Labassa lives

Volume 2, Issue 2, 2014 Life through a lens

the permission of the owner or tenant. A window in the Music Room was smashed for dramatic effect. In 1977, the occupants of the Drawing Room rented the space to the producers of the Australian horror film Patrick for use as the office of Dr Roget (played by Robert Helpmann). Patrick had an appreciable impact on the life of the house and there are numerous stories of meeting Helpmann and seeing him dancing on the stair- case. The crew even welcomed resident Russell D. Clarke onto the set allowing him to take a series of photos, including the one above left Prior to the National Trust Experimental productions of a crew member. assuming full possession of the involving collaborations among house, filmmaking reflected the residents were a feature of the

creative interests of residents. 1970s. Before 1980, commercial film Inside this issue There were sophisticated home companies took considerable Filmmakers at Labassa movies such as One Man’s Family, liberties with the fabric of the a 9.5mm film with scenes shot at house to meet the needs of a script. Labassa during the Manton A section of the Drawing Room family’s residency (1947-56). wall was re-painted blue without

Vale: Phil Speller Phil Speller (left) who lived in the Drawing Room flat c.1969-70, passed away in December 2013. In his Labassa days, Phil was a photographer working with fashion and graphic art photo- grapher Kurt Veld. He previously worked with celebrated portrait photographer Athol Shmith and Above: commercial photographer John Phil Speller used Labassa as a backdrop Cato. Phil’s photography was in several of his professional fashion featured in major publications such shoots. as Myer Fashion and Distinction. Photos: Karen Wood.

Above: Photo: Bruce Postle

Page 2 Labassa lives Film pioneer and star Louise Lovely Left: Louise Lovely Mrs Cowen used her enduring (centre) in Jewelled celebrity to fundraise for charities Nights (1925). although she was not immune to gossip columnist barbs.

Table Talk’s William Hazlitt Jnr wrote in 1938: “Louise Lovely … is now happily busy being nothing else than just Mrs Cowen, with all the glitter of Hollywood turned to a glow in the dusk of memory … Of late years Louise has become an Labassa’s most famous screen and Sound Archive (NFSA) ‘Most ardent Christian Scientist—rarely actress and film pioneer was Wanted’ list. Louise retired from will you meet her where one or Louise Lovely, known to residents the screen and married Bert Cowen, two are gathered together as Mrs Nellie Cowen. Between who by 1937 was Manager of without the conversation turning 1915 and 1922 she starred in nearly St Kilda’s Victory Theatre (now sooner or later to her pet subject.” 50 Hollywood films. On her return the National). There are no records of how long to Australia (1924) she made an The couple moved into the newly independent feature with her the Cowens resided at the Willas completed Willas flats in late 1937 flats. They moved to Hobart in then husband Wilton Welch called or early 1938. Manor Grove Jewelled Nights. As well as playing 1946, where Bert became resident Barry Jones, who was Manager of the Prince of Wales the lead, Louise produced, befriended by the Cowens, recalls designed and contributed to the Theatre and Mrs Cowen ran the Nellie’s ‚elaborate toilet gear, her sweets store next door. editing. Jewelled Nights is now one furs, and her chocolates and being of Australia’s ‘lost films’ and taken to the cinema‛. appears on the National Film

Low budgets and high aspirations Labassa resident John Laurie was Year at Marienbad and made ‚with at the forefront of a new era of no money‛. The performers includ- Australian independent film ed Rosemary Gerrett, Anthony making. He started making films Everingham and Richard Beck with in the 1960s when he was a trainee music by David Evans and sound film editor at the ABC and prior to by John Morrison. Stroker (1987) which was shot the establishment of any funding without a written script. The plot After leaving Labassa, John headed bodies. of Stroker evolved from what for London with a print of the film occurred in front of the camera. In 1964-65 John was living in Flat 6 intending to leverage off it into a The actors spoke numbers and the (Upstairs Balcony) and working on film career in England ‚but was dialogue was constructed from his first production — a 30 sidetracked by the delights of body language and lip movements minute black and white 16mm film ‘Swinging London’ and foreign after editing. Performers included called Choice of an Evening Face travel‛. John Laurie went on to take John Flaus and Ross Macleod. which was an adaptation of a tale a lead acting role in the contro- in Cervantes' Don Quixote. versial and once banned Pure S Copies of Choice of an Evening Face, According to John, it was heavily (1975). He directed a number of Pure S and Stroker are held by the influenced by Alain Resnais’ Last shorts and the innovative feature National Film and Sound Archive.

Labassa lives Page 3 Exploring the Surreal Far left: Daryl Lindquist late 1970s with cans of the film. Photo: Daryl Lindquist.

Left: A page from the Inkspots comic book which was based on the film made at Labassa. Image: Daryl Lindquist and Andrew Strathie.

The resurgence of the Australian ‚We shot the movie circa 1973/74 ‚It included Russell Hellyer and film industry in the 1970s was over a couple of months, in short me playing chess with dead largely realised through govern- chunks. Since we had no idea what scorpions. Much of the film was ment funding bodies. Innovative we were doing, it wasn't very inspired by the early films of short films had their own fund — good. Our cameraman was Robert Luis Buñuel and Alejandro the Experimental Film and Pickford who had never used a Jodorowsky.‛ Stephen believes Television Fund (1970-78) — and movie camera but was familiar the plan was to call the film ‚any-one school-age to bald-age‛ with still cameras (which was Belladonna after the poisonous was encouraged to apply. more than the rest of us). Our lead plant also known as Deadly actor was Russell Hellyer, who Nightshade. Labassa’s grounds A group of friends with Labassa had never acted. Labassa resident were overgrown with Morning connections did just that. Graphic Stephen Hall was also involved, Glory, a member of the Night- artist Daryl Lindquist, who has along with Brian Hellyer (Russell's shade family. been guardian of the resulting film brother), Elaine Baker and others for 40 years, recently donated the According to Daryl Lindquist, the who drifted in and out, and whose original 16mm footage to Labassa. film didn’t reach a final cut stage. names escape me. A year or two after filming he ‚The film was our first attempt at ‚I was introduced to Labassa by converted the script into a anything like this,‛ Daryl says. Stephen Hall. It was such a great graphic short story, which was ‚We applied for a grant. We location. There were a couple of published in the first issue of submitted a script, written by scenes set in the house including a Inkspots, an Australian comic Labassa resident Andrew Strathie, shot of a canoe being carried up magazine. The above page from and got an interview. It must have the main staircase. At the time we Inkspots provides some insights been pretty clear we knew zero were all into Surrealism and into the film’s intended visual about making movies, but they exploring the subconscious and impact. Note in particular the gave us a grant anyway (a couple psyche.‚ man in the boat, the chessboard of thousand dollars from memory, pattern and scorpions, all of enough to hire a camera for a Stephen Hall remembers the boat which were featured in the film- couple of weeks). on the staircase shoot very well. ing at Labassa. Page 4 Labassa lives Apostasy

Left: Juliet Bacskai as ‘The Woman’ and Rod McNicol as ‘The Man’. Photo: Peter Friedrich.

Right: Rod McNicol’s photos of artist and resident John Money. The first was taken in his room at Labassa with his art works in the background.

According to resident Miriam Gregory, Apostasy also represents an important the feature film Apostasy was shot in the phase in Australian film history. Music Room (Flat 2) over a three month According to director Zbigniew Peter period in 1977. Several residents were Friedrich, Apostasy was part of a involved in the production and the movement to make non-mainstream credits acknowledge Miriam Gregory, Australian feature films and help revive Leonie Gregory and Ann Moir the Australian film industry. amongst others. With a tiny budget of around $13,000,

Peter Friedrich relied on cameramen A photograph of artist John Money, from production houses such as who lived in the Smoking Room and Crawfords to contribute the raw film shared the Flat with the Gregory sisters, left over at the end of their own shoots was incorporated in the script. known as ‘short ends’. Apostasy’s lead actor, Rod McNicol, went on to become an internationally The complex structure of the film defies a successful photographer, winning the simplistic summary. Set during the 1975 2012 National Photographic Portrait election campaign, which saw the defeat Prize for his photo of Jack Charles. of the Whitlam Government, it focuses Only one of Rod McNicol’s photos on the interactions of two characters — of John Money was used in Apostasy. ‘The Man’ (played by Rod McNicol) Nevertheless they are important and ‘The Woman’ (by Juliet Bacskai). examples of his signature style — ‘the stare back’. Rod also offers some Apostasy may be viewed by making a context: ‚As you can see from the hand booking through ACMI or NFSA. gesture in all of them, these photo- graphs were taken to give us an image of John that would illustrate a quote from a Jerzy Skolimowski’s film Bariera that is delivered by my character.‚ Labassa lives Page 5 What Russell saw During his residency (Flat 3, The film was shot in one afternoon What Did Ruth See? Super 8 film, 1977-86), Russell D. Clarke with Stephen and Leonie con- produced four Super 8 films and tributing many ideas. I edited ‘in c.1980/81 one video. Although he was not a camera’.‛ trained filmmaker, Russell’s L’Escalier (The Staircase) Super 8 photography studies at RMIT had film, c.1978/79 given him a passion for the visual arts. In 1977 he was given access to the Patrick film set to take his own photos. In the same year, he worked as Director of Photo- graphy and First Camera for Howard Watkinson’s film La Vie Ignoble. John Harland and Russell shared Flat 3 Russell’s own films not only for about four years. What Did Ruth See? reflect the experimental style of Resident Ann Weir (Drawing Room depicts a father (John) and daughter the 1970s and 1980s, they offer flat) came up with the idea to make (Ruth) having breakfast together. lucid and sometimes intimate a film about a piano player being As Ruth looks out the kitchen window insights into the life of Labassa. swept down a staircase by a wind she sees residents fighting a small fire and out the front door. She also on a side fence. The ‘firefighters’ The Bay Window, Super 8 film, acted as director throughout the include Jeff Watkinson and Trevor c.1977 production. The opening titles Stevens with Sue Furze and Esther showing black and white keys of Gregory among the bemused onlookers. a keyboard were painted by Ann The next door neighbours are shown using gouache on board. frantically hurrying about with ladders To get the effect of moving down and hoses. The fire is eventually the hallway, Russell used ‘stop brought under control. motion’ photography. The film What Did Ruth See? was shot in two starred Konrad Dorn (the piano parts at different times of the year and player) who lived in Flat 3 with joined together to make a story. Russell.

Other members of the crew were residents Howard Watkinson, Trevor Stevens and Stephen Hall.

The Bay Window is shot in the front room of Flat 3 and features residents Stephen Hall and Leonie Gregory. We see a large variety of Stephen’s art and some of Leonie’s. Says Russell: ‚Stephen was a cheerful, funny guy and this was a spontaneous production. He was a great fan of avant garde and Surrealist art and musician Captain Beefheart. Page 6 Labassa lives What Russell saw (continued)

According to Russell, the title was Ruins, Super 8 film, c.1985 In Her Dreams, video, 1985 chosen to suggest that the film may not be portraying reality.

The girl’s thought processes and emotions waver between reality and

fantasy. The scenes in her bedroom (Flat 3) may be real but her disastrous attempts at cooking in the kitchen may be a bad dream.

A student, played by Russell’s Oakleigh Technical School student flatmate Mark Klos (1982-86), Sally Freeman (above) plays a discovers Labassa while delivering young woman who is sad over a pamphlets. He explores Labassa’s recent breakup with her boyfriend.

hallway, spiral staircase and the Left: Flat 3 kitchen. Russell D.

Eventually he discovers the Clarke editing tower but due to its disrepair in his Labassa he falls over. flat, c.1980. The whole building is falling Photo: down and Mark is always in slight John Harland. danger due to the poor condition of the house. Shot on Kodak Extrachrome Super 8 film, this production has ‘bluer’ cooler tones.

The Quick Brown Fox The Quick Brown Fox is a Filmmaker Richard Lowenstein National Film and Television and singer Deborah Conway also School graduate short, which participated. The film concerns an was filmed at Labassa in 1979. author who writes about his The cast and crew offer a attempted seductions and ends Who’s Who of Australian up in gaol only to become a best- screen including actors Gary selling author. The Quick Brown Day (Homicide), Gerda Fox was shown at the Melbourne Nicholson (Bellbird), Pat Bishop International Festival and (Prisoner) and Alan Hopgood released in the UK (1980).

(actor and script-writer). The A 19 minute edited version can production crew comprised be viewed online at Above: Gary Day and Gerda Nicholson in director Malcolm Robertson www.aftrs.edu.au/showcase/ The Quick Brown Fox, 1979. and producer Natalie Miller. student-films/video/0_w7ogw97q

Labassa lives Page 7 La Vie Ignoble The filming of a scene with Howard

being hit by a car and lying in Production members

Orrong Road was not well received Cast: Jeffrey Watkinson and by a woman passing by who Miriam Gregory screamed, ‚Thanks for upsetting my kids.‛ Director of Photography: Russell D. Clarke While the film has serious intent Still Photographer: Russell D. Clarke there are elements of humour and the audience is warned in the Lighting: Russell D. Clarke opening credits that this film Post Editing: Russell D. Clarke La Vie Ignoble was produced in ‚may contain traces of nut‛. 1st Camera: Russell D. Clarke 1977 by resident Howard Aside from the narrative, La Vie Watkinson who also wrote, cast, 2nd Camera: Jeffrey Watkinson Ignoble has many shots of Labassa directed and completed the final and its environs including elderly Assistant Director: Jeffrey Watkinson edit. He even composed and resident Mr Fred Halford with his performed the music for one scene Dolly: Ron Nichols and John Harland legendary 1951 Triumph Renown. ‚with a little help from Mr Adolf Hitler‛ — achieved by creating a sound loop from one of his Left: Howard Watkinson and cast member Miriam Gregory speeches. Although mainly set at (resident Flat 2). Labassa, with a resident crew and cast, some scenes were also shot in Gippsland and in St Kilda, Caulfield and Prahran. ‚The film is about me wanting to apologise to everyone I may have hurt in the past, thus bad things happen to me,‛ says Howard. Left: Exterior shot of Labassa Among those ‚bad things‛ are showing the backyard of the being run down by a car he is also house that once stood in the driving. His on-screen persona’s mansion’s front garden, which vices seem to include the use of was purchased by the National copious quantities of every kind of Trust and demolished in 1988. drug. The main interior shot was filmed in Howard’s flat (Drawing Room) which was being used at the time as a set for the Australian feature film Patrick. Enhancing the set décor of ‘Dr Roget’s office’ are Left: Howard Watkinson in the some vigorously healthy marijuana rear yard of Labassa. The garages plants. in the background have since

been demolished. According to Howard, some risks and liberties were taken during production. One scene involved him driving a car blind with Director of Photography Russell D. Clarke filming while sitting on the bonnet. Labassa lives Page 8 Volume 2, Issue 2, 2014 Forthcoming events Next issue

Please send contributions, corrections, Open days (3rd Sunday of the  Post War II transitions information, comments and articles, month, 10.30am—4.30pm)  1950s migration boom indicating whether or not they are for August 17 Regular Open Day publication, to the following:  Owners: September 21 Regular Open Day Wolf and Hinda Kazer [email protected] or

PO Box 363, Chadstone Shopping Centre, October 19 Regular Open Day Chadstone, Vic. 3148 November 16 Regular Open Day

December CLOSED

The music video

Labassa is a favourite with production houses for its variety of Looking for . . . elaborate yet adaptable interiors and availability for longer shoots. The establishment of the ABC television studios at Ripponlea in The house also has the benefit of its 1956, Monash University in 1961 own visual language. The Drawing as well as the growth in arts Room translates into a lavish courses at the Prahran and Parisian apartment while the Music Caulfield institutes of technology Room has a sense of interiority in the 1970s, drew a lot of artists suitable for intimate dramas. to Labassa as both visitors and Music video and avant garde residents. directors have often played against We are looking for any photos or these conventional meanings to films they may have made at create more surreal images. Labassa during this era.

Hi Ho — One Man Too Late (1986) is Our most wanted list includes: an example of how Labassa has been  A film made in the Music used both as a conventional stage Room by Neo Opera and to create a more abstract featuring a belly dancer aesthetic. Performed by Rozzi  An experimental film made Bazzani with young dancers from with musician Ron Rude. the Australian Ballet, it can be viewed at www.youtube.com/ If you can help us with any watch?v=dIED-5KVofc information about these or any other relevant visual media Also of interest is Coco Rosie’s please contact video for Lemonade which maximises [email protected] Labassa’s potential for the surreal. or 03-95446859. This video may be viewed at: www.youtube.com/watch? v=tu3EcAHdHlE&feature=kp Above: Scenes from the music video Hi Ho — One Man Too Late.