Im Auge des Sturms (2011)

Im Auge des Sturms: Directed by Fred Schepisi. With Charlotte Rampling, Maria Theodorakis, Geoffrey Rush, Jamie Timony. Elizabeth Hunter controls all in her life – society, her staff, her children; but the once great beauty will now determine her most defiant act as she chooses her time to die.

“I canu0026#39;t see anyone under 50 even being remotely interested in this u0026quot;Patrick White In Dragu0026quot; type film (to quote another IMDb user). The 2 hours reminded me of those hours spent in non air- conditioned portable classrooms (for me, in the late 60u0026#39;s) wading through arcane English literature classes wherein Patrick White was regarded as u0026quot;worthyu0026quot;…or u0026quot;significantu0026quot;.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eu0026quot;Stormu0026quot; has all the features we have come to expect from u0026quot;qualityu0026quot; Australian film-making – a great cast, polished direction, impeccable production values etc etc … but itu0026#39;s as dull and disconnected as the world White writes about. Who really gives a stuff about an imploding grazing family presided over by a a dying monster … nominally set in the 1970s, but really (as in most of Whiteu0026#39;s writing) set in the 1930s? u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eOn a $15m budget … it probably needs a world wide gross of $100m to break even. Ye Gods – who green-lit this? How much Government funding went into it? (Its $1.6m domestic gross should just about pay for the Prints and Advertisingu0026quot; budget u0026amp; little more).u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWe have a bustling new generation – make that two generations – of film-makers pushing the envelope and making u0026quot;Animal Kingdomu0026quot;, u0026quot;Daybreakersu0026quot;, u0026quot;Red Dogu0026quot; etc who seem to be at least aware of their audience and their responsibility for getting a return for their investors. Film-making is an expensive business … and u0026quot;Stormu0026quot; is just a sad old melodrama, outdated, over-priced and isolated from the real world, doomed to fail financially. I can understand why audiences congratulate themselves for having sat through it (u0026quot;splendid and intelligentu0026quot; – another IMDb post), but itu0026#39;s just an Anglo middle class statement from people who are longing for the days of u0026quot;Careful He Might Hear Youu0026quot; or u0026quot;The Devilu0026#39;s Playgroundu0026quot;.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAt least the English Class in those old portables only lasted 50 minutes…”