THE WAR


US, 1994, 124 minutes, Colour.
Kevin Costneer, Elijah Wood, Mare Winningham, Lexi Randall, La Toya Chisholm, Christopher Fennell, Lucas Black.
Directed by Jon Avnet.


An unexpectedly pleasing picture of children, poverty and the aftermath of the Vietnam war; pleasing in the sense that the characters are sympathetically drawn but with some sharp edges. Star is the talented Elijah Wood, a twelve year old who loves his father, a disturbed veteran (whose trauma in war is shown in flashbacks) and who grieves at his father's suffering and absence from the family. The father is played effectively by Kevin Costner (who takes second billing).

John Avnet (Fried Green Tomatoes) is the director and captures the detail of life in the south, especially the children, their fights, friendships, their tree-house and their dealing with tragedy. Journey into a child's world.

1. A film of the 1990s? Memories of Vietnam and American involvement? Returning soldiers, mental stress? Life in war, life in peace?

2. The American South, the way of life, poverty, those who went to war, opportunities on returning, loss of opportunities? Families, neighbours, feuds?

3. The location photography, the town, the homes, options, the treehouse, the institutions? The mind? The water tower? The woods? The musical score?

4. The title, generic, the war in Vietnam, children and the local wars? Feuds? The extent of hatred and violence? The need for collaboration, reconciliation, working together?

5. The focus on Stephen, his experience of the war, his friend being killed, his having to escape? The return home, and the flashbacks, war action? In the institution, voluntarily? His experience, the nightmares, the treatment? Going home? His relationship with his wife, with Stu and the twins? Getting a job at the school, security, the regulations about anybody in an institution? The potato work? Searching for jobs? The meeting with Moe, the job in the minds?

6. Stu, Lydia? His real world, the world of play and fantasy? The woods, the tree, the treehouse? Stu, Chet and Marsh? Lydia Elvadine, Amber? Their personalities? The friendships? The dispute between the boys and girls? Working together for the treehouse?

7. The Lipnicki family, the bullying? The garbage and getting material for the treehouse? Billy, his price? The truth?

8. The accident on the mine, Stephen and Moe, the rubble, Stephen and the rescue, the stone falling on him, hospital, comatose? His death?

9. The family response, his wife, Stu and the others? His lock and key for the treehouse? The challenged by the Liipnickis? The bet, swimming in the water silo as it was draining? Stu’s success? The challenge with dropping the key into the water silo? The rotten roof?

10. The war about the house, its being destroyed? Billy wanting peace? Stu and his response? Billy going into the water silo and the collapsing? His being saved?

11. Billy, the story of his vision of the angel, the overtones of Stephen? The message?

12. Rebuilding the treehouse, the better treehouse, Stephen and his arranging for the house before he died?

13. An allegory about war for a younger audience?

AND THE BAND PLAYED ON

US, 1993, 141 minutes, Colour.
Matthew Modine, Alan Alda, Patrick Baushau, Nathalie Baye, Christian Clemenson, David Clennon, Phil Collins, Bud Cort, David Dukes, Richard Gere, David Marshall Grant, Ronald Guttman, Glenne Headley, Angelica Houston, Richard Jenkins, Tcheky Karyo, Donald Logue, Steve Martin, Richard Massur, Ian Mc Kellen, Peter Mc Robbie, Jeffrey Nordling, Saul Rubinek, Charles Martin Smith, Steven Spinella, Lily Tomlin, BD Wong.
Directed by Roger Spottiswoode.

This is an interesting docudrama on the history of the development of AIDS and the medical search for the virus. While not as emotional as Philadelphia (although it does have a similar subplot), it is even more persuasive.

It was made by HBO for television and for cinema release, aimed at the widest audience. It has a PG rating. It focuses on Matthew Modine, an expert on infectious diseases, and American research as AIDS spreads. There are sequences on the French research as well is the manipulative American, Robert Gallo, played strongly by Alan Alda.

Richard Gere is one of many stars who link their prestige to the project the choreographer who discovers he has AIDS, contributing to a greater awareness of AIDS by appearing in cameo roles. Lily Tomlin stands out.

The film is a helpful and sympathetic look at the American AIDS experience in the early 1980s. The 2017 French film 120 BPM, 120 Beats Per Minute, looks at French protest and is a critique of the action and inaction of research and the role of government.

1. The title? The reference to the Titanic? AIDS in the United States, research, the French research?

2. The history of AIDS, medical, political, social, America, France?

3. The film made for television and cinema release, for wide impact? Designed for this wide audience and suitability for older and younger audiences? How persuasive? How effective a history and critique?

4. The political status of AIDS? Public opinion and fears? Heroism in commitment to research? Professionals, differences and egos? Claims for credit? The role of politics – and ignoring the research? Issues of homophobia? Gay men and their presence in society, self-assertion? Issues of finance, research, expectations and tests, publishing, persuasion? Issues of blood, transfusions, haemophiliacs?

5. Audience attitudes at the time of the film’s release? The early 1990s? The history of the 1980s? The image of celebrities and death? The numerous deaths? The book of the 1990s? 1993 as an opportunity to take stock? The later development, research, the spread of AIDS, issues of Africa, North America, Europe?

6. Introduction, Don Francis? Ebola, the puzzles, the visit, the bodies and infection, is contributing to control of the outbreak? The impact on people, the boy, the woman and her clutching and dying? The attempts to contain the infection? The effect on Don – and his flashbacks?

7. Names, data, the initial impact, the early 1980s, the steps while there was uncertainty, verification, rivalries and politics, bias and fears? Money and lawsuits? The end, the further information, the role of Don Francis, Robert Gallo, the French doctors?

8. Don and asking for aid, the puzzle, the evidence, America and France, illnesses, pneumonia, deaths, trying to identify the virus, experiments and research? CDC (Centres for Disease Control), Don and his role, immunology, confining Ebola? Individuals, their personalities and anxiety, issues of money, anger, uncertainties, hard work? The repercussions for the medical staff, on families? Further research, Canada, Patient Zero? Visits, talk, the role of the choreographer, his work and his diagnosis and the consequences, contact and interviews? Conclusions?

9. The personalities, the gay personalities, talking, evidence, issues of sex and transmission, transformations, the arguments? The role of Dr Gallo, the sense of betrayal? The claims?

10. The French, the research, Dr Montagnier and his assistants, in charge, research, claims? The hospitals, the staff and homophobia? The American- French rivalry? The Americans visiting France? Lies, pressures, the aftermath?

11. Dr Gallo his work, reputation, interests, teams and celebrity, the French and the visit, Don and the samples? Phone calls, the CDC, the French and the reactions, accusations of stealing, press conferences, law cases and suing?

12. The gay communities in the American cities, especially San Francisco? Those accepting the reality of AIDS? Those resisting? Those resenting official interference in their way of life like the closing of the baths?

13. The character of Bill Kraus, representing men with AIDS, his support, his discovery of his lesions, his response?

14. The range of characters and their contribution to research or hindering it? The medical staff, the infected… The list of such characters:

• Glenne Headly as Dr. Mary Guinan, an investigator of the HIV/AIDS epidemic for the CDC

• Richard Masur as Dr. William Darrow, one of the discoverers of HIV as the virus that causes AIDS

• Saul Rubinek as Dr. James Curran, an investigator of the HIV/AIDS epidemic for the CDC

• Lily Tomlin as Dr. Selma Dritz, a physician and epidemiologist

• Jeffrey Nordling as Gaëtan Dugas, a Canadian flight attendant who was an early AIDS patient

• Donal Logue as Bobbi Campbell, an AIDS activist

• B. D. Wong as Kico Govantes, a San Francisco artist and Bill Kraus' lover

• Patrick Bauchau as Dr. Luc Montagnier, a French virologist and one of the discoverers of HIV

• Nathalie Baye as Dr. Françoise Barre

• Phil Collins as Eddie Papasano, a San Francisco bathhouse owner

• Steve Martin as a Brother of an AIDS patient

• Richard Gere as a Choreographer who learns he has AIDS

• David Marshall Grant as Dennis Seeley

• Ronald Guttman as Dr. Jean- Claude Chermann, a French virologist and manager of the research team that discovered HIV

• Anjelica Huston as Dr. Betsy Reisz

• Ken Jenkins as Dr. Dennis Donohue, an HIV researcher

• Richard Jenkins as Dr. Marcus Conant, a dermatologist and one of the first physicians to diagnose and treat AIDS

• Tchéky Karyo as Dr. Willy Rozenbaum, a French physician and one of the discoverers of HIV

• Peter Mc Robbie as Dr. Max Essex, one of the first to suspect that a retrovirus was the cause of AIDS and to determine that HIV could be transmitted through blood

• Charles Martin Smith as Dr. Harold Jaffe, an investigator of the HIV/AIDS epidemic for the CDC

• Christian Clemenson as Dr. Dale Lawrence, a member of the CDC's Task Force on Kaposi's sarcoma and Opportunistic Infections

• Rosemary Murphy as Blood Bank Executive

VI/ US

Sweden, 2013, 92 minutes, Colour.
Gustav Skarsgaard, Anna Astrom, Rebecca Ferguson.
Directed by Mani Maserrat Agah.

VI/ US is something of a difficult watch.

The title is accurate in so far as this is a story of two people and the development of the relationship, the deterioration of the relationship, its collapse.

The central focus is on a young woman coming to a school, inexperienced in teaching, finding it difficult to teach and, especially, to control her classroom. There is an especially defiant boy who flirts with other students and continually mocks the young woman. She can’t control her class.

The other focus is on an older teacher, in his 30s, very serious-minded, who is immediately attracted to the young woman. They meet, talk, go out, enjoy each other’s company. They fall in love, become engaged, marry. At first all seems well, meeting of minds and love, sexual compatibility. However, in many ways she is immature, very dependent on her husband. But she also has a very strong minded friend at school, discussing the issues with her, possibilities of change. (She is played by Rebecca Ferguson who became an international star in the Mission Impossible series and such films as Florence Foster Jenkins and The Greatest Showman.).

What emerges is the conscious and unconscious exploiting of the young woman’s fragility by her increasingly controlling husband. He humiliates his wife, then apologises, but the cycle continues, even to his acceding to her poor understanding of love and subservience. But it frees her.

It is very strong film about women and their relationship with men, love and subservience. It is a very strong film about men, single-mindedness and the move to absolute control.

1. The title? Relationships?

2. The Swedish setting, the town, the school, apartments? The musical score?

3. The focus on love? Encounter, infatuation and friendship, love, engagement, marriage, the aftermath? As experienced by Krister? By Ida? Difficulties? Antagonism and hostility? Control? Possibilities for reconciliation or not?

4. The school, students, the staff, Ida’s arrival, young, new member of the staff? Krister, with the staff, looking at Ida? The initial attraction? The school children, in the classroom, Ida and her trouble, the critical young student, defying her, flirting? Her inability to handle the discipline? Krister coming to her help? The discussions on the issue between Krister and Ida? The increasing tensions? Her correcting papers at home? Her wanting to learn more about discipline? Her confrontation with the boy and his offhand and cheeky responses?

5. Ida as a character, young, easily influenced, home, her family background? Responding to Krister, talking, getting closer, the outings, proposal, her life at home? Ida and her sexual experiences? Sensual? Wanting to please Krister? Finding it increasingly difficult?

6. Krister, his age, the attraction, his work at the school, serious-minded, the exhilaration with Ida, love, marriage? At home, the sexual encounters? His growing control? Demanding on Ida? His response to her lies and not revealing the truth to him? The role of his mother, domination, the phone calls? His continued apologies, attempts at reconciliation?

7. Ida, her friendship with Linda, Linda as a strong personality, her relationships, casual, seeing through Krister, the fierce confrontation between them and their talk? Her wanting to go to another school, trying to persuade Ida? Ida’s refusal? Krister and his scoffing at the idea? Krister catching Ida with Linda and misinterpreting?

8. The effect on Ida, not knowing what to do, her weakness, subservience, Krister and his growing domination? His criticisms? Her concealing things, outings with Linda, his accusing her of lying?

9. Krister and his attack, then apologies, then change, the bewildering effect on Ida? Wanting love, wanting a child, the issue of pregnancy, his reaction? Her final submission, thinking that he would be happy urinating on her, her humiliation, acceding and the consequences?

10. Her finally walking out, to independence? What was Krister left with? And his future? Ida and a more hopeful future?

THE ENDLESS

US, 2017, 111 minutes, Colour.
Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead, Tate Ellington, Callie Hernandez.
Directed by Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead.

The Endless is a small-budget horror/terror film. It has received favourable reviews – a horror film that is different.

The film is the work of two friends, Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead who have worked together on other films, starring in this film as well as cowriting and co-directing.

At first, the narrative seems to be fairly straightforward. We are introduced to Justin and Aaron (using their actual names) who play brothers. The older brother, Justin, is protective of his younger brother. They work together. But, it emerges that they spent some years in a commune, described as a cult, 10 years. But Justin has left, spoken to the media, denouncing the cult. However, Karen who is younger and enjoyed his life at the cult tries to persuade his brother to return, at least for a day, to see the place again, to meet the people again. On the way, they pass the place where their mother was killed in a car accident and they were rescued.

Audiences may react immediately to the idea of a cult, condemn in-group attitudes to a community which isolates itself from society, has a group-think attitude towards life, with a leader who exercises too much power and influence.

When the audience accompanies the two brothers to the cult, it does not seem quite as bad as the isolationist religious cults that proliferate in the United States. The members seem more normal than other cult members although there is a leader, who explains that he is not really a leader, Hal. There are some members that the brothers have known in the past, especially a woman who looks younger than she actually is – as does Hal. While the group wants isolation, drinking is permitted, they meet in a bar and play cards, but there is little sexual activity it would seem.

While visiting again, Justin goes jogging and encounters some unusual characters as he runs. There is also a mysterious woman who doesn’t join the group so much but is seen weeping.

With this kind of alerting, the screenplay moves into the more mysterious, seeming repetitions of events, people being in two places at once (one living but also seen hanging).

Justin wants to escape back to ordinary life, Aaron is reluctant but eventually agrees.

For audiences who do not know much about the plot, a reviewer should stop here and simply indicate that there is quite a meaning in the title, endless indicating that people might be trapped – although it might have been more realistic to have cycle or cycles in the title. But, obviously, there is much more to it than that…

1. The title, the mystery?

2. The use of horror conventions? The atmosphere, mystery, delving into the mystery, caught in the mystery?

3. The focus on Aaron and Justin? Identifying with them? Sharing their experiences?

4. The city, the workplace, the two men living together? Their work? The contrast with the countryside, the cult site, the interiors, the cabins, the hall? The surrounding country, the huts, the mountains, the paths? A piece of middle Americana? The musical score?

5. The two boys, memories, their mother, the car, the crash, her death, their being orphans, rescued and living in the cult for 10 years?

6. The cult? Religious/secular? The nature of cults, leadership, like-mindedness, isolation, shared experiences? Control?

7. Aaron and his wanting to return, longing for the life at the cult? The contrast with Justin, older, his conceding visiting again for Aaron’s sake? Stopping at the site of the accident and the memento?

8. The personnel at the cult, Hal, his leadership, welcoming? Anna, her role? Her age and the contrast with Aaron, the attraction? The range of people in the group, their age and experience, the man with his magic, the man with his grin and the boring into his brain? Lizzie and her motivations for being there? The background of the other members? Forming a community, the isolation, sharing? Aaron happy? Justin not?

9. Sharing the day, with the group, Aaron and Anna, the bond, talking, the background of the believing in castration? Anne and Aaron and the meaning of lying together? Justin and his going for runs, his encounters, the huts and the surroundings?

10. The encounter with the sad wife, not with the group, searching for her husband?

11. Hal, personal, his hold over people, his age, saying that there was no leader yet his leadership? His speeches?

12. Life, relaxation, drinking, the clubs, cards…?

13. Justin and his seeing the hut, the strange character, guns, his anger, seeing his double hanging in the shed, his appearance and disappearance? Introducing the theme of the endless cycles?

14. The second hut, the alcoholic inside, his story, Justin talking with him, the woman’s husband, helping out, the bond between the two? The setting of the fire? Consumed and not consumed?

15. The request to get the gun, Justin going to the hut of the hanged man? Getting the gun? Going back for Aaron, the escape, going through the countryside, lost?

16. Getting the car, driving away?

17. The three moons, the explanation, the nature of time, the recurring cycles and everybody trapped in their cycle?

18. The strange premises for this kind of cult film, touches of horror?

BMX BANDITS

Australia, 1983, 89 minutes, Colour.
Nicole Kidman, David Argue, John Ley, Angelo D' Angelo, James Lugton, Bryan Marshall, Brian Sloman.
Directed by Brian Trenchard Smith.

BMX Bandits was very popular in the early 1980s when first released. It has become something of an Australian classic for films for younger audiences.

The film was directed by Brian Trenchard Smith, already an expert in films with stunt work, films like The Man from Hong Kong. Prior to BMX Bandits he made Turkey Shoot. He was go on to a long career in Australia and overseas.

The film also introduced Nicole Kidman, a tall girl, noticed to have talent – and the beginning of an extensive career at home and overseas, including an Oscar for The Hours, portraying Virginia Woolf.

There are character actors in support led by David Argue and British-born Bryan Marshall who migrated to Australia.

The film takes full advantage of Sydney locations, the harbour, Waverley Cemetery, granted, Manly and the range of beaches. There is plenty of BMX riding, chases and stunt work.

1. An entertainment for younger audiences, older audiences? Promoting BMX bikes?

2. The Sydney settings, the harbour, the beaches? The suburbs, supermarkets and malls? The visual environment? Action sequences, chases? Stunt work? Comedy touches? The verve of the musical score? Songs?

3. The main characters as youngsters, boys and girls? In action? The bikes, riding, the thwarting of the robbery? PJ, Goose, friendship with Judy?

4. The opening robbery, setting the tone, the thieves, the pig masks? The boss, his character, strong, planner? Whitey and Moustache, henchmen, less bright? The plans?

5. The BMX experts, Judy and her wanting to get a bike, her age, work in the mall, moving the trolleys, the accident, the Creep? The encounter with the BMX experts?

6. The trip on the harbour, wanting to find cockatoos, selling them to raise money? Finding the walkie-talkies? The gang’s walkie-talkies? Selling them? The police listening in?

7. Whitey and Moustache, the chase in the cemetery?

8. The new bikes, the exhilaration, riding around Sydney, the stunt work? The Manly Water Works? The chases? Judy caught, her escape?

9. The new robbery plan, the youngsters wanting to foil it? The walkie-talkies? Judy as hostage, in the truck, the crash, the arrest of the robbers?

10. The police laying down the BMX tracks, the competitions, the youngsters winning the awards?

KILLER ASSISTANT


US, 2016, 89 minutes, Colour.
Arianne Zucker, Brando Eaton, Natalie Lander, George Stults, Joanne Barron.
Directed by Danny J.Boyle.

A crime drama that lives up to its blunt title. The story is not unfamiliar – and might be seen as a fashion magazine variation on All About Eve.

Arianne Zucker, a longtime veteran of Days of Our Lives, portrays Suzanne, a hard-working managing editor, seen with her staff preparing an anniversary issue of the magazine Style Harmony. Her boss tells her that she has hired a new assistant, David, played by Brando Eaton. He is a very smooth operator, always smiling, deferential at the beginning, the audience seeing him as brutal, ambitious, ruthless, eventually eliminating opposition, tormenting Suzanne, tricking her into drinking and having a one night stand, fostering a clash with her husband, a singer-composer, furthering the clash between her and her daughter.

One of the staff is assaulted, later murdered. But, initially no one considers him as a threat or a suspect. However, Suzanne continues to clash with him.

There is an opening sequence with a little boy seeing his father having a sexual encounter with his babysitter. His mother has abandoned the family and soon, after giving him a jewel memento, she disappears from his life. It looks as though this kind of emotional deprivation at the age of seven can lead to murderous compensation.

1. A murder thriller? The audience knowing the suspect? Investigations?

2. The opening sequence of the boy and his babysitter, repeated, the explanation and motivation for the behaviour of David?

3. The American city, homes, streets, jogging, the magazine, offices, bars? Musical score?

4. The title, David, wounding and killing Mary? The bashing of Robert? The affair with Suzanne? Being unmasked, the dangers for Calista? The final confrontation with Suzanne, seeing her and her boxing, his exercise and push-ups? The final fight?

5. The magazine, Suzanne as managing editor, busy, loving her husband, forgiving him an affair, becoming suspicious again, drinking, the one night stand and its effect on her, agreeing to go to counselling again, the fights with her daughter and the daughter walking out? The head of the magazine and her concern about Suzanne, intervening? Hiring David? Not suspicious of him? Not understanding Suzanne?

6. Suzanne and Robert, their past, the present, meals, their daughter and her love for her father, disdain for her mother, walking out? Robert, the past affair, the aggressive woman, counselling, hearing the truth from Suzanne and his being upset, jogging, confronting David, his being killed?

7. Calista, independent of her mother, her boyfriend, her father’s concert, the encounter with David, planned by him, the internship, her work, not believing her mother? Going out with David, seeing his videos, the truth, calling her mother, the final danger?

8. The magazine, the staff, Janet and the management, Mary and her criticisms and her death, the other men?

9. David suggesting the topic for the key article, Suzanne and the interview, later setting up the young woman, out of prison, drinks and drugs, her interview?

10. Popular ingredients for a soap opera – with the touch of murder?

THE ABSENT ONE/ FASANDRAEBERNE

Sweden, 2014, 190 minutes, Colour.
Nikolai Lie Kaas, Fares Fares, Pilou Asbaek, David Dencik, Danica Curic, Sarah-Sophie? Boussnnina, Johanne Louise Schmidt, Marco Ilso, Beate Bille, Philip Stilling, Kristian Hogh Jeppesen.
Directed by Mikkel Norgaard.

Filmmakers from Scandinavia certainly know how to make grim as for crime thrillers for the cinema as well is for television. One remembers The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and its sequel is.

Four novels by author, Jussi Adler- Olsen, Danish writer, have been brought to the screen featuring the detective, Carl Morck and his assistant Assad (played by Nikolai Lie Kaas and Fares Fares in the four films). The first was The Keeper of Lost Cases, followed by the present film, The Absent One. It was followed by A Conspiracy of Faith and Journal 64.

Carl is a morose police officer, practically a loner, absolutely committed to his work, even obsessive. His behaviour and demeanour must make Kenneth Branagh’s Wallender seem light-hearted! He has no real personal life, living with his son but having little contact and forgetting to be social. On the other hand, Assad is a good friend and, mainly, a support.

This is a complex story, beginning with a disillusioned police officer with a box full of evidence about the murder of his son and daughter, trying to get Carl to investigate but brushed off as being drunk and then killing himself. Carl is full of remorse and pursues the case, with another obsession, the missing woman involved in the past crimes, searching for her, finding her, committing himself to help her.

On the other hand, she has been a vicious girl and disillusioned woman. The film goes into flashback, to show the elite school which she attends, gets the eye of a wealthy student and his yes-man friend.

The wealthy student has grown up to be even wealthier, a very successful businessman, ruthless in eliminating opposition. His yes-man friend is still doing his beck and call although he has set himself up very successfully as well. They are played by Pilou Aesbak and David Dencik, two prominent Danish actors who appeared in international films and television.

The film becomes increasingly grim, the two detectives not being absolute heroes, even rescued by the reappearance of the young woman. And, there is a rather apocalyptic ending in fire.

Reinforcing the opinion that Scandinavians do crime dramas very well.

1. The popular series of detective novels? To screen? The portrait of Carl and Assad? Their investigations?

2. The Nordic atmosphere, the Danish settings, the 21st-century and flashbacks to the 1980s? The city, police precincts and offices, homes, mansions, countryside and grounds? The poorer district in the city? The 1980s, the school in the countryside?

3. The title, with reference to Kimmie?

4. The portrait of Carl, in himself, grim and morose? Obsessive, his life, living with his son, inviting him to dinner and then forgetting, the finale with the beer at his son’s door? His work, the detective, previous success, limited budgets, relationship with authorities? Working with Assad, friendship and support? Rose and her being employed? His investigations, his risks and violence, wanting to be Kimmie’s saviour?

5. Assad, his background, his skills, detecting, police work, his friendship with Carl, support? More personable?

6. Rose, sociable, wary of Carl, his gruff manner, her employment, her efficiency, sorting out documents, putting them on the wall, the phone contacts, her suggestions, finding it too much at the end?

7. The officials, supervision, budgets, political connections?

8. The old policeman, accosting Carl, the case, Carl dismissing him as a drunk, his killing himself? The package and the documents? The information? The murder of his children? Rose, sorting the material? Carl and his feeling bad about the old man’s death?

9. The box, the information, the leads? The mention of Pram? The worker imprisoned for the murders? His confession? His wealthy lawyer? Pram and his friendship with Rick? Carl and Assad and their visit? The information of the phone message from the 1980s, Kimmie and her voice? The mission to track her down?

10. The background of the school, elite, wealthy? Kirsten and her sharing the room? Her rough manner, her eye on Pram? The bond, his power over her? With Ulrik? Amoral, violence? The revelation of the number of attacks, around the school, at the same period? Kimmie being used by Pram, to seduce the science teacher, her effectiveness and mockery? The evidence of dates, places, crimes?

11. The visit to Pram? In himself, his age, wealth, business, a hunter, the prize for his fellow hunters, the trophies in his house? His friendship with Rick and Ulrik’s assistance? Pram, his marriage, her affair, getting his thugs, being masked, bashing the lover, his being hospitalised, Pram’s visit, offering him the job, the threats to silence?

12. Bjarne, workman, drugs, his working with the group, sharing their violence, the gang rape of the young woman? His becoming the fall guy, going to prison, the wealthy lawyer, getting out, the money, his flash car, Carl Assad visiting him? The flashbacks?

13. Pram, the detective’s visit, her fear, Assad going into the kitchen, later using her as a means to get Ulrik out of the house? Her relationships, and with Ulrik, leading him on?

14. Tracking Kimmie, anonymous, the sightings, the prostitute, friendship, her giving information, the contact and her overdose and death?

15. The search, Pram and his setting his men on her? Her having the bag – and the revelation of the body of the baby? The flashbacks about her pregnancy, the clash with Pram, falling out the window, going to the hospital, the death of the child? Living in the poorer part of the city, her angers, tension? Hostility towards Pram and writing him letters?

16. Pram’s contact, her going to the bar, the disguise, going to the apartment, the revelation, the man trying to kill her, her threatening him, his falling from the balcony?

17. Her imprisonment, Carl going to visit her, promising his help?

18. The flashbacks, more information about the crimes, especially of the policeman’s son and daughter, the brutality of the rape, the murder of the son?

19. Ulrik, his affairs, assistant to Pram as when they were at school? His house, his servant and the sexual encounters, his souvenirs? And the relics from the crimes, Carl and Assad finding them?

20. The meeting of the house, the confrontation, the darts, imprisonment? Kimmie, going to court, attacking the guard, the escape, saving Carl and Assad? The confrontation with Pram, the chase? Her setting the fire, his death, her dying?

21. The achievement – and on to the next case?

THE GUY FROM OKLAHOMA

US, 2016, 95 minutes, Colour.
Anado Mc Lauchlin, Richard Schultz.
Directed by Julio Carlos Ramos Zapata.

The Guy from Oklahoma, as a title, does not do justice to the subject of this documentary, biography and portrait, Anado Mc Lauchlin, James Mc Lauchlin who receive the name Anado from an Indian guru.

He is originally from Oklahoma but wanted to get out, going to California, to San Francisco in the 1960s. He was caught up in the Summer of Love, its freedoms, experimentation, drugs, sexuality. He is also a gay man, eventually coming out and moving to New York where he joined the art scene. He also experienced a trip to India and was influenced, one might say, psychedelically.

The film is a patchwork portrait, moving around in places and times – particular stories, perhaps, like the Mosaic stones in his artwork.

At some stages, he is a performer, extrovert in public, appreciating crowds and applause, singing songs with social lyrics.

However, he is basically an artist, the film showing a great number of his works, distinctive and eccentric, but in more later years, his work in mosaics, featuring designs of large skulls for exhibition, covered in beautiful patterns of mosaics – and a sequence where one is transported to Queenstown, New Zealand.

His partner in life is Richard Schultz, a rather more introverted man but who complements Anado. Richard also let his hair grow abundantly as does Anado and both of them, in the spirit of colour, have particular rinses in their long hair and beards.

Engagingly eccentric.

1. Documentary? Biography? Portrait?

2. Anado as an eccentric character, personality, artist, performance?

3. The range of locations, his origins in Oklahoma, his move to California, San Francisco, visit to India, his life in Mexico? The musical score?

4. The collage of the screenplay, impressionistic, like the Mosaic pieces of his art?

5. His appearance, height, beard, age, chatting, his narration and tone? His origins in Oklahoma, his parents, drugs and his experience, growing up, the effect of his parents, moving out of Oklahoma?

6. A gay man, gay in the 1960s, in California, Haight- Ashbury in San Francisco, the Summer of Love, his relationships, freedoms, the effect, coming out, proud, in New York City? The experience of AIDS, its effect on his friends, deaths? Meeting Richard, in the Californian town, sharing after on-line chat rooms, work, his extraversion, Richard introversion?

7. The portrait of Richard, age, size, beard, quiet, artwork, relationship with Anado?

8. The focus on the art, particular works, the nature of the images, popular, the subjects, full of colour?

9. Colour and variety, even to the clothes that Anado and Richard wear? The mosaics, the pieces, breaking them, inserting them? The beauty of the skulls, the variety?

10. The team work, the Mexicans, families, the bonds, Anado encouraging them?

11. The New Zealand story, the transporting of the skull, the beautiful house in Queenstown, the owner, acceptance of the art work, its placement, overlooking the water?

12. Anado, his songs, lyrics, performance?

13. The past, his option to be rather than die, creative, sharing his art, relationships?

MADAME SATA

Brazil, 2002, 98 minutes, Colour.
Lazaro Ramos, Marcelia Cartaxo, Flavio Bauraqui, Fellipe Marques, Renata Sorrah, Emiliano Queiroz.
Directed by Karim Ainouz.

This Brazilian film is a portrait of a flamboyant character, Joao Francisco Dos Santos (1900-1976). It is the first film from writer-director Karim Ainouz, with a background from Algeria, settled in Brazil, making a number of documentaries, feature films like Future Beach, an architect by training and doing film projects on significant buildings. In 2018, he released a documentary examining the plight of refugees from the Middle East to Germany, interviews as well as extensive filming in the old Templehof airport in Berlin, Central Airport THF.

The bulk of this film is set in the early 1930s. It opens with a close-up of the central character, weary and beaten, listening to a variety of charges against him. He has committed a murder and is sentenced to prison for 10 years. The film shows his life in 1932. At the end of the film, he is released from prison, goes to the Carnevale of 1942, designing his costume, winning a competition – with the film indicating that he continued designing, dancing, winning competitions at the Carnevale, but also continuing to get into trouble, in an out of prison.

He is an indigenous man, very black, put down because of race, being insulted, refused entry into respectable clubs, contributing to his growing in anger. While he lives in a house with a prostitute and her daughter, very protective of them, but also pimping, he is also a gay man. This becomes part of the list of charges against him, his behaviour, his orientation, his language.

He is seen at a nightclub, mouthing the lyrics to a song about Scheherazade and the 1001 nights, going home, repeating the song, enthralled by the singer and her style as well as her costumes. So, there is his transvestite experience, also held against him. While intrigued by the singer (though bullying her because of her treatment of him and taking his earnings from the owner of the club where he worked and later these becoming part of the charges against him), he also watches a musical film of the period, enthralled in watching, a vivid sequence illuminating his very personal attitude towards singing, costumes, and his taking the opportunity in a friend’s club to perform, for the crowds, get great acclamation and personal satisfaction.

In the house there is also a male prostitute, friendly with Dos Santos but also used by him and frequently ridiculed by him. Nevertheless, the prostitute admires him.

His also intrigued by a young man at the club, taking drugs, making an approach to him but seemingly rejected. However, the young man comes to the house, there is mutual attraction and an explicit sexual scene of encounter. Dos Santos thinks the man has robbed him and ousts him – though he later returns and is very supportive while Dos Santos is in jail, but he is shot by the police.

While there are lyrical scenes, the group and the little child going to enjoy themselves at the beach, there are also scenes of anger. This is especially so after a successful performance and a drunken man taunts him about his sexuality, about his performance. The friend who owns the club wants Dos Santos to be careful, thinking of his future performances. However, he goes upstairs, gets a gun and shoots the man in the street.

The film recreates the atmosphere of Rio and the particular neighbourhood with its homes, clubs, prostitution. Whether that makes an impact on universal audiences, it certainly made an impact on Brazilian audiences, some folklore about this very flamboyant and unpredictable character.

TIME OUT OF MIND

US, 2014, 120 minutes, Colour.
Richard Gere, Ben Vereen, Jena Malone, Steve Buscemi, Jeremy Strong, Kyra Sedgwick.
Directed by Oren Moverman.

In one sense, Time out of Mind is a difficult film to sit through. It is a two hour challenge to social conscience, especially considering American homelessness – and, by extension, homelessness throughout the world.

The film was written and directed by Oren Overman, a significant writer and director. His films include The Messenger, Rampart (both with Woody Harrelson) and The Dinner (with Richard Gere).

The film was also a tour-de-force for Richard Gere who is on screen, centre, throughout the whole film. Despite his film star past, he is persuasive as George, a man whose wife has died, who has lost his job, alienating his daughter, suffers from bouts of mental illness, who has been 10 years on the street. Here is persuasive in his appearance, manner of speech, walking gait, often with close-ups of his face and his indicating interior thought, feeling, disturbance.

The film shows the range of New York city itself, often with crowds, passing the homeless in the street. There are also glimpses of considerate people who help the homeless. George wanders the streets, sometimes begging, getting coats from charities and then selling them for food, with a drinking problem. He also rides the subway, observing people.

One of the surprises is that he doesn’t have any documents for identification and has managed without them. Throughout the film, he is interviewed by various agencies, some trying to help, some being constructively, some bureaucratic. However, he does find a place in a shelter to which he can return each night.

The film also shows various encounters, his watching his daughter (Jena Malone), later going to the diner where she works, her impatience with him. There is also a very talkative old African- American man, played by Ben Vereen, who tags along with George, sometimes irritating him, sometimes supporting him. There is a racist man who take shelter, with his rants. There is a kindly owner of a diner who gives George some food. There is also a bag lady and George mistakenly identifies her as his friend Sheila with whom he spends a night on the streets. She is played by Kyra Sedgwick.

The film is fairly relentless in its portraying George, the difficulties of homelessness, the small details of humiliation, life in the shelter, the incessant talking, the problems of the others in the shelter.

However, the film offers an opportunity, while admiring the performance of Richard Gere, to give some sympathy and empathy to those who are homeless, to those who are not immediately sympathetic, but who are the poor of the world.

1. The impact of the film? A film about homelessness? Wanting audiences to identify as all as observing? A New York story, universal story?

2. The sequences in New York City, the streets, the buildings, diners, shelters, the churches, offices? Authentic feel? The musical score?

3. The director, his films and writing, social concerns?

4. The presence of Richard Gere, a tour-de-force performance? Engaging audiences and opening their appreciation of homelessness?

5. The audience meeting George, sleeping in the building, the attack of the manager, George and his begging to stay, his memories of Sheila?

6. George, his age, his clothes (and getting coats from stores and selling them)? His manner of speech, walking and gait, distracted? His drinking? Finding food?

7. The range of his encounters in New York City?

• His daughter, estrangement, seeing her with her friend, sending the photos into the diner, the past and the alienation, his return to the shop, their verbal clashes, emotional differences, her disdain, his wanting to buy the drink, wanting to get his birth certificate, their talk, her hesitation, following him?

• Dixon, his age, on the streets, his incessant talk, following George, in the shelter, continuing to talk, alienating people? Alienating George? The visit to the diner, his talk about being a musician, sitting at the piano, not playing? His disappearance and the effect on George?

• The bag lady, George thinking she was Sheila, their talk, the sexual encounter, her robbing him?

• The considerate man at the diner, listening to them, giving them food, the issue of the piano, his meeting George again and his sympathy?

• The racist man at the shelter, his tirades?

• The variety of officials, at the shelter, interactions with the police?

• the variety of agencies, the interviews, George and his response, sometimes cooperative, sometimes critical? The issue of his identity, benefits, the demands for identification, his trying, the birth certificate? His needs?

8. The gradual revelation of his past story, his wife, death, losing his job, on the streets, mental collapse, the hospitality women, his being homeless for so long?

9. His walking around the city, riding the subway, watching people, wary and weary? Any ultimate hope?