Human Touch

This film was the Aussie highlight of Melbourne film festival -- by far. Not hard competition I must say -- Sommersault and Tom White were dreary numbers.

Although the dialogue is heavy handed and the performances under directed -- something interesting comes from the poetics of the imagery. Stalictites, Bad modern art, pervy old men, misogyny, exhibitionism, animal instinct -- all of these things combine tastefully to evoke an erotic and heady world -- a bit like a glass of peppery red wine.

What it did achieve in its exploration of themes -- was not as brilliantly explored as Ken Russel's "Women in Love" but certainly the ideas of the male vs. female instinct was intriguing and mesmerising.

What I miss is the detail of performance -- Jacqui and Rebecca (both fine actresses) look lost in front of the lens. Aron Blabey is a bit TV here and Chris Haywood is interesting -- but far from the complex creation he could have been.