Comparative Analysis on Rabbit Proof Fence (Film)
And Stolen (Play)
Introduction
Film and Theatre Arts are two important mediums in communication. These two mediums are considered classical in the sense that before any new media technology shape million of people’s consciousness and influence their worldviews, film and theatre plays, together with the invention of printing press, are significant in shaping the social, cultural, and political landscape of a society. It has been said that films and stage plays serve as repository of implicit, subtle, and critical issues, moreover, an arena of social and political activism.
Before television became the household’s preoccupation of entertainment, films and stage plays were long before as entertainment mediums. However, it aims are no longer restricted on entertainment level, rather, in the deeper analysis, are tools in dispersing and discharging different ideologies and values which shape the cultural, political and social formation of a society. Like Shakespearian plays, silent and black and white movies of the old times, when critically dissected its subtleties and structures, we can uncover significant, meaningful, and critical representations not only of issues that governs our society but also worldviews of particular authors, and directors discharged in their masterpieces. The intricacies and complexities of each plot may either be in films or theatre plays, not only provoked audiences to be entertained but at the same time lead them participate with the presentation by sharing their criticisms, objective reviews, and scholarly analytical discourses.
Rabbit Proof Fence
An Australian Drama Film directed by Philip Noyce. This film depicted the prevailing social, cultural and racial discrimination of the Aborigines living in the countryside of Australia. Inspired by the book of Dorris Pelkington Garimara, Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence, the drama anthology presented a pressing reality in Australia way back in 30’s to 50’s. The story, though, based on a book was a real and true to life story experienced by the mother of the author, Garimara.
On the other hand, Philip Noyce with an Aboriginal descent fluently executed the story by using intricate and complex methods of filming. His blood ties with the Aborigines and passion on film made the story traveled through times and gathered compassion from the viewers. The story revolves around the three children, one of them was Dorris mother, tried to escape from the settlement camps wherein half-caste aborigine children were brought forcibly by Australian authority from their original families. The film traveled with the story of three girls walking and trekking the rabbit proof fence for nine weeks with 1500 miles in distance.
Different reviews expressed their sentiments and objective analysis about the movie itself. Jamie Russel’s (2002) review published in BBC Home praised the movie as “a moving story of racial prejudice, agoraphobic desert vistas, and amazing endurance of three girls”, moreover, stands as “a powerful, worthy testimony to the suffering of the stolen generations”. Contrary to this were Howson’s and Moore’s criticism that the movie is believed to be a “myth” and founded on “misunderstanding” of the social and cultural contexts. But, Buckmaster believed that such moving story is not totally shared the real life story but also shared some elements of “political” issues concerning Australia at that particular time. Hence, Rabbit Proof Fence was labeled as a political movie.
Stolen
The play Stolen was a masterpiece of playwright Jane Harrison. The story tells about the five aboriginal children who were separated from their original families. The characters were Sandy, Ruby, Jimmy, Anne, and Shirley. They were children who were desperate to be with their mothers. Each of them traveled with hard life experiences, suffering, abuse, and discrimination from the native Australian people. The play introduces an intimidation to the pressing reality against racial discrimination with the Aborigines. In Gabriel Notaras’ description of the play, “Stolen opens with the five children each holding a suitcase and standing on a parse, half-lit stage, with a didgeridoo droning ominously in the background. After several minutes, the lights brighten and the characters begin unpacking, and talking, while taking in the drab surroundings of their new home.”
The play proceeds through a series of episodes rather than a traditional technique of a straightforward linear plot. This technique “helps to provide a concrete picture of each individual” while showing how being stolen “from their families has affected much their lives.” The stage composed of five iron beds and a green filing cabinet and letters inside being read aloud by actors. This symbolical act depicts and highlights the yearning of mothers to trace and locate their children. The lines of Jimmy were extraordinary which moves the audiences in tears: Don’t let them take babies from their mother’s arms. Someone’s gotta fight. I just can’t do more. They stuck a knife into my heart and twisted it so hard. Prison don’t make ya tough, it makes ya weak, your spirit just shivers up inside. I’m going now, to be with my mother, I can’t fight. I’m punched out.” Throughout the play we were confronted with so many issues like sexual abuse, children conditioned that their mothers are dead and inaccessibility with the letters coming from their mothers.
Rabbit Proof Fence (film) vis-à-vis Stolen (play)
Film and play are relatively similar. Both serves as entertaining mediums but plays sensitive role in society’s transformation and progress. However, its techniques are varied. Film followed more intricate and complex use of camera techniques with wider space and time, play on the other hand, is very limited, time, space, representations, immediacy, and alive. These limitations bring various effects; the same is true with film. In play, though, it is limited in space and time and with the use of miniatures as representations and stage place of plotting, it does effectively influence audience’s consciousness and worldviews. Film on the other hand, is more subtle and complex, because of the wide range of space and time which can be used to further enhance and effectively conveyed intended messages and meanings.
The stories in different mediums showed similar issues prevalent in the cultural, social and political life of Australia. Indeed, though, we can trace that the play came to us first, before the film, it only conveyed one thing: that is to bring in the proper authority the issue on racial discrimination. Thus, significant in here is the use of these mediums in order to convey such activism and advocacy.
References:
Buckmaster, L. (2002). Rabbit Proof Fence. Film Review, In Film Australia
Howson, P & Moore, D. (2002). A Rabbit-Proof Fence Full of Holes.
Notaras, G. (2000). Stolen. (retrieved June 26, 2008)
Rabbit Proof Fence. Wikipedia (retrieved June 26, 2008)
Russel, J. (2002). Rabbit Proof Fence. Film Review, BBC Home
Stolen. Wikipedia (retrieved June 26, 2008)
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