Screening New Zealand's Musical Feature Films
15 September, 2004
Singing in the Frame: in the Tracks of the New Zealand Musical Film, a series of six screenings plotting the course of the musical film in New Zealand over the last forty years begins Sunday 12 September at the Film Archive mediaplex on the corner of Ghuznee and Taranaki Streets.
Selected by Lawrence McDonald, editor of the film journal Illusions and well known for his writing on New Zealand, Singing in the Frame kicks off with Don’t Let It Get You (1966) and ends with last year’s festival hit Woodenhead (2003). Highlights in between include Kenny Rogers and the First Edition Rolln’ Thru New Zealand on their month-long tour in 1974 and Peter Jackson’s cult classic Meet the Feebles (1990).
Singing in the Frame screens at the Film Archive’s mediatheatre on Sunday nights as part of the New Zealand Feature Project. The project screens New Zealand feature films, from the earliest to the most recent, in series selected by staff of the Archive and guest curators.
“Rather than starting with our earliest surviving feature, My Lady of the Cave (1922), and working our way forward chronologically, or starting with A (Absent Without Leave) and working through to Z (Zilch), we decided it would be really interesting to mix up the more than 150 feature films that have been produced here by asking different people to make selections” says mediaplex manager, Steve Russell.
The New Zealand Feature Project aims to create new ways of looking at New Zealand films, to publish monographs and essays and to establish and maintain a New Zealand feature filmography. “With the Feature Project we want to remind people that feature films have a long history here, one that extends even further back than Sleeping Dogs (1977), it’s a great opportunity to screen the seldom seen alongside the perennial favourites” says Russell. We had fun defining what is a “New Zealand film” and have come up with a number of credentials for selection. “We have kept a certain amount of flexibility, however”, he adds.
“With Singing in the Frame Lawrence McDonald kept as far as possible to the brief of only programming New Zealand features, however, he felt that the concept behind the selection demanded a number of almost features be included and we were happy to oblige” says Russell, “we’re thrilled by the opportunity to include Michael Heath’s 50-minute A Small Life (2000) which will make an illuminating double bill with the Australian mini-feature One Night the Moon (2001).”
Following Singing in the Frame a selection of films chosen by filmmaker Larry Parr will screen.
Singing in the Frame: in the Tracks of the Kiwi Musical Film screening at the mediaplex Sunday nights at 6.30pm:
Programme One: Sunday 12 September at 6.30pm
Don’t Let It Get You (1966) preceded by The Unbelievable Glory of the Human Voice (1972
Don’t Let it Get You is a light-hearted comedy with music, best described as a tonic film that doesn’t let the blues get you. The Unbelievable Glory of the Human Voice is an historical exploration of singing.
For programme details click here
Programme Two: Sunday 19 September at 6.30pm
Rollin’ Thru New Zealand with Kenny Rogers and the First Edition (1974); Maple on the Hill (1988); Opera in The Outback (1989)
Kenny Rogers and the First Edition roll through New Zealand, members of the Tumbleweeds Country Music group reminisce and Kiri Te Kanawa performs at Australia’s most unusual bicentennial event.
For programme details click here
Programme Three: Sunday 26 September at 6.30pm
Nambassa Festival (1980); Radio with Pictures: Sweetwaters Festival (1980); The Gathering (1998)
Nambassa Festival unrolls the canvas of the crowds, the dust, the chaos, the pleasure – even the moments of peace. The late, great Dylan Taite fronts a Radio with Pictures report on Sweetwaters 1980 and The Gathering documents the late 90s resurgence of large-scale open air music festivals.
For programme details click here
Programme Four: Sunday 3 October at 6.30pm
Meet the Feebles (1990) preceded by Valley of the Stereos (1992)
Meet the Feebles relates the events leading up to the ‘Feebles Variety Massacre’, a day that rocked the puppet world. Meanwhile, in Valley of the Stereos a new neighbour shatters a peace-loving hippy’s tranquillity.
For programme details click here Programme Five: Sunday 10 October at 6.30pm
One Night The Moon (2001), Australia, with A Small Life (2000)
One Night the Moon is set in outback Australia, 1932. Entranced by the moon, a young girl steps out of her bedroom window. In A Small Life a mother sings to her terminally ill son.
For programme details click here
Programme Six: Sunday 17 October at 6.30pm
Woodenhead (2003) preceded by Sweet As Candy (2003)
A grimm, musical fairy tale Woodenhead follows Gert and Princess Plum on a strange mystical journey. Sweet as Candy recreates the look and sound of 1950s teen culture and rock ‘n roll.
For programme details click here
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