
Necromania is loaded with Wood’s usual ingredients:
unintentionally hilarious acting, wholly original dialogue,
and general erotic mayhem. Don’t miss this sexy spin on
Wood’s unique cinematic “brilliance”, and be sure to stick
around for our Ed Wood party after the screening!
Permission for the screening of Ed Wood’s NECROMANIA
given by Films Around The World, Inc., New York City, on
behalf of the copyright owners and Fleshbot Films.
Pretty Models
Class Reunion
Sinister Urge
DOUBLE FEATURE:
LOOK BACK IN ANGORA
Dir. Ted Newsom | 1994 | USA
This documentary was stylised to look like one of Ed
Wood’s classic films. Footage and dialogue from Ed’s
(strangely biographical) movies are used to tell this story of
a soldier-turned-filmmaker who, like so many others, tried
to make it in Hollywood. Wood released independentlyfunded black-and-white films in the 1940s and 1950s. After
numerous unsuccessful attempts at success in the horror,
science fiction, western and documentary genres, Ed was
eventually “reduced” to writing pornographic novels for a
living. In addition, Wood paid the bills (and fed his alcohol
addiction) by making sexploitation films in the 1960s and
1970s. Until his death in 1978, Ed wrote, directed and/or
starred in over 30 films. He also loved angora sweaters,
and befriended Bela Lugosi. Friends, family and colleagues
help to tell Wood’s sad but fascinating story in Look Back
in Angora.
Saturday 9 July 7pm | Glitch Bar
DOUBLE FEATURE:
THE CLASS REUNION
Dir. AC Stephen (Screenplay by Ed Wood) | 1972 | USA
Another AC Stephen-Ed Wood collaboration (there are
many, including the infamous Orgy of the Dead), this one is
actually a sequel to Class of ‘69. The Class Reunion has a
plot involving (yes, you guessed it) ex-classmates watching
16mm films of themselves having a massive orgy in their
high school days. Upon realising how well it worked the
last time, the “class of 1969” decides to take a stroll down
memory lane. The Class Reunion is best known for its inclusion
of footage straight out of its prequel (nothing strange in
the world of low budget filmmaking), and also its social
commentary and general political awareness. Watch for a
post-boob job Rene Bond, who can be seen in her natural
glory in Necromania.
DOUBLE FEATURE:
DROP OUT WIFE
Dir. AC Stephen (Screenplay by Ed Wood) | 1972 | USA
Low budget producer Stephen Apostolof (also known as AC
Stephen) again hired Ed Wood to write him a screenplay.
Drop out wife highlights both Wood’s use of nonsensical
dialogue, and Apostolof’s obsession with the use of (very)
bright colours. A colourful film in many ways, it tells the
then-timely story of a woman caught between the women’s
liberation movement of the 1970s, and life at home with
her husband and child. She does eventually go with the
latter option, but not until trying the swingers’ lifestyle
first! And try it she does, with a little help from a slightly
more “liberated” female friend (who is single and making
the most of it!)
PRETTY MODELS ALL IN A ROW
(A.K.A. THE LOVE FEAST)
This one has to be seen to be believed! Ed Wood produced,
wrote and directed this soft-core classic and even casted
himself in the main role. Mr Murphy (Wood) is a sleazy photographer, with a serious drinking problem, who makes it
with beautiful female models. His technique is simple: Invite
the broads over for a photo shoot, then take advantage of
them. But it’s not long until the ladies have had enough of
Mr Murphy’s perverted antics. So they decide to teach him
a lesson by dressing him in a baby doll outfit, while forcing
him to submit to their kinky demands. Eventually, Mr Murphy realises that he has a thing for “bootlicking” after all!
The rest of the film is dedicated to Mr Murphy drinking and
pulling several (rather disturbing) funny faces. Beware!
ONE MILLION AC/DC
Dir. Ed de Priest (Screenplay by Ed Wood) | 1969 | USA
A group of cave people are being harassed by a plastic
dinosaur (which was probably intended to look like a real
dinosaur or at least an impressive model of one). What are
they to do? They decide to have lots of sex. And eat a lot
of food. They keep doing this until they think of a plan to
combat the T-Rex. And eventually they do! But there is a
brilliant plot twist at the end. A giant ape decides to join
the dinosaur in bothering the innocent human beings. But
things change when a girl falls for the ape, and they decide
to get a little fresh and fruity. Ed Wood scripted this one
under his famous “Akdon Telmig” pseudonym – which is
one letter short from spelling “Vodka Gimlet” in reverse. So
prepare yourselves for a night of prehistoric madness!
THE SINISTER URGE
Universally described as one of Ed Wood’s “best”, The
Sinister Urge marks the end of his Plan 9 era. This blackand-white feature is a sequel-of-some-sort to his earlier
masterpieces including Bride of The Monster and Night of
the Ghouls. As much as the film belongs in this category,
it was also an initiation for Ed into the exploitation genre.
This ironic tale of a filmmaker who used to “…make good
motion pictures…” but now makes “smut films” to pay the
bills would become Wood’s own story in later years, when
he wrote and directed several adult films – some of them
screening at MUFF this year, of course. Some key moments of
The Sinister Urge include a light bondage scene, a cameo
appearance by Ed, and the misadventures of a maniacal
serial killer.
26
IF...
As part of our Australian Film Industry in Crisis theme, we present the touring BFI Free Cinema program plus a selection of three features from
Free Cinema exponents Carel Resiz, Tony Richardson and Lindsay Anderson. The Free Cinema revolutionaries suffered under oppressive
bureaucracy and outdated cinematic attitudes and tastes back in the late 50’s and early 60’s and responded with the amazing Free Cinema movement.
We show these films in the belief that our own “Free Cinema 2” revolution is underway in Australia. We show these films humbly as great
forerunners of cinematic revolution in two parts: one shorts, one features. Our revolution will be cinematically different but its spirit the same.
PART 1:
THE BFI’S FREE CINEMA TOURING PROGRAM:
103MINS TOTAL KINO DENDY | Wed 13th 7pm
O DREAMLAND - NEW PRINT
Dir Lindsay Anderson | 1953 | b&w | 11 mins | no dialogue
Lindsay Anderson’s vibrant and energetic portrait of the Margate
funfair on a typically wet summer’s day is about the serious business
of the English enjoying themselves on holiday. Punctuated by the
manic and mechanic laugh of a dummy policeman, the perfectly
selected montage of images exposes the shoddiness of the
attractions, the bingo halls, slot machines and the animals in the
miniature zoo. O Dreamland is every bit as much about exploitation
as it is about pleasure.
MOMMA DON’T ALLOW - NEW PRINT
Dir Karel Reisz, Tony Richardson 1956 / b&w / 22 mins
Momma Don’t Allow is an exploration of the emergence of workingclass youth culture in the mid-Fifties and focuses on young people
jiving the night away in a north London pub. The Teddy Boys may
now look rather tame, but the film’s exposure of class divisions
when a group of ‘well-dressed’ middle-class groovers arrives to
spend a night out slumming it, is genuinely shocking.
The Loneliness Long Distance Runner
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TOGETHER - NEW PRINT
Dir Lorenza Mazzetti, Denis Horne 1956 | b&w |
52 mins | no dialogue
Against the background of the bombsites, warehouses and street
markets of the late Fifties East End, Together offers a compelling
exploration of the isolated lives of two deaf men. Despite its
emotive fictional structure, the film is not a typical romanticisation
of East End working-class life, but offers a complex, open-ended
presentation that refuses to condemn or celebrate. The film is also
notable for its extraordinary cast, with great performances from
local people and the curious, but very successful casting of the
artist Michael Andrews and the internationally known sculptor
Eduardo Paolozzi.
NICE TIME - NEW PRINT
Dir/scr Claude Goretta, Alain Tanner 1957 | b&w | 17 mins
‘Impressions of Piccadilly Circus in 1957: hot dogs and nude
magazines; dumb cinema queues; posters advertising the glories
of war and the horrors of science fiction; lonely faces; searching
glances; the parade of amateur and professional ‘talent’; presiding
over all, the ironic statue of Eros... The observation is untouched by
nostalgia, and presents a devastating picture for anyone who thinks
of Piccadilly Circus in romantic terms...
www.muff.com.au
PART 2:
FREE CINEMA PORTRAITS OF REVOLUTIONARIES
MUFF is proud to present three revolutionary films spawned from
the Free Cinema movement that deal with the subject of revolution;
inwardly, outwardly and actively…
SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING
Dir Karel Reisz | 1960 | 85 mins
Albert Finney gives a truly breathtaking performance as Arthur
Seaton the working class rebel and hero who fucks married women,
pulls minor industrial pranks, gets into fights, acts ‘the lad’ about
town and generally rejects the command of his masters and betters
in early sixties England. Based on Alan Stilltoe’s novel and shot by
Freddie Francis, the films brilliant portrayal of inward revolution
makes this a very important film of the English New Wave. Reisz’
finely studied direction offers a brilliant realist portrait of the working
class in England and the life of a lad about town; who doesn’t take
any shit from anyone. On an odd local note Finney has an uncanny
resemblance to Joel Edgerton in this film…check it out to see what
me mean. KINO DENDY | Sat 9th 5pm
THE LONELINESS OF THE LONG DISTANCE RUNNER
Dir: Tony Richardson | 1962 | 100 mins
A young delinquent is sent to borstal, after robbing a bakery,
following his father’s death. There our antihero Colin rebels against
the screws but his passion for running makes him a darling of the
asshole camp Governor who wants to beat the local Private School
in their first ever match off, in the long distance run. The portrayal
of outward rebellion and defiance of the condescending power
structures of borstal counter pointed with the flashbacks on Colin’s
life before being sent to the youth clink, all work to make this a truly
compelling piece of cinema. KINO DENDY | Sat 16th 3pm
IF…
Dir: Lindsay Anderson 1968 100 mins
(A very special film for Festival director Richard Wolstencroft who
as noted in MUFF 3 saw this film at Ivanhoe Grammar School and
first formulated his own rebellion…) Here Rebellion is overt and
active as Travis and his band of merry revolutionaries decide it
best to shoot up their Private school with semi automatic weapons
on Founders Day. Like any good Private School Boy should, what?
Anderson’s film is a devastating and brilliant portrait of English
school system and life. The film is the most radical of the three
Free Cinema features presented here using surreal tactics, black
and white and colour film, magnificent use of African tribal music
and a terrifying climax to shock and confront audiences. Whether
the revolution at the end of the film is that of the right or the left
remains obscure…KINO DENDY | Mon 11th 7pm
FIL
Bloodthirsty Butchers
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Courtesy of Alexander Kogan
and www.filmsaroundtheworld.com
BLOODTHIRSTY BUTCHERS
Dir. Andy Milligan | 1970 | USA | 80 mins
An unusual alliance between SWEENY TODD, the local barber, and
MAGGIE LOVETT, who runs an innocuous appearing bake shop,
has resulted in some of the most unusual ‘meat pies’ available
anywhere in town. Starring John Miranda, Anabella Wood, Berwick
Kaler, Jane Hilary.
POP SHOP GALLERY | Mon 11th 9pm
THE RATS ARE COMING!
The Mooneys are a strange breed of Werewolves, where Monica,
the weirdest member of the family, has an affinity for rodents...
especially MAN-EATING RATS! Starring Hope Stansbury, Jackie
Skarvelis, Noel Collins, Joan Ogden.
POP SHOP GALLERY | Mon 11th 9pm
MONSTROSITY
Hollywood is a strange and eccentric place in normal times. When
a beautiful girl is murdered by a gang, her boyfriend and his friends
set out to avenge her death by creating a being from various human
and animal parts. Cast: Haal Borske, Carrie Anita, Michael Lunsford.
POP SHOP GALLERY | Wed 13th 9pm
GRAVE ROBBERS (A.K.A. DEAD MATE)
1988 | USA | 90 mins
The nightmare begins with Nora’s vision of her beating heart being
ripped from her body. When she stumbles upon her own tombstone,
she realizes that the GRAVEROBBERS have plans for her!
Cast: Elizabeth Mannino, David Gregory, Kelvin Keraga
POP SHOP GALLERY | Wed 13th 9pm
Gestalt therapy rules! We dig it and you should too. Avoid years of Freudian and Lacanian bullshit
psychoanalysis by getting into the psychodrama, confrontation and action of Gestalt therapy. We are
happy to present two rare programs featuring Gestalt therapy founder and guru Fritz Perls practicing his
art in the late 60s. These five programs act as a brilliant introduction to the ideas and results of Gestalt
therapy and also gives a lively portrait of its charismatic and eccentric founder Fritz Perls. This is a treat
not to be missed. All films consist of either real sessions conducted by Perls or lectures and interactions
given by Perls during his famous Cowichan (Canadian) period and his even more famous Esalen Institute
period. Get in and out of the garbage can and get into Gestalt this year at MUFF!
An empty chair awaits you…
GESTALT PROGRAM 1 KINO DENDY | Wed 13th 5pm
GESTALT PROGRAM 2 KINO DENDY | Thu 14th 5pm
WHAT IS GESTALT?
Plus AWARENESS | 40 min session
MEMORY VS. PRIDE
plus MADELEINE’S DREAM | 45 mins
A SESSION WITH COLLEGE STUDENTS
plus BIRTH OF A COMPOSER | 40 min session
DEMON, THE CASE OF MARY KAY
plus GRIEF and PSEUDO GRIEF | 40 mins
www.muff.com.au
FRITZ PERLS B4 SWINE
The Ghost Paintings
With Time to Kill
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Stargazers
AVANT MUFF : EXTREME NARRATIVE
Melbourne has a rich tradition of low-budget
“experimental narrative” cinema – films that
acknowledge a desire to tell stories, but at the
same time draw on other traditions of documentary
or the avant-garde. Often self-funded, such
“homemade” narratives are able to pursue their
artistic objectives untroubled by commercial
expectations, taking risks with style and duration
and switching at times from Gothic or whimsical
melodrama to minimalist observation of people
and places within a single work. This selection
includes the world premiere of Stargazers – an
Special thanks to Bill Mousoulis.
SESSIONS 1-3 KINO DENDY | Sun 10th 1pm
STARGAZERS
Dir Leo Berkeley | 1999 | Video
Following the adventures of five idealistic strangers in suburban
Melbourne, Stargazers is a five-hour drama conceived as an extensive
experiment in improvisation. Each actor created and developed their
own character, nothing was put on paper and neither the director
nor the actors knew what would happen in each scene until it was
actually shot. Stargazers was a deliberate attempt to challenge
conventional notions of length and pacing in fictional screen narratives and allow the drama and the dialogue to unfold in its own
time and with its own rhythm: a story where a talk at the pub or
an anecdote in the kitchen are explored for their inherent dramatic
richness as much as plot twists or action sequences. Screens in
three feature-length instalments; with Angela McKenna, David
Frazer, Luke Elliot, Caroline Lee and Damien Richardson. World
premiere.
STROKER
Dir John Laurie | 1988 | 16mm
Dr. Stroker, ailing renegade psychologist, teams up with Dr. Randolph
Block, surgeon and family man, to conduct experiments into pineal
implants in humans. Intended to be “cinematic” rather than literary,
the film was shot without a written script, the plot evolving from
what occurred in front of the camera. The actors spoke numbers
and the dialogue was reconstructed from body language and lip
movements after editing. With John Flaus and Ross Macleod.
epic “miniseries” shot virtually singlehanded
over several years by Leo Berkeley (Holidays on
the River Yarra) – along with rarely-screened
works from directors such as James Clayden
(Hamlet X) and Anna Kanneva (Dreams for Life).
Capping off the program is a trilogy of mediumlength narrative films on Super-8, including
Trevor Rooney’s High Noontide, also a world
premiere.
- Jake Wilson
SESSION 5 KINO DENDY | Sun 17th 1pm
WITH TIME TO KILL
Dir James Clayden | 1987 | Video
In this unconventional cop thriller from one of Melbourne’s leading
experimental filmmakers, Lieutenant Nick Yates and Sergeant Max
Clements devise a hit list and set out to rid the town of ‘human
garbage’ that has accumulated out of the corruption that surrounds
them. But the hunters become the hunted in a deadly, urban
landscape that seems to have no end. With Ian Scott and James
Clayden.
Screens with short
THE GHOST PAINTINGS
Dir James Clayden | 1986 | Super-8/video
Stargazers
www.muff.com.au
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SESSION 7 POP SHOP GALLERY | Sun 10th July 7pm
AGAINST THE INNOCENT
Dir Daryl Dellora | 1988 | 16mm
Polemical yet playful, this mixture of fiction and documentary
follows the visit of a German terrorism expert to Melbourne. While
elsewhere a hostage drama unfolds, we hear the views of a range
of experts and others, prefiguring more recent debates on the
politics of terror. With Monica Cameron (and a cameo from Don
Dunstan).
This special all-Super-8 session includes three medium-length
narratives:
VANILLA ESSENCE
Dir Anna Kannava | 1989 | 16mm
DARLING FOR A DAY
Dir Mark La Rosa | 1989 | Super-8
A group of teenagers run away to Sydney.
ORDINARY FLUX
Dir Richard Tuohy | 1991 | Super-8
An attempt at strict narrative formalism in a world of everydayness.
HIGH NOONTIDE
Dir Trevor Rooney | 2005 | Super-8
A man wanders through a series of city landscapes. World premiere.
Screens with shorts
WORK
Dir Michael Buckley | 1986 | 16mm
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www.muff.com.au
Deadly Weapons
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Indecent Desires
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Femme Dentata Part 1
This year MUFF is proud to present an exciting showcase of films that are all directed by women with bite!
Women in Film in Australia have not been as radical, iconoclastic, controversial or out there as our overseas
sisters (Well except Anna Brownfield and The Money Shot…this years Closing Night flick!). Perhaps
they are reticent to bare their fangs? To inspire women filmmakers to go all the way and give us aggressive,
authentic and auteur post-feminist flicks check out this impressive line up of femme film fatales…
THE VIRGIN MACHINE
Dir: Monika Truet | Germany/USA | 1988 | 86 mins
From Monika Truet, the cool German director of the classic SM
tinged feature “Seduction: The Cruel Woman”, comes this classic
exploration of female sexuality. The female protagonist sick of
relationships with men goes in search of Mommy in the wild
lesbian underworld of San Fran. Sex, Dildoes and mischief pursues,
as our wide-eyed heroine gets busy in more ways than one. Great
exploration of gay sexuality and a woman’s search for fulfilment
through sensual pleasure. A post feminist treat…
LOOP | Sat 9th July 7pm
TIEFLAND
Dir: Leni Riefenstahl | Germany | 1942 | 2 hours approx
Well, we all know that naughty film Triumph of the Will, that brilliant
four hour Olympia and those crazy mountaineering movies she
appeared in the 30’s, but few have seen her early 40’s opus Tiefland.
The book I saw “Women who run with the wolves” exposes a thesis
that can definitely be applied to Ms. Riefenstahl. See a fascinating
piece of feminist cinema that is one of the most controversial in
the canon. While many find Riefenstahl’s politics questionable, her
filmmaking genius is hard to deny.
POP SHOP | Thu 14th July 7pm
THE LOVELESS
Dir Kathryn Bigelow | USA | 82 mins
Ms. Bigelow’s cool debut feature starring a sexy young Willen
Dafoe doing his thang, is one of the early classics of eighties
cinema. Bigelow who went on to direct the excellent Near Dark
and okay Point Break, makes an impressive first film full of bikes,
violence and energy.
www.muff.com.au
DORIS WISHMAN DOUBLE FEATURE!
INDECENT DESIRES
Dir: Doris Wishman | USA | 1968 | 71 mins
DEADLY WEAPONS
Dir: Doris Wishman | USA | 75 mins
Crazy sexploitation femme guru Doris Wishman made these two
cool flicks in the swinging sixties. Indecent Desires plays with the
female concept of identity as Zeb falls in love with a doll. He
caresses his rubber friend which in turn stimulates a young
secretary named Ann. A whacked out supernatural sex epic you
won’t want to miss! In Deadly Weapons the fear of the nurturing
breast is exposed in this espionage homage featuring Chesty
Morgan who truly has some monstrous and huge action in the front
of her chest. See Chesty give it all she’s got in this wild grind house
classic. Be sure to check out Andrew Leovold’s Wishman tribute and
her nudist film both in MUFF 2005!
POP SHOP | Thu 14th July 9pm
AYN RAND: A SENSE OF LIFE
Dir: Michael Paxton | USA | 90 mins
Author of The Fountain head and Atlas Shrugged and also founder
of Objectivist philosophy; an intellectual theory for life that
celebrates leadership, capitalism and selfishness, Ayn Rand is an
outsider in feminist circles. This fascinating doco takes a look at her
life and work and gives a fascinating insight into this iconoclastic
and popular female figure. Ayn Rand was a Russian immigrant who
loved the idea of America from an early age. In America, and in
New York City in particular, she saw the highest culmination of
humanities achievement. In her view, only a completely free
capitalist economic system allows human beings to express their
true nature and reach their full potential. This philosophy was later
adapted by the modern libertarian movement (which Rand herself
quickly disassociated herself from for various personal and ideological
reasons). Don’t miss this fascinating portrait.
KINO DENDY | Fri 15th July 5pm
T4
AUSTRALIAN CULT CINEMA PART 4
What would a look at the Australian Film Industry
in Crisis be without a continuation of our much
loved retrospective series “Australian Cult Cinema”?
Here comes part 4 for you all to get your
Antipodean eyeballs on…
THE FINAL STAGE KINO DENDY | Fri 8th July 7pm
Dir Frank Howson | 85min | 1991 | Australia
Frank Howson’s most personal and introspective work deals with a
group of people trapped in a surreal purgatory world of seemingly
no escape, where the past sins of former lives are redeemed,
dissected and repeated ad infinitum. Howson’s film is a brave and
confronting one that uses language to its utmost effect to portray
the entropy and vicissitudes of relationships, childhood abuse and
social problems. Featuring a stunning performance by Tommy Dysart
as Stinky and featuring Abigail in the nude…yes again!…This film
should prove once and for all Frank Howson’s talent as a director,
writer and pioneer in the recent local film industry. Be part of this
exclusive public Australian Premiere featuring intro and Q&A with
the director and cast. An essential and long lost gem of Australian
cinema makes its debut at MUFF…don’t miss out.
THE INTRUDER KINO DENDY | Mon 11th July 9pm
Dir Richard Wolstencroft | 90min | 1991 | Australia
and
THE MAKING OF PEARLS BEFORE SWINE
Dir Richard Wolstencroft | 85min | 1996/2005 | Australia
With Frank Howson’s appearance back on the scene in 2005, I
thought I would pull out the ‘work in progress’ cut of my long lost
second feature The Intruder aka Deliver Us From Evil… that was
a collaboration between the two of us. Frank Howson wrote and
Produced the film and I was hired to direct it back in 1991. Turned
down by Aleksi Vellis, who graciously and kindly recommended me
for the job, thanks Alex! I was at the ripe age of twenty-two making
a 35mm feature film in a house in Elwood, over two hectic weeks
with Bloodlust DOP Gary Ravenscroft. Starring Tottie Goldsmith
(Sex:the series), Lachy Hulme (Lets Get Skase), Greg Parker
(Heaven’s Burning) and Paul Moder (SNAK, Razoreaters), the film
is about a young couple who are terrorized by a Serial Killer who
breaks into their home. The film is presented here as a rough cut,
without music, over dubbing, reshooting or title sequence or titles
and is naturally quite raw. But to those interested it is a sneak peak
at a serial killer flick Australia almost had at its cinemas. Here is
maybe your only chance to see it. Screening with the Making of
Pearls Before Swine the new doco about the making of the film that
started MUFF, shot by Mark Bloothoofd during the films production
and produced in time for the 2005 US DVD release.
31
NOTE: Those who accuse me of nepotism, ie playing my own
work… should basically shut up. James Hewison, MIFF director did
it when he Associate Produced “Letters to Ali” to no complaints…
as he damn well should have. So why do people complain when
a filmmaker plays his own work in his own festival? When a
filmmaker makes films and runs festivals this should be applauded
as the act of a man capable of wearing many hats. – Richard
Wolstencroft, Festival director
VIRGIN BEASTS KINO DENDY | Sat 16th July 11pm
Dir Toby Zoates | 1991
Sydney artist, animator and filmmaker Toby Zoates somehow
convinced the AFC to fund this insane collision of John Waters,
Ralph Bakshi and freaked-out fever dream in the late 80’s and it has
remained pretty much unseen in Melbourne. It’s like a low-budget,
drug-fucked Wizard Of Oz full of corrupt politicians, evil demons,
apocalyptic ramblings, gibbering Sharmans and assorted crazies.
Combining animation with live action with an innovative gusto that
pre-empts films like Dick Linklater’s WAKING LIFE (2002), VB is a
whacked-out addition to down-under film and cultural history that
MUFF is proud to raise from the dead. Beauty meets the Beast at
the Masque of the Red Death to get Landrights for Gay Whales :
the last wishes of a dickhead arms-dealer on his death-bed. Thanks
to Jon Hewitt.
KANGAROO KINO DENDY | Fri 8th July 5pm
Dir Tim Burstall
Great adaptation of DH Lawrence’s classic novel of post WW1
Australia, starring the inimicable Colin Friels, talented Judy Davis
and staunch Hugh Keays Byrne. The film focuses on the Colin
Friels’ characters attraction to an Australian fascist party headed
by Kangaroo (Keays-Byrne) and documents how close Australia
came to a viable fascist party back in the 1920’s (Lawrence based
his premise on fact according to biographies). Filled with typical
Lawrencian meditations on sex, love and death… imbued with a
magnificent romanticism and directed assuredly by the late, great
Tim Burstall all this makes Kangaroo a true Aussie classic. Don’t
miss this brilliant Australian film.
THE LAST WAVE KINO DENDY | Fri 15th July 11pm
Dir Peter Weir
This mysterious and esoteric movie about the end of the world in a
gigantic tidal wave would not play well now in Tsunami swept
Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand but is assuredly one of Peter
Weir’s best films. A band of Aboriginal tribes people who are actually
the traditional tribes people of Sydney, give cryptic warnings of an
apocalypse to come in a rain soaked Sydney. Richard Chamberlain
plays a lawyer drawn into the lives of a tribe of Aborigines through
a murder case and the ancient Aboriginal prophecies that he starts
having visions of. There are many discoveries to be made under the
Sydney metropolis as the prophecy of The Last Wave is revealed.
Totally ace!! Peter Weir does late 70’s weirdness with style and
acumen. One of our votes for best Aussie film ever! Don’t miss it.
www.muff.com.au
The Intruder
The Last Wave
The Intruder
AU
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STANLEY KUBRICK
FEAR AND DESIRE
PLUS DAY OF THE FIGHT, FLYING
PADRE AND SEAFARERS
Full program length Approx 2 hours
Kubrick’s rare first feature Fear and Desire
has a special screening at this years
MUFF. Shot in the early fifties in a National
Park just outside of LA, Kubrick makes a
memorable portrait of men in war. Early
Kubrick themes of the Doppelganger and
the meaningless brutality of war are here
as are some stunning photography and
set pieces like the rape of the captive girl
and the killing of the German soldiers.
Don’t miss seeing this important link in
the Kubrick legacy. This film is good, but
not so good…it leaves hope for us all!
Screening with three ultra rare Kubrick
shorts The Day of the Fight, Flying Padre
and Seafarers.
KINO DENDY | 14th July 7pm
DAVID LYNCH
EARLY SHORTS
Approx 90 mins
Well what can you say here folks. From
the earliest short of men throwing up,
a literal moving painting to the comedy
and surrealism of The Cowboy and
The Frenchman, that certainly inspired
Mathew Barney, Lynch’s shorts are like all
of his films… wonderful and strange. The
Grandmother is a tale of childhood bed
wetting and abuse that leads to the growth
of a bizarre tree in the child’s bed where he
pisses it each night… that then naturally
precedes to give birth to an old woman!
This short is a taste of things to come in
Eraserhead style and is truly amazing. The
Alphabet is also equally bizarre and unsettling as the nightmare of Lynch’s first wife
is brought to life in wait for it…
nightmarish fashion…an alchemy of weird
vision and sound. Pure genius. A recent
short work for the Lumiere anniversary is
included for good measure.
POP SHOP | Tue 12th July 9pm
LARS VON TRIER
NOCTURNE AND IMAGES OF A RELIEF
Approx Running time 90 mins
Lars Von Trier’s early film Images of a
Relief is an interesting and revealing early
work. Von Trier said on early films of directors,
“Most of the directors that are worth seeing
today made fools of themselves at the
start, and those are some of the most
interesting films to see because when one
makes a fool of oneself, that’s because
one bares or exposes oneself…the more
skilled a director becomes the better one
becomes at controlling oneself. ‘A little
bit but not too much’. But it is in these
uncontrolled and exposed films that one
finds the essential core of what that
director is all about”. In Images of a Relief
set just after WW2 in Denmark, a fleeing
German soldier is tortured for a crime
against a child he did not commit and after
he dies is raised to heaven in a holy ascension... that some have considered a fascist
statement. Fascist? Lars Von Trier, the
post-modern darling of the contemporary
film world? So could Von Trier have right
wing revolutionary tendencies? What do
you thank that apocalyptic scene at the end
of Dogville might mean, the exterminating
angel? Could Von Trier’s Dancer in the
Dark be interpreted as a film that totally
FAMOUS DIRECTORS, EARLY AND UNKNOWN FILMS
Stanley Kubrick, David Lynch, Lars Von Trier, Roman Polanski, David Cronenberg, all MUFF
filmmakers! Yes you heard right as we retrospectively induct the above filmmakers into the “MUFF
Hall of Fame” by playing their early works this year at our festival. Whether you know it or not all
the above filmmakers started as independent low budget filmmakers. We have a great selection of
their early films to look at and in the case of Polanski with the readily available collection of shorts
available on dvd as part of the Repulsion/Cull de Say box set, we are playing the early seventies
seldom seen hedonistic utopian classic “What!” The great thing about all these directors early work is
firstly that they show what tremendous careers were spawned from these independent productions.
Secondly, while all these films are great they are not that great giving us all hope for the future in
our own productions. These fledgling debut efforts from masters like Kubrick, Lynch and Von Trier
are comparable in many ways to lots of films we regularly show at MUFF from our local filmmakers.
So once again our message to the powers that be in the industry, support independent, avant-garde
and guerrilla filmmaking…look what happens when you do!
ND A V I D
exploits the emotions of the viewer in a
semi sadistic display of the powers of the
director as master manipulator, par excellence. Von Trier’s new film “Manderlay”,
his slavery film, uses racist language
like Clowning Nigger, Talking Nigger and
Proudy Nigger to describe story ‘categories’
of slaves…while we haven’t seen the film
it certainly raises some questions. Von
Trier has a portrait of eugenicist and Boy
Scout founder Baden Powell hanging up
in his office, what up with that Lars? Von
Trier was going to direct Richard Wagner’s
ring cycle at Bayreuth but had to pull out
due to scheduling difficulties. Lars VON
Trier…his real name is Lars Trier but the
Von makes him sound more Germanic and
was his nickname at film school. We could
go on but you get the picture. Von Trier is
a revolutionary filmmaker we all agree on.
What type of revolutionary he is not so
clear? He could be some form of left wing
revolutionary? This question is something
someone from Senses of Cinema could
take up, a political ontology of Lars von
Trier or some astute interviewer could quiz
Lars on in future. Anyway these shorts are
well worth watching to make up your mind.
POP SHOP | Fri 15th July 9pm
ROMAN POLANSKI
THE EARLY SHORT FILMS
Full program length 90 mins
Polanski’s early shorts are some of the
most accomplished of all these directors.
His genius apparent right there from the
start. But he was in Poland so it took a
little time for the word to get out. Two Men
and a Wardrobe is a classic surreal comedy
excursion that begins and ends with two
Men leaving and then going back to the
sea in a myth of Sisyphus style journey
of futility. We will play many other great
shorts with of course our favourite Polanski
short Le Goss et le maigre aka The Fat
and the Lean that is a pure cinematic
pleasure. Don’t miss these brilliant
examples of short cinema.
POP SHOP | Fri 15th July 7pm
DAVID CRONENBERG
STEREO AND CRIMES OF THE FUTURE
Full program length approx 2 hours
Two brilliant early mini features from the
Canadian maestro of the body perverse.
Cronenberg is at his most bizarre and
obtuse here in these films. The strange
corporations, new technologies and bodily
mutations of his later works are all here…
shot with stark brilliance on location at
post modern architecture University campuses and buildings of Cronenberg’s choice
revealing a strong sense of architectural
horror. If you haven’t caught these two
classic mini features you have missed out!
POP SHOP | Tue 12th July 7pm
Bling Bling
Bumfights 3
34
TY
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Chick Fights
The Atrocity Exhibition
Has a festival of Atrocity films ever been held? – JG Ballard, 1990.
Yes. You are looking at it JG. Welcome to The Atrocity Exhibition our maliciously mad and
mischievously misanthropic look at the world around us. Yes humanity has truly made a
damn fine mess of it all don’t you think…lets take a look and see what the current world
dystopia has for us to.....enjoy?
BUMFIGHTS 3: THE FELONY FOOTAGE
CHICK FIGHTS
Yes, the films that launched a thousand lawsuits; Bumfights… is
back. After making literally millions from the web from these sick,
schtick and slick tapes the Bumfight crew got hold of… as they say
‘good lawyers’ who then proceeded to make all the legal problems
go away. Ahhhh freedom of speech. Hence all the footage that the
man tried to ban is here on the craziest example of American moral
degeneracy to date. There is something more to Bumfights 3 though
than mere exploitation. Bush shits all over the homeless but here
their antics and mistreatment bring home a painful truth that is simply
painful and is directly confrontational in showing the decline of
western civilisation. We are not just spectators in Bumfights we are
participants. The evil of our society is not out there as some ‘other’,
it is in you and I and everybody in the Western world. This film
brings that painful fact home. Rufus the stunt bum is like a boozed
up Charlie Manson let out of jail in Vegas with a 40 ounce, hookers
and limo. Bling Bling is smoking his pipe and getting abducted by
space aliens and Donnie is a strange cat indeed as Rufus throws a
special S&M birthday party for him. See to believe.
POP SHOP | Wed 13th July 7pm
Wild all girl fighting footage from American chick fight clubs
and those smack downs caught accidentally on tape in the US.
A strangely erotic, euphoric, esctatic and exotic experience
Chickfights is girls getting ready to rumble… in the streets…in
the malls…any old wear…to kick your ass, for real homes. Not to
be missed for those who like to viddy women brawling and being
tough.
POP SHOP | Mon 11th July 7pm
+
BLING BLING: BLING A LONG
Yes the world’s most famous crack head Bling Bling is back with
a bunch of tunes and new video for you all to enjoy. This is the
funniest thing Bumfight crew have done as they collaborate rather
than exploit da Bling Bling in a series of pranks on capitalist society.
Features some hilarious songs from da Blingster that sound a lot
better than the last Eminem album… so check it out here folks.
There is something truly likeable about Bling Bling and this tape
proves it. When you hear this…click click…when we come in…
your gonna hear this…click click.
POP SHOP | Wed 13th July 7pm
www.muff.com.au
+
BEATDOWNS
Real fight clubs exist in the US and this footage was taken at some
of them. One of the wildest Ruckus films on the market full of 1
blow KO’s, bare knuckle brawling and other forms of street fighting.
All real, all night, all day…Violence Uber Alles.
POP SHOP | Mon 11th July 7pm
THE HIDDEN FUHRER
Dir Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato
Was Hitler gay? German Historian Lothar Mactan thinks so and
proceeds to drag the Fuhrer goose stepping out of the closet in this
fascinating doco by Party Monster creators Bailey and Barbato.
There was always something a little queer in more ways than
one about all that lederhosen, choreographed marching and male
machismo of da Third Reich. Here ole Adi is shown in this doco to
be a secret homosexual bonking Speer and others in secret sexual
liaisons. This film caused controversy OS in the gay community
as the subject was hotly debated. Is Hitler a gay icon? What with
Antony and the Johnson’s track “Hitler in my Heart” on his debut
CD… are we in the midst of a queer confrontation with a possibly
Gay Fuhrer. They left that part out of “Downfall” didn’t they? Hitler
would look nice in a tutu though, don’t you think?
DOUBLE FEATURE:
THE BLAIR BITCH PROJECT STARRING LINDA BLAIR
Dir. Scott LaRose | 1999 | USA |
From “Monster Productions” and the director of Comedy Hell comes
this funny short film that sets out to spoof The Blair Witch Project.
And as the title suggests, this one is sure to make your head spin
and make you vomit green pea soup! A filmmaker and her friend
(who is a hard core stoner) enter the woods to try and find the infamous
Blair witch. But all they found was chaos, disorder, and some rather
obscene supernatural phenomena! For more information, visit
www.blairbitch.com.
GLITCH | Thu 14th July 9pm
35
THE ROLLING STONES: COCKSUCKER BLUES
Dir. Robert Frank | 1972 | USA |
Fans of the world’s greatest rock and roll band will not want to miss
a rare screening of this hard-to-find, controversial documentary.
Filmed in “cinema verite” style, it concentrates on the backstage
antics of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Mick Taylor, Charlie Watts
and Bill Wyman. This inside look at the Stones’ 1972 US Tour has
been described as the greatest rock and roll documentary ever
made, and it is as provocative today as it was in the decade of
decadence.
Beatdowns
The Hidden Fuhrer
Beatdowns
TH
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www.muff.com.au
Programmed by Big Nose
and Twinkle Toes
Sexy MUFF our yearly celebration of sexuality,
the body and perversion is back and we are going nude… Check out below freaksters!
HENRY PARIS, A.K.A RADLEY METZGER DOUBLE FEATURE:
BARBARA BROADCAST
Dir. Henry Paris | 1977 | USA |
From the director of The Opening of Misty Beethoven (screened at
MUFF IV in 2003) comes a film that can easily be described as one
of the greatest adult pictures in history – and not in spite of sexy
star Annette Haven, who plays author Barbara Broadcast. It was
once said that the difference between pornography and erotica is
the lighting. If this is the case, filmmaker Henry Paris certainly got
his lighting right!
POP SHOP | Sat 9th July 9pm
Maraschino Cherry
36
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The Seduction of Inga
Diary of a Nudist
Nude Double Feature
Nudism is in and we are shedding our clothes
here at MUFF and getting funky for this naughty
nudie double feature! That’s right, you guessed
it… get in free if you watch the film nude at
MUFF in 2005!! FREE! Have we gone mad? We
will provide sufficient heating and a cloakroom
for all. Melbourne nudists attention!... come on
down and strip off at MUFF’s special Nude Day!
Partially clothed punters(i.e undies) get in
at half price. No cameras allowed but lots of
nudism encouraged at Sexy MUFF this year. Here
is our special nude double feature:
MARASCHINO CHERRY
Dir. Henry Paris | 1978 | USA |
Henry Paris is back! And as with his other 4 adult films (which
includes Naked Came the Stranger and The Private Afternoons of
Pamela Mann), Maraschino Cherry is the work of a true artist. Paris
came up with the most interesting, original and provocative sexual
situations imaginable, and his filmography is a threat to anyone
who questions the legitimacy of adult films as “art”. Paris’s unique
(and warped) sense of humour is another highlight of this great film.
DIARY OF A NUDIST
Dir Doris Wishman | 72min | 1961 | USA
A brilliant feminist nudie cutie from the 60’s that features a
journalist sent by her seedy boss to do a sleazy, scandalous and
sensational expose of a nudist camp. The ace reporter Stacey Taylor
only finds sun and fun in the nudist utopia and refuses to do a
scintillating scandal story. Helmed by the legendary Doris Wishman
(see Femme Dentata) this film is a funny, light hearted and great
introduction to the world of the nudist. Get free baby, go nude at
MUFF in 2005!
POP SHOP | Sun 10th July 9pm
THE SEDUCTION OF INGA
Dir. Joseph Sarno| 1969 | Sweden |
After the success of the erotic epic Inga in 1967, Joseph Sarno
directed this controversial follow-up. Filming in colour this time, The
Seduction of Inga follows Inga’s adventures in the big city. Sarno is
a master of sexploitation, and actress Marie Liljedahl sizzles as the
naïve but extremely popular new girl in town. The film even features
two songs composed and performed by the male members of
ABBA (!) Although this top-notch sequel was completed by 1969, it
didn’t see a US release until 1972. MUFF will be screening the rare
American edit, commonly referred to as the “Grindhouse Version”,
which features extra footage.
NAKED AS NATURE INTENDED
Dir George Harrison Marks | 59min | 1961 | UK
Another early sixties nudist opus from British cheese cake pioneer
George Harrison Marks who went on to edit the infamous CP
magazine Kane in the 80’s and 90’s. Filmed at Cornwall in Health
and Efficiency style and featuring cult model Pamela Green this
film shows as much bare flesh as was allowed back in the sixties.
Caused Michael Weldon from Psychotronic Encyclopaedia and
magazine to exclaim, “ This is the best looking nudist movie I’ve
seen”. And we agree with him.
POP SHOP | Sun 10th July 9pm
www.muff.com.au
SE
M XY
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Desperately Seeking Seka
Born In A Barn
Bettie Page; Dark Angel
BETTIE PAGE; DARK ANGEL
Dir: Nico B | 75min | 2004
Totally brilliant modern underground film about the life of cult model
Bettie Page. Film features recreations of some of her long lost Irving
Klaw loops and has a spot-on portrayal of our heroine by actress
Paige Richards. Featuring cool music from Chris Stein of Blondie
this flick is a great introduction and respectful tribute to the life,
work and eventual tragedy of Bettie Page. Do not miss this classic
sex-biopic of THE underground model of the 50’s and 60’s. If you dig
Bettie you’ll dig this!
BORN IN A BARN
Dir. Elizabeth Elson | 2005 | USA | 51 mins
An intimate and occasionally humorous look into the extraordinary
erotic lives of four seemingly ordinary people, Born in a Barn takes
us deep into the world of “ponyplay” - a fetish in which enthusiasts
role-play as human ponies and handlers. Revealing the complex
37
motives that drive each character to pursue this unusual passion
and following them as they each confront the questions that being
an erotic equine present, Born in a Barn is a film about finding an
identity in the pursuit of an unconventional desire.
DESPERATELY SEEKING SEKA
Dir. Magnus Paulsson & Christian Hallman | 52 min | 2004 | USA
The adult industry of the 1970s was one of directors, not pornographers; actors, not porn stars; 35mm film, not VHS. Seka, who
starred opposite the likes of John C. Holmes and Bill Margold in
Sweet Alice, was the blonde goddess of adult cinema’s golden age.
In this documentary, a Swedish journalist (and Seka fan) goes on a
hunt to find Seka and interview her. Look out for Ron Jeremy, Ashlyn
Gere, Nina Hartley and other “legends”.
Trouble
in Melbourne
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DEADLINE 15 July
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art@introuble.com.au
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I�m gonna ride with
Trouble
www.muff.com.au
YOUR EASY GUIDE TO CENTRAL VIC ARTS
38
IM
T
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R
O
TH ERRL HELMS
TMICHAE
Ab-Normal Beauty
ES
Rojo Sangre
Three different films from three different continents. And they’re here to smack you up. All are devoted to investigation
and provocation. All deliver vicarious thrills, rapidly and repeatedly. Just quickly, the Cyberslick and Spanish ROJO
SANGRE (Blood Red) lashes ageism and redundancy onto its agenda when Paul Naschy does a deal with the Devil.
Of course, this means it has to show Hell. AB-NORMAL BEAUTY from out of Hong Kong has it’s female protagonist
go through her own Hell when her all-consuming passion for still photography blossoms into shooting atrocity and
snuff footage. It all ends badly in a dungeon. The British BOY MEETS GIRL goes straight down to the dungeon and
leaves you strapped uncomfortably, to a chair, as it performs but is not limited to, “the gift of Divine Lodgement”,
and the most evil backyard surgery you’re likely to eyeball in a cinema this year.
ROJO SANGRE KINO DENDY | Sun 10th July 9pm
Dir Christian Molina | 2003 | 90min
ROJO SANGRE is the electric debut of one Christian Molina. From
a script by Jacinto Molina (no relation) who stars under his more
recognisable stage name Paul Naschy, ROJO SANGRE is retribution
on many levels. Naschy’s character of Pablo Thevenet is an out of
work actor seriously aggrieved with the lack of respect his lifelong
devotion to his craft has brought him. Still tenacious, if a little
ideologically unstable, he remains strong enough to turn his anger
into action. From working as a live statue re-creating infamous
murderers outside the door of the Pandora nightclub, Thevenet soon
gets his foot in the door for a word with the boss who immediately
entrusts him with far more important and lucrative assignments.
The boss, otherwise known as Satan, happens to run a global
murder business from his laptop which also provides actors for his
film company that produces, “quality snuff films”. Satan’s interest
empowers Thevenet who embarks on a killing spree of both
personal vengeance and directed hits. Throwing in everything from
critical one-liners about Aleister Crowley to warnings on thoroughly
reading every contract you sign, ROJO SANGRE is an actor’s piece
where you get many pieces of the actors. It’s also an excellent
example of CG being utilised effectively. Above all I can’t see any
senior Australian thespian writing and executing anything that even
remotely resembles this grand and hilarious revenge plan.
AB-NORMAL BEAUTY KINO DENDY | Sat 9th July 11pm
Dir Oxide Pang | 2004 | 98min
AB-NORMAL BEAUTY is another dark contemplation by the boys
from Bangkok who work out of Hong Kong, the Pang Brothers. In
between EYE projects, they’ve assembled AB-NORMAL BEAUTY
which brings together two siblings to play young lesbian lovers (!)
as one of them Jiney (Race Wong) begins to see blood seeping out
of the nude model in her art class. Next she takes her visions into
the street to set up shots of chicken slaughter in her local market
for her still camera. As the animal carcasses pile up partner Jasmine
berates Jiney for her sudden lapse in taste. This only brings on
flashbacks to childhood for Jiney revolving around a single event of
molestation and manslaughter. A stalker with a penchant for creating
their own media recordings and heavy metal piping is brought in to
truly flesh out Jiney’s strange visions. Loaded with style if not too
www.muff.com.au
much substance AB-NORMAL BEAUTY deftly continues the Pang
Brother’s pictorialisation of alienation and modern life. While the
Pangs still sit at the forefront of the New Wave of Asian horror
AB-NORMAL BEAUTY has been hanging around the back door. Time
to let it in...
BOY MEETS GIRL KINO DENDY | Tue 12th July 7pm
Dir Ray Brady | 1994 | 90min
In BOY MEETS GIRL a guy casually picks up a woman in a bar. Back
to her place and she wants to watch, “erotic things ‹ dirty movies,”
“Yeah sure”, is the excitable response. From there on in Tevin, as
we get to know him, quickly loses interest in his new play pal
especially when he awakes from an enforced blackout firmly
attached to a chair in a room without windows. The rest of the
running time is spent with Tevin’s captors revealing numerous home
truths about him along with playfully administering the aforementioned activities of torture. Later, Tevin, finds himself caught in a
cruel game where for points he must correctly guess items and
objects placed in his mouth. Slugs, his own faeces and maggots are
but some of the items. BOY MEETS GIRL is never a simple
capitulation to feminist ideals through role reversal but rather a
work of deliberate and complete provocation for the whole family.
Cheaply made but highly inventive, from the increasingly crazed
intertitles to it’s inevitably dark denouement BOY MEETS GIRL is
likely to offend every viewer at some point. BOY MEETS GIRL is an
early effort from British filmmaker Ray Brady who later worked on
an unsold pilot for a show called Little Britain and has since made
KISS KISS BANG BANG and Day Of The Sirens.
All features will be supported by shorts from the Njuta Films
compilation SWEDISH HORROR including ZOMBIE PSYCHO FILM
STHLM, CLAYBOYS ON MONSTER ISLAND & FACTS ARE SAFETY
Programming and notes by Michael Helms
Thanks: David Gregory, Simon Dower, Nigel Rennard, all @Siren
Visual Entertainment, Igor Massa, Canonigo Films, Nicolas Debot,
Njuta Films, Tony Timpone, Fangoria.
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