SOLDIER

US, 1998, 94 minutes, Colour.
Kurt Russell, Jason Scott Lee, Connie Neilson, Gary Busey, Jason Isaacs, Sean Pertwee.
Directed by Paul Anderson.

Soldier is a futuristic action film. It has an impressive opening with the training of a young soldier born in 1996 and his nineteen years of training to make him a fighting machine by 2013. The future looks grim with this kind of totalitarian training of the military in robot-like fashion. The film then shifts another twenty years with the soldier in middle age. However, technology has developed the training of soldiers and the new generation is much more ruthless. There is combat between the two generations with the soldier losing and being deposited on a garbage planet.

Here begins the humanisation of the soldier. He meets a group of refugees who are stranded on the planet. While they take him in, he is still perceived as dangerous. However, when a military exercise to show how effective the new military are, attacks the refugee planet, the soldier then defends them, conquering single-handedly.

The film sometimes has its cake and eats it with its demonstration of the unimaginative and brutal training to make the military machine - but when there is difficulty for innocent people, this kind of training is what saves the day.

Kurt Russell is perfectly at home in the role of the soldier. Jason Scott Lee is the new generation. Jason Isaacs is a stern leader who collapses in cowardice. The film was directed by Paul Anderson, who made Shopping in the United Kingdom and then went on to action films like Mortal Kombat, Event Horizon.

1. The popularity of this kind of action film? Male audiences? Female? A macho film?

2. The 90s, the futuristic settings, the locations for the training of the children, the planets, the garbage disposal planet? The wreckage on that planet? Military hardware? Musical score?

3. The title, its indicating themes, its focus on Todd, the soldier?

4. The impact of the training sequences, hard, ruthless, the shooting of the boy running behind? Todd and his achievement? Seeing him in battle and the effectiveness for destruction of the military? The transition to his middle age, the soldiers sitting in rows, on parade for Colonel Mekum?

5. Mekum and his clashes with Captain Church, Church advocating the need for more personalised training, Mekum and his ruthlessness? Their assistants? The combat, the superiority of the new generation, Todd and his attempts to defeat Caine 607? His being put in the garbage disposal, deposited on the planet? His coming to consciousness, the winds, the dust? His being found by Mace? His being brought in, the meeting of the group, their welcoming him?

6. The nature of the group, travel, the crash, refugees, lost? Scavenging, surviving? Mace and his wife, Nathan? Family unit? Todd and his being with the family, his impassive face, registering what was happening? The attraction of Sandra? Kindness towards Nathan? The snakes, Todd saving them? Finally Nathan killing the snake to save his parents? The decision to bring him back?

7. The daily life of the group, the scavenging, the danger for the man who was almost destroyed by the machine - and saved by Todd? Their being beholden to him? Yet his military suspicion, emotions of fear and danger? His surviving by himself? His being put out of the camp?

8. The invasion, Mace's death? Mekum and his exercise, Church and his unwillingness? Todd and his wits, as a sniper, destroying the new soldiers, their weaponry? Using his skills, his wits? The families and the ordinary people being killed, escaping into the rooms, the flamethrowers and destruction?

9. Mekum, his wanting to get out, shooting Church, his ruthlessness? The confrontation with Todd, his being put off the plane, the explosion? The survivors on the spaceship, the old soldiers saluting Todd, their saving the people, flying off to a new future?

10. The themes of the film, about the military, dehumanised, yet necessary in times of danger?

THE SUNSHINE BOYS

US, 1997, 85 minutes, Colour.
Woody Allen, Peter Falk, Sarah Jessica Parker, Liev Schreiber, Michael Mc Kean.
Directed by John Erman.

The Sunshine Boys is one of Neil Simon's best known plays. It was transferred to the screen in the mid-70s by director Herbert Ross, with Walter Matthau and George Burns as the central characters. Richard Benjamin played their nephew. George Burns won an Oscar for best supporting actor in this role. It is now considered a classic, audiences enjoying typical Matthau and Burns performances (much like many of their other performances).

In the mid-90s Neil Simon adapted his play for the small screen. He updated some of the jokes. He also changed the character of the nephew agent into a niece agent. She is played with some vivacity by Sarah Jessica Parker.

The interesting thing is to see Woody Allen and Peter Falk in the roles made so familiar in the 70s. Peter Falk is his usual self, Colombo style, in the Walter Matthau role. Woody Allen is Woody Allen in the George Burns role. In fact, Woody Allen has the ability to make Neil Simon's dialogue sound like Woody Allen dialogue.

Some critics were horror-struck at what they saw was a desecration of the earlier film. However, this is a very entertaining version. As with the first version, the stars are simply bring their screen personas and if audiences like them, they are entertained. This is exactly the same with Woody Allen and Peter Falk.

1, The popularity of Neil Simon's play? Another Odd Couple? The theatre background? Old men and their being cantankerous? Issues of success, retirement, coping with retirement, old age, illness, family? The clash between the two of the odd couple?

2. Neil Simon's wit, the one-liners, the updating to the 90s? Humorous references to plays, television and screen personalities? The incisiveness of the wit?

3. The New York settings, the apartment, hospital, the New Jersey home? An authentic New York feel? Musical score?

4. The importance of the screen personas of Peter Falk and Woody Allen? Memories of Colombo and other Falk films? Woody Allen and his own films? Their bringing their talent and personas to these characters?

5. The focus on Willie, his career, the performances with Al Lewis, the falling apart of the group, Al Lewis retiring? Willie Clark and his wife divorcing him? Living in the apartment, not having money, the apartment being made smaller? His cantankerous personality? His relationship with Nancy, dependence on her? Her continually trying to get him a job, persuading, talk with affection? Yet her getting nervous and having stomach upsets when she visited him? Getting him to the audition for the crisps - and his being cantankerous, changing the lines? The exasperation of the director? His brushing everything off, not being to blame? The locked door and his wanting the janitor to open it? The proposal about working again with Al Lewis? Agreeing but being against it? Al Lewis's visit, the tension between the two, the chair, the hot water, the teabag? Willie and his not wanting Al to spit or to poke him with his finger? The rehearsal, changing the name, the locked door, changing "Come in" to "Enter"? The phone call from Al's daughter? His promising to continue? The arguments with Nancy? Meeting at the restaurant, his refusing to talk, his agreeing again to do the performance? Going to the studio, talking to the director, the spitting and the poking, his changing the names, wanting to make his own routines? The exasperation of the director, Al and his complaining, Willie and the collapse, going to hospital? Al sending flowers and chocolates, Willie and his lying in bed, still cantankerous, Nancy's proposal that he go to Los Angeles? Allowing the visit from Al, being haughty, talking about apologies, ridiculing the chocolates and flowers? Hearing that Al was moving to Los Angeles? The final argument?

6. Woody Allen and his style as Al Lewis, the career, his memories of their meeting, his timing with the jokes (which Willie acknowledged)? Their work together, the same old routines, his wanting to change, Willie's unwillingness? Retiring, the death of his wife, living with his daughter, Nancy's visit and his explaining the shopping channel to her and getting better bargains? His wariness, going to visit Willie, the door, the tea, the rehearsal, changing names, changing words? His agreement in the restaurant? His trying to do his performance, being exasperated? Feeling guilty about Willie's heart attack, visiting him in the hospital, the talk about Los Angeles and the wonders of retirement, the Friars' Club, possible work, changing to Nancy as his agent? The final argument?

7. Nancy, devotion to Willie, admiration for Al? Her husband, child and Willie getting his name wrong? Her skill as an agent, getting the audition, its failure, getting the movie, persuading each of the participants, her friendship with Carol, going to the screen test, its failure, Willie's collapse, in hospital, arranging for the meeting with Al, promising to take Willie to Los Angeles?

8. The TV director and Willie changing the words in the audition? The film, the little boy, his laughing, the routines, the exasperation of the director?

9. A humorous picture of two cranky old men? Friendship and cantankerousness? The background of vaudeville, television and film?

SILENT RAGE

US, 1982, 95 minutes, Colour.
Chuck Norris, Ron Silver, Steven Keats.
Directed by Michael Miller.

Silent Rage is a vehicle for martial arts world champion Chuck Norris, who has appeared in a number of entertaining action thrillers: The Octagon, An Eye For An Eye. This film has much less martial arts material and focuses on horror and the various horror genres popular at the end of the '70s. early '80s. It is competent enough in this area - but a disappointment for Norris fans. He is a somewhat stolid actor and so the films do not quite come to life and the supporting cast seem to overact. Director Michael Moore made the excellent Jackson County Jail and its sequel

1. Popularity of martial arts films, action thrillers? Chuck Norris vehicle? The combination of martial arts with the horror conventions?

2. The film as an exercise in genres? How successful a blend? The quality of the acting? Credibility?

3. The opening with the horror and the mad killings? The noise, the children, murders of the landlady, the policeman? The echoes of Halloween? The introduction to the unscrupulous and mad scientists? Their experiments - with modern jargon and laboratories but with the overtones of Frankenstein? Kirby becoming the Frankenstein monster and unkillable? His going berserk. the deaths and terrorising in the hospital? Crazy immortality? The final attempts to kill him? The echoes of other horror films?

4. Norris as Dan Stevens: his skill as sheriff, investigations, action sequences? The new encounter with Allison, memories of the past. the tensions of the taking up of the affair? His rescuing her?

5. The crises: Kirby and his dying, his escaping from the hospital, the killing of Tom Halman and his wife and the horror techniques used? Alison finding their bodies and confronting Kirby?

6. Kirby amok in the hospital? The killing of the doctors? The elaborate attempts to kill him and failure?

7. Chuck Norris in action especially with the bikies and the exercise of martial arts?

8. The film as a film buff's handbook? How much human feeling, values? The quality of the entertainment?

SILENT MOVIE

US, 1976, 87 minutes, Colour.
Mel Brooks, Marty Feldman, Dom Deluise, Bernadette Peters, Guests: Burt Reynolds, James Caan, Paul Newman, Liza Minnelli, Anne Bancroft, Marcel Marceau.
Directed by Mel Brooks.

Silent Movie is silent only as regards spoken words (with one notable exception), this film derives its humour from a string of visual gags, stock silent situations, updated (sometimes in parody; sometimes in homage to this class humour) and some hilarious written captions (which don't always correspond exactly with what we see the actors saying). The old plot about a down and out director trying to save the studio and signing major stars happily carries the film along with Mel Brooks and Marty Feldman effectively controlled. The guest stars add glamour, participate happily in some slapstick humour, especially eye-rolling, dancing Anne Bancroft (Mrs. Brooks) who is involved in funny, knockabout (literally) humour.

1. How enjoyable a comedy, the entertainment values, the nostalgia of the past presented in the present?

2. What was the basic appeal of silent film and silent film styles: styles of acting, the lack of words, the captions, sounds? The kinds of situations necessary for silent film, farce, sight gags, etc.? How was this film attributed to the silent films? How derivative was it? How original?

4. Comment on the standard plot: the emphasis on Hollywood, the making of films, the moguls and money, the sabotage industry, the stars and their stardom? Did the film get away with using a standard plot, even to showing explicitly what it was doing itself?

5. The opening and close with 'Hello' and 'Goodbye'? The quality of the caption cards? The various jokes? The irony of the cards contrasting with what was being really said? The verbal jokes and the repetitions? Audience response to this reading during the film? How enjoyable were the three central characters? As a group going around together recruiting the stars, as individuals? What were their particular characteristics? How human were they, how much parody? Satire? Driving around in their car, their mission to save the studio? How much sentiment about films and Hollywood was there in the film? How was it basically an old-fashioned kind of film?

8. The satirical presentation of Hollywood: the studio, the nervousness of the studio chief, his secretary, his being in hospital? The presentation of the stars?

9. Comment on each of the stars: how did the film use their personalities, poke fun at them, their houses, hobbies, ways of behaviour? Involving each of the stars in farcical silent comedy situations? Did the film get away with this? Audience response to seeing stars being themselves in such situations?

10. Comment on the value of the incidental comedy, the visual gags e.g. the pregnant woman at the beginning, driving the streets and looking at the shops, the lifts, the sequences in the restaurants, fights, etc.?

11. The satire on big business in the presentation of gulf and devour? Their engulfing the studio, the nature of their meetings, the head of the firm and his assistant? The satire on their villainy, their espionage? The final fight and their downfall?

12. Vilma and the satire on industrial espionage? The satire on sex? Her dance sequences and their humour? Her keeping the people entertained at the sneak preview? The satire on the love sequences with Funn and Vilma? The discovery of the truth and her helping them?

13. The build-up to the sneak preview after the making of the film? People sneaking into it? The loss of the film and Vilma's entertainment?

14. How necessary was it to have a happy ending? A sense of jubilation with the audience on the screen and the ordinary audience?

15. How is this film a valuable tribute to movies and their power?

THE SILENT FLUTE

US, 1978, 95 Minutes, Colour.
David Carradine, Jeff Cooper, Roddy Mc Dowell, Eli Wallach, Christopher Lee.
Directed by Richard Moore.

The Silent Flute (Circle of Iron) is based on a story by Bruce Lee and his friends and pupils James Coburn and prominent Hollywood screenwriter Sterling Silliphant, his martial arts allegory tries to combine the interest in disciplined violence with the attractive verbal paradoxes and journey quests associated with Zen and Eastern 'mystic' movements. David Carradine with his Kung Fu background portrays the guides and foes encountered by the effectively brawny but dramatically limited hero Jeff Cooper. The result is an unusual mixture of fable, adventure and colourful popular self-development material. A mixture of the popularly wise, the contrived and the corny. The film is more likely to appeal to those fonder of symbols than the martial arts.

1. How interesting and entertaining a film? For what audience was it made? Its particular appeal? Audience interest in martial arts, the overtones of Zen, the mystical and self-development aspects of the human person and the martial arts? The psychology behind the mysticism and martial arts? The symbolism? The prologue of the film and its introduction - the land and its unreality, the paradoxical statements from Zen, the contradictions quoted from Cord the hero? The background of Bruce Lee and his composing the story, his outlook on the martial arts? The collaboration of James Coburn the actor and Stirling Silliphant the popular screen writer? The introduction to the land and its look, a blend of the old and the new the emphasis on the East, the use of Middle East locations landscapes, mountains desert, water, trees and forests, the many building ruins? The peaceful island? A world and landscapes of the imagination and fantasy? How did this give a sense of reality and transcendent meaning to the plot and the characters?

3. The significance of the title, its paradox, the beauty of the music, the fact that it could only be heard by the special few? The symbolism of the title? The score and the flute music? The occasions in which it is heard by Cord, by the audience? The visualising of the blind guide playing the flute? The gift of the flute to Cord?

4. The appeal of man's quest and his journey? Continued audience interest in this kind of plot, identification with it? The hero to be identified with on his quest and journey? Themes of goals, visions? The background of Cord as martial arts hero, his presupposition that he must fight to achieve his goal and reach it? The background of the desire to be champion The hero and his self-assertion, tests, lessons, experiences, dreams? These as the basic realistic and symbolic ingredients of a quest? The martial arts setting and audience enjoyment of this? The ethos of the martial arts - as exercise, vigour, a kind of heroism, achievement, competitiveness, controlled violence, self-defence? The presentation of the initial competition, the world in which it was staged, the background of Roman gladiator fights, the decisions of the ruler? The various bouts and their styles? Cord and his participation? His not being allowed to win? The appropriateness of the judgement of the ruler? Cord and his decision to follow the champion, his witnessing his death, his inheriting the victory medallion? The quality of the actor portraying Cord? Physical presence, martial arts prowess, appearance, self-assurance? His ability to act? His diction and speech? How much of the film's strength was on his performance? How convincing was he as hero, during the tests, achieving his goals in his quest?

7. The significance of the blind guide? Cord seeing him fight at night and warding off all aggressors? The lessons that the blind guide taught? The lesson of the monkeys and their mask, cowardice? His reappearance to help Cord understand the meaning of the experience with Tara? His mysterious actions as he guided Cord especially the breaking of the boat after crossing the river, rebuilding the wall in times of attack and danger, elaborate fights with the pursuing warriors, the slapping of the boy confronting his parents? His playing the flute? The arrangement with Cord about questions and answers? The importance of his final explanation of seeing more than was immediately there? The blind man who could not see but who understood and appreciated more? The lesson for Cord? David Carradine, with his television background and Kung Fu, portraying this role of guide?

8. The significance of the tests? The winner of the competition and his being destroyed? Cord's confrontation with the monkeys, his taunting them, his learning the lesson from the blind guide and confronting their cowardice? The interchanges with Chang-sha, watching him fight? The involvement with Tara? The importance of his vow of chastity, the confrontation of the vow, the allurement and seduction of Tara, his succumbing to her? The irony of his waking in the desert? Her crucifixion? The fact that this was not a test but a lesson and his realisation of his decision for chastity, its poor motivation,- the fact that he would possess someone instead of loving her? An awareness of his weakness, sensuality? The importance of the encounter of the man in oil and the discussion of man's sensual nature and the sacrifice of it? The encounter with Death and the grim fight?

9. The final meeting with the Keeper of the Book? It not being as Cord expected? His expectations of fighting and his suspicions? The peace of the island? The happiness of the peace and yet its unreality, stagnation? (A criticism of an all-peaceful Nirvana?) The desire for the book - the inevitability of its being a series of mirrors? The plea of the Keeper for Cord to take his place so that he could return to the world? Cord's decision not to?

10. The significance of Cord's escape from the Island of the Book, his return to the real world, his finding the blind guide? Their embrace? The gift of the flute? what had Cord learnt? What would be his future? Helping others on their quest?

11. The contribution of the martial arts sequences, their staging, spirit, discipline, method? The repercussions on the martial arts hero?

12. The background of Zen - the attraction of Eastern mysticism for the West? Mysterious and paradoxical sayings and their wisdom? The blend of Zen and the martial arts?

13. The significance of the blind guide. His being an alter-ego of the hero? The symbolism of seeing and not seeing and the way this was applied -especially in the experiences in seeing the ferry fan and his wife, his happiness, the destruction of the boat, the pursuit of the warriors the money on the destroyed wall, the spoilt boy?

14. The presentation of the feminine in the fantasy and their life and imagination of the hero? Beauty alluring, sensitising, yet the danger of her being possessed and destroyed? The monsters of the ego - the monkeys, death? Shadow figures like Death that had to be confronted and fought with? The warriors? The appropriateness of this kind of symbolism?

15. How interesting a cinema and visual experience of the journey into self?

THE SILENT ENEMY

UK, 1958, 107 minutes, Black and white.
Laurence Harvey, Dawn Addams, John Clements, Michael Craig, Alec Mc Cowan, Sid James.
Directed by William Fairchild.

The Silent Enemy is one of many war tribute films made in Britain during the '50s. This film comes rather late in the decade. However, with its straightforward narrative and location photography in the Mediterranean, it is quite engrossing in its way. The setting is Gibraltar, the focus on the diving teams and the clashes with bomb disposal experts and Italian frogmen. The focus is on Lieutenant Lionel Crabb who is portrayed by Laurence Harvey (light-haired, bearded - and at times seeming a younger version of James Robertson Justice). Michael Craig and Alec Mc Cowan have supporting roles as his assistants and there is a strong supporting cast led by John Clements as the Admiral. Sid James has a typical role with a blend of seriousness and humour. There is an Italian cast portraying, in a quite balanced way, the Italian enemy group. There is a deal of underwater photography and some exciting encounters - which strongly anticipate Thunderball (and its remake, Never Say Never Again). Screenplay and direction are by William Fairchild.

1. An interesting war film? Action? Reflection on the nature of war? Heroics and tragedy? Tribute?

2. Black and white photography? Locations? The background of Gibraltar, the Mediterranean and Spain? The special effects for the encounters, the torpedoes? The musical score?

3. The popularity of this style of film in the '50s? The authentic background of the English forces? The atmosphere of war? The admirals and officials and their judgments? The ordinary men and their work? Enemy and sabotage? The unconventional hero - and his success? well-written, performed?

4. The film based on fact? The war of 1941? The importance of the Mediterranean and Gibraltar? The neutrality of Spain? The Italians undercover in Spain? Access of the British to Spain? The importance of developments in the work of frogmen? The importance of midget submarines?

5. The portrait of Lionel Crabb: Laurence Harvey's appearance and style? His arrival by plane and sleeping, his crusty attitudes, his criticisms of Jill Masters, the encounters with the admiral, his diving and encountering the admiral again? His unconventional attitudes? Working with his assistants? Fascination with the Italians? The saving of the midget submarine for the future? The sabotage in Gibraltar and the devastation? The defusing of explosives? Thorpe and his humour and the training of the squad? The decision to go into Spain, the captain of the trawler and the drinking? The undercover visit? The discovery of the concealed headquarters of the submarines? The attack and its destruction? Crabb as a personality, as hero?

6. The balance of presenting the British and the Italians? The attitude taken towards the Italians - respect for them and their skills as enemy? The mutual spying from Gibraltar to Spain?

7. Crabb's assistants? ordinary men? Their skills, heroism, humour? Thorpe and his arrival, his forcefulness, mistakes? His ability in training the men? His suggestion about authority and the bicycle into the sea? His care for Crabb and protecting him?

8. The naval authorities, the admiral, the discussions, the convoys coming into Gibraltar and the need for their protection? The sabotage and massive destruction? Jill Masters as assistant? Her encounters with Crabb? A feminine touch?

9. The recruits - the interviews, the types wanting to join the explosives group? The authentic touches of navy life?

10. The picture of the Italians - their cover, expertise, anticipation of British moves? Destruction?

11. The importance of the action sequences? The reality of sabotage? Explosives? Diving and skills? The final underwater battle?

12. The film's attitude towards World War Two? Support of the British? The lack of jingoistic tone? Satisfying war entertainment?

PANKOW 95

Germany, 1983, 80 minutes, Colour.
Heck (Dieter Thomas Heck), Udo Kier, Christine Kaufmann.
Directed by Gabor Altorjay.

Pankow 95 is an eccentric, experimental science fiction film satirising East Berlin. The film has overtones of George
Orwell's 1984.

Director Gabor Altorjay was working in Germany's 'underground' film industry. His star Udo Kier appeared in such films as The Story of O and Andy Warhol's Flesh for Frankenstein and Blood for Dracula. The film also features German pop star Heck (Dieter 'Thomas' Heck). The film is a Film Festival offering and popular with 'alternate' cinema theatres.

1. Interesting? Enjoyable? Eccentric? For what audience was the film made?

2. The West German film industry? Its attitude towards East Germany? The attitude taken towards totalitarian regimes? The use of science fiction for satire? Test tube music theories? The satire of the 'nerve clinic'?

3. The cinema styles: realism, futuristic devices, video? The blend of these styles? Musical score ? the German pop style?

4. Pace and editing? The devices for thriller films? Dramatics? The conventions of science fiction? Serious or not?

5. The 1995 setting: the hints about wars, test-tube science, totalitarianism, musical theories, hospitals, Serotinen tests etc.? The sets, costumes, decor of 1995?

6. The similarities with the '80s when the film was made: cast, decor, processes, people etc.?

7. The focus on Zart: prisoner. normal, composer, illness, Armin, other people in his life, his wife, Serotinen, the visits, the plan, the execution, hostages, the wife and the film? The interview and the explanations? The hints about Armin?

8. Armin: information about the test tube. the baby, growth, the colour green and his appearance. dreams. the attack of the pregnant woman, surrealist style, grief, genius, the escape?

9. Lajos and women? The focus on sex? The background of Argentina and the Falklands war? Father? Dream and sexuality?

10. The wife and her dutiful attitudes? The operation? Astor? The escape and the film? Astor left and his wife pregnant? Loving attitude? Transition to Armin? Non-violence and violence?

11. The staff and their behaviour, idiocy. their being mocked? The doctor and the Head of State? Psychoanalysis? Operations. tests? The other doctors?

12. The background of hospital life and its artificiality? The attention to detail ? and the touch of satire?

13. The build-up to the escape? Tropical islands? The magazine story and ending?

14. The film as clever? Science fiction jokiness?

PANIC ON THE 5.22

US, 1974, 78 minutes, Colour.
Lynda Day George, Laurence Luckinbill, Ina Ballin, Bernie Casey.
Directed by Harvey Hart.

Panic on the 5.22 is an above average suspenseful telemovie. It is reminiscent of Larry Pearce's 1967 The Incident.

The film shows various wealthy people in their business life and finally assembles them on the 5.22. It also shows three underprivileged toughs of New York who eventually decide to hold up the group and rob them during the journey. The film takes us through a week before the trip and intercuts the various characters. The film begins and ends with an over moralising comment about the exploitation of the underprivileged by the wealthy. The film makes its point dramatically without this over seriously presented comment.

The film is effective, especially, in showing the three young men as ignorant, not planning their robbery well and unable to cope. Robert Walden is particularly good as the leader and Reni Santoni as the dumbest of the three. A range of television telemovie stars is effective as the group on the train, especially Andrew Duggan as a right wing former general. The film is brief, makes its points and has an air of realism in the interaction as the passengers try to cope with the hold up. Direction is by Harvey Hart, director of
several good film and telemovies.

1. The impact of this kind of suspense thriller? Its realism, inviting audiences to experience the situation?

2. Location photography, the club car of the train, the wealthy backgrounds of the passengers, the inner city background of the thugs? The importance of pace and editing?

3. The familiarity of this kind of film? How well did this film break through the conventions? Characterisation, issues, action?

4. The plausibility of the plot: the range of backgrounds of the passengers ? and their wealth, deals, affluent lifestyle? The three young men seen in their backgrounds? The temptation to hold up the train? Their inability to carry through the robbery? The reactions of the passengers?

5. The presentation of the three young men: Frank and his erratic behaviour, his going to confession and the ironic comments to the priest about too many prayers for lewd thoughts and wishing him well on his Bingo)? His ambitions? Eddie and his taking the goods onto the train? The ideas man? The hopes for a better life? Eddie and his holding up the Jewish man in the street, wanting his diamonds, ineffective? His slow wittedness? The background of his having killed someone? The three together and their plans, dressing up, memories of their childhood and their names scratched on the railway carriage, Frank holding up the shop on the way to the train, sitting in the car, their masks, their names (Butch Cassidy etc.), their trying to handle the situation, potential violence, Emil taking off his mask, Frank and his getting more manic, Eddie and the appeal by the businessman? The threat of violence hostility? Criticisms of the wealthy? The ultimate violence and Emil's death? Eddie's disillusionment?

6. The build up of the passengers: the countess and the background of Latin America, wealth and deals? The general and his being dismissed from his job? His jingoistic attitudes? His criticism of the others as not being men? His recklessness? His assistant and his fears? The businessman and his associates? His having only credit cards and the group not believing him? Removing his trousers? His being persuasive to Eddie about giving him a job? The doctor and his background, his spurning of the others? The promiscuous wife and her affairs? Getting Emil to take off his mask? Her jealous husband? The reconciliation? The elderly businessman (and his sketching the thugs)? The baseball player and his moves during the trip? The black bartender and his charging for the drinks? His comment? The conductor and his arrogance towards Eddie?

7. The drama and interaction? The various moves by the passengers? The counter moves? An atmosphere of credible tension?

8. The ending, freedom, death, Eddie's job and his becoming part of the establishment? The justification of the film's criticism of the wealthy?

PANIC IN THE STREETS

US, 1950, 92 minutes, Black and white.
Richard Widmark, Paul Douglas, Barbara Bel Geddes, Zero Mostel, Jack Palance.
Directed by Elia Kazan.

Panic in the Streets is effective Kazan social drama of 1950, although it is not as effective as earlier films like Boomerang and Gentleman's Agreement, or later ones like On the Waterfront. The film is a thriller, about illegal entrants into New Orleans and a criminal chase film. But it also raises questions of local administration, the threat of New Orleans being contaminated by plague and the role of the police, the medical advisers and the mayor and his councillors. The story is given the Fox black and white tough treatment and the hero is typical Widmark strength and perseverance.

1. Was this merely a thriller or was there a message in the film?

2. Was this a typical American city that was presented to us? Was the society the kind of society you would find anywhere?

3. Were the gangsters typical of those found in our cities? How do you explain these criminals?

4. What did the film show of immigration problems, illegality, the consequences of doing anything illegal the wider repercussions than expected, people's unwillingness to involve themselves, their fear of telling the truth, the need to avoid official trouble?

5. Is plague a real possibility in our modern cities?

6. Who has the responsibility to eradicate plague?

7. Is it better for the media to spread this news to alert people or is it in the public interest to suppress this kind of news to avoid panic?

8. Did you like the hero - as a man, as a husband and father, as an ordinary citizen, as a specialist playing a hunch, as an expert giving advice?

9. Was the hero built up as an ordinary citizen doing his duty? Was this the purpose for the scenes of his home life?

10. Were the police and city authorities bound to believe his opinion? What was their responsibility?

11. Were the police presented accurately in the film? Well?

12. How shrewd were the gangsters in realising that something big had been brought into the country?

13. Was the final chase effective? Why?

14. Was the film pessimistic or optimistic about society? was it a morale-booster?

16. Is it too far-fetched to see the plague-stricken men as analogous to gangsters in society so that the film is something of a social parable or allegory? Why?

THE PANIC IN NEEDLE PARK

US, 1971, 110 minutes, Colour.
Al Pacino, Kitty Winn, Alan Vint, Richard Bright, Kiel Martin.
Directed by Jerry Schatzberg.

The Panic in Needle Park was one of several films of 1970/71 which reflected the crisis in the taking of drugs and their widespread use in America. Another example was Stuart Hagman's Believe in Me. This film is distinguished by an early performance of Al Pacino. He was then to go on to great fame with the Godfather films, Serpico and Dog Day Afternoon. The heroine is Kitty Winn who was to appear in the Exorcist films. The director was Jerry Schatzberg, a former fashion photographer who made Puzzle of a Downfall Child with Faye Dunaway at the same time, which was set in the world of fashion models. He has not made many films. Scarecrow, also with Al Pacino and Gene Hackman, was a very good film of 1973. Schatzberg was a fatality of the Streisand, A Star is Born. He then made a minor comedy crime film, Sweet Revenge. The Panic in Needle Park was very telling and moving in its day. It reflects the atmosphere of the time, but may seem somewhat dated now, although the problem still remains.

1. How does this film reflect the atmosphere in America of 1969-70? Its American impact? The fact that it was not released outside America widely until five years later, in the wake of the director's success and the main stars’ success?

2. Audience interest in the drug problem in New York, audience involvement with the people and their problems, the amount of sympathy asked for? How real did the people in the situation seem? How real the problems?

3. How important the drug problem in New York? As presented here, realistically? How was the problem heightened because of the concentration of population in New York, availability of drugs, squalid conditions? How does it throw light on the problem elsewhere? Has the drug problem changed since 1970?

4. The device of entering the plot via Helen? Her ordinariness, a Midwestern girl, lost in the big city, the change that the city wrought on her, her relationship to Margot, the importance of the abortion and its effect on her, the depths to which she was going? How credible a girl from the country going to the city, her potential for drug-taking?

5. Helen as a character? Her weaknesses and strengths? The encounter with Bobby, her reliance on him, the nature of the liaison and the effect on her? Her curiosity about his drug peddling, his drug taking? The decision to take drugs to be like him? Her downhill progress after this? The move to prostitution to support herself and her drug taking, the effect on Bobby? Her growing involvement in drug peddling? What had happened to her as a person, her conscience, values?

6. The importance of the police and the drug squad, their detection, their pressures on the addicts to give information on one another? The character of Hutch and his job? His pressure on Bobby, the pressure on Helen and her decision to give Bobby in?

7. The film's focus on Bobby as the young man of New York. produced by the city, intense, in the peddling racket, an addict? The strengths and weaknesses of his character? The relationship with Helen and its effect on him? Did he really love her? His involvement in the robbery with Hank, the fact that he wasn't particularly good at it? His arrest, his resentment against Helen and her prostitution, the emotional response to his betrayal by Helen? His leaving jail and then finally going with her? What future did he have?

8. The character of Marco, the city type, the using of Helen, forgetting her? Hank and the big-time, the robbery, using Bobby, using Helen etc.? The types of New York?

9. How sympathetically and accurately were the police presented, especially in the character of Hutch?

10. Audience response to the picture of the drug culture, the way of life, apartments, money, meals, rooms? The detailed picture of drug-taking and its effect? Was it a deterrent?

11. The film's use of the authentic New York, its style? The use of close-ups, conversations, long and rather intense sequences?

12. The social importance and impact of this kind of film?