Will, a writer in his thirties, faces a crisis in his life when he has to choose between his wife and mistress. He is also on the fence about choices in his professional life, something that is accentuated when he meets a childhood friend who has become a successful TV producer in England. He calculates he has two thousand weeks left in his life to achieve success.
Cast
Mark McManus as Will Gardiner
Jeanie Drynan as Jacky Lewis
Eileen Chapman as Sarah Gardiner
David Turnbull as Noel Oakshot
Michael Duffield as Will's father
Stephen Dattner as Sir George Turnbull
Bruce Anderson as Rex Stapleton
Production
Eltham Films was a production company formed by Tim Burtstall and Patrick Ryan which had made a number of short films and TV series. They made the film as a co-production with Senior Films, a large production house in Melbourne who specialised in making commercials.[1] Burstall later said that 45% of the budget came from Eltham Films, 45% from Senior Films and 10% from Peter Lord at Victorian Film Laboratories.[3] His idea was to make a film for the international art house market.[4]
Filming started on 2 January 1968 and took eleven weeks with a crew of fourteen.[1]
The film was autobiographical, with "two thousand weeks" being an expression Burstall used in the 1950s.[5]
Release
Burstall secured Columbia Pictures as a distributor and they agreed to split the $10,000 in marketing costs with Elthan Films, but it took them seven months to release it, but Burstall put this down to the reluctance of Australian exhibitors to show local films.[3]
A Two Thousand Weeks ‘photo novel’,[6] illustrated with stills by the film’s director of photography, Robin Copping, and official stills photographer Mark Strizic who also designed the book, was published by Sun Books as a movie tie-in in late 1968, alongside a solo jazz album by Don Burrows, commissioned for the movie score.[7] Both book and recording are now rare items.[8]
Reception
The film was poorly received by Australian critics such as Colin Bennett of The Age and at Australian film festivals. It received a better critical reception overseas. The experience encouraged Burstall to move in a more commercial direction for the rest of his career.[1] However he did later explore many of the themes from 2000 Weeks again in Petersen (1974).[4]
Burstall later said of the film:
I have a special place in my heart for it, because it was my first feature and in some ways autobiographical. But I wince when I see it, except for the few energy points which are mainly in the flashbacks. I think of the first ten years of my film work, up to and including 2000 Weeks as my apprenticeship... I don't believe the acting in 2000 Weeks is bad so much as a question of actors being asked to say unsayable things, and act unactable things. It was too deficient in energy and too much of it was in an intellectualised form, instead of action.[3]
2,000 Weeks was an important film; important for what it had to say, important in the courage it took to make it in the first place. It deserved a fair go, and it didn't get it. Doubtless Collin Bennett would try to justify his attitude by saying that he judges every film by the same inviolable standard of excellence, and that in the light of this rigid philosophy, 2,000 Weeks was found wanting. Doubtless. But his attitude was unbearable righteous and helped create a climate in which good film could be destroyed. No wonder Burstall never forgave, or forgot. No wonder he never made the mistake of trying to produce a "serious" film again.[9]
Paul Byrnes from the NFSA comments: "2000 Weeks was one of the first features of the modern era in Australian cinema, after decades in which almost the only productions were British and American films in search of exotic locales. ... There was an intense desire amongst a few people to restart an Australian film industry, and Burstall was one of the leaders. Indeed, he made nationalist artistic longings the main theme of the film, although it didn’t help the film’s reception. It was booed when it screened at the 1970 Sydney Film Festival and damned by some influential critics. The box office was poor and Burstall became determined to make films for a wide commercial audience, rather than an art-house few. Many of these later films, starting with Stork (1971) and Alvin Purple (1973), were great popular successes."[11]
References
^ abcdAndrew Pike and Ross Cooper, Australian Film 1900–1977: A Guide to Feature Film Production, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998, 244.
^"LEISURE THE ARTS Melbourne premiere of first all-Australian feature film in 10 years Director's lyric design realised". The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926–1995). ACT: National Library of Australia. 28 March 1969. p. 16. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
^ abcMurray, Scott 'Tim Burstall', Cinema Papers Sept-Oct 1979 p491-493
^ abInterview with Tim Burstall, 30 March 1998 15 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine accessed 14 October 2012
^Peter Coleman, 'Australian Exotica: A rare glimpse into the daily routine of a bohemian from Down Under', American Review Archived 16 January 2013 at archive.today accessed 9 September 2012
^Tim Burstall; Patrick Ryan (1968), Two thousand weeks, Sun Books, retrieved 16 February 2021
^Burrows, Don (1993), The first 50 years : Vol. 2 1967-1976, ABC Music, retrieved 16 February 2021
^Newton, Gael (19 December 2017). "In and Out of Focus". Portrait. Canberra: National Porttrait Gallery (58). ISSN 1446-3601.
^David Stratton, The Last New Wave: The Australian Film Revival, Angus & Robertson, 1980 p23-24
^. MIFF. Archived from the original on 16 January 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
2000, weeks, also, known, thousand, weeks, 1969, australian, drama, film, directed, burstall, starring, mark, mcmanus, jeanie, drynan, eileen, chapman, directed, bytim, burstallwritten, bytim, burstallpatrick, ryanproduced, bydavid, bilcock, patrick, ryanstarr. 2000 Weeks also known as Two Thousand Weeks is a 1969 Australian drama film directed by Tim Burstall and starring Mark McManus Jeanie Drynan and Eileen Chapman 2000 WeeksDirected byTim BurstallWritten byTim BurstallPatrick RyanProduced byDavid Bilcock Sr Patrick RyanStarringMark McManusJeanie DrynanEileen ChapmanCinematographyRobin CoppingEdited byDavid BilcockMusic byDon BurrowsProductioncompaniesEltham Film ProductionsSenior Film ProductionsDistributed byColumbia PicturesRelease date27 March 1969 1969 03 27 Running time90 minutesCountryAustraliaLanguageEnglishBudget 100 000 1 2 Contents 1 Premise 2 Cast 3 Production 4 Release 5 Reception 6 References 7 External linksPremise EditWill a writer in his thirties faces a crisis in his life when he has to choose between his wife and mistress He is also on the fence about choices in his professional life something that is accentuated when he meets a childhood friend who has become a successful TV producer in England He calculates he has two thousand weeks left in his life to achieve success Cast EditMark McManus as Will Gardiner Jeanie Drynan as Jacky Lewis Eileen Chapman as Sarah Gardiner David Turnbull as Noel Oakshot Michael Duffield as Will s father Stephen Dattner as Sir George Turnbull Bruce Anderson as Rex StapletonProduction EditEltham Films was a production company formed by Tim Burtstall and Patrick Ryan which had made a number of short films and TV series They made the film as a co production with Senior Films a large production house in Melbourne who specialised in making commercials 1 Burstall later said that 45 of the budget came from Eltham Films 45 from Senior Films and 10 from Peter Lord at Victorian Film Laboratories 3 His idea was to make a film for the international art house market 4 Filming started on 2 January 1968 and took eleven weeks with a crew of fourteen 1 The film was autobiographical with two thousand weeks being an expression Burstall used in the 1950s 5 Release EditBurstall secured Columbia Pictures as a distributor and they agreed to split the 10 000 in marketing costs with Elthan Films but it took them seven months to release it but Burstall put this down to the reluctance of Australian exhibitors to show local films 3 A Two Thousand Weeks photo novel 6 illustrated with stills by the film s director of photography Robin Copping and official stills photographer Mark Strizic who also designed the book was published by Sun Books as a movie tie in in late 1968 alongside a solo jazz album by Don Burrows commissioned for the movie score 7 Both book and recording are now rare items 8 Reception EditThe film was poorly received by Australian critics such as Colin Bennett of The Age and at Australian film festivals It received a better critical reception overseas The experience encouraged Burstall to move in a more commercial direction for the rest of his career 1 However he did later explore many of the themes from 2000 Weeks again in Petersen 1974 4 Burstall later said of the film I have a special place in my heart for it because it was my first feature and in some ways autobiographical But I wince when I see it except for the few energy points which are mainly in the flashbacks I think of the first ten years of my film work up to and including 2000 Weeks as my apprenticeship I don t believe the acting in 2000 Weeks is bad so much as a question of actors being asked to say unsayable things and act unactable things It was too deficient in energy and too much of it was in an intellectualised form instead of action 3 David Stratton wrote of it 2 000 Weeks was an important film important for what it had to say important in the courage it took to make it in the first place It deserved a fair go and it didn t get it Doubtless Collin Bennett would try to justify his attitude by saying that he judges every film by the same inviolable standard of excellence and that in the light of this rigid philosophy 2 000 Weeks was found wanting Doubtless But his attitude was unbearable righteous and helped create a climate in which good film could be destroyed No wonder Burstall never forgave or forgot No wonder he never made the mistake of trying to produce a serious film again 9 The film was also entered into the 6th Moscow International Film Festival 10 Paul Byrnes from the NFSA comments 2000 Weeks was one of the first features of the modern era in Australian cinema after decades in which almost the only productions were British and American films in search of exotic locales There was an intense desire amongst a few people to restart an Australian film industry and Burstall was one of the leaders Indeed he made nationalist artistic longings the main theme of the film although it didn t help the film s reception It was booed when it screened at the 1970 Sydney Film Festival and damned by some influential critics The box office was poor and Burstall became determined to make films for a wide commercial audience rather than an art house few Many of these later films starting with Stork 1971 and Alvin Purple 1973 were great popular successes 11 References Edit a b c d Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper Australian Film 1900 1977 A Guide to Feature Film Production Melbourne Oxford University Press 1998 244 LEISURE THE ARTS Melbourne premiere of first all Australian feature film in 10 years Director s lyric design realised The Canberra Times ACT 1926 1995 ACT National Library of Australia 28 March 1969 p 16 Retrieved 10 December 2013 a b c Murray Scott Tim Burstall Cinema Papers Sept Oct 1979 p491 493 a b Interview with Tim Burstall 30 March 1998 Archived 15 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine accessed 14 October 2012 Peter Coleman Australian Exotica A rare glimpse into the daily routine of a bohemian from Down Under American Review Archived 16 January 2013 at archive today accessed 9 September 2012 Tim Burstall Patrick Ryan 1968 Two thousand weeks Sun Books retrieved 16 February 2021 Burrows Don 1993 The first 50 years Vol 2 1967 1976 ABC Music retrieved 16 February 2021 Newton Gael 19 December 2017 In and Out of Focus Portrait Canberra National Porttrait Gallery 58 ISSN 1446 3601 David Stratton The Last New Wave The Australian Film Revival Angus amp Robertson 1980 p23 24 6th Moscow International Film Festival 1969 MIFF Archived from the original on 16 January 2013 Retrieved 20 December 2012 Australianscreen gt 2000 Weeks Viewed 10 03 2010 Murray Scott ed 1994 Australian Cinema St Leonards NSW Allen amp Unwin AFC p 308 ISBN 1 86373 311 6 External links Edit2000 Weeks at IMDb 2000 Weeks at the Australian screen online 2000 Weeks at Oz Movies Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 2000 Weeks amp oldid 1129606068, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
