Samson and Delilah: DVD Review
Samson and Delilah
Released by Madman
Rating: R16
An incredibly powerful piece which set tongues wagging in
Australia on its original release, this the tale of Samson (Rowan
McNamara) and Delilah (Marissa Gibson) both Aborigine who live on a
reservation.
Life for them is hard - a series of repetitive monotonies (as
signified by Samson's brother's band which bashes out the same tune
daily) and with no real hope in sight.
One day Delilah's nan dies and after she's set upon by locals who
claim she didn't look after her nan properly, Samson takes matters
into his own hands, steals a car and the two head away from the
reservation for what they believe is a better life.
However, they end up on the streets, struggling to get by and much
worse off than they were - will they survive?
On first viewing on the big screen, Samson and Delilah was a
moving, powerful and sickening film - even on the small screen and
with the fore knowledge of the story, it's still a shocker.
Director Warwick Thornton's taken examples of his life in Alice
Springs and put it up on the big screen for everyone to see.
It's mesmerising, horrific, humorous and will leave you
wondering how anyone could live in a place such as this. Thanks to
the sparse performance of the two main leads, who spend the
majority of the film hardly talking, you will be captivated by what
you see.
Samson and Delilah is at times bleak and painful to watch - but you
are glued to the screen and left fully aware that for some, this is
the daily reality of their life.
Extras: Interviews with director Warwick Thornton,
a theatrical trailer, a making of and Warwick Thornton's previous
short films.
Rating: 8/10
