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Chopper

On August 3rd of 2000, anxious and curious moviegoers across Australia viewed the premier of the film "Chopper". The film, which was highly anticipated by many, intrigued the nation by offering a glimpse into the psychotic mind of one of Australia's most infamous criminals—Mark Brandon Read. This film, which is stylistically a classic example of a typical Australian crime genre, follows the life of Mark Read in his quest to become one of Australia's most legendary criminals. The present review presents and analyses critically the film "Chopper" by glimpsing into the creative minds of its creators, acknowledging its many award, and also analyzing how the film illustrates a specific trend in Australian crime genre films today.
To begin, when commencing my research on this film I found it particularly difficult to find good in-depth reviews or coverage on "Chopper". The majority of websites and articles I found were filled with fan reviews and short non-informative paragraphs describing the plot with a quick review. Discouraged, I began researching deeper into more reliable sources such as IMDB.com as well as extremely renowned film columnists such as Robert Ebert. By doing this I was able to uncover a plethora of information and a variety of well-developed reviews, interviews and journal entries about the film.
The movie "Chopper" was released on August 3, 2000 to the Australian public. The film was not only anticipated due to its autographical nature but also due to the many big names that were involved with the making of this film. The Australian Film Finance Corporation, along side Mushroom Pictures and Pariah Entertainment group signed on an incredible cast and crew in order to bring this film to life (Chopper Review 1). Crewmembers such as Andrew Dominik (director), Michele Bennett (producer), Geoffrey Hall and Kevin Hayward (cinematographers) all collaborated to bring about this celebrated film based upon the written work of Mark Read. Additionally, with stars such as Eric Bana (Chopper), Simon Lydon (Jimmy Loughnan) and David Field (Keithy George), Australian movie goers flocked to theatres to see this anticipated film. On its opening day, Chopper grossed $1,258,717.00 averaging more than 20% of its total revenue of $5,790,583.00 (Movie 1).
The film's success can be accounted to the crew's amazing intuition and reproduction of Mark Read's autobiography. Director and writer Andrew Dominik commented on his post-production intuition of making the film stating "I'm interested in crime, particularly murder without motive … I thought it would be interesting to make a film about someone who whilst still very young had engaged in extremely violent behavior without knowing what he was doing…"(Interview 1). Producer Michele Bennett commented that before production she thought the book was "not the sort of subject that I would normally have been attracted to. I was. It was absorbing for all the wrong reasons. I was laughing at something I felt I shouldn't have been laughing at and was fascinated by a person whom I felt I shouldn't have been fascinated by and then I realized that there is another side of life that becomes interesting because you don't understand it and it's an anathema to your way of life - to most people's lives"(Interview 2). Dominik and Bennett felt that the book contained sensitive content but had the potential to be made into "a commercially viable film". Further information and quotes by the cast and crew can be found at the following links:

Interviews with cast and crew:

Interview with Director Andrew Dominik:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/thomasw/Chopper.htm

Interview with Director Andrew Dominik and Producer Michele Bennett:

http://www.in-movies.co.uk/news/interviews/interviews_4.shtml
http://www.gal.co .za/writingstudio/page193.html
Interviews with lead character Eric Bana (Chopper):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2000/11/22/eric_bana_chopper_2211_interview.shtml
http://www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/m1285/5_31/74583330/p1/article.jhtml

The film "Chopper" was a smash hit across Australia and was loved and admired by critics not only for its creative and time consuming behind the scenes work but also for its inspiring acting and in-depth glimpse into the psychopathic mind of a criminal. Eric Bana's career was set into motion after this film propelling him into huge Hollywood Blockbuster's such as "Black Hawk Down" and "The Hulk"(Chopper 2). Thousands of reviews were published across the country and around the world in newspapers, journals and books admiring the overall framework of the film. Robert Ebert in his famous column in the Chicago Sun Times exclaimed, "Chopper is a real piece of work, and so is Bana!"(Ebert 1). Below are a few reviews of the film, although many more thousands exist, along with a list of many awards that the film received. These are just a few I found particularly impacting.
Newspaper Reviews of Chopper:

Robert Ebert's Review:

http://www.suntimes.com/ebert/ebert_reviews/2001/06/060102.html
BBC Film Review:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2000/11/22/chopper_2000_review.shtml
New York Times Review:

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/11/arts/11CHOP.html?ex=1083297600&en=0ce249dfb3c6ed94&ei=5070
E-Film Critic Review:

http://efilmcritic.com/review.php?movie=4357
Newsgroup Reviews:

http://www.imdb.com/Reviews/257/25744
http://www.imdb.com/Reviews/306/30623
Awards:

AFI:( Australian Film Institute)

Best Achievement in Direction: Andrew Dominik

Best Performance by and Actor in a leading role: Eric Bana

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role: Simon Lyndon
FCCA Awards: (Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards)
Best Actor: Eric Bana

Best Director: Andrew Dominik

Best Film

Best Supporting Actor: Simon Lyndon
Cognac Festival du Film Policier:
Critics Award: Andrew Dominik

Grand Prix: Andrew Dominik
Critical Review of "Chopper":

When critically examining "Chopper" it is important to look at the overall framework of the film. The film is based upon the autobiography written by Australian criminal Mark Brandon "Chopper" Read. Read's book was written while serving a murder sentence in a maximum-security prison in Melbourne and toped the bestseller charts across the country. The film begins by journeying through Chopper's life in prison. This portion of the film exposes the viewer to the harsh realities of life behind bars. The film at this point also gives a hint as to why Mark's nickname is Chopper in the famous scene of Mark cutting off his own ears in order to be placed in the hospital wing. The film ventures forward to the time of Chopper's release from prison, and follows him through reunions with old friends and enemies, drug battles, murders and more. Finally, unable to resist his criminal temptations, the film ends with Chopper ending up back in jail for murder.
The film is extremely graphic and at various points, from my own personal point-of-view, difficult to view. The film is extremely successful, I believe, in capturing the true perceptions of a criminal. The film shows how the criminal mind works. A scene that particularly stands out in this sense is the scene in which Chopper unbuttons his pants and exposes himself to the entire bar without a second thought. The film is successful in showing how little the criminal mind thinks about or concerns himself with the thoughts or emotions of others. Rather, walking through life amusing and entertaining himself without ever concerning himself with the feelings of others. The film, I also believe, succeeds in confusing the viewer as to whether or not Chopper's stories are true or just an attempt to rise himself to a legendary status in the criminal hierarchy. Chopper's reliability as a storyteller is a question that the viewer is continually contemplating throughout the film.
The film upon its release was not only critically acclaimed for its cast and crew, but also for its brave leap into the criminal mind. The film was thought to be gutsy and a leap into the unknown. The film is extremely disturbing and graphic, yet, incorporates humor in order to soften the otherwise rugged exterior. "Chopper", although critiqued by some for not being an exact account of the events portrayed by Mark Read himself, was thought to be complete and extremely well rounded in its entirety. More so, critics raved about Eric Bana's portrayal of Chopper foreseeing him as a rising star in future Hollywood films. Critics praised Director Andrew Dominik for his unbiased portrayal of the criminal allowing the audience to make decisions on whether or not to condemn the actions of Chopper. UK journalist Damian Cannon commented on the film's portrayal of Chopper stating, "Dominik doesn't glorify or condemn these personality traits, he merely turns them into compulsive viewing and leaves judgment to the audience." Critics also praised the movie for its technical difficulty and flawlessness. Cannon, again in his UK review, commented on the film's excellence with its cinematography stating "Technically, photographers Geoffrey Hall and Kevin Hayward capture scenes in a gritty, unvarnished style. Characters oscillate between the stark bareness of jail cells and the neon-lit grime of bars, knowing very little in-between, and it suits them…. elsewhere, Ken Sallows' editing boosts Chopper with a spot-on sense of what it's like to be flying on speed. The movie doesn't depend upon these embellishments, it's painfully intense enough anyway, but they do heighten your involvement in the story" (Chopper 1).
Critical uptake about this film presently and at the time of its release reveals that "Chopper" is popular not only because of its portrayal of one of Australia's most notorious criminals, but because of its keen eye for perfection and excellence in all areas of its production. Andrew Dominik and Michele Bennett spent five years researching Mark Read and attempting to gain the production rights to his book. The two interviewed Read in jail several times in order to get an idea of who to cast, what to portray, and other important details that only the real-life Chopper could provide. Due to this highly researched plot and storyboard, and its struggle for production rights the film was extremely anticipated by Australian moviegoers beyond just plain curiosity.
"Chopper", because of its success, launched the careers of many of the people involved in its production. The film was the beginning of a highly anticipated career for director Andrew Dominik and debuted his talent to the nation and world. Prior to his debut with "Chopper", Dominik directed music videos for various famous Australian artists including Diesel, Crowed House, James Reyne, and Jenny Morris. Dominik's prior work on music videos and commercials gave him the experience he needed to leap head first into the "Chopper" project. (Chopper Crew 1).
Producer Michele Bennett was no stranger to producing. In 1990, after several years of experience in the field, Michele started her own production company. Since that time, her production company, Cherub Pictures, has become one of the leading production companies in Australia creating music videos, documentaries and films that are critically acclaimed worldwide (Chopper Crew 1).
Lead actor Eric Bana's career was also launched due to the success of "Chopper". The film, although not the debut for actor Eric Bana, was his breakthrough role that landed him in Hollywood films. Eric had been a famous comedian in Australia for some time prior to the release of "Chopper", even starring in his own television series. His debut role in "The Castle" made Eric Bana a household name in Australian pop-culture, but it was his role in "Chopper" which jump-started his career in Hollywood Blockbusters such as "The Hulk"(Chopper Crew 1). Robert Ebert commented on Bana's performance in "Chopper" stating "he has a quality no acting school can teach you and few actors can match. You cannot look away from him"(Ebert 1). The film was the debut and launching point for many of the cast's and crew's careers establishing them as respected and legitimate filmmakers and actors.
The film "Chopper" is situated at the beginning of a new trend in Australian genre films. Crime films returned as a major genre after Gregor Jordan's success with the movie "Two Hands" in 1999 (Lecture notes 1). Since then numerous films have produced on organized crime, and "Chopper" is a perfect example of this trend. When classifying a film as a crime genre film, there are many different aspects of the film that need to be examined. First, in the movie "Chopper", as with all crime genre films, the view is that of the criminals. The film situates itself around making the scenes, crimes, and murders all be created as to see how the character sees them. Throughout "Chopper" the viewer watches situations transpire as if they themselves were Mark Read. For example, there is a scene in the movie in which Chopper is stabbed by his best friend in jail. At this point in the film a unique camera angle is used that projects Chopper's point-of-view on the screen. This scene is an example of crime genre films' tendency to use the main character's viewpoint as the central viewpoint in the film.
Another characteristic that crime genre films include is the element of humor. Humor, although sometimes extremely dark, is commonly used in this type of genre film (Lecture notes 1). There is one scene in specific that jumps to mind when describing dark humor in this film. This is a scene in which "Chopper" shoots his long time acquaintance Keithy George (Davie Field) and then afterwards drives him to the hospital. The scene, although extremely dark, is humorous in revealing Chopper's hypocritical nature. Chopper had shot this man with the intention to kill, and then after mocking him drives him to the hospital to save his life.
Another element that is commonly present in crime genre films and is seen in "Chopper" is the incorporation of a typical Australian character (Lecture Notes 1). Although the main character Chopper does not fulfill this mold, his friend and rival Neville does. Besides being a drug dealer, Neville is also a family man. He is shown as a struggling father and husband who sells drugs in order to support his wife and children. Neville also appears to be the classic example of a man born in suburbia who chose the wrong paths along the way. He is shown wearing a typical relaxed black leisure suit and appears like the typical "organized crime" character. This element of including a character that symbolizes or represents organized crime is another feature typical of the crime film genre.
Finally, one last element that comes to mind is the incorporation of a character that has no choice of whether or not to commit crimes. They have little choice whether or not to commit criminal acts because of their status in the community. In a minor sense this element can be applied to Chopper. Chopper after being released from prison cannot escape his criminal past. Everyone in the community knows who Chopper is and the origins of his past criminal history. For example, when Chopper is first released from prison he goes to a bar with his girlfriend for a night where he is bombarded with people gawking and whispering about him. He is unable to become a new man because his past will not allow him to. After this scene Chopper becomes aware that he is the focus of a 'hit", and finds himself spiraling back into the criminal world. All of these elements intertwined together illustrate how the film "Chopper" is situated in relation to Australian cinema as a crime/gangster genre of film.
The film "Chopper", in its uptake and current position in contemporary society in relation to critical and market horizons, illustrates a general position of Australian cinema. Furthermore, it also reveals the value of such films in society. The film shows how Australians are ready to embrace their criminal roots, and illuminates their fascination with criminals such as Mark Read. Although Australians are demanding such dark films, they are also demanding that the movies be softened with humor. More or less the public wants to see the truth and still be able to laugh at it.
The Australian film "Chopper" is an extremely intriguing and illuminating film. Not only is the film extremely well made, but it also illustrates a growing trend in Australian genre films. The film with its incorporation of specific elements, such as dark humor, fits the mold of a typical Australian crime/gangster film. The film's success can be attributed to Domink's and Bennett's brave leap into the unknown, Hall and Hayward's technical perfection, and Eric Bana's breathtaking performance. "Chopper" is a wonderfully made film that illuminates and investigates the life of one of Australia's most notorious criminals. The film dives into the psychopathic mind of a criminal, and in doing so captivates its viewer. Although being extremely gruesome and violent, "Chopper" is a film that entertains even the harshest of critics.

References

Ebert, Robert. "Review of Chopper" Chicago Sun Times. June 1, 2001, pp.1.

Chopper Crew http://www.palace.net.au/chopper/castcrew/crew.html. May 1, 2004, pp.1.

Chopper Review http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0221073/. May 1, 2004, pp. 1.

Chopper http://www.film.u-net.com/Movies/Reviews/Chopper.html. May 1, 2004, pp.1.
Movie Marshal http://www.moviemarshal.com. May 2, 2004, pp.1.

Interview with Chopper Cast/Crew http://www.in-movies.co.uk/news/interviews /interviews_4.shtml. May 2, 2004, pp.1-2.