DEAD KIDS (STRANGE BEHAVIOUR)

New Zealand, 1981, 98 minutes.
Michael Murphy, Louise Fletcher, Dan Shor, Fiona Lewis, Arthur Dignam, Scott Brady, Charles Lane.
Directed by Michael Laughlin.

Dead Kids is a moderate entry in the mass murder genre of the late '70s and early '80s after Halloween. It is a Tony Ginnane production (such films as Patrick, Snapshot, Thirst, Harlequin).

The film, though set in the United States and written by an American director Michael Laughlin, was actually made in New Zealand. The American cast was imported and New Zealanders took supporting roles. There is a rather large cast
of Americans plus Australian Arthur Dignam. The film is a mixture of Halloween (even to setting) and the mad doctor horror tradition. Less gory than many of its competitors, it is of only average entertainment value.

1. The blend of horror and science fiction? The popularity of the multiple killing thriller in the late 170s-early '80s? The conventions of this genre: small town situation, small group, especially the youngsters, mysterious murders, final revelation? The traditions of science fiction and the mad doctor and his experimentation? How did the two traditions blend? The horror film and their nightmare qualities? Audiences enjoying the horror, the thrills, facing nightmares?

2. Production quality: Panavision, colour photography, the establishment of the atmosphere of the American town? The New Zealand locations? Special effects? Decor? Musical score? The editing for scares and shocks?

3. The significance of the title - its reference to the adolescents in the town, their deaths? The average American Mid-West? town, families? The background of scientific research? Themes of revenge and confrontation?

4. How well did the film establish the ordinariness of the town: school, homes, parties, activities, the countryside? The impact of violence with the initial death? The eeriness of ordinariness and violent horror?

5. The dances and the kids' participation? The accidents and the deaths? Mystery? Fear and phobias? How well drawn were the various adolescents as characters? As 'fodder' for killing and being killed?

6. The presentation of the police? The chief and his relationship with his son? Their clashes? His girlfriend and her support over many gears? The clash with the staff at the scientific centre? The character of the police chief as hero for the film?

7. Louise Fletcher as the friend? Her interest, support, love? Her part in the plot of the past, support in the present?

8. The centre for experimentation? The decor and visuals? The atmosphere of contemporary science fiction? The woman in charge and her running of the centre? The demonstrations? The employment of the kids for experimentation? The details of the experiments and observations? The history of the institute? The clash of ideology? The growing revelation of what was happening?

9. The control of the kids, their murdering one another? The revelation of the motives on revenge? The kids as instruments for destroying, killing?

10. The background of the story of the police chief's wife? Her death? Grief? The scientist and his control of his institute? His videoed lectures? His presence in the town? Families' hostility towards him? The police chief's hostility?

11. The build-up to the confrontation - the lady doctor and her suave control, the boy programmed to kill his father? The appearance of the professor?

12. The irony of the professor ordering the boy to kill his father and becoming the victim? Melodramatic twist of plot?

13. Audience acceptance of such melodrama for the sake of thrillers? How effective was this film of its kind?