THE KILLER ELITE
US, 1975, 120 minutes, Colour.
James Caan, Robert Duvall, Arthur Hill, Gig Young, Bo Hopkins.
Directed by Sam Peckinpah.
Sam Peckinpah has often shown a wryly sour attitude towards American society, a blood-spurting West and seedy gun-toting gangsters. In this thriller, he gathers together his previous themes and interests and puts them in Condor territory, the professional killers (the experts elite) hired for political purposes who channel their single mindedness and their emotional life into killing. The plot is the usual thriller style, complicated and violent. The hero is a typical James Caan character - both tough and soft. The background is the sordid power struggle and betrayal of security and espionage chiefs, which recent history indicates is only too real. Sam Peckinpah continues an interesting career portraying and criticising violence.
1. The significance of the title and its tone, irony and cruelty? Indication of themes?
2. The impact of style and meaning of the initial interview? The emphasis on the word 'preposterous', the establishing of a mood for this kind of thriller? Adverse critics who saw it as a 'blood and guts' thriller? Favourable- comments from people who saw it as a significant comment on modern violence?
3. How well and objectively did the film present its characters and themes, the nature of the comment, the exploitation of the violence in which they were involved?
4. The contribution of the colour, widescreen, San Francisco locations and atmosphere, the significance of the credits and the job?
5. Audience response to this kind of world? How real does it seem, in the light of the history of 70s? Audience response to these themes of power, killing, ideals and disillusionment, individuals as real and unreal, selfishness, money, violence, death, using other people? The need to be involved in this kind of world, the holds that it has, the need to escape it? How pessimistic the basic outlook of the film? Men trapped in this kind of world? How valid is the presentation and the comment?
6. Mike Locken as hero? James Caan and his style? As a killer elite, and therefore a judgement on him? The twentieth Century anti-hero? His involvement with a patriotic cause, his being on the side of good, who were bad? A man impossible to tell that he should change his way of life? Proficient, betrayed? His involvement in his work, his expertise? His being the victim of violence? The recuperation from the violence and the growing vengeance? Proficiency versus disillusionment? The need to be free? The ultimate cynicism in his view of his life?
7. How well did the film present him as a person? His strengths and weaknesses of character? The humane qualities? How were these subjected to his profession and his proficiency? The comment made on the crushing of personality?
8. How did Hansen contrast with Locken? Their initial collaboration on the job, their ability to laugh together, sex, the shower? The sudden impact of Hansen's shooting Locken? The further experience of their 'cat and mouse' chasing of each other? The need for a confrontation? Was Hansen a real person, was his personality comprehensible? The film's explanation of his motives? His real hesitation as regards Locken's death? The inevitability of his own death? The film's use of Hansen as a comment on this kind of killer elite?
9. Mac and Miller also as killers elite? The detailed portrayal of their characters, the build-up of their types? Their collaboration with Locken? Their various proficiencies in driving and shooting? The work that they did with Locken, in its detail? Their success and work as a team? The risk for life? The motives for their involvement in this kind of work, money, success, loyalty to Locken?
10. Collis and the portrayal of the power men? The cold and ruthless efficiency of the officials who did not do the dirty work? The using of the killers in the field? Playing with power and playing both sides? The capacity for betrayal? The double talk in the efficiency of management? His final suffering by being shot? Could audiences have any sympathy for this kind of man? How many Collises are there in real life?
11. Weyburn and the contrast with Collis? The same kind of man with the same kind of power complex? Yet cynical and using Locken? The portrayal of the politician who uses all kinds of means to attain ends?
12. The film's portrayal of the atmosphere of secrecy, double names, the offices and their location, codes and plans?
13. The brief interludes of Locken's world, for example with the nurse? The contrast of a real world with this artificial world of espionage and killing?
14. The reasons for such jobs? International politics and violence? Fanatical groups such as the Japanese assassins? Is it necessary for a country like America to have such killers to protect politicians etc.? The initial job and explosions, the details of the protection of Chang, the San Francisco streets, the use of cars, bombs, deserted wharves, the key? The deserted warships and the atmosphere that this gave to the job?
15. The details of action in the San Francisco streets with the Chinese, the final climax on the ships? The use of Kung Fu, Samurai swordsmanship? was this overdone for this kind of film? The mixture of action and suspense and audience reaction to this in the light of the previous double think about agencies and killing?
16. The significance of the ending for Locken, shooting Collis,, the death of his friends, the revenge on Hansen.. dismissing Weyburn? How liberated was Locken? How cynical? What is the value of exploring this kind of world on the screen?
