Chopper (film)

Chopper is a 2000 Australian crime drama film written and directed by Andrew Dominik and based on the autobiographical books by criminal turned author Mark "Chopper" Read. The film stars Eric Bana as the title character and co-stars Vince Colosimo, Simon Lyndon, Kate Beahan and David Field. The film follows Read's life and time in prison. The film grossed $3.9 million worldwide and received positive reviews. It has since garnered a cult following.

Plot
The film opens with two Correctional Officers  and Mark Brandon "Chopper" Read watching an interview that was conducted by Renée Brack for the latter being broadcast on a Television set in a Prison cell. 

The scene then cuts to H Division, Pentridge Prison, Victoria, Australia, 1978. Mark is placed into a room with other cellmates, including an external group that uses the other half of the room. The man in charge, “Keithy George” (David Field) Whistles to Mark, stating that the line placed in the center of the yard is used to separate the groups  and tells him to; “Stay on that side  and we’ll stay over here”. After a brief verbal spat between Keithy  and Mark, the scene cuts to Jimmy Loughnan (Simon Lyndon), Bluey Barnes (Daniel Wyllie)  and Mark in their cells. Jimmy exclaims that Keithy's in the Painters and Dockers, to which Mark replies that in prison, he's just “another Bare bum in the shower.” Jimmy questions why they've been fighting with them for the past 3 years, to which Mark replies he doesn’t know. Jimmy states that there has to be a reason, to which Mark replies "We'll make one".

The next day, Mark enters the room  and glances over to Keithy, rushing over towards him  and horrifically stabbing him multiple times in the face  and neck. In his anger, Mark paces off  and proceeds to process his actions. Bluey calls out to the Correctional Officers; all the while Mark rolls Keithy a Cigarette  and tells him that it’s going to be okay. After another brief verbal spat, Mark states that he's the one who runs the Division. Correctional Officers soon enter the room  and drag Keithy George out for medical treatment, Mark walks over to Bluey  and Jimmy on the other side of the room, who are angered by what happened, knowing that there'll be consequences.

The day following the attack, Mark is summoned to meet with two detectives; Detective Senior Sergeant Creswell (Caleb Cluff)  and Detective Sergeant Wyatt (Hilton Henderson) from the Prison Liaison Office, who are investigating the attack on Keithy George. Mark states that no one in the room had any idea of who attacked Keithy George. Creswell informs Mark that Keithy died that morning of Exsanguination. Mark, Bluey,  and Jimmy are seen in their cells, exclaiming that the Painters  and Dockers will soon want to have Mark killed for killing one of their members. Mark is then met with Governor Beasley (Fred barker), who informs him that there's a rumor that the Painters  and Dockers have placed a contract on him worth $10,000. In his paranoia  and effort to maintain dominance, Mark soon devises a plan to kidnap two Correctional Officers, claim siege to H Division  and turn most of the inhabitants into Paraplegics, in response to the newly created contract. Bluey  and Jimmy attempt to break away from the plan, knowing that it would be a suicide mission. Mark reminds Jimmy of what he’s done for him in the past  and reminds Bluey of the first time that he met him, sulking  and crying in a corner. Both parties agree due to intimidation.

Whilst pacing back  and forth in their cell, Mark, Jimmy  and Bluey discuss who will be participating in the Riot for control of H Division. Suddenly, Jimmy seemingly punches Mark’s stomach twice, before walking back a few steps while Bluey anxiously moving into the corner of the cell behind Jimmy. Mark looks down  and soon discovers that Jimmy has shanked him twice, asking him what’s gotten into him, to which Jimmy stabs him twice more, all the while Mark standing still in awe. Jimmy soon tears up  and apologizes for doing so,  and stabs him twice more before Mark pins him up against the cell wall. Jimmy is disarmed  and Mark removes his own clothes, revealing a body covered in blood. Mark begins to lose blood  and collapses onto the ground, struggling to remain conscious. Jimmy rolls him a cigarette  and they call out for the Correctional Officers, but not before Jimmy slashes his own arm to claim self-defense.

Mark soon awakens to Creswell  and Wyatt, informing him that Jimmy has made a statement against him. Mark recovers  and is returned to a separate cell from Bluey  and Jimmy. Mark, Jimmy  and Bluey exchange words over the walls about the future court case between Jimmy  and Mark. The scene then turns to the court case, where it's revealed that Mark is serving a 16 ½ year sentence for the attempted abduction of a Judge in order to give Jimmy Loughnan freedom. Back at the Prison, Mark’s picture is all over the newspapers  and Jimmy is visibly annoyed by this, Mark’s celebration is cut short when members of H Division soon display their hatred for Mark over the Prison's walls. Mark meets with Governor Beasley  and other members of the Prison Board, attempting to negotiate a change of Prisons for security, which becomes unsuccessful. In response, Mark has a member of H Division cut his ears off to relocate to the mental health wing, in which he's successful in doing, and serves out the remainder of his sentence.

The scene then cuts to 1986. Chopper is out of Prison and reunites with an old girlfriend of his, Tanya (Kate Beahan). The two spend the night drinking, ingesting  and Injecting Heroin  and having sex. Later on, Mark visits his Father, Keith Read (Kenny Graham). The two have a beer together and discuss Jimmy Loughnan, who's apparently at large. Mark  and Tanya later go to a club and share a few drinks, they soon run into Neville Bartos (Vince Colosimo), flaunting his wealth. Mark apologizes for the leg injury he had inflicted on Neville  and the latter soon shouts the pair drinks. Mark overthinks the situation  and confronts Neville about the injury. Later at the club, Mark runs into Sammy the Turk (Serge Liistro),  and accuses Tanya of flirting with him after offering a light for his cigarette, this causes Mark to fly into a rage  and forcefully take Tanya out of the club. On the way out, Neville makes an arrogant grin towards the pair leaving, to which Mark responds with revealing  and firing a handgun off in the club multiple times. Outside of Tanya’s house, Mark apologizes for the evening  and discusses moving away to Tasmania, to which Tanya laughs it off, infuriating Mark, who then accuses her of cheating. Tanya then heads inside, to which Mark heads inside soon after her. In the house, Mark catches Tanya on the phone with Neville  and responds by physically abusing both her  and her mother (Pam Western). Mark then storms out of the house.

Mark meets with Detective Downie (Bill Young)  and Detective Cooney (Peter Hardy) at a bar, feeling ashamed that he’s letting them down. Not knowing what he’s talking about, informing Mark that they don’t condone his “Poetic Justice”. Mark Grins, salutes  and unabashedly confirms that he understands perfectly what they mean. Mark later goes to Neville’s house; an angry  and disgruntled Neville reluctantly lets him in. During the tour of the house, Neville feeds his dogs Cocaine. In the house, Mark enjoys free alcohol  and Cocaine. It’s revealed that Neville is supplying most of the Western Suburbs of Melbourne, upon learning this, Mark begins to pressure Neville for money, insisting that he owes him. Mark then begins to count to 20. Ignoring Mark's threats to produce cash, Mark shoots him once in the abdomen. Neville's friends Robbo (Sam Houli)  and Nick (Robert Rabiah) with Mark's help then proceed to transport Neville to the Hospital. In the background, Downie and Cooney are questioning Mark over the shooting of Neville  and rumors of him having arrangements with the police force to execute criminals with impunity, and it’s also revealed that there's a contract out on him for an unknown amount. 

Later, Mark heads to Jimmy Loughnan’s apartment. After a brief Frisking for weaponry, he allows him to enter. he also shares the apartment with his pregnant fiancée, Mandy (Skye Wansey),  and their young Daughter Shazzy (Annalise Emtsis). The pair are plagued with Heroin addiction  and are in financial hardship, Jimmy tells Mandy to take Shazzy to bed. After they exit the room, Jimmy  and Mark begin to talk. Mark asks Jimmy if he’s employed  and how much Heroin he uses. After a few sarcastic remarks, Mark reveals that he’s working for the Police, stating that he has a green light to conduct shootings on criminals  and that he shot Neville. Mark realizes that Jimmy knows Neville. In the background, Mandy re-enters the room, Screaming that they shouldn’t talk about that stuff here. Mark then tells Jimmy that he heard about the contracts  and that Jimmy was meant to do them, he then proceeds to put a gun up to Jimmy’s head, begging him not to shoot him while his kids are here, Mandy reinforces that Jimmy looks up to Mark  and that he would never kill him. After he apologizes  and gives money to Jimmy, Mark leaves the apartment. Jimmy then calls up Neville, informing him that Mark is going to the Bojangles Club  and that they’ll meet him there.

After a brief phone call, Mark then runs into Sammy the Turk again. After a few drinks, Sammy  and Mark go into a parking lot outside of Bojangles, Mark then produces a Sawed-off 410 Shotgun  and questions Sammy on why they’re there. After a brief argument, Mark shoots him in the eye, Sammy begins to walk away  and collapses. Mandy had witnessed the murder  and tells Jimmy of it. The pair then leave. Later, Mark meets with Downie  and Cooney, explaining the shooting of Sammy, changing the story but ultimately admitting to killing him, after Sammy supposedly took his handgun. Downie  and Cooney soon affirm Mark that he isn’t the one that killed Sammy  and that they believe Mark to be a liar, stating that they've picked up the man who committed the murder. Mark then later visits his father, admitting that he killed the man at Bojangles to which Keith replies; “that’s my boy, one in the skull!”

Mandy Carrol turns Crown Witness against Mark for the murder of Sammy the Turk. It’s then revealed that Sammy took Mark out to the car park for Jimmy to cash in on the Contract against Mark, but unknowingly took him to the wrong car park. Mark then beats the murder charge but is convicted of Malicious Wounding of Neville Bartos,  and is sentenced to 5 years. The scene then turns to the interview that is viewed during the beginning of the film but during the filming stage inside the prison. 

The scene then turns to the present day, with Mark  and the two Correctional Officers watching the interview on TV in Mark's cell. After the interview, Mark has a brief conversation with the Officers  and they leave the cell. After the door closes, Mark brushes off his trousers, before staring aimlessly at the wall of his Prison cell.

Cast
 Eric Bana as Mark "Chopper" Read
 Vince Colosimo as Neville Bartos
 Simon Lyndon as Jimmy Loughnan
 David Field as Keithy George
 Kate Beahan as Tanya
 Dan Wyllie as Bluey
 Fletcher Humphrys as Bucky
 Robert Rabiah as Nick
 Brian Mannix as Ian James
 Serge Liistro as Sammy the Turk
 Skye Wansey as Mandy
 Renée Brack as Television Interviewer
 Richard Sutherland as Prison Officer

Production
The biggest production difficulty was being allowed to use the Pentridge Prison in Coburg, Victoria for the shooting. The prison was being closed down and while the negotiations were underway, the funding for production was delayed. This put off the starting of the shoot.

To show the sterility of the prison and to contrast it with the world that Chopper encounters after leaving prison 16 years later, the production was split into two. The first part, filmed at the H Division of Pentridge Prison, one of the actual prisons that Chopper frequented, was as plain and sterile as could be and all the scenes in the second part, taking place in 1986, were overly coloured to achieve a paranoid and agoraphobic atmosphere called "visual overload" by the director Andrew Dominik. This was attained by lighting, choice of film stock used and colours chosen for set decoration. Part one of the production ran from 3 May until 26 May with part two continuing from 28 June until 21 July 2000. The month long break enabled Bana to put on the extra weight necessary to play the older Chopper.

Some extras were hired from former inmates and tattoo parlors. Bana spent two days with Chopper to gain an insight into the role he was to play and many of Chopper's friends, enemies and old associates were interviewed.

Reception

Reviews
Chopper was received with positive reviews. Review-based rating site Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a 72% "Fresh" rating, with its critical consensus stating "Eric Bana's performance as the charming but twisted Chopper is the highlight of this disturbing portrait about Australia's notorious author/criminal." Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 3 stars out of 4, praising Eric Bana for his performance, saying, "He has a quality no acting school can teach and few actors can match."

Margaret Pomeranz for SBS gave the film four-and-a-half stars out of five, commenting that what director Andrew Dominik "achieved is extraordinary." David Stratton, in the same review, remarked "there's no doubting the intelligence of Andrew Dominik's direction" and declared Eric Bana's performance as "astonishing."

Reaction from Mark "Chopper" Read
Read himself suggested that Bana play him, after seeing the actor in the sketch comedy series Full Frontal. Bana spent two days living with Read to help him practice for the role. Read later praised Bana's performance on the 20 to 1 episode Great Aussie Films, where Chopper came 17th. Several of Bana's meetings with Read can be viewed in the DVD Special Features.

Awards and nominations

Music
"Don't Fence Me In" – Frankie Laine
"Black  and Blue" – Chain
"Sweet Love" – Renee Geyer
"Bad Boy for Love" and "Stuck on You" – Rose Tattoo
"Forever Now" – Cold Chisel
"Release the Bats" – The Birthday Party
"Senile Dementia" – The Saints
"Ever Lovin' Man" – The Loved Ones

See also
Cinema of Australia

References

External links

Chopper at Oz Movies
BBC interview with Eric Bana on his role in Chopper.
Chopper at the National Film and Sound Archive

Category:2000 films
Category:2000s biographical films
Category:2000s black comedy films
Category:2000s comedy-drama films
Category:2000s crime drama films
Category:2000s crime comedy films
Category:2000s prison drama films
Category:Australian black comedy films
Category:Australian comedy-drama films
Category:Australian crime drama films
Category:Australian films
Category:Biographical films about mobsters
Category:Directorial debut films
Category:English-language films
Category:Films based on biographies
Category:Films based on works by Australian writers
Category:Films about organised crime in Australia
Category:Films directed by Andrew Dominik
Category:Films set in Melbourne
Category:Films set in the 1980s
Category:Films set in the 1990s
Category:Films shot in Melbourne
Category:Prison comedy films
Category:Australian vigilante films