CHE

US, 2008, 268 minutes, Colour.
Benicio Del Toro, Demian Bichir, Joachim De Almeida, Jordi Molla, Julia Ormond, Lou Diamond Phillips, Franca Potente, Rodrigo Santoro, Catalina Sandina Moreno.
Directed by Steven Soderberg.

Che is two films in one. The first part portrays the Cuban revolution, especially Che’s choices and leadership. The second part is his guerrilla warfare in Bolivia culminating in his death there in 1967.

While the project is ambitious, Soderbergh offers a rather classical cinema portrait of Che. During the Revolution, we are able to follow the years of skirmishes then battles, the emergence of the Castros (both Fidel and Raul, providing interesting background in the light of subsequent history) and the support of the Cuban people for the uprising. The film provides a detailed look at the events. However, it also offers some material for judging Che by constant flash-forwards (in black and white) to his 1964 visit to the US, the television interviews and his speech and rebuttal of arguments at the United Nations. There is a lot of reflective material here in Che’s own words and in the journalist’s questions and the UN members’ critique.

While Che’s idealism is to the fore, his clear policy of armed attack as the only way to be rid of corrupt governments with the consequent violence and executions is put in his own mouth as well as the condemnations of others. In retrospect, it is interesting to wonder what might have happened had the US withdrawn the sanctions (and even moved out of Guantanomo).

The second part is not so gripping because, paralleling what actually happened, it shows the haphazard activities of Che in Bolivia, the revolution not really sparking and the small crusade waged by him and his followers (with the disapproval of the Communist Party against armed attack). The action meanders from one encounter to another, the Bolivian Andes contrasting with the Cuban terrain.

Benicio del Toro has an important role as Che. However, Soderbergh does not always place him centre screen – which fits in with his tendency not to be a leader like Castro. And he does not come across as highly charismatic as anticipated. Rather, like a missionary, he has his ideals, his zeal, his complete dedication to the people he wants to free and is prepared to die for all of this.

1.The reputation of Che Guevera? Audience interest? In the 60s and 70s? Now? As the Argentinian, as the guerrilla? The cycle of films? The background of Walter Salez’ Motorcycle Diaries? The format for this film? Che as a doctor, social concern, his meeting with Fidel Castro, the interest in Cuba, the military, his guerrilla textbook, his advice to Castro, emerging as a leader of the revolution? Going to the UN in 1964? In the Congo, Bolivia? An idealist? Even to death? His impact around the world? A left-wing icon? Films and documentaries about him?

2.Stephen Soderberg, an elaborate project? Screening in two parts? The two phases of Guevera’s career? The classical narrative style? Black and white photography for New York? The point-of-view camera for Che’s death?

3.The history of Cuba, the 20th century, the 1950s, President Batista and corruption? Life in the mountains, the villages, the cities? The action and warfare? The special effects for the train crash? The musical score?

4.The United Nations sequences, New York, black and white, the television channels, the journalist’s interview, in the apartment and meals and discussions?

5.Bolivia, the Andes, the villages, the beauty of the countryside? The score?

6.The introduction to Cuba, 1955, Fidel and the men sailing to Cuba? Only twelve surviving? In Mexico, the ship? The recurrence of this image at the end and Che Guevera’s hopes? The interviews about Batista, the scenes of Batista and wealthy life in Cuba? The quotation about John Quincy Adams and Cuba as an apple for America’s gain?

7.The screenplay, the information, the quotations from Che Guevera, quotations from authors like Tolstoy about spirit in war? The economic information, the politics, medical? Che and his concerns, communist background, socialist interest in people and practice?

8.Fidel Castro, his aims, character, Raoul as younger, supportive? The eighty-two who sailed to Cuba, the twelve surviving? Castro as leader, his skill in strategies, decision-making, loyalties, Che and his advice, orders to him, especially for training? The court case about the soldier shooting the other? Issues of discipline? The strikes again Batista, Fidel’s support? His interest in negotiations? His officers?

9.The range of men, the military, from the countryside, young, illiterate and needing to learn, the teaching of reading and writing, joining whether or not they had weapons? Some running away, exploiting the situation, executed? The guards, inefficiencies? The build-up of training, strategies, guerrilla warfare, the battles, the Cuban army, their reports? The wounded and the dying being cared for? Che and his work as doctor?

10.Che, his name, the Argentinian, foreigner and not always accepted? Her personality, charisma? His asthma and health? Work as a doctor, an idealist in action and in theory, his strong commitment to military and arms? His being accused of being an assassin? The rolls of executions?

11.The build-up to the end of the revolution, the finales the people joining, the soldiers surrendering, the overturning of the train? The sniper in the city? Getting into the hotel from the side? The chief of the army, his surrender and escaping incognito? The rebels finding arms? The final surrender?

12.Che, the war transforming him? The relationship with Aleida? His wife and children in Mexico? Later information about his marriage to Aleida and leaving her in Cuba with the children?

13.The finale of part one, the image of the stolen car, Che reprimanding the soldiers and sending the car back? Not in the spirit of the revolution?

14.New York, black and white photography, the range of interviews, Che’s answers, explanation of the Cuban situation, economics, embargos, sanctions, the role of the Soviet Union, the Bay of Pigs, the missiles, the American occupation of Guantanamo? American raids and piracy against Cuban vessels? His relationship to his advisers? The young man wanting his advice and permissions? The United Nations, his reception, the bomb scares on the East River? His speech, the answers, Venezuela, Panama and their condemnation, Adlai Stevenson? Che’s rebuttal of their arguments?

15.His disappearance, going to the Congo, Venezuela, going to Bolivia? Fidel Castro and Che’s letter, explaining his resignation, moving to Bolivia? Cuba’s continued interest and support of revolution in Bolivia?

16.The Bolivian situation, a democracy, General Barrientos as president? The military? The peasants, their attitudes? Oppression? Different from the Cubans?

17.Che’s arrival, leaving his family, the disguise of teeth and baldness? His being followed? Going to the mountains, being welcomed, incognito as Ramon, people knowing his identity?

18.The contrast with the Cuban peasants, his comments, training, the examples of guerrilla warfare? The Bolivian Communist Party, the visit of Monje, trying to persuade him to join, the official Communist Party attitude against military action? Monje’s resignation and withdrawal?

19.Life in the mountains, hard, the recruits, their motivations, the training, their interactions, going to the villages, getting food? Betrayals? Tanya and her presence, work, going to the city, her return – and being followed? The loss of five years’ work?

20.The president, his style, the American delegation, the discussions about training – and the implications about the School of the Americas? His visiting the corpses? The orders for Che’s death?

21.The structure, the different days? A diary of skirmishes? Ramon, leader, unobtrusive, illness, acknowledging mistakes?

22.The battles, the attacks, wounding and deaths, strategies?

23.Che’s capture, in the cell, Eduardo and the discussion about his life, Eduardo and his volunteering, shooting Che? The transporting of his body?

24.Che’s missionary zeal, willing to lay down his life, social concern, achievement? An admirable hero or not?

JOHNNY MAD DOG

France/Liberia, 2008, 93 minutes, Colour.
Christopher Minie, Daisy Victoria Vandy.
Directed by Jean- Stefan Sauvaire.

It is quite amazing to read acknowledgements to the president and government of Liberia for a film, especially a film that shows so many ugly faces of war in the troubled conflicts of the 1990s. Yet, here they are – and the film was made on Liberian locations in and around Monrovia. And the cast consisted of former child soldiers who portray the fighting and atrocities they committed in those times.

Director and producers took care in the casting, finding that the re-enactments, as acting, were a kind of therapy. The technical adviser was Joseph who plays the rebel general. He had been a child soldier since the age of ten. Since many of the cast could not read or memorise a script, much of the dialogue is memory and improvised.

The film is a frightening experience in the sense that it shows horrors that are normally unimaginable. The HD photography gives graphic closeups of characters and action and the editing immerses us in terrible events. With the focus on Johnny, and even more frighteningly on the young boy who plays a 13 year old merciless soldier called No Good Advice, we have to ask ourselves how such abductions took place, how the children were brainwashed (nicknames, songs, drugs…) and could attack, abuse and kill as they did. The film is a challenge to conscience and consciousness of the evil dimensions of human nature.

There must be some hope as Liberia has an elected government, the film was made there, and the children are coming to terms with what they have done, but this latter is a desperate and hard road to go.

1.A gruelling experience? The horrifying realities it depicts? The need for healing? Reconciliation? The final credits and the photos?

2.The history of Liberia, 1990s to 2002? Civil war, corrupt president (and later trials), the rebels, the role of the United Nations? The atrocities committed, tribalism?

3.The film having Liberian government backing, filmed in Liberia, with a cast of children who served as soldiers?

4.The rebels – the audience not seeing their cause? Their methods and the repulsion? The tribalism and the attack on the Dogo tribe? The bloodlust and its encouragement? The rebel officers, the abduction of the children, training them, indoctrination, drugs? Nicknames, songs? Rape and violation, cruelty? The arrogance, mercilessness?

5.The opening, the attack, editing and pace, the victims, the child soldiers, the focus on Johnny, on No Good Advice? The general? The language and abusiveness, the arbitrary treatment, despising of the enemy?

6.The character of Mad Dog Johnny, the fact that he had forgotten his real name, no family, soldier at the age of ten, his being commended, the general relying on him, No Good Advice as his subordinate, the other members of the group? Pride and arrogance? Obedient, fulfilling the missions? Walking at the head of the group? His being given the cocaine to stir him up? His relationship with the Dogo girl? The attack, the fight in the city, the mission to take the television station, the achievement? The confrontation with the personnel in the TV station, the arbitrary shootings, the woman who was the announcer, her criticisms of the rebels? The violent sexual treatment?

7.Recouping strength, the indoctrination, the mission, getting the president, taking the city? The advance, Mad Dog Johnny and his leadership, No Good Advice and his being dominant? The shooting at their truck? Finding the boy with the oranges, killing him? The man carrying the pig, being accused of being a looter? The pig being stolen by No Good Advice? His keeping the pig, not wanting others to have it, not wanting it to be killed? The eventual killing of the pig and their all eating the meat?

8.The focus on the young girl, her concern about her legless father? Her brother? The advance of the rebels? Taking her brother, her father refusing to go, leaning against the door? Her hiding in the streets, witnessing the of the boy with the oranges? Coming down the steps, the confrontation with Mad Dog? His letting them go, her return, finding her father wounded? The wheelbarrow, taking him to the hospital? His being in hospital, tended? His death? Her grief, losing her brother, unable to find him? The cyclist and taking him to the cemetery, burying him? Her being a judgment on Mad Dog?

9.In the streets, the fighting, the soldiers, taking the bridge? Radio contact with the general?

10.The aftermath, the killing of the pig, on the beach? Mad Dog and the Dogo girl? The other girl and the clash? The continued shootings?

11.The day after, Mad Dog going to the general, the general and his being in the regular army, becoming a corporal, there not being any money available, telling him that he could go to be a guard at the security camps? The collapse of Mad Dog’s world? A future?

12.The aftermath of the war, the effect on the child soldiers, their lack of morals, morale? The need for reconciliation and retraining?

13.The film and its use of former soldiers, the actor portraying the general having been a boy soldier and giving technical advice? The re-enactments of the events under the control of the director, improvising from their memories as a means of therapy?

14.The impact of this kind of story for the world, what happened in Africa in the 1990s in so many countries, the role of children soldiers? The comment on human nature and the need for world consciousness to better these situations?

LA MUJER SIN CABEZA (THE HEADLESS WOMAN)

Argentina, 2008, 90 minutes, Colour.
Maria Onetto.
Directed by Lucrecia Martel.

This is tough going, especially if one does not get on the wavelength of the film early. The screenplay is often elliptical, leaving it to the audience to discover or work out what is going on.

We see a group of Buenos Aires mothers and listen to their chat about swimming pools, children and other assorted topics. We follow one of them as she drives home. Momentarily losing concentration, she has an accident. Has she simply crashed? Has she hit someone or something? And, what of her mental state as she composes herself? As she goes to a hospital for an X ray? As she books into a hotel for the night?

When she returns home she seems to be acting normally but she is distracted – she seems to have lost her head somehow. When she comes to realise that she may have been responsible for hitting a boy, her family and friends check on details and she rehearses her steps. It seems there is no evidence of the accident.

The question arises as to whether she is the one who knows what happened and others are refusing to acknowledge this – or what? The performance by Maria Onetto is fine and the director takes us into the mind and emotions of a troubled middle-aged woman in well-to-do Buenos Aires society.

1.The reputation of Lucrecia Martel? Her films and awards? Her enigmatic treatment of subjects? The impact of this film? For male audiences? For female audiences?

2.The Argentinian setting, the countryside, the city? Homes, hotels, hospitals? In the mountains, the sales of plants? The stormwater channel? The floods? A realistic atmosphere? The musical score? The songs?

3.The title, the reference to Vero? Her experiences? Her being disconnected and alienated from her surroundings?

4.The opening, the stormwater channel, the boys playing? Chasing each other? The transition to the women, social chatter, the children, the discussions about the pool and its opening? Vero in this context?

5.Vero, her driving, the phone, her lack of concentration, her feeling that she had run over somebody? Her getting out, sitting in the car for a long time, continuing the journey? The consequences and her going to the hospital, disconnected, the x-ray, not signing the document, not waiting, going to the hotel? The man visiting her, the issue of tea and sandwich? The lovemaking? Her later return to the hotel – and their having no record of her? Her going to the hospital and their having no record of the x-rays?

6.At home, her husband, his going to work, trying on the swimming costume? Leaving her to manage? The servants? Her background as a dentist, the cab, going to work, not relating well to the people there? Her going home?

7.Her daughter, her weak physical condition, her concern for her? The other daughter, the marriage, the decision not to go but to send a present?

8.Her friend Josefina? Their talk, going to find the plants? The man unable to lift the heavy containers? His waiting for the boy who was missing?

9.The floods, the missing boy, his being drowned?

10.Vero, her thinking that she had killed him? Talking to her husband, their checking the records and no-one being reported killed by car? Only the boy drowned?

11.The boy delivering the plants, her giving him the T-shirts? Her continuing her work, going to the children and inspecting their teeth?

12.Her manner, wandering, her wondering what had happened to her? Refusing any kind of assistance? Her gradually returning to normal? The meeting with the friends, the social – and the sudden ending of the film?

13.The portrait of an ordinary woman, her physical appearance, her blonde hair and the discussions about hair colour, her returning to black, saying she was probably grey? Her age, her relationship with her husband? With her children? The continued concern about the infirm daughter? Her friends, the servants? The experience and its mental and spiritual effect on her?

LOS BASTARDOS

Mexico, 2008, 90 minutes, Colour.
Jesus Moises Rodriguez, Reuben Sosa, Nina Zavarin.
Directed by Amat Escalante.

A very blunt drama about illegals in Los Angeles, their trying to get day work, the work itself, the relaxing afterwards. Then it turns into a melodrama as two of the men go to a house as hit men.

On the level of picturing the range of Mexicans and other Hispanics who wait on street corners for Anglos to arrive and take them to job sites, argue for the payments and the lift back to the street corner and the conscientious work they do for rather superior and bigoted employers, the film is an interesting sociological kind of drama.

When the film shifts to look at a white mother preparing a meal for her disinterested teenage son, it changes tone and style completely. But, then the two men arrive and it is a ‘Funny Games’ situation as the men take their time to do the hit, swim in the pool, have a meal, tease and torment the woman and molest her.

The two men are played by non-professionals.

The ending is sudden, graphic, and shocking. Which was the intention of the film-maker – to raise questions about this huge migration of Central Americans into the US, their uncertain status, their being exploited and their own desires to make as much money as possible as quickly as possible. And these are the results.

1.The impact of the film? Realistic? Stylised? Relevant? Brutal?

2.The Mexican director, his experience of the United States and of Mexico, the illegals, their work, difficulties, wanting to make money? His perspective on the Mexicans, on the Americans? On the social situation?

3.Twenty-four hours in Los Angeles? The opening with the long sequence in the waterway? The open fields and the work? The building site? The streets and the men waiting for work? The parks? The homes, affluence? The interiors of the home, the pool? The finale in the strawberry patch, the long shot? The framing of the action by the two very long shots? The musical score and its emphasis? The sound engineering? The flashes of red during the opening credits and the final credits?

4.Jesus and Fausto, the long walk through the drain, kicking the ball, going to wait for work? Jesus and his phone call, the money for his aunt? Having a job? Fausto tagging along? Their waiting with the men, the discussions about wages, the stories being told about their experiences? The cars arriving, the few men going off to work? The builder, his wanting six men, the arguments about ten dollars an hour, his bringing them back? Their going to work, the details of the work, clearing the space, digging the pit for the foundations? Their conscientiously doing the work, their being paid? The argument and threats about being taken back?

5.Jesus and Fausto, the money, getting some beers, going to the park? With the shotgun?

6.The transition to the home, to the woman making the meal, the long details of the meal, her son upstairs and his loud music? Coming down, the meal, his lack of communications, going off with his friends, his mother accusing him of drugs – and the irony of her own drugs and using them? Her disappointment, the separation from her husband? Her going to watch television, going to sleep?

7.The intrusion of the two men, getting in the window, scouting the house? The gun? The woman waking and being terrified? Collecting the knives, her having to prepare them a meal? Their eating it, her waiting? Their decision to go swimming, making her go into the pool? The sexual advances by Jesus? The drugs? Fausto refusing – then going along?

8.The woman, her situation, her husband paying these men to kill her? Her offering more money? The audience not knowing exactly the background and the reasons? Empathising with the woman and her plight?

9.Back in the room, the discussions, Fausto and his anger, suddenly getting the gun, shooting the woman? The complete brutality of the sequence? The special effects for the dead woman? The arguments between the two? Jesus and the blood, in the bathroom?

10.The irony of the boy coming back early, his shooting Jesus, Fausto escaping? The boy’s grief at his mother’s death?

11.Fausto, going back to work, the people in the strawberry patch, the close-up on his face and the end of the film?

12.The emotional impact? The intellectual impact in reflection on the social conditions?

SANGUEPAZZO (WILD BLOOD)

Italy, 2008, 148 minutes, Colour.
Monica Bellucci, Luca Zingaretti, Alessio Bonni.
Directed by Marco Tullio Giordana.

While running for two and a half hours, this is a continually absorbing film which has the sub-title, An Italian Story. Director Marco Tullio Giordana had been trying to make this film for more than two decades but, after his success with The Best of Youth, he was able to raise the money. It is a large project.

During the course of the film, there are two stories running parallel. The first takes place during the five days before the end of World War II and the setting is Milan. The second is in flashback to 1936 and then through to early 1945. In the first story, a famous actor, Osvaldo Valenti, a matinee idol who continued to appear in Fascist-backed films, gives himself up to the Partisans and saves his co-star and partner, Luisa Feridi. The Partizans accept this, especially former anti-Fascist director and exile, Golfiero Goffredi. However, they must stand trial for their complicity with the government and answer rumours that they had participated in the torture of prisoners.

The flashbacks tell the story of Osvaldo’s career, a Don Juan character with a cocaine and heroin problem, who survived and even became leader of a Fascist division. It also tells the story of Luisa, a country girl who wanted to be an actress, was seduced by Osvaldo, directed by Golfieri and became one of Italy’s leading celebrities, leading a wild private life while continually supporting Osvaldo.

As a picture of Italian cinema, production, the Venice festival, the government financed popular entertainments and the collapse of the Fascist agencies, the film is fascinating. As a human drama, it has its harrowing moments in the brutal experience of war. As an Italian story, it is a very good film. Luca Zingaretti as Osvaldo Valenti gives a mesmerisingly memorable performance and is supported well by Monica Bellucci as Luisa.

1.The scope of the film, its subtitle as An Italian Story? The title and the Sicilian phrase about passion and wild blood?

2.The Italian feel of the film, the era of fascism, World War Two experience, the partisans? The life of cinema in the 30s and 40s? Politics? Liberation and resistance? A civil war?

3.The settings in Milan, Rome, Venice? The Italian countryside? The fascist buildings? The movie sets? The lavish hotels? Prisons? The ruins? The musical score?

4.The experience of the war, the last five days of the war, in Milan, the prisons and torture, the partisans in the countryside, the ruins, the German occupation?

5.The structure of the film: the opening in 1945, the last five days of the war, culminating in the deaths of Osvaldo and Luisa? The flashbacks to 1936 continuing through to 1945?

6.The 1945 story: Osvaldo, his smashing the drug files, leaving, going through the lines, the uniform, surrendering? The suspicions? Golfiero and Vero? Golfiero knowing him? Questioning, sending Golfiero on the mission to rescue Luisa? Golfiero, the German uniform, his passing through the lines, rescuing Luisa?

7.The partisans, wanting to kill them? Golfiero not? Hiding them, Irene and the partisans in the countryside, Irene and Luisa talking, the gift of the necklace? The talk, the attack, their being taken, the partisans killed, Luisa and her grief for Irene? Wanting her to be buried next to Pietro? In the city, the sniper, Golfiero being wounded, Luisa tending him, the memories, his death? Vero and his taking them with the group, saying they were free, their being shot? The partisans agreeing that this was justice? Golfiero saying that he would come back if justice was not done? The rough notice placed over the bodies?

8.Osvaldo and his past, his status, performances, seeing him as Richard III, his mockery of the director, his voice being dubbed, his tantrums? His later films and the portrayal of heroes? The girl and her fluffing the line and his insulting her about being the mistress of the minister? The women in his life, meeting Luisa, her tough stance, her name and his criticism of it, their spending the night together, the bond, his giving her the money, her later returning it? Gatecrashing her success party, dancing with her? His life during the years at work, his influence, popularity, everybody knowing who he was? The government? His dependence on drugs, his certificate as a cocaine addict? Sturlo and his being his right-hand man, supplying him with everything, the drugs? Sturlo’s presence and knowledge of what happened? The war, the dangers, the ministers, 1943, the head of production and his giving him the letter nominating him to the department, his shooting himself, Osvaldo destroying the letter? Count Borghese and Division Ten, his getting a uniform, his vanity, going into action? His Mussolini look? On the tram, with the nun and the girls, his giving autographs? Seeing Golfiero, telling the story about the woman and the two men she loved? Letting him go? The decision to go to Milan, not having any work, the arguments with Luisa? Encountering the head of the SS, the dinner, his girlfriend, filming them, going to the torture chambers, filming that? His ambition to make a film? Buying the drugs from the doctor, the SS shooting the doctor? His finally smashing the drugs, going to give himself up? Carrying his film with him? Portrait of Osvaldo Valenti?

9.The portrait of Luisa, the country girl, her name, an extra, meeting Golfiero, resisting him, his taking her to the studio, to the dinner, helping her with her manners? Meeting Osvaldo, spending the night with him, the deal? Repayment? Success in the film, the scene from the film, the applause, the party, Osvaldo dancing with her? Golfiero being homosexual? Life with him, the drugs, her administering the drugs? Popularity and celebrity? The war, her being recorded and the blackmail from the minister? The public persona? Osvaldo and the getting of the drugs, going to Milan, the dinner with the SS, the girlfriend, the prurient observation, the lovemaking? Her being rescued?

10.Golfiero, a wealthy count, his films, homosexuality, with Luisa, with Osvaldo? The film? His being exiled, the escape? The return, Taylor as his code name, on the tram, Osvaldo not arresting him? The partisans, the uniform and the rescue, his wanting justice to be done and their having a trial, the sniper, his illness and death?

11.Vero, the tough partisan? Irene and the other partisans? Vero and his attitude towards Osvaldo and Luisa?

12.Cardi, the head of the film production, a fascist, the speeches, the examples of fascist films and documentaries, the Venice film festival? The type of films made during the fascist era, popular entertainments rather than propaganda? Their dislike of the Germans? Cardi and his handing over to Osvaldo, shooting himself?

13.The SS officer, his gold tooth, ruthless, his girlfriend, the dinner, watching them behave sexually, going to the torture chamber?

14.The scope of the film, the war, memories, Italian conscience and consciousness, the film industry?

DE OFFRE VILIGA (INVOLUNTARY)

Sweden, 2008, 98 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Reuben Ostlund.

We do all kinds of involuntary actions every day. We even make ‘decisions’ which are involuntary. This is the idea behind this comic/serious film about different groups of ordinary people. The film is like a jigsaw although most of the initial stories are unrelated. They are simply patterned for audiences to respond and then a pause for reflection as they watch the next piece.

At a party, an older man goes to a firework which did not explode and his eye is injured. A famous actress takes a bus and is pestered by fans. On the bus some youngsters play raucously while the serious driver chats to the young tour guide. A teacher complains about another teacher’s use of punishment. Two young girls giggle as they take sexy photos and then go out drinking, finally listening chastened (but perhaps unrepentant) to one of their mothers. A group of 30 something men drink and play sexual pranks.

Ostlund keeps the interest in each of the stories, making the point (especially during a class where a little girl changes her mind about what is correct because the other children disagree with her) that we are influenced by many factors whether we perceive this or not. Audiences who travel on buses will find the sequence where the driver holds up everyone until whoever broke a curtain rod in the toilet confesses!

1.The impact of the film? The variety of stories? Human nature?

2.The meaning of the title, choices, involuntary actions, involuntary decisions – and their consequences?

3.Human nature, good and bad, stupid and wise, principled or not? Good and evil – and people changing?

4.The Swedish settings, the city, the variety of locations, the countryside? The musical score?

5.The opening, the street at night – and the ending? A journey into Sweden and time for reflection?

6.The party story: the adults, their discussions, the celebration, the children? The fireworks and the failure, the father going, the warning, his drinking? The accident? His eye? His not wanting to face the reality? Eventually taking him to hospital? The continuation of the party, the people talking, the subjects of discussion? The father and his collapse? Going to hospital?

7.The schoolteacher, the children, the little girl and the test, which line was the longer? Her changing her mind, the peer pressure? The fact that this was planned to test her reaction? The staff room, the discussions? The difficult boy, his difficult home life, the staff discussing it? The teacher’s reaction? The violent behaviour of the teacher in the corridor? Her confronting him? His angry reaction to her? Going to the meetings? Her reporting him? Her sense of responsibility?

8.The girls, their age, their taking photos, their posing for sexy photos? The attitudes that they saw on television and in magazines? The aftermath, going out, the drinking, the girl’s collapse in the park, throwing something at the car, the man returning, everybody running away? His taking the collapsed girl home? The two girls as discussions with the mother, her reprimanding them, their looking chastened? Would they change?

9.The actress, the discussions at the bus stop, people talking about her plays, her films? Her travelling on the bus? The stop, further discussions? Being by herself? In the toilet, the stain on her dress, the sudden jolt, the curtain rack breaking? Her not telling anyone?

10.The men and their outing together, the sexual behaviour, the man and his exhibitionism, his chasing Olle, the sexual behaviour? The others? Their drinking? Jokes or not? His nudity, the flagpole? Their reactions? Olle ringing his wife, disgusted, discussing things with her, revelations of the past, yet his going back with the group?

11.The bus driver, his relationship break-up, his brother and himself running the company, the chatting with the bus guide, her story and ambitions? The issue of the broken curtain, the youngsters playing around at the back of the bus, his accusing them, their being innocent? His refusal to go, the people stranded, the attack on him, the man wanting to get a taxi to go to the ferry, the fact that it was a single company and they had no right of complaint, his standing on principle? The actress not telling the truth? The father, thinking his little boy was to blame, getting him to confess? The decision then to go on?

12.The insights into human nature and behaviour?

GOMORRAH

Italy, 2008, 135 minutes, Colour.
Toni Servillo, Gianfelice Imperato, Maria Nazionale.
Directed by Matteo Garrone.

This is not the most lucid of films. We admire the sincerity and courage that has gone into the making of it, the craft and the skill in working with many non-professional performers. However, with the decision to take five stories out of the many in Roberto Saviano’s 2006 best-seller (translated into 33 languages) and to intercut them, this structure has made it difficult to follow – plus the complication that many young Neapolitan thugs look much like the other and without a firm establishing of many of the supporting characters, it is difficult to distinguish one from another.

For non-Italian audiences, it might have been more helpful to have the five selected stories shown in their entirety one after the other. The press kit says that they are interconnected. In fact, episode after episode is not interconnected. They are simply juxtaposed. This means that we are following one of the stories and then it is left for twenty minutes or so while we pursue some of the others and so on.

However, the film creates a contemporary Gommorah atmosphere in the northern suburb of Naples, Scampia, which is notorious for its ugly estates, open drug-dealing, murders and control of everything by the Camorra – hence the play on names.

The five stories in themselves illustrate what Saviano (who has been under police protection since the publication) and Garrone wanted to show of the reality of the Camorra today, an often vicious world of blood, death and power. Again, the stories could have been developed more and characters probed. The story of Toto, a 13 year old boy is absorbing. He has to make a life and death decision but his story then ends. The story of a tailor who secretly trains Chinese immigrants is also interesting as is the expose of how the Camorra control the dumping of toxic waste in the south and are employed by many Italian companies. Perhaps the best written and dramatised is that of two young would-be independent thugs who imitate Pacino in Scarface, boldly rob a Columbian drug business, find a Camorra cache of arms and think they are kings of the world.

Sombre and alarming material.

1.The title of Gomorrah, the background of the Scriptures? A city to be destroyed? God’s anger with the city? The link with the Camorra and the Mafia control of Naples? The success of the book, the expose, the author and his needing police protection?

2.The reality of the Comorra, the suburb of Scampia, the open drugs market as shown, the importance of money, power? The number of brutal deaths? The Mafia control? Local Mafia, Italy-wide and, for example, the taking of toxic waste? Companies implicated? The international repercussions, the investing of money in legitimate businesses?

3.The settings, real, the estate, the interiors of the houses, the beaches, the factories, homes, bars? The musical score?

4.The structure: the five stories, were they interwoven as suggested or merely juxtaposed? The effect of the gaps between the parts of each story?

5.The documentary tone, the look, the feel?

6.Don Ciro, in himself, his visits, collecting money, giving out money on behalf of the Mafia, people’s reactions, his watching them, under orders, at the end, the battles, his wanting to take sides, people’s contempt of him? Lost?

7.Toto, his mother, age, the grocery deliveries, friendship with Maria, the monkey, the tip? Playing with children? His intentions, the background of the Mafia? The scene where he tested his bullet-proof jacket, the other children, a kind of rite of initiation? The dangers in the estate, Maria in the dark, the monkey? His being confronted, forced to make a decision about Maria’s death? His doing it? Not seeing him afterwards?

8.The two young men and their imitating Al Pacino in Scarface, their age, attitudes, lack of morals? Going to the drug dealers, robbing them? The chase? On the beach, living in the moment, finding the cache of guns, their shooting on the beach? Their being confronted, the local boss, their not wanting to obey? Their ambitions? The interview with the don, his giving them the job to kill someone, their following, the confrontation, the ambush and their deaths?

9.The issue of toxic waste, Don Franco, the old man as the boss, Roberto and his being employed? The contracts, the companies, the trucks, the poison? The crashes? The exchange of money? The poisoning of the countryside? Franco and his orders, collateral damage and deaths? Roberto, his wanting out, leaving?

10.The Colombian drug dealers, their presence in Italy?

11.The arms, the local boss, his pride, his attitude against the young boys, the don, his authority, setting up their deaths, the cover?

12.Don Pasquale, the tailor, beholden to the Mafia, his skills, the patterns? The Chinese and their factory? His going in the boot of the car, the money for his wife, instructing the Chinese? The crash, the death of the Chinese, his survival, hospital? The Mafia looking after him?

13.The cumulative effect of all these stories and a perspective on Italian corruption and the Camorra? A contemporary Gomorrah?

PALMETTO

US, 1998, 110 minutes, Colour.
Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Shue, Gina Gershon, Rolf Hoppe, Michael Rapaport, Chloe Sevigny, Tom Wright.
Directed by Volker Schloendorff.

From a 30s thriller by James Hadley Chase, this is one of those Florida film noir tales of femme fatales, credulous men and contrived murders. It's familiar, but it's interesting to watch the variations on the theme (and get a few surprises at the end). Woody Harrelson is just right as the framed journalist who willingly gets himself enmeshed in an abduction that turns into a murder. Elizabeth Shue has a good go at the seductive bad girl (her role making more sense at the end).

The film was directed by Volker Schlondorff (The Tin Drum) who decided he would like to try an American entertainment. It worked for me - but others found it too familiar. But, even when something is predictable, it is enjoyable to watch and see if you were right. Devious Florida doings.

1.A film noir style – in the 1990s? The down-and-out man? The femme fatale? The girlfriend? The heavy? The double deals? How well did this work – with tongue in cheek?

2.The background of the film: the novel, Just Another Sucker, by James Hadley Chase (Chase being an English author who visited the US only twice and briefly but whose knowledge of the US came from books and films and was a prolific writer of film noir, especially No Orchids for Miss Blandish)? The German director, Volke Schlondorff, different from all his other films?

3.The Palmetto setting, the east coast town? The temperature? The apartments, the rich mansions, the police precincts? The water? Atmospheric? The score?

4.The focus on Harry Barber, the ordinary “sucker”? Journalist, investigative, framed by the people he was investigating? Found guilty, serving years in prison? Getting out, down and out on his luck? The perfect target for Mrs Donnelly?

5.Elizabeth Shue as Mrs Donnelly? Posing as Rehea Malroux? Seductive? Interesting Harry in her scheme? The pretence of the abduction of her stepdaughter? The ransom from her old and unwell husband? The safety of the daughter-in-law? Her being persuasive, the promise of money? The reality, being Malroux’s cook, married to his bodyguard? Concocting the whole plan?

6.Nina, the nice girlfriend, sticking by Harry? Becoming suspicious, urging him to get out of his difficulties? His explaining the truth to her?

7.The abduction attempt, Harry and the planning, writing the notes? The finding of the body? His anxiety? The irony of the real Odette also being killed? The further involvement, his being asked to be the journalist covering the investigation? The district attorney and his trust? Harry being further and further enmeshed? The help of Nina? The help of Donnelly, disposing of the body?

8.The revelation of the truth, Donnelly and his planning? With his wife? Hooking Harry?

9.Harry and the background work of his being a journalist, the district attorney, the truth?

10.The confrontation, the plan for the Donnellys to kill Harry? The irony of Donnelly falling into the acid? The arrest – of both Mrs Donnelly and Harry?

11.The ingredients of the film noir, given the bright and sunny Florida setting for the 1990s? The stock characters? Played for melodrama, for laughs as well as for a murder mystery and thrills?

VOR (THE THIEF)

Russia, 1997, 110 minutes, Colour.
Vladimir Mashkov, Yekaterina Rednikova, Mischa Filipchuk.
Directed by Pavel Chukhraj.

The Thief was the recent Russian nominee for Best Foreign language Film. It is a fine film. Set in the immediate post-war years and the Stalinist era, if focuses on thief who poses as a soldier and takes with him a young widow and her little son. They travel Russia, encountering the pleasures and hardships of their Soviet communist society. Each character is believable and many of the sequences are moving. This is especially the case with the small boy, with his engaging face, trying to remember his father, attracted by the thief who tries to toughen him up, loving his mother. The story is told from his adult viewpoint, with great feeling but also a sharp critical edge. Moving perspective on the Soviet past.

1.The acclaim for the film? In the Russian industry? Worldwide? Oscar nomination?

2.The perspective of the film, the 1990s looking back at Stalinist Russia? The action in the 1940s and 1950s? The allegorical aspects of the film? Tolyan and his having Stalin tattooed on his chest? Standing in for Stalin, dominating, protective, exploitative? Katya and Sanya as typical of those who were victims of Stalin?

3.The photography, the aspects of the 1940s, dark? The focus on Katya and her giving birth? The transition to the 1950s, the city, the streets, the apartments? The theatre, the circus? A realistic but grim atmosphere? The musical score?

4.The focus on Katya, widowed, the experience of the war? Her giving birth in difficult circumstances? A strong woman?

5.The transition to the 1950s? Katya and Sanya travelling on the train? Sanya and his age, an attractive little boy? Love for his mother?

6.The chance encounter with Tolyan? His posing as an officer? Strong man, his Stalin tattoo? Dominating character? Katya’s attraction? Their becoming a family? Setting up the apartment? Seeming to lead an ordinary life?

7.The episode in the theatre, Tolyan leaving for a cigarette? Katya following him, discovering that he was robbing the apartments in the apartment block? Her reaction? His dominance?

8.His involving Katya and Sanya in further robberies? Their complicity? Going to the Black Sea, the resort, his success in robbing apartments?

9.His relationship with Katya? Love or not? His relationship with Sanya, fatherly and protective, dominating, cruel? Teaching him the tricks of the trade? For survival?

10.Katya and her decision to leave? The arrival of the police? Tolyan’s arrest?

11.Katya, the attempt at the abortion, her death? The effect on Sanya?

12.The years passing, Sanya growing up? The chance encounter with the drunk Tolyan? Tolyan not remembering the past? Sanya and his shooting Tolyan at the train?

13.The comic touches? The realistic touches – the range of people in the cities, at the Black Sea, in the apartment block? Giving a sense of realism? Yet the focus on the central three people, their plight, coping with difficulties – and the tragic implications of the Stalinist era?

GANG RELATED

US, 1997, 102 minutes, Colour.
James Belushi, Tupac Shakur, Lela Rochon, Dennis Quaid, James Earl Jones, David Paymer, Wendy Crewson, Gary Gole.
Directed by Jim Kouf.

Gang Related is much better than it might sound. It is a film about two corrupt cops who kill drug dealers, take their drugs and money, say that the crimes are not able to be solved because they are gang related. However, when they finally set up another target and kill him, and they are put in charge of the investigation, it emerges that the dealer was actually a DEA officer. They panic, choose a derelict man to pin the crime on and get their stripper girlfriend to testify against this man. Ironically, he turns out to be a wealthy man who has disappeared and has been on the streets for seven years with loss of memory. He is played by Dennis Quaid. James Earl Jones and David Paymer play his lawyers.

The film could be seen as a kind of Lethal Weapon film, only in reverse, with the police the villains. James Belushi and Tupac Shakur are good as the two police. Tupac Shakur was shot in a drive-by murder soon after the completion of this film. He can be seen in such films as Gridlocked but was best known for his rap music. He is the subject of Nick Broomfield’s documentary Biggie and Tupac and of the fiction film, Notorious.

Director Jim Kouf is better known as a screenwriter from the 1980s, creating the characters in the two Stakeout films, writing the screenplay for Rush Hour as well as creating the story and the characters for the National Treasure films.

1.The popularity of police films? Buddy police? Fighting drugs, gangs? How original this film?

2.The New York settings, the grimy streets, the police beats, the police precincts? The streets and the homeless? The uglier side of the city? The musical score?

3.The introduction to Divinci and Rodriguez? Their work as police, their tracking down the drug dealer? Killing him and stealing? Audience surprise? The irony of their panic when they discover the identity of the dead man? Their scheming and planning, getting Cynthia Webb to testify against the man? Calling him Joe Doe? The further panic when they discover who he is? His lawyers taking charge? Their means for covering up? Falling out? The clash between the two, the final crisis? How well delineated was each character? One white, one black? Their backgrounds, ethnic? Their work in the police precinct in New York?

4.Cynthia Webb, stripper background, girlfriend, her agreeing to testify, her testimony, her beginning to feel unease, her giving up on the police?

5.Joe Doe, in the streets, Dennis Quaid as Joe Doe, bearded and unrecognisable? Being framed for the crime? Taken in, prison? The discovery of his true identity? His family? His rehabilitation?

6.Lawyers, Arthur Bailer, Elliot Gough? Their taking on the case? The defence, discovery of the truth? The confrontation with the police?

7.The authentic feel of the thriller, the various police in the precincts and departments, on the streets? The background of the law, the courts?

8.A satisfying crime thriller? With twists?