REMEMBER ME

Australia, 1985, 100 minutes, Colour.
Wendy Hughes, Richard Moir, Robert Grubb, Sandy Gore, Carol Raye, Peter Gwynne, Bob Ellis.
Directed by Lex Marinos.

Remember Me is a psychological thriller written by Anne Brooksbank. She has written a number of films and telemovies including Archer, Handle With Care. The story was based on an idea by her husband, writer Bob Ellis.

It was originally intended as a project for director Paul Cox with the title Should Auld Acquaintance ... ?

The film is well-crafted, finely photographed by Yuri Sokol, who works on Paul Cox's films. There is an evocative score by Sharon Calcraft. However, the film, with its conventional thriller aspects, is sustained by the performance of Wendy Hughes. Richard Moir offers a sense of menace. (They had worked together in An Indecent Obsession which was also directed by the present director Lex Marinos.) Remember Me is familiar material, might have been more exciting and depthing than it is - but works quite well as a psychological thriller.

1. The impact of the thriller? Psychological exploration - with the touch of soap opera?

2. The use of Sydney, its environment? special effects? The moody score?

3. Authentic atmosphere? The title, comparisons with the suggestions of the original title?

4. The portrait of Jenny: at home in the suburbs, her relationship with the children, with her husband, the flat tyre, her work with Mrs Carter (and the later visit of Mrs Carter and her relations, the legal and social situations, Mrs Carter's death)? Her relationship with her co-worker? An ordinary day, the phone call, Howard's intervention in her life again, going to the gardens, the meal, beginning an affair with him? Her dreams and the memory of the hanging? Her estrangement from her husband? Not able to tell him the truth? The encounters with Howard, going to the art exhibition and seeing him? Writing him letters? The friendship with Adele and advice from her? Her decisions? The going on the holiday, the punt, Howard's appearances and disappearances? Becoming edgy and losing her control? With her parents, Barbara's arrival to work with her husband, the truth about the hanged man? Her becoming more and more terrified? Howard hiding, pretending to hang? Taking her, his mad plan for her? His death? The end and the resumption of life?

5. Howard, the background of the marriage, his cleverness, madness, relationship with Jenny's father, the asylum? His phone call, reappearance, with his birds, the affair, the meal and sharing with Jenny, his saying that he would go out of her life, the letters, haunting her, hanging, his plan to get her committed? His death?

6. Geoff and his work, relationship with Jenny, being bewildered, with the children, on the holiday? Barbara?

7. Jenny's parents, pleasant, the edge, the role that her father had in her marriage, Howard's madness, his death?

8. The worker and her advice and friendship for Jenny? Adele and her help, supplying the information about Howard?

9. Jenny at work, the importance of the sequences with Mrs. Carter, her fears and phobias,(paralleling Jenny’s)? Her family?

10. How psychologically credible was the film? Romantic thriller? Exploration of madness?