THE STATE OF THINGS

Portugal, 1982, 121 minutes, Black and white.
Patrick Bauchau, Paul Getty III, Viva Ruder, Samuel Fuller, Robert Kramer, Alan Goorwitz, Roger Corman, Isabel Weingarten, Rebecca Pauly, Jeffrey Kime, Geoffrey Carey, Camilla Mora.
Directed by Wim Wenders.

The State of Things is a personal statement about film-making by German director Wim Wenders, a world-known figure with his road films (King ot the Road) and explorations of German society (The American
Friend). He has also 'adapted a number of classics including Hawthorne1 s The Scarlet Letter. Moving to America in the mid-170s, he worked with Francis Ford Coppola on a private eye thriller based on the life and the stories of Dashiell Hammett, Hammett (1982). His experience of making the film and production interference disturbed him and made him critical of American film-making. The State of Things is his fictional - autobiographical portrayal of the contrast between European film-making and the financial stranglehold of American producers (with the gangster touch). The film is quite pessimistic in tone. The group of film-makers are in Portugal to do a remake of Alan Dwan's The Most Dangerous Man Alive. They have adapted it to a post-nuclear holocaust situation - and Wenders seems to be using the metaphor of this post-nuclear survival as a symbol of the film-making and the difficulties that he found.

Wenders film Paris, Texas won the Cannes Best Film prize in 1984.

1. The work of Wim Venders: his film statements, explorations, his interest in the classics? Theory of film-making? Comparisons with European styles and Hollywood styles? Industry, business? Art? The background of American gangsterism and pressures? The contrast with commitment to film art? Venders' acclaim?

2. The ironic title? Menders' dissatisfaction with the state of things? His use of The Survivors as a symbol for survival in The State of Things? The irony of the film The Survivors while the director dies?

3. The Survivors: the work of Alan Dwan as a B-budget film-maker with a reputation for entertaining films? The remake of his Host Dangerous Man Alive? The adaptation to a post-nuclear holocaust situation? The introduction, the disaster, the terrain, the sea, the wrecks, the mutants? The opening of the film and the revelation that it was a film being made? Wenders interest in futuristic science-fiction with the nuclear background? The budget, the art quality of the film, the possibilities? The contrast of visuals: the image of the film world with the real world? The importance of the Portuguese location photography? Portugal as a symbol of an inferior European economy, the contrast with American economy, symbols for film-making?

4. The other film references within the film: the book of The Searchers, John Ford's film and its screening in Los Angeles, the values of The Searchers - outcasts, racism, settlers, Americana? The use of Samuel Fuller with the background of his films and discussions of Forty Guns, the snippets of film? The references to Fuller's work, the appearance by Roger Corman, the admiration of Fritz Lang, the work with Francis Ford Coppola - and the criticism of him? The irony of the advertisement for Caveman over the parking lot in Los Angeles - a comment on Americans? The The admiration of Wenders for the movie world: films mirroring society, shapers of culture, their inttaversion, the film people sealed into their own film world - artistic or business? Wanders supplying clues for film buffs?

5. The black and white photography and the comments about the use of black and white? Life is in colour, black and white for realism? The attitude of the director and his art? The desire to make a personal film? The American loan sharks against black and white and wanting colour? The effect of black and white: the film of The Survivors, Portugal and its landscapes, the realism and unreal! sin of the hotel, the moods of the sea? Interiors? The streets and the town in Portugal? Los Angeles in black and white - and the memories of so many gangster films?

6. The score, its moods, the range of music, the ominous tone of the orchestration in Portugal, the electronic music, the contemporary music in Los Angeles? Alan Goorwitz's plaintive song about Hollywood - and its symbolic lyrics?

7. The international cast echoing the story? The use of celebrities? The German viewpoint, the European viewpoint, the attitude of the film buff? The attitude towards to United States? (And the making of the film in English?)

8. The problems of film-making: the writing and the story, the using , of scraps of film stock, the hold-ups, the need for the cash flow? The effect on writers, director, cast, crew? The reliance on Gordon and his raising the money, the dubious connections? His absence from Portugal? The growing anxiety, reactions, hopes? Dennis and his writing, and the revelation that he had put his money into the film? The director going to Los Angeles, the confrontation with Gordon, the smooth-talking lawyer and the freezing of funds, the laundering of gangster money? Gordon in his caravan - on the road, on the move? The director being shot? The tour de force ending of the film - and the irony of the director filming his assassins until he died? Atmosphere of desperation, boredom, relationships both casual and loving, suicide and murder? The film-maker's world symbolising the state of things?

9. The interplay of the characters: the director: the European film-maker, his American reputation, his action films? His interest in The Survivors? The use of Portuguese locations, atmosphere? Handling of the cast? Relationship with Joe the director of photography. Joe's crisis with the death of his wife? Seeing him again and finding out the truth in Los Angeles? His wife and his lack of passion? Giving the copy of The Searchers to the star? His handling of the stars, the crew? Dennis and his feelings? The decision to go to Los Angeles after the sense of tension in Portugal? Arrival in Los Angeles, the car park, driving, noise, sounds, the contrast with the old and the new world? His searching for Gordon? The secretary? The lawyer? The truth about the Mafia connections, the laundered money, the disgust at the film in black and white? Finding Gordon and his driver? The discussions, on the road, fleeing the gangsters, Gordon's song? His being shot - and filming his assailants? The cast: actors and actresses, their skills, stranded in Portugal, their interactions - the bar and the drinking, baths, talk, sexual relationships? How detailed the portraits of the characters - in themselves, in relationship to others, as enclosed in the world of film-making? The director's wife and her response, the child, relationship to the rest of the crew? Joe, the director of photography, his wise advice, the illness of his wife, the return to America? The lawyer in Los Angeles and his smooth talking? Gordon and Herbert in the van, Gordon on the run, his fears, cynicism about Hollywood - and the lyrics of his song?

10. The film as about the end of the world at the edge of the world? The use of the symbol of post-nuclear survival for the state of things about European and American film-making?