INSPECTOR CLOUSEAU

US, 1968, 96 minutes, Colour.
Alan Arkin, Geoffrey Baildon, Delia Boccardo, Patrick Cargill, Susan Engel, Frank Finlay, Barry Foster, Beryl Reid.
Directed by Bud Yorkin.

Inspector Clouseau was an attempt to cash in on the popularity of Peter Sellers’ character, created in The Pink Panther and continued in A Shot in the Dark. Peter Sellers, apparently, expressed dislike of this character. However, during the 1970s he appeared in three sequels: The Return of the Pink Panther, The Pink Panther Strikes Again, The Revenge of the Pink Panther. Blake Edwards, who directed the films, also made The Trail of the Pink Panther and The Curse of the Pink Panther with outtakes from Peter Sellers’ work. Not content with this, he also made Son of the Pink Panther, with Roberto Benigni, fifteen years before he made Life Is Beautiful.

In 2006, Steve Martin appeared as Inspector Clouseau in an updated remake of The Pink Panther – to rather universal criticism that he was not like Peter Sellers. (Audiences would have a chance to see another interpretation of Inspector Clouseau in seeing Stephen Hopkins film The Life and Death of Peter Sellers where Geoffrey Rush, as Sellers, travels in a plane to Rome, unwilling to be Inspector Clouseau but, going to the toilet, emerges impersonating the inspector in an interaction with a flight attendant. It is a very good impersonation of Sellers’ Clouseau.

Alan Arkin was criticised at the time for this performance. However, if people did not know the Peter Sellers performances, they might enjoy Alan Arkin’s performance. At this time he was a popular star and made a variety of films including The Fixer and The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. He is supported by a largely British cast.

The film was directed by Bud Yorkin who worked mainly in television but during the 1960s made a number of very popular films including Come Blow Your Horn, Never Too Late, Divorce American Style.

1.A good comedy? Its chief merits as comedy: characterisation, plot, situations, dialogue? Alan Arkin’s performance?

2.How successful a robbery film? Using the genre of the big planned robbery and its execution? How did it satirise robbery films? The parody with the use of the masks? How well did the robbery genre blend with the comedy?

3.How successful the plot, conventional or did it use conventional material well?

4.How important was the portrayal of Inspector Clouseau for the success of the film? Was the portrayal consistent? Alan Arkin’s qualities? The two-dimensional tone of the humour and self-assertion? The three-dimensional tone of his final confession to Lisa?

5.How ingenious was the robbery sequence with its use of the Clouseau masks? How skilfully was the plan communicated and worked out?

6.The successful satire on the British? On Inspector Braithwaite, Patrick Cargill’s style, the English subordinated to the French, the English style of gentleman confronting the villains?

7.Was Weaver a convincing villain? Did the film explore his character or merely present him as a villain? Relationship with Clouseau, the gang, his wife?

8.Did the film provide a satisfying gallery of villains? Johnny Rainbow, the haircut and cheekiness, controller of the operation? Addison Steele and the literary allusion of his name? the other minor criminals?

9.How well was Elise’s part integrated into the plot? Spying on Weaver, Interpol, on the barge, her love for Clouseau?

10.What values of comedy did Mrs Weaver add to the film? Beryl Reid’s Scottish parody? A suitable ending?

11.How humorous were the various situations that Clouseau was in, in jail, at the fair, the train, the barge? What made these situations comic? What qualities of film comedy did the film best illustrate?

THE BABY AND THE BATTLESHIP

UK, 1956, 96 minutes, Colour.
John Mills, Richard Attenborough, Andre Morrell, Bryan Forbes, Michael Hordern, Ernest Clark, Lionel Jeffries, Thorley Walters.
Directed by Jay Lewis.

The Baby and the Battleship is a pleasant British comedy of the 1950s. This was the period when many memories of World War Two action were filmed, especially with John Mills and Richard Attenborough. It looks as if they are taking time off to relax.

A young Bryan Forbes also appears in the film (and was responsible for additional dialogue). Forbes was to go on to become a stronger writer and director with many films in the 1960s including Séance on a Wet Afternoon and The Madwoman of Chaillot?

When a baby is accidentally brought on a ship in Naples, the crew look after it and have to conceal it from the officers – especially during an inspection by a Russian marshal. The supporting cast of British actors offer their usual idiosyncratic performances, especially a dithering Michael Hordern and a young Lionel Jeffries.

1.Entertaining light comedy? British style? The 50s?

2.The filming at sea? In Naples? Authentic atmosphere? The musical score?

3.The credibility of the situation – the sailors, shore leave, Knocker White and his liaisons in Naples, the baby, getting it on board, looking after it? It saving the day for the inspection by the Russians?

4.John Mills as Puncher, his boxing career, a bit dim, genial, friends with Knocker, with the professor? Work on the boat? Shore leave, the clash and the fight, his being left with the baby? Smuggling it on board? His looking after it, becoming attached to it? The busy concealment of the baby? The farcical aspects? Looking after the baby and the final saving of the day by the rescue of the baby?

5.Richard Attenborough as Knocker White, the knockabout sailor, friendship with Puncher, his relationship with the rest of the crew, in Naples, the family, the girlfriend, the baby? The fight, his losing Puncher, his staying, getting anxious, going to the authorities, the family putting pressure on him? His signing up for more years in the navy? The happy ending?

6.The members of the crew: Professor Evans, reading books, more intellectual? George, the clashes? Their all banding together to look after the baby? The other members of the crew? Food, comfort, changing nappies…? The farcical aspects of moving the baby around to avoid the authorities?

7.The captain, his confidence, his war career, his manoeuvre to escape detection? The others knowing about it and finding him out? The commander and his loyal support? The visit of the Russians? The bad translations, the marshal moving around, his assistant? The baby?

8.The being found out and the manoeuvre being thwarted? The quick thinking and the rescue of the baby? The commendation for all around?

9.A pleasant and humane and humorous story?

L’ENFER (HELL)

France, 2005, 104 minutes, Colour.
Emmanuel Beart, Karin Viard, Marie Ghislaine, Guillaume Canet, Jacques Gamblin, Jacques Perrin, Carole Buquet, Miki Manojlovic, Jean Rochefort, Maryam d'Abo.
Directed by Danis Tanovic.

After Tom Tykwer made Heaven with Cate Blanchett, many fans of Kieslowski were wondering whether the other two films in the trilogy of stories he left at his untimely death would be made. Kieslowski’s collaborator, Krzysztof Piesiewicz has collaborated with Oscar-winning director (No Man’s Land) in bringing Hell to the screen.

This is an impressive film. The focus is on three sisters who have been affected badly by the imprisonment and death of their father and the injuries to their mother and her life in an institution. (Originally, the background was given as the film opened but criticism that suspense was lacking led to crucial scenes about the father being left until much later in the film and, though the plot seems puzzling, this re-editing is much more effective.)

The three sisters have their own problems (and do not connect very much with each other). Celine (Karen Viard) is the unmarried one who dutifully visits her mother and meets a mysterious young man who she thinks is infatuated with her but who has the key to the rather devastating conclusion. Emmanuelle Beart is Sophie, dependent on her husband and who is shattered by his affair. Anne is the youngest, in love with a married professor, whose obsession leads to tragedy.

Tragedy is key. Anne sits for an exam and explains Euripides’ Medea, Medea’s betrayal by Jason and her unspeakable vengeance on him by killing their children. One suspects that Sophie is the Medea character here, but, while she could be, it is the sisters’ mother (Carole Bouquet) who is Medea who did not want to destroy her children – but did. The screenplay is also complex in its paralleling of the young man and Anne in their behaviour and its consequences except in the apportioning of guilt and innocence.

Kieslowski raised moral issues and dilemmas in his films and explored his own Decalogue. L’ Enfer is very much a Decalogue film.


1.Audience expectations of the film? The writing of Kieslowski? The background of the trilogy of The Colours? The trilogy of Heaven, Hell and Purgatory? The impact of the film Heaven? This film as Hell, No Exit?

2.Kieslowski’s insight into human nature, transcendent values? His bequest? This film as a 21st century interpretation of the theme of Hell? In ordinary life?

3.The background of the director, his Balkan perspective, working in France and in the French language? With French cast – but with a Balkans actor as the father? A European perspective?

4.Audience expectations of Hell, the use of the word, the theological understanding, the reality of Hell? People with their personal Hell? Social Hell? The need for the transcendent? A fable of the need for transcendence?

5.The contemporary French setting, the flashbacks to the past?

6.The prologue, the mother and daughter and the university, going to the father’s office, the scene, suggestive, compromise? The reaction of the mother? The reaction of the little girl? This scene being replayed later? The explanation? The misunderstandings on the part of the mother and daughter? The misinterpretation on the part of the audience? The blame on the father? His being innocent?

7.The presentation of the father and his getting out of prison – and not inserting the fullness of the action until later? His coming out of the prison, no-one to meet him, his kindness to people, the close-up of the chicken and the nest, his helping the bird? An indication of his true character? His visit home, the reaction of the family, the locked door, the mother, his violence and hitting her with the consequences of her going to the institution? The impact on the girls? His killing himself – and their looking at his body on the street?

8.Audiences understanding the repercussions of this sequence later? The mother, her injuries, the institution, the visits? The end and the three daughters visiting her, her continuing to blame her husband? Despite the fact of his innocence? Her saying she had no regrets? Locking herself in her own Hell?

9.The overtones of Euripides’ tragedy, Medea? The nature of tragedy? Anne and her studies of Greek literature? The exam and her explanation? The application of the Medea story to Sophie, the betrayal by her husband? Her relationship with her children? But its only being in audience imagination? The reality of their mother, the betrayal as she understood it of her husband, her being dead herself while alive, virtually killing her daughters? The impact on their emotional lives?

10.The portrait of Celine, in herself, going to visit her mother, the regular trips on the train, her being tied, the discussions with the conductor, his later giving her the sleeping pills? Her visits to her mother, her mother’s reaction, reading out the Guinness Book of Records? Her return home? The finale and her persuading her two sisters to go, the travelling, the conductor seeing the three together? Their explanation to their mother? Their failure to change her?

11.Celine and her job, Sebastian following her, her becoming nervous? Allowing him in? his hesitation? Her going to the bookshop, seeking him out? Discovering his sexual orientation? Her humiliation in inviting him in, expecting that he wanted sex with her? Her moral decision? Listening to his explanation about his actions, her father? Her response? Her decision to find her sisters and to tell them the truth?

12.Sophie, her age, experience, wife and mother? The scenes with her husband? Her suspicions, their being justified? Following him? The threat to the model? The effect on her? Expecting the worst? Confronting her husband, his lies? Her grief, her children? Audiences fearing that she might do something violent? The meaning of her life, her loneliness, her love? Celine finding her, persuading her to go to visit their mother?

13.Anne as the youngest daughter, her studies, in class with the professor, the revelation of the affair? The phone calls? His wanting to break up with her? Her visiting her friend, discovering that the professor was her friend’s father? The visit to the family, the father’s reaction, the wife’s reaction? His giving advice? The irony of the truth? His going to Athens, his death – accidental or suicide? Anne and her going to her exams, the discussions about Medea? Going back to see her friend, the friend’s grief, her realisation of the truth?

14.The parallels in relationships between the girl’s father and the young man, the misunderstandings? Anne and her relationship with the professor? Her father being innocent, the professor being guilty?

15.The glimpse of the professor’s family, his life and style, his daughter? His wife and the betrayal?

16.Sophie’s husband, his work as a photographer, the photo shoots, the model, the relationship? His going to the hotel with her? Sophie following them, the confrontation? His dishonesty? His leaving?

17.Sebastian, mysterious figure, his seeming to stalk Celine? His not being able to reveal the truth? Her going to the bookshop, the friend lying about him? His appearance? Celine and her misunderstanding and his response about the sexual invitation? His telling the truth, his own guilt, seduction, the professor’s reaction? His being to blame for what happened? His infatuation with the professor?

18.The detail of the portrait of each of the sisters? The portrait of the mother – seeing her in flashback, fully alive, her anger with her husband, the witnessing of the scene? His violence towards her? Her bitterness?

19.Kieslowski and Tanovic and the final message, people being trapped in their own Hells? The possibility of redemption and people escaping from Hell?

LOS AMIGOS (DEAF SMITH AND JOHNNY EARS)

Italy, 1972, 91 minutes, Colour.
Franco Nero, Anthony Quinn, Pamela Tiffin.
Directed by Paolo Cavara.

A spaghetti-western of mixed value. Anthony Quinn as Deaf Smith, not speaking, is interesting in the central role. Franco Nero is at home as Johnny Ears. Generally the material is quite conventional and focuses on Sam Houston and the problems of Texas prior to its statehood. Direction by Paolo Cavara, a maker of westerns and thrillers in Italy.

1.An entertaining western? Italian western?

2.How particularly Italian? Would it have been different if made by an American company and director? The particular conventions the Italians emphasise in their westerns – the violence, dramatic situations, laconic hero, the attention to close-ups, poses and stylised performance?

3.The contribution of the colour photography, music, the the song, the ballad? Special effects, especially for explosions?

4.Comment on the historical context given for the film: Texas and its background in 1836, Sam Houston and his aims, the rebels in Texas? The massacre of the family? The life in the town, General Morton and his plans, henchmen? The bar? The struggles?

5.The team of Deaf Smith and Johnny Ears? Franco Nero and his style as Johnny? His explanation of Deaf Smith and their work together? Who depended on whom? Johnny as an ordinary western type, irresponsible, his friendship with the girl, with Deaf, his helping him and not running away, the explosion and the final massacre? A credibly character of the west?

6.Anthony Quinn as Deaf Smith? His not speaking and the added drama that this gave to the western in terms of what he could hear and not hear? His means for coping as Deaf? Particular sequences highlighting the implications of his deafness? How well did the two work together?

7.The presentation of the prostitute, her beauty, heart of gold? Helping them at the end?

8.The impact of the massacre of the family? The sequences in the town with the shooting? The attempt to blow up the hill and the children arriving and Deaf stopping the fuse? The set-piece of the massacres within the town, culminating with the death of General Morton? Conventional western material? How well presented? To what purpose?

9.An Italian view of the heritage of the west, western heroes and way of life?

THE HOWLING 2: YOUR SISTER IS A WEREWOLF

US, 1985, 91 minutes, Colour.
Christopher Lee, Annie Mc Enroe, Reb Brown, Marsha A. Hunt, Sybil Danning, Ferdie Maine.
Directed by Philippe Mora.

The Howling 2 has some tenuous links with the original. The original was an ironic tour-de-force about werewolves and a tribute to the B-grade horror films of the past.

This film focuses on the Christopher Lee kind of horror story. He intones a text solemnly at the beginning, warns the hero and heroine about the newspaper reporter turned werewolf and the forthcoming full moon when the Werewolf of Ages will materialise and draws all her minions to herself. He leads them in the fight against Stirba, revealed to be her brother and eventually destroying her. The film offers a typical Christopher Lee performance.

However, the make-up and special effects are poor compared with other werewolf films. There is also an emphasis on ugly gore.

The film was also rather crass in its treatment of human beings – and uses a lot of suggestive exploitation to pad out the plot and make it provocative. This is especially the case with Sybil Danning as Stirba – a most glamorous werewolf. There are some crass scenes of sexuality and a touch of the orgy.

Reb Brown and Annie Mc Enroe make a passable hero and heroine who have to accept their sister’s death to go to combat the werewolves in Transylvania. There is some location photography – but the film seems on safer ground in Los Angeles.

The film offers very little variation on the werewolf scenes – and the plot is, in fact, quite thin.

What makes the film of some interest is that it was directed by Australian Philippe Mora whose films include excellent documentaries like Swastika and Brother, Can’t You Spare a Dime as well as the bushranger-Aboriginal film, Mad Dog Morgan. Mora also directed the spoof, The Return of Captain Invincible with Alan Arkin and Christopher Lee, the horror film, The Beast Within, as well as the story of the Leonski murders in Melbourne 1942, Death of a Soldier, with James Coburn and an excellent performance by Reb Brown.

Mora complained of producer interference in The Howling 2 and decided to make a third film with his own control. It was filmed in Sydney in 1986, had an Australian setting with Aboriginal reference: Howling 3 – The Marsupials.

HERBIE RIDES AGAIN

US, 1974, 88 minutes, Colour.
Helen Hayes, Ken Berry, Stefanie Powers, John Mc Intyre, Keenan Wynn.
Directed by Robert Stevenson.

The Love Bug, Herbie Rides Again and Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo were three great Disney successes. Disney Studios took a Volkswagen and made it magical. It was almost a person with the popular name of Herbie and could do all kinds of tricks including flying through the air. The Love bug was very popular and its sequel, Herble Rides Again took the same formula but added some light social comment involving Helen Hayes and Keenan Wynn as an unscrupulous developer. Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo has Dean Jones once again as Herbie's driver and is a playful satire on the Monte Carlo Rally. Light popular entertainment.

1.How enjoyable a film? Most attractive features? Well done? How obvious was the mark of the Disney Studios in style and content?

2.The film capitalising on the popularity of cars, fantasy, human relationships, the social atmosphere of the 70s?

3.For what age group? The magic and fantasy for young audiences? Human relationships and social satire for older audiences? The ingredients well blended?

4.The attitude of the film to modern business, the environment and progress, individual rights against corporations?

5.How interesting a villain was Alonzo Hawk? Keenan Wynn’s style? Exaggerated or did his exaggeration fit in the mood? Humorous, cruel? His methods, his use of lawyers, his nephew, his way of life, the haunting in his dreams, the rebound of his plots? The impact of his being chased by the VWs? How modern a villain was he with the social implications of his building and progress, destruction?

6.Could audiences identify with Mrs Steinmetz? Helen Hayes as attractive? Her individualism, her house, memories of her husband, shrewdness? Her making love matches? Her attraction for the elderly gentleman and his helping defend the house?

7.An attractive young couple? The change in Willoughby? As affected by Nicole?

8.The fantasy sequences, Herbie as a person, the magical effects in the house, Herbie taking Willoughby for a drive, driving Mrs Steinmetz over to San Francisco, the rounding up of the other VWs?

9.The film’s parody of other film genres: big business films, the western chase at the end?

10.What values did the film stand for and reinforce?

YOURS, MINE AND OURS

US, 2005, 90 minutes, Colour.
Dennis Quaid, Rene Russo.
Directed by Raja Gosnel.

The first year I was reviewing films, one of the popular comedies of the year was Yours, Mine and Ours. The title referred to eighteen children (cheaper by the dozen and a half!!). This was the aftermath of The Sound of Music with the Trapp Family children, their stern militaristic father and the vivacious governess – and how they conspired to get rid of her at first but who charmed them all, and their father. Come to think of it Mary Poppins, children, parents and governesses was a bit in the same vein. It must have been a feeling of fighting back in the permissive 1960s.

But, here it is again, in times when families are very much smaller. A message? The film has been strongly endorsed by devout and proselytising Christian groups in the US. Be that as it may, this is a piece of light American comedy, lots of slapstick and mess, with a message that love can overcome all things and that peace, even amongst straight-laced and free spirited children is possible and desirable.

In the first film, Henry Fonda was the stern father and Lucille Ball the free mother. They were big stars and the film was popular. Dennis Quaid seems to young to be an Admiral but he is a good actor and, while allowing himself to be the frequent victim of pranks, falling into the sea, into supermarket liquid, splashed with paint, he carries of the discipline and orders side of things well. Rene Russo is a serious actress compared with the comedy style of Lucille Ball. She looks as if she really could handle her ten children (four her own and six fostered and then adopted).

Most of the film is about the incompatibility of the children, their devices to break up the marriage but, of course, their final resolutions to become ‘ours’ instead of yours and mine. Any audience prone to crankiness with children and rowdy comedy should seek shelter elsewhere.

1.The popular film of the 1960s? Remade for the 21st century? A film of the 60s and its interest in family? 21st century and family? A piece of Americana? Based on a true story?

2.Audience response to themes of large families, adoption?

3.The Connecticut setting, New London, the navy headquarters? Homes, the lighthouse, the ships? Scenes at sea? School? A setting for the big family to live in?

4.The theme of strictness versus freedom? Discipline and creativity? The clash of the two? Complementing each other? The emphasis on military style and order, orders? The contrast with Flower Power and seeming permissiveness?

5.The Beardsley family: the dead mother, Frank and his navy career, love for his wife and his memories of her? Their moving, the line-up of the children, their attitudes? Their not wanting to move? Planning for school? Going on the sailing boat? Calling their father Admiral? Setting up the house?

6.The contrast with the Norths, Helen and her creative skills, the visit of the dealer? Her bags? The range of children, the details of mayhem in the house, her letting them roam free, operating on cooperation? Adoption, the racial mix?

7.Frank and Daryl, Daryl setting him up with the date, the awkwardness of the date, the fact that it was Daryl’s ex-wife? Helen and her arrival with her business partner? The slapstick mishaps? The meeting, their talking, remembering the past? At home, the memories, Helen looking at the year book?

8.The reunion, their both deciding to go, meeting each other, falling in love? The film not explaining why they didn’t marry in the first place? The decision to marry, but not telling the children? The children all wanting their parents to date – but dismay at the announcement of the marriage?

9.The North family moving, disliking the Beardsley children, the clashes, each being mean to the other? The contrasts? Upsetting their parents, their concocting the plan to break up the marriage?

10.Frank, the yacht and his falling into the sea, the pratfalls in the supermarket, his wanting order in his room and bathroom, the issue of spanking children…? The different views?

11.Helen and the bags, getting the contract? Her room and its untidiness? The children tidying it up? The issue of discipline and spanking?

12.Helen and Frank and the continued clashes, separate beds? Yet the tender scene in the lighthouse and the talk about the light?

13.The picture of the children, the young boys getting together and sharing? The election of William and their all collaborating, his success? The bullies and their teaming together? The girls and the boy at the party, his being a two-timer? The girls banding together?

14.Frank, the discussions with the admiral, the proposal of the job, its attractiveness, his wanting to say yes but for the sake of the children saying no?

15.The parents being absent, the decision about the party, the crowds of young people coming, the mess, their returning home, the stern reaction?

16.The confession about the plan to break up the marriage? Helen and her going to the lighthouse and sending a signal? Frank on board ship, the children coming on the yacht to bring him home again? The happy ending – and the future for such a big family and their life together?

THE PINK PANTHER

US, 2006, 93 minutes, Colour.
Steve Martin, Kevin Kline, Jean Reno, Emily Mortimer, Henry Czerny, Roger Rees, Beyonce Knowles.
Directed by Shawn Levy.

Once upon a time, the Pink Panther was a fabulous jewel. When it was stolen in the very popular film of 1963, the French detective brought in to solve the mystery was the accident-prone, vowel-mumbling Inspector Clouseau. The Pink Panther turned into a literal panther in the wonderful cartoon series – with his own recognisable Henry Mancini signature tune. And Inspector Clouseau became one of the most recognisable of Peter Sellers’ screen characters as well as the similarly inept cartoon detective – again with his own recognisable Henry Mancini signature tune.

Television has kept the Peter Sellers Pink Panther series alive – and now they are being packaged in DVD collections. The funniest Clouseau film was the Pink Panther sequel, A Shot in the Dark. Later there was the PP Strikes Again, The Return of the PP and The Revenge of the PP. Producers tried to get some mileage (and dollars) our of the franchise and Alan Arkin had a go at being Inspector Clouseau and that seemed to be that…

Until… the character’s creator tried again with the rather lame Trail of the Pink Panther – but Peter Sellers was already dead and the makers used archival footage of Sellers himself (and Sellers’ wife won a lawsuit claiming that it insulted his memory). Which didn’t stop the movies. Curse of the Pink Panther had Ted Wass as another inept detective searching for Clouseau who had disappeared. One would have thought that would be the end of it. No, then came Son of the Pink Panther – apparently the Inspector had fathered a son in Italy. He turned out to be Roberto Benigni fifteen years before he amazed us with his Oscar-winning Life is Beautiful.

Inspector Clouseau’s life had been extended for twenty years beyond his original appearance. (Of course, James Bond is still going forty-five years after his debut in 1961.)

All this is a bit of history to give a context for why most people have awaited in horror the resurrection of Inspector Clouseau. And, even worse, with Steve Martin in the role. In recent years he has done a number of remakes of popular films – and has not shone: Sergeant Bilko, the Father of the Bride films, The Out-of-Towners? and the (at least for this reviewer) excruciating Cheaper by the Dozen films which desecrated the originals, which only we oldies have seen and appreciated!

Well, should we go to see the new Pink Panther? Updated to the present? Is it funny? Is Steve Martin any good? And what about Kevin Kline taking Herbert Lom’s place as Inspector Dreyfuss? Will Cato be there?

The answer is yes and no!

Critics in the US and the UK have been devastatingly negative. Box office in the US and the UK has confounded the critics and has been very successful.

There are some laughs at the slapstick and the bumbling – which also confounds the authorities as Clouseau solves the mystery in some deductions that would put Poirot and Miss Marple to shame. In fact, the new PP is more cheerful and amusing than I would have anticipated.

However, Steve Martin does not have the same finesse and timing as Sellers and the supreme self-confidence as he walks through accidents and mayhem that he has caused. One way of gauging this would be to have a look at the 2004 film The Life and Death of Peter Sellers where Geoffrey Rush (not the first actor one would have thought of to portray Sellers) impersonates a fictional scene where Sellers is flying to Rome to film The Pink Panther. He is not happy about how he will do the role. He goes to the toilet and when he comes out he acts like Clouseau with a flight attendant. It is Sellers. It is Clouseau. And it is funny.

But, as with all films, we can make up our own minds.

1.The popularity of Peter Sellers’ impersonation of Inspector Clouseau? For forty years?

2.Steve Martin in the Inspector Clouseau role? Comparisons with Peter Sellers? Favourable? Screen presence? Manner? Pronunciations and mispronunciations? Bumbling? Pratfalls?

3.The quality of the comedy? Verbal, mispronunciations? Innuendo? The physical comedy, the pratfalls – and Inspector Clouseau unaware of the chaos that he causes? Misunderstandings?

4.The basic plot – based on The Pink Panther, updated, variations on the theme? The Pink Panther as the jewel, the robbery, suspicions? Murders? Inspector Clouseau solving the crime?

5.The personality of Inspector Clouseau: Steve Martin’s appearance, manner? Seeing him in the provinces, making a mess of things, even parking his car? His being called to Paris? The interactions with Dreyfus? His inability to see through his being set up? Gilbert being appointed to accompany him? Nicole and her help, her devotion? The interviews, at the football club, with Yuri? The discussions with Xania? The various mistakes that he made? Inspector Dreyfus suspecting the Chinese? Clouseau and Gilbert going to New York? Xania under suspicion? The casino? The interviews with Laroque? The build-up to the reception, Gilbert and Clouseau infiltrating the dinner, the contemporary dance and their disguise? Clouseau humiliated and off the case – but noticing clues? Dreyfus and the attack on the Chinese ambassador? Clouseau and his unmasking Yuri? The Poirot-like explanation of all that at happened? Dreyfus and his wanting the Medal of Honour, his having to support Clouseau? Clouseau receiving the honours? The bond with Gilbert? The devotion of Nicole?

6.Inspector Dreyfus, Kevin Kline and his style? Smartly dressed, dapper, interviewed for the Medal of Honour, his hopes? His scheme concerning Clouseau? Interviewing him – and the signature and the ink on his shirt? His suspecting the Chinese? His own associates and his explanation of his plan? His observing Clouseau – finally sacking him? The dinner, the build-up to the arrest, the humiliation? His having to go on the media to support Clouseau?

7.Gilbert, the Frenchman, his skill as a policeman? His having to protect Clouseau? His sharing in the pratfalls? The interrogations, his bringing some common sense? The one-upmanship of Clouseau? New York, the interview at the casino? Having to infiltrate the dinner – and the disguise and the contemporary dance? His bonding with Clouseau?

8.Nicole, her glasses, devotion, the awkward scenes – with her on the table and Clouseau’s rescuing her – and the innuendo? Taking her glasses of – and walking into the tree? Her helping with the case? The touch of romance?

9.Xania, kissing the coach at the beginning of the match? Her career, songs, recording session – and Clouseau interrupting it, talking and the engineer’s anger? Her going to New York, the session? The truth about The Pink Panther, her not wanting to tell the truth, afraid to be a suspect? Her vindication after her song at the dinner?

10.Laroque, the casino, bets, the football club? The mix-ups with the interrogation?

11.Yuri, the initial interview? His suspicious behaviour? His being unmasked as the murderer and his explanations?

12.The set-up of the murderer, the football match, the manager, the celebration, his kissing Xania, his death? The suspicion of the football player, the interrogation, his relationship with Xania? His being murdered?

13.Popular entertainment, for a wide audience? A worthy successor to Peter Sellers – or, as so many critics said, not?

INSIDE MAN

US, 2006, 129 minutes, Colour.
Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster, Christopher Plummer, Willem Dafoe, Chiwitel Ejiofor.
Directed by Spike Lee.

A thriller that keeps the interest until the end.

From the very start, Clive Owen looks out at us from the screen and explains himself: the who, the what, the why of a bank robbery – he did it because he could. We then see the how – but, like the hostage negotiator sent to deal with the robbers, Denzel Washington, we miss a lot of the clues as to what is really happening. What looks like a straightforward and elaborate siege with demands for a plane to escape (in the Dog Day Afternoon vein), in fact turns out to be quite something else. It is worth paying attention.

It is something of a surprise to see Spike Lee directing a mainstream thriller with a top cast which includes Jodie Foster as the coolest and most calculating of power brokers, Christopher Plummer as the wealthy bank owner, Willem Dafoe as a police chief and Chiwetel Eijiofor as Washington’s right hand man. They all perform convincingly and are given strong and clever dialogue by first time writer, Russell Gewirtz.

Lee is best known for his dramas which highlight race tensions in the US, Do the Right Think and Malcolm X. Not that this film ignores these issues. Every so often, a character will make a blatantly racist remark about African Americans and Hispanics. The police think that everyone who is dark is an Arab and, potentially a terrorist, and they have no idea what a Sikh is or what respect Sikhs need, especially with their turbans. And, is it calculated that Jodie Foster’s supremely WASP character is named ‘Miss White’?

While the film takes place over some hours and much of the action is confined to the bank or to the vans housing the police, it is still a big scale film and moves with great pace – Lee filmed with two cameras in all scenes, giving him a wide range of choice for shots for the editing, giving it more intensity.

During the action, we keep pace with Washington’s understanding to what is going on, even though he generally gets there before us. The device of flash-forwarding shots of Washington and Eijiofor interrogating hostages after their release leads to both puzzles and tensions during the siege.

Owen comes on at the end to describe his perfect crime. With all the attention to detail, to the anticipation of the police action (for instance, that they have taping devices concealed with the food sent in and so Owen plays tapes of the Albanian president’s speeches to mislead), the screenplay keeps us involved. The final outcome also raises a number of historical, social and international political issues.

1.An entertaining and impressive thriller? Bank robbery? Twists?

2.The work of Spike Lee, his not being in the mainstream? His concern about social and race issues? The insertion of dialogue about race issues here?

3.A well-crafted film from the mainstream, stylish? Pace, complexity, the puzzle? Continued interest?

4.The strong cast and the prestige?

5.A New York story, the interiors of the banks, the reception, the vaults? Boardrooms? Hotels? The police vans? The streets? The authentic atmosphere? Musical score – dramatic and melodramatic?

6.Clive Owen as the mastermind? The opening and the close-up? His talking to the audience, explaining himself, the situation, who, the what, the why? His challenging the audience? The clues? Audiences missing out on the meaning of the clues? The irony of his comment about prison? His being in the vault for a week? His speaking to the audience at the end? Reiterating what he originally said? His achievement? The perfect crime and walking out free?

7.The title and its reference to the mastermind? As a character in himself, strength of character, the selection of his team, collaborating with them, using the name and variations of Steve? The meticulous plan? It being revealed that he organised a façade in the vault so that he could stay hidden for the week? The team wearing the masks, the overalls? The phone calls, his ability to mislead the authorities, his planting the eavesdropping device and their not realising it until late? With the hostage negotiator? The violent treatment and the strong stances with the hostages? The irony of his not taking the money? Going to box 392, the contents, the diamonds, the ring? His discussions with the negotiator? Welcoming him in, the tour of the bank? His discussions with Miss White, a match of wits? His realising that the bank was to be attacked, sending all the hostages out dressed in the same overalls? Everybody escaping? The week passing and his walking out free? Bumping into the negotiator, the irony of slipping the diamond into his pocket? His motivations, the fact that the robbery could be done, the link with the rabbi, the Jewish issues?

8.Denzel Washington as the negotiator? A strong character, at work, the accusation about the missing money? His talking with his girlfriend on the phone? Her wanting to marry? The domestic touch, the later phone call, the ending and his going home to her, thinking about marriage, finding the diamond? His assistant, reliance on him, their working together? His being accused, but given the new job, taking it seriously? Going to the police chief, memories of the past, the clashes? The chief deferring to him? His not having a plan, waiting to see what the criminals did, his capacity for negotiation? The echoes of Dog Day Afternoon? The demand for the plane? His eventually realising that this was not what they wanted? That the mastermind had been channelling their attention where he wanted it? His wanting to take an initiative? The phone calls and waiting, the encounters, the tough stances? Bringing the food – and bugging the food? The irony of hearing the speeches, the Albanian president? The worker brought in, his knowing it was Albanian but not understanding it, his ex-wife being called, her wanting to get free from parking tickets, her laughter, the irony of her identifying what the tape was? The hostages coming out, the interrogations? His going in after Miss White went in, not being able to get out of her what she was after? The encounters with the bank owner, the puzzle? His going into the bank, meeting the mastermind, the tour, seeing the hostages, everything explained? The realisation that there would be an attack, his trying to stop it? The realisation that all their plans had been overheard, stopping the attack, all the hostages coming out? The interviews? His continued pursuit of an idea after he was told to drop the case? Going to the judge, opening the box in the bank, finding the ring? The message that he should follow the ring? The encounter with the bank owner, the cat-and-mouse game, the threats? His going home, finding the diamond – and pursuing the case? The mayor, the bribe for him to become a senior detective?

9.Christopher Plummer as the bank owner, his age and experience, receiving the news? His discretion? Phoning Miss White, the conversation, the negotiations with her, the deal? His going to the site, offering to help? The information about him, the visualising of him in Switzerland during the war, with the Nazis? The issue of his collaboration, greed, building his empire? Coming back to the US, founding the bank? Exploiting his situation – and the ring of his friend whom he betrayed? The irony of his statement that he was wanting to make reparation all his life? Miss White, her realisation of some of the truth, the clash? His dismissal of the negotiator – but would he be pursued?

10.Miss White, the WASP archetype? Negotiator, no holds barred, smooth in style, her manner, her clothes? Her skills? The discussions with the bank owner? The deal, discretion, getting the contents of the box? The discussions with the mayor, in public, in private and his swearing at her? Her fundraising activities and making demands on the mayor? Going to the site of the robbery? In the car, with the negotiator, trying to do a deal? Exercising her power and influence? Going into the bank, talking with the mastermind, their verbal fencing? The later dinner with the mayor, the information from the negotiator, the confrontation with the bank owner?

11.The hostages, the scenes in the bank where business was as normal, the woman talking on the mobile phone, the boy with his game (and the mastermind later criticising him for playing such a bloodthirsty game and the irresponsibility of his father)? The ordinary people, the staff? The skill of the robbers coming in disguised as painters? Knocking out the surveillance cameras – and the police trying to work out how this had happened? The guns, people lying on the floor, going to the vaults, taking off their clothes, the hysterical woman refusing, everyone putting on the uniform overalls and masks? The people who criticised being taken away separately? Treated brutally? The various people that were let out, the interviews, the Sikh and his comment about race and prejudice? Everybody coming out at the end, criminals and hostages alike?

12.The insertion of the interviews throughout the film, the flash-forwards? The different colour style? The negotiator and his assistant, their techniques in interviewing people, kindly with the embarrassed lady, the discussions with the Sikh about prejudice, his turban, race issues – and the police not being able to tell an Arab from a Sikh and assuming all were terrorists? The atmosphere after September 2001? The surly people, the ordinary characters? Everyone under suspicion? The interviewing of one of the real criminals? The interview with the rabbi? His hearing aid – and audiences sympathetic for him?

13.The rabbi, his presence, the interview, his wanting compassion, not knowing anything? The irony that he was behind the whole plot, the conspiracy, waiting in the car for the mastermind to come out?

14.New York City, race issues, the Sikh, Arabs and terrorists, the joke about it easy for a Sikh to get a cab in New York?

15.The Jewish issues, the Nazi issues? Sixty years after the events? Hidden wealth? Reclaiming it? Following the trail for the traitors? And the exploiters?

16.The police chief, his attitude, collaboration with the negotiators, his using his ingenuity? The various authorities? The policeman who discovered the robbery going on, his quick action – but his later prejudice with the negotiator and his being rebuked? The tactics, the communications? The authorities and the decision to attack the bank?

17.The negotiator’s girlfriend, the ordinary background of life in New York City? The end, the sexy touches, the phone calls, the diamond?

18.A credible story, using the conventions of the thriller genre? Effective as entertainment? Thoughtful?

EXORCIST: THE BEGINNING

US, 2003, 114 minutes, Colour.
Stellon Skarsgaard, Izabella Scorupco, James d' Arcy, Julian Wadham, Ben Cross, David Bradley.
Directed by Renny Harlin.

What! Another Exorcist. We have had three already. The original was the real thing and combined the moral issues of diabolical possession in contemporary non-religious society with horror conventions. The second was more like this one, taking audiences off into exotic archeological digs and even more exotic mythologies to background the devil’s presence. The third (directed by author, William Peter Blattey himself) was more of a thriller postscript which revealed that poor Fr Karras had survived the satanic attacks and was confined in an institution to undergo more attacks.

Now we have ‘The Beginning’ a back story about Fr Merrin that Max Von Sydow would never have dreamed of when he was preparing to be Fr Merrin thirty years ago or more.

Exorcist fans have been on tenterhooks for the last two years. John Frankenheimer died before he could direct the film. Of all people, Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver, Mishima, Auto Focus) was hired and off everyone went to Morocco. Producer James Robinson apparently was not pleased. Schrader’s version was too intellectual or some such excuse. It is suggested that it was not gory enough. Back everyone went to Morocco where action director Renny Harlin (Die Hard 2, Cliffhanger, Long Kiss Goodnight) re-shot, it is said, 90% of the film. (Schrader’s version is promised on DVD, an interesting precedent: not just a director’s cut, not just an alternate ending, but an alternate film.)

And the result. Not bad as this kind of thing goes. Most of it is more like Exorcist 2. After a mysterious prologue with evil priests, the dead strewed on a battlefield with thousands crucified upside down 1500 years ago, we are in 1949, in Cairo, Nairobi and the a desert mountain dig where a mysterious church is being excavated. Of course, it is a diabolical centre. And the devil causes havoc amongst the tribespeople (especially with pompous, ultra-loyal-to-his-majesty British troops), takes possession of various people – but there is an effectively surprising switch at the end when the real exorcisms start.

The greatest shock is that Fr Merrin has lost his faith and is haunted because of his being forced to comply with occupying troops in their brutal murder of war hostages. Another Swede, Stellan Skarsgaard, is this middle-aged Mr Merrin. Serious and intense, he gives some credibility to the proceedings.

For a while, it is all religious hokum (and a need for better technical advice on things Catholic), especially with a young priest sent from the Vatican to check whether a legend is true, that this is the spot where, after he rebelled against God, Lucifer fell to earth!! Towards the end of the film, as Mr Merrin is on his way to becoming Fr Merrin again, there is a feel of the original in the exorcism sequences (which spare us the headspinning and the bile).

Harlin has made a straightforward religious/horror film.

1.The impact of this film? Its being made in two versions? This film as the second version? The producers wanting to spice it up and add action? The poor reception of the film?

2.The homage to the original, the styles, content? Father Merrin? Exorcisms? The same themes for a 21st century audience? The Exorcist in 1973, Exorcist II in 1976 – and the similarity of plot in this film? The tradition of exorcism films, the imitations and parodies?

3.Anything new in this film? Or the same material for a new generation?

4.The religious issues: the Catholic tradition, the Catholic church, church history, the early centuries and pagan and Christian clashes? Christians persecuted? The role of the Devil, the stories of Lucifer and his falling from Heaven to Earth? Located in places, shrines, place of curses? Superstitions and their effect? Churches and shrines? Churches, secret chambers under the churches? Rituals and exorcisms? The melodramatic aspects, the language of the possessed, disfigurement, bile? Exorcism prayer? The impact on priests, leaving the priesthood, returning? How well did the film explore these themes?

5.The credibility of the plot, the African settings? The history of the Christian church in Africa? The pagans? The colonial situation of East Africa in the 40s, the presence of the British, the army? Archaeology, the diggings? The strange occurrences on these sites? Possession and exorcisms?

6.The historical prologue, the presentation of the pagans, the massacres? Statues and deities?

7.The portrait of Father Merrin? Devotees of Exorcist films knowing him from the previous films? Seeing him younger? His background in Holland, the Nazis and the massacre, his having to choose the hostages? The effect on him? As a priest? American background? Archaeologist, his knowledge of religions and deities? Going to East Africa? His predecessor, Father Bession? His interaction with the British, with Major Granville? His friendship with Father Francis, Father Francis’s theories? The violence of Father Bession’s death? On the site, the boys, the taking of Joseph and his being killed? The locals wanting to make a human sacrifice of the boy? The colonel and the waging of war? The impact on the colonel and his committing suicide? Sarah and her coming to the diggings, her work, skills and knowledge? Her change, her threats, her being possessed? The exorcism? Her death? The repercussions for Father Merrin, the impact of the events, the exorcism of Sarah? His future? Going back to the priesthood?

8.Sarah and her work, her personality, collaboration, the relationship with Father Bession? The manifestations of the symptoms? The melodrama of her possession? The exorcism, her malice? Her death?

9.Father Francis, the priest of the times, his academic background, his theories, sharing these with Father Merrin?

10.Father Bession and Father Gionetti? Sinister? Violent deaths?

11.The local authorities, the interaction between the archaeologists and the local people? Fears? The place as a sacred shrine?

12.The locals, the young boys, deaths and sacrifice?

13.The special effects for the exorcism, in the underground caverns, the ladder, the visual effects for Sarah, for the suffering? The actual leaving of the demons?

14.The overall effect of this kind of film? On secular audiences who see it simply as a horror film? On the religious audiences with their own theological and spiritual interpretations?