BEAUTIFUL CREATURES

UK, 2000, 86 minutes, Colour.
Rachel Weisz, Susan Lynch, Iain Glen, Maurice Roeves, Alex Norton.
Directed by Bill Eagles.

Beautiful Creatures is an oddball dark comedy. It was directed by television director Bill Eagles and written by playwright Simon Donald (The Life of Stuff). It is very anti-men.

The film focuses on two young woman, both brutalised by their boyfriends. When one of the men is accidentally killed, the two women have to hide the body. Complications arise with one of the dead man’s brothers, a rich businessman, taking the absence of his brother personally. They concoct a blackmail scheme as if they had abducted the body. Enter a police inspector, who wants to take advantage of one of the women and also of their money. There is a violent confrontation – that beggars belief.

Rachel Weisz and Susan Lynch are full of energy as the two women. Iain Glen, better known for his stage performances, overacts completely. Maurice Roeves is also a contender in the overacting stakes. Alex Norton (the captain of the ship in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men’s Chest) is more credibly sinister. The film has British settings and a British tone, understatement in the themes, despite the acting.

1.The impact of the film? For men in the audience? Women in the audience? A women’s film – made by men?

2.The settings, the town, the apartments, the streets, the waterfront? Authentic? Musical score?

3.The title, the reference to Dorothy and Petula? The ironic touch – especially with the opinions of the men?

4.The focus on Dorothy, her relationship with her boyfriend, his brutality? The train sequence, Tony and his wanting his golf clubs? His coming back to the flat, taking the clubs? The contrast with Petula, her boyfriend, the car, his violence? Dorothy seeing this and coming to her rescue?

5.Dorothy defending Petula, killing her boyfriend? Taking the body, having it at home? Decisions where to put it? The issue of the abduction, the blackmail? The visit of the inspector? His coming into the house, shooting the body in the bed? The arrival of Ronnie? His anger, Tony and his presence, the mutual shootings?

6.The character of Dorothy, her love for Tony, the arguments, the golf clubs? His brutal treatment and language? Her injuring him, his return? The gun, wanting in on the scheme? Petula stabbing him? His being behind the door, shooting Ronnie? His death? A brutal man? The comparisons with Brian, his treatment of Petula? Ronnie, in the office, wealth, his concern about his brother? His arriving in the apartment, confronting the policeman, shooting the gun – but no bullets? His death?

7.The police officer, seeming on the job, his scheme, advances on Petula, wanting the money? His death?

8.Dorothy and Petula, their personalities, their mutual support, handling of the situation? Their friendship, doing Petula’s hair? Petula going to the office, handling the police? Her finally being chained to the wall, her escape?

9.The money, the women getting it, on the train? Their managing – a future?

AT FIRST SIGHT

US, 1999, 114 minutes, Colour.
Val Kilmer, Mira Sorvino, Kelly Mc Gillis, Steven Weber, Bruce Davison, Nathan Lane, Ken Howard.
Directed by Irwin Winkler.

Virgil Adamson went blind when he was a child. He retains only vague memories of what it was like to see. Overworked architect, Amy Benic, takes a break at a hotel where Virgil works as a masseur. At first, she does not realise he is blind. They are attracted. Virgil's sister, Jennie, who has cared for him for many years, is apprehensive and jealous of Amy's relationship with Virgil.

After resisting Amy's concern and pushiness, Virgil is persuaded by her to undergo a new treatment for restoring sight. He is afraid the procedure will be a failure. It is a success.

He still has many problems such as getting used to three dimensional sight, reading, identifying objects and colours... and has to rely on his sense of touch. Moving to New York and living with Amy, he still struggles to adjust. This puts a strain on their relationship.

Virgil also confronts his father who abandoned him and his sister. He breaks with Amy. Gradually his sight fades and he has to face blindness again. He begins to work with a visual therapist. Amy realises that she was too dominating and finds Virgil again.

At First Sight is a very emotional movie. It is based on a story by Oliver Sacks, author of Awakenings. It can be seen as a parallel with Awakenings. Virgil Adamson regains his sight. The recovery is only temporary and he has to face going blind again, just as the patients in Awakenings went back into coma.

Audiences can identify with the situation. We share the pain, the love, the struggles and, finally, the second loss of sight. The movie is filmed in the glossy studio style and relies on the attractiveness of its stars. Val Kilmer is more than usually sympathetic as Virgil Adamson. Mira Sorvino is earnest and 'do-gooding' as the architect, Amy. Kelly Mc Gillis brings a harder edge as Jennie, Virgil's older sister who has sacrificed much of her life in caring for her brother.

There is another hard edge when Virgil eventually meets his father who had never accepted his blindness. He is played by Ken Howard. Bruce Davison is the doctor sponsoring the experimental treatment and Nathan Lane the Sacks-style visual therapist. Irwin Winkler is a respected producer turned director (Guilty by Suspicion, The Net).


1.The title? The irony of Virgil being blind, regaining his sight? The alternate title: Sight Unseen?

2.The New York State and New York City locations, the countryside, the contrasts of city and country? The musical score?

3.The writings of Oliver Sacks, his dealing with patients, recovery, relapsing, helping them to cope?

4.The themes of life, busyness, people helping one another, dominating, dependency? The inner peace and letting live? Letting be?

5.Amy, her work as an architect, her personality, at the office, her friends, the recommendation that she have a holiday, the skating, the massage, the encounter with Virgil, not realising he was blind? Her sleeping, crying? Her discovery about Virgil?

6.Val Kilmer as Virgil, pleasant, smile? His history, losing his sight at three, his dependence on Jenny? Not having seen her since he was a little child? His capacity for love? The dog, his work as a masseur? His walk, the phone, the meal – and his feeling detached?

7.Amy and Duncan, marriage, work, jobs? Going back, her holiday, joy, skating and trust in Virgil, relating well to him, not relating well with Jenny?

8.Her getting the information about the doctor, making the contact? Amy’s enthusiastic reading about treatment for the blind? Her acting on it without consulting Virgil? The going to New York, the risks, urging him to accept? The effect on Virgil, his unwillingness, his agreement? The experience of sight? Fear?

9.Virgil, his playing hockey on the ice, massaging his clients, not telling them that he was blind? His reaction to Amy and her suggestions? His not being asked? His having to cope with Jenny and her hostility towards Amy?

10.The meetings with Phil, Phil and his ability to help or not? A genial person? His affirming Virgil? The doctor, the introductions, the build-up to the operation?

11.The visuals of Virgil’s experience of seeing, gradual, his having to learn what he knew as a blind person, but could not recognise in reality? The mistakes?

12.Amy, her love and patience, her exasperation? The party, the clash between herself and Virgil, Atlantic City? Duncan and his influence? Her going away, her being hurt?

13.The experience of blindness, Virgil’s decisions and what courage it took, Jenny and her support or not?

14.The absence of Virgil’s father, not talking with him, his decision to make contact? The meeting between Virgil and his father, their discussions? How much dependent on Virgil’s seeing? The finale – and going away?

15.The doctor, his treatment, the warnings about the temporary nature of the sight? Virgil and his lectures, the doctors listening? The final lecture, the reality of his going blind again?

16.Virgil returning home, the blindness coming on him again? His experience with Jenny, her continued support, the joy of his having seen her in reality?

17.The final blindness, his having to cope? Amy and her return, her apology, the learning experience for each of them? The epilogue about their marriage, Virgil not regaining his sight?

18.The themes of impairment, coping, dependence, the possibilities of change, respect for the other person’s decision?

DRIFTING CLOUDS

Finland, 1996, 96 minutes, Colour.
Kati Outinen, Kari Vaananen.
Directed by Aki Kaurismaki.

Drifting Clouds is the first film in what became a trilogy for the most celebrated of Finnish film-makers, Aki Kaurismaki.

Kaurismaki is an eccentric film-maker. During the 80s and 90s he pictured the eccentricities of Finnish life – especially with his band and strangely coiffed The Leningrad Cowboys. Leningrad Cowboys Go America was a popular success. He also made small-budget stories about Finland, especially his city of Helsinki, La Vie de Boheme.

There is a deeper humanity in Drifting Clouds. He focuses on a couple who live in Helsinki and who lose their jobs. The atmosphere of recession is depressing. The couple find it very hard to find new jobs. Yet, their personalities, their optimism and their love for each other help them to overcome difficulties. These themes were taken up in his more ambitious 2002 film, The Man Without a Past which won the Jury Prize at the Cannes film festival that year as well as the Ecumenical Prize. (Drifting Clouds had won a commendation from the Ecumenical Jury at Cannes in 1996). The third film in the trilogy is also a film of compassion, a focus on a rather more simple man who is used pitilessly by criminals to cover up a crime and who suffers imprisonment as a consequence.

1.A film by Kaurismaki? His world reputation? Bringing Finnish life to the screen? His eccentric portraits of focused life in Finland.

2.The 1990s in Finland, recession, unemployment? The consequences for ordinary people?

3.The Helsinki locations, the Dubrovnik, the house, the dump, the streets? The range of the musical score?

4.The characters, strong, credible? Audiences identifying with them?

5.At the Dubrovnik, the style, the clientele, the cook, the drinking, the details of life there?

6.Ilona and Lauri, their work, the owner of the Dubrovnik, putting it up for sale? Ilona leaving? The hardships for the couple?

7.Social benefits, the queues, the many applicants for the jobs, their having to get by, caring for each other, the dump fraud, the bashing?

8.Lauri, the job, the flowers? No benefits, his being bashed, staying away?

9.Ilona, her meeting the cook, the porter, the ham and the wife?

10.The plan, the loan, the wife, selling the car, gambling?

11.The realism of their situation, the opportunities, their stances of hope, not wanting to become victims?

12.The customers, the drifting clouds?

13.The style of the film, realism, wry dialogue? The blend of seriousness and humour? The particularly European tone? Universal?

DANCE ME TO MY SONG

Australia, 1998, 101 minutes, Colour.
Heather Rose, John Brompton, Joey Kennedy, Danny Cowells, Catherine Fitzgerald, Rena Owen.
Directed by Rolf de Heer.

Dance Me to My Song is hard going and is, at times, quite confronting. Heather Rose, who has cerebral palsy, appeared in De Heer's Bad Boy Bubby . She then decided to write a screenplay herself, about a woman with palsy trying to manage living at home but having to cope with a temperamental carer (Joey Kennedy). By chance she befriends a stranger (John Brumpton) who encourages her independence and love. Heather Rose reveals herself to the audience, bares body and soul, so that we are invited to share a life that is hard, depends so much on others and frequently lacks dignity. This is a courageous film.

1.The title, with reference to Julia and her situation? Dance, music?

2.The contribution of Heather Rose, her writing, acting? Her ability to communicate through a voice-box?

3.Heather Rose’s cerebral palsy? Cerebral palsy in itself, its effect on the body, communication, dependence, some helplessness? The continual need to be cared for? The cerebral palsy person alone, misunderstood? Mocked, people projecting their feelings onto the sufferer? The cerebral palsy person’s anger? Being talked about? The effect on self-image, pride? A cerebral palsy adult, emotional development, intellectual development, drives? The film as a realistic portrait, written and acted by a person with cerebral palsy?

4.The authentic settings, the houses in the suburbs, the streets? Interiors and exteriors? The musical score?

5.The parallels between Julia and Madeleine? Madeleine in herself, Julia in herself? Waking for the day, ease and lack of ease, beauty and lack of beauty, eating, toilet, communication? Use and abuse? Cruelty and jealousy? Sexual drives and experience? The end?

6.Julia’s character, her day, Julia waking, the consciousness of her body, ability and inability to move, toilet facilities, the machine, food, the days passing? Her dependence on the machine? Her being literate? Lonely, the long nights? Rix and Dogface? Madeleine and Trevor? The encounters? Madeleine and the cruelty? Eddie, the water, the toilet, phoning, calling, the flowers – and the meetings with Madeleine? Julia and her talk with Eddie, the calls, ice cream, the answering machine and the dancing? Madeleine’s call, the bath, alone, drinking? Sex and Madeleine? The fire, Madeleine’s attack? The help of Rix? Eddie’s intervention? The possibilities for her life, for her character?

7.The contrast with Madeleine, as the official carer, waking, harshness, self-absorbed, cruel, her work, punishing Julia, the use of the machine, talking her down? Changes of moods? Trev? Eddie and the flowers? The call, the bath, being ousted? Johnny and the sex? Her being fired, the attack, the car and the break-in?

8.Eddie, his personality, coming from the street, his reaction to Julia, ordinary reaction? The water? Helping with the machine, the toilet? His visits? His fixing the phone? Talking, the phone calls? The flowers, dancing with Julia, the sexual encounter? His return?

9.Rix and Dogface, their friendship, characters in themselves, their relationship, drinking, support, the picnic, and the poachers?

10.Trev and Johnny, their interactions with Julia?

11.The world of carers, training, personalities, temporary and permanent? The kind temp?

12.The ice cream sequences?

13.Care, its limits, the temptation to cruelty? The carers having to learn from those they care for?

14.A film of humanity, love and communication?

DEAD SILENT

US/Canada, 1999, 95 minutes, Colour.
Rob Lowe, Catherine Mary Stewart, Arlen Aguayo- Stewart.
Directed by Roger Cardinal.

Dead Silent is an entertaining thriller. Its complex plot involves a little girl witnessing the death of her parents after a happy birthday party. However, it emerges that the parents were involved in stealing information technology hardware and had fallen out with their partners.

The care for the little girl, Arlen Aguayo -Stewart, devolves on her aunt, Catherine Mary Stewart, who is in the final days of studying for her doctor’s exams. They are helped by someone who moves into the next apartment, the charming Rob Lowe.

With all the complications it emerges that Lowe is an investigator, Catherine Mary Steward decides not to adopt out her niece and to try for her exams later, the child psychiatrist tending the girl turns out to be one of the accomplices, there are shoot-outs, explosions and final violent confrontations before the happy ending.

1.An interesting and entertaining telemovie thriller? Mystery? Background of information technology? Mistaken identities?

2.The city settings, homes, apartments, police precincts, psychologists’ offices? The streets? Authentic? Musical score?

3.The opening: the parents, the birthday party for Amanda, the celebration, the gift of the bear? The looks between the parents? The night, the prowler, the parents being shot, Amanda witnessing the killings, hiding, her being spared? Her remaining silent?

4.Dealing with Amanda, Julia and her being busy, not used to children, alienated from her sister? Her taking her to the adoption agency, the prospect of adoption, the couple and the interview? Her taking her to the police, her interrogations? Her taking her to the child psychologist, his methods, drawings, helping Amanda to speak? Amanda and her being at home with Julia, yet her tensions, spilling juice on the exam notes etc? The friendship with Kevin, the kindly neighbour, playing with him? Her realisation that the psychologist was a criminal because of his shoes and the red paint? Her finally speaking and warning Julia and Kevin? The rescue? A future?

5.Julia, doctor, hardworking, studies? The news of her sister’s death, having to deal with Amanda? Her not feeling skilled? The adoption, the police, the child psychiatrist? The encounters with Kevin, the attraction, confiding in him, her suspicions, the photos, wanting him to play the violin in the restaurant and his doing so, the truth about his being an investigator, her anger, the gun, hitting him? Her going to the police, to the psychologist, the set-up, the previous car explosion and her fears? The fight with the criminals? Kevin’s rescue?

6.The criminals, falling out with the parents, wanting the information? The irony of the coin in the bear? Julia and her not taking Amanda to the Planetarium, Amanda’s reaction, Julia’s change of heart, the penny not working – and Kevin realising that this was the key for the information?

7.The police, sympathy, investigations?

8.The psychiatrist, his working with Amanda, the revelation of the truth? The shootings? The other criminals, the confrontation, stalking Julia, in the toilet, the threats? The phone calls?

9.Kevin, charm, moving in next-door, helping out, babysitting, playing with Amanda? His anger at her discovery of the gun? Playing the violin and it being the truth? The encounter with Julia? The aftermath, her taking his gun, his coming to the rescue?

10.Typical mystery, murder thriller with happy romance and resolution?

DEADLY ECHO

US, 1997, 90 minutes, Colour.
Jack Wagner, Alexandra Paul, Kevin Blatch, Laurie Holden.
Directed by Charles Correll.

Deadly Echo is a standard telemovie. It is the old story of identical twins and their confrontation with each other. After their parents’ death, they are separated and one grows up having a comfortable and decent life, the other is mentally disturbed, the disturbed brother decides to take over the life of the other. Predictable consequences ensue.

The film is small-budget, the cast generally unknown although the writer, Peter Steinfeld went on to write interesting films like Analyze That, Be Cool.

1.Television thriller? Expected conventions?

2.The familiarity of the separated twins story? The good twin and the evil twin?

3.The familiar settings, Canadian background? Musical score?

4.The prologue, the academic aspects and the consequences about twins?

5.The uncle and aunt, their concern about the twins? Guardians?

6.Max, work, the deals, relationship with Olivia, the family, friends, Scarlet?

7.Stephen, the evil twin, the confrontation, imprisoning his brother, taking over, truth and lies?

8.Stephen and his work, the relationship with Olivia, sexual relationship, the mistakes, work, confronting max?

9.The deal, and blackmail?

10.Scarlet, her role, with each of the brothers, her death? The death of the aunt?

11.The friends, the psychologist? The final confrontation and resolution?

DEADLY ADVICE

UK, 1993, 91 minutes, Colour.
Jane Horrocks, Brenda Fricker, Imelda Staunton, Jonathan Pryce, Edward Woodward, Billie Whitelaw, Hywel Bennett, Jonathan Hyde, John Mills, Eleanor Bron.
Directed by Mandie Fletcher.

Deadly Advice is a strongly tongue-in-cheek black comedy. English style.

The film focuses on a mother, Brenda Fricker, excellent as usual and dominating, with two daughters, the mousy Jane Horrocks and the strong Imelda Staunton. Their mother so controls their lives that they see no future for themselves even though one is attracted to the older local doctor and the other to a stripper.

The irony of the film is in discovering that the founder of the town actually established the town by murdering his wife. This gives the sisters ideas.

There are some fantasy sequences with Hywel Bennett appearing as Dr Crippen and, of all people, John Mills as Jack the Ripper.

There is a very strong supporting cast with Jonathan Pryce and Edward Woodward and Billie Whitelaw.

Direction is by Mandie Fletcher who had experience in television, especially directing Blackadder and Only Fools and Horses.

1.An entertaining film noir, British-style?

2.The Welsh locations, the credits, the picture of the picturesque town, a nice United Kingdom village, a nice way of life? The musical score?

3.The title – and the ironic touches?

4.How well did the film treat themes of madness and fantasy? Jodie and her imagination? Her memories? The father and the wax, his death?

5.The quality of the strong British cast?

6.Iris, her walking through the town, her relationship with Jodie, with Beth? At home, punctuality, rules, eating, coping with Jodie’s moods, anti the father? Her dominating character, humiliating Jodie in the bar? Her death?

7.Jodie and Beth, types, age, experience, dominated, at home? The cross-cutting between their lives at home and outside? The hen singing, the dress, the stripper and Beth’s attraction, the Bunny?

8.Jodie and the book, Major Armstrong and his advice, the others, the discussions, going into action, with Beth, the chest, the car, the water, the body sinking?

9.Jodie and Beth, their coping, Bunny and her presence, tension, the police? The church and the minister? Doctor Ted? The lies?

10.The variety of characters, Major Armstrong, Kate Webster, Doctor Crippen, Jack the Ripper, Doctor Ted – their all giving advice? Information?

11.Bunny and Beth, the cat, the crash?

12.Bunny, the sex, the scissors, caught?

13.Ted, his place in the village, with Jodie, the framing of the others, the court and the truth? Room service?

14.The blending of this film noir with the typical British village comedy style? With Bristol? A new world? Ted and his world, Bunny and his world?

15.An enjoyable black and satiric fantasy comedy?

DRUGSTORE COWBOY

US, 1989, 100 minutes, Colour.
Matt Dillon, Kelly Lynch, James le Gros, Heather Graham, Max Perlich, James Remar, Grace Zabriskie, Beah Richards, William S. Burroughs.
Directed by Gus Van Sant.

Drugstore Cowboy was Gus Van Sant’s second film. It was nominated for a number of awards and won many of them in the United States as well as in Berlin, many of them Critics’ Circle awards. Gus Van Sant then began a mainstream career with My Own Private Idaho. He made such interesting films as To Die For as well as the popular Goodwill Hunting and Finding Forester. He also did the exact remake of Psycho. He later reverted to a more minimalist approach in such films as Elephant (winner of the Cannes Golden Palm), Gerry and Last Days.

The film focuses on two couples who are drug addicts in Portland, Oregon. They are a bit like a latter-day Bonnie and Clyde as they go around the various drugstores robbing them to feed their habits. The film is strong in delineating its characters, especially Matt Dillon and Kelly Lynch as the central couple. James le Gros had a long career and Heather Graham became a star during the late 1990s (From Hell, The Guru). Regular character actors James Remar and Grace Zabriskie are in support and there is a guest cameo by author William S. Burroughs, addict and author of The Naked Lunch. He also worked on the screenplay, uncredited.

The film is a picture of the changing drug patterns of life in the United States. After the 1960s, with greater permissiveness and availability of drugs, the number of addicts multiplied. While in the retrospect of the 21st century, this might not seem an unusual situation, in the 1970s and 1980s it served as a mirror of what was happening in society – and a moral fable without drawing any explicit judgments.

1.A portrait of the American drug subculture, the background of the 1960s and the greater availability of drugs, the 1970s and the big number of addicts? The 1970s, the picture of the past, still relevant.

2.A small-budget and independent project? The work of Gus Van Sant (and his later career)? Imaginative treatment of a grim subject? Non-conventional?

3.The Oregon locations, Portland, the city, apartments, institutions, the road, the shops and the stores? The musical score and the period?

4.Bob and his voice-over, the ambulance, the tone, the memory? Drugs, the group, the robberies, Bob and his leadership, his philosophy of life, shared by the others, amoral?

5.Matt Dillon as Bob, acclaim for his performance, his personality, type? The background, his having been an altar boy, family, Diane, love for her, their independence? Their relationship, the public aspects of the relationship, their interactions? The robberies and their techniques? Getting high, the allotted drugs, looking at the stores, seeing what was available? The young dealer and hostility? Activities? Bob’s mother, his bravado? The police, the ladder? The television, death and the reaction, the burial of the body? Changing of moods, drying out – the possibility of cold turkey, counselling, safety? The treatment, free, the types undergoing the treatment? The counsellor and talk? The priest and talk? The gift? Getting out, trying to work, meeting Diane? The robberies, the shooting? Bob’s dreams and imagination? Portrait of an addict? A rounded portrait?

6.Diane, her friendship, a cool character, love, sexuality? The effect of the drugs? Home, jobs, technique? Disappointment? Her sharing the drugs with Bob? The death, the body, trying to dispose of it? Leaving and returning?

7.The boy, the sharing, friendly, the plans, the girl, love, dividing things, death? The change and leadership?

8.The punk character, the deal, not being liked, brutal, the fight and the shooting?

9.The priest and the ironies? Advice?

10.The work of the police, tracking the groups, enmity, the ladder, catching them, opportunities?

11.The mother, her care for her son, interactions, the money?

12.The authorities, the hospital, the drug counsellor?

13.Rick and Nadine, paralleling Bob and Diane? Participation in the robberies? Their own addictions, characters?

14.David, gentry, the other characters in the background? Drugs, dealing?

15.The drugstore managers, the motel managers, the neighbours? Filling out a gallery of characters to make the central characters even more authentic?

16.A memoir of the times, the perspective of the addicts, asking for audience understanding? Sympathy? Offering insight?

SUSAN’S PLAN

US, 1998, 89 minutes, Colour.
Nastassja Kinski, Billy Zane, Michael Biehn, Rob Schneider, Lara Flynn Boyle, Thomas Haden Church, Bill Duke, Lisa Edelstein, Adrian Paul, Sheree North, Dan Aykroyd, Joey Travolta.
Directed by John Landis.

Susan’s Plan received quite dismissive reviews. However, it has a very strong cast indeed who do their best with the corner and at times farcical material.

Susan’s plan is simply to utilise an insurance investigator and a number of her friends and associates in killing her husband for the insurance money. The plan goes awry on several occasions and the husband survives until the end of the film. However, just to tantalise the audience, the screenplay includes quite a number of dreams in which the plan goes even further awry. There are some touches of humour here.

The film was written and directed by John Landis who achieved some kind of cult status with his films in the 1970s especially Animal House and The Blues Brothers as well as An American Werewolf in London. He was successful during the 1980s with such films as Trading Places, Into the Night, Three Amigos and Coming to America. However, on looking at his films of the 1990s, one can see that Susan’s Plan is not an exception to poor films. In the 90s his films include Innocent Blood, Beverly Hills Cop 3, The Stupids and Blues Brothers 2000. In the next decade he did very little except some work for television.

However, Landis did have a good reputation for popular and satirical comedy and draws upon this talent here. It is a pity that the film is not more successful.

The cast is very strong and quite eclectic. The person who comes out best in performance is Lara Flynn Boyle with a quite witty interpretation of Susan’s friend with a touch of the callgirl. Billy Zane plays inept rather well, Michael Biehn plays gangster without conscience but with a hearty appetite, Rob Schneider does his usual shtick in a quite different film, Thomas Haden Church is the star-struck doctor, Nastassja Kinski always brings a good presence to a film – and this was the last film for veteran Sheree North.

1.Successful comedy? Or not? Critics’ hostility? The film receiving little release?

2.The Los Angeles settings, homes, hospitals, restaurants? Authentic atmosphere – with the touch of farce?

3.The strong cast, their contribution? Star turns?

4.The writing, the farcical nature of the story, the characters, the interactions? Conscience and lack of conscience? Suggestions of violence?

5.The farcical aspects of the screenplay, the plan, its execution, things going wrong? The insertion of the various nightmares – how effective?

6.Susan, the romantic beginning, audiences misinterpreting it, the signal for the murder plan to go ahead? Susan and her resentment of Paul? Wanting him killed? Collaboration with Sam and the insurance plan? Getting Bill and Steve to do the shooting – and it being inept? The investigations by Detective Scott? The gradual revelation of all the others in on the plan and their relationship with Susan? Betty as Susan’s friend? Her getting Bob to be stand-in for the murder?

7.Detective Scott, the questions, his investigation, having the house under surveillance, catching the criminals?

8.Sam, his relationship with Susan, his indecisiveness, his going to work, Penny as his ex-wife, wanting the alimony, guessing what he was up to, wanting to be part of it? The irony of her father having a heart attack, their going to the hospital, the same hospital with Paul? The various farcical aspects in the hospital, Bob and the murder, the various people in the room? Rushing into Penny’s father’s room? The comeuppance for Sam and Penny?

9.Bill and Steve, Steve and his trying to sell cars, his being fired, Bill getting him the new job? Their relationship with Sam? The diner and the discussion about the plan, the guns? Bill and his supreme confidence, lack of conscience? Steve and no conscience, being seduced by Betty? Their holding up Paul, taking the briefcase, the shooting? His not dying? The aftermath, the concern, the meeting and the eating? At the hospital? The farcical adventures in the hospital?

10.Betty, her seeming innocence, her setting up Paul, the promise of one hundred thousand dollars, her relationship with Steve, saying she knew he loved her? Her previous relationship with Bob? His jealousy? Her being ordered to chat up the doctor, her manner, Chris falling for her, going out, the sex, her putting pressure on him about the room? The irony of her getting out quickly? Going to Las Vegas – and the irony of Chris and his wife meeting her there?

11.Harold Byers, his heart attack, in the hospital, Mrs Byers – and her being killed in the nightmares?

12.Bob, Dan Aykroyd and his comic style, the humourless Bob, in the bar, drinking, getting rid of the neighbour? Going to the hospital, the murder? The shoot-out in the street?

13.Paul, sleazy, relationship with Susan, with Betty? In the hospital, chatting people up? The different Paul in Betty’s nightmares? His eventually being killed?

14.The gallery of minor characters, at the hospital, at work?

15.The potential for this kind of comedy, black comedy? Not fulfilling its potential?

REAR WINDOW

US, 1998, 89 minutes, Colour.
Christopher Reeve, Daryl Hannah, Robert Forster, Reuben Santiago- Hudson, Ritchie Coster, Alison Mackie.
Directed by Jeff Bleckner.

Rear Window attempts what seems to be the impossible, a remake and updating of Hitchcock’s Rear Window. The original Rear Window is a classic, with a strong central performance by James Stewart, the glamour of Grace Kelly, the humour of Thelma Ritter, the sinister murderer in Raymond Burr, Wendell Corey as the detective.

The film capitalised on the central character being curious, being laid up and watching the people out from his window and discovering the murder, investigating, running risks. It is vintage Hitchcock and remains a popular classic.

This film is based on the original story by Cornell Woolridge who wrote many stories, the bases for popular Hollywood thrillers. However, it stars Christopher Reeve in the central role. In fact, part of the fascination of the film is watching Reeve act after his becoming a quadriplegic. The screenplay incorporates the reality of his experience in the character, much of the detail of how he exists, manages, his attitudes, people’s treatment of him all reflect the reality of Reeve’s experience. He also acted as executive producer of the film.

Reeve had a strong screen presence (though not a strong screen voice, especially in his state). However, he manages as an architect confined to his room after a car accident and becoming involved in the murder that he sees through his rear window. Daryl Hannah is a good screen presence but lacks the gravitas and glamour of Grace Kelly. She is much more the 1990s professional and practical businesswoman. Robert Forster appears in the role of the detective. Ritchie Coster is the sinister artist who is the murderer.

For those who have not seen the original film, this could well be an entertaining and satisfying thriller. However, the remakes of classics always run a risk of odious comparisons – and in 1999, Gus van Sant released a scene-by-scene remake of Psycho (in which Robert Forster also appeared).

1.The popularity of the original Rear Window? Hitchcock, James Stewart, Grace Kelly? The theme, the treatment?

2.The risk in remaking a classic? Updating it? How well did this film stand in comparison with the original?

3.The title, the focus on the apartment, the window, the windows visible outside, the range of characters, their lives?

4.The references to being a peeping tom? Getting the surveillance equipment? The law? The appropriateness of what Jason was doing? Claudia’s joining him? The reaction of the detective? Antonio installing the equipment? Moral and ethical issues?

5.The opening accident, the woman talking on the phone in the car, the crash, her death? Jason and his being hospitalised? Giving a reasonable situation for Jason’s condition? His concern about his responsibility for the woman’s death? The audience knowing that he was not? Charlie Moore and the later news that he was not in any way responsible?

6.Jason, the treatment by the doctor, the nurses? His friendship with Antonio, Antonio looking after him? His nurse? Set up in the apartment, the chair, the mechanism in his mouth for movement? Voice-activated machinery? His ability to cope? The film highlighting his isolation? Much of the helplessness in practical things? His looking out the window, seeing the people becoming involved?

7.His business practice, his partners, their decisions, having to work with Claudia? Her talent? His friendship with her, her collaboration, genial, helping him, able to admit her embarrassment? Their working together, the success, the dedication of the building – her cutting the ribbon, the bond between the two?

8.Charlie Moore, the detective, seeing Jason in hospital, coming to the party, his being called in for the investigation, his seriousness, his thinking the situation was farfetched, the lack of evidence? His collaboration, pursuing the theme? Interviewing Thorpe? The resolution – and his arrival, just in time?

9.The characters across the way, their lives? The prurient touch? Julian Thorpe, the artist, his fights with Ilene? Brutality? Her behaviour, grief? Arguments, the television? Her disappearance? Jason’s suspicions? Checking out where she was, at her sister’s? The new woman with Thorpe, the irony that she was Ilene’s sister? Jason and his sending the emails, Thorpe and his discovering the truth, threatening Jason, the battle of wits, changing the password, voice-activated lift, security shutting, trapping Thorpe? Thorpe and his brutality towards Alison?

10.Claudia, her work, friendship with Jason, interest in the investigation, the theories, going over to interview Thorpe about his artwork, leaving a trace? The aftermath and the work of art in the foyer, the red herring in the body not being there?

11.Thorpe, character, brutal, the artist, the murder of his girlfriend, his relationship with her sister, the threats to Jason, his being trapped? The sister and her being held for impersonation?

12.Antonio, friendship, support, help in the difficulties?

13.The build-up to the climax, the confrontation with Jason? The aftermath, the theories? The film being open-ended – and the suggestion of where the body was?

14.An entertaining dramatic thriller in itself – and as a remake?