SCARYGIRL

Australia, 2023, 90 minutes, Colour.

Voices of: Jillian Nguyen, Sam Neill, Rob Collins, Tim Minchin, Anna Torv, Liv Hewson, Remi Hii, Mark Coles Smith, Deborah Mailman, Kate Murphy, Dylan Alcott.

Directed by Ricard Cusso, Tania Vincent,

In fact, Scarygirl is not scary in herself, just initially scary to look at. She has been the subject of games, books, dolls and merchandise, created by artist Nathan Jurevicius.

For audiences not familiar with Scarygirl, this is an Australian production, Australian animation, directed by Ricard Cusso who has a number of animation films to his credit, and Tania Vincent, responsible for the direction of the animation. Looking back over Australian cinema history since the 1970s, there has been a strong tradition of animation films and, especially, on television (think Bluey).

The animation style here is quite idiosyncratic. The backgrounds are vivid, bright colours, very busy in detail, high on technological aspects. We are in another planet, a mad scientist and his experiments, control of the sun, wanting to reanimate characters, especially his lost daughter. And there are quite a number of sinister characters, many of whom have comic touches. There is the black-dressed rather sepulchral The Keeper. There is a chattering rabbit, Bunniguru,, and his associate, Egg, the rabbit an inveterate gambler, who owes a great deal to a small moustachioed villain-henchman, Chihoohoo, who is on a mission to capture a life-giving octopus, Blister, who cares for Scarygirl.

Quite a lot of adventures, the capture of Blister, Scarygirl wanting to rescue her father, encountering the mad scientist, but finding quite a number of allies in this strange world, building up to the expected confrontation, rescue, and Scarygirl being a determined action hero.

It would be very interesting to hear children being interviewed after watching the film, its impact on the littlies, primary school children, on secondary students – how much they followed, how much they enjoyed the film, what it meant to them. There is enough here to interest adults accompanying the young audience.

And, there is the huge attraction of the voice cast, the mad scientist, Dr Maybee, by Sam Neill, Chihoohoo by Tim Minchin, Blister by Rob Collins, The Keeper by Anna Torv – and, most important for the film, Scary girl voiced by Jillian Nguyen.

1. The title? The girl, her appearance and being scary, her background and her creation, destruction, reappearance?
2. The nature of the animation, Australian creativity with European background, complex, the world, the technology, the locations, laboratories, and the design of all the characters? Human, semi-human, animals…? In the musical score?
3. The basic story, the planet, the son and its energy, the story of Dr may be, the mad scientist, his daughter, death, animosity towards Blister, channelling the son? Wanting to recreate his daughter? The final confrontation, Blister, Scary girl, his defeat?
4. The situation with Blister, confronting Dr Maybee, exile, caring for Scary girl, father figure, octopus and his talents, creativity? His being captured, the buildup to Dr may be?
5. The other characters, Chihoohoo, small, the touch of the gangster, is allies, the mission to capture Blister?
6. Bunniguru and Egg, their partnership, friendship, the gambling, in debt, paying off his debt by the capture of Blister?
7. The sinister presence of The Keeper, in black, female? The final revelation of who she was, against Dr Maybee, collaborating with scary girl and the confrontation?
8. The range of adventures, the characters, scary girl and her forthrightness, abilities, Blister, and the support of bunny girl, and mending Egg?
9. The impact for the range of audience, very young, young, teenage, adults?