MYSTERY ROAD 2
Australia, 2020, six x 55 minutes, Colour.
Aaron Pedersen, Tasia Zalar, Tasma Walton, Jade Alberts, Callan Mulvey, Rob Collins, Gary Sweet, Ursula Yovich, Sophia Helin, Ngaire Pigram, Mark Richardson, Simon Lyndon, Rhimi Johnson, Keith Robinson, Ava Farrer, Stan Yarramunual.
Directed by Warwick Thornton, Wayne Blair.
The initial Mystery Road, the film version, was written and directed by distinguished aboriginal film-maker, Ivan Sen. It was a considerable box office success, very popular in Australia. It was also a showcase for actor, Aaron Pedersen, who portrayed the loner aboriginal Detective, Jay Swan. This led to a second feature film, Goldstone, again with Pedersen as Jay Swan, and with the supporting cast including David Wenham and Jacki Weaver.
In the wake of this popularity, a miniseries was written showcasing Jay Swan and his investigations in the outback. This time the supporting cast included Judy Davis and Colin Friels. It also filled in quite an amount of Swan’s background, especially concerning his wife and daughter. There were many social issues explored as well as the series having enough time to develop Swan’s character and his interactions.
Again the popularity led to a second television series. This time Aaron Pedersen’s Swan seems even more taciturn, loner, relentless in his pursuit of criminals, with the touch of relentless lack of finesse. He is invited into a town in north-western Australia (fine coastal scenery and hinterland), a story of murder, drug manufacture, drug dealings, business and police corruption. He works with the young aboriginal policewoman in the town. And his wife reappears. She is in a relationship with a former policeman, Callan Mulvey – with Swan suspicious.
There is a subplot concerning a Scandinavian archaeologist who is working on a site, with permission from the local aborigines, but causing protests from others. In her dealings, she discovers a skeleton – which leads to further investigations, conflicts in the aboriginal community, a complication with a local minister, and dramatic incidents concerning a trucking company, drug manufacturing, international flight deliveries.
The first television series was directed by Rachel Perkins. Three episodes each were directed by Wayne Blair and Warwick Thornton in this series, Warwick Thornton acting as of director of photography for all six. These miniseries remind audiences that Australia has three very talented aboriginal directors in Perkins, Thornton and Blair.
1. The Mystery Road series, the initial film, Goldstone, the two television series? The popularity? The Australian appeal? Aboriginal appeal? International impact
2. The cumulative effect of the film is a series? Over seven years?
3. The setting for this series, the town of Gideon, Western Australia, the coastal setting, the sea, the beaches? The town, homes, industry, the police officers, the hospital, perhaps? The musical score?
4. The opening with the murder mystery, the fishermen, the dead body, decapitated, the later discovery of the head? Autopsies? Investigations? Jay Swan coming in, his working with the locals, with Fr and have aboriginal background, with Owen, the veteran? The murder in the context of drugs, dealers, carriers, the network?
5. The personal stories, Jay and Mary, Fr and her sister Leone, their father, Amos and Pansy, the archaeologist, Jimmy 2 and aboriginal leadership, Simon and the possibility with Mary, his control?
6. Jake Swan’s personal story, the loner, long years as a detective, taciturn, intolerant? The marriage to Mary, her presence in the town, the hospital, with Simon? Their interactions? The history with their daughter? His sullen manner, his dedication and relentlessness? The past and his methods? With the locals, searching, arrests, not concerned about warrants? His working with friend, amend talk, his criticisms of and his laziness? His reactions to May and Simon, investigating Simon? His knowing Sherbourne and her daughter? Concern for her? Shooting, weapons, accurate on targets? The various encounters, with a trucking company boss, with Our key me and the defiance, Simon, the thugs coming in? The dangers?
7. Fran, her education, the contrast with Leone, demonstrations, defiance? Leone in the protests? Fran arresting her, in jail? The memories of Zoe and her disappearance? The discovery of the bones, at the church, the interrogations? Fran defying Owen, the USB stick and the surveillance tapes? Her taking a stance?
8. Mary, the past, their daughter, working at the hospital, the attraction to Simon, his visits, the date, her looking after Sherbourne and Ava, the date of the lavish house, her reaction, suspicions, leaving, taking refuge with Sherbourne at the hotel? The thugs coming in threatening? The shootouts?
9. Sherbourne, Ava, Mary minding the daughter, her going on the date with Philip, dancing, drugs, the sexual attraction, her challenging Philip, his reactions, using Sherbourne, willing to inform, the self-wounding and blaming Jay?
10. Simon, his presence in the town, past, ex-policeman, his record? Helping, taking Jay to the factory, shooting the boss, the discussions about a cover-up? Bringing marriage the house, lavish, cooking, the confrontation? Going to the hospital, her wounding his shoulder? His killing Alec Amy? The boss, the plane coming in, the fishermen and the boat, the delivery of the drugs? Jay and his pursuit? The confrontation?
11. The initial murder, the drugs in the mouth, the they had disappeared, the role of the fishermen, the identity of the victim, the visit to his wife, filling in the background?
12. Trucking, in Western Australia, the owner, the staff, the business, the factories and industry, the drug production? Jay confronting the owner, Simon shooting him?
13. The range of suspects, the people around the town, working for the trucking company, high on drugs, the various deaths?
14. The subplot of the archaeologist, coming from Scandinavia, the University, the story, leaving her partner, coming to Western Australia, the careful digging, the permits from the aboriginal community, Amos and his protection? Leone and the demonstrations against her? Finding the grindstone and its historical value? Discovering the bones, leaving them in the church? The promised to repatriate Leone’s mother is remains? The possibilities for her work, the discussions with the Minister, revealing aboriginal history to the aborigines? Her sense of faker?
15. Amos, his relationship with Pansy, with Jimmy 2, aboriginal leadership, traditions, rules? His relationship with Ursula? Relationship with Zoe, the young man, taking them to the bus stop? The return? The murders? The identification of the bones? Accusations of murder cover-up?
16. Harry, the Minister, in his wheelchair, the bones the church, Ursula and her presence, singing? The past with Zoe? The rumours? The funeral, the celebration? The discussion with the archaeologist?
17. A complex story of aborigines, white communities, drug exploitation? Police, detection?
