Publicity poster for Judy
and Punch (© Mirrah Foulkes/Blue-Tongue Films/Vice Media/Pariah Productions/Screen
Australia/Film Victoria/Madman Entertainment/Sam Goldwyn Films – reproduced here
on a strictly non-commercial Fair Use basis for educational/review purposes only)
On 17 May 2020,
I watched the 2019 Australian black comedy movie Judy and Punch, starring Mia Wasikowska and Damon Herriman in the
title roles. Directed by Mirrah Foulkes, it re-imagines two of the
centuries-old Italian Commedia Dell'Arte's most familiar puppet characters
amidst a miasma of murder, mayhem, and madness - I love it already!!
In other words, Judy and Punch presents a novel retelling
of the traditional Punch and Judy show – namely, as a real-life story (and with
all the main P&J characters featured, including even a brief cameo for the
crocodile in a dream sequence). Here, Punch and Judy are a 16th-Century
married couple of puppeteers, of whom Judy is the more talented but is constantly
overshadowed by her pompous, egotistical husband who thinks that he is the
star. Their show was once very popular, but Punch's alcoholism causes its
audiences to dwindle until they are reduced to touring in backwater towns
rather than the major cities where they once entertained.
This dark and occasionally even
somewhat sinister movie (imho) has become notorious for Punch's killing of
their baby, but when you actually watch it you discover that this tragic event
is entirely accidental. Punch inadvertently trips over the real-life dog Toby,
causing the baby to fly out of his hands and through a window. However, his
subsequent drunken and extremely violent clubbing of enraged Judy after she
forces him to confess what has happened to their baby is done with totally
malicious intent(*).
I won't give anything else
away, as this is still a fairly recent film (less than a year since its cinema release)
that many people won't have seen yet, but let's just say that Judy is hell bent
on seeking revenge (it's not called Judy
and Punch, rather than Punch and Judy,
for nothing!). And Punch's handiness as a puppeteer doesn't end well...
A brief gif from 'The Safety Dance' by Men Without Hats - please click it if it does not play automatically (© Ivan Doroschuk/Men Without Hats/Mark Durand/GMC/Virgin - reproduced here on a strictly non-commercial Fair Use basis for educational/review purposes only)
Although Judy and Punch does not contain any
actual fantasy elements, this exotic-looking movie always seems on the brink of
revealing some, and the photography and costumes are extravagantly gorgeous. Imagine
an adult feature-length version of the classic video for the 1980s song 'The Safety
Dance' by the Canadian new wave/synth-pop band Men Without Hats (click here
to view it, at least at the time of my posting this review), and you should get
an idea of what to expect from this bewitching movie. Happy Stoning Day,
everyone!
And be sure to click here
for a tantalising taster of what to expect from this most unexpected movie, courtesy
of an official trailer on YouTube.
Speaking of 'The Safety Dance'
by Men Without Hats: whenever I watch this song's video, I am always half-expecting
to see a scene where they all dance around a corner and the singer (Ivan Doroschuk)
is abruptly confronted by a giant Wicker Man… (but pay no attention, that's probably
just me!).
(* = when I was a small child, if I
did something naughty - not seriously naughty, more mischievous - Mom would
look at me with a mock-grave face and say: "Karl, you did that with malicious
intent!", and then we'd both laugh. Happy memories.)
Finally: to view a complete listing of all of my
Shuker In MovieLand blog's other film reviews and articles (each one instantly
accessible via a direct clickable link), please click HERE!
Two photographs (the left-hand one snapped in natural light, the right-hand one by flash) of my Punchinello-like jester figurine (© Dr Karl Shuker)
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