INNOCENT VOICES (VOCES INNOCENTES)

Mexico, 2004, 110 minutes, Colour.
Carlos Padilla, Leonor Varela, Jimenez Cacho.
Directed by Luis Mandoki.

Innocent Voices has already been screened at a number of Human Rights Film Festivals in the United Kingdom. It also received a joint award from SIGNIS, the World Catholic Association for Communication, and WACC, the World Association for Christian Communication at the SIGNIS international assembly in Lyon in 2005. The film experienced some difficulties in finding US distribution because of its subject: the civil war in El Salvador in the 1980s and the critique of the aid, military and financial, that the US government had given to the El Salvador regime and to the training of Latin American forces at the School of America. It was eventually released and now can be seen here.

Director Luis Mandoki had made a moving film in his native Mexico about a mentally handicapped girl, Gaby, in 1987. It starred Liv Ulmann. It provided an entrée for Mandoki to Hollywood. During the 1990s, he made a string of popular films, American style. They included a story of an alcoholic woman, played by Meg Ryan, When a Man Loves a Woman, a sentimental drama with Kevin Costner and Paul Newman, Message in a Bottle, and, perhaps his best, White Palace, a personal drama with James Spader and Susan Sarandon.

By the beginning of the century, he had become tired of Hollywood projects and wanted to make something substantial and to work in Latin America. Providentially, he met an aspiring actor in Los Angeles, Oscar Orlando Torres, who had not succeeded in making a career for himself but had a story to tell and a screenplay he had written.

He had come from El Salvador with his mother and family. As a young boy during the 1980s, Oscar had experienced the abduction of children, boys about the age of ten. They were taken from reluctant parents by government forces to serve as soldiers in the military or by guerrilla squads to fight with them. The boys are trained, brainwashed into becoming little soldiers and little killers. The setting and location for Innocent Voices is the last town situated between the guerrilla stronghold and the capital.

Mandoki was able to go to Mexico to make his film and to construct sets in the jungle that would create an authentic picture of those times, only twenty years ago.

The situation is familiar to western audiences from the story of the Archbishop of San Salvador, Oscar Romero, who was killed in April 1980. The film immerses the audience in the hardships of an oppressed population. We experience the violent attacks on the town, the bombings and mutilations and deaths. The focus is on the children, the contrast between their lives at home and at school and their lethal transformation as they are drilled by the army commanders and taught how to use weapons.

Seeing this film offers a sober reminder of the induction of children into armies in our times, especially in Sierra Leone and the brutalisation of children in the contemporary war in northern Uganda. The Innocent Voices are turned into the aggressive sounds of lost innocence.

Films like Innocent Voices (and films about Sudan or Iraq or Congo or Zimbabwe or Afghanistan or…) remind us that these wars are their passion and death for so many people, so many children.

Innocent Voices is the kind of film that gives a face to the faceless.

1.The claim for the film? Children’s perspective on war? The human rights awards? Communicating war through story and emotion?

2.The work of the writer, his own experience as a child, family, the war, the escape to the United States? The authentic feel for his dialogue?

3.The work of the director, Mexican background, his time in Hollywood, his reaction to his Hollywood films, filming on a smaller budget in Mexico? Success? International acclaim?

4.The use of Mexican locations for El Salvador: the village, the tin and cardboard houses, the town, the school, the buses, the vehicles, the surrounding jungle, the river? The authentic feel? The musical score?

5.The title, whose voices, children’s, the adult victims of war?

6.The prologue, the boys captured, marching through the mud, their feet hurting, Chava’s voice-over, the introduction to theme? The resumption of this sequence at the end?

7.The information given about El Salvador, the military government, the rebels, the reasons for rebellion, the hardships for the ordinary people, the duration of the war? American dollars, American military training, the School of America? The effect of civil war in the village, men in the military, the guerrillas? Boys taken for the army, for the guerrillas? The toll, the length of the war? Destruction, deaths, refugees?

8.The focus on Chava, his age, the actor’s screen presence, compared with other children, strong screen presence, demanding audience attention? His point of view? Age eleven turning twelve? His life, changed by the war, losing his innocence? Audiences identifying with him?

9.The father leaving, his not coming back, the comment about the suffering of those who leave, their not returning? The mother, noble, her three children, hard work, having to leave them at home, her concern, the dangers, the children at school, at play, the curfew, Chava being late, her worries? Their going to stay with their grandmother? Their uncle as a guerrilla? The suddenness and violence of the raids, the shooting, their having to hide on the floor, under the beds, the baby crying? The daughters and her fear – Chava having to be the man of the household? The bonds of love, the comments on the daughter as breaking wind, the baby and his crying, playing?

10.The military presence, on the streets, the guns, the guerrillas and the attacks? The villagers not understanding where the bullets were coming from? The shooting of the girl next door, the grief of the mother, everyone trying to help? Chava and his being prone to run out into the danger? The dead lying on the street – and the black humour of the drunk out cold and his relatives trying to collect money? The destruction of property?

11.The boys, eleven turning twelve? Their fears of being conscripted? The military and the visit to the school, the boys lining up, the rollcall, the cheeky boy and his being taken out and shot? The friend and his being taken away, their looking at him on the truck? His being seen later, trained as military? The guerrillas warning Chava, the boys hiding on the roof? The reaction of the military? The effect on the children? Chava and his twelfth birthday, taking out the extra candle, his reaction to the cake?

12.The schooling, classes, the teachers, the teacher having a breakdown, the new teacher, her daughter, the notes, the flirting, the kiss, playing together, the balloons and the fireflies? Chava and his concern about her – and her finally disappearing with her mother after a raid?

13.The bus, the driver, Chava and his imagination, getting the job, calling out the stops, the extra money, spending it, bringing it home to his mother, the joy of the job? Responsibility? His continuing to play as if he was a bus driver? The dangers?

14.The portrait of the mother, alone, her hard work, the dresses, Chava trying to sell them, the shops, not selling the dresses?

15.Chava and his friends, their playing, in the trees, toys, making do? The gift of the radio from his uncle? Listening to the guerrilla songs? The role of the priest, in the village, his leadership, his standing against the military, his warning about the radio? His being beaten and taken away? The role of the church in supporting ordinary people?

16.The uncle, his coming home, the music, the song, the shooting, gift of the radio, his leaving? The other guerrillas? Chava’s friend, the warning about conscription, his going off to find him?

17.The last village, the attack, Chava running away, his mother frantic? Her search? The people from the village, the refugees on the bridge, their poor belongings, seeking somewhere safe?

18.The military and the destruction, the capturing of the boys? The retarded friend, his playing the games with them, his friendship with Chava? His being taken, interrogated? Found hanged? The capture of the boys, their march, the grim executions, the little boys being shot? Wanting the friend with his military training to shoot?

19.The guerrillas, the rescue, Chava and his going home, its being burnt out, finding his mother, sharing the grief? The end of life, the mother sending him off on the back of a truck to a new life in the United States?

20.A portrait of the troubles and wars in Central America during the 1980s?

HARSH TIMES

US, 2005, 115 minutes, Colour.
Christian Bale, Freddy Rodriguez, Eva Longoria, J.K. Simmons.
Directed by David Ayer.

This is a strong movie to be admired rather than enjoyed. It pulls very few punches and delivers a great many.

The harsh times of the title are the immediate aftermath of the first soldiers returning from Iraq. The harsh places are South Central LA. The director filmed with 16mm cameras in actual locations and the film as an authentic, desaturated grim and grimy look and feel. Some of the sequences are set in a Mexico which looks little better. Over and above the naturalism, the film opens with what is a hallucinatory dream about vicious action in the war; there are further dreams and, at key moments, there are hallucinatory delusions about reality with the war superimposed on it.

This is a film about violence and madness. It takes place over a few days building to a frightening climax.

Christian Bale was a fine child actor. He is a fine adult actor who has opted for ambiguous and dangerous character roles (even his star turn in Batman Begins). He was suavely mad in American Psycho, emaciatedly schizophrenic in The Machinist. Here he is Jim David, shell-shocked, driven to drink and drugs with outbursts of unpremeditated violence. Yet, he is determined to have an all-American career and can respond with the best of drill-like respect and obedience. Rejected by the LA police as a recruit, he is interviewed and hired by the Bureau of Homeland Security (who seem to want to employ agents with this kind of psychological make-up – which helps explain the accusations of torture against some American military).

But Jim has an inner life, seen in his quite tender devotion to his Mexican girlfriend – which also goes berserk at the end.

Freddy Rodriguez is very good as Mike, Jim’s best friend. But Mike is a follower, easily swayed by Jim to have another drink, try a joint, go to Mexico. Mike could have a good life. His partner is an efficient lawyer – who also tries to control him. But, he prefers the ease of a ‘slacker’.

The film develops this friendship, this interdependency particularly well.

In the background are friends, dealers, gangs. They bash, they kill in diners, there are shootings in the street.

Harsh Times can be easily admired. It is interesting and arresting. It is not enjoyable.

1.The impact of the film? Grim realism? Well crafted? Content that challenges?

2.The sixteen millimetre filming of the Los Angeles streets, authentic locations, the neighbourhoods? Desaturated colour? Los Angeles as an environment? The musical score, the rap songs?

3.The special effects, for the initial war sequences, for Jim’s dreams, hallucinations?

4.The title, the connotations, the US at the beginning of the 21st century, in the context of the war against terror, against drugs, Iraq? The atmosphere of war? The aftermath of war? Law, crime? Violence, guns, gangs and drugs? The lack of moral anchor in the characters?

5.The portrait of Jim Davis, Christian Bale’s presence and performance? Insanity? The opening with the dream about war, the slaughter, his ease and smoking? His screaming and talking in his nightmares? War and its effect? Physical, psychological? His ruthless attitude towards the enemy, sense of duty? His wanting to build a career? The police, being turned down, he venting his anger? Being invited by the federal bureaus – Homeland Security?

6.His relationship to Mata, in Mexico, waking from the nightmares, her love, devotion, wanting to dream for him to save him pain? His promise to marry her? His return, hope, their being together, in the car, her telling him about her pregnancy, his demand for the abortion, his hallucinations about the war, pulling the gun on her? Her defying him, saying she was prepared to die for him because she loved him? The effect on her?

7.The strong friendship with Mike, from the past, the language of the neighbourhoods, Dude and Homey…? Their growing up together? Still as in high school? The quality and lack of quality of life? Drinking, drugs? The bashings? The bond between the two? Love, dependence, Jim and his control?

8.Mike and his age, his experience, a follower? The relationship with Sylvia, her professional work as a lawyer, her love for him? Ordering him about? That he was not to drink, that he was to look for a job? His going out, easily succumbing to Jim’s suggestions, following him? The pretences about the job, the fake phone calls – and her reaction when she found out the truth? The various friends, Jim going to see the girl, the gang in the streets, the bashing, Mike pulling the gun? Jim robbing them? The new gun, the visit to their friend, the information about Eddie, going to the bar, the sudden murder of Eddie? Their running? Going for the job, meeting his friend, getting the job? The prospects? Telling Sylvia? Jim and his demands that Mike go to Mexico, his honouring his promise to Jim, defying Sylvia? In Mexico, not wanting to cheat on Sylvia? Dancing, seeing Jim in the car, his worry? Leaving, the speed of the driving back, Jim’s hallucinations, the marijuana in the trunk of the car, going to sell it, the shoot-out? Mike and his personal dilemma, Jim pleading for him to shoot him? His doing so, returning to Sylvia and embracing her? The effect – for the rest of his life?

9.Jim, the experience of being a soldier, his angers? Going to visit the girlfriend, her sister and antagonism, the gang, the bashing, the guns, robbing them? Trying to sell the gun, their black friend, Eddie, the woman in the bar, the murder? His being called in for the interview, his sense of duty, his plan to fake the urine test? Lining up, his military style, tormenting the Asian candidate, pushing him out of the way? The psychological tests? The polygraph, his plan to cheat, the administrator and his knowing what was happening? The officials, their discussions, going to the higher-ups, the interview, the problem of his polygraph, deceitful, the type that they wanted? The job for Colombia, warning him not to marry, the prospect of women in Colombia? His plan to go to training in Georgia?

10.The decision to go to Mexico, Mata and her pregnancy, his going berserk, the gun, apologising? The mad drive on the return, taking the drugs through the border patrol, trying to sell the drugs, the friendly aspects, pulling the gun, the shootings, merciless? His being wounded, asking Mike to kill him? The end of a life – seeing himself as a failure?

11.Sylvia, lawyer, her relationship with Mike, wanting to control him? Her disgust at his deception, ordering him out? The possibility of a reconciliation – his going to Mexico, despite her? The final embrace?

12.The background in the streets, Toussaint as their friend, memories of the past, in Florida? Their being chased by the police and pulled up, the irony of Leo knowing them, the conversations and their getting off scot-free? The gangs, the drug pushers, the sellers and dealers, the bars, the murders in the bar?

13.The portrait of contemporary American insanity?

THE ANT BULLY

US, 2006, 89 minutes, Colour.
Voices: Julia Roberts, Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep, Paul Giammati, Zack Tyler Eisen, Regina King, Bruce Campbell, Lily Tomlin, Larry Miller, Ricardo Montalban.
Directed by John A. Davis.

One of the features of the animated features of 2006 is the environment with the villain being the pest controller with his barrage of sprays and poisons. In Over the Hedge, he is called in to get rid of the animals who have invaded a suburban garden in search of food, with Bruce Willis voicing a hungry racoon who has upset a hibernating bear and taken all his food, and who now has a week to build up supplies. Children will enjoy the drawing, the action and the slapstick comedy while parents will enjoy the dialogue and the voices.

However, the film that could succeed with both children and adults is The Ant Bully.

Once again, the villain is the pest controller (voiced by Paul Giamatti) who is called in to destroy a front lawn ant hill. Our point of view is that of the ants. They are afraid but try to survive the onslaught.

The title is strange at first. But, once we have identified the Ant Bully, it begins to make sense and it also leads us into the message of the film. It is really a moral fable.

Lucas Nickle (voiced by Zach Tyler) is bullied by the local kids, especially Steve who keeps pointing out that he is bigger than Lucas and can force him to do anything. The trouble is, as we know, that those who are bullied can then take it out by bullying others weaker than themselves. Lukas does this to the ant colony because he is bigger than they are. So, he fires his water pistol at the ant hill and starts kicking it down.

We, the audience, have already met the ants and seen just how diligent they are in collecting the food for the colony. We get to know some of the personalities, especially Zoc (voiced by Nicolas Cage), the ant wizard who is experimenting with spells and potions. One of these is successful in reducing Lucas to the size of an ant. The Ant Queen (voiced by Meryl Streep) sentences Lucas to work with the ants and to learn what it is like to be an ant. Tutor Hova (voiced by Julia Roberts) trains him in the life and the work. Lucas resists at first but then gets a sense of achievement.

Unfortunately, before he became ant-size, he had rung the controller. Now he has to work with the ants (and collaborate with former antagonists, the flies and other insects) to save the colony.

The film was released at the height of the conflict between Israel and Hez-bollah the bombing of Lebanon and northern Israel. One can’t help noticing the similarities in this little fable – and its message of tolerance leading to understanding and collaboration.

1.The quality of the animation? Entertainment? The voices? The moral?

2.The visual style, the drawing of the characters, the drawing of the ants, the ants’ activity, the anthill? Editing and pace? The battles? The struggle against the Exterminator? Colour, style? The musical score?

3.The title, Lucas and his being bullied by the boys, his taking it out on the ants, his having to learn, experience the life of the ants?

4.Lucas, the little boy, his relationship with his family, their being away, the other boys? His reaction, his kicking the anthill? His ringing the Exterminator? The consequences for when he returned? The fight against the Exterminator? His coming back to normal size, the confrontation with the bullies, his being accepted for who he was? His learning his lesson?

5.The quality of the voices, Julia Roberts and Nicolas Cage? The comic voices? Lily Tomlin as the grandmother?

6.The picturing of the anthill, the detail of the ants at work? The suburban garden? The introduction of the character of Zoc, as the wizard, working on the potion? His friendship with Hova? Lucas attacking the anthill, the water pistol, the flood? The ants calling him the Destroyer? Zoc and the success with the potion? The arrival of Stan Beales? The decision to shrink Lucas, taking him to the anthill, the potion? His being brought before the Ant Queen, her decisions, the sentence, earning his freedom, living and working with the ants? The appointment of Hova as Lucas’s mentor? Her unwillingness? Lucas and his resisting? His stances, superiority? His change of heart, the affirmation by Hova? The mission, the food, going to the house, trying to cancel the contract, the pizza parlor? The ants and their confrontation with the flying insects, the frog, eating him, the rescue by Zoc? The ant cave, the Cloud Breather – the artwork, Beales as the Cloud Breather? The ants and their collaboration, the flying insects, Lucas? The confrontation with Beales? Shrinking him? His escape on the bike? Shrinking?

7.The characters of the ants, Zoc, genial, the wizard, concern, leading the ants? Hova, girlfriend, nice, stern with Lucas, helping him, affirming him? The Ant Queen as regal? The training sessions, the humour with Kreela and Fugax?

8.The humans, Mommo, the grandmother, Lily Tomlin’s style?

9.The happy ending? The parallels with wars, invasions, oppressed people and rebellions? Walking in the shoes of those who are oppressed? Learning lessons of tolerance and understanding?

ROADGAMES

Australia, 1981, 101 minutes, Colour.
Stacy Keach, Jamie Lee Curtis, Marion Edward, Grant Page, Alan Hopgood.
Directed by Richard Franklin.

Roadgames is a thriller set mainly on the Nullarbor Plain. It was written by Everett De Roche, a prolific writer in the 70s and 80s of thrillers like Snapshot, Harlequin. It was directed by Richard Franklin who directed Patrick. Franklin had studied and met Alfred Hitchcock and was influenced by his films. After Roadgames he was to go to Hollywood and direct Psycho 2. After about ten years in Hollywood with a range of films, Cloak and Dagger, Link, FX, he returned to Australia where he made Hotel Sorrento, Brilliant Lies.

The film is a straightforward story focusing on Stacy Keach as a long-haul driver, who becomes involved unwittingly in the work of a serial killer (played by Grant Page, who is seen early in the film, the film not being a mystery). Keach is under suspicion. On the way he picks up a hitchhiker, Marion Edward, in a comic performance and then Jamie Lee Curtis, only twenty-two at the time and just finished Halloween and Prom Night and was establishing herself, as the media called her, the Scream Queen. She went on to a much more substantial career.

The film is interesting in its portrayal of the Nullarbor Plain, though it is reached from Melbourne in record time! The film requires Stacy Keach to have a lot of monologues, or conversations with his pet dingo. Keach makes this character amusing and credible.

Nothing particularly startling, but a nice sense of suspense and competently made.

1.The entertainment value of Roadgames? The indebtedness to the road film? To the suspense film? The serial killer genre? Combining all these aspects?

2.The opening Melbourne settings, the motel and the streets? The contrast with the open highway? The use of the Nullarbor Plain? Atmosphere? Musical score?

3.The title, the games played by Pat Quid during his driving, talking to his dog, speculating about the occupations of the people in passing vehicles? The encounter with Madeleine, playing the guessing games? Picking up Pamela, playing games and speculating about the murderer?

4.Pat Quid, Stacy Keach’s performance, truck driver, his explanation of his international past and various jobs, driving the trucks, talking to his dog, not able to get into the motel, getting the extra job to transport the meat to Perth? His noticing the green van? On the road, Madeleine getting into the truck, her incessant talking, the discussion about the killings, her fears, at the cliff edge? The green truck and the driver? His going to the roadhouse, the phone calls, the non-response of the police? His picking up Pamela, their discussions? Seeing the truck, her going to look at it, her disappearance? His bailing up the man in the toilet – the wrong man? The people turning on him? Continuing to drive? The weighbridge? Getting to Perth, being held up by the police, their interrogations, suggesting he broke the law? Suspicions? The final resolution, the taking of the killer? Pamela?

5.The hitchhikers, Madeleine, her husband, chatter, the games, her fears? Pamela, young, diplomatic corps, running away from Canberra and home, talking, wanting excitement, looking in the vehicle? Her being endangered? Rescued?

6.Smith or Jones, the anonymous killer, at the motel, on the highway, burying the bodies, the garbage bags, the final confrontation?

7.The police, suspicions? Interrogation of Pat? Harassing him? The resolution?

8.The minor characters, along the road, at the roadhouse, the biker, the patrons in the roadhouse, Lester at the weighbridge?

9.The atmosphere of suspense rather than action? Character rather than violence? A satisfying thriller?

BRICK

US, 2005, 110 minutes, Colour.
Joseph Gordon- Leavit, Norah Zehetner, Lucas Haas, Noah Fleiss, Matt O’ Leary, Emilie de Ravin, Noah Segan, Richard Roundtree.
Directed by Rian Johnson.

When a film is advertised as having won a Sundance Festival award for ‘Originality of Vision’, one wonders what that could actually mean. This time it refers to the ingenuity of the writer-director, Rian Johnson, to combine the style and contents of traditional film noir thrillers with a high school setting where audiences tend to expect silly shenanigans.

Brick is certainly a clever film and very well-crafted. This is even more of an achievement when one hears how difficult it was to raise the money, how it was a six year task, how family and friends helped out with finances and with technical expertise. It is filmed in San Clemente, California, the director’s home town and even uses the local high school.

Audiences don’t expect to be mentally challenged by your average high school comedy, so they may find this narrative difficult to get to grips with. It shifts in time, often uses high school slang in the dialogue, makes it difficult to work out sometimes who is who (and why is why!). But, for devotees of the noir tradition, it is well worthwhile.

Brick refers to a solid cake of drugs – in this case, one of a consignment that is stolen, contaminated, returned and has deadly effects on those who try it.

The private eye equivalent is a student called Brendan whose girlfriend mysteriously gets in touch with him, is afraid, and turns up dead in a stormwater channel. Brendan uses his wits and his connections to try to unravel what has gone on. He has a slacker friend called Brain who leads him to various addicts amongst the young people. It also leads him to some dealers and thugs, including a lug called Tugger and a rich girl called Laura. This in turn leads to a late 20s dealer, crippled, with a cane (like Sidney Greenstreet in The Maltese Falcon), called Pin who deals from his basement office in his fussing mother’s home.

But, this is all deadly serious. Pin (Lukas Haas) has a violent entourage. Finally, this all gets out of hand and there is a shootout. Meanwhile the vice principal of the school (Richard Roundtree) is trying to investigate the drug dealings.

Brendan is played by Joseph Gordon Leavit (Three Rocks from the Sun, Mysterious Skin). He is the strong, silent type but with a way with words. He is cool, even when he is being bashed. He is fearless and independent. And, confronting the villains at the end, he walks away after giving a helpful summary of what has gone on.

At times tantalising, at times obscure, but always interestingly cinematic.

1.Acclaim for the film? The Sundance award: “Originality of Vision”?

2.The contribution of the writer-director? His age and experience? The very small budget, the family collaboration? Achieving his intentions?

3.The homage to the film noir, the noir structure and style? Adapted to the 21st century? In a high school context? A particular world, the detective work, the range of characters, the symbols used, the femme fatale? A youth version of the film noir?

4.The locations? San Clemente, familiar to the director, his school, the homes, roads, the tunnel, the stormwater channel, the ocean? The use of lightness and dark? Light for outside sequences? Dark interiors? The screenplay and the action of night and of day?

5.The range of the musical score, its atmosphere and moods, the range of instruments? In the background, suggestive?

6.The complexity of the screenplay, the amount of talk, the particular teenage slang, the in-world of the students and the drugs? The structure, the time, the flashback, the time shifts and intercuts?

7.Brendan as cool, tough, humane, caring? His stances? Unafraid? His confrontation of Brad and Tugger? His being bashed? His going into danger, standing his ground? Standing in front of the oncoming car and its swerving? The mystery of Emilie’s death? The interrogations, the authorities and the vice-principal, his independence? His collaboration with Tugger and the others? His mixed past? Love for Emilie, discovery of her pregnancy? The interactions with Laura? The deals and the twists? The clues – and the cigarette butt? His speech in resolving the mystery? The lack of resolution for his own future, his calling the police, interaction with the vice-principal, denunciation of Laura?

8.The title, drugs, the drug bricks? Pin, Tug, Laura and their involvement? The student dying after trying the contaminated brick? The stealing of the brick, the changing? Deaths?

9.The range of characters, their particular names? The young cast bringing them to life?

10.The absence of parents – Pin’s fussing mother, getting something to eat, the students in the house at 4.00am? The lack of the presence of teachers except for the vice-principal? Very few students seen? The drama section, the range of performances, Kara and her make-up, Sally Bowles, the clown etc?

11.Joseph Gordon-Levitt? as Brendan? Sustaining the film? In himself, his story, the drugs, the range of friends, his reliance on Brain? The interactions with Dode? With Brad in the yard, the attack? Laura’s presence? His confronting Tugger in the parking lot, bashing, withstanding his ground? The interactions with Emilie? Her phone call, the note in his locker, the corner phone? Her appeal? The speeding car and the cigarette butt? Finding Emilie’s body, taking it? His pursuing the case, the spaced-out students, the drug gangs? Emilie’s pregnancy?

12.The fight with Brad, the attack on Tugger? The interactions with Laura? The drifters and their information? Dode?

13.The discussions with the vice-principal, giving information, his surly attitude, wanting to be independent?

14.The days passing, Brendan and getting sleep or not? The gradual interactions with Tugger, his reliance on Tugger, going to visit Pin, in the boot of the car, blindfolded yet knowing where he was? The discussions with Pin (and his mother fussing)? The brutality of Tugger, making peace with him?

15.Laura and her presence with Brad, with Pin? Rich, depending on this lifestyle, interacting with Brendan, the sexual attraction, setting him up, giving him information? Asking whether he was at Pin’s house during the shoot-out?

16.Pin and the echoes of Sidney Greenstreet in The Maltese Falcon, his cane? His mother? His darkened room, his office, his desk? The coat and his manner? In the dark? His clients, his thugs? The issue of the bricks? His testing Brendan, the knife? Walking along the beach and accepting him?

17.The build-up the set-up, the interaction with Dode, Dode’s death? Pin and Brad and Laura’s connections? The confrontation? The violence, the calling of the police, the shootings and the deaths? Pin dying?

18.The appeal to the vice-principal, his friendship with Brain and Brain giving him information, explaining the situation to him? The meeting with Laura on the grass, her defiance, his explanation of what had happened?

19.The noir mood, the vision of a young director, his interpretation of film noir, his skills? A satisfying drama – even if elliptical and enigmatic?

LES MOTS BLEUS (WORDS IN BLUE)

France, 2005, 114 minutes, Colour.
Sylvie Testud, Sergi Lopez, Camille Gauthier.
Directed by Alain Corneau.

Words in Blue is an emotional film. It focuses on an emotionally insecure mother, played by Sylvie Testud, and her questionably mute daughter, Camille Gauthier. The film develops the tensions of the relationship between mother and daughter. It also shows the interaction between the daughter and her tutor, Sergi Lopez.

Director Alain Corneau began directing films in 1974 making some police thrillers during the 70s and bigger-budget films like Choice of Arms and Fort Saganne during the 1980s. He made the very moving film about 18th century music in 1991, All the Mornings of the World.

1.A humane film? Portrait of parents, children? Family? Handicaps and education?

2.The authentic atmosphere of the locations: homes, schools, the musical score?

3.The credits and the sound-over of arrest and guns?

4.The importance of the title, words, communication, cause of betrayal, death? Reading and writing? The grandmother and her stroke? The story and words? Anna and Claire?

5.The bond between mother and daughter? Life at home? On the coast? A variety of moods? School sequences, hurts?

6.The back-story of the father, the Czech? Audiences filling in this background and its emotional consequences?

7.The interview with Vincent? Tension? For Claire, for Anne, for Vincent?

8.Vincent’s story, relationships – and lack of relationships? Muriel and the children? Work? The later story, the father? The trains, the drawings? Work?

9.Vincent and Anna, the environment, the children? Muriel and the children? Play? The bubbles? The whistle and the goal? Masks?

10.Camille, her work, the bond? Outside? Suspicions of Vincent, resentment? Protection and clashes? Taunts? Muriel and the children? The mask and the secret? The taking of the whistle?

11.Vincent and his personality, the eating, the story, sexual encounter?

12.The aftermath, sleeping, Anna at home? Vincent leaving?

13.The beach sequence, the rescue?

14.The possibilities for the future, Anna and her breakthrough, Camille and her learning?

BIG TROUBLE

US, 2002, 95 minutes, Colour.
Tim Allen, Rene Russo, Stanley Tucci, Tom Sizemore, Johnny Knoxville, Denis Farina, Jack Kehler, Janeane Gorofolo, Patrick Warburton, Ben Foster, Zoe Deschanel, Heavy D. Myers, Omar Eps, Jason Lee, Sofia Vergara.
Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld.

Big Trouble (like the Arnold Schwarzenegger film Collateral Damage) was one of the distribution victims of September 11, 2001. Because Big Trouble is ultimately concerned with a nuclear bomb on a plane and the ease of security breakages in Miami, the film was withdrawn from release for at least one year.

Director Barry Sonnenfeld was a cinematographer who began a directing career with The Addams Family films and then made such successes as Get Shorty, the Men in Black films and The Wild, Wild West.

1.Entertaining comedy? Farce – American style?

2.The Florida settings, the sleazy world and the bars, arms smugglers? The world of the wealthy? Crooked business people? Ordinary homes, ordinary people? The roads, the airport? The jokes by Henry and Leonard about Florida and their dislike of it? The musical score?

3.The blend of different styles of comedy: the spoof, the farce?

4.The background of terrorism and airport security? Weapons, nuclear bombs? The ability to joke about these issues in the time of the war against terrorism?

5.The opening, Puggy and his looking like Jesus Christ, the halo effect as he gave his story, his observations?

6.The focus on Elliot Arnold, the forlorn hero, his working at the advertising agency, the background of his work, getting the sack, his wife having an affair, the client wanting a sexy ad, his trying to do this? His son and his wanting to borrow the car? The divorce, alienation from his wife, messages about alimony? His trying to cope? His son and his being arrested? His meeting Anna Herk? At her home, the clash with Arthur? His trying to take his son in hand? Her coming to visit him at the office, the beginning of the affair? The second arrest, Elliot and his having to become involved again with his son? The thugs arriving, his hiding, getting Nina to help? The snipers observing everything? The hurry to the airport, the case with the bomb? Going through the bookings, getting on the plane, his heroics, getting rid of the bomb, Snake going overboard? Getting his son’s admiration? The happy ending with Anna?

7.Matt and his friend? Borrowing Matt’s father’s car, the shooting, audiences assuming that it was real, the snipers watching over the fence in dismay, the shot and the destruction of the television? Calling the police? Arthur’s anger? The irony that it was a school stunt, to get points? The exasperation of the parents? Next day and planning to do the exercise again with Jenny? Trying to hide in the back street, the security guard, his shooting, his dropping the gun? The friend picking it up – and being taken by the police? Their going home, the arrival of the thugs, their all being caught up in the car going to the airport?

8.Puggy, coming to Florida, the food, the vagrant? The money, going to the bar for a drink, the encounter with Snake and Eddie, the owners of the bar and no customers? The bashing? His looking over the back fence at the Herk household, seeing what was going on, the immediate attraction to Nina – and the heightened romantic interlude played for smiles? Helping, back at the bar, having to carry the trunk, being put in the boot of the car? Going to the airport and his escape? Giving the information to the authorities? The continued romance with Nina?

9.Snake and Eddie, dumb, being released from jail, their friendship, trying to be tough, the clash with Puggy, being bashed with the baseball bat by the owner of the bar? Their return, the masks, trying to rob the bar, the lack of money? The assassins looking on again in puzzlement? The case, the bomb – it having come off the plane, looking like a disposal machine? Arthur and his doing the money deals? Snake and Eddie taking them all to the house? The assassins following? The police and their involvement, Monica and Walter? The thugs and their ineptitude? The decision to take the case, going to the plane, the Smith family buying tickets, getting on board, Snake’s impatience, Eddie trying to help, Elliott acting and knocking him out, the struggle with Snake – and the case falling out and exploding in the ocean?

10.The Herk family, Anna and her divorce from her husband, bringing up her daughter, their friendship? Her beginning the affair with Elliott? The encounter with the boys and the school stunt? Her being tied up with the family, then being taken to the airport? Participating in the struggle? Jenny and her deadpan manner, ticking off Matt’s friend? Friendship with Matt? The happy ending with the three together?

11.Arthur as the villain of the piece, the target for his misappropriations, the bagman for the company, the company meeting and their concern? His television being shot? His perpetual anger? Criticisms of his wife and daughter? Calling the police, being rude to the police? The second TV being shot? The confrontation with Elliott? His being tied up, trying to get away with Walter, trying to get to the airport? His disasters on the road? The comedy of his disguise with the wig? Getting his comeuppance?

12.The assassins, genial, arriving in Florida, their continual criticisms of what it looked like, felt like, the people? The running joke about the Gators and the football matches – and listening to the radio, turning it off, the fans ringing in and challenging the DJ? Trying to do their job, shooting the television? Observing the thugs, looking over the fence? Going to the airport – and getting on the plane: full of Gator supporters?

13.The police, Monica and her toughness, Walter and his ineptitude? The going to the house, trying to handle the situation? Chasing the security guard? Walter and his stupidity? Their going to the home, the cars being taken, being tied up? Walter and the strip-search – and his decision to become a stripper?

14.The end, the summary of what happened to everyone – and the jokey format?

15.American humour, jokes about family, guns, guns and games, the Russians, arms dealing, terrorism, lack of security? And old-fashioned heroics?

CONFETTI

UK, 2006, 95 minutes, Colour.
Jimmy Carr, Olivia Coleman, Ron Cook, Sarah Hadland, Mark Heap, Meredith Mac Neill, Stephen Mangan, Felicity Montagu, Jessica Stevenson, Alison Stedman, Jason Watkins, Robert Webb, Marc Wootton.
Directed by Debbie Isitt.

Writer-director, Debbie Isitt had a brainwave some years ago as she watched all the preparations for her sister’s wedding and was somewhat overawed by all the work, all the ideas and creativity, all the planning (and all the money). It has all crystallised (with the help of TV reality shows) into this engaging comedy-spoof.

What if a glossy magazine, dedicated to the glamour and fashion of weddings, called Confetti, were to host a competition: hold auditions for three offbeat proposals (and in the quick audition collage some of them are decidedly offbeat) and choose just three couples. The prize is to be a dream house.

Already there is parody in the discussions of the manager and the editor and their quest. They decide on a tennis couple, a naturist couple and a singing and dancing couple.

We are given the timeline for the weddings and the various ‘weeks to go’ to the big day.

First of all there are the camp wedding planners who swoosh and whoosh about, laughing sometimes, crying at others, who suggest menus, choreography, fashions that sometimes set the imagination agog.

The couples. The tennis two are very hard to like. She is a whining Canadian who is subjected to a terrible nose job to make her photogenic, but finishes more like Pinocchio. He is coming to the end of his professional career and is highly insecure with a nasty streak and not too good with competitors. What could their wedding look like, you might ask. It is an amusingly choreographed Wimbledon imitation.

The naturists. Well, there’s trouble (and some potential trouble for American classifications which are usually troubled by the human body and its exposure). Lots of old jokes about nudity and embarrassment. This couple are much more congenial. She feels a bit awkward. He has been a naturist all his life and wonders what the bother is about. An Adam and Eve theme comes to the rescue.

Singing and dancing. The only trouble is that she sings off key. She also has an interfering mother, a dominating sister and an absent father who turns up on the wedding day. This is the really likeable couple and, despite nervousness, they step up to a Busby Berkely set and an Astaire-Rogers? style performance.

Who wins?

The actors were asked to improvise their characters and many of the interactions were spontaneous and unexpected.

We are all invited to be a touch voyeuristic as we pore over glossy magazines, um and aw at the photos of celebrities. The film also sends up this human trait in ourselves – while indulging in it!

1.The appeal of the comedy? The serious undertones? The spoof? For British audience? Worldwide? The British sense of humour?

2.The issues of marriages, weddings? Marriages versus weddings? The popularity of weddings, the celebration, fashions, food, spectacle?

3.The introduction to Confetti magazine, the parody, real magazines which focus on women’s issues, weddings etc? The personnel, the manager Antoni, Vivienne the editor?

4.The style of the film: the actors going into rehearsal, the improvising of their speeches during filming? Reality TV style? The importance of the editing, intercutting the stories, the rhythms of the film, each couple getting attention, building up to the climax? The use of the competition for motivations, planning, rehearsals, the event itself?

5.The importance of colour, colours? Fashion (and not)? Song and dance, audience enjoyment?

6.The parody, the funny sequences, the serious undertones? The serious motivation of some of the couples? Insight into people preparing for weddings? Insight into audience feelings about celebration of weddings?

7.Antoni and his being interviewed, explaining the idea, Vivienne being deputised to run the competition? Her personality? The sales for the magazine, Antoni and his disdain? The humour of the auditions, Antoni and Vivienne with the different couples, Antoni and the sexual encounter with Sam’s sister in the lift? The judging, the insults and Antoni fending them off?

8.Vivienne, her perspective, the auditions, her choices, the various problems, dealing with the wedding planners, the naturists, the lawyer and the discussion about wearing clothes, her continued anxiety, her fidgety manner, prim and proper, her enjoyment of the event?

9.The range of auditions, the humour, the bizarre choices for weddings? And why?

10.The tennis couple: in themselves, their careers, their love for tennis, Isobel coming from Canada, Josef and his bad temper, the tennis coach and his feeling there was a conspiracy, his annoyance with him? Their playing tennis, the idea for the wedding, the planning, Josef’s anger at Sam’s makeover and his demanding one for Isobel at the dinner? His insecurities? Desperate to win? His interviews, the comments about the nose job, the plastic surgeon and his criticisms of Isobel’s nose? Her having the operation, its being elongated, the parody of plastic surgery? The continuing jealousy, wanting a choreographer? The wedding, the style, the ball-boys, the big balls, Josef and his protest at the competition being rigged?

11.The naturists, seeing them at the camp, riding bikes, perfectly natural? The effect of seeing both Michael and his fiancée naked? The awkwardness for Joanna’s mother? Her fears, the embarrassment about being naked at the wedding? The discussions, the lawyer? The mother’s visit and her reaction to Michael? The growing tension between the couple? The ceremony, Adam and Eve, baring all – and being good sports about the results?

12.Matt and Sam? The dancing wedding? Her singing off-key? He pleasant? Snoopy their friend and the visit to the club? The mother sitting in on all the interviews and discussions, her intervening, the sister returning from the trip, their taking over the conversation, the wedding planners and their being upset? Matt being angry? Sam and her reaction to her mother and sister? The dresses, the choreography, the rehearsals, Sam’s father turning up unannounced, his wife finding it awkward? Dancing together, the discussions? Her being won over – kissing her husband? Participating in all the dance routines?

13.Sam, her nervousness, feeling sick? The Busby Berkeley and Astaire- Rogers kind of wedding, the dancing, the pageant? The songs? Their winning?

14.Sam and Matt and the comment about waiting for the house and living in hope?

15.The naturists and their change of behaviour?

16.The tennis couple and his becoming a coach – and still bad tempered? Her getting her nose back?

17.The characters of the wedding planners, in themselves, a couple, the gay style? Their ideas, the campy presentation, the tensions with the couples, their sensitivities? The discussions, with Confetti magazine? Rehearsing the couples, trying to placate them? Weeping and getting upset? The build-up the night, the details, their enjoyment of everything?

18.The role of the psychiatrist? Satire? Listening and advising? Personal hang-ups?

19.The final song – and everybody participating? The conclusion and the summing up of audience enjoyment of weddings – and, despite all the effort, people being happy?

THEY WHO DARE

UK, 1953, 107 minutes, Colour.
Dirk Bogarde, Denholm Elliott, Akim Tamiroff, Gerard Oury, Eric Pohlmann.
Directed by Lewis Milestone.

They Who Dare is a routine war story, one of the many made in England during the first half of the 1950s as Britain relived the war and the heroics of different missions.

The situation in North Africa is explained at the opening, the fight against Rommel, the need for the destroying of Luftwaffe planes and airstrips in Greece and on the Greek islands. Dirk Bogarde, very stiff-upper-lipped and prone to shouting and dramatic overacting, leads a squad secretly into Greece. Denholm Elliott is his corporal, a kind of conscience as well as antagonist towards Bogarde. Akim Tamiroff is a Greek veteran.

The film follows the familiar routines of the landing of the group, the difficulties in getting through the terrain, the locals going back to the village, the blowing up of the planes, the decisions by the leader which endanger the lives of some of the men, the capture and imprisonment of the group, the heroism of the old veteran giving himself up to save the others, the desperate swimming out to sea to meet the submarine and the rendezvous.

The film is well done in its way, the cinematography of the Greek islands quite magnificent. Tribute is paid to the Lebanese Air Force for its help. Dirk Bogarde was at the beginning of his career as was Denholm Elliott and for many decades they were to be stalwarts of the British industry as well as building up international reputations. Direction is by Lewis Milestone who made quite a number of war films and won an Oscar in 1930 for All Quiet on the Western Front. During World War Two he made a number of films on the war including North Star, Purple Hearts and especially A Walk in the Sun. He also made the film about the Korean war, Pork Chop Hill.

1.Popular World War Two story? For British audiences of the 1950s? For later decades? A tribute?

2.The Cairo settings? The Greek islands? The beauty of the location photography? The villages, the mountains, the sea? Action sequences? The blowing up of the planes? The submarine rescue? The musical score?

3.The family of the plot: the situation of the war in North Africa, Rommel’s advance, the preparation for repelling him? The information about the Luftwaffe, the planes in Greece? The need for them to be destroyed? The platoon being organised, Graham and the choices? The carrying out of the mission, the difficulties, the betrayals, the dangers, the achievement, the escape, people being killed and arrested? The finale? How well did the film present this familiar pattern?

4.The Cairo situation, the clubs, the singers, ease, before war broke out? Graham and his friend? The possibilities of omission?

5.Graham’s personality, leadership, age and experience? His choosing the men? The discussions with Captain George One, Captain George Two? With the captain of the submarine? With the Greek guides? His personality, self-reflection, angers, decision-making, overdramatic, the clashes with Corcoran? The problems on the island, his handling them? The end, his concern about himself, leadership, enjoying the mission, endangering the men? The interchanges with Corcoran and Corcoran being his conscience?

6.Corcoran, the corporal, his comments, his dislike of Graham, his criticising him, obeying him, helping him at the end?

7.Captain George One, his experience, concealing his wound, his place in the mission, help, Greek, in the church? Hiding? His wound, giving himself up? Captain George Two, the loyalty, the Greeks and their knowledge, the capture?

8.The platoon, the various personalities, the Welsh, the interchanges? The loss of water? Hiding during the day? Travelling at night? Evading the Germans? The mission and its achievement? Deaths, arrests? The typical English heroes?

9.The Greek guides, their backgrounds, going into the village, the guide with his mother and sister, his return? The boys on the hills with the sheep? The village knowing that they were there, concealing them from the Germans? The boy playing his flute and bringing the sheep to hide Graham and Corcoran in the cave?

10.The Greek woman, the church, the fight, her ringing the bell and alerting the Germans?

11.The Germans, their place in the village, the occupation? The destruction of the planes? The pursuit, the captures? The Italians and their collaboration? The young Italian and his kicking his foot and hitting Graham’s face? The final pursuit to the beach?

12.The submarine captain, the rendezvous, the depth charges, the return, the rescue?

13.The popularity of this kind of film, the need for this kind of reliving of the war?

FROM HELL

US/UK, 2001, 122 minutes, Colour.
Johnny Depp, Heather Graham, Ian Holm, Robbie Coltrane, Ian Richardson, Jason Flemyng, Katerin Cartledge, Terence Harvey, Susan Lynch, Paul Rhys, Leslie Sharp, Ian Mc Niece.
Directed by the Hughes brothers, Albert and Allen Hughes.

From Hell is one of at least thirty-eight films based on Jack the Ripper or the Jack the Ripper story. It is one of the best.

The Hughes brothers, Americans, had made their name with films about race issues in the United States, especially Menace II Society and Dead Presidents. They continued this theme in subsequent films, and television programs.

They show great interest in the Jack the Ripper story and the screenplay is based on a graphic novel by Alan Moore (V for Vendetta). The screenplay was written by Terry Hayes, who had worked for many years in Australia including on the Mad Max films, and Rafael Yglesias, a novelist who wrote such films as Peter Weir’s Fearless. They have done an excellent job in terms of recreating 19th century London, the complexity of politics in the Victorian era, the squalor of Whitechapel. They have also developed the conspiracy theories about Prince Albert Victor, the Duke of Clarence, but have opted that he was not Jack the Ripper but rather Dr William Gull, the expert who treated the royal family and treated the prince for syphilis.

The film recreates London expertly. The Whitechapel sets were built in Prague. There is also an atmospheric musical score. The Hughes brothers use modern techniques of editing and pace for their story, especially in the suggestions about the Jack the Ripper killings, a collage of flashes and lights and blood.

Johnny Depp is excellent and proves once again his versatility, a more restrained role, with a cockney accent. Heather Graham is more decorative and useful than a good actress. However, it is the supporting cast which stands out. Ian Holm makes a genial and then sinister Sir William Gull, Robbie Coltrane is jovial as Sergeant Godley, the assistant to Depp’s Inspector Fred Abberline (who was portrayed by Michael Cain in the 1991 Jack the Ripper). Ian Richardson is a disdainful Sir Charles Warren. Jason Flemyng is the coachman who collaborates with Jack the Ripper. Katerin Cartledge, Susan Lynch and Lesley Sharp are very good as the prostitute friends of Mary Kelly.

The film also raises interesting political themes, the anti-Semitism of the government and the Jews living in Whitechapel and the persecution; the possibility of a backlash against Catholics because of the secret marriage of Prince Albert Victor to a prostitute in a Catholic church; the role of Masonic lodges and the high-placed dignitaries who all belonged to the lodge and were devoted to protecting the empire.

All in all, From Hell is expertly made, continually fascinating, especially for those interested in the Jack the Ripper story and in conspiracy theories.

1.The continued interest in Jack the Ripper? The mystery, the crimes, the London of the period, the murder of the prostitutes? The detective work? The cover-ups, conspiracy theories?

2.The visual style of the film, the sets, 1888, the detail of Whitechapel, the palace, the Masonic meetings? The atmospheric score?

3.The quote from Jack the Ripper that he gave birth to the 20th century? The title and the fact that Jack the Ripper was from Hell?

4.The strength of the cast, the Americans, the British?

5.The popular theories about the identity of Jack the Ripper? Prince Albert Victor? His going to Whitechapel, his relationship with Ann Crook? The marriage, the flashbacks to the ceremony, the Catholic church? Ann Crook giving birth? The possibility of this child being an heir to the throne? The prince’s syphilis, being treated by Dr Gull? The secret? The Catholic threat to the establishment? The focus on the Masons, their values, the highly-placed dignitaries, their banding together, secrecy? The report of Lord Hailsham to Queen Victoria? Dr Gull? as a Mason?

6.Fred Abberline and Johnny Depp’s performance? The opening hallucination, his taking drugs, the haze of the drugs? The memories of his wife, her pregnancy, giving birth, the death of the child, his wife? His becoming a recluse? His work for Scotland Yard, Sir Charles Warren and his reliance on him? Sergeant Peter Godley and his support? Abberline’s powers, dreams, visions, the way they were visualised? Sir Charles and his scepticism – and his thanking God that he was not that kind of detective? The examination of evidence, the scenes of the crime, the bodies, the lives of the victims? The encounter with Mary Kelly? The initial animosity? Mary’s friends? The suspects? His work with the force, the laughing at him, Godley’s reprimands? The graffiti about the Jews, the misspelling and his interpretation? His going to meetings with the aristocrats, their seeing him as middle class, looking down on him? His growing realisation and using the evidence to detect that the Ripper was an educated man?

7.The portrait of the women in Whitechapel, working the streets, the encounter with their clients? The pimps and their pressures, the exercise of violence, knives, wanting protection money? Their continued threats to the women? The clashes with Abberline – and their threatening him, almost killing him? Annie and her relationship to the prince, her not knowing, the birth? Her relying on Mary Kelly? The police going to the house, tearing it up, her arrest, taking the prince away? Ann’s imprisonment, Mary’s going to visit? The public demonstration of the lobotomy, Dr Ferral and his illustration of the lobotomy and Mary becoming a victim?

8.The police squad, Sergeant Godley, the investigations, the help? Godley and his admiration for Fred? His grief at the end and Fred’s death? The policeman laughing and his being reprimanded? Seeing the police on the streets, at the crimes?

9.The background of doctors, Jack the Ripper and his surgical expertise, the gruesome details of the murders, the disembowelling? The introduction to Dr Ferral, the demonstration of the lobotomy, the support of Dr William Gull? Gull and his role, physician to the royal family, access to the queen? His explanations about the prince? His genially talking to Fred, fatherly? Giving him the information, about syphilis, about the prince? The gradual revelation that he was the Ripper? The film having shown the scenes but not revealing the character, hearing his voice, working with Netley, the coachman? The revelation of his ideas, his madness, arrogance? Seeing him and the brutality of his crimes? Confronted by Abberline, Fred’s being attacked, the coach, its being overturned? Sir William Gull going before the Masonic group, their hearing against him, the condemnation? His arrogant replies that he was superior to them? His being in prison – and his experiencing the lobotomy?

10.The visualising of the murders, the collage, the lights, the reaction of Netley? The references to Hell?

11.Mary, in herself, her relationship with the other women, their characters, personalities, friendship with Ann Crook? Their being murdered one by one? Meeting the Ripper, the grapes, the drink, the killing? Liz and her relationship with the Belgian woman, the lesbian aspects, the reaction of the women? Mary and her meeting with Fred, getting to like him, their discussions, the identity of the prince, Fred taking her to the gallery? The flashback of the wedding? Her finally being used as a bait for Dr Gull – and the irony that the Belgian girl was killed and that Mary had escaped to Ireland, the scenes of her bringing up the prince’s daughter?

12.The Masons, the rituals and ceremonies, the presence of Sir Charles Warren, of other members of the government? Dr Gull? His imagining his performing the autopsy in front of them and their applause? The Masons and the secrecy, regulations, the loyalty to the monarchy, to God? The reception of Dr Ferral? The condemnation of Dr Gull?

13.Queen Victoria, the comment about the coldness of her eyes, her attitude towards the prince, reassured by Dr Gull? Her wanting to hear no more of the situation?

14.The presentation of life in Whitechapel, the details in the street, the shops, the inns, the clients? The brutality of the protection racket? The girls, the landlord, the deaths and the effect?

15.The end, Fred’s fear for Mary, his not going to Ireland? The pathos of his death? The coins – and the rituals of the Masons and their executing him?

16.The perennial interest in Jack the Ripper, his crimes and the mystery?