There’s a line of dialogue in ‘Chopper’ – Andrew Dominik’s sensational debut film about the notorious Australian criminal Mark “Chopper” Read – where our main man says, “never let the truth get in the way of a good yarn.” He’s paraphrasing Mark Twain of course, but it’s a line that perfectly encapsulates both Read and the film. Chopper the bloke, is a charismatic bullshitter, retelling, reshaping, and romanticising his violent past by constantly telling stories about himself. ‘Chopper’ the film reflects this through form and style. Dominik’s hyper-stylised visuals, kinetic editing, and non-linear narrative blur the lines between truth and fiction, and make it clear this no run of the mill biopic.
Mark Read was a notorious underworld figure in Melbourne during the 70s and 80s. His criminal exploits and willingness to resort to extreme violence–whether on the streets, or during one of his many stints in prison—came to prominence in the 90s following publication of the many books he wrote whilst inside. Using a television interview as a framing device, Dominik’s film is essentially one long flashback, presenting Chopper’s life through a series of loosely connected vignettes depicting his violent criminal life and time in prison.
The film begins with a barnstorming sequence set in Pentridge Prison, where a young Mark (Eric Bana) has instigated a war with other inmates, which results in a ten-thousand-dollar contract being put on him. When even his closest pals have turned against him, Mark slices off his own ears to get transferred to a mental health wing of the prison. Dominik then jumps the action forward to after he has been released, focusing on the “assorted scallywag behaviour” he gets up to on the outside, whilst trying to make some dough, and settle a few scores. There’s no plot in a conventional sense. It’s really just about Mark having to deal with himself. And he is a very difficult person to deal with.
‘Chopper’ is a ferociously funny and shocking film. It’s also a controversial one. How Chopper is depicted, how it glorifies criminal behaviour, and how it takes creative liberties in portraying real life people, have all been debated over the years, and contributed to the film’s complicated legacy. One thing that isn’t up for debate however, is Eric Bana’s outstanding and star-making turn as Read. There’s an intense physicality to what he’s doing, but it’s the confrontational cheekiness that he brings from his stand-up comedy days that really elevates the performance. He’s a hulking mass of charisma, charm, insecurity, and ultra-violence, and he brilliantly captures the essence of this enigmatic man.
As much as it was a star-making film for Bana, Dominik very much announced himself to the world with ‘Chopper’. An unapologetically raw piece of filmmaking, vivid and stylish, and both narratively and visually bold. In this pristine new restoration from Second Sight it has never looked better. The picture quality is crisp and sharp, bringing an incredible level of detail and nuance to the image. Colours are definitely more vibrant, although it does seem to have overdone the HD green tint in places. I’d not seen this film since I had it on VHS over 20-years ago, so I can’t properly recall what the colour palette was like, but having viewed a few clips online, I don’t think it was quite as tinted as this new version.
The disc comes with an incredible selection of bonus content. There are three audio commentaries: one with film critics Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Josh Nelson, one with Andrew Dominik, and finally one with Chopper Read himself. There’s a terrific brand-new 30-minute interview with Andrew Dominik talking us through the entire journey of making ‘Chopper’. His anecdotes of meeting Chopper are very entertaining. There are also brand-new interviews with composer Mick Harvey and editor Ken Sallows.
‘Weekend with Chopper’ is edited together footage from the time Andrew Dominik and Eric Bana spent with Chopper prior to making the film. His thoughts on how the drug trade has invited middle class people into the criminal world, and more specifically into his orbit, are particularly funny. The disc is rounded off with an archival behind the scenes documentary, and a selection of deleted scenes with optional director’s commentary. If you’re purchasing the limited edition, you’ll also have a 70-page book with all new essays, six collector’s art cards, and all of it housed in a rigid slipcase.
Cast: Eric Bana, Vince Colosimo, Simon Lyndon, Kate Beahan Director: Andrew Dominik Writer: Andrew Dominik Released By: Second Sight Films Certificate: 18 Duration: 94 mins Release Date: 30th October 2023
