COP

US, 1988, 110 minutes, Colour.
James Woods, Lesley Ann Warren, Charles Durning, Charles Haid, Raymond J. Barry.
Directed by James B. Harris.

Cop is based on a novel by James Elroy, Blood on the Moon. Elroy wrote the novel, LA Confidential as well as The Black Dahlia. Writer-director James B. Harris (who worked with Stanley Kubrick in the 1950s) also produced the film version of The Black Dahlia.

One of the main reasons for seeing this film apart from the Elroy adaptation is James Woods as an intense, often manic, Los Angeles detective who is comfortable working outside the framework of the law. Woods portrayed a number of these cops over the years – to comic effect in The Hard Way with Michael J. Fox. In 2006 he created the television series central character, Shark.

There is support from Charles Durning, always at home in this kind of role (The Choir Boys). Lesley Ann Warren is the female lead.

The film is about a serial killer in Los Angeles, the detective work, the police corruption and cover-ups – familiar material from the writings of Elroy.

1. The popularity of police and detective stories? The 1980s? Vigilantes and the law? Moral perspective?

2. Los Angeles, the police precinct, the murders and the scenes of the crime, seamy and sleazy? Ordinary life, the family life of the detective, school, the streets? An authentic feel? The credits patter? The musical score?

3. Based on a James Elroy novel, a James Woods film?

4. Lloyd Hopkins as a plausible character, as embodied by Woods? His appearance, personal tics, manner? Way of speech? Hopkins at work, tough, tense, at the crime scenes, their ugliness? His relationship with Dutch, friendship, Dutch as his superior? Dutch as help? With the police superiors, other members of the force? The briefings? The clues for the investigation, the feminist themes, the poetry, the escort service and the ads? Joanie and the liaison, the photo? Dutch and his work? The stalking, the killings? Hopkins and his relationship with his wife, her exasperation, leaving? His telling his eight-year-old daughter the stories? His wife not wanting her to hear these stories? His routines, day by day, married to his work, meals on the run? The files, the elimination of suspects? Focusing on the dates? Kathleen, talking with her, going out, the discovery? The party with Dutch? The police chief clash and the insults, his suspension? Kathleen’s diary, the yearbook? Whitey, the interviews, the bugging? Birdman and the murder? The confrontation with Whitey? Joanie’s death? The lawyer and Kathleen? The warning, the phone calls, the build-up to the confrontation? The good news and the bad news? The portrait of a cop, pressures, motivation and drive, attitude towards the law and justice?

5. The sketch of the daughter, the night and the happy endings, his wife, sick, the confrontations, the phone calls?

6. The character of Dutch, superior, help, the raids? Information and files? Cover, the party, advice? Kathleen?

7. The chief, his religious perspective, the party, the suspension? The victim and the long look?

8. Joanie and the ads, the truth about the victim, sex, the phone and death?

9. Kathleen, her shop, feminist stances, the party? Her story – the court, the rape? The poetry? The sexual encounter with Lloyd? Hurt? The diaries, the lawyer, warning the killer?

10. Whitey – Birdman, ugly?

11. The murderer, the motives? The killings, smart, confrontation and death?

The police and the public, the pressures, norms and rules, issues of life and death? Questions about the police force and its action? A satisfying thriller?