Rabbit-Proof Fence Number 1

An excellent film. Exactly as the reviews say, not relying on sentamentalism to make a very emotional point. Bill Bryson's Down Under first made me aware of what the Australian Government (and that really means the British Government for a lot of the time) did to the Native Australians. I always had a vague idea in the back of my mind; my Aunt worked in Australia for some time; but to find such passion about the injustices of the colonial times in a book by an author noted for his comedic passages waa quite refreshing. It is difficult to carry on writing about these events without sounding patronising so it is enough to say that many, very bad things went on and that western Governments should step back and reflect on the fact that they still carry out wholesale exploitation of various parts of the world. Witness The Gap. It is a pity that style issues amongst western woung people will always overcome any misgivings they may have over how that style is achieved. Make a point and change the TV station every time one of those annoying Gap adverts comes on.

There was a story a few months ago about an TV executive who said that fast-forwarding through the adverts on programmes you tape off the the TV was theft. It was actually a cable TV company which you do have to pay for so there is a tiny amount of truth in this but read this article or this one (and of course any more you can find for the sake of balance). If you pay for your television, then pay an amount that allows it to be commercial free. Oh this is all very petty after starting with such a laudable rant. Still there is a link, as the advertisers are the last part of the big chain of business which causes the problems in the first place. Don't worry! You won't see me dressed up with bin lids throwing rocks at policemen in some anti-capitalist march. I am wet and an uter (sic) weed. That never helps anyone. But we don't need all this rubbish that they try and sell us. It has no emotional intensity.

Which reminds me of the wet and uter (sic again) weedy habit of putting the reason for a particular rating on film posters these days. I can handle 'Certificate 18 - Contains Sex, Violence, Swearing, Drug Abuse and oblique references to Squirrel Teasing'. though these days, a film like that does not really appeal to me - I am getting old. But how about 'Certificate PG - Contains scenes of Mild Emotional Intensity' ? which is the line for 'Rabbit-Proof Fence'. It takes something away from a really powerful film. It is almost as if the censors want to add something of their own opinion to the film, a sort of potted review. Nanny state indeed. These are the people who are responsible (though on the whole I have to say they do a reasonable job; it must be boring having to sit through loads of films just to see Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings or do they get to choose the ones they watch?

Go and see Rabbit-Proof Fence.