| | XVI

A REVIEW BY MIKE SMART WITH CONRAD GMOSER AND EGGPLANT

Do you like to watch TV ? Come on, admit it. You like nothing better
than staying home on a Friday Night and watching Barbara Frum have inti-
mate one on one video conversations with interesting and slightly famous (
in the Canadian sense ) people. If you groove to the technological mir-
acles that enable our Barbara to schmooz and chit chat with the likes of

Clyde Wells ( do you know who he is ? 1 do. ) or Sharon Carstairs ( do
you know who she is ? do. ) than have we a movie to move you.
Speaking Parts is the latest film from Genie ( do you know what a
Genie is ? Peg Campbell does. ( do you know who Peg Campbell is
2? 1 do. )) -nominated Victoria-raised but now Toronto-based Inter-
nationally acclaimed but still Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan.
Atom Egoyan opened up the Vancouver premiere showing of
Speaking Parts at the Vancouver East Cinema on Friday,
March 30th. Several hours before the opening, our very
own Vancouver- born, but Ontario-raised, Planet of the
Smarts Arts Extravaganza Supplementim roving re-
porter encountered the illustrious Mr Egoyan in the
ECCAD Media department. Here now is the Planet of
the Smarts Arts Extravaganza Supplementim) ex-
clusive (tm one on one interview.

ME: Excuse me, but aren’t you Atom Egoyan ?
HIM: Yeah, | am. Do | know you ?

ME: My name’s Mike Smart and | am the

roving reporter for the Planet of the
Arts special Planet of the Smarts

Arts Extravaganza Supplementim)
and | was wondering if | could

interview you about your latest
film, Speaking Parts ?

HIM: I’m sorry I don’t have
time. I’m looking for David
Rimmer. ( Do you know
who David Rimmer is ?

I do. )

ME: Okay,
ll just review
your film. You
don’t have
any free
tickets do
you ?

PEAKING PART

ME: Well then, maybe | could tell you my life story ?

All those interested in the life story of roving re-
porter, Mike Smart, please contact the Planet of the
Art special Planet of the Smarts Arts Extravaganza
Supplementim). ( first come, first served basis only )

Back to the review. Speaking Parts deals with the
distance between people and how this distance is
increased by the emotionally suffocating all-perva-
siveness of the video image. Egoyan also takes a
swipe at the film and television business with its ap-
propriation of others pain and suffering for the sake
of mass entertainment.

There are no speaking parts in the first ten
minutes of Speaking Parts. The three main
characters,are Clara, the screenwriter of the Film ,
Lisa, the Hotel housemaid and Lance the aspiring
actor. Clara is introduced to us in a video mauso-
leum obviously mourning the young man in the
video she is watching. Who he is ? Lisa is intro-
duced to us watching the television screen in-
tensely. Her gaze is directed at the young man in the
audience of a piano rectial. The young man is Lance,
in another non speaking extra role. Lance is doing
his laundry in a dungeonesque basement of one of
the types of apartment building you would find in
any North American city. He discovers a bouquet or
red roses in the dryer that Lisa had left for him. Lisa
loves Lance. Lance wants a speaking part. Clara the
screenwriter wants Lance for the part of her brother
in the Film, as well as for other things.

Whereas a more conventional narrative film
would have the emotion-o-matic running full tilt as
the love triangle ebbed and flowed through the film,
the characters in Speaking Parts just speak the
parts with about as much emotion as a cathode ray
tube. Yet even with the postmoderf coolness
running through the spine of the film, something
about Speaking Parts makes you hot and bothered.
Despite the artifice there are several things about
Speaking Parts that strike all too familiar chord.

We all have met someone like Lance or Lisa or
Clara, whether in real life or on television.

Televison, or rather, sattalite videophone
technology is the medium through which we are first
introduced to the Producer. His presence on the
video monitor is tinged with Orwellian overtones. It
is through this medium that The Producer controls.
The video medium is also used as a conduit
through which the characters interact in an in-
tensely intimate fashion.

Or rather they look like they are interacting in-
timately. The actions of the characters fluctuates
between the realms of Surface and Substance.

Yet once again, it has to be stressed that all

this posturing and emptiness doesn’t alienate the
viewer, but draws him / her / it in. Speaking Parts
emphasises the emptiness of the image and the
artificial emotionalism of today’s mass media.
It is one of those few films that makes you
think about what all this artificial and ma-
nipulative imagery does to our own inter-
versonal relationships. Go see it.

Mike Smart
with Conrad Gmoser and eggplant.

KVI

Do you like to watch TV 2 Come on, admit it. You like nothing better
than staying home on a Friday Night and watching Barbara Frum have int!
allons with interesting and slightly famous (
ian sense ) people. If you groove to the technological mi
acles that enable our Barbara to schmooz and chit chat with the likes of
Clyde Wells (do you know who he is 2 do. ) or Sharon Carstairs ( do
‘movie to move you.
Spe: (do you know what a
Gonie is ? Peg Campbell does. (do you know who Peg Campbell is,
7 do, )) nominated Victorla-raised but now Toronto-based Inte
nationally acclaimed but sill Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan,
‘Atom Egoyan opened up the Vancouver premiere showing of
‘Speaking Parts at the Vancouver East Cinema on Friday,
March 30th. Several hours before the opening, our very
‘own Vancouver- born, but Ontario-ralsed, Planet of the
‘Smarts Arts Extravaganza Supplementin roving ri
porter encountered the illustrious Mr Egoyan in the
ECCAD Media department. Here now is the Planet of
the Smarts Arts Extravaganza Supplementen) ex-
Clusive gm) one on one interview.

ME: Excuse me, but aren't you Atom Egoyan ?
HIM: Yeah, 1am. Do know you ?

ME: My name's Mike Smart and | am the
roving reporter for the Planet of the.
‘Arts special Planet of the Smarts
‘Arts Extravaganza Supplementem)
‘and was wondering if | could
interview you about your latest

film, Speaking Parts ?

HIM: 'm sorry I don’t have
‘time. I'm looking for David
Rimmer. (Do you know,
Who David Rimmer is ?

Vado. )

ME: Okay,
Vl just review
your film. You
don't
‘any
tickets do
you?

HIM:
No.

[ART WITH CONRAD GMOSER AND EGGPLANT

a SPEAKING PARTS

then, maybe I could tell you my life story ?
All those interested in the life story of roving r
‘Smart, please contact the Planet of the
‘Art special Planet of the Smarts Arts Extravaganza
Supplement. first come, first served basis only )

Back to the review. Speaking Parts deals with the.
distance between people and how this distance is
Increased by the emotionally suffocating all-perva-
siveness of the video image. Egoyan also takes a
swipe atthe flim and television business with Its a
propriation of others pain and suffering for the sake
fof mass entertainment

There are no speaking parts in the first ten,
minutes of Speaking Parts, The three main
ccharacters,are Clara, the screenwriter of the Film ,
Lisa, the Hotel housemaid and Lance the aspiring
actor. Clara is introduced to us in a video mauso-
leum obviously mourning the young man in the
video she is watching. Who he is ? Lisa is intro-
duced to us watching the television screen i
tensely. Her gaze is directed at the young man in the
audience of a piano rectial. The young man is
in another non speaking extra role. Lance is d
his laundry in a dungeonesque basement of one of
the types of apartment building you would find in
‘any North American cily. He discovers a bouquet or
red roses in the dryer that Lisa had left for him.
loves Lance. Lance wants a speaking part. Clara th
‘screenwriter wants Lance for the part of her brother
in the Film, as well as for other things.

Whereas a more conventional narrative film
would have the emotion-o-matic running full tit as
the love triangle ebbed and flowed through the film,
the characters in Speaking Parts just speak the
parts with about as much emotion as a cathode ray
tube. Yet even with the postmoderh coolness:
running through the spine of the film, something.
about Speaking Parts makes you hot and bothered.
Despite the artifice there are several things about
Speaking Parts that strike all too familiar chord.

We all have met someone like Lance or Lisa or
Cara, whether in real life or on television.

Televison, or rather, satalite videophone
technology is the medium through which we at
introduced to the Producer. His presence on the

‘monitor Is tinged with Orwellian overtones. It
{s through this medium that The Producer controls.
The video medium is also used as a condult
through which the characters interact in an in-
tensely intimate fashion.

‘Or rather they look like they are interacting in-
timately. The actions of the characters fluctus
between the realms of Surface and Substance.

et once again, It has to be stressed
this posturing
viewer, but draws him /her/ it in, Spe
‘emphasises the emptiness of the image and the
artificial emotionalism of today's mass media.
tis one of those few films that makes you.
think about what allthis artificial and m:
nipulative imagery does to our own inter-
‘bersonal relationships. Go see It.

rst