ST IVES

US, 1976, 94 minutes, Colour.
Charles Bronson, John Houseman, Jacqueline Bissett, Maximilian Schell, Elisha Cook.
Directed by J. Lee Thompson.

St Ives is a Charles Bronson thriller which one can't help enjoying. It's an old fashioned mystery with robbery, murder and final twists - although a major surprise is that Bronson plays a newspaper columnist. However, he's much more at home tracking down the criminals amid the company of John Houseman, Maximilian Schell and a lovely Jacqueline Bissett. The film relies on chronicling and detailing the events, providing frequent crises and has some nice humorous touches (as psychologist Maximilian Schell exhorting his patient - a man of vast criminal dreams and ambitions - to watch old movies as a kind of dream therapy). The minor characters are well played to make a satisfying thriller.

1. The focus of the title on the character, Charles Bronson? A good thriller, satisfying?

2. The basic appeal of crime thrillers? Audience observation of crime, criminals, police work, the effect on society? The fantasy and dream of the criminal? Identification with him?

3. How was the style of this film old-fashioned. ingredients, crises, characters and types? The perennial value of the old-fashioned crime thriller?

4. The importance of the structure: the indication of days and time, progress through the week, the characters and the crises within this time framework and the build-up of suspense?

5. The background of Los Angeles, the old and the new, the contrast of wealth and poor, the background of multi-nationals and drive-ins? The complexity of the modern Los Angeles, as an environment for criminals, investigations? The musical style?

6. The introduction to Ray St. Ives in the pre-credit sequence? The background to the character, Charles Bronson and his personality and style? Marital problem, writing, jobs? Money? A tough background? Charles Bronson and his engaging style, as a type? The loner, curiosity about the job, the people? The challenge of a difficult job? St. Ives as the righteous hero, upholding the law? His relationship with Procane? The infatuation with Janet although his wariness of her? His relationship to the police? With Charlie? How likable a character? The initial sequence with his lawyer?

7. Audience interest in the job? The character of Procane and his background? His wealth, mysterious dealings? The place of Janet in his household, Dr. Constable? His-high style of living, butler etc.? The impact of the deaths and audience interest in the case? An old-fashioned style mystery, mysterious characters? The financial and criminal issues? The deaths and crises?

8. The focus on Procane: his seeming respectability, the revelation that he was a gangster? His record of no violence or murder? His personality, household, relationship with Janet, reliance on Dr. Constable? The gentle irony in his response to the films, tears, thrills? Dr. Constable's explanation of films and psychiatry? His anxiety, his employing St. Ives? His comments about friendship and the possibility of being a friend with St. Ives? His enthusiasm for the drive-in caper? His intrigue, the preparations at the restaurant? The importance of the sequences when it, was revealed that he was betrayed by Janet ~ by Dr. Constable? The pathos of his death? An ambiguous criminal?

9. Janet as the potential heroine of the film? Her initial toughness the unconventionality? Her background as a policewoman? Her presence in the various dealings, especially with the death of Franz? Her infatuation with St. Ives, sexuality? Her helping with the caper, the sudden betrayal? Her violence at the end? The pool, her being left with the police? The surprise of her being a villainess? Appropriate for this kind of story?

10. The portrayal of Dr. Constable: the comments on psychiatry, as an almost humorous distraction, the ominous clue of the cold, his attempts on St. Ives' life, his involvement in the betrayal and his greed? The bitterness of his final speech about Procane and his lack of friendship and his impatience with him? His death? A convincing villain?

11. The two policemen and their work together, presence at the deaths, the irony of their being the criminals? Franz and his observation of what was going on, at the station, his wanting to make money? The various incidents with the police? The scenes of the crimes at the laundrette, the apartment? The revelation of the truth and the police involvement? Charlie as the ordinary policeman and his belief in St. Ives? The humour of Charlie being left with Janet and the problem of her wet clothes?

12. The scene with the thugs and the background of Los Angeles violence, the heroics of St. Ives, especially in the lift well? The trading of information in the underworld, the deaths and the places that they happened, the beatings, the cafe with the man behind the counter supplying information, St. Ives' interview with the various thieves, especially the man for whom he bought the dinner, the hotels where St. Ives lived, where thieves hung out and were murdered, the hookers? An authentic atmosphere?

13. The contrast with the world of the rich, tapes, files, cars, guns, restaurants, the drive-in?

14. The reliance of the environment of the laundrette, the apartments, union Station, the drive-in, the poolside at the end?

15. The momentum of the mystery, the laconic humour, e.g. the toilets and the ending? A satisfying thriller?

STIR CRAZY

US, 1980, 111 minutes, Colour.
Gene Wilder, Richard Pryor, Georg Stanford Brown, JoBeth? Williams.
Directed by Sidney Poitier.

Stir Crazy is a send-up of the ever popular prison film. There is a focus on the criminals and their being introduced to the Prison lifestyle, coping with other prisoners, wardens, the desire to escape. However, the film is also a vehicle for two very popular comedians of the '70s and '80s, who appeared in the very popular The Silver Streak. Gene Wilder is at his best with the slightly crazy, very good-natured playwright. Richard Pryor is not so successful, and seems straining, as the timid but strong actor.

The film is directed by Sidney Poitier - in a line of rather broad comedies, frequently starring himself: Uptown Saturday Night, Let's Do It Again, A Piece Of The Action. The emphasis on this film (unlike his previous comedies) is on laughs - with any social message very remotely in the background. The film had enormous appeal for American audiences - but does not seem to travel so well.

1. The popular styles of American comedy and their American appeal? Elsewhere? Laughter at characterisations, situations, parody?

2. The tone of the New York opening - the collage of the city, the lyrics of the song? The dream of escaping from the city? The nightmare in the mid-west? California dreaming? The score and the songs illustrating the themes?

3. The introduction to the two characters and the funny situation comedy? Skip and his detective work,, the confrontation with the actress and his admiration of her? Harry and the fiasco of the society meal laced with pot? The satire on the various types: actress, society people, servants?

4. Skip and Harry and unemployment, dream of leaving the polluted city, taking the opportunity, the comedy of the drive out west? The interaction of the two comedians? The interaction of the naive optimism and the quiet timidity?

5. The humour of their bank promotion, its being the occasion for the robbery, having their lunch in the park, the chase and the arrest, the court case and the heavy sentence?

6. The title of the film and the reference to madness and prison? Audience presuppositions about prison film? Entry, confronting the criminals, cells, wardens? Their acting tough and mean? The confrontation with the giant boss prisoners?

7. Harry and his fear and having a fit? Skip's fit? Skip and his trying to be nice to everybody - and the sequence with Grossberger in the dining room?

8. The mechanical bull sequence and the echoes of Urban Cowboy? The sadistic warders, Skip's success and enjoying riding the bull? The means for financial success for the warders?

9. Skip standing his ground and wanting his team? His being persecuted and sweetly surviving all the persecutions - hanging up, isolation etc.?

10. The background of the lawyer and his trying to help, Skip and the infatuation with the lawyer's sister?

11. The prison group - the sketch of Rory and the humour on the gay prisoner? Jesus and the Mexican background, his wife? Grossberger and his being friendly and joining the group?

12. The build-up for the escape plan, the humour of its execution? The escape e.g. Rory dressed as a woman?

13. The practice for the rodeo, the rodeo itself, the wardens and their money? Cesare and the confrontation with Skip? Skip's escape and his persuading Cesare to give the money to the prisoners? The warden's anger?

14. The happy ending with Skip and Meredith escaping to Mexico?

15. The quality of the comedy? Its broad and popular style? Verbal humour, sight gags? Parody?

STEVIE

UK/US, 1978, 102 minutes, Colour.
Glenda Jackson, Mona Washbourne, Alex McCowen?, Trevor Howard.
Directed by Robert Enders.

Stevie Smith won the Queens Medal for Poetry. This portrait, based on a play and with abundant selection of poems and prose, is generally confined to the rooms of the house where she lived for almost seventy years, many with her devoted aunt. Narrator Trevor Howard frequently gives information and recites poems, but the brunt of the film rests with Glenda Jackson - monologues, poems, explanations to the audience, all with her vigorous performance and diction. A strong portrayal. much of it is interaction with Mona Washbourne as the aunt -one of the best supporting performances for a long time, beautifully real in every detail.

A specialised experience.

1. The appeal of this biography? Audience interest in the subject, the background and environment, the biography of a poet transferred to the screen? For what audience was the film made? British, non-British, theatre-going, literary? The effect for the specialized audience, for the general audience?

2. The quality of the film as a vehicle for Glenda Jackson? The particular skills that she brought to this role, her presence, her acting style, her articulation, her ability to recite the poetry, present Stevie Smith's prose? The emotional range of the poet? The range of age in portraying this life? How skilfully did Glenda Jackson impersonate Stevie Smith and subdue her own personality?

3. How evident were the stage origins of the film? A good adaptation? The opening-out sequences suggesting the outside, the sepia stills and film indicating the past and its memories, the shuffling of past and present? The device of the man and his commentary, his entering into the film in its latter stages? The arrangement of the recital of poetry and prose? Many commented that the film was too much in its interiors. Is this a just comment? Its effect?

4. The quality of Stevie Smith's literature? Her poetry and its imagery, versification? Her prose and its quality? The recurrent metaphors, the quality of her imagination? Her tone and pessimistic tending outlook? Her rhythms? The placing of the poetry and prose throughout the film - as expressing her feelings, commenting on situations? The poetry recited by the man? How much was her poetry influenced by her life and experience? The quality of her poetry and her winning the Queen's medal?

5. The portrait of Stevie Smith as a woman? As a feminist? Her family, background, environment and her comments on it, social status? Her fiance and the contrast with his chauvinist attitudes? The tenderness of her relationship with her aunt? Her work and her poetry, the role of a woman in society, in a publishing house? The feminine creative spirit? Her pessimism and the suicide attempt? Her achievement as human, feminine, poet?

6. The importance of the structure of the film: the man and his entering her room, lightening it and presenting memories - the genre of a biography? The basic story of Stevie Smith and her monologues? The importance of her memories - the sepia effect of the long past, the shuffling of time for her more recent memories? The clarity of the time shifts? The device of having her speak to the audience? Of commenting on herself even in the middle of action, on her aunt?

7. The recurrence of the man and his presence, the reciting of the poetry? A contrived structure drawing attention to itself? An effective structure for this kind of artificial biography? Stevie Smith as English, her use of the English language, English style, working within the English tradition?

8. How effective was the biography - a life, a sketch, a look at Stevie Smith, an understanding of her? How well did the film build the chronology of her biography - information about her birth and the memories of Northern England, her parents and the comments on the suitability of the marriage, her mother, the disappearing father, the importance of her parents, the dramatic impact of the moving to London, the home and her staying in it for so many years while the environment changed? (The importance of seeing her going through a long walk and the environment before she arrived home at the beginning?) The memories of her early illness, the attention given to her over the years, her classes, the teachers and sexuality, the various episodes of her girlhood? How well did the film re-create and suggest an atmosphere of the past - interesting in itself, as background for Stevie?

9. The focus of attention on presenting her at home with her aunt, a strong personality as she grew up, the attention to detail in the home sequences -her arriving how, the preparation of the meal and her choices of what to eat, the drinking of the sherry, the newspaper and the talking? The various points of view as Stevie spoke to the audience and to her aunt? The significance of her talking and revealing herself within these domestic environments?

10. The importance both dramatically and emotionally of Mona Washbourne's characterization of Aunt? Her appearance, age, manner of speaking, manner of fussing, an average elderly lady, likable, with her own dignity? Living by herself but for the children? The meals, tidying up, the sherry, the newspaper? Her influence on Stevie and her calling her Peggy? Her memory of the various things that Stevie was telling us about? The shrewdness of her comments, her not understanding her niece's poetry? The importance of her comment on the fiance and the going back to the memories of the fiance? How dramatic was the transition to her illness and audience response to this? Her ageing, getting more feeble, hardly able to walk, the importance of the long sequence about her dinner being served and her enjoying the dessert? Being looked after by Stevie? Upstairs in bed and calling her for water? The final scenes and the dignity of her death looked after by someone who loved her very much? How memorable a characterization of an ordinary person?

11. The importance of the sequence with Stevie's fiance, his artificial British manner, love for her, sport, dress, social environment? The discussion of their expectations, their differences, what they agreed on? The effect on his having to break off the engagement, the effect on her?

12. The melodrama of her suicide attempt and the way this was described rather than visualized? Her returning home, her memories of this and comments on it, linked with her work and the descriptions of her being at work? The effect on herself, on her aunt?

13. How well did the film carry on with its study of Stevie after Aunt's death? Stevie ageing, becoming an old lady? A celebrity? Her living alone, her going out - and the fuss, especially about the car? The man explaining her illness, her final letter and her hardly being able to speak? The pathos of her growing sick and old and dying?

14. The character of the man - his entering at the beginning, the particular episodes that he re-appeared with, the places, for instance the association with the train, the bridge, the river? His entering into the plot itself and the significance of the episode of the car?

15. How much was achieved in this portrait of one woman, an ordinary but significant life, an achievement in life?

16. What feelings and understanding were the audience left with as they responded to this portrait of a creative woman?

THE STERILE CUCKOO

US, 107 minutes, Colour.
Liza Minnelli, Wendell Burton, Tim McIntire?, Elizabeth Harrower.
Directed by Alan J. Pakula.

The Sterile Cuckoo made Liza Minnelli popular as an actress. Loneliness needs love. Seriousness and shyness need love. They meet in this film, and in Liza Minnelli’s lively and excellently portrayed Pookie Adams. She is a student who throws herself in amiable desperation at a student well played in a subdued style by Wendell Burton. The film is another search for love and permanence by the young. It has the usual frank scenes and dialogue plus its sentimental song, Come Saturday Morning, and its run through coloured landscapes. This film is above average and deals with human beings rather than ideological question-posers. The question here is love and happiness. The answer is permanence; but then there arises the further question of whether it can be found. The film implies learning by mistakes; grave, emotional mistakes that must be lived through. Liza Minnelli then went on to "Cabaret". Producer Alan Pakula made his directing debut in this film. He went on to "Klute,' "Love and Pain", "The Parallax View", "All the President's Men".

1. What was the meaning of the title? Was it explained during the film? Its relationship to fruitfulness and love? How did the song, "Come Saturday Morning", add to the atmosphere of the film? The use of the music for the theme? The use of colour, location photography etc.? What atmosphere did the film have? Why?

2. How central was Pookie’s character for the film? The possibility of audiences liking and identifying with her? Liza Minnelli's vitality? Personality? Why did this come across so strongly? Where? How did she ingratiate Pookie's personality to us? e.g., the use of photos at the beginning, her kookie behaviour, how desperate was she in communicating with people, her use of truth and lies? Her capacity for friendship, dislike of the girls at the college, her pursuing of Jerry, what did she want of him? Did she ever fall in love with Jerry? Comment on particular scenes together where love was manifest - in the basketball stadium, their walks and runs? Did they love each other when they made love? (How humorous was the visual presentation of this?) Her remaining at the boarding house, looking out the windows etc.? Her letters? How desperate was Pookie in her loneliness? Her relationship with her father? Her family? How sad a person was she? How desperate at the end? How much did she learn during the film? What future would she have?

3. How attractive a hero was Jerry? As an ordinary young man, studious, pleasant? Did you feel that he was imposed on by Pookie? Where was this most evident? What was his first response to her? How cold was he? Why did he change? Did he fall in love with her? Why was he unable to respond to all her emotional demands? Did he love her when he made love to her? What alternatives did he have at the end? Was there any future for him with Pookie? What future did he have?

4. How did Harry contrast with Charlie and’ his boasting about his way with girls? His relationship with the other students and contrasting to them? e.g. the sequence of Pookie and Jerry at the party with the noise etc.?

5. How well presented were the themes of loneliness and friendship? How were they portrayed visually? The exploration of the theme of love? How real could love be for these characters? Why?

6. How typical of young people were Jerry and Pookie? Of their questions, searching, angers, learning answers? How much did each learn during the film?

7. Which sequences made most impression on you? Comment on the use of photography with long shots and angles etc. Did this add to the film? The particular bite of the dialogue?

8. How genuine was the film, or did it use some cliches? Where?

9. How useful would this film be for discussion between adolescents and parents? Why?

STEPPENWOLF

US/Germany, 1974, 106 minutes, Colour.
Max von Sydow, Dominique Sanda, Pierre Clementi, Carla Romanelli.
Directed by Fred Haines.

Steppenwolf is mainly for Hermann Hesse admirers - at least to see an attempt to visualise the introspective journey of an ageing Everyman: an animated segment on the myth of the Steppenwolf and its psychological symbolism, a wandering of a between-wars worldly city with male/female guides as well as the elaborate fantasy exploration of the Magic Theatre. Max von Sydow brings his authoritative acting skills to carry the whole film as Harry the Steppenwolf. Dominique Sanda looks good but sounds odd. The film's vision seems to be that of the tempestuous internal conflict of a man depressing and wasting him, needing testing and release but, more, the liberation of sense and humour.

1. The impact of the film? Its quality as an adaptation from Hermann Hesse? As a film in itself - without reference to the original novel, as the work of the writer-director?

2. How important is a background of Hesse for understanding the film? Hesse's German background, early 20th. century, his classic status? His themes, especially of the interior journey of a man? Hesse's treatment of themes and the relationship of the external life to the interior life? Incidents, phases of the journey as symbols of interior choice? The possibility of visualising the interior life on the screen?

3. The immediate impact of the musical score, its recurrence during the film? The adaptation of classics, contemporary music?

4. The immediate impact of the visuals? The director relying on visual impact for communication of Hesse's themes? The glimpses of night life in Hamburg during the credits? The re-creation of the between-wars period, life in a German city? Night and day, light and shadow, interiors and exteriors? The importance and impact of the special effects? The drained colours of drug sequences? The appearance and disappearance of the Magic Theatre front at the beginning? The insertion of the tract about the Steppenwolf and the long animated sequence illustrating the theme? Its place within the action of the drama? The use of close-ups for manifesting interior life? Colours, distortions of colours? Drug and hallucination atmosphere? The accumulated effect of the Magic Theatre - its decor, colours, sets, psychedelic hallucinatory atmosphere, the excerpts from World War One, the memory and the visits to Rosa, the presence of Mozart and Goethe, the sequence in the East? Reality and unreality?

5. The film's emphasis on decor - the sobriety of the homes and Harry's apartment, the dead decorum of the scene with the banquet, the night clubs, the streets? The masked ball as the prelude to the Magic Theatre? The decor and scenery as some kind of objectification of the landscapes of Harry's experience? How much was a sense of vision, how much technical skill on the part of the photographer and the editor?

6. Audience response to the nature of symbols, dreams? The world of the psyche and the conscious and subconscious? The historical placement of the Steppenwolf story and its origins in the past and application to the 20th. century? Symbols as revealing man's basic nature, strengths and weaknesses, sin, his basic drives of power, survival, sexuality, death?

7. The portrait of society between wars? The individual within this society? The critique of bourgeois life?

8. The significance of the Steppenwolf symbol and myth? Harry and his explanation of the two drives within him, that out of control, the surface layer of respectability? The insertion of the tract and its visualising? The visual presentation of Harry's face with the wolf face at the side? The animation showing how one could merge into the other, suppress the other, overcome the other? How was Harry Haller's life the Steppenwolf myth? The Steppenwolf as a symbol of western man with his culture and religion, repressions? Harry as the artist and the artist having this kind of dichotomy, schizophrenia in a heightened way? The irony of Harry presenting himself as this kind of artist, using schizophrenia as his excuse? The presentation of the boy wolf and repressions, what would happen if the Steppenwolf were let loose? The symbolising of the Steppenwolf devouring everything in the Magic Theatre?

9. Hesse's insight into the character of the artist, his vision, work, its value? As happening in his own life? The request for mad men only?

10. How serious was this exploration of Harry? Harry as an ordinary name for an ordinary person? The Americanised dialogue especially for Hermina and Pablo? The emphasis on a sense of humour and the ability to joke. The irony of Harry's being laughed out of court at the end? How ironic, satirical and cynical?

11. Max von Sydow's performance as Harry? His appearance - the visualising of the Steppenwolf? The uncertain man at the start, wandering the city, background of his art, his narrative and biography, drugs, illness, age, hallucinations? His serious outlook on himself, self-importance, self-disgust, imprisoning himself? The need to break out?

12. The significance of the magic man who continually reappeared, indicating and guiding Harry into various ways? His presence in the Magic Theatre?

13. The importance of Harry's visit and the meal, the small talk, drinking, his telling the truth? A portrait of the formalities and emptiness of bourgeois society? Its effect on Harry?

14. The classic them of the hero wandering through his life needing a guide? How did this film use the classic model? Heradna as a guide? What effect did the journey have on Harry, testing his values, his learning, the Old Testament background of Qoheleth and the testing of everything and finding it vanity, did he relax, indulge himself? What did he learn about himself? Could he accept himself? The humour, the laughing out of court?

15. Hermina as a guide - her background, her explanations of herself as a courtesan, the bland nature of her dialogue - the American slang spoken in continental English? Effective, not? The Beatrice guiding the wanderer through hell? Her capacity for listening to Harry, his enjoyment of her presence and seeking her out, her beauty and companionship? Her introducing him to Pablo and the effect of the male-female guide? The introduction to Maria - Maria's background, the relationship with Harry, sexuality and fulfilment. Hermina and guiding Harry through the trivial, frivolity, sexuality? Did she offer any escape? Her power over him? Her final command for him to kill her?

16. Pablo as the parallel guide? The masculine version of Hermina? His musical background, the night club, sexuality - and the overtones of homosexuality and the implications for Harry, his rejection of this and Pablo's seeming regret? The threesome? His continually seeking Pablo out? Pablo moving into the Magic Theatre, his presence as Mozart, as himself? What kind of force did he represent in Harry's psyche?

17. Maria and the complementarity of man and woman? Her place in the Magic Theatre?

18. The masked ball, the festival with its music and noise, Harry and his inability to find Hermina, the guidance of Pablo? Pablo introducing him to the theatre and its hellish nature? The request for suicide to enter - and the mirrors and the animation for Harry's changing face?

19. The significance and symbolism of his journey in the Magic Theatre? The use of devices from the theatre, burlesque, vaudeville, silent films? A labyrinth through his psyche - the various elements of war, the past, Rosa and memory, sexuality, music and literature, the unrepressed Steppenwolf, the eastern court and the pursuit of pleasure? The irony of the sequence of Harry's execution - he is accused of confounding illusion with reality and attempting to use it as an instrument of suicide and of showing himself devoid of humour. The court sequence, the jury, the famous people in the past condemning him -his cultural heritage and his being condemned to everlasting life? Being laughed out of court and Harry participating? The final image of Hermina's face?

20. The significance of his killing the nude Hermina? Of Pablo wrapping up the corpse and handing it back? Hermina as the final superimposed image?

21. How important a visual version of Hesse's novels? For interest, study, effect? Literary and visual fables of the 20th century - interpretation and vision of the contemporary person?

STEP LIVELY

US, 1944, 88 minutes, Black and white.
Frank Sinatra,George Murphy, Adolphe Menjou, Gloria de Haven, Anne Jeffreys, Walter Slezak, Eugene Pallette.
Directed by Tim Whelan.

Step Lively is a colourful wartime musical. It was based on a play and a previous film version with the Marx Brothers and Lucille Ball, Room Service. Tim Whelan, a director in England, e.g. The Divorce of Lady X., The Thief of Baghdad and the United States, Higher and Higher, directs with verve. It is an opportunity to see George Murphy as a brash song and dance man. It is also Frank Sinatra's second major film. It was obviously geared for him and his popularity at that time - the shy young hero who was to emerge as a popular singer. Anchors Aweigh came the next year. Gloria de Haven is an attractive leading lady. It is the routine, 'the show must go on' plot handled in a '40s kind of way. For the students of the movie musical.

1. The entertainment value of the American musical comedy? Basic appeal of plot, American brashness.. show business, music, songs, dances, style?

2. The basic conventions used? Of plot, visuals, musical routines? Better than average?

3. Black and white photography, the New York locations, hotels and theatres? The quality of the score? The special songs especially for Frank Sinatra? The dance routines? The choreographed effects - especially in the opening sequences and the introduction of the characters?

4. The plausibility and implausibility of the plot? The American presentation of show business, musical shows, Broadway, producers and their difficulties, businessmen? Confidence tricksters? The hero and his skills in eluding his pursuers? Frank Sinatra as hero and singer? The ins and outs of the plot and the final success - with a frantic pace? The speed of delivery, the continual motion of the characters and the actions? Literally. the show must go on?

5. Miller as producer - the build-up to him at the beginning,, his presence in the hotel,, his relying on Gribble and exploiting him? The double talk? His assistants? The encounter with Jenkins and the mistaken identity, his being swindled of his money? Miss Abbott and her being in the show? Christine and his ignoring her, using her for testing Russell, her loyalty towards him? Russell and the double talk? Wagner and his examination of the books? Miller and his skating continually on thin ice and coming up with success? The American producer type? The portrayal of his assistants - with humour?

6. Russell and Frank Sinatra's introduction to films? His popularity. singing and his potential as a star? As a playwright, the naive young man coming to town? The attraction towards Christine? His seeing through Miller? His participating in the various tricks - e.g. pretending to be sick, the final pretending to be dead? His love for Christine?

7. Christine as heroine - loyalty to Miller, attraction towards Russell? Her songs - e.g. in the hotel and leading Frank Sinatra into song? The routines for the show? Rehearsals?

8. Gribble and the comedy of the frantic hotel manager, the confrontation with Wagner? The relentlessness of Wagner and his finally being tricked, his relenting?

9. The American world of police, doctors, show business? The various impersonations? The routines of illness, death. the doctor on the ledge etc.?

10. The contribution of the songs, dances? The appeal of the musical?

THE STEPFORD WIVES

US, 1975, 118 minutes, Colour.
Katharine Ross, Paula Prentiss, Tina Louise, Nanette Newman, Patrick O'Neal.
Directed by Bryan Forbes.

A pity that the early part of this film moves in such a leisurely way. It lulls the audience into thinking that it is the kind of American domestic comedy that it is using. For the film does move from domesticity to menace and to ultimate horror leaving the audience to be alarmed and to reinterpret the characters and their behaviour in the light of the ending. The film might be described as Women's Liberation science-fiction, for the plot and the climax might appeal to male chauvinists and infuriate women. Katharine Ross is an attractive heroine and Paula Prentiss enlivens the film with comedy; but it is the ending that counts.

1. The film was not popular on its first release. Why? It was based on a popular novel and widely read novel.

2. The overall impact of the film; response during the film, the last 20 minutes, the effect of the finale on the overall impression?

3. Audience expectations from the title? The atmosphere of television soap operas? The styles of American television characters and serials and moral issues? How is the film a piece of Americana? How did it change into a style of Gothic horror with violence? As an oblique presentation of science fiction themes? How well did these combine? The importance of the colour-photography and locations the noise of New York and its hustle and bustle compared with the tranquillity of Stepford.

4. The ordinariness and realism of the opening, the realism of the supermarkets, and yet the irony of the horror with the robot wives? How well did the film combine this realism and artificiality?

5. The significance of the title, the irony of expectations and the reality, the robot-wives? What comment was being made on the Stepford wives as robots, very similar to the average American wife in her comments, limited vocabulary, housework, pleasing her husband?

6. Comment on the subtleties of the screenplay in the light of the ending; taking the television series atmosphere and yet giving hints of something sinister, e.g. the opening with the man carrying the dummy model across the street.

7. Comment on the ambiguities of the dialogue. The film's focus on Joanna and her family; the initial moving and the atmosphere of their moving from New York, her longing for the noise? How could audiences identify with her, a feminine audience identifying with her and going through the reaction, the searching for the truth, the victimization and the destruction? A man's reaction to the character of Joanna and what happened to her?

8. The portrait of Joanna and Walter: the motives of each for moving from New York to Stepford and the clarification during the film? Walter and his work? Joanna and her skill in photography and wanting to further her career? The loving bond between the two? What particular types of American did they represent? Reflecting contemporary family values, masculine, feminine values? The overtones of Women's Liberation?

9. The change of atmosphere with Carol's arrival and the gift of the casserole? Carol as representing the Stepford wives? The party, kissing her husband in the garden? The importance of the accident and her repetition of words? Was the audience suspicious that she was in some ways out of order? Carol's words, manner, dress? Her explanation of her history and the change.

10. The focus on the men's club? The masculine audience response? The feminine audience response? Walter's attitudes and his devious ways of putting things? The meetings, the portraits of the various men? The type of subject talked about, the artist sketching? The means to get Joanna’s voice on tape? The sinister getting her out of the house and surveying her bedroom? Comment on the men as various professional types and their style of behaviour, language, self-centredness, attitudes towards their wives? The importance of Dale Coba and his hold over the men and his attitude towards Joanna, his Disneyland background with robots, his final appearance and threat to Joanna?

11. The portrait of the women of Stepford? Carol, Frank and his attractive wife, Charmaine and her free thinking activity, tennis, etc. and the suddenness of her change and the tearing up of the tennis court? The observation of feminine behaviour?

12. The contrast with the character of Bobbie? The friendship with Joanna, the ordinariness of their talk, Bobble's comic style - and yet normality? Their wanting to start a club, the canvassing of the women's opinions and the reasons for their refusal, Chairmaine's attendance? The style of the meeting and the degeneration of the topics into domestic arguments? The importance of the water test and Bobby's theory? The visit to New York and the background of Joanna's liaison with the scientist and his approach to her?

13. Bobbie's going away for the weekend, the ominous presentation of her change -especially with her dress, manner of speaking, fixed smile? Joanna's desperation and confrontation? Stabbing her with a knife and Bobbie's going out of order with repetition and breaking crockery?

14. The significance of the discussion between Joanna and the psychiatrist? Joanna and her fears, and expressing these fears? The psychologist's understanding and reassurance but the inevitable delay?

15. The change of atmosphere at the ending with the Gothic house and the preparations for explaining the house, especially when Joanna took her dog for the walk and met the security guard? The storm? The atmosphere of the men's club? The confrontation with Dale Coba, the chase, the importance of the confrontation with the robot Joanna and the robot killing the real Joanna?

16. The appropriateness of the film ending with the supermarket sequence with all the Stepford wives going about their shopping as the supposedly model housewives?

17. American and contemporary themes - who are the robots? Attitudes towards women's liberation: Masculine - feminine attitudes and relationships? The implications of the domination of men and having wives who were dolls and of service to them? The underlying inhumanity and selfishness of the men? Science-fiction themes about the future of man and robots, Dale Coba as the mad scientist playing God?

ST ELMO'S FIRE

US, 1985, 110 minutes, Colour.
Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Andrew Mc Carthy, Demi Moore, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy, Mare Winningham, Martin Balsam, Andie Mc Dowell, Jenny Wright, Joyce Van Patten.
Directed by Joel Schumacher.

St. Elmo's Fire is in the tradition of the youth movies of the '80s, but also in the tradition of the reunion of a group of friends (as in The Big Chill).

The stars of this film act particularly well - and some of them worked together earlier in John Hughes' The Breakfast Club. In The Breakfast Club they were teenagers at school. Here they are graduates moving out into the professional world. The film is set in Washington, has the overtones of life in the American city, shows the potential as well as the capability for destructiveness in today's youth. Overall, the film is optimistic insofar as friendship is supportive, and with crises, friends can help one another to some resolution.

The film was written and directed by Joel Schumacher (D.C. Cab). It has a contemporary soundtrack. While much of the action is contrived, even stupid, we realise that the actions are symbolic of a generation trying to find its place in society as well as personal identity.

1. An interesting film, enjoyable, entertaining? For what audience?

2. Washington locations, the city, campuses, apartments, hospitals etc? St. Elmo's Bar? The musical score and the sound of the 80s?

3. The focus on 20-year-olds, the background of their schooling, friendships, love of the past, the challenge to mature, the bonds between them, securities, dead-ends, change?

4. The title and the literal reference to St. Elmo's Bar? The explanation of St. Elmo's Fire as a symbol, a light-house fire, a security light - although the saint did not exist, nor did the light? The bar as a symbolic St. Elmo's Fire? The experiences of the group, looking out for their particular fires - and changing?

5. The opening and ending with the focus on the group as graduates? In between their memories, talk, wanting to go back, Billy and his visit to the campus, the memory of sport and drugs? The experience of a generation? The significance of their past? Its shaping their future?

6. The theme of friendship, the bonds of friendship, interests, shared interest, support, love, differences, crises, mutual saving, the need to break out?

7. Billy: the initial accident, his arrest, drinking, the outsider of the group? Different? Being married, the ups and downs of his relationship with Felicity, his irresponsibility about his child? Capacity for love, yet his neglect? Caught up in drugs, drinking? Irresponsibility about jobs? Jokiness? Appearance? Reliance on Alex for jobs, giving them up, Alex putting his head in the toilet? Working as an upholsterer? Working for Kim and the sex scene in the bath? Playing the saxophone, something he loved, his skill at it, seeing Felicity with another man, his anger and the fight? His being himself with Wendy? Her affirming him, the visit to her home, the meal, the jokes to her family, sitting out on the roof? Her telling him she was a virgin and his response, her being offended? Her accusation that he was trying to ape Alex? The friendship with Jules, her needing friendship and his merely joking, her throwing him out of the jeep? His talk with Felicity and pledging to reform? Parties, drugs? Working at the gas station, helping Jules and understanding her, making her laugh. the one who was able to bring her out of crisis? Helping Wendy paint her apartment? His tenderness, sexual encounter and its meaning? His decision to go, his having the courage to break out? The bonds - and the future?

8. Wendy, the serious member of the group: the accident and her excusing Billy, her plainness and worrying about her appearance and figure, her strong character, strength of friendship? Helping Jules, friendship with Leslie, inviting them to the meal and trying to help Jules? At. St. Elmo's, enjoying the company? Her love for Billy, inviting him to the house, the meal, sitting with him on the roof, scared for him? Her parents and their snobbery, remarks at the meal, the firms of greeting cards and everyone part of the business? Her father and his pressure, the car, getting the money for Billy, her returning the car, her returning Howie after dating him because her father wanted her to? Her work, involvement with people and welfare, the taunt by the lady with the family? Her clashes with the group, friendships? Moving out of the house, her own apartment. exhilarated by being on her own? The sexual encounter with Billy and its significance for her? Her future?

9. Kirbo and his pushiness, infatuation with Dale, waiting at St. Elmo's. his responsibility and irresponsibility, going to the hospital, getting various jobs, erratic? The dinner date at the fashionable restaurant and Dale having to leave? Arranging the party at the Korean's house for her, going up to the snow, his anger, cold, the photo, her kiss and his getting over the infatuation? Settling down, law? His relationship with Kevin, flatmate? Wanting to help Jules?

10. Jules and her glamour, wealth, her apartment decorated lavishly, Ron the decorator, her attitude towards her father, her stepmother (step-monster)? Always wondering how to bury her? Her working at the bank, wine advice, drugs, the affair with the boss, the break, covering up? Leslie and Wendy worried about her and arranging the meal, her talk with the bag-lady listening? Her taking in Leslie? Her needing help, her verve with Billy, her throwing him out of the jeep because he would
not listen to her? The tantrum, the group having to rescue her? Her recovery?

11. Kevin and his moodiness, writing, people thinking he was gay, his conversations with Naomi, standing by. playing the drums, his friendship with Kirbo, visiting Leslie and talking with her, helping, alone, parties? Alex hitting him? His declaring his love for Leslie, their passionate time together, his trying to pressure her? Working with Alex to rescue Jules? Alex holding him over the balustrade? The reconciliation?

12. Alex and his wealth, change of political stances, getting jobs for Billy, the lavish apartment, decorating it with Leslie, his living with Leslie. wanting to marry her, the strength of the bonds yet his playing around with other women? Confiding in Kevin? Angry with Billy and putting his head in the toilet? Smooth style, announcing the proposal at the party Leslie and her hints, his anger, throwing her out, discovering her with Kevin, the petty bickering over the records, responding to Leslie's plea for helping Jules, anger with Kevin, the reconciliation?

13. Leslie and her personality, career, her love for Alex, the house, her friendship with Kevin, working with Wendy to help Jules, the quality of friendship? Not committing herself to Alex? The girl-talk with Jules, Jules taking her in? Kevin's proposal and the effect on her, the passionate encounter, her telling the truth to Alex, being ousted, Alex's pettiness, her getting him to help with Jules? Her decision to be alone?

14. The brief sketch of Wendy's family, their snobbery, the cards, the family business? Her father's pressure on her and not listening to her, expectations? Howie, friendly but Wendy not able to become engaged to him?

15. Dale, her work as a doctor, object of Kirbo's infatuation, the meal sequence, the snow sequence - and her being flattered?

16. The St. Elmo's clientele, the band. the college boys and Billy, the fights?

17. Felicity and her baby. her love for Billy. disdain, the offer of another marriage?

18. Naomi and her beat. her comments on Kevin - sardonic observations?

19. A glimpse of characters. the '80s, values, mistakes, dead ends - yet optimism.

CAUGHT INSIDE

Australia, 2010, 93 minutes, Colour.
Ben Oxenbould, Daisy Betts, Sam Lyndon, Simon Lyndon, Leeanna Walsman, Harry Cook, Peter Phelps.
Directed by Adam Blaiklock.

A small-budget Australian thriller which starts out like a holiday story for young adults surfing around the Maldives and then turns into a variation of Dead Calm and other menace on boats tales.

The young men and women are more or less the usual suspects, out for a good time. Peter Phelps is the ship’s captain who reads them the riot act before they leave. All goes well at first, sea, waves, tropical islands.

One of the men seems an old hand at this but when he loses his temper and beats up an unwary tourist, his true pathological personality begins to emerge. He certainly has a short fuse. But then he molests one of the women, who has had some problems with images of her being put up on the internet. She reacts very strongly, setting up the film for clashes, fights, vengeance. All very melodramatic rather than any real exploration of what has happened, why and what might be done rather than just resorting to revenge.

1. Psychological thriller? Melodrama? The psychosexual dimensions? Violence?

2. The intended audience, young, holidaymakers, the interest in sex, violence?

3. The locations, the sea, the boat, the island and reef, the musical score?

4. The title, the group, the individuals in the boat?

5. The introduction to the group, their arrival on the island, age, relationships, sense of adventure, surfing, the men, the women? Relationships?

6. The captain and his crew, the locals, the captain and his issuing the orders? Discipline?

7. The voyage, the open sea, swimming, surfing, the ordinary adventure?

8. Bull and his stances, his character, friendly at first, his experiences, helping Archie with the bunk, interactions with the captain? Fighting and his anger, the shock of the others, bashing? Revealing his character? The interaction with Sam, the lotion, touching her, her reaction, his defence? The reactions of the others? The captain, his eruption, going ashore, .......... (**? Couldn’t hear) free, coming back, the violence and his being isolated, coming on board, the threats, the sense of menace, the fighting, the end?

9. Sam, going on the adventure, her bad internet experience and exposure, the effect, with Alex? Their bonding? With Rob, the relationship, her provocative sunbathing, the issue of the lotion, Bull and his touching her, her response, her violent reaction, going to the cabin, her wariness of the others, her vengeful feelings, her regaining her strength, fighting back?

10. Alex and Toobs, being together, their sympathy, Toobs trying to help, his being injured, locked in the cabin?

11. Rob, with Sam, the attack, his being cast adrift, climbing back on the boat, the final confrontation?

12. The captain, the crew, trying to handle the discipline, cast adrift?

13. The reality of sexism, sexual assault, the reactions of the women, the victims, the men? Sexual violence?

L’AMOUR FOU

France, 2010, 98 minutes, Colour.
Yves Saint- Laurent, Pierre Berge, Betty Catroux, Jack Lang, Catherine Deneuve, Laetitia Casta.
Directed by Pierre Thoretton.

All you may have wanted to know about designer and celebrity, Yves Saint Laurent – and more than you wanted or needed to know.

As a biography, this film offers some basic information about his origins, his family, his talent, his assisting Christian Dior, his early acclaim, his successful career and his long relationship with Pierre Berge.

As a portrait, the film is more complex. The commentary speaks of Saint Laurent as quiet and retiring, though he tended to overcome this in his public appearances and was, perhaps, something of a snob. The extent of his talent is shown, which will be of particular interest to audiences who follow fashion but may bewilder those not in the know, the perennial puzzle of who will actually wear the exotic creations that are displayed by those models parading on the catwalk and why they are so acclaimed.

Because Pierre Berge offers much of the commentary, there are touches of intimacy in his narration, an opening up of his first meeting with Saint Laurent, their attraction and partnership for forty years. There is also a great deal about the business side of the company and of Berge’s role.

Saint Laurent was hailed as a celebrity and feted in the media as well as by other celebrities. It later took some toll on him with a drinking problem and a reliance on drugs. However, in 1990 he made a clean break and remained this way until his death in 2008.

The film-makers have gone to the media, to archives for photos and movie and video clips. There are interviews with models, politicians, move stars...

One of the main preoccupations of the film, which may not be of such great interest to viewers who are not fascinated by collections of art of all kinds, is the long amassing of so many pieces of art, making their home something of a museum. Actually, the couple had a number of homes in Paris, Morocco and in Normandy. Many of the objects are shown in loving close-up. Throughout the film, there is a continuing appraisal of the worth of the art since there is a planned auction. The film culminates in the auction itself – with a surprising number of buyers offering hundreds of thousands and even millions for some of the pieces.

The title? Yves Saint Laurent’s love of his creative design? His relationship with Pierre Burge? The acquiring of and devotion to the art collection? All of the above?
1. Audience knowledge of Yves Saint-Laurent? Interest in him as a person, as a designer, his career, celebrity?

2. The film as documentary, on the life of Yves Saint- Laurent, on his career and success? On his relationship with Pierre Berge? His personal problems? Drinking and drugs? The film as a portrait rather than a biography?

3. The documentary material? The footage, the interviews? The home movies? Building up a picture of Yves Saint-Laurent? Of Pierre Berge?

4. The contribution of Pierre Berge to the film, his collaboration, his interviews, his commentary and memoirs? His relationship with Saint- Laurent? The forty years? His business partnership?

5. The framework of Yves Saint- Laurent’s death, the selling of all the art? The preparation for the auction? The detailed look at the various art pieces, the explanations of their background, the collection? The finale with the auction, the people at the auction, the bids, the range of material, the high prices? Berge and his satisfaction after the auction?

6. The person of Yves Saint- Laurent, the Morocco background, the French style, shy, introspective? His talent, working with Christian Dior? Dior’s death? Assistant to Christian Dior but building up a reputation, his success in design, making his own company? The success over the years, the displays? His holidays, Morocco, houses, collecting of art? The clashes with Berge? Drinking, drugs, 1990 and his becoming clean? His role as a celebrity – with a touch of the snob?

7. The interviews with Jack Lang, the politician’s background, culture? The range of personal friends, for and against? Celebrities like Laetitia Casta, the reception with Catherine Deneuve?

8. The world of fashion, the nature of design, the dresses and their extravagance? The shows, the catwalk, the models?

9. The world of art, collectors, value and auction?

10. The world of Yves Saint- Laurent – different from that of ordinary people? Audience fascination with the life of a celebrity?