TERROR NULLUS: We attended the Gallery of Modern Art at 6pm Wednesday 17OCT2018 to watch a free but sold out screening of Terror Nullius. This “film” made me feel really old, I’ve always slanted a little to the progressive side of things but as I get older I found more and more my tastes, politics and views are more and more out of touch. As a fat middle aged white male I can’t help but sometimes wonder why is there so much negativity attached to those things and feel a little targeted even as I acknowledge the traditional disadvantage of those who were not those things throughout history. Even that sentence feels so little limiting though, I guess I hesitate at the politics of division but want to support new opportunities and new voices to be heard. To that end I’m happy that Terror Nullius exists, I’m happy there are people out there with this viewpoint who put films like this out there. If it is for youth and the fringe dwellers and if I’m neither one of those now then so be it.
BIFF 2018 Billboard near GOMA. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Q&A for Terror Nullius. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Gallery of Modern Art. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
BIFF 2018 Billboard near GOMA. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Outside GOMA after Terror Nullius. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
GOMA at night. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Arriving at GOMA after work. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Q&A with Soda Jerk. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
BIFF 2018 Billboard near GOMA. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Q&A for Terror Nullius. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Arriving at GOMA after work. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Q&A with Soda Jerk. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Gallery of Modern Art. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
GOMA at night. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
BIFF 2018 Billboard near GOMA. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Outside GOMA after Terror Nullius. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Terror Nullius is a cutting together of old archival footage to present a new narrative, it is intended to reinterpret conventions of storytelling, cultural norms and to provoke. It is also meant to entertain I hope. Yet I rarely laughed, I found it one note and while some moments resonated in how they cleverly spliced together things (Mel Gibson’s abusive phone rant cut together with Charlize Theron in Mad Max: Fury Road for one), for the most part it felt repetitive and unimaginative. Like a kid thinking they’re a freedom fighter because they wearing a Che t-shirt at uni rather than say fighting and dying in the jungles of Central America for a communist guerilla. As a former arts student who railed against the policies of a conservative Prime Minister it s interesting to reckon with the passing of time and the challenging of norms that come from a culture I grew up in that has evolved into something new. The makers interviewed at a Q&A afterwards seem like intelligent, thoughtful and hard working people with ideals. If you enjoy their work I am happy for you and I wish them continued success. Yet for me Terror Nullius was boring, disrespectful and for the most part a wank.
I’m excited to have had a chance to be published online at Heavy magazine again. Heavy has recently gone through some restructuring and is continuing to grow as a publication. Having been a few weeks since my last submitted to them, I was eager to do something again but was unsure of what. Inspired by the magazine editor’s suggestion of perhaps doing a review of a cult film I instead re-calibrated from cult to classic upon hearing that the movie Lethal Weapon was celebrating its 30th anniversary.
I hope you enjoy and I thank you all for your support. I myself have been not as prolific at reading or writing as I would like but work has kept me busy. We try to balance these things as best we can but I have been published once again which never stops being such a thrill for me and I look forward to reading up on you all soon.
Heavy is an independent magazine and website that is all about the music and specifically heavy music and supporting the Australian music scene in general. Fortunately for me they do cover film as well and I am very grateful to have had this review published on their website.
Thank you very much to thefilm.blog for the Nomination! Bit of fun so here goes!
The Mystery Blogger Award was created by the wonderful Okoto Enigma, who I’m sure we can all agree can describe the award better in her own words, than I ever could, so without further ado:
“The “Mystery Blogger Award” is an award for amazing bloggers with ingenious posts. Their blog not only captivates; it inspires and motivates. They are one of the best out there, and they deserve every recognition they get. This award is also for bloggers who find fun and inspiration in blogging; and they do it with so much love and passion”.
THE RULES
Put the award logo/image on your blog
List the rules.
Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
Mention the creator of the award and provide a link as well
Tell your readers 3 things about yourself
You have to nominate 10 – 20 people
Notify your nominees by commenting on their blog
Ask your nominees any 5 questions of your choice; with one weird or funny question
Share a link to your best post(s)
THREE THINGS ABOUT ME
I was a hospital wardsman for 3 years as a casual on call. Essentially I cleaned a lot like a janitor but I also did a lot of patient handling and pushing around trolleys and so forth. I saw it as work that would be interesting and hopefully helpful to others.
I graduated in 2004 with Bachelor of Creative Industries (Creative Writing). Like a lot of Arts students I don’t know if it has helped me with employment and certainly my punctuation and grammar suggests it didn’t upskill me but it’s what I wanted to do and I put my mind to it and I’m very proud I have my degree.
I worked as a production runner (gopher) on a B-grade action film shot on the Gold Coast in Australia. It was called Vigilante and was the second feature that Margot Robbie did. I’m chuffed I got to work in the film industry however minor it was.
THE QUESTIONS FOR ME TO ANSWER
Is there a remake/reboot of a film that you wish you could erase from history?
This is a tough question because nothing immediately comes to mind. The truly terrible remakes I’ve avoided and haven’t gotten a chance to see the classic originals. I don’t think Planet of the Apes directed by Tim Burton was terrible but it was a waste of time really considering the original’s superiority.
If you could put any director and any actor together from any time in history for one film, who would they be?
Think of the endless possibilities? John Ford with Arnold Schwarznegger, Steven Spielberg with James Stewart, Meryl Streep with Billy Wilder, Scarlett Johansson with Alfred Hitchcock, Todd Haynes with Audrey Hepburn. That said let’s say Spielberg directing Stewart for one choice.
What was your favourite film of 1987? (Totally random one there!)
Favourite film is probably Lethal Weapon but Predator, Innerspace, Robocop, Moonstruck, Good Morning Vietnam, The Living Daylights, Planes, Trains & Automobiles spring to mind. The appeal of Lethal Weapon is the pairing of Glover with Gibson, the excitingly shot action and that classic Shane Black wit. It’s still got real heart too, it’s about a broken man being brought back into the land of the living.
Why do you write about film, or anything really?
I’m a film buff and this allows me to reach people and connect over a shared love. To maybe get better at doing this so one day I can make money out of it but that’s not really it. It’s actually really simple, I write because I want to.
Which film should win Best Picture at the Oscars this weekend?
My best film of 2016 isn’t even nominated, out of the nominees I’d probably give it to Fences but La La Land, Arrival and Moonlight are all better in different ways. It is all very subjective and I’d be happy with any of those nominees winning. I suspect when I see Hell or High Water it will be my favourite.
Back to the Drawing Board Productions 