Reviews

Having lived through a family experience of terminal illness, I was not looking forward to watching this film. Fiction often seems trite and forced when you've actually dealt with the reality, particularly a devastating one. However, 'I'm Still Here' (2013) neatly sidesteps all the tiresome 'Hollywood' grandstanding that is synonymous with the subject matter and delivers instead a truthful and telling depiction of the struggles of Matt, a young man struck down by a lingering and potentially fatal disease.

The strength and authenticity of the film lies in its grounded approach; a willingness to embrace the mundane and common place aspects of the situation. There are no silly 'bucket list' activities; just regular trips to the hospital, awkward 'self-help' group sessions and a few snatched moments of happiness as the clock begins running out. In less adroit hands, this could all have been a little on the dull side but writer-director Kris Smith and a largely unknown cast pull the audience in slowly but surely and, by the climax, you are fully invested in both story and characters.

It always seems a little unfair to single out individual performances from a fine ensemble but it's very hard not to highlight a few. Obviously, a lot of the heavy lifting falls to Dan Burman as Matt and he proves more than capable of shouldering the responsibility. Interactions with his family are painfully convincing and, although the psychology of a broken home leading to emotional detachment is hardly new territory, Burman really nails it, never mining a scene for audience sympathy or making his emotional journey too great to strain credibility. Joanna Pope is also note perfect as his fussy mother and Jack Beresford scores in an all too-brief appearance as younger brother, Rob. Elsewhere, Lucy Collins is truly outstanding as a charismatic hospital patient (we'd be talking awards if this was Hollywood) and Marie Wilson inhabits the character of the downtrodden woman next door with an authenticity that informs her every gesture and expression. The music soundtrack is excellent and, just as importantly, is used very judiciously. The design of the title sequence is also extremely impressive.

But it's the naturalistic writing and atmosphere that allows story and cast the room to really breathe and fuels the subtleties of this quietly affecting drama. Particularly notable is the way that Matt finds a kind of closure; not through tearful reconciliations with his estranged family as you might expect but through his kindness to strangers. This involves the warring couple next door, who he has only previously known by hearing their arguments coming through the wall (a brilliant touch). Also assisting is a non-linear structure, which allows for some telling moments without compromising the coherence of the story. There are a few rough edges and the final act may seem a superfluous addition to some but still packs a heavy emotional punch. A vibrant and very moving piece of cinema that never descends into easy sentiment and remains a very positive and life- affirming experience, despite the theme.

If you've read the 'Trivia' section about this film, you'll know that it's a real curio – a serial shot as a partial silent and a partial talkie. The dialogue track is not currently available and so the version I've seen is with musical soundtrack only. Unfortunately, there are plenty of lengthy 'talkie' scenes that leave vital plot points fairly obscure and turn the viewing experience into somewhat of an endurance test.

Larry Trent (Walter Miller) is sent to Africa to arrest a gang of ivory poachers by the British Secret Service. He's also trying to find the last agent sent there, who also happens to be his brother. There, he hooks up with Diana Martin (Jacqueline Logan) who is looking for her father. Together they become involved in the search for a cache of gems hidden in the ruined city of Nuhalla. The jewels are also a target of the poachers, led by Scarface Macklin (Boris Karloff), Jack Drake (Larry Steers) and an intelligent gorilla!

It's easy to point out the factual inaccuracies in this; after all, the title itself is a fine example of accurate spelling being sacrificed in the name of commerce. Additionally, our hero is a positive magnet for big cats in search of a free lunch and these include a rather frisky tiger. A similar refugee from India would seem to be the heroine's elephant (perhaps the two animals escaped from some travelling circus together?) To add to this strange menagerie, a dinosaur guards the treasure! This is actually not a bad trick shot for the time, with a real lizard blown up and put in the same frame as the actors. However, it is just the one shot endlessly repeated and it disappears completely in the later chapters.

The plot probably wouldn't stand up to close scrutiny even if the dialogue were available and soon degenerates into lots of running around a ruined temple, captures and escapes, etc. There is also a surprising (but completely ludicrous) twist toward the end which does nothing for its' credibility. The acting is perfunctory at best, although at least the cast avoid the most exaggerated mannerisms of the silent era. Karloff is, of course, the pick of the bunch but a completely static camera does little to enhance his performance. Director Richard Thorpe actually went on to have a long career in movies that included some of the Weismuller Tarzans and Jailhouse Rock with Elvis Presley.

In all fairness, obviously this was pretty small budget stuff at the time and the absence of the dialogue probably renders a harsher verdict than might otherwise be given. Enjoyable moments are few and far between but an early sequence is a highlight. On hearing that Diana has left for the ruined city, our hero wastes no time in pursuing her into the jungle. Alone, with only a pistol, no map, no guide and no food or water!

One last thought though. This obscure serial may have had a lasting effect on cinema, after all. I can't help but wonder if a certain couple of movie producers might have seen it in the late twenties and got some inspiration from it. I mean, there is an ape in it and it doesn't take a genius to rearrange the words of this title and come up with something a lot snappier and quite a bit more famous!