Today, Australian dreamo-emo ensemble Paradise Club welcome into the world their debut, self-titled album. It’s been a long time coming for the Radelaidian’s, who spoke to Blunt Magazine earlier in the piece about everything that went into to the process.
We thought we’d give the band a break from talking music and frontman Gere Fuss, a known cinephile, was more than happy to be obliged. Creating the ultimate Venn diagram between our coverage of film and music, Gere curated a short list of films. Films that are important for many reasons, including their honest and brutal depiction of the reality of drug use.
Over to you, Gere.
Whether it’s personal use or use in the community, drugs affect the way we live. These three films, all from different perspectives, shed light into lives adversely affected by drugs. I don’t have a bias toward drug use but do believe that education is paramount in understanding how drugs affect both the users and those surrounding it.
Toomelah (2011)
Director: Ivan Sen
Toomelah is really cool. It’s about a young boy, Daniel, who lives in a remote indigenous community and winds up hanging with a local drug dealer after being suspended from school. It’s an important watch, especially for anyone living in Australia as it discusses a lot of topics that typically do not get the awareness they deserve. Watch it, it’s fucking dope. Ivan Sen has some other sick movies, another great one is Beneath Clouds.
Hail (2011)
Director: Amiel Courtin-Wilson
This movie is so hectic, probably one of my favourite ever. Starting off as the main character, Dan is released from prison and is reunited with his partner, Lisa. The two are in search of sobriety and when Lisa is taken from him, he seeks revenge. Coolest part of the movie are these surreal scenes that emulate the emotions of Dan. In one scene a dead horse is dropped from the sky and the shot follows it as it plummets toward the earth. So sick.
The Other Side (2015)
Director: Roberto Minervini
After my first watch of this movie I was in awe, simply at how this project could even exist.The movie takes place in Louisiana and documents drug issues and anti-government militia members in the community. It’s all real but captured in a way that looks like a movie – it’s so fascinating. The doco/drama methodology behind the creation of this movie largely inspired the process to make Dry Winter, a feature film I worked on in 2018. Disclaimer: there’s straight up meth use.
Paradise Club’s debut album is out today,
Friday, 17th July.
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