There’s plenty for music lovers to enjoy this week on Rialto Channel. Catch Mama Africa, a documentary about Miriam Makeba on Thursday evening and The Great Hip Hop Hoax, another documentary about a couple of Scottish boys who fooled music execs into thinking they were LA homeboys. End the week on a high-octane punk note with Good Vibrations, a witty drama and biopic about Terri Hooley, an Irishman who ignited the punk scene in 70s Belfast. It’s my first pick of the week.
There’s plenty for music lovers to enjoy this week on Rialto Channel. Catch Mama Africa, a documentary about Miriam Makeba on Thursday evening and The Great Hip Hop Hoax, another documentary about a couple of Scottish boys who fooled music execs into thinking they were LA homeboys. End the week on a high-octane punk note with Good Vibrations, a witty drama and biopic about Terri Hooley, an Irishman who ignited the punk scene in 70s Belfast. It’s my first pick of the week.
Good Vibrations
Starring: Jodie Whittaker, Dylan Moran & Richard Dormer
Directed by: Lisa Barros D'Sa and Glenn Leyburn
Screening: Rialto British, Sunday 19th April, 8.30pm
This entertaining film tells the story of DJ turned record shop and record label owner Terri Hooley’s (Dormer) colourful life, and celebrates a music genre that unexpectedly became a voice of resistance in Northern Ireland. A lover of reggae, rockabilly, country and blues, Terri had his ‘come to Jesus’ moment with punk music when he attended a gig by a band called Rudi. Instantly smitten, Terri, became responsible for championing punk music and ignited the scene in Belfast during the 1970s. It’s a hoot of a story and it’s told with Irish wit, irreverence and charm, and even though it has its lighthearted moments, it never underestimates the difficulties and horror of living through the Irish troubles.
Fading Gigolo
Starring: Woody Allen, Sharon Stone, Sofia Vergara & Liev Schreiber
Directed by: John Turturro
Screening: Rialto Selection, Saturday 18th April, 8.30pm
John Turturro writes, directs, and stars in this dramedy about two broke New York gentlemen who decide to go into the prostitution business. Woody Allen takes on the role of pimp, and John Turturro takes on the role of Don Juan, and together this unlikely duo brings comfort to a range of lonely women. More about intimacy than sex, this gentle, rather fanciful film is aimed at fans of Woody Allen. Even though he’s just a co-star here, Turturro is obviously a fan of his co-star and his influence shines through here.
The Outlaw Michael Howe
Starring: Damon Herriman, Matt Day & Mirrah Foulkes
Directed by: Brendan Cowell
Screening: Rialto New Wave, Wednesday 15th April, 8.30pm
Throughout April, Rialto New Wave is screening a collection of debut feature films from Australian directors. The Outlaw Michael Howe is written and directed by actor, director, theatre and television writer and published author Brendan Cowell. A tele-movie that originally screened on ABC1, The Outlaw Michael Howe is a beautifully shot film that captures the rugged and primitive nature of it’s 1815 setting in Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania). Michael Howe (Herriman) is a convict who escapes the penal colony and fights back against the British who own most of the settled land. As poetic as the cinematography is, it’s a violent story of love and freedom, and Cowell’s production designer and art director (Felicity Abbott and Loretta Cosgrove respectively) do a great job of capturing the period. Regarded as one of Australia’s rising stage writers, Howe is currently working on his second feature film, an adaptation of his play Ruben Guthrie. Oliver Driver stared in the play at Auckland’s Silo Theatre in 2009.