BOOTMEN

Australia, 2000, 90 minutes, Colour.
Adam Garcia, Sam Worthington, Sophie Lee.
Directed by Dein Perry.

Bootmen is an adaptation of a stage performance of male tap-dancing, Tap Dogs. The setting is the New South Wales city of Newcastle with its mining and industry. It also has a background of unemployment as well as the ambitions of young men to get out of this kind of culture. It also shows other young men trapped in a culture of violence and petty crime which leads to murder and vengeance.

Tap Dogs was conceived by Dean Perry. He has directed this film as well as writing and choreographing it. The material is fairly conventional: a young man wants to dance, is forced to work in the factory by his father who resents anything so unmanly as dancing. There is a younger brother who is ambitious to drive fast cars and who gets caught up with a local gang, leading to his death. The bulk of the film is the decision to put on a concert, a benefit to raise money for those in need in the area. The film follows the usual pattern of the young man recruiting his dancers, their initial reluctance, their seemingly being unlikely dancers given their physique as well as their jobs. The father, of course, continues to exert his dominance and resentment at the idea of the dancing. However, after the death of his brother, the young man is also wary of putting on the concert. Needless to say, the show must go on, and the concert is well attended and is a great success.

Adam Garcia plays the young man. He had appeared on the London stage as Tony Monero in Saturday Night Fever and had moved into films with Coyote Ugly and Riding in Cars with Boys. He is an agreeable screen presence and obviously enjoys himself with the dancing. A supporting cast of Australian character actors round out the figures that are working in the factories and who also are dancers. While the film is enjoyable, it just lacks that extra oomph to make it a significant film like Billy Elliott, which has similar themes and settings.

1. The popularity of Dein Perry's dance troupe, the Bootmen, the Tapdogs? Transferring the theatrical experience of stomping dancing to the screen? Giving it a story, background, opening it out? Successfully?

2. The use of Newcastle locations, homes and clubs, garages, the contrast with the car factories, the ordinary life of people, football, dancing, the beach? Newcastle as an industrial city and character in the film?

3. The music, the range of songs, the themes, the music for the performance? The use of the wide range of industrial percussion instruments? Guitars?

4. The title of the film, the popularity of tap-dancing, the tap-dancing schools in Newcastle, the boys with their training, their friends? Walter and his school? The decision then to form a company, the benefit, the performance? The contrast with the theatrical performance in Sydney?

5. The basic theme of the young man and his interest in dancing his working-class father's criticisms, ashamed of his sons and their more 'feminine' activities? The earnest young man, putting on the show, his brashness and failure, the experience of suffering, the idea of the benefit, the film as the putting on of a show, the reconciliation with his father? Stereotype material, how successfully presented?

6. Shaun, Adam Garcia's screen presence, dancing skills? The younger son, memories of his mother, training to dance, at Walter's school, going back again, improvising? His relationship with his father, his father's indifference, criticism? With Mitchell, the older brother, the worker? The father not giving them their mother's legacy, the work together, Shaun in the factory? His audition, showing off, being chosen, dancing in Sydney, upstaging the star? His love for Sophie Lee, on the beach, the dancing? The phone calls, his coming back, her spending the night with Mitch? His anger? His calming down, her pregnancy, his disgust with her? Unable to forgive her? His reaction to Mitch and his double-dealing, his death? Grief? The decision to put on the show, his abilities, getting his friends, the rehearsals, the band, the man providing the sound system? The success of the show, the women selling tickets? The reconciliation with Sophie Lee, wanting to look after her and the baby? His future?

7. Mitchell, the older brother, seemingly more reliable, stealing the cars, selling the parts, the clash with the gang leader and the rivals? His ability to dance, preferring to get the money to buy the truck? Attracted to Sophie Lee, the drinking and the dancing, the night together? The clash with Shaun? The reconciliation, the truth about the truck, the confrontation with the gang, the fight, his death? The funeral? Family grief? The tribute, the show, Sophie Lee and the pregnancy?

8. Sophie Lee, at the dance school, her friends, the hairdresser's, her skills? Attracted to Shaun, the stories about him? The walk on the beach, their love for each other, the phone calls not getting through, going out with Mitch, dancing, the night, seeing Shaun, ashamed? The falling out? Her pregnancy, Shaun's reaction? Selling the tickets with her friend? The show, the happy future for her?

9. The father, tough, working in the factory, looking down on dancing? Having a beer, watching the television? Accepting Shaun's going to Sydney? Preferring Mitch and his enterprise? The legacy? Shaun's return, going to work, Mitch's death and his grief? The benefit, his finally being there, proud of his son?

10. The range of dancers, their tough backgrounds, the clubs, working? The assistant at Walter's dance centre and his orientation? The young boy? The ups and downs of their practice, relationships, rehearsals, the final success? Colin and his clashes with his girlfriend? The point being made about men and the athleticism of this kind of tap-dancing?

11. The macho image of Newcastle, the clubs, the gangs, football? Expectations? The dance breaking through this?

12. The girlfriends, their clashes with the men, work at the hairdresser's, helping the show go on?

13. Walter, his injury, at the factory, his helping Shaun, warning him not to improvise? The auditions from Sydney, Shaun showing off, being selected? The performance in Sydney, Tony and his upstaging him? Ousted?

14. The popularity of this kind of story in films of the late 90s like Billy Elliott and Kick? The changing perceptions of dancing as acceptable for men? In a rugged Australian context?