SOUTHERN COMFORT

US, 1981, 106 minutes, Colour.
Keith Carradine, Powers Booth, Fred Ward, Franklyn Seales, T.K. Carter, Lewis Smith, Peter Coyote.
Directed by Walter Hill.

Southern Comfort is a fine and tense thriller. It was co-written and directed by Walter Hill, a writer in the 1970s who began directing with Hard Times, with Charles Bronson. Other strong films of this period include The Driver, The Warriors, The Long Riders. He became more popular with his Eddie Murphy-Nick? Nolte film, 48 Hours. Other films include Extreme Prejudice, Red Heat with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Another 48 Hours. He concentrated on themes of the west in the 90s with Geronimo, Wild Bill and Last Man standing. In more recent times he worked as writer and producer.

The film about a group of Louisiana National Guardsmen lost in a swamp and firing blanks which roused the ire of the Cajun population who then pursue them, picking them off one by one, is a variation on the Lost Patrol theme (updated into space in such films as Alien). Keith Carradine and Powers Booth are the leaders of the National Guardsmen, Brion James is the leader of the Cajuns.

The film is well edited, the tension constant. It is also strong in atmosphere with the music of Ry Cooder.

1. The irony of the title? The gruelling film with the ironic title? How well does the film work as entertainment? As melodrama? As fable about war and stupidity? As an allegory of American involvement in Vietnam -and defeat?

2. The work of writer-director Walter Hill? His study of American types and American groups ? His use of individuals and groups as symbols? His treatment of journeys and quests? Trials, endurance and survival? A grim picture of society? The delineating of individuals as characters and as representatives of attitudes? His background in classics and taking classic plot outlines and incorporating them in contemporary America?

3. The background of Louisiana and the colour photography? The effect of the bleached colour, the continued immersing of characters and audience in swamps and forests? The physical impact of the film? Light and darkness? The eerie visuals, the ominous sounds, the creating of tactile impressions? The swamps, the river, night and day? The Cajun world of mystery and alienation from mainstream American society - even in the town? The sudden eruption of trains and helicopters? The visual style: profiles and close-ups, tableaux, patterns, collages and superimpositions? The blend of static sequences with poetic motion? Special effects - the visualising of violence? The importance of the technical aspects for communication of theme and mood?

4. The background of the National Guard and its purpose? In 1973 - the parallels with Vietnam? The willingness and unwillingness of the guards to be present, on duty? The parallel of the guard with soldiers? The picture of the group, the interaction, the individuals? Some- being at home (the rednecks) some feeling alienated, especially Hardin with his background of Texas? Spencer and his involvement as well as aloofness? The National Guard and their patrols, supervising, fighting, intruding, blundering? Death and madness? Desperate survival tactics and cynical disregard of others? The deaths merited? Rescues deserved? The hidden enemy? Men in crisis reduced to crisis reduced to fear and losing their humanity?

5. The background of such films as The Lost Patrol, Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, the physicality of Deliverance, the Vietnam overtones of Apocalypse Now? How well were films like this quoted? For interest, suspense. horror? The possibilities for audiences observing or identifying?

6. The importance of the opening: the quick outlining of the situation. the individuals in the group, the cohesion and lack of cohesion in the group, a feel for place, time, the purpose of the exercise for the guard? Motives, the playing games. the serious and the fooling characters? A cross-section of American men?

7. The mission and its simplicity? The map? Getting lost, things beginning to go wrong, the losing of the boats, the plan to wet the whores at the end of the trip, the initial encounter with the Cajuns and suspicions of them, the taking of the boat and leaving the note, the dislike of the stranger? The confrontation about the boats? The mad shooting by Stuckey and disaster imminent? The death of Sergeant Poole? The sudden capsizing, the losing of the compass etc., the men trying to save themselves? The beginnings of chaos? A leaderless group and the strained dynamics of interaction?

8. The greater focus on the environment and its hostility: water, trees, swamps? Lack of maps and compass? Losing sense of direction? The growing cold and wetness? The tableau effect of the environment? Suddenly moving into motion - with the dogs savaging the group. the men being hunted as well as hunters, becoming more animal-like, getting caught in traps, fearing the dark? The hellish overtones of their being lost?

9. The military background of the group: obedience to orders, professional know-how, abiding by the rules? The gradual frustration and emergence of anger, strong language, fights, dislikes and hatreds? The problems of morale?

10. Sergeant Poole and his ability to hold the men together? His death? His having made the decisions and the men being left with them? The importance of loyalty? Casper's decision that Poole be carried? The grumbling reactions and the physical difficulty? The burial?

11. Stuckey and his practical jokes, the young redneck, firing at people. wanting not to be blamed and blaming others, ready to fight, response to him in the group, Reece's friendship? The grief at Reece's death, wanting to court-martial Hardin, his final mission with Casper and his desperate sinking in the swamp - reaching out to the helicopter? His sinking with no trace?

12. Coach Bowden and his righteousness, asserting the rules, his background as history teacher, gung-ho attitudes, his reaction to the prisoner. going berserk and painting the cross, becoming the avenging angel, his burning and exploding the Cajuns' house? His descent into madness, his apology? His being able to recite the 'Our Father' - and failing at the funeral? His withdrawal into silence? His being tied by rope and becoming inhuman, an animal led by the others? The pathos of his finally being hanged?

13. Reece and the redneck hatred, his loud mouth and bigotry, antagonism of everyone, his having bullets and Hardin's forcing him to share them? The arrest, the anger at the Cajun? His trying to drown the prisoner? The build-up to the fight with Hardin and the violence of his death?

14. Cribbs and the negro presence with Simms? The ordinary guard, the lookout, marijuana, being killed in the trap after his gleeful speeches? Simms and his being scared, becoming punch-drunk, his motivations, fears, digging, arguing, loyalty, firing in a berserk manner, shouting that 'I shouldn't be here' before his death?

15. Casper and his reliance on orders, seniority? Working by the rules and proper manners? His being in charge, the nature of his decisions, trying to do his best, carrying Poole's body? His attitude towards the Cajun prisoner? The fights and the siege? His making the explosives? His being deposed and unable to do anything about it? His anger at Spencer? His determination to succeed - the final patrol and the gung-ho suicide rush at the enemy?

16. Hardin and Spencer and the bonds between the two? Hardin's Texas background, E1 Paso, toughness, reasons for being in the National Guard, background of his work, wife, his criticism of the group? His lack of humour? His swiftness in bringing the knife to Reece for the sharing of the bullets? His reaction to Poole's death, anger, puzzle about the interaction in the group? His bond with Spencer and urging him to take charge? His wanting to stay alive? The anger with Reece and the fight to the death? Spencer and his cynicism, criticism yet loyalty, fears, calmer control, decisions, reactions to the various men, taking over from Casper, trying to exercise commonsense and leadership?

17. The discovery of the Cajun - his capture, the brutality of the men's treatment of him, the language difficulties? Spencer and his use of French? Bowden and his madness and the exploding house? The capture, roping the Cajun and leading him as an animal? His escape attempts and final success? The setting of the dogs on the men? Reece's trying to drown him? The stealthy and stalking presence of the other Cajuns? His reappearing and shouting 'Kill'? His letting Spencer and Bowden go after the hanging of the Coach? his speaking in English? His explanations about the intrusion-and the reaction by the Cajuns?

18. The men being literally hunted: traps, the corpses being dug up, the dogs, the terror in the siege, the end?

19. The irony of Spencer and Hardin being so near to the train line? The odd feeling as the train thundered past? The Cajun helping them to get to the town? The truck and the couple, the atmosphere of the Cajun fair, the singing and the dancing and the merriment - but the suspicions? The slaughtering of the pigs and the eating? The ordinary people and their seclusion? The isolation of the Cajuns and their place in the United States? Hospitable? Hardin's tension with the arrival of the Cajun hunters? Their being stalked through the town? The knife and the noose? The boat? The escape and the arrival of the helicopters?

20. The dramatic effect of audiences identifying with the gruelling chase, the succession of deaths, the loss in the swamps, the almost-rescue? Symbolism and realism in this experience?

21. The film as a piece of Americana? A picture of America and war, violence? A cross-section of American types? Strengths and weaknesses? The American ugliness? Stress and response? Facing death? Instinct to live and survive? The film's comment on America in the '70s?