ZEPPELIN

UK, 1971, 97 minutes. Colour.
Michael York, Elke Sommer, Peter Carsten, Marius Goring, Anton Diffring.
Directed by Etienne Perier.

Zeppelin is about Zeppelins. The World War I setting is now part of history and as time passes World War I becomes a setting for costume and action adventure. This is straight-forward. action packed adventure that doesn't really suggest any message. The Zeppelin is making a daring attack on Scotland. Although the Germans lose in the end, they do do a massive amount of damage on the way. Michael York is his usual self in the starring role, the Zeppelin is quite spectacular, battle scenes are effectively staged.

1. How enjoyable a film was this? For adults. younger audiences? Why?

2. How much of a "Boys' Own" adventure was this film? Why? Its heroism and story. adventures. war-style. conventions of action, how well were they used. and what response did they elicit from audiences?

3. How well was the budget for this film used? How impressive was its use of colour. Panavision. sets. music? The re-creation of the Zeppelin itself. both outside and inside? The filming of the raids? The aerial photography?

4. What was the atmosphere created by the Zeppelin itself? Its importance for this film? The menace at the start. the raids, the German owning the design of the Zeppelin? Its visual presentation (and musical accompaniment?), the experiments? The Zeppelin in flight and the way it was photographed? Was it a benign instrument of war or a hostile one? Its use in the raid? Its final burning? - the preparations of the British to destroy it. the shooting, incendiary bombs etc.?

5. What attitude towards war did the film have? What response from audiences did it expect? Its treatment of questions of patriotism? Response to the Germans in the First World War? Response to the English? Geoffrey as a focus for the war issues and the patriotism issues?

6. Did Michael York make Geoffrey an attractive hero? In the army? Scotch background? His behaviour and attitude towards war. relationship with fellow soldiers? The way he was used by the higher command? His volunteering. his skill, that he achieved so much in a short time. his amount of luck? How much was due to his ability, how much to luck? His behaviour during the flight, his behaviour during the raid, the risk to his life, his heroism? How heroic was he meant to be?

7. The film's portrayal of the British: as in the right, as good, some of them very slow. the use of the woman spying, the use of Geoffrey, their response to the raids?


8. The portrayal of the Germans - the spy at the beginning, the professor and his wife, the way the Zeppelins were used, the German Commander and his mode of command. the leader of the expeditionary force and his final self-sacrifice, the captain of the Zeppelin, the young soldiers? The use of gas, the skill in the planning of the raid with the refuelling etc.?

9. How much did the success of the film rely on the details of the plot, the details of the Zeppelin, the details of the mission and our being able to follow these? How successful was this?

10. Was the film for or against war? Its attitude towards violence and wars? Or was it just meant to be entertaining and was it successful in being an entertaining adventure?