There was an excellent article published recently in the Guardian titled ‘Same Old Story: Women paired with younger men remains a cinematic rarity’.
It has been written is response to the severe backlash The Dressmaker received, due to the age gap between stars Kate Winslet and Liam Hemsworth.
I mention this in the hope that Mr John Campbell takes note, given his comments on the topic, ‘Kate Winslet is surely old enough to be [Liam Hemsworth’s] mother’.
Really? How many fourteen-year-old mothers have you met, sir? I for one, was under the impression that that sort of thing is somewhat frowned upon in our society…
Anyway, as young, aspiring female filmmaker, I hope to end these sort of archaic, backward views on women; and create a more positive and supportive attitude in the industry I one day hope to work in.
Matilda Larkins, Mullumbimby
I do not EVER even contemplate reading any cinematic review by John Campbell. As you noted “archaic, backward views on women” is only on of the many “moronic” views that Mr Campbell holds. I cannot understand why The Echo still has him as a reviewer?!!
I make comment as “The Dressmaker”is a movie and the actors and actresses are playing roles as is their career of being movie stars. This separation of the actor and the role has not been done in The Guardian so critics here have fallen into the trap of criticising the actors. Any criticism if there is any should be on the roles played that the actors are playing.
The Dressmaker is to depict a certain situation in society and Australian cinema has rated the film as “M” rated being for mature audiences and for cause language. Note that rating when comparing it to real life and what it is not rated as. It is not rated as “R” rated. So in the broad landscape of cinema film and what is and what is not acceptable to Australian cinema censors they do not see the film as “that sort of thing is somewhat frowned upon in our society…’ Otherwise it would have more restrictions such as an “R”rating.
The movie maybe criticised in a bad light in places like this small corner of NSW like the Northern Rivers but maybe not in the wider community of Australia.
And why do people go and see movies? To see society as it is in a safe way on a screen. A severe backlash by the public gives it notoriety and that would add to the popularity of the movie and gross takings at the box office.
Not the title “The Dressmaker”, so the directors would want the calm and collected middle-class Australia who do not have very exciting lives but mainly are homebodies to go and see this movie and to see a whole new world that is possible. The mind once stretched never returns to its original shape.