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]
| The Widower | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Kevin Lucas |
| Written by | Lyndon Terracini |
| Based on | Poetry of Les Murray |
| Produced by | Aanya Whitehead |
| Starring | Chris Haywood Frances Rings |
| Cinematography | Kim Batterham |
| Edited by | Kevin Lucas |
| Music by | Elena Kats-Chernin |
Running time | 60 minutes |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
Plot edit
A woodcutter mourns his dead wife.
Cast edit
- 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 edit
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 edit
- 2005 AFI Awards
- Best Adapted Screenplay - Lyndon Terracini - nominated[8]
References edit
- ^ Molitorisz, Sacha (5 October 2004), "The Widower", The Sydney Morning Herald
- ^ a b Slavin, John (12 October 2004), "The Widower", The Age
- ^ Webb, Carolyn (8 October 2004), "No words for the widower", The Age
- ^ "The Widower", The Herald Sun, 7 July 2005
- ^ Lepetit, Paul (3 July 2005), "The Widower (M)", The Daily Telegraph
- ^ Williams, Evan (9 July 2005), "Kidman gets there by a nose", The Australian
- ^ Byrnes, Paul (30 June 2005). "The Widower". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ Zion, Lawrie (25 November 2005), "No short-priced favourite this year", The Australian
External links edit
- The Widower at IMDb
