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Paddle Directors: Wayne Johannsen & Joshua Picken Rated: M 'Paddle' premieres at the Mercury Cinema on Mon 19 Dec, two screenings at 6pm and 8pm 
The satirical 'Paddle' has been financed by the combined pocket monies
of a small crew of young South Australian filmmakers, a minimal financial
base which is obvious throughout. Eighties ping pong champion Lee Dav (Joshua Picken) is shown attempting to deal with the loss of his coach and mentor Steve Texas (Joel Schmidt), recently the mortal victim of a viciously propelled ping pong ball. Dav is at first lost for hope and attempts to douse his despair in alcohol, but is rejuvenated by the prospect of a new coach and a chance at vengeance against those responsible for his loss. General incoherence prevents anything much, apart from the said story elements, from being made clear. It is apparent that the makers were not aiming high, nor, for that matter, anywhere in particular. Essentially, it is difficult to ascertain the target of the satire, and what is tangible is inadequate anyway. An eighties-athletic cultural compound cast over an Anglo-dominated ping pong social 'scene', interpreted visually as an array of unbridled hair, sweat absorbers, and short-shorts seems to be the general direction if not object of parody. Normally genuine humour would arise as characters treat such reality with ridiculous campy-seriousness, but this context is too unintelligibly developed and, in turn, fails as a foundation of plausibility or normality against which silliness and naivety can make their contrasting mark. As humour, it may be effective with those who can understand and perhaps relate to the archetypes presented, but this demographic is probably not substantial. Inaccessibility never renders art entirely shallow or useless, but it is little help where the manifest object of the product is plain entertainment. Whilst budget restrictions are evident in the visuals throughout, there are positives. 'Paddles' features comparatively professional computer generated effects and neat-ish sound editing which provides out-of-place clarity. The result is hectic technical fare that - whilst reflective of the equally hectic content - contributes little to its articulation. Nevertheless the crew shows promise, especially technically, and have done reasonably well to produce what they have with such makeshift grounding. It is even possible that an audience exists for this sort of late-pubertal geek-humour.  |
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