- published: 01 Oct 2015
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Harlequin, also known as Dark Forces in United States, is a 1980 Australian thriller film directed by Simon Wincer and starring Robert Powell, Carmen Duncan, David Hemmings and Broderick Crawford. The film is a modern-day version of Rasputin's story: the major characters have the same first names as Rasputin and the Romanov royal family; and their family name, 'Rast', is simply the word 'Tsar' backwards.
An up-and-coming senator, Nick Rast, has a young son who is terminally ill with leukaemia. A mysterious faith healer, Gregory Wolfe, appears and seems to cure the boy. Rast's wife Sandy falls in love with Wolfe, but the powerful interests behind Rast's career, represented by geriatric monster, Doc Wheelan are less happy with events.
Simon Wincer and Everett De Roche had previously collaborated on Snapshot but were not happy with the film since it was made so hurriedly. They decided to make another film, came up with six ideas and eventually chose The Minister's Musician, a modern-day version of the Rasputin story. They did a treatment and Antony I. Ginnane became involved as producer.
Claudia Davis, a typical 20 something, is an average girl working two menial jobs and has no social life to speak of. Feeling entitled to more than she truly deserves, she decides to take on a new persona and begin robbing convenience stores. That's where she meets Tom, a middle aged, fat, balding convenience store clerk. She robs him at gun point taking every sense of manhood he has left. This sends Tom on a downward spiral. He projects his own self hatred onto Claudia and becomes obsessed.
Keywords: robbery, strong-female-lead
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080842/ Director: Simon Wincer Writer: Everett De Roche Stars: Robert Powell, David Hemmings and Carmen Duncan
Trailer for an Australian film. Director: Simon Wincer Starred: Robert Powell, David Hemmings Alternative titles: * The Minister's Magic * Dark Forces DVD: Widely released.
HARLEQUIN is an intriguing supernatural thriller. My personal favourite & perhaps the best in the OZSPLOITATION genre which keeps the psychological edge on high and mainly relies on Robert Powell' playing an eerie cross between Jesus and Rasputin evil scary and seriously sexy hypnotic character. The actual story revolves deputy governor Eli Steele (Jack Ferrari) who disappears while snorkeling in the sea,(a poor excuse for a Harold Holt plot if ever there was one) rescuers are sent but alas, no trace of the governor is found. (shock) Meanwhile Senator Nick Rast (David Hemmings) is next in line for Eli's high powered job & he has an adorable 4 year old son Alex (Mark Spain one of Australias most talented children) however the poor darling has leukaemia & is no longer responding to treatment...
Director: Simon Wincer Writers: Everett De Roche (original screenplay), Jon George
Thanks go out to Till from Germany for sending me this film. You can check out the trailer for this film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exwHRFtJt9M Harlequin, also known as Dark Forces in United States, is a 1980 Australian thriller film directed by Simon Wincer and starring Robert Powell, Carmen Duncan, David Hemmings and Broderick Crawford.
Also known as "Harlequin," this film directed by Simon Wincer stars Robert Powell, David Hemmings and Broderick Crawford in this modern-day Rasputin story.
INNOCENCE One dime is all it all it cost me, and I found out for sure You know, that you double-crossed me Just how much can I endure? Last night I was walkin' And I, I saw you with my friend again And you weren't both talking Least I don't try to pretend Innocence (whoooo) Innocence (whooooo) Innnocence (whooooo) Oh what a lie baby Don't even try lady I laughed when I first met ya How you were so demure you know Now that I don't trust ya You just say I've lost control You said you'd always love me Said you'd be my friend You had your fingers crossed You stuck it to me in the end Innocence (whoooo) Innocence (whooooo) Innnocence (whooooo) Oh what a lie baby Don't even try lady Innocence, yes it's all you ever pleaded Innocence, yes it's all you'll ever plead Innocence Yes, it's all y...
The internationally renowned Australian and Adelaide born composer Brian May produced an atmospheric and haunting soundtrack for this 1979 Simon Wincer directed supernatural thriller. While made in Australia -- Hemdale films which also made the 1980 Australian horror flick The Survivor part financed this movie - Harlequin was in fact set in the United States. Ambitious US senator Nick Rast (David Hemmings) has a young son alex who is dying of Leukemia. All treatments for alex seem to have failed until a mysterious magician, conjuror and faith healer Gregory Wolfe, played by Robert Powell and sporting a clownish harlequin outfit, arrives at the Rast household and appears to cure the boy. A strong bond soon develops between alex and the Harlequin as a result, while Rast's wife sandy, playe...
You've been listenin' to all the wrong lines
Walkin' around with your head in the sky
Can't you see that I'm on your side
There's nothin' to prove and there's nothin' to hide
And you can stand on the outside
And play your masked routine
You're only fooling yourself
Cause you're sure not fooling me
And it's no mystery
To make it so much harder than love's got to be
And it's no mystery
If you can't break it down
Then I say it's over
Yeah yeah yeah
There's a wall between you and me
Built with your pride tryin' to love someone you couldn't see
I'm still the guy that I used to be
I ain't so strange I'm the same old me
And it's no mystery
When I say it's all on the table
Who's the fool who's really unable
To swallow up their pride
And it's no mystery
To make it so much harder than love's got to be
When it's no mystery
If you can't let me in
Then I say it's over
It's over
Yeah yeah yeah
It's over
Yeah yeah yeah
And you can stand on the outside
And play your best routine
You're only fooling yourself
Cause you're sure not foolin' me
Yeah-ah-ah
And it's no mystery
To make it so much harder than love's got to be
It's no mystery
If you can't break it down
Then I say it's over
(It's no mystery)
It's no mystery
To make it so much harder than love's got to be
(It's over)
It's no mystery
If you can't break it down
Then I say it's over
(Yeah.....)
Yeah yeah
Yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah