THE YEAR OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY

Australia, 1982, 117 minutes, Colour.
Mel Gibson, Sigourney Weaver, Linda Hunt, Bembol Roco, Noel Ferrier, Michael Murphy, Bill Kerr.
Directed by Peter Weir.

The Year of Living Dangerously was adapted by author Christopher Koch and playwright David Williamson from Koch’s prizewinning novel. It was filmed by Peter Weir in the Philippines and in Sydney. The film was well received and critically acclaimed, winning for Linda Hunt the Australian Film Institute award for Best Supporting Actress, the Jury Prize for collaborative effort with Peter Weir, and the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

Once again Mel Gibson works with Weir as he did for Gallipoli. There is a strong supporting cast led by Sigourney Weaver (Alien, Eyewitness, Ghostbusters). Excellent vignettes come from Michael Murphy, Bill Kerr, Noel Ferrier. The film focuses on Indonesia in 1965, Soekarno's year of living dangerously. It is in the genre of the reporter who goes into an unknown situation, observes it and is changed. It also uses romantic conventions (which were less favourably received by the critics). The film creates the atmosphere of Jakarta most effectively.

The film also uses the Wayang, the Indonesian shadow-play with puppets indicating the balance between Right and Left – for ever in motion. But the main focus is on Linda Hunt's superb performance as Billy Kwan – a Chinese -Australian dwarf who plays God, who understands people's lives, is full of ideals, becomes disillusioned and is finally a Christ figure – a symbolic gesture in death for the people of Indonesia? The emphases were more specifically Christian and Catholic in the novel. But Billy Kwan quotes the Gospel of Luke 3:10, what then must we do?', the words of John the Baptist to the crowds who asked him what they must do to repent. Weir continued his achievement from Picnic at Hanging Rock, The Last Wave, Gallipoli in this film. His next film was the American-made, very well received, Witness..

1. The impact of the film, quality, awards and acclaim? The work of Peter Weir? International style, reception? Australian style? Production values, the cast?

2. The use of the Philippines for Indonesian settings: the cities of Asia, the countryside, period, people, the tropics? The Asian feel of the film? The contrast with the West? Panavision, colour photography? Indonesia 1965? The range of Maurice Jarre's score?

3. The adaptation of the novel: the political setting, the focuses on the British, the Australians, Americans, Indonesians? Westerners in Asia? A romance in an eastern setting? The world of the journalists and reporters? The focus on psychological and religious values via an exploration of values, truth and betrayal? The character of Billy Kwan?

4. The Wayang and their meaning: puppets in the Indonesian setting? The puppet-master as the priest, the shadow souls, the screen as heaven? The observer watching the shadows? Light and dark, endless balance, Right and Left? The westerners wanting Left or Right, right or wrong? With the Wayang, no conclusions exist? The hero as fickle or selfish, clouded by desire? The princess, noble and proud, headstrong and falling in love? The dwarf who serves the prince?

5. Linda Hunt's performance and impersonation of Billy Kwan? A man communicated via a woman's performance? The consequent particular qualities? The American actress portraying a Chinese -Australian in Indonesia? The focus on the dwarf? Reality, mythology? Advantages and disadvantages? A sacred character? Billy Kwan as the focus, action, reflection, values and scripture, his file and judgments on people? The audience doing the same as Billy Kwan? Checking on characters through Billy? Agreeing or not? The checking and rechecking of motives? Billy's vicarious experience through his characters? Well-wishing, playing God, prurient, disillusioned?

6. The character of Billy Kwan: the importance of the voice-over and commentary, explanation of origins, his skills, his photography work, ambitions, combining with Guy? Contacts and their mysteriousness? His range of information? The dwarf with freedom to enter parties? Embarrassing people not to throw him out? The freedom of the bar, the jokes about him and the mockery by his fellow journalists? Serious? The Christ figure – and the specific references to crucifixion? The dwarf – and the traditions of king and court? His being Guy Hamilton's eyes? The importance of working in a team? His possibilities – relationship with Jill, the refusal of marriage? Living through others: the photos, the file, speculations? The exhilaration of reporting? His emotional responses – parties, appearances and disappearances, the visit to Ibu and her child, the response to the child's death? Guy confronting poverty and the Third World? His comments on the westerners and poverty? The quoting of Luke 3:10? The service of those God puts in our way? The disillusion with Guy and his betrayal? The infatuation with Soekarno, imitating Soekarno at parties, photographs? His final disillusionment, the banner, his protest? The relationship with Guy, the use of the operatic music? The banner, the confrontation with the soldiers, his smile and death? Billy as catalyst? Mythical/realist? Martyr's death?

7. Mel Gibson's portrayal of Guy Hamilton: Australian -American background, eager, ambitious, left in the lurch by Potter, the arrival in Indonesia, the bar, Billy and his friendship, the confrontation with the poverty of Asia and his immediate reactions? Going for his first interview, Soekarno's looking at him, the warning about the sunglasses and the guard? Initial failure? The broadcasts attacked as travelogue? The interview with the head of the P.K.I.? The success with the newspapers, the reaction of the journalists? The growing friendship with Billy? His being understood? Their work together, the photography, the deadlines? The demonstration? The visit to Billy's, Billy tending his wound, the discovery of the file? The relationship with the British – the problem about the gin, his insulting the Colonel, calling him a clown? The swimming contest and his losing? Jill's attraction? Social life, life in the office? The discussion with Jill about his Lombok piece? His being stung by her criticism? The outing, the drinks in the rain (and the irony of Billy photographing them)? His continually phoning Jill? The reception and the breaking through the barricade? Her secret and telling him? His relationship with Kumai? His friendship? The giving of the cigarettes? The search to substantiate Jill's information? The dangers about the ship with the weapons? His betraying Jill? His wanting to contact her, her refusal? His being reconciled with her through Billy’s death? The impact of Billy's death? His decision to stay, the revolution and his being injured in the eye, his not being able to see (and Billy being dead)? The failure of the revolution, Kumai taking him to the airport, the risk, his wanting to leave everything and join Jill? The experience of the countryside of Indonesia, the people – and the importance of his symbolic dream in which he was being drowned, his sleep and the way that he was photographed from above – crucified style? A hero, a mythological prince with his dwarf, a man with potential?

8. Jill as heroine, as princess? Her first being seen in photos? Her British background, the relationship with Felipe? The friendship with Billy, his proposal to marry her? The swim and her fascination with Guy? The socials, the dance, friendliness but not wanting to start a relationship? Her comment on his Lombok piece? The sequence in the rain? The party and going through the barricade? The affair? Love, tenderness? The dilemma about the information? Her giving him the information? His using it? The impact of Billy's death? Billy's files and saving them? Being reunited with Guy at the end? A strong character? A romantic? Billy's summation of her – potential but also the possibility of falling into mediocrity?

9. The portrait of the journalists? Pete Curtis and his American background, taunting Billy as a midget, bringing in the midget, the antagonism towards Billy, his ambition, the Indonesian girls, going to the cemetery, dancing to the music, going to Saigon? Wally and his reputation, buying the bungalow, hospitality, homosexuality, Billy's taunt, leaving Indonesia? Kevin as a pleasant man, his going to be married? The journalists at work, the interviews, gathering at the bar?

10. The British: Henderson and his pomposity, the bagpipes, wanting to win at the swimming? His reaction to Jill and her disappearance?

11. Europeans and westerners in Indonesia: their lifestyle, the hotels, communications, wealth, exploitation, the prostitutes at the cemetery? Socials and parties. Secretaries etc.? Newspaper and media reporting?

12. The focus on the Indonesians – the P.K.I.: Kumai, his work for the Australians, 'Boss' and the cigarettes? His assistant? His help? The role of the P.K.I.? The search for the ship? The villa, the swim, the danger? The revolution? Kumai's coming to Guy, his driving him, his freedom? His plea for not being a bad man because he was intelligent and wanted the good of his country?

13. The dream sequence: its setting, Guy as victim, dead, water, the woman trying to kill him – and its effect on him?

14. The sketch of Soekarno, Soekarno’s Indonesia, the Third World, poverty? Soekarno's ideals? Betraying ideals? The disillusionment of the people? Political stances from Right and Left? – Water from the moon?

15. The Christian focus of Luke 3:10 – the Gospel text by which Asia confronts the westerner? Conversion?