SKIN DEEP

New Zealand, 1978, 100 minutes, Colour.
Deryn Cooper, Ken Blackburn, Grant Tilly, Alan Jervis.
Directed by Geoff Steven.

Skin Deep is a well-made New Zealand feature from a period of development and emulation of the '70s Australia industry. It is a portrait of a small country-town way of life and a critique of its double-standards and outward respectability? Hence the title of the film which also refers to the city masseuse who is the occasion for a crisis in the town.

1. An interesting and entertaining film? Product of New Zealand? New Zealand qualities? Universal appeal?

2. Title. colloquialism, metaphor - indication of themes, satiric approach?

3. The particular New Zealand atmosphere of town, people? The universal characteristics of human nature and behaviour? The film's portrait of a town: its appearance, streets, shops, hall, houses, gymnasium? The range of people and their activities? The authentic touches in their manners, speech, behaviour? The possibility of audiences identifying with them? For empathy, for a critique?

4. The initial focus on the Progressive Association and its monument in the centre of the street? The opening sequences and the background of the fight, the raising of money, the various events and the morale-boosting as well as money-making? The various members of the association, the officials? The various meetings that they held, the manner of holding them, speeches, toasts, meals etc.? The hopes for the town and its future? The doubts about the raising of the money, the advertising campaign? The shrubs in the street? The members taking themselves and the association seriously? The repercussions of the advertising - the song about Carlton, the film, the drawing of industry and people to Carlton?

5. The film's centering on the gymnasium? As a building, sauna, exercise? A focus for the people in the town especially the men, the reaction of the women? The gymnasium as a symbol for Carlton? The various sporting activities and training, Vic's running of the gym? The employment of Sandra and the expectations? The possibilities for increased business, for exploitation? Sandra and her taking over, her intention of settling down in the town, the tone she gave to the gym? Bob and his exploitation of Sandra and her skills? Sandra as exploitable? Vic and his allowing this? Phil and his reaction and the ultimate destruction of so much of the gym? The gym going to pieces as a symbol of what was happening to the town and its people?

6. The character of Vic ~ representing the town, his attitude towards the gym, the promotion of the fights? The employment of Sandra? Seeing him train the footballers, the boys for the runathon and their presence at the Progressive Association meeting? His participation in the rituals of the association, of the town? His cowardly approach to Sandra and avoiding knowing what was going on? Her final rebuke of him?

7. Bob and his leadership in the town, president of the association? A man about town, his confidence in himself and his suave manner? His shop, attracting customers, his radio station? His backing for getting Sandra? His relationship with his wife, talking, sexuality, her presence at the final dinner? His presence at the gymnasium, his being treated by Sandra and his lies to his wife? Getting the others to visit? His insinuations, gradual moving towards explicit sexuality? His propositioning of Sandra? His presence at the party, the dance? His running of the advertising and his double-dealing? His being caught out and the expose, his getting rid of Sandra? The film's critique of characters like Bob?

8. The contrast with Phil and his keeping the accounts, the sequence of his returning home and his wife's harsh attitudes, scenes at how , church? Recording the sing sung by Sandra and his replaying of it? His passionate nature, the drinking and the dance with her? His wife's reaction? The character of his wife and her treatment of Phil, the pots and the shrubs in the town and their destruction, her phone calls threatening Sandra?

9. The picture of the other men in the town, their helping the association, power, voyeurs? Their being satirised and criticised?

10. The importance of the characterisation of Sandra - the build-up to her arrival? Her work in the parlours of the city? Her taking over the salon and the sauna, curtains etc.? Her massage skills and their illustration with Vic? Her moving into the motel? Ordinary kind of woman with a tough background? Her appearance, manner of speaking? The customers, techniques. meals in the town - and the louts whom she later ousted? The voyeurs and her reaction? Her reaction to Bob and


11. The importance of the authentic background and the attention to detail - especially the activities of the town e.g. the gymnasium, the football training, the way of life in the shops, the runathon and the long attention to the boys running through the hills, Vic's running and the end of the event, the dance?

12. The use of a town and its way of life as a microcosm for understanding the spirit of a country? How much insight into human nature, values, standards, hypocrisy? The straightforward dramatics. the black and satiric tone - how critical, how effectively critical?