TERROR IN THE WAX MUSEUM

US, 1973, 94 minutes, Colour.
Ray Milland, Broderick Crawford, Elsa Lanchester, Louis Hayward, John Carradine, Shani Wallis, Maurice Evans, Patric Knowles.
Directed by George Fenady.

Terror In The Wax Museum is a low-budget but quite entertaining murder mystery with overtones of horror, echoes of Mystery of the Wax Museum and House of Wax. Made by the Fenady brothers who have made a number of such films, the film boasts a cast of old veterans who enjoy themselves thoroughly in this costume melodramatic romp. The overtones of the waxworks and the macabre characters also add to the atmosphere of the film. Forgettable but quite entertaining while on the screen.

1. The evocation of the title, the memory of films about the was museum? Expectation and fulfilment?

2. A small budget horror film? American production about Victorian London? Recreation of locations, the wax museum, costumes and sets? The use of a number of veteran stars?

3. The horror aspects of the film in respect to the terror, the wax museum, to the people exhibited and the murderers, psychological monsters, the actual murders related to Jack the Ripper? Audience liking for this kind of horror suggestion?

4. The film as a murder mystery, puzzle, sufficient clues, the indications to Flexner? The ultimate revelation of the real villain?

5. The atmosphere of Victorian London, the streets and houses, manors? The museum of wax, its lighting, sinister? The statues and their seeming to come alive? Jack the Ripper and the associations with the murders? The real murders and their horror?

6. The introduction to Dupree and his owning the museum, his death? Dupree as a creator?

7. The arrival of Julia, her obnoxious manner, her breeding, protectiveness of Meg? Meg as the heroine? As bait for the murderer? A happy ending? Conventional heroine?

8. Amos Burns as the burly American, the particular American traits, wanting to buy, the inevitability of his being a victim?

9. The character of Flexner, as an object of suspicion? Relationship with Frowley? Frowley and his genial attitude, his links with the museum? The irony of the revelation of the truth?

10. The contribution of Karaov, his death?

11. Laurie and her singing, her role in the hotel, the reason for her murder?

12. The presentation of the police, methods of solving the mystery? Enjoyable if conventional horror murder mystery?

LA TERRA TREMA

Italy, 1948, 162 minutes, Black and white.
Uncredited non-professional actors.
Directed by Lucchino Visconti.

La Terra Trema is the second film of Lucchino Visconti. This left-wing aristocratic artist worked during the '30s as a designer with Jean Renoir. During the war he had his opportunity to make his first film, Ossessione.

It was based upon James Cain's The Postman Always Rings Twice. After the war, with a grant from the Communist Party, Visconti went with his cinema team, including directors Franco Zeffirelli and Franco Rosi, to make documentaries about the way of life in Sicily. Only part of the project concerning the fishermen was made. The saga of the Valastro family - a family who was not entirely poor but who was rendered poor by social oppression, is a saga microcosm of families in Sicily. The hero is ‘Ntoni, a young man of potential whom circumstances oppress and make fail. The film is an excellent observation of the way of life, capturing the authentic atmosphere with the use of real fishermen for the roles in the film. Visconti was then to go on to make Bellissima in 1952 and move into a very successful film career in the '60s and '70s with such excellent films as Rocco and His Brothers, The Leopard, Conversation Piece and his final film L'Innocente.

1. The immediate impact of this work? Social, Italian? The work of Lucchino Visconti? Its place in his canon? Reflecting his socialist interests? The fact that it was not seen for so many years, rejected in Italy on its first release?

2. The background of the film, its preparation, Communist Party financing, a part of a project about Sicilian life, the only part completed? The importance of the project in depicting the Sicilian way of life, its poverty, need for social development? The left-wing slant - how obvious? The left wing emphases? Their validity., as visualised. as a reflection of the needs of the people and the place?

3. The documentary fiction tone of the film? The fishermen and their personalities, way of life? The fact that so many of the local fishermen acted in the film? How authentic the way of life in the town, the problems, the characters? Their interactions? The significance of the prologue and the explanation of the film and its place in the project?

4. The detailed attention to village life: the houses, the streets, the companies in charge of the boats the sea. the port. the city of Catania as the city focus for the villagers? The black and white photography, its clarity? The importance of the seasons and the framework of the film, the moods and changes of the seasons? The score and its classic Italian background?

5. The presentation of the Valastro family? In themselves, as a symbol of the Sicilians? The film as the story of this family? The delineation of the characters., the problems, the inter-relationships? The social issues? The importance of Sicilian tradition, wealth and poverty, the need for work? Social traditions, moral traditions, religious traditions?

6. The film's focus on 'Ntoni? His personality, his leadership within the family. his military training background and his wider experience? His capacities as a fisherman? His critique of the situation? The boycott? His mortgaging the homes? His desire for his own boat, the family's support of this, the bank loan? The anchovies? The disaster? How much was the disaster his own fault? The experience of the loss of the boat, the loss of opportunity for work, starvation and the way this was portrayed? The demoralising effect of the family being out of work and out of income? 'Ntoni and his drinking. companionship with the ruffians of the town? His changing? His courtship and the lessening possibility of his marriage? The people who were against him? His having to go can-in-hand to them after saying he would never do this? The motivation for asking for work? The potential of 'Ntoni and its loss? His final speech and the rallying for some kind of social criticism, revolution?

7. The portrait of the other members of the family? The strength of the characters, weaknesses? The parents, the grandfather and his being in the house, his very strong traditional stances, his illness and death and the effect on them all? The pathos presented in the family ties and love in death? The two sisters - the one proper, the other with the possibilities of something happening for her and her turning to prostitution, the jewellery? The hardworking brother and his being tempted and going off? His stealing away from the family? The young boy and his admiration for 'Ntoni? How well were the characters drawn, how empathetic?

8. The importance of the sea, the port, the fish, the market? The bosses and their ganging up on the family? The families and their disdain of the Valastro family? The police? The highlighting of this during the Blessing of the Fleet. the Church Blessing. the whole town turning out. the aristocrats of the town and their critique of the Valastros?

9. Themes of poverty, hunger, loss of work? How did this reach a climax by the end of the winter? 'Ntoni going to look at his boat? The girl at the boat and her comments? Her welcoming him back when he wanted to come?

10. The socialist themes. the importance of a Collective, the propaganda tones of the speeches and the morale of the end?

11. Themes of work, the dignity of man, his values? A presentation of the social realism of Italian cinema of the '40s? The authentic presentation of a way of life and the needs for the future?

TEOREMA

1968, Italy, 103 minutes, Colour/Black and white.
Terence Stamp, Silvana Mangano, Massimo Girotti, Anne Wiezamsky, Laura Betti.
Directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini.

Teorema is certainly a puzzle. A theorem offers a saying of truth in a formula which is abstracted from reality and made a principle for further calculations. This film certainly seems to be making statements. There are geometrical patterns in the relationships. But one wonders what is solved. Many critics dismissed the film as pretentiously boring and a solemn "put-on", others were very impressed with its strange exploration of relationships, the inadequacies of self-images and the changes in way of life wrought by the loving intervention of a stranger. And who was the stranger - A Christ-figure or Devil-figure. The fact that sexuality was the mode of communication chosen by Pasolini to symbolise the relationship that changed people is certainly a complicating factor. So are recurring texts from the book of Exodus and the prophet Jeremiah. But theorems are to be worked out, understood and applied. Teorema, of course, is a must for those who like Pasolini's work (Accattone, Gospel According to Matthew, Oedipus The King). After Teorema, Pasolini made Medea, The Decameron, The Canterbury Tales, Arabian Nights, which have also made the critics praise and wonder.

When Teorema was awarded the OCIC, Catholic award at the Festival of Venice in 1969, Vatican reaction was strongly against it and Pasolini returned the award he had won in 1964 for his Gospel according to Matthew.

1. What was the significance of the title - a simple geometrical term applied to this family situation?

2. A mystery name: "theos" is Greek for "God"? How did the film quickly and visually establish each character?
3. What was the impact of the factory sequence - use of colour, documentary style? The question of strikes and capitalism as connected with this film?

4. The question of social change was immediately raised and a man confronted by social reform (in the industrial north of Italy, Turin).

5. What was the bearing of this in the film and on the people involved in this film? What was the significance of the Exodus symbol - the text, the desert, purification; the visualising of the desert, the monochrome sands and wind?

6. Was the visit of the young man made credible in terms of realism? Did it matter who he was? Some see him as a Christ-figure (changing peoples' lives and saving them from themselves); others see him as a figure of evil, depraving and withdrawing people from life. What did Terence Stamp's acting suggest? How did the young man fit into the home? How was this visually shown? Effectively? His contact with each of the characters, their reactions, the overall effect, the particularly sexual relationships and the significance of this? The mid: service. The daughter: seemingly normal relationship, The son: sharing the room and interest. The mother: a guest. The father: his feet. How important were these experiences for each concerned; how partial? What aspects of their personalities and needs did they represent? What effect did the experiences have on the young man? Was he too enigmatic? How important were the young man's reactions for the whole film? what was the significance of the effect of the experience on each? The maid: fulfilment, her leaving. her going to the people, the levitation (how important are the expected styles of Southern Italian sanctity here). fasting, ecstasy; did Pasolini mean her to be a saint? The mother: awakening of desire, self-seeking, picking up men - how fulfilling, how brutal? Her confession - was this a sinning to discover meaning through sensuality and forgiveness through sinning (or is this too far-fetched?) The daughter: the trance - self-centred. non-productive. The son: going away. growth in self-understanding, self-disgust, dissatisfaction with his creative work the significance of urinating on the paintings, where had he arrived? The father: change in outlook as regards the factory, his life-values, his public stripping of himself and going out into the Exodus desert.

8. What was the significance of the Jeremiah repentance text?

9. Comment on the didactic, schematic (geometrical) structure of the film and its overall effect, repetition of the chorus theme.

10. Pasolini is a Marxist - has this any relevance to the film? (He is a humanist - with interests in Christianity).

11. Is the film too symbolic; does it communicate effectively? Is it a worthwhile film?

10 TO MIDNIGHT

US, 1985, 95 minutes, Colour.
Charles Bronson, Lisa Eilbacher, Andrew Stevens, Wilford Brimley, Gene Davis, Geoffrey Lewis.
Directed by J. Lee Thompson.

10 To Midnight is one of Charles Bronson's later action adventures. After making his mark as an actor in the '50s and '60s, Bronson became something of a cult hero for action films during the '70s with such films as Death Wish. His popularity waned though he continued to make films like this. This is one of his better later thrillers. The ingredients are familiar: lurid sex murderer in Los Angeles, the inability of the law to hold the killer, the personal vendetta waged by Bronson. It is a variation on his Death Wish films.

The film is directed by English director J. Lee- Thompson who made many interesting films in Britain in the '50s including Tiger Bay, moved to Hollywood with The Guns of Navarone and had a career over several decades but whose films were not outstanding. He directed Bronson in St. Ives, The White Buffalo, Capo Blanco. There is a strong supporting cast - especially Gene Davis as the psychotic killer. Bronson is more 'laid back' in this film which makes it more persuasive than other films he made at this time.

1. The popularity of the police and crime thriller? Entertaining? The workings of the police? The insane criminal mind? The effectiveness of justice and the law? individual justice? Impact in terms of understanding, emotion?

2. Charles Bronson vehicle: Bronson's presence, appearance. age, authority? The background of the Death Wish films? Upholding the law? Critical of the law? Taking it into his own hands?

3. The Los Angeles background: the ordinary life - hospitals, nurses, offices? The police precincts and the work of the police? The law courts? The streets and the lurid background of the city? Atmosphere of authenticity? Visual violence? Lurid aspects? Editing and pace? The musical score?

4. The emotional response to the situations portrayed? Audiences identifying with the injustice and cruelty? The seeming fallibility of the law? Attitudes towards justice, law and its protection of criminals, lawyers exploiting the law? The final confrontation and its credibility? Leaving the audience with questions about justice?

5. The portrait of warren Stacey: his madness, his antagonism towards women - and the suggestions about their humiliating him, calling him a creep, pouring coffee over him etc.? The importance of the insertion of the flashbacks of these memories? The few facts given about him? His memories and his final explanation? The popular psychology used - his distrust and dislike of women, humiliation, sexual aberration, the knife as his penis etc.? His looking at himself in the mirror, self-absorption, dressing? The Butch Cassidy episode and his working out an alibi? His using the same technique later? Callous use of the girls in the cinema? The violence of his stalking his victim, nude, violent, blood-spattered? The irony of his attending the funeral? His meeting with Laurie and her thinking she knew him? Stalking Karen in her apartment and murdering her? The diary already taken by the police? His being taken in, questions and his asserting of rights, his anger? The obscene phone calls - especially to Laurie? His arrest and protests? The relationship with the lawyer - and the suggestion of a mental plea? The response to the planting of the blood on his clothes? His being freed again? Leo pursuing him: phone calls, watching, the photos in his office? The girl suspicious of him at the office and his being sacked? Picking up the prostitute? Using her for an alibi? His nude going berserk in the nurses' rooms and slaying them? His lurking for Laurie, chasing her down the street? His defying Leo at the end and using the mental plea? His death? A sketch of a psychotic killer? The audience encountering him as did the police? Fewness of facts? Emotional response to behaviour and crime? Sufficient explanation? The verdict?

6. Bronson as policeman: his work and reaction to the old nun confessing during the credits? His sneering at Mc Ann and their working as partners? His skill in investigation? The scene of the crime? His telling the victim's parents - and the pathos of his knowing them? His ability in searching Warren's apartment? The interrogation and his violence, his accusations about sexual aberration? His anger at the system? The sparring with Mc Cann, gradual appreciation of him, his love for his daughter and yet his being too busy to see her? The cafeteria sequence? The taping of the obscene phone call and testing it with Warren's voice? His device for taking the blood and planting it? The arrest? His satisfaction at the court? Mc Cann refusing to lie? The reaction of the judge, his being sacked? His drinking with Laurie? His obsessive pursuit of Warren: phone, car, the photos in the office? His pursuit from the hotel to save Laurie? Confronting Warren and killing him? The facts, justice, sympathy for his action? Could it be justified in law?

7. Mc Cann as the younger version of Leo? Education? Dress and people saying he didn't look like a policeman? Working with Leo? Helping? The attraction towards Laurie? The dance. the meal? The comic touches? The lawyer's pressure on him about the planting of the blood? His own investigations? Confronting Leo? Watching for Laurie? The living by the letter of the law?

8. Malone and his work on the case? The D.A. and the office staff? The background of forensic investigation? The pot-smoking attendant and his being used?

9. Warren's lawyer and his smooth talk. manipulation of the case, mental pleas etc.? The quick sketch of the smooth criminal lawyer?

10. The portrayal of women in the film: victims, good and bad? As seen through Warren's perspective? The women at the office? The stories about the first victim and her promiscuity? Karen and her death - and the grief of her boyfriend? The nurses and their friendliness with Laurie? The pathos of their deaths?

11. Laurie as similar to he father? Trying to see him. the funeral, offering the photo of Warren, the cafeteria sequence? Her story about her parents and her father's absence? The obscene phone calls? The dance and outing with Mc Cann? Her presence in the court, disgust with Mc Ann, drinking with her father? Her being terrorised with the nurses? Her quick-wittedness? The chase in the street?

12. The film as another example of the popularity of police cases in the media of the '70s and '80s? The emphasis on the lurid, the real and the ugly? The police having to cope with this kind of murder and mentality? The stances to be taken?

TENSION AT TABLE ROCK

US, 1956, 83 minutes, Colour.
Richard Egan, Dorothy Malone, Billy Chapin, Cameron Mitchell, De Forest Kelly, Angie Dickenson.
Directed by Charles Marquis Warren.

Tension at Table Rock is an interesting and enjoyable western, one of so many of the '50s. It is in the tradition of the great westerns of the '50s and audiences will recognise echoes of films like Shane and High Noon. The film has a strong cast, especially in its supporting character actors. Direction is by Charles Marcus Warren, a veteran writer and director of westerns. There is a score by Oscar-winning Dimitri Tiomkin and a song, 'The Ballad of Wes Tancred'.

1. An entertaining and interesting western? Of the '50s? Themes of the lone gunfighter, the gunfighter and the young boy, the sheriff and the lack of support in the town?

2. Location photography, colour? The western plains and mountains? The towns? Dimitri Tiomkin's score? The ballad?

3. The title and its focus on the issues?

4. The focus on Wes Tancred? The opening, the betrayal, the people attacking Tancred and believing the worst of him? His bitterness? His leaving the town? The dangers on his life? The encounter with Burrows and his son? The bandits? The death of Burrows? The relationship. between Tancred and Jody? Table Rock and the visit to Fred Miller? The encounter with Lorna Miller? Miller and his loss of nerve? Tancred and his ~staying, keeping himself detached? The saloon and the encounters with Kirk? The cattlemen coming to town? The shooting up of the town? The clash with Hampton? Tancred helping Miller?. The tension with Lorna, her devotion to her husband, her grief at his fears? Tancred restoring law and order, the attempt on his life by Kirk and Miller's helping him? Tancred able to leave? His being a model for Jody?

5. Sheriff Miller and his place in the town, his reputation as a man of justice? His fears, loss of nerve? Support of Lorna? Jody coming to stay? The friendship with Tancred? The pressures by Hampton, by Kirk? His inability to enforce the law? The protests of the town? His succumbing to pressure? His shooting of Kirk? His ability to regain confidence?

6. Lorna and her love for her husband, her being ashamed by his weakness? The attraction to Tancred? her taking Jody? Her life in the town? The farewell?

7. Jody and his father, their support, Jody's stories about Wes Tancred, hero-worship? In the town, at the Millers', running away? Tancred bringing him back? His watching the proceedings? Admiration for Tancred?

8. Hampton and the cattlemen, their arrogance, taking over the town? The pressure on Miller? The confrontation with Tancred? Kirk and his double-dealings, wanting to have a gunfighter, the killing of Tancred? Shootouts? Kirk's death?

9. Familiar western themes? The frontier, law and order? Heroes of the West? Legends and ballads?

TEN NORTH FREDERICK

US, 1958, 101 minutes, Black and white.
Gary Cooper, Diane Varsi, Suzy Parker, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Stuart Whitman.
Directed by Philip Dunne.

Ten North Frederick is based on a novel by John O'Hara. It was adapted for the screen and directed by Philip Dunne, writer-director of a number of popular 20th. Century- Fox films of this time: Prince of Players, Hilda Crane, Blue Denim. It is photographed in Cinemascope - in black and white. The score is by Lee Harline.

This kind of film was popular at Fox Studios in the second part of the 150s: Peyton Place, From the Terrace, The Best of Everything. It is a piece of Americana - highlighting the surface respectability and the, sometimes lurid, problems underneath. The film has a strong cast: Gary Cooper in one of his final roles, Geraldine Fitzgerald being venomous. Diane Varsi and Stuart Whitman were in the early years of their careers. The film is the kind of material that, in the '70s and '80s, was to be very popular as a series (Dynasty, Dallas) or in mini-series.

1. Entertaining drama? Popular Americana? The work of John O'Hara? Surface respectability - and the sins and humanity of American families?

2. Quality production, black and white photography, Cinemascope, Lee Harline's score? The strong cast?

3. The work of John O'Hara and his observations on American society? Sardonic? The period considered? Respectable families and houses? Dynasties? Politics and morals?

4. The title and the focus on the respectable address and house? A 'good' family? The ironies? Appearances and reality?

5. The structure of the film: problems, flashback, the portrait of Joe Chapin, his family, downfall?

6. The importance of the Chapin family? Cary Cooper's presence as Joe? The basically decent man, relationship with wife, child ren? His work? Involvement in politics? Honesty, corruption? Relationship with Edith and her dominance, love of power, venom, control of the children, saving face? His children rebelling and his handling of the situation? Allowing Joby his career? His paying off Charlie Bongiorno? A symbol of American politicians - in the light of subsequent revelations and histories?

7. Gary Cooper's portrait of Joe as a decent man? Relationship with his colleagues, work? The background of '30s and '40s politics? Possibilities for such men to rise to presidential power? The style of campaigns and issues? The importance of entertaining - and Edith as hostess? Edith and her power, contacts, her dominance? The experience of Anne's affair and the paying off of Charlie Bongiorno - consequences for the campaign? Joe being humiliated? Edith's taunts? Her affair? The encounter with Kate? The clandestine affair? The effect on Joe's tenderness? Questions of emotion and honour? The decision to break off the affair? The gift? His death? A seeming failure?

8. The portrait of Edith as the strong woman, wife, matriarch? Her tongue, manner? Her controlling Joe? Her political ambitions? Her taunts at his failure? The affair? Her keeping face at his funeral? Joby's outburst and her slapping him? A woman of surface respectability, harsh realities within her?

9. Anne and the pressures of the Chapin family? Her social status? The infatuation of Charlie, his charm, music? Pregnant? The miscarriage? His being paid off? The trauma for her life? New York, work, Kate, the apartment? The return for the funeral? Her awareness of her father's relationship when she saw the Ruby? The impact of family and ambition on the next generation?

10. Joby and his relationship to his father, mother? Yale pressures? Musical career? Expectations? Drinking? The final outburst at the funeral?

11. The friendship of Kate and Anne, the chance encounter if Kate with Joe, the beginning of the affair, the relationship of the older man with the younger woman, Joe's tenderness. Kate's response, the gift of the ring? Kate's marriage?

12. The sketch of Charlie Bongiorno and his style, charm, music, background? Relationship with Anne? The pay-off sequence and his surly attitude towards Joe?

13. The portrait of political colleagues? Political expediency? The film's treating of a variety of themes: ambition, illusions, failure, crooked politics, megalomania, American matriarchy, small-town hypocrisy, the problems of the young and romance, pregnancy, romantic attachments between the young and the middle-aged? An entertaining exploration of these themes?

TEN DAYS' WONDER (LA DECADE PRODIGIEUSE)

France, 1971, 108 Minutes, Colour.
Orson Welles, Marlene Jobert, Anthony Perkins, Michel Piccoli.
Directed by Claude Chabrol.

Ten Days Wonder is another thriller with philosophical undertones by director Claude Chabrol. Chabrol was considered one of the leading directors of the French New Wave at the end of the 50s and the beginning of the 60s., He was also a theorist about film-making and was a noted author. With Eric Rohmer, he wrote a study on Hitchcock. It is plain that Hitchcock has influenced Chabrol's film making, not so much in the style, but in the subjects, especially the notions of guilt, responsibility, transference of guilt. This is evident in such films as The Unfaithful Wife, The Butcher, Just Before Morning, Blood Wedding and this particular film. This time the basic plot comes from a thriller, but Chabrol uses a structure of ten days giving an artificial atmosphere but involving the audience in the strange happenings in a strange family. Just who is guilty and who is not is not clear until the end of the film. The film was made in English and Orson Wells and Anthony Perkins were employed. They bring their familiar characteristics to the roles. Marlene Jobert is the attractive heroine. There are many interesting things in Ten Days Wonder and it is a very interesting example of Chabrol's film-making and interests.

1. The impact of this thriller, its title, French atmosphere and overtones, use of American leads, the fact that it was based on an Ellery Queen mystery story and uses such stock devices as mysterious letters, voices on the phone, murder etc.?

2. The importance of* the structure of the days for the film's impact? The basic purpose of such a formal structure, distancing the audience, the cumulative effect?

3. The importance of the colour and the light? The atmosphere of the city contrasting with the atmosphere of the home and its significance, style, the look of the 20s, the gardens and the lake? The importance of the 20s decor and costumes, especially Helen's? An atmosphere of beauty and destruction?

4. How well did the film present and explore themes of love, relationships, sin and guilt, foolishness, fear, manipulation, vengeance, playing God? The irony of who was innocent and who was guilty? The moralising and the audience response to this?

5. The initial focus on Charles and the blood, its repetition at the end? His loss of memory, intimations of madness? The puzzle of the opening, his being in the hotel, the fee being paid etc.? His fear of the unknown? His seeking help from Paul? The revelation of his relationship with his father, his stepfather, with Helene? The love and hate in his life? His love for Helene, the revelation of the letters, the blackmail, thieving, fear and doom and disaster? How was Charles a doom-ridden figure?

6. Charles presented as happy and unhappy, the revelation of his adoption and the explanation by Theo, the trance and the visit to the cemetery and the desecration of the grave, the robbery of the necklace, the disillusionment with Paul? The fate overtaking Charles and the impending doom?

7. His waking to find himself covered in blood, his reaction to Helene's death, his smashing of the statues, his suicide and its violence? The significance of Charles' life and death?

8. The portrayal of Helene? First seen at the station in the 1920's style, her relationship with Theo, her love and dedication to him, the importance of the flashbacks of her childhood, the flashback of her marriage? How much love for Theo? The credibility of her falling in love with Charles? The mystery of her life, the blackmail, the revelation to Paul, the robbery, Paul disillusioning them? The importance of the flashback of her death and the posture as she awaited her death? Innocence and guilt and the significance of her life and death?

9. Paul as a contrast to the other characters? The professor, the father figure, intelligence and logic, kindness and his helping? The audience identifying with him in observation of the characters and the events, listening to the stories and judging them? His suave manner, coping with Theo? His acceptance of appearances?

10. The fact that he did not want to be used by Charles and Helene although helping as much as he could? The significance of his going to the hotel with Helene, the letters and the money? The urgency with Helene running to get the letters back? Paul's standing guard of her? His eventual realizing of the truth, his return as judge and executioner? Did the audience share his attitudes of judge and executioner?

11. The impact of Theo, as played by Orson Welles? His name and it being the name of God? The irony of his origins, America, wealth? The importance of his brother, the scene with his mother? What did they reveal about Theo? His wanting to stay in the 1920s as an age of perfection, in externals? His story about perfection and flaws as a sign of vitality? The importance of his conversations with Paul? The hold he had over each character? His control of Helene and Charles? His learning of the truth? His manipulation of vengeance? His confrontation of Charles and Helene, the importance of Helene's death? As told in flashback, the impact of its visualization? What was he left with at the end? Should he have shot himself or not? The theme of the man who plays God?

12. How well portrayed were psychological bonds and relationships, mutual control, the image of the labyrinth for these relationships?

13. Themes of sin and guilt, innocence? Paul's recounting of the Ten Commandments and Charles' and Helene's breaking of them? Who has the right to judge, on what basis? Even the audience?

14. Comment on the structure and content of each of the ten days and their cumulative effect: the first day and Charles discovered and seeking Paul's help; the second day, Paul arriving and meeting Helene and Theo, the story of the adoption; the third day and the beauty of the picnic, the confession about the love and the blackmail; the fourth day and Paul accompanying Helene to hand over the money, after Charles has robbed the safe, the recovery and burning of the letters; the fifth day and Theo's description about Charles' origins; the sixth day, Paul's nightmare, Charles rushing away, the watching of Charles desecrate the grave; the seventh day and Helene telling Paul about further blackmailing, the pawning of the diamond necklace, Paul's willingness to do this; the eighth day, Theo confronting Paul with the pawnbroker and the police, Paul's telling the truth, Paul leaving and returning because of his fear of Theo's life, the ninth day and Helene's death, Charles discovered and his destruction of the sculptures and suicide; the tenth day and Paul's return to the house, the confrontation with Theo, the leaving of the gun and the guilt?

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

US, 1956, Colour, Paramount.
Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner, Anne Baxter, Yvonne De Carlo, Edward G. Robinson, Debra Paget, John Derek, Nina Foch, Judith Anderson, Cedric Hardwicke, John Carradine, Douglas Dumbrille, Martha Scott, Vincent Price.
Directed by Cecil B. de Mille.

The Ten Commandments turned out to be the climax of Cecil B. de Mille's career. He had made a silent version in the 20s which was very popular and, after a series of popular entertainments with a sexual emphasis, he moved to the spectaculars. He was at home directing big-budget costume melodrama, e.g. The Sign of the Cross and Cleopatra in the 30s. He turned his attention to Americana in the late 30s and 40s with such films as The Plainsman, Union Pacific, Reap the Wild Wind. He was back to the Bible with Samson and Delilah in 1949 and then portrayed the circus in The Greatest Show on Earth which won the Oscar for 1952. With The Ten Commanments, he drew on an enormous amount of talent in stars, photographers, set designers. The film is quite a mammoth event. He himself appears at the beginning of the film, intoning rather solemnly its authenticity as based on the sacred scriptures. Charlton Heston is effective as Moses and was at the beginning of his career of portraying many famous people. De Mille died during preparations for The Buccaneer which was completed by his then son-in-law, Anthony Quinn.

1. Why does this film have such a great reputation? Does it deserve it? What is its overall impact? Why? What expectations do audiences have of this film? Why? How well were they fulfilled?

2. What are the characteristics of Cecil B. De Mille's religiosity? The importance of his introduction and his attitudes towards religion? His reverential attitudes towards his sources and to Scripture? His assertion of historical research? Does this seem to have been borne out in the film? The authenticity of costumes and sets? The importance of such set spectacular pieces as the Exodus itself, the Ten Commandments? The value of spectacle that Cecil B. De Mille stands for? De Mille as an entertainer and wanting to entertain via religion? De Mille's eye on box-office success?

3. How genuine did the film seem? Did it seem to be real history? Or did it take Scriptures too literally and not understand them as saga? Or did it present Hebrew history as saga and as Hebrew tradition? How balanced a picture of Scriptural events did the film give? How realistic a picture of religious events?

4. How well portrayed was the atmosphere of Egypt - the importance of sets, costumes, spectacle for communicating the reality of Egypt? The wealth of Egypt, palaces, homes, style? The contrast with Hebrews, their work, the Egyptians as task masters, the slavery of the Hebrews? The religion of the Hebrews compared with that of the Egyptians? This atmosphere of Egypt as showing a need for liberation for the Hebrews?

5. How well did the film focus centrally on Moses? How interestingly did it portray his birth and its importance? The death of the Hebrew children? The shrewdness of mother and sister? The finding of Moses in the bulrushes? The impact on Princess Bithia? How plausible did it seem that Moses was raised as an Egyptian? Nursed by his mother and sister? Moses and the atmosphere of Egypt in which he grew up?

6. The portrayal of Moses as a man - the success of Charlton Heston's performance? why was he admired so much in Egypt? The admiration of Sethi and the question of the inheritance? The contrast of Moses and Rameses? The love of Nefertiti? The status of Moses and his behaviour in Egypt and in the royal court? His sharing in the Egyptian arrogance?

7. The importance of Memnet and her betrayal? Judith Anderson's portrayal as sinister, too sinister? As a spectacular villainess? Dathan as a spectacular villain? Edward G. Robinson style? Were these two convincing?

8. Baka as a villain? His role in the oppression of the Hebrews? His attitude towards Lilia and Joshua's enmity with him? The importance of Baka's death and its impact on Moses' life?

9. How well did the film portray the reality of Moses' exile? The impact of the desert and his wandering in the desert? Away from Egypt? The reality of his awareness of being a Hebrew?

10. The beauty of the desert photography, its harsh reality, Moses' finding of Jethro and the dancing daughters? His love for Sephora? Moses ageing in the land of Midian? His future there if he had stayed?

11. How well introduced was the sequence of the burning bush? Was it presented too literally and in too gimmicky a way? The reverence as regards these religious events? And yet the American overtones? The significance of the burning bush event for Moses and his mission? was this convincingly portrayed?

12. The impact that Moses made in Egypt? His needing Aaron as his speaker? The sequences with Rameses and Nefertiti? The snakes, the impact of the plagues and the way that they were filmed? The dramatic conflict between Rameses and Moses?

13. Why was Rameses so hard of heart? His jealousy of Moses, attitudes towards Nefertiti, his son?

14. How convincing was the role of Nefertiti in the film? Her marriage to Rameses and her son? Her love for Moses and her pleas? Did this look too much like romantic interest or did it seem genuine?

15. The role of Lilia and Joshua as young romantic lovers? As the foundation of the liberated people of the Hebrews?


16. How kind was the film in allowing Bithia to go on the Exodus? How convincing a personality was Bithia? Her help for the liberation? Her relationship to Moses' real mother?

17. The dramatic impact of the slaughter of the first-born? Especially with Nefertiti and her bitterness? The impact on Rameses?

18. Did the Exodus itself look convincing? The importance of the Passover and the religious overtones, the assembly at the Red Sea, the scepticism of Dathan, the authority of Moses? The filming of the parting of the Red Sea and its parting again? Did this distract from the theme? Was it impressive? Why?

19. How authentic did the wandering in the desert seem? The photography of the desert, the day to day reality of the wandering, the search for Israel, the complaints against Moses, Moses' doubts?

20. The impact of the giving of the Ten Commandments? The spectacular gimmickry of these sequences? Did this distract from the reality of the commandments? The importance for Moses?

21. The dramatic contrast of Dathan leading his revolt, Aaron's weakness, the orgy and the building of the calf, and Moses' anger?

22. How satisfying was the fulfilment of the Exodus? Moses and his death, Joshua and Lilia leading the people?

23. How successful a Biblical spectacular was this film? Was its religious meaning clear? What effect did it have on the audience? How satisfying was it?

THE TENANT

France, 1976, 126 minutes, Colour.
Roman Polanski, Isabelle Adjani, Shelley Winters, Melvyn Douglas, Jo Van Fleet, Claude Pieplu.
Directed by Roman Polanski.

The Tenant is not an entertainment. Rather it is a Roman Polanski cinematic study of identity, environment, hostility and suicidal madness. Set in a dingy Paris apartment with Melvyn Douglas, Shelley Winters, Jo Van Fleet, amongst others, as sinister neighbours, the film focuses on a sympathetic young man, played excellently by Polanski himself, who rents a room and becomes possessed by it and the memory of its previous tenant and her suicide. The first half offers a coherent plot, but in the second there are conscious gaps in the development so that we are jolted along, madly, towards a bizarre (even laughable) horrible ending. Expert film-making, demanding, thoughtful and alarming.

1. The overall impact of this film? Its quality as serious cinema? Audience interest, enjoyment, bafflement and fear?

2. What was the purpose of Roman PQ1anski's making this film? For himself, for the audience, for what audience? What was his intention for the audience's response?

3. The build-up of the atmosphere of Paris, of the apartment building, the apartment itself, the streets and the cafes, the hospital, the work places? How did the film communicate its atmosphere? The use of colour, darkness and shadow, music?

4. The significance of the title? Its reference to the previous occupant? Its reference to he hero? One assuming the identity of the other?

5. Audience response to the ordinary start: a look at the place, the concierge, the request to see the room. the discussion about the rates. the encounter with the owner and its ordinariness. the terms of discussion, the hero leaving and going to the cafe opposite etc.?

6. How normal was the tenant at the beginning of the film? His seeking a room, his bargaining, sensitivity and timidity. shyness and gentleness, passivity?

7. How well did the film indicate hints of what was to come? The concierge and her indication of the suicide and pointing it out? The tenant's looking out the window at the broken glass, his discovery of the people standing for hours in the toilet? The noises, the hostility of the people in the apartment building?

8. The dramatic importance of the visit to the hospital? The concern of the tenant, the injuries of the dying woman? The lack of communication? Stella's visit and trying to communicate? Stella's horror at not being recognised? The agonized shout and the visuals of the mouth of the dying woman? The impact of the later news of her death? The impact on the audience, shared with the tenant?

9. How did we learn more about the tenant, his work. his relationship with Stella, his dealing with the people in the apartment? The conversations with the landlord, the suspicions of the concierge?

10. The importance of the party at home? The noisy friends and their vulgar normality? The tenant seeming to be part of this? Yet not part of it?

11. The criticism from the man upstairs? His unreasonableness and hostility? The fact that he was one who stood for hours in the toilet? The tenant is apologetic, the sequence with the garbage and taking it downstairs, its being missing when he returned?

12. How did the tenant begin to change, the effect of the room on him, the dead woman's belongings, his dreaming through his work, his becoming more and more introverted? The effect of going to the cafe for breakfast? The owner and the waiter and their attention towards the tenant? Forcing him to smoke Marlboro, cigarettes, drink cocoa etc.?

13. The overall effect of the concierge, the owner and his wife and his criticisms and threats, the widow with the spastic child and her intimations of persecution, the hostile woman who persecuted the widow? The Ran upstairs? The tenant's response to them? The jumbling of their images in his imagination? His seeing himself persecuted, as the dead woman persecuted?

14. How much normality was there in his relationship with Stella? The encounter at the funeral, returning home with her, lovemaking? How much did she help, how much did she not help him? The meaning of the relationship? His wanting to be saved?

15. The use of night settings? The mystery in the night, dreams and fantasies, noises and threats? Real people taking their place in the dreams? The dead woman taking over?

16. Audience response to the final assimilation of identity? The various steps towards it: the makeup and the return to normality, the dress, the buying of the wig? His moving in and out with the two identities? Audience response to the visual transvestite impressions?

17. The film's visual presentation of the theme of identity and loss of identity? Sexual confusion? Fears and normality?

18. Returning to Stella and what he hoped to achieve? Her helping of him and yet his suspicions, the berserk destruction of her apartment? The significance of the accident with the car and his imagining the apartment people persecuting him? The fact that he was seeing everyone as sinister?

19. How convincing was the build-up to the tenant's assuming the identity of the dead woman and repeating her death? The repetition of the death? The stunned reaction of the people? The calling of the doctor? The dying of the man and his awareness of the people in the courtyard?

20. How much was the film a parable for the modern world? The uncertainty of identity, sexuality, sanity and madness, the pressures and hostility of people? Society? A world of violence and destruction?

THE TEMPTER

UK/Italy, 1974, 106 minutes, Colour.
Glenda Jackson, Claudio Casinel1i, Lisa Harrow, Adolfo Celi, Arnoldo Foa.
Directed by Damiano Damiani.

The Tempter is a strange Italian film for the very English Glenda Jackson to star in. Its issues are particularly those of the Italian Catholic Church. Miss Jackson is Sister Geraldine, Superior of a convent-hostel in Rome. Many of the
guests are fleeing guilt, or unable to face life, or in need of some psychological therapy - which the Superior provides, especially in group work. Sister Geraldine does not admit to the personal fulfilment she gains in prying into people and trying to improve them. There are emotional clashes in the several sub-plots as well as some caustic comment on aspects of Church administration.

1. The purpose of this film. the audience for which it was made? Impact on Catholics, Italians, non-Catholics, non-Italians? Was the film too particularly bound to the Church and to Italy?

2. The significance of the title? To whom did it refer? The Devil and temptations? Sister Geraldine? Rodolfo?

3. Response to the structure of the film: the presentation of the hotel itself, the guests and their various rooms, the reasons for their being there.. their particular crises? Sister Geraldine presiding over all these guests and the hotel?

4. How credible was the plot.. how credible were the characters and their crises? The particular linkage to the Church and its problems in the twentieth century? Questions of authority, abuse of power? The psychological overtones? The group therapy work of the 60s and 70s? The healing aspects of Confession and the Sacraments?

5. The presentation of the hotel itself: corridors rooms, colour? The nuns and their grey habits? The cold coloured emphasis?

6. Comment on the spirituality of the Order, as seen in Sister Geraldine, her prayers and spiritual exercises, devotion to Saint Theresa? The significance of the order looking after such guests? The way the Vatican saw the Order?

7. Glenda Jackson's performance as Sister Geraldine? The strengths she brought to the character? Her role of ruling and her enjoyment of this? The strengths of her personality? Her reliance on Father Borelli? Her interest in the various guests, her conducting of the group therapy sessions her work on counselling, her effect on people, the effect of the counselling on her, her need for it and liking for it? Was she creating situations for her own gratification? Her handling of the crises? Her handling of the investigation by the Vatican? How did she change throughout the film?

8. How did the public figure of Sister Geraldine contrast with her in private? Her charity. asceticism?

9. The reaction of people to the investigation? Her being placed under obedience not to conduct group therapy? The emphasis that she should continue with the finances? The motivation for her decision to continue?

10. The impact of Rodolfo arriving in the hotel? How credible a person was he, strengths of character our seeing the convent through his eyes when he arrived; his encounter with Emily.. temptation to interfere, his work with the Monsignor? The alienation from the way of life in the hotel? His challenging to its values? The religious confrontation? His interfering in people's lives leading to Otavio's suicide? His decision to leave? His tempting Emily to go? The significance of his return, Sister Geraldine's tempting him to stay?

11. what was the significance of the confrontation between Geraldine and Rodolfo? The respective values they stood fro their clash interaction? How close at the end was Rodolfo in succumbing to Sister Geraldine's invitation?

12. How important was the character of Emily? As a person, her role in the hotel, the background of South America and her sense of guilt, her fascination with Rodolfo, sensuality and the effect on her, the change in her life, her decision to leave, her inability to remain away from the convent and the significance of her return?

13. The Monsignor and his guilt about the war? How important was this theme, how well was it explored, the sense of guilt and expiation? The preparations for the book, the pleas for the Vatican officials to hear him and their putting him off? How pathetic a character? Would he find peace and salvation?

14. The reasons for Otavio being present at the hotel? The effect of the therapy on him? Rodolfo, the suicide? His relationship with his sister, the irony of her arriving at the end?

15. How well explored were the characters of the worker priest, the revolutionary Bishop? What issues were being raised here, what aspects of Church policy being criticised? Justly?

16. Audience response to the therapy sessions; themes of guilt, control, power, the group all deciding to leave, the irony of their all returning?

17. was the film religious? How interesting on the religious level. psychological? The interaction between the person and the institution?

18. Themes of the Church, human nature and sin, guilt and healing?