Scum '87

A day in the mundane for two lonesome moviegoers. One an old veteran, the other a young devotee, both live in the ghosts of days gone by, observing small rituals of comfort against Adelaide's uncaring sprawl. They eventually converge on an aged cinema, in search of that certain feeling.

Lou and Noodles are consumers. Adrift and empty, they are separate from each other and from the world. Ruled by desire and uncontrollable drives to excess, they spend their solitary hours in spaces both real and unreal. Occasionally, they are in the same part of the mall.

There are ten rats to every person in Hong Kong, which ought to make it cool for cats, right? And maybe it is, as we follow our movie-juiced feline around the by-ways of the Fragrant Harbour. I mean, there are cat police and cats are allowed to carry guns there. They even have their own cafes where they talk tough to each other and indulge their contempt for humans. True. They do things differently in other countries.

The Sailor washes up on the shore and is hit with violent and libellous accusations of gang affiliations. The Sailors drink hearty ales and enter a pop music competition. The Kid pines for suburb exploration.

Pop. Bang. Crash. It’s an epic historical yarn. Gabriel Bath’s Ships That Bear takes the audience on a journey that starts in the Cuban plains and ends in The Big Apple, all whilst his camera never leaves good ol’ Adelaide.