MONSTER FROM GREEN HELL

US, 1958, 71 minutes, Black and white (end in colour).
Jim Davis, Robert Griffin, Joel Fluellen, Barbara Turner, Eduardo Ciannelli, Vladimir Sokoloff.
Directed by Kenneth G. Crane.

The B Feature was a popular aspect of the double bills, especially in English-speaking countries. They were churned out by the American industry as well as by the British from the 1930s to the 1960s. The coming of television did not immediately halt their production or popularity but, at the beinning of the 1960s, with the big-budget widescreen films that were becoming more and more popular, there was little place for these films.

When the Americans began making telemovies in the late 1960s, these became the alternative to the B films.

However, there were still a number of film-makers who made genre pictures during the 1970s, often Z budget in production and imagination. Later, the successors of these films were the straight-to-video and straight-to-DVD films of the 1990s and into the 21st century.

In the United States, especially with the popular serials that took on themes of science and even space exploration, the 1950s saw a proliferation of short science fiction films, some of them now considered excellent examples of their type, others were just schlock.

One of the features of these films was the atomic age and many of the films were warnings about radiation dangers and the possibilities of mutations and monsters. Godzilla emerged from this period. Space also fascinated film-makers and audiences at this time. The first Sputnik was launched in 1957 and soon after the first astronauts went into space. The moon landing was in 1969. Many of the films (even Kubrick’s 1968 2001: a Space Odyssey) tried to imagine what space travel would be like. There was a huge spate of space films.

Unfortunately, special effects were quite limited at the time and many audiences would find these quite risible. However, taken in their time, they had their impact.

This was the period of Ed Wood and his Planet 9 from Outer Space but also the beginning of the career of Roger Corman and his many protégés who became top-class directors.

There had been a Hollywood tradition of horror since the 1930s which led to many spoofs. However, all kinds of horror made a comeback in the 1950s, not only in the shockers from the US but also from Hammer Studios in England. These films also continued throughout the 1960s and 1970s and influenced some of the poorer directors like Ted. V. Mikels with films like The Corpse Grinders. These films, along with the popularity of the blaxploitation films now show their age with their characteristic costumes and hair styles, the touch sometimes of the psychedelic and the grainy film stock.

Monster from Green Hell is one of the many films of 1958, B-budget (or Z-budget) about science fiction, atomic mutations, monsters.

The film shows American experts preparing for space travel, experimenting with animals in space. However, wasps that have been sent into space crash-land in Africa and turn into enormous monsters terrorising the locals. A scientific expedition is sent from the United States – which makes a lot of the film one of the typical jungle adventures. However, there is a final confrontation with the wasps – and the film moves into colour as the expedition is able to utilise the lava from an active volcano to destroy the menace.

The film stars Jim Davis who had appeared with Bette Davis in Winter Meaning and was to spend a lot of time on Dallas. Vladimir Sokoloff portrays a missionary doctor – very similar to Albert Schweitzer who was still working in Africa at the time.

The special effects are negligible, the acting is sometimes perfunctory – but everything is geared towards a brief popular exercise in science fiction, 50s style.

1.The popularity of this kind of film at the time? How seen in retrospect?

2.The B-budget, the cast, the black and white photography, performance, basic special effects? Musical score?

3.The situation with space exploration in the United States – the film made just after the Sputnik? The experimentation of sending animals into space? Testing for atomic atmosphere, for radiation? The experiment going wrong, the crash-landing in Africa? The personalities of Doctor Brady and Dan Morgan? Their concern, taking the expedition?

4.The African scenes (footage from Stanley and Livingstone)? The conventional trek through the African countryside, the natives, animals, terrain? The experience of the wasps and their killing people? The volcano, the lava and the destruction of the wasps?

5.The characters, sterling leader, the Arab guide, Doctor Lorentz and the missionary? The parallel with Albert Schweitzer? Arobi, his African background?

6.The resolution of the problem – the film going into colour with the volcano and the lava?

SOUTH OF ST LOUIS

US, 1948, 88 minutes, Colour.
Joel Mc Crea, Alexis Smith, Zachary Scott, Dorothy Malone, Douglas Kennedy, Alan Hale, Victor Jory.
Directed by Ray Enright.

South of St Louis is a standard western, popular ingredients from the civil war, the clash between the north and the south, Confederate farmers and their experience of the north. The film also has a villain in Victor Jory (often maniacal-looking) as Luke Cottrell (based on Quantrill and his raiders).

Joel Mc Crea, Zachary Scott and Douglas Kennedy portray three friends who intend to continue with the ranch they worked before the war. However, they become, at first unwittingly, involved in arms smuggling through the singer at a saloon, Alexis Smith. Joel Mc Crea, of course, is the upright character who remains faithful despite being betrayed by Zachary Scott, usually a villain. Dorothy Malone is his love – but she is attracted to the other friend, Douglas Kennedy, who joins the confederate army. Needless to say the baddies are defeated, Joel McCrea? goes back to the ranch, he marries Alexis Smith who settles down …

1.The popularity of this kind of western? Conventional? Familiar?

2.The western settings, Texas, the Mexican border? Mexican towns? The civil war atmosphere? Musical score, songs?

3.The focus on Kip, Charlie and Lee, in the war, confederates, the clash with the north? Going to Brownsville? Meeting Rouge, the saloon? Her asking Kip to take the furniture south, the accident and the exposure of the arms? His being arrested, her engineering his release? His involvement in arms deliveries, going through the northern lines? Charlie and his getting more interested, wanting the money? Lee and his decision to join the army?

4.Kip as an upright character, Charlie and his ability to be a villain, greed? The henchmen? The murders? The betrayal of Kip?

5.Luke Cottrell, his raids, the destruction, his raid on the arms, getting control of the arms firm? The tying up with Charlie? His confrontation with Kip, the attempt to kill him, his being murdered?

6.Rouge, at the saloon, her singing, the furniture cover, the arms? Her arranging the sale of the cotton? Her being attracted towards Kip? Meeting Deborah? Settling down at the end – back on the ranch?

7.Deborah, her love for Kip, wanting to have the farm, the work in the civil war, the hospital, falling in love with Lee, marrying him – and making Kip available for Rouge?

8.The conventional sequences, the disguise in the northern uniforms and the fight? The pursuit of the wagons? The Mexican scenes? The atmosphere in the 1860s south of St Louis?

TEENAGE MONSTER

US, 1958, 64 minutes, Black and white.
Anne Gwynne, Stuart Wade, Gloria Castillo, Gilbert Perkins.
Directed by Jacques R. Marquette.

The B Feature was a popular aspect of the double bills, especially in English-speaking countries. They were churned out by the American industry as well as by the British from the 1930s to the 1960s. The coming of television did not immediately halt their production or popularity but, at the beinning of the 1960s, with the big-budget widescreen films that were becoming more and more popular, there was little place for these films.

When the Americans began making telemovies in the late 1960s, these became the alternative to the B films.

However, there were still a number of film-makers who made genre pictures during the 1970s, often Z budget in production and imagination. Later, the successors of these films were the straight-to-video and straight-to-DVD films of the 1990s and into the 21st century.

In the United States, especially with the popular serials that took on themes of science and even space exploration, the 1950s saw a proliferation of short science fiction films, some of them now considered excellent examples of their type, others were just schlock.

One of the features of these films was the atomic age and many of the films were warnings about radiation dangers and the possibilities of mutations and monsters. Godzilla emerged from this period. Space also fascinated film-makers and audiences at this time. The first Sputnik was launched in 1957 and soon after the first astronauts went into space. The moon landing was in 1969. Many of the films (even Kubrick’s 1968 2001: a Space Odyssey) tried to imagine what space travel would be like. There was a huge spate of space films.

Unfortunately, special effects were quite limited at the time and many audiences would find these quite risible. However, taken in their time, they had their impact.

This was the period of Ed Wood and his Planet 9 from Outer Space but also the beginning of the career of Roger Corman and his many protégés who became top-class directors.

There had been a Hollywood tradition of horror since the 1930s which led to many spoofs. However, all kinds of horror made a comeback in the 1950s, not only in the shockers from the US but also from Hammer Studios in England. These films also continued throughout the 1960s and 1970s and influenced some of the poorer directors like Ted. V. Mikels with films like The Corpse Grinders. These films, along with the popularity of the blaxploitation films now show their age with their characteristic costumes and hair styles, the touch sometimes of the psychedelic and the grainy film stock.

Teenage Monster was filmed under the title Meteor Monster. It is one of many B-grade (Z-grade) science fiction films of 1958.

The film was directed, reluctantly, by cinematographer Jacques R. Marquette. It is set in the old west, a meteor falls from heaven on a young family, the father is killed, the boy is transformed into a monster – and when he grows up, bearded like the Wolfman, he kills a number of people. He is protected by his mother. Anne Gwynne plays the mother. Gilbert Perkins, an Australian athlete, is the monster. There is a sinister performance by Gloria Castillo as a young woman who turns into a Lady Macbeth type.

The film is brief, basic in its cinematography, average or below in its acting. The horror scenes are not particularly frightening – but the development, where the young girl that the monster abducts turns into a villain is rather more interesting.

The film’s title was changed because of the popularity of I Was a Teenage Frankenstein and I Was a Teenage Werewolf which were current at the time.

1.The popularity of this kind of small-budget brief science fiction film of the 50s?

2.Black and white photography, the western sets? Quality of acting? Musical score?

3.The title and sensationalism? Verified?

4.The opening situation, the west, the genial family, the good-heartedness, the mine? The change of fortune, the meteor falling, the death of the father, the reaction of the mother, Charlie and his being transformed?

5.Charlie as the teenage monster, appearance, his killing people? The sheriff and his investigations? The rumours, people frightened? His mother protecting him? Reprimanding him? Charlie and his abduction of Kathy? Her influence on him, twisting his mind, getting him to murder the man who wanted the money from her? Urging him to kill his mother and the sheriff? His hearing her, taking her, throwing her over the cliff?

6.Ruth, devoted mother, protecting her son, in love with the sheriff, finding the gold? Its value? Buying the house, moving to town? Kathy and the abduction, getting her to stay in the house, Kathy blackmailing her? The clashes? Her not marrying the sheriff because of love for her son?

7.The sheriff, his search, the deaths, his courting Ruth, the final confrontation?

8.Kathy, simple girl, the opportunity for money, getting Charlie to kill the boyfriend? Her manipulation of him? Her death?

9.Popular ingredients in the genre of this kind of science fiction?

DON’T TALK TO STRANGERS

US, 1994, 92 minutes, Colour.
Pierce Brosnan, Shanna Reed, Terry O’ Quinn, Keegan Mac Intosh.
Directed by Robert Michael Lewis.

Don’t Talk to Strangers is a standard television movie – however, it has an interesting twist at the end, warning people not to judge others by appearances only.

The film focuses on an unhappy divorce, the wife played by Shanna Reed, wanting sole custody of her son, her alcoholic detective husband wanting shared custody. He is an angry embittered man.

Into the wife’s life comes a stranger played by Pierce Brosnan (just before his first James Bond film). He is all charm, supportive and a father figure to the young boy. They decide to move interstate – the detective angrily following.

Everything turns around when it emerges that Pierce Brosnan is in fact the father of the boy, that he was adopted when the mother’s child died at birth. The detective took the child and made arrangements for adoption but did not tell his wife.

It then emerges that Brosnan is a criminal, intent on getting the child and selling it to his grandfather, and getting rid of the parents. Naturally, this builds up quite some tension.

The film is director by Robert Michael Lewis, who directed many television movies over the 70s to the 90s.

1.An entertaining television movie? Thriller? Family themes? Terror?

2.The domestic settings, homes, gymnasiums, police precincts? Authentic? The contrast with the travel on the road, the motels? The Colorado town and the attitude of the police? Musical score?

3.The title, almost a cliché? As applying to Jane – and the consequences?

4.The portrait of Jane, the divorce, wanting sole custody, her love for her son, her husband’s anger in the court? Her work, meeting Patrick Brody, going out with him, falling in love with him? The marriage? Having to deal with Bonner and his outbursts, seeming to stalk them? The decision to move interstate, not telling Bonner?

5.The journey, the pursuing cars, the fears? Being run off the road? The audience assuming that it was Bonner? Later discovering that it was a group of thugs employed by the grandfather? The toilet sequence and the anonymous person talking with Eric? Seeing the same shoes in the motel? The audience becoming aware of the complications?

6.The character of Bonner, his drinking, alienation from his wife? Anger, the divorce proceedings, custody? His turning up at the house, his antagonism towards Patrick? Trying to find something on him? The pursuit? His anger at their leaving? His finding out the truth?

7.Eric, young boy, love for his mother, trying to cope with his father? Wary of Patrick, Patrick winning him over?

8.Patrick, Pierce Brosnan’s charm, at the health centre, taking Jane out, the relationship? Engagement? The marriage? His proposing that they move interstate? Jane going by car, his planning to join later? The phone calls, the flights, the weather? His eventual arrival?

9.Patrick and his helping Jane, the confrontations with Bonner? His consoling Jane, the docket in his pocket – and her realisation that something was wrong?

10.The dramatic climax, the thugs and their deaths? The role of the grandfather, millionaire, wanting his grandson? His henchmen and the control of the thugs? Patrick, his plan, his double-dealing, the rooms? The violence, the shooting? His taking the boy, hiding him in his room? Travelling in the car, pulling up – and the possibility of his killing Jane? Bonner and his arrival, the shootout? Patrick’s death? His revelation of the truth about himself?

11.Satisfying popular ingredients for this kind of thriller? Performances – giving some depth to the characters and issues?

THE PEST

US, 1997, 84 minutes, Colour.
John Leguizamo, Jeffrey Jones, Edoardo Ballerini, Freddy Rodriguez, Tammy Townsend, Joe Morton.
Directed by Paul Miller.

For most audiences, The Pest will be absolutely unwatchable. It is difficult to check what audience the film was intended for. It is a star vehicle for John Leguizamo who is a versatile performer on stage, television and in film. He had more serious roles in Baz Luhrmann’s films like Romeo and Juliet and Moulin Rouge. However, he had a lot of comic television specials and uses this style.

The film gives the opportunity for Leguizamo to take on all kinds of disguises, perform in a manic way – beyond Jim Carrey in such films as The Mask. For most audiences, his antics will be particularly tiring.

Jeffrey Jones acts as a former Nazi who is in search of a victim to pay fifty thousand dollars so that he can stalk him and kill him. He has a strange son who travels with him, Edoardo Ballerini.

Leguizamo travels around with his friends, especially Freddy Rodriguez (who was to have a much stronger career at the beginning of the 21st century in Six Feet Under and a great number of films including Harsh Times and Bobby). Even Joe Morton is hard put to bring some gravitas to the film as the father of the pest’s girlfriend.

The director is Paul Miller, a director for television. Definitely for Leguizamo fans only – and even they might find it difficult.

BEFORE I HANG

US, 1940, 62 minutes, Black and white.
Boris Karloff, Evelyn Keyes, Bruce Bennett, Edward van Sloan.
Directed by Nick Grinde.

Before I hang is a B-budget horror thriller, a vehicle for Boris Karloff. It is interesting for Boris Karloff fans to see him as he normally looked, an opportunity to see him play a normal character. He does so with great bearing and dignity.

However, this film about a life serum to preserve youth is actually a horror film and echoes the Frankenstein story. In this case, Karloff is the equivalent of Frankenstein as well as becoming the monster – and a chance to see him do his horror turn.

The film opens with Karloff as Doctor John Garth, in court for mercy killing. However, he was experimenting with hormones and serums for stopping the ageing process. When he is sent to prison, he has three weeks to live but is allowed to continue his experiments with the help of a sympathetic doctor. When a criminal is executed, he uses some of the blood from the criminal to experiment on himself. At this stage, his death sentence is commuted to life. What happens is that the blood takes over the doctor and there is a kind of Jekyll and Hyde story, with the doctor murdering his associates.

Evelyn Keyes and Bruce Bennett are in support as the doctor’s daughter and her fiancé. However, their acting is not particularly strong, rather stilted.

The film is interesting in its themes – especially as interpreted in 1940. The director, Nick Grinde, had a twenty-year career from the late 20s to the mid-40s. He directed only B-budget films and programmers.

1.The impact of the film? Science fiction? The touch of horror? 1940? Vehicle for Boris Karloff?

2.The title, the death penalty, the mercy killing, execution, the changing of execution to life sentence? The final irony of Doctor Garth’s crimes?

3.The black and white photography, the strong emphasis on the contrast between black and white? Stylish photography? For photographing Boris Karloff, in the court, in his laboratories, during the killings?

4.The issues of a serum for the fountain of life? The explanation of the ageing principles and death? Trying to stop the ageing process?

5.The laboratories, the 1940s style? The serums? Blood? Injections?

6.Boris Karloff as Doctor Garth, in court, the explanations, the testimonies against him? His condemnation? His dignified speech? In jail, the warden and his sympathy, Doctor Howard and his willingness to help? The setting up of the laboratory? The pressure of time?

7.The experiments, getting the blood from the criminal, the injection? Doctor Howard to analyse Doctor Garth after his death? Training Doctor Howard, the notes, the explanations?

8.Martha, her relationship with her father? With Paul, his support? The changing of the sentence to life?

9.The effect of the blood on Doctor Garth, the Jekyll and Hyde story, his killing Doctor Garth, his going to visit his friends, trying to persuade them to have the serum? His behaviour at the meeting, their leaving? Martha and her anxiety? His going to see them separately, the killings?

10.The effect on Doctor Garth, his guilt, his being responsible, his needing to die?

11.The popularity of this kind of blend of science fiction and moral fable in the 30s and 40s? Impact now?

THE DARKEST LIGHT

UK, 1999, 92 minutes, Colour.
Kerry Fox, Stephen Dillane, Keri Arnold, Kavita Sungha, Jason Walton, Nisha K. Nayar, Nicholas Hope.
Directed by Simon Beaufoy and Billie Eltringham.

The Darkest Light is an intriguing film – rather dark than light and not so popular at the box office. However, it is a very worthy film, set in the Yorkshire moors and the small towns.

The film focuses on Stephen Dillane as Tom and Kerry Fox as Sue, farmers who have a young son (Jason Walton) who has leukaemia. Their older daughter is troublesome at school and home, feeling neglected. She is particularly nasty to a young girl who comes to the school, a Hindu background. However, the two girls become friends and, going to moors and an RAF testing ground, with the young boy, they have a strange experience of the light – filmed as if it were something of a nuclear explosion.

The little girl believes that the boy will be healed, the boy believes it is an apparition of the Virgin Mary. The Hindu girl believes it is a presage of doom.

An outbreak of foot and mouth closes down the farm (and this occurred a year or two before an actual outbreak that had even more dire results in England after the film was released). The film is sad in its presentation of the parents and their having to cope with all these problems, of the little boy facing death, of the young girl and her stubbornness in believing that the boy would be healed. The film also presents a very sympathetic picture of the Hindu family and their beliefs. Nicholas Hope (Bad Boy Bubby) appears as the parish priest.

This is a film about family, friendship, illness, interfaith understanding, and faith itself. The film was written and directed by Simon Beaufoy who made a great impact with The Full Monty. He also wrote the screenplay for Yasmin – a very interesting ecumenical award-winning film which treated the relationships between the Pakistani community and the white community in British cities. He also collaborated with Billie Eltringham in making This is Not a Love Song, released in cinemas but made available the same day for downloading.

The film evokes the Yorkshire atmosphere particularly well and was financially supported by the Arts Council and local film corporations.

1.The impact of the film? As drama? Its themes? Its characters?

2.The Yorkshire settings, the beauty of the moors, the cliffs, the sheep and cattle? The RAF testing ground? Homes, shops, hospitals? An authentic atmosphere? The musical score?

3.The Catholic background, the church, prayer, the background of visions? The parish priest and his down-to-earth approach? The comparison with Hindu beliefs, statues, shrines, legends? Hindu faith? The tolerance and understanding needed in Britain?

4.The title, the light on the moors, the strange experience for the children? Their interpretation? Hopes for good? Sense of doom? How were these fulfilled?

5.The Holroyd family, Tom, the Yorkshire farmer, silent, loving his family, anxious about his son, ticking his daughter off? His drinking? Trying to cope with his work? The two lost sheep, burning them? The outbreak of foot and mouth with his cattle? The destruction of the cattle, the isolation of the farm? The liquids for disinfecting surrounding the farm? The repercussions on him, on Sue? On the children? The criticism of the neighbours? The local meetings? The authorities and their stances? The issue of Matthew’s hospitalisation, the bone marrow, the letter with the match? Hospital, his death? His bringing up of his children – especially with Catherine, going to the headmistress, Catherine and her meanness towards Uma? His taking her to the shop, making her apologise? The growing bonds with the Hindu family? The final sadness, issues of faith, coping with suffering?

6.Sue, the devoted mother, her patience with her children, her wariness with Catherine and the vision? The concern about Matthew? The bone marrow, the hospital? Going to the field to wait for the vision? The interactions with the parish priest? Her prayer? The clashes with her husband, his drinking? The death, her accepting Matthew’s death? Support of Catherine?

7.Catherine, the story seen through her eyes? Her age, having to do the work, upset with Matthew, his illness? At school, the gossip about Uma, the meanness? Letting her fall in the drama class? The reaction of the principal? Her father coming, making her apologise, going upstairs, talking with Uma, the bond between the two? Understanding her, stopping any prejudice, listening to the myths of the Hindu religion? On the moors, watching the sheep? The coats flying in the wind, suggesting they should go over the cliff and fly? The going into the RAF field, the experience of the planes, the sound, the light? Her interpretation of hope, stubborn with her mother? The gossip around the town about her visions? People mocking her at the meeting? Her friendship with the family, the meals? The match and her delight? The sadness of Matthew’s death, her having to accept it? Her relationship with her parents? The aftermath? The funeral, being by herself, with her mother?

8.Matthew, his age, illness, hospital, coming out, his hair coming out, his father shaving it, his shaving his father’s head? Going into the field, the experience of the light, the vision? The match, hospital, his death?

9.Uma, her age, at school? The girls’ prejudice? Her fall, Catherine’s responsibility? In bed, preparing for Catherine’s visit, their talking, explanations? The strong bonds of friendship? Her sense of doom after the experience of the light? Her mother, friendly, the shop, the family helping? Her pregnancy? The issues of doom? Her thinking the baby had died in her womb? The hospital – and the signs of life, the birth of the child? Uma giving the child to Catherine to hold – a final image of hope and new life?

10.The parish priest, down-to-earth, sceptical, the cigarettes? Talking to Tom and Sue, with Catherine? In the field, urging the people to go home? The plane going over and everybody falling to the ground? The funeral, its ritual, its prayers? His talking with Tom after the funeral?

11.The people around, the farmers, the impact of foot and mouth?

12.The school, the headmistress, treating the children? Her interest in the visions?

13.A slice of life, the tradition of the English kitchen sink drama? Of the dramas by Ken Loach and Mike Lee? This film in that tradition? Adding the dimension of faith?

CHERRY FALLS

US, 2000, 92 minutes, Colour.
Brittany Murphy, Jay Mohr, Michael Biehn, Jesse Bradford, Candy Clark.
Directed by Geoffrey Wright.

Cherry Falls was the American debut of Australian film director Geoffrey Wright (Romper Stomper, Metal Skin). The film suffered from production interference and some of the more explicit violent and sexual scenes were cut.

The film is a slasher movie – but with some tongue-in-cheek. The film focuses on a mad slasher in a town, killing various students who were virgins. The complicated motivation leads to a revelation about a young woman twenty-seven years earlier who was assaulted and raped by some of the more respectable citizens of the town. Her son is now getting revenge, by depriving the parents of their children.

Brittany Murphy, who had made an impact in Clueless and was to go on to star in a number of films, is the daughter of the sheriff, played by Michael Biehn. Jay Mohr is the teacher who turns out to be the killer. Jesse Bradford is killed within the first couple of minutes of the film. Veteran Candy Clark appears as the sheriff’s wife.

The film is well done of its kind, has touches of gore – but makes its point about teenage morals as well as the issues of vengeance for brutal attacks from the past.

1.An interesting variation on the slasher film? Teenagers? Parents? School? The law?

2.The title, virginity and sex, the play on words? The actual falls – and their being red at the end of the film? The musical score and atmosphere?

3.The opening, the young couple in the car, the brutal killing (and the later flashbacks)? The further murder of the girl opening the door of her house? The attacks on the students, especially on Jody?

4.Jody, the centre of the film, in the car with Kenny, her relationship with the gossip columnist? Her mother and her smoking, her strict father, his being the sheriff? In class, in the grief counselling session? At home, Kenny breaking off with her? The discussions with Mr Marliston? The later attack by him in the laboratory, her defence of herself? Listening in to the town meeting and her father’s explanation about the virgins? Her being caught with her father, Mr Marliston tying them up? Kenny, the rescue, the pursuit? Marliston’s death? Her hearing the truth about her father from her mother, hearing him as he was questioned by Marliston? Kenny and his death? The overwhelming impact of what had happened?

5.The sheriff, strict, his wife and her smoking, their love for their daughter? The investigation? The description, the memory of the young woman in the town? His contact with the school principal? The talk to the students? His deputy? The investigation, the discussion with the parents? His being taken by Marliston, tied up, confronted with the story, his explanation, accepting his responsibility? His death?

6.The young people, the couple killed at the beginning, the girl opening the door? The teenagers in the grief counselling session, the defensiveness, the wry remarks, the bad judgments? The boys – later seen with their drugs? The issue of sexuality? The cherry party, the decision about virginity, saving themselves? Marliston and the attack? Their frantic panic, crushing the deputy, the attempt to escape?

7.The principal, strict, his announcements? The story of the past and the flashback? With the sheriff?

8.Kenny, relationship with Jody, breaking off, supporting her, the rescue, his death?

9.The popularity of this kind of horror thriller? The conventions? This film having a bit more depth to the plot and issues?

10.Marliston, seeing him in class, the students and their grief? His disguise, the revelation of his madness? His explanation about his mother, the story? The vengeance, slashing? His death?

LUCKY YOU

US, 2007, 124 minutes, Colour.
Eric Bana, Drew Barrymore, Robert Duvall, Debra Messing, Jean Smart, Charles Martin Smith, Robert Downey Jr, Michael Shannon.
Directed by Curtis Hanson.

The first reason for wanting to see Lucky You is that it was directed by Curtis Hanson (whose LA Confidential is a classic but who also directed Bad Influence, The River Wild, 8 Mile and In Her Shoes). The next reason is wanting to see the versatile Eric Bana, as well as Drew Barrymore and Robert Duvall, who are always good value.

Now, whether they outweigh the subject of the film – Poker – is another matter. Probably avid poker players will not see Lucky You because they will be too busy and obsessively occupied with playing games or on line testing and training themselves. That leaves the rest of us who may or may not know anything about the rules of the game – except for keeping a poker face.

In fairness to the screenplay, there are a number of conversations, especially for the benefit of Drew Barrymore’s singer in Las Vegas, which offer some explanations of how it all works. And, if we are attentive to the many games we are shown, we do learn a few moves and acquire a knowledge of some of the terminology for play.

But, at 124 minutes, this is rather long, even for devotees.

However, the film is generally watchable. Eric Bana combines some niceness and a relentless, self-absorbed study of body language in opponents but has the opportunity to become a bit more human in his encounter with the sweet and somewhat naïve would-be singer from Bakersfield. Robert Duvall is Bana’s father and there is quite some tension between them.

We also see a lot of Las Vegas.

The screenplay speaks of skills and luck as well as mad bets, obsession and addiction. One of the main factors about this kind of gambling is the obscene amounts of money that so easily change hands, and frequently, which could do so much more good than support the extravagant life style of casino operators and the gamblers who are able to hold on to their money.

1.The audience for this film? Poker players? Poker fans? The emphasis on skills versus luck? Issues of gambling? The moral and social perspectives of gambling? Obsession and addiction?

2.The Las Vegas settings, the exteriors, the ordinary Las Vegas, the homes and streets, the golf course? The contrast with the lights, the fountains, the casinos? The interiors, the clubs, restaurants? The musical score, the lyrics about Huck? Bob Dylan and his song?

3.The title, applying to Huck (and his name of Huckleberry)? Luck and skills, risks?

4.The focus on Huck, Eric Bana’s presence and performance? The background story, learning poker from his father at the kitchen table with nickels and dimes? His mother, her leaving, her later forgiving his father? The ring, its history, being pawned, given back to Huck’s mother? His father giving it to him because it was his mother’s? Huck and his pawning it, wanting to redeem it later? His meetings with his father, unforgiving? His father calling him Kid? His father’s second marriage, in France? Huck in himself, his energy? His attempts to borrow money – especially from his friend, Telephone Jack and talking to the clients? Meeting Suzanne? Her understanding him? Meeting Billie? Borrowing, going to hear her sing, taking her to the meal, to the play, the night with her? The morning after and taking her money, the effect on her? The possibility of change or not?

5.The details of the poker games, the information through some of the dialogue, especially the discussions with Billie? The games themselves, the terminology, the various plays? The characters who played poker?

6.The technical advice, the range of actual poker players in the film, their advice? The way the games were filmed? Chico, Michelle, Jason, Ralph – the variety? Huck’s comment that poker was an equalising experience, everyone was equal at the table?

7.The popularity of poker worldwide, on-line, the tournaments, television programs and audiences able to see what cards the players had?

8.The introduction of the competition for the drama, the preparatory games, the tense game between Huck and the hostile player, the dealer and his shuffling and awkwardness, his mistake, Huck finally losing? His friendship with Roy Durucher? Durucher’s proposal that he play for him, the splitting of the profits? Huck’s refusal, having to go again to him, the bargain? Losing the money to his father, to the bet about the golf? The toughs coming and throwing him into the pool?

9.The bets, the man who didn’t want to touch the ground going across the floor, taking the bets? The month in the bathroom? The golf and the running to the course in three hours? Billie and the stopwatch? The issue of cheating – by two seconds?

10.Billie and Drew Barrymore: the Bakersfield background, her sister, coming to Las Vegas for the job, her ambition and dream, singing in the club, the celebration, watching Huck play, her attitude about winning and losing, that what was fair should happen? The night with Huck? The aftermath, his apology? Her throwing her cash on the ground to him? Change of heart, the breakfast, seeing father and son play at the breakfast? Helping him with the golf, not wanting to cheat, being hurt, walking away? Huck’s visit to Bakersfield to tell her the news? Her watching the finale? The final song, Huck coming to see her – a future together?

11.Suzanne, down-to-earth character, relationship with Billie, her advice, able to sum up Huck? Her pleasure that Billie had got through to Huck?

12.The portrait of Huck’s father, his life, relationship with his Isabel, his gambling career, leaving his first wife, his explaining that she had forgiven him, wanting forgiveness from his son? Winning two tournaments? His talk, explanation about risks? His wife’s ring, putting it on the table, wanting Huck to have it? The breakfast game, winning, the wise advice, the tournament, Huck letting him win, the aftermath, their final game? His going on the celebrity circuit?

13.Huck, his continued need for money, the humorous interchange with the pawnshop lady, her admiration and listening to him, his talented spiel? Going to Telephone Jack and trying to persuade him? The various games to win money, winning and losing? His reliance on skill? The audience seeing his cards, playing with him? The various bets, desperation, with Durucher? His listening to Billie, his confronting the antagonistic player to get a place in the game, the old dealer and his making the mistake? His greater caution, letting his father win, his father talking about his time coming? The irony of his father losing? His skill in body language and understanding?

14.Gambling, the issue of high stakes, the obscene amount of money? Gambling as a pastime, risk, recklessness, obsession, addiction?

15.Gambling with a light touch? The fascination of gambling and poker? The film acting the dimension of redemption and love?

CAPTIVITY

US/Russia, 2007, 84 minutes, Colour.
Elisha Cuthbert, Daniel Gillies, Pruitt Taylor Vince.
Directed by Roland Joffe.

Most audiences will want to leave fairly early in the film. Elissa Cuthbert plays a model who is abducted and subjected to unrelenting torture by a masked figure for half the running time. By the time that some more interesting elements and twists come into the film, it is too late. Most audiences will have given up. Only die-hard horror fans (who proclaim their views on the IMDb blog) have positive things to say about Captivity.

Its career in US release was dogged by controversy when a series of large hoardings in Los Angeles showing the steps in the model’s captivity were considered too graphic and were removed.

The main surprise is that the film (a US co-production with Mosfilms, Moscow, and intended as a groundbreaker in collaboration) was directed by Roland Joffe who had begun his career with The Killing Fields and The Mission. We are a long, long way from those achievements despite the publicity for the film constantly referring to his being a man ‘of vision and profound philosophy’. He gives the film a glossy treatment and style but to little avail.

At one stage, the man in captivity with the model calls out (ironically as it turns out) to the tormenter, ‘you twisted sicko freak’ – and one wonders was he referring to the makers – or even to us in the audience watching.

1.The impact of the film? Its brutality, nastiness? The horror genre? The twist? For what audience was the film made? Most audiences unable to sit through it?

2.The intentions of the writer, Larry Cohen and his strong tradition of thrillers? The producers and the exploitation angle? The director, his past achievements? The indication that this was a film that was profound, psychological and philosophical? Did the film bear this out?

3.The American setting, the studios and filming? Photography? The streets? The house, the dungeon, the cellar, the eeriness of the interiors? The implements for a torture chamber? The musical score?

4.The title, the focus on the reality, the themes?

5.The opening, the plaster of paris, the mask on the victim? Draining the blood? Indication of tone and style?

6.Jennifer, her career, going to the club, the drink, its being interfered with, her collapse? Her imprisonment?

7.The first half of the film and the detail of Jennifer’s torture? Explicit, ugly? The brutality? Audience response to this? How well did the film delineate the character of Jennifer, her fears, her phobias, the dark, isolation? Her almost being killed many times? Her being in the glass case and the sand falling?

8.Gary, the contact, the words? Her reliance on him? The growing dependence, the shared torture, his teeth? Back in the room, the sexual encounter?

9.Audiences anticipating that Gary was not a victim? The shadowy presence of Ben, large, brutal, watching Jennifer, torturing her? In the room, in the ducts? Gary and his drugging Jennifer after the sex, going upstairs?

10.The flashback to their mother’s murder, Gary killing their mother, Ben watching? The photos? The talk, the scrapbooks, the victims? Gary and the effect of Jennifer? His killing Ben?

11.The arrival of the police, watching the television – changing for the commercial and discovering the truth? Gary killing them? One not dying, his approach to Jennifer, her fear and killing him? Ben and his revival and her killing him as well?

12.Gary, seeming nice, disconnecting the phones? Her discovering the truth? The albums?

13.The pursuit throughout the house, the confrontations, Jennifer and her strong stances? Shooting Gary? Her escape into the light?

14.The impact of this kind of film? Gary said, in the script, that the torturer was a twisted sicko freak – and the makers? And the audiences?