SPRING

US, 2013, 109 minutes, Colour.
Lou Taylor Pucci, Nadia Hilker, Francesco Carnelutti.
Directed by Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead.

Spring (a somewhat unexplained title, enigmatic) seems like the odyssey of a young man from the United States to Europe, his discoveries, his falling in love.

In fact, it is more or less that but with quite a difference.

Lou Taylor Pucci is Evan, a young man saddened by the death of his mother. He works as a cook in a diner, has local friends, drinks, has relationships with local women. However, in his grief and his losing his job, he is persuaded to travel overseas. He goes to Italy and goes to some of the regular tourist venues.

However, he meets two very loud British tourists (one of whom shouts his disapproval of Americans because they are too loud) and he goes South. Out with them, he notices a young woman, Louise (Nadia Hilker) to whom he is attracted. She taunts him. They encounter each of the next day, she more amenable, their beginning a relationship. However, she often disappears.

After about 40 minutes, the audience is surprised to see that as the two lie in bed, her face is monstrously transformed. The mood changes for the audience – but not for Evan who does not see her. He, in the meantime, has befriended a local farmer and he is working with him on the land, something he finds quite energising.

Eventually, he will discover the transformations that Louise undergoes. He is shocked but gradually comes to terms with her history, long-lived, something in her genes and DNA which transforms her, monstrously. But, after coming to terms with this, is there a future for each of them, a future together? And the film ends.

1. The title? Referring to what and to whom?

2. The American settings, home, death, the bar, fights, friends?

3. The Italian settings? The touristic scenes of Rome? The journey south, the city, apartments, restaurants, the streets? Scenery? Volcanoes, the coast? The blue cave? The musical score?

4. The film as romantic? Romantic comedy? The change of mood with Louise’s facial transformation? The touch of the monstrous? Horror? Mystery?

5. Evan’s story? His age, his father’s death, with his mother, the scene of her death, his promises? As a cook, at the bar, drinking, Thomas as his friend, the fights, Thomas and the discussions, suggesting that he travel? The encounter with the young woman, her leaving? Decision about travel?

6. Evan in Italy, Roman tourism? Meeting up with British friends, their incessant talking (and saying Americans were too loud)? The attraction to Louise?

7. Louise, mysterious, student, tantalising Evan? The later encounters? The sexual relationship? Evan, falling in love, the outings, the conversations, the romantic touches? Yet her putting him off? Mysterious? His finding the syringes? The explanation of the need for her health?

8. Evan, meeting Francesco, the conversations, asking for work, the work on the farm, the lemon and orange tree, his contact with the earth? Francesco, his outings, friendship, advice?

9. Louise, her story, the 2000 years, her DNA, the imbalance? The mystery, mythology, Pompeii? The artwork and her portraits? The books? Evan and his fascination? The gift of the book?

10. The growing effect on Louise, becoming more grotesque, monstrous, Evan discovering her on the floor, the injection? The attempt at explanation? His bewilderment?

11. Louise and the time for her to transform completely? The silence, the mythology? Evan and his response?

12. The film ending?

MES SEANCES DE LUTTES/ LOVE BATTLES

France, 2013, 99 minutes, Colour stop
Sara Forestier, James Thieree.
Directed by Jacques Doillon.

This is something of an offbeat drama, a two hander which might have been a play in the theatre but is opened out in scenes within a house and in the countryside as settings for the emphasis on dialogue.

She, Sarah Forestier, has suffered the loss of her father and is in quite an emotional state, bad memories of him, wanting a piano as part of her heritage. He, James Thieree, the grandson of Charles Chaplin, is a quiet man, writer, working in his garden.

The two have met, have a sexual intensity but it has not been consummated. She returns to confront him. He tries to offer sympathy for the death of her father. What ensues is a great deal of dialogue, discussions about the relationship, the emotional dimensions, the psychological dimensions. What happens is that there is a lot of physical contact, physical fighting, physical wrestling, several episodes of this – a touch of passionate sado-masochism.

So, the dynamic of the film is for the audience to wonder about her, her effect on him, his responses, the impact of the physical wrestling, sexual culmination…

Direction is by the veteran, Jacques Doillon.

1. A drama of love, physical, psychological, perspectives of sado-masochism?

2. The homes, the gardens, the water? The confined sets?

3. The emphasis on dialogue? The screenplay which could have been a theatre drama? Opened out for cinema? The musical score?

4. The situation? The death of the woman’s father? His not having loved her? No inheritance? Her emotional void and anger? The meetings with her sister, the issue of the piano, the ball, her sister and the family inheriting?

5. The computer contact with the adviser-friend, the discussion of the situation? The adviser coming to visit?

6. The relationship with the man? His age, at home, writing, working on the grounds?

7. The past relationship, intimacy, no sexual encounter? The effect on her? On him? Emotional, sexual?

8. The series of encounters, the dialogue and the discussions, with the woman and her situation and emotions, her sister, the attraction to the man? The man and his reaction to the woman, attracted, yet distant? The range of the dialogue, the topics covered?

9. The physical contacts? The range of wrestling encounters? The effect on each of them?

10. The growing sexual intensity, clothes, nudity? Sexual encounters? The wrestling in the mud?

11. The aftermath of the encounters, the keeping of distance, the couple together? What future?

THE MASK OF DIIJON

US, 1946, 73 minutes, Black-and-white.
Erich von Stroheim, Jeanne Bates, William Wright.
Directed by Lew Landers.

This is a very small-budget star vehicle for Erich von Stroheim. Austrian born, who came to the United States in his 20s, began acting. During the silent era he made several films which are considered classics – but, clashed with production authorities who considered him too extravagant. The rest of his career he appeared, regularly every year, as an actor until the 1950s. His peak moment in his latter years was his Oscar-nomination for his role in Sunset Boulevard.

Dijon Is a magician but has decided that he wants to explore Mesmerism and hypnosis. As with most von Stroheim characters, he does not smile and is generally sinister. He is of short stature, bald head, intensely serious and staring.

The film opens dramatically with a guillotining – which is a stunt for a show (though it is recaptured in quite a dramatic ending!). Dijon spurns the act and refuses to collaborate. His wife is involved and tries to plead with him but he continues to alienate her as well as the producers.

A musician friend of the wife finds an opportunity for Dijon to perform in a club. He does, using his wife – but she falls to the ground at the end of the act.

There is a twist when Dijon is in a shop and there is a hold-up and he uses the light on his ring to hypnotise the thief to get him to return the money. When he realises his power, and exercises it with a newsboy, persuading him to announce the evening news rather than the morning news, he decides to use his powers to eliminate enemies. He hypnotises a former colleague to commit suicide. Eventually, he hypnotises his wife, gets her to pick a gun after she sings in the club, to aim it at the musician and she fires. In fact she has picked up the wrong gun and fires blanks.

There is a pursuit of Dijon and he finishes up near the guillotine…

The film is directed by Lew Landers, one of the most prolific Hollywood directors of short budget films.

THE BOOK OF LOVE/ THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA

US, 2016, 106 minutes, Colour.
Jason Sudeikis, Maisie Williams, Jessica Biel, Mary Steenburgen, Orlando Jones, Richard Robichaux, Paul Reiser, Bryan Batt, Jayson Warner Smith.
Directed by Bill Purple.


There will probably be quite mixed reactions to this film. It does not quite go as expected all as the title, The Book of Love, might indicate.

While the film opens with the deep blue sea, parts of wreckage from a raft, this gives a melancholy tone to what follows.

At first, the film is a pleasant light drama about the life of a devoted husband and wife, Jason Sudeikis and Jessica Biel. (Jessica Biel’s husband in real life, Justin Timberlake, wrote the musical score.) Suddenly, the wife is killed in a car accident leaving the husband grief stricken and alone. His pressurised by his boss because he has a very successful architectural career ahead of him. He is also pressurised by his mother-in-law, a rather steely Mary Steenburgen.

However, as he grieves, a young woman, Millie (Maisie Williams from Game of Thrones) comes into his life, says she has no family, says she fears he is a pervert, but then believes him, settles down and with two of his eccentric friends, they decide to build a raft which she wants.

Eventually, the raft is finished, the husband decides to give up his job – but, Millie’s uncle tries to take her back and she suffers an accident. But, after recovering, the husband decides definitely to go with Millie on the raft and the implication is – to what?


1. The title and expectations? Love, book? The role of the sea?

2. The New Orleans setting, the city, the sea, homes, the streets? The countryside? The musical score?

3. The opening, the raft adrift, the wreckage and the sea? Sense of anticipation? The recurring of images at the end?

4. Henry and Penny, the relationship, love, her pregnancy? The joking character? Henry’s response? At home, his work? His boss and the possible promotions? The phone call, and his death?

5. Penny, her charm, distracted on the road, the revelation about Millie’s presence? At her death, her words? Stories and images of Penny recurring throughout the film?

6. Henry, the reaction, his grief, silence? The pressure from his boss? His not wanting to go back to work? The clashes with Julia?

7. Julia, strong-minded, the loss of her daughter, criticisms of Henry, his not wanting to go back to work, her reprimanding him? His stating that Penny wanted him to be himself?

8. Millie, wandering, the encounter with Henry, his approach, her saying he was a pervert, his denials? Shelter? In the house? In the shed? Some comments about her background, her family? Her wanting to build a raft? The beginnings, Henry allowing it, helping her? Henry’s friends, Dumbass, Pascal and his speaking French? Around the house, helping?

9. Millie and a change of attitude, the effect on Henry? The building of the raft?

10. The gradual revelation of Millie and Penny’s death? The flashbacks to Millie being present, and her words? Her having the photo and Henry being upset at finding it?

11. The completion of the raft, Henry and his decision to go? Millie and her accident, her uncle and his wanting her back? Her being in hospital?

12. Henry’s final decision, on the raft, going into the sea – to what purpose?

13. New life? Death?

LOVE FROM A STRANGER

UK, 1937, 86 minutes, Black and white.
Ann Harding, Basil Rathbone, Binnie Hale, Bruce Seaton, Jean Cadell, Joan Hickson.
Directed by Rowland V. Lee.

This film is based on an Agatha Christie short story which was dramatised for the theatre by Frank Vosper. There have been a number of versions of the story including a 1947 period-setting version with Sylvia Sidney and John Hodiak.

It is best not to look at the poster before seeing the film because the villain is revealed in the tagline as well as the photo! For those who follow the film without this information, it doesn’t need Poirot or Miss Marple to indicate that Basil Rathbone is a villain who is after Ann Harding’s money which she has acquired from winning the lottery.

However, halfway through the film, the camera focuses on his face and rather insane expressions – and his performance revs up from there, many considering it quite over the top.

The story is fairly straightforward. Ann Harding portrays Carol a young woman who teaches piano and supports her friend Kate, Binnie Hale, and her eccentric aunt Lou, character actor Jean Cadell. Carol is also engaged to a nice young man, Bruce Seaton, but falls in love with the charming but sinister gentleman who comes to rent a room, Basil Rathbone, on the verge of being both Sherlock Holmes and the Sheriff of Nottingham and a very successful career.

When Basil Rathbone borrows money from his wife, intending to pay her back, we know that everything is sinister. He buys a cottage in the country and bans everyone from going into a cellar. The audience sees him behaving quite oddly down the. His wife becomes concerned, especially when playing the piano and he urges her to play faster and faster and faster. When he is in the cellar, the background music is Grieg’s In the Halls of the Mountain King.

The final confrontation between husband and wife occurs when it is revealed that he has a book written about himself and his murders. He is grandiose and narcissistic. His wife tries to defend herself from his killing her by saying that she too had got away with murder and spins a story, which he recognises from the book he has read, but she indicates that he is being poisoned, which he is not. However, he collapses and his wife is saved.

1. An Agatha Christie short story? From the 1930s? As dramatised for the stage?

2. The British settings, Carol and her American accent? The rooms, the music lessons, workplaces? International travel? Paris and the collecting of the money? The cottage in the country, the interiors, the cellar? The musical score? The use of Grieg and the pace of the music?

3. The title and its irony? For box office, the change to Night of Terror?

4. Carol, her life, with Katie and the aunt, the aunt’s eccentricities and hypochondria? The piano lessons? Winning the lottery? Going shopping? Promising to help Kate and her aunt and doing so? Ronnie and his absence, his return, her offering the money, his not wanting to be dependent, wanting his new job?

5. The arrival of Gerald Lovell? Basil Rathbone’s appearance and manner? Gentlemanly? The situation, his return, examining the flat, accepting?

6. Carol, the clash with Ronnie about his work? Gerald Lovell on the rebound? His following her to Paris? His devotion, her falling in love? Ronnie and Kate visiting? The revelation of the marriage? The travel? Gerald as the devoted husband?

7. His borrowing the money from Carol, promising it was just business? Buying a house in the country? Their going? Hobson and the management, the garden? Emma, rather slow-witted, her role in the plans? Hobson forbidden to go into the cellar, Gerald saying his photography equipment was there?

8. Buying the piano, Carol playing, his urging her to play faster? The burning of the photos? Carol going into the cellar, his outburst? The concern about his health, the doctor? The discussions about Peter Fletcher and his murders, the book, the absent photo?

9. The promise about the Fair, Hobson and his help in the garden? Emma, clumsy? Being paid, going to the fair? Gerald and Carol? The doctor with the book, the photo of Gerald, blond?

10. The edginess, Carol preparing the meal, the eating it? Gerald and his increasingly odd behaviour? Explanations about Peter Fletcher and his brilliance, his murders, charming women

11. the long dialogue between Carol and Gerald? Her pretending that she had committed a murder, his being intrigued, then recognising the story? The issue of poison, his heart? Collapse?

12. Ronnie and Kate having visited, the return, the rescue of Carol?

FOREVER ENGLAND/BROWN ON RESOLUTION

UK, 1935, 69 minutes, Black and white.
Betty Balfour, John Mills, Barry Mac Kay, Jimmy Hanley.
Directed by Walter Forde.

This film is based on the novel by celebrated action writer, C.S.Forrester. He also wrote the Horatio Hornblower series, popular in film and, especially, on British television. He also wrote The African Queen which was set in World War I as is this story. The title of this story was originally Brown on Resolution.

This original title focused on Arthur Brown, a young sailor who showed himself heroic in action against the Germans. It is interesting that this film was released in 1935, memories of World War I and antagonism with the Germans – and four years before the outbreak of World War II.

The film opens in the 1893, a focus on the Navy at the time, a young woman, Betty Balfour, involved in a carriage incident in London, being hosted by a naval officer, Somerville, Barry Mac Kay, and she spends some days with him before he goes back to serve in the Mediterranean.

The screenplay then goes forward 20 years. There have been some glimpses of Elizabeth Brown’s son, Arthur, as a boy, a naval cadet, winning a medal for boxing. Just before the outbreak of World War I, Arthur Brown, now played by John Mills, goes through rigorous training, visits his mother who gives him a memento of his unknown father, a medal with H.N. for Horatio Nelson.

There are some encounters with German sailors, some fraternising. However, with the outbreak of war, there is conflict, a confrontation between a German ship and a British ship (and for the scenes the Admiralty had provided actual ships for the sequences). Arthur Brown and his good friend, Ginger, Jimmy Hanley, are captured but Brown decides to escape, gets himself onto a small island, works as a sniper against some of the German sailors and there is a confrontation between British and Germans with the Germans losing. Brown is wounded and dies.

At the end, the German commander tells Somerville that his son was killed in action. When Arthur Brown’s belongings are brought in, Somerville finds the Nelson medal that he gave to Brown’s mother, he also losing a son.

British action, British heroics, British morale.

The film is directed by Walter Forde who directed quite a number of small budget British films from the 30s to the 50s.

NINA

US, 2016, 90 minutes, Colour.
Zoe Saldana, David Oyelowo, Ronald Guttman, Mike Epps, Keith David, Ella Joyce, Jessica Oyelowo, Ella Thomas.
Directed by Cynthia Mort.

This is a portrait, rather than a biography, of famed singer Nina Simone. While there are biographical elements, especially in the introduction to the young Nina, her piano playing, her stance about segregation of her parents in the concert hall, her singing in clubs, her involvement in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, the action moves to the mid 1990s with Nina Simone living in France.

Which means that a lot of detail of is omitted. For those interested in other aspects of Nina Simone’s life and career, the 2015 documentary What Happened, Miss Simone? is recommended. It is made up of archival material, audio and visual, many performance sequences as well as interviews.

This film shows Nina and her ego, and not looking after herself physically, her need for surgery, yet her drinking and smoking, her alienation from family and friends, living in a kind of exile in France because she feels that America betrayed her and her activities fighting for Civil Rights.

In this film, after some internment in an institution in the United States, she persuades one of the nurses, Clifton Henderson (David Oyelowlo) to come to France to look after her. She is erratic, won’t eat, won’t follow his advice, so he leaves. In fact, she follows him to his home in Chicago, amazing his parents, performing in a club and then appointing a Clifton as her manager.

Clifton was with her in the last years of her life, trying to get her bookings, putting up with people hanging up on him, getting her to do some exercise, to go through the surgery and, with the help of a previous agent, she performs a concert in New York’s Central Park.

It should be noted that Zoe Saldana sings all the Nina Simone songs in the film.

Slighter than expected, a brief portrait.

1. A portrait of Nina Simone? Her life, her career, her reputation, social concerns, personal life, problems? Audience knowledge of her and her work?

2. The 1940s and North Carolina, the piano performance, segregation and racism? The 1960s? Performances, civil rights, Martin Luther King, songs? Continuing into the 1970s? The interspersing of the interview in France in the 1970s? France, her retirement, the 1990s, Nice, the mansion? The visits to the United States, Chicago, Central Park concert? The performances in French restaurants and cabarets?

3. The use of Nina Simone’s songs, as sung by Zoe Saldana? Trained as a classical pianist, her performances at the piano?

4. The structure of the film: introduction to Nina as a young girl, the piano, the strength of mind about her parents’ sitting place, performing in cabaret in the 60s? The move to 1995, Nina in the 90s, her physical and psychological condition, money issues, her manager, pulling the gun, her being interned, Clifton looking after her, advising her to leave, her invitation to him to come to France with her?

5. Clifton, working in the hospital, concerned? The sudden invitation, his going with her to France, carrying the luggage, through passport control, the mansion? His concern as a nurse and her medication? The drinking, not eating? The smoking? Her tantrums? His patience? The performances, her angers with the crowd? Her not following his advice and his packing to leave? His return home to his family in Chicago?

6. Nina, the strong reputation, her many recordings, the compositions? The experience of segregation and its effect on her, on being a black woman, on fears, on freedom? Her relationships, her daughter, the recording of her daughter singing, her listening to it and singing along? The Civil Rights movement, her involvement, her wanting to get a gun at the death of Martin Luther King? Being urged to do what she did? Singing, campaigning? The feeling betrayed by America and her leaving for France? His success in Europe?

7. Her personal decline, arrogance, self-absorbed? Yet her performances, love of performing? Relationship with the bands? With her manager, the arguments, the issue of money, hiding money under the bed? Her going to Chicago, the unexpected visit to Clifton’s family, the response, the records? The restaurant, her singing? Saying that Clifton was her manager, his return with her?

8. Clifton trying to be a manager, the phone calls and everybody hanging up? Small possibilities? His going to see Henri? The warning? The plan about Central Park? The concert, the acclaim?

9. Clifton answering the phone to the doctor, learning about the need for surgery, her leaving it till late, going to hospital, Clifton as nurse and comforter? Her recovery? The exercise, power walking in the street? Her stubbornness?

10. The sequence of her ringing Richard Pryor, the images of his comedy career, his physical decline?

11. The studio, Clifton helping her, her performance?

12. The film as a portrait rather than as a biography?

STELLA DOES TRICKS

UK, 1996, 99 minutes, Colour.
Kelly Macdonald, James Bolam, Hans Matheson, Ewan Stewart, Andy Serkis, Paul Chahidi, Lindsay Henderson.
Directed by Coky Giedroyc.

The background of this film consists of the filmmakers doing interviews with 45 young women from London and Glasgow, hearing their stories about life on the streets, their experience and inexperience, their attitudes and behaviour towards their male clients, the pimps. These are rather squalid stories.

They have been combined to form the screenplay focusing on one such young woman, Stella. She is played by Kelly Macdonald in a very early role, showing great promise for her future career in the UK as well as in the US. There are flashbacks to Stella’s childhood, an abusive father who works as a stand-up comedian, an absent mother, a dominating aunt. How much influence this has on Stella is left to the audience imagination.

We see Stella in action with Mr Peters, James Bolam, who serves as something of a pimp for her while he gets her to masturbate him as they sit in the park and he holds her ice cream. We see Stella with a gallery a rather repulsive elderly men. We also see her with her girlfriends, in similar situations. There is a rowdy group of young men in the city, and drugs.

The other main character is Luke, Hans Matheson, Stella’s friend, the possibility of love, her boarding with him, he having a drug problem, and he also been willing to let Stella prostitute herself.

By the end, Stellla has memories as well as dreams and hallucinations, her father (on whom she gets a rather fiery revenge) and her mother appear, talking to her while she takes tablets.

While Stella does tricks, does she have a future?

Well worth seeing in this connection is the BBC drama, Three Girls, 2017, the story of grooming of teenage girls in Rochdale and in other UK cities.

1. UK slice of life? Glasgow and its environment? London and its settings?

2. Homes, streets, parks, shops and restaurants, flats? Authentic feel? The musical score?

3. The title, the focus? On Stella herself? As a prostitute? As a young woman? Prostitution and clients? The reaction of the prostitutes, attitudes towards the men?

4. The film based on many interviews, the filmmakers, the young women in England and Scotland? Their lives, episodes, memories?

5. Kelly Macdonald as Stella? Her age? Seen with her young friends, friendship, chatter, shared experiences, in the cafes, with the young men, the older men? Stella’s background, as a little girl, her father, the comedian, his behaviour, walking out, her mother, her aunt? Stella and the pressures, abuse, her attitude towards her father, the aunt and the complaints?

6. Mr Peters, sexual gratification, his age, using Stella, the scene in the park, the ice creams, the masturbation? His serving as a pimp? The scenes with the older men, their dealings with Stella, age, sexual gratification? The film’s attitude towards the male clients?

7. Stella, going to see her father, his comic performances? Her later going to his performance, in the dressing room, the sexual handling, setting fire to him?

8. Stella, angry reactions towards the men, injuring them, burning them?

9. Her relationship with the men in the town, in the car, their bravado, jokes, sex, drinking? The drug background?

10. The relationship with Luke, friendship, the sexual relationship? Companionship? Going to his flat, living? Chris, leering at her? Luke and the drugs? Going out with Stella, the train rides, her being on the job? The issue of money? Luke and whether he loved Stella or not? His own self-preoccupation? Stella returning to the flat, the issue of the money, his going to sleep? Luke allowing time for Chris to be with Stella?

11. Stella, her memories, their coming alive, the little girl, her parents?

12. Mr Peters, with the girl in the park, the ice cream? Stella going to the police, his arrest? Later meeting him, his forgiveness?

13. Stella, her imagination, her parents appearing before her, the talking with her, her taking the tablets – her wish for life, her death wish?

THE LEGEND OF ALICE FLAGG/HONEYMOON FROM HELL

US, 2016, 89 minutes, Colour.
Lexi Giovagnoli, Adam Hagenbuch, Catherine Hicks, Cameron Richardson, Christian Brunetti, Douglas Scott Streater, Tony Zazella.
Directed by Jack Helgren.

For the first part of the film, it seems like a preparation for a ghost story. A young honeymoon couple from North Carolina go to the coast, go on a guided tour with a guide explaining the grave of Alice Flagg, the story of her love, her lost ring – and, if one circles the grave 13 times, the possibility of her appearing and haunting.

They then go to a rather fancy inn on the coast, discover that it was Alice Flagg’s house, hear the story of Alice from the almost-excessively cheery landlady, Hazel, Catherine Hicks. Julia, Lexi Giovagnoli, is sensitive, has a dominating coal-miner father in West Virginia who disapproves of her relationship with Rivers (Adam Hagenbuch). (Hagenbuch looks a bit like Ashton Kutcher and then we discover that he played the actor in The Brittany Murphy Story.).

There is a rather vampish young woman staying at the inn, enough to make Julia a touch jealous. There is also a handyman and a rather slow-witted assistant. But, Julia seems to see Alice at windows – as well as in her nightmares.

Then the film changes completely, a conspiracy to murder, haunting Julia so that she will kill herself, Rivers in cahoots with Hazel who turns out to be something of a wicked witch, administering potions, surface charm but malice underneath.

The great danger is that a hurricane is brewing in the Atlantic and is due to hit the coast, Hazel saying it will go north of where they are, Julia’s father phoning so that they will leave, various complications and explanations.

Not bad of its kind.

1. Thriller? Ghost story? Murder story?

2. The Southern settings? The US East Coast? Water, inlets, fishing?

3. The impending hurricane? The weather, the skies, the rain? Dangers?

4. The titles? The emphasis on the ghost story? The emphasis on the relationship between Julia and Rivers?

5. Audience interest in ghost stories? The tour and the tour guide, the explanation about Alice Flagg, her death, the ring? Her presence? Circling the grave 13 times? Rivers doing it? Julia’s reaction?

6. The honeymoon, the house, it emerging that it was Alice’s house? Julia seeing Alice in the window? Further appearances of Alice? Her fears, superstitions?

7. Hazel, bright, welcoming, chatting? The other guests? The group leaving after their holiday? Janelle, her presence, demanding? Julia and Rivers, the room, the meals, comforts? Hazel continually attentive? Telling the story of Alice Flagg?

8. Julia telling her story to Hazel? Meeting Rivers, University, his job, her father and his being demanding, coal mines in West Virginia, disapproving of Rivers? Marriage?

9. Rivers fishing, the encounter with Janelle, her being provocative? The meal, demands on Hazel for salad? The fish? The continued interactions, Julia momentarily jealous, suspicious?

10. Julia and her dreams, the fears, the ghosts? Rivers and Janelle?

11. The impending hurricane, television programs, calls for evacuation, the severity of the storm? Hazel saying it would pass to the north? Julia’s father ringing, demanding that she leave? Talking with Rivers? The later sequence and his determining to go to get Julia?

12. Walt, working around the place, putting up boards? The interactions with Bear? His being slow, Hazel’s explanation, to put the cover on the pool, Walter pushing him in, his not being able to swim, the shallow end?

13. The sudden revelation of the plot with Hazel? Her change of character? The cover with her cheerfulness, the drinks and sedatives for Julia? The plan for Julia to kill herself, her fears? Her dreams, the little girl, Alice?

14. Her pregnancy, Rivers’ reaction, sullen? Julia blaming herself?

15. His betrayal, the plan? The discussions with Hazel, her anger? The girl appearing as Alice, Bear and Alice as Hazel’s children?

16. The knife, Janelle? Rivers and his being stabbed? His change of heart and concern about the child?

17. Hazel, the plans, the fire? The death of Walter? Escaping in the car?

18. Julia waking in hospital, her father, the explanation of the deaths, the fire, Hazel and family killed in a car accident?

19. Julia, with her daughter, going to the grave, hearing the explanation again…?

STRETCH

US, 2014, 94 minutes, Colour.
Patrick Wilson, Ed Helms, Chris Pine, James Badge Dale, Brooklyn Decker, Jessica Alba, Ray Liotta, David Hasselhoff, Norman Reedus.
Directed by Joe Carnahan.

The title, Stretch, could refer to the rather wild imagination and storytelling and character-creating of the writer-director, Joe Carnahan. It also refers to the cars used by a stretch-limousine company in Los Angeles.

Carnahan has shown his love of action with some-tongue-in cheek prowess in such films as Smoke and Aces and The A-Team?.

The story is told by Kevin, an aspiring actor who fails at auditions, changes his name, is an inveterate gambler a debt of $6000. In a car accident he encounters Candace (Brooklyn Decker) but she goes off with a sports champion instead of keeping her relationship with Kevin. Kevin is played by Patrick Wilson.

There are rivalries between the limousine companies in Los Angeles, especially with heavies from Eastern Europe. Kevin does a job for David Hasselhoff as himself – a rather nasty and domineering aspect of himself! He also does a job for Ray Liotta.

But the main action concerns an eccentric millionaire, money-laundering criminal who parachutes into Los Angeles in the form of an almost unrecognisable Chris Pine (who is uncredited). Kevin has to do a job for this eccentric, getting a briefcase of money within a set time. He succeeds, the contact is in fact an FBI agent which leads to a confrontation with the criminal, Kevin getting out of debt, having a blind date with a texter who turns out to be Charlie, the coordinator of the limousines from the company – Jessica Alba.

1. A bizarre action comedy? The work of the director? Action, black humour?

2. The Los Angeles settings, Hollywood, the hills, the streets, clubs, FBI investigations, the world of celebrities, stretch limousines and the coordination? A strange blend? The musical score, the songs of the period?

3. Kevin’s story? The voice-over? The ironic touches? The opening accident, the boy meets girl story, the encounter with Candace, the affair, her leaving him for the sportsman, later meeting her at the club, her attraction, his oneupmanship on her? Wanting to be an actor, the range of auditions, changing his name, not getting jobs? His being hired by the limousine company? The bosses, rivalries, potential takeovers? Eastern European toughs? Charlie at headquarters, the conversations with Kevin?

4. The range of jobs, the encounter with David Hasselhoff, Hasselhoff parody of himself but nasty? The encounter with Ray Liotta, Liotta’s screen personality, interaction with Kevin? The encounter with Norman Reedus?

5. Kevin and his debts, the standover tactics, the demands, his needing tips? Ray Liotta helping?

6. The rendezvous with Karos? Chris Pine and his eccentric presence and performance? Parachuting in, his face, beard, helmet, clothes, nudity? His way of speaking? His demands? Employing Kevin? The promise of the $6000? The eccentric discussions in the back of the limousine, punching his face and his sense of himself? The discussions about Firestarter, and the fire in the limousine? His tidying himself up? Going to the club? The women? Giving Kevin the commission to get the briefcase, the promise of the ledgers? His background as a money-laundering, high-class criminal, wanting to escape the country? Kevin to return, Karos breaking his word? Kevin is one up and ship? The FBI, his arrest, with the gun, Kevin thwarting him? And Kevin getting the ledgers?

7. Kevin, everything in the timing rather than fate, the friendship with Charlie? The text messages from Pink Minx? The timing for the job, the threats from the rival limousine company, from his boss? Stopping the power of the limousine? His going to the club, his bravado performance, with the boss, the confrontation, seizing the moment, controlling the space, getting the briefcase? Manny, valet, his driving away, Kevin running away? All the difficulties, the tow truck, the crashes, the drive? Getting to the club? Karos’ betrayal?

8. The irony of the FBI, the setup, the pursuit of Kevin, of Karos? The agent and his impersonation of the French gangster? He and his colleague discussing with Kevin? The money? His freedom? The message from Pink Minx, the same diner, it turning out to be Charlie?

9. The strange mixture of the comic and the serious?