Caught in the Middle
Short Film Examines Drugs and Teens in Australia
Film can do more than entertain. It can also relay a message. In his short film, Australian Fable, writer/director Luke McDade explores the drug culture and the "cultural contamination" that affects the youth in his country.
Written by: Luke McDade
Starring: Patrick Constantine, Katie Robertson, David Buchanan. Daniel Bernardi, Jonathan Somic, and Sonia Lucchini
Rated
Running time: 23 min.
FilmGuru's Rating : 4 out of 10.
Australian Fable is a reflection on what the filmmaker sees as the growing drug culture among the disaffected youth in his country. James (Patrick Constantine) is a drug trafficker who moves between the city and a beach-front community.
For a drug runner, his opinion of the lives of these people is unfavorable. He describes the environment as "decay and darkness" and the people as "sinister characters." Drug users come off self-important and "preaching." He makes it clear that although he sells drugs, he doesn't do them.
Then James meets a mysterious cigar smoking man (David Buchanan) who questions him about his life and entices him to stay for awhile. He gets to know the people in the community and sees them as victims of their culture.
At times, the story seems to be intentionally cryptic, such as when James meets a man who gives him a map to where he is going. The film ends abruptly, with a closing monologue that is typical of the self-reflective, angst-filled dialogue in the film: "I know where this path leads. Deceitful night, you've lied to me."
It's clear from the beginning where the story is headed. The film wears its heart on its sleeve. Like an after-school special, it telegraphs its morals and there is no surprise in the ending. Nevertheless, McDade does a good job of getting his point across.
The direction of the film is ambitious. McDade uses a combination of still and motion photography to tell the story. He also splits the screen into multiple panels. However, the effect is difficult to appreciate on a small screen.
The film runs into several problems that are typical for amateur filmmakers. Lighting on the set (both indoors and out) is exceedingly dark. Much of the film is difficult to make out. Sound quality varies from good to awful. The dialogue is often difficult to hear. The music in the film causes a number of sound problems, possibly a result of watching it on a computer instead of in a theater.
Australian Fable is available on iFilm at: http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2777924
Copyright ©2002-present by Kevin Wohler. All rights reserved.
All movie titles, images, and sounds are registered trademarks and/or copyrights of their respective holders.
Site design by Wohler Web Works.
Web hosting provided by:
