10 ITEMS OR LESS

US, 2006, 82 minutes, Colour.
Morgan Freeman, Paz Vega, Anne Dudek, Danny De Vito, Rhea Perleman.
Directed by Brad Silberling.

10 Items or Less is a small film, a kind of short story, by Brad Silberling (Moonlight Mile). It does not have an immediate appeal to a wide audience. Rather, it is more or less a two-hander, a portrait of an out-of-work actor, played by Morgan Freeman who is executive producer of the film, who is researching a role for a small independent film by a first-time director. He encounters Scarlett, Paz Vega, working in a supermarket. Most of the film is the story of their bonding, talking, meeting friends and acquaintances, reflecting on their lives.

The film probably grows on an audience sympathetic to the characters and their situations. Morgan Freeman is genial. Paz Vega begins as something of a spitfire but calms down. There is a small cameo role at the end with Danny De Vito and Rhea Perleman, his wife, driving past the couple.

Brad Silberling wrote and directed the film – and wrote such films as Moonlight Mile with Dustin Hoffman and Susan Sarandon.

1.The impact of the film, characters, moods?

2.The small budget, the film as a short story?

3.Morgan Freeman, as the actor, the lull in his career, getting the lift, talking to the young man, the young man’s adulation, the radio book and his not being the voice, his explanations of reading a radio book? His going to the supermarket, for research, the character that he was studying, Scarlett and her reaction to the customers, short with them? Lorraine and her sitting manicuring her fingers? His following the old manager and imitating him? The announcement, sitting in the booth, the customers? Working to stack the shelves?

4.Scarlett, her job, Hispanic, the contrast with Lorraine, tough, the customers, her reaction to the actor, finishing work, talking with him, the issue of the keys, the lift, going to the ex-husband, her explanation of her marriage, the issue of the keys, Lorraine present? Taking the time with the actor, their talk, sharing, getting to know him?

5.The quality of the dialogue, the talk and the encounter, Scarlett getting to like the actor, the bond, the revelation, the ordinariness, the differences?

6.The end of the day, the enrichment for each?

7.Morgan Freeman in the film, his role, discussions about film and film-making, acting?

8.The cameo with Danny DeVito? and his wife, their comments about the actor and his wife?

9.The final credits, the jokes, the scenes of work? The overall effect on an audience? Sympathy, interest, lack of interest?

TITUS

UK, 1999, 162 minutes, Colour.
Anthony Hopkins, Jessica Lange, Alan Cumming, James Frain, Laura Fraser, Harry Lennix, Matthew Rhys, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Colm Feore, Kenny Doughty.
Directed by Julie Taymor.

Titus is a version of Shakespeare’s first play, Titus Andronicus. It was famous for its presentation of revenge, torture, bloodthirstiness. It heralded the transition from the Elizabethan era and tragedy to the blood-soaked revenge tragedies of the Jacobean era. Shakespeare himself wrote his great tragedies at the end of Elizabeth’s reign and the beginning of James I.

Julie Taymor is an American director who produced Titus on stage. She was also the creator of the stage version of The Lion King. Her films include Frida, the portrait of the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, and the pastiche of the Beatles’ songs, Across the Universe.

The film is lavish in its set decoration, costumes. It was partly filmed in Rome with Croatia standing in for the countryside. It uses the atmosphere of the Colosseum as well as the Mussolini building E.U.R.

The film moves between 20th century styles, with bikes, cars, men in suits, to the armour and chariots as well as the palaces of the Roman era. The film also acknowledges directors such as Fellini – especially in the banquet and orgy sequences.

The film remains close to the play, containing the poetry, well spoken by the mainly Scottish, Welsh and Irish cast.

Anthony Hopkins is powerful as Titus. Jessica Lange very strong as the Goth queen Tamara. Harry Lennix stands out as the evil Moor (a combination of Othello and Iago), Aaron. Matthew Rhys and Jonathan Rhys Meyers are Tamara’s sons. Laura Fraser is the tormented daughter of Titus and James Frain her fiancé Lucius.

The play anticipates some of the drama of Shakespeare’s other plays – the Moor and Iago in Othello, the madness of the irresponsible old man in King Lear, the final deaths as in Hamlet.

The film is a very powerful introduction to Shakespeare’s work as well as a strong version of Titus Andronicus.

1.Shakespeare’s first play? The poetry, plot, themes? Recaptured in later plays?

2.Director Julie Taymor, her stage experience, the presentation of Titus on stage, transferred to the screen, theatrical and stylised: the arena, the palace, the exteriors, interiors, the countryside and the fields, the aqueducts, the light and darkness, the final banquet?

3.The stylised nature of the visuals, the colour photography? The score and its style in collaboration with the visuals?

4.The modern opening, the young boy playing, going through the tunnel? The audience time-travelling with him? Modern aspects: the bikes, the cars, lights? Costumes ancient and modern? The effect of the different times? The contemporary Shakespeare and the old-style Shakespeare?

5.Roman history, the empire and its collapse, military conquest, the commanders and their loyalty, the war and spoils? The prisons? Cruelty, executions? Power and the empire? The whims of those in charge? Decadence and morals, sex, cruelty, violence, deception, torture, revenge and deaths?

6.The Elizabethan era, the theatre, the presentation of violence and cruelty? Catharsis for the audience or not? The final deaths? The restoration of order?

7.The strength of the cast, power, the verse and the recital of Shakespeare’s poetry, grandeur and tragedy? Melodrama and pathos?

8.Titus and Anthony Hopkins’ interpretation? His role as leader, the conquest of the Goths, his military prowess, as a person, personality, his relationship with his sons? His assumptions about empire? The execution of Queen Tamara’s son? Pitiless? His loyalty, his relationship with his brother Marcus, the tribune? The emperor and his proclamation? His trust in the emperor? The emperor’s decision to take Lavinia from Lucius? Giving the emperor his daughter? His mental disintegration? Enmity? His sons and their deaths, the heads? Lavinia’s torture, Lucius in exile? Marcus and his support? The meetings with Aaron, the confrontations, his sons’ decapitation, Lavinia’s tongue, chopping off his hand for his sons? Tamara and her hatred? His mental condition, his pretences, Aaron and the message, keeping Tamara’s sons, hanging them, killing them, the banquet, feeding the emperor and Tamara? His revenge?

9.Tamara as queen, queen of the Goths, the death of her son, her pleading for mercy? As a prisoner, as a Barbarian, her wiles, sexuality? The emperor and his decision, the marriage? Her sons, their callous behaviour, personalities, decadence, in the palace? The orgy? Lavinia and their cruelty and rape, her tongue? Aaron as their mentor, his role with them? Their being captured, hanging, their being killed, devoured in the pie?

10.The emperor, his slight build, personality, lust for power, Titus and his support, his being crowned as emperor, his choosing Tamara as queen? His whims, the decadence in the palace? The enmity with Titus, coming to his house, the meal? Titus killing him?

11.Marcus, his loyalty, the members of the Senate, the calm members of government?

12.Titus’s sons, their fighting with their father, trapped in the pit, their deaths, their heads? Lucious and Lavinia, defying the emperor, Lavinia’s torture, her being with her father? Lucius going into exile? Lucius’s return, the restoration of order?

13.Aaron, the Moor, his relationship with Tamara, the baby? Evil incarnate? His speeches, his regrets about not being more evil, the end and his being buried? Malevolence?

14.The role of the boy, Lucius’s son, from the present, his observing the events, his contribution, the effect?

15.The senators, their dress, pawns of government?

16.War and peace, power and betrayal, vengeance – in the Shakespearean style?

HOLIDAY HEART

US, 2000, 100 minutes, Colour.
Vin Rhames, Alfre Woodard, Mykelti Williamson, Jessika Quynn Reynolds.
Directed by Robert Townsend.

Vin Rhames is not the actor that one would immediately think of for casting as a drag queen. However, despite his appearance, he is quite persuasive in his manner, mannerisms and his vocal impersonations of songs at the cabaret.

This is a film which is a blend of the serious, the comic and the highly emotional. Rhames plays a drag queen with a difficult past who by chance encounters a drug addict mother and her young daughter. He takes them in and helps them and, despite their not wanting to be dependent on him, the mother relies on his help for raising her daughter, especially after she disappears. The mother is played strongly by Alfre Woodard. The father of the girl, a drug dealer who does not take drugs himself, is played by Mykelti Williamson.

The little girl is played very strongly by Jessika Quynn Reynolds. Amongst the issues covered are drug addiction, abandonment of children, addicted mothers stealing from their children. The focus on the drag queen raises issues of homosexual partnerships and, far more strongly, the possibility of a homosexual man being an effective emotional parent for a little girl. There are some explicit discussions about these issues throughout the film.

In the end, the mother completely fails, but the father does give his support and the little girl has the emotional back-up of two adults – although she is a very strong person in her own right.

The film was directed by African American actor Robert Townsend who also directed a number of films, Hollywood Shuffle, The Five Heartbeats.

1.A slice of African American life? A piece of Americana? The comic, the serious, the emotional?

2.The title, Holiday Heart as a character? Heart and feelings?

3.The American cities, homes and streets, poverty, drug areas, clubs, school? The ugliness, the ordinariness? The drugs and prostitution and violence issues?

4.The club, the drag singers, the audience, the range of songs, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Baby Love…?

5.The portrait of Holiday, the later information about his life as a child, his mother and his defence of her, the death, her putting him in prison? His being used in prison? His homosexual orientation? His partnership with Fisher, the police, the house? Fisher’s death, funeral, his dressing up and singing at the ceremony? The police and the quizzical looks? His being ridiculed? His career at the club, talent, audience? His hopes for going to Paris, buying the ticket, putting off the trip? His talk of love, the importance of being loved?

6.Sexual orientation issues, character, bonds, sharing? Holiday and his giving his love to Niki? The morality of love, sexuality, in context?

7.The issue of homosexuality and parenting, the gay sensibility, Holiday and his capacity for fathering and mothering?

8.Holiday and Blue, their dressing up, the car breaking down, the emergency, Niki and her asking for help, Holiday and his rescuing Wanda and Niki, taking them to the house, allowing them to move in? Holiday’s response, his religious background, the opening and seeing him playing and singing in church, the religious dimension of his life? Their dependence on Holiday, Wanda wanting some independence, hurting Holiday? Silas and his attitudes, Wanda and the separation?

9.Wanda, her character, relationship with Silas, the experience of drugs and violence, wanting to be a writer, her potential, her poetry? The drug dependence, the effect? Her love for Niki? Holiday rescuing them? With Holiday, the writing, going to church, the soup kitchen and helping out? The temptation to drugs with Silas, Holiday intervening? Her being aloof, Silas and leaving, the spiral down, the drugs, on the streets, the prostitution? Coming to the graduation at the back door? Stealing from her daughter? Her return, taking the bike that Holiday had bought? Niki seeing her? Her death? The funeral and the grave?

10.Niki, her age, maturity, getting Holiday to help, sharing with him, the stories, the discussions, her development, Wanda and Holiday taking her to school, the support of the school, growing up, the experience of her period, with the boy and Holiday severe with her, the breaking of the mirror? The graduation, reciting the poem? The dinner, the celebration, her questions about sexuality, love? With Silas? The walk? With Wanda, the bond with Holiday, the end?

11.Silas, the drug world, his violence, not using them himself, moving in, attitude towards Holiday, Wanda going away, Wanda leaving, his care for Niki, driving her, her wandering away, her being rescued? The issue of money and giving it to Holiday? The end and some possibility of support for Niki?

12.Holiday, Niki, the bike, the fight in the alley, the threats to Wanda, the crash and her death? His taking Niki to Paris?

13.The serious themes, their context, communicated by comedy and emotion?

THE MONSTER CLUB

UK, 1980, 104 minutes, Colour.
Vincent Price, John Carradine, Anthony Steel, Roger Sloman, Barbara Kellerman, Simon Ward, James Lawrenson, Donald Pleasence, Richard Johnson, Britt Eklund, Stuart Whitman, Leslie Dunlop, Patrick Magee.
Directed by Roy Ward Baker.

There was a song called ‘The Monster Mash’. This film could have been called The Monster Mash. It is a camp presentation of three horror stories. However, with tongue in cheek and the sometimes odd and comic performances of the stars, it does not succeed as horror. It is also punctuated at great length with a great number of 70s-style songs played by bands in the Monster Club. This may help fans of the music of the period but probably alienates the horror fans – and it is quite something to see Vincent Price and John Carradine swaying and rocking to the songs in the finale of the film.

The film was based on stories by R. Chetwynd -Hayes. He is portrayed in the film by John Carradine who encounters a benign vampire, played by Vincent Price, who admires his stories and invites him to the Monster Club. This is the setting for three stories. The first one starring James Lawrenson as a mutant has Simon Ward and Barbara Kellerman trying to rob him. He falls in love with the woman who comes pretending to be his assistant. He has a deadly power, able to kill objects with a whistle.

The second story is a parody. Anthony Steel appears as a film producer and his name, Lintom Busotsky, is an anagram of the producer of the film’s name, Milton Subotsky. The film shows his childhood with Britt Eklund and Richard Johnson as his parents. Richard Johnson is obviously enjoying himself acting and sending up the vampire. Donald Pleasence also enjoys himself, first posing as a benign priest picking up a little boy but really trying to track down the vampire since he is the chief of the squad. However, as he kills the vampire, he himself is bitten and has to be despatched by a stake. The irony of the film is that the vampire is not dead and has been wearing a stake-proof vest.

The third story is probably the most effective in terms of horror. Stuart Whitman portrays a film director who goes to a location in the British countryside and finds a village full of ghouls, led by Patrick Magee. They terrorise him and eventually he escapes with Magee’s daughter, Leslie Dunlop, who had a mother from the outside. As he asks the police to help him, they drive him back to the village.

The film was directed by Roy Ward Baker who began directing British films with thrillers in the 1940s like The October Man, had some time in the United States with Don’t Bother To Knock (with Marilyn Monroe) and Inferno. He had some good films on his return to England like A Night to Remember but directed a lot of horror films in the 1960s and 70s. Asylum and Vault of Horror were compendium horror stories far superior to The Monster Club.

1.For horror fans? For music of the 70s fans? How well did the two strands combine in The Monster Club?

2.The settings, the London streets, the club itself? The array of characters, their masks, representing mutants and horror characters? The secretary of the club as a werewolf? The contrast with the locations for the stories: the country mansion, the London flat? The London settings of the 60s and 70s for the film producer’s childhood? The realism of this episode? The contrast with the eerie village of the ghouls?

3.The role of the music, the songs, the lyrics, the emphasis on horror themes?

4.Vincent Price as the benign vampire, inviting the author to the club, John Carradine as the author? Their sitting in the club, observing people, Vincent Price telling the stories? Their dancing at the end?

5.The story of the plan to rob the Shadmok? The genealogy of horror characters and the intermarriage and interbreeding? Raven, his appearance, living alone, his wealth? George and Angela and their plan? Angela going for the interview, her returning, persuaded to go, working with Raven? Her tenderness towards him? George turning her against Raven? Raven’s wealth, the jewels, the safe? Raven and his proposal? Angela’s acceptance? The engagement party, the masks, her dancing with all his relatives? Her going to the safe, robbing him? Her being caught? Raven and his love for the pigeons, killing the cat with the whistle? Angela and her being deformed by the whistle, returning to George, his going into shock?

6.The story of the film producer, his manner, his reminiscences, showing the film, as a boy, an ordinary English schoolboy, bullied at school, the long jump and his going into the mud, rescued by the clergyman? The irony of the clergyman being a policeman, following him home, getting the information about his father? The domestic sequences, his mother and her being blonde, Swedish? The father and the boy asking him about his job, his ironic explanations, his manner, going out into the dark, getting theatre patrons as his victims? Returning home to sleep? The squad coming into the house, the boy having seen his father in the basement? The confrontation, the stake through the heart, the vampire biting the policeman, his assistants having to kill him? The irony of the stake-proof vest?

7.The film director, his assistant, getting the locations, driving to them, discovering the village, going through the smoke? The ghouls? His trying to settle in, their converging on him, his resisting them, moving through them? His meeting Luna and her explanation that she was only part ghoul? The attempts to rescue him? His discovering the documents, the explanations about the village? His escape in the car using the cross? Luna being struck by the stone and dying? His hailing the police, their driving him back into the village, their being ghouls?

8.How satisfactory this selection of stories? And the spectacle of Vincent Price and John Carradine dancing at the end in the Monster Club?

SHOPPING

UK, 1994, 109 minutes, Colour.
Sadie Frost, Jude Law, Sean Pertwee, Fraser James, Sean Bean, Marianne Faithfull, Jonathan Pryce.
Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson.

Shopping was the tour-de-force debut of writer-director Paul Anderson. Anderson then had to call himself Paul W.S. Anderson because of American director Paul Thomas Anderson (Magnolia, Boogie Nights).

The film was a star vehicle for Jude Law and his wife Sadie Frost. However, many commentators thought that they were too posh (especially Jude Law with his accent) for inner-city criminals.

The film was heavily criticised on its release in the mid-1990s for encouraging vandalism and robbery as well as antisocial behaviour. It was also criticised in the United States and released straight to video.

The film, which exhibits great visual flair, is the story of a young man released from prison who clashes with the main criminal in inner London. Their method of robbery is to steal cars and crash them into storefronts and then ransack the stores. Sean Pertwee portrays the boss. Sean Bean portrays the power in marketing who takes the stolen goods. Jonathan Pryce is the probation officer and there is a momentary cameo from Marianne Faithfull.

The film is interesting in terms of the subsequent career of Anderson who then directed Mortal Combat and moved into the graphic comic films with such films as Resident Evil. More seriously, he made Event Horizon and Soldier with Kurt Russell.

1.The impact of the film? In the UK on its release? Criticisms for its portrayal of violence and criminal action? A nihilistic film?

2.The London settings, the night, caravans, apartments, the shops, the warehouses? The action sequences, the car chases? The robberies? The musical score?

3.The title and its irony, referring to the robberies? Selling the goods on to marketers?

4.The moral point of view of the film, sympathy or not for Billy and Jo? For their actions? For society which led them to this kind of action, self-esteem? The role of the law, represented by the parole officer?

5.The nihilistic ending, Billy and Jo dead, the futility of their lives?

6.Billy, released from prison, surly attitudes, his interactions with Conway? Conway knowing him since he was a boy? His meeting up with Jo, their relationship? Wariness about sexual relationships? In action, his friends, discussions, the shops, the stolen goods? Going to see his mother, his father not wanting to see him? The meeting with Bev? Conway coming to his trailer? Accusing him of participation in the robberies? His decisions, confrontations with Tommy? Stealing the cars, the reckless driving, the pursuit by the police? Always escaping? His raid on the Alaska store? Crashing into the front, the water falling, the umbrella and his casually stealing the goods? The final confrontation with Tommy? The car, the plan, the chase, the crash, their deaths?

7.Jo, girlfriend, her background, condoning the robberies, love for Billy? With the various criminals and their confronting her? Wanting to leave? Participating in the final robbery, her death?

8.Tommy, the local boss, his standover tactics? His bargaining with the market traders? His bargaining with Venning? His seeing himself as a leader – but at the mercy of the traders? His clashes with Billy and Jo? The confrontation? Planning the Alaska robbery to get the clothes for Venning? Billy robbing the store before him? The final clash with Billy?

9.The other members of the gang, the underworld of London, robberies and their methods? The various market traders? Venning and his bargains?

10.Conway, representing the law, his trying to help Billy go straight, the visit to the caravan? The futile action of the law – having no effect on criminals like Billy?

11.The overall effect of the film, its flashy visual style and action, its pessimistic perceptions of British society?

NASTY NEIGHBOURS

UK, 2000, 89 minutes, Colour.
Ricky Tomlinson, Marian Bailey, Phil Daniels, Rachel Fielding, Hywel Bennett.
Directed by Debbie Isitt.

Nasty Neighbours is based on a play by director Debbie Isitt. She has opened it up considerably so that it does not seem stagebound. However, it has its limits in locations because it is one of those stories about feuding neighbours.

The film’s focus is on the Peach family, whose neighbours have migrated to Australia. Ricky Tomlinson (from Ken Loach’s films, Riff-Raff?, as well as The Royle Family from television) is a double-glazer. His business is not doing well. His wife, played by Marian Bailey, is a bit scattered but loving. New neighbours move in next door, up-and-coming wealthy people played by Phil Daniels and Rachel Fielding. When Harold intervenes to help, he receives a rude retort and from then on it is war between the two houses, the two men fighting each other, resorting to insult and abuse and then to physical violence, eventually guns. Their wives look on. Hywel Bennett has a role as the boss.

The film was made in Birmingham, and highlights a theme in English life, the difference between classes, the different manners between the classes, the aggressiveness in the English spirit and the clash that leads to this kind of neighbours’ violence. Ricky Tomlinson won the best acting award at the Stockholm film festival for his performance.

1.The impact of the film, particularly British? British drama, British satire?

2.Location filming, the city of Birmingham, the landmarks, the suburban streets, the two adjacent houses? The musical score?

3.The blend of realism and the touches of fantasy? The reportage for the goings-on between the two houses? The fantasy interludes – and Harold’s dream of going to Australia?

4.The focus on neighbours, the tradition of friendly neighbours and of hostile neighbours? The former friends going to Australia? The Chapmans moving in? The possibilities for tension?

5.Harold as a personality, his relationship with his wife? His sales, double-glazing? The collages of his work – and its not doing well? Inventions? His yearnings? The fantasy dreams of Australia? As a character in himself, his age, family relationships, to other people, the clash with Robert Chapman bringing the worst out in him? His wife, a nice person, helpless in the behaviour of her husband?

6.Robert and Ellen, their wealth, moving in, aloof? Their manners? The judging of their characters via Harold’s perspective?

7.Harold and his intervention, the bad response? The growing irritations, defacing the car, being loud, the music, being rude to each other, verbal insults, the escalating war? The photographs of Robert’s wife? The possibility of reconciliation? Things moving towards a head?

8.Harold at work, going out, losing jobs, the mortgage, his customers, his interactions with the boss, being let go? His desperation? His behaviour, the cleaner?

9.Jean and her fears, the touches of madness in the Peach household?

10.Their daughter, her visit, the comments, being objective?

11.The build-up to the climax, with the neighbours observing, incidents with the car, the photos, the gun, the bed, taunting, the final fight, death?

12.The various interviews to give a perspective on what had gone on?

THE ASTRONAUT’S WIFE

US, 1999, 108 minutes, Colour.
Johnny Depp, Charlize Theron, Joe Morton, Clea Duvall, Donna Murphy, Nick Cassavetes, Samantha Eggar, Blair Brown, Tom Noonan.
Directed by Rand Ravich.

The Astronaut’s Wife sounds like a variation on Apollo 13. However, it is rather a variation on The Invasion of the Body Snatchers. This time the body snatching takes place in space where two astronauts lose contact with Earth for two minutes and return different.

The film has the atmosphere of Florida, Cape Canaveral and the fraternity of space exploration. The action then moves to New York City to a company which builds planes and is developing communication merely by thought processes. This is a background then to the life of the astronaut and his wife as they move to New York.

Charlize Theron is at the centre of the film, playing a variation on the tormented wife she played in The Devil’s Advocate. She was in the early years of her Hollywood career but within five years would have an Oscar for best actress for Monster. Johnny Depp gives a rather quiet performance until the final climaxes. Joe Morton is intense as a former NASA representative who understands what has gone on. There is a guest appearance by Samantha Eggar as a doctor.

When the astronaut’s wife is impregnated and finds she has twins, she begins to believe the truth about the alien takeover. The film builds up to a dramatic climax, especially with the wife considering whether she will give birth to the twins or not. The final moment has the usual variation on the horror film theme as the two children go to school and the mother seems to be possessed.

1.A 20th century thriller? Towards the millennium? With invasions by aliens? In the space program? The plausibility or not of the plot?

2.The Florida settings, space exploration? The contrast with New York, affluence? The musical score?

3.The title and its focus on Jillian? Her marriage, the information about her past and her being able to see dead people? Her support of her husband, love for him, concern about the space journey? The news of the loss of contact? Going with Natalie to the headquarters? Hospital, finding Spencer well? Continuing their life, her teaching and rapport with the children? Reading them fairy stories? Spencer honoured by the government? The meeting with Sherman Reese and her dislike of him? The head of the NASA program? The decision to go to New York, her saying goodbye to the students? Settling in in New York, her meeting with Shelley McLaren? and friendship after being snubbed by other women? Life in New York? The marriage? Spencer and his being busy? The party, her drinking, Spencer and his almost assault? Her pregnancy? Twins? Her concern? Sherman Reese coming to New York, her putting him off? The planned meeting, discovering Spencer meeting him? Her taking the video from the vault? Watching it, Reese and his explanations? Spencer finding her watching the video? Their watching the film? Her fears, conflict with Spencer? Consulting Shelley, the tablets for the miscarriage? About to take them, Spencer finding her? The struggle, her confronting him? The truth? Her getting the radio, prepared to electrocute herself as Natalie did? His confrontation, her electrocuting him? The aftermath, giving birth to the twins, her marrying again, the children going to school, their malevolent looks, her final look?

4.Spencer, the astronaut, the American hero, his love for his wife? The return, unwillingness to speak about the two minutes? Alex and his illness, at the party, his death? Spencer and his change of job, going to New York, with the McLarens? Late home, his rough assault on Jillian and her becoming pregnant? His ambiguous behaviour, going to meet Sherman Reese? Reese’s disappearance? The confrontation with Jillian, the tablets, the radio and the electrocution, his death?

5.Natalie, her bond with Jillian, her fears, Alex and his illness, his advances at the party, his death? The funeral, the wake, Natalie killing herself after telling Jillian about the radio waves? Sherman Reese’s later experience about the sounds and the waves?

6.Nan, her devotion to Jillian, coming to New York, giving the information to Spencer, the clash with Jillian?

7.The NASA director? The McLarens? and their ambitions? Shelley and her friendship?

8.The pregnancy, the doctor, the consultation, the two hearts?

9.Life in New York, seen from Jillian’s point of view, the continuing menace?

10.A satisfying horror film – a space exploration film using the conventions of the horror film?

THE RELUCTANT DRAGON

US, 1941, 74 minutes, Black and white/Colour.
Robert Benchley, Frances Gifford, Buddy Pepper, Nana Bryant, Gerald Mohr, Florence Gill, Clarence Nash, Alan Ladd, Norman Ferguson, Ward Kimball.
Voices of: Claude Allister, Gerald Mohr, Barnett Parker.
Directed by Alfred L. Werker (live action), Hamilton Luske (animated segments).

The Reluctant Dragon was produced in the Walt Disney Studios during 1940-41 and released in 1941.

Disney had had great success with his cartoons, especially the creation of Mickey Mouse and then Donald Duck, Goofy, Pluto and other familiar characters. He had also had great success with his first full-length feature, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, in 1937. It had been followed by Fantasia and Pinocchio as well as the very successful Bambi.

This film is an opportunity to tour the Disney Studios, to go into the various departments and see how they work, with friendly guides and explanations. The way the film was constructed is that comedian Robert Benchley is nagged by his wife (Nana Bryant) to go to the Disney Studios to put in a plug for an animated version of Kenneth Graham’s The Reluctant Dragon. There is a lot of comedy with Benchley being resistant, his wife depositing him at the studios while she went shopping, his wandering around the studios trying to avoid the rather uptight young man, Humphrey (Buddy Pepper) who has been charged to bring him to Disney’s office. Inside the studios, he visits various rooms including the sketching (of an elephant), the various camera rooms, makeup and costumes, the colour process, the storyboarding, the editing of films together. This gives the audience quite an insight into how animated films were made at the time – and the bases for animation. Some of the examples include Bambi as well as sketches of elephants for Dumbo and some scenes from Fantasia.

Frances Gifford is quite charming as Doris, the studio artist who also helps Benchley around the studios. He receives a lot of souvenirs, sketches and sculptures of himself as he wanders around as well as causing a fair number of mishaps.

He gets the opportunity to watch some of the animation, especially a cartoon of Baby Weems, from the initial sketches through to the finished product. There is also an opportunity to follow through with a film in which Goofy and horses are the central attraction.

When he finally meets Disney in the screening room, and proposes to give him the book, he finds himself in a screening of a short animated version of The Reluctant Dragon. The Reluctant Dragon isn’t one of the most exciting or enjoyable of Disney’s cartoons. There is a knight, there is a dragon who would prefer to be a poet rather than breathing forth fire. In fact, the knight himself is also a poet. What happens is that the young boy who is reading the book about knights and dragons and talks to the villagers about this, finds himself urging them on to fight while they do all kinds of tricks in order to avoid fighting and to compare poetry notes. Claud Allister is the fuddy-duddy old knight. Barnett Parker provides the voice of the dragon which, to contemporary ears, is high camp as is the behaviour of the reluctant dragon.

The film, with its brief running time, is an entertaining look at film-making of the period. (Alan Ladd can be glimpsed as the storyboard artist for the Baby Weems episode.) Artists Norman Ferguson and Ward Kimball can also be seen as themselves, especially Ward Kimball who became a veteran of the Disney Studios. He appears here as the animator for the Goofy cartoon.

Audiences will probably be surprised at the modern look of the studios in 1940 and 41, the technology, the bright and breezy atmosphere and the fact that it does not look too much like ancient history.

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SONGS IN ORDINARY TIME

US, 2000, 90 minutes, Colour.
Sissy Spacek, Beau Bridges, Keir Dullea, Tom Guiry, Careena Melia, Jordan Warkol, Angelica Torn.
Directed by Rod Holcomb.

Songs in Ordinary Time is a rather special name for what is an interesting but comparatively ordinary story.

The setting is 1959, the world of that period recreated in a small American town. Sissy Spacek portrays a mother of three children, divorced from the local alcoholic (played by Keir Dullea). A stranger enters the town, a born salesman, a conman (played with both charm and insincerity by Beau Bridges). The conman insinuates himself into the family, especially with the young boy who had witnessed his confrontation with a black man which had led to a killing. The older boy and girl are certainly not impressed. However, with his charm, he entices the mother to lend him money for a scheme to sell soap. Another complication is the older son is need of a job and eventually works well with the conman. The daughter, however, becomes entangled with a rather promiscuous young curate in the parish.

The film takes on a lot of themes including confidence tricksterism, dysfunctional family, absence of father, family relationships as well as clergy and sexual misbehaviour. Direction is by Rod Holcomb, a director of many television films.

1.The interest of the film? Its themes? Impact? The world of 1959? Problems?

2.The re-creation of the town and the period? Marie and her work in the factory? The local stores? The Catholic church (not represented accurately in terms of the layout of the church)? The monsignor and the assistant priest? The church of the times? Families, the nature of divorce and the stigma? Problems?

3.The title? Reference?

4.The opening: church, Marie and the family, Sam and his coming in drunk, accosting his sister for the money, with his family, Norm taking him out? The reaction of the people? Marie and her seeming gentleness? The contrast at home, her being weary, looking after the children, the hard work, coping with her ex-husband, the divorce?

5.The portrait of the family, Marie, pregnant at seventeen? Alice, her studies, preparing to go to college? Her relationship with the priest? Norm, the clashes with his mother? Ben, young, a family favourite?

6.Sam, his background, the divorce, alcoholism? Marie becoming pregnant? Sam’s sister and her hostility? His going to institutions to dry out? His later return, visits to Marie, pleading with her? His confrontation with Omar? His seeing through him? His finally going to the institution, his hopes for the future?

7.Ben, seeing Omar and the black man in the woods? The confrontation? The black man running, the financial situation, Omar’s pursuit? Omar and his running, coming to the house, asking Marie for water? Her giving him the meal? His gratitude? His smooth manner and his charm? Norm and Alice not impressed? Their hostility towards him? Ben, warming to him, the secret between them? Omar and his care for Ben, going to the fair, helping him with work? The bonding? Marie and her being happy with this? Her understanding Omar? His explanations of what he was doing? The proposal about the soap, the franchise? Her hesitation in giving him the loan, her finally signing the cheque?

8.The aftermath, Omar and his going away, with Marie’s car? His relationship with the girl from the town? His deceit? The soap, the franchise for the people next door? Marie and her exasperation, his repentance and asking for forgiveness? Her relenting every time?

9.The situation with the dead man, finding him in the woods? Suspicions? Marie and her wanting Omar to leave? Norm and his turning against Omar after the success of the soap sales and the buying of the crockery present? Alice and her hostility? Ben, the realisation of the truth, his having to tell the truth?

10.Alice’s story, the flirtation of the priest, his giving her the lift, his approaches, her going to him? The affair? Marie and her fearing that Alice was repeating her life? But different choices? The monsignor bringing Alice home, the truth about the priest, his being sent away?

11.The build-up to the climax, Omar in the car, with Ben and Norm, his fleeing, with the car?

12.The family, the admitting of the truth, Marie and her disillusionment, her children having warned her? Her being more at peace? Omar’s proposal to her and the ring, leaving it? Sam’s arrival, going to the institution? Some hope for the future?

LA VIE REVEE DES ANGES (THE DREAMLIFE OF ANGELS)

France, 1998, 113 minutes, Colour.
Elodie Bouchez, Natacha Regnier, Gregoire Colin.
Directed by Erick Zonca.

The Dreamlife of Angels was an impressive film debut from French director Erick Zonca. Previously he had made two short films. Subsequently he has made only two films, Le Petit Voleur and Julia.

The film is set in Lisle, the city of the Dardenne brothers, the location for their many films including The Son, The Child, The Silence of Lorna.

The film focuses on the rather mundane lives of two young women, the outgoing Isa, played by Elodie Bouchet and the more serious, somewhat embittered Marie, played by Natacha Regnier. They meet up, decide to share an apartment. Isa is outgoing and becomes a reader for a young ill girl, the daughter of the woman whose apartment they are renting. In the meantime, Marie becomes infatuated with a club boss, Gregoire Colin, and, despite warnings, becomes infatuated with him.

The film is a strong character study of two young women, their dreams of what life might have been, the realities of life in later 20th century France.

1.The acclaim for the film? The Lisle settings, the late 1990s, the working-class areas, streets and houses, the club, going to the coast? The musical score?

2.The title and the application to Isa, to Marie?

3.The 1990s, young women, employment, unemployment, social situations, relationships, hope and hopelessness?

4.The film and the use of imagination, images and dreams? The blend of realism and naturalism?

5.Isa’s story, her wandering around the town, selling the cards, talking with people, looking for a house, the sewing, the meeting with Marie, the lunch, her being sacked?

6.The two women and their friendship, going to the house, the story of the house, the mother and Sandrine in hospital? Having a look at the house, the friendship with Charly and Fredo? Cheeky, the relationship, on and off, the clubs, the job offers?

7.The hospital and Isa going, her being moved, waiting, finding Sandrine’s diary, reading it, Marie being negative? Sandrine’s story? Her illness, Isa and her care, the gift, the recovery? Not visiting – but coming to life again?

8.Marie and her story, her character, alienated, yet pleasant? Helping people? The skating job? Inviting Isa to the house? The club, encountering Chriss? People being negative about him, her infatuation with him? Her being ousted, the return? The note, jumping and her death? The computer factory?

9.Marie and her being hurt by life, her sewing, friendship, the house, not going to Sandrine, her following Isa, sharing, Charly, the relationship, shoplifting? Chriss and her going with him, the sexual relationship, the hotel, her taking a stance against Isa? The fight at the club? The new dress and the kiss? At the sea, her being dropped by Chriss, the fight with Isa, death?

10.The characters of Charly and Fredo, in themselves, in relationship to the two women?

11.Chriss and his type, the club, callow, using people, on-and-off relationships? Marie and her infatuation and its plausibility? Isa and the others and their hostility?

12.Factory life, the skates? The clubs? Housing and buying houses?

13.An authentic atmosphere, a portrait of the two young women, eliciting audience empathy? Regrets and hopes?