THE SIGN OF FOUR: SHERLOCK HOLMES’ GREATEST CASE

UK, 1932, 71 minutes, Black and white.
Arthur Wontner, Isla Bevan, Ian Hunter, Graham Soutten, Miles Malleson.
Directed by Graham Cutts.

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 popularity of Sherlock Holmes stories? In their time? In later generations? The 1930s version?

2.The small budget, black and white photography? Musical score? The cast? The sets?

3.The Sign of Four as a famous novel? Many times filmed? This version keeping close to the text?

4.The focus on Holmes, his personality, his appearance, at Baker Street, his pipe, his hat? With Doctor Watson? Explaining where Watson had walked on his way to Baker Street? The elementary attention to detail?

5.The prologue, Jonathan Small in prison in the Andamon Islands, Major Sholto and his associate, their talking with Jonathan Small, the jewels, finding them in the wall, the fight, Sholto killing Morstan? Small and his escape from prison and coming to London? Sholto in his old age, with his sons, the family fortune based on the robbery? His wanting a third of the money to go to Mary Morstan? His fear of Small, hearing the beat of the wooden leg? His death?

6.Mary Morstan, her uncertainty, the pearls, going to Sherlock Holmes, the attention of Doctor Watson throughout the film – and a final proposal?

7.Sherlock Holmes, his investigations around the docks, finding information about Small? His disguise, drinking at the bars, getting the information, the return to Baker Street and the surprise of Lestrade and his housekeeper?

8.Small, the tattoos, his associates? Threatening the Sholto brothers? Thaddeus Sholto and his fears, wanting to elaborate(*?) with Sherlock Holmes?

9.The abduction of Mary Morstan, the wharves, the circus, Small and the tattooed man hiding themselves in the circus? The escape, the boat, the fight, Holmes’ recovery of the bag, of the pearls?

10.Inspector Jones, his obtuseness, his not seeing through Holmes’ sardonic remarks?

11.A satisfying version of a Sherlock Holmes story?

THE DARK KNIGHT

US, 2008, 152 minutes, Colour.
Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Cillian Murphy, Chin Han, Eric Roberts, Anthony Michael Hall.
Directed by Christopher Nolan.

Year by year, the stakes rise higher and higher for quality craft in plot and writing, in creating characters, in stunt work and effects and excellence in cinematography in the film versions of comic book heroes. In many ways, versions of Batman have led the way, from Bob Kane’s original comics, through the comedy television series in the 1960s to Tim Burton’s breakthrough into darker and deeper waters with Michael Keaton in Batman of 1989. Burton did it again with Batman Returns. When Joel Schumacher took over during the 1990s, he painted the stories with brighter colours with more caricature villains and tried out Val Kilmer and George Clooney as Batman. The audiences tended to dwindle. The end of Batman?

Christopher Nolan declared a resounding no with Batman Begins in 2005. He took the Batman story very seriously and created a narrative of how Bruce Wayne become the warrior that he is, his training in Asia and his return to Gotham City to combat evil. With Christian Bale as the hero, he created a Batman that was a tormented man, a loner who, as Batman, was his freer self but, as Bruce Wayne, wore the mask of the idle playboy. Critics and fans appreciated the totally serious treatment, its strong writing and performances by a distinguished cast. This was raising Batman from pop art to popular art.

Could Nolan repeat or even better his Batman Begins? It looks as though he has – and the initial box-office success combined with critical favour.

A recommendation. If it is possible to see the film on an Imax screen, this is best. Nolan filmed some of the action sequences with Imax lenses and they look spectacular as do the city vistas of Chicago and Hong Kong.

This Batman story is even more serious than Batman Begins. Nolan wrote the story with David S. Goyer (the Blade series) and has shared the writing credit as before with his brother Jonathan. Bruce Wayne is even now more tormented. In his fight to free Gotham City, he has become branded as a vigilante and the police have been urged to arrest Batman. Batman has a set of rules about the use of violence and sees himself as a saviour rather than a vigilante. His two advisers, his butler Alfred, played again by the effectively never-changing Michael Caine, and his Board chief, the inventor, Lucius Fox, played with his customary gravitas by Morgan Freeman, try to help him to see what he must do and where he must set limits.

As the film opens (with a bank robbery and the revelation that Mob interests and their Chinese connections are controlling the city), we find that police chief, Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman becoming something of a screen elder statesman) has been collaborating with Batman to target the mob (led by Eric Roberts). However, the new DA, Harvey Dent (a quite charismatic Aaron Ekhart) is courageous in confronting the gangsters and is aided by Bruce Wayne’s former girlfriend, Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gylenhaal). Hundreds of criminals are imprisoned. Will Bruce Wayne at last be able to give up his costume, cape and mask as he says he wants? Or, will he, as Rachel tells him, continue to need to be Batman?

No easy answers because a new criminal mind appears in Gotham, the Joker. He is not a sinister pantomime villain as Jack Nicholson portrayed him in 1989. Rather, he is a madly menacing psychopath and sociopath, played with an unsettling blend of realism and surrealism by the late Heath Ledger. He makes a tremendous impact in this unpredictable characterisation, mad of appearance with his caked whiteface, smeared red lips, green stringy hair and unkempt wardrobe, mad of voice in speech and cackle, mad of action with no scruple in killing individuals or whole groups. He is fascinated by Batman and enjoys their confrontations.

Not being in any way expert on Batman characters, I missed the significance of Harvey Dent’s name as he appears as the Gotham hero and so did not make the connection with Two Face (Tommy Lee Jones in Batman Forever) until a dramatic climax.

As we left the theatre, a colleague asked me what was the moral of this Batman film. With his socialist stances, he was not in favour of a hugely wealthy hero who fought to maintain the American way of life. That is definitely not the case here. Batman is a hero confronting crime and evil. He uses his wealth to help fight crime. But, this time he is attacked as a vigilante. He feels guilty that so many innocent people have been killed because of him. The law has not been able to eradicate crime. He seems to retreat into himself leaving society to try to help itself. This is not the confident American comic book hero of so many films. The present Batman is not the fulfilment of the American dream.

1.Audience knowledge of Batman? The history from the comics to the 60s television show, from Tim Burton’s films through Joel Schumacher’s? Batman Begins?

2.The popularity of Batman, Christopher Nolan’s interpretation, his origins in the first film, childhood, his training, Asia, return to Gotham City, his mission? His double life as Bruce Wayne?

3.The cinematography, the IMAX sequences? Gotham City, Hong Kong, the locations, the beauty of the cityscapes? Sinister? The action sequences, the stunts? The sweeping scope of the film? The atmospheric score?

4.The opening, the bank, the number of Jokers? The bank manager and his reaction? The robbery, the robbers shooting each other? The ironic dialogue? The real Joker as the survivor?

5.The film seen in the context of American heroes? The situation in America in the 21st century and the Bush administration? Heroes and vigilantes? Law and order? The Mob? Foreign investment, the Chinese, eastern European Mobsters? The Joker? A world of crime?

6.Batman seen as a vigilante, taking the law into his own hands, the police wanting to arrest him? His trying to help? The confrontations with the Joker, the set-up? Collaborating with Jim Gordon, the plans to trap the Mob and their money dealings? Batman and Lucius Fox, going to Hong Kong, the abduction of the Chinese accountant, the ascent into the plane? The rounding up of the criminals because of the evidence? The mass group of criminals in court?

7.Bruce Wayne, life in his new home, with Alfred, his manner of dress, the car? Batman and Bruce Wayne as two sides of the same character? Batman working with Jim Gordon but not revealing himself? His love for Rachel, her waiting for him to give up his mask? His ability to do this or not? His social status, going out to meals, the meeting with Harvey and Rachel? His decision to throw a party for Harvey Dent’s campaign?

8.The Mob, the group, Salvatore Maroni as the leader? The multinational group? The deaths, the money, the witnesses? Using the Joker? His imposing himself on them? The elimination of the judge, the commissioner, the threat to the mayor? Batman confronting the Mob, Maroni and his reliance on the Joker, his death? The Joker and his burning the Mob’s money?

9.Jim Gordon as a character, serious-minded, his work? His collaboration with Harvey Dent? His family, the confrontations with the Mob? His seeming death? Becoming commissioner? Protecting his family and reappearing? His wife and son? His collaboration with Batman to rescue Rachel and Dent? His being too late to rescue Rachel? Dent getting his revenge, abducting his family, the scenes where he pleaded for their lives? Batman coming to the rescue?

10.Rachel and her work, her love for Harvey Dent, the discussions with Bruce, her work against the criminals, the note for Bruce, given to Alfred? Her being abducted, tied to the gasoline, talking to Harvey before her death, the shock of her death?

11.Lucius Fox, his place on the board, his integrity, going to Hong Kong, the good advice about the illegality of the deals, his inventions, the surveillance at the end, his ethical principles, his walking away?

12.Alfred, his assisting Bruce, advice, their discussions? Rachel and the note, his not giving it to Bruce?

13.The Joker, Heath Ledger’s performance and praise for it? His appearance, his clothes, his face and the makeup, the red gash, his hair? His manner of talking, swallowing, his sliced mouth? The story about his father slicing his mouth, the story about his wife? The nature of his madness? Violence, wanting power? The robbing of the bank, his dealings with the Mob? Burning the money? The killing of the judge, the notes, the commissioner? His plans, the meeting with Batman? Taking Rachel and Harvey Dent? The explosions? The hospital, the evacuation, his appearing as a nurse, setting off more explosions? The final confrontation? Batman and the Joker as two sides of a character of good and evil? Evil and madness?

14.Harvey Dent, his work in Internal Affairs, his campaign, promises to the city, his becoming the DA, relationship with the mayor, the commissioner? His relationship with Rachel, her working for him? The meal and meeting Bruce Wayne? Jim Gordon’s suspicions, collaborating with him? The arrests? Bruce throwing the campaign party for him? The threats, his taking on the responsibility, the press conference and saying that he was Batman? His imprisonment? His being freed, abducted? The final talk to Rachel – and his survival and her death?

15.Dent’s injuries, his becoming Two -Face? Motivated by revenge, the change of personality, his plan to avenge himself with killing Jim Gordon’s wife and children? The confrontation on the docks? Batman intervening? His death?

16.The press conference, Bruce and his willingness to identify himself?

17.The accountant, with Lucius Fox, the audit, discovering the truth about Bruce Wayne? Going to the television, the advertising, the promotion of the program revealing Batman’s identity? The Joker not wanting this? Wanting Batman anonymous? His threats? Bruce in his car, crashing, saving the accountant – but indicating that he keep quiet?

18.The corrupt police, giving information, the Joker using them, the van, the woman who betrayed because of her ill mother?

19.The hospital, the evacuation, the search for Harvey Dent, the Joker’s presence, disguised as a nurse, the explosions?

20.The ending and its uncertainty, Jim Gordon and the police hunting Batman as a vigilante? The unexpectedness of so many deaths? Lucius Fox’s departure? Alfred and Bruce Wayne in retreat? Law and order and the possibilities – but people unable to control crime?

21.The film’s attitudes towards law and order, the vigilantes? The state of American politics in 2008?

DR NO

UK, 1962, 110 minutes, Colour.
Sean Connery, Ursula Andress, Joseph Wiseman, Jack Lord, Bernard Lee, Anthony Dawson, Zena Marshall, Eunice Gayson, Lois Maxwell.
Directed by Terence Young.

As everybody knows, Dr No was the first James Bond film. Not so much was expected of it although it had a good budget, fine production values, an interesting cast.

Sean Connery made his mark as James Bond, the scene in the card room where he uses the immortal and oft-quoted words, “Bond, James Bond”. Later there is a reference to martinis shaken, not stirred. In fact, so much of what was to become James Bond folklore is to be found in this original film.

It is surprising to find that there is only a brief sequence with Bernard Lee as M, he was to feature so strongly in the coming films. The same with Lois Maxwell’s Miss Moneypenny. However, the tone of Bond’s interactions with them was set in this film. Desmond Llewellyn’s Q did not appear but was introduced later.

The film is also famous for the scene where Ursula Andress emerges from the water – but moves very quickly and it is surprising in retrospect that it had such an effect (and was imitated as a tribute by Halle Berry in Die Another Day). Ursula Andress also has much more to do than the usual James Bond women. Jack Lord appears as Felix Lighter.

However, the film introduces SPECTRE and the first of the James Bond villains, Dr No. As played by Joseph Wiseman, he is quietly sinister and effective. In fact, the first time Dr No appears is only in audio with his quiet voice.

Anthony Dawson, the murderer in Dial M for Murder, is Professor Dent who attempts to kill James Bond.

Dr No was not the first of the novels that Ian Fleming wrote – and he saw the film and was pleased with it as with Sean Connery. Casino Royale was the first Bond novel. However, while it doesn’t echo the Cold War that was prevalent at the time of the film’s release, it anticipates some of the events of 1962, the Missiles of October and the Cuban-Russian-American? confrontation.

Director Terence Young was to make From Russia With Love and Thunderball.

Almost fifty years after the release of Dr No, the franchise still continues.

1.The popularity of the James Bond films? Dr No as the original film? So many of the popular ingredients found in the original?

2.The settings: the Caribbean, London? Offices? The water sequences? The elaborate building of Dr No? The interiors? The musical score – and the familiar theme? The three blind mice during the credits? The familiar designs and sketches during the credits sequence?

3.The opening in the Caribbean, Jamaica, the group playing cards, the death of the agent, the assassination by the local men? The assassination of the secretary? Concern in London, M and his calling in James Bond? Giving him a mission? Equipping him with arms? The change of gun and M’s insistence? (And the repartee with M, M’s orders and severity, the repartee with Miss Moneypenny?)

4.The introduction to James Bond, playing cards, the suave gentleman, licensed to kill? With Sylvia Trench? The famous introduction? His being called away?

5.Bond in Jamaica, the chauffeur, his phone call, realising the truth, the confrontation with the driver, the driver killing himself? Bond going to the embassy? Getting the support? Getting further equipment for the radio contact? His interrogation of the card players? Suspicions of Professor Dent?

6.Meeting Quarrel, Felix Lighter and his pursuit? The car chase? The collaboration with the Americans, the moon launch and American concern, wanting British help? Quarrel, his superstitions, the dragon? His participation in the action – and his sudden death?

7.Bond and his investigations, the geological interest of the dead agent? Finding out about Dr No? Dr No’s headquarters?

8.Going out to the project, getting aboard? On the island, the encounter with Honey Ryder, the gunboat, their being taken? Imprisoned?

9.Dr No, his Chinese background, his staff? Miss Taro as the agent? Listening in, the date, the car chase, the death of the pursuers? Bond suddenly turning up, her surprise? The sexual encounter – and her arrest?

10.Dr No and his plans, his wealth, background in China, going to America, his vast fortune? His not being interested in money? Interested in power, world domination?

11.The countdown for the American rocket? The television contact? His staff and crew and their expertise? James Bond and his getting out through the vent? His getting the disguise coverall? His spoiling the attempt to sabotage the rocket? His causing mayhem, the evacuation? Dr No, his anger, his death? Bond rescuing Honey, the escape and going into the lifeboat?

12.The Coast Guard picking Bond up, his decision to stay with Honey – and the promise of a sequel?

13.The Bond films setting the pattern for espionage films of the 1960s and beyond? The imitations? The spoofs? The consciousness of James Bond and his manner and style, licensed to kill, sardonic repartee, ladies’ man and the effect for many generations?

BABY MAMA

US, 2008, 99 minutes, Colour.
Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Greg Kinnear, Dack Shepard, Romany Malko, Sigourney Weaver, Steve Martin, Maura Tierney, Holland Taylor, James Rebhorn.
Directed by Michael Mc Cullers.

Much of this comedy derives from Saturday Night Live. Its stars, Amy Pohler and Tina Fey have made frequent appearances and have written for the show. Writer-director, Mike Mc Cullers (Austin Powers) has written for it and Lorne Michaels is a long-time producer. However, that having been said, it should be added that the satire is much lighter here – with a lot more feeling and sentiment.

Tina Fey portrays Kate, a rapidly upwardly-mobile VP of a prosperous health food company which is expanding its shops (and is presided over by an ex-hippie who is into the mantras, the jargon and the New Age processes but is now corporately rich – and is played by Steve Martin). She has never had the urge to have children but, at 37, she is now seeing children everywhere. An indiscreet gynaecologist tells her that her uterus is the wrong shape and she only has one chance in a million in conceiving. Adoption will take a very long time. She tries out sperm donors. And, finally, she goes to a chic surrogacy firm run with unctuous charm and ruthlessness by Sigourney Weaver (who has no trouble, at her age, of becoming pregnant naturally).

The prospective mother, Angie, is played by Amy Pohler (who has many funny roles to her credit, like Blades of Glory). She is what used to be called (and the ‘superior’ Kate still has little trouble in calling her) ‘white trash’. Dax Shepard is good as her ‘common-law’ husband.

Everything about the pregnancy itself seems to be going well, but Angie is one of the most politically incorrect eater, drinker, smoker, dancer, karaoke singer, couch potato that the screenwriters could think up. It all becomes a female version of The Odd Couple.

Naturally, Kate does overcome her snobbishness (which she obviously gets from her bluntly self-absorbed mother, Holland Taylor), helps Angie tidy up and better herself. Angie assists in Kate letting down her hair (actually, she puts it up when she goes clubbing, dancing and drinking). She meets a former lawyer who now makes smoothies, the ever-genial Greg Kinnear and…, of course.

There are a couple of twists that you may or may not guess which complicate friendships but that doesn’t really matter much to the enjoyment.

Some people who get concerned about stories with moral issues and behaviour that they do not approve of, for example, surrogacy, sex outside of marriage… (which we find here) and expect the stories to reflect ideal living rather than the messy emotional complications that people find themselves in. As I watched Baby Mama, I realised that I would recommend this film for moralists and ethicists to discuss conception, surrogacy, life and pregnancy issues because, in its humorous and rather sympathetic way, it raises the themes in the context in which the problems are lived rather than theorised about. And, with the positive attitudes towards babies, the film is extremely (though not in the political sense) pro-life.

1.An enjoyable American comedy? The focus on babies, children, mothers?

2.Philadelphia, the city, the contrast between rich and poor, shops and companies, offices? A credible context for this comedy? Musical score?

3.Women’s issues, the biological clock, pregnancy and career, marriage, conception, the impact of babies, gynaecological issues, in vitro fertilisation, partners for in vitro, surrogacy? Real issues in a real context? Ethical and moral issues?

4.The ethical and moral issues via comedy, feeling, and empathy for reflection? Story rather than theory?

5.Kate, Tina Fey’s screen presence? Her story? Thirty-seven, her successful career, vice-president, at meetings, seeing the adult men as children? Her office, seeing children in the lift, going home, her relationship with her mother, her mother’s put-downs? Caroline and her children, mess, noise, the phone calls to Caroline? The story of her past partner? Seeing him again at the party, his wife, children? The scene of her date, her explaining her interest in having children, the date fleeing and getting a taxi? The effect on her?

6.Going to the gynaecologist, the doctor, the criticism of her uterus? Her going to IVF agencies, the slides of potential fathers, the combination of slides? The IVF not taking?

7.Going to the surrogacy company, meeting Chaffee Bicknell, Sigourney Weaver and her style, her being pregnant, natural means, the visits and discussions with Chaffee, her later having the twins? Chic and costly?

8.Meeting with Angie and Carl, their visit, their behaviour in her house, interviews, talking with Angie, Angie making the decision? The procedure, the test, the good news for Kate? Her joy and anticipation of the baby?

9.Angie and her clash with Carl, the reasons, her walking out on him, coming to Kate’s apartment? The odd couple? Angie sleeping on the bed, eating and drinking all the wrong things, smoking, the karaoke, watching the TV and enjoying the jokes, sneaking food without Kate knowing? Going to the lessons and preparations for birth? The supervisor and her inability to pronounce the letter R? Kate seeing herself as superior to Angie and Angie realising this?

10.Kate and her attempts to prevent Angie spoiling the pregnancy? Mutual anger? Discussions? Kate at work, the VP responsible for the new building, Barry and his New Age antics, the plans, visiting the various sites, her meeting Rob and having the smoothie, talking with him? The discussion at the press conference? Rob and his questions? Barry and his erratic behaviour, moods, advice, praising Kate?

11.The truth about the fraud? Carl and his behaviour? Angie and getting the test, discovering that she actually was pregnant? The effect on her?

12.Oscar, the doorman, his relationship with Kate, his observations? Work, with Angie, talking with her, attracted to her, helping, reacting to the situations of the pregnancy? Helping Angie to make a moral decision?

13.Angie and getting Kate to let her hair down, dressing badly for the club, changing the dress, her dancing, drinking, her leaving and sending Angie home, going to see Rob?

14.Rob, as a character, as a lawyer, giving it all up, enjoying the shop, the poor business, asking questions on behalf of the residents of the company? Meeting Angie, Angie pretending to be Kate’s sister? Going out with Kate, enjoying it, the night together?

15.The baby shower, everybody there, Kate’s mother and Caroline? Carl, his arrival, the bluntness of telling the truth? The reactions?

16.Kate, her dismay? Attitude towards Angie? Going to court, the attitude of the judge and his tolerance? Rob coming to support Angie? Carl and his trying to intervene? The DNA test and the results?

17.Kate’s acceptance, the reconciliation? Angie giving birth, the baby, the joy, Kate fainting? The discovery that she was pregnant? Rob fainting?

18.The year later, the birthday party, everybody together and happy?

19.The pro-life stances of the film and its celebration of babies and children, of motherhood?

ELLE S'APPELLE SABINE (HER NAME IS SABINE)

France, 2007, 85 minutes, Colour.
Sabine Bonnaire.
Directed by Sandrine Bonnaire.

Sabine Bonnaire is the younger sister, by a year, of the French actress, Sandrine Bonnaire. As the girls were growing up, Sandrine took home movies of her sister. Some of this footage is incorporated into this film as Sandrine continues to photograph the middle-aged Sabine. How shockingly the images make their contrast. Sabine has been diagnosed as having an infantile psychology and is autistic.

We have seen a number of films over the decades dramatising autism, from Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man to Forrest Gump to Sigourney Weaver in Snow Cake. But, this portrait of Sabine is the real thing, drawing us into the real life story of Sabine, observing her, sometimes empathising with her, always puzzling over how this could happen to anyone and sharing the continual challenge of how to relate to the impaired person.

Sandrine Bonnaire herself is almost always behind the camera, only in front when she is seen dancing with Sabine in the older home movies. But she speaks from behind the camera trying to coax answers (sometimes it seems too persistently) from Sabine about what has happened to her, especially five years in an institution, and how she feels. Sabine has bonded with her sister and, in the film, asks the repetitive questions about Sandrine’s visits and whether she will come again.

The contrast, even in physical appearance, between the vivacious young adolescent and the overweight, sometimes listless, middle-aged woman is very saddening. So is her history as it gradually unfolds.

However, there are two other people in the film whose story is highlighted, a young woman prone to tantrums of joy and disruption and a thirty year old man who suffers also from epilepsy – and an interview with his mother. Sandrine’s mother and her sisters (to whom the film is dedicated) are not interviewed and do not appear.

It should be mentioned that the various carers who appear with Sabine and the others generally show an extraordinary ability to simply be with their charges and exercise a great deal of patience.

1.The impact of the film? A portrait of autism? With infantile mentality? The compassionate aspects of the film? Informative aspects?

2.The status of Sandrine Bonnaire as an actress? Her filming her sister? Over many decades? Her putting the film together, a portrait of autism for the public to understand the situation? A disability rather than a disease?

3.Sandrine Bonnaire and her filming, her voice behind the camera, her questions, glimpsing her dancing with her sister? Being with her, her sister wanting her to visit and stay? On the trip to America?

4.The filling in of the background of Sabine Bonnaire’s life, gradually and at different times during the film? As a child, as an attractive adolescent, her abilities, languages, music and the piano? The differences between her and her sisters? Her going to a normal school, her behaviour, the children criticising her, her biting and reactions? Her going to a different school? The beach scenes? The trip to America and her delight? Her gradual hospitalisation? The five years in the institution? Her gaining of weight, differences in appearance? Slow, drooling, sometimes lacking control? Her life after the institution? A home? The other autistic members of the community? Olivier and his epilepsy? The young woman and her tantrums?

5.The portrait of Sabine, the potential of what she might have been? The continued glimpses of her as an adolescent and young woman? The contrast with the older woman? The pathos? The recollections about and questions on her time in the institution? The critique? The interview with the person treating her?

6.Sabine in her thirties, alive, listless? Her weeping? Her repetitive questions to Sandrine? Her going out? The outings and shopping? At home? The piano?

7.Olivier, his age, his mother being interviewed? His epilepsy? His losing consciousness? His expectations of life? The comparison with the young woman, her autism, her tantrums, the carers taking her out of the room?

8.The portrait of the carers, their age, experience, their patience? Their staying with the people in the institution? Outings, talking, discipline?

9.The film’s insight into people with autism? As a disability? How they need to be related to, guided, handled? The infantile mentality of Sabine?

10.The work of Sandrine Bonnaire in filming her sister over the years, in interviewing her, interviewing others, editing the material together? The perspective on help for autism?

BUDA AS SHAM FORU RIKHT (BUDDHA COLLAPSED OUT OF SHAME)

Iran, 2007, 81 minutes, Colour.
Nikbakht Noruz, Abbas Alijome.
Directed by Hana Makhmalbaf.

One of the Iranian cinema’s great qualities is that it can make delightful and powerful films which feature children. This is one of those films.

The central idea is to offer a critique, even a polemic, concerning the attitudes and behaviour of the Taliban in Afghanistan – but via the experiences of children. Set in the locations where the Taliban destroyed the centuries-old large statues of the Buddha in 2002 (which is shown as the film opens), the film shows a contemporary community which lives in the desert caves as well as the town where there is the local market and the school for the boys – with the school for girls across the river.

A little girl, Baktay, is put in charge of the baby by her mother when the mother goes out. Her neighbour, a little boy, Abbas, is rehearsing his alphabet. Baktay wants him to keep quiet for the baby’s sake but she is fascinated by the reading and the stories and wants to go to school. Off she goes to buy a notebook but hasn’t any money. She can’t find her mother, so the sympathetic stall owner suggests she gets some eggs from their hen and sell them. The sequence where she tries to sell the eggs is so well observed that we learn a lot about the people, their customs and their attitudes.

Spoiling the plot a little, we can add that she does get a notebook and tries to get into school with Abbas but the cranky head of the school punishes Abbas and gets rid of Baktay, telling her to go across the river to the girls’ school. His (superior) school is only for boys.

The allegory of the Taliban begins when Baktay sets off for the school and encounters a group of young boys whose game is to imitate the Taliban. Baktay becomes a target as they act out all the harsh attitudes of the Taliban towards women with more than a touch of menace and violence, the use of make-up, covering their hair, not going to school. Poor Abbas is then attacked as an American spy and they give him the treatment. Meanwhile, planes and helicopters fly overhead.

As we see the children acting out what is happening with the Taliban and the people, the message is very strong.

When she made this film, Hana Makhmalbaf was turning 18. She had made the documentary, Joy of Madness, about her sister Samira’s filming of At Five in the Afternoon, when she was 14, inheriting the love of film and film-making from her father, Mohsen Makhmalbaf, and her mother, Marzieh Makhmalbaf, who wrote the screenplay for this film.

1.The work of Hana Makhmalbaf? Her age at making this film? The family support for her films? Her mother writing the screenplay?

2.The Afghan setting, the location where the statues of Buddha were destroyed by the Taliban? The people who live in this area? Peaceful Muslims? Taliban supporters?

3.The locations, the desert, the caves, the town, the school, the river? The atmosphere? The musical score?

4.The focus on Abbas and his family, his practising his alphabet? His skill in reading? The conversations with Baktay? Her urging him to be quiet? Her curiosity about his reading? His reading the story over and over? Its effect on Baktay?

5.Baktay, with the baby, tying the baby’s leg, comforting the baby when it cried? Her concern about the baby getting to sleep? Her mother, her mother going into the town? Her talking with Abbas, listening to his story? Wanting to go to school? The discussions about the notebook? Her decision to go to town, to buy the notebook? Her going to the shop, the costs? The friendly seller? The advice about the eggs? Coming home, getting the four eggs? Going to town, wandering the town, trying to sell her eggs, the range of people in the market, the sales, the people passing through? Nobody buying the eggs? Her being bumped and two broken? Her going to the man who wanted bread, going to the woman baking, exchanging the eggs for the bread? Getting the money? Going back, buying the notebook? Her going home, with Abbas, their going to school? Her being refused entry into the school? Abbas and his being criticised by the teacher? Her being told to go to the girls’ school? Going on her way, the encounter with the group of boys, their imitating the Taliban, her being the victim? The deadly games? Her being insulted, the grave being dug, her being put in the hole? Their wanting her to play dead? Tearing up her notebook, criticising her mother for the lipstick? Her head being covered? Her being taken up into the cave? Abbas passing by, the continuing of the game, his being an American? His urging Baktay to play dead?

6.The effect of the game on Baktay? Her tears? Wanting to go home?

7.Abbas, the criticism of the teacher, the punishment of standing on one leg? His being thrown out? In the games, covered with mud, in the hole? The ridicule of the boys? His being made to be an American and the hostility towards him? The planes and helicopters flying over?

8.The picture of the Taliban via the children playing games? The fundamentalist attitudes, the anti-American attitudes? The severity with women, hiding themselves, no makeup, the inability to go to school?

9.The film’s criticism of Taliban attitudes via the children? An effective allegory for the critique?

THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN’T DIE

US, 1962, 80 minutes, Black and white.
Jason Evers, Virginia Leith, Leslie Daniels.
Directed by Joseph Green.

The Brain That Wouldn’t Die gives an indication of the style of the film. It is a small-budget horror film from the United States, made in 1959 and released several years later. It is reminiscent of some of the plots of British horror films of the late 1950s and the 1960s.

The film shows the arrogant young doctor assisting his father at an operation, bringing someone who is clinically dead back to life. He drives recklessly with his girlfriend to his own secret laboratory where he is helped by his friend whose hand has been mutilated in experiments. Behind a locked door is a monstrous mutation from their experiments. The car crashes on the way and the girlfriend survives and the doctor takes her to his laboratory, preserving her head. He then searches for a perfect body in order to make a transplant. In the laboratory, she survives and becomes powerful, controlling the friend, controlling the monster – to the inevitable destruction of everyone.

The film is better than average of this kind of film mainly because of its plot rather than its performance.

1.The popularity of this kind of B-budget horror film? From the United States, the 1960s? The small budget? Performances? Screenplay?

2.Black and white photography, the surgery, the laboratories, the open road? An authentic feel? Musical score?

3.The opening, the operation, Doctor Cortner and his skills, his son, getting permission to experiment, bringing the patient back to life? His arrogance?

4.His relationship with Jan, her work? A strong young woman? Travelling together, his speeding, the crash, her survival, his taking her head to the laboratory? Preserving it? His decision to find a body, going to the strip clubs, interviewing the prospective candidates, bringing the brunette back to the laboratory?

5.The monster behind the door, eerie, finally revealed, wreaking destruction, saving the dancer?

6.Kurt, his friendship with Doctor Cortner, helping him, the experiment gone wrong, his hand? The bond with Jan? Helping her?

7.Jan, the head preserved, her power, her control, her attitude towards Doctor Cortner?

8.The build-up to the climax, mayhem and destruction?

9.The popularity of this kind of science fiction story? What if …?

DOWNHILL

UK, 1927, 80 minutes, Black and white.
Ivor Novello, Robin Irvine, Isabel Jeans, Ian Hunter.
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

Downhill was made immediately after The Lodger, also starring Ivor Novello, based on stories about Jack the Ripper. It became something of a classic. Downhill was not as popular as The Lodger but is a very interesting example of early Hitchcock film-making. The variety of his shots, the piecing of them together by the editing, the storyboarding all indicate the craft and techniques that Hitchcock was to use to great effect throughout his long career. It could serve almost as a textbook for studying Hitchcock.

The film begins in a public school, Ivor Novello playing Roddy Berwick who becomes school captain. However, he and his friend who is on a scholarship, spend some time with one of the servants and she accuses them of making her pregnant. The scholarship boy is to blame but is frightened of losing his scholarship. Roddy takes the blame and is expelled, alienated from his father. His life goes downhill. He works as a waiter, then as a dance partner gigolo in an establishment in France. He goes right down, people taking pity on him and shipping him back to England where he is reconciled with his father and the truth told.

Ivor Novello, who appeared in The Lodger, was a celebrated playwright and wrote this play. He was also a significant composer (portrayed by Jeremy Northam in Gosford Park). The play was co-written by actress Constance Collier. The screenplay was written by Eliot Stannard, the regular writer of early Hitchcock films.

1.Storytelling in 1927? The end of the silent era? Silent film storytelling, performance, body language, the lack of dialogue?

2.The black and white photography, the public schools, the location photography, interiors and exteriors? Mansions? Restaurants? Dancing establishments? Authentic atmosphere?

3.The title, indication of the theme, Roddy’s life?

4.The opening, the rugby match, the masters, the parents, the boys, Roddy as hero? The celebration in the dining room? His friendship with Tim? Tim and his scholarship?

5.The serving girl, flirting, the note to Tim? His taking Roddy? Dancing with the girl in the shop? Her later coming to the principal, accusations against the boys? Roddy taking the blame?

6.Roddy and his character, friendship with Tim, Tim allowing him to take the blame? Roddy and the expulsion, returning home, the angry reaction of his father? His mother’s grief?

7.Roddy and his life as a waiter, the encounters with different people, dancing partners, the woman in charge, the poet and her watching him, getting him to tell his story? The background of his marriage, with the young woman, her deception, the flat in his name, his losing his legacy?

8.The return home, the techniques used for his hallucinations in his illness, imagining his father, the gramophone record, the superimpositions?

9.His return home, his mother, his father asking forgiveness, knowing the truth?

10.A 1920s morality tale?

THE ATOMIC BRAIN (MONSTROSITY)

US, 1964, 68 minutes, Black and white.
Marjorie Eaton, Frank Gerstle, Frank Fowler, Erika Peters, Judy Bamba, Lisa Lang.
Directed by Joseph V. Mascelli.

Monstrosity is a conventional horror film. It was made in ten days in the mid-1960s. It is reminiscent in plot of many of the British Hammer horror films and horror films from other studios during this decade. However, it is not up to the mark set by many of these films.

The film is about brain transplants, especially about rich people wanting organ donors, especially brains so that they can live on. Marjorie Eaton portrays an old crone, rich, who has financed a scientist to experiment on brain transplants. She invites three young women who are orphans to be the prospective bodies in which her brain can live. There are complications with her live-in man, Victor, who eventually turns against her and defeats her plans. She is also defeated by the doctor who decides to transplant her brain into her cat. With tongue in cheek, this is a humorous enough ending, especially as the cat is able to destroy the doctor!

The film is interesting because it is the only film directed by cinematographer Joseph V. Mascelli. A celebrated war cinematographer, he also photographed the first H-bomb tests. He published a book in 1965 about cinematography which has served as a classic for future directors of photography.

1.The popularity of this kind of horror film? Brain transplants? Evil doctors? Wealthy patrons? Organ donations?

2.The B-budget, black and white photography, the mansion, the laboratory, the rooms? The musical score?

3.The plausibility and implausibility of the plot, Doctor Frank and his laboratory, his experiments? The failures – and the monster in the garden? His working for Mrs March? The interviewing of the three women? The experiments and the procedures?

4.Mrs March, selfish, wealthy, using Victor? Unscrupulous? Controlling Doctor Frank? The three women, the interviews, her peremptory manner? The clash with Victor? His turning against her? Her cat? Undergoing the procedure, her taunting Doctor Frank, his decision to transfer the brain to the cat? The cat and its turning on the machine, destroying Doctor Frank?

5.Doctor Frank, the mad scientist, his calm manner, his explanations of his work? Under Mrs March’s domination? His sympathy for the girls? His change of heart against Mrs March, the cat, his death?

6.Victor, his being part of the household, the long-time companion? At Mrs March’s? beck and call, her taunting him? Attracted by the girls? His change of heart, his being killed?

7.The three girls, their arrival, the mystery, the Latin-American?, the Englishwoman, the Austrian? In themselves, the arrival, the inspection? The disappearance of Anita? Bea and her being chosen, on the roof, the accident? Nina and her being the centre of the action? Trying to get the key from Victor? The procedure, her being saved?

8.The blowing up of the laboratory? The survival of the cat? Nina as a rich woman? The popularity of this kind of science fiction story?

BRIDE OF THE MONSTER

US, 1955, 68 minutes, Black and white.
Bela Lugosi, Tor Johnson, Tony Mc Coy, Loretta King.
Directed by Edward D. Wood Jr.

Bride of the Monster is a film by Ed Wood, the subject of Tim Burton’s famous film, portrayed by Johnny Depp. Wood is a contender for one of the worst directors of all time – thanks to The Book of Golden Turkeys by Michael Medved. Plan Nine from Outer Space is considered one of the worst films. (However, there are plenty of other directors who could lay claim to the title of worst director.)

This film is much better than might have been expected. Ed Wood was friends with Bela Lugosi in the last years of his life (as dramatised in Ed Wood and Lugosi portrayed by Oscar -winning Martin Landau). Lugosi was a heroin addict and suffering from the effects during the 1950s. While he had made a big impact in Dracula both on stage and on screen in the early 1930s and followed it with films like White Zombie, he tended to give the same performance over and over, relying on his appearance, his idiosyncratic way of speaking. Wood takes great advantage of Lugosi in this film and he is more credible than in some of his other vehicles (especially in a film like Scared to Death). Lugosi looks the same, acts the same but seems to be more involved in the performance, moves from sinister to laughter, has a number of speeches, especially about his treatment in his home country. This makes the film worth seeing, especially those interested in Lugosi’s career.

However, the film plot is slight. Lugosi is a scientist exiled from Europe, coming to the United States after World War Two, indulging in experiments – and having a giant octopus, the monster, in a swamp outside his laboratory. He relies on the giant, Lobo (Tor Johnson who appeared in many of Wood’s films and is portrayed in Ed Wood) who does not have a talent for acting at all. The leads, a detective and a newspaper writer, are fairly wooden. The reporter is abducted by the scientist and is dressed in bridal attire – the bride of the monster. However, Lobo turns against his master and rescues the bride.

There are assorted police, some good scenes in the city with the police discussions, the visit of a professor from what seems to be a Soviet country wanting to get Lugosi back. With this mixture of effective scenes and some wooden acting, the film is certainly better than might be expected. However, while the octopus footage of the monster is real, the throes of the various victims struggling with a rubber octopus are quite ludicrous.

1.The work of Edward D. Wood Jr? His reputation? The contribution of this film?

2.The popular horror setting, the scientist with his laboratory, the mad scientist, his assistant whom he controls? The experiments? Abductions? The abducting of the journalist to become the bride? The octopus, the victims? The musical score?

3.Bela Lugosi as the doctor, his screen presence, appearance, manner of speaking, sinister, confrontation with his victims, his command of Lobo? His final speeches to the professor? Lobo turning against him, his death?

4.Lobo, the giant, in control, the poor performance – but his sympathetic character and his saving Janet?

5.Janet, her background, the paper, going to find the professor, the interview, her becoming the victim, the bride, the rescue?

6.Dick and the police, their travelling to the laboratory, Dick and his being caught in the quicksand, his shooting of the alligators? His rescue of Janet?

7.The police, their discussions, suspicions, the confrontation with the professor?

8.The professor from Russia, his arrival, meeting with the scientist, the discussions, his wanting him to return, the scientist and his speech about his experiences?

9.The blend of the horror and the ludicrous?