THE LAST STARFIGHTER

US, 1984, 101 minutes, Colour.
Lance Guest, Catherine Mary Stewart, Robert Preston, Dan O'Herlihy.
Directed by Nick Castle.

The Last Starfighter is delightful science fiction and fantasy. While it derives most things from the Star Wars film, it is fresh in its approach, characterisation and delight in the space conventions.

The film blends the everyday world with the Star Wars imagination world. An ordinary youngster, champion at video games, plays in a trailer park in California - but this is a test for him to be recruited to be an elite starfighter in the galaxies. Lance Guest is a very sympathetic hero, aided by Catharine Mary Stuart (Mischief) as heroine. Robert Preston enjoys himself (much like The Music Man) as Centauri, a recruiter from outer space. Dan O'Herlihy seems also to enjoy himself, more sombrely, as a kind of iguana man.

The star wars are quite exciting, the contrast with Earth and the galaxies entertaining, the substitution of Alex by a look-alike robot is amusing, a good blend of the comic and the adventurous.

1. Entertaining science fantasy? A blend of delight, action? A humane Star Wars film?

2. Audience appeal: various ages? Imagination? Fantasy? Myth and legends?

3. The credits and the camera moving from outer space to Earth? The ordinary California, the caravan park and its environs, an identifiable world? Centauri's car and special effects? The transition to space - driving into space? The galaxies and the special effects, creatures, battles? The robot and its behaviour? The move from galaxies to Earth - with overtones of Close Encounters of the Third Kind? Panavision photography, scope, ordinary stories heightened by imaginative treatment? Score and songs?

4. The plausibility of the scenario: the video games, questions of study and employment, unemployment, the ordinary young man transformed into a galaxy hero? The familiar Star Wars material? Perennial interest? War, demands and heroism? Sufficient for audiences to happily suspend disbelief?

5. California: the trailer park, Alex and his family, his mother, Maggie, the young people, their hopes for the future? Playing video games - and being successful at these? The effect of Alex's return from space on all the people in the trailer park? The robot double and his having to cope - failing and being destroyed? A benign ending because of the close encounter?

6. Alex as hero, his place in the park, his being recruited by Centauri, the experience of space, the puzzle, meeting the hierarchy, meeting Grig - the decision not to be involved in the war, the return to Earth, his conscience, the decision to leave, Maggie leaving with him? A hero?

7. Robert Preston's style as Centauri: friendship, surveying the video games, the car, driving through space, removing his face and his being seen as a space creature, his role as a mercenary and recruiter, the discussions about Alex returning to Earth, supplying the robot, his being wounded, the response by Alex, his finally being alive?

8. Maggie as attractive heroine, meeting the robot and coping, humour, her decision to go to space with Alex?

9. The galaxy and its problems, the creatures, the recruiting and testing, Alex turning town the invitation? War issues and involvement? The perennial choices?

10. Zur and his ruling, tyranny, advisers? Betrayals? The elders? The court? The Star Wars situations?

11. Grig and his eccentric appearance, navigator, friendship, wisdom, returning to Earth with Alex, taking him back to the galaxies?

12. The battles and their spectacle? Video games and reality?

13. A pleasing fable about heroism, games and imagination, choices and commitment?

THE LAST DRAGON

US, 1985, 109 minutes, Colour.
Taimak, Vanity.
Directed by Michael Schultz.

The Last Dragon is an 'instant' movie. It was devised by Motown Enterprises and by founder/executive Berry Gordy. It capitalises on Motown's reputation for music and stars.

The female star is Vanity. She acts as the host of a television video show - an opportunity for many video clips, including 'Rhythm of the Night'. She is also the victim of a mad producer who wants his girlfriend (with no talent) to be a star. The action includes kidnapping Vanity and holding her to ransom. The film relies on the manic style for presenting the villain and his villainous deeds.

However, the hero is Timak, a genial black martial arts student who is near to becoming a master of the arts. He dresses as a Chinese and is full of oriental politeness. The film is also non-violent. He falls in love with Vanity and, needless to say, ultimately rescues her. There is the background of his oriental master (a steal straight out of The Karate Kid), his love for Bruce Lee movies (an opportunity for adding in some sequences from Lee's films) and antagonises a giant leader of a slum group. There is also a pleasant black family with a precocious young brother.

The ingredients are all stirred, predictably but enjoyably, and there is a finale with bone-crunching and pleasant romance.

The kind of film made by American executives for tile instant popular young audience of the '80s. Not good, not bad.

THE ASYLUM/ DIE ANSTALT

Germany, 1979, 92 minutes, Colour.
Gerd Baltus, Susanne Granzer.
Directed by Hans- Rudiger Minow.

From the Melbourne International Film Festival, 1979. In 1975 articles appeared in the American and German press about psychiatrists who disguised themselves as patients to enter mental institutions in California and Illinois, to uncover evidence that some committed schizophrenic patients were, in fact, sane and healthy, but medically mistreated by doctors and attendants.
Director Hans- Rudiger Minow, who specialises in fully researched documentaries of a socio-political nature made a fiction-documentary based on the experiences of the American psychiatrists reported in the press.

The Asylum presents several factual scenes of the treatment of schizophrenics in mental asylums. The story focuses on a young psychologist, Anna Theyn, who commits herself to an asylum under a false name. The head of the clinic, Dr Reinecke, believes that psychiatric illnesses are hereditary, his assistant Dr Bongartz, experiments with alcoholics.

When Anna starts a diary, noting her observations, the patients soon begin to suspect that she may be a disguised journalist, but the head physician thinks she is ill, suffering from "writing mania'.
After seeing a patient being injected with a drug to induce an epileptic fit Anna begins to fee! threatened, and when her parents come to visit her, she decides to leave. But the parents believe the doctors and refuse to take her with them. Anna is drugged and placed in an isolation cell.

When an anonymous telephone call alerts Dr Reinecke that malingerers are trying to expose the management of the clinic he feverishly sets out to track down the pseudo-patients.

1. An interesting story, documentary? The role of fiction documentary films? reporting situations? Emotional involvement with situations and characters? Didactic, for change in attitudes, systems?

2. Audience attitudes to and knowledge of asylums? Presuppositions? Attitudes towards mental illness, schizophrenia, the strengths and weaknesses of various treatments? Theories of mental illness and their physical factors? Spiritual factors? The variety of treatments available?

3. Audience attitudes towards systems, the possibility of corruption, cover-ups and the need for exposure? How would this alter response to Anne, the asylum itself, the situations and the need for reform?

4. The sombreness of the black and white photography? Appropriate for the theme of the film? The contribution of the musical score? The documentary appearance of the film, technical aspects, jargon?
5. The device of having the narrative of Anna Theyn? Her communicating with the audience and asking us to share her experiences as well as her judgments? The flashback technique?

6. The portrait of Anna as a student, seeing her in the learning situation? The emphasis on genetic factors for mental illness? What motivated her in applying to enter the asylum as a pseudo-patient? The legal arrangements? The framework of her being released and her judgments on her experience and the flashbacks involving the audience with her experiences within the asylum? her entry, her disgust at the treatment, her sympathy for the patients, her gradually being trapped, the encounter with her parents and their leaving her there, the revelation of the truth and the revelations about the asylum?

7. What did she learn from her experience? What did the audience learn? How was this summed up symbolically in the motor accident at the end?

8. The presentation of the administration of the asylum? Dr Reinke? His strong emphasis on genetic factors and treatments for mental illness? The attitudes of the staff and Dr Reinke's control over them? The way that they did their diagnoses, the slipshod entry into the asylum? Lack of knowledge of patients? Arbitrary principles and methods? The importance of the good name of the asylum? Fear at exposures, the efforts made to cover up? The point being made in the critique of Dr Reinke and the administration?

9. The assistants in the administration, especially the doctor in charge of experiments with alcoholics, the certainty of his approach, his smugness and self-satisfaction, his attitudes towards Anna, his presence at the meeting and his reaction to the exposure, his breakdown? Credible? The point being made for the film?

10. The sympathetic members of the staff, their work with the patients, their attitudes towards Dr Reinke, their collusion in their plan against Dr Reinke, the working out of their plan by phone calls and the giving of information?

11. The portrait of the patients? the reasons for their being in the asylum, sleeping, feeding, the convulsion treatment, the reward system for the alcoholics etc.? The ugliness of such treatments especially injections, shock treatments?

12. Anna and her presence in the ward, her notes, friendship with the patients, participation in their sufferings? The importance of the visit with her parents and their not knowing the truth, her father's decision to leave her there? The violence and the treatment of this? her being tied up, the interrogations?

13. Anna's confrontation of the system, her telling of the truth, Dr Reinke and his lack of belief, his taking the phone tip and presumptions about pseudo-patients? The effect of Anna's confrontation? would it lend anywhere? Dr Reinke moving into new jargon and keeping the good name of the asylum?

14. What is sanity, insanity? What are the criteria? Who judges? The appropriateness of treatment? Law and morality as regards the treatment of insanity?

15. The dramatic treatment of these themes, realistic, symbolic, the simplification of issues, the promotion of various therapies especially at the end and the questionable nature of their usefulness? The importance of detail or the importance of the points being made?

PEEPER

US, 1975, 87 minutes, Colour.
Michael Caine, Natalie Wood, Kitty Winn, Thayer David, Liam Dunn.
Directed by Peter Hyams.


Entertaining, but probably fails to enthuse the private-eye addict or the fan of genre parodies. Characters, setting (LA, 1947), complicated plot, lighting and photography pay homage to the thriller. From the Bogart-spoken credits, through Michael Caine's narrative and the bumbling incidents, there is facetious parody. ln fact, Michael Caine did this kind of thing better in his Harry Palmer films. And there have been too many good examples of 40's thrillers from the 70's which make this offering seem very slight. Compensations are Natalie Wood's charm and Liam Dunn's befuddled lawyer. Still, an enjoyable time-passer.

1. The significance and focus of the title on the private eye? The status of private eyes in the US? In American films? The conventions and audience response?

2. Traditions of private eye films, the stars of the 1940s, style? Their being used again and remembered in the seventies? This film in comparison?

3. Wide screen, drab colours, locations of the 1940s, detailed atmosphere of the period? Important?

4. Crime drama types, expected behaviour? How authentic here?

5. Detail of narrative and plot, momentum of the plot, nature of the mystery and the investigation?

6. The character of the Peeper himself? His narration of the events in the first person? Style and quality of his narration, commentary – humour and irony? His character developed, English background, work in LA, skill and courage, cowardice?

7. The people involved, mystery father, family, background of murders, the thugs following, the police?

8. The mystery of the two daughters? Twists of plot and dramatic momentum?

9. The family: the sinister uncle, the bed-ridden mother, the two daughter and their effect on the hero?

10. The interfering lawyer? Mystery, bumbling, humour, yet the revelation of his important function?

11. The thugs in pursuit? Murderous threats, violence?

12. The fights, the visits, the house, the searches?

13. The ship and the denouement on the ship? Convincing – humorous and dramatic? What was revealed as the truth? The hero’s final commentary?

ELIZABETH LUCY/ THE PYX

Canada, 1973, 108 minutes, Colour,
Karen Black, Christopher Plummer, Robin Gammell.
Directed by Harvey Hart.

A murder mystery. Two consecutive 24-hour periods are intercut throughout the film: Elizabeth Lucy's last day and Inspector Henderson' s day of solving the case. What looks a straightforward murder finally veers into post-Rosemary's Baby occultism. But it has been prepared by the detailed attention to Catholic piety and ritual. In fact, the original title was 'The Pyx'.
Karen Black is ultimately a sympathetic Lucy. Christopher Plummer seems to enjoy his police role somewhat grimly. The atmosphere is rather sordid (because the real world of murder is not the ladies’ and gentelemen’s world of Agatha Christie).

1. The appeal of a murder mystery to an audience, the crime, characters? puzzle? Clues and detection? The appeal of this mystery, the leading up to the occult and the appeal of the occult?

2. The quality of the film as particularly Canadian, location, style, atmosphere?

3. The appropriateness of colour, Panavision, music, the songs, especially those composed by Karen Black, based on the scriptural Canticle of Canticles? Their placement and comment on the action?

4. The importance of the structure: two periods of twenty-four hours? The beginning with Elizabeth Lucy's death, the twenty-four hours progressing from that point in detection of the crime; the twenty-four hours preceding the death and the last day of Elizabeth Lucy? The editing, the cross-cutting from past to present? How helpful for the audience to know the background of Elizabeth Lucy? Henderson not knowing it?

5. Audience participation in the puzzle about Elizabeth Lucy, following through the detection with Henderson, having the advantage of more knowledge than he? Knowledge that he would never know but would like to know?

6. The nature of the mystery, the details of the puzzle, the people part¬icipating, suspicions, clues?

7. The focus on Henderson and his character? As a detective, his personal style? the laconic touch, the sullen and grim approach? His response at the scene of the crime, the caretaker and his interrogation, the visit to Latimer and the cross-examination of Laura? His relationship with his assistant, with the other police, with the overall authorities? His interview with Jimmy? The ship, his experience of the deaths and his inability to, stop them? The participation in the shootout at the ship? The significance of his final confrontation and his shooting the murderer? The confrontation of satanic evil?

8. The importance of the moralizing at the end? Satanic evil impersonated in the murderer? Confronting the evil in Henderson? Was this sufficiently prepared for?

9. The various policemen? Their response to the clues? The nature of police work over a period of twenty-four hours?

10. The contrast with the portrayal of the character of Elizabeth Lucy, her last day? Her waking up in bed, her attitude towards her clients? The importance of the breaking up of Elizabeth Lucy's day for the audience, raising suspense, learning? The initial response to her as a hooker, who was dead? The transition to knowing her as a person?

11. Her professional work, her relationship with Latimer, with Laura? Her Catholic background? Her presence at the Mass? The interview with Sandra and the revelation about the drugs? Her concern for Sandra? Her relationship with Jimmy and helping him? Their talking together at home? (In the light of his later testimony and explanation of her?) The drive, Latimer's offering the special job, her hesitation, premonition, the encounter with the priest in Confession on behalf of Sandra, the con¬frontation of her sinfulness?

12. The gradual build-up to the Black Mass? The revelation of who the murderer might be? Latimer drugging her, the ceremony presented in such detail, the plain chant?

13. The Catholic overtones of the whole film, Elizabeth Lucy's belief in God, the challenge to desecrate the host, her unwillingness to do this and allowing herself to die? A kind of martyrdom, a grace of God for someone who believed in Him, who did not want to desecrate the host while yet sinful? The possibility of redemption?

14. The delineation of the minor characters, especially Latimer and Laura and the impact of their deaths, the caretaker and his aggressiveness and leading to clues with Henderson overhearing his phone call? The henchman and his trailing people? Jimmy, his homosexuality and the pathos of his death? The murderer and his madness?

15. The original title was The Pyx: an emphasis on the Eucharist and its desecration. Was it a more appropriate title than Elizabeth Lucy?

DEAR AMERICA, LETTERS HOME FROM VIETNAM

US, 1987, 87 minutes, Colour.
Voices: Robert de Niro, Meryl Streep, Ellen Burstyn, Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, Brian Dennehy, Kevin Dillon, Matt Dillon, Robert Downey Jr, Michael J. Fox, Mark Harmon, John Heard.
Directed by Bill Couturie.

Dear America, Letters Home From Vietnam is a documentary about the Vietnam war seen from the perspective of the mid-80s. Based on a collection of letters from Vietnam veterans, it is a selection dramatised by a range of actors and actresses including Robert de Miro and John Savage from The Deer Hunter, Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe and Kevin Dillon from Platoon, Robin Williams from Good Morning Vietnam as well as Kathleen Turner, Ellen Burstyn and Elizabeth Mc Govern. The letters are highly dramatic - with perhaps more power and emotion than was there in the original writers.

The film also uses a lot of documentary and newsreel footage, personal movies to re-create the atmosphere of the Vietnam experience. It also takes us through the experience of the war frond 1963 to 1973, year by year, with statistics of casualties at the end of each year.

The film explores many themes - leaving it to the audience and the audience's perspectives to he persuaded, changed. The film ends with the return home of the prisoners of war in 1973.

The film is a partial look - but is a telling attempt to have an overview of the American experience of 1953 to 1973.

1. The perception of the Vietnam war in the world? American perspectives? Non-American? perspectives? The film as retrospective, a subjective history? The experience, the personnel, the effect of war on them?

2. The title, the device of choosing the letters, the impact of the letters the stars dramatising them in comparison with the authors of the letters? 42 letters included.

3. The differences in style in the letters, the inflections given to words and phrases? Criteria for selection of the letters, The range of viewpoints?

4. The use of archival footage: television news, home movies, video? combination? The criteria for selection?

5. The viewpoint on war: American involvement, statistics each year, the dead and wounded not? The question of American morale? The passing of time? A war worth fighting? Or

6. The impact of the visuals: the footage, the film and TV sensibilities of the films inde in the '70s and '29s - can an audience watch documentation about Vietnam without being influenced by the movies? The impact of the voices, the drama? The range of music, themes, Ending with 'Born in the U.S.A'? the period, the lyrics, patriotic and protest?

7. The prologue, the soldiers surfing, going to war and becoming involved?

8. The decade of 1963 to 1973? The soldiers in training, the effect of the training, the tone of the letters? Comparisons with World War II, American attitudes and patriotism? Lyndon Johnson, the Gulf of Tonkin, the initial escalating of the war?

9. The passing of the years, the Viet Cong as the unseen enemy, action, explosions, wounds and death, the defeat of the jungle?

10. The visualising of death, blood and wounds, amputations?

11. General Westmoreland, the man of the year, his strategies, contact with the troops, with politicians? P.R?

12. The politicians, the stances of Lyndon Johnson, of Richard Nixon, the scaling down of the war, the bombings in Cambodia?

13. The highlighting of military, the siege of Khe San, the Tet Offensive? The long siege of the American troops? The defeat of the Vietnamese - yet the changing of the tide of the war?

14. American public opinion in the late 60s, the growing protest, the deaths of soldiers in Vietnam?

15. Protest at Kent State campus - and the reaction of the students where nobody sympathised with their injuries and deaths?

16. The war and the growing loss of morale, sense of bewilderment in the United States, amongst the troops and their fighting? The contrast with the early patriotic self-giving - even when issues were not understood?

17. The prisoners of war, their humiliation, the march through Hanoi? Negotiations for their return? The emotions and drama of the return? The American loyal speech of the first prisoner of war (and the irony that his son had not gone to fight and was back from Vietnam, even though his father had not seen him since he was twelve?

18. A film of the War? The necessity of this kind of film to remind audiences of the past? And to experience the human side of men and women involved in war?

DARK COMMAND

US, 1940, 92 minutes, Black and white.
John Wayne, Claire Trevor, Walter Pidgeon, Rog Rogers, George 'Gabby' Hayes, Porter Hall, Marjorie Main.
Directed by Raoul Walsh.

Dark Command is a strong John Wayne vehicle from 1940. He had made Stagecoach and was beginning to move towards being a major star. The villain in the film is Walter Pidgeon, on loan from MGM. He portrays Will Cantrell, the leader of the raiders who exploited the situation after the Civil War. Claire Trevor, who had appeared also in Stagecoach, is the heroine and there is an interesting supporting cast including Roy Rogers, George 'Gabby' Hayes and Marjorie Main.

Direction is by Raoul Walsh, who usually worked at this time at Warner Brothers, directing action films, gangster films and westerns. There is a screenplay based on a novel by W. R. Burnett, author of The Asphalt Jungle and other crime thrillers. The musical direction is by Victor Young. This was a major production for Republic Studios.

1. An interesting and entertaining Civil War western? The war, the aftermath of the war? The need for law and justice in the West?

2. Black and white photography, production values? A major western? The re-creation of the West? Action sequences?

3. The title and its focus on Will Cantrell? The desire for power? The exercise of power? Ruthlessness? The type of power as being against the American way? John Wayne as the typical American hero?

4. Bob Seaton and his cowboy background, his presence in Lawrence, Kansan? The elections and Bob's success? The reaction of Cantrell? Bob and his sidekick? Genial hero? His attraction towards Mary? The tension in the town? Fletch and the murder, trial? Seaton's stand? The distance between Seaton and the McLeods? Cantrell exploiting the opportunity? The verdict of 'not guilty'? Seaton and his coping with the hostility? The outbreak of the Civil War? Seaton and his stand? Mary's loss of faith in him? Cantrell and his ruthlessness? Seaton taking a stand? The confrontation between the two? Cantrell's death? Seaton and the reconciliation with Mary?

5. Walter Pidgeon's presence as Cantrell? Playing against type? His role in the town? Teaching? The elections and his ambition? His manoeuvres for success? His being beaten by Seaton? His bitter response? His love for Mary? Jealousy of Seaton? His opportunism at the time of Fletch's trial? His insinuating suggestions about Seaton? The verdict of 'not guilty'? His relationship with his mother? Her response to his behaviour? His getting power, the use of the Civil War to organise the band of guerrillas? Their raids? Fletch joining him? Mary marrying him? Mary's growing suspicions? Cantrell and his growing abuse of Power? The attack on Lawrence? The death of the women and children? Burning the city? The confrontation with Seaton? His death? His final visit to his mother? The picture of power and dark command?

6. Mary and the McLeods? in Lawrence? Their status? Mary and her love for Cantrell? Expectations of marriage? her attraction towards Bob? Fletch and the trial? Her turning against Bob? Influenced by Cantrell? Her marrying him? Their lifestyle, her not wanting to face the truth, growing suspicions? Her stance against him? The reconciliation with Bob?

7. Fletch and the Lawrence aristocracy, arrogance, the trial for murder? His release? His joining Cantrell? Helping him? The torn loyalties? His death?

8. Cantrell's mother, her attitudes towards her son, her understanding him, her condemnation of him?

9. The picture of a prosperous Kansas town, citizens, way of life? The outbreak of the war? Their becoming victims of the raiders?

10. The gallery of characters in Lawrence? Officials? Society? The portrait of the raiders and their loyalty to Cantrell? Their cruelty? The western characters in the town - George 'Gabby' Hayes as John Wayne's sidekick?

11. Themes of America in the 19th century? Pioneer days? The establishing of the cities in the Mid-West? The Civil War and its effects? Law and order? Justice?

DEAD POOL

US, 1988, 91 minutes, Colour.
Clint Eastwood, Patricia Clarkson, Liam Neeson.
Directed by Buddy Van Horn.

The Dead Pool is a Clint Eastwood police thriller, which is really Dirty Harry 5. Once again, it is set in San Francisco with overtones of the late '80s, horror films, serial killers and madness, gangsters, violence, the need for justice. Inspector Harry Callahan seems a bit older than he did in his early films - but Eastwood, nevertheless, makes bin the hero. There is good supporting performance from Patricia Clarkson as an ambitious television newscaster and from Liam Neeson as a film director.

The film is in the vein of the police thrillers, reminds us that Dirty Harry relies on tough action for justice - shooting first and asking questions afterwards.

1. Enjoyable police thriller? Dirty Harry number5? The '80s? Law and violence? Justice?

2. The city of San Francisco as a character: in the opening and closing credits, San Francisco at night, the media, film-making, the streets of San Francisco?

3. Special effects, the focus on horror movies and the special effects and styles? Dreams and nightmares? Stunts? The offbeat chase, the model car chasing the police car? Musical score and atmosphere, songs?

4. The title and the game, the list of those to die, a deadly reality? The emphasis on violent games, the media exposes? The media mentality, images, violence? Horror films, satanic overtones? The world of drugs and violence? The influence on audiences? Are horror films a release and catharsis or do they trigger violence?

5. The introduction and the headlines of deaths, the list, Peter Swann and his playing the Dead Pool game? The focus on the murders; the introduction of Harry's name? Swann's seeming involvement, the murder of Johnny Squares, the murder of the film critic? The sending of the information to the media? The information about Rook? The psychiatrist and his talking about his having no personality, substituting Peter Swann's? Becoming Swann, killing people on the list? His ingenious ways of destruction? Explosives and the model cars?

6. Clint Eastwood as Harry Callahan: notoriety, putting the gangster in jail, the thugs pursuing him and his shooting them? His going to the gangster in Jail and threatening him with the large black prisoner? The encounter with Sam and his dislike of the media, breaking the camera, going with Sam to dinner, the clash with her, the apology, outing, their being shot at? Her giving him information? At work? The man who wanted to burn himself and her coping with the situation, Harry as the cameraman? The build-up to the confrontation with Rook, his luring Sam, Harry as resourceful, saving Sam, the harpoon in Rook?

7. Harry and the police department, its image, Al and his oriental partner, the about image of the police force? The hold-up and their getting work, the gangsters following them, the number of pool investigations, the discoveries, the car chase, the confrontation?

8. Wry comments the, criminals? murders? Al and partner, the jokes, bullet-proof vest? The tattoos?

9. The police officials and their attitudes, destruction of cars, money, public relations?

10. Peter Swann and his style, commercial film-making, satanic overtones, the dead pool game, Johnny Squares and his performance, satanic and drugs? The horror of his death? The agent and the hold-up and his death? The film critic on television, her murder? The build-up of information? A
weird film world?

11. Themes of justice and violence? Madness and killing? The justice by execution? The philosophy of Dirty Harry Callahan?

DARK HOLIDAY

US, 1989, 100 minutes, Colour.
Lee Remick, Norma Aleandro, Tony Goldwyn, Roy Thinnes.
Directed by Lou Antonio.

Dark Holiday is an interesting telemovie, reminiscent of Midnight Express. The film stands on the performance of Lee Remick as an American divorcee who goes for a holiday to Turkey, is persuaded in a rush to buy some artefacts which turn out to be archaeological treasures and she is held as a smuggler. There is the clash between the American mentality and the strictness of Turkish law. She is imprisoned, is strengthened in character by her experience and eventually is daring enough to escape (perhaps the intention of the Turkish government in making bail so low, so that she would not have to go through a trial which could embarrass them).

The film is based on the autobiographical book by the central character Gene Lepere, 'Never Pass This Way Again.'

The film has exotic Turkish settings, shows a more habitable jail than those presented in Midnight Express. However, it also presents the harrowing experience of the American tourist suddenly put in an impossible position, not speaking the language, suspicious even of people who are doing good, feeling frustrated at the efforts being made on official levels. In this, it is quite persuasive and involving. The supporting cast is led by Norma Alejandro (The Official Story, Gaby, Cousins) as the Turkish lawyer and Roy Thinnes as the heroine's impetuous brother. Direction is by Lou Antonio, veteran director of many interesting telemovies (including Good Sports with Lee Remick and Ralph Waite).

1. Interesting and involving telemovie? Identification with the heroine and her situation? The harrowing aspects of imprisonment and bewilderment about Turkish law?

2. American locations, Turkish locations? The exotic East? The courts, prisons? The contrast with the normal streets, tourist sights, hotels and airports? Musical score?

3. The title of the film? Of the original book?

4. The portrait of Gene Lepere: the divorce, her relationship with her husband and the reasons for the break-up? His concern about her? The voyage, the tours? With the group, looking at the ruins, asking questions about Turkish law and customs? Her looking at the tablecloths, being pressurised to buy the artefacts? At the wharf, the Customs? The first questions about the artefacts and her innocence? The Customs official and his behaviour, the firm's representative and his handling of the case? Language difficulties? The American Consulate intervention? her being detained? Her Turkish lawyer and the discussions? Going to the court, the condemnation, her going to prison? The bewildering experience of the prison,

5. The women in prison, their trying to help, her suspicions? Fingerprinting, the guard carrying her case and her wariness? The woman in prison who spoke English, but was frightened? Gene listening to delays in the bail hearing, the visits from her lawyer, the two men’s interventions? the American Consulate? Her learning in the prison? bunk, cupboard, washing, inspections? The ways of the second girl? The bond between them? The arrival of her brother, his reassurances, his anger and expulsion from the country? Pleas overseas? Ineffective? The build-up for the bail hearing, getting dressed, her speech and her humility? The judge's granting the hail? The low bail, the lawyer's interpretation? The plan to escape? The getting of help, information about her being on the list, not on it and then on it? The getting of the new passport and the entrance stamp? The reluctance of Ken to be involved? The American authorities? Her plan, going to Ankara, the flight, Ken letting her go through with the consulate people, waving her through, her escape?

6. The Turkish lawyer, a woman, her own experience, help, language, inability to do much? Advice, the bearings, in prison, helping Gene in the prison? The bearing, the plan for escape, farewell?

7. American officials, what was possible to do and not? Friendly support? The escape plan, his reluctance, his finally helping? Other American officials and businessmen?

8. The women in the prison, the tough woman and her speaking English, protection, money, the meals? Gene eventually standing up to her, challenging her to a fight? The other girl, speaking English, her American husband, the drug plant, her going to prison for her husband, the baby in prison? Gene learning the ways, understanding the women? Her final reconciliation, farewell?

9. The Turkish officials, Turkish law? Guilty until proven innocent? Laws about artefacts? Behaviour towards the court? The court and losing face? The question of forfeiting hail and escape?

10. A portrait of a woman? in a dilemma and a harsh situation? International law and authority? Coping?

DARBY O'GILL AND THE LITTLE PEOPLE

US, 1959, 90 minutes, Colour.
Albert Sharpe, Kieron Moore, Estelle Winwood, Walter Fitzgerald, Sean Connery, Janet Munro, Denis O' Dea, Jack Mac Gowran.
Directed by Robert Stevenson.

Darby O'Gill and the Little People is considered one of Walt Disney's classics. It is a fantasy based on the Darby O' Gill stories by H.T. Kavanagh . The special effects are outstanding for this film - especially the use of miniatures for human characters playing with leprechauns.

There is also a musical score with songs like My Pretty Irish Girl.

Albert Sharpe portrays Darby O' Gill. He had portrayed the leprechaun in the Broadway performances of Finian's Rainbow. Janet Munro, who was to appear in many Disney films, makes her Disney debut here and the leading man is Sean Connery before he became famous. There is a good supporting cast including Kieron Moore as the villain, with Estelle Winwood and Jack Mac Gowran.

Direction is by Robert Stevenson who was to go on to make a number of Disney films including Mary Poppins.

1. The appeal of the film? The family audience? The Irish atmosphere? Magic and reality? Fantasy?

2. Atmosphere of Ireland? The special effects for the leprechauns? Editing, special effects, stunts, the musical score and the insertion of the songs?

3. The focus on Darby O'Gill: the Irishman, the storyteller, his delight in his storytelling, his work, the estate? His love for Katie? The changing of his job? Michael McBride's arrival? The horse, the summit of the hill, the fall, King Brien and the leprechauns? His playing the violin for the leprechauns' dance? Going back into the town? The King and his drinking, the passing of the night? The three wishes and their fulfilment? marriage? Katie and her illness, the Banshee cry? Death? The coming of the coach? The to-ing and fro-ing about the wishes? Darby and the happy ending?

4. Katie as heroine, her relationship with Darby? The coming of Michael? Falling in love? The dream? Unconscious? Recovery? The wedding?

5. Michael as hero, his work, the encounter with Darby, taking over from him, the attraction towards Katie, the dream, the villain? The clashes with Pony Sugrue? The final fight? The wedding?

6. King Brien and the leprechauns, their glee, magic and mischief, the wishes, drinking, losing power, the tricks, talking to Katie and Michael? The happy ending? Pony Sugrue as the villain? The rivalry with Michael? The fight? The characters in the town: Sheelah, Lord Fitzpatrick, Father Murphy, Tom Kerrigan?

7. The leprechauns and their place in Irish mythology, delight and glee, the sinister touch, the importance of the Coach of Death?

9. The appeal of this kind of magic and fantasy?