GARAGE DAYS
Australia, 2002, 105 minutes, Colour.
Kick Gary, Maya Stange, Pia Miranda, Russell Dykstra, Brett Stiller, Chris Sadrinna, Andy Anderson, Marton Csokas, Tiriel Mora.
Directed by Alex Proyas.
Garage Days is a bit of relaxation for writer-director Alex Proyas. He came to some prominence with his experimental Spirits of the Air in 1989. This enabled him to go to Hollywood where he made The Crow. He returned to Australia to make the international science fiction film Dark City and, after Garage Days, returned to the United States to make I, Robot.
Proyas has said that this film is largely autobiographical, the experience of may young people when he was growing up, the interest in being in a band, singing. It also has a background of drug-taking and drink in inner-city Sydney pubs.
The film is really geared for the audience who are portrayed in the film. Kick Gary portrays a young man with ambitions – which are to be dashed as he realises that he has limited talent and is content to play in a band to entertain friends and neighbours. Pia Miranda (Looking for Allibrandi) plays his girlfriend and Maya Stange plays the pregnant girlfriend of Joe, one of the band, but attracted towards Freddie. There is some comic support from Russell Dykstra as their would-be agent Bruno and the ambiguous Chris Sadrinna as Lucy. Andy Anderson portrays the burnt-out neighbour, Kevin, and Marton Csokas gives a slimy performance as a sleazy agent.
The film contains a lot of rock 'n roll music, shows the background of the world of music and concerts – but is a southern hemisphere version of a more elaborate film like Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous.
1.The interest in the film? The characters portrayed – as a potential audience for the film?
2.The director, his experience, the film as partly autobiographical? The film presenting young adults in the 1980s and their ambitions to be in a rock 'n roll ban and perform?
3.The Sydney settings, the inner city, flats, pubs and cafés, the concerts?
4.The musical score, the range of songs and their performance?
5.Freddie and his voice-over, his comment about himself as a child, his lack of musical talent, his ambitions? Growing up, his work in the record store? His range of friends, the band, their performances? His relationship with Tanya, taking her for granted? His sympathy for Kate and her relationship with Joe? His attraction towards Kate, kissing her – and the repercussions, especially when she announced her pregnancy? Joe and his hostility? Thommo and the pub, refusing to let them play? Bruno and his wanting to be their agent? Their going to the right place and he going to the wrong hotel? Freddie and the chance encounter with Shad Kern, saving face for him when he was caught with his singer’s girlfriend? Freddie and his going back to Shad Kern, to his office, asking for the demonstration? The need to raise money, his dressing up and going on the street to solicit money? The various schemes? The failure to get enough money? Wanting to put on a concert? Joe and his collapse, getting him to the hospital, missing the appointment with Shad Kern, the phone calls to Bruno? The break-up with Tanya and her leaving? The difficult relationship with Kate, antagonism of Joe? Lucy’s comments? The help of Kevin, his giving them the guitar to sell? The confrontation with Shad Kern, going to the concert, crashing the stage, being shunted off, the crowd calling for them to come back? Shad and his explanations to Freddie, his being overheard, his comeuppance? The performance – and the realisation that they weren't any good, the audience restless? Freddie and his acknowledgment of his limited talent, Bruno and his winning the lottery, buying the hotel, throwing out the poker machines, playing to friends? Freddie finding his place in life?
6.The members of the band, Joe, his womanising, the relationship with Angie? Drug taking? The clash with Kate, his wanting to be a good father, getting the melon and pretending to be a father? Angie as the seductress? His drug taking, his imagining Angie, the injuries, going to hospital, to rehabilitation, rejoining the band for the concert?
7.Tanya, her relationship with Freddie, her place in the band, her interactions with Lucy, the sexual encounter? Her leaving Freddie, playing in the band?
8.Bruno, loudmouthed, wanting to be an agent, answering the phone call for their wanting an agent, taking them to the wrong place? The interactions with Shad Kern, almost making things too difficult – encountering Shad and his sexual encounter and misinterpreting it? Winning the lottery, buying the hotel?
9.Lucy, ambiguous sexuality, jokes, relationship with Tanya, place in the band?
10.Kevin, his past career as a rock 'n roll singer, his guitar, supporting Freddie, giving him the guitar, willing to step in with Joe’s being away, his getting the guitar back?
11.Shad Kern, his behaviour in the hotel, his artist girlfriend, saving face with Freddie? In his office, interest in talent? His speech to Freddie about being in the music industry, drugs and women? His agreement to listen to a concert, the group not turning up, his rejection of them? At the concert, his being loudmouthed, admitting the truth, his being overheard by the singer, his comeuppance?
12.Thommo, in the bar, calling the band losers, the poker machines, getting money – and Bruno buying him out?
13.An Australian story – and rock 'n roll in Sydney?
