U.H.F.

US, 1989, 87 minutes, Colour.
Weird Al Yankovich, Kevin Mc Carthy, Victoria Jackson, Michael Richards, David Bowie.
Directed by Jay Levey.

U.H.F. is a spoof on American society, especially on American society, especially on American television society and consumers. It is a star vehicle for personality `Weird Al' Yankowic. Other members of the cast include Kevin Mc Carthy as a ruthless television tycoon and Victoria Jackson as the love interest.

The film spoofs quite a number of films, especially its opening stolen straight from Raiders of the Lost Ark. There is parody of Gone With The Wind and Rambo. There are also some amusing spoofs of television commercials as well as quizzes and children's programmes.

The style of the film is very broad, appealing to an American sense of fun. However, even with the broadness, there are some aspects of the plot and characterisation as well as the spoofs which may, at times, appeal to a wider audience than an American one.

1. Broad comedy? Spoof? Americans? Television?

2. The blend of fantasy and reality? Special effects and stunts? The musical score, the range of songs?

3. The basic plot, good and evil? The stance of the film against big tycoons? The stand for innocence? For the people? The U.H.F. band on television as symbolic of audience participation, against the networks?

4. `Weird Al' Yankowicz's portrait of George: the initial Indiana Jones parody and daydreaming? Singer? Rambo? The Gone With The Wind finale? Working at the burger joint, his being accident-prone and ousted? With his aunt and her help? The friendship with Teri, the clashes, forgetting to go out to dinner with her for her birthday? Inheriting the television station? His philosophy of television, his experiences? His friend Bob, getting the sack, helping him with the work at the television station? Going to deliver the parcel to J.R. Fletcher, humiliated? Befriending Stanley and giving him the job? The television ads: the promotions for Town Talk, the children's programme and his conducting of it and their boredom? Problems of money? Stanley going on and being a success? In the bar watching the audience enjoy Stanley? The philosophy of individual success? The ratings going up? The introduction of the programming: the animals programme, the jokes? Forgetting to go out with Teri? Fletcher's plot? The idea for the telethon, raising the money, Stan's support, his being kidnapped? Coping? The beggar who kept asking for change - and his supplying the final money against Fletcher? The uncle and the pressure from Big Louie, the midnight deadline, Fletcher being defeated? Teri and her help, reconciliation?

5. Stanley, his pride in his work as janitor, the taking of the mop, getting the sack, George giving him the job, his pride, going onto the kids' programme, his success? The telethon, his being captured, annoying his captors, seeing the mop? The happy ending?

6. Bob, more normal, working in the studio, the accounts, his help?

7. Teri, the dentist, hurt by George, going to see Fletcher, the reconciliation?

8. Fletcher and his boys, his meanness, jokes, sacking people, the ratings, his wanting to own the television station and make a parking lot, the deal with the uncle, the smooth talk, his being videoed with Teri and his abuse of the public, its being used, his humiliation and frustration, his being outwitted by the money - especially by the beggar when he gave him the special coin?

9. The staff: Philo, his experiments, videoing and jamming the airwaves? The extraterrestrial going back home? The dwarf and the camera work? Pam as secretary, her interviews, the finale?

10. The role of the people, their support of Channel 62, rallying with the telethon?

11. The martial arts friends, their television programme, coming to the rescue?

12. The programmes and the spoofs: the children's programme and George's failure, Stanley's success? The wheel of fish? The strange animals? Town Talk and the celebrities, the man sawing off his finger, etc?

13. The ads and the spoofs - recognisable?

14. The send-up of the movies and television programmes, The Beverly Hillbillies, music, the MTV video style ensemble?

15. The film's humorous and ironic comments on the television generation?

UCCELLACCI E UCCELLINI

Italy, 1966, 88 minutes, Black and White.
Toto, Ninetto Davoli.
Directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini.

Uccellacci e Uccellini (Hawks and Sparrows) is immediately recognisable as a Pasolini film. In stark black and white, using the Italian countryside and the Italian cities for settings, it is a dialogue and tableau film. Italian comedian Toto and star Ninetto Davoli (star of so many of Pasolini's films) play a father and son on a journey - many incidents take place, they tell stories, some of the stories are dramatised, especially a St Francis of Assisi father and son going back into the Middle Ages, looking for birds, trying to understand something of the relationship between humans and nature.

The film was made in the '60s, comparatively early in Pasolini's short cinema career.

1. The work of Pasolini? His cinematic style, dialogue and tableau? The Italian settings? The black and white photography?

2. Toto and the cast? Ninetto Davoli? His place in Pasolini's films? The musical score?

3. The visualising of the journey, the relationship between father and son, their discussions? Going to the bar, the dancing, the son dancing? The clashes? The goals of the journey? The telling of stories, the acting in the stories? The portraits, characters and style?

4. The fantasy of the crow? The character of the crow, the voice of the crow, the telling of the stories, accompanying the pilgrims on the journey?

5. The Franciscan's story, the atmosphere of Mediaeval life, the monastic setting, the spirituality? St Francis? The father and son amongst the friars? The mission to the birds? The hawks and the sparrows? Communication, failure, the attempt to succeed in the mission?

6. The story of the poor, collecting the money, oppression? The various characters, types? The personal touch? City life and exploitation?

7. The moral of the stories? Their effect on the father and son? The particularly Italian style of storytelling?

UNDER THE MOONLIGHT

Iran, 2001, 96 minutes, Colour.
Hossein Parastar.
Directed by Reza Mir Karimi.

This film shows a contemporary Iran, contemporary Tehran, with its focus on a young man who has come from the country to train as a mullah. Quite some detail is shown of the young man’s life in a religious training institution as well as his learning the meaning of the Koran and who it is to be put into practice as well as preached.

He is somewhat restless, not sure of his vocation. He is criticised by the head of the theological college (who, while very loyal to the traditions of the Koran and the prophet, is not against modern change and, especially, having a mobile phone).

The young man shows some kindness to a street kid who, while the student is not looking on the underground train, steals the young man's cloth for his official garments. They have been rather costly for him and he is quite attached to them. He tries to find the boy again to get his cloth back. What happens is that his eyes are opened up to the world beyond the world of training, the world of the poor of the city, a community living under a bridge, the prostitute sister of the young boy. This transforms his whole perception on his role as a mullah. He is tempted to leave. He sells his books to buy food for the poor. However, he finally finishes the course and visits the young lad in prison. His ministry will be different.

The film offers an excellent opportunity for a dialogue between Christianity and Islam. The values of the film are also those of those of the Gospels and of the option for the poor. Interesting comparisons could be made with such film as The Nun's Story, Priest or, especially, Mass Appeal.

Director Reza Mir Karimi makes film with explicit connotations like Here, A Shining Light (2003) where the keeper of a shrine has to go away for a time and entrusts the running of the shrine to a simple man who gives everything away to the poor or explores life-meaning values.

This is a simple but fine film which crosses cultural and religious boundaries.

The city settings are important for the relevance of the film and its message. There is the college, the underground and the trains, the busy streets. This contrasts with the bridge and the marginalised community under the bridge.

Basic insights into Islam are communicated in the school sequences and the training of the young men to be mullahs, which for western audiences is very interesting for comparisons with Christian seminaries and theological colleges. The students have to work diligently, especially with the reading of the Koran. A young novice asks questions of Muslim ‘canon law’ and shows his scrupulosity? Not that life in the seminary is ultra-serious. There is some horseplay with the washing of the carpets. But, the expected sequences are also there, the classes, the interviews with the head of the school, the graduation ceremonies.

The young man has made an important journey for his vocation, coming from the country, educated religiously by his grandfather to whom he feels some debt and responsibility and the tradition of religious leadership in the village. In Tehran, he ventures outside the institution, travelling on public transport, observing people. This brings criticism from the head? Yet, he decides to spend the money and buy the cloth for his robes. Meeting the young boy selling the chewing gum is a turning point in his vocation. What starts as being upset because of being robbed, becomes a quest to find the boy. But, what he finds are the boy’s connections and his other robberies in the trains. He pursues the boy and finds him and to meet him on the bridge ‘under the moonlight’.

He discovers a group of poor men under the bridge, types a letter of appeal for help, encounters a blind man and his music as well as a mentally handicapped man who is full of joy? He delights in their presence, their interactions and their singing. They include him as one of them living under the bridge. He experiences some shocks to his religious sensibilities in his encounter with the boy's sister, a prostitute. He helps a man fix his car - and then see him pick up the woman.

He decides to sell his books and buy food for the poor. When he returns, he finds the bridge cleared, the group has disappeared, and he finds the letter still in the typewriter. However, he does rescue the sister and takes her to hospital.

Dramatically, the finale leads the audience into thinking that he would go back to his village. This is not the case. Despite his experiences and his criticisms of the limits of his training he decides to go on to be a religious leader? Symbolically, he visits the boy in prison and repeats the palm reading that the boy had done for him.

Under the Moonlight highlights the practical and pastoral dimensions of Islam.

1. The impact of the film? Teheran at the beginning of the 21st century? Iran and Islam?

2. The city settings, the college, the underground, the streets? The contrast with the bridge, the community under the bridge? The musical score?

3. The insights into Islam: the school and the training of the young men to be mullahs, their diligent study, reading of the Koran, the young novice and his questions of canon law and his scrupulosity? Life in the seminary, the rooms, study, the horseplay with the washing of the carpets, the classes, the interviews with the head of the school, the graduation ceremonies? Comparisons with Christianity and the West?

4. The journey of the young man: his coming from the country, his grandfather and the tradition of religious leadership in the village, his opportunities? His not being sure? Travelling on the transport, observing people? Being criticised by the head? His friendship with his roommate? The life of the seminary and its detail? His decision to spend the money and buying the cloth? Meeting the young boy, selling the chewing gum? His being robbed? His return, finding the boy, seeing his connections and his other robberies in the transport? Pursuing the boy - and being arrested by the police? Finding him, their discussions? His agreeing to meet him on the bridge? Discovering the group of poor men under the bridge, the typing of the letter of appeal for help, the blind man and his music, the mentally handicapped man and his joy? Their interactions, their singing? His delight in their presence? Their including him as those living under the bridge? His encounter with the boy's sister, prostitute, his helping the man fix his car - and then see him pick her up? His selling the books and buying food for the poor? His return, the clearing of the bridge, the disappearance of the group, finding the letter in the typewriter? His rescuing the sister and taking her to hospital?

5. The finale and audiences thinking he would go back to his village? His decision to go on to be a religious leader? His visiting the boy in prison and repeating the palm reading that the boy had done for him? A future?

6. The role of Islam in Iranian society? The modernisation of Iran? The dialogue between tradition and the future?

UNDER PRESSURE

US, 1997, 90 minutes, Colour.
Charles Sheen, Mare Winningham, David Andrews.
Directed by Craig R. Baxley.

Under Pressure is an action thriller, a film about suburban paranoia (in the vein of Joel Schumacher's Falling Down with Michael Douglas), echoing many of the themes and sequences, even parts of dialogue as to who was supposed to be the good guy). It was directed by Craig R. Baxley, known for tough action features like Stone Cold.

The star is Charles Sheen, giving an intense performance, a relentless personality gripped by anger, resentment and a touch of religious mania. He plays a fireman who is decorated for his heroism as the fireman of the year. However, his wife and child have left him, they have issued restraining orders. He can't sleep, resents his next-door neighbours who present an ideal family which his wife had admired. He continually confronts them, quoting the Bible for discipline, frightening the children, clashing with the father (David Andrews) and beginning to terrorise the mother (Mare Winningham). The violence erupts when he racially abuses a Chinese repairman who comes to his door by mistake. He finally turns on the police who have initially believed him. The ending is rather apocalyptic in the suburban setting.

1. The impact of this kind of film? The ugliness of its story? Suburban paranoia and rage and its eruption? Neighbours and hostility?

2. The suburban setting: the two houses, the street? The offices? The special sequence of the fire unit and the rescue? Musical score and atmosphere?

3. The title and its reference to Lyle? Seeing him in action, going into the fire, rescuing the child, hearing later that another woman was killed? (And in his nightmare he is reprimanding her for her laxity with her child, along with the confrontation with his wife and with Katherine?) His work, family, absence of family, severity with his son, disillusionment with his wife, the religious motivation? The clashes with the neighbours, lack of sleep, irritation turning to rage, his reprimanding the children, the model plane going through his window, his bringing it back, the steely silence, the threats? The phone call to Reese about the loan and the conflict? His reprimanding Katherine? The confrontation with the refrigerator repairman, the racial abuse, the violence, his death? Smoothly talking to the police, insinuating that Reese was a wife-basher? Their initially believing him, their return, wielding the axe with the police officer, tying up the woman? The final confrontation, his story of Russian Roulette and its origins, firing on the husband and the children? Katherine pretending to be his wife, the confrontation with the husband coming to consciousness, her shooting him?

4. The family next door: ordinary family, nuclear family, getting on well? The children and their noise, the irritation factor, screaming and yelling, playing with toys, guns, the model plane and its crash through the window? The father and his work, care for his family? The mother and her friendship with Lyle's wife, resisting Lyle, frightened of him, trying to get rid of him? The growing terror of the children after Lyle's continued visits? Phoning 911, the husband returning? Zac taking the blame for his actions? The reassurance of his parents?

5. Reese and his being accused of being a wife-basher by the police? Their change of heart? Katherine and her desperation, wanting the repairs, with the children, the neighbour's boy, the broken window and her promises? Growing antagonism towards Lyle? The visit to the supermarket, the discussion about buying the gun and her resistance to it? Finally getting the rifle? The Russian Roulette, her realising that she had to pretend to be Lyle's wife, saving Zac, finally getting the gun and killing him? The aftermath - and the advertisement for the fire department with Lyle?

6. The repairman and the eruption of racial abuse? The police, presumptions about heroes, the suspicions, the return visit, trying to pacify Lyle, the dog, the axe, the shooting?

7. The aftermath of watching this kind of film? American suburban life and violence? Rage?

UNLIKELY SUSPECTS

US, 1996, 90 minutes, Colour.
Shannah Reed, Sarah Chalke.
Directed by Joseph L. Scanlan.

Unlikely Suspects is a telemovie designed for the home audience, but treating a social problem which has emerged much more in the '90s: sexual harassment, especially within high schools.

Shannah Reed portrays the mother of a cheerleader who takes the side of a girl in the squad who is harassed by the team. The star footballers take a stand against her and harass and molest her. Issues for family, for the principal of the school, for the coach of the team, for the morale of the students are all explored.

The film is quite persuasive in its look at the issues, showing the presumptuous menace of the football players, the disruption in families, the pressure, especially for students without money and difficult prospects for going to college. However, the film takes the point of view of perseverance with the case, of self-respect and the ending is triumphant and makes the point that there is a great deal of this kind of behaviour in schools which needs to be confronted.

1. Interesting telemovie? Social and family and education issues? Dramatised for the home audience?

2. The American town, the high school, the courts? Authentic atmosphere?

3. The title and the focus on the football players? Their behaviour, their victims?

4. The high school situation, co-eds, the football team and the possibility of winning the trophy, the cheerleaders and their style, morale within the various groups? The interests of the principal? The new coach and his handling of things? The behaviour of the students in the school, peer pressure? Audiences identifying with this?

5. Christa and her support of Ruth after the behaviour in the bus? Her friendship with Ruth? Giving the list to the coach after consulting with the cheerleaders? His rejection of it, wanting to handle it his own way, trying to bribe her with putting her brother on the team? Josh and Nelson and their confronting Christa in the locker room? Her moodiness, discussions with her mother? The decision to go to the principal, the principal listening, the principal under pressure and taking stands? The father and his initial wariness, his support? Kyle and his wanting to be on the team, looking down on his sister, playing up to Josh and the others? Christa and her being spurned by Vanessa? Ruth and her friendship but unwillingness to testify, going to the dance and the drink thrown over her, yet her contrary testimony in the hearing? Christa and difficulties at the shop, her mother losing her job? The pressure by Josh's father? Her trying to talk with the cheerleaders, her decision to persevere with the case? Her being dismissed after Ruth lying? Her talking to the cheerleaders, their changing their minds, going to the courts, the four weeks of testimony? The evidence with the book and the lawyer and her help? The role of the media? The final hearings, the decision? Christa and her integrity?

6. Ruth, not being liked, not having money? Best friend of Christa? Her being harassed, her fears, her mother and her unwillingness to testify? Their coming to the hearing and lying? The drink thrown over the dress and Christa's support? Vanessa and her relationship with Josh, her antagonism, her change of mind after the evidence? Support? The cheerleaders and their being banned, surrounded by the footballers to get off the field? Their accepting the money, changing their mind after listening to Christa, their testimony?

7. Josh and Nelson, their skills at football, presumption, the accepted behaviour of the team, harassing in the bus? Nelson and Josh and their standover tactics, using Kyle? Despising Randy and his support of the girls? The book, the talk? The continual menace? Confronting Anne? Their final comeuppance?

8. The principal, her wanting the school to succeed, trying her best, the pressures, succumbing, Anne telling her the truth about her behaviour? The coach and his wanting to handle things privately? His support of the boys? His not being vindicated?

9. Anne and Ted, Anne and her role in the school, strong woman? Support of her daughter, Ted hesitating but following through? The pressure from Josh's father and Ted's rejection? Phone calls, the smashing of the restaurant windows? Their standing by and speaking strongly? Kyle and his jealousy of Christa, comparisons, taking Josh's side, seeing the book, being abused, changing his mind, supportive? Randy and his friendship and support?

10. Contemporary issues and problems, dramatised for the home audience - how effectively, for information, moral support, encouragement for young women to make a stand?

URBAN LEGEND

US, 1998, 99 minutes, Colour.
Jared Leto, Alicia Witt, Rebecca Gayhart, Joshua Jackson, Natasha Gregson Wagner, Loretta Devine, Tara Reid, John Neville, Robert Englund.
Directed by Jamie Blanks.

Urban Legend was a successful and popular slasher film of the late 90s. It came in the wake of the fashion set by the Scream series and the I Saw What You Did Last Summer series. The basic premise is that there are stories about murders which have become urban legends. The film then becomes an illustration of these legends as individuals in a group of teenage students are despatched.

The direction is by Jamie Blanks, an Australian director who made some successful short films and was invited to Hollywood to make this film. His subsequent film was the horror thriller Valentine with Denise Richards. This film stars Jared Leto, who went on to make more successful upmarket films like Fight Club, Requiem for a Dream. Alicia Witt is his co-star and horror regulars like Brad Dourif and Freddie Kruger, Robert England also appear.

1. The film as embodying most of the traditions of the high school horror slasher movies of the '70s, '80s and '90s? The college and the campus? The serial killers? The conventions of pursuit, hiding, screaming? The ironic ending?

2. The establishing of the college and the campus? The darkness, the scares, special effects? The violence tempered at the end of the '90s in comparison with 10 to 20 years earlier? The use of irony and black humour? Stylish visuals?

3. The title and the various explanations? The sociological aspects of stories told about murders and tragedies? The development of folklore? People actually believing these urban legends or not? Urban behaviour - though many of them out in the forests or on the roads? Creepy fairy tales? The generation of fear in the listeners? The urban legends as self-fulfilling prophecies? The books, the lectures, the theories? The film as an illustrating of some of these legends?

4. Robert Englund and his background as Freddie Kruger acting the part of the professor? His course, getting people to act out the legends - and pretend and scare his class? His room, the collection of apparatus indicating his guilt? His death - and his proving that his presence was a red herring?

5. The opening, Michelle, the lonely road, the attendant at the gas station, his stammer, her fears, thinking he was a killer? The irony of the killer being in the back of the car? Her death?

6. The sequences with the students telling the stories, the disbelief, the rivalry and amplifying the stories? Taken up at the end - with Brenda listening to the story of her urban legend?

7. The establishing of the set of central characters, their interactions? Natalie as the centre of the film, the heroine? Yet, the irony that she was less to blame for the initial cause than Michelle? Paul and his work on the paper, aloof? The presentation of the campus jock and his parties? Sasha and her radio program, the explicit talk about sex, campus style? Brenda and her being the sympathetic friend? Damon and his clowning around? The range of types, stereotypes, expectations of them, their reactions and interactions?

8. The information about the deaths? Discussions with the staff? The principal, his character, interactions with the students, disbelief? His discussions Reese? His death? Reese as security guard, her watching Pam Greer's films, imagining herself this kind of black heroine? Her work with the students, searching, scares, injury - but not dying?

9. Natalie and her explanation of the truth to Brenda, the death, her sense of irresponsibility? The urban legend about the car without lights, flickering, the car turning, it causing the other car to crash?

10. Damon, clowning around, pretending to confide to Natalie, the suddenness of his death and hanging?

11. The build-up to the party, the urban legend of the babysitter in the house? Josh and the phone call, his death? Sasha, the radio station, her being pursued?

12. The relationship between Brenda and Paul? Her attachment, her wariness about Natalie and Paul's attention to her? At the party, presences and absences, suspicions on Paul, their being attacked?

13. The sinister janitor, suspicions of him? Natalie and getting the left - the lights, the urban legend and the pursuit, his death?

14. Natalie, the heroine, searching, the files? Discovering the bodies? The confrontation with Brenda, her madness, the reasons for the deaths? Paul's arrival - trying to work out whether Paul or Brenda was the killer? Paul and the rescue?

15. The happy ending - Brenda into the river and the irony of her sitting listening to discussions about her urban legend?

USED PEOPLE

US, 1992, 115 minutes, Colour.
Shirley Mac Laine, Kathy Bates, Jessica Tandy, Marcia Gaye Hardin, Marcello Mastroianni, Bob Dishey, Sylvia Sidney.
Directed by Beeban Kidron.

Used People was written by actor Todd Graff (writer of the American adaptation of The Vanishing). It was directed by British Beeban Kidron (Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit, Antonia and Jane). She brings a perceptive British eye to the characters and situations in New York City of 1969.

The film focuses mainly on elderly people, a Jewish housewife in Queens, played with accuracy and feeling by Shirley Mac Laine. Jessica Tandy is her mother, Sylvia Sidney her mother's close friend. Kathy Bates and Marcia Gaye Hardin are her daughters. Bob Dishey is her husband who dies - and Marcello Mastroianni is an acquaintance of her husband who comes to see her at her husband's funeral.

The film is particularly well acted - although, as the screenplay notes, this Jewish family yells at each other all the time.

The film is a focus on characters, personality idiosyncrasies, clashes, beliefs in love, betrayal.

The film has warmth and sentiment - but the characters in themselves are often abrasive.

1. The credits in writing, direction, stars?

2. Queens and New York City, the Manhattan outline - the '40s, 1969. Period detail, style? The musical score, the songs? The cinema references, especially The Graduate? and Bonnie and Clyde?

3. The title and its focus on the experience of people, ageing, new opportunities?

4. The credits and the slow tracking over the memories of the past? 1946 and Pearl cooking, Jack and his arrival, the hesitation, not speaking, the dancing? The graceful movements, Pearl's fall? The girls watching and grinning? The transition to Jack's death and funeral? The flashbacks and the meaning of this prelude? The meaning of Jack's love, watching Pearl die and feeling unable to help her in the house? His wanting to leave, the note and the money? In the bar, the talk with Joe, learning how to dance? The particular theme song and its being dear to Pearl? Joe and his watching the event? The irony of Jack and the money and note in his shoe and Pearl finding it? Meant to find it? Joe and the aftermath 23 years later?

5. Shirley MacLaine? as Pearl, her appearance, Jewish housewife, 37 years of marriage, single-minded, cook, caring for her children, her husband? Limited horizons? In the kitchen in 1946, being overwhelmed by the dance? 1969 and her grief, the experience of the funeral, her quarrelling family in the hearse, Norma not wanting to go into the cemetery? The burial, the wake, the family gathering, food, arguments? Talking, issues? The different generations? Her reaction to her mother? Accepting Joe's invitation?

6. Jewish families, Barbara and her talking about yelling, her children's response? Tensions, workaholics, expectations of one another, touches of madness?

7. Joe and his arrival, quiet, put off by the people at the wake, wanting to find Pearl? His proposal to her to go out? His own background, marriage and absence in the merchant navy, his daughter and her resentments, his bond with his brother Paolo? His mother and her Italian background? The bar? Inviting Pearl out, her dressing herself up to go? The walk to the bar, talking, Pearl's impatience, the story about Jack? Pearl's inability to listen? His wanting to talk, his always being there, the gift of the air-conditioner - and his fixing it? The invitation of the family to the meal, the celebration, the frank talk, the rudeness, his anger? Pearl and her wanting to wash up? The piano accordion and his giving it to the young boy, teaching him to play it? The influence on the whole family? Listening to the boy, his need for psychiatric help? His concern for Barbara and urging her to stand on her own feet? With Norma and getting her mother to talk things over? The courtship, the proposal, sleeping together - to test snoring and being comfortable? Norma's son on the roof, the episode with the dog, saving him from falling? The wedding, bringing Barbara back as a gift? Never doubting that he would marry Pearl? His happiness? His new chance for family, his daughter's resentment, the reassessing of his life, his absences? His ability to talk, joke, his range of quotations? A wise and genial man?

8. The influence on Pearl, her age, experience, the 37 years of marriage, the work, bringing up the daughters, coping with her mother? The puzzle of Joe, going out, listening to the story? Barbara coming home and her mocking her, the smell, not talking with her, hanging up on the phone? Pearl at home, mockery? Her argument with Barbara and the pouring out of her rage? The concern about Norma and her son, going to visit her in the bank? The clashes with her mother, the meal at the bar? At the baths, playing cards, kissing Joe in the baths - and everybody's reaction? Her discovering the note and the money? Accepting Joe's proposal, unsure, the sleeping arrangements? The wedding, wanting a sign - and the reconciliation with her daughter?

9. Barbara and her nickname, the smell, fatness - and being upset as a girl? Divorce, children? Her hard work, wanting to talk to her mother, the phone calls? The picnic and her mother's criticism of the children in the car (and her later lowering the window)? The clashes with Norma, the meal and her drinking? The talk about the yelling? The decision to go to California, the encounter with her mother in the lift and with the laundry, listening to her mother's rage? The decision to go? The return, reconciliation with Norma and her mother?

10. Norma, the spoilt younger child, the loss of her baby? Her boy and his eccentricity? With her mother, unable to face her father's funeral, not going to the cemetery? Her touch of madness? Fashion, dressing up, Marilyn Monroe, Faye Dunaway in Bonnie and Clyde? Watching The Graduate?, dressing as Mrs Robinson? The flirting with Frank, going to the club, re-enacting Mrs Robinson? with him? Tying him up, the cigarettes - and her anger about his treating her son? The clashes with her sister? The confrontation with her mother at the bank, with her son? Her accepting the madness? His pleading with her, her going to the funeral before the wedding, wearing a normal dress?

11. Frank, his wife, the brittle marriage? At the meal, flirting with Norma? Saving Norma's son on the train line, offering to see him for psychiatric sessions? The sessions, the encounter with Norma as Mrs Robinson, his infidelity, her torture - and his capitulation?

12. Pearl's mother and her friend Becky, friends for 72 years, their love of arguing, playing cards and games, the chat in the park and their trying to outrival each other, the visit to the rest home and its effect on each, Becky and her wanting good flushing toilets? The children urging the mother to go to Florida? Her resistance? The final decision, inviting Becky?

13. The various relatives, brothers and sisters-in-law, the arguments about freeways, about food? Their curiosity? Arguments and being hurt? Loud?

14. Norma's son, affected by his grandfather's death, the influence of his grandfather? Feeling he was Superman, trying to test out his invulnerability, with his aunt, inviting her to pinch him, confronting the dog and its being tame, on the train line and touching the third rail, willing himself to fall from the building? Seeing Frank for psychiatric sessions? His pleading with his mother to be normal? Explaining that the grief of the death and the departure of his father hurt him as well?

15. Jack, the dancing sequence, the photos and the memories, seen in flashback, the decision to leave Pearl, the dancing, the discussion with Joe? Leaving the money and the note to be found?

16. The effect of Pearl and Joe on each other, transformation, liberating Pearl? Pearl and her humdrum life, her hopes and expectations of life, her rage?

17. The wedding ceremony, the hippie ministers, the ceremony and its mood? The audience being left with the wedding - and hopes for the future?

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

US, 1996, 124 minutes, Colour.
Robert Redford, Michelle Pfeiffer, Stockard Channing, Joe Mantegna, Kate Nelligan.
Directed by Jon Avnet.

Up Close and Personal is the kind of film that audiences love and critics loathe. Critics want their movies to meet rigorous standards. Audiences say they just want to be entertained. Many a time the wishes coincide. Most times, movies aim for the popular response. And does Up Close.

It is a romantic drama with big stars. And they do their thing, Redford, at almost sixty, with his seemingly effortless charm and Michelle Pfeiffer showing she can act as well as be a screen personality. The film is about being a screen personality, this time on TV and being an anchor and a reporter. Nicole Kidman offered a satiric alternative in the recent black comedy, To Die For.

When the film stays with the TV news theme, it keeps everyone's attention, especially with a riot in a Pennsylvania prison. When the film goes to the drama, it is a bit of a mixture of Pygmalion (he training her) and A Star is Born (she succeeding as he goes down). When the film goes to romantic interludes, it is more like a TV commercial.

The film has a very strong supporting cast. It was written by husband and wife author team, Joan Didion and John Gregory Dunne - which gives the theme of how professional partners maintain a marriage a stronger edge.

1. The world of television? Romantic comedies? Serious drama? '90s style?

2. The Miami settings, Reno, Philadelphia? Musical score, final song?

3. The world of the television station? The studio, the editing room, live television and reports, executives, the world of awards?

4. The title, personal, the language of television and media?

5. The stars and their working together, star power, style?

6. The introduction to Tally: looking after her sister, her aims for success, at home, the video cassette and promotion, her faking the footage? Sending it to the television stations, the Miami response, her hopes?

7. Her arrival at the studio, gawky behaviour? Meeting Warren? Given the jobs, collecting the dry-cleaning etc? Her wanting to do the weather? Her being allowed, her nervousness and feeling sick, her failure - looking at Warren, not looking at the camera, gawky? Warren seeing her potential, his visit to her apartment, her suspicions (and also for the lift home)?

8. Robert Redford as Warren, his charm, his skill at his job, television news skills, his chauvinist attitudes? His clashes with the station boss, the discussions about commerce and commercial ideas? Rob as anchor and his blandness? The decision about the weather and the comic style? Seeing the potential in Tally, watching her as she did the weather and her failure?

9. The variation on the Pygmalion story? Warren shaping Tally? His insight into television interviews and commentary, his incisive questions, continually being demanding on her, so that she gave the best commentary? Her ambition and going with the cameraman to the Miami Beach drowning? Her ambition, interview, success with Warren's help? Developing her skills? Her various reports and growing success? The importance of her appearance and style? Rob and his sexual advance and her reaction? Her bond with her cameraman? The clash with Rob on air about the New Year's baby?

10. Tally and her learning, Warren and his coaching? Her meeting his ex-wife and their discussions? Her meeting Bucky, her discussions with him, impressing him? Her falling in love with Warren, the sexual relationship, the romantic collage (cigarette commercial style)?

11. The possibility for Philadelphia, her decision to go, wanting Warren to go? Her meeting Marsha, studying her style? Her showing off, her awkwardness at the meetings, the question about statistics, her reports and Marsha's reaction? The studio boss and his reaction - and his focus on commercial success?

12. Warren, wanting to help, Bucky appealing to him? His going to Philadelphia? His improving her style, the better reports? Marsha and her decision to go? Marsha and her final conversation with Tally?

13. Warren and his clash with the boss in Miami, staying in Philadelphia? The influence on Tally, their bonds? The decision to get married? The small ceremony and those present? His friendship with Bucky, the possibility of getting a job, going to New York, the interviews with the former network managers and his friends? The parallel with A Star Is Born - Tally's face going up on the hoardings, his lack of success?

14. The plan to do the specials as a team? Discussion about the prison? His going to Washington to discuss the Panama situation? Her going to the prison? His listening to the information and returning to the prison? Tally and the interview, the criminal - and the past interview about his New Year's baby? Tally and the photographer as hostages, their filming the riots? Warren and his going to the caravan, getting her through live? The networks wanting her footage? Her showing her skills? The tension of the riot, the tension for Tally and her career, Warren and his producing the program? Her coming out and giving the successful interview, his congratulations? Her going to the network, her success there, her being transformed into a national personality? The farewell party and the joy, watching the television - and the news of Warren's death?

15. Warren and his ambitions for the Panama story? His happy‑go-lucky attitude, his skills? Wanting fun in his work, the link-up and his talking to Tally? The farewell at the airport, the boots, his death and her seeing the boots on television? The appropriateness of getting the news of his death on television?

16. The ending and the award, the background of her life, her sister present, Bucky and Warren's ex-wife and their support? Her speech? Her achievement?

17. Warren's ex-wife, her skill at television reporting, the past relationship, the marriage, her being the source of his story, his believing her when she thought he would not? Their separation, remaining friends? (Warren's memories of his first wife and the death of their child?)

18. The background characters in the television world: Dan and his management of the Miami station, pressures for commercial success? Rob and his bland appearance - and Warren feeding him his lines? Marsha and her tougher attitude in Philadelphia, her antagonism towards Tally, Tally's imitating her in look and style, her admitting that Tally had improved in her work? John and his focus on commercial success, not wanting to ruffle audiences, giving the audiences what they wanted - and the clash about the specials on the prison and the governor? The New York executives and their style? The TV world?

19. The prison riot - as an action piece?

20. The film as a star vehicle, romantic drama, drama about the media?

UNFORGIVEN

US, 1992, 127 minutes, Colour.
Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, Richard Harris, Frances Fisher, Saul Rubinek.
Directed by Clint Eastwood.

Unforgiven was seen as something of a climax of Clint Eastwood's acting and directing career. By the 90's, he had become an American icon.

Eastwood had given new energy to the Western at various stages of the 60's (with Sergio Leone), in the 70's with Don Siegal (along with his Dirty Harry police stories), and he attempted to give some new energy to it with Pale Rider in the mid 80's. However, he was most successful with Unforgiven, winning an Oscar for Best Director. The film won the Oscar for Best Film of 1992.

The film is a grim look at the West, the decline of the legendary West. In fact, there is a critique of the legends, the killers being drunk and not knowing what they were doing, exaggerating the stories that became the core of Pulp novels and the long mythical tradition. Eastwood plays a retired gunfighter, reformed by his wife, working on a hog farm with his young children. He is offered the chance to be a gunfighter again and to get money for the security of his children. He goes, along with his old partner, played by Morgan Freeman.

The focus of the film is also on a sheriff, a ruthless but smiling sheriff, played with vigour (and winning awards, including Oscar for Best Supporting Actor) by Gene Hackman. Richard Harris has a good cameo role as a British gun fighter with a way with words. Saul Rubinek is the young writer who wants to immortalise the Western action.

The film is well directed, photographed. The screenplay is strong, much more realistic than the romantic Westerns of the past. In some ways it is a pessimistic elegy to the myths of the American West.

1. The title and its meaning, applied to the characters? To Will Munny?

2. Its impact in the early 90's, given new energy to the Western genre? Its awards?

3. Its use of the Western genre, the gunfighters, the farms, the sheriffs and law and order? Killings, brutality? Conscience and law? Reform of the West? The interpretation of the legends - the truth? Clint Eastwood as an American Western icon? Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman and Richard Harris and their screen images?

4. The picture of the West, wide screen photography, dark, browns and yellows? The farms, the town, the brothel? The contrast with the beauty of the snow-clad mountains? The valleys? Starkness and beauty? The dark, the rain? The musical score?

5. The stars, the images, status? Contributions to the Western?

6. The prologue and the caption about Munny and his wife? His reputation, his mother-in-law? His wife's death, the grave? The influence of his wife, the reform? The kids and the work? His serious talk, religious talk? His leaving, the return and the disappearance with the children? The story of San Francisco? His mother-in-law coming to the grave?

7. The opening with the brothel, the sexual encounters, the vicious cutting of Delilah, the owner and his gun, calling Capital Little Billy for justice? Billy and his threats, getting the horses for the owner? The threat of the whip? His treatment of the women as animals? The sexist talk? The women and their anger, Alice and her threats, their treating Delilah, the collecting of the money, the hiring of killers to get the cowboys? The return of the cowboys with the horses, the women pelting them with mud and rocks? The young man and his offer of the special horse to Delilah? Her wanting to take it? The women abusive of him?

8. The young gunslinger, his wanting the money, coming to visit William Munny, his uncle's reputation? The talk, the children listening in? Munny and his working on the farm, falling with the hogs? His deciding to go, watching him on the horizon? His motives, the money, the children? His past reputation? Practising shooting, not being able to get on the horse easily? His going to visit Ned, their friendship in the past? Going out together? Sally and her watching - and giving him the evil eye? Following the Capital Kid, his shooting at them, their meeting him, Ned and his talk about the hawk in the sky? The Kid having deficient sight? His anger? Their becoming partners? Munny and his saying that he saw the hawk?

9. The character of William Munny, the past and his reputation, killing women and children? His forgetting the details? His drunkenness? The reform, not drinking, caring for his wife? His sexual fidelity? His work, decision to go, sharing memories with Ned, men getting old, memories of sexual experience, needs? Their camping out at night? The arriving in the town, ignoring the ordinance about arms, his illness, being brutally kicked by Little Bill, his recovery, Delilah bringing the food, his respectful talk with her, her scars? His fidelity in not drinking?

10. Little Billy as tough, but with a smile? His reputation, handling the situation at the brothel, tough, the whip and threats, the discussion about the horses? Building his own house, but the rain coming in? His henchmen and their control of the town? The arrival of English Bob, his challenge, taking the guns, talking about the past, his brutality in kicking him, putting him in prison? The attack on Beauchamp - his fears, going into the bag for his manuscript, wetting himself? In jail, Little Bill telling the truth about Bob's exploits, denying all that was in the book? Calling him the Capital Duck instead of the Duke? The challenge with the gun, for Beauchamp to kill him, for Bob to kill him? Ousting Bob and putting him on the train? His later telling Beauchamp his stories for him to write down and make a book of them? The rain coming into the house?

11. English Bob, his reputation, talk on the train, the Mc Kinley assassination, the contrast with royalty and England, Americans as assassins? On the coach, keeping his weapons? His story, his manner with Bill? The brutality, his being kicked, prison, the gun, not shooting Bill? His leaving, humiliated on the coach and on the train?

12. Beauchamp and his stories, his books, the legends of the West? Eye witnesses? His writing Bob's stories, his being his biographer, fascinated with Little Bill? Writing down his stories? Observing William Munny at the shoot-out, the eye witness, escaping with his life?

13. The killing of the young cowhand, the shooting, Ned unable, Munny killing him? Letting him have the water? Ned leaving, arrested?

14. Ned, the whipping, giving the information, his dying, being exposed in the town?

15. The Kid and the staking out of the cowboy, their playing cards, going to the lavatory, his killing the man in cold blood? Confessing his first killing? His reaction, not wanting to kill, leaving his gun, departing in the rain, with the money for the children? A future gun-fighter, a disillusioned gun-fighter?

16. Munny and his final motivations, as a gunfighter, his skills, doing the job? The theme of justice and - "they had it coming"? His anger at the treatment of Ned? Going to the bar, confronting Little Bill, the shooting? Beauchamp and his story? His drinking - and finally killing Little Bill? Little Bill and his determination, not wanting to die in such humiliating circumstances?

17. The picture of the prostitutes, their place in the town, bought from Boston? The men, the money? Their being treated as animals? Their angers, wanting justice? Their characters, giving them money? With the owner? Delilah cut up and their treating her? Alice and her leadership? With William Munny, Delilah going to help him, the prostitute bringing the money? Seeing them at the end - their future in the dismal town?

18. The themes of the West, the frontier, justice, law, vengeance and brutality? Motivations? The critique of the legends and myths?

UNFORGETTABLE

US, 1996, 111 minutes, Colour.
Ray Liotta, Linda Fiorentino, Peter Coyote, Christopher Mc Donald, David Paymer, Kim Cattrall.
Directed by John Dahl.

This is an intriguing murder mystery, full of twists. It is a police investigation drama. It also uses science fiction elements and combines them all well. Director John Dahl has already proven himself an expert at this kind of thriller (Kill Me Again, Red Rock West, Last Seduction). He uses Linda Fiorentino, his extraordinary femme fatale from Last Seduction, as a scientist experimenting on physical transferring of memory. Ray Liotta, a doctor acquitted of murdering his wife, takes the serum to solve the mystery. The visualising of these flashbacks (the experiences of being killed or of killing) are vivid and may be overwhelming for some audiences. But, all in all, it comes together as an effective and interesting thriller. Not a forgettable thriller.

1. The impact of the title? Characters and events? Memory and the scientific playing with human memory? The utilisation of science and techniques and psychology for unearthing memories, solving mysteries? The song - the memories of Nat King Cole?

2. The film as a murder investigation, a police thriller, touches of science fiction? A satisfying combination?

3. The use of the city of Seattle for locations? Day and the light in Seattle? The darkness in the city? The police precincts, homes, the university and laboratories? The atmosphere of crime and investigation? The musical score?

4. The initial crime and Dave and implications? Legal skills? The ugliness of the murder? The police chief and his reaction? Curtis and involvement? The clues and the impetus to action?

5. The pace of the film, action, the time span, the growing sense of urgency, the time available for the drug and its effects on memory? The plausibility?

6. The doctor and her lecture, people not listening to it, the aftermath at the social? Dave and his contacting her the next day? Martha's information, her research? The explanations of the drugs, the controlled experiments? The possibility of implanting memories in other people? Dave and his stealing the material? His wanting to face the risks? His wife and the re-enactment of her death? The girl and her face? The horror of identifying with the memories of victims, of killers? His building up information about what had happened? Dutton, the sketches, the address? The chase, the crash, church and death?

7. Martha and her experiments, the rats and the cat, the maze and the rats, the effect on Dave? The experience for himself, the re-enactments, psychological effect, physical effect? Stress? The heart stress?

8. The presentation of the police: the chief, his seeming detachment, friendship with Dave, demanding deadlines for solutions? The second in charge, his antagonistic manner towards Dave, his being on the case - and audience suspicion of him? The collaboration of the police - Dave and his work as a doctor, forensic work, having to collaborate with the police? The build-up to the shooting of Dutton and its repercussions?

9. Martha, the relationship with Dave, watching the effects, her horror, being forced to supervise him? The car and the crash? Caring for him, the hospital?

10. Dave and his being sacked, getting Dutton's fluid, seeing Dutton's innocence, seeing the other man? The complications of the plot - his lack of memory, his being drunk, the accusations and the court case, his being acquitted and Martha doing the research to find out about him? The suspicions of Dutton, the chase, the violence, taking his fluid? His decision to go further?

11. Martha giving more information about Dave's wife, her pregnancy, the DNA tests, the visit to the sister‑in‑law and her hostility, minding his children? The build-up to unmasking the unknown man? The explosion in the laboratory and the destruction?

12. Dave and his discovering the truth about the case, the death of the policeman, the affair, his wife's pregnancy? His going to the assistant - and he confrontation, the identity of the police chief, his drug dealings, power over the partner who was shot? In coma? Dave and the taking of the fluid to find out the final truth?

13. Martha and her being forced to agree, the chief of police and his intervention, tying her and taping her, her powerlessness? The experience of Dave's final revelation and its demands on him? The police chief and the complexity of the truth about his double dealings, knowledge about Dave's wife, the murder?

14. The fire, the children, the rescue? The rather calm ending of the case - but the opening up of possibilities? Dave seeing his wife in vision, the reconciliation - and his having to live a new life?

15. The audience attitudes towards Dave's wife, children? The ambiguity of the past? His drinking, his skills, the court case, opinion against him, his working with the police? Reform, the support of Martha - and a new life?