SLAP SHOT

US, 1977, 124 minutes, Colour.
Paul Newman, Michael Ontkean, Strother Martin, Lindsay Crouse, Jennifer Warren.
Directed by George Roy Hill.

Enjoyment of this film will certainly vary for world audiences. A film about ice hockey for the fans, a film portraying the (extremely) rough and tumble (and language) of the hard, competitive world of sport for the enthusiasts, an odd blend of humour, satire and sentimentality in making comment on modern, violent (bloodthirsty) Americans. And there's Paul Newman. It's something like a M*A*S*H of professional sport, plenty of parody, the outrageous treatment and implied critique. It's the kind of film that probably offers more a second time around.

1. The overall impact of the film? Entertainment and interest?

2. The purpose? For what audience was it made? Americans, sports fans, hockey interest, Paul Newman? Those in favour of hockey, competitive sport? Commercial sport? For those against it? A combination of both?

3. The film as a Paul Newman vehicle? George Roy Hill and his films and style?

4. The importance of the atmosphere of Charlestown, the town itself and its streets and its shops, hotels? The question of the mill and unemployment and the lack of circulation of money for the decline of the hockey team? Wealth, poverty? The ordinary people, the fans? An authentic atmosphere for this kind of story? Colour, location photography, music, popular songs and style?

5. The film as a hockey film: the scenes of play, the presentation of ice hockey as a sport, a commercial sport, the commercialisation? The fans and their attitudes? Competitiveness, cheering, violence? The competitive implications? Professionalism? The ballyhoo of the dances, cheering, support, advertising? The artificiality of commercial sport? The irony of its place on the tax returns of the owner?

6. The importance of the language? Appropriate for this kind of film? While used in real life, appropriate in such an amount for the cinema screen or not? The importance of the opening and the focus on the interviewer, his interview with the player and the tone of the player's answers, deadpan irony of his sincerity?

7. The use of the interviewer as a framework for the events in the film? His comments on what was heppening? The interviewer being mobbed? The humour of his being shown the moves and his fear of being hurt? The latter poking fun at him with his hairpiece? The atmosphere of questions about techniques, the sport itself, the personalities? The interview with Reggie Dunlop? The attitude towards language on the telephone? His commentary on the games? The interview with Reggie Dunlop and the bounty? Dennis' attacking him especially about the hairpiece? A symbol of the artificial attitudes towards the game?

8. How was hockey a game? As played, as good, as brutal? The melodrama and comedy of the artificial fights, taunts? The equivalent of professional wrestling? The ideals of Dennis? The compromise of Reggie Dunlop? The irony of the talent scouts changing the attitudes at the end? Who really believed in the game as a game? The significance of the final parade with Reggie, Dennis and Lily?

9. The portrayal of the Chiefs as a club, the role of the manager and his business deals, shrewdness, his plans for the team especially after its folding up, the humour of the fashion shows? His being blackmailed because of his 'gay' attitudes, by Reggie? Reggie Dunlop as a coach, losing coach? His hold over the men? His skill in playing, his shrewdness in taunting paople and provoking fights and showmanship? The fans, their travelling with the team? Their bare bottoms ridicule of opposing fans? The spirit of the team, the locker?room friendliness and talk? The humour and irony of the fashion show? The morale of such a team?

10. The types of men who belong to the team, the emphasis on masculinity? Killer' and his attitudes and the irony of his meditation? The introduction of the Hansens and their moronic attitude towards life, their violence with the Coke machine, the irony of their toys? Their brutality in the fights? Reggie as the type of man who fitted into this? An enthusiastic young player, living this kind of life with its reponsibility and irresponsibility? Dennis as the ideal? The relationship with women and the break-up of the marriages?

11. Paul Newman's portrayal of Reggle? In the game, as a losing coach, his relationship with the manager and his blackmailing of him about the owner, his interest in the media? The background of his life, character, ideas? His love for Francine but his inability to be permanently with her? His attraction towards Lily and trying to help her? The humour of her arrival and his trying to get some sleep? With the dog? His relationship with Dennis as a mirror of what he might have been like? A prodding about the attitudes that he was taking? The affairs, especially with Hanrahan's wife and the long talk about sex, lesbianism? His use of this in the locker room and to provoke Hanrahan during the game? Money? The mills and his attitude towards the success of the team in the town? A happy kind of person, his language? The significance of his visit to the owner and the polite aspects and then his attack on her? Justified? His dilemmas about the future of the team, trying to support the men? His going out to see Dennis and changing his attitude? The dilemma with the scout at the end and wanting some kind of future in the game? The finalconfrontation with Francine as she left? Riding in triumph in the car? A good portrait of this kind of man?

12. Dennis and his university background, wealth, liking for the game, the men, his skill? Getting a goal and people not interested? His moodiness, his dog, his wife? Their drinking? His inability to choose? 'Killer’ and his meditation, interviews, his fights and wanting to get the bounty? The various men in the team and the character delineation? the Hansens and the incidents in which they were involved? The arrest? Symbols of a moronic attitude towards competitive sport?

13. The protrait of the opponents, the fights, the audience participation and the Hansens chasing and bashing the audience, the situation of the bounty? The final fight and the comments about decency and not playing? The ironic winning of the game by forfeit?

14. Women in this kind of world? The wives and their comments during the games? Francine and her going out of it, remaining friends, but not being able to live with Reggie? Her work, bonds with Lily? Lily and her drinking, desperation, moving in with Reggie? Her presence at the game at the end, coming together with her husband?

15. The attitude towards the selling of the team, morale, Reggie and his phone calls, forced to admit the truth?

16. The impact of the striptease at the end? What motivated Dennis? The humour of it? The effect on the audience, on the Chiefs, on the opponents, on the winning of the game? A satisfactory resolution?

17. The human feeling at the ending with Francine leaving during the Parade? What future?

18. How accurately could the film be called a sports film? An ironic look at competitive sport? A microcosm of American society, world society?