susanby
Joined Sep 2015
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susanby's rating
The first feature film written and directed by Ruth Platt; The Lesson, has been described as an; '..astonishingly bravura art-house horror..'*. In addition Platt's film is; 'A dark claustrophobic and bloody coming of age love story..'*. Although I don't disagree with either of these comments, I consider that Platt achieves far more than just the sum of these two observations.
The Lesson takes place in an area which reminded me of a new town, or city suburb. The school children depicted aren't from the gutter; they're from a reasonable neighbourhood with neat houses, where public parks have long sweeping pathways and their school uniforms appear clean, tidy and pressed. In perceiving how this neat urban area would function, the viewer can be forgiven for expecting caring family units to reside there. Yet, the suburb is revealed as soulless; empty of love and affection, bland and unstimulating to the youth that reside there. Somehow, this is an almost subliminal message held close to the films core. The emptiness of the streets and the park we see the youngsters in, gradually seeps into the viewer's subconscious. I felt this message led the viewer to a certain level of understanding, concerning the teenager's behaviour towards authoritative figures. An important perspective perhaps, for a film that can be described as morally ambiguous.
After a slow start, which does serve to impress upon the viewer aspects of how the youngsters, at the centre of the films narrative, live and are cared for, attention is switched to an incident at the school they attend. After the teenagers disrespect one of their teachers, The Lesson switches tone and presents the viewer with a tale of repercussive revenge, whereby a very harsh lesson is taught. The scene presented here is no holds barred, violent and will be regarded by some as torture porn. Certain aspects are deliberately stylised, for example the way blood is displayed upon the neck of Fin's friend Joel (Rory Coltart). However, what I found interesting was how this tale of soullessness and revenge, resulted in epiphany and redemption. Also, although the 'lesson' section is, at times, hard to watch, the empty realism of life in the suburbs, also at school, juxtaposes nicely with the painful awakening to the vastness of intellectual information contained within the lesson the boys are subjected to.
Dialogue in The Lesson is well written and confidently handled by all members of the cast. Robert Hands excels at imparting the 'lesson' and his performance, as a teacher who is pushed over the edge, is believable. Other performances of note are that of Fin (Evan Bendall) who manages to portray how isolated and self-involved the world of a teenager can be; also Michaela Prchalova. Her carefully judged portrayal of care and attraction is well realised. As director Ruth Platt is no stranger to acting and being filmed by a camera, I have no doubt her own experiences assisted in getting terrific performances out of her young cast, all of whom are newcomers to film acting.
The black and white scenes which recall Fin's memories of time spent with his mother and father are nicely edited into the brightness of day. The obvious dichotomy between light and dark are used to illustrate irresponsibility and the manner in which Fin is almost sleepwalking through life, against the horror and awakening which occurs when his teacher takes control.
As The Lesson unfolded, I became aware that, rather than containing social commentary about the difficulties faced by teachers in a particular classroom environment, the films integral message concerns the absence of love and security in the home; the lack of a parental figurehead and the repercussions such a lack could enable. Consequently, there is a real sense of cause and effect generated by events in Fin's life during the course of the film. Arguably, the primary cause of his dislocation, from intellectual discourse and personal responsibility, is the sense of being unloved.
If social commentary in horror films is of interest to you, The Lesson is a must see. If you enjoy a taut coming of age drama and like horror films where the camera doesn't always turn away, you'll enjoy this. Personally, I found The Lesson to be a powerful, well-acted and tautly directed film, where social commentary was the icing on the cake. But, be prepared for moral ambiguity, as this appears to be a sizeable portion of the cake on offer.
* Both comments taken from the Frightfest Festival guide 2015
The Lesson takes place in an area which reminded me of a new town, or city suburb. The school children depicted aren't from the gutter; they're from a reasonable neighbourhood with neat houses, where public parks have long sweeping pathways and their school uniforms appear clean, tidy and pressed. In perceiving how this neat urban area would function, the viewer can be forgiven for expecting caring family units to reside there. Yet, the suburb is revealed as soulless; empty of love and affection, bland and unstimulating to the youth that reside there. Somehow, this is an almost subliminal message held close to the films core. The emptiness of the streets and the park we see the youngsters in, gradually seeps into the viewer's subconscious. I felt this message led the viewer to a certain level of understanding, concerning the teenager's behaviour towards authoritative figures. An important perspective perhaps, for a film that can be described as morally ambiguous.
After a slow start, which does serve to impress upon the viewer aspects of how the youngsters, at the centre of the films narrative, live and are cared for, attention is switched to an incident at the school they attend. After the teenagers disrespect one of their teachers, The Lesson switches tone and presents the viewer with a tale of repercussive revenge, whereby a very harsh lesson is taught. The scene presented here is no holds barred, violent and will be regarded by some as torture porn. Certain aspects are deliberately stylised, for example the way blood is displayed upon the neck of Fin's friend Joel (Rory Coltart). However, what I found interesting was how this tale of soullessness and revenge, resulted in epiphany and redemption. Also, although the 'lesson' section is, at times, hard to watch, the empty realism of life in the suburbs, also at school, juxtaposes nicely with the painful awakening to the vastness of intellectual information contained within the lesson the boys are subjected to.
Dialogue in The Lesson is well written and confidently handled by all members of the cast. Robert Hands excels at imparting the 'lesson' and his performance, as a teacher who is pushed over the edge, is believable. Other performances of note are that of Fin (Evan Bendall) who manages to portray how isolated and self-involved the world of a teenager can be; also Michaela Prchalova. Her carefully judged portrayal of care and attraction is well realised. As director Ruth Platt is no stranger to acting and being filmed by a camera, I have no doubt her own experiences assisted in getting terrific performances out of her young cast, all of whom are newcomers to film acting.
The black and white scenes which recall Fin's memories of time spent with his mother and father are nicely edited into the brightness of day. The obvious dichotomy between light and dark are used to illustrate irresponsibility and the manner in which Fin is almost sleepwalking through life, against the horror and awakening which occurs when his teacher takes control.
As The Lesson unfolded, I became aware that, rather than containing social commentary about the difficulties faced by teachers in a particular classroom environment, the films integral message concerns the absence of love and security in the home; the lack of a parental figurehead and the repercussions such a lack could enable. Consequently, there is a real sense of cause and effect generated by events in Fin's life during the course of the film. Arguably, the primary cause of his dislocation, from intellectual discourse and personal responsibility, is the sense of being unloved.
If social commentary in horror films is of interest to you, The Lesson is a must see. If you enjoy a taut coming of age drama and like horror films where the camera doesn't always turn away, you'll enjoy this. Personally, I found The Lesson to be a powerful, well-acted and tautly directed film, where social commentary was the icing on the cake. But, be prepared for moral ambiguity, as this appears to be a sizeable portion of the cake on offer.
* Both comments taken from the Frightfest Festival guide 2015
Directed by Ben Cresciman,Sun Choke begins by introducing the viewer into the life of Janie (Sarah Hagan). Janie is recovering from a violent psychotic breakdown. Each day, her lifelong nanny, Irma (Barbara Crampton), subjects Janie to a bizarre holistic health regime. Eventually, Irma, who is in contact with Janie's absent father, considers Janie well enough to leave the house. This first excursion onto the streets of LA results in Janie beginning an obsession with Savanna (Sara Malakul Lane). As this obsession progresses, deepens and Janie finally connects with Savanna, the mental calmness and control brought about by the strict, holistic regime is undone.
However, this is just the bare bones of a film that is arguably open to interpretation. For instance, although the time-frame of Sun Choke appears to be linear, I wonder if this is the case. The viewers are shown what appear to be flashbacks, or memories, but these are shown in a haphazard fashion, often with little or no sound. Muted shots of Janie's father illuminated by bright sunlight appear, as do darkly lit scenes of a distressed, apparently psychotic, Janie. Once she begins to leave the home, Janie's apparent inability to feel empathy for other human beings, and her resentment at the strict brutality of the regime she's subjected to, begin to surface. Yet, I personally feel that the route to unravelling the time-line and story of Sun Choke lie in two factors that were mentioned, but not dwelt upon, during the course of the film.
Firstly there is the absent father. The authoritative figure in Sun Choke is Irma and it is her regime which dominates and structures Janie's home environment. There is also the question of what the relationship was between Janie's mother and Irma the nanny, also how this influences the relationship between Irma and Janie. Then, when Janie's obsession with Savanna arises, so does the question of nature over nurture. But, this is just my thoughts on a film which is layered, and definitely more complex, than the bare narrative bones suggest.
Cinematically Sun Choke is a triumph on a big screen. The manner in which light is used throughout, results in some beautiful shots that linger in the mind. Editing is slick and efficient meaning that, despite the sudden flashbacks and apparent memory recalls, the flow of the film isn't disrupted. Somehow, the combination of lighting, beautifully staged sets and Irma's calm voice, seduces the viewer into accepting her role as carer, into accepting the simple, almost unstructured, story that is there for viewing with immediacy.
There was one scene where I felt the director should have held back, as what the viewer is exposed to serves to detract from the impact of the film's final section. I personally felt the scene could have ended slightly earlier, as the viewer knows what is about to happen. I wonder if here the director was trying to appeal to a bigger market than a psychological drama alone would engage. There is a manner of horror in Sun Choke, but it's insidious and deserves to remain so. From my point of view, the scene in question spoilt the ambiance of the film – it was out of kilter.
Sarah Hagan's performance as Janie is superb. She gives a very powerful depiction of a person totally unable to relate normally with other human beings. Even so, Janie isn't a character you can completely turn away from. I found I had some level of understanding for her frustration at being subjugated by the regime she was subjected to. Savanna is the perfect foil to measure Janie against. Sara Malakul Lane does well in this role. She underplays the character which serves to emphasise her normality. But by far the most chilling performance is that given by Barbara Crampton. Her interpretation of Irma is well judged and effective.
Sun Choke is arguably an Art House film. It is low budget, visually stunning to watch, and contains aspects of social realism. The lack of clarity in the narrative structure will be an issue for some, as there is no clear beginning, middle or end. The audience is presented with a form of cause and effect visualised as actions and consequences. Also, it is for the viewer to determine a pathway through the visual imagery Sun Choke presents, also to unravel the motives contained within the actions of its key players. A film of this nature will either engage you, or it will not. There is no room for middle ground here.
However, this is just the bare bones of a film that is arguably open to interpretation. For instance, although the time-frame of Sun Choke appears to be linear, I wonder if this is the case. The viewers are shown what appear to be flashbacks, or memories, but these are shown in a haphazard fashion, often with little or no sound. Muted shots of Janie's father illuminated by bright sunlight appear, as do darkly lit scenes of a distressed, apparently psychotic, Janie. Once she begins to leave the home, Janie's apparent inability to feel empathy for other human beings, and her resentment at the strict brutality of the regime she's subjected to, begin to surface. Yet, I personally feel that the route to unravelling the time-line and story of Sun Choke lie in two factors that were mentioned, but not dwelt upon, during the course of the film.
Firstly there is the absent father. The authoritative figure in Sun Choke is Irma and it is her regime which dominates and structures Janie's home environment. There is also the question of what the relationship was between Janie's mother and Irma the nanny, also how this influences the relationship between Irma and Janie. Then, when Janie's obsession with Savanna arises, so does the question of nature over nurture. But, this is just my thoughts on a film which is layered, and definitely more complex, than the bare narrative bones suggest.
Cinematically Sun Choke is a triumph on a big screen. The manner in which light is used throughout, results in some beautiful shots that linger in the mind. Editing is slick and efficient meaning that, despite the sudden flashbacks and apparent memory recalls, the flow of the film isn't disrupted. Somehow, the combination of lighting, beautifully staged sets and Irma's calm voice, seduces the viewer into accepting her role as carer, into accepting the simple, almost unstructured, story that is there for viewing with immediacy.
There was one scene where I felt the director should have held back, as what the viewer is exposed to serves to detract from the impact of the film's final section. I personally felt the scene could have ended slightly earlier, as the viewer knows what is about to happen. I wonder if here the director was trying to appeal to a bigger market than a psychological drama alone would engage. There is a manner of horror in Sun Choke, but it's insidious and deserves to remain so. From my point of view, the scene in question spoilt the ambiance of the film – it was out of kilter.
Sarah Hagan's performance as Janie is superb. She gives a very powerful depiction of a person totally unable to relate normally with other human beings. Even so, Janie isn't a character you can completely turn away from. I found I had some level of understanding for her frustration at being subjugated by the regime she was subjected to. Savanna is the perfect foil to measure Janie against. Sara Malakul Lane does well in this role. She underplays the character which serves to emphasise her normality. But by far the most chilling performance is that given by Barbara Crampton. Her interpretation of Irma is well judged and effective.
Sun Choke is arguably an Art House film. It is low budget, visually stunning to watch, and contains aspects of social realism. The lack of clarity in the narrative structure will be an issue for some, as there is no clear beginning, middle or end. The audience is presented with a form of cause and effect visualised as actions and consequences. Also, it is for the viewer to determine a pathway through the visual imagery Sun Choke presents, also to unravel the motives contained within the actions of its key players. A film of this nature will either engage you, or it will not. There is no room for middle ground here.