Australian
Screen

Teacher’s notes

provided by

This clip shows the alienation and teenage angst of close friends Vicki (Dora Kaskanis) and Alex (Elena Mandalis). Arriving at Vicki’s house to collect her friend, Alex silently observes the oppressive family atmosphere. Later on, in an abandoned train, the friends discuss a party they have been to and Vicki’s busy social life. Vicki confronts Alex about the fact that she, Alex, is still a virgin. A carefully created colour palette and sound design contribute to the bleak atmosphere.

Educational value points

• The complexities of teenage friendship and sexuality, a key theme of the film, are highlighted by body language, choice of clothing and contrasting locations. In her strictly controlled home environment Vicki is agitated and submissive and movement is minimal but in the train yards she literally lets her hair down, confidently discussing sex and boyfriends. By contrast a sullen Alex, defensive about her status as ‘virgin’, retreats behind her dark glasses and large coat.

• The choice of colours in the clip contributes to its drama and tension. The muted browns and yellows in Vicki’s home are filmed in a naturalistic diegetic light. Following this scene, the use of stylised greys, blues and blacks in the dark shadow-filled netherworld of the train yards creates a jarring and ominous atmosphere. The obvious contrast between the two scenes builds tension by indicating that the different realms that Vicki inhabits are in conflict.

• The unmelodic industrial soundtrack and the tracking close-ups of Alex and Vicki as they move between the trains evoke a sense of alienation and claustrophobia. The tight tracking close-ups of Vicki and Alex limit light to a minimum and give the impression that the world – the sides of the trains – is closing in on them. This, combined with the blue lens filter and harsh music, suggests that Vicki and Alex are in an ominous suffocating tunnel.

• The psychological and physical dominance conveyed by Vicki’s father (George Harlem) is presented effectively. His threatening attitude is captured without resorting to overt verbal or physical violence. Rather, it can be found in the way he wields his keys, the sound they make in his hand and Harlem’s icy authoritative performance for which no subtitles are required. It is also seen in the manner with which he greets Alex compared with the way he addresses Vicki.

• The shot of the concrete silo filmed from the doorway of the train compartment represents Alex’s sense of dislocation within the wider world. The diagonally tilted camera creates a view of the silo from an unnatural angle. As it is the only external object clearly seen from Alex’s world, represented by the train compartment, the edifice is invested with a malice and coldness in contrast to its real-world function.

• Framing of shots to convey information about the characters is seen in two scenes. The close-up of Vicki’s mother (Eugenia Fragos), filmed through a row of glasses on a shelf, suggests her fearful imprisonment within the home. On the train, when Vicki enters the next compartment and is framed by an open wooden partition directly above Alex’s head, it seems as though Vicki has been captured in a comic-book thought bubble as she provokes Alex about her sexual life.

Alex comes to pick up Vicki from home. She waits in the kitchen where Vicki’s parents are.
Alex Hi.
Vicki’s father Hello, Alex. Vicki’ll be up in one minute, OK? Vicki! You like some coffee? Elaine!
Alex No thanks, it’s OK. I’ve really got to go.
Vicki’s mother speaks to Vicki in Greek and touches her face. Vicki pushes her hand away.
Vicki Don’t touch – leave me alone!
Vicki’s father tells Vicki in Greek to tie her hair back and do her jacket up. She complies and then leaves.
Vicki Come on. Let’s go.

Alex and Vicki go to the abandoned trains. Vicki lets her hair down. They sit in a train carriage. Alex offers Vicki a drag of her cigarette.
Vicki I’d spew.
Vicki wanders into the next compartment, behind Alex.
Vicki I thought you liked Evan. Can’t be a virgin for the rest of your life, you know.
Alex I’m not.
Vicki Bullshit. Everyone has to do it, Alex.
Vicki comes back and sits down.
Vicki Don’t remember nothing about last night – except spewing up all over Lisa’s shoes.
Alex Tammy thinks she’s king dick.
Vicki leans over Alex.
Vicki I keep telling ya, ever since we dumped her.