• Shakespeare's love to warm Lankan hearts
• Frozen submissiveness in Norwegian films
• 'TASKS' : New jungle experience

Shakespeare's love to warm Lankan hearts

By Sanath Weerasuriya

That was in the decade of 1590's in London. The rising young play writer by the name of William Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes), who inspried by love penned a stunning play titled 'Romeo and Juliet'.

That was the base of the film 'Shakespeare In Love', which won seven Academy Awards in 1999.

John Madeen's classic film 'Shakespeare In Love' which released in January 1999 and won many awards around the world, is now running to packed audiences at the Liberty Cinema Colombo.

Will Shakespeare is the estranged husband of Anne Hathaway, who lost for inspiration because he lacks love.

Will cannot write his lates play - Romeo and Ethel the Pirate's Daughter until he falls in love with genetlewoman, Viola de Lesseps (Gwyneth Patrow).

Though they both love each other, the duo's pauper/princess scenario is complicated because Viola has disguised herself as a boy, and as such has been cast as Shakespeare's yet unwritten Romeo. Meanwhile Viola's dad has sold her in marriage to the despicable Lord Wessex (Colin Firth) and doomed Will and Viola's love affair forever. Fleshed with the real life subject matter to turn Romeo and Ethel in to the tragic Romeo and Juliet, Will writes his play as his future (or lack of it) with Viola unfolds.

Infused with both 16th Century bawdy and 20th Century references (follow that boat chases up the Thames and actors being recognized in the street) this film manages to depict.

Elizabethan life and the plight of theatricals, whilst capturing a contemporary audience with its humour and full on love story.

Both as rich in visual texture and as dirty as the peirod inists, the film has been written and edited with such energy that you cannot help but be totally swept away by it.

Paltrow and Fiennes are both thoroughly winsome as Will and Viola, yet the film would be pale indeed without the substance offered by a marvellous supporting cast: Judi Dench, Geoffrey Rush, Tom Wilkinson, Imelda Staunton, Antony Sher.

When Will sees Viola for the first time at the dance he falls instantly in love with this simple elegance and she in turn falls for his.

At this moment it matters less that this is the man responsible for the greatest plays and love poetry of all time, and more that he is a man whose feelings have caught him unawares. 

It was this vulnerable side of his caracter that the costume designer focused on.

This theme of hardship and the difficulties of living at this time also informs a great deal of the work of the designers.

The costume designer Lisa Westcott puts it into perspective explaining that ''even the Queen would have only had about four baths a year.

People were basically very dirty and had pretty bad teeth. Life was tough then, there were lots of bugs around, there was no heating and no penicillin - life expectancy was pretty short.''

The movie covers the whole range of social class - from the Queen and court right down to the ordinary characters in the street. It was partly this range which appealed to Lisa Westcott. "I loved this mixture of the whores, the low life and royalty all together in Elizabethan London."

David Parfitt produced the film 'Shakespeare In Love'.

Frozen submissiveness in Norwegian films 

By K.S. Sivakumaran

However, I was exposed to seeing another facet of film making in Europe and the Scandinavian landscape contours and the snowy atmosphere speak what the stories are going to be, but the treatment of this is essentially contemporary and majestically panoramic. And Norway is not far behind any classic creations coming from either western or eastern Europe. 

Norway has produced at least two internationally known dramatists and novelists: Henrik Ibsen and Knut Hamsun. In fact, one may consider Ibsen's Nora was the first feminist to emerge even in a work of art. And yet, some of the films, though periodic pieces, depicted the voluntary submissiveness of women against masculine dominance. In another film, a Knut Hamsun story had been adapted.

Let's take a film with two lonely characters - brothers - up in the remote north of Norway creating a kind of 'Absurd Theatre' - like atmosphere in the beginning. 

It is called "Eggs" directed by Bent Hamer. The protagonists in their 70s have been living together for a long time until an antagonist - a son of the elder brother arrives. He is an alien to the younger brother because he is Swedish. The language becomes a barrier and the son masquerades as an invalid and dumb and indirectly torments the younger of the brothers. 

A streak of racism is suggested in the film. The film lacks dramatic presentation rightly, but the slow study of the situation and characters is remarkable

Schpaaa is a realistic film but it was nauseating to me, as I belong to an earlier generation who cannot accept the degrading and decadent values of at least a few youngsters, particularly those from a mix expatriates in Oslo. The film portrays a slice of life in the megacity of Oslo. Here too it is the alien that disturbs the otherwise normal Norwegian life.

Schpaaa is a film about young gangsters and reflects a true picture of contemporary Oslo. This is a story about betrayal, loss of innocence and the search for identity in an environment not familiar to most of us.

The next film is "Isle of Darkness" directed by Trygve Allister Diesen. A graduate of the Film School in California, the director shows his versatility in this picturesque film. Here again the alien is a key factor in the film - a Danish woman teacher who is love and zest personified. But the film explores hypocrisy of some men in the name of religion and exposes their cult of violence and sex. I liked the acting of Sofie Grabol as the Danish girl caught up in a trap. The visuals are pleasing.

Finally "The Telegraphist" directed by Erik Gustavson. The story takes place in the early part of the last century. It is based on a short story by the author of the novel "Hunger" - the Nobel prize-winner Knut Hamsun. This film too was very satisfying to my tastes. 

The erotic element and the stunning visuals by Phillip Ogaard and the smooth editing by Sylvia Ingemarson and the music of Randall Meyers made it a lyrical cinema in apt with romantic stance.

The Telegraphist is a classic fast-paced story that is elegant, erotic, humorous and romantic, with twists and surprises. The Telegraphist touches on universal themes which are relevant today as they were then." 

How true ! That's art. The Norwegian Film Fiesta certainly would have given fresh experience to our own film makers too.

'TASKS' : New jungle experience

By Sanath Weerasuriya 

TASKS is located off the Thanamalwila-Wellawaya Road, near Kuda Oya. A five-hour drive from Colombo, the safari camp is within easy reach of protected areas filled with birds and other wild life. Proximity to the main draw to this otherwise remote corner of southeast Sri Lanka.

Campers delight in spending many happy hours relaxing in the river, refreshing themselves after a hot and dusty safari.

Of the six hectares of jungle set aside for the camp, one hectare has been cleared of undergrowth to make way for the tents, with the large shade trees left standing. The rest of the land grows wild, and the rustic appearance of the camp blends well with the pristine environment.

TASKS camping site is already undergoing a soft refurbishment programme.

The camp site in Kuda Oya on the Kirindi Oya has 25 new canvas tents with a capacity to accommodate 58 people a night. The tents have single beds with new mattresses, new bedside tables, the toilets are being re-done and the whole camp site including the bar will have a new look.

There are Double occupancy tents, Triple occupancy tents and Family tents. Meals are served in a mess hall with a BBQ dinner and a Nightly Bonfire. There is also a well stocked bar available.

TASKS camping site has created some unique theme dinners suitable for the foreign incentive groups as well as the Sri Lankan company outings.

Where else could you relax under the trees in a hammock, walk a few metres over into the cool streams of a river, all along only hearing the natural sounds of the wild and then within a short drive, see animals from elephant, to leopard, to bear plus much more.

The premier dinner theme is a riverside barbecue. The guests could gather around the bar after having their evening showers and sip a cool cocktail till the others arrive.

Everyone walks in procession, guided by large fire torches down the riverside. On both sides of the river, fire torches light the area, giving a look out of the movie Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. A barbecue is simmering and in addition to a well-laid out buffet table, there is a well stocked bar.

Two new themes in different settings are being designed. TASKS is marketed by Serendib Leisure Management Ltd., who are also managing Serendib Hotel, Club Hotel Dolphin, Hotel Reefcomber and Hotel Sigiriya.

Bird watching trails and nature walks guided by specialists, visits to Uduwalawe National Park, Yala or Bundala or simply sitting in the cascades of the river running along the side of the camp site, are some of the things the guests can do.

Other places of interest include Weerawila Tank, Buduruwagala, Lunugumwehera, Maligawila and Kataragama.

Experience the following excursions while at TASKS.

1. Bundala, Yala or Udawalawe National Parks - Spend the day at one of these game parks with picnic lunch and refreshments. Wildlife ranging from Elephants, Leopards, Wild Buffalo Sambur, Deer, Wild Boar, Jackals, Bears and Crocodile to various tropical birds.

2. Bunduruwagala - Visit a huge statue of Lord Buddha carved out of solid rock. Legend has it that Buduruwagala is a work of a man whose mentor was the stone mason who carved the world-famous Aukana statue in Anuradhapura.

3. Lunugamwehera - Trekking along Kirindi Oya for about 250 yards, crossing the river and entering the Lunugamwehera SNR. Trekking for approximately 3 kms. through thick vegetation and climbing a rock which has a scenic view. 

4. Wanawagawa Night Safari - Climbing a rock outcrop in the dry zone jungles of Wanawagawa and sitting around a bonfire enjoying a drink while dinner/snacks are prepared on the rock itself. 

5. Sepala Wewa - Early morning nature walk to Sepala Wewa, for bird watching is done through a typical Sri Lankan village which enables the guest to get a flavour of Sri Lankan village life as well, while feasting their eyes on colourful tropical bird life.

6. Debera Ara - An unique safari conducted only by TASKS. If you like adventure, this is the ideal safari for you. You enter the Debara Ara jungle by jeep and then you trek by foot into the jungle. You may encounter Elephant, Bear, Wild Boar, Wild Buffalo, Jackal and numerous exotic birds. This trek is recommended only for the physically fit.

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