SWING VOTE

US, 2008, 120 minutes, Colour.
Kevin Costner, Madeleine Carroll, Paula Patten, Dennis Hopper, Kelsey Grammer, Stanley Tucci, George Lopez, Nathan Lane, Judge Reinhold, Mare Winningham, Bill Maher, Larry King, Willie Nelson, Mary Hart, Richard Petty.
Directed by Joshua Michael Stern.

There’s democracy and then there’s democracy. As the world looked on, the American public experienced the phenomenon of Florida’s voting procedures for the election of George W. Bush over Al Gore in 2000. There were further voting irregularities in Ohio in Bush’s 2004 re-election. These events were pored over by the media and some fascinating documentary feature films were made, all alarming in their exposure of procedures that were not above suspicion.

The makers of Swing Vote had the bright idea of taking these experiences to an extreme situation. It is a bright idea and it is explored very brightly and entertainingly. Of course, there is a tradition of good-natured American political films that inspire civic duty and a respect for the rights of the underdog. James Stewart as Jefferson Smith in 1939 became the cinema embodiment of this kind of politics of the people, for the people in Frank Capra’s Mr Smith Goes to Washington. That story has been re-made several times from Billy Jack Goes to Washington, to Goldie Hawn in Protocol, even to Reece Witherspoon’s Elle Wood in Legally Blonde 2. Now it is Kevin Costner’s turn.

The action of Swing Vote takes place over ten days in November. It opens on election day when conscientious and intelligent Molly wakes her bum of a father (Ernest ‘Bud’ Johnson) and urges him to vote. She presents her essay at school and is filmed for the TV news. He, meanwhile, loses his job at the egg factory – and forgets to pick up Molly and forgets to vote. She starts to do this for him but an accident with the lead to a cleaner coming out of its socket means that the vote was incomplete. And regulations state that Ernest Johnson has the right to cast his vote after ten days.

This is not just a right. It becomes crucial as the two candidates are on level pegging. The future of the United States depends on the vote of one ordinary man.

We are in a small town in New Mexico and soon everybody else is. There is the predictable media circus camped outside Bud’s trailer. Both candidates arrive in town and set up campaigns to woo Bud.

There is plenty of comedy and satire as the presidential hopefuls and their ambitious spin-doctor campaign managers get to work, as the TV pundits make their pronouncements, and as Bud rather enjoys being feted by everyone. It is Molly who tries to keep a sensible eye on things and on all the manoeuvres, including being disappointed by her TV reporter friend (Paula Patton).

But, this is a nice film and so everybody (with the notable exception of the campaign managers) has the chance to be their better selves.

Kevin Costner fits the role of Bud perfectly, believable as the ordinary US citizen who has not realised his potential and his dreams but loves his daughter who is certainly more capable than he. The role of the daughter could well have sabotaged the film were she one of those obnoxiously precocious know-it-all little girls. She is not thanks to a persuasive performance by the young Madeline Carroll. Kelsey Grammar is the incumbent president, Republican. Dennis Hopper is his Democrat rival. Both are spoofed and both have the chance to think more deeply about what they stand for – although there are two funny satirical commercials (one for Gay Marriage, the other for Pro-Life) when Bud in his TV interviews is interpreted as being in favour of these issues. Stanley Tucci and Nathan Lane are expert at being ruthless spin-doctors.

One trouble is that Kelsey Grammar comes across far more charismatically than Dennis Hopper and, if an election depended on this alone, the Republican candidate would be returned.

Made for the year of the 2008 election, maybe Swing Vote, which is voter-friendly but politics-lite, will encourage swinging and doubting votes that there vote means something.

1.A piece of Americana? 2008 release and the elections after George Bush? The experience of 2000 – and taking it to the limit? Audience interest in American politics?

2.The impact for Americans, at the end of the Bush era? Elections, the right to vote, the contract, the influence of a vote? The film as an exhortation? The title?

3.The New Mexico settings, the town, the small town, the house, the factory, the school, the voting area? Realistic?

4.The ordinary characters, ordinary Americans, poor, losing their jobs, hardships, broken families, the representatives of ordinary America? The threat from Mexicans coming in, taking jobs …?

5.The introduction to Bud, Kevin Costner and his screen presence, asleep, his drinking, age, his wife having left him, his relationship with Molly? The breakfast, driving her to school, the discussions about politics and his wariness of the teacher? At work in the factory, Walt and his friends, the jokes? His interview with the boss, going to school with him, being laid off, the television of his drinking, breaking the eggs, getting the sack? The issue of insourcing and Mexicans taking the American jobs? His drinking, playing pool, forgetting Molly, going to sleep in the car, arriving too late?

6.Molly, her age, strong, principled, her views, the talk about the teacher, reading her essay in class, Kate Madison hearing it? Conscientious? Putting the essay on TV, her friend at school? Waiting for her father, going in to vote, secretly, the electrical accident, her taking the piece from the voting slip?

7.Kelsey Grammer as the President of the United States, Martin Fox as his adviser, on the campaign trail and his style, in the White House, optimistic, cheerful, looking at the pictures of past presidents, his confidence in the voters? His staff and their work?

8.The contrast with Donald Greenleaf, Dennis Hopper’s style, Art Crumm and his being the spin doctor? The Democrat campaign, democratic principles, Donald’s wife, his work with the voters on the campaign trail?

9.The reporting of the votes on election day, the closeness of the two candidates, the information about New Mexico, Kate Madison and her seeing the cars, following, suspicious, getting the scoop? Her boss, his concern about the ratings, sacking the anchor, Kate and her trying to keep pace, trying to get an edge, the other journalists, her having the camera trained on Molly and Molly’s reaction? Ethical issues?

10.Bud, thinking that the officials were Social Security, Molly and her reaction? The discussion, the information, lying about the voting, Bud taking the oath, the ten days’ process for his voting?

11.The hordes of journalists, outside the house? The Secret Service and caring for Molly? The ten days, the media circus, following Bud wherever he went, the personalising of the issue? Reaction on television, the various anchors as themselves? The criticism of Bud and the world laughing at the United States? Bud and waving his arm from the car and seeing it on television? Molly seeing through the politicking?

12.Andy, Air Force One, inviting Bud, talking to him, friendly names, offering him the drink, explaining strategies, the bomb case and Bud’s reaction?

13.Don, the travelling, setting up his headquarters in the town, the discussion about fishing and his cue cards?

14.Martin Fox and his sinister approach, his exasperation, wanting to win? Pressurising Andy? Andy and his rethinking his situation? Art Crumm, wanting to win, becoming desperate? Exasperated with Don? Supporting his actions, the both doing spin, the advertisements leaping on particular causes?

15.The interviews with Bud, his comments about gay marriage – and the satire in the commercial and Andy’s presence? His saying things about life and the pro-life ad and Don appearing on it?

16.Kate, talking with Molly, her working out what had happened, her change of heart? Talking with Bud, her change of name, wanting to get out of the town? Helping with the letters? Molly and her answering the letters?

17.Bud, enjoying the celebrity, his friends and their reaction, their being on television, at the bar, wondering what would happen with the town afterwards?

18.Bud and his looking at the letters, conscientious, preparing his speech? His going on television, his declaration about himself, his wasted life, dreams, opportunities? His looking at each of the candidates? The first question and the challenge to America in the 21st century and people and their poverty?

19.The end, his going to vote, the uncertainty? The audience being left as to who they would vote for?

MEET DAVE

US, 2008, 90 ,minutes, Colour.
Eddie Murphy, Elizabeth Banks, Gabrielle, Union, Scott Caan, Ed Helms, Kevin Hart, Mark Blukas.
Directed by Brian Robbins.

This is a light and entertaining, rather unsophisticated comedy that has a wide appeal and is family friendly. It is Eddie Murphy doing his popular comic schtick, faces and voices (Doctor Doolittle, Nutty Professor) rather than his Beverly Hills cop, smart-mouthed heroics.

The premisses are familiar. It is a kind of benign War of the Worlds with a touch of ET – and the kind of fish-out-of-water comedy where a stranger lands in an American city and learns what it is to be in an unexpected culture and learn its customs and language – with lots of faux pas and pratfalls.

The planet Nill is short of water and a space-ship comes to Earth to drain the oceans – without regard to the fate of humans whom they consider large, gross and ignorant. These miniscule Nill invaders would be more at home in Lilliput. But, they have designed a space-ship that looks human, very much like Eddie Murphy, but their dress sense is stuck in a Bee Gees’ white suit 1970s time warp. Number 3 on the ship (Gabrielle Union) does a lot of googling but gets matters mixed. Number 1 (Eddie Murphy) is the captain and can see through the space ship’s eyes and speaks for the android while technicians move its arms and legs. This leads to some simple but humorous slapstick.

The Captain chooses the name, Dave. Dave encounters a cheery widow (Elizabeth Banks) with a young son who idolises Dave. Scott Caan plays a New York cop very open to the arrival of aliens. Ed Helms, meanwhile, plays the rather fascist and aggressive Number 2 who is ready to lead a mutiny.

Only 90 minutes, a smile and chuckly film, the humour is geared to be acceptable to parents looking for something suitable for the kids.

1.The broad appeal, unsophisticated? Family oriented? Enjoyable?

2.Eddie Murphy’s comedies, his serious roles, the blend of the comic and the serious here? The variety of his characters, impersonations?

3.The background of E.T., Crocodile Dundee, The War of the Worlds? The spoof elements?

4.The situation and New York, the sphere, coming through the window, Josh discovering it, taking it to school, the bullies taking it? His father as a dead hero? Himself as different? Needing a father figure? His mother being protective?

5.Three months later, the ship landing, the Statue of Liberty, Dave and his mission, the forty-eight hours, the sphere to gather up all the salt of the world’s ocean to help the planet Nill? Dave and his robot style, human appearance, his ability to recover after accidents, mimicry, learning?

6.The crew, the echoes of Star Trek, human while the ship was robotic? The captain as leader? Number Two and his fascist and suspicious behaviour? Number Three and her being in love with the captain? The variety of personalities in the crew? The technicians? The engineer? The captain and the eyes of the spaceship, giving voice to Dave, the various members controlling his mechanisms and behaviour?

7.Dave and his suit, explaining his name, the walk, his ability to imitate people, the smiles, the 1970s white suit, the impersonation of the Bee Gees, and ‘Staying Alive’? The Number Three and her Googling to find out information? His being hit by the car, Gina and her reaction, her foot askew, fixing it? Gina seeing him, welcoming him to the home, apologising, his whipping of the eggs, his drinking the ketchup?

8.His speech, robotic, stilted, the accent, the captain’s accent, the variety of phrases, not understanding metaphors? His mimicking Mark, the people at the navy clothes store?

9.New York, the people, the man in the street and sharing his blanket, Gina’s art, going to see A Chorus Line, the music in the store and its being very loud, the effect, the changes in the personnel, dancing to the rhythms of the music, imitating the camp style of A Chorus Line, discovering feelings?

10.Contemporary New York and A Chorus Line, the romance, African American and rhythms, the computer and the engineer with friends on MySpace?

11.Dave and his name, going to the school, the substitute, his confrontation with the bully? Going to the carnival, the rollercoaster, the hot dog competition and the toilet joke afterwards, bowling and his being knocked out, going to the hospital, needing recharging? Recovering, taking Gina to dinner, the drink and the crew and the alcohol? Learning to dance the salza?

12.Number Two, his suspicions, the attack, the criticism of the captain and feelings? The mutiny and imprisoning him? Three and her disappointment with the captain? Her change of heart, freeing the captain, getting the sphere, the arm holding the other arm from throwing the sphere?

13.Dooley and his partner, nice, making the cast of the landing space, the interview with Dave, the attack on the police station, the chase? The technician falling into the coffee mug?

14.Mark, the love interest for Gina, his warning Dave, at the end?

15.The shooting up of the police station, the finale and the threat to the oceans, getting back the sphere, the helicopters, their capturing the spaceship? The boot escaping and the group returning to Nill?

16.The focus on objective decisions about life through the robotics? The need for the contrast between feelings and thinking? The aliens and their discovering the delight in human nature and its humanity?

THE DUKES OF HAZZARD

US, 2005, 104 minutes, Colour.
Johnny Knoxville, Seann William Scott, Jessica Simpson, Burt Reynolds, Joe Don Baker, Lynda Carter, Willie Nelson, Junior Brown, Michael Weston, James Roday.
Directed by Jay Chandrasekhar.

To be fair to the makers of The Dukes of Hazzard, they intended to make mindless entertainment. Everyone will agree that they have succeeded with the mindless! For anyone wanting to see two yobbos give up being self-absorbed for a moment and become absorbed with cars, speed, chases and crashes (plus more than a peek at Jessica Simpson pretending to be coy to distract the law), then, of course, this is it. Another momentary distraction of interest is Burt Reynold’s hairpiece. And, Willie Nelson’s corny joke-cracking hillbilly.

Suffice to say that this is loud, macho, adolescent, boorish (except for the funny line when the two Dukes, played by Johnny Nashville who seems just along for the rides and Sean William Scott who acts as if he really believes in his character and the show, say to a group of menacing African Americans who call them Georgia Hillbillies, ‘we prefer Appalachian Americans’). And that is all it intended to be – except to get the box-office cash from the loud, macho…

1.The popularity of the original series? Derivative of Smokey and the Bandit? Knockabout car comedy? The backblocks?

2.The updating to the 21st century? The southern states, Georgia? The same attitudes, prejudices? Car racing? Moonshine? Authorities? The comparison between the series and the film?

3.Hazzard County, Georgia? Moonshine? The entrepreneurs, the law? The geological sample? The university? The attitudes in Atlanta, in the Georgia countryside? The strip mining? The court? The car racing?

4.The importance of cars, the styles, driving, speed?

5.The stars, Johnny Knoxville and the Jackass background? Seann William Scott and the American Pie background? Jessica Simpson and her singing career? Burt Reynolds and Smokey and the Bandit? Joe Don Baker and his Walking Tall films? Lynda Carter and Wonder Woman? Willie Nelson and his songs and films? The contribution to the film?

6.Bo and Luke, cousins, the moonshine, their Uncle Jesse? The sheriff, Boss Hogg? The General Lee, the souped-up Charger, professional driving? The rivalry with Billy Prickett? Professional champion? Coltrane and the still on Jesse’s farm, the seizing of the property? The same with other farmers? Bo and Luke, Hogg’s safe, the sample, going to the university, the information about the sample? The car chase – and the confederate flag on the car? Going to jail, Hogg’s visit, Prickett and his rivalry? Hogg’s plan during the race? Daisy, being the boys’ cousin, the escape, the rally, Bo winning, the confrontation at the courthouse? The Dukes and their being let off?

7.Uncle Jesse, the moonshine, the farm, the boys, the clash with Hogg – and the ending punch?

8.The governor, his role, the Good Ol’ Boy? Pauline and her presence?

9.Boss Hogg, the Burt Reynolds character, greedy, Billy Prickett and the races, the specimen, the plan for the strip mining? His defeat?

10.The raucous nature of the film, the raucous comedy? Jessica Simpson as the sex symbol? The Daisy-Mae? type form Li'l Abner? The contemporary Dukes and their jokes? The background of Georgia – and the updating of the hillbilly comedy?

THE HONEYMOONERS

US, 2005, 90 minutes, Colour.
Cedric the Entertainer, Mike Epps, Gabrielle Union, Regina Hall, Eric Stoltz, Jon Polito, John Leguizamo.
Directed by John Schultz.

Here is a raucous comedy that most people will not mind missing.

It is an adaptation of the classic TV series that starred Jackie Gleason and Art Carney which, with its black and white photography, fixed sets and some laboured comedy, fades now in its classic status somewhat. This is not a version to rehabilitate its reputation.

It has to be said immediately, that the setting is African American and is designed almost exclusively for this audience who will be familiar with the cast, the kind of humour and jokes and the desperate situations that Ralph Kramden gets himself into. Cedric the Entertainer does the Jackie Gleason thing, getting himself into deeper and deeper hot water with mad financial schemes (like buying a subway train without thinking about how to get it out of the underground) and with his wife who wants to buy a house. Michael Epps is the Art Carney equivalent.

While the film is good humoured and pleads for sympathy for this latter day Ralph Kramden, the comedy does not travel well outside the target audience.

1.The popularity of the original television series? Jackie Gleason and Art Carney? The characters, the plot, the working class? Schemes and plans? Family life?

2.The adaptation to the 21st century, the African American setting? Preserving the qualities of the original? Particular qualities of this interpretation?

3.New York City, apartments, rundown? Bus driving and bus terminuses? The duplex and estate agents? The train for sale? The greyhound? The get-rich-quick schemes and their failures?

4.Cedric the Entertainer as Ralph Kramden? Personality, screen presence? Working class? His friendship with Ed? His love for Alice? His work, the bus, the passengers, the fellow drivers? At home, the neighbours? The family? His wanting to get rich quick? His encounter with William Davis? His encounter with Dodge? The buying of the greyhound, collaborating with Ed, the training, the races, the greyhound going off track? The decision to buy the train, the auction, the scheme, the excitement? The inability to move the train out of the subway? Alice and her reaction, wanting to buy the house? Their savings, the loan from her mother, the down-payment, Ralph and his losing the money? Alice and her leaving? The duplex, the unscrupulous agent? Ralph selling the train, the Japanese businessman? Buying the duplex? Alice forgiving him? Moving into the new house?

5.Alice, long-suffering, love for Ralph, the family, the hopes for the house, her parents, the loan from her mother, her disappointment, the money gone, her moving out, signing the deed, the rescue by Ralph?

6.Ed and Trixie, the parallel with Ralph and Alice? Downstairs? Their lives? Ed and his collaboration with Ralph, on all the schemes?

7.The white men, untrustworthy, their schemes, confidence tricks? Dodge and the greyhound, the training, the race, the failure?

8.The issue of the train, the auction, buying it, Ralph and his desperation? The Japanese businessman?

9.The film designed for an African American audience? The humour, the styles, the jokes, the spoofs, the parody? How well does it travel beyond the target audience?

FANTABULOSA

UK, 2006, 80 minutes, Colour.
Michael Sheen, Cheryl Campbell, Peter Wright, Beatie Edney, Ken Doughty, Ron Cook, Martin Trenamen, Ewan Bailey.
Directed by Andy De Emmony.

Fantabulosa is a story of stage, screen and television star, Kenneth Williams. It is based on his diaries. The film shows a portrait of a tormented actor with greater depth than is usual in this kind of film.

Michael Sheen impersonates Kenneth Williams but also creates a profound character. On the surface he is all language, whinnying, sardonic remarks. Inside he is very much alone, experiencing loneliness, reserved in his inner life, aware of his homosexuality, fearful of making any bodily contact with anyone, fastidious in his cleanliness. This is tested by his friendship with playwright Joe Orton (and appearing in Lute on the West End in London) and Kenneth Halliwell and the impact of Halliwell’s killing Orton. Williams is also very close to his doting mother, alienated from his barber father.

While the film shows a glimpse of Williams’ upbringing, his interest is in theatre and his moving into radio after amateur theatrics. He acted with Tony Hancock on radio but Hancock wanted to get rid of him because of Williams’ faces and voices which attracted the audience. He found a niche in the Carry On films and this film shows various members of the cast in their relationships with him, especially a sympathetic Joan Sims. Hawtrey is a sexual rival. Sid James makes sardonic remarks. There are some glimpses of the making of the Carry On films.

However, the film continues with Williams’ life, his loneliness, his hypochondria, his illnesses, his medication – and his talking about suicide in his diaries and, ultimately, his death by an overdose and the open verdict whether it was accidental or suicide.

Michael Sheen has been a successful stage actor as well as a star in film (Underworld, The Queen) and television. He is well known for his impersonations of Tony Blair in The Deal and The Queen. On stage and on screen he was successful as David Frost in Frost/Nixon.

Andy De Emmony, the director, also made the film about Mary Whitehouse with Julie Walters: Filth, the Mary Whitehouse Story.

1.A portrait of Kenneth Williams, warts and all? Insights? Empathy?

2.Audience knowledge of Kenneth Williams, his career, his appearance in twenty-six of the Carry On films? His personality?

3.The re-creation of the UK from the 50s to the 80s, London, class distinctions, the world of radio and broadcast, television, Pinewood Studios and the making of the Carry On films, the television chat shows, the political changes over the period?

4.The title, tone, Williams using it at the premiere of Carry On, Sergeant and the heyday of his fame and his taking his mother?

5.Michael Sheen’s performance, the impersonation, Williams’ manner, demeanour, faces, range of voices, the whinnying laugh, performance?

6.His father, the barber, cutting his hair, not understanding his son, the issue of performance, the dress, his secretly listening to the radio but not letting his son know? Being distant, the visit, Williams and his hoovering in his underwear and refusing to see his father? The father taking the poison, his death and the pathos, his wife’s fairly neglecting him? Williams’ mother, her doting, buying the dress, his performance at school, in the audience for his radio shows, the premiere of Carry On, Sergeant, defending him against her husband? Her husband’s death and her seemingly cavalier attitude? Moving in next door, supplying the meals, her loss of memory, bringing her home, her outliving her son?

7.Williams’ childhood, ordinary, the play and the dress, the formation of his attitudes? Growing up, performing as the Dauphin, the good reviews? Peter Eade as his agent, their talks, his being on the Hancock program, Hancock not wanting him to do the voices, his doing them nonetheless, the audience response, drawing attention to himself, his being challenged by Hancock, the party and his using Hancock’s ideas about audiences and comedy? Hancock letting him go?

8.Developing a persona, his self-defence, low self-esteem, the whinnying laugh, the quips, the voices, the audience, performing in the restaurant with Eade? The workers in the street? The innuendo, becoming more outrageous?

9.The Carry On films and their success, the premiere, being part of them over the years, with the different members of the cast, his treatment, the producers and their stinginess? Joan Sims as a friend, Charles Hawtrey as a sexual rival? Sid James and the discussions? The other members of the cast in the background?

10.His sexuality, his fastidiousness, obsessive cleanliness, not having contact with people yet wanting it, his imagination, his own sexual activity, the date, the man with the dirty fingernails? The friendship with Joe Orton and Ken Halliwell, the discussions? Performing in Lute? In the park with Orton, his observations, his disgust? Commenting on Orton’s attitudes? His reaction to being in the play? The discussions with Kenneth Halliwell? Orton and their going to Morocco, the news of his death, reflecting on Orton’s death?

11.The portrait of Joe Orton, casual, gifted, homosexual, promiscuous, his relationship with Ken Halliwell, at home? Halliwell and his own writings, self-doubt? Killing Orton?

12.Williams and his health, hypochondria, the piles, the ulcers, the medication, the discussions with the doctor, wind and pain?

13.The end of the Carry On films, his going on Parkinson’s show, difficulties with his agent, the discussions and talk about himself?

14.Williams and his diaries, the scenes of writing in the diaries, being alone, the experience of loneliness, his mother next door?

15.Illness, tablets, his being suicidal, the constant pain, his death?

16.An insight into a complex character, the moodiness and depression of comedians, British media, films and television, the radio tradition?

DONKEY PUNCH

UK, 2008, 99 minutes, Colour.
Robert Boulter, Sian Bracken, Tom Burke, Nicola Burley, Julian Morris, Jay Taylor, Jaime Winstone.
Directed by Oliver Blackburn.

The first half of this film is an ‘immorality fable’, the second part a ‘morality fable’ about the wages of sin (which has been over-illustrated in the first part). The plot is set in Mallorca (though filmed in South Africa with Malaga exteriors).

The plot seems to owe quite a lot to Dead Calm. Three young women on holidays meet four young men who are working the holidays on a luxury yacht. They inevitably accept the invitation to go back to the yacht (the owners away). They glibly take drugs and sex (some explicit and videoed) ensues.

One of the grossest of the characters tells the urban legend of the ‘donkey punch’, a sexist blow to a woman during sex for the pleasure of the man. A nitwit of the group is goaded by the gross man and delivers the punch with dire consequences.

The rest of the film is the cover-up of what has happened, the men conspiring and the women resisting. This leads to violence and the gradual elimination of the characters like many of those current US horror thrillers where the disposable cast is gradually disposed of.

Well-made – but a really unpleasant experience.

1.The impact of the film? An immoral fable? Moral fable? For what audience? Twentysomethings?

2.The Spanish settings, South African locations? Authentic? Mallorca, for holidaymakers? The sea? The musical score?

3.The horror tradition, the boat and its isolation, people eliminating one another? Variations on the genre?

4.The introduction to the girls? From Leeds? On holidays? Their talk, relationships? The meeting of the boys on the beach? Passing the time? The invitation to go to the boat? The hesitation? Going?

5.The men, sailing, their backgrounds? Their intentions?

6.On the boat, the sexual intentions? The advances? The taking of the drugs? The hesitation for Josh and for Kim, taking half the drug – and remaining above board?

7.The sexual encounters, graphically presented? The video? Bluey and his callous attitude? The attitude towards Sean, inviting him in?

8.The talk about the donkey punch, the urban legend? Bluey and his urging on Sean? Sean and the hit?

9.The death, the consequences? Responsibility and not taking responsibility? The attitude of the girls? Lisa’s death? Tammi and Kim? On the defensive?

10.The men, their decision, Marcus in charge? Josh and the legal background? The decision to throw the body overboard? The build-up, the action?

11.The girls, the discussions? Their trying to save the body? Kim and her attack on Bluey and his talk, the knife?

12.Marcus, his being in charge, the body not sinking, the danger from the propeller? The shower? His attitude, Kim throwing the flare, his death?

13.The girls, their escape, in the boat, the flare, their being taken back? Locked in the room? Kim and her getting out?

14.Josh, his being on their side? The contrast with Sean, wanting the film, his torture of Bluey? Bluey’s death?

15.Josh, helping, Tammi making the mistake, killing him? Her reaction, the suicide?

16.Sean and Kim in the boat, the film? The rope, Sean’s death?

17.Kim as the lone survivor? The others dying and the wages of sin? The morality tale after the opening immorality tale?

WALL-E

US, 2008, 95 minutes, Colour.
Fred Willard, voices of: Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin, John Ratzenberger, Kathy Najimy, Sigourney Weaver.
Directed by Andrew Stanton.

Andrew Stanton directed Finding Nemo and contributed to many Pixar Studios films including Toy Story. This is enough to recommend a look at WALL.E. And the reputation of Pixar with its string of excellent animated films (always preceded as is WALL.E) by an entertaining short film, stands very high. It may go even higher with this unusual film.

It should be said at the outset that this is not a film made with small children in mind. They may well not follow the plot and may lose interest despite an initial curiosity about WALL.E and his world. Rather, this is a film for adults to enjoy and for children who enjoy reflecting on what they see.

Next, some words of praise for the animation itself. It is highly imaginative in its creation of WALL.E (Waste Allocation Load Lifter, Earth-Class), the lone robot on earth who is still programmed centuries later to keep collecting garbage, packing it, processing it and piling neatly produced blocks into litter skyscrapers. WALL.E moves with agility and, with the aid of a mechanised voice (supplied by Ben Burtt who worked on the robots in Star Wars) and binocular eyes, seems almost human. The other robots are also striking, especially the leading ‘lady’, EVE (Extraterrestrial Vegetation Evaluator), a modernistic polished oval who is ethereally mobile. And there are some other humorous robots like a malfunctioning umbrella as well as the spy on the space ship who rids it of contaminants and the sinister wheel autopilot, AUTO, who is made to look like a relative of 2001’s HAL.

While the abandoned earth and the decaying metropolis are fascinating to watch (and so much of this is without dialogue), so are many of the scenes (some almost balletic) in space. On the other hand, the hedonistic spacecraft looks like a luxury liner with its two dimensional obese humans.

This is a message film through story and characters rather than an explicit lesson. The Earth has been abandoned 700 years earlier and lazy humans are having an extended holiday in space. But, the captain is still on the lookout for signs that they should return. When WALL.E finds a plant, EVE is sent to investigate and drama ensues as WALL.E follows EVE into space, when robots following orders try to destroy the plant and when the fat humans actually try to stand up and walk (to the music of Strauss’ Thus Spake Zarathustra evlking 2001).

One of the devices for helping establish WALL.E and his character and routine is to have him play his only remaining video (no DVDs seem to have survived). It is Hello Dolly and he replays the ‘Put on Your Sunday Clothes’ song as well as ‘It Only Takes a Moment’, over and over as happy reminders of what cheerful human life could be. The finale of ‘Moment’ with Michael Crawford’s hand clasping Marianne McAndrews’? hand becomes a key symbol.

So, one might say this is a cross-genre film. There is amusing robot comedy and human spoofs. There is the unlikely romance of two robots made credible. There is futuristic drama. There is science fiction. There is space drama. And there is ecological message – and hope via a green future.

1.Critical acclaim for the film? Popularity? The range of audience: for adults, children? Reflective audience? Concern for the environment?

2.The quality of the animation: the Earth, the landscapes of the city, the garbage piles, the robots and their movement, personality? The two-dimensional humans? The luxury spaceship? The assortment of robots? The Wheel and its eye? The portrayal of space?

3.The score, the final song? The use of the songs from Hello Dolly?

4.The opening, the focus on the universe, narrowing it to Earth? Seven hundred years into the future? The abandoned city, the skyscrapers, the huge mounds of garbage? The advertisements for the Global Corporation? The neat blocks of garbage, WALL-E collecting them, sorting out the toys from other goods (and throwing away the diamond and keeping the case)? Hello Dolly being his only video? The cockroach, its personality, playing with WALL-E, its intricate movements? His home, his life in the shed, renewing by solar energy? The vagaries of the weather, the huge winds and storms? Sheltering? The film creating a future world?

5.The premise of what if the only robot left on Earth was not turned off? The last one an active? The significance of WALL-E? His discovery of the plant in the boot? Hope? The arrival of the spaceship, the echo of Close Encounters? EVE and her arrival? Her meeting WALL-E, the conflict between the two, her appearance? The mobility? Her discoveries, consuming the plant? The communication between the two, their voices?

6.Earth, space, the journey of the human beings, abandoning Earth, the luxury liners in space? The pools and other amenities? Enjoying them? The television speeches by Shelby Forthright Britt, the CEO of the Global firm? His encouraging people to enjoy themselves? Their obesity, relying on the robots, the malfunctioning of the robots like the umbrella?

7.The captain, his concern, his sending EVE to Earth? Wanting to return to Earth? The robot checking on interference of foreign contaminants? EVE and her return, the spaceship arriving, WALL-E clinging to it, being taken up into space? Into Axiom? The chases and dangers within the spaceship?

8.The romance, the dangers, WALL-E and his rescuing EVE, their both going into space – and the ballet of light as they went past each other? The rescue? Using the extinguisher?

9.The evil Wheel, the echo of Hal from 2001? The voice, the control? The conflict with the captain? The issue of the plant, its going into the disposal, trying to save the plant?

10.The humans, John and Mary, ordinary people, enjoying themselves, needing something more, getting up, despite the obesity finding they could walk?

11.The possibility of the return to Earth, the hope in the plant?

12.The return, the arrival, the planting of crops, the harvesting? The activities and a new life for human beings?

13.The robots themselves, their limited speech, their mobility, their romance, the courting, saving? WALL-E and the end, losing consciousness? EVE, trying to restore him? The hands gripping together as in Hello Dolly?

14.The use of Hello Dolly, the dialogue, the Sunday Hat song and the dancing? ‘It Only Takes a Moment’? The romance and the hands?

15.The film’s impact, at the level of sense entertainment, emotions, intellectual themes? Its ability to cross genres of space, science fiction, comedy, romance, environmental message?

PUFFBALL

UK, 2006, 120 minutes, Colour.
Kelly Reilly, Miranda Richardson, Rita Tushingham, Donald Sutherland, William Houston, Oscar Pearce, Tina Kellegher, Leona Igoe.
Directed by Nicolas Roeg.

The film was originally to be called ‘Puffball: the Devil’s Eyeball’. This might have been a greater help to audiences who are not sure what a puffball is (a mushroom) and, while watching, might not be too sure what it was really about and wonder about its tone.

Nicolas Roeg was a celebrated director of photography in the 1960s and, during the 1970s, turned to directing and made a number of films that have classic status: Performance, Walkabout, Don’t Look Now, Bad Timing.

Just as Don’t Look Now had an eerie, out of this world atmosphere and was based on a novel by Daphne du Maurier, Puffball is based on a novel by Fay Weldon, has an eerie atmosphere (the film is set in the Irish countryside) and has witchcraft and rituals. The screenplay was written by Fay Weldon’s son, Dan Weldon. The novel made an impact in the 1980s and focuses very much on women’s issues of conception, pregnancy, miscarriage and birth. Some animated sequences highlight this sometimes vividly.

Kelly Reilly portrays Liffey, an up-and-coming architect who is remodelling an old house in Ireland with the help of her boyfriend (Oscar Pearce). The neighbours are both friendly and suspicious, especially Mabs (Miranda Richardson) who has three daughters but is desperate for a boy. When Liffey becomes pregnant, Mabs’ mother, a sinister Rita Tushingham, thinks she has stolen Mab’s baby and, with the help of her granddaughter, she performs incantations in the woods and tries to destroy the baby.

There are further emotional complications because of the spells, especially Liffey’s entanglement with Mabs’ husband. In many ways, the film’s surface looks perfectly realistic – which may make the preternatural goings on seem rather absurd in the light of day. However, Roeg is working with suggestion and mood.

Donald Sutherland, star of Don’t Look Now, has a cameo appearance as the boss of the architectural company who discovers a sense of freedom from the constraints of the corporate world in the Irish woods.

Plenty to think about, but, on the whole, a curiosity item.

1.The films of Nicolas Roeg over the decades? Interesting themes? His age at this film? The background of his work as a photographer?

2.Fay Weldon’s novel, the blend of the real and the other-worldly? Spells in an ordinary world? The focus on women, the lesser focus on men? Pregnancy, birth? The journey of the foetus from conception to birth? The focus on work? A feminist perspective?

3.The Irish countryside, the village, the houses and barns, the cattle, the countryside, the pagan stones? The locations for the spells and incantations? The blend of the real and unreal in the Irish background? The musical score?

4.The title, the explanation of the mushrooms, their small size, the look of pregnancy? The countryside, the puffballs being alive, the special effects for the life within the mushrooms? Treading on them and destroying them? The final cooking of the puffball?

5.Magic realism, the images, in the puffballs, the representation of sexual activity, generative activity? The flashbacks, the fire and Mabs’ brother being killed? Liffey’s nightmares? The dolls, the rituals?

6.The portrait of Liffey: age, architect, her project with the house, not razing it but renewing it from within? The parallel to the development of the house from within and her pregnancy and the growth of the child? Her being private and reserved, her relationship with Richard, sharing with him? The workers, meeting Mabs, meeting Audrey and Tucker? Pulling the truck out of the mud? The gift of the generator? Seeing her at work, architectural skills, the computer work? The hole and her saying that if you look in, you could see Heaven and her putting her head under the stone for Richard to see? The sexual encounter, Audrey watching, Molly watching it, Richard leaving, going back to New York, the communication by computer? The wine at Mabs’ house, Liffey and her being wary? The wine and Tucker, the sexual encounter, the passion, the literal roll in the hay? The experience of the miscarriage? The discussions with the doctor, her shock at her being pregnant? Her further shock at her being pregnant again? Going to the doctor? Carol as a receptionist and knowing what was going on? Thinking that the child was Tucker’s, wanting the abortion, the ultrasound, discovering that it was a twin, Richard’s child, her joy? Not telling Mabs the truth about her pregnancy? Richard’s return? The visit of Lars, the possibilities for her career, his admiration for her project, his being critical of her renewing the house? Her taking him to the countryside, Odin and the spells? His sense of freedom? Her being locked in the cellar, Audrey coming to help, her believing Audrey when Richard didn’t? Molly and the further spells, Mabs believing that she had taken her baby? The mother’s illness, her dying? The voodoo doll and her seeing it? Going to the lunch, Carol blurting out the information? Richard’s anger, the struggle with Tucker? Liffey on the road, her bleeding? Audrey helping? Lars’ visit, his not offering the job, his own freedom? Going to the hospital, the birth, the caesarean, the baby girl? Mabs and her acknowledgment of the baby? Liffey and Richard’s decision to leave? The farewell to Audrey? A professional woman, faced with the supranatural?

7.Mabs, friendly, her own children, the daughters, going to see the doctor, asking for help to conceive again, wanting a son? The doctor’s refusal? The wine, Liffey and the gift? Her reaction to Liffey’s pregnancy? Her liaison with Tucker? Audrey feeling alienated and leaving? Her concern for her mother? Her mother’s collapse? With Carol at the hospital? Going to get Audrey? The birth, her own pregnancy? The fact that she did not have the supernatural gifts?

8.Molly as a witch, her appearance, the wig, the head for the wigs in her house? As a witch, her manner, her going to watch Liffey, taking the condom? The potion and her mixing it? Watching Liffey, the spells, in the night, with Audrey and her powers? The plan for Mabs to become pregnant? Her being thwarted, her collapse, her death?

9.Audrey, her age, the music, her reactions to her mother, participating in the spells, running out on her mother, rejecting the spells, helping Liffey?

10.Richard and his love for Liffey, the hole, the sexual encounter, the condom, his going to America, the return, joy, going to see the doctor, the difficulty of the placenta? The hope for the birth? His anger after Carol’s outburst? Taking Liffey to the hospital? Leaving with her?

11.Tucker, on the farm, with the generator, the truck, the wine and the sexual encounter, the aftermath and their agreement not to mention it? His love for his wife and children?

12.Lars, his coming to visit, the hole, Odin, his return, his admiration of the completed house, his own sense of freedom? Uncertainty for the future?

13.Carol, at the hospital, her mother, her sister, the meal? Her angry outburst?

14.The doctor, his help, the abortion issue, the birth of the child?

15.The element of magic, in the Irish countryside?

16.The atmosphere of realism, the ordinary life that Liffey was living, her work, her pregnancy, the blend of magic and ordinariness?

THE PILGRIMAGE PLAY

US, 1949, 90 minutes, Colour.
Nelson Leigh, Stephen Chase, Leonard Penn, Richard Hale, Tudor Owen.
Directed by Frank R. Strayer.

There was something of a breakthrough in screen presentations of Jesus in The Pilgrimage Play in 1949. It was directed in Hollywood by studio director, Frank R. Strayer who, in the late 1930s and early 1940s made twelve Blondie films. However, The Pilgrimage Play was not a studio production and it did not receive mainstream release. It was a filmed play of the life of Jesus but what made it different was that Nelson Leigh played Jesus fully on screen rather than a voice offscreen or the visuals being limited to a hand or an arm as in the biblical films of the 1950s. And it was made in colour.

Leigh’s Jesus is suitably serious, smiles slightly sometimes but is played in the grand manner of the superior rabbi rather than in any more personalised way. The framework of the film is having Peter in prison recounting the life of Jesus before he himself is executed. The scenes are more like tableau than action and the screenplay consists of large chunks of the Gospels recited in a solemn way as if this is how Jesus spoke all the time. This image of Jesus would have corresponded to the devout theological perspectives of the period, an emphasis on the way that the divine influenced the human in Jesus. Another factor for those who saw the film when it was made is that this was the first talking Jesus in colour. There was no precedent and it was just over twenty years since Cecil B. DeMille’s? The King of Kings with its Jesus in silent film mode.

Audiences on the lookout for interesting differences in Jesus films will notice the strong emphasis given to the role and influence of Nicodemus, especially at Jesus’ trial. Another feature of Jesus’ trial is the calling of Judas as a witness but his being excluded by Nicodemus quoting the law that someone who betrays another cannot give testimony.

The film has a great deal of Jesus’ teaching, some miracles, a Da Vinci-like Last Supper and some grim moments of the passion (though, of course, everything pales in the retrospect of The Passion of the Christ).

1.The impact of the film in its time? No precedents for a full-on talking Jesus? The patterns of the silent era? The films with Jesus off-screen, voice only or part of limbs only? The film in retrospect?

2.The film as a filmed play? The staginess of the settings, the tableau effect, the limitations of action?

3.The emphasis on dialogue, large parts of the Gospel as dialogue? The effectiveness of Jesus’ message? The difficulties with dramatic communication?

4.The framework with Peter in prison, talking to his fellow prisoners? The returning to the prison scenes? Peter about to die?

5.Nelson Leigh as Jesus, his physical stature, appearance, hair and beard, facial expressions, the touches of a smile? His white robe? Devout, traditional? The picture of the disciples?

6.The scenes of Jesus’ ministry, his preaching? The choosing of the apostles? The healings? The confrontations with the religious leaders? The personality of the apostles, especially Peter?

7.Judas Iscariot, his going to the chief priests, the betrayal of Jesus, the discussions about the thirty pieces of silver? The betrayal, the garden? His being called as a witness at the trial? Nicodemus prohibiting it? His going to the chief priests, throwing the coins at them? Peter describing his hanging himself?

8.The chief priests, the antagonism towards Jesus? The trials? The demand that Jesus declare himself? The blasphemy? Taking him to Pilate?

9.The role of Nicodemus, his going to Jesus, listening to him? His position at the trial, his interventions, the criticism of the chief priest? His quoting the law to forbid Judas testifying?

10.Pilate, his command, the judgment of Jesus, the scourging of Jesus, his washing his hands?

11.The Last Supper – and the traditional presentation?

12.The Way of the Cross? The brevity of the crucifixion sequences?

13.An attempt in the 1940s to use the film medium to communicate the Gospel and the person of Jesus?

MURDER AT THE BASKERVILLES (SILVER BLAZE)

UK, 1937, 71 minutes, Black and white.
Arthur Wontner, Ian Fleming, Lyn Harding, John Turnbull, Ronald Shiner.
Directed by Thomas Bentley.

During the 1930s, six films were made of Sherlock Holmes stories, prior to the Basil Rathbone -Nigel Bruce era. Sherlock Holmes was played by Arthur Wontner (who continued in films until 1960). Ian Hunter was Doctor Watson in this film whereas Ian Fleming (Melbourne-born) was Doctor Watson in Murder at the Baskervilles.

The films were very brief, produced with a small budget. They were also updated to the 1930s and have a contemporary look. They keep the spirit of Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories, Sherlock Holmes and his comments – and the overuse of ‘elementary’ in Murder at the Baskervilles. Doctor Watson is less fuddy-duddy than Nigel Bruce but Sherlock Holmes plays with his straightforward naivety.

The villain in The Sign of Four is played by Graham Soutten, Jonathan Small who terrorises people, including Mary Morstan, in order to recover jewels. In Murder at the Baskervilles, Holmes’ nemesis, Professor Moriarty and his associates, appear and are bested.

The dialogue is crisp, giving Holmes some mordant remarks as well as an opportunity to solve the cases in his straightforward and elementary manner.

There had been silent films of Holmes stories since 1913. Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce appeared from the late 30s to the late 40s in a series of films which were updated and had a context of World War Two. Many Sherlock Holmes have succeeded him including Stewart Granger, Peter Cushing, Jeremy Brett in a celebrated series, Robert Stevens, Ian Richardson (a very strong Sherlock Holmes in The Hound of the Baskervilles and The Sign of Four).

1.The link with The Hound of the Baskervilles? Sir Henry Baskerville twenty years later? His daughter and her fiancé?

2.Sherlock Holmes and Watson going on holidays, the investigation of Sir Henry Baskerville? The background of Moriarty’s activity, the races, the involvement of Holmes and Watson?

3.The racing fraternity, Colonel Ross and his horse, the favourite? The rivals? The abduction of the horse? Its recovery by Holmes? Its participation in the race, the mistake with the numbers, the jockey being shot? Colonel Ross under suspicion because of his gruff manner?

4.Inspector Lestrade, his friendship with Holmes, his naivety and obtuseness, taking the credit, not perceiving Holmes’ sardonic remarks?

5.The introduction to Professor Moriarty, the arch enemy of Holmes? His associates? His setting up an office in the abandoned tube station? The empty lift shaft? The bookmaker and his being brought blindfolded? His proposition about the horse, his loss of winnings? The return to the tube station? Watson following, his being taken, the threat of the lift shaft? The opening of the door – and Holmes and Lestrade present? The capture of Moriarty?

6.Sir Henry Baskerville at home, the hospitality, Diana, Jack Trevor – and his wanting to borrow money from Colonel Ross, the refusal? His riding over to the stables, his meeting Straker? His being under suspicion when the stable hand was found dead? Straker’s death?

7.Straker, at home with his wife, the curry meal, the stable boy and his death? Straker and his abducting the horse? Holmes and the horseshoe, going out into the moors, finding Straker’s body? Tracking down the horse? Mrs Straker and her reaction?

8.Jack Trevor and his being cleared? Diana and her reaction to Inspector Lestrade?

9.The solving of the mystery of the horse? The solving of the mystery of the murders? Holmes putting Watson in danger and then rescuing him?

10.A satisfying example of a Sherlock Holmes story?