SPEEDTRAP

US, 1977, 113 minutes, Colour.
Joe Don Baker, Tyne Daley, Richard Jaeckel, Robert Loggia, Morgan Woodward, Lana Wood.
Directed by Earl Bellamy.

A conventional enough thriller - with a police story both with police heroics and corruption as well as a mystery about a car thief. This provides background for a number of spectacular chases and some interesting technology. Joe Don Baker is at home with this kind of heroics. Tyne Daley is an attractive and strong heroine. Earl Bellamy has directed many films both for cinema and television like this. Enjoyable but very conventional.

1. An entertaining road movie? Caper movie? Police movie? Value? For Arnerican audiences, overseas audiences?

2. The conventions of the police genre, police efficiency, corruption? The background of Mafia-type criminals and drug-pushing? The oppressed family and the avenging daughter? The ex-policeman and his insurance agency role? The confrontation, the mystery, the resolution?

3. Colour, Arizona locations? Musical score? The emphasis on the special effects - cars, their movement, speed, crashes?

4. How plausible the plot - for the story purposes? For the conventions of car chases and crashes? Any elements of realism in the human aspects of the story?

5. Pete Novick as hero? Big, brawny, police background, investigation, the humorous touches in his being arrested, his relationship with Blossom and her seeing the medallion, his handling of Captain Nolan, of the criminals, the bond with Nifty? His tracking down the Road Runner? his car skills? The final confrontation and his response to the discovery of the truth? A future with Nifty?

6. Nifty as a strong heroine, her place in the police force, her computer skills, the revelation that she was the Road Runner - how evident from the beginning, middle? Her motivations because of her father, Captain Nolan, deaths and vengeance? Her amassing evidence against Nolan?

7. Nolan and his running of the police, his criminal connections, confrontation with Novick? Spilano and his wealthy connections, his brutal henchmen? The shootouts?

9. The special effects and audience enjoyment of these?

10. Basic themes of police work and corruption? The basic themes of car robberies and the effect on people - with the humorous touches of the lady driver, the wineo, the lady with the dog and her car stolen etc.?

11. Themes of justice?

SOULS AT SEA

US, 1937, 92 minutes, Black and white.
Gary Cooper, George Raft, Frances Dee, Henry Wilcoxon, Harry Carey, Robert Cummings, George Zucco, Virginia Weidler, Joseph Schildkraut.
Directed by Henry Hathaway.

Souls at Sea is an interesting film of the late 1930s. It is a star vehicle for Gary Cooper and for George Raft. They appear as sailors who take a stand against slavery in the 1840s, especially the African slave trade which leads to the English city of Liverpool.

The film has high drama – leading to the charge of murder against Gary Cooper and some courtroom sequences.
The film has a strong supporting cast including Frances Dee and Henry Wilcoxon as well as Joseph Schildkraut who was to win the best supporting actor award, the first one, for The Life of Emile Zola.

The film was directed by Henry Hathaway, veteran director of many action films in the 30s including Lives of a Bengal Lancer, the first colour western, Trail of the Lonesome Pine. Diplomatic Courier is more in the vein of some of his 1940s thrillers, especially after World War Two, 13 Rue Madeleine, House on 92nd Street, Call Northside 777. After this he was to make some rather glossy Cinemascope films including The River of No Return and continue making westerns into the 60s with John Wayne such as The Sons of Katie Elder and True Grit, for which Wayne won a best actor Oscar.



1. The implications of the title? How did this relate to the fact that Nuggin' Taylor had to make decisions about the life and death of souls?

2. Comment on the structure of the film and its success: the opening , the flashback, and the alternation for audience sympathies. The antipathy towards Nuggin' at the beginning, the emerging of what he was really like and the final understanding of what he stood for?

3. What was the atmosphere created in the early court scene? How was the atmosphere created? The use of close-ups of faces, emotional expressions, the attack on Nuggin’? How did this contrast then with the final court scenes where the audience knew the significance of emotions and the expressions?

4. How well did the film make explicit the slavery situation of the early l9th century? How horrible was the slavry situation? Comment on the use of the boats, the potential riots within the murders that ensued? What kind of people were involed in the slavetrading? Comment on the captain, and on Tarryton.

5. How could the captain and Tarryton and such men carry on their slave trade under the form of respectability? Why was Nuggin’ Taylor sent in to stop this?

6. Was Nuggin’ Taylor an attractive hero? How was he contrased with Powdah? What emerged from their friendship?

7. How well was the social background of the times filled in, for example shipboard life, the type of passengers going to America, the inns of England, English families? Did this add to the overall impact of the film?

8. How did audience feelings change during the film - especially in regard to Nuggin' Taylor?

9. How contrived was having of Margaret Tarryton on the ship? Of Nuggin's falling in love with her? Of his role in the disaster and her safety? And then her presence in the court? (Even though this seemed a cliche, how well was it used?)

10. How well were the clashes portrayed on the ship, especially between Nuggin' and Tarryton?

11. Comment on the passengers who were on the ship - did they emerge as strong personalities or not? Was this important in the event of the disaster?

12. Comment on the dramatic presentation of the disaster on the ship. The fire, the need for decisions to be made, the crowding of the life boats and human reaction and emotions, and Nuggin's decision (was he playing God in deciding how many should be saved or not? ) Did this mean that he should have been taken to court for his decisions? Could he in any sense have been considered a murderer?

13. Was the resolution of the film too contrived or did it fit in well with what had gone before? ( Though the film was made in the late thirties, how well does it stand up to modern viewing? Why? )

IL SORPASSO

Italy, 1962, 106 minutes, Black and white.
Vittorio Gassman, Catherine Spaak, Jean- Louis Trintignant.
Directed by Dino Risi.

Il Sorpasso is a road film of the early 1960s, the story of a journey of awareness and maturing by a shy law student, working in Rome, who meets a forty-year-old man of moods who takes him for a drive through the Italian countryside, visiting both families, enabling the young man to see the vitality of the older man but also his superficiality.

The film was directed by the prolific Dino Risi, who directed eighty films and television films between 1946 and 2002. The story comes from veteran Italian writer-director, Ettore Scola. The cast is strong with Roberto played by a young Jean- Louis Trintignant and veteran Vittorio Gassman as the forty-year-old Bruno.

The film has become something of a minor Italian classic with its insight into human nature and its re-creation of the period.

1. A good Italian comedy? The Italian response, the international response?

2. The meaning of the title, its literal reference to overtaking and the ways this was visualised? A figurative overtaking? Indication of theme? The audience response to the daring, the exhilaration, the danger, the driving? The fascination with Bruno? Identifying perhaps with Roberto and being taken out of the ordinary way of life?

3. The atmosphere, authentic backgrounds, the clear black and white photography, the Roman locations and the voyage from Rome to the north? The city during the August holidays, the highway, coastal scenery? The homes, the apartments in the city, the country homes? The atmosphere of Italy during the submer holidays? the importance of its holiday atmosphere for the plot, the themes?

4. The quality of the brisk editing, the brisk style versus the pensive shots, especially of Roberto trying to cope with what was happening to him? the subjective shots of the speeding driving? The bright meals, the songs, holiday atmosphere, particularly Italian?

5. The credibility of the plot, the study of an introvert being taken out of himself by an extrovert? the details of the plot and whether this would actually happen as such? The realism of the plot and the characterisation, a wish fulfillment on the part of the introvert? How did Bruno and Roberto illustrate the two aspects of human nature? How did the audience response depend on its own temperament?

6. The initial impact of Bruno, Vittorio Gassman and his style, the skill of his characterisation? How likeable was he? How overwhelming? Did the audience agree with his outlook on life, his behaviour, impulsiveness, friendship with Roberto ? The irony of it actually leading to Roberto’s death? the quick delineation of Bruno's character, his driving, entering Roberto’s house, interrupting his way of life, phoning, washing, his push? His borrowing money, quick talk, boasting and laughing? His basic drive as a person? The influence and his leadership? His strengths of character in his joy? The film’s initial presentation of his irresponbility, impulsiveness, caring and not caring? His shrewdness? The fact that he was the death of Roberto?

7. The contrast with Roberto: his study, his values as a student, his introvert personality, shyness? His shock at the impact of Bruno? his monologues and doing the opposite? His being dead to escape? The rousing of his sense of wonder, questioning, the possibility of change? When did he change? how much? how well did he enjoy the day? An invitation to life? The significance that it did not take him to life but to death? How well had he lived on his last day?

8. How well did the film build up its atmospfhere by the details of the day out with the two men? The search for a place to eat and all the ups and downs, the reaction to the various people, the comic sequences, delightful yet Bruno as an irritating kind of person? His behaviour on the road, with the girls, with the old man? His love of music, his chattering, speeding?

9. Bruno and romantics romanticism, sexuality? The atmosphere of the dinner, the sed uction? Robertols reaction ?

10. The importance of the visit to Bruno’s family estate; leaving Roberto and then coming back , the questions about the future? Bruno becoming more pensive, the encounter with his aunt, into the past, the tour of the house, the attention to detail, and what happened during the visit? Bruno and his cousin?

11. The buildup to the drinking and inhibitions?

12. Bruno's story, contrast with Roberto? Wife, daughter, fiance?

13. Roberto and his observing all of this, the appeal to his romanticism, wonder - how had he changed, the next day after the visit to the home? The nature of his loosening up, the day on the beach?

14. The film's buildup of Roberto and a new outlook on life and the suddenness of the crash? The effect on Bruno? To what purpose the overtaking, the day out, the encounter between these two men? An ironic parable of the meaninglessness of so much of life?

SONG WITHOUT END

US, 1960, 140 minutes, Colour.
Dirk Bogarde, Capucine, Genevieve Page, Patricia Morrison, Ivan Desny, Martita Hunt, Lou Jacobi, Marcel Dalio.
Directed by Charles Vidor.

Song Without End was popular in its time, even winning an Oscar for best musical scoring. It also won the Golden Globe for best musical and Dirk Bogarde was nominated for a Golden Globe as best actor in a musical. However, critics were not kind to the film at the time – and have not been since.

This is very much a Hollywood-style biography of a famous composer, the focus on Liszt and his relationships as well as his music. Patricia Morrison appears as Georges Sand and the link between Liszt and Wagner and Chopin is emphasised in the film.

Dirk Bogarde exercises his Saturday matinee style and attraction in the role of Liszt. Capucine was beginning to emerge as a popular actress in Hollywood films at the time.

The film was directed by Charles Vidor who had made an impact in 1945 with his biography of Chopin, A Song to Remember with Cornel Wilde (gaining an Oscar nomination) as Chopin. Critics in later decades bracket Song to Remember with Song Without End in the criticism (and some ridicule) of the Hollywood biopic.

This was Charles Vidor’s last film. In the 1940s he had great success, especially with some Rita Hayworth vehicles – Cover Girl, Gilda, The Loves of Carmen. In the 1950s he directed some entertaining films like Hans Christian Andersen as well as some melodramas like Rhapsody, Love Me or Leave Me, The Swan. He also did the remake of A Farewell to Arms.

1. Was this a good musical drama? Did it keep audience Interest? How? Did enjoyment depend tin audience interest in Liszt? Liszt's music? Was it a just portrayal of a phase of the composer’s life? Insight into the character and life of a composer?

2. How well sulted to the film were thecolour, the cinemascope, the sets, the music?

3. The importance of the structure of the film: the focus on a small phase of Liszt’s life? Did this do adequate justice to the man, the complexities of his life, his genius, his creativity?

4. How good was Dirk Bogarde's portrayal of Liszt? How well did he depth his character? Could the audience understand Liszt as a man, as an attist? What kind of man was Liszt? How tormented in his genius? How callous in his disregard of others? How self-centred? Liszt as a mixture of the libertine and the religious man? His relationship with Maria, his change to Caroline, his composing, his artistic playing?

5. What insight into the artist of the ninteenth century did the film give? What characterised the composers of this century? In individualism, romanticism?

6. How well communicated was the music? The musical background, the number of the concerts? Liszt's composing, the dances in the squares etc? Did the film offer an adequate selection of Liszt’s music, played well?

7. How did the film show the importance of the women's influence on liazt? Maria and her urging him to compose? Caroline and her faith in him, gibing him inspiration?

8. How sympathetically did the film portray Maria? The household and the children, her protecting him? Her not wanting him to be a concert pianist, her pushing his composing, the effect of the break-up of their relationship, her desperate means to keep him? What kind of a person was Maria? Was she good for Liszt? Why could she not retain his affections?

9. How did Caroline contrast with Maria? Why was she infatuated with Liszt? The importance of her going to the concerts, her patronising him, her loving him? How important was she for Liszt? Her not protecting and loving him? Her loving him?

10.The importance of Caroline's religious scruples? Her consistency in her religious beliefs? Her sense of destiny with Liszt? Her willingness to dare all? The lies that she told for happiness within grasp? her sense of retribution in not being able to marry Liszt? how moving was this segment of the film? why?

11. Caroline’s husband and the staid ninteenth century attitude towards law, contractual marriages, property? Was the marriage between Caroline and her husband a valid one? Could it be broken? The husband’s trying to prevent Caroline's marriage with Liszt and the hurt to their lives? What were audiences meant to feel about this?

12. The possibilities of success at Weimar? The support of the Dutchess? Liszt's work with the orchestra, the portrayal of Wagner's opera, the possibility of marriage?

13.The ideallic happiness of the Roman sequences? The preparation for the marriage? Liszt and the people?

14.How was the film marked with sorrow? Liszt's hurting of others, the rival’s concert? His hurting of Maria and the children? Liszt's relationship with his mother? The visit to Paris and Caroline's clash with Maria? Liszt as having the support of the people? The falling apart of the idol in Rome?

15.How satisfied were audiences at the end fo the film? Why? How enjoyable was the film? How much a popular film of insight into a historical character and genius?

SONG OF THE THIN MAN

US, 1947, 86 minutes, Black and white.
William Powell, Myrna Loy, Dean Stockwell, Keenan Wynn, Leon Ames, Gloria Grahame.
Directed by Edward Buzzell.

Song of theThin Man was the last of seven filme based on Dashiell Hamet's characters and starring William Powell and Myrna Loy, with their dog Asta. The original film was made in sixteen days in 1934 and was very popular. There were several sequels in the 30's. These continued during the early 40's and this last film came out in 1947.

Powell himself had aged somewhat since the beginning. Myrna Loy has a kind of ageless look. The formula continued the same throughout the whole series - the enjoyable repartee between husband and wife and their loving devotion with ironic comment: various strands of social murder, the investigating, humorous sidelines, a final melodramatic denouement where Nick Charles would set up a situation and the murderer revealed.

This final film runs true to pattern. Dean Stockwell appears as their son Nicky - an addition to the genre.

A most popular and still very entertaining series - parallel with some of the television series of the 60's and 70's.

1. The popularity of the series in the 30s and 40s, for thirteen years? This film as part of the pattern of the series? entertainment in itself, in its time, now? The last of the series?

2. The attractiveness of William Powell and Myrna Loy, their working together, the ease of their relationship and comedy together? background of Asta the dog, having a little boy? Their repartee, their detection, the seeming effortlessness, the denouement and melodrama? The ironic and humorous ending?

3. The mystique of Dashiel Hammet and his private eye stories, parody, good humour of the genre?

4. The setting up of the atmosphere on the Fortune, the gambling ship? The indicating of the many strands for the audience, the crime: Tom Drake and his loves, debts, jealousies, Buddy Hollis and his love and insanity, the world of the gamblers and their debts, night club owners and their women and their pressurising, Phil Brandt and his marrying, Janet Thayer, Mr Thayer and his jealousy, Fran and her moving from Brandt to Drake? How well sketched were their characters and the issues for audience entertainment? What types of good and evil, human relationships, power and tensions did they represent?

5. The Brandts, their arrival at the Charles’ house, Nicky’s reaction? Brandt's arrest and Nick taking the case? His investigations, especially his technique of getting on to the boat, meeting the musicians, the ironic burning of the musical score and the remittance of the debt?

6. The help of Krause - and the long sequence of going to the jazz sessions, the ‘in’ language and the jokes “ Norah's using of this technique?

7. Hollis, the mental hospital, Fran and her death? Suspicions?

8. The detailing of the various characters as they were met throughout the film - suspects? The using of Buddy for the solution, buildup and the seating of all interested parties at the tables?

9. The finale? Phyllis and her melodramatics and Nick Charles' ironic final comment? The world of the private eye film and its American style, portrayal of good and evil, crime, justice?

SON OF LASSIE

US, 1945, 102 minutes, Colour.
Peter Lawford, Donald Crisp, June Lockhart, Nigel Bruce, Leon Ames, Donald Curtis, Nils Asther.
Directed by S. Sylvan Simon.

Son of Lassie is the sequel to the very popular Lassie Come Home with Roddy Mc Dowall and Elizabeth Taylor.

This time the son of Lassie, Laddie, is trapped in Norway during World War Two with his owner, played well by Peter Lawford. Veterans in the cast include Donald Crisp and Nigel Bruce.

The film creates an atmosphere of World War Two – and was released in the United States just as the war in Europe was coming to an end. It still serves as patriotism and morale-boosting.

The film is very enjoyable for those who like Lassie films, there is strong characterisation as well as the atmosphere and danger of World War Two.

Director S. Sylvan Simon directed a number of popular features at MGM including Grand Central Murder, Rio Rita, Bad Bascomb with Wallace Beery and Margaret O’Brien?. His last film in the early 50s with the drama, Lust for Gold.

1. How good a sequel is this film to the original? The expectations of audiences from "Lassie Come Home"? The appeal of animal films? The appeal of dogs and children?

2. How well did the film utilize the war atmosphere? The emphasis on patriotism, the transforming of the elements of the first film into the war situation and Joe as a grown-up?

3. Creating atmosphere by presenting Lassie and Laddie? Laddie’s, loyalty to Joe in the light of Lassie's previous devotion?

4. The household and their prosperity? Joe's father and his position as training the dogs? The lord and his role? Priscilla as grown up?

5. The presentation of the mobilization for the war? The training of the dogs? The elder men being involved in the war effort?

6. What kind of person was Joe as a grown-up? His relating to dogs? Laddie’s following him to the camp? His flight, and Laddie’s waiting for him to come back?

7. The war drama and the pilot's being shot down? Joe and Laddie parachuting? The danger of their arrival?

8. The Norwegian sequences, the use of Greig's music, colour? The adventures of man and dog? The resourcefulness of Laddie? Joe's survival in enemy territory? The sequences with the German soldiers, the pleasant sequences of the children finding the dog and caring for it as well as concealing it, the sequences with the minister and praying for the dog? The family and the woman who had the hayrack? The Norwegian patriot and the scheme to escape? Joe's being rescued by the family? His being arrested?

9. The importance of the prison sequence and Laddie’s identifying Joe?

10. The menace of the German soldiers? Joe and Laddie escaping?

11. How appropriate the happy ending for man and dog, the adults, Priscilla?

12. How well did the film present human values, love of animals, sentiment and humour?

SON OF FURY

US, 1942, 98 minutes, Black and white.
Tyrone Power, Gene Tierney, George Sanders, Frances Farmer, Elsa Lanchester, Kay Johnson, John Carradine, Harry Davenport, Roddy McDowall?.
Directed by John Cromwell.

An old-fashioned costume melodrama done with lavish 20th Century Fox style in the early forties. Tyrone Power at the height of his popularity, performed in many of these, for example, Blood And Sand, The Mark Of Zorro. Gene Tierney was at the beginning of a successful career. There is an excellent supporting cast with George Sanders at his most articulate and sneeringly villainous, a warm portrayal of an old man by Harry Davenport. However, there are stand out performances in vignettes by Elsa Lanchester as a hotel maid and Dudley Digges as the wily Benjamin Pratt.

The screenplay is by Philip Dunne, writer of many costume romances and director of such films as Prince Of Players. The direction is by John Cromwell, veteran director, with such a range of credits as The Prisoner Of Zenda, Anna And The King Of Siam, Caged, The Goddess. This is the popular material of costume dramas and mini series in the succeeding decades.

1. A satisfying costume melodrama? The material of the best-seller? Its universal appeal? Expectations and quality fulfilment?

2. Black and white photography, Fox production values, London in the 18th century, the South Seas? Sea drama? How well did the film recreate the 18th century? The contribution of Alfred Newman's score with its various historical themes, romantic themes, South Sea Island melodies?

3. The autobiography structure, the various chapters? The focus on Blake and his growing up and achievement? Injustice and justice being done?

4. The portrait of aristocratic families at the time, the contrast with poor families, poverty and prison? Seafaring in the 18th century? The idealising of 18th century islands and the beauty of the South Seas?

5. The emphasis of the title, the opening and closing with fierce boxing matches, anger and danger?

6. The introduction to Sir Arthur? his boxing and strength, his detection of Benjamin and taking him from his grandfather, putting him in bondage and humiliating him? His relationship with his wife and the giving of information against him to Benjamin? His spoiling Iobell? His later cruelty? His arresting Benjamin on his return, the court case? Isobel's betrayal and his wanting to use this against her? The archetypal villain - of good manner? Isobel taking after her father, her passionate love for Benjamin and the blacksmith sequence and her not going on the hunt? her pledge of fidelity? her welcoming him back, her betrayal? her giving herself away?

7. The contrast with Ben ? his family background, the injustice done to him, his work with Amos Kidder and his love for him? The humiliation and running away from his uncle? The hard work, the humiliations? Growing strong and angry? The attack on Sir Arthur and the assault in his room? His decision to leave? Tyrone Power as this kind of romantic hero?

8. His eluding the police and the interlude at the hotel with Isobel? The strong characterisation by Elsa Lanchester - tender, helpful, her explanation of herself, her going arm-in-arm down the street with him?

9. Conventional 18th century sea material Caleb and the placing of the magnet, the discovery of the island, the search for pearls? The confrontation with the islanders and Ben's lashed back? His contribution, the making of tools? The playful idyllic interlude with Eve and his love for her, teaching her English? His yearning for return? the derelict ship? her not holding him back when he left?

10. The interview with Benjamin Pratt, the comic type, greed, wiliness? The effectiveness of the discussion? The last moment intervention by Pratt in the court?

11. The sketch of Amos Kidder, his love for his grandson, going to prison after firing the shot, the visit in prison?

12. Isobel and Ben's capture? His standing trial in court and the revelation of her betrayal?

13. Ben's behaviour in the court, the sentence, the judge's comments about justice, his vindication?

14. The final clash with Arthur verbal, by fists?

15. The return to the South Seas with wealth and happiness? The conventional happy ending?

16. The underlying social comment of the film - class differences in the 18th century, oppression and poverty, bondsmen and humiliation? The sense of equality? The comments of the judge at the court? The relationships with the islanders of the South Seas? equality rather than racism? A satisfying costume melodrama?

SON OF FRANKENSTEIN

US, 1939, 92 minutes, Black and white.
Basil Rathbone, Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Lionel Atwill, Josephine Hutchinson.
Directed by Rowland V. Lee.

Son of Frankenstein is the third Frankenstein film with Boris Karloff as the monster. Frankenstein was a great commercial success in 1931, directed by James Whale. Whale continued the series with the 1935 Bride of Frankenstein which also received critical acclaim.

Basil Rathbone is the baron in this film with Bela Lugosi as the sinister Ygor. Lionel Atwill is the local policeman investigating strange goings-on. Boris Karloff appears as the monster for the last time – but in a supporting role, wreaking vengeance – but seemingly controlled by Ygor.

The film is less Gothic atmospheric than the original two films – but is effective in its own way. It was directed by Rowland V. Lee who had made The Count of Monte Cristo, was to make The Tower of London with Boris Karloff in the same year and direct The Son of Monte Cristo as well as The Bridges of San Luis Rey. His final film was Captain Kidd with Charles Laughton.

1 What presuppositions do audiences bring to a Frankenstein film? Did this film presuppose continuity with the original Frankenstein?

2. What importance does the modern setting give to such Frankenstein films? (Later films were set in the 19th century.)

3. How was the son of Frankenstein presented in this film? The overtones of the son of the mad scientiest father? Presupposing the hostility of the village people and their memory of the monster? Did this add an atmosphere of menace to the film?

4. How was this balanced by the family picture of Dr. Frankensteir? The homely touch versus the horror and the threat from the village?

5. How well was the town presented with its hostility? Especially their memories and then the new murders of the monster? Was there too much of hysteria in the villagers' hostility?

6. How was the monster presented in this film? Sympathetically at all? Or just a picture of horror? Which
sequences illustrated this best?

7. The character of Eagle. What did he add to the film? Any horror? Sinister? His relationship with the monster?

8. What was the audience’s response to the deaths when the monster started killing? Did it lose sympathy for the monster?

9. How important was the theme of Dr. Frankenstein as the mad scientist? The nature of his obsessions? The memory of his father? The fact that he wanted to play God and create life? Is this an important theme of science fiction? What judgment is made on this theme in this film?

10. How did the police inspector and his investigations give a tone of sanity to counterbalance the horror?

11. The importance of the sequence of Eagle's death? response to the grief of the monster for Eagle? How important was this?

12. How did it contrast with the murder of and the sanity point of view?

13. The impact of the finale: the pursuit of the monster, the disappearance of the child and the anxiety of the mother, the fact that the child felt at home with the monster (how well was this prepared beforehand, by the visits of the child to the monster, the secret passages?) The danger to the child?

14. Was Dr. Frankenstein’s dilemma clearly posed? Wanting to save his creation and yet the need to kill it to protect his child?

15. How satisfying was the ending? The death of the monster, yet the villagers seemed to forgive the doctor who in many ways had been responsible for the murders? How else could the film have ended?

16. Comment on the horror styles of the films of the 30s. The use of black and white photography, the nature of the sets, (the impression ... sets here)? The monster and Eagle, the balance between normality and the atmosphere of the monster?

THE SON OF BLOB

US, 1972, 91 minutes, Colour.
Robert Walker Jr, Gwynne Gilford, Gerrit Graham, Dick Van Patten.
Directed by Larry Hagman.

An unnecessary sequel to The Blob, capitalising on the shock style of that original film but with a rather banal script. For connoisseurs of this kind of eccentric American horror film. Direction is by, of all people, Larry Hagman.

1. The comic irony of the title and its tone? The original American title was Beware the Blob. The comparison of science fiction in the 50s and the 70s? The sophistication in film making? The criticism compared with the original? The irony of watching the original film on television while the real Blob was in the house?

2. The value of the production in having so many guest stars to be devoured by the Blob? How similar was the film to the original Blob? What do audiences expect in science fiction films? A portrayal of reality, a tantalising about danger, being scared? Enjoyably scared? How enjoyably scary was this film?

3. It you have seen the original, how similar was the plot? The details of the plot?

4. The importance of the city? The same as the original, the teenagers, the people in the town, the destruction of the Blob, in the houses etc? The atmosphere of the town?

5. How well drawn were the characters? Is this necessary for a film like this? Were they just drawn enough for the events? Anything more?

6. How well portrayed was the Blob itself? In comparison with the original? Its redness and glutinous nature? The way that it spread? How plausible was it?

7. Consider the sequences of the Blob's destructive power. How cruel were they, how fear-making? How effective in the house, with the people at the party. finally in the rink?

8. How interesting was the presentation of the Blob's final destruction at the skating rink - mass fear, danger?

9. How much optimism was there in the destruction of the Blob? The irony of its oozing away to safety for further destruction? The T.V. atmosphere of the film and people congratulating themselves in optimistic destruction?

11. Was this good science fiction or merely a commercial film illustrating the values of science fiction mocking itself in the mid-70s?

SOMETHING OF VALUE

US, 1957, 113 minutes, Black and white.
Rock Hudson, Dana Wynter, Sidney Poitier, Wendy Hiller, Juano Hernandez, Robert Beatty.
Directed by Richard Brooks.

Something of Value is a 1950s film about Kenyan independence. It was based on a very popular novel of the period by Robert Ruark.

Kenya had experienced the uprising of the Mau Mau, especially in the mid-1950s (as seen in such a British film as Simba). In this film, there is a focus on a long-time friendship between a white boy and a black boy. They grow up as Rock Hudson and Sidney Poitier. With the massacres of the whites and the imprisonment of the Kenyan leaders, the black man joins a rebel group, not approving of the slaughter.

Rock Hudson portrays a character who is suffering because of the persecution of his family but who believes that with reason and dialogue, peace can be achieved. This is his aim in his dialogue with the Sidney Poitier character.

This is an idealistic and optimistic film – especially in the context of the realities of the 1950s.

There is a strong supporting cast led by Wendy Hiller and Michael Pate.

The film was co-written and directed by Richard Brooks, a former writer (Crossfire) who began making films in the early 1950s (The Last Time I Saw Paris, Blackboard Jungle). He was to make a number of adaptations of plays and novels during the 50s and 60s including The Brothers Karamazov, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Lord Jim, In Cold Blood.

1. The meaning of the title as explained at the beginning? Its connection with Churchill's words, at the end of the film? The significance of the title for the story portrayed and Its themes?

2. How relevant is this film now in changed colonial situations? Is this a similar situation to problems now in the developing world? Does the film portray what was the attitude of the world then, of one man observing the changes?

3. How successful was the screenplay? Its presentation of good and bad characters? The situations? Did they seem too contrived? How spontaneous was the dialogue or did it seem to be preaching and emphasising message?

4. How much impact did the fi1m have? Would audiences find it convincing about colonial situations and racist problems? Would it urge change on an audience? Would it veer towards unreal entertainment?

5. How well did the film portray the contrast between Peter and Kimani? The happiness of the start, the initial clashes because of racistm,laws, the portrayal of two breeds of men, black and white? Peter’s fear of offending Kimani, rebellion? The role of KimaniJ in the raids and Peter's response? Peter's pursuit of Kimani? The unnecessary nature of Kimani’s death after the possible reconciliation? The two children black and white being brought up together at the end - would there be harmony or a repetition of the past? Were the main characters well drawn and portrayed, or was there am emphasis on them representing attitudes?

6. Holly as an attractive heroine? As a conventional white wife supporting her husband and suffering in Africa? Did she give any insight into the plight of the situation? A comparison of her with Elizabeth Newton? Elizabeth and her relationship to Jeff? An a victim of' the raid, as wanting to bear a child for a new Africa?

7. The portrayal of Mr McKenzie? as good and as wise, concerned? with the native Africans? A conventional good man or did he give insight into ‘necessary’ attitudes? The contrast between him and Jeff Newton. and his racist attitudes and disregard of human rights?

8. How interesting was the portrayal of Africa and people's love for Africa? Its plight, racism, history? The importance of the sequences of dinners with the whites discussing their attitudes? The contrast of the white style with the black style of life? The impetuous nature of Matson and his rabble-rousing? The fact that he, because of suspicions, caused disharmony at the end?

9. The portrayal of black Africa? How sympathetic, how real? As seen through Kimani, as a reluctant rebel? The portrayal of life of the villages, Africans as human beings equal to the whites?

10. Did the film show credibly how the Mau Mau societies arose? The sesne of injustice and rage? The importance of the sequences of iniation and audience response to these? The loyalty that the Mau Mau gained over people? The fact that all Africans did not agree? Audience response to the violence of the raids? The portrayal of police investigations? Internment and the rough attitudes of the whites even Peter? The starvation situation and the need for a truce? The possibilities in the truce between Peter and Kimani and the future of Africa? The breaking of the truce and suspicion because of the impetuous hostility of men like Matson?

11. The melodramatics or genuine drama of the final confrontation? The death of Kimani and its necessity? The pathos because of his attitudes and sense of betrayal and persecution?

12. How well does the film show the pattern of racism in the past? Is this a pattern still for the world and its race problems?