FROM PARIS WITH LOVE

France, 2010, 92 minutes, Colour.
John Travolta, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Kasia Smutniak.
Directed by Pierre Morrell.

Slam-bang – and more.

Luc Besson,who directed some classics in the past (Subway, The Big Blue) and a film on Joan of Arc (The Messenger) has for a long time written and produced a lot of over the top action shows like The Transporter series or Unleashed. And he relies here on former cinematographer, Pierre Morel, who also directed Taken with Liam Neeson to direct his screenplay.

It's the war on terrorism and it's right there in Paris. And John Travolta is let loose to wage and win the war.

Jonathan Rhys Meyers is not usually in this kind of show but obviously enjoys the opportunity to be the American embassy fixer in Paris, bugging offices and that kind of thing, but wanting to be out there with guns blazing. And he does get the opportunity. He contrasts with Travolta, head shaven, big moustache, bulky but agile, with an R-rated mouth on him, who seems to be always right in picking who are the bad guys with a shoot first, answer questions second approach. He gets lots of opportunities to do this. And the stunt doubles have plenty of work to do as well.

Basically, the plot is a plan for a terrorist attack during a Paris international meeting on Africa and some betraying going on – though if there was to be a bomb victim, the obnoxious American official would be a not unwelcome candidate as she ignores warnings and then whinges.

Some moments when there is a chance to admire beautiful Paris but there are always Chinese, Pakistanis, Arabs to be hunted and confronted. Rhys Meyers has to go through some disillusionment before he knows what the 'real world' is like. And Travolta leaps, sometimes literally from rooftop to rooftop, at the chance to be a mixture of James Bond, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone and whoever the younger versions of these old heroes are today.

1.The parallel with From Russia With Love? Or a romance story?

2.Paris, the suggestion that it is displayed like a theme park for an action film?

3.The locations, the embassy, conference centre, apartments and offices, airports and freeways, districts and ethnic mix? Score? Excitement?

4.A film of action, the stunts, performance, computer graphics?

5.The plausibility or not of the plot: the embassy tasks, terrorists and cells, security, the role of the Americans, in continental Europe, the French authorities? Agents, agents like cowboys, act first and think second, the body count, stunts and action?

6.The background of diplomacy, the personnel who arrange matters, bugging offices, protocols, agents and missions, security and protection, the cover for activities, meetings and protection?

7.James, in himself, his work, age, with the ambassador, his personality, apartment, Caroline, his life at the apartment, the meals, love for her? The phone call, to the airport, meeting Wax, his carry-on at the airport, the reasons, smuggling his arms into Paris? Going immediately into action, James bewildered, helping Wax through Customs, his involvement at the Chinese restaurant, the shootouts, pursuing the waiter, the drug lords? The Pakistanis? The dealers, carrying the vase, the deals, arguments about money, quality of drugs? The terrorists, the confrontations, his watching the car? The girls and Caroline’s betrayal? His change of perspective, the official meeting, entering, the security difficulties, the ambassador letting him in, the confrontation with Caroline, former inability to shoot, shooting her? His wanting to be an agent – suitable or not?

8.Wax, the verbal build-up before his coming into action, his appearance, moustache, bald, bulky, yet active, athletic, running, climbing, jumping? His arrival, the carry-on at Customs, getting his gun into France diplomatically? His manner of talking, language? His reaction to James? His being a slob, yet an expert? Going to the Chinese restaurant, the waiter, the shootout, following the waiter, the heads of the drug cartel, confrontation, the vase and the drugs? Wax’s back-story and his expertise as an agent? Tracking the terrorists, the story of the American diplomat and his niece? Talking with the Pakistanis, the deals? His suspicions of Caroline? The situation, the chase, the shooting? The betrayal? Following the car, the mannequin in the car, the conference centre, following James, the achievement? His personality? The obverse of James Bond?

9.The ambassador, life at the embassy, office, security checks, officials, bugging offices? The Washington stories? The officials coming from Washington? Paris, security? The African conference, the delegates? James and his reliance on him, the bugging, the evidence?

10.Caroline, nice, life with James, the meals, the revelation of the truth, the chase, her explanations of indoctrination, the man in control, influence, rigged with bombs, the disguise, James discovering the material, entering into the meeting, the confrontation and her death?

11.An entertaining heightened action and reality show?

SHUTTER ISLAND

US, 2010, 138 minutes, Colour.
Leonardo Di Caprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Max von Sydow, Michelle Williams, Emily Mortimer, Patricia Clarkson, Jackie Earle Haley, Ted Levine, John Carroll Lynch, Elias Koteas.
Directed by Martin Scorsese.

For four decades, Martin Scorsese has been directing strong, often grim, intense films from Mean Streets and Taxi Driver in the 1970s to his Oscar-winning The Departed in 2006. Here is another film in that vein – and very intense.

Recently, two films based on novels by Boston-based Dennis Lehane have been acclaimed: Clint Eastwood's Mystic River and, perhaps unanticipated, Ben Affleck's Gone Baby Gone. They were crime and police stories, very effectively told. His Shutter Island is rather different. It is set in the 1950s, memories of World War II still powerful, and for the central character here, flashbacks to his experiences at the liberation of Dachau, the victims, the commandant and the guards. It is also a time of transition in the understanding of treatment for mental patients and the criminally insane. The chief psychiatrist on Shutter Island, the isolated rock mass in Boston harbour which serves as the principal US institution for the criminally insane, explains that there had been barbaric treatments for beating out the behaviour and attitudes by punishment; then techniques for brain surgery like lobotomy followed as well as the developments of tranquilising medication; at this stage of the 1940s and 1950s (Freud died in 1939) psychiatrists were proposing talk, understanding and therapy.

The action of the film takes place over a few days as two US marshalls, Leonardo di Caprio and Mark Rufalo, arrive on the ferry to investigate the disappearance of an inmate. As with some of the Gothic movies of the 1940s and 1950s (Dark Corner, The Snake Pit), the buildings can be intimidating (described as being a fort built during the Civil War), the corridors frightening and the behaviour of doctors and orderlies mystifying.

The film offers a lot of detail as the two marshalls conduct interviews, search the grounds and the buildings, much of it in a raging storm accompanied by a melange of music from a range of composers, from pounding chords, cacophanous tones and classics like Mahler. The dialogue is stimulating, offering many ideas about mental illness and its treatment.

Leonardo di Caprio, in his fourth film with Scorsese, looks older and bulkier and gives a thoughtful performance. Others in the cast include Ben Kingsley and Max von Sydow as the doctors and some distinctive performances by Michelle Williams as di Caprio's wife, Emily Mortimer as an inmate, Patricia Clarkson as a doctor, Jackie Earle Haley as a high security patient.

The screenplay demands constant attention right up to the last image on screen and the dilemma in the final question posed by di Caprio.

1.Dennis Lehane’s novels? Massachusetts, Boston? Crime thrillers? The adaptation for the screen?

2.The work of Martin Scorsese, vivid and intense films, nervy, strong visuals, musical score, the 50s style of camerawork and close-ups, the Gothic atmosphere, the island, the buildings?

3.The tradition of institution films: isolated, the buildings, the grounds, sinister? Interiors, rooms, corridors? Storms, cliffs, pounding sea? Lighthouse? Their use in a 21st century film?

4.The score and the range of tones, pounding chords, cacophony, Mahler, strings? The song poem of Bitter Earth during the final credits?

5.Themes of insanity, violent criminals, the criminally insane, staff, doctors, psychiatrists, therapy, the possibilities for cure and healing?

6.The tracing of the various methods: anti-psychiatry, the illustrations on the wall, the barbaric treatment of the insane, the shift to surgery, lobotomy, pharmacy and pills, tranquilising? The transition to psychiatry, getting to a person, communicating, getting them to face the truth? The pros and cons? The speeches of Doctor Cawley and Doctor Naehring? The explanations given by Rachel 2 to Teddy?

7.The framework of the film: the visit of the marshals, the ferry, isolation, the storm? Whether it was a charade, a re-enactment? Audience response? Teddy, his state as a marshal, the job on the island, Chuck as his partner, the plausibility of his taking on this mission? Chuck and the explanations, the conspiracy theory that the authorities understood him, that he was part of the plan? The visit, the action and the search, treatment? Teddy’s reactions? The quest, the revelation, the therapy?

8.The ending, the final image of the lighthouse and its meaning? Andrew’s final question? The dilemma? Better to live as a monster or to die insane? What was happening, in Teddy/Andrew’s mind? In the mind of the doctors?

9.Teddy, his being sick on the ferry, something amiss, fear of water, the headaches? His questions to Chuck, not knowing him, Chuck coming from Seattle? Chuck's awkward getting his gun out? The boat, the captain, the island looming, the Gothic tone, the captain wanting them to land quickly?

10.The introduction to McPherson? His talk, the drive, the explanations of the institution? The various blocks? The Civil War building? The protocols, handing over their guns, their use of identification, entering the institution? The meeting with Doctor Cawley, the discussions? The wide-ranging search for Rachel, in the grounds, within the building, seeing the guards in the grounds? The woman warning Teddy in the grounds? The staff at work? The inmates at work in the garden, chained?

11.Teddy as an agent, his job, asking questions? The flashbacks of his memories, Dachau, as military, the recurring images, the liberation of Dachau, the wounded commandant and his death, Teddy pushing the gun from him? The victims, the guards, the line-up, their being shot, the murders? The shower of documents?

12.Teddy and Dolores, the marriage, Dolores appearing to him, talking to him, warning him, looking out the window, seeing her burnt back? The little girl wanting him to save her? His dreaming and his sudden waking? The story of Dolores and the burning of the apartment block, asphyxiated? Dolores and the ashes? The story of Laeddis and his being a firebug, setting fire to the apartment? Teddy and his wanting to find him, to confront him?

13.The search, the interviews with the staff, the nurse explaining the therapy session, the doctor absent on holidays, Rachel not wearing shoes, the finding of the note about who is number sixty-seven? Eventually finding Rachel, the interview, her attack on Teddy, imagining to be Jim, her husband, her story of murdering her children? Teddy and his being jolted? Her later appearing as one of the staff?

14.The cliff, climbing it, Chuck and his falling over the cliff, Teddy descending to find him, seeing the plague of rats, the fire in the cave, discovering Rachel 2, as a doctor, her story, the escape, her warnings to him? Prison, the theories of psychiatry? Her being on the move?

15.The interviews with the inmates, Breen, the questions, his crime, violence, his anger with Teddy and the pencil? The woman writing for him to run?

16.His discovering of Laeddis in the ward, the discussions, the blame? Finding George Noyce, the long story of Noyce as a student, his research, being brainwashed? The theory of brainwashing as in the Nazi regime, the experiments on Shutter Island? Rachel 2 and her asking him to think about fifty years’ time? The anticommunist activities of the period? Noyce and his blaming Teddy for being there, the struggle?

17.Doctor Naehring, his age, venerable, an expert, understanding Teddy’s defence mechanisms? Sitting in the armchair? Teddy accusing him of being a Nazi? His talk, later at meetings, the discussions with Doctor Cawley? The board meeting and Teddy coming in, the confrontation? Finding Doctor Naehring in the corridor, the injection? His later appearing at the end and the verdict on Teddy?

18.The raging storm, going out in the storm, the rain, the trees and branches breaking off, Chuck and Teddy in the cemetery, in the crypt?

19.The range of orderlies, at work, at recreation, Rachel getting past them, their being interviewed? The storm and the loosening of the chains for the prisoners, the generator breaking down, the rounding up of the prisoners? Teddy in the corridor, the matches, overcoming the difficult patient? The clothes of the orderlies, able to move about the institution more freely?

20.The aspects of the search, the superintendent and his driving, the discussion with Teddy about violence, taunting him, praising him? Violent hypotheses?

21.Teddy going to the ferry, the encounter with Doctor Naehring? The car blowing up? His going to the lighthouse, vertigo, reaching out for the document, down the cliff, swimming, the spiral staircase, no-one in the rooms? Encountering Doctor Cawley, talking with him, Doctor Sheehan coming in, the truth, the fact that he had murdered his wife?

22.The flashback. The dramatisation of the truth, his work as a marshal, coming home, Dolores in depression, drowning the girls, his going into the water, his shooting his wife? The deaths, the explanations? His admitting the truth, the background of the therapy, his recovering the truth but lapsing, the authorities and setting out this elaborate charade?

23.The finale, Teddy accepting that he was Andrew, the question of whether he should die or not, whether he was actually sane and admitting the truth or not and wanted to die? How much in his mind? In the minds of the therapists?

24.A blend of excitement in the search, the mystery, interest in the social situations, the hospitals, the institution? Insights into the human mind and psychiatry?

LEGION

US, 2010, 100 minutes, Colour.
Paul Bettany, Lucas Black, Dennis Quaid, Tyrese Gibson, Adrianne Palicki, Charles S. Dutton, Kevin Durand, Jon Tenney, Willa Holland, Kate Walsh, Doug Jones.
Directed by Scott Stewart.

A weird one this one! And how weird it is.

In recent years, we have seen lots of strange angels in our pop movies. What about Christopher Walken in the Prophecy series? What about Keanu Reeves and Tilda Swinton in Constantine? And a small-budget thriller from Australia which has some theme similarities to Legion, a film called Gabriel? This time it is Paul Bettany as Michael the Archangel.

The screenwriters have been dipping into biblical sources as well as movie traditions. Michael arrives on earth as the film opens and offers a strange theology, that God has got sick of the human race (as happened at the time of the flood) and is ready to destroy it by sending loyal angels to do the job (rather brutally with a nod to George A Romero's Living Dead horror movies). (The heroine tells us a story from her mother who had lost faith in God after family tragedies – she still believed in God but thought that God had become tired of the all the human bullshit – and repeats this unusually phrased thought at the end.) The opening quote from the Psalms speaks of the fear of God, but it is interpreted as being afraid of God rather than its actual meaning of being in awe of and reverence for God.

Then we find that Michael has disobeyed God and is saving the life of a child about to be born (the date the film opens is December 23rd) of a single mother who does not know who the father is. The young man at the service station in the isolated Mojave desert is called Jeep (Yank for Joseph, perhaps, although the mother is surprisingly called Charlie). Thus the Gospel references.

However, this mother of a saviour who will lead the human race in hope has more than several echoes of the Terminator films. So a pot-pouri of angelology, theology, with lots of movie references (the TV is showing It's a Wonderful Life where Clarence is telling George Bailey he is wanting to earn his wings – Michael has just cut off his to identify with the humans). Assault on Precinct 13 and other siege films (like Westerns) come to mind as the final group of humans, with the mother of the saviour, defend themselves from angel/diabolic attack as they surround the service station.

The director acknowledges the sources but says the film is not about religion (though many groups in the US who have an apocalypse now or soon point of view may think it is). Rather, the film is an exercise in movie religionism!

This is one of those films that seems preposterous even as it tries to ground itself in serious sources. The only thing to do is to sit back and enjoy the siege and Michael, the angel warrior, trying to protect the human race – and does final battle with a steely-winged Gabriel. If this seems too impossible to sit through, fair enough. It's just a concoction. But, as usual, apocalypse happens in the US and the saviour is, of course, American. That thought is not particularly theological!

1.The popularity of angels and demons films? The style of the graphic novel?

2.The bases for the screenplay in the Scriptures, in a theology of the fear of God, Noah and the flood, the Apocalypse, the infancy narratives of the Gospels? Imagination of angels? Michael and Gabriel? The influence of the story of the Terminator? Blending these ingredients?

3.The atmosphere, the visuals, dark and light, the end of the human race? The musical score and its tone?

4.The title, angels, battle?

5.The apocalypse and saviours – always in the United States? The Mojave Desert?

6.Michael descending from Heaven, his mission to destroy the human race, destroy the potential Saviour Child? God’s plan, wanting destruction, irritated with humans? His cutting off his wings, sewing up the wounds? Travelling through California? The child, finding the child, arriving at the service station? Taking control? Protector?

7.The date of December the twenty-third, Charlie’s voice-over, her story about her mother, belief in God, suffering family tragedies, still believing in God – but God was tired of human behaviour? The resume of this story at the end?

8.The service station, isolated, the desert? The realistic atmosphere? The explanation of the isolation of the service station, the supermarket and buildings? Bob and his management? His character, his relationship with Jeep, his son? Jeep as a good man? Bob and the work, protection, concern? The joke with the television showing It’s a Wonderful Life and Clarence wanting to get his angel’s wings? Charlie and her work, the pregnancy, the set-up for the apocalyptic siege?

9.The Anderson family, mother and father, Audrey, her flaunting herself? The car breaking down? The family wanting to move on, blaming Audrey for having to move? Trying to protect her? The parents and their arguing?

10.The human race being destroyed, the electricity going off, lack of communication? The effect of the Apocalypse and the siege of the service station?

11.The various customers, the angels in human disguise, their vengeance, surrounding the service station? The car, the child, Charlie wanting to help? Howard going out, the threats? His injuries, the care, his death? The announcing of the final times with the old lady, her vile mouth, her behaviour, crawling across the roof? Destruction? The bells for the ice cream man, his approach, turning into a monster? Destruction?

12.Howard and his going out, Audrey and her change of heart, the mother and her fear, the reconciliation with Audrey? Wanting to sacrifice Charlie and the child to save themselves? Death?

13.Charlie, having contemplated an abortion, deciding to have the child, not knowing who the father was? Michael wanting her not to risk anything? The defence? The birth experience, joy, Jeep and his protection?

14.Jeep, a pleasant young man, innocent, hardworking, protective of Charlie, interactions with his father? The build-up to the final fight, Charlie and the child protected by him?

15.Kyle, his arrival, the phone calls, the child custody issue, his having a gun, the electricity going off, his helping, his death?

16.Bob, Percy, Percy and his goodness, helping with the station, the meals, his heroism and death? Bob, on guard, sleeping, the final heroics?

17.The angels converging, the battles, the fire, the destruction of the station? Jeep, Charlie and the baby escaping, the vehicle? The chase, Gabriel’s confrontation, Michael saving them? The cliff, the fall, their not dying?

18.Gabriel and his appearance, finishing God’s mission, the metallic wings, the battle with Michael?

19.Jeep, the presence of Michael, transformation – and protector of the Saviour?

20.Themes of God, vindictiveness and vengeance, destruction of the human race, the possibilities for some redemption, the child and the future?

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

US/UK, 2010, 105 minutes, Colour.
Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Crispin Glover, Matt Lucas, Martin Csokas, Tim Piggot-Smith?, Frances de la Tour, Lindsay Duncan, Geraldine James, Leo Bill.
Voices of: Stephen Fry, Michael Sheen, Alan Rickman, Barbara Windsor, Paul Whitehouse, Timothy Spall, Jim Carter, Imelda Staunton.
Directed by Tim Burton.

And filmed in 3D.

Tim Burton, who is fascinated by the unusual, the bizarre and the imaginative, and his screenwriter Linda Woolverton (who worked on screenplays for Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King) have tried to be creatively different with this new version of Lewis Carroll's stories which have been filmed so often.

We first meet a six year old Alice who has nightmares, falling down the hole, following the White Rabbit and encountering the familiar characters, Tweedledum and Tweedledee, Mad Hatter, March Hare, Doormouse and Cheshire Cat, and, of course, the Queens.

Now she is 19 and, at a lavish Victorian garden party, is proposed to by a silly-ass wealthy young man. She needs some moments to think – and there is the White Rabbit and down the hole she goes again. She is now in Underland (she had made a mistake before, hearing it as Wonderland) and Tim Burton territory it is, and looks it with its graphic design and colours, its sense of mystery and eerieness, and the old characters are here again, some enhanced by CGI (like Helena Bonham Carter's Red Queen yelling 'off with his head'), or designed as eccentric (Like Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter – after all Tim Burton has put him on screen bizarrely as Edward Scissorhands, Willy Wonka and Sweeney Todd) or looking storybook f ey (like Anne Hathaway as the White Queen).

The voices of the characters are excellent, very British: Stephen Fry as the Cheshire Cat, Alan Rickman as the blue caterpillar, Absolem, Timothy Spall as the Beagle, Michael Sheen as the White Rabbit, Barbara Windsor as the Doormouse and some sinister words from Christopher Lee as the Jabberwocky.

Speaking of the Jabberwocky, the plot is a kind of quest to destroy it on frabjous day. And Alice is meant to be the champion of the White Queen to kill it. More than a touch of dungeons and dragons.

Many of the well-loved stories from Carroll's books are enjoyably staged and performed. The finale of executions, white and red card/guards fighting and Alice's doing a St George and Joan of Arc against the Jabberwocky are impressively presented (and may upset some younger audiences because of their vividness).

Mia Wasikowski is a strong and determined 19 year old Alice.

1.A different version of Alice in Wonderland? Tim Burton and his imagination, fantasy, dark?

2.The production impact: the sets and the design, the 19th century real world, Underland? Landscapes, buildings, the sets and costumes, makeup? The CGI enhancement of the figures? The humans, the creatures?

3.The strong cast, appearance, voices?

4.The introduction to Alice, age six, her dreams, talking things over with her father, Wonderland? Her family, her father going overseas, business, death, her relationship with her mother?

5.Alice at nineteen, her mother accompanying her to the party? The rich family, snobs? The mother and her control? The father pleasant and with happy memories of Alice’s father? Hamish, his delicate stomach, chinless? Alice’s sister and her advice? Seeing her sister’s husband betraying her? Threatening him? Her going for a walk with Hamish’s mother?

6.The White Rabbit, his waistcoat, in a hurry, Alice following him through the maze, looking down the hole, falling? The familiar fall, the little door, Eat Me and Drink Me? The key, left on the table, her differing sizes? Entering into Underland? Her journey, the creatures telling her she was the wrong Alice? The memories of the past? Tweedledum and Tweedledee, the Caterpillar, the March Hare, the Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter, the Dormouse? The fierce creature, the Dodo…?

7.Alice as a character, her age, strong, her interactions with the Red Queen, with the Mad Hatter, the journey? The confrontation with the Knave of Hearts? With the White Queen, becoming her champion? The Mad Hatter to be executed? Her reluctance to fight the Jabberwocky, her change of mind? The battle with the Jabberwocky? Cutting off its head?

8.The Mad Hatter and his appearance, mad chatter, his advice, like a clown, the arrest? The March Hare, the Dormouse and the party? The March Hare and his mad cooking in the kitchen? The Dormouse and her interventions?

9.The Cheshire Cat, appearance, voice, continually moving, giving advice, tone of voice, the execution, the fight with the Jabberwocky?

10.Absolem and his wisdom, giving advice to Alice, thinking she was the wrong Alice, changing his mind? Going into cocoon, becoming a butterfly – and passing by at the end?

11.Tweedledum and Tweedledee, their bounce, their helping Alice?

12.The White Queen, her fey manner, way of speaking, sister to the Red Queen, wanting to recover her crown, wanting a champion?

13.The Red Queen, her appearance, shouting, the Knave of Hearts, the battles, the Mad Hatter and the execution, her way of ruling, tyrannical? The Knave of Hearts and his card soldiers?

14.The Knave of Hearts and his being the queen’s henchman, the troops, the drawing of battle lines, capitulating, his backing down at the end? His being the villain of the film?

15.The Jabberwocky, his sonorous voice, monster, Alice and her battle with him?

16.Alice’s adventures, her return to the real world, turning down Hamish’s proposal, the family shock, his father urging her to join him in business, the docks, the wharves, the plans?

17.A 21st century variation on Lewis Carroll’s stories?

SONS OF CUBA

(UK, 2009, d. Andrew Lang)

This interesting and effective documentary tells a story as well as offering insight into Cuba and some glimpses of the country.

The subject is boxing, something of which Cubans have been very proud in recent decades, thinking Olympic gold. As in other socialist regimes, like Mao's China (see Bruce Beresford's Mao's Last Dancer), young children are selected to leave their families and enrol in a specialist school with a competitive ethos and a disciplinary way of life. In Cuba, it is under 12 year olds in each of the provinces. Sons of Cuba follows the boys in the Havana school and culminates in the championships.

One of the things that strikes the viewer is how hard the regime is on the boys, up at 4.00 am, then rigorous exercises, followed by school and back to the exercises by 4.00pm. The boys are not only lean, some of them look a touch emaciated and talk about being hungry. Their limit it 34 kilos – after that, running to get the weight off. The other striking factor is the amount of weeping during the film – the hard regime does not preclude the tears of hungry young boys, boys who have lost their bouts and are dismayed – and coaches who also weep with disappointment as well as with joy. An emotional group of people.

Several boys are singled out for more concentrated attention, one who becomes the champion, whose father was a boxer and did not expect so much of his son – and he too weeps as does the boy's mother.

Throughout the film we see the die hard attitude inculcated into the children about Fidel, the Revolution and the ongoing cult of Castro. But, the film was made during the period of Castro's 80th birthday, his illness and his retirement from the presidency, something which struck hard on the ordinary people's sense of loyalty and being used to Castro being there.

There are visual glimpses of the country, poor but not impoverished, partly run-down (though there is a great deal of rebuilding and historic reconstruction going on), partly dilapidated. But, from this portrayal of the people, lots of Caribbean spirit.

THE KING AND I

US, 1999, 87 minutes, Colour.
Voices of: Miranda Richardson, Christiane Noll, Martin Vidnovic, Ian Richardson.
Directed by Richard Rich.

The King and I is an animated version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. There had been the serious version with Irene Dunne and Rex Harrison, Anna and the King of Siam, which was remade as Anna and the King at this time with Jodie Foster and Chow Yun- Fat. The musical version of The King and I was made in 1956 with Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr.

This animated version is simplified, very simplified, for a very young audience not familiar with the story or the musical. Some of the tunes are still there (Whistle a Happy Tune during the storm, Hello Young Lovers, March of the Siamese Children, A Puzzlement… Shall We Dance).

However, the film looks very much Aladdin and has an evil prime minister in the same vein (voiced well by Ian Richardson). The king is there carrying on his tantrums though very few of his children appear. There is the prince doing martial arts and falling in love with the Burmese servant. Anna herself, voiced by Miranda Richardson, comes across as a mixture of primness as well as open-thinking.

The film was not very well received, especially by adults. It is an oversimplification of life in Siam in the 19th century, British colonial attitudes, the role of education, the place of women, freedom to choose in marriage.

The film was directed by Richard Rich, a prolific animator, especially of religious themes.

1.The popularity of the stage performances of The King and I, on screen, the music?

2.The animation style, Disney-like, the visuals, the settings, the characters, the action?

3.The simplification of the story for children? How effective?

4.The inclusion of parts of the songs?

5.Audience knowledge of the 19th century, Britain, Siam, the kingdom, Burma?

6.The introduction, the storm, the monkey overboard, Whistle a Happy Tune, Anna and Louis going to Siam?

7.The prime minister, visual appearance, his assistant, fat and awkward? Magic, controlling the storms? His plans for power, evil?

8.The king as an aristocrat, despotic, accused of being a barbarian, in favour of traditions, lip service to change? Rules and protocols – especially about height?

9.The prime minister, his support of the king, his support of Anna, setting the two against each other? The issue of the house, the issue of the crown prince and Tuptim?

10.Anna in herself, her arrival, expectations of the house, British, demanding? Hello Young Lovers? Getting to Know You?

11.The issue of the house, in the palace, Louis and the monkey, the prime minister, going to look at the arms? His martial arts and fighting the prince?

12.The king, etcetera, his demands, Anna and her reluctance?

13.The prime minister, sending the letter to the British ambassador, Sir Edward Ramsay and his assumption of the king’s being barbaric?

14.The prince, martial arts, seeing Tuptim, not telling her the truth, finally giving her the medallion, his being shamed at the banquet?

15.The children, the march, Anna taking them outside?

16.The king, comments on dancing, British dress, the dinner, the medal, wanting to execute Tuptim? His not doing it, humiliated?

17.The prince and Tuptim escaping, Louis with them, the elephants, the prime minister and his magic, the ferocious animals and spiders, snakes, the cliff, the bridge, Tuptim falling in? The king and the balloon, the rescue? The prime minister attacking the balloon?

18.The prime minister at the meal, his magic, firing the arrows, his being humiliated and caught?

19.The king, naming the prince his successor?

20.The prince, his doing decrees like his father, etcetera ..

THE RIVERMAN

US, 2004, 91 minutes, Colour.
Bruce Greenwood, Sam Jaeger, Kathleen Quinlan, Cary Elwes.
Directed by Bill Eagles.

The Riverman is based on a book by Robert Keppel, the chief crime investigator for Washington State. He wrote it in collaboration with policeman Dave Reichert. Keppel is portrayed by Bruce Greenwood in this film. Reichert is portrayed by Sam Jaeger.

Keppel was investigating and profiling various serial killers. Reichert was appointed chief investigator of murders attributed to the Riverman. He asked the help of Keppel who immediately became involved. This, despite his wife’s wariness, especially because he had been very much involved with the Ted Bundy case.

Bundy then wrote to Keppel and offered to help in the profiling. The film shows Keppel and Reichert working together, with interviews with Bundy. The film also investigates some of the unsolved Bundy crimes – and these appear in flashback.

Bruce Greenwood is very good and intense as Keppel, a complex man, driven by a sense of duty as well as a sense of completion of cases, no matter what. Kathleen Quinlan is his long-suffering wife. Cary Elwes is very brash as well as sinister as Bundy, writing to Keppel, being interviewed, wanting the files of the Riverman, wanting photos – difficult to know whether he was stringing Keppel along or was genuinely interested. However, he did give clues to the Riverman – with a powerful scene where Keppel actually sits in a car, imagining what the Riverman might do at a particular time and with victims.

Eventually, the chief suspect who had passed a lie detector test, Gary Ridgway, was arrested for the murders – and became the US serial killer with the greatest number of murders.

The film was directed by Bill Eagles who worked in British television, made some feature films including Beautiful Creatures and then worked in American television.

1.The impact of the film? Interest in serial killers? Their psychology? Mode of operation, their signatures?

2.The film based on fact, the work of Robert Keppel, the work of Dave Reichert? The work of the Washington State police? The profiling, the lecturing, the discussions with Bundy?

3.Washington State, the atmosphere of the state, the countryside, the river – and the finding of the bodies? The contrast with Miami, the prison, Bundy’s cell?

4.The situation of the Riverman: the police finding the bodies, the murdered prostitutes, Gary Ridgway as a suspect, his previous convictions? His passing the lie detector test? Keppel going to visit him at work, Keppel reading the comments he made about rape? About killing prostitutes? His final arrest and unmasking?

5.Dave Reichert, character, young, ambitious? The police chief? His photographing the corpses, the police laughing at him? His being given lead detective work? The detection, the investigations, the discussions with Keppel, going to his home, persuading him to help him? The work with Keppel, going to Miami, the discussions with Bundy? His being taken off the case?

6.Keppel, a complex character, his skills, the lecture, his talking about modus operandi and yet looking for the signature because the modus would change? His work with Bundy, the confessions? His busy life? Life at home, his wife and her concern? The effect of the Bundy investigation? His absences from home for his work? His compulsion to complete his work? The approach by Reichert, his refusal, Reichert coming to his house? His work, imagining the murderer, the scene where he sat in the car, imagining the victim, apprehended by the police? The letter from Bundy, his wife’s negative reaction? His going?

7.Bundy, audience knowledge about him and his crimes? His explanation of his background, his mother, absent fathers, brutalisation? His charm? The murders? Georgia Hawkins, his encounter with her, pretending to be crippled, the murder, the car? The reconstruction? His finally admitting the murders to Keppel?

8.His letter, offering to solve the case? The parallels with The Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal Lector with Clarice Starling? His discussions, his insights into serial killers? Persuading Keppel? Keppel’s wariness? The files, the photos? His return? Keppel using the opportunity to understand Bundy and get further confessions?

9.The grim tone of the film? Insight into police work and profiling? Insight into serial killers? Serial killers as an American phenomenon?

THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY

US, 1954, 141 minutes, Colour.
John Wayne, Doe Avedon, Claire Trevor, Laraine Day, Robert Stack, Jan Sterling, Phil Harris, Robert Newton, David Brian, Paul Kelly, Sidney Blackmer, Julie Bishop, Gonzales Gonzales, John Howard, Wally Brown, William Campbell, John Qualen, Ann Doran, Paul Fix, Joy Kim, Regis Toomey, William Schallert, Julie Mitchum, Karen Sharpe, John Smith.
Directed by William A. Wellman.

The High and the Mighty is now considered the predecessor of the disaster films of the 1970s and 80s, particularly following Airport which was very similar in story. The original novel of The High and the Mighty was by Ernest K. Gann (author of Island in the Sky, filmed by Wellman with John Wayne the previous year, and Soldier of Fortune with Clark Gable and Susan Hayward). Gann wrote the screenplay for this film.

The film was little seen until the early years of the 21st century. There were difficulties in the copyright for several of John Wayne’s films, including Hondo, and they were rarely seen. However, The High and the Mighty is now available for television and DVD.

The film made quite an impact in its time. Looking at it in the retrospective of Airport and other such films, it seems a little dated. As does the background of commercial flying and travel. However, it is well done and gives the audience a good impression of how aviation was in the first part of the 1950s, the airports, check-in, security (and the lack of it), safety advice (very similar to contemporary advice).

The film introduces its range of passengers by having them check in and give the audience the information about them. It also introduces the crew. The rather po-faced pilot is played by Robert Stack (who, perhaps unfortunately in retrospect, took on the role of one of the pilots in the very funny satire on the aviation disaster films, Flying High Airplane).

The star of the film is John Wayne, in one of the most quiet and dignified of his performances. He is really quite impressive in himself, the background of his character, and the scene in which he explains to the passengers their situation. He really is quite impressive. The rest of the cast is not the A-list at Warner Bros of the 1950s, rather second-list performers. However, they are quite impressive in their way, Claire Trevor (who had won an Oscar for best supporting actress in Key Largo) and Jan Sterling were both Oscar nominated. There are some surprising members of the passenger list, especially Robert Newton, again very muted compared with his eye-rolling Long John Silver in Treasure Island. David Brian is an executive. Phil Harris is a devoted husband. Laraine Day is an arrogant wealthy wife. Impressive also are the performances by Wally Brown as the nervous navigator and John Qualen (appearing in many of John Ford’s westerns) who is a simple fisherman but a sensible man who has to control the villain of the piece, played by Sidney Blackmer (Roman in Rosemary’s Baby).

While there are scenes at airports and some flashbacks, most of the action is confined to the body of the plane and the cockpit.

Dimitri Tiomkin’s score won the Oscar – and has the memorable theme from The High and the Mighty, which is often whistled to great effect during the film.

William A. Wellman served in the Lafayette Escadrille during World War One in France, directed the first Oscar-winning film, Wings, also dealing with aviation and this was a theme of many of his features.

1.The popularity of the film in the 1950s, presaging the disaster movies, seen in the light of Airport and other disaster films? Standing on its own feet?

2.Aviation in the early 1950s, the planes, engines, propellers, the crew and their work, the flight attendant, the spacious cabin? Communications with airports, with rescue planes, with ships? Navigation without the benefit of computers? The back-up for security? The safety drills, then and now? Similarities, change?

3.The Hawaiian and San Francisco airports? The flashbacks? The interior of the plane for most of the action, confined, the characters interacting in the plane? Dimitri Tiomkin’s score, the melody, the whistling?

4.The introduction to Dan, his discussion with the pilot, the men talking about him and the accident, the death of his family, his not killing himself? The discussions with Hobie Wheeler and the pilot? Dan’s courage, common sense, his aviation history, the war, the 30s? A strong man, calm, efficient, the scene in which he informed the passengers what was happening, gathering the luggage, holding the door back to throw it out? Calculating the risks at the end? Confronting the pilot? The decision and success? The final encounter with Garfield on the tarmac?

5.The pilot, stern-looking, Hobie Wheeler, the discussion of Dan and his flying career? The pilot and communication, the audience hearing him thinking? His decision, reluctance, wanting to ditch into the sea, persuaded by Dan?

6.The assistant, young, type? The flight attendant, Miss Spalding? At the check-in desk, her personality, meeting the passengers? Her work in the plane, her reassuring the passengers? The navigator, jovial, his work, mistakes, the tray for his wife, imagining her ridiculing him? His apology for mistakes?

7.The plausibility of the plot, the accident, passing the point of no return, the preparation for ditching, the communications to the ship, the Hispanic man and relaying it to the airport, the issue of fuel, the possibility of landing? The background and San Francisco airport, the PR, Garfield and his laidback control of the situation? The passengers and crew disembarking, the role of the media?

8.The introduction of the passengers at the check-in desk, information about them, Miss Spalding, on the plane, Miss Spalding noticing the tremor as did Dan? Her interactions with each of the passengers, the boy sleeping, the couple afraid, the gift of the chime from Mr Briscoe, the safety information? Her own dread of crashing?

9.The boy and his father in Hawaii, the boy sleeping throughout the whole trip, the request that his mother go to visit his father?

10.Don Flaherty, drunk at the airport, the scene of his art, depression, his encounter with Sally, helping her, listening to her story, the makeup, the drink? His escaping with his briefcase through the media?

11.Ed Joseph and his wife, jovial at the airport, the story of their holiday, the story of the various groups and the optimism, that someone was suffering worse than others? The wife and her being loud in her weeping and fear? Pardee and his words, helping her?

12.Pardee and his wife, the Broadway background, his fears, talking to Mrs Joseph, about her children, his kind words, gentleness, then talking with his wife, her expressing her love and admiration for him, the interview with the media at the end about his future and Broadway?

13.The newlyweds, memories of the honeymoon, talk, weeping, the bride’s fear, the love scene?

14.May Holst and her glamour, her dress, helping with the luggage, wisecracking, kissing her fur goodbye, the photo opportunity at the end, supporting Ken Childs by continually talking?

15.Lydia Rice, her affluence, well dressed, bitter with her husband, his dreams, getting money from her father, buying the mine without her permission, her taunting him, refusal to go to live near the mine, wanting a divorce immediately? The danger, her talking more gently, mellowing – but the end, and the importance of making the date and connecting for the social occasion?

16.Briscoe, his illness, delicacy of his bones? The clock and the chimes, the gift to Miss Spalding? Pleasant, genial during the trip? The Korean woman, her gentleness, sitting with Briscoe, helping with throwing the luggage out?

17.Ken Charles, tough, the aviation businessman, the confrontation by Humphrey Agnew? His acknowledging that he was innocent? Depending on May?

18.Humphrey Agnew, in a hurry to board the plane, the confrontation with Charles after walking up and down the aisle, producing the gun, the engine and the fire? Jose Lacota sitting next to him, controlling him?

19.Lacota as the fisherman, returning home, a pleasant man, controlling Agnew, taking the bullets out of the gun, praying the Rosary? Reunited with his family at the end?

20.The audiences identifying with the different characters, the situation on the plane and how they would react in similar circumstances? What became the formula for the disaster films?

THE BREAK-UP

US, 2006, 106 minutes, Colour.
Vince Vaughn, Jennifer Aniston, Joey Lauren Adams, Cole Hauser, Jon Favreau, Jason Bateman, Judy Davis, Justin Long, Ivan Sergei, John Michael Higgins, Ann Margret, Vincent Donofrio.
Directed by Peyton Reed.

One tries to put out of one’s mind that just before this film was made, its star, Jennifer Aniston, experienced a very public marriage break-up, with no possibility of reconciliation. That means this film is, at least, topical. Another interesting external fact is that, along with Failure to Launch (not entirely dissimilar in themes), The Break-up has taken more that one hundred million dollars at the US box-office. This is well above average for any film. It must have hit some kind of American nerve.

A rather smug and oafish Vince Vaughn hits on Jennifer Aniston at the beginning of the film and soon they are married. Eventually, it is a family dinner which she has carefully prepared and that he is no help with that brings the crisis in the marriage to a bitter head. Unless you are an obtuse an insensitive male chauvinist pig (which is how the Vince Vaughn character behaves) you will be all sympathy for Jennifer Aniston’s position.

The ways of solving the impasse leave a lot to be desired but that is what being emotionally lost can be like? Desperately seeking partners, desperately seeking love, desperately avoiding loneliness.

You wonder how the film could possibly end with such lack of communication and with such animosity, especially as the couple have to live their separate lives in the same apartment until it is sold. But, there is some breakthrough at the end – and a good, contrite speech which is to the credit of Vince Vaughn.

The film is brimful of cameos, many of which are too short, like Ann Margret appearing only at the dinner as Jennifer Aniston’s mother or Judy Davis (always an off-kilter scene-stealer) in three sequences as an eccentrically wilful gallery owner or Jon Favreau as the friend who quietly reads the riot act about selfishness.

Actually, the film does have some helpful things to say about marriage and commitment.

1.The title, expectations? Marriage, separation, divorce?

2.The serious themes? The comic style? How well did they blend?

3.The Chicago settings, the tours of the city, the city as a character? The buildings, streets? Apartments, shops, galleries? The baseball matches? The musical score, the songs?

4.The introduction to Gary and Brooke, at the baseball match, Gary with Johnny O. and their loud style, the food, the invitation to Brooke, her reaction?

5.The collage of their time together, comedy, romance, the courtship, the build-up to the wedding?

6.The couple at home, cooking for the family, the issue of Gary coming home with only three lemons, Brooke’s reaction, preparing the meal? The end of the meal, Gary and his being lazy, not helping with the wash-up? The crisis point in their relationship, the argument, Gary’s inability to understand what Brooke was talking about? Her plea for some kind of sensitivity?

7.The dinner, the two families meeting each other, the talk around the table, business, relationships, the argument about the pool table? The transition to the singing? Richard and his a capella group, getting everybody to join in, his own family, Gary’s family? Brooke urging him on? Gary and his inability to sing? His later casting aspersions on Richard and his sexual orientation?

8.The arguments, the follow-on from the meal, the disagreements? The walkouts?

9.Gary and his reliance on Johnny O. for friendship, advice, going to the matches, going to the bar? Johnny O. and the playing pool in the house, seeming to support Gary? The final visit to the bar, Johnny O. being very direct in saying Gary always did what he wanted and others had to fit in? The effect on Gary?

10.Gary, his anger at Brooke’s behaviour, wanting to leave, his petty behaviour, going to the bar? A slob at home? Good at his work, the tour guide, revving up his audience? Working with Dennis, Dennis wanting the books kept in a more accurate way? Going to talk things over with Lupus, the discussion about sex and girls, advice? Bringing in the pool table, playing with Johnny O? Drinking? The strip poker? Richard and his a capella group practising in Brooke’s room, his sending them out? His growing exasperation? The effect of Johnny O’? s truth, Brooke buying the tickets for the concert, his thinking she did not mean it, not going? The change and setting the dinner table, misunderstanding Brooke showing the client the apartment and the art? The sequence of the very direct talk between them and his confession of his inadequacies and Brooke’s weeping and response?

11.The character of Brooke, her work in the art gallery, her sensibilities, love of ballet, cooking, being hostess? In love with Gary? Her exasperation after her day at work, cooking, his not bringing the lemons? Her reaction during the meal, supporting her family? The weariness afterwards, his not helping with the wash-up? Her being revealed as a controller, her friendship with Addie, discussions with her? At work, Christopher and his eccentricities? Trying to help? Marilyn, the running of the gallery, Marilyn ordering her home, later offering her the trip and her job back? The two not moving out of the apartment, the separation, her own room, inviting her brother in to rehearse? Her going out, the different dates – and relying on Addie to bail her out? The client at the art gallery, showing him the apartment and the art? The discussions with Addie and her coming to realise some of the aspects of Gary’s behaviour? Getting the tickets, his not turning up, her weeping? The strong sequence of her explaining things to Gary? His apologies to her?

12.Marilyn, eccentric type, appearance, her portrait, running the gallery, dismissive of Christopher, allowing Brooke to go home, later painting the naked man, offering Brooke the trip, the job again?

13.Christopher, his eccentric help, dismissed?

14.Riggleman, friends with both, real estate, the sitting with them and discussing the separation? His advice about the selling?

15.Addie, her advice, the bowling sequence, the married couples and their teams, ousting Gary, wanting his shirt back, his demanding the wrist protection? The later episode with the charades and the bickering?

16.Dennis, wanting the business to prosper, Gary and his taking hold of things by the end, the books in order, the clients?

17.Parting, time passing, meeting in the street, their talk, their compliments to each other, possibilities for further meeting, the love, getting over the anger, the possible reconciliation in the future?