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Clip description
Col Turner (Chris Haywood) enjoys a beach walk with his wife Lorraine (Jennifer Cluff). They arrive home as the neighbour’s child, Kathy (Marion Chirgwin), breaks bottles on their driveway. Col hands her over to her father, Craig (Peter Kowitz). After a vigorous run, Col notices lumps in his throat. Lorraine tells him to go to the doctor. Later, playing chess, Craig tells Col that his daughter Kathy has been diagnosed with a chemical imbalance in the brain.
Curator’s notes
The film is made in a very spare style, with few close-ups, and many scenes done in single continuous takes. The cinematography by Geoff Burton uses long lenses in several scenes to establish a certain distance, perhaps even a sense of isolation around the Turner family.
The question of physical and mental wellbeing is often present. Col is otherwise fit and healthy. He smokes cigarettes but he also exercises, as does his neighbour Craig, another veteran of Vietnam. Both men have rashes on their arms that they struggle to get rid of, and Craig’s daughter shows signs of mental illness. Col’s swollen neck glands are one of the first signs of his developing illness.
The happiness and wellbeing at the start of the clip has begun to fall apart by the end of this clip – a quick transition of mood accomplished largely by images rather than dialogue.
