American cult director praises Thalluri

American cult director praises Thalluri
Wednesday Aug 23 20:08 AEST
American cult director Kevin Smith has thrown his support behind Australian filmmaker Murali Thalluri, who has been accused of fabricating the suicide note which inspired his movie 2:37.

The young first-time director says the film was inspired by a video suicide note sent to him from an Adelaide friend, known only as Kelly, before she took her life.

Media reports claim no suicides occured in Adelaide on the day of the alleged incident, but Thalluri maintains he simply did not want to reveal the victim's identity in order to protect her family.

"That movie carries a pretty powerful and meaningful message," said Smith, in town to promote his new film, Clerks II.

"It is a really good-looking flick and very assured for a dude who hasn't made a bunch."

Smith met Thalluri at the Cannes Film Festival in May, attending the world premiere.

The film 2:37, set in a high school, explores the themes of suicide and the way individuals are perceived, inter-cutting drama with characters talking to the camera about issues such as rape, sexuality, drugs and suicide.

Critics have said the film is too similar to American director Gus Van Sant's movie Elephant.

"All my stuff is influenced by something else to some degree," said Smith, who directed such cult films as Chasing Amy, Clerks, Mallrats and Dogma.

"It is tough to avoid an influence of any sort and Christ, if you are going to be influenced by a movie of any sort, why not Elephant?

"It would be different if this dude was influenced by Porky's ... comparing it to Elephant is high praise."

Thalluri's film is in cinemas now and has been classified R18+ by the Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification, meaning those under 18 years of age can't see the film.

Smith said he couldn't understand the rating, which precluded those Thalluri was trying to help.

"I wouldn't see it as being an R-rated flick ... there was nothing really that hardcore in it where you needed to keep it away from underage folks," he said.

"It is intended for that audience. Slapping an R rating on it means it doesn't have the potential of reaching the audience it was intended for."

As well as Smith, Thalluri has impressed some major Hollywood filmmakers.

He's had meetings with Harvey Weinstein, who offered him the director's chair for an upcoming thriller.

Thalluri turned that down, but is slated to direct a multi-million dollar film in New York with some big names later this year.

Smith said Thalluri has a lot of potential.

"You look at 2:37 and it seems like it is made by a hand that had some story telling experience," said Smith.

"That is nothing short of amazing."