Night
Night explores the visual and emotional components of the so-called remains of the day. Visually, it is reminiscent of features such as the “ -Qatsi” series, and Baraka. Yet there is a distinctively different feel about this film.
It’s Australian.
With the talking heads and voiceovers expressing what night means to them, and recounting whimsical tales of nights of yesteryear, this film has a uniquely Australian flavour, despite the fact that most of the comments made could have been voiced by people anywhere around the world. Is it the accent that imbues the film with this Australian character?
It’s not that simple. It’s more than the accents: it’s the cheeky tales they tell. Not salacious, but frequently, well - “daggy” - itself a word only Australians seem to fully understand. But there is bound to be at least one story that viewers will relate to, on an individual level. In that regard, it’s a very personal, intimate film. However, in some respects, the voiceovers detract from the linear experience, and impact of, the actual footage. At times they were quite simply intrusive.
A surprising inclusion, was a small but dramatic piece of footage from what has become known as “9/11”. It seemed completely unnecessary.
On the plus side, is the soundtrack by the prolific Australian composer Cezary Skubiszewski, which runs the gamut from cool Latin American vibes, to symphonic grandeur.
Night will probably become a charming snapshot of Australian life and culture some years down the track. In the meantime, while very enjoyable in its own way, it doesn’t seem to have the power and impact of other films in this genre to which it has been compared.