THE BLUES BROTHERS

US, 2000 US, 1980, 133 minutes (extended 148 minutes), Colour.
John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Cab Calloway, Frank Oz, James Brown, Kathleen Freeman, John Candy, Carrie Fisher, John Landis, Steve Cropper, Paul Reubens, Ben Piazza, Aretha Franklin, Matt Murphy, Ray Charles, Charles Napier, Steve Lawrence, Twiggy, Steven Spielberg.
Directed by John Landis.

The blues Bros has been a popular film since its opening in 1980, but more popular than had anticipated. It draws on characters from Saturday Night Live, two brothers played I John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd. After Belushi gets out of prison, the two brothers go to visit the nun who brought them up in the orphanage, Kathleen Freeman, and find that she is in debt and they go on “a mission from God� to round up members of the band in order to put on a concert to raise money.

John Landis had directed Animal House and the film relies on the verve of John Belushi who was to die of a drug overdose soon afterwards. , A whole lot of comic adventures and misadventures, the police on their tail, and vengeful woman Fisher, pursuing with guns and explosives. There is music from Cab Calloway, James Brown Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles and various musicians.

The film has a great deal of verve – and lead to screenings with audiences and singalong. Eventually, it was a sequel in 2000, with John Goodman combining with Dan Aykroyd instead of John Belushi.

1. A classic film, even its own time? Cult film? Singalong performances? Echoing the transition from the 1970s to the 1980s?

2. American comedy, from television, Saturday Night Live, trends, clothes, music?

3. The Chicago settings, the prison opening, the roads and highways, the orphanage, clubs, gigs, car chases?

4. The music, African- American traditions? White traditions? Cab Calloway, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, the range of singers and musicians from the period? The finale in Jailhouse Rock? James Belushi and Dan Aykroyd? The range of music, enthusiasm, participation?

5. The brothers, Jake and Elwood, Jake getting out of prison, his list of possessions, Elwood meeting him, the police car and explanation, the chase, being pulled up, the two policemen and their continued pursuit? Their look, manner, suits, hat, the dark glasses? The wisecracks? Their ability at song and dance routines, even acrobatics? Their being orphans, their quest, to raise the money for the orphanage, a mission from God?

6. Sister Stigmata, tough, the interview, the situation, tax money, her stick, hitting them, yet their loyalty?

7. The plan, to get the band back together, memories of the past and collaborations? Going to the church, the performance, James Brown and the congregation? Cab Calloway and his continued support for the orphans? Information to find the band, the various jobs, working the diner, Aretha Franklin’s presence and song? The comedy at the restaurant and their taking over, recruiting the maitre d’, the complaining patron?

8. The combination, playing together, in the streets, response? Going to the entrepreneur, arranging the gigs, the plan, use a big hall, their presence? The advertising, the orphans going out and handing out leaflets?

9. The police, the continued pursuit, the chases? John Candy as the officer?

10. The hall, the setup, the audience arriving, the orphans? The brothers, the petrol station, running out of petrol? The encounter with Twiggy and flirting? Their getting in by avoiding the police?

11. The crowd, restless, Cab Calloway and Minnie the Moocher, the white suit and photographed in his old style? Participation? The police presence? The performance, the escape through the cellars? The irony of Twiggy waiting?

12. The entrepreneur, the promotion, the bag of money?

13. The big pursuit, total chaos in the city, the number of cars, the destruction as in the previous chase, going through the markets and malls, shops?

14. Getting to the building on time, the club, giving the money for the orphanage and getting the receipt?

15. The arrest, prison – and everybody participating in Jailhouse Rock?

16. The sadness of John Belushi’s death, the eventual sequel in the year 2000?

Note on the longer, Collectors Addition:

The Collectors' Edition on DVD runs 18 minutes longer than the original release and includes the following expanded or newly added scenes:
• The two Joliet guards come to get Jake in his cell and have trouble waking him up.
• One additional line from Frank Oz as he rattles off Jake's material possessions.
• An additional line for the Penguin regarding missions: "I'll be sent to the missions... Africa, Latin America... Korea."
• Jake and Elwood discuss getting the money for the mission honestly outside of the Triple Rock Baptist Church.
• The "The Old Landmark" number is considerably longer, incorporating more dance sequences and extra verses.
• After the demolition derby in the shopping mall Elwood parks the Bluesmobile in a hiding place beside an electrical power box. (John Landis explains that Aykroyd thought this would show how the car gets its incredible endurance, but also goes on to explain that it never did make any sense, so the scene was cut.)
• A few extra lines of dialog when Elwood and Jake rest in his apartment.
• When the cops come to arrest Jake and Elwood in the motel, they first stop at the registration desk and intimidate the manager. They also greet Sam, who seems to be known by everyone.
• An entire sequence with Elwood boosting chemicals from his day job, then quitting the job to become a priest, is restored.
• After the above sequence, Jake and Elwood study a cigarette box with "the last known address of Bones Malone and Blue Lou Marini".
• After getting the new address of Bones Malone, Elwoods thanks Ms Tarantino before leaving.
• Jake has an extra line of dialog while pep-talking Murph and the Magictones at the Holiday Inn ("Now, who here at this table can honestly say that they played any finer or felt any better than they did when they played with the Blues Brothers?")
• One line of dialog for Henry Gibson is restored for the Illinois Nazis scene at the bridge, with regards to the swastika ("The sacred and ancient symbol of your race since the beginning of time!")
• The "Boom Boom" number is much longer, with extra shots of John Lee Hooker laughing and arguing with his band. Jake and Elwood watch for a moment then enter the Soul Food Cafe.
• "Think" has extra verses and shots of dancing.
• When the band arrives at Bob's Country Bunker, Bob hands the request list to Bones Malone, who looks at it blankly.
• The "Theme from Rawhide" and "Stand By Your Man" numbers are slightly longer.
• The original Picwood preview included another musical number, "Sink the Bismark", but that footage has been lost.
• More lines of dialog for Maury Sline in the steam room scene, mostly regarding to the old gigs having been turned into (gay) discos.
• When Jake fills up the tank for the Bluesmobile, he overfills it and gas spills over. When they peel out from the station, Elwood flicks a cigarette out of the window and causes the station to explode. (Landis now says he doesn't remember why this particular scene was cut.)
• Before the sound-check Curtis (Cab Calloway) explains to the band that they need to do it for the kids, since the Blues Brothers will use the money raised from that concert to pay the taxes for a church. The look on the faces of the band after they hear it is priceless!
• The "Minnie the Moocher" number is considerably extended.
• As Jake and Elwood sneak into the show, Elwood takes the chemicals that he stole from the show and sneaks them into the tires of the cop cars.
• Both the "Everybody Needs Someone to Love" and "Sweet Home Chicago" numbers are extended.
• When Jake and Elwood sneak out, the gas in the cop cars tires reacts and causes the tires to explode on some to delay the police.
• An alternate line of dialog for Carrie Fisher in the sewer when she confronts Jake, about how her father "used up her last favors" with the Mafia for her wedding. In the original release it was changed due to complaints of the Italian-American? community.
• The lengthy climactic chase to (and through) Chicago features many extra lines and shots of racing autos.
• The "assault on Daley plaza" and the Assessor's Office scenes also feature extra lines and shots.
• The "Jailhouse Rock" number is slightly longer.
• As the prisoners riot at the end of the film, there is a brief shot of riot-geared police guards racing into the mess hall that has been added. It changes the end of the film subtly.
• The "cast of characters" and end credits are extended to accommodate the new footage.

THE KEEPER/ TRAUTMAN

Germany/UK, 2018, 120 minutes, Colour.
David Kross, Freya Marvor, John Henshaw, Harry Melling, Michael Socha, Dave Johns, Barbara Young, Gary Lewis, Dervla Kerwin.
Directed by Marcus H. Rosenmueller.

This is a drama with an appeal to most audiences. As the title indicates, it is a film with sport, football/soccer, at its centre.

However, it is much more than this. It is also a World War II film and a focus on its aftermath, especially the links between Germany and Britain. (And, for those who like a love story, there is also a romance!)

It is the story of Bernd Trautman. As the film opens, he is a soldier in the German army, on a mission, ambushed, taken prisoner, and sent to a prisoner of war camp in Lancashire. Audiences, familiar with POW stories from World War II and the British prisoners in camps in Germany will be interested to see the British authorities, some vengeful because of air-raid deaths of members of their family, authoritarian and sometimes cruel, some harsh conditions, the work of the prisoners…

We are also introduced to a number of the locals, a shopkeeper and his daughter, the local football team and managers. While Bernd has been the target of the camp commander (who will later have an emotionally challenging confrontation with Bernd at a cemetery), he gets the opportunity to exercise his talent as a keeper.

In many ways, even if we don’t know Bernd’s story, we can guess where this will lead. And it does. He saves many a day and score in the local football matches. He is granted leave to work in the store. He clashes with the storekeeper’s daughter who sees and despises him as the enemy.

When the war ends, Bernd decides to remain in in the town for a week for the football final, staying with the family, introducing some mellowing of attitudes. At the final match, a Manchester City Scout is present and Bernd is signed on.

The theme of hostility between British and Germans continues in the later years of the 1940s, aggressive press conferences, accusations against Bernd about war activities, something which concerns Bernd himself, seen by the audience in flashbacks where he unsuccessfully tries to save a Ukrainian child from the pistol of a fellow-soldier, an experience which holds him.

For the soccer fans, there are many sequences of play, emphasising Bernd’s ability as a keeper – and his ability to toss the ball far up the pitch. He also suffers injury and stoically continues playing. He marries, has a son, suffers some grief (aspects of his real life and marriage rather glossed over in the screenplay).

Bernd Trautman received awards from both British and German governments for his efforts for peace between the two countries.

There is a strong cast led by a very sympathetic David Kross (The Reader, Balloon) as Bernd, Freya Mavor has his strong-minded wife, and actors from Ken Loach films, John Henshaw, Gary Lewis, Dave Johns – who was Daniel Blake.

A film which is both entertaining and interesting.



1. The title? Expectations? Audience knowledge of Bernd Troutman?

2. The film as an entertainment? The film is a sports film? World War II film? Hostilities in peace? The film is a love story, family story?

3. The War settings, the forest and hostilities, the ambush and deaths? In Ukraine, the encounter with the boy and the shooting of the child? Bernd and his memories of childhood, in the house, playing soccer?

4. The British settings, 1944, Lancashire, the prisoner of war camp, squalid, the interiors, dormitories, lavatories? Outside the camp, the countryside? The town, the streets, the shops, the dance? The football fields? Going to Manchester, pitches, Wembley…? The city, homes, hospital, the seaside? The musical score?

5. The introduction to Bernd, action in the war, the ambush, the dead man falling on him? The transition to the camp? His age, experience, his declaring that while he was a volunteer, it is always under orders? The assembly, his speaking in English, the antagonism of Smyth? Cleaning the toilets? The men in the kicking of the ball, his betting the cigarettes, his saving all the goals? The continued antagonism by Smyth?

6. The town in Lancashire, the introduction to Jack Friar, the deliveries, Margaret present, her kicking the ball, antagonism towards the Germans? Jack, his idea, doing the deal with the camp, taking Bernd to the football match? The initial hostilities to a German? Stopping on the way to change from his concentration camp clothes to ordinary? His skill as a keeper, winning the matches? Jack and his knowing the deal with the camp, Bernd coming to work in the shop, Margaret’s hostility, the door and his different entry? Barbara and her watching him? His continuing to do useful work, the bond with Barbara, her walking on stilts?

7. Margaret, her age, Bill as her boyfriend, her girlfriend in the town? Antagonism towards Bernd, the discussions about the war, the deaths, taking sides? The conversation about wet dancing in the football? The football match and his doing a dance with the ball? The change of attitude? The attraction, the dance, the threats from Bill, her girlfriend’s criticism? Bernd going to her room, her father’s caution, the transition to their marriage?

8. Smyth, his bitterness, authoritarian, cruel? Taking Bernd’s little bird memento? Humiliating the prisoners? The concert, the showing of the film about the concentration camps? The riot, the Nazi men in the camp, burns friend hanging himself? The men being returned home?

9. Jack, upset about the cell Germans going home, Bernd coming to visit, staying a week for the match, getting Barbara’s room? Check, a character, vociferous, enthusiastic about football, taking it all personally? The other officials in the town? The players, Jack interrupting the dance and sending the musicians home?

10. The final match, the talent scout coming from Manchester City? The match and its ups and downs? The scout talking to Bernd? Offering him to go to Manchester?

11. The interview in Manchester, the press conference, Margaret accompanying Bernd, the manager and President? The scout and his response to the questions? The hostile questions, Germans, memories of the war, bitterness? The concentration camps? The role of the rabbi, his seeing Bernd play, the interviews, his not holding any grudge, his support and Bernd’s later meeting him and thanking him? His continuing to watch the matches?

12. The hostility of the crowds, the effect on Jack and Margaret, the support of his wife throughout?

13. The years passing, Bernd and his being accepted, the perspective of the rabbi, the sequences of play, the collage of Bernd and his saving the goals, his powerful tossing of the ball, the effect on him? The news of the birth of his son, hurrying to the hospital?

14. Years passing, signalled on screen, the boy growing up, the happiness of going camping on the beach, loving family? Bernd remembering the boy being shot as he recovered the ball? This wanting him? Not telling Margaret?

15. Success, the final, Bernd and the injury, his collapse, the into cutting of the scenes of his going to hospital and explanations of his broken neck to Margaret, the fact that he was not killed, going back to the play, his getting up each time, continuing, Manchester City winning the match? His heroism?

16. In the hospital, gradual recovery, Jack and his son playing with the ball? His phoning Margaret, the son wanting the ice cream, going out, his being killed? The funeral? Each in their grief?

17. The walk on the seaside, Margaret and her strong stands, wanting to continue, telling Bernd was not just all about him, Bernd and his feeling the retribution for his not saving the boy during the war? Encouraging him to play?

18. The visit to the cemetery, the encounter with Smyth, Smyth and his story about his wife and daughters, encouraging Bernd to play, the fight and a kind of purging of anger?

19. Resumption of play, the hero, eventually retiring? Considered a British hero and on the? German hero and honour? Symbol of peacemaking?

20. The final photo of the actual Bernd saving the goal? The final information (and the details not indicating the rather rocky experience of Bernd and divorce from Margaret and his other marriages, her dying in 1980, his dying in 2013?)

THE UNTOLD TALES OFAMISTEAD MAUPIN

US, 2017, 90 minutes, Colour.
Interviews with: Neal Gaiman, Jonathan Groff, Olympia Dukakis, Laura Linney, Kate Bornstein, Margaret Cho, Charles Busch.
Directed by Jennifer M.Kroot.

This is a documentary with interest on various levels.

The focus is the journalist and novelist, Amistead Maupin, famous for his writings about the 1970s, appearing in local San Francisco papers, then a column in the San Francisco Chronicle, which eventually became his column, Tales of the City, leading to quite a number of books novelising these stories. He continued writing over many decades, branching out to other novels like The Night Listener (filmed with Robin Williams).

There were television adaptations of his novels, the first series in 1993, Tales of the City, followed in 1998 by More Tales and in 2001 by Further Tales… 18 years later a substantial series, with episodes running to 90 minutes each, an update on the central characters, plus new ones, of Tales of the City, 2019. Maupin himself wrote some of the scripts for the 1998 and 2001 series. He can also be glimpsed in several of the episodes, one looking at him through a window at his desk typing (which recurs throughout this film).

Which means that he was a significant figure in popular culture of the late 20th century.

The impact of the film will depend on audience familiarity with Maupin himself, with his television series and clips.

This film works as a biography, his being born in the 1940s, growing up in the 1950s, from the American south, from a family which had some aristocratic links in the past. He had a strong-minded, a traditional father, a loving mother. The film outlines his studies, his wanting to write, his enlisting and his experience of war in Vietnam, his conservative bent, his meeting (and photo) with President Nixon, the reality of his being closeted, his sexual orientation, changing attitudes in the 1970s, then chronicling life in San Francisco, especially the more public emergence of homosexuality and aspects of gay life in San Francisco, the stories focusing mainly on the 1970s and early 80s – and then later, the aftermath in the 21st-century.

There are interesting political aspects during the film, his work for the Conservative senator Jesse Helms, clips from Helms and his denunciations in the American Congress, but is also working with John Kerry and concern about Vietnam veterans and their treatment. As a journalist, he explains that he felt it appropriate, with the past friendship with Rock Hudson, to make public his suffering from AIDS (and a number of clips illustrating this as well as commentators criticising him) and outing Lily Tomlin.

The film can be seen as the biography of a gay man, one from the 1940s, keeping his secret to the age of 25, coming out, the experience of San Francisco, the gay culture, the Castro area, the baths and aspects of the life. It also traces his own experiences, relationships, partners, the experience of AIDS and death. It also focuses on his marriage to Chris Turner and their partnership.

There is quite a range of talking heads throughout the film, throwing light on his life, personality, his career. There is a strong friendship with the two main actresses in the television series who contribute quite a deal to this documentary, Olympia Dukakis and Laura Linney. There are a number of San Francisco personalities, comedians and actors, Margaret Cho, Kate Hornstein, Peggy Knickerbocker, actor Jonathan Groff. There is the novelist Amy Tan, actor Charles Busch, and, because of his later worldwide success, Ian Mc Kellen who met Maupin who influenced him to come out and become politically involved for the gay movement. Mc Kellen also appeared in one of the series. There are substantial number of interviews with British novelist, Neal Gaiman. And there is the presence of Maupin’s partner, Chris Turner.

The documentary is briskly put together, a number of chapters illustrated with design and animation.

BAD MATCH

US, 2017, 90 minutes, Colour.
Lila Simmons, Brendan Scott, Jack Cudmore- Scott, Chase Williamson.
Directed by David Chirchirillo.


This is a psychological thriller focusing on a successful businessman who is a womaniser, using dating sites, meeting women, sharing a meal, a night of sex and then abandoning them.

However, one of the women he dates his or clinging type whom he wants to get rid of. She is rather melodramatic in her response. He becomes the victim of her faking a suicide attempt, then being arrested by the police for having child porn on his computer. He blames the woman, confronts her – and, the ending is quite downbeat. (It is someone else, a young rival competing with him in online computer games getting some vengeance.)

1. Television drama, thriller?

2. The moral of the story? The twist at the end with the deaths?

3. The focus on Harris, match our attitudes, womaniser, online dating, sexual encounters, charm, leaving? His reputation?

4. At work, prestige, later is job, the threat of being fired? Consequences?

5. Playing computer games, defiant, his anonymous opponent, the irony of the ending and the response to Harris and his winning and attitudes?

6. Riley, the date, clingy? Staying, preparing the meals, the pressure on Harris? His reactions? His being late for work? Riley being a threat? His avoiding her, going out, the lies to his friend, her overhearing? The continued pressure, her harassment?

7. Harris and his computer, the report of pornography, the police, the interrogations, the advice of his lawyer?

8. Suspicions of Riley, the pornography on the computer, his response to her message, the suicide stunt?

9. Harris and his serious attitude towards Riley, tying her up, pressurising a confession, setting her free, her attack on him, his killing her?

10. The irony that the person responsible pornography was the computer games rival?

BLINDED BY THE LIGHT

UK, 2019, 117 minutes, Colour.
Viveik Kaira, Kulvinda Ghir, Aaron Phagura, Hayley Atwell, Nell Williams, Dean- Charles Chapman, Rob Brydon, Sally Phillips.
Directed by Gurinda Chadha.

On hearing the title of this film, if one were of a Scriptural bent, it might suggest something of St Paul’s experience on the road to Damascus. But, even without the Pauline reference, this is a story of conversion!

The convert is a 16-year-old student from Luton, north of London, whose parents were immigrants to Britain from Pakistan. He is a pleasant youngster, Javed, and played by Viveik Kaira. His father is an ambitious man, who defied his father in leaving the subcontinent to migrate to Britain, has raised a family of three children with his quiet, quite subservient, wife, two daughters and a son. His main preoccupation is work and the making of money, supporting his family, and imposing his patriarchal expectations on his wife and children.

Not an easy road for Javed. He is something of an introspective boy, keeping a diary for several early teenage years, writing many poems, a deeply felt ambition to be a writer – but, in Margaret Thatcher’s England, with restructuring and increasing unemployment, this seems something of a dream.

His friend across the street, Matt, leads a band and Javed supplies some of the lyrics for the songs. But, in his final year at school, he is hoping to achieve straight As and go to university in Manchester.

So, this is something of a dream, something of a fantasy… And, as regards conversion, it comes in the form of a gift from a school friend, Roops, who is a fan of Bruce Springsteen (and Springsteen fans would have immediately realised this from the title of the film), and sho lends Javed a cassette and, while Javed is not struck to the ground like St Paul, the first song is a moment of grace, lyrics that Javed can identify with, that Luton is, in fact, not all that far from New Jersey, working class people, songs of real-life.

Actually, despite the difficulties, Javed is lucky to find a very sympathetic teacher, Miss Clay (Hayley Atwell) who encourages him and enables him even to visit the sacred sites of Springsteen’s New Jersey. And there is a sympathetic girl, Eliza (Nell Williams) who has condescendingly superior parents whom she loves to upset.

The film takes its audience into the difficulties of the Pakistani family, the day by day insults and spitting, the graffiti on walls, the attacks on the mosque, the neo-Nazis and their processions and supremacist attitudes and chants. There are also the problems of unemployment, scarcity of jobs, the seeming impossibility of getting out of Luton. And, there is the continued domination of the Father who has no imagination about his son’s life and ambitions.

The screenplay by director, Gurinda Chada (herself of Indian background originally from Kenya and her husband and writing partner, Paul Mayeda Berges, is both insightful and sympathetic – and one remembers that she made such entertaining films as Bend it like Beckham and Bride and Prejudice but also took audiences into the reality of Hindu and Muslim experiences during Partition in Viceroy’s House.

But, this is ultimately a feelgood film, that the impossible might sometimes be quite possible. And, interesting to note, the spate of music films coming from Britain, from Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman to the Beatles’ nostalgia of Yesterday. This is a pleasant companion piece, lower key in the story of Javed, higher key in the music of Bruce Springsteen.

1. The title? The Bruce Springsteen song, Springsteen and his music and lyrics, his impact, for so many decades?

2. Britain in the 1980s, the Thatcher era, social concerns, unemployment, race issues, bigotry? White supremacists?

3. The town of Luton, north of London, the town itself, homes, markets, shops, cafes, factories, job centres, school? The surrounding hills and scenery and the traffic passing to and fro?

4. The visit to New Jersey, the Bruce Springsteen memorabilia, the postcards?

5. The musical score, Springsteen songs, pre-1987? Musical style, the lyrics, meanings? Empathy with the working class?

6. Javid story, the Pakistani background, his parents, the migration from Pakistan, hopes for Britain? The father, defying his parents, coming to Britain, hopes, working in the factory, the importance of money, the family, the mother, quiet, her sewing? The children? The next generation becoming British? Javid and his story, by 1987?

7. The father, character, demands, strictness, focus on money, his lack of imagination, especially as regards his son? The mother in the background, the sisters, preparing for marriage for the older sister, the younger one at school? And the comedy of pushing the car to get it started? The children becoming more British – and the Pakistani British teenagers going to a daytime club for dancing?

8. Javid, young, writing his diaries and poems? From a young age? His being very private? At school, wanting straight As, in class, the response to Miss Clay, her style, empathy, her supporting him, seeing Javid as a writer, reading his problems, the competition, his winning? Her satisfaction at the end at the graduation? Achievement with him?

9. Hostility towards the Pakistanis, spitting, getting them to move from tables, comment on their smell, the graffiti on houses, the demonstrations, the supremacists, the attack on the mosque? Javid and his having the opportunity to write about the mosque, getting paid, on the front page, Mr Evans and his praise, his father not comprehending, objection to attention being brought to them?

10. Mr Evans is neighbour, watching, his war experience, supporting Javid, his coming in with the newspaper front page?

11. Javid as a loner, not being allowed to go to parties with Matt, friendship with Roops, Sikh, at the dining room, friendship, lending him the Springsteen’s tapes, playing them, the transformation, his own lyrics Matt and his band? The friendship with girls? Eliza in class, her response, the friendship? Developing? Her appreciating his problems, the poem for her? His hesitance, then his exuberance? His writing the lyrics for Matt?

12. Matt, his father, Matt and his band, Javid’s lyrics, Matt not liking Springsteen and Javid hurting him? The later apology?

13. The meal at Eliza’s house, her rebellion against her aristocratic parents, the continued faux pas in language and manner, Javid not drinking wine, Eliza wanting to provoke her parents? Her behaviour with placards at the protest at the mosque?

14. His father and losing his job, unemployment in Britain, in his suit going to the job centre? Demanding of his family, the focus on money, pawning his wife’s rings? Not understanding Javid? Patriarchal attitudes, his wife, the visitor with the cloths, the intensity and extra sewing?

15. Bruce Springsteen and Javid coming alive, the device of having the lyrics and words on screen, Springsteen’s topics, Javid identifying with him, the songs at the market, everybody exuberantly joining in? Javid in Roops and their singing? Roops as a good and constant friend?

16. The wedding, Javid going to buy the tickets for the concert, the attack, his father’s injuries, his father confronting him, tearing up the tickets?

17. Javid, defiance, going out the door, to New Jersey with Roops, the joy?

18. His father, his mother confronting her husband about losing her son?

19. The graduation, the principal and her speech, Javid and his reading his story, his family appearing, his hesitation, the applause?

20. Manchester, the University, the support of his family, leaving Luton but Luton not Believing him?

21. An entertainment, music, memories of the past? The true story and the photos of the actual characters at the end?

DEAR DICTATOR

US, 2018, 90 minutes, Colour.
Michael Caine, Odeya Rush, Katie Holmes, Seth Green, Jason Biggs.
Directed by Lisa and Dario, Joe Syracuse.

In many ways this is a rather oddball comedy.

It would be interesting to hear Michael Caine on why he chose to do this role. Looking like a latter-day Fidel Castro, he is president as a longtime dictator of a Caribbean country. With his beard and Castro -like uniform, he is a parody of the dictator, stringing up opposition, full of platitudes about patriotism, rebels, the good of the country – while the country itself is collapsing economically and the locals are visibly hostile. Perhaps it should be said that Michael Caine is not particularly convincing as this kind of dictator – while he has the nasty words and buildings in Porcher, he looks rather like and affable old granduncle.

Meanwhile in the United States, rebellious teenager Tatiana (Odeya Rush) lives with her mother who gave birth to her while she was a teenager (Katie Holmes). There is a genial teacher (Jason Biggs – and memories of his juvenile parts, especially American Pie 20 years earlier). He urges the students to write a letter to somebody significant and Tatiana rights to the dictator. They have a warm kind of correspondence, he sending her an armband, she thinking he was rather benevolent. In the meantime, she has difficulties with her mother, certainly towards her mother who is in a flirtatious relationship with a married dentist (Seth Green) for whom she is an assistant. There is also the problem of a group of Mean Girls who persecute her as well as a nice fellow-student who is dominated by his very religious father and has a sense of sinfulness, especially in sexual matters.

And so, this is the setting for the dictator fleeing his country, knowing no one in the United States (a place and culture he despises with continuous disparaging remarks) goes to hide with Tatiana and her mother. It turns out that is very good at practical fixing of appliances. He shaves his beard and becomes even more like Michael Caine!

There are various ups and downs in his hiding, his making a video for his loyal troops in the jungle and it going to CNN and on the news. He is fitted out with clothes, urges Tatiana to become more rebellious and become tyrannical at school – which she does. In the meantime, the dictator also is a very good cook, which mother isn’t, and in some ways he becomes indispensable in the house with mother falling in love with him.

There are a whole lot of shenanigans, Tatiana believing too strongly in the dictator and then becoming disillusioned, her putting him into the police and is going to prison (which he says proves that she has really become a true rebel).

Michael Caine fans will probably be scratching their heads. Odeya Rush is vivacious as Tatiana and Katie Holmes still seems young as her mother.

It might have been more successful if presented as less “realistic� and with lighter touches of fantasy.

THE LION KING

Voices of: Donald Glover, Beyonce, Chiwitel Ejiofor, James Earl Jones, John Oliver, John Kani, Alfre Woodard, J.D. Mc Crary, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Penny Johnson Jerald, Keegan- Michael Key, Eric Andre, Seth Rogan, Billy Eichner.
Directed by Jon Favreau.

This is the third of four Disney live-action versions of their classic animated films in 2019. It follows Dumbo, Aladdin and is to be followed by the second part of the Sleeping Beauty tale, Maleficent. The Lion King is directed by actor/Dir Jon Favreau who showed he could do this kind of Disney story well with his live-action adaptation some years earlier of The Jungle Book.

As regards audiences, the film opened in the United States and around the world with some record-breaking box office. It was also accompanied by, one might say, critical coolness. But it was also accompanied by some snarling trolling bloggers who enjoyed denouncing the film as inferior to the original and who enjoyed, it would seem even more, scoffingly denouncing the Disney company has motivated solely by greed in these remakes. Audiences, on the other hand, went to enjoy this new version, happy with memories of the original animation, and delighted to be reminded of it with live-action.

It should be said, however, that this film involves a lot of CGI, creating the world of Mufasa’s kingdom quite lavishly, an enormous range of animals, racing through the countryside, acknowledging Simba as the future Lion King.

For those millions who saw the original a quarter of a century ago and for those multi-millions who have seen it on television, cassettes, DVD, the story is more than familiar. So, unless this is the first time, characters are familiar, we remember the situations, we are immersed in the drama, relishing the comedy and looking forward to the songs by Elton John and Tim Rice – and here they are again.

There is a drama, of course, in the villainous Scar (from Jeremy Irons’ original deep intonations to the rather Shakespearean sinister voice of Chiwitel Ejiofor – and the plot of a brother killing a king and the young prince exiled is more than similar to Hamlet). Simba is misled and set up to go to the elephant graveyard with Nala. We are anxious as Mufasa (voiced by James Earl Jones again) goes to rescue his son with a sinister disaster.

There is also comedy, of course. Probably many in the audiences are looking forward to the appearance of Pumbaa and Timon – and will not be disappointed at their appearance and certainly not with their voices, Billy Eichner is Timon and Seth Rogan really enjoying himself and very funny as Pumbaar. And, again of course, they sing Hukana Matata -No Worries.

By the time Simba is shown to have grown up (along with the singing of Hukana Matata), his being voiced by Donald Glover and Nala voiced by Beyonce. And they will be asking Can’t You Feel the Love Tonight (which is actually filmed in daylight!). And everybody can join in The Lion Sleeps Tonight.

So, for most, the film will be enjoyable – but it does have the disadvantage of many harshly judging it in the light of the original. But it certainly is both bright and cheery at times and darkly sinister (a bit frightening for the little audiences) the times.

Some people enjoy contradictions, liking one and disliking the other – but why not enjoy both!

1. The popularity of the original film? The reception of the remake? Expectations of fans of the first film? A new audience?

2. Disney and live-action versions of their animated films? The quality of the CGI? The realism of the animals yet the possibilities for character and expression? The voice cast?

3. The popularity of the songs and their lyrics? Illustrating characters and action? Circle of Life, I Can’t Wait to Be King, Hakuna Matata, Be Prepared, The Lion Sleeps Tonight, Can You Feel the Love Tonight?

4. The visualising of the kingdom, African settings, the huge variety of animals, the realism of their presence, the stampedes, the philosophy of the Circle of Life, the acknowledgement of Simba?

5. The title, Mufassa as the Lion King, Regal, his wife, the birth of Simba? The monkey and the presentation of Simba to all the animals? Everyone present, the symbolic overtones of kingdoms?

6. Scar, the sinister presence, the tone of his voice and intonations, jealousy?

7. Zazu, his voice, British, bird, giving the news, his role in the kingdom, Scar and his despising him? His welcoming Simba back?

8. The drama, for adults the echoes of Hamlet, the king and his being murdered, his jealous brother taking over, this time the brother wooing the widow? Hamlet, the young prince, exiled, returning?

9. The relationship between father and son, the wisdom of the Father, the nature of the kingdom, the role of the king in giving, in care? Simba, his song, and his disobedience, Vanity, with Nala, being manipulated by Scar and going to the elephant grave? Hyenas and jackals? Mufasa coming to save his son?

10. Scar, the confrontation with Mufasa, climbing the mountains, Scar letting him fall? Scar reminding Simba of his guilt, telling him to flee?

11. The transition of mood, Pumbaa and Timon, warthog and meerkat, the comic voices and intonations, the down-to-earth jokes, the appearances of the two and their mannerisms, Hakuna Matata, the worries philosophy of life? Simba caught up in this atmosphere, learning to play? His growing bigger?

12. The kingdom, the tyranny of Scar, hyenas and jackals, impoverishing the kingdom, the widow, now older growing up, trying to defy Scar? Scar wooing the widow again?

13. Nala, leaving the kingdom, the encounter with Simba, playful, jokes, persuading him to return? Zazu and welcome? Pumbaa and timon accompanying Simba?

14. The buildup to the confrontation, the fight, Scar and his harsh statements on his followers? His falling, the animals rebelling and destroying Scar?

15. Restoration of the kingdom, the birth of a new baby, the monkey in his role and holding him up? Happy ending for all the characters – and for
the audience?

KILL SWITCH

Netherlands/US, 2017, 91 minutes, Colour.
Dan Stevens, Berenice Marlohe, Michael Reus, Tygo Gernandt, Charity Wakefield.
Directed by Tim Smit.

The title sounds like the name of a horror film. It does not do justice to the film itself which is futuristic science fantasy and fiction, requiring an intelligent response from the audience.

There have been many films about alternate worlds, other dimensions. The language of this film is “Echo-world�. An entrepreneur (and there are several commercial seen throughout the film for his development of safe and abundant energy) sets up a scheme to create an alternate world which would harvest energy and store it providing sources for millennia.

The plot unfolds in a complex way, introducing the audience to the situation via a sympathetic pilot played by Dan Stevens caring for his sister and his traumatised nephew. He is waiting for “the jump� which will mean the creation of the echo-world. The film then uses the device of the handheld camera as a subjective way of communicating the pilot’s response to the failure of the experiment, some devastation, dead bodies, drones attacking, military type shooting. And, inserted into this, are flashbacks about his being recruited, interviewed, made part of the plan. The film uses all kinds of devices to indicate the technology, measurements and time, dangers and warnings on screen.

The pilot has a box which is rebooting which he thinks will be able to rectify the catastrophe if he can reach the energy tower. He comes across the woman who recruited him as well as a friend who says he has seen him die. There are also the armed protesters.

The audience gradually understands the pilot’s story, his involvement, the company and energy, the plan, its going wrong, the attempts to rectify it.

The audience has to work on understanding what has happened and the issues – and is left to speculate as the final credits roll.

Much of the filming was done in the Netherlands – and the city’s resemblances to Dutch cities.

1. Futuristic science-fiction? Parallel worlds? Other dimensions? An echo-world?

2. The title, not doing justice to the themes, sounding more like a horror film?

3. The special effects, the creation of a future world, recognisable cities (and the look of Amsterdam and Holland), homes and streets, giant towers, the water? The interiors, the laboratories? The details of the special effects for machinery, technology? The musical score?

4. The elaboration of the plot, the insertion of the commercials and the creation of energy? The plan to create an echo world? Commercial and financial interests? Saboteurs? The gradual opening up of the plot detail, the audience initially mystified?

5. Will, with his sister and nephew, the boy’s trauma? The hopes about the energy and the “jump�? The experience, the transition to subjective camera for Will and his observation of what it happened, the mayhem, the dead bodies, the mystery, the box and its light?

6. The flashbacks, Will and his story, Abigail and the interview, pilot, his role? The insertion of the flashbacks with the interview, working with Abigail and the team, the plan, the creation of the world, the injection of the energy and its hopes for millennia? His nephew, wanting to go home, his sister, Will and his plan?

7. Will in the alternate world, letters back-to-front? The box and it rebooting? The drones and the firing, the military? The encounter with Michael? His hostility, having seen Will die? Abigail’s reappearance? Being taken by the protesters, the attack and their deaths? Will and his wound, the surgery and healing?

8. The quest to take the box to the tower, the hope that all would be well?

9. The audience, the imagining of an echo-world, boundless energy for the future, human error, schemes, opposition, military action? What future?

SPINNING MAN

Sweden/US, 2018, 100 minutes, Colour.
Guy Pearce, Pierce Brosnan, Minnie Driver, Alexandra Shipp, Odeya Rush, Jamie Kennedy, Clark Gregg.
Directed by Simon Kaijser.

Guy Pearce plays a university professor, specialising in philosophy of language, a past womaniser who comes under suspicion for the death of a University student. His nemesis is a detective, former lawyer, played by Pierce Brosnan. There are various suspicions, cat and mouse behaviour…

Minnie Driver plays the Professor’s wife, conscious of his womanising in the past and their having to leave the city and find a new post, staying in her marriage for the sake of children. Alexandra Shipp plays a flirtatious young student from the past, Odeya Rush the student who died.

In many ways, this is an intellectual thriller with scenes of classes and students appreciating the stimulating ideas of the professor. There are also language and philosophy discussions with the detective.

Many have found the conclusion of the film something of a letdown, the fact that the professor could have murdered someone, but that, in fact, she had died in an accident.

Which means then that this is a psychological thriller, the psyches of the main protagonists, rather than a murder mystery.

1. Title? With reference to Evan, his life, behaviour, his philosophical speculations? Thriller, Detective story?

2. The settings, the university town, home, the campus, lecture rooms? Police precincts? The countryside, the woods, the river and lakes? The musical score?

3. The opening, sense of mystery, the detective, his office, the presence of the lecturer? Returning to that sequence later?

4. Evan Birch, a Guy Pearce performance, age, lecturing at the University, philosophy and language, the details of lectures, intellectual discussion with the detective? At home, his relationship with his wife, the happy atmosphere, children and family? Propriety on the surface, his affairs with students, the family having to move five years earlier, his wife and her acceptance, brittle acceptance? His affairs, the students, their hold over him, his behaviour, the image of the coin for AA participants?

5. Joyce, the countryside, Evan and his visit, seeing Joyce, meeting in the past, giving her a lift, the evidence in his car? Her friends, her death, the river? Accident? Suspicions? Murder?

6. Pierce Brosnan as the detective, personality, trained in law, skill detection, suspicions of Birch, interrogations and discussions, with Evan’s wife? The continued pursuit, the evidence, philosophical to and fro? His pursuit of the case?

7. Evan’s wife, the past, love, having to leave the town, her being forgiving, not forgiving? The years passing, the family, together? The pressure of the investigation, the interrogations? Her own suspicions? Too much pressure?

8. Anna, the past with Evan, coming to his office, trying to pick up the relationship? The other women?

9. The university authorities, Evan’s lawyer, the advice, suspension?

10. The buildup to the solution, the irony that the death was an accident? The evidence and its being mistaken? The effect on the detective doing his work? The effect on Evan and his future?

THE EMPEROR OF PARIS

France, 2018, 110 minutes, Colour.
Vincent Cassel, Patrick Chesnais, August Diehl, Olga Kurylenko, Dennis Lavant, Freya Mavor, Denis Menochet, James Thieree, Fabrice Lucchini.
Directed by Jean- François Richet.

François Vidocq would be well-known in France and in French history, not so much known in the rest of the world. However, in the first half of the 19th century he was significant in the administration of criminal law as well as developing techniques in criminal detection. Audiences for this film, not familiar with Vidocq, would be repaid by further reading about him, his life and career.

This seem to be many echoes with Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables in his story, the galleys, brutal supervisors, escape, life in the city with the array of criminals, the pathos of a story with the young prostitute.

The opening of the film recreates the atmosphere of the galleys and the brutality of the supervisors. After his escape, Vidocq reappears as a cloth merchant, tangles with other criminals in Paris, is able to act as an informant for the police and roundup many criminals. This brings him in to conflict with the supervisor from the galleys (Dennis Lavant) as well as the man with whom he escaped, Nathanael (August Diehl).

He ingratiates himself with a fashionable lady who has a sordid past herself (Olga Kurylenko) who has appreciated herself with the supervisor of police (Patrick Chesnais).

Ultimately (at least for this stage of his life) Vidocq has a confrontation with Nathanael and, doing his work as an informant for the police and rounding up criminals, hopes to gain an amnesty from the Governor of Paris, Fouche (Fabrice Lucchini). He fails with the amnesty but then build up a career as a detective.

Vincent Cassell plays Vidocq with his customary intensity – and had appeared in other films by the director, the two parts of Mesrine and One Wild Moment. Jean-François? Richet also made films in the United States including the remake of Assault on Precinct 13 and Blood Father with Mel Gibson.

Not familiar with Vidocq, nor with his subsequent distinguished career as a detective, it is worthwhile looking him up, for example in Wikipedia.

1. The story of François Vidocq? His background, the period of Waterloo and post-Waterloo? The film not showing the next decades of his life as policeman, detective, significant in contributing to detection?

2. The post-French Revolution period? Napoleon? Conquest of Europe? Leading up to Waterloo? The Republic, the new monarchy?

3. The Les Miserables atmosphere, the galleys, prisoners, the hard work, the supervisors and their brutality? Vidocq and his reputation for escaping? With Nathanael in the galleys? The discussion about escape, going overboard, disappearance?

4. Vidocq surfacing after some years, selling cloth, discovered in the markets, the attack on Annette, his saving her, the relationship, her protector? Annette and her background, prostitution, again, echoes of Les Miserables?

5. The police, investigations, Vidocq and his identity, the dangers, his shrewdness?

6. The character of La Barronne, the revelation about her sordid past, her skill in remaking herself, her relationship with Henry? The promise of the Legion d’honneur? Eventually succeeding? Her interest in Vidocq? Her manipulations, being unmasked, helping Vidocq, leaving the city?

7. Rule in Paris, on behalf Napoleon, the role of Fouche, his personality, administration of the law, the discussions with La Barronne, keeping her waiting and her intervention? With Vidocq? Not giving him an amnesty?

8. Vidocq, criminals in the city, the background of the galleys, Nathanael, the range of criminals, their activities? Tracking down Maillard, his brutality in the galleys, his range of criminals and control?

9. Vidocq, using his wits, his escape abilities, rounding up criminals, their capture and imprisonment, informant for the police? His motivations, for respectability and acceptance?

10. The action sequences? The squalor of criminal life in the city? Nathanael and his wanting to take over, coming up against Vidocq, the final confrontation and Vidocq prevailing?

11. The need for audiences to do further research on Vidocq and see where this preparation for his future life and abilities bore fruit?