EVENTS LEADING UP TO MY DEATH

Canada, 1991, 81 minutes, Colour.
John Arrore, Peter Mac Neill, Rosemary Radcliffe.
Directed by Bill Robertson.

Events Leading up to my Death is a quirky Canadian film - as is evident from the title. It shows a dysfunctional family, seemingly the perfect nuclear family, but each member with their own problems. However, they are presented with a surreal and deadpan screenplay, playing on words, incorporating popular cliches about the family and communication, using psychology and counselling techniques but poking fun at them.

The result is an off kilter but entertaining portrait of families, characters and interactions. The film was written and directed by Bill Robertson, his first screen play. Commentators noted its similarity to the films of Hal Hartley (The Unbelievable Truth, Trust). The film is small budget - but excellently acted by its cast who respond to the serious deadpan and bring their characters alive even if they are caricatures.

1. Quirky comedy? Observation of family life, characters, communication and lack or of communication?

2. The Canadian background, settings, perspectives?

3. Small budget and style? The portrait of the family home, the donut cafe, the neighbour? The range of songs? The importance of dancing and the chorography?

4. The title and its tone, the focus on Angus? His 32nd birthday experiences?

5. The importance of dance, the credits and the whole cast involved in dancing? Dancing throughout the film - Rita and her coaching, the father's inability to dance but using it as therapy, the mother's rhythms, the daughters, Julia? Angus and his inhibition? Dancing at the end with everybody freed by dancing?

6. Portrait of North American families, expectations? Voicing the themes about the family and family dysfunction? Ironies? Reality and irony?

7. The quality of the dialogue ironic and deadpan - yet insightful and true?

8. Dad, the patriarch of the family, his private dancing? Driving home, emotions - and the phone call and the revelation of the affair? The building up to the party? His avoiding his responsibilities? His angers, his practicing golf - and his ineptness? The watermelon story and the memories of the past? Meals, talking? His attitude, towards Angus and the party, his daughters? The build up to the confrontation, the emotional showdown? Rita and the dancing? The dog eating the golf balls? Putting the golf balls in the rubbish?

9. Mum as domestic, unhappy - yet smiling? Her relationship-with the children? Her love of cooking? Angus's birthday, picking him up in the car? Unable to get her husband to help her? The milkman and his advances - and her fantasy? The party, the confrontation, the cake and the icing? Meeting Rita, the talk with her? The dancing? The range of contradictions in her experience?

10. Angus, dancing in secret, his living. with Julia? His wanting to go home and getting the lift with his mother? Not telling Julia what was happening? His birthday and wanting to be private? Sad, with each of the family, the interactions? The significance of him having left home? The meal, the gift of the dancing instruction? His relationship with his sisters? Going to meet Rita,. leaving, Julia, telling her the truth and her knocking him out? The draw? Katie and her story? Lindsay and her art? His memories - and the happy resolution, his dancing?

11. Katie, not taking any responsibility, spoilt by her parents, sexually promiscuous, the boys going into her room - and the proposal by the boy who wanted a platonic relationship? The other boys, her eloping? Listening to people stories?

12. Lindsay and her melancholy, the baby cookies? Her poem for Angus's birthday - deadpan humour? her dress? Meeting Rita, the discussions with Rita? The fireman turning up and her loosing her inhibitions?

13. Rita, the instructor, the dancing therapy, the discussions with Angus? Coming home, talking with Mum and Lindsay? Unable to dance herself?

14. Julia, strong woman, the relationship with Angus? His telling her the truth, her knocking him out and depositing him at the door? Her turning up and offering, her strength to the family?

15. The symbols, the psychological background, counselling - with a touch of New Age? amusing and touching?