HALLOWEEN

US, 1978, 91 minutes, Colour.
Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, Nancy Loomis, Charles Cyphers.
Written and directed by John Carpenter.

In Psycho Janet Leigh had a harrowing time. Her daughter Jamie Lee Curtis has more terror as heroine in this macabre, knife-flashing murder story. Halloween in America is full of old magic, superstition and trickery. Cult director John Carpenter plays this smoothly and frighteningly for far more than it is worth and this will probably add to his reputation. He would have been gratified, after he had so laid on atmosphere and delaying suspense, to hear the screams and advice for the heroine bursting forth from the audience, for at the end there are shocks, terror and scares piled on - Halloween achieves very well and effectively the horror intended.

1. An effective horror film? The appeal, the nature of horror? Successful visual horror.

2. Why do audiences like to be afraid, to be scared and shocked? The impact of screaming heroines etc? The ability of the audience to identify? The experience of sharing such fear and its being solved?

3. The relationship of horror and violence? The visual presentation of violence, the suggestions of motion and the audience feeling the violence, e.g. the stabbings? Presentation, suggestion, the combined effect?

4. The focus of the title on Halloween? The overtones of the celebration? Superstition, the time of the year. A celebration, children, fear, dressing up and masks, the bogey man, tricks and fear?

5. The film's treatment of sanity and insanity? Its attitude towards Michael? Sympathy for him as a person, had he forfeited sympathy, his non-human state?

6. The contribution of colour, Panavision, the authentic Illinois atmosphere, America and the celebration of Halloween? The importance of the musical score, the use of silences, dramatic chords especially for shocks?

7. The prologue and the atmosphere of the Halloween celebration, the two petting and the subjective looking at them by Michael? The fact that the opening sequence was all subjective on the part of Michael? Was the fact presented vividly, his sister's death? Were his motivations at all clear - indicated by the subjective camera? The audience sharing the experience of his prying on his sister and killing her? The suggestions of his being dressed up? The arrival of his parents, standing with the bloodstained knife and our seeing him for the first tine? The tracking back and leaving the tableau of the family?

8. The transition to the second prologue with Dr. Loomis arriving at the hospital? The gap of fifteen years? The date, the weather. the rain? The discussion with the nurse and the indication of issues. Dr. Loomis' attitude towards Michael over the fifteen years? The law allowing him out? Stopping at the gate, the patients wandering in the rain. the suddenness of the attack on the nurse and Michael's taking the car? The preparation for the mayhem of the film?

9. Audience response to Michael after these two prologues - the revelation that he killed the garage man to take his clothes, his arrival at the old Myers house, taking the gravestone of his sister - and its later macabre use. His return to the house and its dilapidated state? His following of Laurie and Annie? Tommy's seeing him as the Bogey Man? His sudden appearances and disappearances? As a frightening presence, his shape, mask? The horror of Halloween ? The irony of the celebration of superstition and violence and trickery and its reality for this town?

10. Laurie as the focus of the film? Our introduction to her, the old house and the key, her friendship with Tommy? Michael following her,, her experience at school and her intelligence, looking out the window at him? Annie and Linda and the chatter about sex and the celebration? Her arrival at home and the fear of the phone call and Annie playing jokes - and the later use of this? Her going to baby-sit, the pot-smoking, the encounter with Annie's father? Her work with Tommy, sharing with him, reassuring his fear? Her worry about going to the dance? Her seeing herself as the Girl Scout whom nobody took out? How well did the audience identify with her?

11. The contrast with Annie and Linda - the detailing of their behaviour on the night, Annie and her work with the girl, television, the spilling of the butter and the laundry scene? The car keys? The violence of her murder in the car? Linda and Bob going home, the irony of the disguise by Michael after the sex scene? The horror of both their deaths? Annie being laid out as Judith and the others in the cupboards - for shock purposes as well?

12. Dr. Loomis and his anxiety, the help of the police, the irony of his missing the car at the beginning and seeing it at the end? His fear at the house, frightening the boys away? His coming in at the end and solving the problem - yet his puzzle? The police chief and the irony that his daughter was killed?

13. Michael's mounting violence - the presence of the dog and the killing of the dog, the brutality of Bob's murder?

14. How credibly did the film build up its suspense? The prolonged waiting for what Laurie would do, her involvement, searching of the house?

15. The confrontation with Laurie - in the darkened house, the horror of her discovery of the bodies, getting Tommy to open the door when she went home, putting the knitting needle in him, later the knife? Her hiding in the cupboard? Sending the children off and Michael's continued presence? Dr. Loomis' shooting and his disappearance? The Irony of the ending and the presence of the Bogey Man who goes off to murder and haunt? Suggestions for superstition?

16. Comment on the atmosphere of American celebration of Halloween, e.g. the pumpkins during the credits, The Thing and Forbidden Planet on the television, the overtones of horror films?

HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH

US, 1982, 98 minutes, Colour.
Tom Atkens, Stacey Nelkin, Dan O'Herlihy.
Directed by Tommy Lee Wallace.

Halloween III is not exactly a sequel to the former Halloween films. However, it is produced by John Carpenter and Deborah Hill, with John Carpenter co-writing the music. There is a reference to the original film on the TV screen as a cinema classic.

The film is a mixture of witchcraft and The Invasion of the Body-Snatchers? - with the touch of the robot. While the basic ingredients are intriguing, especially for the thought that witchcraft can be updated by technology and especially by the TV commercial, the derivative nature of the film is obvious. The screenplay, while ingenious at times, is full of loopholes. The rather non-charismatic acting of the leads highlights the inconsistencies - and even suggests that some of the devices of the screenplay indicate that conquering such universal evil is not too difficult a feat. Dan O'Herlihy does what he can as the sinister equivalent of Dr. No - this time in the town of Santa Mira (from The Invasion of the Body Snatchers) who is going to destroy the world by splinters of Stonehenge stone inserted into the trademarks of his Halloween masks. While there is a lot of reference to practical joke, the film is tongue-in-cheek - but is not well-done enough to sustain itself as an excellent horror joke.

1. The film as the third in the series? The impact of the originals? The use of the name rather than the story plot? The spirit of the original? The work of the producers? Was it worth continuing the series?
2. The quality of the imagination in the screenplay? The inconsistencies in plotting? The uncharismatic stars and their lack of persuasiveness? Atmosphere, suspense, shocks? The grisly murders? Excessive or not? The quality of this film as a horror film?

3. American nightmares and superstitions? The Halloween tradition? Children? Masks and the grotesque? Evil and jokes?

4. The background of witchcraft: Gaelic traditions, Stonehenge - and its images on the television news, the stone in Santa Mira? The background of paganism, rituals, the moon, the coinciding of the planets? The laser power in the splinters of stone? The updating of witchcraft by technology - commercialism and television commercials?

5. Cochrane as a practical joker? The film as a horror joke?

6. The focus on television during the credits? The television commercial and its content, design, the masks, the skulls, the jingle, the melody, the firm and its slogans? The recurring ad? Its brain-washing people? The irony of its useful witchcraft and such gross destruction - especially of children?

7. The world of computers and science fiction, robots? Business dressed robots as murderers - murdering multinationals? Lasers and Stonehenge? The factory and the explosive finale?

8. The importance of the deaths: the initial atmosphere, the chase, the crushing of the robot, the breaking of Harry's face in the hospital, the ripping off of the head, the laser death in the motel, the murder by drill, the destruction of the family - with insects and snakes? The robots and their deaths and their yellow ooze? Ellie and the long destruction? Too grisly for this film?

9. Daniel as hero: doctor, ex-wife? His unlikely appearance? Help, Harry's death, Ellie's visit, his preoccupation? His wife - and the hostile telephone calls later, the kids in the masks? The result of the inquest? Friendship with Ellie, detective work, Santa Mira? The contact with the lab. research assistant and her information? The motel - the sexual relationship? The factory and Cochrane's tour? Being captured? Tied up, escaping, rescuing Ellie? Destroying Cochrane and the robots by the trademarks? The desperate escape? The phone call and the television stations? A stolid hero?

10. Ellie: the attractive young type, reaction to her father's death, detective work, sexual liaison with the doctor. the inquiries, her becoming the heroine, being turned into a robot after her seeming to be safe? Her trying to destroy Dan?

11. The ordinary people: the garage man and his appearance at beginning and end, the nurse in the hospital, the factory workers and the salespeople, the lab assistant?

12. The different people: Harry and the chase, his warnings and death, the robots, the wisecracking father and his bored wife, the precocious child - and the ugliness of their destruction by experiment?

13. Cochran, in himself, his handling of the death of the laser woman, smooth talk, the tour, reputation, being a practical joker? His taking the doctor and Ellie? His telling the story to the doctor? Old witchcraft, Irish traditions, his madness? The set-up to destroy the children after showing the experiment with the family? The confrontation with the doctor? His waving his defeat? Death? A Dr. No type world power-hungry villain? Credible or not?

14. The village of Santa Mira - the invasion of new body snatchers?

15. Atmosphere and suspense: dates, the build-up to Halloween? The visuals of Halloween? The masks? The commercial? Human values, fears? Heroism and the stopping of evil - or not? The poor drama with the uncertainty of the ending? A Halloween tall story?

HALLOWEEN II: THE NIGHTMARE ISN'T OVER

US, 1981, 92 minutes, Colour.
Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence, Charles Cypher, Lance Guest.
Directed by Rick Rosenthal.

Halloween II begins literally where the original finished. The plot concerns the same evening, Halloween 1978. The sequel was written by John Carpenter and Debra Hill, who were responsible for the original. John Carpenter, a very
interesting director of genre films including Dark Star, Assault on Precinct 13, The Fog, Escape from New York, has written this film but left the direction to Rick Rosenthal. However, as with his other films, Carpenter has produced and written the music.

Halloween started a very popular trend of multiple killing horror thrillers. In retrospect, Halloween still seems the best of these films. The others were derivative - some merely capitalising on the style, others transferring the basic plot to original situations. Halloween II resembles the derivatives in many ways more than it does the original. The many killings are presented in ghastly fashion. However, Carpenter's screenplay still is able to make the audience jumpy, has a lot of scary and suspenseful sequences, sometimes tricking the audience, sometimes shocking them. Donald Pleasence and Jamie Lee Curtis repeat their roles from the original. Interesting as a postscript to Halloween - and reminding us that it is very difficult to maintain an original's spirit and vitality.

1. The impact of Halloween in itself, its starting a trend, giving style and content to its many derivatives? The relationship of this sequel to the original? Comparisons with the derivatives? How well does it stand within the genre?

2. The film as nightmare and horror? The importance of dreams? Dreams as symbols, facing the symbols of evil? Horror and its reality/unreality? The need for fantasy of horror? The value of this kind of film? Entertaining, exploitive - matters of taste?

3. The setting of Haddon Field, Illinois? An ordinary Middle American town? The atmosphere of the town, the people, the hospital, the police? Halloween evening? The plausibility of the setting - for such horror?

4. The work of John Carpenter, his making the original, his contribution of screenplay, production, music? His focus (in many of his films) on night moving towards dawn? The time of nightmares?

5. The film's continuity with the original? Using the end of the original? The transition to Dr. Loomis and his anxiety, Lori and her going to the hospital, Michael Myers surviving and roaming the town?

6. The presentation of the town alert, the anxiety of the police and their searching the town, the hospital staff and their work, the media covering the killings, the continuation of Halloween evening with its evocation of horror? The victims - the girl on the phone, the hospital staff?

7. Michael Myers as villain, evil? The background story from Part One, his killing his sister. madness, Dr. Loomis saying he was a model patient - especially in his silence, his release, terrorising the town, the seemingly indiscriminate killing, the sadism, the killing of the medical staff - revenge for his years in the institution? The gradual revelation of Lori being his sister? His trying to kill her? An embodiment of evil? His not being destroyed by ordinary means? The final explosion? The visual presentation of his stalking his victims, light and shadow, mask, the resemblance to the Frankenstein monster?

8. Dr. Loomis and his anxiety, sense of guilt, growing hysteria? His urging of the police, the fire accident in the street? The search? His being called back to the institute? Going to the hospital, saving Lori? Sacrificing himself in an apocalyptic explosion to destroy evil? His explanations of the background - madness, psychological evil, fear?

9. Lori as heroine - presence in the hospital, her wondering why she was being victimised, her dream and the explanation of her adoption, her escaping death when Michael axed her bed, her fears, relationship with the staff, the suspense of her being chased around the hospital (with her injury), hiding in the car, the final chase and confrontation, shooting Michael Myers. A satisfactory screaming heroine?

10. The sketch of the staff at the hospital - the girls and their work, their chatter, the strict supervisor, the orderly and the sexual encounter - especially in the bath, the doctors? The imaginative (if ghastly) ideas for the killings? The special effects, to what purpose?

11. Shocks, suspense? Creating an atmosphere of jumpiness - by red herrings, tricking the audience and then frightening them? Audiences enjoying being frightened? The experience of horror?

HALF A SIXPENCE

UK, 1967, 146 minutes, Colour
Tommy Steele, Julia Foster, Cyril Richard, Penelope Horner, Elaine Taylor, Grover Dale, Pamela Brown.
Directed by George Sidney.

Half A Sixpence was an attempt in the 60s to revive British musicals. Tommy Steele was popular in films at the time - with The Happiest Millionaire and Finian's Rainbow. American director George Sidney, who had made such classic musicals as The Harvey Girls, Annie Get Your Gun, Showboat - was brought over to England and brought some vitality and verve to the musical. However, critics were very hard on the film and it was not the success that it was hoped to be.

It is an adaptation of H.G. Wells' novel "Kipps", filmed in the early 40s by Carol Reed with Michael Redgrave. The treatment is light, the themes of the original novel about social class and wealth are quite strong. There is a lot of
energy in the singing and dancing in the film. Julia Foster is an attractive heroine and veteran stage star Cyril Richard has an important role as Mr. Chitterlow. Half a Sixpence, in retrospect, is quite an enjoyable and well-made musical.

1. The appeal of this film, for families? Its conventions as a musical, its qualities, as a comedy? A British musical in comparison with American musicals?

2. The film's being based on a classic novel, the transition from serious novel to musical, how well achieved?

3. The importance of Panavision and colour, sets and costumes, choreography and songs?

4. The importance of the prologue and the title? The indication of the theme, the irony of the themes? The Half a Sixpence song? The songs' being integrated into the plot and the themes? The importance of the lyrics?

5. How attractive a character was Kipps? Tommy Steele's style? Attractive, the orphan, the hard life, a life of work, his friendliness, memories of Anne, simplicity, dislike of Shagwell, friendship with Sidney and company? The song illustrating this?

6. The character of Ann? How well was she delineated? A happy kind of person? with her half sixpence? Her love for Kipps? Her fighting with him at the beach? Its comic side and yet its serious overtones? The fact that she was separated from Kipps?

7. How humorous a character was Chitterlow? His sudden intervention on the bicycle in the shop? His invasion of Kipp's life? The lavish presentation of the banjo song? its purpose, choreography? The repercussions in terms of money for the happy ending of the film?

8. The attractive heroine? Her woodwork classes, her status, her love for Kipps, his admiration for her, the subjective way in which he saw her, as stately and regal? How attractive was her character?

9. The irony of money and the theme of how money changes people? Kipps and his travels? The visual presentation of these by mans of postcards? His lavish car? The fact that he was bored? The contrast with his early way of life in the shop?

10. The importance of his strolling in the park, listening to the band, the fiasco of his tea with the family? The song She's Too Far Above Me?

11. How enjoyable was the regatta sequence? The song of Rain on Sunday? The song about the race itself? The implications of Kipps being involved with the upper-class group? The pressure of the brother? Their only using him? The contrast with his old friends?

12. The climax of the dinner and the tirade against the family and their pretensions? How well was the psychological pressure built up by Kipp's attitude towards the meal? The discovery of Ann as a servant and her dismissal? The people at the dinner and their pretensions, being exposed? Audience response to the attack on snobbery?

13. The contrast with the happiness of the marriage to Ann? The song What A Picture and its choreography?

14. Why was Kipp's ambitious to build such a great house? The fights with Ann? Her song of I Know What I Am?

15. The sudden impact of having no money? The disillusionment with the family and the brother's escaping to Europe? The heroine and her alcoholic concession of the truth?

16. The impact of the truth on Kipps? His fantasy about his involvement with all the people and their pursuing him? Laughing at him? A visual and credible presentation of his outlook and the means of his reconciliation with Ann?

17. The acceptance of a modest happiness and future with Ann? The enjoyment of Chitterlow's play being a success?

18. How well were the characters drawn? Kipps and Ann? Chitterlow and his friends? The men in the shop? (As revealed by their singing and dancing also?) The rich family?

19. How well did the film in its musical comedy way, explore the themes of individuals, society, class, wealth, foolishness, happiness?

THE HALLS OF MONTEZUMA

US, 1950, 108 minutes, Colour.
Richard Widmark, Jack Palance, Karl Malden, Robert Wagner, Neville Brand, Richard Boone, Richard Hylton.
Directed by Lewis Milestone.

The Halls of Montezuma is a tribute war movie of the 50's, as the name suggests, for the U.S. marines. It is a good one, directed by veteran director, Lewis Milestone, who made such excellent war films as All Quiet on the Western Front and A Walk in the Sun.

This time he has been more ambitious, presenting not effects only but also the background of the fighting men and why they fight as they do. The result is a more realistic look at the difficulties of war, more in keeping with the harshness of anti-war sentiment of the 60's. The techniques used are a blend of graphic war sequences and flashbacks by a number of stars who were just beginning to make their mark.

1. Do you think this was just another war tribute or was there something more in the film?

2. How effective was the structure of the film - the main unity of the mission, incorporating flashbacks from similar actions or gestures from present to past?

3. Was the film glorifying war or did it present war realistically?

4. Were the men in this mission presented as ordinary types or extraordinary?

5. What did the film show of fear in war, friendship, mistakes, heroism?

6. Why did Andersen act as he did - his fear and migraine, his hardness on others, his morale-boosting and loyalty?

7. was the doctor right in helping Andersen to pills? in his written assessment of Andersen?

8. Discuss each of the main characters as persons. Did the flashbacks help you to understand them?

9. What was the attitude of the film to the Japanese - ordinary soldiers like others? Those who showed off; the pride of the major; their attitude towards death?

10. What did the film show of conditions under fire? At headquarters; the commander with his cold giving orders; the constant bombardment? The initial landing; advancing; the mission; the snipers; individual combats; nervous tension; burying the dead?

THE HAND

US, 1985, 101 minutes, Colour.
Michael Caine, Andrea Marcovicci, Bruce Mc Gill, Viveca Lindfors.
Directed by Oliver Stone.

The Hand was an unsuccessful attempt to update such old classics as The Hands of Orlac and The Beast With Five Fingers. It puts the severed hand with a life of its own into a contemporary context, that of a cartoonist who loses his hand in an accident. And it has a life of its own - or is symbolic of the inner life of the cartoonist? Whichever
way, it wreaks havoc.

Michael Caine is his usual self in the role of the cartoonist. The supporting cast is quite effective but the film overall lacks the impact intended. It was written and directed by Oliver Stone (Midnight Express, Scarface). Stone was then to go on to a celebrated career, especially with his Vietnam films, winning two Oscars for Best Director with Platoon and Born on the Fourth of July.

1. An interesting idea for horror film? Impact? The issues of violence and the psyche?

2. American location photography, the special effects for the hand (by Carlo Rambaldi of E.T. and Dune fame)? The violent sequences? The musical score?

3. The title and its focus on the hand? Audiences identifying with the situation of the cartoonist and his losing his hand? The impact on his personal life, career? The hand and its life, murderous behaviour?

4. Michael Caine's style as John? His success as a cartoonist? The relationship with his wife and its fragmentation? His daughter? The clash, the accident? His taking the accident calmly? The phantom pains, the recuperation, the physiotherapy? The discussions with his agent? His successor and the cartoons? His decision to go to California, his giving lectures, the relationship with Stella, the friendship with Brian? The discovery of his wife's infidelity? The mayhem around him? The visit to the psychiatrist? His own madness? The reality of the hand - or the hand as a symbol of his violent and aggressive psyche?

5. The sketch of Anne as John's wife? Her wanting to be on her own? Clashes with him? The accident? Her coping with it? Her affair? Her visit to California, the separation? Her death? The daughter and her father's love for her, the school in New York, the visit to California, seeing her father seemingly assault her mother?

6. Stella and her place in the course, her seducing John, the liaison, her cooling on the relationship, the outing with Brian? Brian and the talks with John at the bar? Their deaths? The bodies in the back of the car?


7. The police and the investigations? The psychiatrist and the interviews, her calm analysis, trying to show the hand was a figment of John's psyche? The attack of the hand and killing her?

8. The background of contemporary America, families and break-up, self-assertion and development? The atmosphere of New York, the agent, the cartoonist? Californian colleges? Bored students?

9. The violent sequences - the accident, the severing of the hand. the search for it? Its life, its murdering?

10. A good idea for a horror story? The quality of the film's success? The psychological implications of the hand?

THE HANGMAN

US, 1959, 86 minutes, Black and White.
Robert Taylor, Jack Lord, Fess Parker, Tina Louise, Mickey Shaughnessy.
Directed by Michael Curtiz.

The Hangman is one of Michael Curtiz' last films. In a long career, especially at Warner Bros. Studios where he directed many Errol Flynn-Olivia? de Havilland adventures and then many musicals. He made a number of moderately successful films in the '50s and early 1960s. This is a brief, competent western written by veteran Dudley Nichols (Stage Coach). It was Robert Taylor’s first film outside M.G.M. after more than thirty years at the studio. It is a conventional Robert Taylor western - an ageing hero who is on the side of justice but is challenged by feeling. There is a strong supporting cast and the film, while grim, is an interesting example of '50s westerns.

1. The popularity of westerns, the styles of the '50s, traditions? The blend of the serious and the comic? The American West and its heritage and themes?

2. The work of Michael Curtiz - his long career and skills? Robert Taylor and his star quality? Black and white photography, authentic atmosphere of the West? Musical score?

3. The focus on law, justice, life and death, guilt? The role and reputation of the hangman? The sombre tone of the title and of the film?

4. The focus on Bovard: age, serious, skill at his work, motivation? His commission to bring in the criminal? The encounter with Selah and buying her testimony? The travel, waiting for her, suspicions? Hoping that she would not come? The interrogations in the town and his skill at getting information? The bond with Bud? The humour of the inquisitive boarder and her would-be flirting with Bovard? The reputation of John Bishop? Selah's arrival and his buying her clothes, the set-ups? Watching, following her in the night the shoot-out, the interrogation of Murphy? The chase and his being wounded? The confrontation with Bishop - and his allowing him to go? What did he learn by the experience? The memories of injustice done to his family? The choices at the end? Selah's choosing to go with him? A man of the West?

5. Bud as the young sheriff, a good sheriff, loyalties, love for Selah, the choice at the end?

6. Bishop: information about him, his work, appearance? Seemingly guilty - and the later explanation? Friends, his wife and the expected child? Selah's warning? The fight with Murphy? The escape and the final confrontation?

7. Selah as heroine - widow, her earning her living by washing (and the atmosphere of the wash and laundry situation)? The temptation by Bovard, her non-arrival but finally coming? The images of glamour and poverty? Buying the clothes, the wash in the river? Attraction to Bud, to Bovard? Her not betraying Bishop? Going to warn him? The final chase? Her choices - the motivation for going with Bovard?

8. The sketch of the workers and Bishop's friends? Murphy and the fight and his loyalty?

9. The comic touches of the town, Bud, the lady sending the sheriff to Bovard's room?

10. An entertaining and satisfying example of a '50s western?

HANGAR 18

US, 1980, 97 minutes, Colour.
Darren Mc Gavin, Robert Vaughn, Pamela Bellwood.
Directed by James L.Conway.

Hangar 18 is science fiction looking like science fact. The screenplay resembles considerably Peter Hyams' Capricorn One (1978). The theme is government cover-up for a space project which went wrong. The space project, however, has been very much influenced by Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The science fiction material is of interest - although it draws on popular ideas e.g. The Chariots of the Gods.

The cover-up material is presented in a hard hitting way with Robert Vaughan as an icy villain in control. Darren McGavin?
and Gary Collins are effective as the expert and the hero trying to find out what is happening, on its popular level, Hangar 18 is enjoyable entertainment - as well as raising a number of questions.

1. The film capitalising on the science fiction trends of the '70s: the space projects, close encounters, visitors from outer space? The comparison with Capricorn One? The blend of science fiction and science fact? Technology?

2. The authentic background: American space programme, NASA? The plausibility of flying saucers and visitors from space? The locations used for authentic contemporary atmosphere? Places with times and dates? Special effects? Musical score?

3. The information given at the opening - its plausibility? Space technology, the possibility of life in outer space? The plausibility of the politics and the eruption into violence? Cover-ups? The American experiences of the '70s?

4. The initial space programme and situation? Preparation for blast-off? Introduction to the characters, atmosphere, the mystique of space shuttles? The puzzle on the radar? The crash and its repercussions?

5. Harry Forbes and his expertise, interest, contact with the men? The follow-up in examining the spacecraft? His enthusiastic research? Hangar 18 and its staff? Supporting them, asking questions, medical examinations, translations of the symbols? The examination of the space vehicle itself? The glimpse of the team and the variety of specialists? Their particularly American style in examination and research? Harry's discovery of the cover-up and his declaration of his conscience?

6. The two astronauts and the accident, their being blamed for the accident? Their being informed and deciding to search for the truth? The visit to the landing site in Arizona, the discussion with the sheriff, flying to Hangar 18, the car chases and crashes, the gunmen? The build-up to their escape with the tanker? The ploy and Lew's being shot? Steve finding Hangar 18 and Harry? The pace and suspense of the chase sequences? The astronauts as heroes becoming victims? Their achievement? American-type astronauts?

7. The political background: the forthcoming election, Cordon Cain and his belief in the President? The end justifying the means? Robert Vaughn's controlled villainy? Ruthlessness? Pressures on people? The situation getting out of hand? The Army and its responsibility? The General and his part in the cover-up? Frank Lafferty and his administering Cain's orders? The violence. the gunmen? The nature of the conspiracy, the violence and murder? The decision then to bomb Hangar 18? The irony of the survivors in the spacecraft? The exposure of the conspiracy?

8. The blending of the various strands for interest, suspense, emotional involvement?

9. Themes of political cover-ups? Ends justifying means? Moral issues and responsibilities? The contrast with heroism, integrity and the search for truth?

10. The background of space exploration, the possibilities of alien visitors? The use of current ideas (fact and fiction) for space exploration e.g. the Mexican pyramids and symbols?

11. Science fiction as a way of symbolising contemporary interests and interpreting them?

HANGMAN'S KNOT

US, 1952, 84 minutes, Colour.
Randolph Scott, Donna Reed, Claude Jarman Jr., Richard Denning, Lee Marvin.
Directed by Roy Huggins.

Hangman's Knot has all the ingredients of a typical end-of-Civil War Western. Randolph Scott has done this type of thing innumerable times and Lee Marvin was setting out on a career of villainy. Nevertheless, the film is better made and acted than most. The characterisation is also better and there are human interest themes rather than cliche action for action's sake. An enjoyable Western, useful for discussion, especially for an undiscriminating group as well as for dedicated Western fans.

1. In what ways was the film a 'typical' Western?

2. What was your initial reaction to the men and the holding-up of the stage? Did your attitude change when you found that they were soldiers?

3. What comment did the film make on the Civil War, on war, in general, and its effect on soldiers? on the necessity of killing?

4. What comments on greed did the film make?

5. What was the point of focussing on the character played by Lee Marvin?

6. The hero said that the young soldier would have to grow up before getting to the Texas border. How did he grow up?

7. Was the ending merely sentimental or romantic or did the film-makers have a point to make? If so, how successful were they?

HANGOVER SQUARE

US, 1944, 77 minutes, Black and white.
Laird Cregar, Linda Darnell, George Sanders, Glenn Langan, Faye Marlowe, Alan Napier.
Directed by John Brahm.

Hangover Square is a brief period melodrama. It is in the style of director John Brahm's The Lodger, made the previous year with Laird Cregar and George Sanders. This time the film focuses on a schizophrenic composer who loses his personality and wreaks violence on people who seem to betray him. The black and white photography and the re-creation of turn of the century period is quite effective.

The film is also enhanced by a score by Bernard Herrmann who was to work with Hitchcock in many of his significant '50s thrillers.

Star Laird Cregar appeared in many Fox dramas and comedies in the early '40s. Conscious of his weight, he underwent too strenuous diets and exercise to lose weight for his career and died after the making of this film.

The film has some impact, especially with its violent scenes - and seems quite striking and bold for a film of the '40s.

1. An entertaining thriller? Psychological drama?

2. Black and white photography? Light and darkness, shadow? The re-creation of period, atmosphere? London, the turn of the century? The contribution of Bernard Herrmann’s atmospheric score, the concerto and its place in the climax of the film? The work of author Patrick Hamilton and his thrillers (Gaslight, Rope)?

3. London, the turn of the century, the atmosphere e.g. of Jack the Ripper? The work of John Brahm and his thrillers? The cast and their popularity?

4. Laird Cregar as George: as character, alone and lonely, the audience seeing him kill the shop-owner, set fire to the store? His madness? Lapse of memory? His skill in music, composition? His relationship with Netta, her using him, wanting his music for her songs? Her betrayal of him? Barbara and her father, their support? His attack on Barbara? The periods of loss of memory and his intensity, strangling? The murder of Netta, the death of the cat, carrying Netta to the bonfire? Middleton and the information e.g. of cords and knots? Middleton's trying to understand him? The build-up to the recital, Middleton trying to stop him, his performance after being late, the climax, the police, his not being able to carry on? The visuals of his memory coming to him during the performance? His staying to play in the burning house? A portrait of a mad man?

5. Netta and the background of the theatre, glamour, using George, her relationships, fickleness, her death?

6. The contrast with Barbara, aristocratic, beauty, support and love, George's attempt on her during his madness, her support of him, playing the concerto?

7. Middleton, his writings, his investigations, Scotland Yard and the police?

8. The style of the composition, it being a work of George's personality, the recital? The house burning down and falling around the playing composer?

9. The film's style, detail: houses, streets? The sequences with the cat? The curtain cord? The Guy Fawkes bonfire and the burning of Netta?

10. An entertaining melodrama? Exploration of psychological themes - and the information and styles of investigation in films of the '40s?