The Monkey's Mask (2000)

Director:

Samantha Lang

Writers:

Anne Kennedy (writer)
Dorothy Porter (novel)

Release Date:

10 May 2001 (Australia)

Genre:

Crime | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

No evidence just a smell of sex and violence.

Plot:

A lesbian private detective dives head first into murder, manipulation and the consuming power of sex.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Sex | Lesbian | Private Investigator | Poetry

Awards:

2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Susie Porter	...	Jill Fitzpatrick
Kelly McGillis	...	Professor Diana Maitland
Marton Csokas	...	Nick Maitland
Abbie Cornish	...	Mickey Norris
William Zappa	...	Detective Sergeant Wesley
Brendan Cowell	...	Hayden
Jim Holt	...	Bill McDonald
Bojana Novakovic	...	Tianna
Jean-Pierre Mignon	...	Tony Brach
Caroline Gillmer	...	Barbara Brach
John Noble	...	Mr. Norris
Linden Wilkinson	...	Mrs. Norris
Chris Haywood	...	Dad Fitzpatrick
Deborah Mailman	...	Lou
Charlotte Rose Regan	...	Cerebral Girl

Also Known As:

Cercle intime (France)
La maschera di scimmia (Italy)
Poetry, Sex (Japan: English title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexual content including graphic dialogue, and for language.

Runtime:

93 min | Spain:94 min

Country:

Australia | Canada | France | Italy | Japan

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Japan:R-15 | New Zealand:R18 | Australia:MA (cable rating) | Australia:R (original rating) | Canada:16+ (Québec) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Ontario) | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:III | Spain:13 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Company:

Arenafilm

Trivia:

Gigi Edgley was unable to complete her scenes for this film because she was needed back on "Farscape" (1999) to film the episode "Dream a Little Dream/Re:Union".

Quotes:

Jill Fitzpatrick: There's no drink to take away the taste of a fresh face rotting.

Soundtrack:

Dark Walk

Best to leave it in book form

I could not find anything interesting in this film. Prose and poetry divided into chapter headings and dished up as an experimental film failed as a piece of entertainment. Let it be a lesson to other film makers.

Don't be misled by the title. The writer chose the title before she wrote the book because she rather liked the Japanese haiku of that name. Believe me, there are no monkeys or masks, but after due consideration they might have livened up the film.

The sex scenes were passable but with little delicacy. The writer said she had hoped for a more grubby presentation of those scenes. I could not see much point in the scene where the woman walks into a room with her panties off. Do lesbians like to advertise their pubic hair? On the positive side the cinema photography was excellent. Glimpses of Sydney harbour and its famous bridge put me in a great mood anticipating what beautiful scenes might follow. Alas! What a strange mixture.

In one of the final scenes we see a notice warning people to take care because the Sydney Harbour rocks are slippery. I waited in trepidation because i was sure something terrible was about to take place. But no! We hear a man addressing a lesbian investigator ...."Thank you for making love to my wife; you sure put a light in her eyes".

I'd be surprised to learn if a film like this could prove to be a profitable venture. My recommendation: AVOID!