Father Geek here with the 3rd edition of our resurrected AICN Downunder Report from the pen of Latauro. This week we have alot on NED KELLY, both here and elsewhere on the site. The film is finally out Downunder, well almost anyway. This is a subject close to Father Geeks heart. I've had a 1st of Kelly's Autobiography (written while awaiting the hangman) since the mid 1960's and have read it several times, most recently when I first got word of this project's possible development. Annnnnnd I've seen the Mick Jagger NED KELLY many times on the big screen, got the 1-sheet US poster for that one, and all the lobbies too. I've got a tape of THE TRIAL OF NED KELLY and I would love someone to send me a tape or DVD of the 1906 NED KELLY AND HIS GANG, if such a thing exists...

Anyway send Latauro (Downunder@aintitcoolmail.com) all the info you can on Aussie and Kiwi film projects. Together we can make this regular weekly column a really great one...

Now here's Latauro ...

AICN-DOWNUNDER REPORT

Yes, it's the new Downunder report from the world's second-sexiest tomboy beanpole, Latauro. If the world weren't coming apart at its hinges, life would be pretty good right now. It's a strange feeling to write about films when there's a war on, but complete saturation is not healthy for anyone. It's good to take a respite and absorb yourself in something else for a while; there are many who say that worrying about, say the Oscars, or films in general is offensive and irrelevant and a time like this, but they forget that it's these small sabbaticals that keep us going. Art exists to see us through times like these.

Well, now I've sombered the tone completely, let me say a special thanks to all those who have sent me this week's scoops. Being able to cover short films as well as the next Peter Jackson project is exactly what I had hoped for this column.

Speaking of Jackson, my big scoop from last week was quickly refuted by one of Harry's disreputable sources (okay, so it was Peter Jackson). So allow me to kick of this week's column with a follow-up...

NEWS

Peter Jackson making KING KONG. My source was positive. My source was subsequently embarrassed when he read the refute, and went further into the detail about it... He is connected to people involved in post-production on RETURN OF THE KING, and these people believe their next project will be KONG. Are they being told this to throw them off the scent, or are they repeating rumours they themselves have heard? PJ's response to Harry last week was that they were making "Bar--"... and he cut himself off. One talkbacker suggested he'd be making a BARNEY THE DINOSAUR film, and though that fits with the "large creature terrorising civilisation" theme of KONG, it wasn't until I received an email from somebody else close to Jackson that it started to make sense...

The second source has had contact with Jackson himself, and passed on a throwaway comment of Jackson's that he'd love to do another film of BAD TASTE ilk. This echoes something Jackson has mentioned in the press -- his desire to follow up RINGS with a sequel to a film no one has ever heard of. I was throwing around these things yesterday, using a friend as a sounding board, when my friend said something really obvious that hadn't occurred to me: "What if the 'Bar--' that Jackson refers to is BAD TASTE 2?". Now, this mostly depends on Harry's preferred method of communication. If it was a phone call, "Bar--" could have easily been "Ba--". If it was email, typing in the "r" would suggest we could again be on the wrong track. Unless he's planning on making "Bard Taste" (William Shakespeare versus the aliens? Bring it on!), "Bar--" could be just about anything.

But who doesn't want to see the mooted sequel of Derek wiping out an entire planet of those alien scum? We'll have more for you next week...

* Principal photography has wrapped on Australian film GRIM. Described as a "dark and erotic modern fairytale", GRIM stars Belinda McClory and Aaron Pedersen, is directed by Jon Hewitt, produced by Gregory Read, and written by Belinda McClory and Jon Hewitt. Currently in post-production, the film will arrive on screens in early 2004.

* SALEM'S LOT is preparing for some location shooting in Creswick, which is in Central Victoria. The production will begin setting up a fake service station in a vacant bit of parkland.

* Sydney-based Arclight Films has begun the sale of distribution rights to the comedy HATING ALISON ASHLEY. They have also begun development on an adaptation of novel THE DROWNER.

AWARDS AND FESTIVALS

Well, this year's Oscars were a mixture of "saw it coming!" and "what the--?". Our Nic was the most expected of the bunch, taking out Best Actress award for her performance in-- ah, you all know. Given last year's ceremony was mooted as the Year of the African American (Denzel and Halle with their awards, Sidney with his hononurary Oscar, and Whoopi "hosting"), many were wondering what the common theme was for 2003. Well, I've worked it out. Noses. That's right. 2003 was the Year of the Nose. Nicole and her prosthetic took out Best Actress. Adrien Brody and his impressive schnozz took out Best Actor. Barbra Streisand presented Best Song. And the whole thing was hosted by Steve Martin, who sported an impressive snot factory in ROXANNE. Conspiracy theorists, start your engines (and somebody pass it on to Oliver Stone).

* Regarding UNDEAD, I've been told that its Australian premiere will be at the Melbourne International Film Festival this year. Good news for all of us in Melbourne itching for zombie gore...

* Asia-AICN's Moon Yun Choi passed some info on to me about BLACK PICKET FENCES, a film which has already won the Spirit Award at the Brooklyn International Film Festival and the Special Jury Prize at New York's Urbanworld Film Festival, to name but two. Its next stop will be at the 6th Perth International Film Festival in June of this year, so if you're over in Western Australia and after some good film that the East Coast hasn't seen yet, go check it out.

AUSTRALIAN BOX OFFICE

Next week should feature NED KELLY at the top spot, but until then it's largely American product with Marvel's DAREDEVIL blindly leaping to the top spot.

• 1. Daredevil
• 2. Maid in Manhatten
• 3. Chicago
• 4. The Hours
• 5. Final Destination 2
• 6. The Pianist
• 7. Just Married
• 8. The Recruit
• 9. Jackass: The Movie
• 10. Gangs of New York

A SPECIAL SAD NOTE...

Australian Broadcasting Corporation camerman Paul Moran was killed during assignment in northern Iraq. Moran, 39, was a widely-respected cameraman, and our sympathies go out to his friends and family.

My Review of NED KELLY

It's time I came clean. Despite my innocuous weekly guise of the editor of the AICN-Downunder column, I am one of those pessimistic naysayers who complains in secret alleys and shadowed corners about the dismal state of the Australian film industry.

I'm not going to turn this review into an unpatriotic rant, but I mention it because every now and then I become heartened when I see an Australian film firing on all cylinders.

NED KELLY takes many liberties. The mythology of Kelly has been the subject of much speculation. For those of you who don't know, he's an Australian folk hero. The definitive bushranger who took up arms against a prejudiced police force. And though many facts about him are known, films and books are forced to fill in the blanks.

Neil Jordan is looking to adapt the prize-winning "True History of the Kelly Gang" by Peter Carey -- a book that freely admits to be completely fictitious. KELLY is based on "Our Sunshine" by Robert Drewe, and it attempts to take more factual stance.

First up, the addition of Julia Cook (Naomi Watts) is dubious one. Watts is fine in the role, but the character was completely made up. This is the one element of the film that has practically no basis in fact, and as a result her screen time feels like a cheat.

Director Gregor Jordan (Two Hands, Buffalo Soldiers) has pulled together a tight film. There are no moments that feel like dead weight (even when Watts' character is onscreen). It moves swiftly from scene to scene and never linger unnecessarily.

Heath Ledger is excellent as Kelly -- this could well be his best role yet. I'm happy to report that his Oirish accent doesn't fall to the depths of Val Kilmer's in GHOST AND THE DARKNESS (an accent which, both thankfully and mysteriously, disappeared about five minutes into the film). His charm is on full, and though he tends to come across more as handsome-movie-actor-in-the-outback than grizzled-Oirish-bushranger, his screen presence more than makes up for any cosmetic oddities (Kelly and his gang can't find food, but they have an unlimited supply of hair gel? what?).

This is the first non-LOTR film I've seen Orlando Bloom in, and he's a perfect foil to Ledger. Jordan may have been casting on charm alone; it's entirely believable when you see Bloom's character seduce a new woman every five minutes. Perhaps Bloom's career may be as backup screen candy? (to Mortensen in LOTR; Ledger in KELLY; Depp in PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN; Pitt in TROY; etc...) Hopefully he'll find himself in a starring role soon, because he more than has the talent to carry one.

There's good support from Watts, Geoffrey Rush and Joel Edgerton, as well as some cool cameos from Rachel Griffiths, Bud Tingwell and Peter Phelps. The reason I mention the cast is that films are sold on actors, and Australia seems to be waking up to the fact that we have an extraordinarily large pool of internationally famous actors. In using them, local films may finally be able to break through to that coveted Holy Grail of international distribution.

The best films to come out of Australia in the last couple of years have been RABBIT PROOF FENCE, LANTANA and now KELLY. Both FENCE and KELLY were at least partially funded from overseas investores. Locally-cashed LANTANA took fifteen years to get off the ground.

Is the money important? Does it matter where the sugar daddies live, so long as the films get made? What's the compromise here?

Until Australia sets up its own privately-funded studio, it's an issue that will continue to be debated in cafes and University pubs alike. But for the moment, we can be glad that we CAN make world-class films and they can walk the line between artistic merit and multiplex crowd-pleaser.

RELEASED THIS WEEK

CRADLE 2 THE GRAVE

NED KELLY

SWEET SIXTEEN

TAPE

TEESH AND TRUDE

Well, that's it for this week. I'm off to the Astor Theatre tonight to catch a double of DIAL M FOR MURDER and HOUSE OF WAX in all three dimensions! Should be a blast. See you all next week...

NEXT WEEK ???

• - Rupert Murdoch purchases and trademarks the concept of "love".
• - Peter Jackson's house revealed as actual capital of New Zealand.
• - High school student to make film about youth suicide.

Latauro (Downunder@aintitcoolmail.com)