MRS CAREY'S CONCERT

Yesterday I took myself off to the cinema to see Mrs Carey's Concert www.mrscareysconcert.com

The reviews didn't exaggerate. This Aussie documentary engaged me 110% from the opening moments till the very end, as truly good filmmaking does. And for the second time in recent months I realised just how rich the cinema experience is compared with DVD or TV. Or worse still, downloaded on a computer.

In the dark, with a big screen and surround sound, the guffaws, gasps and groans of other audience members heighten the pleasure. Yesterday, walking out into the bright sunshine and sharing my enjoyment with a complete stranger, a young musician, put the icing on the cake.

Months ago The King's Speech www.thekingsspeech.com affected me the same way. Even though I knew it would be available on DVD in the not too distant future, I chose to see it in the cinema.

To quote Lord David Puttnam's 2010 SPAA Conference address, “The unique cinema experience works on a multiplicity of levels.” www.spaa.org.au for his full transcript.

It was such a joy to sit in a crowded theatre and laugh along at the unexpected humour. And what filmmaking The King's Speech is. It's rare when absolutely everything works - screenplay, casting, directing, acting, music, editing, cinematography...

What made the experience even better was that my sister-in-law, Beth, accompanied me and we could share our enjoyment on the drive home, a rare occurrence in our busy lives.
I love a good story, one that nourishes the soul, and both films certainly do that.

As as aspiring filmmaker I rate both films 10 out of 10. My wish is that Suz and I produce features and docos as good as these through Murubakgira Productions. If that seems a bit cheeky, that's okay. Long ago I learnt a basic principle of Olympic Games target archery. If you aim high, you shoot high. If you aim low, you shoot low. I'm sure Mrs Carey would agree. And, whatever else you do, remember the 10s, the perfect scores.

So do yourself a favour, go to the nearest cinema and enjoy Mrs Carey's Concert before it's too late.