The_Widower_(2004_film)

<i>The Widower</i> (film)

The Widower (film)

Australian film

The Widower is a 2004 Australian film based on the poetry of Les Murray and directed by Kevin Lucas. It has no dialogue, instead using operatic-style music in its place.[1] Lyndon Terracini wrote the screenplay and performed the vocals with Slava Grigoryan on guitar. The score was composed by Elena Kats-Chernin.[2] When the film first opened, many of the screenings were accompanied by live music.[3]

Quick Facts The Widower, Directed by ...

Plot

A woodcutter mourns his dead wife.

Cast

  • Chris Haywood as Neville
  • Frances Rings as Mary
  • Matt Dyall as Blake
  • Blake Pittman as Young Blake
  • Djakapurra Munyarryun
  • Jay Bailey
  • Tony Barry
  • Ben Harkin

Reception

The Age's John Slavin writes "I don't think it has made up its mind whether it is a poetic elegy for bush life or a character study of the bushman. Haywood's superb performance emphasises the second approach."[2] The Herald Sun gave it two stars, saying that "Director Kevin Lucas often settles for a far-too-literal interpretation of his source, which only invites the unwelcome (but not totally unwarranted) accusation that this isn't much more than a pretentiously highbrow music video."[4] Paul Lepetit of the Daily Telegraph gave it three stars, saying "Almost contemplative at times, The Widower exercises a mesmerising effect upon its audience; for the most part, it is a delicate combination of high art and fine cinema."[5] Reviewing in The Australian, Evan Williams gives it 3 1/2 stars sand said "The film as a whole, however -- fragmentary, impressionistic, essentially plotless -- never quite lives up to its high ambitions."[6] Paul Byrnes of the Sydney Morning Herald finishes his review with a similar conclusion, "The film still has a power – Haywood's performance is magnificent – but it never achieves a strong inner reality. It falls short of its own tall ambitions."[7]

Awards

References

  1. [1]
    Molitorisz, Sacha (5 October 2004), "The Widower", The Sydney Morning Herald
  2. [2]
    Slavin, John (12 October 2004), "The Widower", The Age
  3. [3]
    Webb, Carolyn (8 October 2004), "No words for the widower", The Age
  4. [4]
    "The Widower", The Herald Sun, 7 July 2005
  5. [5]
    Lepetit, Paul (3 July 2005), "The Widower (M)", The Daily Telegraph
  6. [6]
    Williams, Evan (9 July 2005), "Kidman gets there by a nose", The Australian
  7. [7]
    Byrnes, Paul (30 June 2005). "The Widower". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  8. [8]
    Zion, Lawrie (25 November 2005), "No short-priced favourite this year", The Australian
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