Browse all reviews by letter     A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 0 - 9

Australia 2007
Directed by
Rolf de Heer
90 minutes
Rated PG

Reviewed by
Bernard Hemingway
3 stars

Dr Plonk

Rolf de Heer’s follow-up to his previous film Ten Canoes (2006) is vastly different film although both are characteristic of the director’s adventurousness. Apparently designed as a way to use up some old film stock Dr Plonk is the story of a scientist (Nigel Lunghi) who in 1907 works out that in 2008 the world will end.  No-one will believes him so with the help of his deaf and mute assistant (Paul Blackwell), he  builds a time machine and travels to the future to bring back proof. Oh and it’s a black–and-white silent film (albeit accompanied by a score by Graham Tardif and performed by the Stiletto Sisters).

Even if it is impressively well-made I’m not sure whether the motivation behind this film is really substantial enough to justify its existence. Although there is a slightly satirical bent to Plonk’s observations of our modern world (and there is an amusing reference to Ten Canoes), the film doesn’t really aspire to be anything more than a recreation of the silent originals, complete with pratfalls, Keystone Kops chases, kicks in the pants and so on. It features excellent performances by Lunghi, an Adelaide street performer, Blackwell, an experienced stage comic and television favourite Magda Szubanski as the good doctor’s plump wife as well as help from various other stunt performers (one of the best gags involves one of the latter getting caught in a giant rolling bobbin of industrial cables). 

Even so, the stunts do not reach the breathtaking heights of Buster Keaton or Harold Lloyd (understandably given modern OH&S requirements) and at 85 minutes the film, which repeats the time-travelling stunt till it wears thin, is a good deal longer than it needed to be (or its models ever were).

As a technical exercise (a.k.a. a way to use up some old film stock) Dr Plonk is the work of a resourceful and skilled film-maker but as a feature film it is at best a curio.

 

 

back

Want something different?

random vintage best worst