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doomonfilm · 5 years

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Thoughts : District 9 (2009)

Back in my early days of discovering YouTube, I came across a proof-of-concept style video that showed an alien taking on a group of heavily armed soldiers that, upon first glance, looked extremely and convincingly real. That bit of footage left a lasting impression on many, and not too long after, word of a science-fiction film featuring aliens in Johannesburg begin to emerge, and though I’d not yet directly connected the dots, my excitement began to rise. Eventually, trailers for District 9 hit the scene, and my excitement hit a fever pitch... one that was rewarded upon finally getting to see the film.

A strange, alien ship appears above Johannesburg in the year 1982, causing fear and panic below. After investigation, it’s discovered that the ship is populated by a colony of malnourished, displaced aliens. The population is moved to a slum known as District 9 by the South African government, which causes tension and unrest with the South African population due to the hygiene and unruly nature of the aliens, now dubbed Prawns. After nearly three decades of this tension, a weapons manufacturer known as Multinational United (MNU) is hired to relocate the Prawns to a new district, away from the locals. MNU executive Piet Smit (Louis Minnaar) hires his son-in-law Wikus (Sharlto Copley) to lead the relocation process, a task that is clearly above his skill level. Meanwhile, in the Prawn community, a Prawn known as Christopher Johnson (Jason Cope), his son and his companion search for a compound fuel that Christopher has created, in hopes of enacting an escape plan. Unfortunately, his search is interrupted by Wikus and his team, and in the midst of searching the place, Wikus is accidentally exposed to the compound. As Wikus faces the effects of the compound, he is slowly removed from his role as leader, leaving the mercenaries of MNU to their own devices, which heightens the unrest in District 9. With Wikus in fear of his life, he seeks refuge in District 9, whose fate hangs in the balance as the tensions turn to all out combat.

While immigration has always been a hot button issue in our world, the events of District 9 feel like art imitating life on an absurd level in light of our current political situation. As easy as it would have been to place this film in a ‘marquee’ city (read : Los Angeles, Paris, New York, etc.), the placement of the film in Johannesburg is intriguing due to the already tenuous co-existence of natural-born Africans, the British that invaded and set up rule, and the range of people born into the middle of this tension, not to mention the shadow of Apartheid that the country will always live in. The Prawn community are treated like invaders, but under closer examination, they are truly refugees lost in a foreign land, treated like criminals and kicked when they were already down.

Much of the social commentary in the film deals not only with immigration on a grand scale, but it focuses in quite well on the human element of it all. The way that humans dub the aliens as Prawns due to identifying them as ‘bottom-feeders’ echoes the true human nature of cutting those we deem outside of our circle down to size in the simplest terms possible. MNU, therefore, becomes symbolic in nature of how corporations are slowly becoming the new power in society, putting their administrative and militaristic shortcomings front and center. I also find it interesting that the Prawns and their naturally destructive behavior becomes a factor that can be exploited by the humans, granting them access to alien technology by feeding off of the base needs Prawns exhibit. They are further exploited by the warlords of the slum black markets, as many are preyed upon and eaten in hopes of gaining access to using the weapons. Ironically, this inhumane behavior is echoed by MNU once they get their hands on Wikus, exposing the fact that their true goals fall directly in line with those of the warlords in the slums.

For the time, the integration of CG effects into the real world was nearly seamless, and in my opinion, has held up over the past decade quite well. While science fiction has often been the grounds for making social commentary, the film still manages to feel original in its spirit. The documentary style that weaves in and out of the narrative not only helps streamline exposition, but it further grounds the film in reality, making the alien presence and technology less jarring. The Johannesburg location provides a rich texture of slum environments, as well as colloquialisms, slang and accents that give the dialogue a unique and pleasing rhythm. As Wikus descends deeper into his Prawn transformation, the feeling of a Bodhi horror film emerges in the form of his loss of humanity... he loses teeth, fingernails, and even limbs to the transformation in a way that echoes films like The Fly or Tetsuo : The Iron Man. The aged up nature of the alien technology present in the film is a nice touch as well, as my preferred science fiction aesthetic skews away from shiny tech.

The cast is mostly made up of incidental characters and talking heads meant to speak exposition and move the story forward, but the cast in charge of carrying the narrative weight stands out quite well in terms of balance. Sharlto Copley embodies the nature of incompetence at the administrative level to a comically real degree, with his confidence and innocence being the only qualities that exceed his ineptitude. Jason Cope, though never truly seen or heard, manages to bring a humanity to the Christopher Johnson role that connects the audience to his struggle, instantly making him the character most worthy of sympathy throughout. David James hones in on all the qualities of a mercenary that turn him into almost a literal walking weapon, where results are valued infinitely more than reason or the life of those who hinder results. Piet Smith serves as the administrative parallel to David James, with the bottom line replacing the need for results, even at the cost of trust from those he loves. Kenneth Nkosi’s performance provides touches of the most consistent comedy, with his persistent awareness of the cameras reminding us of the ‘reality’ of the situation subtly, but effectively.

In the canon of science-fiction, alien invasion films, I hold District 9 in the highest regard. It does everything it needs to do for the genre while simultaneously pushing the possibilities of the genre forward in terms of ideas and world integration. The message of inclusion that lies beneath all of the flash is an important one, and one that deserves more and more attention with each passing year.

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artsvark · 7 years

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Unravelling The Mystery of Irma Vep

The Mystery of Irma Vep starring Jonathan Roxmouth and Weslee Swain Lauder.

Jonathan Roxmouth and Weslee Swain Lauder play eight quick-change characters in a decadent Victorian-style whodunnit at Montecasino from July 5.

VR Theatrical by special arrangement with Samuel French Inc present The Mystery of Irma Vep starring Jonathan Roxmouth and Weslee Swain Lauder – Pieter Toerien’s Montecasino Theatre from 5 July 2017.

Jonathan Roxmouth (Sweeney Todd, Phantom of the Opera, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat), one of the biggest names in South African theatre, stars with the inimitable Weslee Swain Lauder (Sweeney Todd, Janice Honeyman’s Peter Pan, Starlight Express) in The Mystery of Irma Vep as they have never been seen before! The acclaimed play is conceived and written by Charles Ludlum, directed by Elizma Badenhorst (Hedwig and the Angry Inch, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change) with an original score by Wessel Odendaal.

The Mystery of Irma Vep starring Jonathan Roxmouth and Weslee Swain Lauder.

On a remote manor called Mandacrest, something is amiss. Between the horrors of a marauding beast terrorizing the estate and the looming presence of the recently deceased former mistress Irma Vep, matters become awkward in the extreme for Lord Edgar and his new wife, Lady Enid. In this side-splitting comedy, you’ll be taken from the moors of England to the tombs of Egypt and back again, encountering along the way a host of vampires, werewolves, mummies and all manner of things that go bump in the night.

The Mystery of Irma Vep is a satire of several theatrical, literary and film genres, including Victorian melodrama, farce, the penny dreadful, Wuthering Heights and the Alfred Hitchcock film, Rebecca. The cast of eight characters in this deliciously decadent ‘whodunnit?’ – lunatics, beasts, ghouls and gentlefolk – are played by only two actors who swop character and costumes faster than you can say ‘vampire!’. The intricate wardrobe design is by Pierre du Plessis, scenic design is by Nadine and Louis Minnaar and lighting design is by Oliver Hauser.

The production will be on the boards at Pieter Toerien’s Theatre at Montecasino from 5 to 30 July and at Theatre on The Bay in Cape Town from 2 to 19 August.

Unravelling The Mystery of Irma Vep was originally published on Artsvark

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olivierdemangeon · 8 years

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Synopsis : Des extraterrestres réfugiés sur la Terre depuis près de 30 ans deviennent un problème international explosif. Parqués dans le District 9, leur destin est entre les mains d’une multinationale, le MNU, qui s’intéresse à leur extraordinaire armement qui ne fonctionne qu’avec de l’ADN extraterrestre. Wikus, un agent de terrain du MNU, contracte un mystérieux virus qui se met à modifier son ADN. Cet homme qui permettrait de déchiffrer la technologie alien devient l’individu le plus recherché. Repoussé, isolé, sans aide ni amis, il ne lui reste qu’un seul endroit où se cacher : le District 9…

Origine du film : Nouvelle-Zélande, États-Unis, Afrique du Sud Réalisateur : Neill Blomkamp Scénaristes : Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell Acteurs : Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, David James, Vanessa Haywood, Mandla Gaduka, Kenneth Nkosi, Eugene Khumbanyiwa, Louis Minnaar, William Allen Young Musique : Clinton Shorter Genre : Science-fiction, Thriller Durée : 1h42 Date de sortie : 14 août 2009 (États-Unis) Année de production : 2009 Sociétés de production : QED International, WingNut Films Distribué par : TriStar Pictures Titre original : District 9

Notre commentaire : “District 9” est un thriller de science-fiction datant de 2009, co-écrit et réalisé par Neill Blomkamp, à qui l’on doit également “Chappie” (2015). Les acteurs principaux sont Sharlto Copley, qu’on a pu voir dans “Hardcore Henry” (2015), Jason Cope, qu’on a pu voir dans “Dredd” (2013), David James, qu’on a pu voir dans “The Salvation” (2014).

L’histoire proposée par “District 9” est adaptée de “Alive in Joburg“, un court-métrage datant de 2005, réalisé par Neil Blomkamp et produit par Sharlto Copley et Simon Hansen. Le film dépeint l’humanité, la xénophobie et la ségrégation sociale. Le titre de “District 9” est inspiré par les événements de District Six, au Cap, en Afrique du Sud, à l’époque de l’apartheid. Le film a été produit pour un budget de 30 millions de dollars et fut tourné dans l’endroit présenté dans le film, la zone de Chiawelo, à Soweto, présentant des interviews fictives, des scènes classiques et de la vidéo de caméras de surveillance dans un format de found footage.

En date du 4 novembre 2009, “District 9” avait rapporté une recette mondiale d’un montant estimé à près de 211 millions de dollars, dont près de 116 millions de dollars au Canada et aux États-Unis.

La première chose que l’on peut dire après avoir visionné “District 9”, c’est que ce film est techniquement brillant et émotionnellement déchirant. Il y a de l’action, de l’imagination et tous les éléments d’un divertissement purement de science-fiction classique. On pourrait donc, d’ores et déjà conclure que c’est une réussite. On en ressort impressionné par l’intrigue et le contenu thématique, et qu’effectivement, si ces attributs esthétiques nous font voyager dans l’univers de la science-fiction, on peut également l’aborder comme un drame, mieux encore, comme l’examen de la manière dont un homme répond quand il est forcé de faire face à la perte de son identité lors de circonstances extraordinaires. C’est passionnant à suivre et effrontément politique.

La performance de Sharlto Copley est tout à fait remarquable. L’acteur donne à son personnage une dimension profondément dramatique face à la tragédie qu’il traverse. Non seulement son statut social s’effondre en même temps que son physique se métamorphose, mais il se retrouve mis au banc d’une société, qui jusque-là, il servait avec un certain zèle, associé avec une certaine désinvolture, obligé par les circonstances à se cacher, puis à vivre dans l’environnement qu’il considérait avec mépris et dédain. Sa performance est d’autant plus remarquable que l’acteur ne se destinait absolument pas à une carrière d’acteur. Il s’est retrouvé propulsé dans le rôle principal suite à ce que le réalisateur, Neill Blomkamp ait fait appel à lui pour le court métrage.

“District 9” a fait l’objet d’une édition en DVD ainsi qu’en Blu-ray, paru le 20 janvier 2010 chez Warner Home Vidéo France. Pour de plus amples renseignements, n’hésitez pas à consulter la fiche du film sur le site DVD.Fr.

En conclusion, “District 9” est un très bon film de science-fiction, nous faisant découvrir un jeune réalisateur talentueux, dont la suite, nous aura déjà confirmé son goût prononcé pour la science-fiction. L’histoire est originale et poignante. Le scénario est habilement écrit et la mise en scène est brillante. La photographie rend parfaitement l’atmosphère particulière des bidonvilles. Les aliens sont originaux aussi, ressemblant à de grosses sauterelles. La prestation de Sharlto Copley lui aura mis le pied à l’étrier pour une carrière cinématographique qui s’avère ponctuée de rôle marquant. Un film référence pour beaucoup …

Bande-annonce :

DISTRICT 9 (2009) Synopsis : Des extraterrestres réfugiés sur la Terre depuis près de 30 ans deviennent un problème international explosif.

#David James #Eugene Khumbanyiwa #Jason Cope #Kenneth Nkosi #Louis Minnaar #Mandla Gaduka #Neill Blomkamp #Sharlto Copley #Vanessa Haywood #William Allen Young

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