SUPERMAN RETURNS

US, 2006, 154 minutes, Colour.
Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Spacey, Frank Langella, Sam Huntington, Eva Marie Saint, James Marsden, Kal Penn, Parker Posey.
Directed by Bryan Singer.

For many of us, when we think of Superman on the screen, we remember the late Christopher Reeve. But it is 28 years since he appeared in Superman: the Movie and 18 years since he starred in Superman IV. The powers that be have decided that it is his time again (just as last year we saw Batman Begins). The X Men have been with us three times in six years and next year we expect another visit from Spiderman.

There’s an old Tina Turner song which proclaims ‘we don’t need another hero…’. It looks as though she is wrong. In fact, early in this film, we see that in Superman’s five year absence from Metropolis (when he went in search of his roots and visited the collapsed planet, Krypton), Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth) won a Pulitzer prize for an article. The title: ‘The world does not need a saviour’. She soon finds out that she too was wrong.

It is interesting for Christians to note how often the word ‘saviour’ is mentioned in this film. After all, it was one of the big features of the first film with Christopher Reeve. It was Mario Puzo, the author of The Godfather, who wrote the screenplay for the first 40 minutes or more (before it became a big visual comic strip). Puzo drew on his knowledge of the New Testament, the Gospel of John and a number of theological ideas about the person of Jesus. He put into the mouth of Jor-El?, Superman’s father, echoes of the Gospel where the father and the son are seen as one. These words, again spoken by Marlon Brando, are used several times in the new film.

Clearly, Superman is being presented as in the pattern of the Gospel Jesus. He comes down to earth, lives a hidden life at home (and here Eva Marie Saint appears as his mother) until it was time for him to go out and achieve his mission: to save people, and to save them from themselves.

In Superman Returns he combats the evil-figure, Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey at his most nasty) who is a Lucifer, trying to upstage God in creating a new world and being Satanic in his hostility towards Superman and his attempts to destroy him. Superman’s power is emptied out of him, his side is pierced and he seems to die and rise again. It is amazing still how many film-makers, even if they are not Christians or believers, see the Gospel pattern and the Jesus saviour and redeemer story as a metaphor for people’s desire for salvation.

However, when it comes to Superman going into action, he is a Christ-figure in his principles and genial helping of people. But when he goes into action, as in the previous films, he actually seems more like a super guardian angel, watching over people, listening to their anguish, and immediately saving them from peril. He is almost like how many people would want God to be, intervening as soon as there is a natural or human-made threat and getting them out of trouble. A trouble-free life is not at the core of faith and, after all, Superman is a comic-strip fairytale of how we would like the world to be.

Superman/Clark Kent is played by little known actor, Brandon Routh. He is a credible Christopher Reeve look-alike and the actor has obviously been studying Reeve’s style in the films: his reassuring but modest smile, his self-deprecating manner, the intonations of his voice both as Superman and as Clark. He is a satisfying successor. And the producers have happily used John Williams’ familiar theme music from the earlier films whenever there is action – and that is pleasantly reassuring.

A sequel will be welcome.

1.The popularity of the Superman comic strip over many decades? The comic books? The changing perspectives? Yet Superman remaining the same? Audience knowledge of his origins on Krypton? The films of the 30s and 40s, George Reeves? Christopher Reeve and the 70s? The sequels in the 80s? 2006 and the time for Superman to return? Why?

2.Superman himself, from an alien planet, yet benign, his full knowledge and power, ability to fly, like a guardian angel for humans, the injunctions of his father to care for humans but not change their history? His doing good, a saviour figure? Principles? The conflict between good and evil?

3.The film and the religious and archetypal symbols? The origins in Krypton, Jor-El? like God the Father? The references to St John’s Gospel and the union of father and son? The father sending his son to Earth? Superman’s hidden life as Clark Kent? His foster parents? His public life, confrontation with evil, his enemies, his suffering, passion, his side being pierced? A dying and rising? His promise that he would always be present and around?

4.Clark Kent as a character, meek and mild, the mask for Superman? Who was real? Superman and his manifestations, his genial smile, his courtesy? The contrast with Clark, nice, bumbling, being taken for granted in the background?

5.The history of Superman and his coming to Earth, the film presupposing audience knowledge? Recognition of all the information? The background of Krypton, its collapse, Superman’s mission, this film incorporating the image of Marlon Brando and the words of Jor-El? The crystals? Superman’s power, the threat of Krypton? His return after visiting Krypton? Crashing to earth, Superman and his manner, his relationship with his mother, her coming to the crash site, the bonds at home, her love for him, his memories of his leaping in the cornfields? Her knowing that he had to go on his mission again?

6.Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor, audience knowledge of Luthor, his being in prison, megalomaniac, his getting out on a technicality because Superman could not come as a witness? Kitty as his companion? His information about Krypton, the crystals, wanting to get the crystals to destroy Superman’s power? His own energy, his expertise? His scientists? His yacht, luxury? His books, the Prometheus myth – and Kitty not understanding? The reasons for his having Kitty around, love, support, his ridiculing of her? His causing the blackouts and wanting to see the consequences? His robbing the museum, causing the blackout, using Kitty as a decoy with the crash for Superman to rescue her and not catch him?

7.The flight, Lois as a reporter on the experimental flight, the journalist on the plane, the official and her explanations? Everything on television? Lois and the interviews, the growing danger? The visuals of the plane out of control? Superman saving it? Landing in the baseball stadium? Everybody knowing that Superman was back?

8.Lois and the discussions with Superman, with Clark, her being hurt that Superman did not say goodbye? Her having a son? Her relationship with Richard? Meeting with Superman, on the roof, the interview, flying with him? Her reliance on Clark? At work, Perry and the meeting with all the reporters, Superman being the main story, her being allotted to this, the interview?

9.Lois and the relationship with Richard, Richard as a good man, pilot, nephew of Perry? Perry, the running of the Daily Planet, his ruthlessness? His plans?

10.Audiences familiar with Jimmy Olsen, his work at the paper, reporter, his incessant talking, his welcoming Clark back?

11.Superman’s son, the affinity with his son? The reality of Superman and the relationship with Lois, having a child?

12.Superman and his helping people, the collage of his rescuing and saving people? Kitty and the car out of control, helping her? The consequences for Kitty, her reaction to Luthor tormenting him? Her finally throwing the crystals out?

13.Lois, her going to get her reward, with her son, getting the information, the follow-up, the address for the causing of the blackouts, going to the boat, encounter with Lex Luthor, the interrogation, the boy and his unlocking the door, showing Superman powers? Luthor and his new land, created from the sea, wanting to sell real estate and get his cut? Superman to the rescue, Luthor and the crystals, confronting Superman, his loss of power, falling over the cliff, in the water, Lois and her going to rescue him? Richard and the helicopter, the flight, saving Superman?

14.Superman in hospital, Lois’s visit, his leaving the hospital?

15.Lex and Kitty, the escape, her throwing away the crystals, landing on the desert island – and his anger with the coconuts?

16.Lois and Superman, the farewell, his promise always to be around?

17.A satisfying 21st century representation of Superman as a person, the persona of Clark Kent, the world’s need for a saviour, Superman acting like God in one sense, a guardian angel in another, fighting the Lucifer-satanic Lex Luthor?

 

 

 

 

11:14

US, 2003, 85 minutes, Colour.
Richard Thomas, Patrick Swayze, Barbara Hershey, Rachel Leigh Cook, Colin Hanks, Ben Foster, Stark Sands, Shawn Hatosey, Hilary Swank.
Directed by Greg Marckx.

This is a fine little film, little in the sense that it runs for only 80 minutes and that it confines itself to about 30 minutes of real time, confines itself to a small group of characters in a country town. But, it is worth seeing.

The screenplay is something of a jigsaw. We see various pieces which, only at the end, make a unified picture. It begins with a drunken driver flirting on his phone, hitting a deer which turns out to be a dead man. A passer-by offers to help and call the police. The police, who have some people in custody in the car, arrive and pursue the driver. He is confronted by the passer-by who has just heard that her daughter has been run over and assumes that he is the killer.

There are several more characters involved in this hit-run which is not what it looks like: the dead girl and her boyfriend, her father, a store assistant and her friend and a group of drinking yobbos in a van.

The crunch time is 11:14 and we are taken back continually to just before 11.00 pm and what each of the characters is doing and why they should all ultimately be connected.

The screenplay is by first-time director Greg Marcks who weaves an intricate story with some intelligence and astuteness. And he has a name cast: Henry Thomas is the driver, Barbara Hershey and Patrick Swayze are the parents of the dead girl, Rachel Leigh Cook. Hilary Swank is the store assistant and Shawn Hatosey her friend. Colin Hanks leads the group in the van.

A satisfying brief film that achieves what it set out to do – anticipating the Oscar-winning Crash.

1.The impact of the film? Its brevity? Precise?

2.The various stories? The interconnections? The time period of twenty minutes?

3.The structure of the film: the various stories, the links, the final story and bringing the interconnections to complete fulfilment?

4.Audience response, interest, puzzle, making the connections, finally satisfied?

5.The night photography, the focused place, the town, the streets, the cemetery, the homes? The underpass? The musical score?

6.The driver, drunk, talking on his mobile phone, the accident, the warning about deer? The underpass? The discovery that it was a body? His panic, hiding from the passing car? Putting the body in the boot? The police officer? The interactions, his test for sobriety, the alphabet backwards? The officer and his seeing the blood on the car? His thinking it was the deer? The driver and his excuses? Running away, the pursuit? Encountering Cherie’s mother? Her helping? Offering to get the police? Her finding him later, blaming him for her daughter’s death? The final irony at the end, audience then understanding that he was on the phone with Cherie, the plan to get the money, to run away together?

7.The mother’s story, driving, seeing the accident, offering to help? Arriving home, her relationship with Frank, talking about the day? The information about her daughter’s death, hurrying back, confronting the driver? Audience linking her with Cherie and her wilfulness and being spoilt?

8.Frank, at home, his relationship with his daughter, watching the television, urging some discipline on her? Their clash, her going out? His antagonism towards Aaron and Aaron arriving? His reaction to her coming back so soon, going out, finding Aaron’s body? Deciding to hide it, putting it on the road, to be a hit-run? His later encounter with the three in the truck?

9.The three in the truck, drinking, picking up the other passenger? Their throwing stuff out the window – and later seeing it hitting Frank’s car? The pissing out the car? The driver and his reactions? Their arguing? Having seen them go to the store, getting the doughnuts and the drink? The crash into Cherie, the accident with his penis? Their arguing between themselves about blame? The officer encountering them, the police car with Duffy and the clerk in it already?

10.Duffy, his story, relationship with Cherie, her being pregnant, wanting money for the abortion, putting pressure on his friend at the store, her wanting to keep her job, her resistance? The decision to take the money, her getting some help with the money? Cherie’s arrival, Duffy with his gun, the girl acting out with it, accidentally going off? The police coming? Duffy and his panic, his getting into the car, finding Cherie by the roadside, saying her car had broken down? Her being hit? His grief?

11.Cherie and her story, wilfulness, her relationship with Duffy, later discovering that she had pretended she was pregnant to get money from him? Aaron and the encounter with him in the cemetery, wanting to get money from him as well? The sex, the gravestone and its killing Aaron? Her leaving her car keys, running away, interaction with her father, taking his car? Her plan to blame Duffy, going to the store, talking with him, the shot? Her phoning the police? Her getting the bowl out of his car to blame him for Aaron’s death? Her car breaking down, her following Duffy, crossing the road with her mobile phone, her being killed? The irony that she had been talking to the initial driver?

12.A pessimistic view of human nature? People to blame, responsibility?

13.An interesting jigsaw puzzle of a film, characterisations, themes, interconnections?

MON ANGE (MY ANGEL)

France/Netherlands, 2004, 95 minutes, Colour.
Vanessa Paradis, Vincent Rottiers, Eduardo Noriega, Eric Ruf.
Directed by Serge Frydman.

Mon Ange, as the title suggests, is something of a mystical piece, a contemporary fable and fairy tale.

The setting is Holland, Amsterdam. A prostitute tries to help out a fellow worker and finds herself taking care of the woman’s son. He becomes dependent on her, she does her best to try to find someone to look after him. The film is a small road film, with two unlikely companions.

The basic story of Mon Ange was used in John Cassavetes’ film Gloria with Gena Rowlands befriending a little boy and trying to protect him from the Mafia. It was remade in the 1990s with Sharon Stone.

French singer Vanessa Paradis portrays a lonely prostitute who is asked by a fellow worker to take care of a little boy. She is wanting to reunite with her boyfriend and also to have a child. They go on an odyssey which leads them to the boyfriend – who has moved in with someone else.

The focus of the story is on the character of the boy as well as of the prostitute. There is a strong emotional feel about the whole film which makes it far more sympathetic than one might initially expect. Vincent Rottiers is very good as the boy. Spanish star Eduardo Noriega has a cameo role as Vanessa Paradis’ boyfriend.

The film is very gentle in its tone, emphasising human relationships and character rather than anything sensationalist. It is a strong portrait of a different kind of friendship. This is the first film to be directed by writer Serge Frydman.

1.A pleasing fable? A road film? A film about relationships?

2.The French/ Belgium/ Netherlands settings? The city, the prostitute shops? The railway stations? The open road, the seaside? Realistic sequences? Dream sequences? The musical score, the Elvis Presley songs? Tom Waite song? The musical score?

3.The title – and the reference to Collette as Billy’s angel, Billy as Collette’s angel?

4.The credits, the focus on Collette in the window? The potential clients? Her surly attitude? The audience not knowing her back-story? The phone call, Peggy and the request, her not wanting to follow through, Peggy’s insistence – and her being visualised ringing from jail? Her getting out, wanting Collette to find her son, bring him to the station? Collette and her reaction? With the clients? Getting the client to drive to the orphanage?

5.The orphanage, its severity, Collette and her unwillingness, the client in the car, prepared to take Billy to the station? Signing all the forms? The severe teachers? Finding Billy, the plaintive looks of the other children looking on? His initial reaction to her?

6.At the station, searching for Peggy? The audience already having seen Kovarski and his accosting Peggy, the brutality, learning that she was in hospital? Billy waiting at the station? His memories of his mother, the smaller clothes that she had brought? His waiting? Seeing Collette on the phone? Collette trying to leave him with the ticket seller?

7.Collette, her growing feelings that she would be looking after Billy, yet her determination to be away, her wanting to prove that she was pregnant for Romain? The information to go to the hospital? Peggy being dead? Her reaction? Her asking about a certificate for pregnancy? Billy and his watching his mother?

8.The encounter with Kovarski, his finding them in the hospital, her running away, leaving everything behind, escaping in the bus? Billy and his going in the bus? Kovarski and his frustration? Wanting the key – Peggy and the information about all the money she had earned and had kept for her son?

9.The developing character of Collette? Her age, experience, decision to be a prostitute, her clients? Her care for Billy? Her getting in the car after leaving him in the rain, returning? Going to the hotel, the room? The long sequences of their talking together? Billy and his question that if they went to sleep at the same time they would have the same dream?

10.Collette and her determination to take Billy back to the orphanage? Her dreaming and imagining it? The decision to go to the coast? Meeting Romain? Watching him, her rehearsed speech? Seeing that he had a wife and child? Her going to sit by the water?

11.The portrait of Billy, his age, his experience, his gentle manner? Travelling with Collette, wanting her to look after him, seeing her in the room, her looking for clients to pay the money? His going with her to the station, to the hospital, the death of his mother? Being on the tram, left in the rain? The hotel, the dreams? The dreams of intimacy with Collette? Going to the house, seeing Romain? Romain telling him to take care of Collette because she was sensitive?

12.Their sitting on the pier, the imagination, the dreams, their being together? Collette and her caring for Billy? Billy and his caring for Collette? Their future together?

13.The tender tone, the delineation of the characters? The picture of the relationship, the mutual dependence and guardian angelship of each other?

IN THE DEEP WOODS

US, 1992, 95 minutes, Colour.
Rosanna Arquette, Anthony Perkins, Will Patton, D.W. Moffett, Christopher Rydell, Kimberley Beck.
Directed by Charles Correll.

In the Deep Woods is a standard telemovie, a murder mystery with the focus on a serial killer. Rosanna Arquette plays a woman whose friend has been killed – and all the bodies are buried in the deep woods. She becomes suspicious of most people and that includes a policeman played by Will Patton, a detective who make himself known to her and offers to solve the case, played by Anthony Perkins in his final film role, even her boyfriend played by D.W. Moffett and her brother played by Christopher Rydell.

The murder mystery keeps suspense until the end – giving each of the characters an opportunity to show that they could be the credible killers.

The film is standard material – but done expertly by a good cast. An entertaining murder mystery.

1.Audiences enjoying murder mysteries? The puzzle, the clues, the nature of the investigation, the following the steps, the revelation of the killer, understanding the motivation? How well did this apply to In the Deep Woods?

2.The location of the woods, the burial of the bodies? Workplaces, the precincts, the musical score?

3.The title, the focus, the echoes of sinister fairy tales and victims? The use of the title?

4.The focus on the victims, knowing who the killer was, the deaths, the burial in the woods, the screams? The information given about the victims?

5.Miller, Anthony Perkins and his screen presence? Following, watching? How sinister did he seem? The meeting with Joanna? Her fears? The arrest? The encounter with Tommy, resistance? The gift, the return? The revelation? Miller at the end?

6.Joanna, her work, her friends, Tommy and his wife? The encounter with Miller, the market? Her suspicions? Time off? With her family and Tommy? The terror, the phone call? The encounter with Eric, the resistance? Frank? Her relationship with him, growing suspicions? The resolution and leaving? The truth, her going and confessing? The shooting?

7.Eric, his work, personality, as a suspect? And the issues of how Tommy was a possible suspect?

8.Frank, smooth style, his relationship with Joanna? Success in building, moving in, the voice and suspicions?

9.The police, the investigation, Eric and his assisting Miller?

10.Tommy, nice, work, family, the meetings? The accident, suspicions? With Joanna and his motivations? His claim that he could not help doing what he did?

11.A satisfying look at credible characters, crime, suspicions, investigation, revelation? Satisfying entertainment?

NO ESCAPE

US, 1994, 118 minutes, Colour.
Ray Liotta, Lance Henricksen, Stuart Wilson, Kevin Dillon, Kevin J. O’ Connor, Don Henderson, Ian Mac Neice, Jack Shepherd, Michael Lerner, Ernie Hudson, Russell Kiefel, David Argue.
Directed by Martin Campbell.

No Escape was filmed in Australia (with costumes by Mad Max designer, Norma Moriceau). In fact, it is a screenplay derived from the Mad Max stories and ethos.

Like Fortress and other films about futuristic prisons, this one is set in the near but distant future, an isolated prison where hardened criminals are sent from all around the world. If they cause trouble, the warden (a sadistic Michael Lerner) exiles them to an island called Absolom from which there is no escape. On the island, there are the Outsiders, a brutal group of convicts led by Stuart Wilson. There is also a small group who are trying to build a civilisation, under a hundred of them, called the Insiders, led by Lance Henriksen who is called the Father.

The film focuses on Ray Liotta as a military man who disobeyed orders, killed his commanding officer and has been sentenced to this prison. He is determined to escape, gets through all the obstacles set up by the Outsiders and joins the Insiders, defending them in the various attacks from their enemies. Ultimately, using intelligence and strength, he is able to effect an escape.

The part suits Ray Liotta well, strong and surly. Stuart Wilson decides to ham things up sardonically as a contrast to the very solemn Lance Henriksen. There is a good part for Kevin Dillon as a young criminal who wants to follow Liotta’s example.

The film has quite a number of Australian character actors in small supporting roles.

The film was directed by Martin Campbell, a New Zealander who made a great impact in British television especially with his series Edge of Darkness. He moved to the United States and made a number of action films, including James Bond films, the two Zorro films, Vertical Limit – and directed Casino Royale, the first James Bond film with Daniel Craig.

1.The impact of this kind of film? Macho? Prisons of the future? Savage communities? The drive to escape?

2.The title, the fatalistic approach? The attitude of the warden and his staff? The Outsiders? The Insiders resigned to their fate?

3.The futuristic settings, the prison itself, the monorail to the prison? The facilities? The contrast with Absolom? The mediaeval-style buildings, clothes and ways of coping (with modern weapons)? The community of the Insiders, with technology but building up as in a mediaeval village?

4.Crime in the future, international prisons, hardened criminals? The sadism of those in charge? The technological prison? Satellite information? The isolation of the island?

5.Robbins, his arrival on the island? Ray Liotta’s presence and style? His crime, taciturn? Confrontation with the warden? His entry into the prison, with the inmates, their lifestyle? His friendship with the young man, the discussion, the plight of the cellmate, his fears? The warden forcing him to lash the cellmate? His refusal – holding the warden to ransom with the stun gun? His being overpowered? Sent to Absolom?

6.His landing on Absolom, the Outsiders, Marek and his sardonic attitude? The confrontations, Robbins defeating the big guard in the fight, in the water? The discussions – and the veneer of civilisation, his effecting his escape, getting through all the brutal hurdles, his pursuers killed? Diving into the water?

7.The Insiders and their village, the father (and the background of his murdering his wife)? His benign leadership? Hawkins as his second-in-charge? The other officials? King and his initiating Robbins into the life of the island? Dysart and his background of the bomb, the deaths, his working on the technology?

8.Life in the village, the resourcefulness of the group? What they had built, the civilisation? The guards against the Outsiders? The sentry who fell asleep and was exiled? Harshness for survival? Yet civilisation within the group? Robbins and his discussions with Father, his respect for him?

9.Casey, the young man, the background of his being part of an abduction crime, the getaway driver? His sentence? Age, experience, admiring Robbins? Trying to emulate him?

10.The attack from the Outsiders, the violence – like the siege of a mediaeval fort and village? The defeat of the Outsiders?

11.Robbins, his expertise in leadership? His escape in order to confront Marek, Casey following him, being captured, their fight to the death and Casey giving his life for the others? Robbins’ return?

12.The build-up to the final confrontation? The possibilities of escape? Finding that King was the traitor?

13.The warden, the satellite supervision, wanting to conceal any disturbance? The fire set by Robbins? Sending of the helicopter, King being persuaded to give false information? Robbins and the takeover of the helicopter, leaving Hawkins in charge? Father and his fight with Marek and his death?

14.Robbins’ escape, giving information to the outside world, to abolish Absolom?

15.An interesting adventure, action, the development of character, themes of community and leadership?

THE DEBT COLLECTOR

UK, 1999, 100 minutes, Colour.
Billy Connolly, Ken Stott, Francesca Annis, Iain Robertson, Annette Crosbie.
Directed by Anthony Neilson.

The Debt Collector is a star vehicle for Billy Connolly. However, it is not a comedy. Nevertheless, Billy Connolly is able to bring his persona, his Scots manner, even his language, to this very serious role.

The film is a portrait of a former criminal, based loosely on a Scots criminal called Jimmy Boyle. A debt collector, with vicious enforcement policy, harming a debtor’s relatives instead of the debtor him or herself. After he is arrested by a persistent policeman, Gary Keltie, played with his usual sinister presence (The Mighty Celt, Plunkett and Macleane), he is released from prison after serving his sentence. In prison, he became a sculptor and is having his first exhibition. He has married a sympathetic journalist, played by Francesca Annis.

The film focuses on the short period after Dryden’s release, with the ever-growing obsessive Keltie. He interrupts the art exhibition to denounce Dryden as a criminal and speak about his victims. At a later function, he brings in relations of victims. Dryden tries to cope, especially after his stepson is murdered. Keltie lives with his mother, Annette Crosbie, and becomes obsessed with Val Dryden as well as with the criminal. There is a violent build-up with death and rape.

There is a subplot with a young man who emulates the arch-criminal and who becomes involved in actions of vengeance. He is played by Iain Robertson.

The film is very well made, the screenplay puts both sides of the argument about vindictive punishment for brutal killers as well as the possibilities for society to forgive and rehabilitate. The ending is quite ambiguous.

The film is definitely worth seeing both for the outstanding performances by Connolly and Stott.

1.The impact of the film? A film about criminals? About police? About obsessions and persistence? About the possibilities of change and rehabilitation – or not?

2.The title, the reference to Nickie Dryden’s career, the Policy of harming relatives (and Val interrogating her husband about what this means), Flipper and his using the principle of the Policy to harm Keltie’s mother?

3.The Scottish settings (Edinburgh with Glasgow buildings standing in)? The authentic atmosphere of Scotland, of the Scots city, the homes, wealth, the art galleries, police centres, the streets? The musical score?

4.The opening and the confrontation between Dryden and Keltie, Keltie setting up a sting, Dryden falling for it, Keltie arresting him? The beginnings of the feud between the two? (And the overtones of Inspector Javert from Les Miserables in the relentless pursuit of the criminal?)

5.Nicki Dryden, his release from prison, his having married Val? The disapproval of her parents? His sculptures, the opening, society? Keltie’s arrival, his denunciation of Dryden? The sobering words, the reaction of the people?

6.Nicki Dryden, Billy Connolly’s presence, verbal style, a serious role, yet his comic flair? The intensity of his marriage? His giving up the past? The intrusions of Keltie, their encounters, coming to the house, taking vigil outside the house? Pressurising Val? His reaction? The wedding, his in-laws’ hostility? His sister-in-law welcoming him? The arrival of Keltie with the group of victims? Disrupting the wedding? Dryden and his reactions, the intensity of his relationship with Val, the meals, her interrogating him about the Policy? At home? His decision to do something about it, calling on his old friends? His meetings with Flipper, Flipper and his admiration, in the gallery, the sculpture of the fish? Meeting Flipper after Flipper had attacked Keltie’s mother? Dryden’s anger, his beating him? Setting him up in the street after bashing him? His going to the military tattoo, uncomfortable? Meeting Keltie in the street, Keltie’s experience with Val? The fight between the two, the knives, the fight, Keltie’s death? The vindication of Dryden, his going free, the press? Reunited with Val? A portrait of a criminal? The justice issues, serving a prison sentence, rehabilitation? Success? Or had the criminal really changed?

7.The portrait of Keltie, the loner, living with his mother, discussions with her, her rubbishing his girlfriends, her pretending that Val was his girlfriend with her photo? His work, his explanation of his relentless pursuit on behalf of people to apprehend criminals? The initial arrest of Dryden? The years passing, Dryden getting out, his anger at the art exhibition? At the police station, single-minded and obsessive, the other police? His keeping watch outside the house, the clashes with Val? His interactions with Dryden? Their arguments? His disrupting the wedding, bringing the group of victims? The final obsession, going to Val, the sexual obsession, his assault? His meeting Dryden in the street, the anger, the knife, stabbing him, the fight and his death?

8.Val, as a journalist, her reasons for marrying Nicki? The marriage, her parents’ disapproval, her sister supporting her? The wedding? Her articles, interrogating Nicki, the Policy? Her being wary of Keltie and his being outside, his finally coming into the house, her fears, trying to phone, the assault? The effect on her – and her future?

9.Flipper, young man, his brutality towards the couple on the street, bashing the woman, taking the money? His gang? At the swimming pool, the assault on the guard? His going to the exhibition, meeting Dryden, admiring him, talking about the sculpture? Feeling that Dryden could read his mind? His going to Dryden’s contact, getting the commission to hurt Keltie, his applying the Policy, bashing his mother? His pride, the chance meeting with Nicki, Nicki bashing him?

10.The background of Scots criminals, debt collectors, the violence in this ethos? The background of the police and their work? The background of the art world, journalists?

11.How satisfying an exploration of a criminal character?

HIGHLANDER: END GAME

US, 2000, 96 minutes, Colour.
Adrian Paul, Christopher Lambert, Bruce Payne, Jim Byrnes, Sheila Gish.
Directed by Douglas Aarniokoski.

Highlander: End Game is the fourth in the series of Highlander films which began in 1986, directed by Russell Mulcahy. That film starred Christopher Lambert as Conor Mc Leod, an immortal from Scotland who lived over the centuries, surviving, righting wrongs. Also appearing was Sean Connery as a highland chieftain.

The film was noted for its exotic futuristic tone while incorporating scenes from the past (and this film uses footage from the original) as well as imagining what a future would be like. It is also a story of people who can never die unless killed by another immortal.

There were two other sequels with Christopher Lambert who also appears in this film – but is killed in it in order that Duncan Mc Leod (Adrian Paul) can confront the renegade immortal (Bruce Payne) and the immortals can survive.

The end game is the final swordfight between the two heroes.

The structure of the film enables it to move from time zone to time zone ranging from Scotland to France to England during different centuries as well as America in the present and future. To that extent, the screenplay seems confused – more like a jigsaw puzzle which comes together at the end with the final confrontation.

In fact, 2005 saw yet a further episode in the Highlander series with Adrian Paul.

1.The popularity of the series? The story of the immortals? Conor Mc Leod? Duncan Mc Leod? The adventures through the series? The end game in this – with the death of Conor and the survival of Duncan as the hero?

2.The structure of the plot, moving from different times to different times, places? A jigsaw puzzle of the life of the immortals and their memories? Scotland, French royalty, the British in the 18th century…? In the United States, in the present and the future? The musical score?

3.The focus on Conor Mc Leod, his story, in New York, the death of Rachel? His memories of the past, the Scottish scenes? His seeking out Duncan, his disappearing because of Rachel? His memories of the confrontation with Kell? His training, his confrontation of Kell? His friendship with Duncan, their working together? The fight with Duncan? His death?

4.Duncan Mc Leod, his past history, cared for by Conor? His relationship with Kate? Her death – and the flashbacks, his being responsible for her death and immortality? Her turning from him, becoming Faith? With Kell? In the present, the confrontations? Duncan and his search, his linking up with the other immortals? The various battles? Seeking Conor? The final fight, his being unwilling to kill him, Conor’s death? The reconciliation with Kate?

5.Jacob Kell, in the past in Scotland, with the priests, the death of Conor’s mother, burnt at the stake, Conor and his being exiled for black magic? The vindictiveness of Kell? His becoming immortal, reappearing in the present, the arch villain, his henchman? His wanting power, relationship with Faith? The build-up to the confrontation with Conor, the final fight with Duncan? His death?

6.The other members of the group, their personalities, immortals – in contemporary American style? Personalities, the fights, the struggles with Kell’s group?

7.The popularity of this kind of film – the touch of the exotic with history, the past? The notion of immortals? The martial arts, the swordfights? The battles?

CYPHER

US, 2002, 95 minutes, Colour.
Jeremy Northam, Lucy Liu, Nigel Bennett, Timothy Webber, David Hewlett.
Directed by Vincenzo Natali.

You need to keep your wits about you to follow this film. Set in a mysterious near-future, it is about industrial espionage and the use of sophisticated technology to spy on rival companies. A new recruit, played in 'geek-like' fashion by Jeremy Northam wants to improve his lot and is recruited to go to conferences and relay speeches to headquarters by satellite. So far, so good. Then he is tracked by a rival company, is plagued by mysterious dreams and headaches and... Lucy Liu plays a woman he meets in a bar but who knows much more about him... With some action sequences, some surveillance confrontations, all is revealed but, because the plot is working at several levels, one leaves the theatre wanting to make sure that one has really understood what has gone on.

The film has the look of a futuristic science-fiction film, often an air of unreality about it, when suddenly one is immersed in familiar locations. For those who enjoy puzzles and enigmas, a must.

1.A solid reputation for science fiction? The visuals of the film and its style? The themes? Industrial espionage? Brainwashing and individuality?

2.The futuristic locations, recognisable locations – but with a difference? Homes, convention centres, hotels? Laboratories? The futuristic buildings out in the desert, corporate headquarters? The musical score and mood?

3.The title, the references to encrypted codes? Brainwashed human beings as cyphers?

4.The focus on Morgan Sullivan, his relationship with his wife, his wanting to change his job? His going to Digicorp, the interviews, his seeming nondescript personality, their employing him? His brainwashing, getting his new identity? His mission, the explanations, going to the various conferences, the boring talks, his taping them, sending the messages back to headquarters? The experiments going on during the talks, the group of listeners, their being affected, not remembering what had happened to them? His return home? His encounter with Rita Foster? Mysterious? His being contacted by the Sunways Corporation? The possibilities of his change, a different kind of espionage? A different wife? A mission? The effect on him as an individual? His understanding of himself, his manner, hobbies etc? The encounter with Finster? The change in operation? Working for Sunways, going to the meetings? Rita and her continued turning up, affecting his understanding of himself? His dreams and nightmares? The visualising of these?

5.Rita, femme fatale, mysterious, suddenly turning up, enigmatic, her personality? Relationship with Morgan? Her warnings, her change of heart, helping him?

6.Finster and Digicorp, the representatives from Sunways? Their rivalry? Finster picking up Morgan as the taxi driver, taking him to his destination?

7.The final espionage, the talk about the boss, the wealthy entrepreneur? His mysterious identity? No-one having seen him? Morgan going to the remote building, meeting, infiltration? His being trapped, the dangers, in the lift-well, climbing to safety? Rita’s presence?

8.The realisation that he was the entrepreneur? His memories and dreams? Rita’s explanations? The fact that he had engineered the whole process so that he could infiltrate, get the disc?

9.The issue of the disc, his getting the disc, the copying of the disc, the time constraints?

10.Finster and the Sunways representative? Their realisation of the truth, Morgan’s escape?

11.The scene on the yacht, Rita with Morgan, his own identity back? What had he achieved? Was he any better than the companies that he was infiltrating?

12.The film’s comment on industrial espionage, a culture of greed, money – and the sequences at the hotels, the flights, the atmosphere of luxury? A critique of this way of life?

DANIELLE STEEL’S A PERFECT STRANGER

US, 1994, 105 minutes, Colour.
Robert Urich, Stacy Haiduk, Darren Mc Gavin, Susan Sullivan, Holly Marie Coombs, Marion Cross, Ron Gabriel.
Directed by Michael Miller.

Danielle Steel’s A Perfect Stranger is what one might call a typical Danielle Steel story. It is a romance, it is full of sentiment, it has pathos and focuses on love and death.

Robert Urich plays a divorce lawyer who glimpses Raffaella Phillips, the wife of millionaire John Henry Phillips. He does not know that she is married. They meet on a plane. They have other coincidental meetings and each falls in love with the other. He has an unsympathetic wife and a teenager who is going through the usual problems, wanting to live with him rather than her mother. She has been married at a young age to the elderly millionaire and is devoted to him. However, he has had a stroke for five years and she has cared for him.

The falling in love is predictable – though there is pressure from the Robert Urich character, but resistance at times from Raffhaella. The film works out very neatly, the husband knowing of the relationship, speaking to the man, taking an overdose before he finds himself incapacitated, leaves a letter forgiving his wife and wishing her well.

Michael Miller directed several of the Danielle Steel telemovies.

1.The popularity of Danielle Steel? The many films made from her novels? The niche audience for this kind of romance?

2.The San Francisco and New York settings, affluent society, homes, restaurants? The affluent characters? Audiences identifying with these characters, their wealth, the soap opera traditions?

3.The title, the emphasis on the stranger, the emphasis on each of the characters being perfect for each other?

4.John Henry Phillips, the millionaire, his love for Raffaella, five years of marriage, the party, the gifts, his collapse, the stroke? Five years with Raphaella caring for him? His feeling disabled, wanting to do something for his wife? The will, his knowing of the affair, his overdose and his letter?

5.Raffaella, her age, the happy marriage? The party, John Henry’s collapse? Her five years of care, devotion, loneliness? The encounter with Alex on the plane, her resistance, learning that the novel she was reading was written by his mother? The chance encounter in the restaurant? The phone call, her willingness to go out for a drink? The beginning of the sexual relationship? Its effect on her? Her continued devotion to her husband? The double edge of what she was doing, meeting in the park for the picnic with Alex and Amanda, Mary seeing her? The going to the restaurant, Fred and his cooking the meal? Her dilemma? Her wanting to break off, devote herself to John Henry, finding him dead? Her breaking off everything, not answering phone calls, not answering letters? Alex going to Europe, meeting her, her resisting him? Her reading the book of Elizabeth Barrett Browning poems that she had given John Henry? The letter? Her freedom? Hurrying to the airport? A happy ending?

6.Alex, his relationship with Kaye, her being hard, her relationship with George, political campaigns, tension with Amanda? His visit to New York? Jogging, seeing Raffaella, meeting her on the plane, his foolish remarks, the storm and the tension, meeting her in the restaurant, introducing her to his mother? Pursuing her, the phone calls, the drink, the sexual affair, the picnic? The meal, his reliance on Fred? The break-up, his pressurising her? His inability to let go? The letters, the visit to Europe, her rejecting him? Her coming onto the plane – happy ending?

7.Kaye, brittle, hard, the eventual truce, wanting the best for Amanda? Amanda, her tantrums, her criticisms of her mother, reliance on her father? Going out, being mugged? Going to San Francisco, the birthday party, the picnic, relating well to Raffaella? Her mother’s arrival, the deal? A future?

8.Fred, the restaurant, cheery friendship with Alex? Charlotte, the woman of the world, the widow, her books, her meeting Raffaella, the heart-to-heart?

9.The background of wealth, industry, charities, wills, the upper crust of San Francisco society?

10.Audiences surrendering disbelief, the credibility of this kind of romantic story, characters? Reality and fantasy?

THE FOURTH PROTOCOL

UK, 1987, 119 minutes, Colour.
Michael Caine, Pierce Brosnan, Julian Glover, Ian Richardson, Ray Mc Anally, Michael Gough, Joanna Cassidy, Ned Beatty, Anton Rodgers, Matt Frewer.
Directed by John Mackenzie.

The Fourth Protocol is an interesting espionage story with echoes of spying between the Soviet Union and the United Kingdom during the Cold War. It is based on a novel by Frederick Forsyth (The Day of the Jackal, The Dogs of War).

Michael Caine is coolly efficient as a spy for the British government, courageous, quick-thinking, a man of action. He is to be matched against Pierce Brosnan’s Valery Petrofsky, seconded by the KGB for a special mission in the UK.

The film presents British authorities, embodied in the head of the Secret Service played by Ian Richardson in his normal sardonic and ironic manner. Julian Glover, on the other hand, is pompous and, as Ian Richardson says of him, is busy at work for his knighthood. Ray McAnally? is a Russian general, Michael Gough has a cameo as the former head of the Secret Service and Joanna Cassidy is a Russian spy. Ned Beatty is somewhat anomalous as a Russian authority.

While some of the action is in Russia, there is not so much action in the film, rather a cat-and-mouse process, the uncovering of the spy in Britain, the South African connection, his naivety in not realising that the South Africans were feeding his information back to the Russians, a set-up by the Russians to eliminate rivals in the Secret Service there.

John Mackenzie directed a number of interesting films in the 1980s including his classic gangster film, The Long Good Friday, and the film version of Graham Greene’s The Honorary Consul with Richard Gere and Michael Caine.

1.The continued popularity of this kind of espionage story? From Britain’s Cold War experience? Leaks to Moscow, moles in the Secret Service? The transition in Soviet government and the KGB during the 1980s? The relevance of the film now – more historical in perspective?

2.The Russian settings, the presentation of the Russian authorities, meetings? The contrast with London, London life, buildings, offices? The countryside, the airport, the homes? The set-up for this kind of espionage story and dramatic climax? Musical score?

3.Michael Caine and Pierce Brosnan pitted against each other? Brosnan at this stage of his career, Caine at his? The strong supporting British cast? The Americans?

4.The Russian situation, the Russian general, his seconding Valery Petrofsky, the secret mission, even to the execution of the communicating officer? The rivalry in Russia, Borisov and his friendship with General Karpov, the phone call, Karpov’s visit, their discussions, realisation of what was happening? The background of the plots – and the final revelation that Sir Nigel Irvine was plotting with General Karpov, to arrange things as suited them in the Politburo in Moscow?

5.Petrofsky, ruthless, the killings? His cover, coming to England, arrival, renting the house? The set-up? The bomb, the plan to set it off, the loss of the detonator with the courier in Scotland? The arrival of Irina? Her bringing the material, her coldness, their setting up the bomb, the sexual relationship – and his killing her, leaving her in the bath? His going to the restaurant, getting the parts, being discovered by John Preston, the house surrounded? The vigil, his resting, the time approaching, the move on the house (and the boy looking for his cat)? The confrontation, Preston and the fight with Petrofsky, his death? The irony that this was all a set-up for political reasons?

6.John Preston, seeing him in action? His reporting to Harcourt- Smith, Irvine and the other authorities? His explanations of his New Year’s Eve robbery, the safe, the jewellery, the documents? The revelation that Berenson was a leak? The confrontation with Harcourt- Smith, taunting him that he was only acting deputy? The friendship with Sir Nigel? The confrontation with Berenson, his collapse? The prudence that Preston showed in tracking down Berenson but also finding his South African contacts, the Russian contacts?

7.Berenson, his principles, naïve, pro-Britain, anticommunist, helping South Africa – without realising that they were passing on information to Russia? Sir Nigel using him to plant false information for the Russians?

8.The confrontation between Harcourt- Smith and Preston, Preston being sent to the wharves and ports? Their discovery in Glasgow, the fight, the death of the Russian, finding the detonator? Preston and his making the links, his investigations, being in touch with Sir Nigel? Dismissed by Harcourt- Smith?

9.Harcourt-Smith, his vanity, his being affronted by Preston? The contrast with Sir Nigel, smooth? And yet at the end, Preston’s condemnation of Sir Nigel’s career focus and impersonal treatment of all issues? Sir Nigel and his visit to Sir Bernard, Sir Bernard’s support of Preston?

10.Preston, his team, their skills in working together, the discovery of the house, following leads, literally in the cars, the pile-up on the freeway and his getting through? The restaurant? Surveillance of the house, the vigil, putting two and two together, going into the house, the fight with Petrofsky, his winning?

11.The background of Preston and his son, his discussions with his son – and the finale reunited with him?

12.The background of the Americans at the base, going out with Petrofsky, providing a cover? The neighbours – and Preston telling them that he was a serial killer?

13.How realistic and credible this kind of espionage story? In the light of revelations about Burgess and Mc Lean, Philby and other spies? And the reactions of the Soviet Union?