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source: Sirens

Sirens

This film was funny and inspiring, with beautiful music by Rachel Portman (the "only" female composer in films in the "top ten" almost all male composer lists). Lots in this film will stay with you; especially the scenes with Australian animals and waters and snakes. Great philosophical and comedic themes as well. Bears watching a number of times to "get it all." Thanks to everyone concerned for making this wonderful and funny film; first time I've smiled in a long time!

Reverend Anthony Campion (Hugh Grant) and his uptight wife Estella (Tara Fitzgerald) are sent to rural Australia to talk reclusive eccentric artist Norman Lindsay (Sam Neill) into toning down his shocking paintings. There they find Lindsay's sexually progressive models and his family. Like the sirens of old, the couple could be pulled into rocky shores. Everything works in this charming little film. Hugh Grant is perfect as the bumbly fumbly embarrassed reverend. Tara Fitzgerald is wonderful as a volcano ready to blow. There is a wonderful light airy feel to the movie. Elle Macpherson does a confident model very well. It also marks a beautiful Portia de Rossi's first big movie as the shy model who doesn't do nudes.

This is truly one of my favorite films of all time. From the clever dialogue, lush scenery and amazing cinematography, I find it irresistable. While it was an admittedly erotic film, I found it extremely 'body/* positive' in the sense that it showcased the true beauty of the human form and seemed to celebrate it. Also, the creative way that the director "morphs" scenes into and from noted works of art. Brilliant! The Soundtrack -- by Oscar winning composer RACHEL PORTMAN -- melded the at times ethereal emotions of many scenes and drew the viewer in. Again, irresistable... A few scenes that stand out: *Dream sequence of Tara Fitzgerald's character when she descends into the water at night in a gauzey Egyptian cotton nightgown and the three models emerge from the water and caress her. *The scene when the "Statue" comes to life and walks off into the illuminated night mist... This is a film NOT to be missed. One will not regret viewing it.

This movie was a nice surprise to me. I expected something more raunchy, considering it's reputation with a lot of naked women (all gorgeus by the way). Instead, I found it to be a sweet and unexpectedly innocent movie about being yourself, accepting who you are, exploring your possibilities. Tara Fitzgerald is simple super as the curious wife of Hugh Grant's vicar (who seems to be constantly blushing and who is his usual bumbling self). She simply has the meatiest part and she surely takes advantage of that. All the "naked ladies" deliver very respectable performances. Only Sam Neill seems to be a bit too lost amid all these different personalities and doesn't really convince. Absolutely stunning visuals (it's shot in Australia, but apart from the odd scenes at a bar, it all seems to take place in some gorgeus never-never land). And the nudity didn't disturbed me one bit since it's presented in a very unaffected and natural way. Truly different and very refreshing!

While it takes some time to declare itself as the story of the sensual awakening of the Tara Fitzgerald character, the movie brilliantly captures the Anglo-Saxon tension that arises whenever faced with the erotic. Hugh Grant is winningly Hugh Grant, the other characters are fun and believable in a scenario that manages to be both realistic and whimsical. The dialog is funny, the Australian geography is stunning, as are the naked forms of the women, who together manage to achieve more sensual nudity than a years' worth of French movies. Rachel Portman's score is fantastic, wonderfully mirroring Tara Fitzgerald's liberation, an act achieved through her own risk-taking, and then mentoring another woman through the same process. Hugh Grant may fail in his paramount plot goal but his character is more than rewarded with a wife whose outlook on life promises a new kind of open relationship.

A soft-core, high-minded daydream about the liberating sensuality of art. Sometimes the sirens in the film (Elle MacPherson, Kate Fischer and Portia de Rossi are the others) tickle one another merrily, and sometimes they talk about whether sea slugs make a good aphrodisiac. The story is based on a real artist, Norman Lindsay(Sam Neill)and there was a real Anglican priest (played by Hugh Grant) sent to convince him to withdraw his "Crucified Venus" from exhibition. The film is set on Campion's estate and features his work throughout. It is a little wild, silly at times, and features explicit nudity and sexual situations. Perfect introduction to Hugh Grant's abilities.

I never heard of this film until the director for our theater company mentioned it as a possible project to adapt to live theater. I have to say when I first viewed the film I was a bit shocked for personal reasons. We have a fairly small group and if taken directly it would mean I would be playing one of the * models. After studying the film's critiques and background I slowly came around to appreciate the film's merits, if not completely comfortable with the nudity. The point is that the nudity is not suppose to be comfortable from the audience point of view. The story takes place in an almost mystical world untarnished by outside influences and taboos. It is indeed a wonderful Eden. As an actress I had to be comfortable within the Eden created on stage, despite being uncomfortable in front of fellow "actors" and the audience. This has become one of my favorite films for helping me grow as an actress and as a member of the audience.