A right plonker

On paper, "Dr Plonk" is a low-budget, black-and-white, silent*, "name"-free (exception: Magda Szubanski), slapstick comedy about a clownish Aussie scientist living a century ago who invents a ridiculous time machine (the capsule's a pine box), zips forward to 2007, becomes convinced the end is nigh and struggles to alert the powers that be.

In reality, "Dr Plonk" is an amusing idea for a film-making exercise that at 83 minutes could do with having at least 70 minutes cut (I was nodding off halfway). There's no denying it's artfully constructed, with plenty of background detail, but homage taken this far is self-indulgence - an unnecessary rehash of tired routines and a waste of grant money.

After the exemplary "Ten Canoes", I expected better from writer/director/producer Rolf De Heer.

Yes, DL, your prediction was right :-)


*In the traditional sense, ie. no dialogue, but musical accompaniment throughout. Mainly piano, with violin, piano accordion and double bass.