Vol. 3 No. 7
July 2015
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Independent Media Inspiring Minds
3
WHAT’S INSIDE
6 JURASSIC WORLD
10 INSIDE OUT
14 TOMORROWLAND
16 TERMINATOR GENISYS
20 THE FOUR
STEREOTYPICAL
PORTRAYALS OF
FEMALE CHARACTERS IN
HORROR SLASHER FILMS
is not for the faint-hearted
24
WHAT’S INSIDE
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Contributors:
The Australia Times Film is compiled
by a dedicated team of lm enthusiasts
who are passionate about everything
related to cinema. The aim of the page
is to increase the amount of information
and knowledge about old and new
types of cinema. All kinds of lms are
valuable to us, including mainstream
Hollywood lms, to foreign features
and local productions. Our interest
in the medium is expressed monthly
through lm reviews of new releases,
retrospective ashbacks to old lms
and feature articles analysing the
broad concepts of cinema itself. The
diversity of this content is reective of
the varying and universal effects the
medium has on people.
Gokul Gnaneswaran
Pooiee Loh
Vivienne Glance
Editor:
Emily Komiyama
Welcome Note
We aim to inform, entertain, teach, encourage, educate and support the community at large
by facilitating communication between all Australians. By providing the opportunity for all
opinions to be shared on a single website.
Cover:
© Image Universal Pictures
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Editor’s Note ....................................................................................... 5
Review ............................................................................
Jurassic World ..................................................................................... 6
Inside Out .......................................................................................... 10
Tomorrowland ................................................................................. 14
Terminator Genisys ........................................................................ 16
..........................................................................................
The Four Stereotypical Portrayals of Female Characters in
Horror Slasher Films ....................................................................... 20
Greeneld is not for the faint-hearted ..................................... 24
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It is with great sadness to announce that Damien Straker, our
beloved Editor of TAT Film, has stepped down from his position to
take on the next chapter of his career. Having collaborated with
him for the past year, his hard work was evident in every issue
of Film and everyone from the TAT Community wishes him all
the best. May he live long and prosper. My nerdiness is obvious
already. But yes, hello! I am the new Damien. I’m looking forward
to sharing my obsessive love of lm with you all, exploring both
the past and present of cinema. We have some exciting things in
store this year, and a great team of writers is already growing in
our mist. In this month’s issue of TAT Film, Gokul Gnaneswaran
explores current releases -
Terminator Genisys
,
Tomorrowland
,
Inside Out
and the highly anticipated
Jurassic World
. TAT Theatre reviewer Vivienne Glance has joined
us, reviewing
Greeneld
, a Perth web series that already has a number of awards under it’s belt. And
Pooiee Loh delves deep into the stereotypes of Slasher Films. A great mix of articles that has me very
excited for the future of TAT Film. Enjoy!
- Emily Komiyama
Editor’s Note
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JURASSIC WORLD
By Gokul Gnaneswaran
Universal Pictures presents a lm by Colin Trevorrow
Produced by Frank Marshall
Screenplay by Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, Colin Trevorrow, Derek Connolly
Cast Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Vincent D’Onofrio, B.D. Wong
Edited by Kevin Stitt
Cinematography John Schwartzman
Music by Michael Giacchino
Running Time 124 minutes
Release June 12th, 2015
Rating M
Score 4/5 stars
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I can still remember the excitement and the sheer wonder I felt when I saw the rst dinosaur in
Jurassic Park. Much like Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler, I felt utter disbelief at what was unfolding
before my eyes, with John Williams’ unforgettable score perfectly capturing the majesty and
awe of the moment. Even now, 22 years later I can’t watch that scene without my hair standing
on end and getting goosebumps. This was the moment that told the audience that Jurassic
Review
© Image Universal Pictures
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Park was something special, and it paved way for the computer generated wizardry that is
now part of the Hollywood experience. Welcome to Jurassic Park indeed.
Unfortunately the magic that was inherent in the rst Jurassic Park was sorely missing from its
sequels. Where the rst lm was basically a horror movie with action adventure trappings, the
lms that followed it just tried to rely solely on more action and more dinos, but as great as
the CG in the rst movie was, it was the story and the characters that really sold the premise
of the dino theme-park, and no amount of whiz bang effects could replace them. (And the
less said about gymnastic children hitting raptors out of windows the better.)
So how do you make a follow-up to such a successful movie? Well, that’s where Jurassic
World comes in. Ignoring the existence of the previous two sequels, this lm is set 22 years
after the events of Jurassic Park. John Hammond’s dream has been realised, and Jurassic
World is now a major attraction drawing thousands of visitors. However, as society is often
wont to do, dinosaurs are now so common place they have lost their appeal, and the theme-
park’s management decides to create a new genetic hybrid dinosaur to win back the attention
of the crowds. As you can imagine, this does not end well.
While the sequel doesn’t quite reach the heady heights of its predecessor, it does an admirable
job of entertaining the audience. The story keeps to the themes of the original, with man
playing God and driven by greed and ambition without any thought of the consequences of
their actions. At the same time, it doesn’t delve too deeply into these, choosing instead to
be pure popcorn fun that knows not to take itself too seriously, while still being respectful of
the material on which it is based. There are confusing choices the characters make in the lm
purely to drive the plot along but I am willing to overlook this as they do not really impair the
overall experience of the lm.
The story is shown to us through the eyes of two brothers, Gray and Zach Mitchell, played
by Ty Simpkins and Nick Robinson respectively. They provide a lot of the exposition in the
movie and sometimes do come across a little cheesy. Chris Pratt as Owen Brady has the
charming leading man gig down pat. His laidback attitude and natural charisma make him
easy to root for, a fact that is often alluded to by other characters in the lm. Bryce Dallas
Howard plays Claire Dearing, the park’s operations manager. Starting off as a stodgy, by-the-
numbers, married to her work kind of person, she undergoes quite a transformation during
the movie, discovering her inner drive over the course of the calamitous events that befall
the park. Dr. Henry Wu, played by B.D. Wong, is the only returning character to the franchise,
and somehow over the last 20 years he has become almost fanatical in his drive to create the
perfect dinosaur. Add to the fact that his motivations also stem from greed, you could almost
look at this character as the Dennis Nedry of the lm. Vincent D’Onofrio’s character Hoskins
chews the scenery whenever he’s onscreen, and you almost expect him to twirl his moustache
whenever you see him. Irrfan Khan as Simon Masrani, the CEO of Jurassic World, and Jake
Johnson as Lowery bring humour to the lm but I feel they could have easily been removed
without too much loss.
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Updated effects and expanded scope do bring the franchise into the modern era, but the lm
also manages to embed a few throwbacks to the rst movie without seeming shoe-horned in.
As a fan, I appreciated the little Easter eggs, which also helped create a few more connections
to the original. It is a testament to the CG wizards of the original Jurassic Park that the effects
here don’t seem to be that much of an improvement from the original lm. That is not to say
that the visual effects aren’t amazing, they are, but the rst lm’s special effect were simply
ahead of their time.
Of course I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the score. John Williams couldn’t return to
compose the music for the lm (he was busy with some small indie ick about a star war
or something), so the lmmakers placed scoring duties in the capable hands of Michael
Giacchino. Mixing his own themes amidst the iconic Jurassic Park score, the music served as a
great backdrop to the fun taking place onscreen.
I found Jurassic World to be a fun piece of entertainment and the end denitely sets itself up
for a sequel, and if the box-ofce results are any indication, this franchise has been given the
shot in the arm it desperately needed, and it looks like it’s here to stay.
I give Jurassic World a 4 out of 5.
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INSIDE OUT
By Gokul Gnaneswaran
Pixar Animation Studios presents a lm by Pete Docter
Produced by Jonas Rivera
Screenplay by Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, Josh Cooley,
Cast Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Bill Hader, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling
Edited by Kevin Nolting
Music by Michael Giacchino
Running Time 94 minutes
Release June 19th, 2015
Rating PG
Score 4/5 stars
Review
There is something about the way that Pixar makes lms that gets past the superciality that
most animated features subscribe to. It’s a recipe they have perfected, that caters to both
young and old, and often hits that emotional sweet-spot that doesn’t leave a dry eye in the
house. The rst ten minutes of Up made nearly everyone an emotional wreck, and don’t get
me started on the trauma I felt during Toy Story 3. However Pixar hasn’t been ring on all
cylinders lately, with some sub-par sequels in the form of Cars 2 and Monsters Inc., so Inside
Out was on shaky ground. I shouldn’t have worried. Cue the waterworks.
© Image Pixar Animation Studios
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INSIDE OUT
With one of the more ambitious storylines to date, Inside Out focuses on a teenage girl
called Riley, and her ve emotions, Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger (Lewis
Black), Fear (Bill Hader) and Disgust (Mindy Kaling). These emotions live in Riley’s Mind at
HeadQuarters, a command centre type setup, where each of them take turns controlling Riley’s
feelings, with each feeling being stored in memory orbs coloured with their corresponding
emotion. We see Riley growing up from a baby to a teen and most of her memories are
glowing yellow orbs lled with Joy, but as the family move from their home in Minnesota to
San Francisco, and Riley’s dad spends less time with her due to work, we see more and more
of her memories tinged with the blue of Sadness, the red of Anger or the purple of Fear. It’s
during this tumultuous time that an accident leads to Joy and Sadness being sucked out
of HeadQuarters and stranded in Riley’s long-term memory, leaving only Fear, Anger and
Disgust at the helm. This of course makes Riley start acting like a typical cranky teenage girl.
The wonderful thing about Inside Out is how imaginative the world inside Riley’s head is. You
can tell that the creators spent a lot of time thinking about the nuances of how everything
would work and link together. From the orbs that make up Riley’s memories, to the Train of
Thought that transports Riley’s memories back and forth, to Dream Productions where her
dreams are setup like a daily production on a TV set, each part connects to one another in a
brilliantly cohesive manner that makes the whole conceit believable.
There is so much detail to see in this world that it’s hard to take in at once. The designs of the
emotions are simplistic and cartoony, and yet instantly convey the feelings they are associated
with. The different sections of Riley’s mind are bright and vibrant and clearly distinctive from
one another. They are so well-designed that I could easily see a movie based on each of these
individual areas.
But all the great animation aside, it’s the emotional hooks that Pixar laid down that really
makes the movie stand out. Any parent will be able to sympathise with the realisation that
their children are growing up, and with that the inevitability of joy having to be tempered
with sadness coming into their child’s life. This is further emphasised in the movie, when Joy
and Sadness come across a long lost imaginary friend in the depths of Riley’s memory. The
character, Bing Bong, is a crowd-pleaser from the moment he shows up (he cries candy for
crying out loud) but he also hammers home that as we grow up, some parts of our childhood
have to be left behind. In fact this is probably one of the more emotionally heavy stories that
Pixar has made, and yet done in a manner that doesn’t totally overwhelm you.
That being said, there is quite a bit of humour peppered throughout the script and the
emotions themselves interplay with each other quite well. Joy is a part that is a perfect t for
Amy Poehler, full of excitement and exuberance but without being annoying. Phyllis Smith
plays Sadness as a bit of a depressed klutz, and yet still manages to make her endearing and
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the perfect foil for Joy’s unending energy. Lewis Black’s Anger is quick to blow his top as
you would imagine and brings a lot of laughs to the scenes he’s in, and Hader’s Fear easily
captures the irrational insecurities and worries that we have even when we should know
better. And lastly Kaling as Disgust is that one cool girl at every school who knows everybody
and thinks she’s better than everyone else.
As all of these characters and their antics unfold on screen, they are supported quite admirably
by Michael Giacchino’s score. It’s a hard task to come up with memorable themes time and
time again, but within the rst few minutes of the lm, Giacchino manages with just a few
notes to create a musical hook that perfectly captures everything the movie is about and also
creates an ear-worm in the process that will be stuck in your head long after the movie is over.
I am glad that this movie shows Pixar’s return to form and is managing the rare feat of getting
stellar reviews from both critics and audiences alike. This is denitely a movie that’s worth
watching more than once, and is great for adults and children.
I give Inside Out a 4 out of 5, and now you must excuse me, I think I have something in my
eye.
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TOMORROWLAND
By Gokul Gnaneswaran
Walt Disney Pictures presents a lm by Brad Bird
Produced by Brad Bird, Lindelof, Jeffrey Chernof
Screenplay by Brad Bird, Jeffrey Chernof
Cast George Clooney, Hugh Laurie, Britt Robertson, Raffey Cassidy
Edited by Walter Murch, Craig Wood
Cinematography Claudio Miranda
Music by Michael Giacchino
Running Time 130 minutes
Release May 22nd, 2015
Rating PG
Score 3/5 stars
Review
Imagine a world. A world where the brightest minds on Earth have been brought together, in
order to inspire, innovate and invent creations beyond our wildest dreams. A place fuelled by
optimism and where the only limit is your imagination. That’s the premise behind Tomorrowland.
The main story revolves around Casey Newton (Britt Robertson), an inquisitive, smart-aleck
teenager, who is recruited by a mysterious 12 year old girl, named Athena (Raffey Cassidy). Casey
nds herself in the possession of a strange pin that shows Casey glimpses of Tomorrowland and
© Image Walt Disney Pictures
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TOMORROWLAND
causes her to cross paths with Frank Walker (George Clooney), a former boy-genius who has been
exiled from Tomorrowland, and together with Athena, nd themselves in a race against time to
prevent the end of the world.
The rst thing that stands out about Tomorrowland is the visual aesthetic, which is to be expected
from a lm helmed by Brad Bird. With the streamlined building design, to the bright, shiny surfaces
and the shots of the bustling metropolis lled with citizens dressed in futuristic gear and robots
helping perform day to day tasks, it does seems like a wondrous place to live and it invites the
audience to want to nd out more about it. There is one particular scene in Casey’s visions where
we see people diving in and out of a tri-level swimming pool. Just that one image was enough to
make me want to move to Tomorrowland.
However, instead of spending more time in this futuristic land, we are brought back to the modern
world, and for most of the movie we only get to see Tomorrowland in the afore-mentioned glimpses
that Casey gets through her pin until the nal act of the movie. Which is a shame because I would
have denitely liked to have spent more time exploring that world that Brad Bird created.
A lot of the focus of the lm is on the three main protagonists, Athena, Casey and Frank.
Casey is supposed to be the spunky, rambunctious kid whose optimism and can-do attitude saves
the day, but she just comes as an annoying, entitled teenager who thinks that she knows more
than everyone else. There’s one moment when she sets someone else’s property on re, breaks
into their house and goes through their personal things, and thinks nothing off it. It doesn’t really
inspire you to want to root for her.
Frank is the typical curmudgeon that starts off as a grumpy old man but who eventually warms up
to Casey and is reminded what it’s like to be an optimistic dreamer. This is a role that Clooney can
play in his sleep and he brings a weight to the role that helps to ground the action taking place
on screen.
But Raffey Cassidy is a revelation in the role of Athena. It’s hard to imagine that the actress is
only 12 years old, so good is her performance. Balancing the character with a mix of childlike
exuberance and at the same time a level of maturity that you would expect from someone 20
years her senior, she gives you a likable character that the audience wants to see succeed. Add
the fact that she carries out a couple of kick-ass ght scenes in the movie with aplomb, you have
the making of a future star.
That said, the movie’s plot can drag a little and the main villain doesn’t really come off that bad,
just more like he doesn’t care about humanity. The CG in the movie also does come off as a little
green-screeny, in fact I could classify the lm as relying a bit too much on CGI and not enough on
practical effects.
I think if they had a tighter storyline, and maybe spent a bit more time in Tomorrowland the lm
would have fared better. As it is, I give Tomorrowland a 3 out of 5.
TERMINATOR GENISYS
By Gokul Gnaneswaran
Paramount Pictures presents a lm by Alan Taylor
Produced by David Ellison, Dana Goldberg
Screenplay by Laeta Kalogridis, Patrick Lussier
Cast Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Clarke, Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney, J.K. Simmons
Edited by Roger Barton
Cinematography Kramer Morgenthau
Music by Lorne Balf
Running Time 126 minutes
Release July 1st, 2015
Rating M
Score 3/5 stars
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Review
A dystopian future, where the world is bleak, littered with scrap and where machines rule... But
enough about Wall-E, let’s talk about Terminator Genisys.
Genisys is yet another lm that hops onto the Hollywood trend of selective sequels, choosing
to take place after Terminator 2: Judgement Day and ignoring the events that occurred in T3:
Rise of the Machines and Terminator Salvation. Not that I blame them. The last two sequels
were nothing to write home about and got panned by both viewers and critics alike.
© Image Paramount Pictures
TERMINATOR GENISYS
As you may know, the premise of the original movie had a cyborg Terminator, the T-800, sent
back in time to kill Sarah Connor and a human resistance ghter, Kyle Reese, sent back to
protect her. This is also the starting point of Genisys, however this time we get to see the events
that take place just before the T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney)
are sent back to 1984. Once we arrive in that time, things quickly diverge from the rst movie.
Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke) is no longer a mild-mannered waitress, but rather a battle-
hardened warrior who has been raised and trained from the age of 9 by another Terminator
who had been sent to her past. The story continues with the quest to destroy Skynet, the
articial intelligence that created the Terminators, and see our protagonists jumping through
time on multiple occasions to defeat the AI before Judgement Day. Also throw in another
menacing T-1000 in the form of Byung-hun Lee and you have all the elements for a great
movie.
Well...yes and no. The new entry into the series does make a valiant attempt at continuing the
Terminator legacy, but it never manages to get there.
First, let’s talk about what works in the lm. There are quite a few interesting story elements in
the script that add a new take to the franchise. The action scenes (and there are a lot of them)
are well shot and have enough bang for their buck to satisfy most fans. Schwarzenegger slips
back into the Terminator role, once again playing the cyborg with ease, and again making you
feel an attachment to his character, quite an accomplishment considering that he is supposed
to be an emotionless killer robot. Byung-hun Lee’s T-1000 is also a terric antagonist, with
the warping and liquefying of the Terminator used in fun new ways that would make Robert
Patrick proud. The T-1000 effects alone shows how much CG has advanced since the time of
T2: Judgement Day.
Speaking of CG, the effects used to create a young Arnold Schwarzenegger are amazing,
and the lm-makers know it too, zooming in on his face to show every life-like pore and
imperfection on his skin. There are a few scenes where the older Schwarzenegger is ghting a
younger version of himself, and never did I feel disbelief at the action taking place before me.
While the score for the movie has some recognisable beats from the original Terminator, the
rest of the background music is pretty forgettable. In fact, that statement could be said about
the rest of the characters in the lm as well.
Emilia Clarke is a pretty good actress, as she has proven on Game of Thrones, but unfortunately
she doesn’t hold a candle to Linda Hamilton’s portrayal of Sarah Connor. Where Hamilton’s
Connor is believable as a ghter rallying against the machines, Clarke just comes off as too
young to play the part, and seems more like a spoilt teenager than someone who could
protect herself against a Terminator. Jai Courtney is serviceable in the role of Reese, but that’s
just it. He’s ne, not great and doesn’t stand out in any way. When two of your lm’s leads
don’t have what it takes to elevate their roles, you have a problem. Not to mention that the
two don’t have any sort of believable chemistry with each other.
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J.K Simmons plays a supporting character called O’Brien that doesn’t really do much for the
story and could easily have been removed without any loss to the lm. The same can be said
of Courtney B. Vance’s Miles Dyson. Apart from being included as a call-back to the previous
Terminator lms, his character serves no purpose in the movie’s arc. Jason Clarke as John
Connor is another victim of a mediocre performance. Both he and Jai Courtney have some
great screen time together at the beginning of the movie but in the later scenes he comes off
rather at, which could be due partly to the transformation that his character goes through.
Another factor that hurt the movie is its marketing campaign. For one reason or another, the
marketing team decided to reveal one of the biggest twists in the movie in its nal trailer,
which is a shame because if I hadn’t known about it, it really would have been quite a shocker.
As it was, I knew it was coming and the scene didn’t pack the punch it was supposed to. So
too with the smaller reveal that Byung-hun Lee’s character was the T-1000. This would have
been a nice little surprise if we hadn’t seen it in the trailer already.
I did like certain elements of the movie, but I don’t think it’s worth a trip to the cinemas to see
it. I suggest you hold off and wait for the digital download.
I give the movie a 3 out of 5.
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THE FOUR STEREOTYPICAL PORTRAYALS OF
FEMALE CHARACTERS IN HORROR SLASHER FILMS
By Pooiee Loh
Nancy and Freddy Krueger in A Nightmare on Elm Street © Image
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The world of Slasher Films is a horror world lled with controversy, violence and taboos. It
evokes fear and plays on the audience’s negative emotional reaction. And yet, it is one of the
most popular subgenres within Horror Cinema. In truth, spectators may feel disgusted when
the victim is dismembered and turned into a ‘ower of blood and esh’ in Gini Puggu 2: Chiniku
no Hana (1985) and they may cringe in horror as they watched the victims being ripped apart
in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974). However, this does not deny the fact that slasher lms
are entertaining, and that audiences are drawn by the elicit moments of disgust. Interestingly,
in the cinema of the unwatchable, the feeling of unpleasant ironically becomes pleasurable.
Not to be confused with other blood splatter lms such as psychological thrillers and blood-
curdling monster lms, the slasher genre typically revolves around a psychopathic killer going
on a killing spree. Hence, the killer will often stalk a series of victims into an isolated setting and
slaughter them in the most graphical way possible. However, the one aspect that really sets
slashers apart from other blood splatter lms is the fact that they almost always begin with the
death of a young female; and end with a lone female survivor, being the last girl standing. Yes,
unlike any other lm genre, women have more ‘fun’ in horror cinema compared to men. In fact,
slasher lms always revolves around women— from numerous female victims to the Final Girl
(the protagonist) and the rising of the female slasher (the antagonist).Thus, let’s take a look at
the stereotypical portrayals of female characters in horror slasher lms.
The Blonde Bombshell Bimbo as the Game Starter
Obviously, no slasher lms are complete without the blonde bombshell bimbo as the rst
female victim slaughtered by the hands of the killer. These bimbo characters t the textbook
dumb blonde stereotype perfectly as they often wear skimpy clothing that emphasise their
seductive body and wear excessive amount of make-up. In addition, they are almost always
slaughtered by the killer before the actual massacre begins, meaning these characters are
usually murdered within the rst 10 minutes of the lm.
Because slasher lms often follow a typical moral code whereby the antagonist is trying to
‘cleanse the evil’ and ‘punish the wicked’; these sinful blonde bombshell bimbos tends to
be arrogant as well as imprudent. Hence, they are always brutally killed because they have
committed dissolute acts such as drinking, smoking, having sex or taking drugs. One of the
best examples that perfectly depicts the blonde bombshell bimbo would be the character of
Tatum Riley (Rose McGowan) who get killed by Ghostface in Scream (1996) after grabbing
some beers from the garage. What’s more, Riley’s neck was snapped and head was attened
by the garage door because her breasts prevented her from breaking free. Ironic and clichéd.
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The Oblivious Girlfriend in the Loved Up Couple
The loved up couple is another text-book role that will denitely be featured in the slasher
lms genre. On screen, the couples are usually all over each other or about to have sex
before being butchered in the most horric way possible. While the male will usually be killed
rst, the girlfriend nevertheless would be too busy getting ‘in the mood’ to notice the death
of her boyfriend, even as the killer is approaching. As seen in Halloween II (1981), Karen
Bailey (Pamela Susan Shoop) was preparing to spend quality time with her boyfriend in the
hospital’s hydrotherapy tub. A hand touches her shoulder. To get in the mood, Bailey begins
nibbling the hand and irting with the killer assuming that the hand belongs to her boyfriend.
Needless to say, she falls victim as the killer turns up the water temperature, dunks her face
into the water, drowning and scalding her to death.
The Female Slasher as the Atrocious Villain
Undoubtedly, women are traditionally represented as the victims in slasher lm. They are
usually being slaughtered by the psychopathic killer because of their dissolute behaviours.
Yet, the representation of female in horror cinema nevertheless has changed dramatically
with the inuence of the feminist movement within the Western lm industry. As well as the
modern ideology of dominant women in reality. As a result, the portrayal of female characters
have gradually changed in slasher lm. Women no longer solely play the victims, instead
females can be depicted as strong individuals who can be both the hero and killer on screen.
Therefore, females as the villain can be seen in many slasher lms such as Carrie (1976 and
2013), Jennifer’s Body (2009) and Urban Legend (1998).
Moreover, these female slashers always have a reason to kill, whether it’s due to passion,
anger or jealousy - the reason almost always involves a man. Ultimately, they achieve their
goal using violence. For instance, the character Brenda Bates (Rebecca Gayheart) perfectly
depict the female slasher stereotype in the 1998’s Urban Legend. Upon nding out the truth
about the death of her ancée, Bates decides to take revenge on the people responsible.
Bates soon becomes the serial killer of Pendleton College, turning the school into a bloodbath
as she performs numerous gruesome murders and decapitates her fellow friends with an axe.
The Final Girl as the Last Girl Standing
As mentioned previously, slasher lms often follow a typical story plot whereby the killer will
perform numerous murders, killing off a series of victims before he/she is ultimately stopped
by the one surviving member in the group—the nal girl. Evidently, the characteristics of the
nal girl usually portray the direct opposite of the blonde bimbo character in the lm. The last
girl standing is usually depicted as an innocent virgin with a girl-next-door persona and has
a strong will to survive. Thus, whether or not she will be alive to tell the story in the sequel,
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the nal girl will certainly be the last character left alive, struggling to confront and defeat the
killer in slasher lms. Perfect examples that meet these stereotypes are the Friday the 13th
series, Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Scream.
As seen in the A Nightmare on Elm Street series, Nancy Thompson (Heather Lanenkamp) can
be deemed as the legendary nal girl as she has managed to defeat Freddy Kruger over and
over again in the franchise. She has planned elaborate defences, challenged the killer to kill
her before counter attacking. Denitely not your typical run-and-scream female victim role.
Thus, next time you are in a cinema watching a slasher lm, try seeking out these four
stereotypical portrayals of female characters on screen, you will be surprised how almost all
slasher lms follow certain rules and a format that rarely changes!
Tatum and Sidney in Scream (1996) © Image
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© Image
Ethan Tomas as James in Greeneld
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Greeneld is a 5-episode web TV series that tackles themes of violence, isolation and being
an outsider in regional Western Australia. Produced by Daniel Tenni and Mikkel Skov, with
a Western Australian and Scandinavian team, the series has already achieved success with
its two leads, Ethan Tomas and Marthe Snorresdotter Rovik. Both picking up Best Actor and
Best Actress Awards respectively at the WA Screen Awards (WASA) in June.
Over these episodes, each of varying length, we meet James (Ethan Tomas) as he tries to
settle in the regional town of Greeneld; a place where he hopes he can build a life with his
girlfriend, Kelley (Marthe Snorresdotter Rovik). It is this troubled love aair that provides the
heart of the story.
The show opens with James walking alongside the railway track that heads into town, after
being dropped o by a truck driver. The well-paced opening works well to place the story
rmly in the realm of moody drama, and even hints at the sullen Western. Even James’ rst
encounter with a local is a violent one as bets this genre, and sets the tone for the rest of
the series.
As James and Kelley try to build a life together, others constantly frustrate them. Kelley’s
father, Ben (Kym Bidstrup), does not welcome James. Being an alcoholic, he is inarticulate
both verbally and emotionally. Alex (Renatto Fabretti), a burly, hairy troublemaker, makes
life dicult for James, and he is only too ready to run to Kelley’s side to support her as the
drama takes o. Justine (Claudia Cirillo), a young woman who denes herself only by her
sexuality, tries to tempt James away. But it is Jason (Daniel Tenni) who is the real threat in
this town. He is a sinister and disturbed young man who cannot accept himself as he really
is. He takes out his self-loathing on Michael (Liam Graham), Kelley’s brother, with brutal and
emotionally wrenching consequences.
James’ deance against the silence and injustice he sees Michael subjected to eventually
turns Kelley away from him, but his courage has an eect on Justine. James is eventually
defeated by the town, but Justine matures and redenes herself.
Greeneld is a well-made low budget production, supported through a crowd-funding
campaign and matching funding from ScreenWest. It eectively creates the town of Green-
eld as a character in this story; a moody, presence that both fascinates and disturbs. The
use of natural outdoor light adds texture and eective shadows to many scenes, and shows
the town and surrounding countryside o well. Rusty tin roofs and dusty streets contrast
with the wide expanses of saltpans, wheat elds and long straight country roads that reach
to the horizon.
Greeneld is not for the faint-hearted
by Vivienne Glance
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Writer/director Julius Telmer, does not push the story but allows it to unfold at a pace that
builds tension and then allows the violence to erupt. It is enhanced by the atmospheric musi-
cal score that builds tension and drives the drama, especially the songs by Danish band, ‘Get
Your Gun’ that bookend each episode.
The actors are all excellent, and their speech is delivered very naturally, as if it came from a
process of improvisation. But the stand-out performance comes from Tomas. He is asked to
access a whole range of emotions from love and despair, through anger and pity. His broody
on-screen presence is captivating. Opposite him, Snorresdotter Rovik’s character is not given
as much range, but she is best when she is asked to take charge of her character’s emotional
life. Graham, who was also nominated for a WASA, puts in a strong performance, particularly
when he nally confronts his persecutor. Tenni as Jason, is another performer who shows the
inner life of the character through a subtle and nuanced performance.\
As co-producers, he and Skov are to be congratulated for bringing Greeneld to life. Shot in
the Western Australian town of Merredin, this is a tale that will speak to many isolated com-
munities, here and abroad. By releasing all ve episodes as a web series we can only hope
this production will gain a wide audience and lead on to bigger and better things for all
concerned.
Producer/Actor Daniel Tenni on set
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