Those Dear Departed (1987)

User Rating:

3.4/10   

Director:

Ted Robinson

Writer:

Steve J. Spears (written by)

Release Date:

13 August 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

A disturbed woman murders her husband, and others, so that she can be haunted by their "wronged" spirits. |

Plot Keywords:

Independent Film

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Garry McDonald	...	Max Falcon
Pamela Stephenson	...	Marilyn Falcon
Su Cruickshank	...	Norda
Marian Dworakowski	...	Richard
Ritchie Singer	...	Gordon
John Clarke	...	Insp. Jerry
Jonathan Biggins	...	Sgt. Steve
Arthur Dignam	...	Producer
Ignatius Jones	...	Phil
Antonia Murphy	...	Phoebe
Connie Hobbs	...	Ruth
Peter Pedachini	...	Milton Shaver
Peter Rowley	...	Prophet
Graeme Blundell	...	Dr. Howie
Benjamin Griffith	...	Tiny Max
Patrick Cook	...	Stage manager
Vicki Bonnet	...	Angel
Len Peihopa	...	Reg
Maureen O'Shaughnessy	...	Bronwyn
Steve J. Spears	...	Dangerman
George Pollock	...	Rabbi
Frank Lloyd	...	Catholic priest
Geoff Kelso	...	Man in transit lounge
Josef Drewniak	...	Freud
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Paul O'Neill	...	The Fire Eater (uncredited)
Phillip Scott	...	Bow-tied bon vivant (uncredited)

Directed by
Ted Robinson

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Steve J. Spears		written by

Produced by
Phillip Emanuel	....	producer
Barbara Gibbs	....	associate producer
Ted Robinson	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Phillip Scott

Cinematography by
David Burr

Film Editing by
Robert Gibson

Production Design by
Roger Ford

Set Decoration by
Brian Edmonds

Costume Design by
Roger Ford

Production Management
John Hollands	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Steve E. Andrews	....	first assistant director
Philip A. Patterson	....	second assistant director (as Phil Patterson)

Sound Department
Phil Judd	....	sound re-recording mixer
Phil Keros	....	sound recordist
Ian McLoughlin	....	sound re-recording mixer

Stunts
Danny Baldwin	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Ian 'Thistle' Thorburn	....	focus puller

Production Companies

• Phillip Emanuel Productions

Also Known As:

Ghosts CAN Do It (USA)

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Company:

Phillip Emanuel Productions

Moderately Entertaining Affair Subverted By Overacting.

This Australian made attempt at creating a black comedy is blighted by horrendous hamminess from most of a cast which plainly is reflective from its limp direction, as well as an inability to overcome a script that ripples with inanity, despite the presence of some talented players, in particular the unique Pamela Stephenson. In an outlandish narrative that will mitigate against most viewer enthusiasm, Stephenson performs as Marilyn Falcon, whose husband Max (Garry McDonald) is starring in a rather ludicrous musical comedy version of the life of Sigmund Freud. Max is paranoiac concerning a number of attempts that have been made upon his life, a reasonable fear, as his spouse has indeed tried to kill him in order for her to exchange Max for the Falcon chauffeur, Richard (Marian Dworakowski), a young man with whom she has been lustfully comporting for two years. Although Marilyn is staunchly aiming to do away with her husband, she has merely iced the wrong party with each effort. Her victims' wraiths in this farce have assembled as a ghostly sodality within a sort of purgatory to which they have been relegated until they may successfully unbridle themselves from "unresolved issues", and instead of simply hanging about, waiting to do so, those dear departed recently murdered by Marilyn find enjoyment in haunting her and her paramour. Meanwhile, a besotted Richard is discovering that it is an increasingly formidable task to assist his pitiless lover with her plan to bring about a final send-off for Max, who is in a whirl of frenzied activity for his role as Freud, added to discomfiture caused by mysteriously based endeavours to bump him off. The consequences of chance having vetoed widowhood for Marilyn include close attention given to the circumstances revolving about the sundry slayings by a police Inspector (John Clarke) along with his Sergeant partner (Jonathan Biggins). This fantasy is undone for the most part through out of hand histrionics by a cast which wants for direction that might provide a point of view. This weakness at the helm, in addition to an untidily constructed scenario, poorly executed special effects, and capricious camera-work (overuse of close-ups), results in a narrative that is left at the gate. A beautiful Stephenson does her best as a beautiful Marilyn, and Clarke freshens each of his scenes as a properly suspicious detective focused upon felonious details.