Australian
Screen

Teacher’s notes

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This clip shows Len Keeley (John Meillon), the Mayor of Paris, New South Wales, introducing himself to Arthur Waldo (Terry Camilleri), who was travelling towards the town when the car he was driving slid off the road, killing his brother. Len and Arthur lead Arthur’s brother’s funeral procession to the local rural cemetery where the Reverend Mulray (Max Phipps) delivers an unconventional sermon. At the council meeting afterwards, Len is discussing the town’s progress plan when he is interrupted by the sound of a succession of hot rod cars hurtling down the street, driven by the town lads. Once the cars have passed, Len complains about the town’s unemployed youth and asserts that they have to work. When asked by his councillors about Arthur’s fate, Len announces, 'We’re keeping him’.

Educational value points

• This clip is from an innovative Australian film, The Cars That Ate Paris, directed by Australian Peter Weir (1944–). It premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 1974 and was released later the same year in Australia. The film was radically different from other popular films shown in Australia at the time and achieved cult status. Although it received great acclaim from most critics, it did poorly at the box office.

• The film presents a bleakly satirical view of warring generations in a small town. The hypocritical attitudes of the mayor and the councillors are partly revealed through their responses to the town’s youth. The brightly painted, loud, animal-like cars driven by the town lads become demonic characters in themselves. In the film it is the cars rather than the drivers (who are rarely seen) that provide the menace and symbolise the battle between the older and younger generations.

• Australian actors John Meillon (1934–89) and Terry Camilleri (1949–) feature in the clip. Meillon is best known for his role as Walter in Crocodile Dundee (1986) and Crocodile Dundee II (1988). Camilleri made his feature debut in The Cars That Ate Paris and in 2003 played a minor role in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, also directed by Weir.

• Film techniques characteristic of Weir’s work are shown. In the clip, Weir makes an interesting choice of wide shots and camera angles, including a distorted shot from inside the back of the funeral hearse. He creatively blends different genres, including horror, satire and parody. He also uses sinister music during the funeral procession to create tension. The portrayal of seemingly ordinary characters provides an effective contrast to the ominous music and subtext of the scene.

• The clip is from a film shot and cut on 35 mm, before the availability of digital technology. This is evident from the transitions between shots.

• The Cars That Ate Paris was Peter Weir’s first feature film. Weir has become one of Australia’s best known film directors, with features including Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975), Gallipoli (1981), The Year of Living Dangerously (1982), Witness (1985), Dead Poets Society (1989), Green Card (1990), The Truman Show (1998) and Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003). Weir has won several awards including the Australian Film Institute Best Direction Award in 1981 for Gallipoli, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) David Lean Award for Achievement in Direction in 2004 for Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World and in 1999 for The Truman Show, and the BAFTA Best Film Award in 1990 for Dead Poets Society.

This clip starts approximately 13 minutes into the feature.

Len Keeley, the Mayor of Paris, and Arthur Waldo are standing in front of a row of houses.
Len Keeley Len Keeley’s the name, Mayor of Paris. I just want you to know that we’re upset. We’re terribly, terribly upset about what happened.
Arthur Waldo Thank you.
Len Oh…
Len reaches into his pocket and hands Arthur a black tie.
Arthur Thank you.
He puts on the tie.
Len I thought that this was the least that we could do.

Sinister music plays as the hearse drives slowly down the main street, followed by a procession of people headed by Len and Arthur.

A group of townspeople are gathered at the burial site.
Reverend Oh gosh, Lord. Sometimes you work in ways that are totally incomprehensible. We try to understand but we’re only human. Help us not to ask why, help us not to lose faith. Help us both to keep our faith and to bear our grief in times of trouble and pain. And it’s not easy. Lord, give us courage. Amen.
Crowd Amen.

An old man sits on the steps of the town hall in front of a red car. Inside, the mayor and others are having a council meeting.
Metcalf But Mr Mayor, this model doesn’t seem to show the veranda posts at the hotel.
Len That’s right. Because they aren’t there. Could I have that please? Thank you. The reason that we are here is to discuss progress. We must look to the future and that – thank you – is a very grave responsibility. As to the veranda posts, I realise there is a place for them but they should be in our new proposed museum, which I am sure that Mr Metcalf would be the first to agree with me.

The men are interrupted by the sound of a convoy of souped-up cars being driven down the street. The cars pass Arthur who is standing at the side of the road. A young man standing up in one of the vehicles shouts out to him.
Youth Welcome to Paris, Arthur!

Inside the town hall, the mayor pauses and then continues to speak over the noise.
Len As to our youth, they are idle, they are lazy, they need to work.
Other men Hear, hear.
Len As that American president said… what was his name… um… Roosevelt… Roosevelt, yes. The New Deal – build. They have got to work.
Metcalf Mr Mayor?
Len Um?
Metcalf I’d like to raise another question.
Len Yes.
Metcalf It’s a matter of our… uh… visitor.
Len Yes. We’re keeping him.
The other councillors glance up at each other, obviously worried.