SUMMER OF SECRETS

Australia, 1976, 102 minutes, Colour.
Arthur Dignam, Rufus Collins, Nell Campbell, Andrew Sharp, Kate Fitzpatrick.
Directed by Jim Sharman.

It is easy to see why this film was not popular with public or critics, It is uneven in screenplay, acting, direction.
Advertising anticipated height and thrills which do not come. Again the conventions of science-fiction are not comfortable in an Australian setting yet, especially when the style is, while weird, 'realistic'. Nevertheless it is an interesting little fable about success-failure, living in one's own world. trying to play God and yet unable to break through one's mistakes, Arthur Dignam is once again a demented character, The themes are strong, but the characters only partly developed and not particularly sympathetic, unfortunately make the potential points seem too inconsequential.

1. An interesting and entertaining film? Audience aimed at? Purpose? Box office failure? Critical failure? Potential for being a cult film?

2. The work of Jim Sharman: the influence of his stage work? His films? Style, theme, interests? Fantasy and reality? Offbeat camp?

3. The title and its tones? The ordinary and the exotic? Did the film live up to its title?

4. The influence of various film styles and genres? The evocation of other films? Homage to other films? Translated to Australian setting and themes? The basic holiday atmosphere and youngsters at play, their being caught up in a strange world? The theme of the recluse living his memories, almost mad? The mad scientist and his assistant? The raising of someone from the dead and rehabilitating her? The use of films in his reliving of his memories and rehabilitating Rachel? The shifts between reality and fantasy? The echoes of the Rocky Horror Show with the young couple caught up into a mad science world with overtones of B budget horror movies? The colour photography, visual style? The editing? The pace? Angles, tracking shots, shocks? The garish colours -atmosphere of eeriness, camp?

5. The psychological film: questions of identity, memory, the reliving of the past, using people, freedom? Being liberated from obsessions?

6. The background of science fiction: the scientist recluse, his laboratory, experiments, his assistance and aid? His project and experiments? The sequences of the resuscitation of Rachel and her being taught to live again?

7. The background of science and technology? Laboratory machinery, techniques? Their reality, token reality? The science technology of science fiction? The use of the technology of film: the holding of the past, the retention of memories? The possibility of reliving the past with the aid of these images? Rehearsing the past? The past able to influence the present by film?

8. The introduction to the couple: their holiday arrival, an ordinary Australian couple, the romantic touch, their exploration of the empty house and examining its bric-a-brac? Romance, love? The beach? The quick sketch of their characters? Their relationship? Bob and his prying? Their being chased by him? Their becoming involved? Kym and her curiosity, her being taken to Beverly? Her taking Rachel's place? Her imitating the Apache dance? Her exasperation? Growing sympathy with Beverly? Watching the films with him? Steve and the clashes with Bob? The escape, the chase, the waterfall? His becoming part of the household? The lyrical interlude with them all at the beach? Watching the transformation of Rachel? The change in Beverly? Their going off changed by the experience of the house?

9. Bob and his place in the household? His assistance to Beverly, his ability? The irony of his presence - and the revelations about his relationship with Rachel? His knowing the past? His taking care of Beverly, acting as bodyguard, housekeeper, confessor, mocker? His work in the house? Showing of the films? Taunting Beverly about the past? Encouraging him? Spying on Kym and Steve, chasing them? His contact with the outside world? The urging of Beverly to do the experiment? His assistance? Watching Rachel? Taking Rachel away from Beverly again? The significance of Bob being black?

10. Rachel as the mystery woman? The talk about her, seeing her in the films? The South American background, the '50s, the Apache dance? Its repetition? The melody and its growing on the audience? Her place in Beverly's memories and in his romance? Her death? His morbid love for her and preserving her? His giving his life to research her resuscitation? The lavish decor for the room? The experiment and her coming alive? (The ironic parallels with the Frankenstein myth?)Her recovery, her learning again, her loving Beverly and not loving him? The repetition of the past? Bob able to take her from Beverly? His repeating the failure of the past? His future? Isolation? The man and his idealising of woman? Fantasy and reality?

11. Beverly as the centre of the film: his morose appearance, isolation, his home, his precautions, life style? His work? Memoirs? His memorising the film and re-enacting them? Continually watching? The infatuation with Rachel and her dance? His explanation to his guests of his memories? His reaction to the taunts of Bob? His reaction to Kym and making her another Rachel? The discussions on the beach? His determination? The laboratory sequences - a new Dr. Frankenstein? The decor of her room, the Sydney memories - kitsch? His relationship to the real Rachel? His tenderness, his being hurt? The clash with Rachel and with Bob? His losing?

12. The ultimate impact of the film? A curious experiment? The strength of the technical qualities compared with the intelligibility of the plot? The strength and weaknesses of the acting? The nature of the secrets and the effect of the summer?

13. An attempt at exploring human nature, madness and memory, reality and unreality, the exercise of power, science and technology, playing God?

14. The Australian tone of the film - the setting, the use of Australian background in the plot? Locations, beach photography? The musical score? An oddity in the Australian film industry?