The Widower (film)

Last updated
The Widower
Directed byKevin Lucas
Written by Lyndon Terracini
Based onPoetry of Les Murray
Produced byAanya Whitehead
Starring Chris Haywood
Frances Rings
CinematographyKim Batterham
Edited byKevin Lucas
Music by Elena Kats-Chernin
Running time
60 minutes
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish

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]

Contents

Plot

A woodcutter mourns his dead wife.

Cast

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

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References

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