It’s November, meaning (1) I’ll be eating an excessive amount of turkey and (2) we’ll be doing what we want on the blog. This week that means getting real via the medium of a documentary about a film about murder.
The Film:
Shirkers
The Premise:
A group of teens in Singapore make a film with their mentor only to suffer crushing disappointment when he and the film reels disappear.
The Ramble:
In 1992, Sandi and her friends Jasmine and Sophie took on the impressive feat of writing, shooting, and starring in a movie. Sandi wrote the script and starred as a teenaged murderer. Influenced by the experimental films of ’60s French cinema, the team made a film unlike anything else in Singapore.
Raised by her grandparents with high expectations for her future, Sandi felt more at home with Jasmine’s laid-back, undemanding family. Bonding over their love of censored films, music, and all things punk, Sandi and Jasmine found a voice through the creation of their own zine.
The lives of Sandi, Jasmine, and Sophie change when they meet Georges, a filmmaker who will become their mentor. An enigmatic man, Georges lies about his age, date of birth (including day of the month!), birthplace, and–bizarrely–about being the inspiration for James Spader’s character in Sex, Lies, and Videotape.
If Georges doesn’t already scream “major creep” to you at this point, he cranks up the dial by inviting Sandi on a road trip across the United States. After the trip, Sandi is inspired to write the script for a film called Shirkers.
Determined to make the film and unleash it upon the world, Sandi and Georges drive production forward even when Sophie and Jasmine would prefer to wait. By her own admission, Sandi is a bit of an asshole during production. In addition to pouring their hearts into the film, Sandi and Sophie clear out their bank accounts to make it all happen.
At the end of the day, Georges is the one walking away with the film reels. Sandi and her friends wait eagerly for news of the final product…but only receive a couple of messages from him before he disappears without a trace.
Years pass (23+ in fact) and Sandi feels over what happened with the film. She has written a novel and gotten married in Vegas. Sandi has given up all hope of seeing the film reels again when she gets a call from Georges’ wife. George has passed away, and he’s left behind 70+ reels of film labelled “Shirkers.”
What will Sandi and her friends find on those reels? And why the eff was Georges such a massive creep? Answers to at least one of those questions revealed in the documentary.
The Rating:
3.5/5 Pink Panther Heads
I love the girls in this, especially as Sandi and Jasmine embrace their weirdness and the spirit of punk. This girl gang proudly marches to the beat of their own drum. Sophie wisely points out that the experience created a unique bond among the three girls, who remain close because of the shared triumph and devastation of creating and losing their film.
However, a good chunk of this film is dedicated to the pursuit of understanding Georges and his decisions. I can appreciate how this process is a strategy for Sandi to find closure…but sometimes when dudes act like assholes, it’s just because they’re fucking assholes.
The Pink Panther Snipes Again 