OUTLAND

UK/US, 1981, 104 minutes, Colour.
Sean Connery, Peter Boyle, Frances Sternhagen, Kika Markham, James B. Sikking, Steven Berkoff.
Directed by Peter Hyams.

Outland is set on a moon of Jupiter. However, it is really a popular western reset in outer space.

The film has a familiar theme, a marshal sent to investigate criminals, this time a drug ring, and finds that the workers on the moon are using a drug which enables them to work incessantly – and then collapse and die. There is the usual confrontation between the marshal and the powers-that-be.

Sean Connery enjoys himself in this central role as the marshal on the Jupiter mining colony. He is pursued by gunfighters in the western style. However, the film is continually imaginative in its transference of the conventions of the western genre to outer space.

The film appeared in the aftermath of Alien – and actually uses some parts of the sets of Alien.

There is a strong supporting cast of character actors rather than stars including Peter Boyle, Frances Sternhagen and Stephen Berkoff.

The film was written and directed by Peter Hyams, a prolific writer and director of films starting with telemovies in the early 1970s. He was also director of photography on most of his films. His interest in space began with the story of a hoax and space landing with Capricorn One in 1978. After Outland he also made the continuation of 2001: A Space Odyssey with 2010. In the 1990s he also made a science fiction time-travel film with Jean Claude van Damme, Time Cop.

Interesting in terms of its variations on western themes and the future.

1. The appeal of science fiction? Popularity in '70s and '80s? Dreams, fantasy? What if .... ? An interpretation of the present - with reference to the past and past storytelling, imagination about the future?

2. The film's use of science fiction genres? The atmosphere of Star Wars and intergalactic communications? Life on other planets? The distances from Earth? The contrast with lifestyle on planets and Earth? The introduction of popular genres of the past into science fiction? The western: the overtones of High Noon, the mining town, the saloon, the killers and the showdown? The individual against the thugs (with the townspeople apathetic)? The popularity of police films during the '70s and the transferring of this style to science fiction and space? The portrayals of big business and multinational corruption? How well did the screenplay blend this variety of popular genres?

3. The importance of the technical aspects of the film: Panavision, colour? The introduction to the planet Io and the explanations? The galactic atmosphere, shapes and colours, the portrayal of the mine - and the impression of heights and depths? Architecture and its appearances and lines? Structures and shapes? The interiors? The emphasis on technology: computers, communications, surveillance? The mod saloon, nightclub? Hygienic medical centres? Models, matte work? Visual compositions - tableaux? The presentation of humans within this environment? Action sequences, confrontations - special effects? The mood of the score?

4. Editing and pace to indicate the various genres and their conventions, for tension? Establishing the situation, human sequences, action, suspense, shock and confrontation?

5. The credits and the information about Io? Different from Earth situations yet the same? The multinationals and their power, the franchise on Io, the miners at work, unions, abuses, use of drugs for higher productivity, money deals and cuts, the bosses and their lack of scruple? The presentation of the situation, the visualising of the bizarre deaths? The focus on drugs and money? Evocation of the drug and money deal films of the '70s? Police investigation, killers and hired murderers, communications? The repercussions for the multinationals once O'Neil had taken his stances and won? The discrediting of the multinationals?

6. The suggestion of the convention of the western: the title, themes of law and justice, the frontier. the outposts, the men's community, women in a minority: in the nightclubs, prostitutes, alcoholic doctors etc.? (And wives finding it very difficult? Corruption, money, the group: derelicts, ex-criminals, malpractice types? The marshall and his title? Weapons? The marshal’s authority and his supervision? The saloon and its sleazy atmosphere? Justice and integrity? Threats? The build-up to the showdown at high noon? How well did the film adapt conventions of the western for audience enjoyment and understanding?

7. The use of the conventions of the police dramas of the '70s: law, the police, police corruption, individual integrity, personal crises for the policemen, administration of justice, clashes with powerful bosses, chases, fights, drug-dealing, deaths?

8. Sheppard as villain: as the boss, his ironic welcoming of O'Neil, the explanation of the franchise, his corruption, deals, intergalactic communications, his golf-playing and wealth - and the way this was ironically used (with images of grass and greenery)? His messages to get the killers, his expecting to win and his threats against O'Neil, his cowardliness and his being hit at the end?

9. The background of the criminals, their standover methods, the importing of the drugs and their concealment etc.?

10. The visualising of the men going mad: exploding, the elevator, the spider, going berserk with the prostitute? The later deaths? The emphasis on violence? O'Neil's investigations? His being attacked by the criminals? The sequence in the freezer?

11. O'Neil as hero? Background of Sean Connery and his roles as heroes in films e.g. James Bond? His arrival, expectations, his reputation, his being assigned to difficult outland posts? His love for Carol, for Paul? The family sequences - and their departure? The messages from Carol and his replaying them? The encounter with Dr. Lazarus and his verbal sparring? The welcome by Sheppard and the build-up to confrontation between the two? Sheppard's attempted bribery and O'Neil's integrity? His relationship with Montone - deputy, support, offers of friendship and listening, especially after Carol's leaving, his surveillance and discovering Montone with Sheppard, the conflict between the two, his letting Montone do his job as deputy, his death? O'Neil's emotional response to his wife's leaving, his son going back to Earth - which he had never seen? The investigation of the suicides,' his theories, working with Dr. Lazarus, the blood samples, the deaths of the two criminals, especially in the prison cell? The threats? His surveillance? His hearing the record of the call for the hired killers? The emphasis on the electronic clocks and watches for the hours ticking away? His getting ready for the thugs: hiding the guns (and later their being gone)? His watching their arrival, stalking them, Dr. Lazarus' help, luring them into traps, conflicts, deaths? His seeming victory and the final confrontation with the black policeman and the surprise attack? The end and his coming to the crowd which had refused to support him? Sheppard's defeat? His sending the message to Carol and his return? The emotional effect of the experience? His integrity? The old theme of the West making a man?

12. Dr. Lazarus and her character, wisecracks, malpractice background, attack on O'Neil, his retorts, their friendship? The electronic technology to analyse the blood samples? Her theories? Her 'doing good'? Tough attitudes, help in the investigation? Continued support - in the squash court? Her decision to stand by O'Neil when nobody else did? Her watching the surveillance, giving him information, luring the gunfighter into the traps in the corridors? Her decision at the end to stay and her commendation?

13. The picture of the police and their presence on Io? Montone and his help, corruption, prisoner, death? The police being no help? The black traitor?

14. The sketch of Carol and Paul? The marriage, Paul not having seen Earth, love for his father? The emotional impact of the encounter at the beginning, Carol's taped message, the conversation during the film, O'Neil's return?

15. A technological future with echoes of 2001? The continuity of the realism of the past with the future? Action and the perennial themes of thrillers and action films?