The Proposition
January 9th 2007 23:29
“Australia … What fresh Hell is this?”
There hasn’t been an Australian film as darkly poetic as this in years. This is unquestionably a modern classic, a masterpiece of period horror, a mutant western.
From a simple, yet thoroughly engrossing screenplay by Ocker renegade musician Nick Cave, who, of course, delivers an evocative score with the help of fellow Bad Seed Warren Ellis, The Proposition (2005) is an elegiac, ultra-violent case study of crime and punishment set in the unforgiving Australian outback near the end of the 19th Century.
Arthur Burns (Danny Huston) is a very dangerous man. He hides in the desert hills armed and waiting … waiting for his brother, Charlie Burns (Guy Pearce) to come find him. Charlie has been captured by the colonial police force, headed by the tortured Captain Stanley (Ray Winstone).
Stanley also has the younger Mike Burns brother in custody. He makes Charlie an unusual proposition, in exchange for his pardon and the life of Mike spared from the gallows. Find Arthur and kill him, for Arthur and his cohorts have raped and murdered a local family.
So with Mike whimpering behind bars, the crooked sun bleating hard upon his jaundiced brow, and the dust and flies clouding his vision, Charlie gallops off to find his twisted sibling. Meanwhile Stanley waits with headache, his English rose at his side, his men muttering and squinting at his authority.
And so unfolds one of the best historical films about the dark troubled history of rural law in Australia ever made. Director John Hillcoat, who helmed the deeply disturbing prison flick Ghost … of the Civil Dead (1988), has made a starkly beautiful film punctuated with episodes of extreme violence, a tale which inexorably arrives at its distressing, tragic, yet utterly complete denouement.
There are many elements which remind the viewer of other directors, yet The Proposition never once feels derivative or clichéd. The production values are top-notch; the exquisite cinematography from Frenchman Benoît Delhomme paints the Australian desert scenery in deep crimson and burnt sienna hues, the superlative art direction and makeup captures the grime, filth and disease more accurately than a dozen Hollywood westerns ever could. The wardrobe is totally on the money (its all seen better days if you get my drift), and the editing fits the mise-en-scene like soiled hand in leather glove.
The cast is superb; Guy Pearce is a revelation, and proves without a doubt he is the finest Aussie acting export of his generation. Also, and always, brilliant is Ray Winstone as the aspirin-popping Captain, and Emily Watson as his long-suffering wife. Support comes from Robert Morgan as the Brutus-like Sergeant Lawrence, Australian veteran David Gulpilil as an Aboriginal aide, and further excellent performances from David Wenham (with a British stick up his arse; “What a divine piece of humanity, what a little piece of filth!”), John Hurt as a scuppered bounty hunter (“Arthur Burns is a monster, an abomination!”), Noah Taylor, Tom Budge, Leah Purcell, and Danny Huston as the almost mythical killer Arthur Burns (“This is the end of things …”)
The Proposition demands to be seen on a big screen, so if you’re DVDing, then get thee hindquarters in front of a blistering huge widescreen TV or video projection. Failing that, chew some ‘baccie, and wait ‘til it surfaces at a nearby drive-in or repertory cinema.
It’s a film of immense, slow burning poetic power; jacketed in despair, soaked in the prejudices of its times, capped with a ferocious intelligence, and pistol-whipped into the bloodied horizon.
The Proposition is a true black’n’blue Aussie cinematic landmark.
From a simple, yet thoroughly engrossing screenplay by Ocker renegade musician Nick Cave, who, of course, delivers an evocative score with the help of fellow Bad Seed Warren Ellis, The Proposition (2005) is an elegiac, ultra-violent case study of crime and punishment set in the unforgiving Australian outback near the end of the 19th Century.
Stanley also has the younger Mike Burns brother in custody. He makes Charlie an unusual proposition, in exchange for his pardon and the life of Mike spared from the gallows. Find Arthur and kill him, for Arthur and his cohorts have raped and murdered a local family.
And so unfolds one of the best historical films about the dark troubled history of rural law in Australia ever made. Director John Hillcoat, who helmed the deeply disturbing prison flick Ghost … of the Civil Dead (1988), has made a starkly beautiful film punctuated with episodes of extreme violence, a tale which inexorably arrives at its distressing, tragic, yet utterly complete denouement.
It’s a film of immense, slow burning poetic power; jacketed in despair, soaked in the prejudices of its times, capped with a ferocious intelligence, and pistol-whipped into the bloodied horizon.
The Proposition is a true black’n’blue Aussie cinematic landmark.
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Comment by David my David
This post deserves more than 10 Votes.
There, that should do it!
David ...
Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
I haven't seen this movie yet. But I figured something written by Nick Cave would have to be worth a look.
Fantastic review by the way.
KylieW
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
There second film together, The Proposition was one of the better Aussie films of recent memory...heavily influenced by the Sergio Leone westerns the cinematography and abrupt violence kept me involved. Ray Winstone as always delivers the goods. Interesting script too.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
David, bless you my son!
Kylie, always a dark pleasure to see you here!
A big ice cold steinglass cheers for the props!
Comment by Norm
Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
there's no doubt
Comment by Luke
Old Movies
Cane Toad Warrior
Comment by Hellvis
Earache Hotel
I'm a bit of a Nick Cave fan and am fascinated with how he mixes an American gothic sensibility with Australian settings. His novel And the Ass Saw the Angel is definitely worth reading if you can deal with the high (ie. pretentious) and biblical style, and is full of some truly compelling and horrific imagery and themes.
I enjoyed The Proposition, but found that while the quick cutting in the violent scenes made them more immediate, it detracted from what you so eloquently called its
Having said that, I saw it in my bedroom on my mono TV. Will keep an eye out for it on the big screen. Oh, and this was a great review by the way.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Luke, I suppose I might be stretching the genre terminology in calling The Proposition a horror movie, but I aim to push the genre boundaries a little with my blog, showcasing films that aren't necessarily straight down the barrel horror flicks, but are streaked and shrouded in horror tones ... The new new modern horrors. Jim Jarmusch's Dead Man, for example, another mutant western, which I'd also refer to as a kind of horror movie. Horror movies aren't just slasher flicks, and that's why I think they're so important, because they challenge and confront the viewer with differing perspectives, themes and tones on what is "horror" in this world (and beyond) ... It's a number of elements; characters, landscape, themes, action, art direction, etc ... I'm broadening the horrorscope, so to speak ...
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
there is a dark beauty to be found in the depiction of violence and death ... but it is in the direction, photography and editing which defines it ... I thought director John Hillcoat did a sensational job, without it being gratuitiously "sensational" ... Others might beg to differ ...
But thanks for the thumbs up!
Comment by Vixter
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Comment by Bryn
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Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
What a fantastic review you've written, I love this description:
It’s a film of immense, slow burning poetic power; jacketed in despair, soaked in the prejudices of its times, capped with a ferocious intelligence, and pistol-whipped into the bloodied horizon.
It's a perfect description and I agree with it.
I'm also a huge Nick Cave fan and have seen Ghosts several times. It's hard viewing but captivating. I can still Nick Cave in his cell and the blood on the wall....
I've seen The Proposition twice; the first time was an hour after discovering my car had been stolen, so I suspect my mind wasn’t quite in the cinema. In fact I’m fairly sure this was the case as the second time I saw it on DVD, I had trouble tolerating the violence. I had to leave the room and play music loud enough to cover the music and sounds of violence. I found the rape scene too horrific. That's not to say that I don't think it's a good film, it definitely is, but rather that the violence affected me massively the second time I saw it. As with anything, the mood that you're in can very much affect the film experience. It definitely is a superb film masterfully created.
Great review,
Tracy
Comment by Always Eighteen
Always Eighteen
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile