Strata

 Strata still

Strata - 1983



Phase Three Films - 110 min.

Cast: Nigel Davenport, Judy Morris, Tom Brennan, Ctibor Turba, John Banas, Roy Billing, Peter Nicoll, Mary Regan.
Screenplay: Ester Krumbachova, Geoff Steven, Michael Havas; Photography: Leon Narbey; Editor: David Coulson; Music: Mike Nock; Art Director: Dean Cato; Producer: John Maynard; Director: Geoff Steven.
The story means to develop through an uncovering of layers - strata. As writer Krumbachova stated: "With nature as a prison, an impassable barrier ... where every action is physically and psychically limited by the environment ... people are reduced to fragments of basic instinct and intelligence." Promoted as a psychological thriller, Strata provides little tension nor any real climax. The charactors are ideas - not believably real. Filmed on White Island and in Tongariro National Park, this could have, at least, been a visually interesting film, but even that is lost due to low photographic quality. This is got to be one of the worst New Zealand films ever made. View at your own risk.

Censor rating: PG - Review rating: D

AVAILABILITY OF VHS OR DVD COPIES

As of May 2008, no known source for VHS or DVD copies. PAL VHS copies do exist, therefore used ones might be found, but probably only in New Zealand or Australia.


SOUNDTRACK ON AUDIO CD

No known soundtrack CD of this title.

Link to soundtrack sample download

The first known NZ feature film to also have its own soundtrack release was the 1977 33rpm LP of Sleeping Dogs. Other titles that are on 33rpm LP and/or audio cassette, but have not yet (as of 2007) found their way to CD are: Solo (1978), Goodbye Pork Pie (1980), Battletruck (1981), Smash Palace (1981), Strata (1984) and The Silent One (1984).

Details on these rare LPs can be found at the Soundtrack LP page.


REVIEWS

Rosemary Hemmings review in Art New Zealand

New Zealand Film Commission Synopsis

Four Word Film Review

Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide Review

"Strata is one hell of an experimental film - a brave attempt by Geoff Steven and John Maynard to lock into an audience's dreamsense [...] Steven has nicely retained the open camera documentary style of his earlier Skin Deep but he's broken new ground by using eight central characters [...] The problem, I believe, and there is a problem, lies in Geoff Steven's decision not to engage audience sympathy through creating subjective states of mind for the characters" - (Martin Blythe, "Geoff Steven's 'Strata'", Alternative Cinema, Winter/Spring, 1983)

... 8 characters neatly pinned like museum exhibits to the 2D surface of the landscape .... Steven has gone for an Art House movie ... I defend Geoff Steven for making such a film even if it drives audiences wild - Martin Blythe, Alternative Cinema, Winter/Spring 1983.


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