Q&A with Director Alex Frayne - a DVDTalk Forum Exclusive & Premiere Event!
04-09-08, 12:42 PM
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Q&A with Director Alex Frayne - a DVDTalk Forum Exclusive & Premiere Event!
Background:
Alex Frayne is a U.K.-born, independent film director (& editor/producer) from Australia. His debut feature film – the gothic psychodrama MODERN LOVE (2006) – is releasing today via a Region 4 DVD from Australia. Director Frayne has generously agreed to spend the next couple of weeks or so visiting with us here in this forum, while also conducting a question-and-answer session with you – the readership of DVDTALK.
All the additional background in regard to how this whole thing came about, where to buy the Accent Underground DVD of MODERN LOVE, links to IMDB/film reviews, and a clip of the film’s opening can be found in the following thread:
Background thread for MODERN LOVE
The IMDb link is here:
MODERN LOVE (2006) at IMDb.com
A clip of the film's opening scene can be found here:
Youtube clip from MODERN LOVE
One review is as follows:
NEW ZEALAND THEATRICAL REVIEW - by Graeme Tuckett, DOMINION POST, Wellington, NZ
Modern Love.
Directed by Alex Frayne.
Starring Mark Constable, Victoria Hill.
M. 95 minutes.
4 stars out of 4
Modern Love is a quietly brilliant and entirely unexpected film. Here's a set up: John, a prosperous Adelaide businessman, inherits an old fishing shack from his childhood mentor 'Old Tom'. Tom is dead -apparently- by his own hand, and it falls to John to take over the house, put Tom's affairs in order, and in doing so, revisit the past that he has kept from his own family. John packs up his wife and young son, and drives them to the haunts of his childhood. And there, things take a turn for the frankly terrifying. Modern Love opens at a quiet pace. Details are slowly sketched in, a family dynamic is convincingly teased out of some sparse dialogue and nicely underplayed lead performances. Comparisons to Kubrick's The Shining - Jack Nicholson and family driving into the mountains to winter over in an old hotel- are unavoidable and probably intentional: We know that things will go terribly wrong, but we still hope, somehow, that these likable people can avoid whatever it is that this place, and their own pasts, have prepared for them. Its an old plot, but it hasn't been done quite this well for decades. So if the pace of Modern Love's first few scenes might seem a little sedentary, and if the film pretty much demands that its audience sit up and pay attention, and even if director Alex Frayne does occasionally wear his influences -Kubrick, Tarkovsky, Roeg and Haneke at least I reckon- a little too proudly; then please: Take all of that as a recommendation to go and see this disconcerting little slice of Aussie Gothic. Modern Love is an audaciously impressive low-budget gem: beautifully shot, stunningly sound tracked, and written with a gentle malevolence that'll stay with you for days after watching it. Modern Love is the best thing playing in town this week. No contest.
Q&A with Director Alex Frayne
The guidelines for this are simple, we post the questions, and Director Frayne – at his discretion - will address them. Ask Director Frayne about his feature film, his resume of short films, independent filmmaking in general, and related topics (general discussion/commentary and interaction between forum members is encouraged). Here goes…
Warm welcome Alex, I extend to you a warm round of applause on behalf of all my fellow film buffs here at DVDTALK, and thank you for agreeing to this – the first ever DVDTALK International Forum, Director Q&A – let’s get started shall we…
QUESTION:
The Peter Lorre starring film MAD LOVE (aka THE HANDS OF ORLAC, 1935) is a classic Hollywood horror film. I have a question regarding the title of your film – MODERN LOVE. While the title MAD LOVE is generally reflective of what one might expect from that film, your film’s title MODERN LOVE leads me to anticipate viewing a romance between a couple of middle-class, twenty-somethings in cosmopolitan Australia…perhaps even a "chick flick". All well and good I suppose, I like good cinema of all kinds, but what appears a generic film title might suffer superficially when compared to titles such as NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, THERE WILL BE BLOOD, etc., which could be argued as more sexy, alluring, and attention grabbing.
In the 1940’s, there was a Hollywood film producer by the name of Val Lewton, he was responsible for the output of horror films from the studio RKO. Basically he had great artistic freedom to do as he wished, with three exceptions, the films had to be low-budget, short in runtime, and perhaps most curious – the powers that be handed down to Val Lewton – what I presume to be – market-tested (aka engineered for box office success) titles for his films. The titles could be labeled as being of the more sensational variety – I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE, THE SEVENTH VICTIM, ISLE OF THE DEAD, GHOST SHIP, THE CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE, etc.
As to modern times, films are often re-titled to be more attention grabbing in regard to mass market appeal, a recent example is The Weinstein Company re-titling of the Chinese film THE BANQUET to THE LEGEND OF THE BLACK SCORPION.
And now finally to my query, I fully expect that MODERN LOVE – from an artistic/creative viewpoint - is an appropriate title for your film. That being said, from a business/marketing standpoint, in hindsight do you feel you might have benefited from a more saleable film title…something that might pique greater interest if one is judging a film based solely on its title (aka judging a book by its cover)? Did you have any alternate title in mind? And if you had to select a more tantalizing title aka if The Weinstein Company wanted to distribute your film, what title might you select?
Note: to Alex and everyone reading, yeah I know I can be long-winded, I assure you I wasn’t attempting to enter the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest question ever, I promise to be much more brief with future questions.
Now that I'm out of the way, interested DVDTalkers please do chime in with questions of your own...have at it...
Alex Frayne is a U.K.-born, independent film director (& editor/producer) from Australia. His debut feature film – the gothic psychodrama MODERN LOVE (2006) – is releasing today via a Region 4 DVD from Australia. Director Frayne has generously agreed to spend the next couple of weeks or so visiting with us here in this forum, while also conducting a question-and-answer session with you – the readership of DVDTALK.
All the additional background in regard to how this whole thing came about, where to buy the Accent Underground DVD of MODERN LOVE, links to IMDB/film reviews, and a clip of the film’s opening can be found in the following thread:
Background thread for MODERN LOVE
The IMDb link is here:
MODERN LOVE (2006) at IMDb.com
A clip of the film's opening scene can be found here:
Youtube clip from MODERN LOVE
One review is as follows:
NEW ZEALAND THEATRICAL REVIEW - by Graeme Tuckett, DOMINION POST, Wellington, NZ
Modern Love.
Directed by Alex Frayne.
Starring Mark Constable, Victoria Hill.
M. 95 minutes.
4 stars out of 4
Modern Love is a quietly brilliant and entirely unexpected film. Here's a set up: John, a prosperous Adelaide businessman, inherits an old fishing shack from his childhood mentor 'Old Tom'. Tom is dead -apparently- by his own hand, and it falls to John to take over the house, put Tom's affairs in order, and in doing so, revisit the past that he has kept from his own family. John packs up his wife and young son, and drives them to the haunts of his childhood. And there, things take a turn for the frankly terrifying. Modern Love opens at a quiet pace. Details are slowly sketched in, a family dynamic is convincingly teased out of some sparse dialogue and nicely underplayed lead performances. Comparisons to Kubrick's The Shining - Jack Nicholson and family driving into the mountains to winter over in an old hotel- are unavoidable and probably intentional: We know that things will go terribly wrong, but we still hope, somehow, that these likable people can avoid whatever it is that this place, and their own pasts, have prepared for them. Its an old plot, but it hasn't been done quite this well for decades. So if the pace of Modern Love's first few scenes might seem a little sedentary, and if the film pretty much demands that its audience sit up and pay attention, and even if director Alex Frayne does occasionally wear his influences -Kubrick, Tarkovsky, Roeg and Haneke at least I reckon- a little too proudly; then please: Take all of that as a recommendation to go and see this disconcerting little slice of Aussie Gothic. Modern Love is an audaciously impressive low-budget gem: beautifully shot, stunningly sound tracked, and written with a gentle malevolence that'll stay with you for days after watching it. Modern Love is the best thing playing in town this week. No contest.
Q&A with Director Alex Frayne
The guidelines for this are simple, we post the questions, and Director Frayne – at his discretion - will address them. Ask Director Frayne about his feature film, his resume of short films, independent filmmaking in general, and related topics (general discussion/commentary and interaction between forum members is encouraged). Here goes…
Warm welcome Alex, I extend to you a warm round of applause on behalf of all my fellow film buffs here at DVDTALK, and thank you for agreeing to this – the first ever DVDTALK International Forum, Director Q&A – let’s get started shall we…
QUESTION:
The Peter Lorre starring film MAD LOVE (aka THE HANDS OF ORLAC, 1935) is a classic Hollywood horror film. I have a question regarding the title of your film – MODERN LOVE. While the title MAD LOVE is generally reflective of what one might expect from that film, your film’s title MODERN LOVE leads me to anticipate viewing a romance between a couple of middle-class, twenty-somethings in cosmopolitan Australia…perhaps even a "chick flick". All well and good I suppose, I like good cinema of all kinds, but what appears a generic film title might suffer superficially when compared to titles such as NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, THERE WILL BE BLOOD, etc., which could be argued as more sexy, alluring, and attention grabbing.
In the 1940’s, there was a Hollywood film producer by the name of Val Lewton, he was responsible for the output of horror films from the studio RKO. Basically he had great artistic freedom to do as he wished, with three exceptions, the films had to be low-budget, short in runtime, and perhaps most curious – the powers that be handed down to Val Lewton – what I presume to be – market-tested (aka engineered for box office success) titles for his films. The titles could be labeled as being of the more sensational variety – I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE, THE SEVENTH VICTIM, ISLE OF THE DEAD, GHOST SHIP, THE CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE, etc.
As to modern times, films are often re-titled to be more attention grabbing in regard to mass market appeal, a recent example is The Weinstein Company re-titling of the Chinese film THE BANQUET to THE LEGEND OF THE BLACK SCORPION.
And now finally to my query, I fully expect that MODERN LOVE – from an artistic/creative viewpoint - is an appropriate title for your film. That being said, from a business/marketing standpoint, in hindsight do you feel you might have benefited from a more saleable film title…something that might pique greater interest if one is judging a film based solely on its title (aka judging a book by its cover)? Did you have any alternate title in mind? And if you had to select a more tantalizing title aka if The Weinstein Company wanted to distribute your film, what title might you select?
Note: to Alex and everyone reading, yeah I know I can be long-winded, I assure you I wasn’t attempting to enter the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest question ever, I promise to be much more brief with future questions.
Now that I'm out of the way, interested DVDTalkers please do chime in with questions of your own...have at it...
04-09-08, 06:01 PM
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The Title Question
Hi,
ANSWER: the fact that the question about the title has been raised, is pretty much a case of Quod Erat Demonstrandum. Indeed, if an argument could be placed asking the same question, with a 'normal' title inserted. ie:
"would a film with a name like ZOMBIE MAN, or VOICE OF EVIL, or BAD ZONE, (i'm making these up), would the commercialism of the film be raised?
No. The name is strange and counterintuitive, and, as you said it could be a middle class love story - which happens to have a weird dvd cover with writing that is somewhat creepy .
So the name may be a misnomer, but I'm not really a horror buff - and when I walk into a dvd store and see conventional horor titles (ZOMBIE MAN, VOICE OF EVIL ETC) I just turn off. Especially when (like my film) they have no well known actors. In other words, if I see ZOMBIE MAN, made in Canada, with actors looking scared on the front cover with a moon and a bat behind them, I JUST WON'T HIRE IT.
As to the broader question of exposure, well, I've won there too, because the film was only one of three australian movies last year to score a theatrical release in a territory other than Australia. This for a film of 150K. I sold the TV rights to germany/switzerland/austria, am soon to do same for Sth Africa.
As to WEINSTEIN, of course I would change the title if he wanted it. No question. If he wanted to re-name the film:
"A ONE-LEGGED LESBIAN BALINESE PUPPETEER IN A WHEELCHAIR", well heck, I'd do it.
alex
ANSWER: the fact that the question about the title has been raised, is pretty much a case of Quod Erat Demonstrandum. Indeed, if an argument could be placed asking the same question, with a 'normal' title inserted. ie:
"would a film with a name like ZOMBIE MAN, or VOICE OF EVIL, or BAD ZONE, (i'm making these up), would the commercialism of the film be raised?
No. The name is strange and counterintuitive, and, as you said it could be a middle class love story - which happens to have a weird dvd cover with writing that is somewhat creepy .
So the name may be a misnomer, but I'm not really a horror buff - and when I walk into a dvd store and see conventional horor titles (ZOMBIE MAN, VOICE OF EVIL ETC) I just turn off. Especially when (like my film) they have no well known actors. In other words, if I see ZOMBIE MAN, made in Canada, with actors looking scared on the front cover with a moon and a bat behind them, I JUST WON'T HIRE IT.
As to the broader question of exposure, well, I've won there too, because the film was only one of three australian movies last year to score a theatrical release in a territory other than Australia. This for a film of 150K. I sold the TV rights to germany/switzerland/austria, am soon to do same for Sth Africa.
As to WEINSTEIN, of course I would change the title if he wanted it. No question. If he wanted to re-name the film:
"A ONE-LEGGED LESBIAN BALINESE PUPPETEER IN A WHEELCHAIR", well heck, I'd do it.
alex
Last edited by strathalbions; 05-07-08 at 12:19 AM.
04-09-08, 11:03 PM
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In the other thread you mentioned that the budget was 150k. how is that comparable with other Australian releases? and in general I would like to know more about what kind of shooting schedule you had as well as how it became possible for you to make the film? shopping the idea or whatever. My questions are more towards the business/historical side for now. thanks again Alex.
04-10-08, 12:22 AM
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Budget 150k
Buddha,
here is an interview from a Magazine a couple of months ago.
The average oz film has a budget of 2.5 mil, so we were way under that. Small crew, ie less to pay for wages, and real locations kept the $$$ down.
A group of us (Nick Matthews, Tom Heuzenroeder and myself = Sputnik
Films) were sick and bored with 'the traditional funding routes' - it was a
collective decision based on the premise that none of us ever felt
comfortable in that environment of the various protocols of entitlement that
go hand-in-glove with that particular system. Ie. Endless 'development'
seminars, new 'initiatives', and general attempts to re-invent the cinematic
wheel. Spastic post-modern haircuts, expensive foot-wear, groovy haircuts etc etc.
Nick Matthews and I decided we wanted to make a film that was a homage to the nightmares we both loved so much growing up in SA. By this, I mean it in the literal sense, in French "un cauchemar", as in a 'nightmare dreamt', not
'endured in real-life'. I love my dreams to be frightening and bizarre, I
want to wake up in the morning with little birds tweeting outside and
lawnmowers buzzing around in my suburb. Both Nick and I have never taken
drugs, and we're both tea-totellers, so naturally film is where we aim to
get our kicks.
We'd both grown up in rural SA, I knew some very gothic towns and villages
in this wretchedly poor state, so we did a 2 days location scout on the
coast, and hooked the script onto the vivid back-drop of these towns. A
screenplay was written and we looked for a lead man. Victoria Hill was at
Flinders Uni with us in the 90's, the three of us used to go out to venues
in Adelaide and have a laugh about things and giggle for hours and hours.
She took the Emily role and suggested we look at Mark Constable, the very
fine lead who is a fixture in the Sydney theatrical scene. I thought he
looked like a Coogan's Bluff era Clint Eastwood, plus he's a hilarious guy
in real life, so I signed him after talking to Sue Barnett who reps him. I
saw the little boy, William Traeger at a quiz nite hosted by Larry Emdur.
Maureen Ritchie is Adelaide's largest patron of the arts: she invests in The
State Theatre, Womad, Cirkidz, and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. I met
her and we got on very well, she has a very abstract and curious mind and is
doing what your average Wasp-ish Rich Real Estate Guy would never dare do -
invest in the arts. She meets with the Premier regularly and carries a big
stick in all that spikes her interest.
We decided to take our time shooting the film - 8 weeks in fact, on the
Southern Fleurieu Peninsula. I hated those seminars where some 'guru' that
nobody's heard of, exhorts you to shoot a feature film in 4 days or 4
minutes or whatever it is these days. Some folks who fall for that little
myth often end up spending a huge amout of money in post, fixing mistakes
they made while trying to set the world record for shortest feature film
shoot duration. But as Nick Matthews keenly observed, "All you have are your
rushes..."
We only filmed early in the morning and late in the afternoon, the light is
smoother, softer and more atmospheric. D.O.P Nick Matthews wanted to put a
bleach-bypass on the super 16mm neg, so we had to be very careful. Cinevex did a superb job on the film, Nick's images were fabulous, just dazzling. He shot the entire film on long lenses: even the establishers are on the long end of the Angenieux. We used the much maligned zoom, a very slow zoom, a look which I find very appealing, it's an especially psychological look. Robert Webb, the Designer had seen the locations a month before when we were scouting. The theme I was considering is linked to the 'rust belt' and is vividly portrayed in the film SUNDAY TOO FAR AWAY. I think it is unique to
SA, this particular look, and I love it very much. Webb, who also was the
Designer on Wolf Creek, found props from god knows where exactly. I have a
slight obsession with fluffy toys, and they are key to certain scenes in the
film. Robert Webb found them. Cute little bears with one eye missing, a
wind-up monkey that crashes a pair of cymbals together, divine little
mermaids made of glass, gargoyles that seem spooky despite being for
children etc etc.
On-set there was only a handful of us at any one time. Actors, a
Gaffer/Grip, Sound Rec, and wardrobe asst. We filmed in an old shack with no
roof, so it was a little bit like a studio. It was the middle of winter
(best time to film) and the actors and I buried ourselves in character and
story, 'ad absurdum'. Meaning we probably got a little bit possessed and
demonic by it all, but what the heck, we had a ball. We knew that at the end
of it all, we'd have to go back to the real world of urbanity, irony and
rules.
Tom Heuzenroeder, whom I have worked with since year 9 at school, laid down all the tracks, except foley, which was done by Rory McGregor and Adrian Medhurst at the SAFC. I composed the piano tracks which I then played on a Steinway and Tom cooked up some 'psyche-scapes.' The thematic instrument, or sound was "male whistling," which we had heard on some old-timey country records from the 50's. It's a haunting sound, full of nostalgia and 'remembrances of times past'. This is a major part of the drama of the film - the past and its evocation.
I had always planned to take the film out of Australia and build it's
profile oversees, and there were no shortages of festival offers (Locarno,
Shanghai, Moscow, Sao Paulo, Hof, Iran, etc etc). About 30 all tolled, and
it continues to this day. In Germany a sales agent was attached, but I
retained distrib control for Australia
here is an interview from a Magazine a couple of months ago.
The average oz film has a budget of 2.5 mil, so we were way under that. Small crew, ie less to pay for wages, and real locations kept the $$$ down.
A group of us (Nick Matthews, Tom Heuzenroeder and myself = Sputnik
Films) were sick and bored with 'the traditional funding routes' - it was a
collective decision based on the premise that none of us ever felt
comfortable in that environment of the various protocols of entitlement that
go hand-in-glove with that particular system. Ie. Endless 'development'
seminars, new 'initiatives', and general attempts to re-invent the cinematic
wheel. Spastic post-modern haircuts, expensive foot-wear, groovy haircuts etc etc.
Nick Matthews and I decided we wanted to make a film that was a homage to the nightmares we both loved so much growing up in SA. By this, I mean it in the literal sense, in French "un cauchemar", as in a 'nightmare dreamt', not
'endured in real-life'. I love my dreams to be frightening and bizarre, I
want to wake up in the morning with little birds tweeting outside and
lawnmowers buzzing around in my suburb. Both Nick and I have never taken
drugs, and we're both tea-totellers, so naturally film is where we aim to
get our kicks.
We'd both grown up in rural SA, I knew some very gothic towns and villages
in this wretchedly poor state, so we did a 2 days location scout on the
coast, and hooked the script onto the vivid back-drop of these towns. A
screenplay was written and we looked for a lead man. Victoria Hill was at
Flinders Uni with us in the 90's, the three of us used to go out to venues
in Adelaide and have a laugh about things and giggle for hours and hours.
She took the Emily role and suggested we look at Mark Constable, the very
fine lead who is a fixture in the Sydney theatrical scene. I thought he
looked like a Coogan's Bluff era Clint Eastwood, plus he's a hilarious guy
in real life, so I signed him after talking to Sue Barnett who reps him. I
saw the little boy, William Traeger at a quiz nite hosted by Larry Emdur.
Maureen Ritchie is Adelaide's largest patron of the arts: she invests in The
State Theatre, Womad, Cirkidz, and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. I met
her and we got on very well, she has a very abstract and curious mind and is
doing what your average Wasp-ish Rich Real Estate Guy would never dare do -
invest in the arts. She meets with the Premier regularly and carries a big
stick in all that spikes her interest.
We decided to take our time shooting the film - 8 weeks in fact, on the
Southern Fleurieu Peninsula. I hated those seminars where some 'guru' that
nobody's heard of, exhorts you to shoot a feature film in 4 days or 4
minutes or whatever it is these days. Some folks who fall for that little
myth often end up spending a huge amout of money in post, fixing mistakes
they made while trying to set the world record for shortest feature film
shoot duration. But as Nick Matthews keenly observed, "All you have are your
rushes..."
We only filmed early in the morning and late in the afternoon, the light is
smoother, softer and more atmospheric. D.O.P Nick Matthews wanted to put a
bleach-bypass on the super 16mm neg, so we had to be very careful. Cinevex did a superb job on the film, Nick's images were fabulous, just dazzling. He shot the entire film on long lenses: even the establishers are on the long end of the Angenieux. We used the much maligned zoom, a very slow zoom, a look which I find very appealing, it's an especially psychological look. Robert Webb, the Designer had seen the locations a month before when we were scouting. The theme I was considering is linked to the 'rust belt' and is vividly portrayed in the film SUNDAY TOO FAR AWAY. I think it is unique to
SA, this particular look, and I love it very much. Webb, who also was the
Designer on Wolf Creek, found props from god knows where exactly. I have a
slight obsession with fluffy toys, and they are key to certain scenes in the
film. Robert Webb found them. Cute little bears with one eye missing, a
wind-up monkey that crashes a pair of cymbals together, divine little
mermaids made of glass, gargoyles that seem spooky despite being for
children etc etc.
On-set there was only a handful of us at any one time. Actors, a
Gaffer/Grip, Sound Rec, and wardrobe asst. We filmed in an old shack with no
roof, so it was a little bit like a studio. It was the middle of winter
(best time to film) and the actors and I buried ourselves in character and
story, 'ad absurdum'. Meaning we probably got a little bit possessed and
demonic by it all, but what the heck, we had a ball. We knew that at the end
of it all, we'd have to go back to the real world of urbanity, irony and
rules.
Tom Heuzenroeder, whom I have worked with since year 9 at school, laid down all the tracks, except foley, which was done by Rory McGregor and Adrian Medhurst at the SAFC. I composed the piano tracks which I then played on a Steinway and Tom cooked up some 'psyche-scapes.' The thematic instrument, or sound was "male whistling," which we had heard on some old-timey country records from the 50's. It's a haunting sound, full of nostalgia and 'remembrances of times past'. This is a major part of the drama of the film - the past and its evocation.
I had always planned to take the film out of Australia and build it's
profile oversees, and there were no shortages of festival offers (Locarno,
Shanghai, Moscow, Sao Paulo, Hof, Iran, etc etc). About 30 all tolled, and
it continues to this day. In Germany a sales agent was attached, but I
retained distrib control for Australia
04-10-08, 01:37 AM
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Hi guys,
DVD release is today! just found this is a local magazine here in Adelaide:
Modern Love (Accent Underground, M) - Adelaide-based director/co-producer/editor Alex Frayne (working with other Flinders University grads, notably writer/cinematographer Nick Matthews) helms this rural character/psycho-drama tapestry ingeniously open to all manner of dark interpretations. A seemingly happy married couple (Mark Constable as John and Victoria Hill as Emily) and their small son (Will Traeger) leave the city (after an eerie opening sequence) for what they assume will be a short country getaway as John deals with his recent inheritance of a rundown shack (complete with a radio that plays old music and ‘soundscape’ strangeness). As we become aware of John’s repressed previous life, the powerful darkness of which is again threatening, Frayne and Co bring the Fleurieu Peninsula locales to unnerving life and a daring ambiguity is brought into play, questioning whether this is strictly a supernaturally-tinged scarer or something deeper and more caustic (a meditation upon the grim history of the Australian landscape? the legacy of domestic violence and ugly masculinity? some odd feminist statement as Hill’s Emily fights to save a husband we increasingly dislike?). Whichever way you look at it, however, this is pretty damn disturbing. **** DVD: Includes four of Frayne’s shorts: the notorious urban Western Zoyd (1995), the arts satire The Art Of Tabloid (1996), the creepy Doctor By Day (1999) and the quietly moving doco The Longing (2003). *****
DVD release is today! just found this is a local magazine here in Adelaide:
Modern Love (Accent Underground, M) - Adelaide-based director/co-producer/editor Alex Frayne (working with other Flinders University grads, notably writer/cinematographer Nick Matthews) helms this rural character/psycho-drama tapestry ingeniously open to all manner of dark interpretations. A seemingly happy married couple (Mark Constable as John and Victoria Hill as Emily) and their small son (Will Traeger) leave the city (after an eerie opening sequence) for what they assume will be a short country getaway as John deals with his recent inheritance of a rundown shack (complete with a radio that plays old music and ‘soundscape’ strangeness). As we become aware of John’s repressed previous life, the powerful darkness of which is again threatening, Frayne and Co bring the Fleurieu Peninsula locales to unnerving life and a daring ambiguity is brought into play, questioning whether this is strictly a supernaturally-tinged scarer or something deeper and more caustic (a meditation upon the grim history of the Australian landscape? the legacy of domestic violence and ugly masculinity? some odd feminist statement as Hill’s Emily fights to save a husband we increasingly dislike?). Whichever way you look at it, however, this is pretty damn disturbing. **** DVD: Includes four of Frayne’s shorts: the notorious urban Western Zoyd (1995), the arts satire The Art Of Tabloid (1996), the creepy Doctor By Day (1999) and the quietly moving doco The Longing (2003). *****
04-11-08, 12:58 PM
#6
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Thread Starter
As I patiently await the dispatch (distribution delay?) of my pre-order...
Alex, the runtime for MODERN LOVE judging by the Variety review is 95 minutes. IMDb is showing a runtime of 110 minutes and in the trivia section also makes reference to a three-hour version of the film. If IMDb is indeed accurate, would you shed some light on the different cuts you might have gone through before deciding on the final version?
And another question, I expect you must be concentrating on international distribution and related matters. Still, do you have any plans (story?, genre?, etc.) in regard to doing another feature film?
Alex, the runtime for MODERN LOVE judging by the Variety review is 95 minutes. IMDb is showing a runtime of 110 minutes and in the trivia section also makes reference to a three-hour version of the film. If IMDb is indeed accurate, would you shed some light on the different cuts you might have gone through before deciding on the final version?
And another question, I expect you must be concentrating on international distribution and related matters. Still, do you have any plans (story?, genre?, etc.) in regard to doing another feature film?
04-11-08, 06:23 PM
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Originally Posted by flixtime
As I patiently await the dispatch (distribution delay?) of my pre-order...
Alex, the runtime for MODERN LOVE judging by the Variety review is 95 minutes. IMDb is showing a runtime of 110 minutes and in the trivia section also makes reference to a three-hour version of the film. If IMDb is indeed accurate, would you shed some light on the different cuts you might have gone through before deciding on the final version?
And another question, I expect you must be concentrating on international distribution and related matters. Still, do you have any plans (story?, genre?, etc.) in regard to doing another feature film?
Alex, the runtime for MODERN LOVE judging by the Variety review is 95 minutes. IMDb is showing a runtime of 110 minutes and in the trivia section also makes reference to a three-hour version of the film. If IMDb is indeed accurate, would you shed some light on the different cuts you might have gone through before deciding on the final version?
And another question, I expect you must be concentrating on international distribution and related matters. Still, do you have any plans (story?, genre?, etc.) in regard to doing another feature film?
the different run-times were for different territories. It is an old adage that you can show the longer version in europe, where audiences tend to really be able to go with that. I think I screened the 3 hour version in Croatia or something. They liked it, and the review was good.
In the US, where conditions are less favorable, and audiences want shorter features, we ran into trouble. I screened the thing at Bend, a town in allegedly hippie lefty laid back Oregon, the 110 min version, and people hated it, many walked, a guy said he "wanted to kill me" (even though I wasnt there), and a girl who has a mountain biking blog said she wanted to throw tacos at the screen.
So I decided to steer clear of the US, and concentrate on rest-of-world. Oh, I think it screened at the Kansas Festival with George Romero, which would have been fun, but I didn't go. Instead I was at the Hof festival in Germany, meeting folks like Wenders, Herzog, Kaurismaki ete etc.
04-11-08, 09:04 PM
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Interesting about the different versions. This might be akin to asking which of your children you love the most, but do you have a preferred cut among the three (94 minutes, 110 minutes, 180 minutes), or does each have its pros and cons? Or should we presume the longest cut is your darling because so much more of your work is on display?
Somehow, someday, somewhere, it would be good if you get the chance to release all three cuts on DVD (if that is something you'd want to do). The recent BLADE RUNNER 5-disc DVD release was fun, maybe MODERN LOVE will someday see a 3-disc set containing all official versions of the film.
Somehow, someday, somewhere, it would be good if you get the chance to release all three cuts on DVD (if that is something you'd want to do). The recent BLADE RUNNER 5-disc DVD release was fun, maybe MODERN LOVE will someday see a 3-disc set containing all official versions of the film.
04-11-08, 09:57 PM
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I actually prefer the middle length, it has scenes that I really like - though I think a given audience prefers the tightest cut.
The Bladerunner thing is a rarity and has much to do with the folklore and people involved in the film - somehow I dont think that will be the case with my film - I do think however Donny Darko should be discussed, because at film markets it is often raised in CASE STUDIES.
Anyone care to comment on this phenomenon?
a
The Bladerunner thing is a rarity and has much to do with the folklore and people involved in the film - somehow I dont think that will be the case with my film - I do think however Donny Darko should be discussed, because at film markets it is often raised in CASE STUDIES.
Anyone care to comment on this phenomenon?
a
04-15-08, 04:47 PM
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My order for the DVD shipped yesterday, so I should have it maybe late next week. I'll give it a spin on the day it arrives.
The DVD also contains four short films as extras:
1 - THE LONGING (2003)
An aging farmer must make big changes to his life when he leaves the family farm and re-settles in the big smoke.
Runtime: ?
2 - DOCTOR BY DAY (1999)
A blind woman has a seizure in her own house one evening. Her doctor, a neighbor called John arrives soon. She is unconscious. What happens next?
Runtime: 19 minutes
3 - THE ART OF TABLOID (1997)
A Journalist in a hurry to make great copy! Vincent, our roving reporter finds there's more to the death of a famous artist than meets the eye
Runtime: 13 minutes
4 - ZOYD (199?)
?
Runtime: ?
Alex, do you have any anecdotes to share in regard to the four short films mentioned above?
Also, what can you tell us about Nicole Kidman? Just kidding.....I know you've heard that one before.
The DVD also contains four short films as extras:
1 - THE LONGING (2003)
An aging farmer must make big changes to his life when he leaves the family farm and re-settles in the big smoke.
Runtime: ?
2 - DOCTOR BY DAY (1999)
A blind woman has a seizure in her own house one evening. Her doctor, a neighbor called John arrives soon. She is unconscious. What happens next?
Runtime: 19 minutes
3 - THE ART OF TABLOID (1997)
A Journalist in a hurry to make great copy! Vincent, our roving reporter finds there's more to the death of a famous artist than meets the eye
Runtime: 13 minutes
4 - ZOYD (199?)
?
Runtime: ?
Alex, do you have any anecdotes to share in regard to the four short films mentioned above?
Also, what can you tell us about Nicole Kidman? Just kidding.....I know you've heard that one before.
04-15-08, 07:37 PM
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Originally Posted by flixtime
My order for the DVD shipped yesterday, so I should have it maybe late next week. I'll give it a spin on the day it arrives.
The DVD also contains four short films as extras:
1 - THE LONGING (2003)
An aging farmer must make big changes to his life when he leaves the family farm and re-settles in the big smoke.
Runtime: ?
2 - DOCTOR BY DAY (1999)
A blind woman has a seizure in her own house one evening. Her doctor, a neighbor called John arrives soon. She is unconscious. What happens next?
Runtime: 19 minutes
3 - THE ART OF TABLOID (1997)
A Journalist in a hurry to make great copy! Vincent, our roving reporter finds there's more to the death of a famous artist than meets the eye
Runtime: 13 minutes
4 - ZOYD (199?)
?
Runtime: ?
Alex, do you have any anecdotes to share in regard to the four short films mentioned above?
Also, what can you tell us about Nicole Kidman? Just kidding.....I know you've heard that one before.
The DVD also contains four short films as extras:
1 - THE LONGING (2003)
An aging farmer must make big changes to his life when he leaves the family farm and re-settles in the big smoke.
Runtime: ?
2 - DOCTOR BY DAY (1999)
A blind woman has a seizure in her own house one evening. Her doctor, a neighbor called John arrives soon. She is unconscious. What happens next?
Runtime: 19 minutes
3 - THE ART OF TABLOID (1997)
A Journalist in a hurry to make great copy! Vincent, our roving reporter finds there's more to the death of a famous artist than meets the eye
Runtime: 13 minutes
4 - ZOYD (199?)
?
Runtime: ?
Alex, do you have any anecdotes to share in regard to the four short films mentioned above?
Also, what can you tell us about Nicole Kidman? Just kidding.....I know you've heard that one before.
There are many anecdotes, but here are a few.
THE LONGING was a docodrama I made, over two weekends. It proved the efficiency of the doco realm, and was a real eye opener as to the problems of drought. But one of the scenes involved a farmer kicking a dog in order to discipline it. The dog yelps and rounds up a flock of sheep at the behest of the farmer who just kicked him. Politically correct people were aghast at this, and when I sold the TV to our local broadcaster SBSTV it was under the stipulation that the scene be removed. So the authentic representation was now sullied by bureaucrats. I needed the money, so I didnt argue, but was shocked all the same.
More about the other shorts later...
04-16-08, 08:31 AM
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DOCTOR BY DAY is about a doctor who rapes one of his patients after she has a fit and is unconscious. She is blind, and a lesbian. In fact, he watches as she throws the fit, she's unaware he is present, and she comes to thank him the next day.
Ok - so the anecdote on this film....is that I never showed it to girls whom I wanted to ask on dates. Quod Erat Demonstrandum
Ok - so the anecdote on this film....is that I never showed it to girls whom I wanted to ask on dates. Quod Erat Demonstrandum
04-17-08, 04:16 PM
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Originally Posted by strathalbions
Ok - so the anecdote on this film....is that I never showed it to girls whom I wanted to ask on dates. Quod Erat Demonstrandum
Since you brought up the topic of girls. You're in a bar...talking to a girl...comes around to what you do for a living...being able to state "I'm a film director"...best pick-up line EVER!!!???
To state the obvious, the above question is rhetorical.
Interesting about the animal rights issue with your short film. I was actually going to ask about the youtube clip where the hunter shoots the duck/goose. I suppose it is real...I take it no animal rights issue with that scene.
04-17-08, 06:39 PM
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Actually the geese in he opening scene are unharmed, we just filmed a cutaway of geese and then overdubbed a gun grack and did some shifty editing. All good harmless fun.
re the girl in the bar: girls are often wary about directors, musicians, poets. Girls are smarter now. They're not blown away by the director thing a) because they think they're poor and unable to pay for them, and b) its quite likely that they too (the girl) are directors - they've maybe made a film of their pet cat having a crap or something, and put in on YOUTUBE where "anyone can be a director"
a
re the girl in the bar: girls are often wary about directors, musicians, poets. Girls are smarter now. They're not blown away by the director thing a) because they think they're poor and unable to pay for them, and b) its quite likely that they too (the girl) are directors - they've maybe made a film of their pet cat having a crap or something, and put in on YOUTUBE where "anyone can be a director"
a
04-17-08, 07:34 PM
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haha. my order hasn't shipped due to distributor delays but hopefully by may 1st it will ship.
Alex, any comments about the different festivals you attended?
Alex, any comments about the different festivals you attended?
04-21-08, 11:21 PM
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Finished watching MODERN LOVE. I enjoyed it and it delivered what I expected...a bit of a relief for me that my opinion of the film was positive. I'd say the review from Variety is accurate. I can see why some might not react to it well...it isn't commercial popcorn munching fare (or maybe they've had their fill of similar indie fare)...and the end might lack payoff for some (though it does encourage a quick post-screening discussion with your mates). While I didn't necessarily find it as disturbing as some comments I seem to recall, it should be kept in mind that I do consider myself a fairly hardened viewer aka shocking me is hard to do. For those who research the title and know what to expect I'd be surprised to hear an adverse reaction. It is interesting, meditatively-paced, moody, atmospheric, reasonable intricate in structure, and more visually than dialogue driven. The music also enhances the off kilter feel of the proceedings. Performances are solid (and actress Victoria Hill looks quite nice in a white bathrobe). The cinematographer Nick Matthews certainly captured some gorgeous images. There's no doubt Alex Frayne (and company) has considerable skills. I'd comfortably call MODERN LOVE a good film...and I suppose the biggest compliment I could offer is that I'd be interested in watching it again to get a better grasp on how I ultimately will feel about it. It really is an apples-to-oranges comparison given that they are different types of films and that I had very different expectations going in, but on first viewing I found MODERN LOVE more satisfying than more heralded Aussie fare such as THE PROPOSITION and WOLF CREEK.
Sidenote: in my usual ramblings here in the forum, it is rather easy to be objective. The extent of my communications with Alex is on full display here in the forum (aka I have not communicated with him off-board). That being said, I've naturally taken a liking to the guy because of our interactions here. So in trying to reach my base conclusion on the film it is more challenging than the norm for me. Prior to posting here, I was aware that I might overcompensate one way or the other, and I hope my opinion was as forthright as I could be...and therefore fair to the film as well as my fellow DVDTalkers who might place some value on my musings when considering a purchase of the DVD. It must be tough being a professional critic when you might interact with the people whose work you are reviewing.
And to Alex: if you haven't seen a film called THE SAVAGE HUNT OF KING STAKH (which I recently mentioned in the "What are you watching in International cinema" discussion in this forum), it might be something you would enjoy.
Sidenote: in my usual ramblings here in the forum, it is rather easy to be objective. The extent of my communications with Alex is on full display here in the forum (aka I have not communicated with him off-board). That being said, I've naturally taken a liking to the guy because of our interactions here. So in trying to reach my base conclusion on the film it is more challenging than the norm for me. Prior to posting here, I was aware that I might overcompensate one way or the other, and I hope my opinion was as forthright as I could be...and therefore fair to the film as well as my fellow DVDTalkers who might place some value on my musings when considering a purchase of the DVD. It must be tough being a professional critic when you might interact with the people whose work you are reviewing.
And to Alex: if you haven't seen a film called THE SAVAGE HUNT OF KING STAKH (which I recently mentioned in the "What are you watching in International cinema" discussion in this forum), it might be something you would enjoy.
04-21-08, 11:35 PM
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Well, The Proposition and Wolf Creek - ahem, they are pretty revered in the horror community and I dare say you'd be in a minority with your call about enjoying MLOVE to those other films. But it's a compliment, thats for sure.
You mention you're a hardened watcher of horror. Was Wolf Creek horror enough? Too much, too little? Wrong sort of horror?
I'd be keen to know others opinion.
The film made a 7 million dollar sale to Weinstein and Co, that's some serious loot.
The Proposition was loved in Europe while I was travelling to fests, it got good reviews, but I challenge anyone to say that my film is slow compared to The Propostion.
By the way, my fave films are:
DONT LOOK NOW
THE GAUNTLET
MAD MAX PART 2
PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK
THE VANISHING (VERSION 1)
2001
WHOS AFRAID OF VIRGINIA W
STALKER
FREAKS
DIRTY HARRY
FROM NOON TIL THREE
KING OF COMEDY
ETC
You mention you're a hardened watcher of horror. Was Wolf Creek horror enough? Too much, too little? Wrong sort of horror?
I'd be keen to know others opinion.
The film made a 7 million dollar sale to Weinstein and Co, that's some serious loot.
The Proposition was loved in Europe while I was travelling to fests, it got good reviews, but I challenge anyone to say that my film is slow compared to The Propostion.
By the way, my fave films are:
DONT LOOK NOW
THE GAUNTLET
MAD MAX PART 2
PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK
THE VANISHING (VERSION 1)
2001
WHOS AFRAID OF VIRGINIA W
STALKER
FREAKS
DIRTY HARRY
FROM NOON TIL THREE
KING OF COMEDY
ETC
Last edited by strathalbions; 05-05-08 at 11:53 PM.
04-23-08, 04:25 PM
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Originally Posted by strathalbions
Well, The Proposition and Wolf Creek - ahem, they are pretty revered in the horror community and I dare say you'd be in a minority with your call about enjoying MLOVE to those other films. But it's a compliment, thats for sure.
You mention you're a hardened watcher of horror. Was Wolf Creek horror enough? Too much, too little? Wrong sort of horror?
You mention you're a hardened watcher of horror. Was Wolf Creek horror enough? Too much, too little? Wrong sort of horror?
THE PROPOSITION was certainly loved around these parts too...just not by me. Some might be surprised to learn that if I were stranded on a desert island and had my choice of only one genre of film it would be the classic American Western...starring the likes of John Wayne, Errol Flynn, Jimmy Stewart, Randolph Scott, Glenn Ford, Gary Cooper, Gregory Peck, etc. I had high expectations for THE PROPOSITION...everyone was dirty and there were lots of flies, performances were solid, but otherwise big whoop. The story - to me - was weak, padded, unfocused, dull, and slow...so your film might be slower paced too but I never got bored or found myself checking the time to see when it would end. Actually, I wouldn't have minded if your film were a little longer especially when the family first arrives at the town...that shot of the church was nice and I wouldn't have minded if you had let it linger a few more seconds (stuff like that).
As to WOLF CREEK, around the middle of the film there is a chance to eliminate the threat but it is not taken by our protagonists...I know characters doing dumb things goes with the territory in a film like this...or you'd have a really short film. But it required just too great a suspension of disbelief on my part...and that left a bad aftertaste through the remainder of the film for me. Otherwise it was fine...but fairly typical and no doubt aided some by it being "exotic" aka foreign-made and not American. I'm certainly no gore-hound when it comes to movies and usually respond poorly to films that are just about gore (which has me a little doubtful about how much I might enjoy that new French horror film INSIDE). And that was another reason I disliked THE PROPOSITION - for its inclusion of those brief moments of violence which felt more appropriate to something from the horror genre.
So given the above, that is why I stand by my statement regarding your film being more satisfying than WOLF CREEK or THE PROPOSITION. MODERN LOVE met my expectations and I really don't have a strong point of negative criticism for it.
As to the DVD for MODERN LOVE, on my setup it looks like the letters in your name during the opening credits are ever so slightly chopped off along the bottom...you can certainly make out your name, but the bottom of the "y" in Frayne was shaved off and such. I liked the end credits...very creative. I did watch one of the shorts - DOCTOR BY DAY - you show wisdom when shying away from exhibiting that to a first date.
And for those who might be contemplating an order for the DVD of MODERN LOVE and don't want it to be lonely in transit, a couple of others to consider adding are NOISE (2007, Matthew Saville) and a pre-order for ROGUE (2007, Greg McLean's follow-up to WOLF CREEK...personally I don't have high expectations for this Aussie crocodile film).
04-24-08, 04:27 AM
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That's funny you mention the church shot, that was one of the shots we had to shorten when we started cutting the thing down from 3 hours.
By the way folks, my big hobby is jazz and fusion, I play piano and collect live recordings, by swapping. For anyone that's interested, my list of recordings is here:]
http://www.geocities.com/alexfrayne/night_vision2.html
Yes Doctor by Day is a naughty film, but it's my favorite short, I had a crush on that girl...
By the way folks, my big hobby is jazz and fusion, I play piano and collect live recordings, by swapping. For anyone that's interested, my list of recordings is here:]
http://www.geocities.com/alexfrayne/night_vision2.html
Yes Doctor by Day is a naughty film, but it's my favorite short, I had a crush on that girl...