SPEECHLESS

US, 1994, 99 minutes, Colour.
Michael Keaton, Geena Davis, Christopher Reeve, Bonnie Bedelia, Ernie Hudson, Charles Martin Smith, Gaillard Sartain, Ray Baker, Mitchell Ryan, Harry Shearer, Steven Wright.
Directed by Ron Underwood.

Speechless has the genial presence of Michael Keaton and Geena Davis as the centre of the film. It was made in the Clinton era, a Democrat era in American politics – and is interesting to look at in retrospect, especially from the Bush and Trump administration and behaviour.

The setting is a Senate election and campaigning in New Mexico. Geena Davis as Julia is a seasoned campaigner and speechwriter. Kevin, Michael Keaton, is a sitcom writer but seconded to write speeches for this campaign. They are attracted – but don’t tell each other what they do, and it would be exposed as they talk to students at a school.

There is a lot of attempts at outdoing each other, smart speeches, smooth moves, the naming of the cutting between Mexico and the US (not a wall) is used for campaigning as the Friendship Ditch. There is also a running story about lost cubs which dominates the news instead of the politics. Julia is smart and gets her candidate to rescue the cubs.

Christopher Reeve appears as Julia’s former fiance, rekindling the relationship, but its being broken off, he being very much concerned with himself and his own image. Bonnie Bedelia, on the staff of the Republicans, also has an eye on Kevin.

There are some fallings out, each than helping the other and a final reconciliation – and the possibility for Julia to run for politics in Rhode Island with Kevin as her manager.

1. Romantic comedy? The tradition of the screwball comedies of the 1930s? The title, the jokes about politics and speechwriting?

2. Politics in the Clinton era, later? The status of Democrats? Republicans?

3. The screenplay being pro Democrats, critique of Republicans? Both candidates taking bribes?

4. New Mexico, the election, the Senate? Scenes of the city, hotels, the countryside? Media rooms? Studios? Debate halls? The musical score?

5. Geena Davis and her screen presence? Julia, her age, experience with campaigns, causes? The background of her team? The hotel, not sleeping, buying the Tylenol, the encounter with Kevin, splitting the pills? The drive, the food, the sexual attraction?

6. Michael Keaton and his screen presence? Kevin, age, experience, writing sitcoms, secondment to write political speeches? The background of his divorce?

7. Julia, the members of the team, collaboration, ideas, potential sexual harassment and Julia standing her ground?

8. Each not telling the other what they really did? Both going to the school, the meeting, the discovery, the antagonism and the answers?

9. The attraction, yet on different sides? Their work, the speeches and ideas, the candidates delivering the speeches, the cue cards? The issue of the Friendship Ditch on the border between US and Mexico? Each outdoing the other? The recurring popular story on television about the cubs? Julia having the idea for the candidate to rescue the cubs, the television treatment?

10. Julia and her fiance, his being in Iraq, Christopher Reeve and his smooth style, the engagement, on-again, his vanity, discussing his idea with Kevin about following the speechwriter, but applying it to Julia, the various episodes, the effect on her, calling it off? Calling off the engagement?

11. The two and their meetings, arguments, the meetings about not meeting? Julia communicating the news to Kevin about her engagement, the drinking, the sexual encounter?

12. Kevin knowing that she was to be fired? The scenes of his sitcom? His drinking, her writing the speech for him? His thinking she had betrayed him? The comedians being present, the success?

13. Julia, her being welcomed, the associate being fired? The issue of her standing for politics herself?

14. The election, the Democrat winner, the background of the bribes, his taking bribes? The speeches and his thanks, wanting Julia to come to the stage?

15. Kevin, his change of heart, the microphone, the declaration of love, the two talking frankly, his swinging down from the gallery? The kiss?

16. Julia, her going to Rhode Island, the politics – and Kevin as her manager?

DETOUR

US, 2016, 97 minutes, Colour.
Tye Sheridan, Emory Cowan, Bel Powley, Stephen Moyer, John Lynch, Jared Abrahamson, Gbenga Akinnagbe.
Directed by Christopher Smith.

The 1945 film noir classic, Detour, has become something of a cult film. The title and the insertion of a clip from the earlier film is a homage here.

The film is intriguing because of its structure. It tells a narrative about a college student for law, Harper (Tye Sheridan) who is angry with his stepfather because of a car accident and his mother in coma. Drinking in a bar, he encounters a tough young man, Johnny, (Emory Cowan) and his girlfriend, put upon, Cherry (Bel Powley). In something of a parallel to the plot of Strangers on a Train, Johnny assumes that Harper is hiring for him for a hit on his stepfather. In the morning, Harper’s is sober and regrets his talk with Johnny.

Harper is shown going inside his house and at the same time outside, making a choice. The choice is that he goes with Johnny and Cherry, intending the hit, squabbling with both of them, encountering a policeman, turning the tables on him. Johnny is a drug dealer and owes some money to stand over dealer, Frank (Irish actor John Lynch in a different kind of role).

The second half of the film shows what happens inside the house – and, is a drama that take place before Johnny turns up, the confrontation between Harper and his stepfather, accusing him of an affair, not being present for his mother. He kills him, puts the body in the boot of the car.

Which means a moral dilemma at the end, the fate of Johnny and Cherry as well. And the audience realises that the stepfather did love his wife and that Harper listening to a suspicious phone call which was in fact to his wife.

The film was made in South Africa, a British production, directed by Christopher Smith who also made Get Santa, Black Death, Severance, Creep.

1. The title? A homage to the 1945 film? The clip in this film?

2. California settings, the town, homes, bars, the open road? The musical score?

3. Harper’s story, the structure of the film? The direction of the film, imagination and memory, the reversal of hearts in time sequence?

4. Harper, studying the law, the clients, defence lawyer, his ambitions?

5. The relationship with his mother, the crash, his mother in a coma? His antagonism towards his stepfather? Vincent being away, business in Las Vegas? Harper suspicious of his stepfather having an affair? Vincent returning? Not going to the hospital? Harper overhearing the phone calls and declarations of love?

6. Drinking in the bar, the encounter with Johnny, with Cherry? Talking, discontent, the ambiguity of his message? Cherry and Johnny?

7. Johnny arriving the next day, Harper saying that he was drunk, confused? Johnny and his pressure about getting rid of the stepfather? Harper at the door, on each side of the door, his decision to go, taking his car, the body? The travel, the moods, Johnny as a person, rough? The focus on Cherry? Flirting? Cherry and her background?

8. Harper in trouble, the destination for the body? The clashes between them? The role of the policeman? Interrogation? Threats? Getting into the boot of the car? Death?

9. The flashback to the morning, Vincent, the phone call, the clash with Harper? Harper getting Paul to bring the drugs?

10. Johnny and his owing money to Frank, the fake drugs, confrontation with Frank, the deadline, his fear, the violence?

11. The body in the car, the discovery of the body? The challenge of the police?

12. The truth about Vincent, the phone calls to his wife in hospital, his love for her? No affair?

13. Harper, the background of the Strangers on the Train story, the variation? The hit and the consequences?

THE INCIDENT AT DYATOV PASS

US/Russia, 2013, 100 minutes, Colour.
Holly Goss, Matt Stokoe, Luke Albright, Ryan Hawley, Gemma Atkinson.
Directed by Renny Harlin.

This film is based on an actual episode in the Ural Mountains in 1959, nine young people, trekking in the mountains, found dead in mysterious circumstances.

The filmmakers have invented back stories and explore theories about what might have happened.

However, this film shows a young American group 50 years later wanting to make a documentary film about what happened at the pass. The method they use is that of the The Blair Witch Project, hand-held cameras, recording all the incidents (however physically difficult), talking heads straight to camera. And, eventually, there are many horror episodes.

Holly Goss portrays the young woman leading the expedition. There is also Jensen, Matt Stokoe, who expounds all kinds of theories from alien interventions, the Yeti, Russian military experiments and cover-ups. A technician is hired, Denise, as well as two experts in mountain trekking, Andy and JP.

All seems very cheerful as the group arrive in Russia but the weather scene changes and they experience all kinds of difficulties. There is the Borealis, there are large footprints which they think might be the Yeti, there is an avalanche and destruction, and, eventually, finding a hidden laboratory with suggestions that there were experiments in tele-porting, remembering the Philadelphia Experiment. Ultimately, there are only two left, Holly and Jensen, still everything being photographed – and skeletons and spectres, attacks and pursuits. And the ending is not happy one.

The film was directed by Renny Harlin, the Finnish director who moved to Hollywood and made a number of action films including the 4th Nightmare on Elm Street, Die Hard 2, Cliffhanger and, perhaps his best, The Long Kiss Goodnight.

1. The title, the story from 1959? The mystery? The Russian setting?

2. 2009, Holly and her decision to explore the site, make a film? Trying to unravel the mystery? Her plan?

3. The indebtedness of this film to hand-held camera films? The tradition of The Blair Witch Project?

4. Holly, as a person, the research, dreams of childhood, going to the psychologist? Identifying the locations of the incident? The speeches to camera and explanation of the situation, the various theories? The nine bodies in the snow? Hiring Denise for the sound and camera work? Jensen and his theories, explaining to camera the range of theories from aliens, to the Yeti, to Russian experiments and military? JP and Andy, their backgrounds? Interesting going on the trek, their mountain trekking experience?

5. The role of the camera, the use of found footage at the beginning, the flashbacks? The expedition, the five characters, the details of their preparation, the equipment, supplies, going to Russia, trekking, the changes of weather? Personalities, collaboration, clashes?

6. The Borealis and the lights in the sky? Suggestions of aliens? The mysterious large footprints in the snow? The Yeti?

7. The noises in the snow, fears? Holly and her companion discovering the door, not telling the others? Soldiers and guns pursuing?

8. The avalanche, the consequences? Destruction? Holly deciding to give the information about the door?

9. Relationships, Denise and Andy, sexual, the avalanche? Denise and death?

10. The arguments, the pursuers and the shooting? Opening the door, the vast laboratory?

11. The theories about the Philadelphia experiment, time travel and time warps? The album with the photos?

12. The corpses, experiments, or executions? The range of skeletons, spectres? Their being alive and attacking?

13. JP and his injuries, Andy? Jensen surviving, with Holly?

14. The memories of 1959? The interview with the old woman who said there were 11 bodies?

15. In the laboratory, the various rooms, the skeletons, the attacks from the roof, the telly porting theories, the attacks and the skeletons returning to the past before attacking
again?

16. The arrival of the officials, the taking of Jensen and Holly? Hanging them up?

17. The soldiers, the mystery? The cover-ups? Secrecy?

18. The irony of Holly and Jensen being the extra two bodies in 1959 because telly porting?

19. Being hung up, skeletal, the sinister smiles on their faces – and joining the spectres?

20. The imagination of this story, exploration of theories? Plausibility or not? Taking a true story and devising horror implications?

MENACE II SOCIETY

US, 1993, 97 minutes, Colour.
Tyrin Turner, Lorenz Tate, Jada Pinkett, Samuel L Jackson, Charles S Dutton, Glenn Plummer, Anthony Johnson.
Directed by The Hughes Brothers, Allen Hughes, Albert Hughes.

In the first half of the 1990s, African- American writers and directors came to the fore in American film production and in Hollywood. Many of the films were about the various neighbourhoods, about crime gangs as well as riots. There were memories of the 1960s and the riots in Watts (in this film incorporating actual footage of those riots). There was a focus on families, relationships between fathers and sons, sons following in the criminal footsteps of their fathers. There were devoted mother’s and grandparents – but there were also mothers who became drug addicts and died of overdoses.

There was continued racism, the riots after the Rodney King confrontation with the police, there were shootings in the streets.

Some of the directors of this time included Bill Duke, John Singleton with emerging stars like Laurence Fishburne and films like Boyz in the Hood and thrillers like Rage in Harlem.

Allen and Albert Hughes were 21 when this film was released. It was a bold step in filmmaking, significant at the time and the emergence of the African- American city stories. It was frank in its storytelling, narrated by the central character, Caine, Tyin Turner, a very early scene with an angry shooting of Koreans in a store, the vanity and amorality of the killing in the character, Dog, Larenz Tate.

There are flashbacks to Caine’s childhood, the influence of his father, including a guest appearance from Samuel L Jackson. Caine is also graduating from school and his options are before him, the influence of his friends like Dog who is very boastful of his way of life, watching the video surveillance tape of the shooting and relishing it. Caine is also involved in drug dealing. There are friends and relations around LA who are influencing him to continue in this way of life.

There is some hope for him in his relationship with a young woman whose husband is in prison, Ronnie, Jada Pinkett, and her little boy. She is keen that she and her son leave LA and that he go with them. He is also encouraged in this by a friend who has had quite a change of heart about his way of life and wants to do better. These values are inculcated by his grandparents who dislike swearing, quote the Bible, are shown watching It’s a Wonderful Life on television and the irony of this family, black, watching this very white film.

There is also some sympathy and understanding from a wise teacher played by Charles S Dutton who reaches out to Caine, even encouragement from Ronnie’s husband during a visit to him in jail.

There are quite a lot of shootings, drive-by, even drive-by from one car to another, young men shot, bleeding on the streets, going to hospital, as happens to Caine. Then there are revenge killings with Caine ultimately deciding to leave LA, though angrily stomping on someone who criticises him, in the presence of his grandfather who then exiles him from the house. But Caine is shot and doesn’t have the chance to continue or change his life. His grandfather had asked him whether he cared whether he lived or died – and it is only in dying that he realises he wanted to live.

This is a film of African Americans in Los Angeles from the 1960s and 1990s – and the question whether these films and social concern changed attitudes in the coming decades.

The Hughes Brothers went on to make Dead Presidents, From Hell and The Book of Eli.

ADULTHOOD

UK, 2008, 99 minutes, Colour.
Noel Clarke, Scarlett Alice Johnson, Adam Deacon, Jacob Anderson.
Directed by Noel Clarke.

Two years earlier, Noel Clarke wrote the screenplay for and acted the central role in a tough look at schools and homes in West London, the gang culture, the knives, guns and baseball weaponry, attitudes towards authority, family, sexuality. It was called Kidulthood. Local London audiences appreciated it. Those for whom the stories and images were more part of alarming headlines in tabloids were disturbed.

Since then, there has been a proliferation of news about gangs and mindless killings. There have been even more stabbings, especially of teenagers in London in 2008, so Noel Clarke’s new film is timely and relevant (and much of it was filmed just down the street from where this reviewer is writing!). Clarke ha

s written and directed this time and takes up his character from Kidulthood. This film is Adulthood.

When Sam (Clarke) is released from jail after serving a sentence for killing his friend (shown in Kidulthood), he is threatened by a former friend who has set gang members on to him to pay him back. One of these (unaware of who the target is) is Sam’s younger brother.

The film takes place over one day. We see Sam contacting people from the past, even his victim’s widow. He comes across a drug-addicted girl who is sympathetic but is trying to set him up as well with the killers so that she can get her fixes. Sam also visits his mother, is concerned about his brother, shows his wits in escaping his pursuers and turning the tables on the criminal gangs and setting the police on them.

While this is not just another day in London’s western suburbs, it is a reminder that there is a lawless society out there beneath the surface and sometimes coming out on to the streets with violence, a depressing world that seems to be untouched by values. The film is something of a cry out of the depths that there could be a better world for a better life.

1. The title? The UK story? London? Ethnic London?

2. The director, his writing, film directing, performance? Kidulthood? Adulthood?

3. The title and expectations, the sequel to Kidulthood, the characters, elements of plot, continuity?

4. The London locations, the West of London, the streets, homes, prison sequences, clubs and bars, the headquarters of the gangsters? Authentic feel? The musical score and rhythms?

5. Sam as the focus, the recap of the first film, his past, the murder, not wanting to kill the victim? Going to prison? The flashbacks, into the prison, the tough environment, the confrontations with the prisoners, the violence and torture, the various personalities and their motivations? Revenge?

6. The one day, Sam getting out of prison, his quest? Finding the associates? The visits? Going home, later meeting his mother, her unhappiness with him? Going to the cemetery, the stranger, the realisation that there was a hit on him? The folks, their motivations? Going to visit the girl with her daughter, the past together? The girl on drugs, the sexual encounter, her setting him up? The discovery of his brother and his being part of the hit team?

7. His character, age, experience, changing, suspicions, violence? The girl with the child not wanting to see him again? The group and his being bashed?

8. Jay, in himself, small stature, strutting, the commission to hit Sam? Getting the others in the group? The day, seeing Sam on the train, moving around, questioning people, his anger and outbursts, the buildup to the confrontation, his being surly? His treatment of Sam, the argument in the confrontation? His backing down?

9. The group, the ethnic mix, amongst themselves? Ready to be brutal?

10. The bar, the girl studying law, her boyfriend, her strong stances?

11. Themes of race, prejudice, violence? The violent white young man in the group?

12. The finale, the confrontation, sediment his talking, Sam is highlighting Jay’s life?

13. The thugs, Sam setting them up, his visit, the challenge, the police coming, the arrests?

14. The partial picture of London at the beginning of the 21st-century?

RAMPAGE

US, 2018, 107 minutes, Colour.
Dwayne Johnson, Naomie Harris, Malin Akerman, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jake Lacey, Joe Manganiello, Marley Shelton.
Directed by Brad Peyton.

Rampage lives up to its name. However, the advertising tagline is somewhat misleading, “Big meets Bigger�. It really should be “Big meets Biggest� or even “Big meets the Biggest biggest�. Even the title could be Rampagest.

In the old days, this kind of matinee material would have been enjoyed as what was then called “a hoot�. It is action-packed, does not really let up until the final credits.

In fact, in the opening five minutes, there is some rather spectacular vistas, a spacecraft laboratory, experiments gone wrong, explosions, phials hurtling to earth, an explanation about “Genetic Editing�, its failure to cure humans, it is being banned by the American government in 2016, then a mini-safari in the San Diego Wild Century, an encounter with an albino gorilla, whose name is George, and some sign language dialogue between George and the local primatologist, Davis, played by Dwayne Johnson. A fairly full introduction!

In the meantime, there are two very nasty villains, brother and sister. They run the company behind the spacecraft experiments, wanting to develop samples that would affect animals and be able to use them as weapons. She is ruthlessly intelligent, no redeeming features, Claire, played by Malin Akerman. Her brother, Bret, Jake Lacey, is a bit of a nincompoop.

As you might expect, George is infected, grows larger and larger, more and more violent, has to be caged, but then breaks out. Actually, the Wolf in Wyoming is also infected as is an alligator in the bayous of Florida.

The primatologist is bewildered but a scientist, Kate Caldwell, played by Naomi Harris, he is the news and hurries to the sanctuary. She is not believed – and when a special agent, with more than emphasised Southern drawl, Russell, played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, turns up, both Kate and Davis are under suspicion, bound and put on a plane along with George.
Obviously, the military over estimate their capacities and mayhem is let loose on the plane, but the three central characters, Russell being rescued on Davis is back, their escape and are parachuted to earth.

What aggravates the situation and leads to destruction upon destruction is that Claire is determined to have the animals come to the Chicago office, setting up a sonar on the top of the sea is building, uniting the gorilla and the Wolf in their quest, no holds barred. The military is disturbed, trying to curtail the progress, delaying in evacuating Chicago, dismayed as the rampage continues and George goes beyond King Kong, climbing and destroying buildings in Chicago, with the Wolf able to fly and swoop.

Naturally, there is a deadline which leads to split second timing for the solution to all the problems. This involves Davies and Kate going to the caps he is building, confronting Claire who is completely unlikable and, when she dies spectacularly, the audience is tempted to openly cheer.

The action is non-stop, the special effects very exciting, a lot of deadpan dialogue with Dwayne Johnson as usual self-deprecating and some dialogue like “don’t die on me� or “off to save the world…�.

Rampage is critic proof. However, it does what it set out to do, action entertainment for 10-year-old boys (of any age) and this time, with female scientist and female arch-villain, for 10-year-old girls (of any age).

The film to see if you are after an entertaining hoot.


1. The title? Big meets Biggest?

2. An action adventure drawing on the space films, genetic engineering, mutations, scientific arrogance, animals and threats, military and agencies, Special Ops…? Bringing them all together?

3. The action sequences, the animals, the mutants, the sonar drawing them, the destruction of Chicago?

4. The animals, drawing on King Kong? Destruction and drawing on Godzilla? The musical score?

5. Space, The views of the spacecraft, the interiors, the frantic scientist, the experiments, the explosions, the pods coming to earth?

6. The San Diego Sanctuary, Davis as a primatologist, his assistant with the comic touches, the tourists in the jungle, the smart aleck and his fear, moving? George, treatment of Pablo, sign language and communications? George and his personalised activity, audiences identifying with him when he is mutated?

7. The pod, George and the spray, his growing, killing the grizzly bear, put in the cage, breaking out? On the plane, his being released, mayhem on the plane, surviving? Teaming up with the wolf and response to the sonar? Destruction together?

8. Wyoming, the walks, Killers R’ Us, the team, the leader, the helicopters, the wolf growing, the attack, able to fly? Everything on camera for Claire and Brett? Attacking the squad and the leader?

9. The pod in Florida, the alligator, growth, getting to the Great Lakes, joining with George and the wolf in Chicago?

10. Kate Caldwell, the TV news, her going to see Davis, her lies, the agent exposing her? The truth, her background, scientist, with the company, her brother and his illness, wanting a cure, his death? The documents, her being fired? Imprisoned?

11. Davis and Kate being bound, the encounter with Russell, the cowboy style and drawl, put on the plane? Russell and his confidence? The mayhem, Davis taking Russell, the parachutes and their surviving?

12. Claire and Brett, the company, the 1990s, genetic editing, the hopes for cures, the results? The 2016 ban? Their office in Chicago, the Sears building, the experiments, dangerous, doing them in space? The doctor on the spacecraft, Claire and her threats, the destruction of the spacecraft, the pods going to earth? Claire wanting the specimens? Tracking the animals? Sonar and their making their way to Chicago? Claire as ruthless, her brother as weak? Ultimately confronting Davis and Kate, Claire shooting Davis? Audience cheers as she fell into the destructive jaws? Brett, wanting to escape, encountering Russell, the computer, going outside and being crushed?

13. The military, with Russell and his agency, wanting to confront the animals, the tactics? Davis and Kate stealing the medical helicopter? Russell helping them? Flying to Chicago, the mayhem in the city, the decision to evacuate the city? To drop the bomb?

14. The visuals of the rampage, the two animals, the killing, the countryside, into the city, the buildings, the boat on the river, climbing the buildings like King Kong?

15. The time limit, the deadline? Davis and Kate, the building, the search, the antidote? Confrontation with Claire?

16. The animals arriving at the building, the cure, the sonar destroyed, the animals fighting amongst themselves? George and his confrontation with the wolf? George and his help, being wounded, seeming to die, Davis and his emotions, the sign language and George joking? Joking about Davis and Kate together? Russell and his help?

17. The popular ingredients, the deadpan dialogue, the special effects, the action – a cinema hoot?

TWIXT

US, 2011, 88 minutes, Colour.
Val Kilmer, Bruce Dern, Elle Fanning, Ben Chaplin, Joanne Whalley, David Paymer, Anthony Fusco, Alden Ehrenreich, Bruce A. Miroglio, Don Novello, Lisa Bailes. Narrated by Tom Waites.
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

Twixt was written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Coppola made quite an impact in the 1960s after working with Roger Corman and being initiated into horror films and small budget expertise. He then moved into bigger films with Finian’s Rainbow but, it was with The Godfather, that he made his name, winning an Oscar for the sequel. He also made a significant impact with Apocalypse Now. His career varied after this making such striking films as Bram Stoker’s Dracula but experimenting with a different range of stories including a version of John Grisham, The Rainmaker. In the 21st-century, he concentrated on other interests including winemaking.

In the first decade of the 21st-century he made Youth Without Youth, Tetro and Twixt.

With Twixt, he returns to something of his Corman period – even with a link to Corman’s film versions of Edgar Allan Poe.

Tom Waites narrates the introduction to the film, a rather burnt out author coming to a small town to sign books, where there is no bookshop. However, the sheriff, Bobby La Grange (Bruce Dern) is a fan and wants to co-author a book with the novelist, Hall Baltimore (Val Kilmer). The sheriff has a body in the morgue with a stake in it and is condemnatory of a group of seeming hippies across the lake accused of all kinds of behaviour, including satanic.

While the novelist is interested, he is plagued by calls from his wife who is angry with him after the accidental death of their daughter while he was drunk. She is played by Joanne Whalley. But, there is a mystery in the town, an old hotel where Poe stayed in the 19th century and which was a scene of the killings of a group of children. One of them, Virginia (Elle Fanning) appears to the author leading him to explore the story. These aspects appear in his dreams and when he is unconscious, especially his meeting Poe himself, played by Ben Chaplin, very serious but guiding him through the story and its meaning, the death of the children and his coming to deal with the death of his own daughter.

In the meantime the sheriff behaves suspiciously, is severe with his awkward assistant, Arbus (Bruce A Miroglio) and, as might have been expected, is the contemporary serial killer.

An intriguing experience.

1. The title? Between reality and fantasy?

2. Francis Ford Coppola, his reputation, awards, writer, Dir? The background of his work in horror films in the 1960s, with Roger Corman?

3. The visual style of the film, the use of colour, black-and-white for the dreams with particular colour focuses? The effect?

4. A horror story, the background of vampires, the mass murder, the serial killer, the 19th century and Edgar Allan Poe, 1955 and the children’s deaths, the contemporary serial killer?

5. The narrator, his tone, telling the story, the explanation of the town, his introduction to Hall Baltimore?

6. Baltimore as a writer, his career, successful books? The focus on witchcraft? The alienation from his wife, the Skype calls and their arguments, the memories of his daughter and the accident and his being drunk? His wife threatening to sell his Walt Whitman book? The book signing in the town, no bookshop, the few customers interested? His conversations with his editor, wanting loans? Promising a new story?

7. The town, its atmosphere, the atmosphere of mystery, the hotel and its Gothic look, the deaths? The couple and the bar? Their being at the hotel, playing the music, the proprietor and his swinging dance? The tower and the seven clocks, all at different times? The bells?

8. Baltimore, the encounter with Virginia, her age, appearance, mysterious? Talking with her, her wanting to warn him? Her vanishing? The couple denying her presence – yet her biting the woman, the blood?

9. The story of the hotel, the vision of the children, coming out to play, the teacher, Virginia, taking them back? Baltimore and his research, the 1955 events, the newspaper headlines filling in the story and atmosphere?

10. The children, considered vampires, the teacher killing them, cutting their throats, burying them under the floor of the hotel? His religious background, sexual behaviour? Hanging himself?

11. Bobby La Grange, the sheriff, the mortuary, the corpse with the stake in her body? His making wooden toys? His proposal about the book, co-authorship? Baltimore and his saying ‘from an idea by’? Co-authorship? Argus, clumsy, the assistant? Baltimore contacting him, his attitude, asleep at his job?

12. The young people across the lake, Flamingo and his appearance, his reputation, the young people and their behaviour? Bobby La Grange and his condemnation of them, their reputation, something satanic? The attitudes when more met them?

13. Baltimore and his dreams, encountering Edgar Allan Poe? Poe, m& serious, as a guide, his appearance? The explanation of the story? The women in his own works, all a variation on his wife, whatever their name? The discussion about Nevermore, The Raven, the explanation of how to write a poem, the horror, death?

14. Baltimore, contacting his editor, wanting the loan, exciting the editor, prospects of success?

15. Baltimore, in the town, the bills, his falling, unconscious, further dreams? Imagining his daughter, the accident and her death?

16. Poe advising him that the dreams were his way of dealing with his dark past and his daughter?

17. Virginia, Flamingo and his rescue, the bike?

18. Bobby, the discussions with Baltimore, audiences suspicious about him? His killing arbours and hanging himself?

19. The information given afterwards about Baltimore and his career?

THE MOTEL LIFE

US, 2012, 86 minutes, Colour.
Emile Hirsch, Stephen Dorff, Dakota Fanning, Joshua Leonard, Kris Kristofferson.
Directed by Alan Polsky, Gabriel Polsky.

This drama is worth persevering with. In fact, it is a film about two brothers, two losers.

The film uses a great deal of animation, with one of the brothers, Jerry Lee (Stephen Dorff) being a sketch artist, the animation bringing many of his stories to life. His older brother, Frank (Emile Hirsch) has skills as a verbal storyteller. The film fills in their background of their father leaving, their mother dying of cancer, trying to provide for them, but as orphans, racing to catch a train and Jerry Lee falling and breaking his leg. Jerry Lee has had mental troubles and has been in an institution. Frank takes responsibility for his brother but does not have a very good job.

An emotional crisis occurs when Jerry Lee has been driving and suddenly kills a cyclist on the road, taking his dead body to the hospital and leaving him to be cared for. He has an emotional crisis, shoots himself in the leg, his broken leg, and burns the car. He confides in Frank who has to care for him when he is hospitalised with his leg. He wants to leave.

Frank gives up his job, sells his father’s prize gun to get some money for them to get away, the police being suspicious with Jerry Lee’s story. However, Frank’s friend Tommy (Joshua Leonard) persuades him to bet the pawn money on a Tyson- Douglas fight, Douglas unexpectedly winning and Frank getting a windfall, giving money to Tommy as well as to another friend.

Kris Kristofferson plays Earl Hurley, the sympathetic friend who gives Frank advice, urges him to think positively, sells him a car. In the past, Frank has had a relationship with a young woman, Annie (Dakota Fanning) but she has been involved in prostitution and he leaves. He decides to go back to her town and make contact again.

Jerry Lee has a conscience and is always concerned about the dead boy and his family. Frank is a good man, trying to be supportive in difficult circumstances. Jerry Lee reassures him that he has had love in his life with Annie whereas Jerry Lee has had only one of his sketch characters, Marjorie, a fantasy relationship.

At the end, the audience might be asking whether this is a real story or whether it is one of Frank stories dramatically illustrated.

1. The title? Expectations? The story of two losers? Eliciting audience understanding and sympathy?

2. Reno, the apartment, the streets, the hospital, bars, casino in betting? The open roads, the countryside? The bakery? An ordinary world but focused on the life of the two young men? The musical score?

3. The role of the animation? Frank and his verbal telling of the stories? Jerry Lee and his sketches, drawings, the stories coming alive in the animation? The animation style, vivid? War, relationships, sexuality, their father, Jerry Lee, Marjorie?

4. The past, their father, the Winchester, his leaving? The mother, her cancer, the scene with her talking to her sons, organising her will and their welfare? Her death, their being orphaned? Together, hurrying to catch the train, Jerry Lee’s fall, breaking his leg? The scenes of the two boys together? Earl Hurley and his affirmation of Frank?

5. The brothers as adults, Frank and his job, Jerry Lee and his leg, his difficult life, drugs, institutionalised? Tension? Frank and his support?

6. The crisis, Jerry Lee, in his car, hitting the cyclist, the boy dead, Jerry Lee leaving his body at the hospital, driving away? Shooting his leg, burning the car? Polly giving Frank the news? Going to the hospital? Frank keeping vigil? The doctors and nurses, the treatment? Frank telling Jerry Lee stories? Care?

7. Jerry Lee, his conscience, worrying about the dead boy, his family? Bored with television? Wanting to leave? Imagining the stories, discussing them with Frank?

8. Frank, his responsibility, going to see the family of the dead boy, telling Jerry Lee about the family? His friendship with Tommy, at the bar, Tommy owing Jerry Lee money? Wanting to gamble? The Tyson- Douglas fight? The friend, his being bashed, the conversation? Frank selling the father’s gun, the small amount of money? Tommy’s suggestion, the fight, the bet, going to the casino, Tyson and his ascendancy, then losing? Frank and the money, giving some to the friend, money to Tommy – and his being seen at the tables gambling?

9. The police, the interrogations?

10. Frank, going to Earl, buying the car? Earl and his support? Driving, spending the night in the car?

11. The background of Annie, Frank and his love for her, her sexual behaviour, ousting her? His return to the town, meeting up again, her working in the bakery, love?

12. Frank and Jerry Lee, sharing their stories, Jerry Lee and his hankering after Marjorie?

13. Jerry and Frank, this story – real or another illustrated story?

FINAL VISION

US, 2017, 100 minutes, Colour.
Scott Foley, Dave Annable, John Doman, Lochlyn Munro, Jessica Harmon, Caroline Aaron.
Directed by Nicolas Mc Carthy.

Final vision is based on a book by successful journalist, Joe Mc Ginniss. It was called “Fatal Vision� which was the title of a typical television miniseries in 1984 with Karl Malden, Eva Marie Saint and Gary Cole. It was screened in 1984.

This is a more modest version, with Scott Foley in the role of the accused doctor and Green Beret soldier, Jeffrey Mac Donald. The story is told from the perspective of the journalist, Joe Mc Ginniss, played by David Annable. He leaves his wife and child for some time after being invited to write Mac Donald story, living with him, hearing his stories, visiting with his parents, meeting the lawyers. He also attends the court case with some selected scenes over the weeks of the trial, initially favourable to Mac Donald. However, the prosecution has an expert on blood analysis, wounds, blood spilt, making a substantial case against the story that Mac Donald told. There was a magazine in the house with story of the Manson murders and Mac Donald stated there was a parallel.

For those who don’t know the story, there is a great deal of suspense, the screenplay testing the audience response, Foley’s performance, indicating both innocence and guilt – but Mac Donald is ultimately unmasked as a psychopath, an attention seeker, a surgeon who worked under the influence of drugs.

1. A true crime story? The trial, records, Joe Mc Ginniss’s book? The previous miniseries from 1984?

2. Audience knowledge of the story or not, information for those in the know? Suspense and making a judgement for those unfamiliar with the characters and story?

3. The California settings, homes, hospital? Fort Bragg, the Army base, the courts, apartments? The musical score?

4. The title, the book “Fatal Vision�? Joe McGinniss? and his career, success, bestseller, relationship with his sister, the discussions? His previous marriage? His current marriage, wife, son? Devoted? Mac Donald approaching him? The offer, thinking about it, being way from the family, agreeing?

5. Living with Mac Donald? Joe, his skills, personality, observing? With Mac Donald, with the lawyers, the discussions, the lawyer attacking him for his exploiting the situation?

6. The background detail, Mac Donald and Collette, 1960s, marriage, children? Mac Donald as a surgeon, his reputation? With the Green Berets? His skills? The stages of his marriage? His parents, the giving information, the home movies?

7. Selected scenes, over the period of the court case? The initial witness favourable to Mac Donald? His story? The judge and excluding psychological background and wanting no war between shrinks? The prosecutor, building up the evidence? The expert on blood, the further information, where the blood was found, how we shared? The footprint in the blood? The response of the jury, of Mc Ginniss, of the audience watching?

8. The lawyers, investment in the case, believing Mac Donald’s story? Their trying to find the woman allegedly present in the Manson style killing? Finding her, her refusal to corroborate?

9. Mac Donald and his testimony, the witness of his parents, their stories? The boxes of evidence? The story about preparation for the boxing match in Russia and his being absent? Lies?

10. The summing up, the intercutting of the prosecution and the defence? The performance indicating the possibilities that Mac Donald was guilty?

11. The verdict, the response? The satisfaction of Collette’s parents? The dismay of Mac Donald’s parents?

12. Mc Ginniss continuing his research, the boxes full of documents, the stories, the lies, ringing the psychologist, the suggestion of reading the book about the mask? The psychopath? Anger, on drugs?

13. The reconstruction of the events at the end, graphic, plausible?

14. The final information, Mac Donald’s suing Mc Ginniss? His career? Mac Donald in prison?

LAST DANCE

Australia, 2012,
Julia Blake, Firas Dirani, Alan Hopgood.
Directed by David Pullbrook.

This is a Melbourne story about terrorism. There is murder in a mall. One of the terrorists escapes and finds himself in a suburban street. He goes into the house which is owned by a Jewish widow whom we have seen in a baker’s shop, doing her ordinary shopping, chatting to her neighbours, phoning her niece.

However, the film becomes a two-hander, the widow and the terrorist. While he threatens her, he is wounded. She takes care of him. He becomes less suspicious of her, he is less cold-blooded than she originally thought. He allows himself to become dependent on her.

The film serves as a contemporary urban fable for dialogue between Jews and Arabs. He is less threatening. She is more sympathetic and understanding. She covers up from police and neighbours that he has been in the house. She arranges a ticket so that he can leave Melbourne.

However, the ending his melodramatic, the action of the police, the action of the neighbour, and the audience left with mixed feelings about what they have seen and how they ought to think about terrorism and the action of the widow. New paragraph

The strength of the film is in the performances, Julia Blake, always reliable and dignified, as the window, acts as the terrorist, with Alan Hopgood period as the neighbour.

1. The title? The end and the dance between Ulla and Ari? The value of the symbol?

2. An Australian story, world terrorism by 2012? Extending to Melbourne and Australia?

3. The suburb of Balaclava, Jewish suburb, the meat shop, the cake shop, the streets? Terror in the synagogue?

4. Ulla’s apartment block, the exteriors, the interior of her house? The musical score?

5. The introduction to Ulla, Julia Blake, her age, Jewish, shopping, the meat, the cake? The trouble in the streets, people vanishing, her leaving the money on the counter? Going home, Ari accosting her? Her reaction, going into the house, the cord from the blind and curtain, the rug, her being gagged? Her animosity, expressing the animosity? Her comments on Palestinians and their behaviour? The history of Israel? The phone ringing, the contact for Ari? The phone call from her daughter? The neighbour seeing the cake at the door, his coming in, the reassuring him? Time passing, the news on television, the helicopters overhead?

6. Ulla and her life, the story of her husband, meeting him, 1939, the concentration camps, separation, survival? Coming to Australia, settling in Melbourne, the son, his photographs, in the Israeli army, the news of his death?

7. Ari and his background, Palestinian, the family, the attack and his family killed, his little sister? Decades of hate? Contempt, pushing over the candelabra? Stating that he was a soldier, his justification?

8. The background of the Jews, the state of Israel, Palestinians of the land, issues of justice, occupation and consequences?

9. Ari wounded, his fainting? Ali, the temptation to phone, her being a nurse, the medication, tending Ari’s wound? Letting him sleep?

10. Ari not a killer, unable to kill the children, saying he was a coward, leaving the synagogue? Waiting for the call from the head of the cell?

11. The neighbour, Ulah’s daughter and her concern, his coming to the house, searching?

12. The arrival of the police, the interrogation, the search, Ulla shielding Ari?

13. The talk, the sharing of their stories, the meeting of hearts? Ulla’s decision to buy him the tickets go to Sydney?

14. The haircut, his shaving, her son’s clothes, his playing the music, the last dance? The tax arriving?

15. The taxi, the driver, the gun, the snipers, shooting Ari in the street? Ulah's grief?

16. The effect of watching this story, backgrounds of war, injustice, hatred, the possibilities of reconciliation and peace?