THE ILLUSTRATED FAMILY DOCTOR

Australia, 97 minutes, Colour.
Samuel Johnson, Colin Friels, Jessica Napier, Sacha Horler, Kestie Morassi, Paul Sonkkila, Sarah Pierse, Jason Gann, William Zappa.
Directed by Kriv Stenders.

The Illustrated Family Doctor is a tongue-in-cheek satire about the publishing business and about hypochondria.

The film is divided into chapters, illustrating The Illustrated Family Doctor book that the central character is working on for abridgment. The setting is a company which abridges books and capitalises on readers wanting shorter versions of the books.

Samuel Johnson is one of the readers, sensitive to health issues. The film opens with the death of his father and his looking at his father’s corpse with his sister Sacha Horler. After he is asked to abbreviate The Illustrated Family Doctor, he begins to absorb all the symptoms, becoming something of a nervous wreck. Colin Friels portrays one of the co-abbreviators, Jessica Napier his daughter whom the central character encounters. He is also victimised by a criminal whose memoirs are being abbreviated. He is played with sinister presence by Paul Sonkkila.

The film also has ironic comment on family relationships, his mother and her reliance on cable television after her husband’s death, his sister and her concern about her own life.

The film is illustrated vividly, especially the medical aspects, the hero finally having to go to hospital – and moving on to a road of recovery.

The film was co-written and directed by Kriv Stenders who went on to make The Lucky Country, a contemplative portrait of pioneer days, as well as the extremely popular Red Dog.

1. The title, expectations, an Australian story, Australian tone and humour?

2. The Sydney settings, the publishing house, homes, the countryside? Hospitals? The musical score?

3. The structure, the introduction, the variety of chapters, Samuel Johnson and his story?

4. The situation for condensed books, the staff, the initial celebration, the boss and his speech, Gary and his role in the company? Ray and his mentoring? Bob and his ever-cheerfulness? Audiences responses to condensed books?

5. Gary and his sister, the death of their father, in the funeral home, looking at the body, his imagining stealing his father’s body? Indications of hypochondria? His grief, the organ donation issue, his negative reaction – and the later irony of his receiving a donation? Visiting his mother? Her seemingly offhand attitudes?

6. The chapters, Gary and his deterioration, the images from the book? Talking with Ray? Ray and his daughter? Gary and his sister, his wife, the best friend, the best friend coming round, stealing his wife? Visits to his mother?

7. Gary’s wife, Carl? At home, busking in the street, the meal, talking about the past, Carl and the affair, Gary and his reaction? Seeing the couple in the street?

8. Life at the office, downsizing, people being fired, worries, the pep-talk by the enthusiastic woman, the Power Point presentation, the platitudes? Bob and his optimism? The meeting of the board? Gary and his following the board’s advice?

9. Ray and Gary, the intervention of Snapper Thompson? His criminal background, his aims for the book, his continued threats to Gary?

10. Gary and the drink in the bar, Ray’s daughter, her violent boyfriend, the girl being seductive? Jilting her partner? Meeting Gary, the relationship? Ray and his reaction? Gary at home, the boyfriend and the violent attack?

11. Gary’s sister, concern about their mother, the continued visits?

12. Ray, Thompson, the plans, the meetings about the book, the failure of the book?

13. Ray, his attitude towards his daughter, discussions, the warnings to Gary?

14. Thompson, his instilling fear into Gary? Gary’s deterioration, his wife and Carl?

15. The completion of the book, the illustrations, Gary getting worse, going to hospital, the doctors, the operation, the issue of the donor, his recuperation?

16. The crisis, healing, getting better, a new life, visit to his mother, future – and his beginning to write?

17. An allegory about hypochondria and the human condition?