CHOPPER

CHOPPER is an Australian film concerning the exploits of real-life legend Mark 'Chopper' Read (the nickname 'Chopper' came from his nice habit of chopping people's toes off with boltcutters). Read is a tattooed lunatic who claims to have killed 19 people and only ever been charged with one murder (which he got off). The film only details a small part of Chopper's life, starting in prison in 1978. Chopper (played by Australian comic Eric Bana) is in the H-block, serving time for an unspecified offence. There are two factions within the prison, and Chopper hates the leader of the second faction, Keithy George (when one of his 'friends' asks him why he hates Keithy, Chopper replies "I dunno"). Chopper stabs Keithy repeatedly in the face, and then seems sorry for what he's done, apologising to Keithy and offering him a cigarette as he lies bleeding to death. After this incident, Chopper isn't too popular in the prison and he hears that a contract has been put out on his life. He hatches a plan which he wants his two friends, Jimmy Loughnan and Bluey to participate in. It involves kidnapping two prison officers and then knee-capping all of the enemy faction's members. His friends are terrified of him and in a very unpleasant scene, Jimmy stabs Chopper again and again, whilst Chopper shows no emotion as the knife hits home. "What are you doing Jimmy?" he asks his friend. Finally collapsing, Chopper is taken to hospital. When he returns to prison, he is frightened, knowing that his days are numbered. He forces a fellow prisoner to cut off his ears with a razor blade in order to get him moved from the block. We move forward to 1986. Chopper is living with his girlfriend, a prostitute called Tanya. They go out to a nightclub where Chopper runs into the slimy Neville Bartos, who he had previously shot in the leg. Bartos got compensation for the shooting and holds no grudge against Chopper. However, Chopper cannot let the incident lie and keeps apologising to Neville. He falls out with Tanya and suspects her of having an affair with Neville. He goes to Neville's house and demands money, before shooting him in the chest. He then drives him to hospital. Chopper is working for the police, informing them of drug dealers and petty criminals. Jimmy's gang are still out to get him (another contract, this time put out by Neville) and arrange an assassination, which goes wrong leaving the assassin dead, having been shot in the face at point blank range by Chopper. Chopper confesses to the murder, but the police don't believe him and say they alreadyhave the murderer. Eventually, he is sent back to prison for five years, for "assorted mischiefs". There he is interviewed by a TV journalist and he watches the programme on a TV in his cell...

As the above synopsis should illustrate, CHOPPER is a very violent, blackly humorous film. The humour is of a typically Australian variety and the dim-witted, easy-going nature (Chopper's victims are constantly prepared to forgive him for shooting them, etc.) of the Australian criminals provides much of the humour. Chopper himself is a strange character, a habitual liar and a madman, incapable of controlling his emotions, but not evil in the usual sense of the world. He simply cannot help himself, and after a burst of rage he will feel terrible guilt, which only leads to more rage. Eric Bana's performance as Chopper is excellent, managing to conjure audience sympathy for a somewhat hard-to-like character. The film is well directed by first-timer (and former rock video maker) Andrew Dominik, and had been in production for several years. It's hard to say whether I liked the film or not, and the moral of the story does seem somewhat ambiguous. The film doesn't really address the contradictions in Chopper's character and also does not delve into what the truth of the events detailed might be; Chopper is notorious for inventing tall stories about himself and has written nine best-selling books about his life (despite not being able to spell and being semi-illiterate, as he gleefully points out to the TV interviewer) with titles like How to Shoot Friends and Influence People. Certainly, it's a competent study of a strange man who wants to be remembered as some sort of "well-loved crazy guy" but can't help himself from acting in a stupid, violent way.

DVD Specification
Original year of release - 2000
Approximate running time - 90min.
Aspect ratio - Widescreen ~1.85:1
System - PAL (colour)
Rating - 18
Sound - Dolby Digital (5.1) (2.0)
DVD release - Metrodome Distribution
Region Coding - Region 2 

DVD Extras
Audio Commentary by Director Andrew Dominick
Audio Commentary by Mark 'Chopper' Read
5 Deleted Scenes (three with Director's Commentary)
Weekend with Mark 'Chopper' Read
Trailer

DVD Ratings (out of 5)
Picture - 4
Metrodome give us a very good presentation of CHOPPER, though really it's to be expected when the film is under a year old! CHOPPER is presented in its original ratio, and is anamorphically enhanced. The colours all look correct and there is no obvious print damage or grain. Very good quality.
Sound - 4
We get both a 5.1 mix and a 2 channel stereo mix. Both sound great, and are very clear. Once again, a good quality effort by Metrodome.
Extras - 4
Yet again, very good. We get an interesting commentary by director Dominik, a trailer, five deleted scenes (three of which can be played with or without commentary by Dominik) that are actually worth seeing and a six-segment featurette involving the real Chopper! This is probably the most interesting part of the extras, as it's fascinating to observe the real Chopper in comparison to the way Eric Bana plays him in the film. Chopper seems like a fairly OK guy, though you can tell things are a little tense between Dominik and Bana as they laugh nervously at Chopper's jokes. Finally there is a commentary by Chopper which for some reason isn't mentioned anywhere on the packaging. This is quite interesting, though it mainly consists of Chopper reminiscing on the events in the film and doesn't add much to the facts concerning his life. Still, very welcome.
Overall Rating - 4
A surprisingly good package, all-in-all. Whether the film will be to all tastes is debatable, but it's certainly worth checking out if you like realistic, sick-humoured films about psychos! The film isn't available in the USA yet, and this presentation is not only very good in all departments, but is also totally uncut, so you can buy with confidence...

Film Tag Lines
The truth, the half truth and nothing like the truth (UK DVD)
Never let the truth get in the way of a good story (original tagline)

Awards
Won - Australian Film Critics Circle Awards (2001) for Best Male (Eric Bana), Best Director (Andrew Dominik), Best Film, Best Male Supporting Actor (Simon Lyndon)
Won - Australian Film Institute Awards (2000) for Best Achievement in Direction (Andrew Dominik), Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Eric Bana), Best Performance by an an Actor in a Supporting Role (Simon Lyndon)
Nominated - Australian Film Institute Awards for Best Achievement in Cinematography (Geoffrey Hall & Kevin Hayward), Best Achievement in Editing (Ken Sallows), Best Achievement in Production Design (Paddy Reardon), Best Achievement in Sound, Best Film (Michele Bennett), Best Original Music Score (Mick Harvey), Best Screenplay Adapted From Another Source (Andrew Dominick)
Nominated - Stockholm Film Festival Bronze Horse Award (Andrew Dominik), 2000

Official site
www.chopperthemovie.com

 

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws