Splodge! Film Society. THIS MONTH'S PROGRAMMES...

Monday 05th.,

2003

Registration: >>>>> 7.30 (*7.30pm*!!!) pm+ <<<<<

Screening: >>>>> 8.00 (*EIGHT*!!!) pm <<<<<

This is a Film Society screening open to Members & their guests.

Casual Visitors are welcome to attend twice without charge.

THIS PROGRAMME: STRICTLY MEMBERS-ONLY

MEMBERSHIPS STILL AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR ON THE NIGHT, 'THO

THE DOPE ON DOPE

featuring:

*I'M DANCING AS FAST AS I CAN (1982),

"VALIUM®: trade name for the drug Diazepam; an addictive tranquilizer, member of the group of minor tranquilizers known as benzodiazepines; often used by physicians to alleviate the symptoms of withdrawal from alcohol addiction as well as for the treatment of anxiety and tension and as a sedative, a muscle relaxant, and an anti-convulsant."

JILL CLAYBURGH is terrific in this riveting but harrowing drama as TV documentary film maker Barbara Gordon, desperately trying to be the woman who can "do it all", but whose apparent success masks a deeper failure to cope with life's complexities, built on a compulsive, horrific over-reliance on little blue tabs - Valium®.

While making a doco on a Cancer-stricken poet, played by GERALDINE PAGE, the fragile veneer of control over Barbara's life crumbles after a small professional crisis presents; her dependence on the prescription-tranquillizer Valium® increases and she launches a disastrous attempt to go cold turkey, inevitably doomed to fail, resulting in even more emotional and physical stress and turmoil, thus beginning her slow and steady spiral into the snakepit of madness.

But this is much more than a story of nagging addiction and harrowing withdrawal - of the redemption of a "a pill-popping dingbat" (as the therapist - DIANNE WIEST - who helps Barbara out of her addiction and back to reality puts it); it is an examination of the devastating effects wrought by low self-esteem - of the price of the Devil's Bargain: a syndrome often attendant in the lives of people whose career triumphs are achieved at great personal cost: success at the price of conditional personal acceptance. It's a dramatic and suspenseful story of one woman's survival in a battle for her sanity and to rebuild her life. In this urgent quest, she must discover her inner strength, independence, an understanding of the real treasures of life, and the ability to be truly happy.

Barbara is conflicted by a curious dualism: on the one hand she is barely likeable - obsessive-compulsive, hostile, chain-smoking, a compulsive pill-popper, yet she is struggling to achieve insight and understanding in the spheres of both her personal and professional life. We are given hints of guilty secrets in Barbara's past, and present unresolved relationships, and the implications of shame associated with the furtive use of chemical "props": the "grit" that precipitated her nagging subterranean anguish, and there are parallel sub-plots of ambiguous co-dependency involving boyfriend Derek Bauer (NICOL WILLIAMSON), who, resorting to alcohol to numb his own impotent failures in business and relationships, crumbles into his own ineffectual, violent insanity. WILLIAMSON is certainly creepy, but we never understand his reluctance to get Barbara medical help during her withdrawal. As Barbara withdraws, CLAYBURGH goes all out - convulsing, drooling, shrieking, maniacal, with wild mad eyes and "Frances Farmer" hair. When she is eventually institutionalised, we see the anger that the Valium® had suppressed as she rages at WIEST. JOE PESCI has a charming support role as an astro-travelling patient Barbara meets in the psychiatric institution while she is breaking the habit ("...stop over at the Moon for a burger and to change a few modules.")

CLAYBURGH's husband, playwright David Rabe, as well as co-producing the film, adapted the screenplay from Barbara Gordon's autobiographical memoir of her addiction to prescription drugs ( - also with the same title), and Michael Eisner is also said to have had something to do with the production, according to producer Edgar Scherick. The music of Stanley Silverman and the Primavera String Quartet is particularly beautiful and moving, as is the controlled cinematography by Dutch master JAN DE BONT. PAGE's poetry is by Marsha Rabe. Songs used are: "I GUESS I'LL HAVE TO CHANGE MY PLAN" by Tony Bennett and Count Basie, "DO THE DOG" by The Specials and "OUR LOVE IS INSANE" by Desmond Child and Rouge. Article on Barbara Gordon and contemporary Mental Health issues: "No More Double Standard for Health Care, Author Says. - Barbara Gordon urges women to take control." By Pat Springer 02/21/02

Countless numbers of individuals have lived this story, and anyone with any sensitivity who has seen this film or read the book will continue to be haunted by it. It really encourages us to believe in ourselves, above all else. Prod Co: Paramount Pictures. Dir: Jack Hofsiss. Prod: Edgar J. Scherick, Scott Rudin. Scr: David Rabe. Phot: Jan de Bont. Ed: Michael Bradsell. Mus: Stanley Silverman, The Primavera String Quartet, Paul Jacobs, piano soloist. Art Dir: David Jenkins. Cast: JILL CLAYBURGH, NICOL WILLIAMSON, DIANNE WEIST, JOE PESCI, GERALDINE PAGE, ALBERT SALMI, JOHN LITHGOW, James Sutorius, David Margulies, Kathleen Widdoes, Daniel Stern, Anne de Salvo, Ellen Greene, Cordis Heard, Richard Masur, Jeffrey de Munn. 106 mins. RESURRECTION MEDIA.

with supporting short:

*IN TIME OF TROUBLE (1954),

Mrs. Denckman is at the end of her rope. She has grave concerns about her husband's drinking and goes to see her local Minister, Dr Burns, who also acts as a counselor. Mrs Denkman explains her problem and we are shown her husband, John, who seems to be lacking responsibility. On one occasion he comes home smelling of alcohol. Based on the book "Marriage for Moderns" by Henry A. Bowman. 14 mins. ALC.

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SCREENING DETAILS:

WHO: ADMISSION IS BY MEMBERSHIP OF THE SPLODGE! FILM SOCIETY (DETAILS AVAILABLE BELOW).

HOWEVER, OUR CONSTITUTION, IN KEEPING WITH THE GUIDELINES OF THE FEDERATION OF VICTORIAN FILM SOCIETIES, PROVIDES THAT
CASUAL VISITORS MAY BE ADMITTED, WITHOUT CHARGE, UP TO TWO TIMES BEFORE IT BECOMES NECESSARY TO SEEK MEMBERSHIP IN ORDER TO BE FURTHER ADMITTED. CASUAL VISITORS ARE MOST
WELCOME!

WHEN: SPLODGE! SCREENINGS ARE CONDUCTED ON THE FIRST AND THIRD MONDAY NIGHTS OF EVERY MONTH.

THE ROOM LOCKS DOWN AND THE PROJECTOR STARTS RUNNING AT
8PM EXACTLY, SO IF YOU'RE INTENDING TO REGISTER AS A MEMBER ON THE NIGHT, WE STRONGLY ADVISE YOU TO ARRIVE AT A REASONABLE TIME BEFOREHAND.

THE ADDRESS FOR THE SCREENINGS IS:

714 NICHOLSON ST., (CNR. NICHOLSON & SCOTCHMER STREETS),

NORTH FITZROY, 3068,

VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA.

CLICK HERE TO CONSULT A MAP OF THE AREA.

(KINDLY ENTER VIA THE SCOTCHMER STREET ENTRANCE).

SPLODGE! FILM SOCIETY: MEMBERSHIP DETAILS:

RATES

Annual: Halfly: Quarterly:

Generally Socially Advantaged: $27.00 $13.50 $7.00

Annual: Halfly: Quarterly:

Generally Socially-Oppressed: $23.00 $11.50 $6.00