Matt Shea
RubySoho
Morgan Bell
Cibbuano
David O'Connell
Mountain Fog
Mad Dog Morgan
November 24th 2009 06:22
Mad Dog Morgan is another in that special line of films where the stories surrounding the production have outgrown the production itself. Most of those tales of course centre on a booze and drug-fuelled Dennis Hopper, who took method acting into a whole new realm with his nutjob rendering of the deranged 19th century Victorian bushranger, Daniel Morgan.
It’s a shame, because Mad Dog’s stories – as enjoyable as they are – have provided a whole raft of preconceptions about the film itself; mention it casually within a circle of film buffs and a fair degree of sniggering will undoubtedly follow. But whether it was by design or by some serendipitous alchemy, Mad Dog Morgan is actually a cracking film.
It’s initially tempting to favour the idea of alchemy, as if writer/director Philippe Mora and his fellow filmmakers flung different elements at the celluloid until something stuck. But the deeper you get into Mad Dog, the more you realise its strengths are the product of solid filmmaking rather than fortuitous accident.
Even Hopper’s performance possesses a negative geared logic, as if he tailored his daily narcotic programme especially for the part.
Dan Morgan starts the film as a simple prospector, struggling to find gold and despairing at the injustice he witnesses throughout the muddied Victorian fields. In these early scenes, the filmmakers are careful to let the audience sympathise with the downtrodden but passionate Morgan, and when he is harshly penalised for a trivial offence they’re right there with the film’s protagonist.
A 12 year stint in jail may be shortened due to good behaviour, but seasons of torture and mistreatment have taken their toll on the already fragile Morgan, and when he’s released, bloody revenge is at the forefront of his mind.
He comes to terrorise the land-owning gentry firstly in Victoria and then New South Wales, his Aboriginal mate, Billy (David Gulpilil) along for the ride. Soon the police forces of both states are involved in a feverish hunt to capture Morgan, but they’re caught in a race against popular opinion, as the former prospector captures the hearts and minds of the common people.
If Dan Morgan struck a chord with the people, Hopper captures the imagination of Mad Dog's audience. It seems there was no room for second-guessing with his performance as Morgan: he completely dominates the screen, almost as mad as his own character and thus selling it absolutely.
Hopper was of course an outlaw of sorts himself, having been exiled from the film business in Hollywood, and it seems to inform every level of his performance in Mad Dog: when Morgan laughs, shouts and cries, you can’t help but feel it’s the mother of all method performances.
Besides Hopper’s livewire contribution, Mad Dog Morgan also benefits from Mora’s own efficient if frequently episodic script and some brilliant cinematography, courtesy of Michael Molloy. Molloy’s establishing compositions are spectacular, but his work in the action scenes is equally as good, utilising cranes, steady cams and dollies to float along with the players.
Patrick Flynn’s score is also worthy of note, his interweaving of grimy traditional ballads and mystic Aboriginal music contributing to the film’s drive.
At the centre of it all, holding the production together, was Mora as director, and you have to hand it to him: his stories of Hopper’s misadventures leave you amazed that a final cut was ever turned in.
Indeed, Mora seems to derive plenty of enjoyment from the legend and that’s to be admired. If I were him, I’d be a little annoyed that people talk about Mad Dog for the legendary tales of its production, rather than the excellent quality of the production itself.
I say: A much misunderstood gem that should be looked up by any fan of Australian cinema.
See it for: The bristling method fury of Dennis Hopper.
*This image is taken from Australian Traveller
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Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic
Hopper can certainly turn it on under certain circumstances. Red Rock West is still the pinnacle. Here's my shock admission for the day though mate: I absolutely detest Easy Rider!!! Can't stand the bloody thing!
Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
As for Easy Rider: I'm not the biggest fan either. I respect its game changing status but it can become a little tiresome to watch at certain points.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
Weird, but I've had a bizarre recent run of witnessing the wing flapping - like the ghost of George Hansen is following me round from party to party.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Mountain Fog
have not seen this yet, much to my embarrassment. I love Hopper's madness as it brings him onto a fine blade edge of either disaster for the production or personal excellence in performance.
As for Easy Rider, I fear it may have dated badly and lost its socially relevant punch. I saw it on its first cinema release when 13, and the one thing that shocked me, and the audience, was the shooting scene at the end and the symbolic statement that made about our society at the time.
One has to put it into historical perspective, this decade, the 60's, saw the USA and Russia come to the brink of global nuclear war, the state organized murder of JFK, King, Bobby K and Malcom X, Vietnam and Cambodia wars, race riots etc. And during this the hippie movement grew; with its dogma of peace (anti-war) and free love for all.
The American government, and by response our government and Britain, started an ostracision programme demonising hippies, their culture and drugs, as they eventually successfully crushed the peaceful youth movenment.
The industrial military complex, the thing that makes countries lots of money through war conflict, was never so threatened before or since.
So, when I saw it, all that weighed upon all youth's shoulders, as we walked into see this film, which was also ground breaking, in that it spawned the whole counter-culture film industry.
cheers
fog
(hope I'm not sounding too much like a boring old crusty!)
Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
As for Mad Dog - check it out - methinks you'll enjoy!
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I enjoyed this one too when I saw it about 15 years ago at a festival screening, time for a revisit me thinks.
I am a massive Hopper fan too, Paris, Trout being possibly my favourite deranged performance of his this side of Blue Velvet and Apocalypse Now.
The Last Movie is one I have wanted to see for years but never been able to find it.
Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
Ahhh, The Last Movie - there's something I'd nearly forgotten about. Must check out at some stage.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
No, I'm not joshing.
Yes, be envious.
Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic
Will just have to go without you all!
Anyone seen Roger Corman's The Intruder, another film screening as part of the Focus as well? Stars William Shatner as a racist Southern agitator!!
Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
Looking forward to a review, but
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Mountain Fog
Why can't they stage a Hopper marathon in Sydney?
Dave...get onto it..
cheers
fog
Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic
Not sure if they're new prints Bryn, but ACMI digs up some great old stuff all year round. It's seriously one of the greatest places on the planet for us cinephiles. Here's a link to the Hopper retrospective and associated films etc if you're interested.
I'm actually off to ACMI tomorrow to see a 50th anniversary screening of On the Beach - which I've never seen - with a panel discussion afterwards. Should be great - please don't tell me the film's anything less than brilliant!!