Page 20 - FILM
P. 20
THE TIMES ®
AUSTRALIA
The Kingdom Of Doug
The Kingdom of Doug, directed by Victoria Thaine, is going to have the biggest 50/50 split of fans. By that
logic, this piece must have done something right. The flm centres around a cult led by a man named Doug,
who has brought his followers to an ice rink for a mass suicide. The protagonist, Josie, is not behind Doug’s
convictions, and is hesitant to join them. The direction and camera work is nothing short of brilliant. Every
frame is a work of art. From the positioning of the performers to the little details like the windows, tables
and chairs, it is clear that everything within the frame has a deliberate placement, in order to maximise the
overall splendour. The standout moment is when Doug embraces the cult in a group hug. All except his
and Josie’s face is visible to the audience, yet they are not visible to each other. The audience can interpret
their motivations, whilst the characters remain alien to each other.
However, while the visual aesthetic is a work of art, the same cannot be said for the ponderous script.
Yes, cults themselves are ponderous, but it would help if the dialogue wasn’t so unintelligible. As the flm
opens, we are bombarded with a monologue that only confuses. I understand that this is the nature of
cults, but when making a flm about this subject matter, it’s important that we have an understanding
about the actual thought process of the cult and its leader.
The audience lingers as an objective observer never getting true insight into the motivations of the
characters. It is like we’ve arrived at the last 10 minutes of a lecture and we have no idea what the lecturer
is on about. He clearly knows what he is talking about, but he’s got no time to re-explain so we can pass the
exam. While watching this flm, I had no emotional connection to what I was seeing. The performances of
Daniel Frederiksen and Laura Wheelwright are strong, but they clearly were more immersed in this world
than I was. It made me feel hollow. The Kingdom of Doug is a flm that I could marvel at the aesthetics, but
the narrative just left me with no impression. This is a shame, considering the potential.
© Image Source
20 Independent Media Inspiring Minds
AUSTRALIA
The Kingdom Of Doug
The Kingdom of Doug, directed by Victoria Thaine, is going to have the biggest 50/50 split of fans. By that
logic, this piece must have done something right. The flm centres around a cult led by a man named Doug,
who has brought his followers to an ice rink for a mass suicide. The protagonist, Josie, is not behind Doug’s
convictions, and is hesitant to join them. The direction and camera work is nothing short of brilliant. Every
frame is a work of art. From the positioning of the performers to the little details like the windows, tables
and chairs, it is clear that everything within the frame has a deliberate placement, in order to maximise the
overall splendour. The standout moment is when Doug embraces the cult in a group hug. All except his
and Josie’s face is visible to the audience, yet they are not visible to each other. The audience can interpret
their motivations, whilst the characters remain alien to each other.
However, while the visual aesthetic is a work of art, the same cannot be said for the ponderous script.
Yes, cults themselves are ponderous, but it would help if the dialogue wasn’t so unintelligible. As the flm
opens, we are bombarded with a monologue that only confuses. I understand that this is the nature of
cults, but when making a flm about this subject matter, it’s important that we have an understanding
about the actual thought process of the cult and its leader.
The audience lingers as an objective observer never getting true insight into the motivations of the
characters. It is like we’ve arrived at the last 10 minutes of a lecture and we have no idea what the lecturer
is on about. He clearly knows what he is talking about, but he’s got no time to re-explain so we can pass the
exam. While watching this flm, I had no emotional connection to what I was seeing. The performances of
Daniel Frederiksen and Laura Wheelwright are strong, but they clearly were more immersed in this world
than I was. It made me feel hollow. The Kingdom of Doug is a flm that I could marvel at the aesthetics, but
the narrative just left me with no impression. This is a shame, considering the potential.
© Image Source
20 Independent Media Inspiring Minds
