WARNING SIGN
US, 1985, 100 minutes, Colour.
Sam Waterston, Kathleen Quinlan, Yaphet Kotto.
Directed by Hal Barwood.
Warning Sign is a melodramatic piece of science fiction - with an emphasis on frightening audiences about present realities. It comes from the writing-directing team of Matthew Robbins and Hal Barwood (Corvette Summer, Dragonslayer). The film was directed by Barwood.
The film focuses on a research plant, allegedly for local agriculture, but in reality a cover for American experiments in germ warfare. There is an accident (in the vein of The China Syndrome). The army arrives, there is a cover-up. However, the germs also have an effect on the scientists, their victims. It turns them into people with psychotic rage. This gives opportunity for special effects - and variations on the zombie, living dead theme. The film has a stronger cast than might be expected from its plot. Melodramatic, a warning about germ warfare, accidents - for the popular audience.
1.Science fiction? Science fact? The title and the scaring of the audience? Ecological concern?
2.California, the ordinary town, the laboratories? The massive plant and its plans, procedures and protocols for emergencies? The emergency, action, special effects? Musical score?
3.The relevance of the plot for the '80s, development of germ warfare tools? Attitudes towards the Soviets? Cold War and hostility? Deterrents?
4.The ordinariness of the staff, their breakthrough, the photo - and the accident? The leaking of the germs? The contact lenses? Communicating the contamination around the plant? The lack of antitoxin?
5.Joni and her work supervising, the television screens, talking with her husband? Establishing her character and the crisis? The emergency, following the protocols, the pleas of Schmidt and the others? Her following orders? Contact with Cal? The pressure from Schmidt, their bursting through, the maniac scientist and the electric Shock? Schmidt and his dying, relenting and saying she was right? Her pregnancy and her immunity? Her child and Cal, working with her? The final confrontation, the dangers? The rescue?
6.Cal as sheriff, his ordinary work, contact with Joni? The crisis, Major Connolly, learning the truth? Pleading with Fairchild? Their work together? The TV monitors, going in? The dangers, the antitoxin? The attack of the professor and the scientists? The final confrontation, the rescue? Joni's pregnancy, their future?
7.Fairchild, in retirement, resisting going back, the truth about the plant? Persuaded to return? Supervising, the plan for the rescuers in the corridor, the attack by the psychotic scientists? Going in with Cal? Being infected, the dangers, tied up? The antitoxin? The finale and the rescue? Shaking hands with Major Connolly?
8.Major Connolly, smooth talk, reassuring the people? The cover-up and the secrecy? Defence Department, experiments? Supervision and decisions? The final handshake?
9.Tom Schmidt, the photo, the breaking of the capsule? His contact lenses? Precautions? Precautions? His rules and protocols and his breaking them? Unwittingly? His pleading with Joni? The breakthrough? Bob and the psychotic killer? Infection, deaths? The girl who got out in time? (In the protective cover?) The behaviour of the scientists, their fears, violence? The rescuers and the shooting of the killer? The professor and his group, infected, psychotic rage, ambushes and violence?
10.The confrontation between rescuers and the scientists? The deaths?
11.The final rescue? The newspapers and the cover-up? Interviews?
12.The plausibility of this kind of accident? The people involved, their readiness? Protocols and rules and following them? Danger to the public?
13.The morality of this kind of scientific experimentation? The film and its moralistic tone, warning about tampering with nature? Military use of such experiments?
