Jack Be Nimble (film)

Jack Be Nimble
Directed by	Garth Maxwell
Produced by	John Barnett, Murray Newey, Jonathan Dowling, Kelly Rogers
Written by	Garth Maxwell, Rex Pilgrim
Starring	Alexis Arquette, Sarah Smuts-Kennedy, Bruno Lawrence
Music by	Chris Neal
Cinematography	Donald Duncan
Edited by	John Gilbert
Distributed by	New Zealand Film Commission, Essential Films
Release dates	1993
Running time	92 min
Country	New Zealand
Language	English

Jack Be Nimble is a New Zealand gothic horror movie directed by Garth Maxwell, who later described it as "a stylised supernatural tale". The film stars American Alexis Arquette and New Zealand actor Sarah Smuts-Kennedy. It features one of the final movie appearances of legendary NZ actor/musician Bruno Lawrence.

Plot summary

Jack (Arquette) decides to put an end to the abuse he has received from his adoptive parents, and runs away to find his long lost sibling, Dora (Smuts-Kennedy). Although Dora has fared much better since their abandonment and subsequent adoption, she is also drawn to use her telepathic powers to find him. Along the way, Jack is constantly pursued by the four daughters of his adoptive parents, seeking revenge for their parents' demise at the hands of Jack and his invention.

DVD release

Used copies of the film can often be found on DVD selling for multiple times their original price, due to its rarity and cult status.

Critical reception

The film has received many positive reviews since its release. Stephen Holden of The New York Times stated that "the film cuts back and forth between scenes of their childhood and adolescence, it evokes their misery and isolation with a feverish intensity that recalls scenes from Hitchcock and De Palma". Dominic Corry of the New Zealand Herald described the film as "one of the strangest New Zealand films ever made" and thought that it"deserves way more of a cult reputation than it currently enjoys".

External links

• Jack Be Nimble at AllMovie
• Jack Be Nimble at IMDb
• Jack Be Nimble at NZ On Screen