Seven alternative films

Press, 8 March 1978, Page 6

Seven alternative films

By

FELICITY PRICE

“■Alternative Cinema.” al programme of New Zealand filths made by independent film-makers, consists of a spectrum of short movies,; some clever, some informative, and some didactic. The programme begins I with “Games City," a personal look at Christchurch! during the Commonwealth •Games in 1974. by Kevin, iPassmore. Its effect is de-i irived entirely from the juxta-j (position of slow-motion se-( Iquences with high-speed ac-i

ition, and its impact comes • from the background music, (provided by the local group, i Baby. “Tasman Ice,” made by Tony Lilleby in 1976. about (the Tasman Glacier, was an ; award winner at the Geneva {Film Festival for alpine films, ilt was followed by “The Red I Button,” an overstated piece ! speculating about the effect of a nuclear holocaust on .Christchurch i A spoof of "Jaws," by the {students of Lincoln High (Schoo) in 1976. which was leaded “Claws,” added an ex-

sample of film-making in ,‘schools to the programme. , “Ghost Town," by Mary .Parkyn, described sensitively /the “death” of Denniston, a tl coal-mining town on the t'West Coast. Another film reflated to the West Coast was ,;“Waitaha,” by John Meli William, a profile of an oposiisutn trapper living alone in tithe Waitaha Valley. i The evening ends with “Free Wheel,” a light- • hearted yet pointed statei ment in support of the Sj bicvcle rather than the car -las a means of transport.