PHOBIA

Australia, 1989, 85 minutes, Colour.
Gosia Dobrowolska, Sean Scully.
Directed by John Dingwall.

Phobia is a psychological thriller written and directed by John Dingwall (author of Sunday Too Far Away, writer-director of Buddies). The film is a two-hander, a battle of wits between a husband and wife who are separating. The wife is played by Polish actress Gosia Dobrowolska (Silver City, The Surfer) and Sean Scully;

The film is strong on dialogue, the creation of tension between the man and the woman. It is soon clear that, while the wife thinks she has problems, especially agoraphobia, it is the psychiatrist husband who is really the manipulator. The film takes place over 24 hours and has telephone calls as well as radio talkback programmes and video flashbacks to open it out. While the effect in the cinema might be claustrophobic, the effect for a television audience watching this battle of wits is interesting and arresting drama. It offers insight into the battle of the sexes, manipulation and cruelty.

1. Contemporary psychological drama? Contemporary marriage and breakdown?

2. The film as a two-hander, the skills of the actor and actress to keep audiences involved? The use of videos for flashbacks? Opening out the action? Phone calls? Radio and talkback?

3. The location of the house, inside, exteriors? The garden, the gate? The video machine? The musical score and moods?

4. The title and the focus on fears? Agoraphobia? David referred to as Renata's phobic companion? The irony of the psychiatrist with the phobia?

5. The dramatic time of the film? 24 hours? Psychological time?

6. The introduction to Renata, at home alone, the cat, her fear of the possum on the roof, expressing her fear? In the bedroom, television? David's coming home, her cool ignoring of him? The marriage situation, nine years, the divorce? Her friend calling, her plan to go to stay with her, the packing? Her appearance on the video - the attractive and innocent young girl marrying David? Her reaction to his insistence? The disputes about ownership, the videos, the dish? David trying to cajole her? Order her? Her bewilderment, reactions? The omelette for dinner? David's admission about his affair with her friend and its effect on her? Her trying to cope? Her inner strength? Ringing the taxi, ringing the hotel? Feeding the chickens? David and his moods? His accusations of her being selfish? Her trying to go to the gate to buy something and her coming back? The photographic techniques for the phobia? The evening passing, the meal and her locking her room, David throwing the meal at the door? The knife through the window? Her being tired, David coming into the bedroom, telling the story about himself? Hearing the talkback, her ringing, the tension, the psychiatrist and the appointment? David's talk and her understanding the situation better, the psychiatrist and the reference to the phobic companion? The new day, the confrontation, David blocking her, bashing, the death of the chickens, hiding in the garden, the cat, the garden fork and her threatening him, opening the gate and going out? David watching her in the flashbacks? His cruelty to her at the garden party? Her new life and independence? Renata in herself: European background, friends and relations, the videos, David's pressure on her, her phobias, the mad psychiatrist?

7. The portrait of David: driving and drinking, late night, coming home, the mobile, the music, going to bed, his approach to Renata? His continued drinking throughout the film? His seeming to be reasonable, the audience soon knowing the truth, the phone call and threatening the friend with exposure of the affair? Listening to Renata on the phone and her catching him? The arguments. his always being in the right, accusing her of selfishness, blaming her, accusing her of an affair? The impact of the divorce and the erratic moods? Splitting the property? His cooking the meal? The manipulative games, the threatening her as she tried to go to buy something? His emphasising her failure? Imposing the meal, cooking it and serving it, splattering it against the wall? His fanatic knocking at the door? The knife through the window? The shower, his looking at himself in the mirror, his coming to talk with Renata, the long story about his puberty, impure thoughts, touches, his mother's influence, his horror at sexuality, not wanting children (after accusing her)? His sexual obsessions? His weeping? Her reaction? The killing of the chickens, blocking Renata's way, cancelling the bookings, the chase in the garden, his almost being killed? His drinking, going back to watch the videos? and the potential suicide? Games, manipulation, the irony about his being a psychiatrist?

8. The sketch of their friends - the visitor and the accusation of the affair, Renata's denying it? The girlfriend and her affair, the betrayal Renata felt?

9. The impact of the videos, their insertion in the film, seeing the playful video twice, the character of Renata, her disdain and her antipathy towards David at the party and his ordering her around?

10. Radio talkback, the sensational side, radio counselling and psychiatrists and contacts?

11. The film as a psychodrama?